Of course she had been happy with her life before. It had taken time, but she had grown accustomed to the human realm. She enjoyed her little shop in dowtown Shreveport. She knew she didn't have to work... everything she could possibly want was at her will. But it was the companionship she had craved. After a life of solitude, she wanted to be immersed with others and it was only by chance she had found the little book shop as she had strolled along the Red River, last March. She had always loved books and learning and it didn't take her but a moment to be eagerly walking along the shelved walls and browsing the selections.
It was only when Mabel, the shop's previous owner, had mentioned everything was marked down because she was retiring, that Kayley realized this was exactly the kind of thing she wanted in her new life. As with most people who met Kayley, Mabel was instantly enthralled by her sweet smile and demeanor. She was more than happy to sell Kayley the little shop. She hadn't wanted to close her business, but she was older and the time had come for her to let go.
Niall, on the other hand, worried that running such a store would be too much exposure for her. She was still young and he had feared she may be too careless with her magic and expose herself, thus ultimately the existence of the Fae. That was of course in the beginning. It didn't take him long to realize her life in Fae had left its impact on her. She was still playful, especially when she was near or in water, but the harsh realities of discrimination over her lineage had caused her to mature quickly.
The shop had become Kayley's lifeline. She enjoyed reading aloud to the children, their interested faces lighting up as her soft, sweetly tuned voice flowed throughout the shop. Kayley enjoyed being surrounded by children, though she had never once considered the possibility of being a mother herself. She never imagined it was in the cards for her. She could never understand why it surprised Roman so much that she wasn't use to men being interested in her. She just chalked it up to the difference in their worlds.
Sighing as she gazed out the huge store front windows, the sight of the river water flowing past just across the street left an ache in her heart. She missed the Fae realm. The warmth and beauty that filled it, the prestine oceans of clear crystal blue waters... The human realm had taken a lot of getting use to. Things were somehow simpler in the Fae realm. Being from a race of creatures that were inately magical, there was no need for technological advances. Homes were simple and the closest representation of how her world truly looked, could only be found in the pictures from the human fairy tale books. Deep green grassy lands, under bright blue skies, fields of wild flowers, calm beautiful oceans.... she longed to return to her home.
The human realm wasn't without it's own beauty. She discovered one just needed to look closer to see it. In a way, it was this need to look below the surface of things, that led her to enjoy her new life. She saw it most in the eyes of the children she saw daily... in Abel... in Roman... in Nia... At the thought of her sister, Kayley couldn't help but feel sad. Nia had always been more childlike than Kayley... most of it was due to her full Fae status. With the abilitiy to live for centuries... the need to grow up and mature was less important in the Fae realm. She, herself, was still considered a child by Fae standards. But to see Nia, forever trapped in that child-like innocence... nearly broke Kayley's heart. She still wasn't sure what had happened the day her family had been attacked... and with Nia's clear inability to recall any of her life in Faerie... Kayley may never know what transpired.
Her gaze reluctantly left the flowing waters whose call to her was intoxicating. Her magic had begun weakening and the signs were becoming apparent. She knew it was of her own doing... Her constant care of Abel and her desire to be near Roman had kept her from spending the much needed time in the water... she was going to have to do better at maintaining her once daily ritual or else... Shaking her head, she didn't want to consider the possibility if her wards began to fail her. It was those wards that left her home as a safe haven for her and her family. No one could venture near the house during the day, therefore leaving Roman safe when he was utterly powerless and at night, he could leave with the reassurance that they were safe.
She knew he worried about that, she could feel it. But in the same sense, she worried about him as well. She couldn't explain it. He was fully capable for taking care of himself, and yet she would do all in her power to protect him. At first she attributed this to her very character. She came from a line of Fae who were known for their abilities of protection. In fact, it was that very lineage that enabled her to ward the house... a very rare trait, especially for a Half-Fae. But after their conversation two weeks earlier, she realized it was more than that. She hadn't meant to fall for him... in fact, she had done all in her power to prevent it. The scars that Kieran had left on her very soul were too new. But somehow, she felt drawn to him.
And now he was broken...
She hated seeing him so lost... so distraught. Torn between whatever spell those wretched witches had placed on him and his guilt over their attack on Eric and the bar, he was now constantly in a state of disarray. Scowling, she couldn't help but wish humans had never discovered how to weild magic. Her distaste for witches, an age old hatred that was as old as time, past from Fae to Fae, filled her with anger to her very core. Luckily, their magic had very little effect on the Fae. But now it was being used against someone she cared for and she was unsure how to stop it. She was sure the Vampires would rally to seek revenge and while she treasured life and hated the thought of death being brought to another creature... she couldn't help be look forward to seeing that revenge played out in full.
Unable to concentrate and not wanting the children to see her so distracted, she informed Gwen that she and Abel were heading home early. Once at home, she placed the sleeping baby in his crib and crawled into bed next to Roman. Watching him for a few moments as he rested, she gently maneuvered the hair from his face and kissed his cool lips. Yes... she hadn't meant to fall for him... but somehow, she had. Laying her head on his chest and closing her eyes, she smiled softly as his arms tighten around her. Her last thought before being dragged under into the world of dreams was of how much she wouldn't want to be anywhere else...
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