“So they just want to drain me?” Charlotte asked, looking between Isadora and Ulric.
“Honestly, I'm not entirely certain,” Isadora admitted. “You see, a prophet informed me of a mortal sun fae who was going to become a target that would shift a natural balance of power if caught. I don't know how, and I didn't try to figure it out when the important part was finding and bringing you to safety first.”
That prediction went right along with how desperate Lillian seemed to be, which Ulric pointed out. “It's true. A magistrate named Lillian Deavlis is the one who wants her, and last night, she actually used black stone on me to get her. So there's definitely something significant for them to gain.”
Isadora looked considerate, her lips pursed. “Maybe I can find the answers in another divination. But as long as she's safe, there's time to figure it out.”
That was true enough, but Ulric was too curious not to inquire, “How did you find the box in Burston, anyway?”
“I was spying,” Isadora admitted sheepishly. “That Alpha in Arkin City mentioned having a witch haze for a red cabin, so I took some of their enemy's hair for myself and found it not too long before you did.”
Ulric rolled his eyes. “Why didn't you just tell me everything to begin with?”
“I knew you'd manage to find it with the information I offered, Yules, and if I'd said more, you could've inadvertently changed the outcome.”
He guessed that was true. In his experience, prophets and fortune tellers never revealed the future in a direct fashion if they were worth their salt because the future wasn't set in stone. Anyone could decide on a different course of action if they knew the entire truth, which could change a given outcome completely.
As he thought about it, Isadora stood, announcing, “Now I can take Charlotte to a Spire for protection until things are resolved.” She lifted a pouch that was settled on the coffee table, and took it to Ulric. “Here's the compensation for your time.”
Ulric made no moves to take it, asking, “You’re leaving now?”
Isadora seemed a little surprised, replying, “I have a Spire Shard, Yules, we can teleport to Atlanta. So she won't need more protection on the way, and you need to hand that box over for some massive moo la.”
“This box has waited for almost three weeks, it can wait a little longer.”
Isadora was surprised by his reluctance. “You're stalling on a payment? Huh,” she drew out thoughtfully, “maybe she really is your mate.”
“You don’t know that,” Charlotte countered quickly, standing up. When Ulric looked in her direction, she added, “Ulric, you’ve been inconvenienced enough, and need to finish what you started, don't you? I can’t—where are you going?”
He'd pushed himself away from the wall, heading to the front door of the home. Charlotte was right, he was so interested in her that he was neglecting his job, and should've been grateful that Isadora had a means to transport her to a sanctuary before nightfall, allowing him to rest easy knowing she was safe.
It would also save him time in concluding his hunt and getting back to her.
But a part of Ulric simply didn't want to accept that rationality, making him more irritated than he'd ever felt. He was convinced that Charlotte was the woman he'd waited for three centuries to find now that he knew she could transition, but still had to leave her behind.
It was unacceptable.
Because of that, he didn’t respond, knowing he'd only say something unreasonable with the way he felt. So Ulric stepped through the front door, shutting it so hard the wall shook.
He just needed to sit down and think before his impulses had him making a mistake.
“What the hell was that all about?”
Charlotte stared at the door after Ulric left, unable to understand his angry exit as Isadora supplied, “He's frustrated. It's not everyday a draconian suspects he's found his eternal mate.”
She couldn't fault that logic. Ulric had waited a long time to find a true, lasting companionship, so it wasn't very surprising he felt she should transition, or wanted her to go with him.
Trying to organize her thoughts over it, she heard the door of the truck opening outside, and glanced through the window to see Ulric getting in. Is he leaving?
Charlotte took off to stop him, telling Isadora on the way, “Just wait one second, okay?”
Without giving the fae time to answer, she moved across the front porch and into the yard, calling, “Ulric, wait, where are you going?”
Ulric looked up when Charlotte came to stand about five feet away from the truck, his expression unhappy. “No where, yet. I just need to think,” he replied, then settled behind the wheel and shut the door.
Charlotte sighed, walking over with a few things she needed to say in mind. Once in the passenger's seat, she looked at him quietly, waiting for his attention before she began, “I know you want to look out for me, and you’re confused with all of the things floating around between us, but I don’t want you to go. Still, you do need to finish your job. That's what we agreed on, isn't it?”
He grumbled, admitting, “I know. But learning you can transition tells me you're probably mine. You have to understand, Charlotte, after I took my vow, I never felt even remotely tempted or interested in a woman until I met you. It can't be a coincidence, not when I … ”
He trailed off as if guarding himself, reminding her of the comment Isaac made that she'd been so curious about. “Has it been seventy years since you took your vow?”
Reluctantly, he confirmed, “Yes, and the reasons for it were … extreme.”
He'd definitely been hurt by vampires in the past. Sorrow welled in her heart, but Charlotte didn't get a chance to comment when he cast his blue eyes in her direction again, adding, “The fact that you make my vows seem unimportant tells me much, Charlotte. I thought I could leave you at a Spire and temporarily part ways, but it's more difficult than I'd imagined. I won't be content until I know you're no longer a vampire's target.”
“But you’ll never know if I'm really your mate unless I transition either.”
His jaw clenched as if he wanted to say something, but knew she wouldn't agree. His reluctance also told her just how much value he put on his mate, and it was kind of overwhelming.
Still, Charlotte decided to compromise. “Okay, then take me with you.”
He looked extremely tempted, but denied her. “No.”
“Ulric, I need some time to let this settle in anyway. So let me come with you, and then we can go to one of those Spires when you’re done with your work.”
“No,” he repeated, his voice a bit more gruff the second time, but Charlotte couldn’t tell if it was because he was struggling to say the word, or if he really meant it. “Going to the Spire as soon as possible is the best idea. I should've just taken you to the one we passed in Columbia. You never would've been attacked a second time if I had.”
Charlotte pursed her lips, asking, “Then you regret bringing me now?” Why does that hurt so much?
“It doesn't matter,” he retorted, “Isadora’s waiting, and you shouldn’t keep her.”
“I don’t know her,” Charlotte reminded him.
“You don’t know me either,” he countered bluntly, turning his vivid eyes in her direction. “You need to go.”
He sounded so cold—indifferent even—that Charlotte had to ask, “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means I’m ready to get rid of you,” Ulric snapped.
“If you’re upset that I’m not–”
“I’m not upset about anything except wasting my time if you're not going to entertain the thought of transitioning, and I’m too much of a friend to Isadora to take the compensation for it.”
Nothing in those words was even remotely kind, and it hurt Charlotte just as badly as hearing Mitchell say he wanted a divorce. She was stunned, realizing she wasn't worth Ulric's time either. Am I just worthless to everyone?
But her shock only lasted for a moment be
fore Charlotte knew exactly what she needed to do.
Without a word, she turned to the door and pushed it open, getting out of the truck like he wanted. As soon as she was on the sidewalk, she turned around so he could see her face when she next spoke.
“Thanks for wasting your time saving my life, asshole.” She then looked back at Isadora, who was standing in the yard now, calling, “Hey, toss me that money pouch.”
Isadora did just that before Charlotte turned and chucked the bag at him, which smacked Ulric right in the jaw as she exclaimed, “I can't believe I was stupid enough to think you were being honest when you said you'd never hurt me! So have fun collecting your reward,” followed by slamming the door shut.
Charlotte didn’t think she'd ever react to anyone so angrily, but he’d really hurt her, and to make it worse, that pain was unexpected. Maybe she was too softhearted, but at least Ulric was showing his true colors early on, and she’d never, ever make the attempt to transition for him, or at all.
She was born a human, so she’d die one.
Charlotte walked back to Isadora while the truck came to life before screeching rubber as it took off down the road. Her heart may as well have been under the tires because it was completely crushed.
Isadora pouted, stepping over to meet her halfway, and placed her hands on Charlotte’s shoulders. “You started caring about him, didn’t you?”
“No,” Charlotte denied begrudgingly.
“Aw, it’s okay, he’s just in one of his moods.”
“No, Isadora, it’s not okay. He said I wasted his time and he was only upset about not taking the compensation.”
“I figured as much when you threw the pouch at him,” Isadora mentioned, unable to help a snicker when she pointed out, “You smacked him right in the jaw.”
Charlotte looked down with a shake of her head, asking, “Can we not talk about him? All I want to know is if I can eventually return to my own life without worrying about vampires.”
“You’ll be able to live however you wish,” Isadora confirmed, “with minimal contact from any of us, if that’s what you really want. I'll have to keep up with you to make sure you’re well, but that's all.”
Charlotte assumed as much, and gave a brief nod. “Then,” with a wave of her hand, she finished, “let's get going before it gets dark.”
Isadora lifted what looked like a broken piece of marble tied to a string around her neck, one which began to glow in her hand, and she held out the other. Reaching for it slowly, Charlotte felt an odd sensation begin spiraling through her body as soon as their hands touched, realizing they were both teleporting to the Spire.
Closing her eyes, she let the magic consume her.
Chapter 19
Discovering the Spire was almost enough to make Charlotte forget her upset with Ulric. Almost.
The sanctuary was housed in a skyscraper with fifty-nine floors. It looked like a typical office building on the outside, but inside, it was very different.
The tool Isadora used to transport them from Julian's home, called a Spire Shard, was actually an enchanted piece of the building that had a single use for teleporting to the Arboretum on the fiftieth floor. It sported all kinds of plant life and decorative fountains, including various marble spheres enchanted for travel.
With a touch, a user could teleport from there to any Spire in the world.
A Keeper recorded the people coming and going, and if a traveler had no official business there, they'd never make it through the doors, which were magically sealed as a security measure.
So the spheres weren't meant to be used for leisure, and neither were the shards, which made sense when the various Orders governing different races operated from inside the peaceful environment offered. So a Spire wasn't unlike a foreign embassy, though, perhaps supernatural embassy fit it better.
Each floor had a different function, such as living quarters and conference rooms, and one of them was dedicated to recreation alone. But the most interesting level to Charlotte was the fifty-fifth, which housed the Mystic Market.
If anything drew supernaturals to a Spire, it was the mystical goods they could purchase from the vendors running various shops in the Market, all trying to compete for business.
There were also a few clothing boutiques on the lower levels—human accessible—which sold a number of styles and accessories. Isadora purchased a few things for Charlotte to wear, and while she normally didn't like having people spend money on her, having something to change into was so relieving that she didn't complain.
Isadora procured a room for Charlotte on the fifteenth floor, and the living space made her entire apartment seem like a shack. The rugs looked too exotic to be stepped on, the bed too luxurious to be slept in with it’s deep violet and burgundy drapes and canopy, and Charlotte could only imagine what kind of food they might serve, but figured it was probably too fancy to eat.
It made her wonder why anyone would even want to leave, which she asked Isadora in passing.
Her answer was simple. “Trust me, it gets boring after a while. Nice for a vacation maybe, but I wouldn’t want to spend eternity here.”
Charlotte supposed that was true, not that she was going anywhere until a few things were settled—namely her life.
But being in a safe haven now, she could afford a little relaxation, which came in the form of getting a long bath to clear her head of everything bothering her. She spent an hour just soaking in the hot water alone, and felt so much better afterward, she thought she could handle anything.
It was after dark when she finally got out, dressing in a purple top and a pair of blue jeans as a knock came to her door.
“Charlotte?” Isadora asked. “There's someone here I want you to meet.”
“Coming,” Charlotte called, stepping into the living room a moment later where she saw Isadora carrying a few bags to the counter in the kitchen area. Another fae stood not far away who looked just as radiant with long, golden blonde hair and bright amber eyes.
She seemed friendly, smiling when she saw Charlotte as Isadora introduced them. “Adriana, this is the mortal I told you about. Charlotte, Adriana's a sun fae like you. By the way, do you want a tequila sunrise?”
Though she wasn't a big drinker, Charlotte accepted. “Sign me up.” Then she turned to Adriana and smiled. “It's nice to meet you.”
“You, too. We don't come across mortal fae often, and I was surprised by your story.” Going to sit in a wing chair across from the coffee table, she asked Isadora, “How much did you pay that draconian to protect her?”
“About a thousand.”
“That's a good deal. You must know him.”
“I do, Yules is a good friend.”
“Wait,” Charlotte interjected, “a thousand what?”
“Grams of platinum,” Isadora answered.
“How much is that worth?”
“Around fifty thousand dollars,” Adriana supplied.
“What?” Ulric had nearly refused a payment of fifty thousand dollars for taking care of her? That puts a few things into perspective. But he'd given the reason—Isadora was a good friend and he didn't want to take money from her. So it had nothing to do with Charlotte.
And again, she felt her spirits sinking, growing extremely tired of feeling angry and upset over men who didn't care about her. Screw them all, who needs the headache?
That drink was looking better and better.
“Still, I can't imagine your trip was very pleasant,” Adriana suggested. “Vampires have always been a thorn in our sides.”
“They've certainly been one in mine,” Charlotte agreed as Isadora came over to hand them their drinks, thanking her before taking a long sip of the beverage, which was surprisingly good.
“I didn't even know I was part fae until after I was attacked,” she qualified.
“I was never mortal, so I can only imagine your surprise,” Adriana returned. “Though our kind tend to be free spirits, we're protective of one another, an
d I'm glad Isadora found you.”
“Even though I'm mortal?”
“It doesn't matter, you're still part fae.”
The mention reminded Charlotte of her curiosities where it concerned the reason she was part fae to begin with, asking, “How does that work exactly? I mean, if a human's mortal, and a fae's not, how can they be together?”
“Well, finding a mate in a human doesn't happen often,” Adriana started, “but with any male that's suited to us, we bond and our life becomes tied to theirs. So if he's mortal, we cast off our immortality in a sense, because when he dies, so will we.”
Charlotte frowned. “That seems so sad.”
“This is why it's rare,” Isadora chimed in. “Not many mortal men have what it takes to make a fae cast off her immortality for him.”
“Then it's not just an automatic thing?”
Adriana looked thoughtful, responding, “It's similar. There's a connection felt to our mates when we meet them, one that rouses our physical desires and stirs our motherly instincts. Otherwise, we're impotent.”
Isadora took another drink, muttering, “Impotent, but curious.”
Adriana snickered. “One day, Isadora.”
“Easy for you to say, Miss-I-have-a-hot-werewolf.”
“He is hot, isn't he?”
“Don't get me started.” Isadora muttered. “He's handsome and acts like he can't get enough of you. I'm surprised he's not glued to you now.”
Grinning, Adriana pointed out, “Why do you think it's been so long since we saw each other?”
Charlotte stayed quiet during their exchange, remembering how Ulric acted as if he couldn't get enough of her that morning. It made her eager to change the subject, so when the two ladies grew quiet, she asked, “Okay, so tell me what the fae are anyway? What can they do?”
“I have a tome I should lend you,” Adriana mentioned, “but in essence, we're the guardians of nature, which gives us life, and like nature, we foster it.”
“Then what's the difference between a sun fae and what Isadora is?”
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