Dark Queen’s Army

by I. T. Lucas

  Kian shook his head. “We are going to dine out, and not together. There is a small chance we will stumble upon Eleanor in one of the resort’s restaurants or coffee shops. We will meet back here at two in the afternoon and go check out the town.” He looked at Mey. “Do you think you can manage an easy stroll?”

  “I’m sure. I feel much better.” She opened her mouth and pointed at her new teeth, or rather small fangs. “I’m not toothless anymore.”

  “Let me see.” Amanda rounded the table. “Oh, they are so adorable.”

  “Yeah.” Mey grimaced. “I hope they will stop growing by the end of the day or tomorrow morning. Otherwise, I’ll have the opposite problem. From the toothless lady, I’ll turn into the fanged lady.”

  44

  Yamanu

  “Are you going to be okay here by yourself?”

  Yamanu couldn’t bring himself to leave Mey. She was still weak, still took a lot of pain medications, and Julian was not staying in the cabin to take care of her. He was going on the slopes because he was a strong skier.

  “I’m not going to be alone. Callie is staying with me. She brought a bunch of DVDs for us to watch, and she found popcorn in the pantry.” Mey grimaced. “Except, I can’t have any. Can you get me ice cream on the way back?”

  “I will. Arwel and I are not going to stay for long. I plan on doing the questioning, going up and down the run three or four times just so I look like any other Joe Schmo on vacation, and that is it. What flavors do you want?”

  “Cookies and cream, chocolate chip, vanilla, coffee, basically anything you can find except for mint. I don’t like it. Until these damn teeth stop growing, I’ll be eating mainly ice cream.”

  “I hope I can find some in the resort. They are supposed to have a mini market.”

  He kissed her again, and then followed Arwel outside. “Who are we riding with?”

  “Julian, Ella, and Wonder.”

  Everyone was bundled up, a little more than was called for, but just enough to obscure their features. Ski masks and ski goggles were perfect for that.

  Yamanu pulled his over his head and tucked his long hair inside his jacket. The goggles went up next.

  Arwel chuckled. “In your case, the camouflage is not going to work. There aren’t many guys who are six foot eight.”

  “There are enough. And without my eyes and my hair showing, I’m good.”

  Julian got behind the wheel. “Everyone ready to have some fun?”

  “Yes!” Ella and Wonder cheered.

  “Then let’s get this baby on the road.”

  45

  Syssi

  The lift operator shook his head. “I don’t remember seeing her. She doesn’t work here, that I’m sure of. Maybe she used to, though. I just started this season. You might want to check with HR.”

  Kian put his phone away. “That’s a good idea. Thank you. Maybe we will have better luck there.”

  As Kian erased the memory of the conversation, Syssi eyed Dalhu from the corner of her eye. The guy was observing everyone and doing what they did, but she could tell he had never skied before.

  She sidled up to him and motioned for him to bend down. “Have you ever been on the slopes?”

  He chuckled behind his ski mask. “Sand dune slopes, yes. Snow slopes, no.”

  “You shouldn’t go on a red run without training. You’ll break something.”

  He shook his head. “Don’t worry. I’m a quick learner, and anything that has to do with sports has never been a problem for me. I’m a natural.”

  Amanda nodded her agreement. “I’ll stay close to him. Dalhu will watch what I do and follow my lead. It’s going to be all right.”

  They were both nuts, but they were adults, and she couldn’t tell them what to do. Maybe Kian could talk sense into Dalhu?

  The problem was that their turn had arrived to get on the lift, and Amanda and Dalhu went first, and then she and Kian.

  “Dalhu doesn’t know how to ski.”

  “How do you know?”

  “I asked him when you were busy thralling the operator. He confirmed it, claiming that he can learn it on the go. Your crazy sister knows it, but instead of talking sense into Dalhu, she’s encouraging him.”

  Kian shrugged. “I can’t tell them what to do.”

  “Yes, you can. You are the boss.”

  He snorted. “Amanda doesn’t acknowledge anyone as boss. Besides, when it’s not clan business, I have no say.”

  “How about as her brother?”

  He shook his head. “Even less.”

  As their turn came to disembark, Syssi glided down unhurriedly, enjoying the beautiful scenery and the crisp air. Kian skied next to her, probably bristling with impatience to go fast.

  “Go ahead. I’ll catch up.”

  “I’m not leaving you.”

  Knowing that there was no use arguing, Syssi dropped it. Besides, she enjoyed having him near her, and it was safer. She hadn’t skied in a while, but her body remembered all the moves, and she didn’t have to put any thought into it. The only thing that was casting a shadow over her pleasure was the fear of finding Dalhu splattered against a tree on her way down.

  Except, Dalhu made it in one piece. When she and Kian stopped next to him and Amanda, the guy was the picture of satisfaction even with the mask and the ski goggles covering his face. It was in the way he stood, his shoulders back and his chin held high.

  Amanda pulled her ski mask down to show them her smile. “My guy is invincible. His first day on the slopes, and he made it down in one piece.”

  “I’m ready to go up again,” Dalhu said.

  Kian looked at Syssi. “Do you want to go again, or do you want to take a break and rest?”

  She rolled her eyes, but he couldn’t see it behind the goggles. “I’m not even tired yet. Let’s go.”

  After the third round, though, Syssi was ready for some hot cocoa.

  “I’ll come with you,” Amanda offered. “The guys can do a couple of more rounds, and then we can head back to the cabin.”

  As Kian and Dalhu headed for the lift, Syssi leaned closer to her sister-in-law. “Are you sure it’s safe to leave the boys alone? Without us to keep an eye on them, they will start showing off and could get injured.” She was referring to Dalhu, who was getting dangerously cocky.

  Amanda waved a gloved hand. “They are both too old for that. They know better.”

  “I wouldn’t count on it.”

  She threaded her arm through Syssi’s. “I’m not going to worry about that. Let’s go for that cocoa and discuss birthday party plans for Kian. He’s going to be two thousand soon. That calls for a big-time celebration.”

  “I’ve been meaning to talk to you about that. Should it be a surprise? Because I was trying to think how we can pull it off and still have the entire clan attend.”

  46

  Kian

  “One more time,” Dalhu said as they reached the bottom.

  “No problem.”

  Kian was enjoying himself. Dalhu was learning at a rapid speed, his progress impressive even for an immortal. The guy was a natural. So much so that he was getting cocky and trying to compete with Kian.

  That wasn’t smart.

  Nothing could beat experience, and Kian had lots of it. Not recent, but skiing was like bike riding. Once learned, the skill didn’t go away.

  “Whoever gets down first buys coffee,” Dalhu said as they were about to get off the lift.

  “Isn’t it supposed to be the other way around?”

  “Nah. If I beat you, it will put me in a generous mood.”

  “Don’t do anything stupid.”

  “I won’t.” Dalhu pushed off and went down bombing like an idiot.

  Kian pushed off hard and followed. If the moron hit a tree, he wanted to get to him fast. Amanda was never going to forgive him if her mate came to some harm while Kian was with him.

  When Dalhu chose to enter a chute, Kian’s heart started pounding in earnest.
Two rock walls enclosed a narrow path of snow between them, but Dalhu could have avoided the obstacle by going around it. Instead, he was showing off his newbie skills, which were not enough to traverse the narrow space. He was going to get hurt.

  Somehow, though, he emerged on the other side without incident and kept going.

  Kian let out a relieved breath and slowed his descent to a more reasonable pace. He’d planned on beating Dalhu and buying the guy coffee, but it seemed that Dalhu was going to be the one to pull out his wallet.

  Except Fate had other ideas.

  For no apparent reason, Dalhu went flying, and Kian’s breath caught in his throat.

  He’d either hit a rock or tried to make a turn and accidentally dug his ski into the snow. The result was a most ungracious fall with Dalhu’s long limbs getting all tangled up.

  He landed in a heap.

  Kian was by his side in seconds, making a sharp turn to slow his descent to a stop.

  Releasing his skis, he dropped his poles and trudged through the snow to Dalhu. “Tell me that you didn’t break your stupid neck because my sister is going to break mine if you did.”

  Dalhu groaned, which was a huge relief. “Just my leg. Can you snap it back in place for me?”

  Kian shook his head. “Not out here. I’m calling Julian.”

  Except, Julian was not going to make it in time. Someone must have seen the fall and called it in because a ski patroller with a toboggan was rushing their way.

  “Don’t let them touch me,” Dalhu hissed.

  The pain activated his flight or fight response, and his eyes were glowing. In seconds, his fangs were going to punch over his lower lip.

  Kian stood up and shielded Dalhu with his body. When the paramedic arrived, he lifted his hand and smiled. “Everything is okay. Nothing is broken. My brother-in-law just took a nasty fall, and he is resting.”

  He used only a gentle thrall to validate what he was telling the guy, but the paramedic was one of those stubborn and suspicious humans who were not easy to thrall.

  “I’d better take a look.” He tried to push past Kian.

  Kian stopped him with a hand to his chest and got close in his face. “Everything is okay. But we could use a lift down. I’ll help you load him into your toboggan. And if you have something for the pain, that would help a lot.”

  The guy shook his head, trying to shake the thrall off, but Kian had gone deeper this time, and it was taking effect. “So, nothing is broken?”

  “Nothing is broken.” Kian pushed the thrall even further.

  The patroller whipped out his two-way radio and made a quick report.

  “I’ll get him on.”

  Dalhu was a mountain of a man, and the patrol guy would have sweated bullets trying to get him onto the sled.

  “Okay, buddy,” Kian whispered. “This is going to hurt, so bite on something.” He threaded his arms under Dalhu, hefted him up as gently as he could, and deposited him on the sled.

  “Do you have morphine with you?” Kian asked the patroller.

  “No morphine,” Dalhu hissed from the toboggan. “I’m fine.”

  Whatever. If the idiot wanted to suffer, it was his choice. “I’ll meet you down the slope,” Kian told the patroller.

  When the guy started downhill, Kian put his skis back on and called Julian. “Dalhu has a broken leg, and the ski patrol is taking him down. Meet us at the bottom.”

  “I’m on my way.”

  47

  Mey

  Mey happened to glance out the window when the Suburban pulled into the driveway.

  She turned to Callie. “They are back.”

  “I thought I heard a car.” Callie came out of the kitchen and joined Mey at the window. “They are early. They were supposed to return at two, and it’s not even noon yet.”

  It wasn’t snowing or raining either. The sky was clear, and it seemed like a perfect day to be on the slopes. As Mey wondered what had made them cut it short, the reason became apparent when Kian hopped out of the vehicle, reached inside, and hefted Dalhu out.

  “Oh my gosh.” Callie dropped the dishtowel on the counter and beat Mey to the door, throwing it open. “What happened?”

  “Dalhu broke his leg.” Kian brushed by her and bee-lined for the couch with the passed-out Dalhu in his arms.

  Amanda and Syssi followed behind.

  “Julian did what he could to immobilize the leg,” Amanda said. “And he even managed to convince the stubborn oaf to get a morphine shot so we could transport him.”

  “Where is Julian?” Mey asked.

  “He went to get a brace from the paramedic station,” Syssi said. “It wasn’t part of the medical supplies that he thought would be needed on this trip. He should get here soon.”

  Poor Dalhu.

  “How did it happen?”

  “Stupidity,” Kian grumbled. “I didn’t know he was such a fucking show-off, or I would have never invited him on this trip. Especially since the idiot had never skied before and didn’t tell anyone.”

  “He told me.” Amanda cast her brother an angry look. “And I would appreciate it if you didn’t call my mate stupid.”

  Kian shook his head. “You both are. Him for thinking he could wing it, and you for encouraging him.”

  Her hands on her hips, Amanda was ready to tear into Kian, but her impending tirade was stopped by his phone going off.

  “It’s Arwel,” Kian said as he pulled it out. “I guess you heard?” He put the phone on speaker.

  “Heard what?”

  “About Dalhu’s fucking leg.”

  Arwel chuckled. “No, but I get now why you are barking into the phone. Yamanu and I have good news that might cheer you up. We found someone who knows our girl. We are on our way to the cabin, and I called to ask you to meet us there.”

  “I’m here. We brought him back to the cabin. Julian is also on his way with a brace.”

  “Do you need us to turn around and bring the others?”

  “I’ll do it,” Callie volunteered. “After I hear the good news, that is.”

  The phones weren’t secure, and they all knew not to say anything revealing. Mey worried that Kian shouldn’t have mentioned Dalhu’s injury over that line.

  Looking in a much better mood, Kian ended the call and put the phone back in his pocket. “I can’t wait to hear what they have learned.”

  “I wish everyone were here to hear it,” Syssi said. “Ella will be disappointed that she wasn’t told right away.”

  “I could go get Ella and Wonder now,” Callie offered. “But Anandur and Brundar are on the slopes, and I’ll have to wait to catch them at the bottom.”

  “I’ll call them and have them wait for you,” Kian said. “You can bring everyone at once.” He pulled out the keys to the Suburban and handed them to her. “I’ll have Arwel and Yamanu wait with their news until everyone gets back.”

  Callie took the keys and pulled Kian into a quick hug. “You’re awesome. Thank you.”

  He waved a dismissive hand. “Let’s just hope that they have reception up there.”

  As Callie rushed upstairs to get her coat and the rest of the snow paraphernalia, the door opened, and Julian came in.

  “He is still out. That’s good.” He walked over to the couch and pulled out a new brace from the packaging. “I just hope this is large enough for him.” He turned to Amanda and Mey. “I suggest that you go upstairs. I’ll probably need to re-break the leg.”

  “But he is out,” Amanda said. “He’s not going to feel it, right?”

  “I’m going to give him another dose before I do that, but I would still prefer it if you didn’t see it. People get nauseous.” He looked up at Kian. “I need you to stay in case I need help to hold him down.”

  Kian nodded.

  Amanda put her hands on her hips. “Dalhu is my mate. I’m not leaving.”

  “I am.” Mey headed for the stairs. “I don’t want to add stress to the situation by puking all over the floor.”<
br />
  “Yeah, same here.” Syssi followed. “I’m nauseous enough as it is.”

  48

  Yamanu

  As Yamanu followed Arwel through the door, the first thing he saw was Dalhu sprawled over the living room couch with his head cradled on Amanda’s lap.

  “Is he knocked out?” Arwel asked.

  Julian nodded. “I gave him a dose large enough to put a horse to sleep. By the time he wakes up, he should be fine to hobble around. The pain will be gone.”

  Yamanu chuckled. “Thank the merciful Fates for modern medicine. I still remember the times when we had to bite on a leather strap or knock ourselves out with a gallon of alcohol.”

  “Or both,” Arwel added.

  “Where are the other ladies?” Yamanu asked.

  “Syssi and Mey are upstairs, and Callie went to pick up the rest of the team.” Kian walked toward the kitchen. “I promised her that you will wait with your news for their return.” He pulled out a bottle of Snake Venom from the fridge.

  Yamanu was glad of Arwel’s foresight to bring two cases of their favorite beer as well as a full case of good scotch on the trip. None of it could be obtained in the area.

  “Anyone want a beer?” Kian asked.

  As Arwel lifted his hand, Kian tossed him one.

  “I’ll have one too,” Yamanu said. “But I want to check on Mey first.”

  A door opened upstairs, and Mey peeked at him over the banister. “Is it safe for us to come down?”

  “It’s all over,” Amanda said.

  As Syssi and Mey came downstairs, Julian walked over to the fridge, pulled out a beer for himself, and sat next to Kian at the dining table.

  Aside from Amanda and Dalhu, who remained on the couch, the rest of them joined him and Kian.

  When pulled to its full length, the table could accommodate twenty people, so their entire group could have meals at the same time. Which reminded Yamanu that he was starting to get hungry. “I guess that our plan for an afternoon stroll through the resort’s village is canceled. What are we going to do for food? Order pizza?”