Jace, who’d been quiet after his cursing fest, stretched out his legs and laced his fingers over his waist and remarked, “Yeah, this is really going to piss off the underworld. Can’t say that upsets me, though.”
Next to me Gareth nodded thoughtfully. “It might be enough to call off the meeting.”
“Or get them to agree to another location. I didn’t really want them running around in our den to begin with,” Jace added, then frowned and leaned his head back against the seat. “Of course it would be just like those bastards to demand we deal with the press and still host the meeting.”
“What meeting is this? And who will be running around in your den? Who are these underworld beings?” Cursed wanted to know.
I could feel Gareth starting to respond, but Jace beat him to it. “Vampires mostly, and their lackeys, a couple of Dwarves, a Wizard and Sorceress, the local Were leaders and some other odds and ends.” Mostly the scummy underbelly which keeps this city running.”
“No Demons?” Kit wondered out loud.
“Sorry,” Jace told him. “You’re on your own there.”
Kit smiled and glanced at me. “Not entirely. Which reminds me; what exactly is your Father, I don’t think you ever answered my question.”
“No I didn’t,” I told him bluntly.
“Hmmm, an enigma. What has two sets of horns, pointed ears and smells of Demon? Answer…nothing natural.”
I sucked in a breath and Gareth growled low. Jace pulled in his legs and pushed himself up straight on the seat. Across from me Kit ignored them both and turned to Owen. “So when you and your brothers made mankind, what exactly did you use to stir the pot? Was it like, a pinch of this and a dash of that, or did you just sort of put together some mud and sticks and animate them?”
Owen lifted an eyebrow at him and glanced between the two of us.
I hissed at Kit and he turned to me with a curious look. “I wonder who he got to donate the samples…”
Amras was looking at me like I’d grown a second head. Cursed was looking at Owen, as were Gareth and Jace.
“Lexi was not animated,” Owen must have felt compelled to tell the group. “She was born from her Mother’s womb.”
“Ahh, so it ‘was’ the pinch of this and dash of that,” Kit nodded sagely. “No wonder she went her entire life not telling anyone who she was. Mustn’t let the humans know we’re cooking up immortals, especially beautifully powerful beings like our Lexi.”
His comment caused Cursed and Amras to turn their stares to him. Both seemed offended on my behalf, probably because neither understood how someone of royal blood could have been raised without the honor they believed was due. It just wasn’t something either of them could comprehend. After all, Faerie was all about who you were and what rank your family held no matter who you had to do to get there.
“Well that explains the picture,” Kit continued, nodding to himself as I watched him string the clues together. “I don’t suppose those are your brothers skulking around in the dark behind the rest of us?”
“No not related,” I whispered, and he lifted an eyebrow. They were all definitely created from my Father’s partners. The three of them had made certain that inbreeding would not be an issue.
“Hmmm, well that’s not good news,” he remarked with a grunt. “And I suppose you wouldn’t like it if I eliminated some of what I suspect might be the potential competition?”
“No… no eliminating any of the competition. That would not be a good idea.”
“Lexi, Lexi, Lexi,” he chided. “I can see you won’t be a disappointment.”
I didn’t know what to say to that so I just gave him a sickly smile.
Chapter 24
Gareth radioed ahead and there were a dozen or so trainees waiting for us at the side doors. No one else was there yet, but we knew it was just a matter of time until someone thought to ask one of the city employees what we’d been doing at City Hall, which would undoubtedly lead them straight to our doors what with the fine and all.
Gareth helped me down the stairs and we all piled into the elevator. “I guess this means we’re eating in today?” I asked, my voice sounding rather shaky.
Jace was standing behind me and he leaned his chin on my head, tucking me in against him. “One thing is for certain, we haven’t had a single dull moment since you wandered down the street in our direction.”
Which reminded me I still needed to send that yacht, or maybe just flowers, to Margie.
“What is a yacht?” Cursed asked.
“Who’s Margie?” Amras added.
“Do we have a phone?” I asked. I couldn’t remember seeing one anywhere downstairs. Maybe all that stone prevented reception or with their communicators they simply didn’t need one.
“Do you need to do this now?” Jace wondered.
I grumbled and thought about it. “No but soon.” To which he gave me a squeeze.
“You aren’t really giving someone a yacht, are you?” Owen asked.
“What is this yacht?” Cursed tried again.
Jace finally took pity on him and told him, “It’s a really big, really expensive boat.”
“No. I’m not giving her a yacht, but I wouldn’t be here now if it hadn’t been for her. Margie works in the office for the publishing company I used to work for. Coming to the club was her suggestion.”
“Wouldn’t gold or jewels be more appropriate?” Amras asked.
“Women don’t give other women jewelry except on their birthday, or for Christmas, or unless they are your relative.”
“But they give each other yachts?”
I just sighed and Jace gave me a kiss on the head. “Don’t worry, we’ve already sent her two dozen roses.”
“You did?”
“I took care of it personally last night before your… solo.”
And Gareth leaned in and added, “Inside the card was a lovely pair of diamond earrings.”
Hmmm, that was nice.
The doors slid open and we all piled off, nodding to the guards in the lobby, and went into the living room. I headed for the kitchen, but Jace cut me off saying he’d ask Snick to take care of the food if I went and found something to do that wouldn’t cause anymore problems. I gave him a saucy pat on the bottom, but made no promises.
Gareth, Amras, Cursed and Owen were seated and deep in discussion in the living room. Kit was nowhere to be seen. I headed down the hall and noticed the library door was open. Maybe Kit was checking out Jace’s Demonology collection? I didn’t stop, just headed on down toward my bedroom. Inside I sat on the bed and pulled off my shoes, then over to the empty closest to place them inside on the floor. I used the restroom and when I came out, Amras was standing in front of the picture of me playing the flute.
“Jace sent me to tell you lunch will be ready soon.”
Interesting, Amras had never been alone with me in my bedroom. What was Jace up to now?
“Actually, I came to apologize for what happened earlier.”
I walked over and stood beside him. His hands were clasped behind his back and it drew my attention to his hair. I raised my hand and ran a finger over the intricate binding that held his pale silky length out of his way and asked, “What is the significance of the leather binding?”
He turned his head toward me and shifted so we were facing each other. My fingers slipped from his hair and I stood there looking up into his handsome face. His eyes were slightly dilated and very beautiful. From this close, his skin looked like it glowed with a light from within. “Only those in the service of the Queen may wear their hair thus.”
“And how will you serve your Queen?”
He lifted one eyebrow and informed me, “In whatever way she desires.”
“Amras…” I began and one corner of his mouth rose slightly as he turned back toward the painting.
“Where did this picture come from?” he cut me off to ask.
I let out the breath I was holding and turned my head to gaze at the
picture. “I believe Areth provided all of them. Do you know any of these people?”
He shook his head. “No, but I recognize the place, it is within our Sidhee in one of the Queen’s gardens.”
“Would I like the Sidhee, do you think?”
“Perhaps… for a while.”
“That was not the answer I was expecting,” I told him, turning my head and looking up at him.
He sighed and shifted his feet. “I think you would appreciate the fineness and beauty, but the politics at court would weigh heavily upon you, just as it did your Mother.”
“My Mother didn’t like life at court?”
“Perhaps if she had not been born the Princess it would have been different. Your Mother was always perfect, never a harsh word or misplaced foot. But she did not crave the position and eventually sought escape, much to everyone’s dismay.”
“Losing the Princess must have been a terrible blow to Faerie.”
He smiled then and turned fully to me, his hands unclasping from his back so they could rest on my shoulders. “Nothing is lost,” he assured me. “And much has been gained.”
“There is a human phrase that goes, ‘if you love something set it free, if it comes back to you it is yours’,” I told him, then laughed. “Actually I think the more popular version is, ‘if you love something set it free, if it doesn’t come back, hunt it down and beat it into submission’.”
Amras thought about that for a second and then smiled. “I don’t know about beating your Mother into submission; I can’t really see the Queen doing that. But I know there were several in the court that might have liked to see it happen.”
“Think dear old Mom’s a spoiled brat, do they?” I joked.
“Spoiled brat?” he replied with a curious note in his voice. “Perhaps.
“Uh huh, and perhaps you might have been one of those that would have liked to have her a wee bit more submissive?”
He sighed heavily. “One learns quickly to grit one’s teeth and smile; else one finds himself on the opposite side of a challenge, or tossed into a dark cell. Elfin justice does not tolerate disparaging remarks made against the throne.”
“And what is the Queen like? And why does no one ever speak of the King? I assume my Mother wasn’t an immaculate conception?”
“The Queen is a very fair ruler. She is loved by the majority of her court and deals well with her subjects. She has been Queen for a very long time and there is no hue or cry to replace her. Though there are always plots of some sort or another.”
“You aren’t just saying that because you’re concerned you’ll end up in a deep dark cell?”
Amras chuckled softly and winked at me. “No, it is in fact the truth.”
“And what of my Grandfather?”
“That is another story,” he replied and his voice had lost all humor. “Best not told on an empty stomach.” He motioned toward the door and held out his arm for me. “Shall we?” he asked. I slipped my hand through his and we headed for the living room.
“After lunch can we practice working on my shields?”
He flashed me a smile and said, “Or we can begin now?”
I looked up at him as we passed the portrait of the Dragons in the hall and felt his gentle touch on my lower shield. It was like a light knock, asking for entrance.
“Slow your shield,” he leaned in close and whispered as he led me to the table and pulled out my seat for me. The others were milling about and each found seats as Amras helped push in my chair. Kit slid into the chair on my right and Owen was holding the chair at my left. Gareth and Jace just rolled their eyes and took the seats at either end of the table. That left Amras and Cursed across from me as everyone took their seats and began passing dishes around.
Lunch was a lavish affair; apparently Snick had taken the opportunity to pull out the good crystal. Laid out on the fine linen was a feast of whole roasted chickens, penne pasta in a tomato sauce, artichokes and feta Risotto with crumbled bacon, a huge Caesar salad, large platters of grilled vegetables with a big bread basket full of focaccia and baguettes. If the table could speak, I think it would have been groaning.
Kit made it his business to ensure a little of something got onto my plate. I think he would have fed me if I let him. On my other side Owen tried to make polite conversation. Across the table Amras smiled and leaned over to whisper in Cursed’s ear. The two of them looked toward me and I realized I could sense them in my mind. I glanced around the table and noticed that Gareth was busy eating and Jace was chatting with Owen. Beside me Kit lifted an eyebrow but managed not to say anything as he pushed his food around on his plate in sulky silence.
I struggled not to close my eyes as Amras’ voice slipped through my shield and I heard him whisper, “Slower.”
I concentrated on slowing the lines even more while I ate my salad. Beside me Kit made a rude noise and I was tempted to elbow him. He stuck out just the tip of his tongue at me and dropped the hand closest to me onto his thigh which he’d managed to wedge against mine.
“Your Grandfather still resides in the Sidhee.” I heard Amras clearly in my mind and glanced up at him across the table, my eyes wide. When I would have asked a question out loud, he touched his lips with his finger motioning me to think it instead of speak it.
I thought about it for a moment and mentally watched the lines from the inside of my shield, trying to time my question as I reached through and toward Amras. “Where?” Around the table several of the men paused but no one said anything. Apparently my aim needed to improve. Next to me Kit rolled his eyes and lightly stroked my thigh with his fingers.
Cursed smiled and glanced down at his plate.
Amras took a breath and mentally replied, “Several hundred years ago, when the Princess was still very young, the Queen walked into the throne hall and found your Grandfather together with one of her handmaidens.”
I winced and put down my fork. Kit perked up beside me and I pushed his hand off my lap where it had strayed. It was a little easier this time and I tried focusing right at Amras as I said, “Ouch!”
Down the table Gareth frowned and flicked his eyes at me. “Indeed,” Amras agreed, and then added, “Unfortunately for your Grandfather she was not alone, but had some two hands or more of others with her, including the Princess.”
Oh my God! My Grandmother had walked in on her Husband having sex with another woman, in her own throne room! And my Mother had been with her! Had he been my husband I probably would have killed him with my bare hands!
Around the table conversation ceased abruptly while I mulled over what Amras had said. And then I had to wonder, did Elves even care, aside from the embarrassment, that is? Truthfully I knew very little about Faerie so perhaps marriage vows meant little to the Elves. No wonder my Mother had issues with men. I knew she loved my Father, but it didn’t take a genius to figure out she’d gone the artificial insemination route. Seeing your dad like that probably messed her up for life and for all I knew, she may never have had real sex!
Amras sucked in air through his teeth and I glanced up to find him grasping the table, his fingers white with the pressure. Next to him Cursed looked like he couldn’t decide if he should be insulted or horrified.
Down the table Gareth rubbed his hand over his eyes and took a deep breath. From the other end of the table Jace suggested, “Perhaps you could just finish the story out loud for the rest of us. I’m sure the ending will help Lexi to better understand.” Of all of the men at the table he looked the calmest, as if he already knew what happened and believed I’d approve.
Next to me Owen didn’t make a peep. I suddenly remembered Kit’s earlier comment and tilted my head to look up at him. His brown eyes were slightly distraught but he held my gaze and said nothing.
“She turned him to living stone,” Amras said tightly.
“Well good for her!” I replied forcefully.
Jace chuckled softly and added, “Lexi, marriage is the most sacred of vows to the Elves,
seconded even by their allegiance sworn to the throne. If one of the partners breaks their vow, the offended partner gets to choose their sentence. I believe the primary choice is death, no doubt why Elves so rarely marry.”
Amras shook his head and let go of the table. “He remains to this day in the throne room in… the same position he was when discovered. The handmaiden was not harmed. Later it was determined that he had been given a lust potion, a very foul spell.”
I chewed my lip and thought that over. Maybe it wasn’t his fault entirely. “I’m sure the culprit was found and dealt with. But why didn’t someone change him back?”
Cursed glanced at Amras and replied, “There is no one in Faerie with the skill required to undo what the Queen has done.”
“Then why didn’t they move him out of the throne room? That’s got to be awful!”
Amras and Cursed both shook their heads, but it was Amras who replied, “As decreed by the Queen, he serves as a reminder to all.”
Wow! The old gal must not be quite as nice as they made her out to be. And I had to wonder just how dedicated Amras was if he could betroth himself to my Mother after having to view the potential consequences to a marital indiscretion each time he entered the throne room. In fact, the more I thought about it, the more I could appreciate Grandmother’s wisdom. Having a daughter might have been a deciding factor. Protecting one’s female offspring could be a deadly affair. And might explain why my Mother had been the way she was with me.
“Lexi, you are frightening us,” Jace chided.
I had a horrible thought and glanced at Jace. “It’s just marriage right? Elves, I mean. We don’t have a problem with ah… premarital sex do we?” The room was deadly silent for several seconds and then all six of them erupted in laughter. I’m pretty sure I turned red!
Chapter 25
I was sitting on the sand scratching Spot and trying not to feel miserable. I’d excused myself shortly after my incredibly stupid question and had been hiding out in the spa ever since. At least Spot didn’t laugh at me. Actually that wasn’t my biggest concern. No, right now I was wondering what I was supposed to do with myself. Couldn’t shimmer to Plain Jane, couldn’t go out in public as me. I was pretty sure the media was going to keep me penned in here and I had no idea what to do with the other four men currently occupying the den, as Jace had referred to our little happy home.
Dragon Lust Page 29
