Talon

by Alice Wade

  A lighter smile lifted the corner of her mouth, “Thank you. I have survived five hundred years without him, and frankly am just happy to see him again. Regardless if we were bonded or not, he is my friend first and foremost. After all he’s been through it warms my heart to see he has found happiness.”

  Dace watched her with compassion and then patted her arm, “Come, I think Omar is in here.” ‘Here’ was the game room where the men would gather to play cards in the evening. Since most of the occupants had returned to find the building in utter chaos after the market, it was nice to see the place was finally settling back to its normal rhythm of their evening routine.

  Inside was packed with men sitting around tables. There was smoke lingering from their pipes and smelled heavy of ale. This room replaced the need for them to go to town to relax at the end of their day and offered a gathering spot for all to shed their worries. Dace loved this room, and could not resist a smile when he opened the door, inhaling deeply to embrace the nostalgia of the scent.

  When the door opened, everyone looked up and in Dace’s direction while he let his eyes roam over the occupants until he found the man he sought. Omar was indeed there, dominating the card game as usual.

  When his first in command saw him, he stood then went still when he saw who was at his side. The elves were putting them off-kilter and no one knew quite what to make of their flowing garments, long hair and angelic features. To the renegades, they were more foreign than the vampires.

  “Omar, I need you,” Dace called then his eyes rested on the younger man sitting nearest him, “Quincy, how are you? Are Makena and the growing baby well?”

  Quincy blushed at the attention and dipped his head. “Yes, they are. Thank you for asking.”

  “Glad to hear it.” At this point, Omar had joined him. He said his good nights and left regretfully. He had been ahead, again.

  Cuilwen coughed to clear out her lungs from the smoke from their pipes and looked at the two men. “How is it you can sit in there for extended periods? That’s poison!” To be more dramatic, she hacked harder, making them laugh.

  “You get used to it,” Dace replied and then turned to Omar. “I need seven rooms with enough sleeping beds for seven each. Can you help me get that arranged?” Quickly adding, “I don’t want them shoved away from everyone. I want them intermixed but near Talon if possible. Do we have that available?”

  “We do. A few of the families on the upper floors recently moved lower when they realized the difficulty in climbing numerous flights of stairs. We have plenty of rooms up there. It’s only one flight up, and they will still be mixed with the regulars.” The large man paused. “I’m Omar,” he said to Cuilwen, holding out his hand.

  Dace was embarrassed by his lack of manners. “I’m sorry. Omar, this is Cuilwen.”

  “I’m also known by First Maiden, so you will hear me referred to as that as well.”

  Omar was dumbstruck. This was by far the most beautiful woman he’d ever laid eyes on. For a moment, the air in his lungs betrayed him and he couldn’t breathe. “Nice to meet you. If you’ll give me a little while, I’ll gather enough people to find what you need and get the rooms ready. Where will you both be?”

  “In Talon’s room,” Dace answered. “If you could also find Adara, she could help gather the blankets and supplies. If we need more, take what you need from the coffer.” His friend continued evaluating Cuilwen with a curious expression on his face. It bordered on open admiration and desire, and he was doing everything he could to hide it.

  When he realized Dace had spoken to him, he shook himself from his daze and replied, “Will do.” Omar stepped back and turned to leave. He slowed as if he were going to say something but didn’t so his feet carried him down the hall and to the stairs.

  “Omar. Is he your commander?” Cuilwen asked as she watched his back disappear.

  “Not exactly, but he’s my second-in-command. If anything happens to me, I’ve left orders that he is to replace me, so I guess that does make him quite important.”

  “Yes.” The way she watched after him caught Dace’s attention and he smiled. Maybe Cuilwen would find other ways to determine that he was important and had to stifle a chuckle at the thought. The idea of Cuilwen seducing Omar, now that was worth a good laugh! Poor man…first vampires and now elves. What was his friend’s world coming to?

  “Come, let’s get back. I want to be there when Lainey wakes,” he finally said.

  “Lead the way,” Cuilwen’s musical voice answered.

  * * * *

  Back inside his room, he left Cuilwen with her men and found Lainey still curled tight in a ball. She had not moved since he left and wanted nothing more than to curl up with her. Discarding his boots and removing his shirt, he climbed gently into bed, pulling her body to his as he spooned her tight.

  Lainey reacted to his proximity and sighed in contentment as his warmth spread across her back and down her legs. She stirred enough to adjust then settled back down against his beating heart.

  He thought she was asleep, so when her voice asked, “Is everything all right?” he jumped.

  Laughing softly before he kissed her head, he replied, “Yes, all is well. I was getting the elves situated.”

  “Really? Where?”

  “Omar is managing it so I’m not exactly sure. Somewhere on the upper floors. He said something about a few families moving lower so there were some open rooms up there.”

  “Makes sense,” she replied and snuggled into his arms. “How is Kailani?”

  Dace suddenly realized he hadn’t asked, “You know, I don’t know. I’m sure if something wasn’t right, Cuilwen would have told me,” he answered.

  Lainey shifted, turning her head up to look at him at an angle. “You met her?”

  “Yes, well, she met me, I should say. She caught me spying on her from our room and introduced herself. She’s impressive to say the least.”

  “Will there be trouble?” Lainey was concerned that Kailani had been through enough. To have to fight for her mate wasn’t something Lainey wanted for her.

  “No, I don’t think there will be. Cuilwen understands and accepts what Kailani is to Talon, so is respecting his choice.”

  “You believe her?”

  “I do. She gave me no reason to doubt her word, love. She accepts.” He chuckled softly then added, “Not to mention I think she fancies Omar.”

  “What?” Lainey turned onto her back but remained close to his chest. “What has happened while I slept?”

  Dace told her the story and laughed through the telling, “Can you see it now? Cuilwen seducing our reserved and shy Omar. He is going to fall apart at the seams the moment she approaches him!” Dace could not hold back his bellowing laugh and the sound was contagious so Lainey chuckled with along with him.

  “Poor Omar,” she finally added when their amusement died down. “If this is true, he doesn’t stand a chance. Now, bring me current on what’s been happening as I seem to have slept through most of it.”

  He did, at least on what he knew. He’d been locked in this room for most of the day and missed a lot of the commotion after the first few groups of renegades arrived home. He’d set guards at the entrance to alert the new arrivals of their guests to ensure they would not be harmed. Then Omar patrolled the perimeter to check that there were no other unwanted guests. Within no time, people settled in and the night progressed as any other night. With the exception of the elves that is. The humans avoided them, still too intimidated to do otherwise.

  Now that he was finally able to relax, the dread of what just almost happened sank in.

  He had just finished talking, but his long pause had her looking up into his face with curiosity. He was staring ahead as if thinking and missed the worry that pulled at her lips. Lainey didn’t like the look on his face, not one
bit. “What’s bothering you?” Lainey asked, adjusting her position so she knelt before him

  Dace blinked his hazel eyes a few times in an effort to come back to the present. Lainey was speaking and he didn’t hear what she said. He blinked at her, “Say again?”

  “What is bothering you?”

  Sighing loudly, he decided he needed to talk about it. He still felt useless and his inability to defend her made him feel weak. Reaching out, he snagged her by the back of her neck, pulling her close so their foreheads touched.

  “You. I almost lost you again. I won’t allow that but I don’t know how to protect you.”

  His trembling body alerted her to the sheer depth of his fear. “Then don’t,” she whispered in response.

  That earned a groan before he pulled her back down to the bed and looked at her. One second was all he needed before he captured what was his and kissed her succulent lips, pressing them hard against his in a desperate act.

  Lainey was expecting the kiss, but she wasn’t expecting the emotion that came with it. She smelled his fear, tasted it in his mouth and felt it in the tension of his body as he continued to shake in her grasp. In an effort to ease his pain, she became submissive and allowed Dace to show her how very much he loved her in order to calm his emotions.

  The kiss lasted quite some time before he slowed his mouth, licking her swollen lips gently before he broke contract. “I will find a way,” he answered her last statement from moments before and then smirked. “You are mine, now and always.”

  “I’m so very glad about that.”

  He saw a flint of need in her eye and realized something, “When was the last time you fed?”

  All her plans of seducing Dace were doused in that one question. She slumped into the mattress and the tension of the moment gone. “Too long ago.” Now that he’d mentioned it, her thirst flared up and the back of her throat went dry as a desert. Swallowing a few time to ease the discomfort, she looked back at him with a different hunger burning in her eyes.

  “Baby, you need to stay strong. Eat.” He tempted her by leaning down, offering his neck.

  The scent of him was too much and Lainey didn’t hesitate for another second. Her fangs barred, she bit deep, driving her teeth into the vein that would deliver the most divine blood into her mouth. Dace tasted fantastic and as his life force flowed across her tongue, she felt the expected reaction with a spreading heat through her body, her purr erupting loudly.

  Dace was swept away with the sensation of her feeding. There wasn’t anything more erotic then having her do this, knowing she was only doing it with him. While she was engaged, he was powerless to her though. He desperately wanted to touch her, to feel her, but he was paralyzed and held in a state of stillness. So, he waited.

  Finally, Lainey kissed his neck tenderly letting him know she was done. “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.” A smirk playing across on his gorgeous face.

  Talon’s words played across her mind when he asked her not to partake in any ‘after’ entertainment. Regretfully, she knew she had to oblige.

  Seeing her change in demeanor, Dace’s eyes narrowed. “What?”

  “We need to be good right now. Enjoying our normal past time is something Talon asked us to refrain from.”

  “I see,” he replied tersely. When would Talon accept that he made decisions when it came to Lainey?

  “Stop. I hear your thoughts. He’s concerned, nothing more.”

  It must have been the tone of her voice, or the way her face showed her exhaustion, but Dace was alerted to the fact she needed more rest now that she’d fed. They’d deal with the after-effects later. He was in her face and planted a kiss on her nose before he rolled behind her into a spooning position and pulled her close. “You need to sleep.”

  “Yes sir.”

  That earned her a gentle nip on her earlobe before they both snuggled closer. His mind immediately went back to his fears now that their passion dwindled. While Dace stroked her hair in a soothing caress, she drifted off.

  His mind kept going back to how useless he was against Warwick. If he was that powerful, what chance did they have against the entire coven? Kaen was after not only the crown but also the treasure snuggled in his arms and it cinched his heart to know he had no way to protect her. “Lainey?” he whispered against her temple.

  “Mmm?”

  “I love you, baby. I’m glad Kaen didn’t get you.”

  “Me too.” She barely articulated the words before she fell completely asleep.

  * * * *

  The next day there was a commotion in front of the inn, drawing the attention of those inside. Windows were thrown open, doors flung wide while the occupants emerged to see what it was. People ran into the streets, some crying some screaming and a few wandering in shock. The feeling was not grief though, quite the opposite. All were happy and weeping with joy.

  Dace jogged to the entrance and stopped with Lainey clinging to his arm. Looking around at those gathered and those running wildly through the streets, he stopped the nearest woman before she ran off, “What’s the meaning of this?”

  “The king is dead!” She rejoiced and more tears drained from her eyes. The woman tilted her head back laughing amongst the tears and said again, “The king is dead. Vasila listened to our prayers after all!”

  Dace dropped her arm as if she were scalding hot and started at the woman as if she were daft. “The king?” He stepped back, confused at what he just heard. This couldn’t be. “Dead?”

  “Yes!” the woman nearly yelled. “Thank Vasila!” She stumbled forward and ambled down the street in a joyful stupor.

  Dace watched her go and couldn’t turn to face Lainey. He couldn’t look at her face and see the horror that he knew would be there. This news meant only one thing—Kaen and Deandra were making their move which put Lainey in grave danger. “Get inside. Lock the door and don’t come out.”

  “Dace—” she whispered.

  “No, don’t. Just go.” He moved his head so he was looking at her, “Please? Just stay inside. Don’t come out.”

  “Dace listen,” she grabbed at his arm but he shoved her off and towards the house, “Dace stop!”

  “No! He could come at you at any time now. Any time! Hell, he could be on his way here now. Go!” he yelled.

  Lainey stared blankly at him, her green eyes filled with tears when she saw his concern and felt his terror. His scent was laced with bitter fear while he stood there looking at her. She couldn’t argue with that level of fear. She couldn’t reason with it either. So backing up, she pivoted on her heel and ran the distance back inside. She didn’t stop until she was in her room with the door locked as he’d asked.

  Talon emerged just as Lainey dashed past. “Dace, what was the meaning of that?”

  “Ondre is dead.” The air around Talon chilled ten degrees as a brisk breeze blew in around them. It took him a few moments to regain control before the breeze died down and the air warmed but not completely. Kaen had made his move and they had to stop him before he was crowned or they’d never get another chance. Once he sat on the throne, he’d be too protected, to visible to get close enough to kill him.

  Talon scowled. “I need to talk with Cuilwen and Nethlihindornien. We have to locate Athradien now—there is no more time.”

  Dace looked at him with a worried frown, “You have no idea where this elf is. He could be anywhere.”

  His scowl deepened, “We have to try. Cuilwen is closest with him, so may be able to locate him if she searched. She has not tried yet. Nethlhindornien is also bonded since Athradien is his leader. We have to try.” He turned then stopped. “Call a meeting. We need to get everyone gathered and prepared. Kaen will strike here first being that Lainey is what he wants. We must stop him before he is crowned.”

  �
��All right.” Dace followed the elven vampire back inside and stopped the first renegade he could find, “Find me Omar and bring him now. Gather the others, on all floors.”

  “Yes, sir,” he replied before he took off to do what Dace asked.

  It was done in no time and everyone in the building gathered in the large hall on the ground floor. Dace assumed his perch on the table up front, similar to just a few days ago and waited in silence as everyone settled, watching him expectantly.

  The last to arrive were the elves, who lined the back wall and stood in formal attention until Cuilwen emerged. She stopped at the entrance to survey the room then dipped her head in greeting to Dace so he knew he could begin.

  “People, we have a situation,” he said loudly. “King Ondre is dead. We all know what that means. The Dûr Falas will rise to power when Kaen is crowned, so we must stop him. All who are willing are welcome to fight with us.”

  He motioned towards the elves and vampires standing in the back. “We need a group to protect the building because Kaen will likely make an attack here.” Around the room, frightened eyes tracked him as he swept the room with his gaze.

  “They can’t take what is ours, not after we’ve lasted this long.” He stood tall and looked straight to Lainey, “We must fight, here and now, tonight. For those we love and those who can’t defend themselves. We must defeat them!” His voice had risen to a shout and filled the room. He poured all his emotions and hope into his tone, hoping it would transfer to them. “We can do this people, we can.”

  Quincy held Makena tightly to his side with his arm pinning her in place. “How are we going to do that? They are powerful vampires. We have no chance in such a fight,” he yelled over the mummers and cries. Women wept in fear and their children responded by whimpering.

  “We stand together…with the elves. If we do that, we have a chance to beat him and see the light of another day.” Dace looked around the room again at his terrified band of renegades. Brave, stoic renegades who had struggled to survive and defile the crown by hiding. Now they must fight once more, but this time with force and out in the open–that terrified them.