Forever Wicked (Castle of Dark Dreams)

by Nina Bangs

  Mede stood and gave her a hand as she struggled to her feet. Still barefoot. She held her shoes a little away from her. She didn’t want to get blood on her dress. Luckily, black didn’t show blood stains as much as other colors. She loved black. And for all those who heaped contempt on her for wearing stilettos, she shouted a silent, “Did you see what I did there?” A lot of the king’s men had gone home with heel-sized holes in them.

  Holgarth and the others gathered around Mede and Sparkle. Mede scanned his fighters. “Everyone okay?”

  “Yeah.” Zane spoke for all of them. “A few cuts and bruises, but nothing serious.” He glanced at the spot where the portal had been. “Why couldn’t we reopen that thing, and why didn’t those crazies have anything scarier to fight with than swords? Hey, I’m happy they didn’t, but it doesn’t make sense. Ky says they’ve known about us for a long time, so they had to have seen some of our weapons.”

  “Questions later.” Mede headed for the great hall door. “Holgarth will settle the gargoyles down. Blue, make sure you’ve sent all of your creatures home, especially those fire ants. The rest of you get some rest. I’ll look in on Ky to make sure he’s okay. The king attacked him when he tried to protect Momo and Tuna.”

  “And I’ll handle the police.” Sparkle wiped off her shoes with a tissue—blood might send the wrong message to the police—then she slipped her heels back on. “Jill and Zane, check on the guests in rooms facing the courtyard. Change their memories. Make sure all they recall is seeing the Castle employees practicing for a performance with lots of special effects. Then something went wrong and there was an explosion that blew out part of the wall. The explanation isn’t perfect, but we’ll never get to all of their phones before they send their photos and videos everywhere.”

  No one spoke as everyone except for Holgarth and Blue hurried into the Castle. Orion and Jerry went with Mede to check on Ky. Jill and Zane headed for the stairs to do their mind magic. Conall, Brynn and the rest followed Sparkle into the hotel lobby. They took up positions around the room and tried to look casual as they waited for the police. Sparkle appreciated their support even though she knew she wouldn’t need them.

  The police strode into the lobby, all stern and official. Sparkle met them, all sexy and ready to manipulate more than their minds. This was what she did, had done for millennia, and she was damn good at it.

  “Ma’am, we’ve had reports of…blah, blah, blah.”

  Sparkle barely listened as she gathered her power to her while she explained how the electrical malfunction set off the explosion, blah, blah, blah.

  “We’ll need to see the courtyard, talk to a few witnesses, get your report…blah, blah, blah.”

  Sparkle allowed her sexual compulsion to enfold them, cradle them, and then rock them with a need so desperate that it bypassed their brains and seeped into their primitive cores. She watched their eyes widen, watched as they fought to retain their professional veneers, and then watched them crumble.

  She smiled. “I know how busy you are. I’ll understand that you have places to be.” And people to have sex with as soon as you get home, or maybe even right outside the Castle. A few lucky partners would get more action tonight than they’d probably had in…oh, like…forever. You’re welcome.

  After promising to bring her report to the station, she watched them all but run from the Castle. It felt good to do something nice for people once in a while. She frowned at her nails as she went in search of Mede. One broken and a bunch chipped. Battling beings from other planes of existence was tough on manicures.

  She found Mede and friends in the small clinic beside the conference room. They stood at the foot of Ky’s bed. He was sitting up. The prince looked pale, and he wore a bandage over his head wound. But he was alive, and that’s what counted. Jerry was questioning him.

  “Why didn’t any of your people have modern weapons? All they had were swords and stuff like that.”

  Ky shrugged. “My father’s rule is absolute, and he’s obsessed with Earth as it was in medieval times. So the only man-made weapons he allows are the ones used back then. Besides, he doesn’t feel he needs modern weapons because he depends on his magic to win battles. He’s never had to fight anyone stronger than him.”

  “How are you feeling, Ky?” Sparkle smiled at him.

  “Ashamed.” He dropped his gaze from hers. “I didn’t stop him from taking Momo and Tuna. It’s my fault that Bourne is trapped in my world.”

  Sparkle sat on the side of his bed. She patted his hand. “No, it isn’t your fault. All the blame lies with your father. Don’t worry, Bourne is more powerful than anyone on your planet. He reined it in a little here because he was fighting in a contained area and didn’t want to destroy the Castle or anyone in it. Somewhere in your world right now armies are fleeing before him. He’ll find a way to return with Momo and Tuna.”

  “Do you really think so?” Ky brightened.

  “Of course.” Sparkle realized she believed it.

  “Guess that means you’re in charge.” Mede dropped onto the bed beside her.

  Surprised, she glanced at him. He looked serious. “What?”

  “Bourne made you his second-in-command.”

  Dammit, she’d forgotten about that. Sparkle knew she wore a look of horror. Then she saw the corners of his mouth tip up and relaxed. “The thought of total power and dominance clutched in my perfectly manicured hands makes me all tingly. Let’s see, what should my first order be? Hmm, how about we all follow Bourne’s plan to stop Zendig? I wouldn’t want to upset the Big Boss when he returns by actually showing a little creativity and initiative.” She hoped that didn’t sound too sarcastic, but they all knew Bourne was a control freak. Sparkle wouldn’t deviate from his orders unless she had to.

  Mede turned to Jerry and Orion. “You guys keep Ky company while Sparkle and I wake the vampire.”

  Sparkle trailed Mede from the clinic. He stopped just outside the door.

  “I’ll ask again. What were you thinking? I don’t believe for a minute Amaya escaped because you made a stupid mistake.”

  Sparkle didn’t hide her surprise. “You want to talk about that now?” She took his hand. He tried to pull away, but she tightened her grip. “I was thinking that I couldn’t do my wicked worst with them if I only had them together for an hour a day. So I made certain they could share lots of quality time. Why are you worried about them now anyway? We have more important things to think about. Let’s go to our suite. Forget about Eric. Whatever you have to say to him can wait a little while. We need to discuss how to get Bourne back.”

  “Everything’s important.” He refused to be sidetracked. “We could’ve used Mistral today. I guess you have them stashed away in some cozy hideaway.” He paused to think. “It has to be close so you can visit them each day.”

  Now she was mad. Why couldn’t he let it go? Bourne was missing. Ky was hurt. They had three spies plotting their downfall somewhere in her Castle. And she was supposed to be in charge. “If I did, it would be fabulous. I could cocoon them in a cloud of sexual frenzy. Then I could smite them with my sparkly sword, Eternal Lust. Stab, stab, I win. It would be epic.” Sparkle hoped he would laugh.

  He didn’t.

  “Where are they, Sparkle?”

  She shrugged. “Between here and there. I’ll tell you later.”

  His lips thinned. “You’ll tell me as soon as I finish speaking with Eric.”

  She widened her eyes. “So manly, so assertive, so clueless.” Sparkle smiled, the one filled with lots of gotcha. “Let’s see now, who did Bourne put in charge? Oh. Me.”

  Mede looked as though he wanted to topple the Castle onto her snarky head. She knew him so well, though, that she saw the exact moment he started thinking about how much fun they’d have making up tonight. Sparkle watched him swallow a biting retort that would only get her started again. Guess he knew her, too. Instead he guided her back down the stairs and then banged on Eric’s door.

  This cou
ld take a while. Vampires weren’t light sleepers. Sparkle made an impatient sound as she shoved him aside.

  “Here, let me.” She pulled out a key. “I’m the owner, so I have an opens-everything key.” She unlocked the door then slipped inside.

  By the time Mede entered, she was already rooting through shopping bags Eric had dropped on a chair.

  “You know, that’s an invasion of privacy.”

  She gave him a blank stare. “So? I’m a cosmic troublemaker. Invasions of privacy are part of the job description.”

  Mede evidently decided it wasn’t worth arguing about. He walked over to where Eric lay. He reached down and shook the vampire’s shoulder.

  Eric came off the bed with a roar. He was all fangs and claws and a ready-to-kill attitude.

  Mede leaped out of reach. “Whoa, calm down. I thought you guys were groggy when you first woke up.”

  Eric crouched naked on the bed. “Don’t ever try to wake a vampire by grabbing him.”

  “Oh! Ooooh.” Sparkle allowed the shopping bags to slide to the floor, forgotten for the moment. And what a moment it was.

  The sight of a naked Eric transported her back to the first time she had seen him. He’d blown the top off her heat index then—tousled black hair, Mackenzie-blue eyes, sensual mouth, a face carved from women’s dreams, and a body… Enough. He did the same thing now. She knew her fingers would blister if she tried to trail them across his amazing chest.

  Sparkle glanced at Mede. His stare could turn her to stone. Not that she would trail her fingers over any part of Eric Mackenzie’s hot, hot body. He belonged to Donna now. And she belonged to Mede. Besides, Eric was an ice cube next to Mede on her hotness scale.

  Then she remembered the shopping bags. She picked them up and waved them in front of Eric. “There’s an anniversary card in here along with a bunch of pathetic excuses for gifts. Please tell me they aren’t for Donna.”

  Eric jumped from the bed, ripped the sheet from it, and wrapped it around his waist before answering. “Those are things she wanted. And both of you need to leave.”

  Sparkle didn’t miss the touch of defensiveness in his voice. He should be ashamed. She opened the bag and pulled out a large pot. “What exactly is this about?”

  “She said she needed a new one.” He glanced at Mede for support.

  “Hey, Donna said she needed a new one and here it is. Sounds like a win to me.”

  Mede’s support was pathetic. Sparkle sneered. She pulled the next “gift” from the bag. “A book on Texas ghosts? Really?”

  Eric didn’t even try to meet her gaze. He picked up his pants and shirt from where he had flung them over a chair and headed toward the bathroom. “Donna loves books. Besides, she’s always talking about ghosts and paranormal stuff on her radio show. Her audience eats it up.”

  “Stop!”

  Mede closed his mouth on whatever dumb thing he had planned to say. Eric froze. Good thing. She was feeling combative; enough to even sacrifice a nail.

  “Sexy vampires do not give pots and ghost books to the women they love on anniversaries.” Sparkle hoped her expression said he had dropped to near bottom on her sexy-vampire scale.

  Eric raked his fingers through his hair. He glanced at Mede. Mede shrugged. “Okay,” Eric asked, “what would you get her?”

  Sparkle didn’t try to hide her triumph. “You’ll see. Go get dressed while I make a few calls. Donna will have gifts fitting the queen of late-night radio.”

  Eric sighed. “This is going to cost a lot, isn’t it?” He shook his head. “I didn’t mean Donna isn’t worth it. Forget I asked.”

  Sparkle destroyed him with a contemptuous stare. “Love is always expensive.” She turned and strode toward the door. “I have some serious calls to make.” She glanced at Mede. “I’ll leave it to you to tell Eric what happened while he slept. I’ll meet you in the lobby when you’re finished.”

  Ganymede paced as he waited for Eric to come out of the bathroom. He needed to get this visit over with and then make Sparkle lead him to Mistral and Amaya.

  When the vampire finally joined him, Ganymede wasted no time telling him about the battle and Bourne’s disappearance.

  Eric shook his head. “What rotten luck. Any plans?”

  Ganymede flung himself onto a chair. “Bourne stole my idea to defeat Zendig, so I’m stealing it back. We’ll force the bastard to come to us, and then I’ll kill him.”

  “Just you, huh?” Eric smiled.

  “Just me.” Ganymede didn’t smile. “You can all be my supporting cast, but Zendig is mine.”

  Eric grunted his opinion of that. “You didn’t wake me up early just to pass on the news.”

  “Right.” Ganymede stood then began to pace again. “Once we begin our campaign to drive Zendig nuts, things could happen fast. Bourne gave Sparkle a master list of all cosmic troublemakers when he made her his second. Pick the list up from the office and contact as many troublemakers as you can. Phone, no email. Most of us are old-school. We like the personal touch. Explain what’s happening. Tell them to get their butts here. Fast.”

  Eric nodded. “And?”

  Ganymede smiled. “That thing we talked about? Let’s plan for next week some time. Nothing is certain once Zendig shows up.” He had no guarantee he’d make it out of the battle alive. “I want it to happen before things get ugly.”

  Eric raised one brow. “That thing? ‘That thing’ has a name.”

  Ganymede made an impatient sound. He grabbed a pen from a side table along with an empty envelope. He wrote one word—fantasy. “Yeah, well Sparkle might be listening at your door.” Probably was. She was sneaky that way. One of the many reasons he loved her.

  The vampire reached the door in two strides and flung it open. He leaned out. He was smiling when he closed it and returned to Ganymede. “Caught a glimpse of her running up the stairs.”

  Ganymede grinned. “Look, gotta go. Have to hunt down Mistral and Amaya.”

  “Wait. Amaya escaped?”

  “Mistral helped her.” And Sparkle had helped both of them. “See what happens when you sleep the day away? Things happen.”

  He left Eric standing in the middle of his room looking bemused. By the time he reached the lobby, Sparkle was seated and making a stab at looking innocent.

  “Done with your calls?” He sat beside her.

  She shrugged. “I only had one to make. My personal shopper.” She frowned. “I hate delegating something like this, but I don’t have time to run around to stores right now. But Herbert will choose wisely. I told him exactly what I wanted for Donna.”

  “Herbert?” Who the hell was Herbert?

  Sparkle looked at his expression, then laughed. “You haven’t met him because I don’t use him much. I mean, I live for shopping sprees. I’m very hands on when it comes to spending money on gorgeous things.”

  Ganymede dismissed Herbert and his shopping. Sure, he was suspicious of any man who got too close to Sparkle, but Herbert? A personal shopper? Nah, nothing to worry about. “Time to visit Mistral and Amaya.”

  She considered him, her expression closed, before answering. Then she nodded. “Fine. But no threats, bullying, or smashing stuff.”

  Rules, always rules. “Sure.” He wasn’t good at keeping rules.

  “They’re at Dacian and Cinn’s place. Dacian won’t be back from vacation for a few more weeks, so since the house was empty…”

  “Let’s go.” Ganymede walked beside her as they left the castle. Not his favorite spot to be when viewing Sparkle in motion. He liked to trail her so he could fully appreciate the awesome swing and sway of her amazing behind.

  Neither of them spoke on the short drive to Dacian’s home. Surprising, since Sparkle always had something to say. She seemed a little preoccupied. But he didn’t have time to think about it before they arrived.

  The place looked deserted as they pulled into the driveway and got out. Then Mistral flung open the door and stepped onto the porch.

  O
kay, so he wasn’t exactly himself, but Ganymede recognized him anyway. Mistral had to be the only pillar of fire on the street.

  23

  Mede stared at the living torch that was Mistral. “Not a great choice, shifter. Any minute now someone will drive past, do a double-take, then turn to his wife and yell, ‘Call 911, Mabel. I’ll save our neighbors.’ You have a visibility issue, stupid.”

  Sparkle winced. Mistral didn’t respond well to insults. But Mistral’s towering flame was the least of her problems. She’d had to deal with a few regrets on the way over here. Not a common occurrence.

  “Get your ass out of here, jerk, before I incinerate your giant ego. You don’t get to drag Amaya back to the Castle.” Mistral took a step forward, his flame growing with each word.

  Uh-oh. Time for someone to defuse the situation. Sparkle stepped in front of Mede and spoke before he could react. “We’re not here to take Amaya anywhere. We just want to talk.”

  Not exactly the truth, but close enough. It was Sparkle’s fault that Mistral and Amaya were holed up here wallowing in their mutual lust. She couldn’t allow it to continue, though. Mede would need all the help he could get once Zendig arrived. As much as she hated the thought, Sparkle had to undo the amazing chemistry she’d sparked between her vic…er, loving couple. Then she had to convince them to return to the Castle.

  Mistral burned for a few moments longer and then slowly allowed the fire to die. He stepped back. “Your word that if I let you in you’ll leave Amaya alone?”

  He was looking at Mede. That hurt. Even though she never stopped giving Mistral grief, Sparkle had thought he felt enough loyalty to his “sister” to recognize her as the greater danger. After all, she was as powerful as Mede in her own way. Well, almost.

  Mede didn’t hesitate. “You’ve got it. Look, I’m just here to support Sparkle.”

  A lie. Mede wanted Mistral and Amaya both back in the Castle. Sparkle just hoped he’d stay calm and not push Mistral. She followed the two men into the house. Once inside, she relaxed into the open, airy feel of Cinn’s home. An old Victorian on the outside, Cinn had opened it up and done lots of refurbishing. Sparkle approved. This wasn’t one of Galveston’s beach houses. Dense foliage on the outside gave way to plants filling every corner on the inside. Fitting for a demigoddess who carried the spark of the goddess Airmid within her.