The Witch's Dream - A Paranormal Romance (The Order of the Black Swan, BOOK TWO)

by Victoria Danann

Katrina laughed and glanced up at Kay with a look that was proprietary and adoring at the same time. When her attention came back to Elora she said, "This is too much fun! An elf wedding. Wow. Maybe I'll pick up some ideas."

  "Well," Elora said, "if you do, I can't take credit. Ram's mother and sister are the architects of the event of the millennium. I'm along for the ride and glad to have somebody else taming the details."

  Kay's sisters suddenly took the hallway. In a dizzying flurry of femininity, they said hello to Ram then grabbed Elora, pulled her into their suite, and closed the door leaving their brother and the groom standing in the hall alone.

  Kay looked down at Ram with a tiny shake of his head and a crooked, little smile that implied this was nothing unusual.

  Ram said, "I happen to know where the tenants of this monstrosity keep some very fine Irish whiskey."

  "Lead the way." Kay immediately looked more optimistic about the prospects for a pleasant afternoon.

  They had only gone a few steps when the girls' door opened. Dandie stuck her head out. "Hey. Any chance we can get some..." Her head disappeared momentarily while there was apparently some appended discussion, then popped out again. "...Arnold Palmers sent up here?"

  "Sure." Ram shrugged offhandedly.

  Without thanks or further adieu, the door closed leaving the two men staring at an empty hallway. After a few seconds, they turned and resumed their quest for whiskey, but were stopped by Squoozie this time. "We need snacks, too. That airline food was just... well, you know. Y'all got stuff down there to make chicken cheese nachos?" Someone was saying something. She looked away for just a second. "With jalapenos." Another voice was heard coming from inside the room. "Not the sissy kind."

  Ram took a deep breath and put his hands in his jeans pockets. "No nachos Squooze. Why do you no' come downstairs to the solarium or the library or the game room? We can drum up some cheese and fruit. Maybe tarts or popovers."

  She opened her mouth to say something, but Ram held up his hand shaking his head. "No' a single jalapeno in the house."

  She contemplated that for a minute, ducked her head back into the room then reemerged smiling brightly. "That'd be great, Ram. Thanks, hon." The door slammed, but reopened three seconds later. "We'll be down in twenty minutes."

  Behind closed doors four single ladies piled up on the beds next to Elora and insisted that she give up details on how she "bagged" the world's most eligible and allegedly "active" bachelor. While Elora found the company of other young women novel and exhilarating, she had to get very creative with her story to ease around the fact that she was an alien from another dimension with extra physical abilities, who was employed by an ancient secret society of knights and paranormal investigators who guard innocents from harm by occult or supernatural forces sometimes using occult or supernatural forces in the process. She found that she was able to stay close to the core facts while tiptoeing around specifics that would require security clearance.

  When she recalled her time with Ram at the hunting cottage in the New Forest Preserve, she repeatedly heard sighs and noticed that eyes had glazed over with longing. Well, it was a good story.

  She was less prepared for a question about where she got her hair color done. After a couple of beats of indecision, she said, "It's natural."

  The four blinked at her for a few seconds, uncertain how to respond, then simultaneously exploded into a fit of shared laughter. Squoozie said, "Good one, Elora."

  Sometimes honesty really is the best policy.

  The other women were so open and easy to be with, that, by the time the little group emerged an hour later to make their way toward fruit, cheese, tarts, popovers, and Arnold Palmers, Elora felt like she had known them for a long time. She noticed that Kay's sisters alternately called his fiancée "Trina" or an even more affectionate "Trinnie".

  On the way downstairs Elora pointed out what she had learned so far about the palace and how to get around without getting lost. She headed straight for the solarium while they talked about costumes for the handfasting and who would be wearing what. They were just traversing the grand foyer when the giant doors opened and in walked Baka, Aelsong, and Storm.

  Elora's eyes went straight to Storm's and locked there. She hated feeling uncomfortable around him and wished that she could run up to him and give him the same sort of unself-conscious hug she had received from Katrina an hour before. Instead, she froze where she was and simply nodded. He did the same, but was quickly distracted by Kay's women swarming him to say hello. Elora made herself useful introducing Aelsong and Baka who seemed to be enjoying the female attention immensely.

  Aelsong gave instructions to staff as to where to put Storm's bag.

  "We were going to the solarium for a Texas style tea. It's an iced thing called Arnold Palmer. Ram and Kay are together somewhere, but I don't know where."

  Aelsong turned to a maid passing by. "Where are my brother and his gigantic friend?"

  "The library bar," she replied.

  Aelsong thanked her and turned to the women. "I will show these two to the library bar and then join you for Texas style tea if 'tis no' presumin'?"

  After assuring Aelsong she was more than welcome to join them, the little group dispersed going opposite directions. Elora looked back over her shoulder at the same time Storm was doing the same. She would have to talk to Ram about a way to get past this touchy situation. There must be a way to back a relationship up, call a romantic truce, pledge friendship, and move on.

  When the men decided to drift toward the warmth and excitement of feminine company, Storm excused himself to his room saying he would unpack and settle in before dinner.

  In the solarium, the conversation quickly turned to questions about the handfasting. Shortly after they were joined by the men minus Storm, Elora's mother-in-law-to-be arrived to talk about the various activities scheduled. They were all to enjoy dance lessons in the ballroom after dinner. The women responded with enthusiasm. Kay and Baka groaned. Like most elves, Ram loved to dance so it was okay with him.

  Dinner was served in one of the small, intimate dining halls since there would be only twenty one guests including a few of Ram's relatives. The average person would have been so impressed they might have been tempted to call it theatre, but the six course production was nothing extraordinary for the royal family.

  Tepring sat Aelsbood at one end flanked by two of the Norns and put Storm between one of the sisters and Katrina with Kay across from her. Aelsong and Baka were next to each other across the table from Ram and Elora which gave the betrothed couple a ringside seat to the seduction underway.

  Ram found the interaction between Song and Baka more or less comical. He reached for Elora's hand under the table and gave her a smile promising a midnight encounter hotter than anything the ex-vampire could dream up, but, toward the end of dinner, he began to seem preoccupied. When everyone rose to make their way to the ballroom, he steered Elora off to the side.

  "I thought of somethin' I must do. I'll be away for a few hours."

  "Ram," Elora looked concerned, "what...?"

  "I'll tell you everythin' when I return. Promise."

  "Wait. What's going on?"

  He pressed his lips to hers and lingered so sweetly it reminded her of their first kiss. "'Tis a surprise. Go and dance with the others. Leave our door unlocked. And keep the bed warm for me." He left Elora standing in the doorway wondering.

  The ballroom was lit so brightly it was dazzling. It was amazing that the centuries old building had been wired for modernity; a sort of miracle in itself. Tepring had hired the same musicians who would play at the handfasting to be on hand for dance lessons that evening. She was thoughtful enough to have young, virile-looking gentlemen partners on hand for whichever two of the three Norns would not be dancing with Storm. It was becoming clear that Tepring was a genius at planning and organization, never missing the slightest detail.

  Aelsong and Baka were happily paired off and lost in their own world
. When Elora showed up with no partner, Tepring promptly sent for her other son, the king.

  Aelsblood arrived wearing a certain stiff politeness if not genuine pleasure at being summoned from whatever he was about. Though lacking the personal traits usually paired with dance instructors, Aelsblood proved to be an adequate teacher and Elora could see that he possessed the basic athleticism of his younger brother.

  Were it not for the entertainment factor in watching people make fools of themselves, the elves, excluding Elora, would have been bored to the core going through steps they had learned as babies. But there's an inherent fun factor in an Irish reel and, by the time everyone was up to speed, the laughter threatened to interfere with keeping the dance steps in time. Even the king flashed a split second smile revealing a spark that reminded her of the magnetism Tepring had passed to Ram and Aelsong.

  When the dance stopped, Aelsblood bowed from the waist. As he did so Elora projected the thought, "So. You hide a second nature."

  He cocked his head almost imperceptibly and allowed the corners of his mouth to turn up as his lips flirted with a smile. Even that tiny change transformed his appearance from mask to semi-handsome face.

  "Good night." He nodded slightly as he started away, a modern day version of a bow she supposed, and a rousing demonstration of warmth by Aelsblood standards.

  "Stop right there!" Tepring commanded proving that even kings relinquish command to the firmly stated wishes of mums. "We are no' done here. Your sister-in-law needs a partner for the waltz."

  For a heartbeat Aelsblood looked like he might tell his mother to fuck off. No matter how much Elora liked Tepring, for the king's sake, there was a part of her that hoped he would.

  To Elora she said, "After the handfastin' you and Rammel will greet our guests in the receivin' line. Immediately afterward you will lead a waltz."

  "Alright. You can free the king from dance duty because, I assure you, I do know how to waltz."

  Tepring smiled brightly. "Well, then, Aelsblood will very much enjoy bein' first to dance with the bride." She stepped back. "The rest of you can join them after a few bars." She waved a sweeping hand at the musicians. "The Shannon Waltz."

  This was the first time Elora had seen Tepring's imperious side and had to admit it was impressive. Her future mother-in-law would have made a passing good field general.

  The king was an excellent dancer. With her right hand in his left, her left hand on his shoulder, and Aelsblood's right hand pressed firmly between her shoulder blades where he could exert the most control, he guided Elora around the floor effortlessly, the two of them demonstrating that they had both been born to pretention. Of course, Ram's family could not know that. Ever.

  "You're a wonderful dancer. Can you waltz The Shannon and talk at the same time, your brotherness?"

  "No' awed by the elfdom then?" he deadpanned without looking directly at her.

  "Is that what you're accustomed to? Awe?"

  Aelsblood had danced them toward a far corner where he stopped and dropped his hands. "Unlike your mate, Ms. Laiken, no' all of us can go about selfishly actin' out our fantasies like carefree children. Some of us have interminable responsibilities."

  And there it is.

  "Were you ever a carefree child?" She saw something flicker behind Aelsblood's eyes, something that said she had pinched a sore place. "Please don't misunderstand me. I'm not making light of your job. Only a loon would want your burden. But, maybe you could gain some mastery over that burden before it swallows you whole?"

  He smirked, which was okay with Elora. She was thinking any emotion at all is an improvement. "And what would you be knowin' about it?"

  With complete solemnity she looked into his face. It was time to find out if he could read her or if she was imagining things. "More than you might expect."

  He pulled back, stared at her for a couple of heartbeats, then turned and strode away like a man late for an appointment. Fortunately Tepring was busy elsewhere and didn't notice.

  Left alone, Elora's attention riveted to Storm, who was across the vast ballroom space, clearly out of place with waltzing and having no fun. At all. His discomfort was a sharp contrast to Kay and his sisters who had taken ballroom dancing classes as juveniles so that they would be prepared for the demands of social registry functions.

  When the music stopped, Tepring drifted toward the entrance thanking the extra young men for coming. Saying goodnight to their employer, the musicians left everything in place because they would be back in two days and because they did not fear theft. Elora caught Storm's eye and motioned for him to stay behind. He looked like he'd rather take a beating.

  When Kay reached the door with his brace of female flurry, he turned back. Elora said to go ahead, that she and Storm would be just a minute.

  Storm stood with his hands in his back pockets and sighed deeply.

  "How are you?"

  "Okay. I heard you're expecting."

  "Yes. Expecting." She smiled. "It was quite unexpected."

  Storm looked at something behind her off to the side and blinked, but made no reply, didn't even change his expression.

  Okay. So no jokes. "I hate this, Storm. This... being uneasy around each other. Everything about it is so wrong. It feels... so wrong." She thought she saw a shadow of emotion flicker over his features, but, again, he didn't respond. It seemed he didn't have any intention of making this easier. Finally, she shook her head and continued. "You owe me an invoice."

  He squinted and shook his head like he had no idea what she meant. "What?"

  "You told me you would keep a running tab of my expenditures so I could pay you back when I started earning money."

  Storm looked around the ballroom. "Yeah. I guess money's not going to be a challenge from here on out."

  "You're trying to goad me. I don't mean Ram's family money and you know it. Farnsworth assures me that I have enough to cover my debt to you. Just let me know what it is."

  "Okay." He looked around as if to say, "We done here?"

  "I noticed you could use some help with the waltz. Everyone's gone. It's just us here. Let me show you."

  He looked her full in the face for the first time. "What are you doing, Elora?"

  "Letting you know in no uncertain terms that you're still part of my life. You're my best friend and I'm not letting you get away without a fight."

  She moved toward him and insisted he assume classic dance pose. He was reluctant, but complied. She started at the beginning, going over the steps. By the time they had practiced to the point where he could do it without thinking he had relaxed and was looking a little more like himself.

  She stepped back. "You're a quick study, as good at this as at everything else you try."

  He smiled a little at the compliment.

  "Every woman is going to want to dance with you tomorrow night, Storm."

  "Why wouldn't they?" he asked with mock arrogance. "I know how to waltz."

  She laughed and they walked out together.

  A couple of hours before dawn Elora felt the bed move. Half asleep, she reached for Ram. "Where've you been?"

  He opened his arms so that she could snuggle into his side and warm him. He nuzzled her ear and kissed her temple. "'Tis a surprise. Show you tomorrow."

  She wiggled in closer. He was wearing drawstring sweat pants and nothing else. "Missed you."

  "And I you. What else did I miss?"

  "I danced with the king."

  Ram caused Elora and the entire bed to shake as he laughed silently.

  "And 'twas a roarin' good time I suppose?"

  "Well, he is a little stiff."

  "You had better be meanin' that in the sense of bein' dead and no' in the sense of bein' excited. Make that aroused. He probably does no' get excited even when he comes."

  "You're very funny for an elf who's been up all night". She snuggled closer, wiggling until she was satisfied that she was as close to Ram as possible without intercourse being involved. "An
d with Storm."

  "I have no' been with Storm."

  "No. I also danced with Storm, practiced the waltz. Everybody else knew how." Ram was silent. "He seems a little broken and it's hard to watch. He doesn't have his usual..."

  "Swagger?"

  "Um, I was thinking confidence. You think he's going to be okay?"

  "Give it time. He'll find the one who's meant for him. 'Tis no' you though. You know that."

  She raised herself up so that she leaned on one elbow. There was enough moonlight coming through the tall window to see her hunky elf's outline on the white sheet next to her. It would be a full moon in two days and Elora secretly thought a handfasting on the occasion of a full moon was most auspicious.

  "Of course I know that," she said with just the right measure of indignation. "It would serve you right if I said I wasn't sure and was rethinking things." She then set upon his ticklish spot with a vengeance and without pity for the fact that he'd been up all night and was running on empty.

  When Ram woke the next morning, Elora had already taken a long bubble bath, washed, and dried her hair and put on a sleeveless, pink, linen dress that made him think about licking strawberry ice cream.

  "How late have I slept?"

  She turned toward the bed. "Late. I'm going to grab a muffin, but I'll come right back. I'll get a couple extra and bring you a coffee."

  She opened the door to leave the suite, but the knob jerked out of her hand as the door shut quickly in her face. She turned around to welcome an elf fresh from the bed, pressing his still warm and relaxed body into hers. She opened her mouth to ask how he had moved that fast, but the question was drowned by a kiss that stole her breath and made her forget all about breakfast.

  When he pulled back, she moaned deep in her throat.

  "Hmmm. The second sweetest sound in the universe." He was staring at her mouth.

  "What's first?" she asked with a lazy smile.

  He raised his gaze to her eyes and laughed. "The way you scream when you come, o' course."

  "I scream?" She looked guileless as a summer's day. "I don't remember."