At this point it was too late to deny my destination. “Why would you want to do this? You’d be in horrible danger. Naberia would love to get her hands on one of the king’s granddaughters.”
“No more danger than you, and you are more valuable to Faerie than I. It is my responsibility to help you accomplish your goal and to bring you back safely.” I arched an eyebrow and she lifted her chin. “All for the good of Faerie, of course.”
“Of course.” It was apparent she wasn’t fond of me anymore and that those days were long gone, but a teeny part of me was hoping she and I were still friends at least. If that wasn’t the case, then I wasn’t sure I could trust her to have my back. “You’re going to stand out like a flashlight in a mine. I can’t be distracted while I’m there.”
“If you are distracted…” she smiled and I swallowed hard, “…that is your problem and not mine.
“It’s gonna be your problem too, because if I lose focus, we’ll get caught.”
“You have so little faith in me as your second-in-command?”
“Jay’s my second. Always will be.”
“Except in the Demon Realm or Faerie, where he cannot go.”
“And how do you expect to survive? There’s very little fae magic available in the ley lines, which you won’t be able to use while you’re there anyway. Its use would send out a red flag to Naberia.”
“I do not imagine we will be there for long. I will pick a form and remain in that form the entire time. What do you suggest?”
“Nothing, because you’re not coming.”
“I will not allow you to go there alone.” She took in a breath to calm herself. “There is no one else who is as expert at disguise and at the same time as capable a warrior. You know this to be true.”
“God forbid Faerie loses its savior,” I snapped. Sinlae had delivered a prophecy before I was born, stating I was going to lead the fae army against Naberia and the hoards of demons she brought with her. That freakin’ prophecy had been the reason I’d been sheltered for so long and it still hung over my head like a perfect-storm cloud.
“Whether you are indeed its savior is yet to be seen, but nonetheless I must accompany you and bring you back so that you may serve my people and the realm of my king,” she replied, matching my irritated tone exactly.
“Good. I’m glad we got that straight at least.” I walked to the closet and pulled out my leather jacket.
“Is it not hot in the Demon Realm?” she asked.
“It’s whatever Naberia feels like making it. I’ve seen it snow, and once a rainstorm made the river behind Isaiah’s house rise and the water flooded his backyard. I guess it all depends on her mood, like with most females.”
Her expression darkened. Guess she didn’t like the jibe. Why had I even said that? She seemed to bring out the worst in me.
Brina’s eyes were slits and her hand had moved to her sword hilt. “Are you ready to leave?”
“I told you—”
Her sword was at my throat. “Your words are meaningless. I am going with you or neither of us is going. You may choose which it is to be.” Brina was much better with a sword than I could ever imagine myself to be, but I knew I was in no danger. She meant what she’d said. Brina felt compelled to keep me safe, although the reason she’d given might not be the only one.
She’d stepped closer, now standing only three feet away, her eyes sparkling in challenge and her sweet scent surrounding me. My fingers itched to grasp her around the neck and strangle her, while my body wanted to inch closer so I could use those same fingers to thread their way into her golden hair, pull her against me and kiss her. I closed my eyes for a moment and breathed her in, forcing myself to focus on the objective—rescuing Isaiah. Alone.
“Charles…” She placed her hand on my arm.
I stepped away. “There will be rules.” Holy crap. I was actually agreeing to this.
“Continue.” She sheathed her sword.
“We’re simply soldiers working together. We’re not friends and we’re not…more than friends. No touching.” Oh man, that sounded so lame.
She laughed. “Why? Are you afraid I will seduce you? Believe me, I have no plans to give my body to such an unreasonable, stubborn, narrow-minded mule of a male. No touching suits me fine.”
Taking Brina along might be the end of me, but I couldn’t say no for a number of reasons, some of which I really didn’t want to think about right now. She was one of the best warriors in Faerie and I was grateful for her generous offer, whatever the motive. It was a relief to know I wouldn’t be alone on this mission, and although I’d be worried about her staying safe, I’d also know my chances of surviving were a little bit better because she’d offered her assistance.
“Did you tell anyone?” I asked, the volume of my voice lowering since she was so close.
“My sister. No one else. She will inform Grandfather and Garrett when we have left. I feel it is best if Garrett delivers the message to your mother. Keara will tell my parents.”
“I don’t envy her.”
“Nor I, but she is used to reporting my misbehavior.” She cut me a twisted smile.
“This isn’t a game.” It was important she knew that.
“I know we may not survive, but I also know you will not rest unless you do all that you can to save him. We have had our differences, but I know you to be a male of honor.”
“We’ll have to trust each other, because I’ll be leading this mission. Can you follow my orders?”
“Yes, lord,” she teased.
“Without argument?”
She hesitated. “If the orders are good ones, then yes.”
“Brina…”
“Can’t we discuss—”
“No. I know the DR and you don’t. Also calling me lord in the demon realm will draw unwanted attention. We’ll call each other by our made up names. Will it require extra magic for you to hold the form of a male?”
“Yes. It is more difficult.”
“Then you’ll be a female.” She nodded. My mind raced through the possibilities. “You’ll be my slave.” I couldn’t hold back the smirk. I tried. Really, I did.
“Is this a joke?”
It was good thing her sword was back in its sheath. “I know the DR.” I repeated. “The high level demons all know each other, so we can’t pretend to be one of them unless we kill one and take over his identity. But then we’d have to learn his entire history to make him sound authentic enough for us to fool the people who know him well. It would take too much time and require too much effort.” I packed the weapons into a separate compartment in the pack, then chanted a disguising spell. The extra compartment disappeared. I snaked my arms into the straps and lifted the worn leather pack to my shoulders. “We’ll have to be strangers to the area—traveling, mid-level entertainers.” I picked up my guitar case and laid it on the bed. “I’ll be a demon named Yari. What species is easiest for you to use in your disguise?”
“Wolf.”
“Perfect. You’ll be my werewolf slave named…”
“Edon.”
“Edon it is. Can you dance while I play the guitar?”
“Yes, but I also play an instrument.”
“You can accompany me for part of the performance, but it can’t be a fae instrument. Mostly, the audience will want to see you dance.” I cleared my throat and adjusted my backpack on my shoulders. “Sensually.”
Several seconds of silence made it harder to breathe. “I understand the point of this sort of dancing and I am quite capable of seducing a male in that way, but will it not encourage problems between you and any males who might show some interest? And if I am only a slave, what’s to prevent them from attempting to kill you and take me for themselves? We will need to conserve our energy and not be getting into street brawls.”
“Some might make a move if we said we were mated. But legal ownership of a slave is a financial arrangement and in the DR those arrangements are respected almost as much as
a blood oath. I’ll create a document signed by Isaiah. No one will mess with a legal agreement between Naberia’s son and me. I believe you’ll be safer as my personal slave, and our travelling entertainer status will allow us to move around with relative impunity.”
“But what songs will you perform? Do you know demon songs?”
“No, but I know plenty of music from the Mortal Plain. I’ll say I was summoned to entertain and learned human music while I was there. Demons love anything having to do with my world.”
Brina changed her appearance into a dark haired beauty dressed in a calf length suede dress with a full skirt made of strips of colorful fabric mixed with strips of leather. When she danced some leg would show. Her sword was spelled to remain in place but be invisible to everyone but us. I’d already dressed in a rustic tunic, pants and boots, with my dagger sheathed at my waist. My weapon would be visible, although I’d changed it to look like an average blade.
She was dancing in place, trying out the dress. I forced myself to look away and pack my guitar into the case. It definitely didn’t help that we were standing in my bedroom. Jeez.
“Your uncle had better be as honorable a male as you profess him to be because if he is not and I humiliated myself for no good reason, I will kill and torture him myself.” Her carry bag appeared on the carpet beside her feet. Looks like she’d packed before she’d ever suggested the arrangement.
Females were so sneaky.
I slung the guitar strap over my shoulder, then adjusted the backpack. “He’ll surprise you. He always does me, in one way or another. Let’s go.”
Demon Realm
Isaiah
I groaned. It seemed the most appropriate sound to make in my current condition. It was certainly one of the sounds Mother enjoyed hearing me make. She must have compiled a list because she did her best to illicit every one of those noises at least once per session: Shrieks, screams, moans, groans, grunts, cries, sobbing, whimpering and begging. I’m sure there were more, but I was only semi-conscious for much of what went on, thank the gods.
Her least favorite sound was me telling her to fuck off, something else that popped out of my foolish mouth at regular intervals, several times per session. Hence the reason for the wide variety of pain-induced noises. The begging was the worst, because with her inventive tortures she’d made me sound like a coward, and I was not a coward, or at least had never been, up until now.
She’d tortured me in years past when she was enraged over some small slight she thought significant. This time she’d made it clear the slight was not like the others.
My body throbbed and burned and there were splatters and even small puddles of my blood decorating the simple cell. At least it brightened up the gray décor. Every evening I healed the worst of my injuries, usually the bleeding ones, but left myself some marks on my body so she’d feel smug when she targeted the same places. It seemed to keep the session shorter—the new cuts and burns adding to the already scarred background. She had trouble seeing what was new and what was old, a simple ploy that seemed to work to a small degree. And small degrees made an enormous difference in my sad world.
I managed to smile, wincing at the pain of bruises piled on top of contusions. Something had pissed her off royally two weeks ago, because these sessions had been particularly brutal. Perhaps my little demon had surprised her and held her own against Mother’s magic. Because of things she’d let slip, I knew now for certain that Charlie was her primary target when she’d spelled Jacqueline. To force Jackie to harm her own son, was cruelty to the highest degree, a reflection of the archdemon’s lack of honor and total disregard for other species. As evidenced by her behavior toward me, a mother’s love was not something I’d ever been a party to, and on my darker days I envied the relationship Jacqueline had with Charlie. Adele would have been so proud of her family.
A freckstill came in with food in a bucket. A culinary delight, I was sure. I raised my body slowly and sat on the edge of the bed. “Do you know Stan?” I asked in his language. He ignored me, as all her servants did. “If you do, would you please tell him I’m alive? He’d want to know he still has a job.” And if a very foolish young male happened to stop at my house to ask about me, Stan would be able to pass on that information.
The male knocked over the water bucket and moved closer to right it, pulling out a cloth to wipe up the mess. He offered me his wrist and I didn’t hesitate, biting into it and drinking down what I could in the short amount of time he could safely stay in my cell without drawing attention.
I released him, squeezing his arm in gratitude. I’d already said my farewells to a large amount of blood due to Mother’s ministrations, and unseelie blood was rich in nutrients that would help my body replace what was lost. I couldn’t see his face, as hair hung in front of it in the style of most freckstill, but I was certain Stan would be receiving my message. “Thank you,” I mouthed. He nodded and rose to refill the water bucket.
Mother never made the effort to befriend the other species or even the common demons who served her. In fact, she made it a point to make as many enemies as possible, the King of Faerie and The King of the Goblins being on the top of her list. What she didn’t realize was that I was also at the top of that list.
I thought about my Crescent City family and smiled. They were my rebel group, my underground railroad out of the hell Naberia created in the DR, not just for me but also for 99% of her subjects. Jackie’s ability to contact me was a welcome surprise, but I didn’t want her here, although I knew the demon in her would crave the adventure. Garrett, her knight in shining armor, would convince her that I’d be able to get out of whatever situation I was in without her help. It was ironic, but sometimes that arrogant vampire was my greatest ally.
If Mommy Dearest continued her onslaught against my person, it was possible I might break and then all that I knew about my family and their friends and allies would be in the hands of Naberia. I wasn’t sure she planned to continue—she’d always released me in the past. It could be that her plan was to force Charlie to try a rescue attempt so she could kill him herself. I hoped that wasn’t the case because I knew if Jackie had told him about our short conversation the bone headed, foolish young male would be coming to the DR. All those silly books about honorable knights and feeding the poor and killing the rich had put ridiculous ideas in his head.
I leaned back on the hard-as-a-rock cot and stared at the ceiling, closing my eyes and ignoring my aches and pains. I visualized the boy I’d trained and the male he’d grown into. I was terribly proud of him, although I’d possibly never have a chance to tell him.
“Don’t come.” I sighed, frustrated by my helpless state, but as I thought about the boy, a smile seemed to spread across my face. How odd to feel happiness, even hope, in this dark place.
The footsteps in the hallway were growing louder. My peaceful respite was at an end it seemed. “At least don’t come alone.”
This story continues with Charlie’s third book in the Triad Series. Spinning Out – Releasing in late fall, early winter, 2016.
Acknowledgements:
Thank you for joining me on another one of Jackie’s adventures!
To my daughters I’m sending out multiple hugs and kisses. You’re the reason I’m writing. Up to the moon and the stars and back again. :0)
To my amazing readers, I want you to know how much I enjoy your comments. Keep them coming. Thank you for taking time out of your day to read my stories.
I’d also like to thank my editor, Debbie Williams for her keen eyes and excellent suggestions. You have the patience of a saint and I appreciate that you very rarely scold me when I write gibberish or forget to finish sentences. You can find out about Debbie’s editing service here https://thepedanticpunctuator.wordpress.com/ And a huge shout out to my fabulous cover designer, Tatiana Villa, who never lets me down. Check out her gallery here: http://www.viladesign.net/
I’d also like to thank my SVRWA writing buddies: Kristina W., S
ue S., Rachel S., Nicci C., Susan P., Kate A., Layla R., Allyson C., Elisabeth B., and the Wednesday Le Boul crew. You keep me focused on my end goal and I appreciate and enjoy every very productive hour we spend together writing. The members of Silicon Valley Romance Writers of America rock big time!
And last but not least, enormous hugs to my amazing beta readers. Thanks again for your insights. Beta readers extraordinaire: Emily Schiller, Tricia Tani, Chelly Fowler, Angela Jackson, Kari Lynn Jeffress, Wanda Jewel, Kim Knollenberg, Arnie Lachner and Regina Roy.
About the Author
I'm fortunate to currently be a resident of a lovely town in Northern California, a magical place within the context of the mortal plain, where flowers bloom all winter long and people actually smile and say hello when they pass you on the sidewalk.
I've spent most of my professional life working with community theatre groups in NYC as a costume designer, production manager, stage manager, etc... Over time I've adopted the philosophy that life is one enormous theatrical extravaganza and I'm merely doing my best to keep it interesting for myself, my family, my friends and hopefully my readers.
I've read fantasy my entire life and still read into the wee hours. Steven King said something about not having the tools to write if you don't spend a good amount of time reading. Well, I'm doing my best on that front.
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Other books by Gayle Parness
The Rogues Shifter Series: A young adult fantasy series
Rebirth: Book 1 – Free at all vendors! Sixteen-year-old Jackie discovers she's not human, but instead part of a large supernatural community. She trains with a group of young shapeshifters who become her close friends, and also meets Garrett, the magically powerful vampire who teaches her to use her unique energy and then manages to steal her heart. Together they face off against his destructive maker, the 500-year-old vampire, Eleanor Howard.
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