by Tessa Dawn
Kristina’s eyes shot from Ciopori to Vanya, then back to Ciopori, like a nervous child’s, before drifting downward and settling on a pine cone. “Nothing major, I just…just wanted to run something by you.”
Vanya softly harrumphed.
“By me?” Ciopori asked. “Or by Vanya?” There was a hint of both confusion and urgency evident in her voice, and she told herself to pull it back…proceed with caution. Otherwise, Kristina was not likely to confide in either one of them. And it wasn’t that the two of them weren’t family, or that the three of them weren’t quite good friends—they were. In fact, considering Kristina and Ciopori’s odd, convoluted history—the whole debacle with Marquis’ Blood Moon, when both females had been mated to the Ancient Master Warrior, each in turn—their relationship was surprisingly natural and amiable. They both loved their brothers dearly, practically worshipped their father, Keitaro, and they were both firmly entrenched in the Silivasi family. But—and it was a glaring but—Kristina rarely drove out to the farmhouse or sought Ciopori for counsel or companionship. She wasn’t sure if she had ever been to Saber and Vanya’s Gothic Victorian, and outside of informal family gatherings, or formal HOJ functions, Kristina was more likely to hang out with Deanna or even Arielle.
“Both of you,” Kristina clarified, and then she bit her bottom lip and tapped her toe nervously against the ground, still staring at the same tired pine cone. “But—” She held up one finger. “You both have to swear that you won’t say a word to anyone, at least not until tomorrow.”
“A word about what?” Vanya asked, pointedly.
“What are we talking about, Kristina?” Ciopori leaned forward.
“That’s just it,” Kristina said. “I need to show you something, but I have to know that it stays between the three of us.”
Now this made Ciopori nervous.
What the heck?
“You’re not making any sense, little sister,” Ciopori said. “Does this have something to do with Marquis or Saber?” She shared a second stolen glance with Vanya. “Maybe Braden?”
“Everyone,” Kristina answered. “And no one. It has more to do with me and my crazy, chaotic life.”
Silence hovered in the courtyard for a protracted moment, and then Vanya finally stood up and held out her hands. “Okay, so what do you have to show us?”
“I have your word?” Kristina repeated.
“Yes,” Vanya insisted, sounding a little impatient.
“And yours?” Kristina stared at Ciopori.
The princess shrugged her shoulders and gestured anxiously with her hands. “If I say no, then what?”
Kristina planted her hands on her hips.
“Well?” Ciopori prompted.
Kristina just stood there, waiting.
“Is anyone in danger?”
Kristina blinked several times, her long, dark auburn lashes fluttering like the wings of a butterfly.
“Kristina!” Ciopori chided. “What is this concerning!” She stood up next to Vanya and took an exasperated step forward.
Kristina took a generous step back.
Ciopori angled her head. “Is someone we love in danger?” Her voice was both calm and even.
This time, it was Kristina who shrugged. “I don’t know—do you love me?” Her voice warbled as she spoke that last word.
Ciopori frowned. “You do realize…” She paused to choose her wording carefully. “At this point, we could take the information from your mind if we chose to?”
Kristina’s eyes narrowed with contempt, and her hot, redheaded temper flashed in her pupils, but she banked it just as swiftly. She stood her ground and shook her head. “You’re not going to do that. It would be rude and unacceptable. And I came here because I needed…I came here to get your advice.” She continued to defy the gently implied threat with silence.
“Fine,” Ciopori relented. “You have my word, and for the record: Yes, we love you.”
Kristina released a long, slow breath, shook out her hands, then massaged her temples. Lords, she had really been nervous. She reached into an elegant raspberry wine-colored purse hanging over her right shoulder by a skinny leather strap, and retrieved a horribly crumpled piece of paper. She handed it over to Ciopori, and Vanya immediately grasped the upper corner, while Ciopori smoothed the parchment.
Both sisters leaned in and began to read in unison, mouthing the words beneath their collective, nervous breath: “Princess Red, kind of has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it? Or at least it could if you would give me a chance…”
The moment they finished reading the letter, Ciopori drew back, eyes wide as saucers, and recoiled. “AZ!” she exclaimed. “A.Z.? As in, Achilles—”
“Zahora,” Kristina supplied. She reached into her purse again. “And there’s this as well. A card. It came along with a flower arrangement, that and a zillion-dollar vase.”
Vanya snatched it before Ciopori could open her hand, and she began to read out loud: “All five senses should be awakened, nurtured, imbibed. Touch, taste, smell, sight, and especially hunger. Sound is overrated unless it’s the sound of your laughter, your sighs—you, speaking the simple word, “Yes.” Think it over, Kristina. AZ” Vanya’s hand shot to her mouth. “Gross!”
Ciopori’s jaw dropped open. “Whaa…what…what the hell!? Is this somehow related to the other night, when Marquis and his brothers met you on the mountain pass?”
“You said you’d seen Achilles Zahora,” Vanya chimed in.
“But he was gone when the warriors arrived,” Ciopori added.
“Geez Louise!” Kristina yelped, gawking at both princesses, her eyes bouncing back and forth between them. “Does the entire house of Jadon know?” She leveled an irritated glare at Ciopori. “You’re mated to Marquis, so…yeah, I get that one. But Vanya?” She turned her gaze on the startled, ashen princess.
Vanya shook her head. “Sisters,” she said by way of explanation. “Besides, I’m mated to a sentinel—surely you had to know they would be informed.”
Kristina shook her head. “Fine. Whatever. The point is: Tonight is the Millenia Harvest Moon, and Braden would be—”
“Apoplectic!” Ciopori cried.
Kristina frowned. She started to nod her head, and then she stopped, pulled it back, and shrugged instead. “Maybe not,” she whispered. “He doesn’t care quite as much as I…as we…once thought.”
Vanya hung her head, shook it from side to side, then raised it slowly like it was too heavy to lift. “Oh, good goddess, Kristina. If that boy cared any more about you, he would have his heart placed on a silver platter, your name carved into all four chambers, and then he’d drop to his knees and present it to you happily, even as he drew his last breath.” She sighed in an exaggerated manner, hoping she had made her point. “And yes, he would be beyond apoplectic. But Keitaro, Marquis, Nathaniel, and Kagen, and especially Nachari—they would just be pissed, knowing you didn’t share this information. You must let them know immediately.”
Kristina shook her head emphatically. “No. And I swear to you, Vanya…Ciopori.” She narrowed her gaze in warning. “You promised—both of you. You swore. My brothers, the wizards, and the sentinels, they all need to be laser-focused on Braden and the harvest moon rising. They don’t need to divide their attention or place any focus on me. Not tonight.”
“I think you’re being reckless,” Vanya said, pointedly.
“I hate to say it, but I agree,” Ciopori added.
At this, Kristina’s eyes began to tear up and when she next spoke, her voice intermittently warbled: “Reckless,” she repeated. “You think I haven’t thought this over? Well, how’s this for reckless: I have, and I think I would probably rather die than see something happen to Braden because of my crazy drama. And it’s not like I’m not being careful. I’m here, after all, not alone in my penthouse. It can keep for one more day.”
Ciopori drew back, astonished. “My gods,” she whispered. “You love him.”
Kristina eyes dried up
, and she huffed in exasperation. “That’s not the point.”
Vanya sighed again, less dramatically this time. “Of course it’s the point. Otherwise, you would be handing the letter and the card to the Silivasi clan or even the king, instead of to myself and Ciopori. Otherwise, you would be tucked away in Napolean’s manse, surrounded by a half-dozen warriors…being guarded.”
“And that’s just it,” Kristina said softly. “I can’t. I just…can’t. Braden is already linked to the entire house of Jadon by some psychic connection…he shares a heartbeat with the king…and that’s all before this crazy moon rises! Lock me up, surround me with guards, and tell me he’s not going to feel that? He’s not going to worry, want to be wherever I am? Bullshit.”
Ciopori studied Kristina thoughtfully. “I thought you just said he didn’t care.” It was more of a statement than a question.
Kristina shook her head, and her eyes were so incredibly sad. “He doesn’t have to love me to want to protect me—he’s a vampire male, a male of honor. We couldn’t keep him from it.” She held up her hand, signaling that she was weary of arguing. “Regardless,” she said, “this isn’t about my…connection…to Braden, whatever is or isn’t going on between us. It’s about that seven-foot monster.” She thumbed the edge of the letter, then the card, before holding them up in the air. “As Ciopori so fittingly put it: What the actual hell!”
Vanya shook her head slowly. “No telling.” She raised her chin, and her keen eyes brightened as she visibly shifted from arguing to trying to solve the problem. “Kristina”—she spoke evenly—“Saber knows Achilles, personally. Heck, he’s known him for centuries, and the gods know, Saber can keep a secret. Can we at least ask the dragon what he thinks Achilles is up to…what he believes Achilles is thinking…trying to get away with…going to do next?”
“No.”
“Can we at least tell Nachari?” Ciopori persisted. “He’s a wizard; he may have some insight.”
“No.”
“Very well,” Ciopori said, capitulating. After all, they had given Kristina their word, and she was right about the house of Jadon’s resources, to say nothing about the wickedness…and wildness…taking place in the house of Jaegar this night. There was no telling what the Dark Ones might do—every sentinel, warrior, and wizard, as well as the king, might be needed before the night was over and the harvest moon set.
“I’ll be fine for another twenty-five hours,” Kristina reassured both princesses. “And honestly, that’s why I came here. I was hoping…” She glanced around the courtyard, and her voice trailed off.
“What were you hoping?” Ciopori asked.
“I was hoping I could just hang out with the two of you for the rest of the day…for the rest of the night…like somewhere in the background, where I won’t get in the way. I was planning to attend the Homage Ceremony anyway, and there’s gonna be a whole lot of warriors at the ceremony, right? Not to mention, unless I haven’t been paying attention since I was tossed into this testosterone-loaded family, your mates are gonna check in on you, all night long, regardless of Braden, because that’s what possessive, protective, abnormally controlling vampires do.” She forced a tentative smile. “Aaand,” she drew the word out, pressing on, “Brooke, the little princes, and Tiffany are going to be here tonight in the manse. In other words, the king is gonna have this compound locked down like Fort Knox—I think I’ll be safer here than anywhere else in the vale. Besides, it’s just too lonely at the casino right now.”
The casino….
Every word Kristina had spoken had made perfect sense to Ciopori, but the word that jumped out and struck her like a two-by-four to the forehead was…casino.
Niko and Jankiel’s psychic trepidation, centered around the Dark Moon Casino…
Vanya’s description of a dense, turbulent cloud hovering over the eastern end of the vale…
They must have all been picking up on something from Kristina…and Achilles…the letters, or maybe the floral delivery.
The thought made Ciopori shiver.
Just then, a rust-brown squirrel with an unusually bushy tail scurried down the trunk of a nearby ponderosa, careful to avoid a hanging lantern, and darted across the courtyard to the closest bale of hay, where it scampered up the straw, snatched an acorn, and turned around to face the women, as if checking to see if they were watching. All three females stared in amusement—and silence—perhaps grateful for the momentary distraction, and the squirrel craned its neck, stood a little taller, and clutched the acorn to its breast.
Ciopori giggled.
“Achilles?” Vanya crooned, leaning forward in the critter’s direction.
The squirrel puffed out its cheeks and squeaked.
“You know you can’t be out in sunlight,” Vanya chided, staring at the animal more closely.
This time, Kristina laughed, even as the squirrel chortled angrily.
“Hmm,” Vanya intoned. “Does make one wonder.”
“I don’t believe the Colony Guard can actually shape-shift,” Ciopori observed.
“Well!” Kristina demanded, throwing both hands up in the air to distract the women from the squirrel. “Can I hang out with you guys or not? Just ’til tomorrow…or whenever this whole moon-thing is over?”
“Yes,” Ciopori said with emphasis, “and when the ceremony is over, if you would like, you can come back to the farmhouse for the remainder of the night.”
Kristina grimaced, ostensibly remembering her time as a pseudo-captive in Marquis’ lair.
“Or she can stay with me and Lucien at the Victorian, near the hot springs,” Vanya offered. “No telling what time Saber will be home, but I would certainly welcome the company.”
“Very well,” Ciopori said, “then it’s all settled.” She extended her hand to Vanya, who accepted it gracefully and took an immediate step to the left, even as Ciopori took two measured steps to the right. Then both females drew closer to Kristina, until they ultimately linked both hands around her waist and pinned her inside an oblong circle, in the center of their arms.
“Kneel,” Ciopori said, without preamble.
Kristina cocked an eyebrow and drew back her chin as if suddenly feeling claustrophobic. “Excuse me?”
“A spell,” Vanya explained.
“For protection,” Ciopori clarified.
“We may not be able to tell our mates, the sentinels, or the king…quite yet,” Vanya continued, “but we can place a protective ward around your body…your anima. The spell will hold until tomorrow at dawn, and should you feel fear, or an overwhelming sense of dread, the spell will trigger a psychic alarm of sorts. The signal will be broadcast instantly to your brothers and the sentinels. They will know your location. They will be promptly aware of the letter, the card, and the flowers…”
“Non-negotiable,” Ciopori added. “They will be able to see through your eyes, hear through your ears, and feel through your senses, and they will also be able to track you…to find you, unerringly.”
Kristina’s fair skin flushed a pale shade of pink. “Shit,” she whispered. “You can do all that?”
“We insist,” Ciopori said.
“’Tis our price for the secrecy you ask of us.” Vanya smirked, then winked.
Kristina’s heart-shaped lips curved up in a smile, and her bright blue eyes shone with warmth.
At last, Ciopori thought, she gets it. Of course she is loved and always protected.
“Thank you,” Kristina said humbly. Then she slowly lowered her body to the ground and placed one knee, covered in a sheer stocking, in the dirt, albeit gingerly. “I hope someone did this for Braden too,” she murmured absently.
At this, Ciopori released Vanya’s hand and stroked Kristina’s hair maternally, allowing her fingers to play along a lock of loosely curled red tresses before it fell away and linked, once more, with Vanya’s. “The most powerful beings in the house of Jadon will have their eyes on Braden this night, and even the celestial gods will be watching. But if
it will calm your spirits and bolster your faith, we will say a prayer for Braden, also. We will ask Monoceros, his ruling lord, to look after him; we will beseech our own lineage, the goddess Cygnus, to defend him; and we will ask the Millenia Harvest Moon to shine down favor upon him.”
Kristina opened her mouth to reply, but her utterance was too hushed to discern.
Nonetheless, Ciopori got it—
And so did Vanya…
Whatever was happening between Kristina and Braden, whatever the Millenia Harvest Moon would bring to the latter, their fates were inextricably intertwined. For all intents and purposes, Braden Bratianu and Kristina Riley Silivasi were already mated, as friends…as sojourning souls, and whatever befell one would befall the other.
Chapter Seven
The Valley of Spirit & Light
Deep inside the midnight void—a cross-shaped cluster of northern stars within the remains of the Veil Nebula—Cygnus, the Swan, spread her golden wings and peered into the turquoise-blue ocean of living water beneath her. As her waist-length, snow-white hair fell across one shoulder, the glistening pure silver highlights reflected off the tranquil sea, and her bright silver eyes narrowed ever so slightly.
Lord Monoceros, sensing her unease, placed a strong but gentle hand on her shoulder. “Your ancestors pray,” he said softly. “The females of your lineage beseech your favor.”
“All the valley prays,” Lord Pegasus added, having ventured from his home amidst the Globular Cluster to visit the god and goddess at the pristine shore, several short clusters beyond Cygnus’ palace.
“Well,” Cygnus mused, “they are rightfully concerned about Braden.” She smiled then, regarding Monoceros’ hand with a sweep of silken lashes. “Your chosen son is now a wise and powerful, full-grown male, even if he does not fully realize it.”
“Indeed,” Monoceros said, “and I have made the forest ready.”
She nodded before shifting her gaze back to Pegasus, who now kneeled on the sand beside her. “And the protection you provided, Lord Pegasus, when Dario converted the child has served him well these past twelve years.”
