by Ibanez, Dawn
Dori pulled away from Jimmy and went over to a small window box. She pulled out what looked like golden statue and returned to his side. “Grandpa sent this to me. He said to give this to you right before Death starts knocking on your door.”
Jimmy accepted the figurine and examined it. It was shaped like a dragon caught in flight. “This is one of them, isn’t it?”
Tsukiko looked at Jimmy with dark eyes. “A wise man never seeks war,” she said simply. When he nodded to her, she turned back to her miso. “Are you and your friend staying?”
Jimmy turned his eyes to Dori and slowly shook his head. “I have to keep up the search for Madison, but I’ll come and see you soon. Alright, Sweetheart?” he asked.
Dori smiled and nodded. “Then I can show you my collection of stars,” she said before giving him a hug. “I’m going to go practice my dance now. Bye, Daddy. Bye, Uncle Sloane,” she said before running down the hall and up the stairs.
Sloane looked between Tsukiko and Jimmy before shaking his head. “You have got to be kidding me,” he said with a sigh.
Tsukiko ignored him and looked at Jimmy. “She has started having dreams. Last night they were so horrid that I had to sedate her. Your family needs to stay away until after the blood has been spilled. That will be the only way she can have peace.”
Jimmy pinched the bridge of his nose at the thought of not seeing Dori for possibly weeks. “It might not be that simple,” he said darkly. When she folded her arms over her chest he shook his head. “I just found out that my great-aunt was an Oracle. So she’ll be getting the power from both sides,” he snapped. When Tsukiko looked away from him, he growled. “You knew?”
She turned her soup off and went in search of two bowls. “I told you that I wanted your family’s power. This shouldn’t shock you nearly as much as it is.”
Jimmy ran his hands over his face. Comments like that made him want to strangle her. He straightened and put the small dragon in his pocket. “I’m leaving. I’ll check on her soon.”
Tsukiko watched him as he left. Her eyes then turned to the man still standing in her kitchen. “Now would be a good time for you to tell the King that he will have to destroy the snake. Otherwise all will be lost.”
Sloane nodded slowly. “I’ll keep that in mind,” he said before locking eyes with Tsukiko. “And just so you know, once all of this is settled, that little girl is going to know the rest of her family.”
Tsukiko watched as he turned and walked out of her house as well. She knew that Jimmy’s family would circle around her daughter. Once this crisis was over, Dori was going to need as much of her family as she could get.
* * * * *
Sloane sat in the passenger’s seat of Jimmy’s car and closed the door. Over the years that he had been a part of the Maxwell family, he had seen more than his fair share of lies, secrets and scandals. One of the most entertaining follies was the first time Madison had gotten pregnant. Troy had gone off to California without a clue, but he ended up staying with Madison and Alex for a few weeks while they moved from their apartment to the estate she currently lived in. But to find out that Jimmy had a 10-year-old daughter was too much.
Jimmy glanced at him before starting his car and driving away. He knew it was only a matter of time before the rest of his family found out what he had done. “Whatever you’re going to say, just say it.”
There were too many things to say and Sloane knew it, but there was one thing that he needed to know before anything else. “Why keep her a secret?”
Jimmy inhaled slowly before answering. “Tsukiko thinks she knows what we’re like. She didn’t want to be overwhelmed with my family trying to always see Dori.” When Sloane snorted, he couldn’t help but smirk. He then shook his head and turned toward the highway. “She’s also grown up with people constantly trying to use and abuse her for her visions. To the few that go to her looking for answers, Dori is a little orphan that Tsukiko is raising. Only her family and I know the truth.”
Sloane looked out of his window and thought about the situation. “This is screwed up.” The idea of a little girl having visions of the future that were so hellish she had to be sedated, gave him chills. “But you have to let your family know. It’s only fair.”
“I know.” Jimmy tapped his fingers on the steering wheel as he drove. Things with Tsukiko had always been strange, but something about this visit put him on edge. “Mom’s going to have a fit,” he said suddenly.
Sloane nodded as he continued to watch the skyline. “And I’m going to sit back and watch. I’m debating on if I should record it.” He glanced at Jimmy and smiled. “This is the kind of thing that you could sell tickets to.”
Jimmy shook his head and laughed. “Truer words,” he said as Sloane’s cell phone started to ring. He kept his attention on the road as he tried to listen to the conversation his brother-in-law was having.
“Yes, this is Sloane.” Sloane fell silent as he started to play with the ring around his finger. Only news about Eric would make him play with it. “Yes. That’s great news. We’ll be right there.” When he closed his phone, he looked at Jimmy with tears in his eyes. “That was the hospital. It appears that there are signs that Eric is waking up.”
Jimmy glanced at Sloane’s face and smiled at the stunned expression the metal worker wore. He then changed lanes and motioned towards to Sloane’s phone. “So let’s head back to the hospital. While we’re on our way, you can call Mom, and give her the good news.”
Sloane wiped his eyes and laughed as he thought of the man he loved. Everything was still spinning out of control, but at least he would be able to have his husband back. Playful brown eyes looked at Jimmy as they headed towards the hospital again. “And you can explain to everyone that you have a 10 year old Japanese daughter.”
Chapter 5
“The last time I felt like this, a lot of people died,” Victor Solomon said lowly. The former king of the Vampires lifted his glass of wine to his lips and calmly took a sip. It wouldn’t do for him to upset the woman dining with him. Not when this was one of their rare special dates.
Jacquelyn Bristone smiled sadly at her father. “The last time you felt like this was when Mother was killed,” she said quietly. The expression he wore when he looked at her caused her to shrug. “It’s not hard to see, Father. When you care about someone, if anything that happens to them you take as a personal attack. Madison is your daughter in every way that matters. Naturally you want the beating hearts of the demons that dared to take her.”
Victor smiled at her vicious flare. “I doubt I am that extreme, Jacquelyn.” When she laughed, he chuckled. “Alright, maybe I am.” His laughter soon died as he thought of the chaos Madison’s family was going through. “She just had a baby. Little Aurora Maxine Davenport.”
“Claude told me of the baby. I didn’t think she was due so soon.” Jacquelyn leaned back in her chair and played with her wedding ring. “Madison’s pregnancy is part of the reason why I wanted to speak with you.” Jacquelyn raised determined emerald eyes to her father’s curious jade. “My next fertility cycle is coming. I told Claude and Claudia that I wanted to try for another child.”
That news was not a surprise. A female vampire went into her fertility cycle nearly every twenty-five years. After being forced to give Claudia up, it stood to reason that she would want to try again. “What was Claudia’s reaction?” Victor couldn’t care less what his son-in-law thought. His granddaughter was his main concern. It had taken her a long time to get over her feelings of abandonment.
Jacquelyn mused as she took a sip of her wine. “Claudia is being surprisingly supportive. She only asks that if history repeats itself that I send the baby to either her or you.” She smiled as he frowned. “And you and I probably both feel that she’s too young to care for a child.”
Victor looked a little less than amused. “If you and Claude decide to have another child, you will have my full support. However, I do not think this is the best time.” He took
note of how her shoulders fell and continued. “Claudia is a pleasant young woman and I am happy to call her my grandchild. However, for whatever reason, you still have not realized the damage your abandonment caused her. I would not wish for you to do that to another child.”
“What happened to Claudia wasn’t my fault,” Jacquelyn argued.
“I never said it was.” Victor sipped his wine as he tried to think of what to tell his daughter. “Our actions, however well intentioned, have potentially disastrous consequences. Not only for the child, but for your own health as well.”
She was silent as she thought over his words. “There are times when I hate you,” she whispered.
He gave her a small smile, knowing that she would think over what he said, yet still do exactly what she wanted. Before he could comment further, his cell phone started to ring. A frown crossed his face when he saw one of the Maxwell sons calling him. “Pardon me, Sweetheart,” he said before lifting the phone to his ear. “This is Victor.”
“I’m sorry to disturb you while you are away, but you need to come back home,” Jimmy Maxwell told him simply. “We were told that, ‘now would be a good time to tell the King that he will have to destroy the snake.’”
Victor frowned. “What Oracle told you this?”
“Tsukiko Himura.”
Victor looked at his daughter and pressed his lips together. He would have to cut their visit short. “Where would you like for me to meet you?”
“We’re all heading to Eric’s room right now. The hospital called. Eric is showing signs of waking up.”
“I shall be there within the hour.” As he disconnected the phone call, he looked at his daughter. “As I have said, if you want to have another child, I will stand beside you. But before you rush into anything, think about the past and what has happened.” He stood and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “I will return when I am able,” he said softly. “Until then, feel free to use the family jet to go to Germany. Claudia is missing home again.”
* * * * *
He had to be more than just a Mage. Lily was sure of it. Even fully clothed, watching Barry move heavy boxes from one room to another was slow torture. She could see the way his muscles flexed under the cloth. If she didn’t know any better, she would swear he was teasing her.
Barry grunted as he put the final box on the floor. “These boxes are way too heavy for just books,” he announced as he dusted his hands off.
A single drop of sweat eased out from behind his ear. Lily’s eyes were riveted as the single bead slowly trailed down his neck and into his shirt. She blinked rapidly as he cleared his throat. The knowing smirk on his face made her blush. “What?” she challenged.
His smirk grew into a full smile as he sat on the sofa. “Nothing,” he said innocently. “You just look a little peckish, that’s all.”
Lily’s face felt like it was on fire. “I’m fine,” she countered. “There’s another few weeks before I should feed again, so no. I’m not hungry or peckish.”
Barry reached over and grabbed her hand. He frowned when he saw how badly she was trembling. “What’s going on Lily?” he asked seriously.
She allowed him to pull her forward and sat next to him. As she gazed into his deep brown eyes, she chewed nervously on her lip. “I don’t know what’s happening,” she confessed. She ran her fingers through her hair and took a restless breath. “For whatever reason, all I want to do is sit back and watch you move. Then when that isn’t enough, I want to get close to you.”
He fought a smile as he reached forward and played with a lock of her hair. “Are you trying to tell me you’re attracted to me?” he asked. When her eyes narrowed, he laughed. “Come on Lily. I think we’ve been attracted to each other since the day we met. At least I was. This isn’t anything new.”
“That’s just it. It is new to me.” She jumped to her feet and started to pace across the living room. Lily’s eyes stayed focused on the floor as she moved back and forth. She didn’t think she could deal with seeing the shock in his eyes. “I’m a Succubus. Sex is nothing new to me. But I have to have it. When I get hungry, I see a guy, or girl, we get together and that’s it. Usually, I don’t see them again. I never wanted to spend time with them.” She ran her hands through her hair and let out another restless breath. “I shouldn’t want to spend time with you either. But I do. I want to know if you and I can be more than bed partners.”
Barry stood and put his hands on her shoulders. When she looked at him, he gave her a playful smile. “You have to admit, we were really hot bed partners,” he joked. When she frowned, his shoulders fell. “Lily, it was a joke.”
She broke away from his hold with a growl. “I barely remember what happened that night and I feel like I was cheated,” she admitted. Before he could say anything else that would embarrass her, she reached up and kissed him. A soft moan left her as his arms came around her and pulled her close.
He smiled as she slid her arms around his neck. With ease, he lifted her against his body, only to groan when her legs came up and wrapped around his waist.
Lily couldn’t help herself. For the first time she knew what girls meant when they talked of butterflies and magic when they kissed someone. She was nearly giddy when he fell back onto the sofa. She wanted to have him again, and this time her hunger wouldn’t get in her way.
Just as she started to reach for his belt, Barry’s phone started to ring. Lily stiffened as she pulled away from Barry’s kiss. Stunned green eyes turned to his as she bit her bottom lip. Reality started to crash down on her again.
Barry saw the look in her eyes and grabbed her hand. “We’re okay,” he said as he reached into his pocket with his free hand. He frowned when he saw Jimmy’s name on the screen. “What’s up?”
Lily pulled her hand away from Barry and climbed off of his lap. She wrapped her arms around her middle as she sat next to him thinking about what they had almost done.
Barry took her hand again and gave her a soft smile. “I’m at Lily’s, why?” His eyes widened when he heard his brother’s answer. “Are you serious? Yeah, we’ll be ready in a minute.” He quickly ended the call and gave Lily a bright smile. “Eric’s starting to wake up.”
Lily’s eyes started to widen. Eric had been in a coma for the past nine months. The smile that started to cross her face fell when she looked into Barry’s eyes. “He’s going to be fine,” she said softly.
A frown crossed his face as he caressed her cheek. “Yeah, but that’s not going to change anything between us, is it?” he asked lowly. When she lowered her head, he moved closer to her. “Lily?”
She closed her eyes tightly as her confession spilled from her lips. “I’ve never had a boyfriend, Barry.” In his shocked silence, she pushed her hair back away from her face. “I can be with thousands of people, but I have never once had a real relationship.” She shot to her feet and started to pace again. “And that’s what I want.”
He leaned back and watched her. “You want a real relationship?” he questioned.
“I want to go on dates. I want to have a door opened for me. I want flowers and picnics, and all the crap that Lacey’s books say that are supposed to happen.” Her shoulders fell as she looked out of the widow of her apartment. “I want to be able to say “he’s my boyfriend” in public.” A frown crossed her face as she spotted Jimmy’s car pulling up to her building. “But you’re not someone that could give me that,” she said quietly.
Barry frowned deeply as he thought about her words. “What do you mean?” he asked lowly.
She shook her head. “I don’t want to fight with you Barry,” she said in a tired voice. “I want to settle down, you don’t. There’s nothing to be ashamed of. We just want different things.”
“Where’s your coat, Chica?” The door to the apartment sprang open to reveal Sloane adjusting the collar to his own coat. “Eric’s waking up and you’re going to be there!” he announced as he walked in. He froze when he saw Barry sitting on her sofa. “Am I i
nterrupting?” he asked lowly.
Lily shook her head as she went over to where she left her and Barry’s coats. Ever since the night she spent with Barry, she knew Sloane wouldn’t like him hanging around her. “No,” she said quickly. When Sloane looked at her, she pasted a smile on her face. “No, Barry was just helping me move a few things around.”
Barry pressed his lips together for a moment. He looked at Sloane and faked a smile of his own. “Yeah, Lily and I were just talking about what we want in life.”
Sloane’s eyebrow arched. “Really? I’m sure Lily told you she wanted a family. A husband that would love her and not just try to jump her bones whenever he wanted.”
“Not in so many words, but yeah.” Barry slid his own coat on and watched as she grabbed her purse from the front closet.
“So you’ll understand when your games don’t work?”
Barry looked into Sloane’s eyes and for the first time since they were teenagers, wanted to hit him. “And you’ll understand if I ignore you and take my girlfriend to see my brother,” he said before stepping around him and offering his hand to Lily.
Jade eyes were wide as she looked at his outstretched hand. “Barry,” she started. Her voice trailed when he stepped closer to her.
“I can’t promise you a happily ever after,” he said in a whisper. “But I will try. Give me that chance, Baby.”
Lily looked at his hand for a long moment. Her heart was screaming at her to take the chance with him. Her head was filled with warnings from everyone in his family to be careful when dealing with him. She raised her eyes to his face and saw the honesty in his eyes. He wasn’t trying to just get into her bed again. This time he wanted to get to know her. And that was something she could not pass up. “Okay.”
Chapter 6
Crispin sat in his study quietly examining the security tapes from the hospital. It was easy to recognize the woman that took Madison. He dealt with the King of the Fae enough times to know exactly who his niece was. The lovely Siobhan had to be Conquest. Which meant at least two seals were in enemy’s clutches. He leaned back in his chair and watched as the blonde princess wheeled Madison into the elevator and virtually disappeared.
