Emily glared at him.
Quinn grinned slightly, “Just… calm down, please.”
“That was… fairly impressive,” William said, and his eyebrows rose.
Sotomar glared at him.
“Well, it was,” William said, and turned back to Zohn.
“Elders and Emily, back to the conference room,” Quinn said. “Mark, why don’t you join us?”
Mark nodded and let go of Emily so she could go into the conference room. She sat back down in the end chair and poured herself more coffee before bringing her knees up to her chest. Mark sat down in the chair beside her, and she got the impression he was babysitting again.
Zohn sat at the far end from Emily and the other Elders came back in and sat down, shutting the door behind them.
“Zohn, please try to refrain from speaking,” Quinn said, grinning slightly. “These negotiations will go smoother if we can avoid bloodshed.”
“Very well,” Zohn said, sitting back in his chair.
“Make it fast. I want to get out of here before dark,” Emily said, sipping at her coffee.
“Where are you going?” Aaron asked, smiling.
“Fulfilling my part of the ultimatum… it’s been broken, badly, and it’s time to go,” Emily said, avoiding his eyes when his smile disappeared.
“You’re going to leave? Just like that?” Ryan asked, frowning.
“Yes, I am.”
“We’re here for some negotiations, to see if we can get her to stay,” Quinn said. “However, it has been noted that one Elder doesn’t wish for her to stay… we should take a vote.”
“Stay,” Sotomar said. “I will speak for Elder Vizia also.”
“Stay,” Aaron and Ryan said in unison.
“I would prefer if she stay,” William said, smiling at her. “I will speak for Elder Reese as well.”
“Stay,” Chevalier said softly.
“You know my vote,” Zohn said, looking at the painting on the wall.
“Vote all you want. I haven’t agreed to stay,” Emily reminded them.
“So name it, what will it take to get you to stay?” Sotomar asked.
Emily sighed, “You already knew and didn’t do it, why should I make more demands?”
“Where war is concerned, I’m afraid we are all a little blind to some things as we focus entirely on protecting the things that matter,” Sotomar said.
“My… confinement aside, what’s it going to take to get you all to realize how much better off the heku would be without me?” Emily asked, frustrated that they weren’t seeing what was going on.
“How do you figure our species would be better off without you?” Quinn asked.
“Oh come on… Exavior ring a bell? He’s just tortured and almost killed my friend to get to me.”
“I told you,” Chevalier said. “That wasn’t because of you. It was because his pride was hurt when he wasn’t made an Elder.”
“He speaks the truth,” Sotomar said. “Though I wonder how he knows.”
Chevalier grinned slightly.
“How long has Exavior been the Valle’s Chief Interrogator?” Emily asked.
Ryan thought for a moment, “Just over 2,500 years.”
“And it’s just a coincidence that he chooses now to rebel? Just happens to have decided that I should be an Elder in this new faction of his, all by coincidence?”
“No, we know that his attraction to you was the final determination, but we suspect he’s had plans to do this for centuries,” Sotomar told her.
Emily pressed her palms against her eyes, “You’re all too stubborn to see what’s right in front of your eyes. Your peaceful existence 14 years ago when heku followed orders, rules were kept, the three factions were the same as they had been for thousands of years… you can have that again.”
“I don’t remember it being all that peaceful 14 years ago,” Ryan said. “I was Coven Leader of a medium sized coven in Nevada that was completely obliterated by the Equites in the middle of the night.”
“We are more civilized now than we ever have been,” Quinn said. “You’ve shown us that we can work together.”
Emily sighed and looked up, “You’ll have to trust me then, your lives will be better without me in them.”
“Are you in pain?” Sotomar asked, frowning.
“No”
“She’s lying,” Zohn said. “You can tell by her eyes that she has a headache.”
“Bite me,” Emily yelled, glaring at him.
Chevalier growled at Zohn, and he sat back in his chair.
“Hmmm,” Sotomar said, and blurred behind Emily. He put his hands out and felt along her shoulders.
“Hey! That hurts,” Emily said, and tried to pull away. Sotomar held onto her and began to work on a problem spot on her shoulder.
“I noticed you carry your stress in your shoulders, that’s why you have headaches,” Sotomar said.
“Oh my God…” Emily whispered, and leaned her head forward.
Sotomar grinned, “Being a trained masseuse comes in handy.”
“Yes, we all heard about the last massage you gave her,” Chevalier said, glaring at him.
“That was different,” Sotomar said as his hands expertly worked on her neck and shoulders. “You know, if I had a decent table, I could really help her headache, and maybe her ankle.”
“He is quite good,” Ryan told them.
“Talks might go smoother if she felt better, more relaxed,” Quinn whispered, too softly for Emily to hear.
“He felt her up,” Chevalier reminded him.
“I wouldn’t do that,” Sotomar said. “That was a momentary lapse in judgment, when she was on my table, with no clothes on… I just… apologize.”
Chevalier sighed, “She does get moody when she’s stressed.”
“I could stay with them,” Mark said. “To watch his hands.”
Sotomar glared at him, “I know how to behave.”
“Fine,” Chevalier whispered, “But Mark and Silas will be there.”
Sotomar nodded, “Come, Dear.”
Emily looked up, “Where are we going?”
“I want to work on your back,” Sotomar said, and put his hand out.
“I can get a masseuse at the hotel,” Emily told him. “I still want to finish this so I can leave.”
“I don’t trust anyone else to do it,” Sotomar told her, and pulled her up to standing. “It won’t take but an hour. You have a room here, do you not?”
Emily nodded, “I do, but…”
“Good, take your clothes off and get under the sheet,” Sotomar said, ignoring the low hiss that came from Chevalier.
Emily frowned, “No.”
“I’ll be there with Silas. He won’t try anything,” Mark said.
“One hour?” Emily asked Sotomar.
“One”
“Naked?”
“Fully, get under the sheet. I’ll be there in a few minutes.”
“Why do I have the feeling I’m going to regret this?” Emily asked, heading out of the conference room.
“One toe out of line…” Chevalier growled.
“With two of your guards watching? Not a chance,” Sotomar said. “Think about it… I’ll put her to sleep, that’ll buy us some time.”
Chevalier watched nervously as Sotomar left the room.
“It’ll work out better. She’ll relax and won’t have a headache,” Quinn said. “We have a few hours to come up with a plan to keep her.”
“Let her go… she’ll come running back,” Zohn said, nodding.
“Do you even know her?” Quinn asked, frowning.
“Come in,” Emily called out. She blushed when Silas, Mark, and Sotomar came in. She was lying in the middle of her bed, completely naked, and covered only with a thin sheet.
“Perfect,” Sotomar said. “Now just relax”
Emily blushed and put her forehead down on the pillow.
Sotomar pulled the sheet down to just below her waist, and loo
ked up nervously when Mark cleared his throat. Silas and Mark each took a spot on the sides of the bed, watching him closely.
“What happened?” Sotomar asked when he saw the deep bruises and cuts on her back.
“I was body slammed off my horse,” Emily said, her words muffled against the pillow.
“Hmm,” Sotomar sighed, and then began to work on her neck as Mark and Silas scrutinized his every move.
Emily sighed and began to relax as he worked the knotted muscles in her neck and shoulders. By the time he worked down onto her back, she was almost asleep, but acutely aware of how his hands trailed down her back to the curve of her waist. He worked around the bruises and focused on the knots.
Sotomar pulled the sheets up from the foot of her bed and folded them up to her thighs, and began massaging the back of her legs as Silas leaned forward to watch him closer.
“Light the fires and get me an ace bandage,” Sotomar whispered, too softly for mortal ears. Within a few seconds, a servant came in, glanced nervously at Emily, and then stoked the fire until it was roaring and warming the room quickly. Another came and put several ace bandages on the bed beside the Elder.
By the time Sotomar got to Emily’s feet, her breathing was slow and rhythmic, she was deep asleep. He wrapped her swollen ankle in an ace bandage without her even knowing, and then pulled the sheets down over her legs. He backed up to the door and left quietly, followed by Mark and Silas. Sotomar headed down to the conference room while Silas and Mark stayed outside of Emily’s bedroom.
“She’s asleep,” Sotomar said, coming into the quiet room. “Did you know her back is badly bruised and cut up?”
“I knew she was injured in the fall, but I haven’t seen it,” Chevalier said.
“I also wrapped her ankle, it’s swollen,” Sotomar said, and sat down. “What did you decide?”
“We haven’t decided on anything. We don’t know what she wants in return for staying,” Quinn said.
“We’re hoping she’s relaxed and calm, and will talk to us when she wakes up,” Ryan told him.
“Damn, I want to see her back,” Chevalier sighed, and disappeared from the room. He appeared by the bedroom door and opened it, careful not to make a noise. The room was so hot that it was almost hard to breathe, but his eyes immediately focused on Emily sleeping on the bed.
The sheets were pulled low across her hips, exposing her delicate figure and the soft curve from her waist to her hips. He sat gently on the bed and ran his fingers lightly over the dark bruises left from falling off of the horse. He pulled her hair back slightly so he could see her soft shoulders and the little dip at the nape of her neck.
Her hands clasped softly and she jerked in her sleep, but settled back down. Chevalier knew it was intrusive, but he reached out and gently laid his hand on her back.
“Just let them go, you can keep me,” Emily begged as Exavior held a baby in his arms.
“Why should I? The three other factions think you disappeared as warned. They’ll never know that you are in my care,” Exavior said, and handed a glass over to Alexis as he cradled the baby in his other arm.
“They will find out, but if you let the kids go, I’ll agree to stay.”
Exavior grinned, “Now that I’ll have to consider... but will you stay as my wife?”
Emily watched as Exavior put the baby down at the table and moved to her. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her roughly, pulling her body against his.
“Sir?” Allen said officially.
Exavior broke the kiss and looked up.
“We’re ready, shall we head out?” Allen asked. He was dressed in a classic guard uniform with a royal blue cape.
“Yes, report as soon as it’s done,” Exavior told him.
“Where are you going?” Emily asked. She tried to pull away from Exavior, but he held her tightly.
“He’s a guard now. They are raiding Powan tonight.”
“No,” Emily said, frowning. She looked over at Exavior, “Please, don’t send him to fight.”
“There’s only one thing that will keep him here for the raid,” Exavior said, grinning as he ran his fingers up Emily’s back.
Chevalier pulled his hand away from her and watched her sleep for a few minutes. She settled back down into slow, deep breathing. He stood up slowly and walked out of the room, silently shutting the door behind him.
“No one… goes in there,” Chevalier said as Emily’s half covered body came to mind.
“Yes, Sir,” Mark and Silas both said.
“Where’s Allen?” Chevalier asked Silas.
“In his room, reading,” Silas answered.
Chevalier walked up to his room and saw Allen reading by the fire. Allen looked up when his Dad came in and set his book down.
Chevalier sighed, “I know you’re protective of your mother…”
“Yes, I am,” Allen said.
“However, you are never to interfere when I am there, is that understood?”
“I understand, but I don’t agree,” Allen told him. “If you overstep, I may be the only there that will stop you.”
Chevalier pulled Allen up with a hand around his neck, “Do you need a reminder of where you fit into this family? Do not cross me.”
Allen glared at his Dad and whispered, “Then keep your hands off of her when you’re mad.”
Chevalier slammed Allen against the wall, “You’re my son and I demand respect. Do not talk to me like that.”
Allen nodded, hesitantly, and Chevalier put him down.
“Stay in here until talks are done with your Mom,” Chevalier growled, and left the room. He joined the other Elders in the castle’s conference room.
“What now?” Sotomar asked.
“We wait, and hope when she wakes up that she remembers her dream,” Chevalier said, and pulled a roster book from the shelf.
“Do we get to know what the Princess dreams about?” Zohn asked.
“What’s up with you lately?” Quinn asked, frowning.
“Lately… I’ve just been reminded of the point Damon made,” Zohn said, and held his hand up when Quinn started to protest. “He went about it the wrong way... but he had a point.”
“What point might that be?” Sotomar asked.
“That she needs discipline and rules, like everyone else in the palace.”
Sotomar frowned, “She’s not like others in the palace… or in the faction for that matter.”
“No, she’s spoiled and gets away with anything,” Zohn said. “If a heku acted like she does, they would immediately be imprisoned or banished.”
“She can’t be held to the same standards of a heku,” William said. “She’s young, very young, and a mortal that was thrown into this world suddenly. She can’t be expected to behave as if she had a choice in the matter… like a heku.”
“You make it sound like I forced her,” Chevalier said, irritated.
“Not you... but years and years of feeding attacks forced you to bring her to us for protection,” William explained.
“Don’t let him fool you. He didn’t bring her into our world to protect her,” Zohn said, grinning.
“Excuse me?” Chevalier hissed.
“You fell in love with someone you were sent to evaluate as a possible Winchester.”
“I think we need to change the subject,” Sotomar said, frowning. “It doesn’t matter why she is here, no matter what Zohn said, we need to keep her, at all costs.”
“The second she disappears from our protection, she’s going to walk right into Exavior’s,” Chevalier told them.
“Is that where the Veyron came from? Exavior was waiting on the pier?” William asked.
“Veyrons… plural,” Chevalier said. “We saw them on the pier, and Emily ashed the occupants before they had a chance to explain.”
“You have their ashes?” Sotomar asked.
“Yes, as soon as we get a Chief Enforcer, we’ll talk to them.”
“Where are the other cars?
” William asked curiously.
Chevalier grinned, “Em pushed them into the ocean.”
“She… she pushed a $1.7 million car into the ocean?”
“Three of them.”
William shook his head, “What a shame.”
“Allen saved the fourth. She just won’t let him drive it though.”
“Why not? He’s almost as tall as a full heku, and obviously intellectually advanced,” Sotomar said.
“I know, but she still sees him as an 11-year-old,” Chevalier told them.
“I’ve been thinking, we should send him to Powan for guard training,” Zohn said. “He’s expressed an interest many times.”
Chevalier shook his head, “Emily will never allow that.”
“See, you let her set down the law.”
“He’s her son, and I’m not taking mother privileges from her. She has a fear that Allen will be sent to a war and right now, we don’t need to exacerbate any fears of what happens if she stays with us,” Chevalier said.
“Agreed,” Quinn said. “If he keeps showing an interest, we will mentor him with the Cavalry.”
“That… she may go for,” Chevalier said, nodding slightly.
“Damn, that didn’t last long,” Sotomar said when they heard Emily run across the floor. They heard the door open into Kyle’s room.
“I’m going to check on them,” Quinn said, and blurred from the room. He appeared outside of Emily’s door, but saw the door to Chevalier’s room was open, and Emily was sitting on the bed, wrapped in a sheet.
“She just ran out of her room and into here,” Silas whispered to Quinn.
Emily reached out and touched Kyle’s face softly, “Kyle?”
Kyle didn’t move, even when Emily took his hand.
Emily jumped for the cell phone when it rang.
“Kyle’s phone,” she whispered.
“Who is this?” Exavior asked angrily.
She frowned, “It’s Emily… keep the attitude down.”
“My dear wife, I was hoping to find you with the boyfriend.”
“Stop calling him that… and what do you want?” Emily asked.
“To warn you, my love.”
“About what?”
“You turned eight of my guards to ash. That is unacceptable behavior and will be dealt with harshly,” Exavior said calmly.
“I’d like to see you try,” Emily whispered angrily, and turned away from Mark when he reached for the phone.
Proditor : Book 5 of the Heku Series Page 55