For the first time in her life, Sheridan is alone in the world she's built around herself to help hide from the dark nightmares that live inside of her.

Barachus and Dresden, a mated fae pair are the only men who have ever made her feel safe, but they live in a world of fairy tales and imagination-not the human realm where she resides.

When the two worlds keep meshing, and her nightmares become reality, Sheridan finds her strength to go after what she wants, even if that means begging the fairy king to grant her just one wish…

"Barachus!" the king bellowed.

The two guards entered the room, glanced at the group of three huddled to one side, then bowed toward the king.

"See that Sheridan is comfortable tonight. I am sure she will want to stay until she's had time to talk with her sister in the morn."

Sheridan and Tina both nodded, Sheridan filled with relief that she'd have just a little more time with her sister to say goodbye.

"Yes, Sire," the green fairy said. The auburn one grinned and held out his arm for Sheridan to take.

She ignored the proffered arm and called, "See you in the morning," as Aislan carried Tina out through the big double doors.

"Come along," the green fairy said, cocking his head toward the door. "It's supper time, and I have some rounds to do before bed."

Sheridan looked back and forth between the two men-fairies-uh, she didn't know what they were. Men fairies, she supposed. Then she turned to find the king, but he was gone. She was left alone in this big, stone room with the two…men.

Fear tickled the edges of her senses. Alone with two men. They might have wings, but they still had dicks, and that made them dangerous.

Searching for her outward calm, she pasted on a pleasant smile and shoved her hands into her jeans pockets. "Where are we going?"

"To our domicile," the green one said.

That tickle of fear threatened to bloom. She licked her lips and searched for her calm.

The auburn one cleared his throat, cast a quick glance at the green one, then smiled. "I suppose we should introduce ourselves. I'm Dresden, and this is Barachus."

She didn't care what their names were, only that they expected her to meekly follow them to their house. She hadn't been alone with men-any man at all-in a very, very long time. And these two were huge. Standing over her, muscles bulging, wearing nothing more than a set of shimmering wings and a loincloth.

"Aren't there any women I could stay with?" she blurted out.

Dresden cocked his head to the side, his brow furrowing in a slight frown. "We are the king's guard. We will take care of you."

That's what she feared the most.

The green one-Barachus-grumbled something under his breath, then said, "Human, don't try my patience. I have work to do and no time to stand around-"

"Brock," Dresden said, clamping his hand onto the other fairy's arm. "Sheridan, isn't it?" he asked, looking back at her. His voice was smooth, low, cultured with just a hint of an accent she couldn't place.

She nodded.

"You fear us?"

Nibbling on the inside of her bottom lip, she stared at his straight, shoulder length hair. It was an odd color, like cinnamon. It matched his eyes. He didn't shimmer quite as much as Sheridan had, but there was still a hint of shininess to his skin and hair. Finally, she decided the truth was the best course of action and nodded, though fear was a bit of an understatement. Men scared her. Being alone with two of them terrified her.

He sighed. "We will not harm you. I swear to you on my life."

She shook her head. Words. Just words. She didn't know this guy. How was she to trust him no matter what he said?

"The king ordered us to take you home and give you a place to sleep," Barachus said. His voice was not low or smooth. It was gravely and filled with anger, impatience. "You will come with us." His hair was darker than Dresden's. Shoulder length, also, but black. The slight pine color that covered his body was a bit more pronounced in his hair that Dresden's.

When he reached for her, she sidestepped, right into Dresden's brick wall of a chest. She pulled away from him so fast she nearly lost her balance. "Okay," she said, "I'll go. Just…don't touch me." She was very proud of herself that her voice came out strong and commanding, not weak and terrified as she felt. There was no choice in the matter, and the king had vanished.

Barachus rolled his eyes and headed for the double doors. Dresden gave a slight nod and motioned with his hand that she should walk with him. Through the heavy wooden doors was another room. Humongous, with a high, domed ceiling and mosaic floors. Fat candles flickered from candelabras, making rich colors bloomed from every corner. There were stained glass windows, but the darkness beyond made them seem a little eerie. Then they reached another set of wooden doors, these even higher and wider than the first, and Barachus threw them open.

Sheridan yelped and jumped back, falling on her butt just steps from…

"Holy shit," she muttered as she crawled forward on her hands and knees and looked out through the opening. "I'm tiny!"

Dresden, standing next to her, chuckled. "You are our size, Sheridan. It is the only way you could be allowed in our village."

She stared out at oak leaves that were bigger she was, tree branches the size of redwoods. Moving even closer to the opening, she looked down. Glad she was already on her hands and knees, she experienced a bit of vertigo as she looked down, and down, from their perch in the branches of a massive tree. Or maybe it wasn't so massive, she was just very, very small.

"Where's the stairs?" she whispered, searching for some way down.

"There are none," Barachus grumbled.

"Then how…?"

"One of us will carry you."

She shook her head. "No. Can't I just stay here? There must be a spare room in this place. It's huge."

Barachus heaved a sigh, and she looked up at him. He stood over her, his arms muscular arms crossed in impatience, his shimmering wings drooping slightly.

"I'm sorry, Sheridan," Dresden said. "All fairies have wings, and there is no other way to and from the palace than by flight."

She shook her head as she scooted back from the edge of the doorway and gained her feet. "Didn't fly to get here. In fact, I don't know how we got here, how we got little. One minute we were sitting by the lake, the next we were here."

"The king has magic we do not possess," Barachus informed her.

Magic and fairies. She believed in fairies, because she'd communicated with Aislan years ago. But she hadn't quite believed her sister's stories of his home. It was too unreal, too fantastic, to be fully believed. Besides, she'd been on such heavy medication for so long, her mind wasn't what it should have been. Or so Sheridan had thought. A fairy king, the king's guards, living in a tree!

She glanced out the doors again. "Where do you live?"

Dresden pointed down and to the right from where they stood. "In the crook of that branch right down there. It's not far."

She looked but saw nothing. The moonlight from above filtered through the giant leaves, but it cast too many shadows.

When she frowned, he added, "Our domicile is hidden within the branches of the tree, but I assure you there is a comfortable bed for you, and it is just about supper time. I'm sure you are hungry?"

Well, yes, she was hungry. She hadn't eaten since lunch, and who knew what time it was now? It was dark out, night had fallen, but how long ago?

She sucked in a deep breath. "Okay." She frowned at Barachus and moved closer to Dresden, hoping the grumpy green one wouldn't touch her.

Dresden grinned, his teeth straight and white against the lovely auburn hue of his skin.

"I will set supper," Barachus said, then poof, just like that, he dove off the edge of the doorway.

Her stomach plummeted as she watched him glide down and then land on a branch and disappear into the thick foliage.

"Oh, Lord," she muttered. She wasn't a fan of heights, and hated men. Well, didn't hate them, but preferred to not be around them.

"I will keep you safe, Sheridan," Dresden said in that smooth, gentle voice. "There is no need to fear me, or Barachus."

Stealing herself, she said, "Let's just get this over with." The faster the better. Have supper, lock the bedroom door, and pray morning came quickly.

She yelped when he scooped her into his arms as if she weighed nothing. For an instant, she struggled against his hold, the fear of a man's touch in full bloom, but then she took a couple of deep breaths and forced herself to relax.

"I have never harmed a female in my long life, Sheridan," Dresden said when she slowly raised her arm and put it around his neck for support. "I will not start tonight with the relation of my best friend's mate."

His mysterious cinnamon colored eyes held no malice in them. His silky hair brushed her hand as she clung to his neck.

With a slow nod, she brought up her other arm and laced her fingers together around his neck. "Okay. Thank you."

"You still tremble."

"I can't help it. I don't like heights."

"Or males," he said matter of factly.

Again, she nodded.

He gave a sad smile. "I hope we can change that."

She tensed and nearly jumped from his arms. "I don't want to change it. I'm perfectly fine with it." The last thing she wanted or needed was some creepy fairies trying to change her mind about anything.

No, they weren't creepy. They were beautiful, and they'd saved her sister's life.

.