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Authors: Stephanie Julian
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wasn’t all Cam was talking about. Cam was implying Lacey was too much for him to handle.
And Teo started to get pissed.
Vaffanculo , he wasn’t a kid anymore. Teo knew how to handle himself. He’d managed to make a life for himself despite being infected with the amentia . He hadn’t crawled into a hole or killed himself like some had. He’d never been in any danger of hurting himself. He’d been too damn sure he’d be able to find a cure.
He’d always been smart, sometimes too smart for his own good. He’d never had to study to get straight As. He’d gotten two college degrees in architecture and engineering in the time it’d taken most people to get one. Then he’d designed houses.
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Seduced by Chaos
When he’d gotten bored with that after twenty years or so, he’d gone back to college for a couple of master’s degrees and a doctorate in history. He’d been teaching college when he’d been infected. He’d left his position to find a cure.
His parents had guilted him into moving back home with them, afraid for his mental state. They’d given him everything he’d needed or wanted. But after a few months, he’d needed his own place again. He’d found an apartment in Reading, close to his parents and Cam.
He’d rebuilt his life from the bottom up. He’d gone back to designing buildings because he could do it from home. The firm he worked with gave him carte blanche to do the jobs he wanted because he was that good.
Now he wanted Lacey. He wanted her for more than a one-night stand and if his big brother didn’t approve…well then, fuck him. He’d do it without his help.
He opened his mouth to say just that and realized he didn’t have to. Because Cam’s grin had returned.
“Welcome to the club, little brother,” Cam said. “And you know I’ll do whatever I can to help you and Lacey. Just tell me what you need.”
* * * * *
Half an hour later, Cam nodded, gave him a hard hug and dematerialized back to his home a few miles away. He’d left with the promise that he and Stella would be at the bar tonight to meet Lacey.
And hopefully have some preliminary information.
Now alone, Teo sat on the couch, staring out the window. All he saw was green leaves and a dawn-blue sky. Across the street, City Park spread out over several blocks, making him wonder if she’d chosen this building because it was so close to the park and the trees.
As elemental creatures, the Etruscan Fata needed that connection to nature. While it might seem odd that an entire population so tied to nature had immigrated to a city, it 59
Stephanie Julian
made more sense when you realized that this city had been built over a ley line, a powerful vein of earth magic that infused the area with power.
The Etruscans had moved here shortly after the Purge of 1758, when the Malandante and the Benandante , a group of Etruscans dedicated to keeping the Mal in check, went head to head in the ancient Etruscan forests. The Benandante lost that battle and the Fata and Enu had paid a high price. Those who had stayed had retreated farther into the forest, disappearing, but the majority had left for the new world.
He wondered about her parents. They had to have known, when they’d decided to have children, what their union would produce. Had they been reckless and stupid? Or so in love they hadn’t cared about the consequences? Or had Lacey and her sister been a mistake?
A slight sound caught his attention and he turned to see her watching him from the hall. She leaned against the wall, hair mussed and eyes half closed, an oversized t-shirt hanging to her knees.
Beautiful. Not a damn mistake.
He held out his hand and his heart started to beat ten times faster when she smiled.
She didn’t move right away though and he had a few seconds to worry.
Then she disappeared.
His eyes widened—just as she reappeared directly over him. Her knees sank into the cushions on either side of his hips, her hands settled onto his
And Teo started to get pissed.
Vaffanculo , he wasn’t a kid anymore. Teo knew how to handle himself. He’d managed to make a life for himself despite being infected with the amentia . He hadn’t crawled into a hole or killed himself like some had. He’d never been in any danger of hurting himself. He’d been too damn sure he’d be able to find a cure.
He’d always been smart, sometimes too smart for his own good. He’d never had to study to get straight As. He’d gotten two college degrees in architecture and engineering in the time it’d taken most people to get one. Then he’d designed houses.
58
Seduced by Chaos
When he’d gotten bored with that after twenty years or so, he’d gone back to college for a couple of master’s degrees and a doctorate in history. He’d been teaching college when he’d been infected. He’d left his position to find a cure.
His parents had guilted him into moving back home with them, afraid for his mental state. They’d given him everything he’d needed or wanted. But after a few months, he’d needed his own place again. He’d found an apartment in Reading, close to his parents and Cam.
He’d rebuilt his life from the bottom up. He’d gone back to designing buildings because he could do it from home. The firm he worked with gave him carte blanche to do the jobs he wanted because he was that good.
Now he wanted Lacey. He wanted her for more than a one-night stand and if his big brother didn’t approve…well then, fuck him. He’d do it without his help.
He opened his mouth to say just that and realized he didn’t have to. Because Cam’s grin had returned.
“Welcome to the club, little brother,” Cam said. “And you know I’ll do whatever I can to help you and Lacey. Just tell me what you need.”
* * * * *
Half an hour later, Cam nodded, gave him a hard hug and dematerialized back to his home a few miles away. He’d left with the promise that he and Stella would be at the bar tonight to meet Lacey.
And hopefully have some preliminary information.
Now alone, Teo sat on the couch, staring out the window. All he saw was green leaves and a dawn-blue sky. Across the street, City Park spread out over several blocks, making him wonder if she’d chosen this building because it was so close to the park and the trees.
As elemental creatures, the Etruscan Fata needed that connection to nature. While it might seem odd that an entire population so tied to nature had immigrated to a city, it 59
Stephanie Julian
made more sense when you realized that this city had been built over a ley line, a powerful vein of earth magic that infused the area with power.
The Etruscans had moved here shortly after the Purge of 1758, when the Malandante and the Benandante , a group of Etruscans dedicated to keeping the Mal in check, went head to head in the ancient Etruscan forests. The Benandante lost that battle and the Fata and Enu had paid a high price. Those who had stayed had retreated farther into the forest, disappearing, but the majority had left for the new world.
He wondered about her parents. They had to have known, when they’d decided to have children, what their union would produce. Had they been reckless and stupid? Or so in love they hadn’t cared about the consequences? Or had Lacey and her sister been a mistake?
A slight sound caught his attention and he turned to see her watching him from the hall. She leaned against the wall, hair mussed and eyes half closed, an oversized t-shirt hanging to her knees.
Beautiful. Not a damn mistake.
He held out his hand and his heart started to beat ten times faster when she smiled.
She didn’t move right away though and he had a few seconds to worry.
Then she disappeared.
His eyes widened—just as she reappeared directly over him. Her knees sank into the cushions on either side of his hips, her hands settled onto his
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