Part Nine

Ferris

After that heated kiss at the water park I requested to go home early. Of course they obliged instantly and I was carried away back to my castle. A few maids were driven back to the summer palace to collect my stuff and I was just thankful I didn't have to go back.

Two days later and I'm still beating myself up over it even though I had little say in what happened! Why did I blame myself? I couldn't have possibly known he would do something like that! He was acting weird earlier but he always does that!

I grabbed my phone, which I rarely use, and scrolled through my contacts. I just assumed Cosmo's was in here for 'safety reasons' and to my relief it was. I debated whether or not to press 'call' but that was cut short as I had accidentally pressed it.

"Hello?" His voice rang out. I got my bottom lip before pressing the phone to my ear. "Hi, Cosmo. It's me Ferris," I mumbled. I sounded like an idiot.

"Oh hey, Ferris!"

I had another mini debate about whether or not I should tell him. I could trust him, right?

"I-I need to tell you something but you musn't tell anyone!"

"Okay?"

"Say you promise!" I squealed like a young girl. This was supposed to be helping me, not making me more embarrased. His laugh invaded my ears. "Gods, I promise!"

"I don't know where to begin! It first started when Father and I attended a meeting and I hadn't seen Zaelyn and Fraener in ages, and they both got really good-looking - wait can I even say that? I really don't know-"

Cosmo sighed and I noticed I was rambling. "Get to the point already!"

"Zaelyn kissed me!"

I heard shuffling over the phone before he started to laugh. Why was he laughing? "So? Zaelyn kisses everyone he sees! He's an incubus!" The Mer huffed out through laughs. I felt confused and stupid. He may be an incubus but the kiss was something entirely different. It wasn't just some easy way to regain his energy and if it was he would've gone to Fraener, right?

"But he's been acting weird ever since the meeting! He's been stealing my clothes, getting waaay too close and he even said I smelt nice! Isn't that weird?!" I groaned, thinking back to all time times he's done weird stuff. It wasn't just him. Fraener too. "I do suppose that's weird.."

I sighed for the umpteenth time, walking up and down the west-wing of the castle, the most secluded place I could find in a fortress full of people running around. "Maybe you should just date?" He sighed as if it wasn't the most craziest thing I had ever heard.

"Date?! There are a million, more even, to why we shouldn't date!" I screamed into the phone.

Cosmo sighed again. "Like?"

"Like the fact that it's the most unprofessional thing you have ever considered! Like how if my Father found out he'd skin me and tear off my wings! Or how he already has a boyfriend!"

I was literally tearing my hair out over this. The line between what I want and what I shouldn't and can't have became all too blurry. There were a whole lot more cons than pro's.

"Forget I said anything, okay? Let's just try to think about something else!" His voice flooded my ears again and I nodded as if he could see me.

"Yeah. That sounds good.."

**

Fraener

I was completely blinded by anger that I almost didn't see the oncoming curb. I slammed my foot on the break and managed to swurve onto the dirt path that lead into the small opening of trees and disappeared.

We needed answers. Why did we act so weird around Ferris? Why did we seem to let go of all sense of control and sensibility when we neared? We needed then now so that we could just explain everything to Ferris.

I hopped out the car and trudged over to the back door, gripping the handle tightly and ripping it open. "Get the fuck out, now." I seethed through gritted teeth and the Incubus almost instantly complied. He was the main reason I was pissed.

After Ferris ran past me all distressed with Zaelyn following suit he explained everything from a weird feeling bubbling up inside him to when he decided to kiss Ferris. His stupid horniness could end us!

I began to walk ahead the wet grass squishing beneath my boots. The sun was setting and we didn't have much time before we had to get back but luckily his hut wasn't far away. I decided it'd be best if we visited Rafael, one of Zaelyn's old toy-boy and a witch doctor. He best have the answers I'm looking for or he'll have an angry Dragon on his back.

"Frae! Please! You have to believe me, I didn't mean kiss him!" Zaelyn shouted out from behind me which I ignored. He's been saying the same thing ever since he told me what he'd done. This is so bad.

I spotted the hut- not that it was hard to miss and admired the pretty colourful foliage growing and dealing itself into the hut. It basically camouflaged itself.

I trudged up the stairs and pounded on the door hearing some shuffling before the witch opened the door. "Ah, Fraener! Long time no see, no?" He cheered his golden skin gleaming in the glow of the setting sun. His accent was as heavy as ever, with his dreadlocks pulled up into a messy bun and his pearly whites flashing a smile. He patted me on the shoulder, moving a little to reveal a half dressed nymph. He was tall and stocky with milky skin with chocolate freckles and curly cocoa hair. His purple eyes seemed to hide a million secrets.

I wasn't interested in making small talk so I waited for the slow-ass Incubus to catch up before shoving past. "Raf, we need to talk," I gritted out, watching as he lit up a cigar pressed it to his lips. I eyed the nymph menacingly who gave me a ditzy look. "You're sex toy needs to go now. It's important."

The nymph seemed to be on cloud 9. He didn't even try to defend himself like all of Rafael past flings. "Xan, go back to the bedroom," Rafael ordered his accent making it seem more demanding. Xan half nodded before scooting to a door and entering the room, closing the door behind him. This whole place smelt like weed.

"Don't mind him. He smoke too much!" The witch let out a puff of smoke before cackling. You'd think he'd look old and wrinkled but no matter how much he smoked hid voice stayed young and deep and his skin seemed to become clearer everyday. I perk of being immortal.

"We have a situation and we need your advice." I spoke clearly eyeing off Zae who was too busy cowering away in his little corner that he didn't even bother to say hi to his best friend. He spewed a cloud of smoke before nodding.

I began to explain everything from when we met Ferris at the meeting to when he caught us and the kiss. He nodded and pursed his lips into a thin line. Gods I hope he isn't too high.

"So you two started acting weird around him, correct?" He both stated and asked. I nodded.

"Only when you were around him?"

I nodded again. He zeroed in on the cigar which was now burning to a stump. He sighed before throwing it into the small trashcan. "Zaelyn," he called and the Incubus instantly shot his head in his direction. "Have you had any trouble regaining energy? Has sex not been working?"

"I've become quite restless yes, but the kiss made me feel a whole new energy! Like I had enough to bang everyone in the whole park!" He exclaimed with too much enthusiasm. I rolled my eyes. "What does this have to do with us acting weird?" I asked my anger ready to sky rocket.

"Well, Fae's produce pheromones that only their own kind can sense. It makes those around them want them. It's usually subtle at first, but with due time you won't be able to resist him." He hummed, tapping his long nails on the wooden table. "If only his own kind can sense it then why are we under the effects?"

He looked up at us with his pure obsidian eyes. "He's doesn't realize it, but he's emitting them for you. There's a tiny voice in his head that feels comforted by you two." He announced, grinning at our reactions. So his pheromones were making us act all weird?

"So what do we do about it?" I asked earning a sigh. "There's not much to do. He'll just keep releasing his pheromones with or without his knowledge. You either go along with it by dating or if you don't, you break his heart." He sighed while he lit another cigar. I stared at Zae for awhile and he genuinely looked torn. "His pheromones will block your ability to regain energy. As long as he's around, Fraener won't be able to satisfy you. This isn't just some crush."

The room was plagued with silence. I didn't want to crush Ferris' heart but I also believed it was too risky to involve him in our secret rendezvous. Then muffled moaning filled the room and the sound of a vibrator buzzed. Blush creeped up Zaelyn's neck and Rafael grinned. "Mind Xan. The boys like a dog in heat." He mumbled eyeing off the door to the bedroom. I decided that it'd be best if we leaved Rafael and his boy toy and head on our way. We said our goodbyes and began to walk back to our car.

"Rafael said it'll only get worse," Zaelyn mumbled a little sad. I nodded thinking about it. "You know what we have to do, right? If it does get worse, we might try to do something we'll both regret."

He looked at me in shock. "Like what?" He gasped. I sighed. "Like taking him by force?" I gave earning a gasp.

He whined leaning into me like a child. "I don't want to hurt him." He whimpered, getting into the car. I slid into the driver's seat.

"Neither do I.."