And he did sniff the air this time, I caught it. Embarrassed by both the comment and the “sniffing” but not showing it, I bowed back from where I sat. This was the same guy who gave me all sorts of dropped mouth attention on the stairs the other night.
Cas elbowed him strongly and introduced him as, “My right hand man, Liam, who is head of the court guard.”
“And best friend.”
“And best friend who needs to be on his way.” Cas turned away from me, “I’ll be there in ten minutes.”
Liam laughed, “Or twenty.”
“Enough Liam. Ten minutes.”
Liam responded, “Fourth Street situation needs handled today.” He nodded at us both and exited.
He paused watching him walk away and turned back to me. I caught that he was at least three inches shorter than Cas. It was odd to see anyone in Cas’ company not tall and as muscled. Still, he was tall enough he likely look any guy in the eye. He was interesting to look at though. He reminded me of a lion. Tawny hair, yellow eyes, tanner skin than what you’d guess a vampire to have. Intriguing.
“You will tell me everything that goes on about me right. I can’t have things hidden from me if I am to be the ONE they speak of. Unless it is a matter of your court, of course.” My mouth hardened at the right moments to prove my points. A move I used intentionally on my brother for years and worked.
“I will make sure you know everything you need to know,” he switched the movie over to a music channel on the television. Jazz coffee shop music.
He saw my puzzled look and explained, “I’ll return and we can talk more. I don’t want my girl worrying. This is a matter I’m used to.”
“That’s not promising. Need to know is not my style.” I don’t like where this is going. He’d not told me one ounce of any of the “situations” that his court was dealing with. I was as in the dark as my father had kept me. There was a whole other side to Lord Cross and his court that I didn’t know about and it made me feel strangely disconnected.
Stace, protecting you is everything to me.
“Don’t make me the woman at home barefoot and pregnant, waiting for something exciting to happen. I’m not that girl and will never be. I will be a part of this war or creating of the peace however plays out. You will not take that from me or hinder me from the dangers of it. My father said I’m safer with you, not locked up and hidden away in the tower.”
He bowed his head to me. I have learned to call that the manly version of a “You’re right” but will not say it aloud. “I will not do that however much I don’t want to tell you where I need to go. But please, try not to get killed when we do have future endeavors we have yet to experience. I just barely began to have you.”
I nodded, though he once again indicated I was not included on this endeavor, but am on the certain suggestive ones. I managed to hold my color and draw in my cheeks.
And when we do have children, you can choose to wear shoes or not, it’s your decision.
I hit his arm. When?
Cas switched gears. “The Were Lord is angry that he hasn’t met with you yet. He’s the only faction left to connect other than taming the Elves. He also found out that Lord Green and Dr. Quinn were using Borgon, who is a Hunter, to carry out the plan of kidnapping your brother as a ploy later than the rest of us and only knows this now though he was there the night they tried to take you. We used it as a ruse to convince Borgon and now the Were leader is upset we lied to him. It was to throw off Borgon into thinking we were all after the Val court and vice versa, but they’ve learned of our involvement with Lord Hathown. When Szar was safe, and you proved alive, the three courts pretended to bug out with the Were court calling them incompetent and incapable of carrying out the plan. The Were lord walked away mad when you were taken on the party night, but now he knows the truth and wants vengeance on me alone. I’m afraid we’ve created the opposite effect of what our wanted outcome to be, but couldn't be helped. He wouldn't budge on the original plan so your father arranged a new one. You are the only one who can win him back.”
I did my very Stace-like pondering. “Unlikely as that sounds, but I think that it will work itself out in the end.”
“So sure.”
Yes. My ingeniousness is profoundly known as the goddess elite. “No, but we have to think we are, right? Or we fail. My father said he felt like this Were leader would listen to me. That doesn’t sound like an option according to the mothers. So consider it a setback. But I can talk to him and make amends where need be. He will see reason when he hears that we most likely need his help if we are to figure out the Borgon take over the world situation.”
You will make a great ruler.
I cocked my head sideways like I would never do with anyone else. No one would see me question myself. No one else would I show this much emotion. Not even Calum did I show this much.
You are wise beyond your years.
“Aren’t you the same age?”
“But I’ve been lord of this manor for three years. I had a head start.”
Only in theory I think.
How is that?
“Because I still had to deal with the idea that something was off about me and no one would tell me. I spent so many lonely years listening to my father’s court affairs and rumors of the other courts only to know now that much of it was not true. I had to decipher at an early age who to trust. And my theories proved true on most accounts.”
I thought of Cas as I knew him before. An image of a dark evil older man. Well, not all of it was true. For sure!
No, you were very wrong about that.
I tried to smile.
“Well, I have to appease the Weres. They are right now organizing a revolt against Quinn unrightfully and the record needs to be set straight. Your father is already on the way.”
“Then I come too. I need to meet him anyway. Now is a good time as any.”
He started to protest and stopped when I walked fast out of the room. The ask forgiveness later theory was already in the works.
Chapter Ten
...the one that wins depends on the one we feed.
I had no way of expecting Calum to come, but it seemed he and Cas were texting buds without me knowing still. I never really broached that subject with either of them. I figured it was better they were getting along.
Finding out that now his father was a Hunter lord made him next in line and able to do more front line work for the Hunter court eased my worry over him. It would keep me busy. I need to check on him. Ask him how he is. But I didn’t. He would want more than a friend right now. Perhaps he’ll come around. I decided I should at least text him.
UOK NEW WORK n ALL
A few minutes passed. I heard the ding and read it.
FINE DON’T WORRY BOUT ME
U CN B NICE
K
That’s all I get? Just a freaking K! I would see him soon. Better to let time go by.
He was a week away from graduation and would then be at his father’s court as his right hand man. No more Hunter school. In fact, I learned only yesterday by formal letter that I was to attend the graduation and receive a diploma. My father had produced all legal documents showing that I should have graduated a year ago and this proved sufficient to let me cross the stage of the Hunter school graduation. I don’t know why that affected me so, but it was like everyone was moving forward with their life and it didn’t make sense to me. As if I felt they would stay still in the life events I keep walking away from and everything would be the same when I walked back into them. But, that’s not how it works. My old court was bustling with much focus on Szar becoming the heir, Dr. Green becoming the new Hunter lord making news in every faction, and the unsuspecting humans knowing nothing of any of this or the Vampire court or still vengeful Were courts all right under their noses. They were noise in the background only.
I greeted Calum with a less than eager nod and was a little surprised to find Lee with him. It seems they were a team.
How could he trust him? Or was it keeping tabs on him like suggested. Feed him right information and filtered.
They both looked me over and said nothing. The warehouse door creaked with another body entering. I quit holding my breath knowing it was Cas before he entered.
Great as it was to finally be noticed, I was yet again surrounded by these men in my life that gave me lingering stares that remind me I didn’t pick my own purpose. Thank the gods one was my brother. He tolerated me like I did him. The rest wouldn’t leave my side for fear of my life being threatened. One small comfort was knowing Szar was okay with me fighting. Yet one could turn that to assuming he was also going to be okay if I died. Gruesome thoughts.
He doesn’t think that at all.
Then why does he act like he doesn’t care?
It’s not that. He just goes about it different. He allowed himself to be tortured for you.
We were being watched. “We will be right back.”
I think they all grunted in unison.
“They think the worst of me.”
“No they don’t.”
“I know what guy’s think.”
I followed Cas to the outside corner where he shielded me from the others even at dusk’s fading light.
Not hardly.
Then what are they grunting for other than thinking we’re making out or something.
Kissa. You’ll never understand.
Try me.
He stopped under the lamp outside the side entrance. They are jealous. Every guy lives to show off his female.
You make me sound like a sports car. I rolled my eyes.
In a way we substitute the car for the girl we do not have. It’s why the car becomes obsolete when the girl comes along.
Odd but strangely understanding. Girls are the same in some ways. Okay. Got it then. About my brother...maybe you’re right. I’ll be nicer.
Dressed in my black weapons cat suit as the boys called it, I stood now at the warehouse where I’d last stood with some of the same men under all different circumstances. Inside were Calum and Lee, my somewhat allies. Szar, my brother, supposedly kidnapped and rescued. And Cas, the undercover Vamp guard aiding my father in watching over me and played the double agent allowing me to scar his shoulder with my knife. I love irony.
I will carry that scar with me everywhere as a memory of you.
That’s kind of pathetic, isn’t it?
Probably, but you were safe and that was the intended outcome. I knew of your power and you have your knife back.
I raised my eye at that. So you thought me powerful.
Rendered powerless more often than not.
I wouldn’t say that. I couldn’t stop the thoughts pictured in my head of how his face, or his lips, or his hands, or his sun melted everything in me. Who had the power?
Perhaps I’ll try some of those later. Seems you at least admit it more now.
I peeked left and right. Two crickets jumped onto the concrete squares by the warehouse door. We were alone for the moment waiting for Dr. Quinn while the others were conversing inside. With no one to see, I quietly made myself sidle up next to him, put my hand directly over his sun, and yanked the shirttail up a little. A little more. Then I moved my hand into place over the sun and watched his eyes turn gold. Oh how I love that. I can’t imagine not having that.
He finally breathed out and said aloud, “Is that such a good idea here?”
You said I’m rendered powerless. Can’t go letting you think I’m weak.
“Oh, Kissa,” he whispered to me like my name was a song. We’ll see about that. But for business, we both need a clear head. He paused and looked long at me. It’s a good thing business hasn’t started yet.
He looked left and right. I knew his Vampire sense would know if anything was coming so he was exaggerating his moves now. He pulled his fingers up to close my eyelids pressing each finger gently. His fingers tipped my chin up sending heat touches with each feathered fingertip. He moved next touching the tips to each of my ears and up my jaw line alternating sides. When his lips touched mine I collapsed slightly and felt him catch me, laughing quietly.
“Funny, huh?” I managed to control the desire but it felt like he’d pulled a fire alarm and I was popping sparks and he was about to find himself attacked with a sprinkler of passion.
“No, just amazed that you think that’s power. I could do it thousand times.”
I think I’m quite okay with that because that’s the only part making me able to wait that long.
Good, I plan on it. The yellow in his eyes hadn’t dissipated. I warmed at the copious thought of what he might have planned.
Clank! I heard a noise behind me and saw a Conan sized figure in the window fleeing it. I saw who it was. Cas told me, “Let’s go. Quinn is here. We need to know the plan.” And like that he was all business for the rest of the mission.
Dr. Quinn arrived before we opened the door. He’d stopped me and asked to talk privately apologizing for all the rudeness at the Hunter school when we’d first met. Knowing now that spying on him had all been a set up by my own father just to keep me busy and “safe” was thrilling to think about. He said he didn’t want anyone to have any ideas that he’d been helping in any way. Playing the hate button was easier than friendliness and gave Borgon reason to have little doubt. He didn’t regret anything; just sorry he’d had too.
I didn’t believe one word. I popped my knuckles like I’d seen Szar do to make a silent point and turned away from him still wordless. I don't think he even noticed.
We entered the warehouse and joined the rest. My eyes averted to Lee who had cut his hair back to the short spiky gel look like he had at fifteen. He looked like himself again. It looked good on him, so I told him. Traitorously nice I was being.
“You look good. I like it, makes you younger.”
“Not the look I was going for.”
“Well, it looks good. You’ll catch someone’s eye for sure.” He flinched at that, but said nothing. More than anything, I wanted to cement the distance that had grown between us and was now on the mend. I didn’t trust him, but I didn’t hate him.
The meeting hadn’t started so I dared a chat with Calum to let him know some more information I’d found back in the library that day he was overly dramatic in his endeavors. He was standoffish at first but I forced a smile and he gave in to my friendly nature rather too quickly. I realized then I still had some invisible force over him that he tried like everything to keep hidden. He smiled uncontrollably and then stopped himself remembering his place. I saw him dart a look at Cas who had retreated to the shadows more than I would have wanted pretending to check out the building. Did he sense my need to talk with the others? I just wanted to know they were okay. I looked his way searching his face and body for any emotion, but he there none present.
I told Calum what I’d heard. He puffed his chest out a little at hearing more about the bad Hunter strength of his father Neptune, but it made him seem a little more confident. He needed that. Lee even turned into his old self by joking a bit with him about his god status. Lee knew most of our secrets now. I worried furiously at letting him know them after confirming through Cas recently that he gets paid on the side for information passed through the factions. I made up my mind I would find a way to force him to make that known to the—Hmm! What do I call all them now that they are all on the same team? We have a new faction lord and other titles, so…Quinn, father, and Green are…are…the elders. That works.
“Let’s get started,” my father, the elder, insisted. “Some of the facts need straightening out. First, Borgon was initially thought to be a Hunter ally, but his family was threatened and he had no choice but to comply with the charge of hurting my son and attempting to capture Anastacia. Curiosity won him over and he learned of their unearthly heritage through our own ill prep. We went along with the plan hoping to trick him into giving over the Elf population, but he convinced them instead that taking our children would gain them
power over the factions rather than keeping them from being heirs. However, the circumstances changed when they killed his wife and three children. Now...he wants everyone taken out.”
Horrified, I just listened. I thought there was a single child, not that it wasn't still just as disgusting to hear.
“He means to take Anastacia for reasons beyond what we can determine other than what we assume is destroying her for what she is. Speculation reasons that he wants revenge and this is how he angles to certify it as acceptable. First reports at Anastacia’s coming of age night were that the Elves sent Borgon to do the dirty work. We have inconclusive evidence of Borgon, but we have confirmed that it was in fact the opposite. Some of the self chosen Elf leaders who adhere to having nothing to do with Borgon, say he instigated their help in torturing my son beyond the planned setup and the continuous attacks on my daughter, not the other way around.”
They are still the bad guys. And it hurts to know he left Szar there to the torture for my supposed benefit.
“However, with the facts a little clearer, we can see Borgon in no way as anything but a threat. He will be taken down and the Elves with it if they continue to help him.”
“Where is he?” I asked making every head in the room acknowledge my face and return to father.
“We don’t know. He moves before we can find him. Spineless oaf.”
This was huge in the scare me department since my father never failed and he rarely showed emotion even in anger. Father was off-kilter by all this. And with all the factions working together, it was bigger than huge. How could he not be found with so many at work to find him? Maybe there were bigger plans at work we could not see.
The group designated out various scouts to look for him or signs of starting with the areas known for Elf activity. The room turned into a small conversations with everyone circling round the round to talk. I found myself face to face with Lee and Calum discussing what I'd missed. At the school.
Cas was by my side again after my father turned to check his phone signaling he was done talking to him about my safety. I felt him get closer loving the feeling that it strengthened when he was far away and returned to me. I reached my hand across the back of my shoulder behind me where he barely touched my fingers in return and the fear created b the safety talk resided a little but rising again from something different and new to me. My mind went back to that day in the gymnasium when I’d taught Maze to sight her arrow better and Calum challenged me to a standoff. I’d misunderstood the fear he had then. It was the same fear Cas had now standing here listening to me talk with Calum and Lee. Territorial jealousy. I understood now even without the symbolic peeing to mark his territory. I would be more careful. I’d never hurt you Cas. Ever!
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