“What is the legacy? I guess I thought it was just an inheritance, whatever money you’ve managed for Mom.”
“It is, but it’s so much more too. Some of it you may never understand, let alone use, but it’s your birthright. Know that many have died trying to possess Isis’s legacy, and there will be people who will try to use you, in order to wield the legacy for themselves.”
“In other words, trust no one.” Alrik’s said in an iron voice.
“But us, of course,” Daire added.
Ms. Talbott looked steadily at me. “And me.”
“The four musketeers.” Letting a grin spread, I nodded, acknowledging each of them. “You said more Blood will come. How am I to know which ones to trust?”
“Blood will come to your call, yes.” Alrik tightened his arm around my shoulders and I felt a heaviness in his bond. Hesitation, though honest. “But not all Blood…”
He blew out a sigh and looked at Daire for help.
“Not all Blood are as perfect as us?”
Ms. Talbott choked back a laugh. “Well, I’m sure you’re perfectly delightful Blood in every way, but I think what he’s trying to say is that not all Blood will come because they love you. Or because they honestly want to protect you. Some will come for power. Others will come because their current queen ordered them to.”
My eyes widened. “Wait, what? Like spies? For other queens?”
She tipped her head. “It’s very common at court, certainly. Every queen has eyes and ears on the others.”
Now I felt stupid. Really stupid. I thought Alrik and Daire had come to me to love and protect me. That all who came would be like them. We’d make love and feed each other, laugh and play games and go places…
Alrik cupped my cheek, turning my face to him. “We shall do all those things and more, my queen. And the Blood you want to keep will also love you. It’s not a stupid or naive thought at all.”
“If a Blood comes that I don’t like, or doesn’t feel right, do I have to accept him?”
“Not just males. There are female and non-gendered Blood. And no, you don’t. If another queen is sending the Blood as a gift, then there will be consequences if you refuse, but you’re not obligated to share your blood with anyone but whom you choose.”
I hadn’t been doing this for long, but already, I knew one thing. Power rose in me, lending weight to my words. “I won’t take a Blood that I don’t love, and who doesn’t love me. I won’t give someone I don’t trust access to my mind and heart and power. I don’t care who that ticks off. I won’t do it.”
Both Alrik and Daire ducked their heads. “As my queen orders, so it shall be.”
“Take the legacy,” Ms. Talbott said softly, drawing my attention back to her. “Claim what’s yours, Your Majesty.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
Alrik
Hearing my queen say that she wouldn’t take a Blood that she didn’t love was an unexpected, glorious boon from Isis herself.
After years of serving as a minor sib, I was eager for power, yes. I was eager for royal blood. Hot for the queen’s body. Fuck yeah.
Then Shara called me in the night and I wanted her, and her alone. For all time. It was just… right. I had no doubts or hesitations in coming to her side. I’d do whatever I had to do to keep her safe. Kill. Lie. Cheat. Steal.
Make love to her, and her other Blood, however she wished. I could not fucking wait.
Few Blood were as lucky as Daire and I right now. Blood might be bonded to a queen, and they had the power given to them by her blood, sure. Maybe even semi-regular fucking. But a powerful queen had many Blood to entertain her. The jostling and planning and backstabbing to get to the queen’s bed could be more brutal than a gladiator’s fight.
Of course the alternative was just as unattractive. No one wanted to serve a weak queen who had few Blood, even if that meant they had easy access to her blood and bed. Weak queens were absorbed into larger nests, and became queen-sibs to the more powerful queens. We had another name for that kind of queen.
Pawn.
So the chances that a queen would actually love her Blood…
A motherfucking rarity.
Shara looked at the box and gnawed on her bottom lip. My dick went rock hard. “How do I claim the legacy?”
Ms. Talbott pointed to the upturned hand of the goddess engraved on the box. “Press your thumb into the cup she’s holding, and make your offering.”
The cup was made from a slightly rounded golden disk, with a tiny spike at the center that wasn’t noticeable if you didn’t know to look for it. Shara did as she asked, a soft sigh escaping her lips at the prick to her thumb. Instantly, I smelled her blood. My mouth watered, and Daire made a low, rumbling purr of hunger.
“Steady, boys,” Ms. Talbott laughed, shaking her head.
Shara’s scent rose higher, blood and sex and moonlit pools, sparkling sands and flowering jasmine. I quivered, fighting the urge to haul her against me and bury my fangs in her throat. Or better yet, beg her to test whether her fangs had come in yet on me.
The box clicked and an edge appeared all around the top. A hush fell in the room, so quiet I could hear her heart beating.
With trembling hands, she reached out and removed the top of the box. All three of us leaned closer to get a better look.
The inside of the box was lined in carnelian, painstakingly cut into thin, flat pieces. Four cannisters sat inside the box, each carved with a different lid.
“Are they… burial jars? I can’t think what the name is,” Shara said.
“Canopic jars, and no, they’re not,” Ms. Talbott answered. “Those came to represent the four sons of Horus. These are unique. If you showed them to a Egyptologist, he’d say they were fakes despite their obvious age. They have the wrong lids. Some say these represent Her four daughters, though you probably won’t find much about them except for Bastet and Ammit.”
Shara stretched out her index finger but didn’t actually touch the beautifully carved cat on top of the nearest jar. Another bore a hooded cobra with impossibly long pointed fangs. “Not Her daughters. They’re pieces of Herself. Her… gifts.”
“These are the truths revealed by the blood of the goddess that runs in your veins.”
Shara leaned back against me and shivered slightly, so I wrapped my arm around her, pulling her into my warmth. “What do I do with them?”
“You need do nothing with them. The power associated with Isis’s gifts is already yours to command. These are merely representations, or maybe talismans would be a better word. This is your legacy, passed down through thousands of years. She’s here in these jars, because She is in you. She is you. In your case, wholly you, because She has no other heirs left.”
“I’m not her. I’m not… a goddess.”
“Yes, you are,” I said firmly, pressing my lips to Shara’s head. “You’re She. Isis incarnate.”
“I’m Shara,” she said firmly, burrowing tighter into my embrace.
“Yes,” I whispered, breathing in my scent. “Shara. Isador. Last living daughter of Isis. Last to carry Her blood on this earth. In that regard, you are Isis.”
“And that’s why they will want you dead.” Ms. Talbott picked up the lid of the box, holding it out to Shara. An old leather book was strapped inside. “Your family history, plus some surprises your ancestors left behind. Just in case. It’s a sort of Isador Book of Shadows.”
Shara unbuckled the leather straps holding the book in place and took it. “Have you read it?”
“Absolutely not. I’d probably catch on fire if I tried to touch any of it. Though I have seen the legacy opened twice.”
“Mom and…?”
“Her sister.” Ms. Talbott placed the lid back on the box and covered it. Then she opened up her briefcase and pulled out a thick manila folder. “Now, let’s go over a few things—”
“I have an aunt?”
Her mouth tightened and she shook her head. “No. It’s complicated. Selena
’s sister is no more.”
Shara stared at her a moment. “You can’t say her name.”
Ms. Talbott gave her a small, sad smile and inclined her head. “Your Majesty, if we may proceed, I’d like to show you the rest of your legacy. This side, financial. As you can see, you’re an extremely wealthy young woman.”
Shara turned her head to me. “Do you know who my aunt was?”
I shook my head. “Sorry, no, I never heard that tale. Daire, do you know?”
“Nope.”
I could feel her curiosity burning in our bond. Curiosity that might get her into trouble… or worse, hurt. “If Ms. Talbott is under a geas not to say your aunt’s name, or tell anyone about her, then you must ask yourself who would do such a thing? Who would want her silenced?”
“The Triune,” she whispered. “But why? First, Mom abandons everything she knows, including her power, and lives like a human. And now I hear I have an aunt that Mom never mentioned. What am I getting myself into here?”
“Aima court games.” Daire said. “It’s like a snake’s den, crocodile watering hole, and cock fight all at the same time.”
“Sounds terrible.”
“It is,” Ms. Talbott agreed. “And please, call me Gina. That’s one of the greatest benefits to being so far from court. We can just be ourselves. There’s no strict rules of procession and titles that we must go by.”
“So says the woman who curtsied and called me ‘Your Majesty.’”
Gina laughed. “Guilty as charged. Now please, Shara,” she said with emphasis, “take a look at your accounts. Everything’s in order.”
Shara glanced at the top paper and shuffled through several pages. Froze. Then went back to the first page. “Really? That’s what I’m worth? Is that even a real number?”
“Indeed it is. The Isador legacy is massive. It’s been accumulating for thousands of years, expanding and changing over the years. I’ve worked with my team to keep your investments well diversified, mostly conservative, and you’re still worth more than the Queen of England and Bill Gates put together.”
Which pissed me off all over again. “Shara should have been wrapped in luxury her entire life, rather than starving, homeless, and scared.”
“I know.” Gina leaned forward and reached out to touch Shara’s knee. “I hate that so many things went wrong. I hate that I wasn’t able to help you when you needed help the most. And if there’s anything I can do now, no matter how small, that’s my job, and my pleasure. I live to serve you and house Isador.”
Shara placed her hand over Gina’s and smiled. “It’s not your fault that I had no idea all this existed. Thanks for taking care of everything for so long.” She looked at me and Daire, her face softening. “I know it makes you angry, but I’m sort of glad I had these past years alone. It was awful at times—but I also learned how to be on my own, how to protect myself, and how to live in the real world with very few resources or help. I have a feeling I’m going to need all those skills and more to deal with the Triune.”
Gina spent the next hour going over bank and credit cards, how to access her money at any time with a phone call, and then made arrangements to get her passport picture taken. “Can you drive? Or do you have the desire to learn?”
“I took driver’s ed in school before I left, but I never got my license. I could use a refresher.”
“Your mother’s car is in the garage. I’ll arrange a private instructor.” Gina laid out a set of keys. “These are spares, in case you can’t find hers. We’ve had it serviced regularly and the tank is full. Will you be living here?”
She looked around the room and then settled her gaze on me. “What do you think?”
“Daire and I will explore the exterior, see how defensible the house is. I saw the salt walking in, but that doesn’t mean the whole house is safe.” I listened to her bond, sorting through her emotions. She was a bit numb from all the bombshells and exhausted. Rest would be ideal before she had to make any decisions. Deeper, though, I sensed sadness, and even fear. No matter how safe we made this house, she’d always remember her parents had died here. I didn’t think she’d want to make this place her permanent nest. “Daire, why don’t you start the inspection. I’ll make some dinner. Gina, will you stay?”
“Thank you, but no.” Gina stood, so Shara did too, and I stood with my queen. “I’m sure you’re exhausted and you need time to sort things through without a stranger to interfere. My card is in the folder, and…” She set a cell phone on the table and then snapped her briefcase closed. “My number is already programmed in. Call me day or night. It doesn’t matter how minor the question or need, Your Majesty. I’m at your disposal.”
Shara hugged her. Surprise flickered over Gina’s face, then teary affection and gratitude. “Thank you for everything.”
Gina sniffed as she pulled back and gathered her things. “No, thank you, Shara. I’m so honored to work for you. I’ll leave the legacy with you for now, but it doesn’t have to stay in your presence to give you power. I thought you might like to have access to it for a few days.”
Shara glanced at the four jars warily, as if they might come alive and bite her. “Are they safe to touch and handle?”
“Of course. They’ve survived thousands of years, dozens of wars, and even queen fighting queen to possess. I doubt you could break one of the jars if you tried. But when you’re finished with them, I’ll put them back in the safe. I also have a large amount of Isador jewelry stored for you. When you want to examine or take any of it, please let me know.”
“Should I hide it somewhere in the house?” Shara put the lid back on the box and the lines disappeared, making it look like one seamless block of wood again. “I don’t think we have a safe here. I guess I could lock it in the safe room.”
“You don’t feel it, since the legacy is yours.” Gina covered the box with the white blanket, tucking it over the old book on the coffee table. “But I’ve been told there’s an overwhelming sense of dread and danger that anyone else feels when they come close to it. For someone to mess with it, they’d have to get through the locked gates and doors, bypass your Blood, and then overcome the legacy’s own protections to take it. Even if they took it, they wouldn’t be able to open it. So I see no reason you can’t just leave it here until you’re ready for me to return it to the safe with your jewels.”
We saw her out, and after I shut and locked the front door, she stood in the entry way, looking a little lost. She hugged herself, looking around as if she’d never seen the house before, yet recognized every room. I took her hand and kissed her knuckles. I smelled a hint of blood, and so turned her hand until I found her thumb that she’d pricked to open the legacy. I licked the dried smear from her skin, and even that small taste made hunger twist like a knife in my stomach.
She stepped closer, linking her arms around my neck, and laid her head on my chest. I held her, giving her all my strength and comfort through the bond.
“It’s… weird. To be here, I mean, in my parents home, without them. There’s a lot of memories here, both good and bad. But mostly bad. It’s easy to forget all the good times, you know?”
“Yeah.” I tightened my arms, determined to wipe the many years of fear and loneliness from her memory. “So let’s work hard on creating some new good memories.”
Daire
Even in broad daylight, my cat prowled beneath the surface. I could almost feel its fur beneath my skin, rolling and swishing like a tail.
I paced the exterior of the house, checking all windows and access points. Ms. Talbott’s crew knew what they were about. A thick line of salt encircled the entire house in safety. The windows were all original leaded glass, full of minerals and impurities that thralls wouldn’t easily break through. A solid wrought iron fence surrounded the yard, with tight, locked gates.
I accidentally stepped on one of the border plants, and smelled garlic. An usual planting for sure, but another deterrent. Thorny rose bushes added to the defenses
.
Solid brick, wrought iron, salt. Not impenetrable, but definitely difficult for one of the thralls to get through without causing itself damage.
I paused, looking up at the house. It had that old-world mansion feel, but somehow I couldn’t see Shara here. I’d be surprised if she wanted to make a nest here, but the choice was hers. I’d live in an off-grid hut in Alaska as long as she was there.
I was tempted to open a vein and line the property with my blood as an extra warning. But I didn’t want to waste my blood if she wanted it. She hadn’t fed today.
I didn’t need to search for her bond. She glowed like moonfire in my mind, spinning rainbows and light into the darkest corners. She didn’t like being back in the house much. So I definitely wasn’t going to mark the entire property with my blood.
Hurrying back to her side, I found them in the kitchen. She sat on the center island watching Rik at the stove. She looked so fucking adorable, swinging her legs, still in her leather jacket that she’d been so excited to get. Fucking made me want to buy her something every single day just to see her smile like that again.
That was better than beating the shit out of no one in particular to get the rage out of my head that she’d been denied so much for most of her life. The welcoming smile on her lips pulled me in like a ceaseless tide. I wrapped an arm around her and tucked my nose against her throat.
“Smells good,” and I didn’t mean just the food.
“Alrik said he’s never seen a better-stocked refrigerator. It looks like a grocery store in here. A high-end crazy grocery store. It’s a good thing he didn’t ask me what I wanted him to make because I wouldn’t have any idea.”
I didn’t meet Rik’s gaze for fear that both of us would spontaneously combust with fury. I didn’t want to think about the nights she hadn’t had enough to eat. Or the fact that she didn’t have more than a single backpack of possessions. “Whatever he makes will be good, I promise you that.”
Queen Takes Knights (Their Vampire Queen Book 1) Page 9
