Equites : Book 4 of the Heku Series

by T. M. Nielsen

  “I don’t like where this is going,” Chevalier said angrily.

  “Don’t misunderstand me. I see the value of having her around, and I fully admit that she’s saved our asses a few times but damn, stop playing the pissed off mortal game. It’s time she grows up,” Damon said.

  “So, what now?” Maleth asked him. “We let the sugar pills slide? If she’s pregnant, then we let her leave?”

  “No,” Damon corrected. “We let the sugar pills slide, but we can’t let her leave. It’s pretty much a given that we have to keep her here. For right now, we let her drive around until she calms down, and when she comes back, we tell her there won’t be an investigation and it’s her responsibility to take care of her own damned pills.”

  Quinn sighed, “We do coddle her, that I admit, and I do see how that could be a problem.”

  Chevalier growled.

  “All I’m suggesting is that we hold her to the same rules as every heku in the Equites, and that we stop giving in to her temper tantrums and unreasonable demands,” Damon said.

  “She’s not a heku,” Zohn reminded him.

  “I know, but she’s also not in charge.”

  Zohn nodded, “So who is going to enforce these rules?”

  “I’m not going to be a part of this,” Chevalier said, and walked out of the Council room.

  “Good, he has a conflict of interest. Now we can be more open and come up with a solution to the problem,” Damon said.

  “I’m not sure I like this either,” Maleth said, frustrated.

  “I, personally, do not want to enforce these rules. She’s temperamental and moody, and doesn’t seem to care about turning someone to ash,” Zohn said, nodding toward their former prisoner.

  Damon nodded, “I’ll do it. I’m not afraid of her.”

  “If she turns you to ash, who is going to revive you?” Quinn asked him.

  “She won’t. I’ll re-train her guards and take her personally under my wing,” Damon smiled.

  “I don’t like this,” Maleth said again.

  “Just imagine a palace with no one having to tiptoe around the mortal, no one being turned to ash, no one taking off, and no fears that our weapon will turn over to an opposing faction. Life will be peaceful again,” Damon smiled.

  “Still, it’s Emily… she has saved us and she’s shown more devotion to this faction than most of our elite guards. She’s lightened the place up and given us all a better outlook on mortals. I honestly wonder why she even stays here, what she gets out of it as we all seem to take but never give,” Maleth said. “I, for one, don’t want to even think about the palace without her.”

  “She stays here,” Damon said, “Because we cater to her, we offer her protection, but ask nothing in return. We feed her, house her, watch her kids, and all she has to do is sit around and make demands.”

  “I don’t know,” Maleth said, watching his hands.

  “If we don’t get a handle on her temper, there’s no reason why the covens won’t replace us. The second one of us shows a weakness, we should be replaced, but as far as that one little mortal is concerned, we all show a weakness. If you don’t want in on this, then I suggest you step out because when she gets back,” Damon said, smiling, “She’s mine.”

  Maleth nodded, stood up, and quietly left the room.

  “Maybe it’s time to replace the two Elders,” Zohn suggested.

  “No,” Quinn said. “We still have to consider the ramifications of Emily going to another faction, and after how she reacted to Leonid’s retirement, we can’t replace them.”

  “Once I train her, it’ll all be easier,” Damon said, and smiled reassuringly.

  ***

  “Are you kidding me?” Emily asked, frustrated.

  “No, I’m not. Now turn your little car around, and get off this island,” the pier guard said as his dog growled angrily at Emily.

  “I’m not in the mood to train a new guard, either let me by or call Storm to the pier.”

  “No”

  “No? Didn’t you all learn last year when I came here and was turned away? I’m the Elder’s wife for hell’s sake,” Emily scowled.

  “Sure you are, now go away,” the guard said smugly.

  Emily grabbed her cell phone and dialed, glaring at the guard.

  “Chev?” she asked, and the guard stiffened some.

  “The pier guards won’t let me onto the island,” Emily told him.

  Almost immediately, the guard’s phone rang and he answered it, nervously. Emily watched as he cringed and nodded a few times. She glanced over and noticed a yacht sitting along the pier. She knew Chevalier promised her a new boat, but she didn’t know he’d gotten one already. After the guard hung up, he moved aside and waved Emily through. She pulled the Durango off of the pier and sped toward the castle.

  Emily pulled up in front of the castle and the guards nervously opened her door, glancing at each other. She got Alexis out of the car seat and went into the castle, then smiled and looked around the foyer.

  “Lady Emily?” Anna asked, shocked.

  Emily went up and hugged her, “It’s so good to be back!”

  Anna smiled, “Good to have you home, Child. Did the Elder come with you?”

  “No, actually, he didn’t. Is that yacht by the pier Chevalier’s?”

  Anna nodded, “Yes it is. Come, let’s get you settled.”

  “Actually,” Emily said. “Can you take Alexis for lunch? I have something I want to do.”

  Anna smiled, “Sure, Child.”

  Emily immediately headed down to the prison. One guard started to yell, but the other hit him, “Good afternoon, Lady Emily.”

  “Hello,” she said, and headed down to the familiar cell.

  “David?” she asked. She wasn’t sure it was still him. The heku was sitting, cross-legged and faced away from her.

  He turned suddenly, “My God, Emily?”

  She smiled, “Been a while.”

  David moved to the cell, “I’ve been so worried about you, you look great! Will you be staying here?”

  Emily shrugged, “I actually have a question… do you know how to drive a yacht?”

  David frowned, “Yes, why?”

  “I need lessons, can you teach me?”

  “Yes I suppose I could, but…”

  “Good,” Emily turned around. “Sean?”

  The guard came toward her, “Yes, Ma’am?”

  “Let David out. I’m taking him on an errand for a few hours.”

  Sean frowned, “I’m not allowed, Ma’am.”

  Emily sighed, “You know you’re going to do it, so save yourself the pain and just let him out now. If he tries to take off or bite me, then I’ll return his ashes.”

  “Damnit,” the guard scowled, and opened David’s cell.

  David followed Emily nervously as they walked up into the foyer. He crawled into her Durango and they set off for the pier.

  “I guess I don’t have to tell you that you shouldn’t be doing this,” David said, breathing the fresh air deeply.

  “No, you don’t.” Emily stopped the Durango and they both got out. One of the pier guards crouched when he saw the prisoner loose.

  “He’s with me,” Emily said, and headed to the yacht. David helped her onto the boat and she looked around at the new yacht. It was bigger than the last, but the colors were all roughly the same. She immediately headed up to the bridge and sat on the chair.

  “Ok, so… yachts,” David started, and began teaching her how to navigate.

  ***

  “At least you know where she is this time,” Maleth said as he watched Chevalier look out over the ocean.

  “No I don’t. She left two weeks ago on the yacht and I haven’t been able to get a hold of her,” Chevalier said. He’d been watching the ocean for her return for a few days.

  “I just meant that you know she’s out on the yacht. We should have the GPS tracking from the phone company back soon, and then we’ll know exactly where
she is. I’m surprised she could even sail one, to be honest.”

  “She didn’t know how. She took a friend of hers from the prison and he taught her.”

  “A prisoner?” Maleth gasped.

  Chevalier nodded.

  “Maybe they are right. Maybe she’s become a liability. Everyone’s so afraid of her, they don’t ever tell her no,” Maleth said softly.

  Chevalier sighed, “I know.”

  “I’m afraid you and I may be on the chopping block too. I’m sure you are aware of that.”

  “Yes I am, very much aware that Emily may cause us to appear weak.”

  “If we’re replaced…” Maleth cringed.

  “We won’t be. I’ll let the Council see what they can do.” Chevalier turned to Maleth, “If she finds out that you and I could be replaced because of her, things will change.”

  “I just wish it didn’t have to change. She adds life to the palace.”

  Chevalier just nodded and looked out over the ocean again.

  ***

  Damon deftly jumped onto the yacht from the small boat and looked around. The yacht seemed quiet as he headed down the stairs to the living area. He saw Alexis asleep in a playpen, and he headed up the other stairs, surprised Emily hadn’t come to track down the footsteps.

  The bright sun blinded him at first but when he slipped on his sunglasses, he saw Emily lying out on a chaise, topless. Damon quickly looked away and then turned back to her and grinned. He knew she was attractive, but hadn’t seen her quite like that before. He suddenly realized why the Elder was so jealous.

  As Damon pulled her earphones out, she jerked suddenly and fell off of the chaise. Emily scrambled to her feet, covering herself with a towel.

  “Damnit, Damon, why are you here?” she growled.

  “I came as a representative of the Council,” Damon said, grinning as he moved back into the living area and out of the sun.

  Emily pulled on a robe and followed him down, “I’m not coming back yet. I’m enjoying the peace and quiet.”

  “Sit, please,” he said, pointing to a chair.

  Emily sighed and sat down, then looked up at him, “I’m not really in the mood to get yelled at.”

  “I’m not here to yell, but I need you to pay attention and listen,” Damon said, leaning against the counter.

  “Ok,” Emily said skeptically.

  “The Council has decided to replace Maleth and Chevalier.”

  Emily gasped and sat up straighter, “What? No! Please…”

  Damon stopped her, “Calm down, we’ve decided to hold off on the decision until we see if you are going to comply.”

  Emily felt her heart pounding in her chest. She couldn’t imagine being alive and knowing that Chevalier and Maleth were below the ground, suffering endlessly.

  “Breathe,” Damon said. He was pleased at her reaction and knew this would be an easy task.

  Emily took a deep breath and looked up at him with tear filled eyes, “Please, don’t.”

  “They are a liability because of you.”

  “Me?” she whispered.

  “Yes, you. Your temper and disobedience shows a weakness in them. The Council can’t have weak members, I’m sure you know that,” Damon hadn’t expected the tears, and was ashamed at how they made his heart ache.

  Emily nodded and looked at Damon.

  “So I agreed to take responsibility for you, and to see if we can find a solution. One that gives the Council some control over you, and one that restores the faith we have in the two Elders.”

  Again she just nodded.

  “Any resistance will be seen as proof that you can’t change, and that the only way to restore the power of the Council is to remove the weak members.” Damon didn’t like the horrified look in her eyes, he fully expected to feel nothing when he told her, and hated himself for feeling pity. He studied her for a moment while he regained his initial control.

  Emily looked up at him, a little calmer.

  “Good, then from now on, I’m your… mentor, shall we call it, and I will demand full compliance,” Damon said.

  Emily nodded. She wasn’t able to speak.

  “To prove to me that you are going to do as I ask without a fight…”

  “What?” Emily whispered.

  Damon blurred to her and began to feed from her neck. He felt her body relax beneath him and once he was sure she wasn’t going to turn him to ash, he shut his eyes and tasted the exquisite flavor of her blood. The scent was nothing compared to the taste and it took great control to stop before he drank too much.

  Damon kissed her softly and then stood up, “Good girl.”

  Emily buried her face in her hands and cried as Damon went up to the bridge and she felt the yacht moving. No one had dared feed off of her since the Valle tried to turn her. She wondered if this was going to be her new life, a life as Damon’s live-in donor.

  Emily dressed quickly and pulled the 9mm from her bag. She studied it as she turned it over in her hand. The weight of it was comforting, and she briefly wondered if her death would save both Chevalier from centuries of pain, and her from the humiliation of being at Damon’s beckon call.

  Alexis waking broke Emily’s suicidal thoughts and she tucked the gun back in the bag. She pulled the baby out of the playpen and held her tightly, unsure of the kind of future the two of them now had.

  Emily and Alexis stayed below as Damon took the yacht back to the island. She felt the anchor drop and Damon appeared below deck.

  “Come on,” he said, and disappeared up the stairs.

  Emily glanced at herself in the mirror. The red puncture marks on her neck stood out as a badge of her humiliation and embarrassment. She stepped out onto the deck, still holding Alexis, and Damon lifted them down onto the pier.

  Chevalier met them and wrapped his arms around them, kissing Emily’s head. Emily felt confused and emotionally drained. She no longer felt the comfort from his arms, and felt like she was now on display for all of the heku gathered, which included almost all of the Equites Council.

  Chevalier growled when he saw her neck and turned angrily to Damon, “You fed?”

  “Damon!” Maleth yelled.

  “Only to show compliance, and she didn’t fight me,” Damon said proudly.

  Emily lowered her eyes to avoid seeing all of the heku glance at her neck. She adjusted her hair to hide it.

  “That wasn’t part of the agreement,” Chevalier hissed.

  “Please, don’t,” Emily whispered.

  Damon grinned, “Shall we get back to Council City?”

  Emily let Chevalier take Alexis, and then he took her hand and walked to the waiting helicopter. She wasn’t sure who lifted her into the Blackhawk, but took a seat and buckled herself in, still watching the floor. She couldn’t bear to see Damon and wasn’t sure if she could handle the fury in Chevalier’s eyes either.

  Chapter 16 - Compliance

  Emily felt numb as she stood before the Equites Council. They looked down at her, pleased that she was showing obedience to them, even after only three weeks. Damon had full control of her, and he proved it often. Maleth and Chevalier held their tongues to save their lives, and watched as he paraded her around the palace like a prized trophy.

  “Enough time has passed. We want to know if you are with child,” Zohn asked her, and his commanding voice almost sent Chevalier into a rage.

  “No,” Emily whispered, eyes on the ground.

  “The Council feels it is time for another baby,” Damon said.

  Emily could hear Chevalier growl, but she kept her eyes on the floor. She wouldn’t do anything to risk him being banished, and he promised her three weeks ago, when this started, that he wouldn’t interfere.

  Maleth shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

  “That is all, you may go,” Damon said, and Emily left the chambers quickly.

  Mark and Silas fell in behind her when she left the council chambers. They scowled at the way she walked, her shoulders were d
own and her eyes were always on the floor. They had their orders for punishment if she stepped out of line, but she hadn’t done anything, good or bad, since she got back from the island.

  Emily led the guards out into the stables, the one location where she could feel somewhat like herself. They followed her silently. Their orders were strict, they were to follow her, and watch her, but they weren’t to interact. They were told that they were no longer her friend, and were to act like she was only a charge.

  Emily gasped when she saw the locks on the doors to the stalls. She picked the lock up off of Patra’s stall and felt the tears come to her eyes. Mark hissed from behind her, but she ignored him. She didn’t even want to risk getting him into trouble. Patra reached over the stall door and picked gently at Emily’s hair.

  Emily ignored how unlady like it was in a dress, and crawled under the stall door, flattening herself so she could easily slide underneath. Damon had ordered her a new wardrobe that was, as he called it, more befitting an Elder’s wife, and it all consisted of pastel dresses. He had beauticians come in every morning to do her hair and make-up, again convinced that an Elder’s wife should always be made up.

  Both Silas and Mark turned away from her and faced the stables doors, to give her more privacy.

  “Emily, someone’s coming,” Mark whispered, and she quickly slid out of the stall. Emily was just brushing the straw off of her dress when Damon walked in.

  “Why are you dirty?” he asked as if she were a child.

  “I slipped,” she whispered, and straightened her dress.

  “As you see, I’ve locked the stalls. If you want to ride, you’ll need my permission,” Damon told her.

  Emily nodded.

  Mark had to turn his eyes away from the Chief Enforcer. He had a hard time containing his hatred for how he was treating Emily.

  “Go back inside and get Alexis from her nanny, take her down to lunch,” Damon said, and walked out of the stables.

  Emily silently complied and walked back into the palace. She held Alexis tightly as she took her down to the dining room. Alexis held desperately to her Mom, afraid someone would take her away again. Chevalier and Emily had never left their children with a Nanny before, but Damon insisted that that’s how to make a child strong, to take them away from those that nurture and spoil them.