A Lady of the Realm (House of DeDe)

by Sharon E Mamolo

  “Sorry, I didn’t think you’d get so ill,” he whispered. I flinched involuntarily when he caressed my cheek. He stopped, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath.

  “S’okay,” I said.

  I closed my eyes and leaned into his open arms. He gathered me up, lifting me from the floor despite the hiss of pain that escaped my gritted teeth. He took two steps and placed me on the twin bed that had been in the room since I could remember. Betty came on my other side, a glass of murky liquid in her hand.

  “Here, honey, drink some of this; it’ll help settle your stomach soon.”

  Smelling the murky orange liquid first, I wondered what it could be, and how it could possibly make me feel better. Feeling like a five year old with a tummy ache, I obediently sipped the proffered drink, gauging the reaction of my churning stomach. It flipped a couple of times and rumbled noisily, but basically stayed put. I went ahead and gulped the rest of whatever was in the glass down hoping it didn’t come back up.

  I reclined in bed with a wet washcloth over my eyes. Max and Sasha resumed their banter, but it was a lot more civil. At least I didn’t get the impression that Sasha was about to cheerfully beat Max’s brains in with his bare hands.

  “Tell me what’s going on. All of it or I can’t help,” Max said.

  “I don’t know where to start.” That was a lie. Sasha didn’t want to give any details, but I wasn’t about to point it out.

  “The beginning is usually the best,” Max replied.

  Sasha had conjured a couple of bottles of liquor. He uncorked the vodka and handed me a glass. The smell lifted my spirits. I gulped down the entire glass and held it out for more. Vodka was the best medicine for anything that ailed me. He refilled my glass with an indulgent smile and drank straight from his bottle of green poison.

  “It’s Lilith …,” he finally said to Max.

  “I thought you would’ve taken care of her years ago,” Max said.

  Sasha shook his head. “I’ve been procrastinating,” he said.

  “Who’s Lilith?” I asked.

  Sasha drank from the bottle, and Max sat back with a smile. A smile that told me I wasn’t going to be happy with the answer. Sasha glanced down to me and quickly averted his eyes.

  “Maxwell, may we stay the night?” Sasha asked.

  “Are you joking?” Max asked.

  “Have I ever struck you as having a large sense of humor?” Sasha crossed his legs and leaned against the wall.

  “Of course not, my Lord, pardon the question. Betty, roll down the shutters and put the cameras and alarms on. I don’t want any more surprises for the night. My heart won’t stand for it. And Lord Alek ...”

  “Yes?” Sasha was actually laughing.

  “You’ve asked for many favors tonight. It’ll cost you considerably. We can discuss the details later.” Max stood, his eyes shining with greed, in the doorway.

  Sasha’s scar was twitching. “I’ve missed you at court, Maxwell.”

  Max left us alone, and I sat up on the bed. I wanted to know what was being kept from me.

  “Who’s Lilith?” I asked again, sipping from the bottle of vodka Sasha had handed me. If he gave me the bottle, it meant I needed to fuel.

  “Do you remember I told you Trystyn and I had business to conclude before the convention?” Sasha asked.

  He loved answering questions with questions. If I let it continue, I’d forget my original question.

  “Right, I want to know who Lilith is,” I said.

  “Bethany, I came home for,” he paused and walked to the window facing the back yard. He turned away from me, his foot tapping on the floor. He took a deep, calm breath before finishing the sentence. “My wife.”

  I threw the bottle at him. It hit him on the back of the head, breaking into large chunks of glass. The liquid ran down his head in pink streams. He didn’t flinch. I was on my feet, my hands pummeling his back.

  “You’ve got a freaking wife?” I screamed.

  I was appalled. Sleeping with a married member of a powerful House was a crime. Like any good caste system, it was never the powerful Lord’s fault when his pants dropped. The enterprising, social climbing whore paid the price. That would be me.

  “And you slept with me? You arrogant freak. I can’t believe you did that to me.”

  He finally stirred at my words and drew in a deep breath, which shook his entire frame. He turned around with his hands across his chest.

  “You didn’t know?” he asked.

  I started to slap him, but he grabbed my hand. I struggled against him as he pulled me closer.

  “Who is she?”

  I could hear the smile when he answered my question.

  “Lilith, House of Isner.”

  This conversation was improving by the minute.

  “A vamp?”

  He shrugged his shoulders impatiently. “It was a good plan at the time. Bethany, I’m requesting a divorce.”

  I stopped struggling in his hands. He wasn’t lying. The leak in his mind, which had opened when we first slept together, told me he was sincere.

  “Why,” I asked.

  “I need to be rid of her before I gain control of the Region. I was only waiting for a good, legal reason. That’s where you conveniently come in. I plan on rewarding you handsomely for the service,” he said with a smile.

  “Asshole,” I mumbled and headed back to the bed. “Get out.”

  “Bethany ….” Sasha’s voice lashed into the air.

  “I just wish you would’ve asked me straight up. I would’ve said yes, and we could’ve been doing the nasty for weeks. But noooo … you don’t trust me enough to tell me shit. Just get out before I say something stupid.”

  Sasha shook his head. “You’re not going to get any sleep without me.”

  “Thanks for the freaking reminder. Since you’re ruining my night, leave your fucking bankcards, then get out,” I yelled.

  “Don’t be unreasonable. I didn’t have all the particulars together. Lilith forced my hand early,” he said.

  When I didn’t respond he dropped his wallet on the bed and disappeared. I rolled over, tears spilling from my eyes. Damn elf was married. And he was asking for a divorce. Neither of those situations bothered me as much as the fact that I hadn’t known squat.

  I had to know what was going on if I was going to survive. It didn’t matter what other people believed. Only the truth mattered. A wife. Ugh. I closed my eyes and concentrated on my breathing. Sleep eluded me for hours, my eyes finally closing upon the first rays of light outside the windows.

  Chapter Six: A Charm for the Lady

  Only the smell of fried, sugared dough could tempt me to open my eyes with barely two hours of sleep. Beignets, a treat, and hot sweet coffee from Café Du Monde scented the air. It was the smallest things that could make or break a day. I smiled into the pillow, my arms letting go in favor of regaining motion. If there was any way for me to get up this morning, it was with that delectable smell wafting. I peeked out from under one eye. Sasha smiled.

  “Good morning,” he said. He held the cup of coffee just under my nose.

  “So say you.”

  I was feeling better. I didn’t want to kill him. My stomach grumbled greedily at the sight and smell of food. I moved my extremities and didn’t feel any pain.

  “We better get moving; it’s going to be a busy day,” he said, poking me in the ribs as he stood up.

  “Your soon to be ex?” I asked, reaching towards the steaming coffee. My mouth watered.

  “Among other things.”

  He handed the cup carefully over and sat back on his haunches.

  The coffee was hot, scalding my tongue on the first sugary taste. I sipped cautiously. After last night, this was a piece of heaven.

  “Where are my parents?” I couldn’t believe they weren’t in the room chaperoning. Making sure that Sasha didn’t take liberties with their little girl under their roof.

  “In the kitchen.”

&n
bsp; He stood up, looked around the room for nothing in particular it seemed and sat beside me on the bed. I placed the coffee down on the table, turning so that I could face him.

  “I’m sorry for losing my temper.” It was absurd that I should apologize for shit. However, I did have his wallet. I knew he was a private guy, and he didn’t fully trust me. I had no right to expect explanations. I had agreed and couldn’t be mad with the deal I made.

  His hand came up, stroking my head. “Maybe I should’ve told you about the wife.”

  “Ya think?” I muttered. Sasha smiled as he placed a wayward tendril of hair back behind my ear. “Where to now?” I asked as my feet flung over the bed and on to the floor. The room stayed in focus and the food stayed put, all good signs.

  “Back to the city. I brought the motorcycle for the trip. I should’ve known shifting with you was a bad idea.” He made a face as he spoke, running his hands through his hair.

  “No, let’s do it again,” I said, testing my balance. I didn’t teeter or need his offered hand when I took a couple of experimental steps.

  His brows furrowed as he kept his arms carefully around me.

  “I’m not a very good teacher.”

  I looked at him. “It probably takes practice.”

  He was shaking his head vigorously. “I don’t want to.”

  “If the shit hits the fan, will you do it?”

  “Of course,” he said immediately.

  This was easy. “Don’t wait ‘til then. Practice makes perfect.”

  “Bethany...” His unblinking eyes searched mine.

  “After I’ve finished breakfast.” I grabbed another beignet and bit a chunk off.

  He pinched the bridge of his nose and inhaled softly. “Alas, you might be right. We must hire a private tutor soon. You need to equip yourself properly before you join the game in earnest.” He turned around and paced to the window. “Best advice I can give you on shifting is to focus.”

  That was helpful. “Gotcha.”

  I licked the powder sugar off my fingers and headed for the bathroom. Sasha ran a hot bath in the old claw tub as I stretched. I climbed in, with his help, and sank into the lavender scented water. He washed my hair, scrubbed my back, and rinsed the suds off my body. His touch, soft and sensuous, puckered my nipples unexpectedly. He was kind enough not to comment.

  I was slipping into my clothes when Sasha brushed his fingers down my back.

  “Bethany …” I twirled. “This is for you.”

  “What is it?” I asked.

  “A gift.”

  “From you?”

  “No,” he said. “It’s from Malachi.”

  “Malachi didn’t piss me off last night,” I said.

  I couldn’t get straight answers for the simplest questions. Malachi had given Sasha a gift for me. Why? Sasha took two steps forward, opened the box, and placed it in my hands.

  “Holy shit,” I said.

  I ran a finger down the necklace ensconced in the velvet folds of the box. I took it out and held it to the light. The thin mesh rope shone brilliantly in the morning light. The lone pendant, a dark blue oval gemstone in a simple setting, threw rainbows onto the walls. I turned the necklace around bit by bit, inspecting the fine craftsmanship as if the metal could speak to me.

  “You need to wear it,” he said.

  “I don’t think so. This must cost a fortune,” I said. It was so beautiful.

  “Money is unimportant. Besides, it’s part of your essence. Once on you’ll never part with it.”

  “English, Sasha,” I said as I looked at the necklace in my hands.

  His lips twitched. He thought it was funny when I asked him to explain his cryptic sentences.

  “Every gemstone is given special meanings and properties. This sapphire promotes mental clarity and perception. It also helps with healing. Most of us inherit a gem that helps us channel our powers. This one is a DeDe charm. Malachi found it, and it’s yours.”

  “Wow.”

  “Turn around, let me fasten it on you.”

  I obeyed, gathering my hair up in one hand to whisk it out of the way. The necklace fell upon my bare skin, heavy and cool, with a loud snap. It was really more like a choker than a necklace. It nestled against my throat as if it belonged there.

  Sasha whispered, “It’ll help you.”

  “I doubt it.” I touched the necklace, an odd feeling made me uncomfortable where it rested on my skin. It was becoming warm, eerie enough for goose bumps to rise on my body.

  He straightened up and rubbed my arms, aware of the goose bumps that had popped up.

  “Do you need to say goodbye?” he asked avoiding my eyes.

  “No, they’ll live,” I said.

  I took Sasha’s hand and stepped into his embrace. I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to do. I ended up concentrating on the feel of it and the nature, the elusive ability, of shifting space.

  It was disconcerting. I kept a mental tab on Sasha, feeling him not just with my hands and body, but also with my emotional antennae. Everything else disappeared. The room simply faded in a swirl of color, one piece after another. Even time faded in the swirl of color and energy. A heavy weight fell upon my chest as darkness engulfed my sight. Before I knew it, we were back in his rooms, but it was dark, disorienting me. The skylights had been blocked by the shutter system.

  Sasha placed me on a bar stool and waited for a reaction. Soon, I realized, he was waiting for any reaction. I couldn’t speak or form a coherent thought for minutes. I couldn’t focus my eyesight either. He was everywhere, dancing about, coming in and out of focus at irregular intervals.

  “Bethany? Bethany speak to me, can you hear me?”

  I could technically hear him, but it was indistinct, as if his voice was being amplified through water. I saw someone else in the dim room, but I instinctively knew that the person wasn’t in the room with us. It was a young man, a little older than my twenty-three years. He had on a necklace that seemed to radiate energy. It was a red gemstone, similar to my own, but set into a true leather choker. I knew him, but I couldn’t say how.

  Just when I was about to say his name aloud, he looked into my eyes. The next thing I felt was Sasha on top of me. I was on the floor. I never passed out. It seemed such a fragile thing to do. Sasha was shaking me, rattling my teeth. He overreacted to just about everything.

  “Stop it.” I tried to push his arms away but was unsuccessful.

  “What happened? Bethany, there’s more at stake than you realize.” He stopped the shaking but still grasped me too hard.

  “Maybe you should try sharing.” I swatted at his hands again.

  He was furious, not bothering to be nice.

  “Trystyn will be here in a few minutes. We have business to discuss.”

  Meaning he didn’t want to have to worry about me.

  “Whatever.”

  I just wanted to lie down again, close my eyes, and fall asleep for a very long time.

  “What did you see?”

  I looked up, his eyes piercing mine. A very unfriendly expression made my blood freeze. I stuttered in confusion.

  “Huh?”

  “Your expression, minx,” he said. His eyes did soften a bit. But, just a bit.

  “It was someone… someone I knew, I think.”

  Doubt etched his eyes. He cocked his head suddenly to the side as Trystyn popped into the room in a blaze of yellow light.

  “I’ve seen road kills look better, cub, is she okay?” Trystyn asked Sasha. When Sasha didn’t answer, he turned towards me. His head at an angle, his expression was confused.

  “Give me a second,” Sasha said to me.

  I fell back onto the floor and closed my eyes. How did the freaks go about shifting all day long? This was exhausting.

  The brothers went to the bar, like good elves, and uncorked a couple bottles of liquor. They began in English but quickly reverted to arguing in a foreign language.

  I focused on my muscles, relaxing them
one at a time. I tried to block out the argument, which was escalating. I heard the shattering of bottles above me, felt a wave of angry energy swirl but tried to focus on me. I flexed my fingers slowly and lifted my hand to the necklace. The gemstone was ice cold against my throat. When I touched it, my body tingled in response. It was a good tingle, a hot bath after walking all day, tingle.

  With my eyes closed and still on the floor, I didn’t expect to feel Sasha grasp my arm and haul me up. He was still arguing with Trystyn but had switched back to English.

  “Wait until I call you.”

  Sasha swept past him and out the door, with me by his side.

  Chapter Seven: The Decree

  Why here? I mused aloud. The museum was closed for the weekend due to the city partying as if the end of days was upon it. I loved the museum and came here often with the half-breed, a lover of all things art. Sasha, he wasn’t into art. He preferred music as his form of entertainment.

  Sasha lifted me over the stone fence and into the gardens. I was shocked when he actually answered my question. Something about needing to finalize his plans, and that this was the perfect spot for such an arrangement. I stared around the deserted oak grove seeking a better explanation.

  The museum garden was littered with sculptures and blooms. I’d been here many times, and I didn’t understand why we were here now. A heated sensation pricked the center of my back. Someone was watching us from across the Azby Bridge.

  “I see,” I said.

  I could hear the suppressed anger in my own voice. A blistering wall of humiliation surrounded me because I’d been caught in my own web of deceit. I wanted to blame Sasha; after all, he was the one who didn’t disclose vital information. But I couldn’t. We played a game, and I had made a wrong move.

  Sasha turned around, facing the opposite side of the grounds. It couldn’t be one big coincidence that we all met up.

  “What do I have to do?” I asked.

  “Stay next to me at all times. I’m only speaking to her today,” he said.