“When you decide to climb down off that pedestal and admit you need help, you know how to find me.” Daric pulled his wallet out of his pocket and took a card out. His fingers brushed hers as he handed it to her.
She ignored the shiver that ran down her back, and put the card in her back pocket without looking at it. For some reason, she was keenly aware of the feel of it through her jeans. She didn’t even protest that it was the second one he’d given her.
“Scion.” Daric bowed his head slightly, in mock salute.
She didn’t like how he said the word. Like it was the lowest title he could think of, instead of the highest.
Daric opened a travel portal. She could see her favorite coffee shop in Philly, PJ’s, wavering in the glow of street lights. She had a sudden, intense longing for a cup of coffee and a quiet corner. If only she could put life on pause for just a moment. But the place was closed this late at night.
He stepped through the portal, then closed it behind him, leaving her alone in the damp space.
She stared at the air where the portal had been, as if staring could bring it back. She’d let Daric leave thinking she was a spoiled, selfish brat. It was for his own good, but it didn’t feel so great. She didn’t want him to think that way about her. She wanted him to like her, more than she cared to admit. She scolded herself for allowing hormones to overrule her judgment. It’s not like she was allowed relationships. She was Scion, a breeding machine for the good of the magical society. She wasn’t allowed to form attachments.
Somewhere deep inside her a voice whispered, “Why not?”
“Because it’s my duty.” She said the words out loud. Even to herself, her voice sounded flat.
She stared down at her name on the floor. Why was her name here, hidden in dirt? A sort of “come and get me” tease? Why was the demon taunting her? How would he know she’d even find it?
Her brilliant plan of checking Chester’s house had turned out to be a dud. She’d found nothing but the remnants of a dead girl’s last moments and lost a bit more magic for her trouble. She had no idea what her next move should be. The demon wanted control of her and the throne. If she could figure out exactly why he wanted those things, maybe she could stop his attack from another angle.
She had one giant dead end and a ritual pushing her right into another. Daric was right. She needed a plan.
She took one last look at her name scrawled in the dust, then made a portal to her bedroom. The back of her neck pulsated as she used that small bit of magic. She rubbed at it, then snatched the Popsicle down from the beam she’d balanced it on, and stepped through the portal.
Chapter 17
Calliope stared at her as she stepped out of the portal into her bedroom. Her sister’s frown filled the room with disapproval, but Calliope had never been one to stop at just a dirty look.
“I thought you said you’d be right back. It’s been two hours, Tari.”
“It took longer than I thought.”
“You sure know how to make Mother angry. And you got a whole group of Sentinels in trouble.” Calliope looked at her. “You look like you rolled in dirt. What happened?”
“Nothing.” She put a hand on her neck. Now that she was back in the House, the tracer had settled down. And she was starving.
“What’s wrong?”
“Let’s get this stupid thing over with.”
“You aren’t wearing that, are you?” Calliope looked appalled at the idea. In her soft blue skirt and white blouse she looked like one of the flowers in the mural above the bed.
Tarian glanced down at her clothes. Dust coated her jeans. Her boots were scuffed. Her tank top had some sort of stain on it. The jacket looked fine.
“What’s wrong with it? It’s who I am.”
Calliope crossed her arms and tapped a foot.
Tarian opened the door and stepped out into the hallway. Twelve Sentinels stood at attention. Two more, along with Advisor Jonus, stood at the end of the hallway. She started toward him, her boots clunking their way down the hallway.
She heard her sister’s dainty footsteps behind her and slowed down to let her catch up.
“Really, Tari. You could at least take a shower.”
“I’m putting an end to this farce, Calli. I have bigger problems.” She rubbed the scar on her arm. By the time the Potentials were officially chosen, she’d be a puppet or…she stopped that line of thinking.
“I have an outfit ready, you know.”
“You sound hurt.”
“I put a lot of effort into it.”
“I’ll tell you what, Calli. If I find the demon and kill him, then I’ll wear it without complaint. I’ll even smile.”
“Tari.” Calliope put a hand on her arm to stop her. “We’ll get through this together.”
She turned on her sister. “That’s just it, Calli. I don’t want you to get through this. I don’t want anyone to have to deal with this mess.” Her voice rose to echo the frustration she felt. “The demon wants to use me. I might not know exactly why, but I can guess, and it’s not healthy for anyone around me. I’m not letting it happen. I need to kill him. Or…” she stopped, seeing her sister’s eyes grow wider.
“Or what, Tari?”
Tarian started walking again. She wasn’t going to spell it out. If she couldn’t kill the demon, then she needed to take herself out of the equation before he used her to hurt anyone else. It was as simple as that. Not that she relished suicide. But she’d do it to keep everyone safe. Especially her family.
After a moment, Calliope followed. They reached Advisor Jonus together. She could feel Calliope’s agitation rolling off her in palpable waves.
“Tari, what would stop him from coming after me? If you…if you weren’t here?”
She stopped mid step. What would stop him indeed. No doubt, if Tarian were gone they’d lock up Calliope in some sort of gilded cage and initiate the ritual on her, since she’d be the only surviving heir. But the demon had already proved he could get into the Cellar, which she’d have sworn was the most secure place on Earth. If he could get in there, he could go anywhere. No hiding place would keep her sister safe. Her mother would have the protection of the Dolphin Throne, which might be enough. But not her sister.
Her brilliant self-sacrifice rendered inconsequential, just like that. She sighed, and started walking again.
Advisor Jonus looked at the state of her jeans, his expression thoughtful, but made no comment.
“I suppose you think I’m underdressed too?”
Jonus bowed his head slightly. She could imagine her mother’s reaction, as well as a room full of men taking in the dirty jeans and disheveled hair.
She turned to her sister.
“It’s an impossible situation, isn’t it?”
Her sister pressed her lips together in a tight smile.
“Don’t you think it’s a bit hypocritical to pretend to be something I’m not?”
“You’re more than just your clothes, Tari. I think it’s rude to show up looking like this. They don’t know what’s going on. All they know is the Call went out and they want to impress you. They’ll all be dressed up in their best and nervous, besides. So be nice; impress them back. Think of it as a deposit in your karma bank account.”
Tarian sighed. It wasn’t these guys’ fault that she was locked into this ritual just when she had a demon trying to destroy her life. And she did have to complete the ritual with someone. Two someones, at least. How would she do that if she never met anyone else? She could pick someone else from her limited pool of friends, but it seemed like a stupid idea to fish those waters twice. She’d rather the next one be with someone she didn’t have to face every single day.
Or Daric Voltain.
“Fine. Whore me up.”
Calli bounded back down the hallway. “You head for the shower. I’ll get everything ready.”
They left Advisor Jonus staring after them. When she glanced back, she saw he hadn’t moved. He just watc
hed.
An hour later, Tarian stood in front of her full-length mirror and saw a stranger.
“I think you worked some serious magic here, Calli. Whoever this girl is, I hope she enjoys herself.” She shook her head and watched the girl in the mirror shake hers in response. Her sister giggled behind her.
“I didn’t use any magic at all. Well, not tonight, anyway. You are beautiful; you just don’t usually bother to show it.” She fluffed a stray bit of hair.
The pantsuit quite literally took Tarian’s breath away. She looked ready for the red carpet or maybe some intimate Hollywood after party. Calliope had used a silky black material that draped in a way that made every feminine curve demand attention. A red sash accentuated her waist, and a sweetheart neckline hugged her breasts. Calli had done her hair loose, and it spilled in soft curls over her shoulders. Diamond beads in her hair sparkled like water droplets against her auburn curls. The sleeveless design showed off the silver cuff on her upper arm.
“Some model should be wearing this on some runway somewhere.” She spun, liking the silky feel of the fabric against her skin.
“Well, who knows? Maybe someday they will.” Calliope smiled impishly.
“It’s not fair,” Tarian shook her head. “You are selling them someone else. I can’t live up to this image.”
“You already do, Tari. Don’t worry. Just try to think of it as speed dating or something. A lot of women would kill for the chance you will have, to pick and choose like this. To get to spend a night with a man without complications or commitments.”
“Except for the whole motherhood part, you mean.”
“A lot of women would kill for that part, too.”
“A lot of women. But not me.” Tarian stared at herself in the mirror. Who was she, really? Lucky. So far, her life had been all about luck. Born at the right time in history, to the right woman, in the right situation with the right power. Strength and power beyond most people’s wildest dreams, and yet what she really wanted was… She didn’t even know anymore. The demon had forced her to think about her life and then taken away the chance to do anything about it, in one swipe down her arm.
“What’s wrong, Tari?” Calliope put a soft hand on her arm.
“Besides the obvious, you mean?”
Her sister turned her around so they faced each other. “Something’s on your mind. Something new. So what is it? Is it Alex?”
“No. Nothing like that. I’m just thinking.”
“About?” Calliope tilted her head to the side. She had the look on her face like a terrier gets when it’s eyeing a bone.
“Just something Daric said.”
“Daric? The guy Frankie told me about?”
“Frankie told you?”
“Don’t deflect. What did Daric say?” Calliope folded her arms but maintained eye contact.
Tarian looked down at her outfit. “He seems to think I take foolish risks. That I don’t plan enough. I’m pretty sure he thinks I’m a spoiled brat.”
Calliope smiled, an impish little grin. “So he knows you that well already?”
“You think I’m a spoiled brat too?” She glared at her sister.
“Of course not. You’re an independent woman, Tari. One who usually doesn’t have to struggle much to get what she wants. I call it confidence, not spoiled. But he’s right about one thing.”
“What’s that?” She turned to look at herself in the mirror again.
“You do take risks. But I wouldn’t call them all foolish. Everybody makes mistakes. That’s how we learn. You’re learning; that’s all.”
“Yeah.” She shook her head. She met her sister’s gaze in the mirror. “But can I learn fast enough?”
Calliope squeezed her shoulders for an answer.
“We should get going.” Calliope opened the door and waited for her to leave first. Impulsively, she gave her sister a quick hug.
“Thanks, Calli,” she whispered to her sister.
Chapter 18
This time, when they met Advisor Jonus in the hallway, he smiled, but it didn’t reach his tired, puffy eyes.
“Not sleeping well, Jonus?” Tarian fell into step beside him on their way to the receiving hall, with Calliope on his other side.
“It’s quite troubling, the current events surrounding tonight’s festivities. I’ve been working with your mother on options, but I’m afraid so far we’ve yet to find any palatable ones.”
The news that her mother had been trying to solve the problem warmed Tarian’s insides. Maybe having some sort of conference with her mother and Jonus wasn’t a bad idea. They could create a plan together. She thought about it as they walked toward the reception, to distract herself.
The doors to the hall stood open, and the deep tones of male voices spilled out into the rotunda. Hundreds of male faces, each projecting a magical scent that fought for attention in her nose, greeted them as they entered. She had no idea there were this many men with magic talent in the region, much less this many interested in procreating with her. They all stared at her, and she could tell by the glints in their eyes that most were picturing the ritual as if it were their own private porn movie. She felt like a prize calf on display at a county fair. Get your meat right here, fellas! Plenty to go around!
Calliope took her hand, and they started to pick their way through the crowd. They pushed past men on both sides as they made their way down the walkway formed by a red floor runner. Long tables crowded them on both sides, and some of the men moved into the aisle ahead of them to either greet her or run her over, she wasn’t sure which. The smell of aftershave, ocean, and magic assaulted her from all sides. Tarian brushed her nose with the back of her hand to stem the flow but it didn’t help.
“I had no idea.” Calliope shook her head, her eyes wide as she was jostled from the left. Tarian helped her keep her balance.
“How did I get to be this popular?” Tarian pushed one man with particularly gropey hands out of the way.
Advisor Jonus signaled, and several of the Sentinels stepped in to clear a path for them. For once, she was grateful to be surrounded by guards.
“Advisor Jonus, you didn’t tell me the circus was in town.” Tarian couldn’t keep the bitterness out of her voice.
“Scion, I assure you I had no idea we would have this many answer the Call. Usually it’s no more than three dozen or so.”
“Oh, gee, only three dozen.” She looked around. There had to be triple that number in the room. It was a good thing this hall was more like a ballroom, or they’d never all fit.
The crowd resumed their conversations; the sound was a bee buzzing around her head that she just wanted to swat away.
“I can’t believe I agreed to come here.” She stared at the rune in the center as they passed over it. It still glowed. She assumed it would until she’d managed to procreate. Calliope squeezed her hand.
Through breaks in the crowd, Tarian saw a long table set up near the front of the room. Several leaders representing all four continental regions of the Northern Hemisphere, plus Hawaii, watched her progress. They looked eager and excited. She’d forgotten that they’d oversee the vetting of this initial wave of candidates.
With this many, the whole procedure would take weeks, if not months.
“I think I should thin the herd.” Tarian smiled mischievously at Calliope. Leaving her sister and Jonus behind, she pushed her way up to the head table. An older leader with a thick nose and gray hair, from the Western region if she remembered right, rose to greet her then stood dumbfounded as she climbed onto one of the chairs and finally onto the table, being careful not to step on any of the cutlery or empty china plates. She accidentally nudged a crystal goblet too hard and it fell over, rolling onto the floor. She watched it shatter, but couldn’t hear the sound over the low rumbling of male voices permeating the hall.
“Men, may I have your attention?” A few men nearest the table stopped talking to look at her eagerly. A few more noticed her standing up on the
table, and a general “shhhhh!” went through the audience until it was relatively quiet. All of the eyes in the room turned toward her, expectant, eager, greedy, lustful and a few other emotions she’d rather not notice. The leaders watched her with their mouths hanging open.
“I just want you to know I believe this ritual is antiquated and completely ridiculous.” Her voice rang out loud and clear in the now quiet hall. “I’m not a piece of meat here for your pleasure. If you’re imagining some sort of porn scenario in your head where you waltz in and have your way with me, you’d better leave right now. No matter what tradition dictates, I’ll be the one picking who I will and won’t sleep with. On the day of the so-called official ritual, the first one through the door that wasn’t handpicked by me will lose his manhood. Even if I did pick you, I’m liable to bite it off anyway. And I won’t pick anyone who can’t stand up to me in a fair fight. Arena style. So if you can’t fight, don’t bother.”
She was amused to see several men making for the exit as she climbed down off the table and back to the floor. Losers. Good riddance. She looked around to judge reactions and saw all of the leaders in a frenzied, whispered conversation. She caught sight of Alex laughing to her right. He winked, then gave her a thumbs-up sign. She grinned back. At least he wasn’t acting jealous. So far.
She looked more closely at him. He looked smug. He’d already been the first man through the door, and he very clearly hadn’t lost his manhood. She smiled to herself. Who knows, maybe she’d give a repeat performance. Just for him. Just in case she’d jumped the gun and their little romp was too early.
Heat trickled down her back like slow dripping water. She turned to see the Dolphin Throne casting a glow in her general direction. Soft clicks nudged her ears. Dolphin calls.
Low level rumbles filled the hall as the men resumed their conversations while she continued to stare at the throne.
“What’s it doing?” Calliope reached out to touch the throne but pulled back her hand as the glow reached her. The two of them watched as the glow encircled Tarian for a moment and then traveled out into the crowd of men, none of whom seemed to notice.
Demons & Djinn: Nine Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy Novels Featuring Demons, Djinn, and other Bad Boys of the Underworld Page 123
