by A. E. Lowan
Etienne frowned at her, but finally let her go and holstered Agmundr. “What was that card?”
She blinked for a moment, and then the life began to seep back into her eyes as she seemed to realize he was not about to kill her. “It’s my calling card.” She bent and picked it up from the wet grass where she had dropped it, then thought better and dug a fresh one out of her purse.
Etienne took a glance at it before slipping it into his back pocket. It had her number on it and what looked like a pair of lips. “Not good enough. I want you and Keeper somewhere where I can find you in a hurry.”
Her eyes lightened. “You’ll help me?”
“I didn’t say that. But if I need to engage Midir to get to Cian, I want every asset available.”
Lana nodded, a little too quickly, the smile returning to her face. “Then what do you want?”
“First I want your cell phone. I need to make a call. And then we’re going to your place to get Keeper. Both of you are staying where I can see you until this is over.”
The smile slipped, but she made an assenting noise.
“And next you need to feed. You’re young, so you don’t know this, and fuck me for telling you, but I saw what you were doing because you were weakened and settled on my wife’s form. Because I had True Love, once. If you were a lot older, stronger, or subtler it might have worked, but True Love grants some protection against succubae and incubi. If we’re going into a fight you need to be at full strength.” He let her see the full force of his displeasure. “Try it again and I’ll kill you. Now give me that phone.”
She paled and dug the phone out of her purse. “I live above Sweet Treats.”
He jerked his head for her to lead the way and dialed Winter. He needed more help than a hungry half-breed sweetheart faerie could provide.
She picked up on the fifth ring. “‘s Winter.”
Her words were so slurred he barely understood her. “Are you alright?”
“‘m fine. Gimme sec.”
Etienne frowned as he walked. A suspicion was taking root in his mind. “Winter, did you take something?”
Lana looked back at him, interest lighting her face.
“‘m fine.” There was a ruffling noise that Etienne could not identify, perhaps fabric being dragged across the phone, and then her light, sharp breathing followed by swallowing.
Etienne scowled at Lana and turned away. He knew she could hear him no matter what he did, but he wanted at least an appearance of privacy. “What are you drinking?”
Her breathing came in short gasps. “Just something to help me wake up. Etienne, is this you?”
“I’ve been around a long time. Chasing potions like that isn’t good for you.” This could explain so much about her illness.
“I’m fine. I know what I’m doing. What do you need?”
Etienne wanted to argue with her, but the need to rescue Cian was more pressing. He would have to have it out with her later. “I think Cian has been kidnapped by Midir.”
Winter gasped. “I’m on my way to you.”
“Wait. I need something… strange, first. We’ve picked up an ally, a succubus, but she needs to feed.”
There was a moment of quiet. “I can’t let her kill anyone, Etienne.”
Etienne slid his eyes to the young succubus. “She doesn’t have to.” His look turned to one of warning.
Lana quickly indicated her agreement.
“What do you need?” he mouthed at her.
She held up two fingers. “I’d prefer two female-centric men who don’t mind sleeping Sunday away when I’m done with them. They’re easiest to feed on.”
Etienne passed along the request.
“I think I can ask Erik for volunteers easily enough. And if we need to get Cian out of that office tower, we’ll need more than just the three of us. I need to ask Erik for help.”
“Do you think he’ll give it?”
“There’s only one way to find out. I’ll pick the two of you up at Curiosity’s in thirty minutes.”
Etienne heard the call end and handed the phone back to Lana. Thirty minutes before Winter arrived, and then who knew how long to talk to the Vampire King and feed the succubus. Time was not measured with such precision in Faerie and even while in the Mortal Realm he usually paid it no mind. But with Cian in Midir’s hands he felt each second thrum through his bones. He closed his eyes and prayed Cian could hold on.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Somebody was yelling.
Jessie was torn between curiosity and sinking further beneath the warm coverlet. She loved crashing at Erik’s court. His guest rooms had awesome, old-fashioned beds with curtains and feather pillows and bed steps. Way cool. She also loved her little apartment above Curiosity’s. It was her safe haven from her parent’s particular brand of insanity. But when she couldn’t be there, sleeping in the lap of luxury at the Theatre beat the hell out of couch surfing at her various friends’ places under old blankets that smelled like cat pee and sour milk.
Another voice rose to meet the first. It sounded like Erik. Not surprising. She pulled her phone out from under the pillow and checked the time. Yeah, he couldn’t be happy about being woken up this early. Vampires could move about during the day, the sun wouldn’t hurt them, they just didn’t like to. They were nocturnal hunters with perfect night vision and bright sunlight made it hard for them to see clearly. Jessie could hear doors opening in the corridor, vampires and court therian wondering what the commotion was about. Well, if Erik was pissed she didn’t want any…
The next voice cut off Erik, apparently in mid-sentence. It was Winter! She felt prickles of shock run over her skin. Oh shit. Jessie had never heard her yell before. Not like this. She was out from under the covers and pulling on her clothes in the morning chill before she finished the thought.
Jessie rushed down the hall, passed people looking through their open doors and talking across the corridor. She made her way from the private floors down the long switchback stairs that ran along the brick back wall of the historic building. She was not the only one making the early morning trek – apparently this argument was becoming a happening. But for preternatural beings capable of blinding speed they moved so slow! She looked over the railing more than once, wishing not for the first time she was one of her video game characters. Granted, four years of judo had taught her to take a fall, but she didn’t think this was what her sensei had in mind. The training had also taught her patience. Sort of.
The stairs let out onto the main floor and at last she had space to wedge her wide hips in between the lollygaggers, with a few rapid fire “scuse me’s”, and make a better pace through the main hallway.
“Here again, Jessie? When are you gonna get Marked?”
Jessie flipped off the therian who’d asked without breaking her stride and was met with laughter. It was a common joke directed at her at the Theatre. Court therian and what few humans who also lived here bore Marks behind their right ears identifying them as court property. But that was their business. As far as she was concerned, nobody was going to tag a “Property of” label on her. Anyone who tried could go screw themselves.
The voices got louder.
“Erik, be reasonable!”
This time of year, with the Winter Concert Series getting underway, and any other time of year when the Theatre had a show running Erik held court in the dining hall. Not his favorite place. Given any and every opportunity Erik held court on stage. So very Erik.
“Winter, forget this. He’s not going to help us and we’re running out of time.”
But instead of having his throne center stage it was up on a low dais against the back wall behind where the high table sat during meals. Jessie thought the dining hall was cooler for holding court, anyway. It was set up like a Viking mead hall. The long tables were brought out for meals and there were all sorts of weapons displayed on the walls that they couldn’t put out on the stage walls because they were real historical artifacts and pretty
delicate. Erik, however, loved the acoustics from the stage.
“The hell if you think I’m letting you take her out there alone with you!”
“You can’t hold me here, Erik.”
“Watch me, little girl!”
Given the way he could bellow Jessie didn’t notice a difference.
Jessie pushed her way through the small crowd that had gathered loosely around the throne until she was standing at the edge of the argument between a therian she did not know well and Jason, Erik’s personal assistant. She leaned into the Greek vampire who looked close to her own age but was actually older than Erik himself. “How long has this been going on?” She kept her voice very low. She did not want to attract the attention of any of the arguing adults.
Jason quirked a smirk. That it did not strike the usual spark in his light green eyes told Jessie how concerned he was. “About fifteen minutes. Erik is trying to take this opportunity to press Winter for a formal alliance.”
“What opp…?”
“Dammit! Every minute we waste fucking around with you is one more minute Cian is held prisoner by his rapist!”
Cian? What had happened to Cian? He was her friend!
Erik paced in front of his throne, wearing only a pair of dudetastically faded jeans. The corded muscles in his arms flexed and shifted under his battle-scarred skin as he clenched and relaxed his big fists. “It’s a shame about the boy. But if what your succubus says is true, there’s an army in that building between us and him. Most of my people are not soldiers, and I am not committing any of them to possibly die for this without an alliance!”
Winter had her head down with one hand over her eyes, her bag strap dangling from her elbow. When she raised her head to speak Jessie saw how grayish she looked, how much thinner even than yesterday she seemed. Was it the lighting? What was going on with her? “I can’t do that, Erik.”
“Like hell…”
“I can’t!” Winter beat her hand against her breast bone in emphasis, which made her drop her bag. She left it there. Her hand trembled before she balled it into a fist. “I want to, but I can’t. If I was the Mulcahy I would do it, but I’m not.”
“And I still say like hell you can’t. You’ve been acting as the Mulcahy ever since it fell to your father, and I know Colin – he hasn’t done shit, has he? Those few times you’ve said he’d made a decision, you’ve lied, haven’t you?”
Winter shook her head. Her eyes moved over the crowd and her cheeks colored. But after a moment she pressed on. “He used to talk to me. I never lied to anyone, Erik. But after Kelley and Martina died…” she trailed off. She looked so sick. So lost.
“I’m sorry about your cousins, but he needs to grow a fucking spine and so do you.”
Hurt blossomed across Winter’s face and Jessie felt her own face flush with anger. What the f…? She didn’t realize she was moving forward until she felt Jason’s hand fasten on her shoulder, keeping her at his side. The look he gave her was one of warning.
Etienne rounded on Erik. “That was uncalled for!”
“Mind your own business, faerie knight.”
“I’m making it my business.”
Jessie looked around and spotted Michael standing well behind Erik to the side of the throne. He seemed to be struggling to keep the worry off of his face as he stood there in silence. “Why isn’t Michael doing anything?” she whispered to Jason.
“Because he can’t. Erik might give lip service to disregarding politics when it comes to getting what he wants from Winter, but the truth is he’s just as political an animal as any vampire. If Michael were to naysay him publicly, and this is a very public argument, then that could diminish Erik’s authority. Erik may love him, but he can’t afford to be called out by his own favorite.”
“Then why aren’t they doing this in private?”
“Because Erik wants this alliance. He also loves Winter like a daughter and he thinks this is the only way to save her.”
Jason knew what he was talking about. He’d been by Erik’s side even longer than Katherine and was one of his closest confidantes. “But Cian…”
Jason turned to face her fully. His eyes, usually bright with laughter, were filled with centuries of regret. “I’m sorry. He’s making a choice – the girl he loves over a boy he doesn’t know.”
Jessie’s eyes widened and her heart began to race. Erik couldn’t do that… wouldn’t do that… would he? Not her new friend! Erik was a good guy!
“Erik, please, my father won’t do it. He won’t do anything!” Winter’s eyes were reddening with unshed tears, and Jessie had never seen her look so angry before. “Just please help us.”
“You know what I need.”
“That’s it. Winter, we’re going. Send someone to fetch Lana – I don’t care if she’s done or not.”
“I already told you, I won’t let you put Winter in danger.” Erik set his fists on his hips and seemed to take up twice as much space as he should.
Etienne looked unimpressed. “Fuck you and the ship that brought you here, Viking. She hired me to protect her, and that’s what I’m going to do.”
“One faerie knight against a whole army and an ancient sidhe magician. I don’t like those odds, so no, you’re not taking her.”
“She’s also still standing right here.”
It wasn’t just Erik – they were all going to keep arguing until who-knew-what horrible things happened to Cian. What the hell was wrong with adults? Jessie began to slip back into the crowd. Well, let them fight it out. Winter wasn’t the only wizard in Seahaven.
“Where are you going?” Jason asked in a whisper.
“Back to my room. This is making me sick.” She kept moving. The crowd was huge, now.
“Go get ‘em, kid.” His voice was so soft she wasn’t sure she actually heard it. She wove her way through vampires and therian until she broke free of the press of bodies and could slip unnoticed from the dining hall.
Brian rolled over, groping for his buzzing phone. It had to be Jessie. She was the only one who texted him at all hours.
And there she was. OMG shoot me if I turn stoopid at maturity
He yawned and smiled, pushed his dreads out of his face, then tapped out, lol what's up?
Her response came so fast she must have been tapping even as he answered her. Why do adults talk instead of act? what happend 2 helping ppl? srsly??? i may do something drastic
Brian frowned. Jessie and drastic were never a good combination. I'll be right there. Where are you?
…
He sighed and kicked his legs up out of bed. Here she went with the secretive again.
Just at the theatre. No worries.
He stared at his phone and worried. Before coming to live with Norah, his life had been… well, ugly was a serviceable enough word for what had been done to him. What he had been forced to do. The nearly fatal beating from his "daddy" when he was eleven had saved his life - it had gotten him off the streets and into this new, clean existence. He knew that this city held secrets and that the Theatre was full of them. Those secrets had teeth, and claws, and sometimes liked to eat street kids like he had been. So, yeah, he was going to worry.
Jessie had a secret. He was not sure what her secret was, exactly, just that she had one and that she ran with others like her. Jessie was going to have to come out of the magical closet some time.
Gotta run <3
Brian brushed his thumb over the little heart, wishing she meant it, and tapped out, Be careful <3
He meant every pixel.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
“Now, isn’t this better? We can have a conversation in peace. We never got a chance to talk before, you and I.”
“Is… is that all you want? To talk?”
Midir unfastened the last button on his suit jacket and fixed those cold, hard eyes on Cian’s face. “Did I say that?”
Cian trembled harder.
Midir draped the rumpled jacket over the back of a chair near the
expansive window and wasted a small grimace on its condition. He then turned back and looked Cian over, his expression a mixture of interest and speculation. “You’ve grown quite a bit. You’re dressed like a vagrant, however. That simply won’t do.” He indicated one of the other chairs in the seating arrangement. “Come, sit with me.”
Cian hesitated, but when Midir frowned at him he stepped forward, the memory of pain etched in his mind. He walked stiff-legged with terror past the sprawling bed – the bed he could not look at – his arms wrapped tightly around his body, and at last sat perched at the very edge of the seat Midir chose for him.
The older man smiled. “That’s a good boy.” He reached out with one hand and ran his long fingers through Cian’s hair.
Cian did not think his heart could hammer any harder and fought against his panic to not throw up.
“You have grown so beautiful, Cian. They called you The Glorious Dawn even as a child, but I don’t think they had any idea how much you would outshine your famous mother.” He stroked down the side of Cian’s face. “All of my brothers courted her, you know, even the married ones.” His mouth twisted into a smirk. “She led them on a merry chase, playing them off each other, accepting gifts and songs and giving tokens. It went on for centuries.”
Midir was so close Cian could see himself reflected in his eyes. He could see his own fear. He dug his fingers into his arms and tried to calm his breathing. He needed to keep Midir talking. Maybe if he was talking he would be too distracted to hurt him again. Maybe it would even buy Etienne time to rescue him. “Why did she choose my father?” His voice was weak and tremulous.
Midir looked as if he was remembering. “At first I thought it was spite or caprice. Edaine of the Waters was never actually stupid, but she could be foolish. I’m not sure you have enough experience to understand that distinction. Anluan wanted her more than any of the other Sons of Dagda and made many public declarations that he would forever love her above any others – which I heard angered and humiliated Niahm, his Queen.” A smirk of pleasure crossed his face for a moment at that. “Your father Eoin was the youngest and least powerful of my brothers, and lived under Anluan’s patronage as one of his knights. He had a reputation for gallantry and bravery, but had so little power and magical ability it was rumored that he was evidence of Dagda’s waning hold on the High Kingship of Faerie.
