“A what?!”

“A faerie…like in the storybooks…you know, like in fairytales. Some people call us sidhe.”

“That’s impossible,” Carmen protested, her mind running in roller coasters of rumors and legends and myths.

Shane chuckled wryly. “Yeah…I know, right? I thought it was impossible, too…when I found out about it…just a few months ago. Kinda threw me for a loop.”

Carmen just stared…speechless.

Shane continued after a bit. “I was in total denial…until I saw the lightshow–the funky eye color…the glowing skin and shit. I mean…I didn’t even believe in that magical fairy shit. The closest I ever got to that was eating Lucky Charms.”

Carmen’s mouth curved up into a quick smile, the “magically delicious” jingle running through her head.

After a moment, Shane continued, still looking down at her feet. “What happened tonight…it’s umm never happened before. Something weird’s going on. I really can’t tell you what it was…’cause I really don’t know myself. I’ll have to make some calls before I can give you any kinda decent explanation.” She glanced up quickly, searching Carmen’s face intently for a split second. “So…how are you? I mean…are you OK?”

Carmen looked a little confused. “What? Fuck, Shane…I don’t even know what’s going on. Your explanation is just giving me more unanswered questions. God…I have no idea what’s going on, much less what I’m feeling.”

“Look, I have to ask…’cause it can be dangerous for humans to come into contact with faeries too much—that is, when we’re not shielded. And my shielding came down pretty hard in there. According to my faerie godmother, normal humans get obsessed with faeries if they’re around us too much. So, how do you feel?”

Looking bewildered and a little pissed off now, she continued. “You know what, Shane? I’m fucking confused. That’s how I am. I mean, what the hell!? And you know what else? I’m mad…we’ve had sex how many times now? And you never said anything about it before. What were you just gonna make me fall for you and then just leave me like all the other girls?”

“I was shielding…so hard. I figured you’d be OK. But…there was something else tonight.” She looked at Carmen out of the corner of her eye. “Look…I never meant to hurt you. You’ve gotta believe that.”

Carmen looked angry still. And hurt.

“It was a mistake, alright?” Shane sighed. Frowning, she looked down at her hands. “Just tell me one thing, though…” she reached around Carmen’s back and brushed her fingertips across the tattoo there, eliciting a surprised gasp. “What exactly is this? Do you feel that?”

Carmen shivered from the erotic sensations that started where Shane touched her back and wrapped around until she felt it all the way through her core. “What…what are you doing?”

“I’m not doing anything. That’s you…or maybe you and me, but it doesn’t happen with anyone else. What do these really mean?”

“The…the tattoos?” Carmen asked, still confused and strangely stirred. “My father’s mother told me they were protective symbols. I’m not sure about anything specific.”

When Shane pulled her hand away, Carmen instinctively leaned back, unconsciously yearning for that touch. Realizing what she’d done, she suddenly stood–still confused and frightened.

“I’m gonna go. I…need to think.”

Shane stood too, not really knowing what else she could say to make it better. “Umm…ok. I’ll see you around?” she asked, hesitant.

“Uh yeah.” Carmen brushed past her, back through the house and out the front door.

Shane sat back down on the steps, pulled out her phone, and dialed Maeve’s number.