Read Bound by Faerie: An Urban Fantasy Novel (Stolen Magic Book 1) for Free Online Page B

without being noticed. Once I rounded the corner, only six people remained in line. I let my magic dissolve. The six fae shifted from foot to foot, edging closer to the bouncer at the door. Nervous little bunnies. Maybe I hadn't gotten it all the way under control. Stopping was always the hard part.
    The bouncer nervously surveyed the short line and then waved us all in. He must have decided that keeping seven people from going into the club wasn't that important. At least, not as important as the fear he was feeling. He didn't even collect the cover charge. I clamped down my control on my magic—truly reeling it in this time—and stepped int o the club.
    Nothing registered visually until my body caught up with the magic overload. I'd thought it was bad on the streets of Volarus, but damn. I couldn't have told the difference between a unicorn and an ogre with the way my throat burned. As I adjusted, I was able to see why. Fae jumped and flitted over the dance floor, shooting their magic about like they were under attack. As a picture, the place could have been a battle scene, if it weren't for all the smiling faces. As people danced, they hit each other with magic. Some of the effects were obvious: floating the other person, enlarging their head in a goofy way, raining cotton candy down on the crowd. While I would have found any of that irritating, it was the magic that wasn't immediately obvious that made my skin crawl. Yes, everyone seemed happy and friendly, but how could anyone trust a crowd of strangers not to dose them with nefarious magic? I shivered. Avoiding the dance floor was now on the top of my list.
    My ears already ached from the loud music.
    My senses adjusted to the overwhelming sounds and the glut of magical sensations as much as they were going to. I made my way across the club , sticking to the edges of the room. Lights danced over the crowd, and once I blocked out the magic, and the sounds, and focused on my sight, they appeared to be a happy ocean of people, the lights and their movement giving the appearance of waves. They were all throwing their trust into the pot so they could be a part of something, this happy ocean. I didn't think I could ever do that, but the temptation made more sense in that light.
    A calmer magic itched at my back, and I turned to see velvet ropes blocking off another room hidden to the side. The sounds of the club dampened as I neared a hazy magic barrier; the calm lured me closer.
    A woman in an elegant dress stepped out from behind a podium and approached me, her air the strange mix of subservience and arrogance that only came from being the hostess at an upscale restaurant.
    "You look peckish," she said. "You should come in for a bite."
    I opened my mouth to refuse and surprised myself by accepting instead. My stomach rumbled so loud I worried it could be heard over the music. "That would be great . I'm starving."
    "Would a seat at the bar be acceptable?" asked the hostess, her intense gaze indicating that she would be disappointed if I didn't agree.
    "That would be fine," I said , not relishing the idea of sitting at a table alone.
    "Follow me." She took off at a pace that had me watching her feet. There was a high heel master . Her ankles didn't wobble for a second—not even when a chair backed up and she had to twist and dodge it. I managed okay on my low heels, and I'd never been interested in shoes before, but she made them look good .
    I passed the velvet ropes that separated the restaurant from the rest of the club and my ears popped; the sensation of cool water flooded the back of my mouth. Gone was the raucous dance music, replaced by a soothing tinkle of falling water and flutes. The abrupt change played havoc with my inner ear and made me stumble.
    I hurried to catch up with the hostess, who I'd almost lost, still working my jaw up and down to clear my ears before becoming self-conscious.
    "It's okay," said the hostess once I was a pace behind her. "Everyone