by Tamara White
Nik tuts in my ear. “Oh, Emerald, that sounds like a challenge. One I’m sure we’re very much prepared to live up to.”
I moan as his teeth graze my neck. My legs wobble and my eyes flutter shut, as I imagine all the things these three could do to me.
So much for getting some rest.
Twenty-Nine
Lie or Truth
Talon
My queen is sitting down with guests when I return home to the estate.
I debate for a moment on whether to interrupt her, but know it’s best not to delay considering I didn’t come back with good news.
She sent me take out the threat to her throne, but I was thwarted by logic—something that won’t please my queen. She likes me to be as ruthless as she is, but when it comes to killing someone, I’d prefer not to break any laws.
If the old woman protecting the girl was right, then my queen already knew of the girl’s presence and invited them to her home. If I had taken her life, then it would have fallen back on me and my life could have been forfeit for committing such an act.
My queen has done such a thing in the past, and it was only pure luck that got me out of the situation unscathed. I would not like to be in the firing line between the leaders of our coven and my queen, but as her prince, that is usually the place I land. Queen Maria, while strong in her coven, is ruled by her emotions rather than the logic a queen should have.
Not that I have ever faulted her for such a thing. I am but a lowly subject, one meant to do her bidding. But things are different this time.
To kill the heir to a coven, I would not get a meek punishment. The consequence of such an action would be death. And my queen would not hesitate to lay the blame on my head, saying it was I who was out of hand.
As I enter the sitting room, three of the four occupants perk up at my presence. The fourth is a servant tasked with bringing the queen whatever it is she and her guests wish for.
My queen glances away from her wolf and vampire guest with a warm smile aimed my way.
“Ah, my dearest Talon. You’re back late. I trust that meant the night’s activities went well?”
I bow deeply, my gaze fixed on the red-carpeted floor, as I reply, “I’m afraid not, My Queen. The girl was protected by Mason and his wolves. I had to fight my way free, then, when I was about to deliver the final blow, I was stopped.” I pause and feel the anger in the room rise. My queen is most definitely not happy.
“And just who stopped you?” she queries softly, her voice barely hiding her rage.
“The previous matriarch of the St. Louis coven. The girl’s grandmother.”
My queen curses and my gaze snaps to her as she stands angrily. Her cup, which was previously in her lap, drops to the floor, spilling the blood flavored tea on the carpet.
She stalks to me, using a finger to lift my chin when I try to drop my gaze. “Jeannie. She saved the girl? You are sure of this?”
I nod, unsure how to process the fear in my queen’s gaze. She drops my chin and turns her back as she mutters under her breath. “She must truly love the child then if she is protecting her.”
Suddenly, the queen spins back, her dress brushing against my cheek from her closeness. I keep my gaze down, not willing to look up at her. “Did Jeannie say anything... interesting, my pet? Anything that would cause you to have questions?”
If my heart was human, I’m sure it would be racing erratically, but thankfully it’s not. There’s a moment where I doubt the idea of keeping the conversation to myself, but then if the girl is my soul-tie, I need to find answers first.
Which means I must lie to my queen.
“No, My Queen. She simply saved her granddaughter and told me of my mistake, and then they both returned to their hotel. I followed them to be sure they wouldn’t turn back.”
The silence in the room is deafening as I wait for her to respond, for her anger to lash out at me for lying, but she does none of that. No, she simply dismisses me.
“You may go, Talon. Rest and feed. Gain your strength for tonight.”
“Thank you, My Queen.”
I don’t question her, taking my leave as quickly as I can. When I’m on the other side of the door, I debate going to bed, feeding, and regaining my strength, just as she suggested, or if I should trust my instincts and listen to what is being said within.
My heart wins out as I turn down a barely traveled corridor, while the matriarch’s words ring in my ears. She knew my name, she said I had no honor, and the moment I saw my name on that girl’s neck, I knew something was wrong.
I continue my walk to the room a few floors up, which has a vent that will allow me to hear what is being said in the sitting room. The vent is somehow able to carry voices from the sitting room up here, but it’s the only room with such an advantage.
Humans couldn’t hear anything, but a wolf or vampire can hear just as easily as if they were in the very same room.
I find it hard to believe everything the vampire matriarch said. I probably wouldn’t have if I didn’t recognize her face and weapon. She likes to be called Jeannie now, judging by what my queen called her, which isn’t uncommon for those of our kind who have significant histories that make us recognizable to humans.
I believe Queen Maria is one of the only royal vampires still alive to keep her original name. She wanted people to know of the importance she held in French history. That, and she wanted to hold some of her power when she turned.
The woman called Jeannie, however, is one of the strongest female names in our world—well, the woman she was in the past. The Maid of Orleans, or to most, Joan of Arc.
It is said that she is a woman of honor, one who is known for delivering a swift death to those in her way.
That she didn’t kill me for almost killing her granddaughter, and the way she seemed to know me, well, it rubbed me the wrong way.
I’d like to believe that the queen would not hold something like my soul-tie’s presence from me, but she has been known to manipulate others if it awarded her more power in her never-ending game of chess.
I have to trust that my instincts are right. The moment I enter the room, I quickly close the door and lock it. It isn’t a well-used room, but servants could wander in here to clean, so better to be safe than sorry.
The vent is closed so I can’t hear a word of what’s being said yet. I move across the room and drop to my knees to open it, cursing inwardly when the metal squeaks.
When voices drift through, I realize they haven’t heard the squeaking.
“Our plan is still in play,” Queen Maria says, her voice filled with excitement. “Jeannie can’t interfere in a challenge of territory.”
“You think Talon will go through with it?” a female voice muses, most likely the vampire she was entertaining. I have no idea who she is, but the first time I met her, I was not overly impressed. There was something evil in her eyes, very much like the way my queen looks at us when she plans to kill one of her servants.
“He has no choice. As my loyal guard, he must lay his life on the line if I am threatened.”
A man interrupts, the wolf. “But, if Emerald is his soul-tie, then doesn’t that create a conflict of interest? What if she says something to him before the fight? Can’t he deny to participate in the challenge?”
My Queen’s tinkling laugh sends a shiver of dread down my spine. “Oh, he could, but even if he does, by our laws the tie has to be formed. She may be his destined, but she is no longer bonded to him in any way. The witches in America made sure of that, and now, with my loyal witches here, he has no clue of the depth of emotion he holds for her.”
Anger pulses within me. She knew? My queen, the one I have devoted my life to, knew that the girl she sent me to kill was my soul-tie? That we had been previously bonded?
The vampire female speaks up, her own voice holding an edge of laughter. “Don’t you think if Emerald cared about him at all, she would have told him the truth? Told him how much he meant to her?
She’s probably scared that he’d reject her because of the wild animal she turns into. Have you seen that beast?”
“It’s not a beast,” the male interjects.
“Why, Brendan, don’t tell me you’re going soft?” the girl retorts, while my queen remains quiet, no doubt studying the scene. She likes to observe in the cases of conflict, because it highlights the strengths and weaknesses of those she may come to face.
After a few moments of silence, the man replies, “I’m not going soft, it’s just that the thing Emerald turns into is beautiful. Sure, it scares the living daylights out of me when I’m up close and in the line of fire, but as a man whose body changes into an animal, I admire the beauty in the creature she becomes. She is one of a kind, and while that makes her beyond special, that is also why she’s dangerous to all our kinds.”
Before tonight, I would have agreed with him on such a creature being a threat, but I watched how she acted.
When the girl turned into a massive beast, she didn’t go wild, attacking all those in sight. She carried her friend to safety. It brought me pride to see a girl protect someone weaker than herself. It’s rare to see anyone with such a selfless attitude.
She could have simply dived into the fight and wiped out the vampires that were attacking. It would have meant her friend possibly getting hurt, and maybe a few of the wolves too, but when faced with the decision of what to do, she listened to the wolf who told her to run. She chose to save her companion over violence.
My queen finally speaks, stating, “As long as you understand that your sister must die, then I don’t care what you think of the beast she becomes. For now, though, you two must also rest if you wish to witness her death tonight.” She heaves a sigh that says she’s not tired at all, merely dismissing them. “I have no doubt that with her death, her other lovers may decide to rebel so, I must convene with the witches on the spelling of my special little cage. We shall assemble again before the ball. Hopefully, by the time the sun rises tomorrow, the hybrid will no longer be a problem.”
I lean away from the vent, my heart hurting. I just found my soul-tie and now I may lose her. How can I stop such a thing from happening when the queen wants me to be the one to take her life?
Never in my life have I felt so utterly hopeless.
Thirty
No Magic
Emerald
I groan in annoyance as the sound of raised voices filters into the bedroom. I’m snuggled in the middle of the bed with Dev on my right, Linc behind him, and Nik on my left.
All four of us spent the night together, but despite their teasing, sex was not a part of the equation. I think we all felt a little off after my encounter with Talon. That’s not to say there weren’t other extracurricular activities we participated in.
One thing I’m certain of after last night, is that I’m all the more knowledgeable of Lincoln’s anatomy. And surprisingly, it was hot as hell that my vampires wanted to watch as I explored my wolf’s body so thoroughly.
Britt’s voice grows louder from outside our room. Judging by the fact the door is still closed, I’d say she’s in the main seating area. Not that it means anything when you have vampire hearing.
“We don’t have a choice here. Emerald needs to give me back my magic so we can spell him.”
“I don’t think that’s such a good idea. You’re not exactly known for being delicate, Brittany. If you have your magic, you could make a reckless decision that we’d all be punished for.”
I hear Britt scoff and know I have to get up, to intervene and calm the situation down.
When I sit up and prepare to wake everyone in bed, I notice they’ve already woken up. They, too, must have heard the arguing voices.
“Guess it’s time to get up then,” I tell them with a smile.
Nikoli leans forward and presses a kiss to my lips before leaving the bed with a sad smile. “Sorry, babe. I would try and let you sleep longer, but if they’re up here, it’s because it’s time for us to get ready.”
I sigh and take his offered hand. “I know. Just sucks we’re not getting much sleep. I swear, once we’re back home, I want to hide away in your house for a week straight with no interruptions. No vampires, no witches, and no wolves, well, except my Alpha.” I wink over at Linc who growls in approval.
“Damn right there won’t be another wolf but me.”
I shake my head at the possessiveness in his tone as I go to the door and pull on the robe that was hanging on the back by a hook.
All three of them get dressed, but for me it feels like too much of an effort. A robe will cover everything while I sort out whatever argument my grandmother and Britt are having.
The guys are still moving around the room when I exit, but I know it won’t take long for them to follow me.
I head toward the voices until I reach the suite’s sitting area and pause in the doorway. Britt and my grandmother are in the middle of the room, facing each other. Jeannie looks calm and relaxed, but Britt has her fists clenched at her sides, her eyes filled with tears of frustration.
All of Britt’s guys are seated around the room, either watching the scene unfold or looking out the window at the darkening sky. I’d guess I slept straight through the day, judging by how close to dusk it is.
“If I don’t use magic on him, how do you propose we fix whatever the hell has been done to him?” My grandmother remains silent as Britt plows on, “I don’t care if he’d hate us for it. It’s the only way to get his memories back. Do you not think he’ll be grateful that he was freed from the bitch who’s playing with his mind?”
My grandmother growls, her eyes narrowing. “And that, right there, is why you should be kept from your magic! If you cared for Talon at all, you’d know he hates having magic used on him. My son-in-law already confessed to the conversation he had with Talon about Emerald and her ability to wield magic. This is not the first time Maria has used magic to manipulate the ones she has sired. If you or Emerald were to use magic on him, he may be freed, but he would always wonder if the way he was freed was yet another manipulation.” She sighs heavily. “You say you care for Talon and Emerald, but could you risk the bond they have because you think you know better than everyone else here? Even your new mate told us you should not be given your magic yet, but you still won’t let it go.”
Britt opens her mouth to respond, but I intervene, having heard enough. “That’s enough, Britt. I won’t use magic on Talon and I won’t return yours yet.”
She groans, turning to see me step into the room with Nik, Dev, and Linc behind me.
Her gaze darts to Blaine with an irritated expression. “You couldn’t have told me that she was in the room? I thought we agreed that Talon needed a little magic juice to get his memories kick started.”
Blaine shakes his head sadly. “No, B, you agreed. You didn’t want to hear what any of us thought, you just went off on your own like you always do. Just because you have magic doesn’t mean it solves everything,” Blaine states with a defeated sigh. “If Emerald wants to use magic on her soul-tie, then that’s her choice. One she has to make and live with for the rest of her life.” He throws me a soft smile before turning back to his wife. “You rely heavily on magic, and sometimes I don’t think you understand the consequences your actions have on everyone else.”
There’s a knock on the suite door, and when none of us move to answer it, my grandmother leaves to do so. None of us wants to move and risk the ire of Britt. Her gaze is leveled on Blaine, and I could swear she’s mentally counting to ten before speaking.
“Ten bucks says that she decks him,” Linc whispers in my ear.
“Fifty that he passes out from the hit,” I whisper back, knowing damn well she will clock him on the jaw. She has no magic at the moment, so her temper seems to be coming out in other ways.
“You’re on.” His hand slips into mine as we watch on, waiting for whatever is to come. Hunter, meanwhile, chuckles softly enough not to be heard as his eyes meet mine ac
ross the room.
I wink at him, liking his easy nature. We’ve almost become friends since we met. Sure, it would have been better if we had met when I was alive and not technically dead but still, he’s a nice guy and I feel at ease in his company.
Britt’s eyes narrow as she takes a threatening step toward her husband, and I swear you can feel the temperature drop in the room. “Oh really? Is there something you want to get off your chest, Blaine? A particular use of my magic that you’re referring to?”
My grandmother reappears, noticing the tension between husband and wife, and throws her hands up in frustration. “Oh for the love of...” She moves faster than the eyes can see and appears between Britt and Blaine, her gaze aimed at my best friend. “You need to shelve this marital dispute for another time. We’ve run out of time.” Jeannie gives me a sympathetic smile. “I’m sorry, my dear, but the queen has moved up the time frame. She wishes for our presence now.”
“Fuck.”
Jeannie nods at my curse. “Precisely. We have a little over fifteen minutes before the limo will arrive. So we need to haul ass.”
Everyone gets up in a flurry of movement and I begin to panic. I was going to use my time getting ready to magic myself a dress, but how the hell am I supposed to do that when I have no time?
My grandmother notices my panic and comes over to me with a smile. “Your dress is in the closet in your room. I had it placed in there when you left yesterday. Go get dressed.”
I offer her a smile, but don’t waste any time rushing to my room to dress for the ball that will result in either me getting my soul-tie back or dying at his hands.
When I get into the bedroom, I notice the guys have used unknown levels of speed to get dressed, but what has me a little surprised is the color of the tuxes they wear. Instead of the black like I was expecting, they’re all dressed in greyish tuxes. Not true gray, but a an off gray that looks so light I don’t even know if it would be classed as gray. More like a dirty white.
