by Sarah Noffke
“Yeah, and why is that?”
Rudolf glanced around, searching for a spot. “I have my reasons.”
“Oh, ever the man of mystery. What do I have to do to get you to spill that information? Fight a gnome? Wrestle a centaur?”
Rudolf grabbed her by the hand and tugged her to a pair of stools at the bar. “You have to make out with me.”
Liv jerked her hand away. “Left or right?”
He spun around, a quizzical expression in his eyes. “Left or right what?”
“Do you want your left or right eye blackened?”
He grinned. “Right, for sure. It’s my better side.” Then he leaned in faster than Liv could fully react and slammed his lips onto hers, kissing her with so much force that she nearly toppled backward. She grabbed him by the shirt and pushed him back, and before she could stop herself, she launched her fist at his left eye.
Rudolf stumbled backward clutching his face. Guards swooped in from all directions, pulling weapons. Three seized Liv’s arms, and another caught Rudolf as he stumbled backward, checking him over. The entire bar turned into complete chaos as the couples broke apart, yelling and trying to figure out what was going on.
Liv tugged at the restraints being forced onto her but found it impossible to break free. She caught a smile on Rudolf’s face as he shook the guards off of him, telling them he was fine.
“Why did you do that?” Liv yelled as the guards pulled her away from Rudolf.
“So that you’d do exactly what you just did,” he answered with what looked like a painful wink. “I’ll see you up on the top floor, Dollface. You’re going to do great!”
Liv shook her head at the fae as the guards marched her away, taking her to a set of elevators.
“Where are you taking me?” Liv asked the man beside her, who she realized at once was a fae.
He gave her a serious expression. “To see management. She prefers to deal with troublemakers directly.”
Chapter Seventeen
The top floor of the Cosmopolitan looked out on the Strip, providing what was undoubtedly the best view in town. Below, Liv could just make out the Bellagio’s fountains, which were cascading in perfect unison.
The guards led her through a hallway dripping with the same kinds of beads as in the Chandelier bar. Eerie music played from unseen speakers. The windows were floor to ceiling, sunlight spilling through and making Liv squint.
“Your management deals with troublemakers directly?” Liv asked. “Seems like she needs more to do. That’s a job that should be outsourced.”
“She specifically deals with magicians who assault fae in her kingdom,” the guard answered.
Oh, so they were dropping all pretenses now. They knew who she was, but the question was, did they know what? She was going to have to reveal that at the right time.
Liv was unprepared for what she saw next. The guards led her into a room that put the Chandelier to shame. Queen Visa’s chamber was a wide-open office, the wall shimmering with light as if it were made out of diamonds. The carpet was solid white and instantly made Liv feel like she was walking on a cloud. Overhead hung dozens of chandeliers, their crystals reflecting the light, sending rainbows all over the room.
I’m in heaven, Liv thought, her mouth dropping open.
“What the hell have you brought me?” Queen Visa called from the far end of the room. She was sitting behind a large modern desk. Behind her the wall was entirely glass, displaying the view of the Las Vegas Strip.
Various groups of fae turned to look at Liv as the guards led her to the front of the room. They were dressed similarly to her, although none of the women was wearing anything as skimpy as her dress.
“We apprehended her in the Chandelier bar,” the guard said, releasing Liv finally. “She punched a fae.”
Behind the desk sat the most beautiful woman Liv had ever seen. Queen Visa’s blonde hair hung in loose ringlets, perfectly framing her heart-shaped face. Her topaz-blue eyes narrowed, and that somehow made her even more attractive. The curves of her pink lips were flawless, drawing Liv’s eyes to them. When she stood, Liv could see that she was wearing a solid white blazer fastened at the waist with no shirt underneath, her boobs barely covered. The white pencil skirt was snug, hugging her narrow hips and stopping just short of her upper thighs. Her pink stilettos made a gentle noise as she strode around the desk, a murderous expression on her face.
So this is the woman who is going to kill me, Liv thought. At least my last sight will be a good one.
“You, magician, stroll onto my territory and assault one of mine? You must have a death wish,” the queen said, walking around Liv and sizing her up. “I don’t get it, though. You don’t dress like your kind. Where’s your oversized cape and bad sense of style?”
“I left it at home. When in Rome…” Liv said, her voice only slightly unsteady.
At her back, there was a commotion, but Liv didn’t dare turn around.
“You? The magician assaulted you?” Queen Visa asked, looking away from Liv.
A moment later, Rudolf was escorted to the front a safe distance from Liv. He was still clutching his face where Liv had punched him.
Bowing low, he forced a smile. “Yes, my queen. I was working on seducing her, and out of nowhere, she punched me in the eye.”
Queen Visa scrutinized him with a stare that could melt ice. “You don’t play the seductive game, and you know better than to try it on a magician. What are you playing at, Rudolphus?”
He shook his head. “Nothing, my queen. I’ve been trying to get back into the game. Maybe I’m a bit out of practice, and I didn’t know at first that she was a magician.”
The queen studied him for a moment, softening slightly. “My poor, dear Rudolphus. You’re still broken from her death, aren’t you?”
Liv’s eyes cut to the ground. She tried to not look interested.
“Yes, my queen, but I’m on the mend. Which is why I’m here,” he answered.
“I sure hope so,” Queen Visa answered. “It’s been well over a century. Move on, already.”
He nodded, not at all looking like the fae Liv knew. “You’re right. Of course, you’re right.”
She reached out, brushing her hand across his cheek, cold affection in her eyes. “We did have fun together, didn’t we, my darling Rudolphus? Which was why I had to kill her. You’ll always be mine. Always.”
He pressed his hand to the one holding his face and forced a smile. “I realize that now, and I’m extremely honored.”
Queen Visa’s hand dropped at once, and she spun to face Liv. “Now, the question is, what do I do with you, magician?”
Not kill me, Liv thought. Instead of saying that, she hitched up one hip and smacked her lips like she was chewing gum. “You can start by telling me how you got that ass. Do you do Pilates?”
The collective gasps of the fae around the room made Liv stiffen.
Queen Visa traced her pink fingernail over her perfect lips, regarding Liv with an unreadable look. “You look familiar. Where do I know you from?”
“I work at a repair shop in WeHo. Did you bring a blender in last week?” Liv said casually, although her heart was racing.
Queen Visa cracked a smile that nearly made Liv faint. It somehow made the impossibly beautiful woman even prettier. “I like you, magician. What’s your name?”
“Aren’t you going to punish her?” Rudolf complained. “She gave me a black eye.”
Queen Visa shook her head at him. “You know as well as I do that a few bruises and scars make you more attractive. You maybe should be thanking Ms…” She gave Liv an expectant look.
“Liv,” she answered.
“Now, Liv, why are you in my casino? Magicians don’t like gambling or drinking or anything fun, really. Just libraries and other boring things,” Queen Visa said.
Liv swayed her shoulders to the music playing overhead. “I’m not like other magicians.”
“I see that. But what brings you to t
he Cosmo?” Queen Visa asked.
“A simple request,” Liv said, her throat starting to constrict. The moment was nearly upon her. She didn’t think she could go through with it.
Queen Visa raised an arched eyebrow at her. “For me, I gather.”
“Or whoever is in charge here,” Liv dared to say.
Again the crowd at Liv’s back gasped, many exchanging whispers.
To her surprise, Queen Visa didn’t kill her on the spot. Instead, she laughed. “I haven’t been spoken to like this in…well, never. You amuse me, magician. Not only are you not like your kind, you’re not like the fae.” She waved a hand at the people behind Liv. “You all are a bunch of boring dimwits who only tell me what I like to hear and rarely say anything of interest.”
“That’s because they have free rein and not enough respect for mortals,” Liv said.
“I’m not following your reasoning, Liv.”
“Well, a bit of humbling goes a long way. Your fae gallivant, making mortals do everything they desire and seducing them without concern.”
“And you think that if they didn’t do this that they’d have better personalities?” Queen Visa asked.
“I think that if they weren’t obsessed with love and sex, they’d find other hobbies, which would make them more interesting to you.”
Queen Visa considered this for a moment. “It makes sense. You all have become even more lustful lately, and then you have nothing to talk about. You’re so scared I’m going to remove your privileges that you suck up to me, never telling me what you really think. After a few hundred years, it’s quite tedious reigning over you all.”
From around the room came several protests. Queen Visa shook her head. “No. I’ve made up my mind, thanks to my new friend, Liv. I want you all doing other things besides seducing mortals all the time. Get hobbies. Go on adventures. Leave the mortals alone for a while.”
“But, Queen,” many around the room said.
Liv couldn’t believe it was working, but the hardest part was almost upon her.
The floor rumbled under their feet as Queen Visa’s beautiful eyes flared red. Her gaze narrowed, and steam seemed to rise from behind her. “I have decreed. Who dares to defy me?”
“Not I,” many of the fae said, their protests immediate.
“That’s what I thought,” Queen Visa said confidently, her demeanor returning to normal. “Now, Liv, why don’t you join me in the spa? It’s time for my afternoon massage.”
Liv gulped. Her eyes darting briefly to Rudolf. He was pale, and seemed to understand the severity of the moment. “Can’t do a massage. I’ve got to return to the House of Seven in a sec.” She opened her purse as Queen Visa’s face transformed back into one of pure vengeance.
“You! You’re a Warrior for the House of Seven!” Queen Visa boomed, her voice making the chandeliers overhead shake. “How dare you come into my kingdom and assault one of my own?”
Although she was trembling inside, Liv remained outwardly steady, withdrawing a vial of her blood from her purse as well as an ancient scroll, the one where the first agreement with the Fae had been written. “Oh, you didn’t know I was a Warrior? Shucks, I totally forgot to mention that part. Anyway, here’s a vial of my blood. Thought I’d offer it to you in exchange for an update to that little contract you signed ages ago with the House.”
Queen Visa was momentarily thrown off, her eyes focused on the vial in Liv’s hand. “Why would I want that? And what update to the contract?”
“Well, you just stated that you weren’t going to allow your Fae to openly seduce mortals anymore, so that should probably go in the contract, just so we cover all our bases.” She dared to wink at the queen. “Keep them accountable, you know. Make it legit.”
“You came here to get me to update the contract?” The queen’s voice was filled with so much hostility that it felt sharp enough to saw Liv in half.
“I came here to give you this.” She waved the vial in the air. “And then there’s the boring contract business. Just wanted to get that out of the way so I can catch a show. I have tickets to see O, and don’t want to be late.”
Liv knew from dealing with Rudolf that the fae were bound by exchanges. They couldn’t give anything without taking, and vice versa. This was how she was getting the contract signed, which would be binding…if she survived.
“Again, what do I want with a Warrior’s blood? I could simply kill you here and now and have as much of it as I like.”
“You could,” Liv said tentatively. “However, blood that is freely given is more powerful. Not only that, but when the giver of the blood is still alive, the magical properties are tenfold. Did you know that?”
The queen looked to the side, uncertainty on her face. “I didn’t, actually.”
Liv shrugged. “It’s true. But you know how useful a Warrior’s blood is, right?”
Queen Visa regarded Liv with a thoughtful stare. “I know that it grants access to certain things. Opens portals otherwise closed to other magical creatures, and in essence, acts as an extension of you.”
Liv nodded. “It would allow you to read the ancient language or enter the House of Seven or attend one of our boring-as-hell meetings.”
The queen released the smallest of smiles, which made her look even more wicked. “You are a clever Warrior. What are they doing with you?”
“Mostly killing me slowly with their dumb bureaucracy,” Liv imparted.
The queen reached out and took the vial, watching its contents spill back and forth as she tilted it. “What is your last name, Liv?”
“Beaufont.”
Queen Visa’s eyes widened slightly. “Yes, now I recognize you. You look just like your mother. She wasn’t a horrible magician. A bit of a rebel, too.”
She closed her eyes, still holding the vial in her hands. Liv watched breathlessly. When Queen Visa opened her eyes, she wore a victorious smile. “You’re smart not to have deceived me. This is in fact Beaufont blood.”
“I had no plans to deceive. Just for doing a job. You get it.” Liv held out the scroll and checked her wrist, although she wasn’t wearing a watch. “So can you sign this with the amendments? My show starts soon.”
Queen Visa considered her. “So the House of Seven wants my fae to stop seducing mortals, is it?”
“I think it’s a frequency issue, honestly. They are probably just jealous because they can’t get dates,” Liv said.
To her surprise, the queen laughed. “If they dressed more like you, they would.”
“Yeah, but that’s not helping them.”
The queen hesitated for a moment before directing her finger at the scroll. “I don’t know why, but I like you more than any magician I’ve met, and I’ve met many of them. Killed many of them, too.”
“It’s probably the hair extensions. People always love that I have long hair,” Liv lied, holding up a piece of her hair, which was real.
“You’re not boring. That’s the reason I like you. I’m tired of boring fae and magicians.”
Liv tapped her foot. “Show starting. Can I get the scroll signed? Then I’ll be on my way, but I’ll come back for a massage and general debauchery later.”
“If anyone else had attempted what you just did with this amendment business, they’d be dead right now. You realize that, don’t you?”
“I’m actually new to this business, so I don’t know much,” Liv stated, acting bored.
“Well, Liv Beaufont, I look forward to seeing what you do for the House of Seven,” the queen stated, circling her finger in the air. The scroll glowed for a moment, and then faded to its original color. “I’ll honor your request in exchange for the blood. The contract has been amended.”
Liv kept her relief hidden and nodded. She could hardly believe she’d done the impossible and survived. She couldn’t wait to see the councilors’ faces when she shoved this at them.
Chapter Eighteen
“I told you the right eye,” Rudolf said, still nursin
g his swelling left eye. He and Liv had split up and met a bit off the Strip, taking a portal to Roya Lane from there.
“I don’t take direction well. Just ask the Council,” Liv answered.
“I can’t believe you gave her your blood,” Rudolf said.
“Oh, hell no,” Liv said, realizing she should have changed before coming to Roya Lane. They already gawked at her there, but now they had even more reason, with her wearing a neon-green dress that was full of holes and hooker heels. “You don’t think I’m insane? I gave her Sophia’s blood, which is why she knew it was a Beaufont’s. It doesn’t have the same magical potency as mine. She won’t be able to find out that it’s Sophia’s though. I’d never put my little sister in danger.”
“No, she won’t figure that out, but she’s going to be livid when she realizes you fooled her.”
“If I gave her my blood then she could enter the House of Seven and go in to the Chamber of the Tree or a whole other hosts of places,” Liv said, thinking of the ancient chamber.
Rudolf gave her a sideways look. “You realize that if she figures that out, you’re dead that very minute.”
“Oh, I’ve already bought my coffin.”
A group of gnomes dared to point at Liv and heckle her. She held up her fists, narrowing her eyes at them. “Keep it up, and I’ll show you how I can shove these heels up your—”
Rudolf hooked his arm through Liv’s, steering her away. “Keep that up, and they’ll never teach you fireball magic.”
“I’m pretty sure I’ve sullied my reputation with the gnomes for a long time.”
He shook his head. “Still, it would be good to preserve things as much as possible. They can hold a grudge longer than any other race, but they also hold a unique advantage over some. You never know when you’re going to need to make nice with them.”
Liv untangled her arm from Rudolf’s noticing in the dim light of Roya Lane how badly his eye was swelling. She gazed at her hand, which to her surprise didn’t feel injured from the assault—not like his darkening eye. “Hey, I’m sort of sorry for punching you. I realize in hindsight why you kissed me.”