Love is Always Write Anthology Volume 2

wearing any pants. "I'd like to take you out for that first date. Do you mind going into town?"
    "For you," Craig said solemnly, "I'd go to the vet."
    Grady paused, obviously unsure how to take that until Craig started grinning. They laughed, a tinge of relief to it, before Craig sat back far enough to look at Grady's knee again.
    "Let's get you cleaned up, yeah?" Craig suggested with a waggle of his eyebrows. "You can tell me all about this first date while I save your limb."
    Grady blushed the brightest red so far before he cleared his throat and started throwing out ideas.
    Best. Day. Ever.
     
    THE END
    Author bio: Since 2006, J. Rocci has published several romance stories with Torquere Press, ranging from contemporary to steampunk to fantasy. Rocci lives near Washington D.C. with the love of her life and their furry children, and often indulges the whims of her best friend (who is also her Muse).
    You can find her on Goodreads or her Website .
    Social network profiles:
    Dreamwidth Journal
    Blog
    ****

THE DANGERS OF FAIRY COMPACTS
    by Katey Hawthorne

    A lonely fairy sitting on a tree-branch in a dark forest

    Dear Author,
    I was curious when I felt the summons across the Ways between the human world and faerie realm. When the pathway opened, I followed the stone walkway through to his world, disregarding the rules that had been taught to me from childhood. I knew I was supposed to let one of the Court advisors know, but the magic called to me.
    The priest who summoned me ran when I appeared; I don't think he expected his ritual to work. I followed the scent of his magic until I bounced off his wards. His home is protected against all spirits, including me, keeping me away from the warmth of his hearth. He leaves each morning and returns in the late afternoon, often staring into the woods where he must feel my presence. I'm stuck here, sitting on a branch, counting the hours until he comes home again and praying that today is the day he'll offer an invitation of hospitality after demanding my presence.
    Until he dismisses the call, I am bound to him. His voice though— I've heard it before in my dreams. I think I've always been bound to him .
    Sincerely,
    Miya

    genre: fantasy
    tags: cleric; mage; fae; magic users; interspecies; bonded
    words: 16,392
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    THE DANGERS OF FAIRY COMPACTS
    by Katey Hawthorne
    CHAPTER 1
    Aeron stretched his wings, turning them this way and that to catch the morning sunshine and melt away the sleepiness. If only he could open up his head and let the sun in there, too. A beautiful day, and all he could think was how difficult it would be to spend it pretending there wasn't a dream voice echoing inside his skull.
    Might as well get the show started. He lifted his arms over his head and made a production of yawning.
    When he opened his eyes again, Awela had joined him in front of Emyr Hill. She stretched her own wings, the dark green veins and gold-and-silver iridescence of the translucent membrane outshining the sun itself as they caught the light.
    He snorted and folded his, a smoke-and-dusky-silver set, against his back. "Show off."
    She grinned. "Envy's ugly on you, brother."
    He rolled his eyes and fluttered some more, this time extending the curled feelers on the ends of his wings to test the airflow. They were still sluggish; nothing but a good flyabout would do. "You're not really going to dance attendance on Advisor Marth today, are you?"
    "Father went to so much trouble to get me the position. Anyhow, we have it in us to be—"
    "You. You have it in you. As if I'd be allowed to forget it." He snorted again.
    "Well don't be such a wastrel, love, and maybe Father won't expect you to disappoint."
    He didn't dignify that with a response. Let her ascend to glory through service to the Court, let her reap the benefits of their grasping father's influence. She deserved it. Aeron would find his own destiny elsewhere.
    Not because he had to. Because he wanted to. Really.
    She laughed and kissed the corner of his lips in goodbye. Before she could pull back, she paused, looking into his eyes. Hers were the same pale furleaf green, the same large round shape; they even applied charcoal in the same pattern. Nearly everything about them was identical.
    He had no complaints, except that it made it so difficult to hide anything from her. Awela's eyes narrowed.
    Aeron's stomach tightened. He tried to look away, but she'd already seen. She said, "You