Chin stuck up in the air, she marched back to my side.
It didn t work. He resisted me completely.
Kalcifer motioned to me.
And the Priestess? How was she compelled?
Daphne turned to me and quirked a fine-haired eyebrow.
Rae? Care to explain or shall I?
I gave her a queer look before addressing Kalcifer.
Tomas and I had a blood tie. It was how he reached through my natural defences.
Baako sniffed.
I know of this link. I have met a vampire who shared one before, an old enemy of mine.
He waved his gigantic hand to signal that was not important.
We found out more about his love in a bid to destroy him. The blood tie only happens between the most passionate of mates. Free will, the tasting of blood, and acceptance of the bond is key to its forming, because vampires can use compulsion, which essentially the removal of will.
Baako eyes darted to where Breandan stood than back to my face.
You already have a mate and are &.
he made a self-conscious noise, uncomfortable with what he was about to say,
bonded & by fairy magic to him. How did the vampire force this union on you?
There was a tense silence.
The urge to look at Breandan and gauge his reaction was crushing, but I knew that would be a mistake.
Tomas and I kissed. Once. He fed on me. I mean, um, by drinking my blood during the kiss the bond was formed.
Awkwardly rubbing my nose, I prayed my cheeks weren t red because they felt afire. Damn it. I m sure everyone else here has done something they weren t entirely proud of. Their shame wasn t being paraded around in front of the most powerful supernatural forces on earth.
Oh,
he said and he sent a commiserating look Breandan s way.
That, ah, would explain it.
Kalcifer jumped on this.
If this vampire controlled you once he could do so again.
Breandan slipped a hand into mine. He wasn t mad and that relieved me, the fear of him shutting himself off from me in jealousy dissipated.
He is no longer a threat to her.
Baako grinned at the finality of his tone, openly hungry for the bloody tale.
Kalcifer eyed him up in speculation.
You killed the vampire? Consort of a Nest Queen?
Breandan slanted a look at me.
I took his head.
Is this really vital to the discussion at hand?
Daphne snarled.
Lochlann hissed. The sound was menacing, and one all fairies could summon when deeply angered.
That vampire took the life of a fairy. The girl s family will want to know the justice I promised has been done.
He waited for her rebuttal. Daphne said nothing.
Does it shock you that she had a family, a mother and a father who raised her, two younger sisters who loved her? Do they not deserve the peace this knowledge will bring? That the monster who sucked their daughter dry and dumped her body in the forest is now nothing but a headless corpse?
Daphne inhaled and exhaled slowly, small hands clenched into fists.
Brother,
Breandan chided softly.
It was rude of me to speak of him so coldly, and your needling isn t helping. There is no honour in this.
Mercifully, Lochlann backed off Daphne without further persuasion. He fixed his attention on me instead. Great.
Rae, finish.
Ignoring his lack of manners, once again I spoke, beginning where I had left off. I explained how I had ended up being led to the vampires and how Tomas had presented me to his Queen. I brushed the hair away from my neck, so the keen eyed demons could see the fang marks from Tomas bite. I told them how I had woken and how he had pledged his love for me, but how he could not betray his own kind. I motioned to Daphne as I explained how we met and how she took Devlin s body away. And at the last, my voice filled with emotion, I spoke of Breandan how he had looked in the rain when he had come for me, and how he had fought for me. That he had strode into a Nest of bloodthirsty vampires demanding I be returned to him. I told them, how even when I had fought him to save Tomas, and fought Tomas to save him, how he had protected me even then.
Nobody interrupted me this time. And when I closed with our mad dash through the Northern City, and the vampires we had to destroy to make it out alive how eventually they would come for me, driven by Gwendolyn s need of vengeance a hushed reverence fell over the Meet.
It was quiet for such a long time before Gita squawked in a perturbed voice,
So I am clear, Rae, you were plucked from the human Temple where the last High Lord had been spying on you for the last lunar cycle. You were discovered by the Wyld Guardian, now your mate, and learned that you are fairy. A powerful Seer told you of the key and the grimoire. This same witch told Breandan that you and he would bond should you meet before Lochlann tied you to him. You met the vampire Tomas. He tricked you into thinking he needed you to save his race,
she sent me a look filled with pity,
and you believed him. You believed that a vampire would ask for help.
It didn t seem that far a stretch at the time,
I muttered sullenly.
The truth was he was sent by his Queen to bring you to her, so she could discover why the Coven Father wants you so badly.
Gita swept a hand over her brow and pinched her hooked nose. Utter disbelief was conveyed in her tone.
Devlin escaped with the grimoire, but it was a hollow victory since you held all three amulets. You resolved to go after him, but his magics fooled Conall, one of the best trackers I know, and so you turned to Byron s Pride.
Yes,
Byron said in his gruff voice.
We struck a bargain if she saved my daughters from the humans, I would help them track Devlin. It would have been a pleasure to help take him down. That fairy dishonoured my Pride.
But before we could come up with a plan,
Alec added quietly,
she saved my life and was captured. She was tortured,
his eyes flicked over my scars,
gruesomely. And &.
Guilt was heavy on Alec s heart. I promised myself I would talk to him and explain that I never saw what happened as his fault. We had been running the boundaries when I had been captured. The Pride Sentries had been killed, and the Clerics had gotten closer than we could have known. He needed to understand that, and stop blaming himself for the cruelty of others.
Gita nodded in thanks to Alec and Byron for filling in the details.
You were rescued by the Vodoun, and met a particularly powerful member of their kind, Papa Obe, a Houngan Priest of black magics we had all thought was long dead. Ah, and your zombie friend helped, a being who you called back to life with the aid of gods, The Loa themselves. The most tricky and sinister of the divine powers.
Red in the face large eyes unblinking she and the others stared at me.
You rescued the Byron s daughters, fought the humans you once called friends, and battled the he-witch himself before facing the deranged Northern City vampire Queen?
And I kicked Gwendolyn s skinny ass,
Daphne said proudly to no one in particular.
I always hated her ringlets.
Ignoring Daphne, I shrugged, not understanding why they were all so bewildered.
It s all like you say-so,
I agreed.
Though there s a quite bit you ve left out.
I rubbed my nose.
Honestly, it sounds impossible when put like that, but the gods know every situation I ve found myself in has more or less been my own fault, and each time I come closer to dying.
My lips turned downward to show them all what I thought of that pesky reoccurrence.
I m here to do what s right, I
What is right?
Kalcifer interjected, his expression somewhat horrified.
Do not mistake me Pr
iestess, you terrify and fascinate me on many levels. The truth is that I have heard many wondrous stories about you since I arrived here. Yet in every situation you make the same mistake.
Mistake?
My face scrunched up … I was confused.
I don t understand what you mean. How does anybody make a mistake when fighting for their life, and the lives of the ones she s supposed to protect?
Kalcifer took a heavy step forward. His forceful gaze locked with mine and the world receded to darkness around him.
Has it occurred to you the reason why you and your mate survive, and others do not, is because of the choices you make?
The words were spoken in earnest. When my vacant expression remained, disbelief flitted across his.
As leaders, we do what we must for our people in spite of what we want. It s a burden those not blessed with power and responsibility cannot fully appreciate.
He motioned strongly, ensuring to include all in his address.
I stand here listening to Lord Lochlann beseech me, beseech all of us to join him, because he has the most powerful weapon against Blackthorn Coven in his grasp. But had he come to me without such a mighty weapon, I would be resigned to lead my Pack into battle with him as our overlord.
There was a general murmur of appreciation and agreement to his words.
It sounded to me he was saying that I shouldn t fight, and because of me, he wouldn t fight. Certain I had misunderstood, I shot a startled look at Breandan. He glared at the Alpha. If Breandan s look could kill, Kalcifer would be a mangled husk upon the ground.
Holding my hand up in some attempt to regain my calm, and that of those round me, I tried to interrupt.
Wait
Kalcifer held up his own hand higher to silence me. It rankled with the fairies, but none stopped him most were eager for what he had to say.
You are powerful, and blessed by the gods, but I believe that you are also cursed.
Kalcifer,
I stuttered, sensing a rapid down spiral, and not sure what I said to kickoff the decline. The circle of faces surrounding me twisted with uncertainty as they studied at me and evaluated what they had learnt of my actions.
I ve no experience with this kind of thing. It should be Lochlann who you
I make this vow to you, Lady Rae,
he said solemnly.
If you can tell me, truthfully, everything you have done from the moment you met him,
he jabbed a condemning finger at Breandan,
has not been to protect your own skin and that of the one you call your mate, I will follow the High Lord into war.
As will I for the raptors,
Gita said gravely.
Baako did not speak, but waved his hand to signal he was thinking.
The shifters looked at Byron. He crossed his arms over his broad chest, tucking his hands under his armpits, and grimaced.
It is a hard choice we face, but I know these two. Love blinds us, turns us into weak fools.
His good eye rolled down to pass over his daughters.
But I have seen the strength of the little fairy s heart. Her determination can make an old man already taken by grief open to hope. I owe her much.
He inhaled, and from the set of his shoulders, he d made his decision.
I have also seen this girl s love turn her blind to the darkness in others. I have seen her risk many for few. I have seen her love when paired with his,
he nodded his head to Breandan,
make the very earth quake. They make the walls crumble, and the sky choke on magic.
Expression filled with sorrow, his voice lowered as if he spoke to me alone.
You cannot lie, and so I know what your answer will have to be. I will not lead my people to death when your mind is clouded with passion you cannot control.
Amelia whirled to face him, ears flat to her head, and screamed in outrage. Nimah blinked slowly. Her tail thumped the ground, and she continued her steady perusal of the crowd. Unlike her twin, she accepted her Alpha s decision in a heartbeat.
My mouth opened, but no words came. Exactly what was I supposed to say? I lifted my hands helplessly.
I was born a fairy, the daughter of powerful union of magic, but I was raised human. I m an orphan who was taken in by the Sect with no other purpose but to protect a small patch of land, and to survive. I was not trained how to be this person you all expect me to be. I can t click my fingers and be a good Priestess. I m doing my best that s all I ve ever done.
I struggled to find the right words, knowing I had to say them. Sudden fear of my own destiny slipping from me had a cold sweat slicking my forehead. How did that even happen? It was my destiny. My palms were clammy.
I admit most times instinct guides me, and my first instinct is to be close to Breandan.
I flushed hotly; deciding my feelings for him needed no further explanation beyond that brief reference despite how important he was to me.
You re all standing here claiming that s wrong of me, but I m beginning to see being Priestess is about tapping into that primal part of myself, giving over to it completely. I m trying to let my fairy nature steer me in the right direction. I m trying the best I can. Soon, I ll be able to control the bond. Breandan and I just need time. Give me time, I can do this.
I lifted my hopeful eyes from the ground to look into faces painted with doubt and rejection.
The blood drained from my head leaving it spacey.
It s not good enough,
Maeve said quietly. The words rang in my ears, and I turned to her slowly. Stepping away from Alec, who for once hung back, she focused on me.
They won t follow you if you can t commit to them Rae. I m trying just isn t good enough to risk lives on.
She reached for my arm, but I evaded her, stepping back with a wounded expression. Her fingers curled in the air.
You need to leave, both of you. Get as far away from this place as you can and let us deal with it. No one will judge you or stop you.
Lochlann looked hesitant, but he turned to the shifters.
If they go, will you fight?
The air in my lungs turned to cement and I wrestled with the urge to scream. After everything, they were going to toss me away?
Averting their gaze, one by one the demon leaders nodded.
Oh, gods.
Frantic, I searched for the Seer s face to get an idea if she d seen this coming, but remembered she wasn t here, and that I hadn t seen her yet.
Where s Ana?
I whispered at Breandan.
He didn t reply. He slowly eased himself in front of me.
Regardless of what we decide I will not send for more bears,
Baako said finally.
My Family has begun hibernation and will be safe for a while. I would not disturb that. But I would fight alone by Rae s side. That she values Lord Breandan s life above her own says much about her character. A mate should be treasured above all otherwise what s the point in living?
He rubbed a hand over his heart.
We are not Family, yet I sense a kindred spirit in her. I do not agree this discussion is one that should be had, and I think the fairy should stay.
He winked at me and grinned when Breandan scowled.
As I said before old friend.
Kalicfer slapped him heartily on the back.
It is the lives of our people we protect, we do not fear risking our own. If it were just me I spoke for, yes, I would take that risk upon myself. I won t push it upon my Pack.
You will lose without her,
Alec shouted. He was furious, and he ignored Maeve when she reached him.
We all agree the humans are irritating, but it s the witches, and their hold over vampires we fear most. Rae has already fought the he-witch and survived. Without her, what chance do we have?
It s too dangerous,
Maeve threw at him.
Didn t you see them? At the human Temple didn t you see how they were ready to destroy ev
erything in their path?
Alec moved to stand beside Breandan, unreservedly lending his support.
It won t be like that if they re together and are kept that way. They can make this work.
Breandan placed a palm on Alec s shoulder in thanks and Alec clapped him back.
Had everything not been going to shit around me, I would have found that alliance between them touching.
Can t you see why they & why I m worried?
Maeve argued.
What happens if she and Breandan are separated again? I m a warrior too, and I know how to fight.
Her eyes darted to Lochlann who looked mildly bowled over by the turn in events.
I was taught by the best, and I know it would be foolish not to consider the possibility that Rae isn t what we need to win this fight. Think, Alec. We can t be worrying if she s too strung out and not doing what she is supposed to be doing when in the middle of a battle. This isn t something we can afford to risk our lives on.
Alec looked pained.
You don t think she can do this?
No,
she said plainly.
Up until now she s gotten lucky, but we can t plan around buts and maybes. It s too much to ask when so much is at risk.
I felt like I d just walked into a brick wall. She didn t trust me Maeve, didn t trust me.
How could you say this to me,
I asked her.
After everything I ve been through … given up to
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