Ha! I was fine. That was just Mom’s way of informing me she wasn’t pleased with the fact that I’d drawn Dad’s attention to the unseemly interest she was receiving from our newest additions. Dad nodded his head thoughtfully and Gareth’s hold on me loosened a bit. Mom gritted her teeth and gave me what I thought was a dirty look.
Unless she wanted me airing our dirty laundry in front of her sycophants, I thought, and out of the corner of my eye I watched Nolls jerk while Roral and Lira both hissed in air between their teeth, I strongly urged her not to say anything else.
“Well, we’ll be going now,” Dad muttered and almost pulled Mom from the room with him. When the door closed behind them I took a deep breath and placed my hand over Gareth’s.
“That was a bit harsh,” he murmured against my ear. “I realize you are angry at your Mother and you have every right to be. But these three...” and he jerked his head in the guard’s direction, “do not deserve your animosity.”
Gnashing one’s teeth is not a good habit. We are born with only one permanent set. Wearing them down when I might conceivably live to a very, very old age would not be a good thing. I took a deep breath and glanced across the room. “Yes, I have every right to be angry and it irritates me that everyone thinks she’s so damn perfect. What was it you said Amras… she never placed a foot wrong or raised her voice? Goddess, that makes me want to scream and then throw up in turns. After what she did to him and then Cursed! Not to mention my own childhood.” I flung my hand at Nolls, Lira, and Roral then finished with, “And there they are nearly drooling over the fact that she happens to be standing in the same freaking room with them. It’s irritating, especially with my Father standing right next to her!”
“Ohhhh, the Mistress is jealous,” Kit muttered from the chair he’d flopped down in earlier. His fingers were laced over his stomach and there was an amused look on his face. “I can’t blame you. It must have been difficult growing up in her shadow. And what’s worse, the Queen sends you guards who can’t keep their eyes off her. In fact, since she stepped into this room the lot of them have been following her around like she’s their Goddess herself and responsible for every breath they take. If I didn’t look at you that way, I’d be tempted to throw up myself. If I could throw up that is.”
I looked at Kit and frowned, then smiled. Nice to have someone agree with me! Validation was a good thing. “It’s obvious they want to be near her so I think we should give them to her.”
Cursed stood at the edge of the living room and he informed me softly. “My Lady, they were sent to guard you, their duty is to you.”
“Actually, they were not. They were sent to escort me back to the Sidhe. Assign them to her, make them all happy. When the summons comes I’ll drag them along as I’m obligated to do. In the meantime… in the meantime it would be best if they took up residence across the hall, away from me.”
Before I finished my comments, all three of them had dropped to a knee as if to ask my forgiveness. No one said anything for several minutes and then Jace spoke up from the doorway to the kitchen. “Lexi, you are behaving as you did when the others arrived. Are you worried you might seduce these three, too? Is that why you are being so harsh with them?” Everyone’s eyes came to rest on me and I suddenly felt a little sick to my stomach. “Do you think that is what Goldy meant?” he continued and I glanced at the floor and shook my head. I wasn’t exactly certain which of his comments I was trying to deny.
“If anyone should be sent away it should be your mother,” Owen offered. “You have too much pent up anger to be in the same room with her. And the words that she speaks, though they sound kind, are designed to remind you of the place she forced you to occupy throughout your childhood. I for one will be glad to see her go since she upsets you.”
“And don’t worry about these three,” Kit offered. “If they get too close to you I’ll ensure they are unable to perform.” I moaned and covered my face with my hands.
“Which reminds us,” Gareth spoke up. “Thank you, Kit. Lexi tells us we have you to thank for… not impeding our ability to… become acquainted with her.”
Kit glanced at me and winked when I looked at him through my spread fingers. “Promise?” I asked.
He chuckled and glanced at the three who were still on their knees, but no longer had their head’s bowed. All had wary looks on their faces and they were staring at Kit as if he’d grown a second head. “It would be my pleasure,” he assured me.
Amras spoke up and his words surprised me at their harshness. “Personally, Princess, I prefer their eyes follow your mother and not you. But your Father might not agree and the three of them have no idea how lucky they are to still be breathing. Had I been your father, I would have taken exception to their manners and blood would have been shed. One can only assume their rude behavior is due to stupidity, or perhaps they each feel they have lived so long they can court death by expressing interest in your father’s mate. I say you give them to her, perhaps they all could use a lesson.”
“What say you, Gareth?” I asked softly.
He took a breath and his arm tightened slightly. “I say… it is Cursed’s decision as they were given into his command.”
We all turned to look at Cursed who folded his arms over his chest, glancing first at the men still kneeling and then at me. “Guard her with your lives. And see that you do not annoy Roark, for the Princess carries his seed and will not tolerate your interference. Go now,” he told them, and they rose as one and moved down the hall and out of the door.
“I made enough for everyone. And Lexi, you need to eat. I think you’re cranky from lack of food,” Jace informed us, then turned and went back into the kitchen, while the rest of us followed him.
“Oh Areth, it’s beautiful,” I told her as I held up the dress she’d laid out for me. If the meeting the night before last was meant to prove I was an elf, this dress was designed to make me look like a Faerie princess. The dress was dark cream, or perhaps a pale gold satin. It was strapless and fit like a corset with a low back which laced up. The bodice was covered in seed pearls at the edge and down the center. The dress cinched in over my ribs and at my waist, making me appear quite tiny. Well tiny everywhere except my breasts, which were more than ample for the tight dress. While the top fit like a custom made glove, the skirt bellowed out from just below my waist in yards and yards of material. All this was gathered up here and there by large matching satin rosettes in several locations around the back, and a couple at the front, adding to the bell shaped skirt and train that flowed along behind me. Long fitted gloves in the same color reached several inches above my elbows. The dress was romantic and enchanting and made me feel beautiful.
“You are a vision,” Jace commented as he leaned against the bathroom wall and watched Areth finish my hair. It had taken a while for it all to dry to her satisfaction before she could begin putting it up. Now it only required a few remaining touches. There was a knock on the bedroom door and Gareth went to answer it. When he returned he was carrying a large blue velvet box and my eyes widened in dread. Now was not the time for anymore of Alan or Bodark’s jokes, I thought, and caught Jace’s frown in the mirror.
“It’s from your mother. Owen just dropped it off,” Gareth replied and I breathed a sigh of relief.
“Open it,” I urged him and he shook his head.
“I cannot. It is intended for you only and will not open, or so Owen was told.”
I sighed and reached for it while Areth pinned the last curl into place atop my head. Areth made a pleased sound in her throat when I lifted the lid and stared down at the beautiful tiara nestled within. “Perfect,” she told me and plucked it from its bedding and lifted it to my brow. When I glanced in the mirror I had to agree with Areth, it did look perfect. “Some earrings and…” Areth muttered. “If you will allow me?” she asked and I nodded. She closed her hand and when she opened it again she held a pair of screw on pearl earrings and a multi strand pearl choker that looked to be
at least three and a half or maybe four inches wide. Gareth held out his hand and bent to fasten the choker at the back of my neck. I shivered slightly as the long connecting strand slid down my back and the coolness of the pearls chilled me.
“Good idea, Areth. Baring Lexi’s neck at a Vampire party might be dangerous. This should let them know she’s not interested.”
“Is that the explanation for your mandarin collars?” I asked, not realizing there might have been a reason, beside that they looked good enough to eat. Both of them were wearing black tuxedos with no lapels, and black piping which edged their jackets and high collars. Jace had on a raw silk dark green vest and ascot, while Gareth’s was blue. Their white cuffs peaked out beneath their sleeves and each of them had little golden dragon cuff links. Their pants were also black and Jace had done something to his mahogany colored hair so that it was slicked back and was kind of spiky on top. With his morning after shadow he looked very sexy. Gareth presented the more conservative all American Eagle Scout look that I knew made women’s hearts flutter. Gareth and Jace both shrugged and Areth smiled.
Jace slipped out of the bathroom and came back carrying my dagger. “In case the pearls don’t work,” he told me and went to a knee next to my leg while I lifted the voluminous dress out of his way.
I thanked Areth when she proclaimed me done and she winked out, on her way to check in on Mom and Dad. My palm cupped Jace’s cheek, the soft fabric of my glove catching on his day old growth with a rasping sound that made us both smile. I had had to leave my ring in the dresser drawer since my glove wouldn’t fit over it. I’d pulled my glove on over my bracelet and it had melted through the fabric so that the glove was next to my skin, while the bracelet was now hanging on the outside. I’d never seen it do that before, but then I’d never wore anything skin tight over my wrist either. “You look… very handsome,” I told them both, my eyes roaming their wide shoulders and gorgeous faces. “I want to feel your hot skin pressed against mine while we make love.”
“Now?” Jace asked, his eyes widening in alarm.
“Yes and later and then again afterwards. In fact I can’t conceive of a time I won’t want you,” I teased and watched as the worry slid from his face. “I just thought I should warn you both,” I told them. “But I’ll take a kiss at the moment and tonight when you catch me looking at you… you won’t have to wonder what I’m thinking.” Jace rose to his feet and pulled me into his body. My arms slipped up his chest and around his neck while he lowered his mouth to mine and proceeded to set off bells and whistles all through my body. When he released me I was breathing heavy and my eyes were whirling slowly. He growled and handed me to Gareth, who cupped my cheek in his palm and lifted my lips to his. The first brush was tender and searching, as if he was savoring the taste of me. I clutched at his coat and his hand slid over the bare skin at my back.
“My Princess,” he whispered, and bent me over his arm while his mouth reached into my soul and set it afire. His shield dropped away and I could feel the pleasure in him, his desire to hold me tight and keep me forever and I pressed against him and offered myself, knowing that it might not be forever, but for now there was nothing I would not give.
Chapter 16
When our limo pulled up in front of City Hall, I leaned forward and stared in dismay at the crowds being held back by dark red velvet ropes. “Welcome to stardom,” my Mother told me calmly from the seat across from me. We’d managed to cram all of us into the limo, but only after Owen and Kit shifted to miniature dragons. Dean was driving and Gareth had frowned and given him a second look when he’d held the door for us. When Gareth climbed into the limo ahead of me, I had winked at Dean, who lifted an eyebrow and flashed me his teeth when he smiled.
All of my men looked wonderful. At the moment Owen looked adorable as a little white perched on Cursed’s knee, while Kit was his normal black and silver and sitting on Amras. All of my men were dressed similar to Gareth and Jace with the exception of their vests and ascots, which were all in two tones having gold and some other color. Amras was dressed in a dark purple and Owen had on chocolate brown, their clothing matching each of their eyes. Kit had on silver and Cursed was dressed in a wine color that looked sumptuous on him.
Mom was wearing an elegant pale blue dress that had a square neckline and long flowing sleeves. The dress was fitted to her body down to the knee where it flared wide at the hem. The dress made her skin seem to glow and brought out the highlights in her hair. She was wearing a matching wrap to keep the evening chill from her. Dad looked fantastic in a high collared brocade jacket that fell to mid thigh. Like Kit, he was dressed in black and silver and looked so good I couldn’t help but be proud. I think his chest actually puffed up earlier when I’d looked him over. I noticed Mom had moved her ring, which she always wore on a chain around her neck, to her finger. It was the feminine twin to the ring my father wore. I could only hope it meant Dad had convinced my Mother to actually consider marriage to him. Dad’s eye met mine and he gave me a pleased smile. Hmmm… perhaps there would be a wedding in the near future? It was something to think about later.
Nolls, Lira, and Roral were all dressed in standard guard black and none of them appeared interested in making eye contact. I could tell they were annoyed with me, but at the moment I couldn’t get too worked up over it. After all, I’d had them assigned to my Mom and Dad; it wasn’t as if I’d banished them back to the Sidhe.
“I see they rolled out the carpet for you,” Jace commented and I nodded, for indeed they had. A long red carpet stretched from the sidewalk all the way up the seven or eight steps that led to huge center doors, which were standing open. Press lined both sides of the walkway.
“Nervous?” Gareth asked as I continued to view the crowd and I knew my eyes were wide.
“No, not really,” I replied. “It’s not like I haven’t seen this before.” Mom had always caused a stir wherever she went and this was not the first time I’d seen the crowds or the press mob a place she was going to show up at. However this was the first time I’d ever been the center of attention, well, the first if you didn’t count the crowd we’d drawn at the courthouse earlier in the week.
City Hall was lit up like a lighthouse on the cliffs. The building itself was very beautiful, almost like a fairy tale Castle. I’d taken the tour when I’d first moved to town and guessed that we’d be holding the party in the rotunda which was at the base of the huge dome. The structure was detailed on the outside in real gold. It had been rebuilt after the great earthquake in the early nineteen hundreds when nearly the entire city had been leveled. They had spared no expense in making it a show place. The rotunda is four stories high, and if you stand in the middle and look up you see the dome with its intricate carvings and designs. There is a huge sweeping staircase that leads up to the mezzanine. It was made from creamy white brick and has light brown marble and cream colored floors. The inside is open and airy. The stairs have two levels, the bottom is nearly round and there are about ten steps leading up to a platform from which the rest of the stairs go up straight to the mezzanine. From what I remembered of the tour, the upper floors are like large balconies, reaching all the way around the inside and overlook the main room. It is usually where the VIP tables were situated during dinner parties. Since tonight wasn’t a dinner party, the upper floors were probably open for strolling. Nice to know that if something happened and we were forced to shift, there would be plenty of room to maneuver.
“Shall we?” Jace asked and leaned forward to look at Cursed, who was closest to the door.
Cursed leaned forward and struggled with the door handle for a moment before it opened and he stepped out, nearly blinded by the flashes going off. Amras went next, then the three guards. We had argued about the order we would exit the car and needless to say I hadn’t won. Owen and Kit both shifted and followed the other five out, then Jace slid to the door and gave me a smile before he disappeared. I pulled my dress out of the way so Gareth could get around me. When
he was out I edged down the seat and took a deep breath.
“Don’t worry, Lexi. Any trouble will come later, not now,” Dad told me calmly. “I’ve never known a Vampire that wasn’t a show off,” he added and I had to agree. On some level they just seemed to need to prove themselves. Or maybe that was just my experience.
“Break a leg,” I teased, then raised my lower shield and slipped my hand into Gareth’s as he stood at the door and bent toward me. I was a little worried about flashing the crowd, my dress was so wide at the hem. But with Gareth there he managed to block any chance of that happening. Outside the crowd went silent for half a second as they got their first look at me when Gareth stepped back and I was left standing at the end of the carpet facing them all. Sound exploded and lights flashed and through it all I managed to smile. Cursed and Owen took the lead. Kit and Amras fell in behind us as I walked forward to give my Parents room to exit the car. The cameras hesitated briefly as Dad stepped out and reached back in to assist my Mom. When she stepped onto the carpet there was another explosion of sound, as if the crowd couldn’t believe their good fortune. People jostled each other on either side of the ropes and Cursed got us moving toward the doors. Meanwhile the doormen in attendance ensured none of the bystanders broke through the barriers.
Jace and Gareth flanked me as we walked toward the large doors. Someone must have gotten hold of either my credit card receipt from last night, or the invitation list because they seemed to know me by name. Reporters were yelling questions and when one asked if I was related to Princess Shaylee, I stopped and turned to the older gentleman who was holding a microphone aimed toward me. I turned slightly and looked back at my Mother, who was looking at me and smiling. “Yes, she is my Mother,” I told the man. I slipped my hands through Gareth and Jace’s arms and began my stroll toward the front doors. We had planned to make that one announcement and let the Press do the rest of the work for us. I suppose someone would force me to do a Press conference soon, but here and now wasn’t the place to answer the Press’ questions.
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