Chapter Four

“Ask away.” Puca said as he tucked his hands into his trouser pockets.

“You said someone trapped you in that box?” Lola asked as she pointed towards the small oak box that was obviously too small to hold four very well-built men inside of it. 

Men, who were currently standing in her living room, okay so she was using the term men loosely, very loosely.  

These men were obviously not human like she was. She could feel the other-world difference floating about them, could almost see it swirling around their auras. Lola couldn’t put her finger on it as she looked at them, but she had the feeling like she should know who they were.

“We were imprisoned inside of it. Yes.” Puca answered her as he bit his lower lip, looking at her. His golden eyes studying her closely. He could feel the pull of magic faintly coming from her.

“Why?” She asked with a frown.

“That’s a long story-” Bodach started to say as he looked down sheepishly.

“He stole a fairy’s child and switched it with a Changeling.” Merrow blurted out with a glare towards Bodach.

“Maybe not that long, and to be honest the child didn’t feel like fae neither did her mother. How was I to know?” He asked, shrugging his shoulders as he raised an eyebrow.

“You could have not involved us,” Lu said with a glare from the couch.

“Where’s the fun in that? The family we gave the child to had several pretty daughters. I knew you guys wouldn’t want to miss a chance with their type.” He glanced over at Lola with a smirk, “Succubus.”  

Her eyes widened and she looked away, a blush coloring her cheeks.

“Afterwards we couldn’t find them again when we realized our mistake,” Merrow mumbled, his eyes downcast and his shoulders slumped.

Lola looked over at him. She worried her lower lip with her teeth, not understanding why seeing him upset bothered her. 

“How about I make us some tea?” Lola said, her voice sounding high and nervous to her own ears, making her cringe.

“Tea, do you have anything to warm it up?” Lu asked, making Lola frown.

“A tea kettle?” She shrugged her shoulders as she moved towards her tiny kitchen.

“He means spirits?” Bodach said with a chuckle at her innocent response.

“Oh, you mean like alcohol?” Lola asked. She had some wine in the fridge from this weekend.  

“Aye, I’d love some whiskey. If you have it,” Lu said perking up.

“I’ve got some white wine in the fridge.” She offered hopefully.

“Settled then,” Lu said pushing up from the couch a happy hop in his step. His copper-colored curls bouncing as he walked towards the kitchen behind Lola. His eyes lingering on the swell of her hips.  

Lola pulled the wine from the fridge and set it on the cabinet. Planning to get him a wineglass when he snatched the bottle up and took a long pull from it. Lu swallowed hard and then grimaced.

“This isn’t wine, it’s barely a step above water.” He said with a frown.

“Well, it’s yours now, thanks for ruining it for everyone else.” Lola crossed her arms under her breasts. His eyes flickered to her chest before he looked away. She let out a sigh of frustration. She’d been hoping to have a glass after this crazy night.

“It’ll have to do for now,” Lu said, taking another pull from the bottle as he sauntered back towards the living room. Bottle sloshing in hand as he plopped heavily down on her denim couch.

Lola frowned as she filled the kettle at the tap and then placed it on the stove. She turned on the burner as she tried to collect her thoughts. Maybe this was all a very vivid hallucination, even though her guests claimed it wasn’t. She pulled out two boxes of tea and bit her bottom lip, looking between both small boxes. 

Peppermint tea or Earl Grey, which would they prefer? She wished she had some chamomile. She could do with a little bit of relaxation.  

Merrow came and leaned his hip against the counter, pushing his white-blonde hair over his shoulder as he watched Lola looking between the two boxes. He pushed away from the counter to look over her shoulder, and Lola was acutely aware of his body against hers. He smelled like the fresh waves of the ocean.

“I don’t think we want to drink something made of man, I’d go with the peppermint one,” Merrow whispered in her ear as he rested his hands on her hips. Smirking as she shivered.

“Hands, buddy,” Lola growled in warning as she slammed the boxes down on the counter and turned to look up at him, he took a half step back. Still much too close for her tastes. “You guys need to learn to keep your hands to yourself.  

“Tis been a long time since any of us has laid with a woman. Especially one who is such a beauty as you,” Merrow said, his voice husky as his pupils dilated. His sea-green eyes searched her deep emerald ones.

“Well, it’ll be a bit longer still, I’ve got no plans to sleep with any of you.” Lola’s cheeks heated up as she looked up at him. She hadn’t missed the compliment on her looks, and it made her stomach feel like it was full of butterflies.

“You sure about that, Ghra?” Merrow said as he smirked down at Lola. His eyes twinkling with mischief and promises of something she didn’t have a name for.  

“Stop hogging her all to yourself, Merrow,” Bodach said as he came into the small kitchen and Lola felt the room heating up. She didn’t know if it was the stove or the two beautiful men that stood before her. Merrow stepped back with a glare towards Bodach. Maybe it was the tension between these two? Judging by their clothing, they had been trapped in that box for a long time. Who was she to judge?

Lola turned back towards the counter and busied herself pulling out her mismatched tea set. One day she would have one like Erik’s til then she would make do with the small cups painted with cheerful daisies and morning glories. 

Filling the teapot up with boiling water, she tossed in a few tea bags, sitting it onto the tray. She planned to take it into the living room. Lola didn’t look at the two men shooting daggers back and forth as she lifted the heavy tray in her arms and grimaced at the pain in her shoulder.  

Frowning, she realized she must have hit the wall harder than she first thought.