Emily threw on her bikini and walked quickly down to the pool. She had ditched the arm sling the day before, but hadn’t been able to take off the hand brace yet. She slipped it off just before climbing into the warm water, and then leaned back to float in the peacefully quiet room.
“I came as requested,” Sam said, kneeling down beside the pool.
Emily rolled over and swam up to the side of the pool, “What am I going to do about you?”
Sam shrugged, “I don’t know.”
“First you kept Allen’s change from me, then you let the Encala burn my ranch and kill my horses, and then you betrayed me to them,” Emily said, and swam over to the ladder. She crawled out of the pool and wrapped a warm towel around her.
“I would never do anything to hurt you, I’m not able,” Sam told her.
Emily sat down on the lounge chair, and leaned back, “You already have, numerous times. How can keeping Allen’s blood drinking from us help me?”
“You weren’t ready to accept it.”
“It’s not something you can prepare for. You made it worse by waiting until he attacked me.”
“That was a mistake on my part,” Sam said.
“I can’t trust you,” Emily said. “Ever.”
“I can’t leave you, we’re bound by blood.”
“So basically, you don’t care what I want, as long as you do what you think is right for me?”
“Yes”
“So what’s next on your agenda for my benefit?”
“It’s time you leave the heku,” Sam told her.
“You want me to leave Chev?”
“All of them, it’s time for you to go back into the mortal world.”
“Sure, why not? I can supply the kids with enough blood to survive. I’ll go pack.”
“I didn’t say you should take the kids,” Sam said.
Emily sat up, “So you think I need to abandon my kids, leave my husband, and move back into the mortal world?”
“It’s what’s best for you. Your children aren’t mortal, and you are.”
“Tell me how to get rid of you.”
“You can’t, we’re…”
“I know, bound by blood,” Emily said, glaring at him.
“I wish you would trust me as much as Lord Ulrich did.”
“I don’t trust you at all.”
“You know I’m right. You know you don’t belong in this world. Look how much abuse you’ve taken over the last 13 years,” Sam said softly.
“I don’t belong in the mortal world either. My children aren’t mortal, and I belong with them.”
“Those children shouldn’t be. They aren’t natural and shouldn’t have happened.”
Emily shook her head, surprised, “What?”
“If you care about yourself at all, you’ll leave the kids, leave the heku, and get out while you still can,” Sam told her.
“Maybe she’s not the only one that should get out while they can,” Kyle said, leaning against the door.
“How long have you been there?” Sam asked, standing up defensively.
“Long enough to have quite a report for the Elder,” Kyle said, grinning.
“I have no say in what he chooses to do,” Emily told him. “He does what he thinks is best for me, and doesn’t care what I want.”
“We’ll see about that,” Kyle said. “Em, Chevalier wants you in his office.”
Emily nodded and slipped her hand brace back on before heading for the door, “What about Sam?”
“We’ll take him with,” Kyle said, motioning for Sam to follow.
“Come on, Sam, time to face the Elder,” Emily said, heading for Chevalier’s office.
Emily knocked softly on his door.
“Come in, Em,” Chevalier called out.
Emily stepped in and smiled slightly, then moved to the side so Sam could enter. Chevalier stood up and growled.
“Guess who I found?” Emily said, and sat down.
“I thought we killed you,” Chevalier hissed.
Kyle came in and shut the door, “Apparently… he healed.”
“He’s been watching me in private,” Emily said, wrinkling her nose.
“You are banned from turning into a cat,” Chevalier told him, and Sam glared. “Kyle, take him to prison.”
Kyle grabbed Sam roughly and hauled him out of Chevalier’s office. Emily shut and locked the door behind him, and then dropped her towel. She crawled into Chevalier’s lap, facing him, and kissed him softly.
“Took you long enough to join me,” she told him, and then kissed slowly down to his neck.
“And I thought you needed some alone time,” Chevalier said, and untied her bikini top.
***
Chevalier kissed Emily’s shoulder softly. She leaned back against him and put her feet up on his desk.
“Ever wish we could move back here?” she asked, and pulled his cape off of the desk to pull over her.
“Mmhmm.” Chevalier moved Emily’s hair aside and started to lightly kiss her neck.
She gently ran her nails up the outside of his thighs, “Or will you just agree to anything I ask right now, so I don’t get up?”
“Exactly,” he chuckled, and bit lightly at the nape of her neck.
“Can you stay for a while?”
“Afraid not, as soon as I take care of the guards, then I have to go,” he told her.
“Storm said you’re pretty mad.”
“Furious,” he said, and went back to kissing her neck.
Emily shivered and grinned, “Maybe I should get you mad more often.”
“So… how close did he come to feeding?” Chevalier asked, and looked at her neck.
Emily turned in his lap to face him and pressed her body against his.
“About this close,” she whispered, and ran her teeth along the vein in his neck, and turned her bite into a soft kiss.
Chevalier ran his fingertips lightly up her back, “I see.”
There was a knock on his office door, “Sir, they are ready,” Storm said.
“Be right there,” Chevalier called out.
“Tell her you’ll be there in twenty minutes,” Emily whispered, and flicked his earlobe with her tongue.
Chevalier brought her face to his and kissed her softly.
She pulled away from him and sighed, “You’re going, huh?”
Chevalier nodded and Emily let him up. She watched him get dressed as she wrapped in his cape. He turned and looked at her, “You’re coming.”
Emily frowned, “No I’m not.”
Chevalier pulled her to her feet and kissed the top of her head, “I need you down there. Get dressed and meet me in the courtroom.”
“I’ve been through enough trials in the last month already,” Emily said, and then slipped her bikini on after Chevalier headed to court.
She went upstairs and put on a light green summer dress. She decided against shoes and headed down to the courtroom.
Emily blushed slightly when everyone turned to look at her as she walked into the room. She ignored the eyes on her and walked down the aisle, then headed up to the top platform. Kyle stood up and moved to the side, so she could sit down between Storm and Chevalier. Emily smiled slightly when she saw Chevalier’s eyes follow down the length of her body as she sat down. He chuckled slightly and turned back to the trial.
“I approve your request to join Island Coven,” Chevalier said to the six heku standing before him. “You’ll be on probation for the first fifty years. One tiny infraction and you’ll be sentenced.”
“Yes, Sir,” the tallest heku said, and glanced at Emily quickly before turning back to Chevalier.
“You may go,” Chevalier said.
Storm stood up, “Now that the Lady has joined us, we call forward prison guards Cole and Chad.”
The two guards Emily had problems with earlier stepped forward, along with the guard’s Captain.
“I’m not sure what’s more disturbing,” Chevalier said, his voic
e furious. “The fact that you thought you could fondle and then feed off of my wife…”
He paused while the gathered heku gasped and talked quickly among themselves. Emily blushed when they looked at her and felt Kyle’s hand on her shoulder.
“Or that you thought she was a donor, and when she said to leave her alone… you didn’t,” Chevalier finished.
“I thought it was a joke, Sir. I had no idea she is your wife,” Cole explained.
“Did she tell you who she is?” Chevalier asked.
Cole sighed, “Yes, she did.”
“And what did you say to that?”
“I said she couldn’t be your wife because your wife isn’t that hot, and she’s older.”
“I see…” Chevalier said, and Emily glanced at him, surprised at the shadow that crossed his face.
“Let’s start with her walking down into the prison,” Storm said. “What is the correct procedure if an uninvited donor walks into the prison?”
Chad glanced at his Captain and then spoke, “We’re to escort the mortal back up the stairs and remove them from the donor list.”
“Is that what you did?” Storm asked.
“No, Ma’am,” Chad said.
“What did you do then, in lieu of policy?”
Chad grimaced, “I told her to walk her tight little ass back up the stairs and leave.”
“And…” Storm prompted.
“And then I…” Cole sighed and looked down at the floor. “Then I grabbed her ass.”
Chevalier’s hands balled into tight fists, “What exactly made you think that was ok?”
“Nothing, Sir,” Cole said.
“Then what happened?” Storm asked them.
“I didn’t know who she is. I thought Gary sent her as a joke,” Chad said.
“Then what did you do?” Storm asked again.
“Damnit, then I savored her a bit and decided to feed,” Chad said, glancing nervously at his Captain.
“At any time did she tell you to stop?” Storm asked.
Kyle squeezed Emily’s shoulders lightly.
“Yes, Ma’am, she did.”
“Then why didn’t you?”
“I told you,” Chad said. “I thought the whole thing was a joke.”
“Were you aware that the Elder married a mortal?” Storm asked him.
“Yes, Ma’am.”
“Were you aware that she visits the island?”
“Yes, Ma’am.”
“Do you often,” Storm asked, now sounding angry, “Feed from a mortal that has asked you not to?”
“No!” Chad said anxiously. “Never.”
“Captain? Do you have anything to add?” Storm asked him.
“No, there is no defense for that,” the Captain said.
“Lady Emily?” Storm asked.
Emily jumped slightly and looked at up her with wide eyes, “What?”
“Do you have anything to add?”
“No”
“We didn’t miss anything?”
“No,” Emily lied, but couldn’t stop the deep blush from creeping into her cheeks.
Chevalier turned his chair toward her and whispered, “What are you leaving out?”
“Nothing,” she whispered back.
Chevalier reached out and touched her arm softly, and Emily saw the blank look cross his face as the entire incident flew through her mind and she knew he could see it. He drew his hand back and turned, even more infuriated, toward the guards.
Emily cringed and glanced at Storm. If Kyle’s hands weren’t on her shoulders, she would have left before the punishments were handed down.
“I have never seen such disobedience from members of my coven,” Chevalier growled. “I expect complete compliance with any rules set forth by me, and the lack of regard of those rules will be dealt with harshly.”
Emily saw the terrified looks on the faces of the guards.
“Is this what happens when I’m gone?” Chevalier yelled at Storm.
“No, Sir,” Storm said, standing tall and looking at the guards.
“Do I need to find a babysitter to come and watch over the coven in my absence?”
“No, Sir,” Storm told him.
“If I need to make an example out of you two, then so be it,” Chevalier said. Emily thought briefly about asking him to calm down, but the look on his face was too full of rage and she turned back to the guards.
“Punishment is death,” Chevalier growled. “Because it was my wife, then I will do it, myself.”
Emily tried to stand up to leave, but Kyle held her down. She was finding it hard to breathe, and the room was shrinking in on her as the heku watched Chevalier beside her.
“Captain,” Chevalier hissed. “You’re demoted to guard. If you can’t keep better track of how your guards follow the policies, then you don’t belong in command.”
“Yes, Sir,” the Captain said.
“I’m leaving in the morning, and I’m putting Mark and Emily in charge of this coven until I return,” Chevalier hissed. “One little toe out of line and you’ll be killed. Is that clear?”
Emily’s body tensed. She knew he was furious, but she couldn’t understand how he could put her in charge.
“Clear this room… guards, take Cole and Chad to the prison. Storm, get me anyone that ranks higher than a Lieutenant… immediately,” Chevalier ordered loudly.
Emily watched as the heku cleared quickly out of the room, while Cole and Chad were hauled away to the prison. Kyle let go of her shoulders and sat down in Storm’s chair.
When the room cleared out, Chevalier slammed his fists down onto the desk, shattering the thick marble top.
Emily jumped and moved away from the falling marble. Kyle put his hand on her arm to keep her from running off. She looked at him, panicked, and he smiled reassuringly at her. Mark came into the room and stood behind Kyle. He seemed to know that it wasn’t a good time to talk.
Two Generals, four Captains, and six Commanders came into the courtroom and stood in perfect rows before Chevalier.
“I’m severely disappointed in how this coven has been run in my absence,” Chevalier hissed. “Specifically in regards to the guard staff.”
Storm joined them and stood behind the guard officers.
“I have half a mind to replace all of you, because of the lack of obedience from those subordinate to you,” Chevalier said angrily. “I’m leaving in the morning, and I’m putting Mark and Emily in charge of the coven. No one is to so much as sneeze, without consulting one of them.”
Emily fought to control the fear she had growing within her.
“Policies are to be reviewed with the entire guard staff. Every procedure, every protocol, needs to be covered in the next two days. Anyone showing disobedience will be killed, period… no second chances,” Chevalier said. “Is that understood?”
“Yes, Sir,” the leaders said together.
“Get out of my sight and begin retraining your staff,” Chevalier growled.
The heku turned on their heels and blurred from the room.
“Emily, breathe,” Kyle whispered.
Emily took a deep breath, but her hands were shaking as she glanced back at Mark. He smiled at her, seemingly unaware of how terrified she was of the coming week.
Chevalier turned toward them. His furious eyes made Emily push her chair away from him some, “Did you bring your Thukil uniform?”
Emily shook her head, “No.”
“I’ll have it sent over,” he said.
“Chev?” Emily said, still fighting to breathe. “I can’t… take care of a coven… I don’t know what to do.”
“Mark will help you, you two are the only ones I can trust,” Chevalier hissed.
“Maybe Kyle…” Emily started to say, but Chevalier growled, and she stopped talking.
“You and Mark, and I want this place run like a police state.”
“Yes, Sir,” Mark said confidently.
“I have some guards to punish,” Chev
alier said, and his chair flew back into the wall, smashing into pieces as he blurred from the room.
Emily turned quickly to Kyle, “Don’t leave.”
Kyle smiled, “It’ll be ok. Just ask Mark if you have any questions.”
“But why would he do this to me? Am I getting punished?” Emily asked.
Mark chuckled, “No, it’s an honor.”
“No it’s not!” Emily said frantically.
“Calm down, I suspect he just wants everyone in the coven to know your face. The last few times you’ve come here, there have been problems… twice now the pier guards wouldn’t even let you in,” Kyle reminded her.
“You don’t have to worry about punishments, Em. I’ll deal with those,” Mark said.
“I don’t know the policies or anything. If they ask me something, I’ll look like an idiot.”
“I can get you a copy,” Kyle said. “I have some in my office.”
“I don’t have a photographic memory, Kyle. I can’t do this.”
“You can. It’ll be ok, trust us,” Mark said, grinning. “So what caused all of this?”
Emily blushed while Kyle told him what happened. She turned to look at Mark as he grew furious.
“Em, he’ll be calm when he’s done with the two guards,” Kyle said.
“Yeah, killing them.”
“He has to.”
“I know, I really do, but it’s just… hard,” Emily said, and stood up. “I need to go deal with Sam.”
“What are you going to do?” Kyle asked, following her out of the courtroom with Mark.
“I don’t know. I want him dead… seems all he’s going to do from now on is try to get me to leave and go back to the mortal world.”
“What? Why?” Mark asked, still irritated.
“He says it’s best for me to leave the kids and the heku, and disappear.”
“Tell him to stop,” Mark suggested.
“I did, but apparently he’s going to do what he thinks is best for me. Even if it’s in contrast to what I want,” Emily explained.
“Just leave him in jail then,” Kyle said.
Proditor : Book 5 of the Heku Series Page 28