Copyright
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, dialogue and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Copyright ©2012 by Bonnie Humbarger Lamer
All rights reserved.
No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, scanned or distributed in any printed or electronic form without the express written permission of the copyright holder.
Other Titles by Bonnie Lamer
The Witch Fairy Series:
True of Blood
Blood Prophecy
Blood Lines
Shadow Blood
Blood of Half Gods
Blood of Destiny
Blood of Dragons
True of Blood: Kallen’s Tale
Blood Prophecy: Kallen’s Tale
Blood Lines: Kallen’s Tale
Shadow Blood: Kallen’s Tale
The Eliana Brennan Series:
Essence of Re
Exposed
Secrets of the Djinn series:
Marked
For all the mentors I have had in life who taught me to believe in myself and my abilities. Thank you
I love to hear from fans! Contact me on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bonnie-Lamer-Author/129829463748061
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank my friend Barb for making sure that I have time to write even when she wishes I was doing something else. I would like to thank Dawn for trying to keep me on track with deadlines. Though she will never be successful, I appreciate the effort anyway.
I always have to thank my kids for understanding that when Mom’s working I need to be able to concentrate. I would also like to thank the makers of duct tape and bungee cords for helping with that. (Just kidding. Really, I am.)
I would like to thank my daughter Xenia for providing me with yet another beautiful cover. I have no idea where you got your artistic ability. It was definitely not from me.
Most importantly, I always have to thank my fans. You are the reason I keep writing. Your thoughts, comments and opinions that you share with me are crucial to my success as an author. Please contact me often and I promise, I will always respond.
Chapter 1
“Just kidding? You put us through hell and you’re only response is ‘just kidding’?” I’m so mad I could turn him into a toad. Or use a spell that would drag him outside and toss him in the ocean.
Kegan is sitting at the kitchen counter looking smug. “It was my idea to surprise you and Dagda agreed to it,” he says, finding way too much humor in the situation.
“Now I know who to kill first,” Kallen growls. He’s standing behind me with his hands on my shoulders. I’m not sure if he’s prepared to hold me back if I get too mad, or prepared to encourage me to do what I will to the green eyed, black haired Fairy that could be his twin.
“Last night, I fought Dragons who were threatening my family and I wasn’t nearly as mad as I am now. How could you let us believe Kallen was married to Raziel for one minute more than necessary?”
“Well, it would hardly be a surprise party if there was no surprise.” His logic may be sound, but his life is still very much in danger. He has had all day to tell us as we frantically searched old texts, but he waited until the first guest arrived to tell us the news. I suppose he figured we wouldn’t kill him in front of other Fairies. I’m still considering it.
Tabitha walks into the kitchen and smacks Kegan in the back of the head. “Ow!”
“That is what you get for lying to your grandmother and these two,” she says, pouring herself a cup of tea from the pot on the stove.
“Yes, Kegan,” Isla drawls as she places a full cup of coffee into the sink, she has been remarkably quiet until now. “Please listen to the Fairy who has just set such a fine example of honesty and trust.” The tension quotient in the room has now quadrupled.
Tabitha clacks the spoon she was using to stir her tea on the counter. “If you would have done something sooner, I would not have had to go to such extremes,” she says to Isla, not a single trace of apology in her words.
Isla’s response is to leave the room. On the way out, she says over her shoulder, “Kallen, Xandra, we need to make the best of this unwelcome situation.” The trail of ice her words leave behind could keep the entire population of New York City cool for many summers to come.
“Stubborn old goat,” Tabitha mumbles under her breath.
“You did almost start a war between this realm and the Dragon realm,” I say after grabbing a glass from a cupboard and pouring some freshly squeezed orange juice. I’m not ready to face the party guests yet. I take a big swig and then say, “Not to mention almost getting us all killed.” I’m trying hard not to think about what I had to do to ensure that we survived.
On the defense now, Tabitha picks her spoon back up and points it at me. “It was a fight worth taking on and it all worked out for the best. I will not apologize for that.”
I can’t help but laugh. “You’re starting to sound like me.” I lean back against the counter and take another sip of my orange juice. Tabitha’s cheeks are getting pinker by the second. “Why didn’t you just tell me what was going on? You know I’m a sucker for helping the underdogs.”
“What is an underdog?” Kegan asks.
I narrow my eyes at him. I’m not sure if he’s teasing me or not. My expressions are often new to the Fairies. “The little guy. The one being taken advantage of. What do you guys call them? Anyway, in this case, the Goblins were the underdogs.”
Tabitha sighs. “I was forbidden to discuss it with you.”
Now my cheeks are getting red. “Forbidden? By whom?” As if I don’t know the answer to that.
Realizing she just opened a can of worms she shouldn’t have, Tabitha sets her cup down on the counter. “There is a party out there in your honor. You should not be holed up in the kitchen. Go on now. Scoot.”
The tension quotient is not the only one to rise now. My anger has shot up as well. “Is he here?” I ask.
“Xandra,” Kallen says, a warning in his voice. “This is not the time.” He comes over and puts his hands on my shoulders again. “There is a room full of people out there who are going to be watching your every move for some sign that you cannot control your magic. Please do not give them an excuse to push the issue.”
I know he’s right. Ever since the whole Xenia incident, the Fairies have tolerated my presence, but they don’t trust me yet. There are a lot of them who think Dagda’s a fool for keeping someone around who is more powerful than he is, even if I am his daughter.
I’m still pissed, though. I take several deep breaths and the worried look on Kallen’s face lessens with each one. “Fine, I’ll talk to him after the party. I’ll play nice until then.”
A smile curves his beautiful lips upwards. “Thank you.”
I look down at my jeans and t-shirt. “I’m not really dressed for a party.”
Instantly, my clothes change. I am in a skin-tight, long black dress that clings to every curve I have. A slit up one leg falls open and a risqué amount of my thigh is exposed. The neck line dips low, exposing quite a bit of cleavage and the back is open to my waist. On my feet are silver sandals with tiny straps and four inch heels. My hair is slicked back in a bun at the nape of my neck.
Kegan lets out a low whistle. He stops when his stool swings out from under him. Kallen’s eyes never leave mine as his cousin tumbles to the floor. “Absolutely beautiful,” he says in a husky voice that makes me want to
teleport us back to our bedroom.
“You are a jackass,” Kegan grumbles. He stands up and puts his stool to rights.
Ignoring him, Kallen changes his own clothes now and he’s wearing a black suit with a white shirt and black tie. It amazes me how the fashions here are so similar to back home. I’ve been told there are Fairies called ‘watchers’, who have the ability to see through ‘windows’ into the Cowen realm. They report back current trends there and some of them are adopted here.
“Are you sure this dress is appropriate?” I ask, spinning slowly so he can see me from every angle.
“You will be the envy of every female in the room,” Alita says from the doorway. She is dressed a bit more conservatively in a little black dress that doesn’t show too much of her long legs and has very little cleavage. She walks to Kegan and gives him a kiss on the cheek. “I am surprised to find you conscious and breathing after what you did,” she teases.
I respond before he does, “Thank you for the compliment and he’s still on borrowed time.”
Alita laughs. “Please go easy on him; we are planning our hand-fasting.”
“For you, I won’t kill him. But, I will get even,” I warn and Kegan doesn’t look so smug anymore.
“I have already started a list,” Kallen says with a grin. Now Kegan really looks worried.
“It is difficult to greet your guests from in here,” Dagda says dryly from the doorway. Taking me in, he says, “You are stunning.”
“Thank you,” I say through gritted teeth. “After the party, you and I need to have a talk about forbidding people from telling me things.” Okay, I’m having trouble playing nice.
If I didn’t know better, I would think he has no idea what I’m talking about. “About the Dragons,” I add, trying to jog his memory.
“You spend a great deal of time angry with me, mostly with good reason,” he admits. “I am afraid in this case, I am at a complete loss. I have not forbidden anyone to speak to you regarding any subject.”
Is he telling the truth? If he is, that leaves only one other person with enough influence to forbid Tabitha from speaking about something. It must have been Isla. Why in the world would she have done that? Looking up at Kallen, he’s just as dumbfounded as I am.
A thought trickles into my mind. Perhaps it had nothing to do with Goblins or Dragons. Maybe it has more to do with the Fairy who spent years studying them. The one who came back to this realm with us and who is still very much in love with her. Now I’m torn between being angry and understanding her reluctance to have me go charging into that realm. I sigh. I guess I’ll ponder that more later. “Okay, sorry.”
Kallen holds his arm out for me. The look of relief on his face that I’m not yet again attacking Dagda makes me feel a little guilty as we walk by him. Yeah, the guy may have wanted to kill me at one point, but I seriously doubt now that he ever could have gone through with it. He was angry, but he’s not the monster I once believed him to be. I’m not sure when that epiphany hit me, but I know it’s true. Holding tightly to Kallen’s arm I straighten my shoulders. Time to face the crowd.
Chapter 2
Kallen leads me down the hall to a room I’ve only briefly glanced in before. The ballroom. I had no idea houses really had these, but this one obviously does. It’s filled with gorgeous Fairies, both young and old. I don’t miss the fact that all female eyes in the room are drawn to Kallen when we enter, both young and old. There seem to be quite a few guys checking me out, too. I should be flattered, but I’m not. I hate being on display like this, and I’m seriously doubting my sanity for wearing this dress now because most of the guys aren’t looking at my face.
From a small stage at the back of the room where the Fairy orchestra is playing, Isla gives them a nod to stop the music. Over the murmuring that has begun again, she says, “The guests of honor have arrived. Joined in right hand-fasting, they have vowed eternal love. Despite the many obstacles in their path, they found the road to happiness that they were always meant to share. Please raise your glasses to my grandson, Kallen, and his beautiful wife, Xandra.” Glasses are held high and those without a glass clap. I know my face is turning red from this added attention, but Kallen has a grin from ear to ear when he looks down at me. I can’t help but grin myself when our eyes meet. He’s mine. Forever. I am so happy I could burst.
Isla isn’t finished speaking. “They will dance the first dance together. Afterward, they will continue with hand-fasting tradition and spend the first part of the evening dancing with well-wishers.”
What? I never agreed to that. I look up at Kallen and his lips have formed a thin line. “What does that mean?” I ask.
“It means that I should have made you a different dress.”
“Yes,” Kegan says in a stage whisper over my shoulder. “Because you are about to have the hands of sweaty old Fairies on your back as they dance you away from my cousin.”
As subtly as possible, I lift my leg not displayed with the slit and use the heel of my sandal to kick him in the shin. He curses a couple of times under his breath and Alita giggles. Other people may have noticed, but I didn’t use my magic at least.
Kallen takes my hand and leads me to the dance floor where the crowd has formed a circle. He pulls me close with his hand on the small of my back and we start to dance. Clumsily on my part, because I have no idea how to do whatever dance he’s doing. He does his best to keep me from falling down.
“I apologize. I did not know that we were to follow this arcane ritual.”
I smile up at him. “You know what, I’m so happy that I’m married to you that I don’t care what rituals we have to follow.”
His face relaxes and he returns my smile. “Then I should warn you about a couple of the Fairies who are sure to ask for a dance. Alston you have met before; he is an Elder of the Sheehogue line. He tends to let his hands wander when he dances, so you will want to be prepared. Raphello is the Pooka over to our left who cannot keep his eyes off from you. Be careful his drool does not stain your dress. Tross is one of Dagda’s high administrators. Do not trust a word he says and be careful what you speak of when you dance with him. Everything you say will be repeated to everyone who cares to listen.” He continues with his warnings and I am trying hard not to laugh. We’re supposed to look happy, but laughing at our guests would surely be frowned upon.
The music comes to an end way too soon. Reluctantly, Kallen and I step away from each other, but not before he kisses me in a way that leaves no room for doubt how he feels about me. I eagerly return the kiss. A clearing throat forces us to remember where we are and we step back, slightly embarrassed.
“It is customary for the father of the bride to have the next dance. Will I do?” Dagda asks. Since Dad isn’t likely to dance with me considering his current state of disembodiment, he will have to do. He offers me his hand and I take it. “Typically, your mother would dance with the groom. For obvious reasons, we will have to forego that tradition.”
I picture Kallen and my mom’s ghostly form twirling around on the dance floor and try not to laugh. I haven’t seen much of my parents today. Mom was privy to Kegan’s little plan and helped him with the party, so she’s staying clear of me for the time being. So, instead of dancing with her, Kallen must choose one of the thirty women who have sudden gathered around him. I might be jealous if he didn’t have an ‘oh my god please help me’ look of desperation on his face when he looks over at me. I smile and shake my head slightly and allow Dagda to lead me away for our dance.
“Tell me about what misdeed you believe me guilty,” he says when he begins to twirl me around as effortlessly as Kallen did.
“It’s nothing. I believe it wasn’t you.”
He chuckles. “Then perhaps our relationship has seen progress. I assume this is in regards to the diet of the Dragons?”
I sigh. “Yes. Tabitha said she was forbidden to talk to me about it. It must have been Isla who had given her that order.”
“Ah,” D
agda says with a slight nod. “Go easy on her, Xandra. Even the heart of a Fairy Isla’s age is a delicate thing.”
So he thinks the same thing I do about why she didn’t want Tabitha to tell me. “Why didn’t you tell me about it?” I ask.
He chuckles again. “Xandra, there is a list long enough to paper this house of all the wrong doing amongst the various realms. You have already taken on so many; it is difficult to know what information to pass along next. You cannot hope to solve all of the problems at once. As time goes on, you will become more aware of the universe and its mysteries.”
I can see his point. I don’t want to be presented with that list; it would probably make me insane. “So, what you’re saying is, don’t go looking for trouble because it keeps finding me all on its own?” It doesn’t just find me. It hunts me down like it’s a poacher and I’m an elephant tusk.
Blood of Egypt (Witch Fairy Book 8) Page 1
