by Unknown
How is the child? Alaric spoke into my mind.
I jerked a little in surprise before I sat up and answered. “He's good, I think. I haven't sensed any problems with him.”
Wonderful, he sounded very pleased with himself.
“You have plans for him now too, don't you?” I narrowed my eyes on the air before me.
“Who are you talking to?” Azrael sat down next to me and handed me a Shirley Temple.
“Alaric, I think,” Odin answered for me.
“Well done,” I nodded to him.
“You get an odd look on your face when he talks inside your head,” Odin shrugged.
“Vhat is he saying?” Kirill had my hand in his and was rubbing the top of it with his thumb.
“He's just asking about the baby,” I offered.
And I wanted to give you all my congratulations on your upcoming nuptials, Alaric added.
“Thank you,” I paused to tell the guys what he'd said, though I'd have to tell Trevor later since he was downstairs handling some club business. “Now tell me what you have planned for my son.”
So defensive of him already, I could hear the smile in his voice. Nothing horrible, Vervain. I think you could figure it out yourself if you gave it enough thought.
“I get that you want peace between the fey and the gods,” I frowned, “but I don't see how he would be necessary for it. I've already established peace.”
You have a tendency to instigate aggression more than inspire peace, he stated blandly. Your child, despite being born of two fiery dragons, will have Ull's soul and Ull was a natural peacekeeper, being a god of justice.
“But I gave him a different magic,” I took a sip of my drink and then put it aside. It was way too sweet. Damn, I was going to miss alcohol.
Ull was a god of justice because he was already inclined to be fair, Alaric said as if I were deliberately being daft. As your son and the heir to the Fire Kingdom, he will alter the fey dramatically with that fairness.
A shiver coasted over me. I knew change was good, especially for the fey, but those words had the ring of fate to them and fate wasn't something I wanted for my child. I wanted him to choose his own path, without supernatural forces nudging him in any direction.
Would you change your life if you could? Alaric asked, even though I hadn't directed those thoughts towards him.
“Hey, watch what you're listening to in there,” I grumbled.
Just answer the question, Vervain.
“No,” I looked around me and sighed. Trevor was just returning and he gave me his signature half-grin. “I wouldn't change anything.”
Then why wouldn't you want that for your child?
“Because it's not easy,” I said simply.
And you think life as a fey prince will be? He laughed. Ull knew the path he was choosing and he choose it with joy. You should celebrate it with him.
“Fair enough,” I chuckled.
Then know that I will be watching over him as I've watched over you.
“Thanks, Al,” I said sincerely.
And please stop calling me Al. His presence faded from my mind.
“What did Al want?” Trevor asked as he handed me an orange juice.
“To check on the baby and give us his congratulations,” I shook my head as I took the glass. “How did you know?”
“You hate those super sweet drinks,” he nodded towards my discarded Shirley Temple. “I don't know why you even attempted it.”
“I thought I wanted something more than juice,” I sighed.
“You could have a virgin daiquiri,” Trevor offered.
“Ooooo,” I sat up straight. “Mango please. With a Li hing mui rim.”
“Go down and get it yourself,” he grinned.
“What?” I gaped at him. “I'm pregnant! And I'm the owner of this club.”
“So am I,” he chuckled, “but that's not why I want you to go down there. I saw a woman who looks just like you. So much so that she could be your twin. The only difference is the color of her eyes. I want you to go take a look.”
“What?” I leaned forward with a frown. “Why didn't you bring her up here?”
“I tried to but she said she was waiting on her date,” Trevor shrugged. “I left her by the bathrooms if you want to try and find her. She said her name was Lia.”
“Lia?” I gaped. “Did you say Lia?”
“Yeah, why?” Trevor frowned.
“Oh, only because Lia is short for Liatris,” I growled at him for not putting it together. I'd told my guys all about the issue with Rowan and Liatris. “And now that I think about it, if you took away Lia's skin color, she does kind of look like me.”
“Didn't you help create those fey?” Odin asked.
“Yep,” I sighed.
“Oh, Vervain,” Azrael chuckled, “that's a Jerry move.”
“I know,” I rolled my eyes. “But it's not confirmed yet.”
“No, I think you're right,” Trevor glanced back at the stairs. “She seemed a little nervous to be talking to me and she knew your name.”
“She knew my name?” I lifted my brows.
“Yeah, I just told her she looked like my girlfriend,” Trevor explained. “I never mentioned you by name, but she came out with a You're Vervain's boyfriend? Like she was shocked.”
“That's gotta be her. It's certain then” Az shook his head as he continued in a dramatic tone, “you created life in your image.”
“Shut up, Az,” I huffed and got to my feet.
I headed down the stairs to the combined laughter of my men. Or maybe I should start calling them my fiances. Or husbands since I'd already called them that. Oh, whatever they were, they were chortling gleefully as I went in search of Lia. Hopefully, Trevor hadn't scared her away.
“Maybe it's not her,” I muttered to myself as I made my way through the crowd.
The club was packed with humans and gods alike so I had to search carefully. I didn't see her anywhere, so I headed for the women's restroom, thinking maybe she'd gone in. Before I could reach the door, someone came walking out and ran right into me. I grunted, backing up a step, as I caught the woman by the arms to steady her.
“Oh faerie farts!” She swore as she got a good look at me.
“Liatris?” I blinked in shock. It was like staring into a mirror, except my reflection had prettier eyes. Boy were they gorgeous, a soft lavender with blue striations. Maybe I should get contacts. I shook my head and refocused. “It is you, isn't it? Holy hand grenades, I had no idea that I made you in my image. How narcissistic is that? I mean really, that's something a god would do.” I pulled her off to the side with me so no one else would run into us... and so she wouldn't run away from me.
“Yes, it's me,” she sighed. “As far as my looks, you probably did it subconsciously.”
“Liatris, what are you doing here?” I blurted out, the full force of the situation hitting me. “Do you know the whole Dark Kingdom is in an uproar over your disappearance?”
“What? Why?” She kind of just fell away from me. “I asked Cait to tell them I left because I needed some time away. Didn't she tell them?”
“She did,” I recalled what Rowan had told me and then smirked when I remembered how worried he was over her. “And most of them accepted your decision but there were a few who didn't and one of them happens to be your King. Thus, the whole kingdom gets upset.”
“Rowan?” She gaped at me and I almost started to laugh. So Lia was just as smitten as he was. Why had she run?
“Do you have another king?” I teased.
“No,” she rolled her eyes and all I could think was how sassy I looked when I did that. “He just feels guilty. I left because he hurt me.”
“He hurt you how?” My fire lifted inside me, responding to her pain. She was like family and if someone hurt her, I would see her avenged, even if the someone was Rowan.
“Not like that,” She lifted her hands quickly. “We... were together and then I saw his regret over w
hat had happened between us. I couldn't handle the rejection. I just needed to get away and start fresh.”
“Look, I totally get that,” I sighed as my anger faded. It was a good thing too, I could feel my baby beginning to respond to it. Which gave me another thought, if I got this way over one of the dark-sidhe, how would I be with my own child? Probably dangerous. I blinked and pushed the worrisome thought away before I continued. “I've been known to do my fair share of running too but are you certain Rowan regretted what happened between you? Because let me tell you something, that man is seriously distraught over your disappearance. He's sent some ellingran out to search for you and even a few of the dark-sidhe have volunteered.”
“They're searching for me?” She gaped again and again, all I could think was how silly I must look when I made the same expression. “No, I don't want to go back. I'm finally happy. Could you tell them that for me? That I'm happy and it's okay for them to leave me here. Tell Rowan I understand why he had regrets. I don't need him to prove anything by looking for me.”
“Liatris,” I frowned, “this isn't my business but Rowan... he's not searching for you because he has something to prove. I know what love looks like on a man, it's one of my magics after all, and that man is covered in it. Whatever you think you saw, I think you should reevaluate it. It may not be as it seems.”
“He doesn't love me,” she whispered in the way of the brokenhearted. “He loves who I look like.”
I blinked, trying to puzzle out what she meant by that, then it all became clear. Why did everyone think Rowan wanted me? It was so stupid and I finally realized why. He was like a son to me, someone I'd help to birth, so the thought of being with him was ridiculous and a bit disgusting. I laughed out loud and she smacked my arm.
“It's not funny,” she snapped. “I'm heartbroken, you know.”
“I'm sorry,” I tried valiantly to restrain my laughter but it was hard. “I'm not laughing at you being hurt. I'm laughing because the idea of Rowan being in love with me is ridiculous.”
“Hardly,” she scoffed. “I've seen the way he looks at you.”
“He may find me attractive,” I shrugged, “but that has nothing to do with his heart. Think back to when you were first made and you all had too much Darkness inside you. Remember how he tried to hurt me? He was going to do some truly awful things to me. That doesn't sound like love.”
“He wasn't thinking straight,” she sighed. “None of us were. You don't understand how consuming the Darkness can be.”
“Alright,” I nodded and tried to think of another way to explain it to her. “Let me put it this way. When Rowan talks to me, he's flippant and sassy. He reminds me a little of Roarke actually. I've never seen anything in his eyes other than mischief. However, when he mirrored me and begged me to help him search for you in the Human Realm, his eyes were full of emotion and none of it was for me.”
“He begged you?” Lia gaped again.
“Begged,” I may have smirked a bit. “It would have been more enjoyable if he hadn't been so pathetic. I'm telling you, Liatris, he's never looked at me like that.”
“Begged?” She asked again as if she couldn't believe it. I sympathized with her in that moment. How many times had I been there, wondering why some amazing man would want me?
“Oh!” I shouted as I suddenly remembered something else she'd want to know. “I almost forgot. Dahlia had her baby.”
“What?” Another shocked stare. “I missed the birth?”
“Well, you did leave the realm,” I gave her my duh look. “Running away from home means you miss out on whatever happens there.”
“Yeah, okay,” she huffed. “I guess I just hadn't thought about the baby. Is it a girl or a boy?”
“Girl,” I grinned at her. “They named her Zinnia and she's stunningly beautiful.”
“Zinnia,” Lia whispered with a smile. “It's pretty.”
“I thought so too,” I agreed.
“Who's this?” A man came up to us, directing his question to Lia.
He was pretty cute for a human, with dirty blonde hair and surfer boy looks. He had a kind face and bright green eyes. Oh, and he was a witch. I could feel the magic in him. Liatris was sure trying her best to get over Rowan. I almost applauded her.
“I'm Vervain,” I reached out a hand to the witch. “My boyfriend ran into your date here and was amazed by how much we look alike, so he told me to come down and see for myself.”
“It is a little startling,” he said as he looked back and forth between us. “You two could be twins.”
“Yes, it's amazing how deceptive appearances can be, isn't it?” I looked at Lia with a lifted brow, hoping she'd get the message. “I hope you two have a wonderful evening. Goodnight.”
“Goodnight,” Lia whispered as I walked away.
“Thanks. Goodnight,” I heard the man call after me and I waved at him over my shoulder.
I hadn't even thought to get his name. I sighed and headed over to the bar for my virgin daiquiri. Rowan was going to have a fit if I told him about the witch. Maybe I shouldn't mention it. It wasn't my business to interfere like that. Plus, I didn't even have a name to give him. What was I going to say; I saw Lia with some hot witch? That wouldn't be helpful.
“I guess this means I have to go back to Faerie,” I grumbled.
“What's that, boss?” Eddie, one of our Froekn bartenders asked. Damned werewolf hearing.
“Nothing, Eddie,” I grinned. “Just that I could really use a virgin daiquiri.”
“No one can really use a virgin daiquiri,” he scoffed. “Don't you want a little rum in it?”
“I can't drink alcohol right now,” I grinned and then waved his excitement away when he began to grin back. “It's not Trevor's baby, it's Arach's, my fey husband.”
“Oh,” he tried to remain happy for me but I could tell it was a bit of a blow. I hadn't even considered how the Froekn would feel about their Prince's mate having another man's child.
Oh, the complications of being me. I wallowed in self-pity for a moment and then realized that I had one more thing to do before I could relax with my daiquiri.
“Eddie,” I leaned over the stone bar to whisper to him. “I need you to do something very important for me.”
“What is it?” He put the glass down and gave me his full attention.
“You see that woman over there who looks exactly like me?” I nodded my head slightly in Lia's direction.
“Yeah,” he chuckled. “She's caused quite a stir. A lot of the bouncers have mistaken her for you.”
“Yeah, well,” I cleared my throat, embarrassed once more that I'd made her in my image like some kind of egotistical goddess. “I need you to get one of the wolves to follow her when she leaves.”
“Really?” His eyes went wide.
“She's a fey and she's been missing,” I explained in a rush. “I promised her king that I'd try and help find her. If I tell him I saw her and then lost her, he'll be very upset.”
“Ahhhh,” he nodded, “gotcha. Consider it done.”
“Thanks, Eddie,” I slid back off the bar. “And don't forget to add li hing mui to the rim of my daiquiri.”
“Consider it done,” he grinned again.
Chapter Forty-Three
As soon as we got back from the club, I went to the mirror to call Rowan. He looked at me and then glanced back at the guys behind me, who were getting ready for bed.
“Just got home?” He asked.
“Yes,” I laughed. “And I have some good news. I've found Lia.”
“You did?!” He sat up straight. “How?”
“She came into Moonshine tonight,” I giggled and then sobered. “Did you know she looks like me?”
“Everyone knows that, Vervain,” he huffed.
“They do?” I blinked.
“Well,” he looked away. “Now they do. We went on a date in the Human Realm and had to glamour our skin. That's when I noticed it.”
“So you didn't kno
w!” I pointed at him. “Ha! Now I feel so much better for not seeing it.”
“You shouldn't,” he smirked. “It's your face, just in another color. Of all people, you should have been the one to notice it.”
“Do you want to know where Liatris is, or not?” I narrowed my eyes on him.
“I mean, it was a completely understandable oversight,” he backpedaled.
“That's what I thought,” I said smugly.
“So where is she?” Rowan asked impatiently.
“Go to Moonshine and ask for Eddie,” I told him. “He'll take you to her.”
“Thank you, Vervain,” he said sincerely. “Thank you so much.”
“You're welcome,” I tapped the image of his nose on my mirror and he laughed as he faded out.
“Are you going back to Faerie tonight?” Trevor asked as he came up behind me. He was bare chested, in just his tailored pants, and he looked wonderful.
“If I was, I'm not anymore,” I grinned as I stood and turned to face him.
He met me halfway, catching me up against the heat of his wide chest and carrying me over to the bed. As my other men began to join us, I thought again about Alaric's question.
No, I wouldn't change anything about my life. It was absolutely perfect, just as it was.
Chapter Forty-Four
“How are they?” Arach asked immediately after I appeared back in our bedroom in Faerie. I blinked at him until I realized he was asking after the other men. It was kind of sweet of him.
“They're all fine,” I went over and gave him a hug and he hugged me back with a little surprise.
“And you?” He asked as he pulled back to see my face.
“I'm good too,” I sighed, “and I'm pregnant.”
“What?” He fell back. Thankfully, the bed was directly behind him and he merely sat on the mattress heavily. “You're...”
“Pregnant,” I nodded and smiled at him. “There's a bit of a catch though.”
“Is it mine?” His face went still.
“Funny that you'd ask that,” I huffed. “The child's paternity was actually in question for awhile there but now there's no doubt, this child is definitely yours.”