by Alice Wade
“Stop looking at me with that face. We’d be in there for hours if you did. Go find your own tub and get cleaned up.” She ordered playfully before she put on a robe found in a pile in the corner and quickly left the room.
While he watched her, Dace’s heart raced. That throbbing pressure between his legs was back and announced his longing. He sighed loudly. All he wanted to do was posses her forever and never leave this room. Sadly, he was forced to watch as she walked out the door. He fixated on the sway of her hips beneath the skimpy robe. It was in moments like this that he realized just how hopelessly in love with her he was.
He thought about his conversation with Kailani, and started down a path that he wasn’t sure he was ready to venture yet. That path led him to contemplate making the same choice Kailani did, which would enable him be with Lainey forever.
He needed time to think on that. It was an irrevocable choice that could not be reversed. As Kailani had said, no one was asking him to make it and there was plenty of time to figure it out. Unless Kaen forced the issue and the time Dace needed to think this through was taken from him. Dace rubbed his face roughly at this. He didn’t want that to happen.
* * * *
The sound of feet echoed in the near empty room as Kailani paced nervously, waiting for Talon and Dace to finish talking behind closed doors in his office. Talon waited for two days to talk with Dace about his idea to bring elves here to help them fight the Dûr Falas. Her eyes returned again and again to the door where they were secluded while she battled her conflicting thoughts on this matter. A part of her really wanted Dace to say ‘no’, so Talon would find another way. Her logical side reasoned there was no other way, though. He would find a way to do it even if Dace denied him. That is what worried her.
Lainey watched this play out and couldn’t tolerate it any longer, “What am I missing Kailani? You are broadcasting your anxiety.” She lounged on the couch in the downstairs parlor, also waiting. She joined Kai after spending time reuniting with her friends. Dace was right, they welcomed her back warmly.
The petite vampire whirled in the direction of her voice, glaring with those intense molten eyes of hers. Her clothing choice today also reflected her mood; she was dressed head to toe in darker shades of crimson velvet which didn’t bode well. Instead of answering Lainey’s question, she stood there mute, glaring at her ward with a dangerous posture. Her inner voice immediately silenced, as her blocks were replaced. Still she offered no insight into what bothered her to the point of being sloppy in regards to broadcasting her nervousness.
“All right then. That’s fine. You don’t have to tell me. I’m sorry I asked.” Lainey said in annoyance and went back to watching the dust particles dance in the air currents in the room to pass the time.
The sound the small vampire released was full of such anguish. Kailani realized how rude that must have sounded and turned to her friend. She accepted that talking about this may just ease her discomfort on the matter and decided to take a chance. “It’s not that Lainey. I’m just not used to having others around to talk to.” She approached the couch and practically threw herself down as she sat. “Are you really interested?”
“I would not have asked if I were not.” Lainey said impartially. “No one is forcing you, though. I asked because I do care.”
Kailani waited for a moment. “This has to do with Talon’s history. Has he told you any of it?”
That piqued Lainey’s interest immediately, “No.”
“Interesting.” Her eyes opened in shock at that statement. He’d been training her and she would have thought he’d share something in that time. “Fine, where do I begin so this makes sense?” She closed her eyes to organize her thoughts that were tumbling wildly in her head, “All right. Talon is more than he appears. It shocked me when I found this out myself, but he is actually a prince or the equivalent in his culture.”
Lainey’s eyes nearly bulged out of her head, but she didn’t interrupt.
“He was the only son of Iondwë Daerwen,” Kailani struggled with saying the elven title because Talon’s native language was difficult to pronounce, “who has ruled the elven lands for millennia. Talon has four sisters, whom he never mentions, and his mother died delivering his last sibling. As the only son, he was favored by his father and expected to become something of a legend among his people because of his mastery of weapons. That all changed when he disobeyed an order not to venture into human lands. He did it out of arrogance and curiosity, a dangerous combination. He entered the forbidden realm and encountered the woman who sired him.” Lainey looked at the door quickly, and then continued, “That was over five hundred years ago.”
“You say ‘was’ like he died.”
“To Daerwen, he did.” Sadness crossed her face. She knew from being so intimately connected to him, that he had repressed feelings of disappointment over this. “Once his transformation was complete and the woman who converted him had her fill of playing with her new toy, she discarded him to fend for himself. This feeling of rejection and abandonment is the main reason he accepted you so quickly. He would not do that to another newborn. You should understand this honor, for he has only done this twice in his lifetime as a vampire. Once with a man named Warwick and now with you. He will never turn his back on you and never allow you to be alone—ever.”
Kai lost her train of thought for a moment and cleared her throat. “Anyway, Talon didn’t know what do to, so returned to the only place that was safe– he went home. The way he tells it, as he walked through his home city, the people that days before worshiped him ran screaming instead. They could clearly see the change that had irrevocably taken place.
“Daerwen was furious and threw horrible accusations at his son, branding him all sorts of wicked names and ultimately exiling him forever. His name was struck from their history and Talon’s world shattered. Once more, he was discarded and thrown out to fend for himself. He was told that if he ever stepped foot on elven lands again, his life was forfeit.”
Lainey was stunned. Talon? Exiled?
Kailani’s voice shook as her eyes remained on the closed door. A terrible pain reflected in her molten eyes, which were suddenly filled with tears. “He’s in there talking with Dace because he wants to go home.”
Lainey sat up. “What? Why? Would you go with him?” Cold tendrils of fear snaked through her stomach that she would be left behind.
“No, I can’t go with him, because I’m not allowed to go there.” Kailani whispered in a tone littered with pain. “He came to the conclusion a few days ago that the two of us are not strong enough to confront Kaen alone. We need help and he is going to ask his father for assistance.”
“But, what of the terms of the exile? He’ll be killed!” Now she understood Kailani’s anxiety and distress.
“Yes, he probably will.” The moisture in her eyes finally spilled over. Lainey was rocked hard seeing her female guardian weep, without the knowledge of how to comfort her.
“You have to stop him. He can’t go.”
“I’ve tried. I have no good argument other than I’m terrified to walk this world without him.” Kailani was consumed in Lainey’s arms while the young vampire rocked her gently trying to ease the terror radiating from her in unblocked waves.
“This is insanity. Why does he think his father will help him?” Lainey was so confused and needed to understand, for this was absolute foolishness.
“Talon believes it is very simple. One of the vampires had an arrow that carried a magic similar to his.”
Lainey went pale at the memory of the exact arrow she mentioned. She could still see it protruding through that vampire’s head as he hung suspended between the buildings. The way it burned the vampire remained vivid in her mind. “I remember, but I guess I didn’t know what it meant.”
“It means only one thing: Kaen has an elf in his custody. Elve
n magic is the only way weapons can harm vampires. For some reason, it counteracts the physiological make-up which makes us what we are. As far as we know, and Talon is extremely confident on this fact, he is the only elven vampire, so logically it means one has been captured. He wants to use this as leverage to garner support and hopefully pardon him from an execution upon arrival.” She looked at Lainey in utter despair. “I don’t agree.”
“Trust him. He’d never do anything that would separate you two. You have to believe that.” Lainey rested her head on Kailani’s as she cuddled her close again in a soothing gesture. “So, Talon is a prince, huh?”
The older vampire sniffed. “More or less, yes.”
“Does that make you a princess?” She laughed at the image of Kailani as a princess. She was definitely not lady-like in her ways, so imagining her dressed in finery was amusing.
“Heaven’s no. We’re not bonded under his culture. That can only be done by their Madura, or priestess. No, we are only mated according to our vampire natures.” She gave a snort to clear her nose, and then sat up. “Thank you Lainey. This has helped ease my burden. I’m sorry I was horrible before, but as I said, I’m not used to being around others that care.”
“Anytime. So, why is Talon talking with Dace? What can he do in this situation?”
“If Talon is successful, he wants the elves to stay here among the group. Talon accepts that Dace was right about his men not being warriors, which also influenced his decision. This renegade group is just not prepared for the dangers that lie ahead. He wants to ensure they are not pulled into this fight to die unnecessarily,” she replied.
Lainey leaned back with a thud against the cushions on the couch. She couldn’t fathom that. “Here? Elves?”
Ian was going to start a rebellion if Dace allowed that. First vampires and now elves? That would shake up their close knit society and present a whole new challenge for Dace to deal with. Lainey felt a flutter of excitement at the idea, but knew the shock waves would be strong and wasn’t sure Dace was ready for that.
“I admit it will be interesting. There is a tremendous amount of animosity directed at vampires. Elves view us as lower beings than humans, so I’m not sure at the reception we’ll receive. There’s more to this though. The one person he wants to lead the elven scouts is his former betrothed. I’m not sure how I feel about this. I am more territorial and jealous of late.” She covered her eyes and groaned. “This could be a very bad combination. I could completely lose control which wouldn’t help Talon. I could unintentionally place him in danger, which terrifies me.”
“How exactly do the elves view humans?”
“Like rats,” she said bluntly. “That makes vampires about equal to roaches.”
“Humans see themselves as higher than both elves and vampires. This is a combination asking for disaster. If Dace approves this, Ian is going to rebel. Can you imagine the disruption he’d cause if elves were allowed in the world he considered pristine? He’d pick a fight and we both know where that would end up.” She was more focused on the effects it would have to the humans and didn’t consider what Kailani was really saying.
Kailani frowned. “I don’t care about Ian. I only care about Talon angering his father and the order being given to execute him.” Kailani said coldly.
Lainey’s face went slack with the reprimand. She suddenly realized she’d missed the point of what Kai explained. She was being selfish and only thinking about what this meant to the renegades. “Do you trust Talon?” Lainey asked.
“With my life.”
“Then trust him. He’ll find a way to change the prejudice towards vampires to avoid getting killed. We both know he’d never violate your bond with this Cuilwen woman.”
Kailani nodded as she wiped her nose then stood up. “You’re right. I’m being soft. I’m going to get some tea to calm my nerves.”
She looked at Lainey. “Care for some?”
Lainey looked between the door and her guardian before she finally shrugged, “Sure; why not? They are going to be in there awhile anyway.”
Together then left to head to the communal kitchen down the hall.
* * * *
“They’re gone,” Dace whispered after standing up from watching through the crack in the wall. He was tired and rubbed his face before turning around. Talon leaned against the far wall, lost in his thoughts waiting for the women to finish their conversation. “Tell me again why you wanted to wait for them to go before you did this?”
“Kailani. She’s having a hard time with this plan and would feel the moment I departed. I just felt I needed to wait until she left, irrational as it sounds,” Talon said with heavy tones of regret.
Dace approached. “She’ll understand this eventually. So, how long will you be gone exactly?”
“To you? Could be as little as five minutes, but no more than half a day. To me? It could be weeks. It’s not exact and can’t be measured. I just know time flows differently between our worlds. It’s faster here and I don’t expect to stay long.” Talon watched Dace closely. “If something happens to me, remember what we discussed.”
Dace nodded. He agreed to take over protecting both Kailani and Lainey. It was a huge honor that Talon asked this of him, so he didn’t refuse. He was already established to care for Lainey, but the fact Talon include Kai spoke volumes for his hope of success.
Dace was prepared for that if it happened though. Kailani would be distraught beyond control. He’d need assistance, so Dace was to locate a specific vampire coven in the northern hills and get Kailani and Lainey there. Talon made him swear an oath that he would get them both out of the city for obvious reasons, one being Lainey, but the second being Kailani herself. Learning of Warwick and his obsession with Kailani worried Dace and he read the concern on Talon’s face as well. Both knew Dace wasn’t equipped to deal with that which meant fleeing. He’d do that if it meant their safety.
“It’s time.” Talon announced before he closed his eyes and began to whisper a chant in his native dialect. Dace thought how flowery and smooth the sounds were and found he was hypnotized by the harmony.
With a loud suction sound, as if the air was being sucked in to fill the gap where Talon once stood, the vampire was just gone. One minute he was there, chanting, and the next he disappeared.
“Damn.” Dace whispered as he fell into the chair at his desk.
* * * *
Kailani felt his departure, even from down the hall. She dropped the mug she was holding the moment he disappeared from her reality, and a searing pain consumed her in his absence.
Lainey watched as the dark haired vampire released a tortured scream and staggered but didn’t fall. “Kailani?”
The sorrow in her words brought immediate tears to Kailani’s eyes. “He’s gone! He left without saying good-bye!”
“What?” Lainey looked back towards the parlor. “What do you mean ‘gone’?”
Kailani’s knees buckled, and in the next moment, she sat on the floor of the kitchen in shock. The loneliness overwhelmed her. She had not been a single mind, single soul, or a single being since bonding with Talon as his mate. Now, with him in a different plane of existence, her bond was denied to her. She was alone for the first time and it devastated her. She went numb and receded within herself, closing off her mind.
Lainey took her guardian’s arms and guided her to stand, leading the way back to the parlor where she settled her on the couch. After making sure the catatonic Kailani was comfortable, she stormed into the office and found Dace in a similar state.
“What the hell just happened?” Lainey confirmed he was alone. “Where is Talon?”
“Gone.” He said in stunned shock.
Lainey was frustrated. No one was answering her questions. “Will someone tell me what is going on?” she yelled.
Dace looked
up at her, taking in her simmering anger before answering. “He has gone home. Now we wait.”
Her head whipped towards the last spot where she could scent her protector. “How? He was supposed to be asking your permission to bring them here. Was he planning this all along?”
He gave a nervous chuckle. “I have no idea how. One minute he was here, and then he wasn’t.” Dace ran his hand through his hair a few times before he rose to could collect her in his arms. “Is Kailani all right? He was concerned she would be distressed.”
“She is. I have her settled on the couch, but it hit her pretty hard. How long will he be gone?”
“He said not long, half a day maybe.” He said again.
From his chest Lainey mumbled, “Kailani explained the danger.”
“I know, honey. I know. I trust he would not do this if he felt there was no chance of success. He’s not the suicidal type.” Dace kissed her head before he pulled back. “Let’s get Kailani upstairs. Who knows, by the time we are through, Talon may be back.”
“With more elves,” she added. “How are you going to explain this to the group? Ian is going to challenge you; you do know that right?”
“I’ve already spoken with most of them and pretty much told Ian to accept it or leave.”
Hearing him say that sent her into a state of anger in one heartbeat. He knew of this already and had not shared! “So, you did know of this before today. You knew he was going to do this, and you said nothing.”
“I couldn’t. If you knew of his timing, Kailani would have plucked it out of your head. This was the best way to ease her discomfort, love. Talon approached me yesterday. I have spent all the time that I’m not with you talking with everyone without being obvious.”
