Page 61 of His Darkest Desire
Kinsley snickered and shook her head. “Most people drive cars. I mean, some cars are worth more and are only owned by wealthy people, but cars are common. I’m not from a rich family, and I don’t have noble blood. Just some seelie blood, apparently.”
“You’ve a trade then?”
“I was a receptionist in a dental office before I became a fulltime vlogger.”
His thick, dark brows angled downward, and she grinned. Kinsley could almost see her words flying over his head.
“A receptionist is someone who sits at a desk all day and greets people, takes calls, and schedules appointments. I mean, there’s more to it than that, but does that give you an idea?” When he nodded, she continued. “A dentist is a doctor for your teeth.”
“You’ve doctors dedicated solely to teeth?”
“Aren’t there fae dedicated solely to teeth? Like…the tooth fairy?” Kinsley’s eyes widened. “Is there really a tooth fairy?”
“Unseelie who obsess over teeth are not the sort you should want to encounter. They are unsettling creatures.” He waved a hand dismissively. “But no more talk of such things. What is a vlogger?”
“That…might be a little harder to explain. We record videos, which, um…” She pursed her lips and glanced around the room before the idea struck her. “Oh! Do you know how you create illusions? How you showed me your old library, and what happened to it?”
Vex nodded.
“Well, humans use electronic devices to capture images from life and replay them on screens. Like…moving pictures? Moving paintings?”
“So your machinery is able to replicate magic?”
“Well, no. We’re a long way away from being able to do anything like what you can do. We can fabricate a lot of visuals, but that fully immersive thing of yours can’t be matched.” Just thinking of the illusion he’d shaped around her—the memory he’d shared with her—was enough to awe Kinsley anew. It had felt so real, like she’d been in that long-gone library, like she’d been in his tower.
And if she was correct, the only limit on Vex’s illusions was his imagination. What wonders could he conjure if he allowed himself the freedom to do so?
“Anyway,” she continued, “a vlogger records parts of their lives and shares those recordings with other people. Sometimes I made videos about scrapbooking, but I mostly covered camping and hiking in the woods. It let me share my experiences and love of nature with people, helped encourage them to get out there themselves, and gave those who couldn’t do it a glimpse of something they wouldn’t otherwise see.”
A thoughtful hum vibrated in his chest. “I should like to see these videos. Summon one, that I may better understand.”
Kinsley gave him a droll look. “I’m not a wizard. If I could summon things at will, don’t you think I’d at the very least be a little less naked right now?”
His lips stretched into a sinful grin as his eyes dipped. “I quite like you as you are.”
A blush spread over her skin. While she could hide her body from him, she couldn’t hide from the way his gaze and his words made her feel.
“That shade of pink better suits you than any clothing ever could, Kinsley,” he said, looking back up at her face.
This is really not fair.
“Anyway,” she said firmly, “that’s not how videos work.”
“You likened them to my illusions, Kinsley.”
“Yes, with the caveat that we’re a long way away from being able to match your magic. Everything I do is recorded with a phone. A…little device that allows us to communicate with other people all over the world.”
Vex’s brows rose. “You’ve a device that enables you to speak with anyone, anywhere in the world?”
“Well, theoretically, yes. But they’d need to have a phone, too.”
“To think mortals have obtained such power…” He shook his head. “And yet it is used so people may watch you wandering the woods?”
“It’s used for a lot more than that. Many people use it for entertainment, but it’s also a way to connect with others. The world is so big, and even when you’re surrounded by people, it can feel so…lonely. Sometimes it’s nice to know that there are others out there who relate to you, even if you’ve never met, and you can make friendships you never would’ve had otherwise.”
Kinsley looked down at the water, her damp hair sliding over her shoulder. “There was a time when I felt alone, and those connections helped me through it.”
Was a time, Kinsley? Who are you trying to fool?