“Nick said it’s important and Alex wants to speak to us.” He tries to relax his shoulders.
We walk to the end of the hall, and into the large living room. Alex stands at the fireplace, speaking to Nick. “Kelly.” He bows his head to me. “It’ good to see you are safe and well.” He turns and offers his hand to his progeny, “we have a lot to talk about.”
Alex pastes a smile on his face and starts speaking. “Something has come up; Your grandfather has made a claim with the council and wants you back.”
I shake my head, “he's not my grandfather, I've never seen him before, at least not until now. I don't understand why he assumes…”
Alex cut me off. “Please Kelly, sit down.”
Grant and I sit down and share a concerned look.
Alex shakes his head. “King Jareia has pronounced that you are his granddaughter, and there's nothing that will stop him from getting to you and bringing you back to the Seelie court. He believes you will save his people by marrying the Unseelie Prince, Prince Wills.”
“I’m not marrying anyone. He will not take away my freedom of choice. I'm not giving up control to anyone ever again.” I am beginning to lose my temper.
“If he has a rightful claim to you, there's not a lot I can do to protect you from him, if you are fae.”
“I am only half fae. Joe was human.”
Grant looks at me. “Okay, you're admitting that there's a possibility that your mother Asrae, is King Jareia’s daughter. This makes you a princess of the fae court.”
I don’t want to admit it, but it is a possibility. “What are you going to do? Hand me over just because he said so?”
Alex’s forehead creases and before he can respond, Grant spoke. “No, you are not going to be handed over.”
Alex walks toward us. “Let's discuss this, we need to do the right thing. The right thing for our people, the right thing for Kelly, and the right thing for the fae.”
I stand up and walk toward the elevators.
“Where are you going?” Grant stands to follow me.
“I am not staying here any longer. I won’t have my life discussed and not have control over the decision making. This is my life!”
Grant catches up to me. “Mo Chroi, this is something that needs to be discussed. You can't go out there by yourself it's unsafe. We have to keep you safe.”
I grip Grant's arms as tears form in my eyes. “You don't understand, my life is not my own, if I stay here. How do I live a life I want when it seems no one will let me? If I don't leave and walk away, I'll never have it.”
Alex approaches. “There is a way.”
Both Grant and I study Alex. Grant speaks up, “tell us what we can do.”
“King Jareia wants his fae princess to marry Prince Wills, is that correct?”
I wipe the tears from my face as Grant nods to Alex.
“What if she is no longer human? What if Kelly becomes vampire? Would she now be vampire or is she fae?”
I shudder. “You want me to become a vampire to avoid all of this?”
Alex’s voice softens. “What other choice is there?”
“Would it be so bad, mo chroi?”
I consider this; Alex has a point. If I was a vampire, would my grandfather want me any longer? Would Prince Wills still want me?
“Alex, if I do this, what makes you assume he wouldn't still try to marry me off?”
“What if you were already his mate? They cannot take you away from your mate.” Alex glances between Grant and me.
“You want me to become Grant’s mate?”
Alex breaks eye contact with Grant. “Yes, I’m suggesting you become a vampire and become Grant’s mate, to save yourself, to give you independence, and to give yourself the freedom you crave so much.”
Electricity begins to ramp up inside me.
Grant speaks. “Breathe mo chroi. I can sense your energy ratcheting up. Breathe.”
I close my eyes and release my energy. the best I can.
Grant leans down and whispers. “Be my mate, mo chroi, I will give you everything that you want. You and I have already discussed this. Please, let me protect you.”
“I need time.”
Alex speaks. “There's really no time to consider this. We need to do this now. If the king gets a hold of you before you become Grant’s mate, you'll have no choice at all. But this is your choice, Kelly. You can either become a vampire and let us protect you, or you take your chances that King Jareia, and Prince Wills find you. And know this, when they find you, they will force you into something that you don't want.”
Grant tightens his hold on me. “The choice is yours.”
Alex stands with crossed arms over his chest and waits for me.
I wanted my freedom. Joe would never have given me options. He would have forced me to do what he wanted me to do. I look between the two men in front of me, and then focus on Grant. He has an old-fashioned take on a woman’s place in the world, and he continues to do what he views is the right thing. He protected me from Joe, rescued you me from Finn and now he’s giving me a choice. The choices may not be ideal, but they are the only options I have.
I look into Grant's eyes and can see his love for me. I have already told him how I feel about him and have already chosen Grant before Alex had told us the King still looking for me.
“I want to be your mate. But you need to curb this high handed, alpha male attitude.”
Grant pulls me in his arms and whispers. “I love you mo chroi. I plan to make you happy for an eternity.”
I let his body engulf me as I breathe him in. “Eternity is a very long time, Grant.”
“It is that, mo chroi. Let’s get started.”
The End
Paid in Full: Kelly Kennedy Series (Book One) Page 21
