Fun Size
God I wanted a fucking drink.
I craved the dry burn down my throat.
To feel the light ease of my mind as I stopped thinking about my mother and father.
“What else can I get you?” The bartender said with a thick Dublin accent.
He was a nice looking man tall wide with bright red hair. Giving him a light smile I watched as his eyes drifted over my own hair with a frown. I had oddly become use to the look that I constantly got. Being in Irland I was sure seeing a black girl was rare enough, without throwing in my red fluffy afro.
Playing with my father's golden coin, I began to tap it on the bar table. Only stoping to stuff it back into my jeans.
Vodka on the rocks. . .that's what I wanted.
“I’m done.” I said instead placing a few dollars for my free water on the bar as I got off the stool and headed for the door.
For the fifth hundred time this week I found myself reaching for my father's lucky coin. The last thing he gave me before he died.
Why had my father been so obsessed with these damn things. I thought as I held the coin up to the moon light.
A hard shove sent me stumbling forward. Almost knocking me to the ground.
“The fuck!” giving a sharp look behind me, I found no one there. . . even though I could have sworn I felt a hand push me.
Angry and confused I did a full three sixty. Only finding an empty alleyway. Turning back I saw a small light shot pass me.
It landed on my father’s coin, a coin I hadn’t even realized fell from my hands.
That was when I noticed that it wasn’t a bug that landed on my father’s lucky coin.
But a little person.
I squeent, moving closer as I muttered one word under my breath.
‘Impossible.’
A fairy flying off with my fathers lucky coin, should be fucking impossible.
"No this is not happening." I said as I watched the small fairy struggle to fly against the cold Irish Breeze. Stunned with both disbelief and curiosity I stood watching for several moments before I slowly started moving.
"Hey hey give me that back" I said walking faster to catch up with it. Even going as far as whistling to the fairy as if it were a dog. But it didn't stop, forcing me to run after it.
Taking a sharp turn to the right. . . I watched as the small black and white light zipped through a small crack in the wall.
Coming to a stop only a foot away, I found myself leaning over in pain. I was a big girl and running was not on my daily agenda. If anything I found it over rated. Why run when you could paint people running. In a hard heave of anger I stood straight up and looked at the building the fairy had flown into. (as odd as that thought was.)
An antique store. . .
And it was still open.
“Nope . . .” I said shaking my head. “Nope, nope, nope, nope, nope. This is not a horror movie.” I turned away from the shop, but found I couldn’t walk away . . . this was the only thing my father left me after his death, the only reason I was in Ireland right now.
Reaching up for the gold piece that still sat around my neck. I closed my eyes to the soft sound of my fathers voice. “These coins we have here.” my father had said holding up both pieces. “Are a laprocons protection. Not because their lucky, which they are," he said with a wink. "But because it is a debt owed to the holder and this family holds the most powerful fairies in debt. It is what protects our family now and forever. Do you understand me.”
I couldn’t leave his coin. Though I had learned at an early age not to believe everything my father said, it was still the only thing he had given me.
“I could just be going crazy.” I said turning back around to the antique shop. “A mental breakdown brought about by the loss of both my parents.”
“Who are you talking to.” A man said from the shop entrance. I couldn’t see him clearly with the light shining from behind him but I could tell he was tall. . .well mostly everyone was taller than me.
I was 4, 11. So me having to look up was nothing new for me.
But I could tell this man toward over most people he meets.
“Who are you talking to?” he asked again this time sounding more annoyed. Moving my hand over my eye, I didn’t answer his question. “I think I left something in there.”
I didn’t need to see his face to know that he was looking me up and down.
“Is that so.” he said disbelievingly. “Well I’ll be closing in thirty minutes, so you can come in and have a quick look.”
Before he could even move out of the way I was already moving passed him.
Within his shop I first noticed a wide office. It was cluttered with paper and miscellaneous old objects. It was definitely not the 'shop' portion of the store.
The soft sound of the door closing behind me, as he cleared his throat' made me turn around
A slightly longer than it should be miss of brown hair, sat lightly on his paler than normal skin. A dark blue suit though oddly out of place in a shop like this seam to fit him just right. Even in his big wide body he seemed like he would be at peace anywhere.
“Next time use the main entrance . . . please.” he snapped, though the please at the end seem like something he almost forgot, like politeness was not his first nature.
Blinking back a sharp retort I nodded my head. I had just walked through the back alleyway. “My apollages." I said as I waited for him to walk me to the front of the shop. He didn’t move to do so, just watched me. Wanting to show some form of politeness I reached my hand out to him. “I’m Lucy.”
Finally moving from the wall the shopkeep took my hand in his. “Arawn."
A shiver moved across my body, making me suck in a breath as I took my hand from his. Moving away from him quickly, I walked to the actual antique area. Oddly finding myself in a constant state of awareness of Arawn standing at the doorway to his office. I could feel him intently watching me as I quickly looked around.
"You know, I don’t remember seeing you come in today." Arawn said leaning against the wall now. “ I'm positive I would have remembered seeing someone like you."
"Someone like me?" I said looking up at him with a raised eyebrow.
Yes a part of me was trying to make him feel uncomfortable, hoping he would bugger off.
But he only looked me up and down. His pale green eyes taking it's time to look at my chest, then my hair.
I watched as hot lust flashed over his eyes. Making a rush of heat move over me as I slowly looked him up and down. His pale green eyes locked my light gray one's.
“Fuck” I said with a shiver, turning myself away from him.
"I'm short, your super tall." I said looking around once again."I'm sure we just. . .missed each other."
Snorting, Arawn moved from across the room. Making my heart pound as his long legs quickly advanced him forward, until he was standing right in front of me.
Arawn hard eyes locked on me, somehow freezing me in place. "It's not enough people in the world that would make me overlook you."
"Uh" I said not sure if that was a compliment. Yet by the way he was looking at me, with a fiery intrigue . . . I felt like it was more than a compliment. It was as if he were declaring something to my very soul.
"Right?" I said cracking my neck back. "How tall are you?"
With a small tug of his lips, I watched as Arawn brushed passed me, sending a fluttering jolt of lightning through my body.
Moving more out of his way I took a deep breath, as he walked to the front door of his shop.
Watching him move was like watching a dancer. Sure of every step and motion.
It was only when he reached the door, and flipped the closed sign, that he answered. “7 feet.”
As I huffed an air of shock, I looked over at him once again, trying to size him up. That is until I heard the click.
“Wow.” I said giving him my full attention. A dizzying feeling tipped over me, making me almost fall forward. Catching myself on one of the antique tables. “I . . . I think I should go.”
“Without your coin?” He said, his deep voice drawing my attention once again.
“I. . .didn’t tell you . . .” my voice became stuck in my throat as I watched a little ball of light, appear from behind a thick red window drape. Its little body drag my father's coin in the air. Whipping my eyes, I watched as the small ball of light slowly sat down on Arawn shoulder.
Opening my mouth to speak, but finding no words I just found myself looking at Arawn as he leaned against the door . . . as if he couldn’t see the ball of light. No not light . . . it was a tiny tree like woman.
Pushing my hand against my head, as if I could push away the dizziness that was clearly causing me to see things. I began to shake my head, trying desperately to right myself and smiled at Arawn. Focus on him and not the shoulder where the small tree woman sat, her big eyes looking at me with a sharp tooth snear.
“I uh.” smiling with a sweetness that couldn’t be felt by even a stranger. I took a step back to the office I had come through. “Guess it's not here.”
Another few step back. “Thanks I guess.”
Another look at the small fairy, she was holding my fathers coins with her legs. Legs she was now happily swinging, that is until Arawn reached up and took it from her legs. His face still plane as he stretched it out to me. “Isn’t this what you where looking for.”
An icy chill fell over me, as I looked into his eyes.
Could he . . could he see the small green girl sitting on his shoulder. . . was I going crazy. “You can . . . see her right.”
Finally the cold look Arawn had been holding so close, seem to crack with just a shadow of a smile. A dark wave seem to rush over me, freezing my legs in place with just the over tone of fear.
Shit . . .shit . . . I needed to calm down . . . . it was the only way I was getting the hell out of here.
I could come back with the police later. But whatever was happening here was insane.
I was feeling insane.
Giving a light laugh I tried to turn and leave. But my legs wouldn’t give, as if the strength holding me up wasn’t enough to move me forward.
“No need to leave, little leprechaun.” he said the sound of his footsteps coming closer seem to freeze my breath in place. Slowly willing my hands up, I gripped my coin necklace. The action itself comforting me.
Walking in front of me so I could see him, Arawn lightly ran his hand over my coat. Making me shiver once again.
“Fuck you, you giant fuck.” giving a heavy laugh, that cracked his eyes, I watched as the big man threw his head back. “No I’m not a giant, they were killed off long ago,” he said.
His eyes watched me sharply. “leprechauns too, at least that's what we thought.” the sweet smell of lemons and wood brushed over me, as he leaned over to whisper in my ear. “Until you.”
Frowning, I tried to move, but I was only able to fall on my ass.
With a deep and harsh laugh, Arawn walked around me. Leaving me to look. At the door, I couldn't reach.
Why couldn’t my feet move?
My body tightens as the harsh sound of something dragging against the floor.
"I brought you a chair. So please have a more comfortable seat."
Slowly tilting my head back. I looked up at the not so jolly Giant. His face still cold as he looked down at me. The small fairy on his shoulder turned her head as she giggled down at me.
Finding amusement in my inability to escape.
Giving one more squeaky giggle, the green fairy leaned over and whispered something in his ear. Finally breaking the distant gleam in his eyes.
"Right." He said lifting his fingers so that the small creature could stand on it.
Bowing her green little head, to Arawn. The fairy flow off into a bird house.
“You can stay on the floor, or take a site in the chair.” he said pulling out another chair for him self.
Turning my head slightly I look at the stool he had brought over for me. From the floor I wouldn’t be able to get to my feet quick enough to make it to the door.
Turning so I could get to my feet. I found myself able to get to my feet, my legs no longer felt like they were being held in place.
Should I run? I thought Looking over at him again.
Even sitting he was still taller than me. Shit, he was even better looking up close.
Taking a set, I waited for him to tell me that this was all some joke from an irish tv show and that she had won a million dollar prizes.
“That better, now are you here with friends. . . family perhaps.” pressing my lips together, I ask my own question. “What do you want with my father's coin?”
“This is no longer your father's coin.” He said playing with the coin between his fingers. “Not like he completed his side of the deal.”
Great, another person who was tricked by my father. “Well he’s dead now so your going to have to let it go.” I asked rubbing my hands over my forehead. This wasn’t the first time someone came looking to collaret. “Now if you would please give the coin back, its the only thing I have left of him.”
“the deal wasn't keep… it doesn’t matter if he is dead or not. The coin is mine now” Arawn said, his eyes cold as he looked me square in the eyes.
Clenching my teeth, I leaned forward. “What was the deal?”
If I know my father he made a loophole. He had one in every deal he made. It had been an annoying habit of his, when I was a kid trying to make a deal with him. But it had only gotten worse as an adult dealing with people that thought a deal was only a deal when they said it was.
“The deal was clean, I would release him from my kingdom. And his first born will belong to me.”
My mouth opened, then closed as I saw the loophole as clear as day. Rubbing my hand across my face I looked up at Arawn. Tall handsome, broad shoulders.
My father had been old and wicked to most people he had known. Hell a lot of the stories at his funeral had been about him getting over on them. All ending in laughter and tears. Though it had felt like only his family got to see his general side.
But I knew better, all those jokes and fake anger over a deal gone ariy had somehow left their life a little bet better.
Though it wasn't true every time it was definitely true most times.
The deal he made with my father was fucked up. Even more fucked up that my father took it.
This loophole would have been an easy fix… if I had done what my father had asked and stayed the fuck away from Ireland.
"My father didn't break the deal." I said stretching my hand out to receive my father's coin. "You just never stated that he would have to 'bring' you his child. There for the deal was kept."
Looking up I saw a flash of anger run across his face, before quickly dissolving into a smug smile.
"Well I still have my coin. And you know what that means don't you leprechaun."
Retracting my hand into a fist I looked at what had to be the most smug male I have ever met.
"Oh come on, you know the answer." He stood up and put his hand on my chin, lifting it so I could look him in his pale green eyes. "As long as I have my coin, you can't collect on my debt. Which also means you still belong to me."
Clenching my teeth, I moved my face away from his touch.
"You do realize how fucked up it is say that to a woman, let alone a black woman right."
The smug smile didn't leave his face as he walked behind me. His finger running across my neck. Making a sharp pain hiss across my skin.
"What are you-" Arawn snached my hand befor I could touch my neck.
"I don't care how fucked up it sounds, as long as you belong to me, Lucy." He leaned over and whisper in my ear.
Feeling a light throb between my legs. I bit back a moan. His touch somehow making me shudder with pleasure.
Pleasure that quickly turned into a hot pain across my neck. Making me scream out in pain. Falling back in pain I found myself caught in the arms of Arawn. His big body picking me up as I continued to try and stop the burning of my throat.
"It would be better to sleep through this part, don't you think." Smiling down at me, Arawn ran his hands over my face.
"What did-