"Get down from there, Tink. Good God," I muttered as the fixture swayed. "You're not having a stroke. Forget I said anything."
"I hate it when you call me Tink."
I grinned. "I know."
"Evil woman." He hesitated and then made his way back down to the counter, where he sat with narrowed eyes. "So . . . anyway, you got shot?"
I nodded as I finished scooping up the cereal. "A fae shot me."
"When did they start using guns?"
Grabbing the box and bowl, I took them over to the trash and dumped them. Not like I'd be eating any of that after he'd taken a nap in it. It wasn't weird talking about my job with Tink. He seemed to take it in stride. "I don't know, but the fae didn't have silver skin either."
When Tink didn't respond, I turned around, half expecting him to have passed out, but he was awake and his eyes were wide. "And the fae conjured a gun out of thin air," I said.
Tink swallowed.
"And I stabbed him with an iron stake and it did nothing," I added, walking over to him.
He hopped up to his feet. "That sounds like an . . ."
"An ancient?"
His head shook back and forth. "They are badass. Scary, but badass." He tip-toed to the edge of the counter. "Was he near you when he shot you? Like was he far away?"
That was a strange question, but then again, it was Tink. "He was a good distance away from me. If he'd been close to me, I doubt I'd be standing here right now."
He paled. "I've never seen an ancient here."
"Exactly how long have you been in this world, Tink?"
One shoulder rose. Not like I expected an answer, or at least a helpful one. Tink didn't even know what gate he'd come through or how he ended up here. He said that he woke up in our world, in the cemetery, and had no idea how it all happened. Based on the condition he'd been in and his personality, I suspected he'd gotten the crap beat out of him and someone pitched him through a gate. Tink also never told me his real name since knowing any Otherworld creatures' real name gave you power over them, even the fae. All I did know was that he loathed the fae as much as the Order did. From what I gathered, his kind had been hunted to near extinction by the fae in the Otherworld, and Tink's entire family had been slaughtered. His hatred of the fae put us on the same team, even if other Order members wouldn't agree.
"I've seen the ancients in the Otherworld," he said in a stage voice. "I've even seen the prince."
"Really?"
He nodded. "The prince . . ." Throwing out his arms, he spun in tight circles that were actually dizzying to watch. "The prince is dreamy."
Uh.
"But so are most fae, aren't they? Gorgeous but deadly, arrogant bastards." He stopped spinning. "The prince is also really scary."
I leaned against the counter, ignoring the steady ache that was increasing in my stomach. "You've seen the prince? Like the real prince of the Otherworld?"
"Yep. Saw him three times." Eagerness crept into his expression. "Once he was in this meadow. Kind of like the meadow in that movie with the sparkly vampires and crazy hair."
Oh Lord.
"He didn't see me, which was a good thing. The second time was when I was near their palace. It kind of looks like something on the show you watch where everyone dies."
"Game of Thrones?" I suggested. "King's Landing?"
He jumped as he nodded. "And then the third time was . . . well, he was doing something you never do."
There were a lot of things I never did. "What was that?"
Cupping his hands around his mouth, he stretched up as his wings arced behind him. "He was having sex."
"Tink," I muttered, hanging my head.
"With three females. Three." Tink settled back, shaking his head in wonder. And I was kind of in wonder myself. Three females, one male? Then again, I wasn't surprised. The fae were full of sexuality. Another weapon they used against mortals. "How is that even possible?" he asked.
"It takes talent," I replied, eyeing the little dude. A moment passed while he danced around. "Do you know anything about ancients being here?"
He stopped and looked up at me. "No."
"What about why an ancient would suddenly make his presence known?"
A shake of the head. "I have no clue."
"You wouldn't lie to me, would you, Tink?"
"No." He grinned. "You have Amazon Prime."
I snorted. "Good to know how I can secure your loyalty." I pushed off the counter and headed toward my bag. "By the way, while you were passed out, there were deliveries for you. I put them on the chair by the door."