by Lexi Blake
The vampire groaned. “Tell me you didn’t kill him.”
“I didn’t kill him,” she replied.
Dante slapped his hand against the steering wheel. “You totally killed him. Damn it, Kaj. Please tell me…”
“I did not eat him.” Kaja’s chin had tilted up, a stubborn expression. “I would not. He would taste terrible. He would taste like betrayal and greed and vanity. I’ve never seen a man who is so obsessed with his hair. He’s also terrible to pets. I merely ripped his throat out. And I didn’t even get any blood on me, Dante. Also, I sent Dani off before I did it. I followed most of your ridiculous rules. How is she going to learn how to rip a throat out if I do not teach her?”
“I was rather hoping my sweet baby girl wouldn’t need to learn how to do that,” Dante grumbled. “I was also hoping we could get out of this without Taggart realizing who you are. I don’t suppose you avoided cameras.”
Kaja reached out and picked up a small metallic cube. “I couldn’t. They’re all over the place. It’s why Dani and I had to stay in wolf form the whole time we were with them. I thought Taggart would tell Charlotte we had to sleep somewhere else, but he was surprisingly kind to us. We had a soft warm bed in their room because Charlotte didn’t like the idea of not being able to hear us if we needed to be let out.”
“Are you serious?” Dante turned his wife’s way. “You stayed in their bedroom? Kaj, I know it’s normal for wolf children to know things about…marriage and stuff, but…”
Even from where I sat I could see the way Kaja rolled her eyes. “Taggart had to work much while we were with them. He fell into bed each night, though I’m sure she heard some things from the showering room in the mornings. I’ve told you, she perceives things differently when she’s in wolf form. It’s precisely why she sleeps so much more in this form. My sweet pup. She did a good job with her mama.”
Kaja closed her fist around the cube and dark “fabric” began to cover her body.
“I thought you said there was no magic here.” Marcus’s eyes had gone wide as he watched the cube become a dark jumpsuit that Kaja immediately adjusted the sleeves of. The material clung to her lithe body like a second skin, the sleeves coming up above her elbows and a V forming at her neck. It was more Vampire tech. I was surrounded by it.
“Nah, not magic,” Dante explained, fiddling with the computer screen that controlled the hovercar. “It’s nanites. Nanites are these…”
“I know what nanites are, Mr. Dellacourt,” Marcus interrupted. “I have several young humans in my circle who love their technology. I understand we are experimenting with these things on our plane, but we have nothing like this.”
“My family corporation has perfected them over the last few years. If only they could perfect getting out of freaking traffic,” Dante said, cursing under his breath.
“So you’ll let me contact my friends?” I hadn’t gotten an answer. Dante seemed to be easily distracted.
“Sorry,” Dante replied with a wince. “That is not a good idea because Taggart will have gone over his security footage and he’ll know Kaja. She’s kind of famous on this plane. Before Dani was born she was the only shanimal known to the plane.”
A dangerous growl came from Kaja.
“Wolf,” Dante corrected quickly. “No one had ever seen a wolf, so there’s zero way Taggart doesn’t know exactly who she is. He’ll monitor everything I have. I probably should have gotten some tech that isn’t attached to my family. I’ve been out of this game for far too long. I’m really better at politics. If you need someone to negotiate a trade deal with goblins, I’m your guy.”
“Dante, focus,” his wife said, but there was a slight smile on her face.
He nodded. “Yes, focus. All right. If our direct way in is closed off, we might have to go to the surface and find another way out.”
“Or we could go to the plane we came from,” Marcus suggested, his voice smooth.
I felt his magic like silk whispering over my skin. He was going to try to take over Dante’s will.
“Yes. Actually, that’s a great idea.” Dante started inputting the coordinates into his system. “I know that plane. Good times were had there. I haven’t been back to the Refugee plane in years.”
“Because it isn’t safe,” Kaja said, her eyes on her husband. “Since the kings returned to their throne, there is no check on the creatures who reside there. It’s certainly not safe for a tiny pup who doesn’t even know how to kill yet because her father wants her to be a delicate princess.”
“I didn’t see anything dangerous there,” Marcus continued, every word burrowing deep in his victim’s brain. “It was a lovely plane.”
“He’s right. Come on, Kaj.” Dante got a dippy grin on his face. “It’ll be fun. And we can totally make that door with plenty of time to spare.”
“But we can’t take the hovercar. It’s too big to work on that plane, and we didn’t make arrangements for the bikes,” Kaja pointed out. “We would have to walk across two planes to make it to Tír na nÓg. Not to mention we would have to camp.”
“Hey, I’m ready for that,” Dante replied. “I’ve got a ton of gear in the trunk. We’ll make it a family trip. Come on. It’s been years, and I fell for you in that faery forest. Let’s go.”
Kaja turned in her seat, carefully cradling her daughter. “What are you doing to my husband?”
Marcus merely sat back. “Something that apparently doesn’t work on you. You can’t even feel me, can you? You’re an interesting creature. I assure you I can control the werewolves on the Earth plane when I wish to.”
“Hey, baby, that’s the word Meg used when you first pulled your quick change on her.” Dante seemed perfectly happy to have his brain invaded. “Werewolf. Maybe that’s where your people originally came from.”
“My people came from a place where the land was cold and the wolves were colder. My heart has softened so much, my love, but I remember how to be that wolf,” Kaja announced. “I’m going to ask you to let my husband go, Mr. Vorenus, or I shall show you who I used to be.”
“I find this whole situation to be a bit hypocritical. No one asked my consort if she wanted to go to Tír na nÓg,” Marcus said casually, as if he wasn’t controlling another vampire’s mind. “My darling, do you wish to go there?”
“No. I don’t want to go back.” I understood little about what was going on, but the anxiety I felt couldn’t be mistaken. There was a part of me that wished the witches had held off a bit longer because Charlotte Taggart seemed to know things I didn’t. I would have liked to sit and talk with her. “But we do need to figure out what’s going on. I can’t run forever. Why do King Beckett and King Cian want to meet with me?”
They’d never asked to meet with me before. I was one of the most unusual creatures in all the planes, but the kings had left my tribe to their own devices.
Dante nodded as though there was nothing he wanted to do more than answer the question. “Because they need to find out if you’re an evil force trying to bring down the walls between the planes, and if you are, we need to figure out how to kill you.”
I was certain it was Marcus’s influence that was causing Dante to be so forthcoming. If left to his own control, I was sure Dante would have explained to me that the kings were worried I was the focal point of a very dangerous occurrence. After all, Charlotte had said something similar not an hour before, and I didn’t think Marcus would have gone murderous on her. But I knew those words had turned him bloodthirsty.
I immediately shifted in my seat and looked my lover’s way. “Marcus, he’s driving. I need for you to remember that we are high above the ground and there is a child in this vehicle. Also, while you might survive a plunge to the ground, I won’t. My body is human.”
His lips peeled back in the most feral grin. “I can bring you back, bella.”
He was going to be a handful.
Kaja suddenly had a gun in her hand. It was a sleek sonic phaser that could take off my vam
pire’s head. “Let my husband go.”
“Let me go?” Dante asked as he started to steer the hovercar down what looked like a less crowded corridor. “He’s not touching me.”
Oh, my honey was so much better at this than Dean. I put my hands on Marcus, praying to the goddess that touch would help connect him to me. “She’s a mother defending her family, and he’s trying to help save the outer planes. I’m asking you to let them go. You remember what Charlotte Taggart said. The convergences are following me. I would be worried about me, too.”
“I really shouldn’t have said that.” In the mirror, I could see Dante’s expression shutter. “He is in my head. I would never have been so impolitic.”
“I prefer to know exactly what I’m dealing with. I need your honesty, and now I have it. Don’t bother trying to shove me out,” Marcus said.
Maybe sweet pleading didn’t work with Marcus. I remembered how Kelsey had handled him. She hadn’t been soft. “Marcus Vorenus, if you don’t let him go now, you’re going to find out what a consort can do to a vampire, and not the fun stuff. I have access to your dick and while it will grow back, you won’t be using it for a while.”
I heard Dante release a deep breath and Marcus sat back.
“Of course,” he said as though performing a simple courtesy and not returning another male’s free will.
Dante nodded to his wife. “Hey, baby, remind me to buy a shit ton of stock in Lodge InterPlane because I’m getting those implants.”
“I do not need implants, and I’m still thinking about killing the vampire.” Kaja’s hand was steady, the gun still trained on my vampire. “We don’t need him. Cian only wants to speak to the woman.”
Dante sighed. “You see how much we have in common, Summer? I’m sorry I put it like that. I promise you my cousins aren’t known for simply killing dangerous things. After all, they met my wife when she was not as civilized as she seems now.”
“I think we can safely say Marcus influenced you,” I allowed. “I take no offense.”
“It’s really sad when I’m the reasonable one,” Dante said. “I used to be the one who caused all the problems. Old age is rough on a male. Please, Kaj.”
Kaja growled, but the gun disappeared, and she reached down to bring her sleeping daughter to her chest. “Fine, but the vampire is very rude.”
Marcus turned his gaze my way. “You wish to go down this road, bella?”
He was giving me the choice. This was the difference between Marcus and every other male I’d known. He was offering me protection and affection without making me some prize he’d won. He was allowing me to lead instead of attempting to lock me away and hoard me like gold. It went so far in crushing all those walls I’d erected over the years. I didn’t even try to hide how I felt about him in that moment. “I do.”
The sexiest smile lit his face and his hand slid over mine. “Oh, I will have you saying that to me soon enough.” He winked and then addressed our hostess, charm oozing from his pores. “Mrs. Dellacourt, please forgive my rudeness. It was only because I worry about my beautiful consort. She means everything to me and I must protect her. I know you feel this way about your husband, so I ask for your empathy. We’ve had a rough time of it today, and we still do not completely understand the situation we find ourselves in. I appreciate everything you have done for us and promise to be on my best behavior from now on.”
“I will accept your apology, but you should understand something. I won’t hesitate again, and I don’t give second chances.” Kaja settled back in her seat.
“Sure you do, baby,” Dante replied with a grin. “You gave me about a thousand chances, and I will always be happy for that. Now, let’s get this ship turned around and try to find a way into Tír na nÓg.”
My stomach rolled at the thought of going home. The White Palace wasn’t my home, but the plane was. I would be far from the golden beaches I grew up on, but there was something about the sun on Tír na nÓg that was different from anywhere I’d been before, something softer and warmer. The wind would blow sweetly across my hair and I would feel safe.
I’d missed that sun, but then I remembered all the Fae who would never see the sun again, never feel it on their skin and know they were alive. They had been family. They had cared for me and loved me.
I had betrayed them all.
Marcus squeezed my hand. “It will be all right.”
I wasn’t so sure about that. I’d left my plane after the incident and I hadn’t gone back. I’d let Erna drag me from plane to plane trying to survive, even while I didn’t care if I did or not. Only finding Dean and discovering I could help save my parents’ plane had brought me close to coming out of the long depression I’d been in.
“Charlotte Taggart told me the convergences only happen on the planes where I am physically present.” I wanted to figure this out more than anyone. If I couldn’t handle being responsible for killing my tribe, I definitely wouldn’t be able to live with taking down the outer planes. “So I don’t understand how Tír na nÓg is involved. I haven’t been back in ten years.”
“Tír na nÓg is the most powerful of the outer Fae planes,” Dante explained. “It’s the center of Fae magic, and for ten years that magic has been getting weaker. You were the product of a transference box, correct?”
“Yes,” I replied. “I was brought into existence during a time of political strife, so my tribe kept the knowledge of me limited. We were far from the seat of power, and not even the pretender wanted to mess with Haweigh and her people. After the kings took back their crown, I know she discussed my odd nature with them.”
“Yes, I believe my cousins thought you were a cat for many years,” Dante replied with a chuckle. “Haweigh hid you well. My cousins didn’t realize there was a magical source at all until she was willing to talk about you. But now they understand how powerfully you had integrated with the land. The lesser Fae of the plane are weaker than they’ve been in decades. I think it has something to do with you. My cousins have been investigating, and they think some force from a far plane is using the convergences to attempt to find you.”
“To find me?” I asked.
“Yes, Summer of the Gentle Winds. I don’t know what it is that you are supposed to do, but the time has come for you to do it.” The hovercar stopped suddenly and Dante hissed. “Gods be damned. Beck is going to kill me.”
There was a big hovercar in front of us, and it didn’t look like it was planning on moving.
“Can you back up?” Kaja clutched her daughter as she turned her head, trying to find a way out.
“He would just follow me. With the traffic on the main byways, I can’t outrun him.” Dante touched the screen in front of him. “Let’s talk, whoever you are. I’m sure there’s a bounty on us right now, but I can pay double for you to simply pretend you never saw us. How about you send me a link to the account you would like the outrageous amount of money sent to and we’ll call this a day.”
I moved closer to Marcus, waiting to hear if Dante’s offer would be taken, but nothing came over the line.
Then I watched as the hovercar door opened and a familiar face leaned out. His big body held on to the vehicle as he gave Dante his middle finger.
“Well, no one ever said the man gave up easily,” Kaja allowed. “At least he knows I avenged his wife. He’s not as bad as they say. He was quite sweet with Dani.”
“Yeah, that was when he thought she was a puppy,” Dante argued. He swiped the screen again. “The offer still stands, Taggart. You know I’m good for the money, and I don’t think you’ve forgotten how to be a mercenary.”
Taggart slid back into the passenger seat. Now that I was looking closely, I could see the other male was driving. The one he’d called Adam.
“Fuck you, Dellacourt. This isn’t for you. This is for my Charlie,” a deep voice said over the line. “And Mrs. Dellacourt, you’re mean. I like you. Thanks for handling that bastard for me. Now follow me. You’re not going to make it to the
other door. We’ve gotta go through that freaky Fae plane if we’re going to make it to Tír na nÓg without those witches finding us. They’ll be released soon, and they’ll come after Summer. And I’ll take the money, but it’s payment. I’m your bodyguard now.”
Dante frowned. “I don’t need a bodyguard.”
“Ever heard of a dude named Turi?” Taggart asked. “Because apparently he’s heard of you, thanks to my traitor, now-dead employee. He’s on his way, too.”
I gasped because I’d hoped at the very least I’d have a reprieve.
“We welcome Mr. Taggart’s services now that I don’t believe he’s going to put us in a cell,” Marcus said when I nodded his way. “On behalf of myself and my consort, we agree.”
“That’s easy for you to say. It isn’t your money,” Dante argued.
Kaja growled her husband’s way.
Dante sighed. “I’ll follow you.”
I held on tight to Marcus’s hand as we took off. At least I would be able to check in on Dean and Erna and make sure Kelsey and my Fae father were all right. They would be worried.
They had every right to be.
* * * *
Zoey
We stopped at the edge of a crystal blue pond so Daniel and I could take a moment. We were the only ones without supernatural strength and/or youth on our side. We might look like we were in our twenties, but I hadn’t had my usual dose of vamp blood and Dev had really long legs. He was all about the power walk.
“I’m going to take Dan down to the water and refill the canteens,” Dev explained. “He needs some time to settle his stomach.”
The eating experience wasn’t going great. Apparently whatever magic had caused Daniel’s body to revert to his prior human form hadn’t given him a cast-iron gut.
It was one more thing in a long list of worries.
