Rogue Fae, A Starseed Universe Novella

Post-Summerfest 1990, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

"I'll take another pint down here love!" Gwenn cried, her arms waving wildly to flag down the blonde bartender.

"Damn, you Irish sure can drink."

Shite. What's her name again? Gwenn turned to her new friend with a smile. Ah well, I'd wager she won't remember mine after a few more rounds either.

"After a fecking performance like that, I'm ready for a wee bit of celebrating! To see Cher perform in person, what a dream!"

"I still can't believe you came all the way from Ireland for that one song," her friend said, leaning closer.

"It was worth it," Gwenn replied, grabbing the beer the bartender set in front of her.

"Which song?" a deep, enticing voice behind her asked.

Gwenn turned and was blinded by gleaming white teeth, bleached platinum blonde hair, and luscious ebony skin.

"Well, that's a rather forward question, don't you think? Like telling a wee bit of me soul." Gwenn cocked her head to the side and smiled playfully.

"Since we're talking Cher, I'll agree it was an intimate first question. Let's try again. I'm Rena. Rena Whiplark." Rena said, holding out her hand.

A tingle of recognition rushed through Gwenn as their skin touched. Not only was the creature before her gorgeous, but she was a witch too.

"Gwenn McKay," Gwenn said batting her moss green eyes.

Her friend poked her in the back.

"Hey, my girls are all leaving and we'd love for you to join. You in?" Her friend waggled her brows.

Too bad for her friend Gwenn had met a far more enticing prospect. "Nah, I'll stay here. Thanks for letting me tag along."

Five minutes and a covert dissuasion charm later, her friend, whose name Gwenn was sure she'd never remember, finally left without her.

Gwenn released a sigh and turned back to Rena who'd been watching the entire exchange with a look of amusement. "Sorry 'bout that. She took a shining to me at the concert and I've been hangin' with her gang for a few hours."

"I can see why she wouldn't want me to swoop in," Rena replied eyebrows arched high. "Smooth charm work there. Not something I'd be able to pull off."

"It's difficult in crowded places like this that's for sure." Gwenn repositioned herself on the barstool and caught a whiff of Rena's scent of amber and pine needles. She inched closer, the aroma of the woods was like kryptonite for earth witches like Gwenn.

"So back to that song you traveled halfway across the world for. Which one was it?" Rena asked. She leaned into the bar and her muscles stood at attention.

Goddess help me, I may have found what I came here for.

"'Just Like Jesse James' of course!" Gwenn said, tossing her dark brown hair over her shoulder flirtatiously. "It's so vulgar, so American. It's how I want to feel right now. I've traveled abroad to experience something I could never have in my little village."

Rena set her glass down with a thunk of finality. "For a second there I thought we would be friends, but now that you've revealed your questionable taste in song choice I'm not so sure."

"You're mental! No one would say 'Jesse James' is a bad song!" Gwenn's green eyes examined Rena for any sign she may be teasing, but the thin set of her full lips said it all. "Alright then. What's your Cher song? I want to hear how properly wrong I am."

Rena appraised her before lifting her drink again. "While I consider Cher a goddess, and I would happily listen to her sing almost anything, I came for 'If I Could Turn Back Time.'"

"So I assume you've lived a life of regrets then?"

Rena shrugged. "I grew up on Chicago's south side, but have been traveling around for a couple years. Learning magic where I could, sleeping on the couches of covens that would take me in. A life like that brings about revelations."

"Such as?"

The clink of glassware and raucous laughter of the bar filled the momentary silence that hung between them.

"I wish I hadn't wasted so much time trying to make myself be something I'm not. I came out of the closet before I left and my mother had a major issue with it. Said she'd thought with all the boys I'd been dating that I'd grown out of my queerness. She used to force me into dresses and skirts. God, I hated that. My nomadic lifestyle was thrust upon me after I told her. I don't regret it, but I do wish I was able to go home without fear of being tossed out again. I didn't get to say goodbye to my siblings in person."

"Goddess be, Rena. I'm so sorry that happened to you." Gwenn said, placing her fingers on Rena's dark, smooth skin.

Electricity, sharp and hot, shot through her as skin met skin, and Gwenn sucked in air. She looked up. Rena's mouth was hanging wide open. She'd felt it too.

"What do you say to another round on me?" Gwenn asked, unable to come up with anything else to say. She took her hand back and immediately regretted it. The electricity, the spark, was gone, and she missed it. What would Rena do if I touched her again? Would it be too forward? Can I even do it? Though she'd come to America to experiment with her fluid sexuality and let her hair down the idea terrified her as much as it thrilled her. She'd never been with a woman before, and certainly never been this attracted to one.

"Actually, I was wondering if you'd like to go somewhere a little quieter? It'd be easier to get to know each other better. There's a sweet little tea shop down the street," Rena's voice was full of confidence though Gwenn noticed her eyes weren't. They were looking everywhere but at her.

"Is this the first time you've asked a girl out?" Gwenn teased, grazing Rena's shoulder and experiencing the shock of attraction again.

Rena lifted her gaze from the bar top and nodded, looking completely unsure of herself.

"Well bugger," Gwenn said, a blush spreading across her high cheekbones. "I was only joking. It's just that ... I'm—"

"It's the first time a girl has ever asked you out, isn't it?" Rena interrupted.

"Well, yes. I'm here to experiment a bit, something I'd never attempt in my tiny village back home. I'm attracted to both men and women but have only dated blokes. No girl would have ever asked me out back home. And I'd never have been brazen enough to do it either." Gwenn paused and looked deep into Rena's eyes. She shivered as the dark orbs took her in as if Rena could see all of her already. "I guess I'm flummoxed that I found someone I fancied so fast. I'd expected it to take longer, to have more practice flirting."

"Oh, we can still practice," Rena said, rising from her stool and extending her hand. "Let's get out of here. I want to leave before someone else hears your charming accent and steals you away from me."