by Tamara White
He disappears in the blink of an eye before my grandmother has a chance to respond, but it gives me hope that we may be able to save him.
Jeannie turns around and I see the slight sheen of sweat on her brow. She was scared of him. Of what he would do.
“Do you think he believes us?” I ask her.
She reaches up and sheathes her sword behind her back. “I don’t know, Emerald. All I can hope is that we’ve given him the doubt he needs to dig through everything that happens, and sort out the truth from the lies. But even with doubt, we’re gonna need some strong magic to get him from that spell she has on him. Now, let’s get back to the hotel. Everyone wanted to rush into the night to save you. If anyone had of seen Talon like that, then who knows what would have happened.” She shakes her head, muttering under her breath about too many cooks in a kitchen.
“Once you’ve fed, we need to work on your magic, my dear. Because after seeing Talon like this tonight, there is no doubt in my mind that when we attend the ball Maria has invited us to, she will challenge you and use him as her pawn. She only sent him to play with you tonight, to throw you off your game and it worked. Maria knows you won’t be able to kill him. And since she’s manipulated him with magic, if you do the same even to help him, then he will kill you. He won’t hesitate the way you did.”
My grandmother stares at me, her gaze filled with disappointment. She’s right though. If she hadn’t intervened, I’d be dead at his hand.
Twenty-Eight
False Hope
Emerald
After Talon left us, my grandmother was nice enough to strip off her shirt for me to wear back to the hotel. She knew we needed to get back quickly, but also didn’t want me to be caught in the nude by a human, so it was decided I’d wear her shirt since she had a cami on underneath. It provided me some semblance of cover as we walked the last two blocks back to the hotel. Even though there weren’t many humans out on the streets, she didn’t want to risk it, especially since we had to walk through the hotel lobby.
The moment we entered the lobby though, all the guys swarmed us. Neither Britt nor I got a chance to speak to reassure them we were fine, before we were whisked back up to the penthouse suite.
Linc was the first to reach me, so it was his arms I was lifted into. Rather than take the elevator with Jeannie, Britt, and her guys, Lincoln took the stairwell, taking the steps two at a time.
Nik and Dev followed him, not saying a word, even as we entered the suite. My soul-ties remained silent as they moved around the room, gathering clothes for me while Linc carried me into the bathroom. Considering the size of the suite, it didn’t surprise me one bit that the ensuite bathroom adjoining our shared bedroom was this huge.
“What are you doing?” I finally ask, when Linc carries me into the shower nook and sets me down on the built-in seat.
He starts stripping as he explains, “Well, no offense, Em, but you reek of wolves and vampires we don’t know. I need to clean their scent off you, because it’s driving my wolf insane to know you were out there and in danger. The scents on you are just making it that much harder to think rationally right now, especially when the scents are of people who attacked you.”
Oh.
I take off my grandmother’s borrowed shirt and pass it to Linc just as Nikoli and Devin both walk into the room. Each of them has their gazes fixed on me as they undress, and for a moment, I forget where I am and all that happened tonight under the intensity.
My body is flushed with need and I’m sure the room is saturated with my hormones, judging by the way all three of the guys’ nostrils flare. Each gaze is suddenly locked on me with such intensity that it makes my core burn with need.
“Em,” Linc growls, dropping to his knees before me. I lower my eyes to his, feeling his hands on my lower legs, and getting distracted by such an innocent touch. “I swear we will take care of all your needs later, but for right now, you need to try and get yourself under control or none of us will be able to rein in our desires. We have other things to deal with tonight.” His tone isn’t angry, but pleading. “Once we’re in bed, I will do whatever you want for however long you need, just please, don’t make this harder. We all want to stake our claim on you after what happened out there and if you don’t tamp down your arousal, then that’s what will happen. And I’m sure being interrupted by your grandmother is not on your to-do list.”
I was very much eager for them to stake their claim on me all the way up to the mention of my grandmother, there are some things you don’t want your dear old grandma to walk in on.
I’m sure Britt is out there reassuring her men of her own safety, while my grandmother is pacing, waiting to talk to me about a plan for the ball when I’ll come face to face with Talon again. Sadly, that means no time for us alone until they leave.
Using all my will power, I force my desire down and let my men wash the foreign scents from me.
The pure, delicate touches they use, as well as the way they share me so easily between them, almost brings tears to my eyes. They wash me like I am a queen worthy of being pampered, taking care of even the most intimate parts of me, but not once does the touch turn sexual. How they refrain from pushing the limits amazes me, and gives me a new sense of belonging between them. To know that the three of them could share me in such a capacity without jealousy, without anger, gives me hope that maybe our relationships can weather any storms that come our way.
I was bathed in a few very strong scents, enough to wash the night away and wipe any aromas of others from me. All too soon though, the shower is over. Still, they each take time to help dry and dress me—something that leaves me feeling safe and loved when I leave the bathroom. The men also seem to be a little more under control, a little more at ease than the tense versions of themselves when we first turned the shower on.
Each of my guys leave the bathroom dressed in towels, and I’m left staring at my reflection, wondering just how my life became this complicated.
A couple of months ago, I was living a life blissfully unaware of just how horrible this world was. Dad sheltered me so much, and I resent him for it because it’s left me totally unprepared on how to handle this.
I’m in a relationship with four men, three of whom are vampires, and one who is a wolf shifter. Then there are the four witches that my best friend is married to, each of whom means something special to me. One of my vampire soul-ties was stolen from me and now has no clue who I am.
I have a brother out there, who’s intent on ending my life because he doesn’t understand what I am. He thinks I am some abomination, a creature that will wreak havoc on the world order, but I think he forgets the stories on evolution that our Elders used to tell us.
We all knew that one day a time would come when our kinds would have no choice but to band together out of necessity. The humans outnumber us, and when they finally learn of our existence, it’s going to go one of two ways. Either they’ll accept us, be eager to learn of the things we are and the things we can do, or they’ll fear us. And in their fear, they’ll strike out and try to remove us from the earth.
The moment I step into the bedroom, I’m greeted by the sight of my grandmother who looks angry beyond belief.
Her arms are crossed over her chest and she’s leveling me with a stern glare. Rather than linger in the bedroom, I follow the sound of voices out into the living area. I’m a few feet away from entering the other room when my grandmother grabs me by the arm and spins me to face her.
“What on earth were you thinking, Emerald?”
I don’t answer, but I know exactly what she’s referring to. It’s a mistake that even Talon would be riding me for if he were here. I totally froze in the face of his attack. I couldn’t stomach hurting him, and he nearly killed me because of my lack of action.
When I don’t meet her gaze, she sighs and grasps both my shoulders, giving me a gentle shake. “Are you okay?”
A bubble of hysterical laughter escapes before I can stop i
t. “Seriously? No, I’m not fucking okay. My life is completely messed up.” I shake free of her hands to pace angrily. “I’m in love with,” I raise my hands to count them off. “Eight men, Jeannie. Eight.” She doesn’t speak, merely raising and eyebrow so I plow on.
“Four of those men are unsure how they feel toward me because they are being swayed by my magic and the love they have for their wife. I have three here in this very suite who seem to love and care for me when I need it most, but being with me may just get them killed. And the last man, the one I thought would never cause me harm, almost killed me tonight. I crossed the damn ocean for him and he has no fucking clue who I am! For you to think I could possibly be anywhere near the realm of okay is a big fucking leap!” I scream at her, my chest heaving.
My grandmother smiles sympathetically. “Love isn’t easy, Emerald. If it was, no one in this world would be alone.”
I growl, growing frustrated by her short sentences. Why not offer me comfort, some kind of reassurance that it’s not as bad as it seems? Something to help me claw from this pit of self-pity I’ve fallen into.
“Why aren’t you telling me it’s all gonna be fine? That this is just one small hiccup in the grand scheme of things?”
This time it’s my grandmother’s turn to laugh. “Because it’s not going to be fine. Even when we do face the queen, you may win Talon back, but depending on the potion she’s used, he may never regain memories of you. There is no use in me giving you false hope when I honestly don’t know what will happen. What I can give you is a target. If the queen has done irreparable damage to your soul-tie’s memories, then you are well within your right to challenge her to the death.”
Tears prick in my eyes at what she just said. He may never get them back? That’s really a possibility?
“So, I may not get the guy I love back, but at least I can have the death of the one who took him from me? That’s what you’re going with right now?” I surmise, unable to believe this is what my grandmother, the famous Joan of Arc, is giving me to keep me going, to stop me from reaching my breaking point.
She may as well have just said you’ll get revenge.
“It’s all you have right now. Until you know for certain what has or hasn’t been done, you need a focus. And that focus, whether you want it or not, is Queen Maria. She sent Talon tonight on purpose, Emerald. She wanted to throw you off your game because she’s terrified of you.”
I cock my head, sure my grandmother is just talking out of her ass. How could a queen like Maria be scared of me? I’m new to vampire politics and barely know how to navigate through an introduction, let alone what goes into a challenge against a vampire queen, so in what world does that make me a threat?
I don’t take my attention off my grandmother as she explains it to me, even when I feel other people coming into the room, no doubt having heard our discussion.
“Emerald, you need to understand that Queen Maria has been alive for hundreds of years longer than you. She knows how to play the vampire politics game, she knows how to manipulate men to do whatever she wishes, and most of all, she believes with her whole being that once she’s owned something, whether it be a person or property, it will always be hers.
“She may have had no choice but to let Talon go in the past, but she always assumed that sooner or later, he would come groveling back to her. But he didn’t. He found you.”
I nod slowly, understanding what she’s saying up to a point. It sounds like the queen is simply jealous.
“Talon was Maria’s. In her mind, you had something that belonged to her and she wanted it back. But you came after him. Not many others in this world would even think of confronting a queen by making such a move. She knows now that you will not let Talon go without a fight, and she fears that if it came to it, he would leave her again without an argument, especially if it was you asking him to go.”
“How do you know all this?” I hear Nikoli question from somewhere behind me.
Jeannie looks over my shoulder at him with a sly smile. “I have sources in just about every town in the world, Nikoli. Something that young Devin, Talon, and you should also have. They are invaluable people and offer me insights to just about every coven in existence,” she explains, mainly for my benefit I think. “Those people within Maria’s coven told me that their queen was aware of the mark still being on Emerald but not on Talon. It’s why Maria wiped Talon’s memories and sent him tonight. She hoped he would kill Emerald to cover her tracks in case the vampire leaders are called upon.
“If Emerald had died, then she wouldn’t have to face them and hand Talon over. But without memories, Talon can still deny the soul-tie if he wishes to. I believe she suspected that Talon wouldn’t be able to kill Emerald, but she wanted my granddaughter shaken tomorrow.” Jeannie’s gaze comes back to mine. “And if you sit here wallowing in self-pity, then she has already won.”
I ponder what my grandmother said, wondering if Maria truly does think like that. How twisted does she have to be to think of Talon as nothing but a possession to own? Sure, I like to think of him as mine, but not as something I own. No, he’s mine to love.
Even if Talon doesn’t remember me now, I can always build a new relationship with him. He saw the mark on my neck and knows I can’t fake a connection such as a soul-tie, not when the mark is imprinted on my body.
“What do I do?”
My grandmother’s eyes glint dangerously, the warrior in her rising to the surface. “You eat, get some rest, but then we train. Tomorrow night at the ball, you will show Maria just who you are and why you are not to be trifled with. You are the princess of the St. Louis coven, and heir to the Merlin legacy, something that she will never forget once the night is over.”
With that, my grandmother turns away, gliding from the room. She has such grace and poise, yet she also holds herself like the warrior she is. She’s everything I wish I was.
“Well, I’m gonna sneak off too,” Britt announces to the room, and moves to follow my grandmother. “Alone!” Britt growls when seven of the men in the room move to follow her.
I watch in fascination as she stares down each of the men, trying to glare them to death.
Linc, Nik, and Dev are all behind me, and we just take in the scene as it unfolds. Britt is pissed, but either her men don’t notice or don’t care.
“Mer? A little help?” Her eyes beseech mine, but I’m not going to let her leave her guys behind. She needs to talk to them, to work out exactly what she wants to happen next. She can’t hide behind me this time.
I smile sweetly at her. “Help with what? You wanted to leave and your guys are coming with. What’s the big deal?”
Her eyes narrow in suspicion when she notices my small smirk. She knows I’m being a bitch on purpose, but sometimes it takes tough love to make one see the errors they’re making. Britt taught me that.
Britt’s frown of annoyance suddenly morphs into a wide grin. “Ah, well, I would love to take all of them with me, but after the very trying night you’ve had, what with shifting back naked, I know you need to recharge your energy. You’ve already pushed yourself to the brink once tonight, and if you don’t feed on someone powerful, then you could die tomorrow.” She crosses her arms smugly. “Which means you not only need your guys tonight, but you’re gonna need at least two powerful witches, or maybe something more like an Eternal Guardian.”
I snort at her attempt to divert the attention back on me. I don’t need any of her guys, thanks to what happened earlier. All four of my men would be more than enough to satisfy me, but I can still make do with only three of them.
“Firstly, I can’t touch any of your precious Eternal Guardians. Their touch may not burn me, but it does harm them and that’s not something even I would put them through. As for your husbands, I don’t need them tonight. Meron fed me a little before we left, remember? So I should be fine to feed on my guys, so long as I have blood too.” Her smile slips a little. “Which means no one needs to stay behind. So
...” I summon a little magic and imagine them all being pushed out the door.
“Mer, what are you doing? Stop it!” she growls, trying to push back against the wall of energy encouraging her toward the door.
“Sorry! I can’t hear you. All this magic use is making me woozy and lightheaded!” I respond theatrically, reaching up to grasp my head as if I’m in pain. Lincoln suddenly appears behind them, opening the door with a grin.
“You’re such a bitch!” she shouts, as Lincoln closes the door in her face, leaving her out in the hall.
“But you still love me!” I call back, even as she mumbles something about payback.
“Was that really necessary?” Nik inquires, wrapping his arms around me from behind. He places a gentle kiss on my neck, and a shiver of desire goes straight to my core.
“She needed a little nudge,” I reply, my voice breathy. Now that my suite is empty, the possibilities from the shower have all come rushing to the surface.
Lincoln breathes in deeply, the scent of my arousal building in the air. He slowly stalks toward me, his eyes turning yellow.
A low growl rumbles in his chest and it makes my legs weak, seeing the Alpha that is Lincoln. The animal side of him is thrilling to say the least.
“I can smell you from here, Em. Is there something you want?”
I eye Linc, licking my lips in eagerness, but don’t get a chance to respond when I feel Devin’s presence at my side. He traces a hand down my cheek, over my exposed collarbone, and down my arm.
All the while, my eyes are locked on the predatory way Lincoln’s body moves as he gets closer.
When he’s within touching distance, his hand reaches out to tenderly cup my cheek. “I hope you’re not exhausted, because I have very wicked plans for you, little killer.”
I lean into his touch, sighing softly. “I’m definitely up for whatever you can dish out.”