Bloodlines

by Trisha Lynn

Chapter Thirty-One

  Kami stuck around until Adeila was in her white night shirt and tucked into bed before leaving. It made Adeila feel better and it wasn't long before she fell into a very fitful sleep, filled with dreams of goblins chasing her (in their true form), wolves and then Loki.

  Loki lying dead on the forest floor, bleeding from his mangled form. His golden eyes, that she'd grown so fond of, were blank, vacant and dull as his life force slowly faded from him. His magic, a vivid blue whirling with silver, cascaded like smoke off of him and into the starry night sky.

  Adeila sat bolt upright in bed, tears streaming down her face and sweat coated her brow and down her spine. She was shivering but her room was warm and airy. She took a few calming breaths, then a couple sips from the water that always magically appeared next to her nightstand. Once her breathing was back under control, she crept from her bed.

  She needed to find Loki. Just to check on him. The dream left her heart aching and knots in her stomach. She knew it was just a dream but with everything else that had happened in the last twenty four hours, she needed her mind to settle before even considering sleep again, or even a non-curdling stomach would be great, because she was pretty sure at any moment she might vomit up her dinner.

  Upon opening her door, she realized that she still wore the very thin white sleeping shirt. It had thick straps and went to her knees. It really wasn't that slutty or anything, but it was still fairly inappropriate for traipsing through the castle at night.

  Screw it, she thought and headed for the direction of the main stairwell. She'd never been to Loki's room so she really wasn't sure where it was, but during the tour her parents had given her, they'd run into Loki leaving the East wing of the castle and he'd said something about leaving his rooms. So she decided to head there and hope she could find it, or someone to direct her. She wasn't really sure if the Guards would let her actually get that far, so she couldn't decide if she wanted to ask them or avoid them.

  But couldn't she just ask them to bring him to her? She was the Princess after all. As she crept along the castle halls she decided to avoid the Guards, which proved not to be too hard. They were here and there but easy enough to dodge.

  Finally she found the split that she'd seen Loki at and took the hallway she hoped headed east. Sconces were scattered here and there but much fewer then in her own hall, and the tapestries here depicted battle scenes versus the serene meadow, waterfall and forest scenes in her own hall.

  A movement to her right caught her off guard and she froze to the wall. A silhouette made their way out of one of the rooms and sauntered towards her. Once they walked under one of the scones, Adeila's breath caught in her throat, and she had to strangle off a cry. Marla, dressed in a very short, blood red, body hugging dress and black stiletto heels sauntered right up to her, a devilish grin spread across her red lips when her mossy eyes connected with Adeila's.

  “Ah, Princess, are you lost? This wing is for the hired help.”

  “I.. Ah .. I was just-”

  “Mmhhmm. Now why don't you run along back to your cushy suite if you know what's good for you.”

  Finally Adeila's wits caught up to her and she steeled herself. “Let's not pretend we don't know each other, Marla. I saw you in the human realm.”

  A warning flashed across the woman's cold green eyes. “I figured you recognized me. Surprised you didn't give me up then. Well, now I think I have-”

  She was cut off as a door opened and Sorryn stepped out. His lovely blue-lavender eyes swept over her, thoroughly, warmly, before blasting an icy coldness towards Marla. “Ah, Marla, what the fuck are you doing here?”

  The woman plastered a flirty smile on her blood red lips and put her hand on her hips. “Oh, Sorryn didn't you know I made house calls these days?”

  He made a very disgusted face and turned his attention to Adeila. “Adeila, honey, are you looking for Loki?”

  Adeila instantly stepped around Marla and closer to Sorryn. “I...Yes. I just had some questions for him, about tomorrow.”

  Marla smirked for a moment, ensuring both of them saw her. “Oh, I wouldn't disturb him now. I left him quite worn out.” Then she laughed. A sultry, musical, sound that went against the hatred that tinged her eyes as she stared at Adeila.

  “Eew. Okay, I think it's time you found your way out, Marla.” Sorryn made a gesture with his hands, and thankfully a Guard materialized out of nowhere, and gestured for Marla to follow him.

  Her eyes never left Adeila's and it was very clear that a warning was being given. Adeila had no idea if she should tell any of them that she had seen Marla in the human realm. It was something she knew she should tell, but to what end? Would the terrible woman make Loki pay somehow? Was that the warning she was trying to portray?

  Once Marla was well beyond sight, she turned to Sorryn. “I'm sorry to disturb you.”

  He came over and put a muscular arm around her shoulders. “Seriously, there isn't a thing about you that could disturb me. I heard female voices and decided I'd see what was going on. I mean, the rooms are co-ed but most of the female warriors don't chatter in the halls.”

  Adeila nodded. “I was...I just...” Everything about Sorryn's aura was bright like the sun; there were no doubts in her that he was an honest and trustworthy guy, so she decided for the truth. “I had a terrible dream about Loki. He lay mangled on the forest floor. I mean ripped to shreds. It was horrible.” She couldn't help the slight tremble that shook her voice at the memory.

  “Hey, hey now.” He pulled her into a very warm, male embrace and spoke above her head. “If I know anything about our Loki, it is that he is as tough as steel. Don't you worry your pretty little head about Loki. He would never be dumb enough, or caught off guard enough to ever let that happen to himself.”

  She sniffled but got herself together before cried on Sorryn's chest. Oh, jeez! His very naked chest. She stepped away, and wiped her eyes. Holy crap how had she not noticed the guy was shirtless before? Whoa, and some seriously amazingly hot chest he had. What the heck was wrong with her, practically crying on some guys naked chest?

  She ran a hand through her hair, but couldn't help being touched by the very sweet gestured he'd shown her, even though he was shirtless and his chest and stomach was smooth and rippled with very well defined muscled. A blush crept across her cheeks, but she smiled at him.

  “Thank you, Sorryn, that really does make me feel better.”

  He grinned as if sensing her sudden discomfort. “No problem. Want me to show you to Loki's room?”

  She nodded. “If you don't mind.”

  “Of course not.”

  They walked together only about twenty feet up the hall. Sorryn rapped twice on the door. Nothing. He waited a beat, and then knocked again. Nothing. Sorryn's blue-purple eyes dipped down to hers, and a small amount of concern filtered across them. Her heart pounded so hard in her chest, she heard it in her ear drums and her palms grew sweaty.

  “That's odd; he's a really light sleeper.” Sorryn knocked again, but this time when there was no answer he twisted the knob. The door swung open.

  The room was huge, almost as large as her own. The walls and floor were a very dark red wood, there was a stone fireplace on the far right wall with a fire smoldering within it. Dark wooden furnishings adorned the area, along with scatter rugs of gold and red. Finally her eyes landed on the massive four poster canopy bed. The comforter on the top was the same red and gold and there was a body under them. She gulped and looked to Sorryn, not wanting to be the first one to enter. Sorryn did so without being prompted.

  “Loki!” Nothing. “Hey, Loki! The Princess is here for you.” Nothing. Adeila's stomach was twisted so tight she thought her intestines might explode at any moment. Fear gripped every fiber of her being.

  Sorryn stepped around the bed and Adeila moved closer into the room to watch him. He started a few lights up with just a snap of his fingers. Apparently he had an affinity for fire, or maybe that was just something
all Fae could do? She still had so much to learn.

  When the light filtered across the bed, she saw that Loki lay on his side. His top half barred and naked, the thick comforter covering him from hip down. His dark hair fell across his brow, it looked wet, like it was slicked with sweat or wet from a shower, she wasn't sure, and his tanned skin glowed as it was kissed by the light. She purposefully kept her eyes on his face instead of letting them wander his lean muscled physique. She'd had quite enough of half-naked men for one night.

  Sorryn knelt down close to him, examining, his head cocked. He turned to Adeila and shrugged. Then he grabbed Loki's exposed shoulder and shook it, roughly. “Loki!”

  Thank goodness, Loki finally sat upright in the bed and looked around, with a half wild, glazed expression. He ran a hand over his face, and through his slicked hair.

  “What the fuck, Sorryn?”

  “Dude, we were freakin' banging on the door and yelling your name and you didn't even rustle! Loki, you are the lightest sleeper out of all of us. We got a little freaked out!”

  Loki looked around again, his eyes finding and holding hers. Emotions filtered across his. Surprise, a hint of regret, sadness, concern and something else. Something light and dark at the same time. An emotion that rustled butterflies awake within her stomach where nausea had just sat, but one she couldn't even begin to decipher.

  Loki's voice was deep, and rough from sleep. “Is everything okay?”

  Sorryn only shook his head. “Ah, yeah. We just...Well, Adeila had a bad dream, and wanted to check on you. Then Marla -”

  “Marla?” Then his eyes went very, very dark. He was silent for several moments, clearing his head. She wished with all her might that she knew what was going through his mind. His eyes were dark and licked with flame. His brows were pinched together. “Marla was here?”

  Sorryn grimaced. “Yeah, she left your room. She... Well, she insinuated that you guys-”

  Loki held up his hand, he obviously already knew what Sorryn's would say. Adeila really wanted to be sick. She wanted to vomit right there on his bed. Had Marla and Loki just...? Were they back together?

  He'd made it sound very believable that they were over for good yesterday when he'd spoken to her. It was also weird because Loki made it seem very believable that he didn't realize she'd been here just now, she could hear the confusion in his roughened voice. You'd think if you'd just slept with a girl you'd damn sure remember.

  Adeila's mind was reeling, along with her stomach. The contents of her dinner were really beginning to push their way up, the acid burning the back of her throat.

  “I'm...I'm going to be sick. I...” She began to leave the room. Loki made a move to get up, but just as he began to slip from the bed, he stopped, abruptly. Obviously, thinking better of it, and slung the comforter tighter over his obvious nakedness all the way down. Sorryn stood there with a completely baffled expression on his face.

  “Adeila...I...” Loki's voice quavered briefly, but he clearly had no idea what to say.

  She nodded. “Sorryn can fill you in. I'm glad you’re okay. Well, better then okay, clearly. Night.”

  She made it to a random bathroom near the kitchens before her dinner made its way up.