Midnight Cove
Forest Floored

“Oh my...” The thought trailed off. My hands instinctively flew in front of my mouth. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Cove stood in front of me, the vision of a warrior faery. His sculpted torso was all the more intimidating with his immense wings towering over him. I took two steps back, attempting to get a better look.

His massive silk wings, like those of a butterfly, were an iridescent blue intricately woven on a black velvet background. They swooped up and out, away from his body. His lower set of wings matched the same shimmery pattern and stopped at his ankles. It was breathtaking, and tears streamed down my face. I knew I was in love with Cove, but looking at him in his faerie form was too much for any one person. I put my face into my hands and wept at his beauty.

Before I could stop myself, Cove’s arms were around me, soothing me. I fought to control my emotions and I looked up into Cove’s loving face. He looked so much like an angel, I couldn’t help but feel in awe of him. He touched the side of my face with the back of his hand. His caress felt good and I leaned into it, he smiled down at me.

I cleared my throat, “I thought we were the same size when we’re shrunk?” I said, trying to distract myself from my unwarranted emotions and his overwhelming beauty. I vividly remembered the first time he kissed me.

“Yes, well, as I said before, I wasn’t really paying attention that time.” He looked so cute as a sheepish grin crossed his face. I couldn’t help myself, I reached up on my tiptoes and pecked him on the lips. The mild look of shock apparent for a moment, then his satisfied smile returned.

Cove stood up straight and his wings snapped to attention. He pulled my body close to his and wrapped my arms around his neck. My only warning, a sly smile lurking about his soft full lips.

“Hold on,” Cove said, but we were already off the ground.

I squealed with delight as my stomach dropped and I became weightless. He was so much stronger than I could have imagined. Cove showed no sign of strain as we were projected into the air. My body’s weight was an irrelevant factor for him. It was terrifying and yet, I was thrilled. Better than any roller coaster, but unfortunately the ride seemed to be just as short lived.

Instead of my feet hitting the ground, I landed amidst the tree canopy of the garden. I had gone from the bottom to the top in less than a minute but what unnerved me most was the leaf under my feet. It felt slick and bouncy. One mistake and I would be a bug splat on the path below.

Cove laughed, “You look worried.” At least he hadn’t loosened his hold on me. I was very grateful at that moment that he could read my feelings.

“I don’t know if I can walk on this.” My voice shook and I tightened my grip on Cove’s neck. He continued smiling down at me. I think he was enjoying my finally being intimidated by something.

“How did you feel about the flight?” Cove’s eyes lit up. He loved to fly. Even if I couldn’t read his heart, I could read his face.

“I loved it,” I said. It was a rush, and I couldn’t hide my own pleasure.

“Really?” Cove said surprise coloring his tone. It was apparent, my answer thrilled him. “Would you care if I went faster?" He paused eyeing me cautiously, "Could you handle it?”

I was shocked, and mildly insulted that he thought I couldn’t handle a little speed. I wanted to rebuke him for doubting me, but I preferred more to fly than to argue.

“Yes!” I was practically bouncing with excitement.

Cove seized the moment, quickly kissing me on the lips as he tightened his grip on my waist. “Hold on,” he said.

We were off again. The wind whipping by was horrendous. Our speed was unnatural. We were a beam of light streaking through the atmosphere. I should have been screaming in fear, but I wasn’t, I was euphoric. The higher we flew, the faster we went, the more excited I became. I didn’t want to go back, to the Earth, to my home, to my life. Eventually, we did land, though we were not anywhere I had been before, that was for certain.

I released Cove and stepped onto the soft forest floor. The rich smell of soil and enormous redwood trees engulfed my presence. I was left standing there feeling like I had somehow stepped out of my ordinary life and right onto the pages of a Grimm fairytale. It was so magical here, I could feel the life of the woods surrounding me. I walked closer to the massive ferns stemming up from the forest floor, letting their green, feathery foliage brush against me.

Near the base of the closest tree, I saw a ring of toadstools. I knew that people once believed a ring of toadstools was a sign the faeries had gathered to dance and conduct magic. I turned to Cove then, burning with questions.

He slowly walked over and flitted to the cap of one of the mushrooms, his delicate wings bridled against his back. He was so otherworldly, especially in this form. I could easily see how his kind was worshiped as demigods. He looked like a pagan god, a son of Zeus, perfectly chiseled from alabaster stone. Fervently in love with Cove I could have easily believed I was a victim of Puck in a Midsummer's Night's Dream. That the knavish sprite rubbed some magical concoction on my eyelids and I was compelled by something otherworldly to love him so completely, and soon I would be doomed to wake up alone in my bed.

“Yes,” he said shaking me from my inner musings and answering the question that burned within me just a moment before, “We were here the other night.”

“But why?” I felt nervous. I couldn't explain why I felt nervous, but I did. Something inside told me that this faerie ring had everything to do with Cove and somehow more importantly, me.

“Magick is always stronger when there is a group to help focus and manifest strength from.” He flitted lightly from one toadstool to the next. His mood was playful, but he seemed to be preoccupied with his thoughts.

“So, who’s we? Were they your family?” Cove never said anything about his family. I assumed that he had a family, I mean how else did faeries get here, right? I hadn’t seen Cove naked, but based on how he kissed me, I was sure he had the same desires as any human guy, and all the working parts.

“No, ‘we’ is not my family. At least not in the traditional sense anyway. In 'The Realm,' it is referred to as a troop. Those who came were mostly friends, other Fate faeries.” Cove’s face became serious, he stopped talking for awhile. Then, very cautiously he asked, “Would you be interested in meeting my family, Bonnie?”

My eyes widened in shock. I hadn’t expected him to ask me that. “Yes,” I said, with meek honesty, “I would love to meet them.”

“Him,” Cove corrected. “I have only one family member left, my brother,” he said, but he sounded deflated. I felt sorry for Cove. I could empathize, guessing at the cause of his dejected tone was that all too familiar feeling of loneliness.

Another faerie stepped out from behind the tree, as though he had been listening to us, waiting. He could be none other than Cove’s brother. There was an obvious family resemblance. His brother was a few inches shorter, and his skin was tanned to a golden bronze, but with the same brown curly hair only a few shades darker.

In fact, everything about him was darker. He didn’t have glorious silken wings like Cove either, his wings were feathery and as black as coal. I could sense danger coming from him. Cove looked like an angel, glorious in all his light and beauty, but his brother looked like the fallen angel, seductive and mischievous. I took two steps back to widen the space between us.

“This is my brother, Phoenix,” Cove said. He held his arm out in Phoenix’s direction. He didn’t seem excited at all to see his brother. It was a very cold introduction. The whole situation was odd.

Phoenix licked his full lips, smiled, and took two large steps in my direction. There was amusement on his face as I perceived his obvious threat and the sexual innuendo of his manner. I couldn’t help the flicker of excitement in my chest as a young, devilishly handsome faerie advanced on me. Yes, Phoenix was dangerous in every sense of the word.