“So not going to happen…” Cat grinned, a fiendish smile. “Fur ball…”
She called the puppy to her, a command with no get out clause.
“Alex has to know the true reason we ask for her help. Right now she believes I am on the
verge of a criminal career. Can you deny that a safe haven for your brothers is our main
priority? Or are you too xenophobic to accept any help we can get?” Indicating he stand
behind her chair, mainly to cover the more enticing aspects of a perfectly proportioned body,
Cat asked Drusal to reveal his true form.
With a shimmer of green and gold light, he manifested in all his glory at Cat’s back.
“What the hell….” Rocking back in her chair, Alex was consumed by lust.
Change back quick… Cat recognised the signs of thrall on a face contorted with uncontrollable
desire. Doing as he was bid, Fur ball shot out into the garden in a quest for an easy meal.
“These are my kin… My true family…”
Waiting for the light of sanity and intelligence to shine once more in Alex’s eyes, Cat went
to the fridge to pour juice for them both.
“Drusal is not human, nor am I…” Placing both hands palm down on the table, she soaked
up a meagre amount of earth essence, enough to bolster her resolve to disclose the secrets
of the Fae. “We are Sidhe, faeries of folk tales.” Head bowed Cat waited for her friend to
run screaming from the house. A tentative hand touched her hair, a gentle caress of concern.
“Tell me what I just saw was real…” Slowly recovering from Drusal’s glamour, Alex proved
to be a strong and good friend.
Helpless tears streaming down her cheeks, Cat could only nod.
“You and he, are the same…?” Strain showed on an angel face, lips compressed in fine line.
“Yes...” Glad to be able to unburden her dilemma at Drusal’s sudden appearance in an
otherwise normal life, Cat gripped at her friends hand.
“The despotic ruler is my maternal Grandmother. Believe me Alex, she is one vicious bitch.”
Uncertain where to begin, when relating all that had occurred since the day she had been
ripped from the security of a life she had embraced in mind-numbing servitude, she began
with the nebulous dread threatening every aspect of life, human or Sidhe.
“There are many dimensions crowding the human world. Dimensions filled with horrors
I have no conception of. With all that Drusal has revealed to me, and finding out my ex-
boyfriend is a blood sucking vampire, I’m still reeling with shock.” Taking a sip of juice, Cat
risked a wary glance at Alex’s face.
“Can you turn into an animal at will, and does your hunky man really have brothers?”
Unbridled lust brightened sapphire eyes. Single minded to the nth degree, Alex picked on
something she could relate to. Men… Testosterone fuelled, walking love machines.
Cat chuckled at the rampant greed of her friend, when it came to the male population.
“I’ve done the big scary bear thing, and yes, Drusal has brother warriors… They are among
the refugees seeking a safe haven.” The knowledge that Alex was safely on the side of the
repressed made Cat sigh with relief, even if it was only lust that brought her on board.
Tension eased from cramped shoulders in a wash of earth essence emanating from the
vicinity of the garden. She sent Fur ball a mind hug of thanks.
“Will I get to meet these warriors?” Alex was close to dribbling with anticipation.
“As co-ordinator and king pin of resources, I think it’s a distinct possibility that you will be
organising the housing of a wealth of men that make Vin Diesel as appetising as a spotty
teenager.” Finishing the last bite of bagel, Cat relished the sweet taste of success.
“Oh My God… I think I just had an orgasm…” Alex shivered from head to toe.
“The first of many, if I know you…” Cat’s girly giggle filled the kitchen with the warmth of
solid friendship.
“Have you been using magic to make me susceptible to love…?” A flicker of fear touched
a cherubic face.
“No idiot, you can manage that all by yourself.” Taking hold of Alex’s fingers she infused
her skin with a sliver of earth power. “Have you ever felt that before?” Cat whispered, emerald
flares dancing in her eyes.
Shaking tingling fingers, Alex cringed at the small taste of Sidhe magic.
“Nope…. And I don’t want to, ever again. What did you just do?”
The revelations were coming thick and fast, enough to make Alex wilt under the weight
of dangerous knowledge.
“That was glamour, a way to make me irresistible to any human. Have you ever felt the
compulsion to abase yourself at my feet, to offer to be my obedient servant?” Making her
friend aware of Sidhe control could be classed as foolhardy. But absolutely necessary in
the face of all they had to accomplish.
“Hardly… You are so not my type.” Flicking her fingers, Alex rubbed a thumb over the
tingle on her palm.
“Well, now you do angel…” Channelling the ruthless control of Istirina, Cat leaned across
the table. “I can make you do my bidding by lifting a finger. Any and all of the warriors
are gifted with the same powers. That you are my friend, a sister female of significant
importance is the only protection I can give you in dealing with the Sidhe. My true name
is law, a force that can control the desires of any male to have you without permission.
An immediate death sentence, if they dare to take what is not freely offered.”
Making sure Fur ball was busy hunting for a snack, Cat released her glamour, revealing to
a bemused human the essence of a hidden heritage. Writhing burgundy hair alive with
dazzling gold strands lashed the back of the chair, stunningly ethereal features became
superimposed over the face Alex had lived with for years. Blazing emerald eyes flickered
in tune to the tongues of blue flame dancing the full length of Iscatya’s arms.
“Bloody hell Cat… You are awesome.” Drawing away from encroaching flames, Alex
conceded to the absolute power evident in her friend’s otherworldly persona.
“My true name is Iscatya Edan-Fire. Remember it, for it will be the only defence available
in the vicinity of male glamour. I offer to you my sister the protection of a Royal line, use
it wisely or submit to a life of servitude.” Shifting back to a form more comfortable to
Alex’s perceptions, and her own peace of mind, Cat wriggled in her seat.
“A bit intense…?” She voiced concern at the shocked expression in sapphire eyes. Bringing
on a heart attack was low on the list of things to do today.
“A little…” Alex swiped at the sweat beading her upper lip. “But definitely memorable.”
A survivor in a world where men sought to rule the roost, Alex wasn’t fazed for long.
“Are youreally royalty in faerie-ville?”
Cat nodded slowly, hands clasped on the table.
“My Grandmother is the screw up ruling the Sovereign realm. In her wisdom she leeches
the life force from the males, who are her only protection in the face of threats from other
dimensions.” Dropping her head into both palms, Cat let her emotions free.
“I need your support angel. What the males have been subject to for eons breaks my heart.”
Lifting a tear stained face to a woman completely out of her depth, she begged for help.
/>
“Chuck, you only had to ask. The drama was a bit extreme.” Alex waved her hands in the air,
to express indignation at all the Fae glamour that had been brought to bear on her.
“And, talking about drama… Did you actually say that Phillipe is a chuffing Vampire? As in
pointy fangs, blood sucking, and the rest of the crap belonging to Bram Stoker’s Dracula…?”
Rubbing her fingers over tired eyes, Cat deflated in the chair. “Oh yes… That and more…”
“Well pigs might fly… To think I’ve been working for, and with Lord Dracula for years.
What a bitch…” If Alex had stopped to think, she wouldn’t have poured salt into an open
wound.
“As it turns out, I was his bitch…” A shiver of remembered pain and screaming revulsion
at the soulless depredations of a man she thought loved her, ran over Cat’s skin.
“Oh God, I’m sorry… So sorry, I didn’t know, couldn’t help you…” Reaching out to clasp
trembling fingers, Alex wished the ground would open up and swallow her. One day
her big mouth would get her into serious trouble.
“So, now you can… I may have been overly dramatic, but I so want your computer skills
to make the Sidhe warriors safe. Please don’t think I’m over-playing a situation that robs
them of innate strength, I’m not that devious.” Getting up to pace the floor, her glance fell
on the golden ball of fur, sleeping peacefully in a swathe of enervating sunlight.
“Drusal was ordered to take me as a mate by force. New to my powers, I came close to
killing him in defending myself. We have a stale-mate at present, neither of us trusts the
other. I live in a constant state of conflict, leavened by glimpses of a male who, in truth,
could be a wondrous life partner.” Long curls lashed Cat’s back in rhythm with her distress.
“Shakespeare could take lessons from you, and I do believe in your concerns….”
Reaching out to hold onto the one person who had always been able to soothe distressing
scenes, Alex realised she had stepped over the threshold, into a reality that promised more
excitement than she had ever dreamed of.
“Tomorrow is Sunday Cat. We, your employees, are meeting at Shibden Park for a picnic.
Will you come? Can you section off the Sidhe angst long enough to enjoy a day with friends?”
Holding a trembling faerie in her arms, Alex admitted trepidation at squeezing the life out
of royalty. “Only if that is what you wish, your Majesticness…”
“Oh angel… What would I do without you to bring me back to earth?” Returning a hug that
threatened to break ribs, Cat smiled, a wide generous promise of unconditional love.
“Can I bring a date…?” Eyes flashing with emerald fire gazed into calming sapphire depths.
“I’d be crushed if you didn’t.” Alex shot back.
“Do you know how much I love you?” Leaning back to search the angelic face of her best
friend, Cat made a firm resolve to make her safe from the depredations of a realm, rotten
to the core.
“Yeah… I expect a reward for my services, in the form of a humungous male, ready and
willing to take on a love starved human.” A cheeky grin spread wide, scarlet tinted lips.
“I have the exact male in mind…” Cat brought an image of Turi to the foreground, sinking
the picture into a more malleable mind.
“That is unattached…” The loud exclamation of disbelief rocketed through the house.
“Not for long if you play your cards right.” She promised the human female, with a small
degree of certainty.
Waving Alex off in her ratty little Mini, Cat became aware of silky fur tickling at her ankles.
“Well that went better than I expected. Alex lives in anticipation of beguiling one of your
brothers, with her abundant charms.” She felt a whisper of utter contempt trickle across her
senses. “You may find humans distasteful Fur ball, but I bet Turi won’t be as fastidious.”
A wash of relief closely followed the trickle of disdain.
“So now it’s acceptable, for a Sidhe Lord to belong to a human, if it removes a rival for your
mate’s affections? That smacks of double standards Drusal, not a very becoming trait in a
prospective partner to royalty.”
A sneeze was all he deigned to reply at her perception of a sudden change of heart.
With a move as quick as a snake, Cat caught his jaw in one hand, locking them eye to eye.
“I’m going to ask Jarl very nicely if he would be kind enough to stop by for a chat.” She was
ticking off the boxes one by one.
Dropping to the ground in a belly grovel of submission, Fur ball whined, a miserable wail of
desperation.
“Meeting the in-laws too much for you? Suck it up Fur Ball, or leave. There are plenty of
other males waiting in line to secure an available female.” A wicked grin curved her lips.
Growling he nipped at her fingers.
“Meeting the Lord Jarl in furry disguise would be taken as an insult, even if he spends most
of his time in wolf form.” Running her fingers through glossy fur, Cat sighed gustily.
“I have to admit, I like you this way. I get to enjoy an argument, without having to listen to
self-righteous beliefs in the superiority of the Sidhe.”
Pulling away from the fingers trailing over his back, Drusal shot into the house, leaving Cat
to wonder what he planned to do next. The Lord Vardon was unpredictable. He could so
easily desert her, to face the upcoming confrontation with Istirina alone. Cat had to admit
his loss would destroy her. Drusal had found a way into her heart. In a few short days he
had made her feel whole, as though he was part of her innermost being. It could be a side
effect of the mate marking, but she doubted it. Marking his brothers didn’t hold the same
significance as the wildly turbulent emotions that had overwhelmed them both in an
exchange of earth elements.
CHAPTER TEN
The Lord Jarl, her paternal Grandfather, appeared in the kitchen, scant minutes after a
very guarded invitation was delivered in a mental whisper. As gorgeous as any of Drusal’s
brethren, Cat had to readjust her perceptions of the Police Officer who had hovered in the
vicinity of the optical practice from her first day at work. That he was in fact a bona fide
card carrying officer of the law, she found more astounding than finding out he was
related to her by blood.
Taking on the role of guardians to a new born meant both he and Shayla had to leave the
security of the Irish Court behind, exiled to integrate into a human world in a bid to hide
Iscatya’s existence from a Grandmother who declared her only child and her mate nothing
more than free meat, for any and all who tracked them down. She owed them her life, one
free of fear until now.
Offering Jarl the gesture of fingers to head and heart, the deference to a loved one, Cat
smiled at his expression of surprised joy. Running into his arms, she hugged him as she
would have cuddled Udg the wolf.
“I don’t know how to greet you, other than with the Sidhe form of love and respect. You
are my childhood pet, my stern protector and a grandfather I never knew until now.”
Laying a kiss on her forehead Jarl pushed her into the nearest chair, dropping to his knees
he took both her hands in his.
“I am whatever you need most my Iscatya.” His voice was as deep and mell
ow as Drusal’s.
Fierce green eyes held her gaze in an instant of commitment to the child he had nurtured
from birth.
“Oh Udg, I love you so much. Why did you keep all you are hidden from me?” Cat had
never questioned his distancing the true Jarl from her, but with all that had occurred she
had come to understand some of the reasons to conceal a relationship. The biggest one
being, she had been too human to accept a divergent world.
Jarl tapped at her head and heart with the tips of his fingers.
“I have always been there. Shayla and I gave up our true natures to protect you, until the
day a precious daughter of our son came into her inheritance. That day came upon us
unexpectedly, with unseen ramifications that made our disguises useless.” Laying his hand
on her head she felt a faint tremor of her own fire element.
“Iscatya, this you know. We did all we could to obscure the Queen’s keen senses.” Raising his
head, a resigned sigh left compressed lips.
“My Lord Vardon, your extended stay in my granddaughter’s home is irksome.” Easing to
his feet, Jarl untangled his fingers from a frantic grip.
Drusal entered the kitchen dressed in faded jeans and white t-shirt, feet bare on slate tiles.
Cat appreciated the fact that he had dressed for Jarl’s visit, but the tension between the two
made her regret the decision to reveal their mating bond to a male who had spent twenty five
years in wolf form to protect her. Two alpha males in the same room incited real violence.
Cat’s fear for Drusal’s safety was immediately translated into motion as she planted herself
squarely between them. Hair flickering with tiny tongues of flame, her head fairly exploded
in searing pain, at the dilemma of deciding which male she was prepared to hurt the most,
with all the ferociousness of a female protecting her own.
Drusal saved her from making a decision that would haunt Cat for the rest of her life. Easing
round a rigid body, the mighty warrior touched the fingers of both hands to head and heart,
Burn for Me (Edanholme Book 1) Page 14