Shara lifted her head from Guillaume’s throat. She looked better for the most part, but the wound in her chest was still ugly. She still looked… dented and misshapen. Blood still dripped from punctures she hadn’t been able to close yet. “Fire should kill them. I’d throw fire on them too, but I don’t know that I’ll be up for that in an hour or less.”
Daire squeezed in between her and Guillaume, rubbing himself against her. “You should ride on one of us, just to be safe. If we keep you off the ground, you’ll be harder for them to get to. I’m game, but G’s hell horse would probably be the best bet. It’s not like either of us are going to be very good at killing something as small as ants.”
“Agreed,” Rik said. “Take turns if you need to with Xin too. If Mehen’s able to roast them as they emerge, I’ll smash any that escape, and Nevarre can attack from the air.”
“The trees will help.” Rik looked skeptical, so I added, “they’re voracious. That’s why they make such good defense. Their roots can ensnare anything in the ground, and they can change position as needed.”
“Trees. That move.” Mehen smirked, shaking his head. “That I’ll have to see to believe.”
“It’s pretty… creepy,” I replied, shrugging. “I can’t explain how they do it, but one moment, the tree is paces away, and the next, you’re surrounded by trees you didn’t even notice.”
“We may get the chance to see them in action sooner than later.” Shara turned to Rik, giving him her hand. “We’ve got company.”
“What?” He stood, pulling her up into his arms. “Who?”
“I’m guessing it’s another one of your sibs. The trees say there’s a man walking through the forest about two miles away.”
I didn’t wait for Rik’s order. I leaped into the air and called my raven to explode out of me. It was going to be one busy fucking night.
8
Shara
I felt pretty good considering that I really should be dead. I didn’t know if it was Isis’s heritage that kept me alive, or Guillaume’s blood, or both. I hurt, yes. Badly. But I wasn’t scared of dying. Not today.
Especially not from one of Keisha Skye’s plots.
I was able to stand, but walking was beyond me. I just didn’t have energy, or balance, or control of my body yet. Rik swept me up in his arms, but I didn’t want to appear too weak. I wanted to make an impression on this Skye sib, especially if his queen was watching through his eyes.
I turned to Guillaume. After the Christmas Day news footage from Venezuela, they knew the great headless knight who could shift into a hell horse was with me. “Feel like putting on a show for them?”
The corners of his eyes crinkled and he shifted without hesitation. Daire rubbed up against Rik’s legs, head to tail as long as the hell horse, but Guillaume stood taller at the withers. :Should I fetch you some clothes?:
Normally, I would have leaped at the chance for some clothes before meeting a stranger. But honestly, I was beyond caring at this point. I wanted them to see me bleeding, hurt, but alive, and better yet, unafraid and unshaken. I wanted them to think harder about what I’d done to be so hurt before their attack—and doubt that they could do the same.
“No,” I finally said. “There’s so much blood on me that he won’t be able to see much anyway. Xin, stay hidden, as before. They don’t know about you yet.”
My silver wolf touched me with his nose. :May I feed you first, my queen?:
I ran my hand over his head and ears, smearing him with my blood. “After we deal with this sib, absolutely. Nevarre, they don’t know about you either, so stay high and out of sight.”
The raven cawed agreement as he flew in slow circles overhead.
“And me?” Mehen stepped up into Rik’s space aggressively, earning a rumble that rattled his chest against me.
I gathered my strength and struck hard and fast, sinking my fangs into Mehen’s throat.
He roared loudly enough the approaching stranger probably wondered what the hell was happening before he could even make his threats. Come spurted on me and Rik both as Mehen shook with release.
I needed his older, powerful blood. In all honesty, I should have fed from him first, but—
:Always feed from me first, my queen.: Rik whispered for my bond alone. :I am yours, heart and soul.:
Ancient blood flowed through me, soothing the hurts deep inside me, though I still felt feverish. My eyes blazed hot in my skull, which the dragon’s blood did little to alleviate.
In fact, his blood only fueled all the fire in me. My emotions flared. Anger, that Skye was going to attack us. Fury, that my alpha had seen enough in her court to be terrified of her. Rage, that she would continue to come after us as long as Rik and Daire still had sibs in her court.
Which made me lift my head from Mehen’s throat. “How many sibs do you still have in Skye? Can you tell who’s coming now?”
Daire’s giant head tipped to the side as he listened. :Ezra. Huh. That’s a strange one.:
“Why?”
“I never fed from him,” Rik said. “Only Daire.”
:He was the first one to feed me in Keisha’s court.:
“Who else? I guess what I’m asking is how many more times can she send someone after us because she knows exactly where we are?”
Neither answered right away. I looked from Daire to Rik, surprised at their reluctance to answer.
“Not reluctance, exactly,” Rik finally said with a sigh. “In hindsight, we made a huge mistake. It never occurred to me that Skye might use those bonds to hunt my future queen.”
:We fed on many in Skye’s court,: Daire added, hanging his head. :A new one almost every time, though Kendall more than any of the others.:
Well fuck. That dashed my initial plan of targeting any of their remaining sibs to stop these attacks. I was going to have to deal with Keisha Skye directly once and for all. “I guess it doesn’t matter now anyway. She knows where the nest is, so it’s not like she can’t find it again. We’ll spend most of our time here. Though will it be safe to leave it for a few days to visit Zaniyah’s nest?”
“A few days will be fine,” Rik replied, his jaw still tight with regret. “You can remove all access you’ve given to outsiders while we’re gone, or entrust Frank to handle the comings and goings of visitors.”
I reached up and cupped his cheek. A muscle twitched beneath my palm. “It’s not a big deal. Now I know that I have to hit her directly, rather than eliminate your sibs first.”
“I should have—”
“How could you possibly know that you’d find a queen at all? Let alone that Skye would hunt us like this?”
Setting me on Guillaume’s broad back, he grumbled beneath his breath. “I still hate that I’ve weakened you.”
I smiled, trying to make it mysterious and sexy even with a thousand thorn-holes in me and coated in blood. “It’s not a weakness if I use it against her. I probably would have taken the fight directly to her anyways.” I met Mehen’s gaze. He’d said nothing while I talked with my alpha, but his eyes were bright and eager. He wanted his beast. He wanted to kill. Even if it was just ants.
Without saying a word, I drew back the magical leash I’d looped around Leviathan’s neck. As soon as he was free to shift, Mehen threw his head back, arms open wide, and welcomed his dragon. Leviathan roiled up out of him with claws and scales and wings. The mighty dragon gave me a glare with emerald green eyes, but didn’t roar to announce his presence to our enemy. Instead, he took quietly to the air, his massive wings no louder than the soft flap of a large owl on the hunt. He immediately soared up into the night sky and disappeared from view.
Guillaume’s hide twitched beneath me. It was so strange sitting buck naked on a horse.
:It’s so strange to be a horse and have my buck naked queen’s pussy pressed against me.:
I squirmed against him for fun. He lowered his head back and nickered, a low, deep rumbling horse sound I’d never heard before.
“I think we’d best go see Ezra now.” Rik grinned with amusement and started walking toward the edge of my nest. Guillaume automatically moved with him, keeping pace so that Rik could keep a hand on my thigh in case I started to fall.
“He’s still a few minutes away. What’s the hurry?”
“That was the sound a stallion makes when he smells a mare in heat.”
Oh. Crap.
:My queen,: Nevarre said in my head. :I have an idea, but will need to leave briefly.:
Without hesitation, I replied, :Go. We have time.:
Purring, Daire rubbed against my calf and Guillaume’s side. :When do I get to give you a ride?:
Guillaume twisted his neck around and snapped viciously at the warcat. Daire dodged away and flicked him with his tail. I couldn’t help but laugh, even though it hurt my ribcage. Never in a million years did I think I’d have to say I’d take turns riding a hell horse and a warcat.
Mehen snarled in our bond. :And a dragon.:
9
Shara
My knights’ former sib slowly slipped through the trees toward my nest. When he stepped out of the woods at the far edge of the woods behind the guest house, he jerked to a halt, surprised as fuck to see us waiting on him.
Maybe that’s why Keisha Skye had sent this particular sib as her messenger this time. She’d wanted to be stealthy, and if Daire had only fed from him once, and Rik not at all, they wouldn’t have likely felt him approach.
A good plan. If I didn’t have other ways of tracking threats to my nest. Although maybe he was merely surprised to see me sitting on top of a massive hell horse. Even standing still, Guillaume’s hooves smoked against the ground and all the snow had melted in a ten-foot radius from where we stood.
Ezra looked like he’d just climbed down a mountain where he’d been living off the grid in a cabin he’d built with his bare hands. Big and burly with massive shoulders and huge hands, he looked like he could pull up a tree and snap it like a toothpick. The full beard and bushy hair only added to his wild-man look. Somehow I couldn’t picture him living in a New York City court.
I asked Rik, :Is he her Blood? Or just a sib?:
:Sib only.:
Daire added, :We grew up together in Christabel Devana’s court in the Ukraine, which is why he deigned to feed me once I came to Skye.:
I wanted to ask so many questions. There was still so much I didn’t know about my Blood. I had no idea if their mothers had been queens or not. Which goddesses they’d descended from. If they’d served other courts before Skye.
:None of that matters, honestly,: Rik said in our bond, and Daire nodded. :We were never famous like Guillaume or Mehen.:
:It matters to me. I want to know everything about you.:
“Your Majesty.” Ezra’s voice was just as rough as his appearance. “I’m—”
“Ezra Skye,” I cut in, nodding. I didn’t have time for pleasantries. I especially didn’t have the patience, not when I was still bleeding from dozens of thorn punctures. “Let’s skip to the threats, yes?”
“I prefer Ezra Ursula Devana because Skye did me no favors,” he retorted. “You’ve only got three Blood. Want another?”
Daire bristled, his fur rising along his spine. :I forgot how belligerent he could be.:
I didn’t think Ezra meant to be rude, exactly. He just didn’t give me the impression that he liked people, or had any patience for conversation. Same as me at this point. I could actually admire skipping the bullshit small talk. “Sure. But not you.”
He drew his head back, shaking his heavy hair off his forehead so he could see me better. “Why’s that?”
“You carry Keisha Skye’s blood.”
His eyes narrowed. “So. Do. They.” He jerked his head at Rik and Daire. “The cat can vouch for me.”
With a low hiss, Daire turned his back, winding around Guillaume’s legs, ignoring this old friend entirely.
“You little fucker,” the man growled. “I need help. You’d turn your back on family?”
Watching the stranger, I frowned. I was braced for all-out war and threats, not a plea for help. Despite the man’s lack of finesse, I sensed desperation. Though I still highly doubted his sincerity. He might be desperate to escape Skye. Or desperate to do his part in whatever dastardly plan she’d concocted. But did he really want help? My help? That, I couldn’t be sure of.
Daire didn’t look at the man, but I felt reluctant concern in his bond. :We did grow up together, though I didn’t know he counted me as family. I don’t know why he’d need help.:
“What help are you asking for?”
Ezra looked from me to Daire and back. “You don’t know?”
The trees murmured in the crisp winter air. Threat. Close. Many.
The invading ants were close, slowly climbing up from the underground cavern and approaching the roots, and yes, my nest. The trees swayed, leaves rustling, even in the stillness of the night. I sensed eagerness. Hunger. They were ready to defend their forest, their grove, and yes, my nest.
Feast, I told them. Kill as many as you can before they even reach us.
The trees rustled louder. Ezra cocked his head, noticing the noise despite the lack of wind. He suddenly reminded me of a bear, rising up on his hind legs, looking for food or danger. A big burly bear. Yes.
The sense of… rightness… surprised me, and my Blood too. Rik narrowed his gaze on the man, sizing him up. Daire sat on his haunches and started licking his giant paw, razor-tipped claws unsheathed. Guillaume lifted his head and blew out a hard breath, nostrils wide. Even Xin paused, nose in the air, my silent ghostly wolf.
Reluctantly, I closed my eyes and brought up the tapestry in my mind. I didn’t want another Blood. Let alone one with this kind of complication.
But his red glow blazed on the outside of my nest, a giant grumbling grizzly bear.
:Fuck: Daire growled disgustedly. :Do you know how much trouble he got me into as cubs?:
Rik groaned silently in our bond. :Great. Just what we need. Another mischief maker.:
“No,” I said slowly. “I guess I don’t.”
“Skye.” He spat out her name like a curse, which I could highly approve of. “She’s trying to force Devana to support her bid for the Triune, by using me, and indirectly Daire, as hostages.”
Daire slowly lowered his paw, staring at his friend. :Fuuuuccccck. Not good. At all. Huge breach of protocol.:
Blood loss made my brain too sluggish for court politics. I remained silent a few moments, trying to trace the convoluted threads of alternatives and options in my head. At first, I’d assumed he was sent by Keisha Skye with another ultimatum. But maybe he’d come of his own volition. To be my Blood, though? Another from Skye’s court? Despite his promising red glow, I just couldn’t see it. For all I knew, she’d probably allowed him to leave as a dupe to cover up her own approaching attack. Then she could eliminate Ezra without repercussions, assuming that I would kill him, like I’d killed Kendall.
My head hurt. My entire fucking body hurt. And millions of ants were descending on my nest in minutes.
Unobtrusively, Rik slid an arm around my waist and supported me against him. At least then I didn’t have to use my muscles to stay upright. Blood dripped down Guillaume’s withers, chest, and down his legs. He hadn’t fed, and now I was tormenting him, them all, with all this blood. I sagged a little more against Rik. I really needed to feed again so I could get these wounds sealed off. As long as I was still bleeding, I wouldn’t feel much better.
:It’s a heavenly torment,: Guillaume said in our bond. :Imagine his torment. A queen, bleeding, in obvious need, a possible salvation in his darkest hour, or his greatest danger.:
:Do you believe him?:
Guillaume bobbed his head slightly, :He smells sincere. That doesn’t mean Skye isn’t using him, though.:
Ezra let out a deep, low grunt. “I’m too late. She already hurt you.”
I lifted my gaze to his. “You came to warn me?”
&
nbsp; He jerked his head in affirmation. “And Daire. He ought to know.”
“You want me to believe that Keisha Skye didn’t send you.”
“Nope.”
Rik growled. “Don’t ever fucking lie to her, Ezra. Your queen could command you back to New York City with a thought.”
Ezra humphed out a laugh beneath his breath. “You think so? First of all, she’s stretched too far to use one drop of her blood to force me to do anything against my will. I’ve always been strong in that regard.”
Daire rumbled in my mind, part exasperation and part laughter. :It’s true. Our queen often despaired of making him do anything he didn’t want to, even when we were cubs.:
Rik groaned and Guillaume humped his back slightly, enough to convey his disgust at the thought of having two troublesome Blood in our nest.
“Second of all, she’s got bigger fish to fry than an obstinate unruly sib with the penchant for roaming. Besides, few in her court would ever feed me. I’ve probably got less of her sib blood in me than those two.”
I weighed my alternatives, letting my senses roll over this man and the surrounding forest. The trees liked his sense of wildness. They burned with hunger and eagerly stretched their roots down into the ground, waiting to entrap the approaching ants, but didn’t twitch a single branch his way. They had no interest in devouring him. Because he was mine? Or because he was innocent in this plot?
My fangs ached. I needed to feed. A lot. I’d tapped several of my Blood already, just to be up and moving somewhat normally. How much blood would it take to heal the rest of my injuries? Would I incapacitate them all to heal myself? I didn’t dare risk it. Not with Skye’s attack coming. In that regard, another Blood would be welcome.
:More than welcome,: Rik added sternly. :You need to feed many times before you travel to meet Zaniyah. You should be at full strength, and right now, you’re barely upright and can’t control your bleeding.:
Queen Takes Queen Page 7
