Brynn's POV
Emma and Arlen's friend Jason wasted no time talking to each other. Judging from the way Emma was leaning into Jason, she wasn't going to waste any time hooking up with him. Good for her, considering she hasn't been close to anyone since her high school boyfriend left the country years ago.
Jason raved about the chicken alfredo dish Old Port had, which oddly enough Emma and I had yet to try. As soon as I did, I was hooked.

"That.was.amazing!" I moaned happily. I noticed Arlen looking at me with a twinkle in his eye.
"What?" I asked him with trepidation.
"You have a very beautiful smile. You should smile more often." He said softly. No wonder my face was hurting a bit. It has been years since I smiled and laughed like this. The last few years have given me little opportunities to be happy. Though I felt comfortable with Arlen and was very attracted to him, in fact much more than I ever was with Patrick, I'm still guarded.
"So did you make your next belt yet?" Emma asked me.
"Next belt?" Arlen asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I have a blue belt in taekwondo. I'm just starting to learn to use nunchuks. It's going to be a few more months before I'm ready to advance." I explained to him.

"Karate girl over here! Can you use those mini sword things?" Jason clapped his hands and I couldn't help but laugh at him.
"Technically they're called short swords, and I'll be learning to use them next." I clarified.
"What made you get into martial arts?" Arlen asked me. I looked at Emma who nodded her head in encouragement. Arlen's blue eyes were kind as they stared at me.
"A crazy ex-boyfriend. I moved here from Maine to get away from him." I told him.

"I don't mean to pry Brynn, but is he dangerous?" Arlen's eyes were on alert.
"Very. Can we not get into this right now?" I told Arlen firmly. He nodded in understanding.
"Your high...Brynn? We can help protect you." Emma and I whipped our heads around to stare at Jason.
"OK. I swear I almost heard you call my friend here Your Highness. What gives!?" Emma asked him, her face covered in questions. Jason and Arlen looked at each other.
"We need to tell them." Jason told Arlen who stared at me carefully.
"At least you didn't try to dodge your around it!" Emma laughed and sipped her beer.
"Will you ladies join us for a walk?" Arlen asked us politely. As nervous as I was about going with these men anywhere, something told me it was going to be fine.
"Hey sis!! Where are you going!" Gabe came up to us. He'd been at the pool tables most of the night losing his money.
"On a walk with our new friends here. Jason, Arlen, this is my brother Gabe." Emma introduced them and they all shook hands.
"Sounds cool. Brynn do you need a ride home?" Gabe asked me. I shook my head and suddenly, Gabe's eyes turned dark as Arlen put his hand on my shoulder. Unconsciously, I shrugged him off.
"Dude, she doesn't like to be touched!" Gabe hissed at him and squared off right in Arlen's face. To his credit, Arlen kept his composure but then again, why wouldn't he? Gabe is of average height and build. Him going up against the massive muscular Arlen is not going to end well.
"Gabe, knock it off! These guys will wipe the floor with you!" Emma screeched. Gabe shot me a dark glare and stormed off back to the pool tables.
"He's had a crush on Brynn for some time now." Emma told the guys..
"Well he needs to get over it. Unless...do you feel the same way Brynn?" Arlen looked at me nervously.
"I've made it clear to Gabe a couple of times before I'm not interested. In fact Emma and I were saying tonight that Emma may have to talk to him herself." Arlen's blue eyes became relieved and happy again.
"My brother may act like some thug, but he isn't a creep. He'll leave Brynn alone. Plus he knows I can kick his a**!" Emma told us with a smirk. We all laughed and took a walk out to the pier. It was just the four of us tonight and surprisingly, the weather was mild for this time of year. The full moon illuminated off the water as it opened out into the Pacific Ocean. Jason and Emma walked down to the beach, but Arlen and I stayed on the pier. My back was to Arlen as I stared out over the bay.
Admittedly, I was really curious to know what Jason had meant by that comment, considering I was to deliver a package to a "King Arlen". I assumed King was just a first name. But is it something more? What on earth could this man be the King of in the United States?
"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Arlen whispered to me, his breath hot on my neck. I nodded in agreement.
"Brynn, you are safe with me. Please don't be scared." Arlen put his hand on my shoulder. I tensed up, but I was too shocked to go with the normal reflex of shoving him off.
"Someone told me that once before. And I was anything but safe." I whispered back, mustering every bit of will inside me to keep the tears from falling out of my eyes.
"Well they were a liar. I am not." Arlen didn't move his hand.
"How old are you?" I turned to look at him.
"I'm 36. What about you?"
"24." I replied.
"I guess your next question is why am I not going after someone my own age." He said.
"My ex was fifteen years older than me. Long story short, my parents died in a car accident and seven months later I met him. I was a 20 year old girl, young and naive, and he was my first everything. It started off with him sweeping me off my feet and within six months it was a nightmare. So forgive my skepticism about instant attraction and love at first sight, but it almost killed me once." I studied Arlen, who stared at me with empathy.
"Brynn, I am very attracted to you and feel a connection to you I haven't felt with anyone. But I'll go at your pace. I told you I won't put my hands on you again except for yours and my pleasure, and I meant that. Just tell me when you're ready." Arlen took my right hand and did something I never would have expected. He kissed it. It was the most romantic moment I ever had in my life and my hand felt like it was going to burst. Hell, I was about to burst!
"What did Jason mean when he was about to say Your Highness?" I asked him.
"Right to the chase with you! So it will be easier for me to show you, but we need to get off the pier somewhere there is privacy. Will you follow me?" As leery as I was, I knew Jason and Emma were on the beach so I followed Arlen to the water.
"I know this is going to sound crazy Brynn but I need you to keep an open mind. Can you do that?" Arlen asked me nervously as he stood on the beach.
"Uhmmmm....OK?" I said uncertainly. Suddenly, Arlen started to glow. A bright yellow light emitted from him and before I knew it, he threw a ray of light across the water with his hands and created a circular depression in the water! My jaw hit the ground.
"HOLY S**T! How did you do that!?" I shrieked in surprise and awe. Arlen smiled softly at me.
"I'm what is called a Fae, Brynn. Basically, a fairy." I'd have laughed right in his face if Arlen hadn't shown me what he just did.
"Wait, like Fairy Godmother fairy!!" Arlen burst out laughing.
"Not quite. There are many different variations of my kind. Some live in the water, some have fire talents, some fly all over the place and some can even shrink. There are many of us and we can live ordinary human lives. Many of us live in the human world and work and have families." Arlen smiled at me.
"What else can you do?" I asked him.
"He has many talents." Jason laughed, hand in hand with Emma. I knew from the smile and blush on her face she'd been making out with him.
"Emma...do you know!?" I stared hard at her and she nodded.
"They're Faes, Brynn! We have fae mates!"
"What the hell do you mean by mates!?" I screamed at her. Arlen and Jason both groaned and facepalmed.
"I was hoping to gradually ease you into this." Arlen sat down on the sand in defeat.
"What is he talking about!!" I shouted at Emma, confused and feeling anxious.
"It basically means soulmate. It's a common thing in the supernatural world..." I stopped dead in my tracks.
"Supernatural world!?! What the f**k is this s**t!" Was I being punked!? Are these two men doing some weird stuff to trick us?
"Brynn, calm down. Jason, show her what you can do." Jason stared hard at me and put his hands towards me, surrounding me with a green glittering light. My anxiety immediately disappeared and I started laughing happily.
"I can help with emotions, albeit not very long. It's useful in battles." Jason chuckled.
"Trust me, it works. I about freaked when he told me what he was and what I was to him. He calmed me down fast." Emma explained.
"What is this mate stuff?" I asked calmly.
"Basically, it's a soulmate. It's the one our governing entity gives us. We faes have a Goddess named Aine who guides us. She is who gives us a partner for this life. Our mates are a piece of our soul. We treasure our mates and love them with all our being, putting their happiness above all else. We can feel when they are in pain, when they are scared, when they need help. Sometimes, you have mates that disrespect what the Goddess has given them and will cheat on their mates. We can feel when this happens and in fact, infidelity can kill a fae! It is punishable by death in our kind." Arlen told me.
"There are many supernatural beings in this world Brynn. Werewolves, witches, demons even. You have a few bad apples but overall, us faes are the good ones." Jason smiled at me.
This was too much for one night! I felt that familiar clenching in my throat that I got when I had panic attacks. Arlen jumped up and ran towards me, helping lower me to the sand. It was weird, once he touched me I felt much better. I leaned into him and breathed deeply. He smelled divine.
"Better?" Arlen whispered to me. I nodded.
"This is a lot to take in but I need to be sure of one thing now. Emma is Jason's mate and I'm yours?" I stared hard at Arlen. He hugged me to him, looking deep into my eyes. I saw nothing but kindness in them.
"Yes, you are my mate. I knew it earlier today when I saw you. Brynn I want to be honest with you. I already know who you really are. I called Lorenzo right after we met and did my research. I know all about Patrick Jenkins and what he did to you. Jason and I are going to take care of that son of b***h." Arlen's voice was controlled, but I don't miss the threat in it.
"How? He's already in prison!" As much as I'd love for Arlen to kill Patrick so I don't have to sleep with one eye open the rest of my life, he can't help me. Can he??
"I'm the King of the Fairies, Brynn. And you, my sweet mate, are my future queen. Patrick Jenkins is a dead man walking!"