“I want to join the Cavalry, you know that,” Allen said.
Emily sighed, “When you’re older.”
Alexis grinned at Allen and went back to her hamburger. Emily finished eating and handed Dain off to Allen. He fussed some, but she left anyway, hurrying up the stairs. Within a few minutes, she was in the tub and was relaxing in the bubbly water.
“Where’s the book now?” Chevalier asked William.
“It’s being analyzed. We’ll submit copies to all factions when we’re done,” William said.
“Now what to do with you,” Zohn said, turning to the eight formerly banished Equites. “My first inclination is to re-banish you.”
“Let’s take it on a case by case business,” Quinn said.
The Council turned around when Emily came in. She smiled and sat down in a chair by Chevalier that Quinn had installed for her. She leaned forward slightly and looked at the eight banished Equites.
“Can we help you?” Zohn asked her, irritated.
Emily glanced at him, “No, I’m good.”
“Were you here to disrupt these proceedings?”
Emily frowned, “No.”
“I agree with Zohn,” Quinn said. “Let’s try them all separately, except for Colby, Matthew, Nick, and Freeman. Those are all to be banished as soon as Kyle returns.”
“Agreed,” Chevalier said.
“Or I could just banish them now,” Emily said, and blushed when they all looked at her.
“No,” Chevalier told her. “Kyle will be back in an hour.”
“Derrick, remove the four,” Zohn said, and they waited until the four were removed before going to the next.
“Step forward, Rusty,” Quinn said. An angry looking heku stepped forward. He was cocky and sure of himself, and bore tattoos from all three of the factions.
“Just banish me. I don’t want to be here with you,” Rusty said, glaring at the Elders.
“You only had 43 years left on your sentence,” Chevalier said. “You’re so willing to go back into the ground without even pleading for an early release?”
Rusty looked at Emily, “I heard that the factions are aligned for her. I don’t want to be anywhere near that mess.”
Kyle frowned, “Yet you join the alleged faction that she runs?”
“Elder Exavior promised us she would be put in her place and would respect the heku.”
“I completely respect the heku. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t be here,” Emily told him.
“No you don’t,” he said, glaring at her. “You stay with the heku so they can serve you.”
Emily put her hand on Chevalier’s leg when he started to get up.
“If that’s what you think, then I believe maybe you do belong in the ground,” Emily said softly, watching his eyes.
“You don’t even deny it?”
“Why should I? Seems to me you’ve already figured things out.”
Rusty grinned, “Yeah, I have.”
“If he so badly wants re-banished, then give him another 200 years,” Quinn said. Derrick nodded and led Rusty out.
Zohn looked over at Emily, “What are you up to?”
“Nothing, would you like me to leave?” she asked him.
“You’re playing at something being in here. You didn’t even complain when Quinn added to his original sentence.”
“I don’t strive to interrupt your job, believe it or not.”
“We’ll see… next?” Zohn said, and turned back to the trial area.
“Do you and I need to go a round?” Emily asked, glaring at him.
Zohn raised an eyebrow, “A round of what?”
“You name it and I’ll be there. I’m tired of you acting like all I do is get in the way.”
“Do you not?”
“Calm down,” Quinn said. “Both of you.”
“No, I don’t just get in the way. I believe I’ve saved your ass more than once.”
“I highly doubt that. I could have freed myself given time.”
“In whose dreams?” she said, standing up.
“Sit down, Child,” Zohn said, and turned back to the front
“Bite me,” she growled, and started forward, but Chevalier stood up and picked her up off the ground with an arm around her waist.
“May we continue?” Zohn asked her.
“I’ll be right back,” Chevalier said, and headed for the door.
“No! Maybe if I kick his ass he’ll stop treating me like that,” Emily yelled, pulling against Chevalier’s hands.
Chevalier grinned and shut the door behind him.
“What’s up with you?” Quinn asked angrily. “She was sitting there minding her own business and you just couldn’t let it go.”
Zohn turned to the other Elder, “She goes out of her way to interrupt the workings of this Council.”
“No, she does not,” Quinn said. “She rarely comes in here just to interrupt us for no good reason.”
“Oh come on… she lives to interrupt the workings of this entire palace.”
“Put them in prison. I’m done for the day,” Quinn said, and walked out of the council chambers, followed by Kyle.
Zohn slammed the book down, “Fine, put them in prison.”
Chevalier put Emily down and then sat down when she disappeared into the closet. She came out a short time later in a short summer dress and began to tie her hair up. He had to remind himself of the bet as she walked around the room. The short dress showed off her thighs, and the halter top clung to her delicate shoulders, moving with her as she worked. His thoughts returned to the moment when he noticed she was packing.
“Leaving?” he asked, and took Dain from Allen when he brought the baby in.
“Yes, putting as much distance between myself and Zohn as I can.”
“Where are you going?”
“To the island,” Emily said, and then turned to Allen. “Get Alexis and start packing.”
Allen nodded and walked out of the room as she finished packing.
“How long are you going to be gone?”
Emily shrugged, “I’m not sure. I’m going to take the Jeep so I can stay for a while.”
“Mom?” Allen said, and Emily turned toward him and Alexis.
“Are you packed?”
“We don’t really want to go,” Alexis said.
“What’s wrong with the island?”
Allen sighed, “I want to stay here with Dad, and Alexis doesn’t want to leave her teachers.”
“Fine,” Emily growled, and then returned to packing.
Chevalier motioned for the kids to leave and sent Dain with Allen. They shut the door behind them.
“Just stay,” Chevalier said, and kissed her shoulder lightly.
“Not with Zohn in the building. He’s heading right down the path that Damon did.”
“Zohn isn’t Damon.”
“You coulda fooled me.”
“If it’s the pool you want, I’d say in a few minutes you’ll have one here,” he said, and began to unbutton her summer dress.
Chapter 29 - Home
Emily sighed, “If you knocked me up, I swear I’ll have to ash you.”
Chevalier grinned, “Sorry, you looked sexy in that summer dress.”
She sat up and wrapped the sheet around her before going into the bathroom to change, then came out a few minutes later in the summer dress and grabbed the suitcase.
“If you’re driving, why don’t you at least take Kralen and Silas? We can helicopter them back when you get there,” Chevalier suggested, smiling at the thought of telling the Council they needed to build a pool.
“Sure, whatever,” she said, and headed out the door. “Allen, I need Dain.”
“Just stay, Mom,” Allen said when he handed the baby over.
“No, it’ll be better if Zohn and I are far away from each other,” she explained as she walked by the Council and glared at Zohn.
“Em, you can’t let him do that,” Chevalier said, watching Dain gnaw on
her knuckle.
“He’s teething.”
“He’s a heku.”
Emily sighed, “Heku or not, he’s still teething.”
Silas and Kralen were waiting by the Jeep and crawled in when she buckled Dain into his car seat. Chevalier put a cooler behind her seat and whispered last minute orders to the guards.
“I didn’t mean you had to leave,” Zohn said, leaning against his car.
Emily got into the Jeep, “Let me know when you decide to retire.”
Zohn smiled as she drove out of the garage.
“Start building the pool,” Chevalier said, turning to walk back into the palace.
Kyle chuckled, “Damn, I wanted to know what that ancient’s room was for.”
“I knew we’d need those blueprints,” Quinn said, and followed Chevalier inside.
“Kyle, will you take Equites 2 to Island Coven? Make sure her arrival goes smoothly,” Chevalier said. “If we’re re-living the days when she hated the palace, then she’ll need a safe haven.”
“Sure,” Kyle said, and ran up the stairs. Within minutes, the helicopter took off.
Emily let Silas drive when it got dark, so she could sleep. She insisted they not stop at a hotel, but finally agreed to let him drive.
“We’re not in the palace, can we talk freely?” Silas asked her.
Emily leaned her seat back and rolled onto her side toward him, “Sure.”
“What’s up with you and Zohn?”
“I’m tired of how he treats me, like I’m always in the way and always out looking for trouble.”
“It’s more than that, you’ve never liked him.”
“True, he was one of Damon’s biggest supporters.”
“Rumor has it, he’s also the one that initiated his removal.”
Emily shrugged and rolled onto her back, “Doesn’t matter, he’s following in Damon’s footsteps.”
“What’s so special about Island Coven that you always want to go there when the palace gets to be too much?” Kralen asked.
Emily smiled, “Friends, I love it there. It’s quiet and peaceful, and no one acts like they have to be afraid around me.”
“Why don’t we talk to the Elders about Silas and I switching off so one of us is with you on the island?”
“No, thank you,” Emily said. “That’d piss Zohn off, losing a Commander in the Cavalry to babysit me.”
“Ever consider it’s not babysitting?”
“No, it’s exactly babysitting.”
“That’s not how we consider it,” Kralen said. “You just need to see it how we do. Ever seen the Declaration of Independence?”
“Yeah”
“It has guards because it’s a precious piece of American history, not because it needs babysat.”
“Oh come on. Zohn has guards posted with me because he’s convinced I’m always in trouble.”
Kralen grinned, “Ok, I’ll admit that, but the rest of the Council sees it as we do. You’re an important addition to the Equites, one that must be pampered and protected.”
“I’m Chevalier’s wife, and he’s big and mean, and everyone’s afraid I’ll get hurt, so they give me guards.”
“We just wish you could see it as we do. I would be offended if I were babysitting. I’m one of the Council City Commanders, the elite… I don’t… babysit,” Silas said.
“Still doesn’t change the fact that I can’t live with Zohn around.”
“Island Coven it is,” Kralen said, and looked around. “You sure you don’t want a hotel for the night.”
“Naw, I just want to get there.”
Silas grinned, “Truth or dare?”
Emily smiled, “Sure, but nothing about the ancient’s room.”
“Deal… I’ll start,” Silas said. “Truth or dare?”
“Truth”
“Have you ever slept with Kyle?”
Emily started to laugh, “Damn, you’re starting with the big ones… no, I don’t sleep around.”
“We know that, but I also know you met Kyle before you were officially with the Elder.”
“True… still, no.”
“Your turn.”
“Ok, Kralen, truth or dare?”
Kralen thought, “Truth.”
“Ever went to feed from a woman, and let it go further… only to have a coyote ugly experience the next day?”
Kralen grinned slightly, “What’s a coyote ugly experience?”
Emily leaned up onto her elbow, “You know… you sleep with her and she falls asleep on your arm. The next morning you realize just how ugly she is, and would rather chew off your own arm than to wake her up.”
Kralen chuckled, “Yes.”
Silas started to laugh, “Oh my God, that’s great!”
“My turn, Em, truth or dare?”
“What about Silas?” Emily asked.
“He’s boring… truth or dare?”
“Truth”
“How many men, human or heku, have you slept with?”
“Dare,” Emily said, and grinned.
“You can’t change… those’re the rules.”
Emily blushed, “Nothing leaves this Jeep, right?”
“Of course.”
“Two”
Kralen’s eyes grew wide, “Two, total?”
“Two… Silas, truth or dare?”
Silas grinned, “Truth.”
“Ever intercept someone’s donor and help yourself?”
“Sure”
“A lot?” she asked, shocked.
“That’s two questions, my turn.”
Emily thought, “Dare.”
“I dare you to flash the next car that drives by your side of the Jeep.”
Emily blushed, “Ok.”
“You’re going to do it?”
“Sure,” Emily said. She saw a truck heading her way and unbuckled.
Kralen grinned, “Here comes one.”
Emily laughed and knelt on the seat. When the driver of the truck looked over, she lifted her shirt for a few seconds and then lowered it and sat back down. The truck veered off the road and almost hit a telephone pole before stopping.
“Oh my God, he almost wrecked,” Emily said, blushing as she buckled back in.
“I can’t believe you did it,” Silas said, impressed.
“Truth or dare, Kralen.”
“Dare”
Emily grinned, “Feed off Silas’ wrist.”
“What? No,” Silas said, frowning.
Kralen shrugged, “Hand it over.”
“That’s just wrong,” Silas said, and put his wrist toward the back as he watched the road. Kralen hesitated and then bit Silas, drank for a couple of seconds, and then let go.
“Damn, Silas, you’re disgusting,” Kralen said, grimacing.
Silas grinned, “Good, I’d hate to think you enjoyed it.”
“Truth or dare, Silas.”
Silas paused, “You’re not going to ask Emily?”
“Nope, truth or dare.”
“Truth”
“Ever chosen to feed from a man instead of a woman when you had the option?”
Silas grinned, “Never… Em, truth or dare?”
Emily thought, “Truth.”
“If you were forced to leave the Equites, which faction would you go to?”
“What if I wouldn’t go to another faction?”
“Have to name one of them.”
“Hmm… Encala.”
Silas frowned, “Seriously?”
“Yes, definitely the Encala.”
“Why?”
“That’s two questions… Silas, truth or dare?”
“Dare”
“Call Chevalier and tell him the three of us are running off to France to start our own coven.”
Silas chuckled and grabbed his phone. He dialed and waited for Chevalier to answer.
“Elder, it’s Silas,” he said, and then paused. “No, no, everything’s ok. I just wanted you to know that the three of us are running off to
France to start our own coven.”
Emily smiled while she watched Silas on the phone.
“Yes, Sir,” Silas chuckled. “I’ll let her know.”
“Let me know what?” Emily asked when he hung up.
“That playing truth or dare on a road trip can only lead to trouble.”
“How’d he know?”
Silas smiled at her, “He knows you. Truth or dare, Em?”
“Truth”
“Is there anything about your past that Chevalier doesn’t know about?”
“Yes,” she said, and smiled. “Kralen, truth or dare?”
“Truth,” Kralen said.
“Have you ever deliberately defied one of Chevalier’s orders?”
Kralen grinned, “Every day.”
Emily gasped, “Seriously?”
“Yep,” Kralen said. “Truth or dare, Silas?”
“Truth”
“Same question… have you ever deliberately defied one of Chevalier’s orders?”
Silas thought, “Yes, but not every day… damn Kralen.”
“What? ‘Don’t look at my wife.’” Kralen said, doing his best Chevalier impression. “It’s pretty hard to ignore that ass.”
Emily’s eyes grew wide.
Silas yelled, “Kralen! My God.”
Emily blushed, “Let’s stop the game.”
“Spill it, Emily, what does he not know about you?” Kralen asked.
Emily shifted nervously, “I’m not going to tell you.”
“You two need to lighten up,” Kralen said, sitting back in the seat and smiling.
It was silent for a few minutes before Emily turned in her seat to face Kralen, “What’s wrong with my ass?”
Kralen raised an eyebrow, “Absolutely nothing.”
“But… then… hmm…” Emily mumbled, and then turned around and looked out the window.
Kralen smiled, “It’s not just your ass we admire.”
“We?” Emily gasped.
“Kralen!” Silas yelled. “That’s enough.”
Kralen chuckled.
“Did you hear about that experiment they want to run with the new guards from Powan, and the current guards from the city?” Emily asked after a few tense moments.
“Yes,” Silas said.
“So if by some odd coincidence I lost my scent… do you think Chevalier would leave me?”
Silas frowned, “No.”
“Not a chance,” Kralen told her.
“But you don’t know that,” she said.
Proditor : Book 5 of the Heku Series Page 88