All That Shimmers

by N. J. Nielsen

  “He’s a sick bastard, is what he is,” Aileen spoke softly at his side.

  Jory could picture the whole incident. He’d often noticed how Rico watched Nadal when he thought no one was paying him any attention. More than once, the sick fuck had adjusted himself at the same time. If Jory had had the strength, he’d have liked to kick the ever-loving shit out of the head guard. The man needed to be knocked off his self-designated pedestal. Maybe once this had ended, he’d take the time to pay a visit to Rico and kill his ass. The man deserved nothing less.

  They didn’t get to talk further as the door leading out of the cell opened and Rico walked in. Again, he pointed to Jory and waited. Rico playing nice meant somebody important had requested him. Jory couldn’t help but smile. He knew without a doubt that Henry waited in his assigned room. With any luck, Jory just might get to go outside and feel the sunshine on his face.

  “I don’t know why the boss lets his son anywhere near the likes of you,” Rico snarled as Jory passed him going out of the cell.

  “Jealous?” Jory didn’t know where the bravado came from, but, when Rico went to slap him across the face, said, “Uh, uh, uh. You don’t want Henry reporting back to his daddy that you’re mistreating the inmates. Daddy won’t be happy about that, now, will he?”

  “Who do you think gave the orders to starve your fucking asses?” Rico snapped.

  Jory nodded thoughtfully before he spoke. “He may have ordered us starved so that we’re too weak to run, but I know he doesn’t want us damaged. I heard the masters discussing how you’ve become a little too heavy-handed with the merchandise. Wait till the masters find out what you did to Nadal, and I’m not talking about you having him down on his knees with your cock shoved down his throat. I’m talking about the mass of bruises blossoming over his body.”

  “You’ll keep you fucking mouth shut or you’ll have a nasty accident,” Rico threatened.

  Jory held to his bravery. “No—you’ll keep your fucking hands off Nadal. If you come near him again, I’ll make sure he walks around the cell naked so everyone sees what you’ve done. They’ll all know then that Rico likes to have his cock sucked by males, and at the same time, be wondering what else does Rico like to do with males.”

  The ashen pall to Rico’s face had Jory doing a victory dance inside. Everyone knew Rico to be a family man. He had a wife and two children waiting for him at home every night. If she ever found out he fucked around at work, she’d leave his ass and take the kids. Jory only knew this because Henry liked to talk about everyone who worked here and at his father’s other institutions. And according to Henry, Rico’s wife had always been a very jealous woman.

  Rico didn’t answer. Instead, he pushed Jory into the steam-filled bathing room and left. Jory gave a genuine smile at who he found in there waiting for him. “Henry.”

  Henry, being one of Jory’s most favorite people in the world, always brought a smile to Jory’s face. No one could miss the man’s good looks. His glossy dark hair gleamed and Jory couldn’t resist reaching out and touching it. Henry’s pale blue eyes were always twinkling with humor and happiness. He couldn’t help but brighten up the dreariest of days. No one saw the deeper side of him, however—the side he only ever seemed comfortable showing to Jory behind closed doors.

  “What has Rico’s knickers in a twist? For once, he looked like he couldn’t get away from you fast enough,” Henry said before he closed and locked the door behind them. “Get in the tub and let me wash your hair. I hate how they treat you.”

  “It’s not just me. They treat everyone like shit. I heard your father gave the orders to treat us this way,” Jory said without thinking.

  Jory sighed when he sat in the heated tub and stared at the whitewashed wood paneling of the wall in front of him. The room had to be the best place in the whole building by far—so light and airy, even when filled with steam. All decorations were white, even down to the towels they used. The rest of the place always seemed so drab by comparison. Jory relaxed as Henry used the hand-held shower to wet his hair. He loved it when Henry took care of him like this. It was nice knowing someone actually cared, if even for a little while.

  “So, are you going to tell me what’s up with Rico?”

  “He hurt Nadal. Took him to a room, fucked his face then stomped him into the floor. I told him that if it ever happened again, I’d make sure everyone, including his wife, found out what he’d been up to,” Jory answered. He sighed when Henry massaged his scalp.

  “I didn’t know Rico was gay.”

  “He probably doesn’t think of himself as gay, but it doesn’t stop him from wanting to fuck Nadal. So far it’s only been oral sex. Can you imagine the damage he’ll do when he takes it to the next level?”

  “Jesus.” Henry exhaled loudly. “We can’t let that happen.”

  Jory couldn’t agree more. “No, we can’t, because Nadal might not survive it.”

  Never in a million years did Jory ever believe he’d be this comfortable talking to and spending time with one of the enemy. Deep down, Jory knew he shouldn’t be this at ease with Henry, but the Henry he’d gotten to know wasn’t like the others. He seemed to genuinely care about what happened to Jory. They had formed a strange kind of friendship that worked for them both.

  As far as Jory knew, he didn’t think Henry thought himself as gay. Again, he got the impression loneliness filled Henry and he needed someone to talk to. Jory didn’t mind being that person. Everybody needed at least one friend.

  “If you were free, what would you do?” Henry asked.

  Even though he asked the question in a casual manner, Jory knew the answer would be very important to Henry. He took a moment to think before he answered. “I’m not sure, but I don’t want you planning anything that will get your ass kicked. I trust you, but your father not so much. You don’t want to end up an inmate in a place like this. You would never live through it.”

  Henry chuckled. “I’ll have you know that I’m a lot tougher than I look. Hurry up and get out. I have breakfast set up in the other room for us.”

  “You’re the boss,” Jory said and quickly finished washing himself. He stood and stepped out of the water, dried off and re-dressed in the clean outfit laid out for him. Bath times were good days because he got to have something clean to wear, even if the outfit favored the same style of dreary beige pants and smock-style shirt they always wore. It reminded Jory of what people would wear in an artisan community, only with less color. They stayed silent as they left the room and crossed the hall to their assigned room. The place looked almost as sterile as the last room, except here everything appeared washed in shades of beige and brown. Jory couldn’t even class the beds as comfortable—they were old and in desperate need of replacing. The carpeting and walls had an odd yellowish cast to them. Really, the rooms were plain depressing.

  “I’m not the boss. I’m nothing like my father. If I had my way, I would shut every single one of his institutions down, but my father has deep pockets and people willing to look the other way as they help him empty them,” Henry rambled and, in a weird way, it came across as kind of cute.

  “If I ever get free, I’d help you shut these places down and free everyone. No one deserves to live their lives as a sex slave.” Jory answered the previously asked question. Even though Henry technically belonged on the other side, they had no secrets between them. Henry only ever acted like the brother Jory always wished he’d had.

  “What if I took you outside and you ran? I could take my time about reporting you missing. Maybe even hit me on the head so they think I didn’t let you run,” Henry said, as they each took a seat at the table laden with food. Jory wished he could take some of this back to his friends but knew it would be futile. Rico or one of the other guards would frisk him and confiscate anything he had on him. But he knew of another way to beat Rico and his goons.

  “If you want to do something for me, can you make sure my cellmates get fed? We all went hungry last night and, if
Rico has his way, we won’t be fed again for a while.” At least if Henry intervened, the masters might listen.

  Henry nodded. “I’ll do what I can, even if that means I make the food and carry it in there myself. I can’t abide the way you all get treated. One day, you and I are going to run away together. We can start our lives over where no one knows us, or who we are and, better yet, who we’re related to.”

  “I won’t be in here forever.” Jory winked at his friend. “I have help coming. They’ll free not only me but everyone else as well. I just hope you don’t get caught up in the fallout.”

  The shock on Henry’s face gave Jory courage. He sat and waited for Henry to say something. “I pray they come soon. I heard a rumor my father is almost ready to get out of this business completely. Wouldn’t it be great if your help came and my father got taken down? That man is evil, pure and simple.”

  “Henry, I’m serious about you not getting mixed up in this whole mess. Maybe it would be best if you stayed away from here for a while. I’ll come find you when I get out of here.”

  “I don’t know if I can do that, Jory. I care about you, and I don’t want you getting hurt, as well. I’m afraid if I don’t stop by, Rico might do something to you. Now that you know his secret, he might try and shut you up permanently.” Henry wasn’t upset. He seemed angry over the possibility of what Rico might do.

  Jory smiled at his friend trying to be braver than he felt. “I’ll be okay. Remember I have people coming for me. They won’t let anything bad happen.”

  “But what if it happens before they get here? I don’t trust Rico or the guards. I don’t think any of the people who work here are worth anything. They all deserve to be locked up for the rest of their lives,” Henry argued.

  A shudder ran through Jory. “I wouldn’t wish being locked up on anyone. I’d rather they just be killed. Then it’s over. No one should ever be incarcerated.”

  “I’ll try, Jory, but I can’t promise that I’ll be able to stay away.”

  “Please try.”

  Chapter Seven

  Three weeks had passed and Tagh spent the morning getting ready to face the guild members. Eric stood right at his side because there was no way known to man that he would allow his mate to walk into the guild headquarters alone, especially after what had happened the last time Tagh had been here. They were a team and Tagh had better bloody well get used to it. Eric straightened his shirt as Tagh pushed the door open and strode into the meeting hall. The silence that greeted them was creepy, to say the least. All the guild members were present. Minus Sumar, who’s still well and truly dead, and thank fuck for that.

  “Okay, people. I’m all sure you’ve seen a Draconian Warrior before,” the princess said with a hint of sarcasm. “He’s still the same old Murtagh Leandre we’ve known for centuries.”

  Eric couldn’t help but grin at her antics. A chuckle escaped him. A quick glance in the guild master’s direction told Eric he wasn’t the only one trying not to smirk.

  “I won’t quit,” Tagh began and Eric noted the way his mate gazed at each and every guild member. “I swore an oath to this guild to perform a job and, as far as I’m concerned, the job still needs doing. If you think you can push me out, think again. If you come after me and mine, I will not hesitate to retaliate. You now know me for what I am and know that I cannot lie. I mean every word I’ve said, so don’t start anything you don’t plan on me finishing.”

  Was it wrong that Eric wanted to jump up and down and cheer his mate on? Oddly enough, Adrian did exactly that.

  “You tell them, Murtagh.” Adrian clapped.

  Eric had to wonder how hard a time the guild members were putting Adrian through, especially seeing as his uncle had been the person who had tried to destroy everything they stood for. All in the name of vengeance.

  “Adrian, sit down,” Simon said in apparent exasperation, before turning his attention to Tagh. “Murtagh, no one in their right mind would go against the wishes of the guild and, as guild master, I have no problem with you taking your seat. Your Draconian status makes no never-mind when we all know how well you can do the job.”

  One by one, everyone in the room welcomed Tagh back into the fold. Relief flowed through Eric as he watched his mate slowly relax and become the confident man he used to be.

  “While you do guild business, I’ll chat with Adrian and see if I can find out any secret agendas.” Eric placed a quick peck on Tagh’s temple before walking over to Adrian.

  “So, I see you’ve mated the most feared warrior?” Adrian murmured as they sat in two chairs at the end of the long table.

  Eric smiled. “Yep, he’s all mine.”

  “Do you think the prophecy is true?” Adrian asked.

  “Why, do you have your eye on someone outside your own species?”

  Adrian shrugged. “I’m wondering about my options, now that I’m kinda free.”

  “What do you mean ‘kinda’?”

  “I’m not allowed to go anywhere by myself. Not even to the loo. I have guards or employees following me everywhere I want to go. I can’t even scratch without someone suspecting me of trying to start a fight of some kind.” More than a touch of sadness filled his voice.

  “Hard to shake off what your uncle put them all through. It’ll take them a while to learn to fully trust anyone again, especially because of the way their loved ones were placed in danger.” Eric tried to explain the way the guild members might be seeing things.

  Adrian shrugged again. “The guild master is worse. It’s like he can’t stand looking at me, but at the same time he won’t let me out of his sight. Every time I glance in his direction, he’s glaring at me. No matter what I do to try and make amends, it’s never good enough. He hates me, I know it.”

  “Well, your uncle did get him kicked out of the guild master seat. He did force the others to follow his lead. I know it’s not easy being tarred with the same brush, but for a while you were standing right beside Jordon St. James. Ask yourself this. How would any of them know that you didn’t, and still don’t, harbor your late uncle’s ideals?” Eric knew trust was hard to come by at the best of times.

  “I hated that asshole. I did what I had to to survive. I didn’t like being mean,” Adrian defended.

  Eric shook his head. “But still you did whatever he or Sumar told you.”

  “They were mates, you know. My uncle wouldn’t acknowledge it in public, but I accidentally saw them together one night and hightailed it before they ever knew I’d been there at all. They would have killed me for sure if they thought I knew their secret.”

  Now, isn’t that an interesting tidbit? “Yet he didn’t want you to be gay? Look at the irony in that.”

  “My uncle always said people who fuck people of the same sex were touched in the head. That they didn’t deserve to breathe the same air as the rest of us. And all along he fucked Sumar in the dark corners where he thought no one could see. I think all that sneaking around sent him crazy.”

  Eric chuckled. “I’m afraid to tell you this, but your uncle’s been crazy for a long time. It isn’t a recent thing.”

  Adrian looked confused. “My uncle and Sumar have been together for centuries. They grew up together. They must have known they were mates from the moment they went through puberty.”

  “Really?” Surprise crashed over Eric. “I wonder if the guild knew about this.”

  “Knew about what?” Princess Telarah asked as she joined them at the table.

  “That Jordon St. James and Sumar were mates.”

  A frown creased her forehead. “I, for one, sure as hell didn’t know.” Turning to the others, she asked, “Who here knew Sumar and the demon Jordon St. James were mated?”

  The distinct silence of shock lasted all of three seconds before chaos flooded the room.

  “Maybe I should’ve kept my mouth shut,” Adrian grumbled as the guild began throwing questions at him.

  “Shut up!” Eric roared to get everyone’s attention.
“You know, there’s some truth to the saying you’ll attract more flies with a touch of honey. Now, instead of screaming at Adrian, why don’t you all take a deep breath and act like the grown-ups you’re meant to be? I’m going to give you a tad more advice whether you want to hear it or not. If you want to learn about the Simmel Clan, why don’t you ask the members who weren’t scared of their own shadows? With Orion being the new leader, I’m sure he’d be more than willing to help the guild in any way he could.”

  “Who are you to think you can tell us what to do? You’re not even part of the guild,” a pompous-looking man said.

  “Tobias, I would watch how you speak to my mate.”

  The obnoxious guild member quickly took a step back at Tagh’s words, then another when Daven added, “He’s also my day warden.”

  “How can a day warden be mated?” Eland asked. “And mated to a Draconian Warrior at that.”

  “Just lucky I guess.” Eric grinned at the man and added, “If Mitch Evans as a day warden can be mated to Isiah, Claude and Remi, there’s no reason I can’t be both a warden and a mate.”

  Eland shook his head in something akin to confusion. “We’ve never done things this way before.”

  “Eland, times are changing and we must change with them or we’ll become obsolete,” Princess Telarah said. “Somewhere out there in this great big world are the mates we’ve all been looking for. I say we take the bull by the horns and change the laws to better reflect the paths our people need to take.” She winked at him. “Perhaps you can now go and find the human who birthed your daughter. You can finally be a family.”

  A warm smile spread across Eland’s face. “I already have Carrie moved into our home. She might have been forbidden, but she never strayed far from our lives.”

  “Well, good for you.” Eric clapped the man on the shoulder. “Maybe we could all get together for dinner one day, let her meet the other people in your life.”

  What the fuck am I saying? Since when do I offer advice to all in sundry? Being mated is having some weird-ass effect on me, or I’m bloody happy.