by Eve Newton
She looks up at her father. “Nite nite, Daddy. Sebastian and I are going to bed now,” she declares with a hiccup and Drake’s blazing eyes find Sebastian’s and he is ashamed to say, he flinches. Yep, he is still a scary ass motherfucker, no doubt about that.
“What is the meaning of this?” Drake barks at him.
Sebastian explains as best he can, and Drake turns to where Thrace is watching them from several feet away. Thrace has the good sense to do one before Drake turns back to him. “You will ensure that this never happens again. I will not have her compromising herself. Look at her, if you hadn’t come for her who knows what would have happened,” Drake hisses and Sebastian does look at her. She is swaying in a non-existent breeze with a sweet smile on her face, her arms around her father’s waist. Thrace’s blood really did a number on her. “Take her to her room and then you will leave her there. You will not take advantage of her in this state,” he says. “Do you hear me?” Drake yells and he tears his eyes away from her.
“Yes,” Sebastian says quickly.
“Where is the guard that was supposed to be watching her?” Drake asks, looking around.
Sebastian shakes his head. “He wasn’t here when I came to find her.” He pities the poor Faerie who abandoned his post. He probably won’t live to see sunrise, even though he is sure that Thrace spelled him to disappear, but Drake will not accept that as a good enough reason.
“Take her now,” Drake says, gently removing her arms from him. “And heed my warning, Kalen, if I find out you stayed with her, you are a dead man.”
Sebastian nods again and takes Liv’s arms to steady her. “I will get her into bed and stay just until she falls asleep.”
Drake nods at him and then looks at his daughter and his eyes soften. “Good night, my Princess,” he whispers. “Sleep well.” He leans down to kiss her on her forehead, and she closes her eyes and pats his chest which, in her flat shoes, is as high as she can reach on him.
Sebastian pulls her away and put his arm around her waist and leads her to her room. He can feel Drake’s eyes on them until they turn the corner and then he relaxes a bit. She notices too and laughs at him.
“Don’t be so nervous, Kalen,” she says to him with as straight a face as she can. “I want you to stay with me. I’ll protect you from my dad.” She snorts into hand at that and says, “Dad!” before she laughs uncontrollably as he ushers her into her bedroom and over to the bed.
She calms down after a few minutes and says, “You are going to have to explain to me why that doesn’t happen, when I drink from you.” She adds after a slight pause, “And why it never happened after I drank from Trystan.”
“I will try my best to explain it when you are sober, Princess, but now you need to get some sleep.”
“Sex first, then sleep,” she says with a pout that makes him want to rip her gown off her and do as she asks.
“I value my life, Livvie,” he says to her shaking his head. “Drake scares me way more than you do.”
“Humph,” she says rudely as she starts to get undressed.
“Come now, get into bed,” he says to her, pulling the covers back. He does have to wonder why he is not tearing at her at this moment. She is in no fit state to stop him from trying to conceive this baby with her right now, but he is not so sure he can go through with it while she is drunk.
“Sebbie,” she complains, and he chuckles at the nickname, “come to bed with me. I want you.” She throws her arms round him, pushing her breasts into him and kisses him soundly on the mouth and he loses all of his morals. He is a cad, a disgusting beast not fit for being near her, but he can’t help it. She laughs in delight as he rips at his clothes to get himself as naked as she is, and she pulls him down on top of her. It’s a mesh of limbs and lips and fangs and soon they lay spent and she is away in dreamland before he has even rolled off her. Great Seb, what a fucking stand-up guy you turned out to be, he sighs to himself as he runs his hand through his hair. If he doesn’t get out of here soon, Drake is going to have his head. He hates leaving her while she sleeps. It makes him feel even worse for taking advantage of her, but he has no doubt her father will be along shortly to ensure her well-being.
Sebastian gets dressed quickly and heads out with a loving, lingering glance back at her. Tomorrow they are back to the real world and he will be dismissed again. With a sigh, he closes the door and slopes off back to his father’s palace some several miles away.
Chapter 14
Buckinghamshire, England, March 2013 – Xane
Flick, flick, flick. The cards are the only sound being made in the library as he flicks them at the wastepaper basket. He feels useless and useless is infuriating. He has spoken to every contact he has, and no one can tell him anything about how to either get himself to her, or her out. He knows Lincoln said she was doing okay, Dragon struggling aside, but he wants to see her for himself. That place…well, she doesn’t belong there.
“What do you want?” he asks, as he senses Aster, his second-in-command, hovering next to him.
“You need to come back, My Lord. There is an issue,” Aster states.
“Can’t you deal with it?” Xane asks, really in no mood to deal with a bunch of problems that aren’t his own.
“No, sir. Your presence is required. The House of Aldric has a demand of the House of Dracul,” he says carefully.
Ah shit. He knows exactly what’s coming. CeeCee just can’t get it through her head that their engagement is off. He never wanted to marry her in the first place, hence why they aren’t married yet. But she refuses to believe it is over, even though he has told her he doesn’t love her and that he is in love with Xerxei, she just doesn’t listen. Damn woman.
“Fine,” he says, standing up. Maybe the distraction will be just what he needs to stop feeling quite so useless.
He Astraports (Liv uses this word for his method of transportation, and he likes it) back to the Underworld to deal with whatever issue this is now. All formal meetings take place in the Castle.
The Castle is situated right in the middle of Hell. The Underworld is a vast, vast place. Bigger even than Earth. There are many different layers to it. Most Demons choose to live on the top layer. That is the easiest one in which to get to and from Earth. This is where his parents’ house is. He has a room in the Castle, it belongs to him as Ruler, but he rarely comes here to stay. He is one of the few who can get here directly, most others have to go via a network of different layers. That unfortunately means whatever this issue is, it is serious. It is very formal and antiquated down here, so he clicks his fingers and ensures he is dressed in the Overlord garb, complete with flowing cloak and sword. He smiles as he remembers seeing Liv’s face when she first saw him. He was dressed exactly like this. She looked so pretty in that pink dress, but her usual style suits her so much better. Well, if he is honest, Xerxei suits her the best. He loves it when she comes to him as her.
Xerxei is inexplicably drawn to him, but Liv fights it, worried about her Vampire bonds. She should be worried about her bond to him. It angers him that she keeps dismissing him and his mood travels with him into the meeting hall. He pushes the doors open with a force that nearly has them bouncing off their hinges. The hall silences as everyone turns to him and he can see a few fearful faces. They should be afraid, he thinks, he is in a seriously bad mood now. He makes his way to the front of the hall and steps up onto the platform. He glowers at his chair, he supposes you could call it a throne, and then at the empty one next to it. He sits heavily and barks, “What is the reason for this meeting?”
Jethro, the head of the House of Aldric, stands after a few moments and clears his throat. “My Lord, the House of Aldric wishes recompense from the House of Dracul due to the time and effort that has been put into the engagement, that has since been broken, between our own Cefalonia Cerveaux and, uh,” he pauses fretfully, “yourself.”
“Denied,” Xane says without hesitation. If they think he is paying for the honor of not mar
rying her, they are sadly mistaken.
Jethro bobs his head and says, “We understand, My Lord, but you now leave us no choice but to declare war on your House for our owns honor.”
Ah, for fuck’s sake, he thinks now with irritation. Demons declare war every other day down here, it’s nothing new and he is not overly concerned, but a seconded motion would cause unnecessary actions. Xane stands up and jumps off the platform, landing on both his feet with a loud thump, his cloak billowing up behind him.
Jethro flinches as he crosses over to face him. “You declare war against my House, you will face me. Are you sure that is your desired course of action?” He is not boastful, well, not much anyway, but he has never lost a fight, not even against his own father, and he isn’t about to start now.
Jethro gulps and rethinks his declaration. He looks back to CeeCee, who is standing a few rows back. She makes a gesture at him and Xane can see now that this is all coming from her. Jethro would just as soon leave it be. He pins her eyes with his and she stares back at him boldly.
“Cefalonia,” Xane says to her. “An audience, if you please.” It’s not a request.
She saunters forward, sure that she is going to be vindicated, but she is wrong. Dead wrong. He was making headway with Liv before she turned up and ruined it. Liv admitted what she felt and told him she loved him, but then he felt her pull away from him again after she found out about the engagement, and he is not above taking his frustrations out on the culprit. Xane smiles icily at her and she swallows, now a bit worried. “I do not tolerate acts of aggression between Houses and families,” he says to her. “You are the instigator in this rift and as such I sentence you to thirty days imprisonment.”
There is a shocked hush in the hall after that and CeeCee’s mouth drops open.
“Xane,” she says, “You cannot do that to me.”
Her informal use of his first name fuels his anger at her and it turns into rage. His rage is not to be messed with. He Shifts to his true Demonic form and she steps back hastily and lowers her eyes, aware of what she has done. His voice in this form booms around the hall in a deep, guttural rumble which shakes the walls. “You will address me as ‘My Lord’, subject. Another thirty days for your insubordination.”
With great effort, he Shifts back and shakes out his shoulders. He wanted to stay in that form and cause some destruction; it is a vicious side to him, but now is not the time or the place for a tantrum.
“Sixty days, My Lord,” she whispers with tears in her eyes, but he feels no remorse. He motions for the guard to escort her away.
“Will anyone second the motion for war?” he asks quietly. There is no need to raise his voice as everyone is deathly quiet.
When no one says anything, he asks, “Any other business?”
Still no one says anything, so he says, “Dismissed,” and turns back to the platform. He jumps back onto it and watches his subjects leave hastily. He sits heavily back in his throne and watches his mother watch the last person leave. As soon as the door closes, she turns to him and comes to stand in front of him. She picks up her gown and drops to her knees in a deep curtsey. “Permission to speak freely, My Lord,” she says formally.
“Get up, Mother,” he huffs at her and she rises.
“We will adhere to tradition, my son,” she reprimands him, and he rolls his eyes at her.
“What will you say?” he asks her.
She stands staring at him for a moment and then flicks her eyes to the empty chair next to him. “How are things with Xerxei?” she asks.
“Not good,” he says and slumps further back into his chair.
“How so?” she inquires.
“It’s none of your business,” he retorts, remembering Liv’s very explicit concern about their relationship being just between the two of them.
“It is my business when things like this occur. If she were here by your side as she should be, then this would never have happened. No one would dare defy the Queen,” she says.
“No one should dare defy me!” Xane yells at her and she inclines her head respectfully.
“I know,” she murmurs. “However, with Xerxei by your side you, the both of you, will be unchallenged, for eternity.”
“Eternity?” he scoffs. “I don’t have eternal life, Mother.”
“Don’t be so sure about that. The Queen’s blood runs through your veins,” she answers, and he focuses on her completely now.
“What do you mean?” he asks.
She tilts her head again and walks in a large circle, her gown swishing with every step. “You need to take her as your wife,” she says eventually.
“You don’t say?” he mocks her, but she ignores him. “And how do you propose I do that? There happens to be several beings in my way, if you happen to recall, not the least of which is her husband.”
“Husband,” she says with derision. “A mere Vampire is not fit to be wed to our Queen.”
“It is Tiamat’s plan. He was Her Chosen one,” Xane says, hating every word of that sentence.
“Tiamat is not thinking of the bigger picture,” Xanthe says carefully. To betray their Empress is not a wise move.
“What is the bigger picture?” he asks. “As far as I can tell, Cole is needed for something as her husband. That is what Tiamat said before She sent us back in time.” He wonders if Tiamat knew he would remember everything as Liv does, as to what happened before She shifted time. He can’t say for sure how or why he remembers, but no one else does.
“Oh, please, She was probably only trying to gain favor with Her daughter by getting her back what she wanted,” his mother says scornfully, and he sighs.
“To what end?” he asks. His mother is up to something and he would like her to get to the point so he can get out of here.
“The future Empress, of course,” she snaps at him.
“Liv is the future Empress, what has this got to do with gaining favor?” Xane is so confused his head is hurting.
“Not the Queen, my son, the Queen’s daughter,” she says, and he catches on. “Tiamat is as power hungry as She has always been, but She has run out of creatures and beings to control and rule. The Queen is but an ill-conceived crossbreed, but her daughter will be pure and all powerful. That is what Tiamat wants. She wants the girl to raise Herself in Her image, to be everything that She wants.”
“That’s a bit harsh on Liv, don’t you think?” he asks with a frown. “And what has Cole got to do with it?”
“He was the one that set forth the prophecy in motion. Tiamat believes that he is the one that will get the Queen with child. She believes that they belong together because he activated her powers. I think She is wrong,” she says with authority.
“And who do you think is the right choice?” Xane asks.
“You, of course!” she screams at him. “Demons and Dragons! There is no more powerful couple in any Realm. A child between the two of you will be more powerful than anyone could ever imagine,” she adds. Her cheeks are getting flushed and she is starting to lose her temper. “This should have already happened!” she yells and Shifts to her Demonic form. Yeah, it's easy to see where he gets his rage from. His mother is a formidable woman, she would have to be to stand next to his father. They show themselves as all genial and loving and gentle around Liv, but no, this is the truth of the matter. Xanthe is a powerfully wicked woman who will stop at nothing to get her own way. She faces Xane, her wings flapping wildly and knocking over the congregation chairs in her agitation. Standing about seven feet tall, she is smaller than him in his true form, but she can be pretty intimidating when she wants to be.
“I did the spell for the Blood Magick ritual,” she roars at him, as he just sits there, letting her vent. “It was strong, and it was foolproof. There should have been no errors! She should have felt the bond ripping at her insides if she wasn’t near you. How did it go wrong?” She makes a noise of pure frustration and then Shifts back to her human form, all composed like nothing had ever happen
ed.
“It didn’t go wrong, Mother,” he says calmly, after a moment. “She has admitted her feelings to me, but sadly her Vampire side is too strong and those that she is tied to pull her away from me.”
“I will go to Tiamat, make Her see that a child between the two of you will be far stronger than a child born of a Vampire,” she says determinedly.
“Putting aside the fact that if Xerxei and I do have a child, we will not be handing it off to Tiamat to raise,” he says wryly, “The last being to convince Tiamat to do anything was…never. How do you plan on changing Her mind? And furthermore, even if you do convince Tiamat, She might not be able to convince Liv it is in her best interests to be with me.”
“If I can get Tiamat to see it is right, then that isn’t going to be a problem, I can assure you. Now that She has everything so close to Her grasp, She will not let anything stop Her from getting what She wants,” Xanthe says.
Xane watches her for a moment, thinking that if Liv ever found out about this deceit, she would skin him alive. “Do it,” he says shortly.
Xanthe bobs her head and dips into a curtsey and says, “Yes, My Lord.” She turns to leave, but he leaps off the platform and grabs her arm tightly.
“If the Queen ever finds out about this, you will take the fall for it, do you understand me? I will deny all knowledge and I will be appropriately disapproving of your interference, regardless of what punishment she may mete out. Are we clear?” he asks her, and she nods once.
“Of course, My Lord. I will take all the blame should the Queen find out I went to her mother with this.”
Xane lets her go with a grim nod of his own and she says quietly, “Do not worry, my son. I want to see you happy, and I will go to any lengths to ensure that you get what you want. Besides, Xerxei is one of ours, and she belongs here with us.” She leaves and he thinks over everything she has just said. Can she convince Tiamat to change Her mind about who Liv is meant to end up with? Even if she doesn’t, he knows that telling Cole about what Liv got up to in the Other world will probably make him leave her again, but there is no way he can tell Cole that as then Liv would never speak to him again. Before that moment when Tiamat revealed that Cole needed to be by her side as her husband, he wasn’t unduly worried about him, or her sire for that matter. They are Vampires. They are not faithful creatures and one day their house of cards would have crashed down. As it stands, he doesn’t think she will be speaking to her sire anytime soon after what he did to her, but this whole Fae thing has thrown a massive wrench in the works. With the Vampires out of the way, that only left Lincoln, and he can handle the Wolf. He is tolerable and Xane would accept him in Liv’s life if she were with him. He doesn’t expect her to be true to one. Her Vampire is far too strong for that. But now there is Sebastian in the way. He has no idea how far their relationship has already gone, but he would bet his life it has gone far enough. He is not happy about going behind her back to Tiamat, but if this is his only way to get her as his wife, then so be it.
