Mortal Enchantment

by Stacey O'Neale

  Jarrod took a quick glance at Rowan, but did not offer him any gratitude for keeping me safe. What was the deal with these two? "One of our spies told us King Taron is being held in the fire territory. We're going to attack at sundown.”

  Something about his words did not sit well. The courts had been at peace for years, so why would we have spies? "Do we have any real proof beyond someone's word? Isn't anyone concerned about the treaty?”

  King Orion spoke first. "The treaty is void. Liana brought it on herself when she attacked during the council meeting.”

  But she went after Rowan. Wasn't he technically still a member of the fire court? How could her actions affect the peace between the courts when it was so clearly between them? No, this wasn’t the answer. Dad would never approve. I had to come up with another option and fast. "I don't think we should rush into war. We should call another emergency council meeting and discuss this.”

  "The council has disbanded,” Jarrod said, appearing irritated by my suggestion. "We are out of options.”

  My stomach churned. Admittedly, I wasn’t the biggest fan of the council, but learning they had disbanded did not offer any comfort. "How do we know Liana won't kill my father once she discovers us charging into her territory?”

  Jarrod ushered me away from the group. "We've spent a week talking and searching and we’ve gotten nowhere. This news is all we have to go on. We have to act now.”

  This had gone south of cray-cray. Liana's motives were questionable, but that didn't justify starting a war without proof. "I'm sorry Jarrod, but I won't gamble on my father's life. I want you to stop this now.”

  Jarrod grabbed my upper arm, drawing me closer to him like a child about to be scolded. Rowan motioned toward us. I held my hand up, asking him to keep his distance. Snatching my arm away, I asked, "What do you think you're doing?”

  "You may be the princess of this court, but your father appointed me the leader of the knights. He trusted me, and now you need to do the same.” Jarrod glanced around to see who was watching. "We will attack the fire court at sundown as planned, and if he’s alive, I will bring him home.”

  Jarrod returned to the spot where I found him. I stood there dumbfounded. Rowan came to stand at my side. I tried to think as rationally as possible. These were Jarrod's soldiers. If they were anything like the council, they wouldn't listen to me. I had to go another route. "I can't stop this from happening. They don't know me well enough to go against Jarrod.”

  Rowan made a growling sound from deep in his throat. "I'll make them listen.”

  He took a few steps toward Jarrod, I put my hand on his shoulder. "No, the last thing I want is more violence. The only way to stop this war is to find my father.”

  Powerful thunder rumbled in the skies. I had to keep calm or I’d start another lightning storm. A cold wind rushed against us and I shivered.

  Rowan raised an eyebrow. "We need a plan.”

  I paced back and forth. The men had mostly culminated outside now. There were hundreds of them. I didn’t like my chances, but I was pissed off enough to take them all on. "If only Dad could have told me where he was.”

  "What do you mean, told you?” Rowan questioned, standing in my way and stopping me mid-stride. "You spoke to him?”

  I had only told Ariel about the dream vision, but she dismissed it as a nightmare. "Dad came to me briefly in a dream a few nights ago.”

  His face turned red. "Why are you just now telling me this?”

  I immediately realized what a stupid decision I had made. "Because I wasn't sure I could trust you. You aren't exactly Mister Open Book.”

  He cringed, stung by my words. A moment later, as if putting up another wall, he was all serious-face. "Tell me everything you remember.”

  "It all happened so fast. There's no doubt he was abducted. But when I saw him, he was in an empty room. He told me I would be betrayed by elementals I trusted, then he faded away with the vision before he could name the traitors.”

  Rowan ran his fingers through his hair. "Did you recognize the location?”

  Had I actually made things worse by not telling Rowan? I lowered my head. "No.”

  "Describe it to me,” he said.

  My memory raced. "It's hard to explain. There was nothing on the walls and no windows. It was a dark room—maybe an abandoned building or something. It was dirty and smelled like something had been recently burned there.”

  "And that's all you remember?” He took an exaggerated breath. "Any small detail could be important. Please think.”

  I stayed silent for a minute or two as I replayed every moment of the vision. Then, something clicked. "There was a playing card. Like, from a deck of cards and a couple of plastic poker chips on the floor.”

  Rowan leaned his head back while rubbing his hands over his face. "I can't believe I never thought of this before.”

  My eyes widened. "What?”

  "Nevin,” he said, with a disgusted tone.

  My stomach tightened. "Who's Nevin?”

  "Liana's half-brother. He was exiled from Avalon even before I was born. He runs a few hotels in Las Vegas.”

  "Las Vegas? How is that possible?”

  "He's only half-elemental. His father was an incubus, so he's immortal.”

  If Dad was in Vegas, it would explain the wrinkles on his face. Without the protection of the veil, Dad will be dead in a matter of weeks. "We have to go. Now.”

  He shook his head. "Nevin is too dangerous. We need to reunite the council and let them decide.”

  I was instantly infuriated by his suggestion. "No! We're talking about my father. There's no way I'm waiting here for them to make a decision. He could be in the mortal world slowly dying.”

  My voice must have carried because several elementals turned to watch us. Rowan leaned down and whispered, "Kalin, you have no idea what you'd be walking into. Do you know what an incubus can do?”

  I had read that an incubus could come into your dreams and suck out your soul, but I had no idea what was myth and what was real. Either way, I had no interest in taking part in any soul-sucking activities. Just thinking about it scared the crap out of me. "Not really.”

  "Nevin can feed on mortal emotions. His ability to influence makes him deadly to mortals, and since you are a halfling, you are vulnerable. If you touched him―even in the slightest way―you would be under his control. You would want to be near him with a desire like you have never felt before. You would never leave his side, and you would do whatever he asked, even if it meant killing yourself.” He shook his head again. "No, I can't take the risk.”

  Holy Spaceballs! I couldn’t believe a creature with so much power could live in the mortal world. I crossed my arms in front of me. "I'm going. I'll go by myself if I have to, so you can help me or not.”

  He let out a growl. "I will take you, but from this moment on, you listen to everything I say.”

  I nodded, trying to hide my growing fear.

  "I mean it, Kalin. No more questions. No nothing. Got it?”

  "Got it.”

  Rowan waited in the hallway outside my room while I rummaged through my designer closet. We needed to blend in, so fashionable seemed to be the way to go. I settled on a purple Burberry tank top, leather boots, and a pair of Seven jeans.

  When I opened the door, Ariel was talking with Rowan. Her eyes were squinted, fists planted on her hips. Yeah, she was pissed.

  "What's going on?” I asked.

  Ariel folded her arms over her chest. "There's no way I'm allowing you to leave this castle. It's too dangerous.”

  Rowan must've filled her in on our plans. "I'm sorry, Ariel, but you can't stop me. The only way I can prevent this war is to find Dad. And if Rowan's right and he’s in Vegas, he won't last much longer. He's already aged at least twenty years.”

  Her eyebrows furrowed. "How do you know?” She paused and thought about it for a second. "Are you referring to the nightmare you had? Kalin—”

  "So, she told you ab
out it, and you didn't bother telling me or anyone else? You just dismissed it as a bad dream?” The irritation in his voice was about as loud as a slap in the face.

  "Don't blame her,” I said. “This was my mistake, but arguing isn't going to resolve anything.” I turned my attention back to Ariel. "Now do you understand why I have to go?”

  "I won't let you go.” I was about to say something, but Ariel held up her hand. "Unless you bring me with you. I can protect you.”

  Rowan chuckled. "You can?”

  Ariel pointed an open hand toward Rowan. A strong gust of air propelled him up against the wall, the sheetrock cracked around the outline of his body. He was unable to move. When she raised her hand, he was thrust at least a foot off the ground. He struggled but couldn't get out of her hold. "That's how. Any more questions?”

  "Release me,” he insisted.

  She closed her fist, and he dropped to the ground. Damn, I didn’t know Ariel had a little Buffy in her. I seriously never saw that coming. Then again, I had learned to expect the unexpected.

  "Remind me never to piss you off.”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  The Nevada air was humid, even with the occasional gust of wind. A subtle reminder of the desert that Vegas was built on. Knowing an incubus fed on mortal emotions helped me understand why Nevin would be attracted to such a location. Vegas was all about indulging in desires—a concept I was sure an incubus highly supported. From the bright flashing lights of the casinos to the award-winning shows offering up beautiful dancers in lavish costumes, the possibilities appeared endless.

  As we made our way around, I began to see cracks in the shiny, manicured surface. During our scenic trip down the famous strip, we discovered the Statue of Liberty, Egyptian pyramids, and even the Eiffel Tower. The replicas of the famous destinations gave the city a hollow, empty feel. Much like the glamour of the elementals, the beauty of Vegas was its own illusion. Underneath the surface was a city thriving on the addictions of its patrons. Wandering through the glittery streets, we encountered homeless beggars, drug dealers, and pimps offering up pictures of women who sold sex for a living. They left these residents off the advertisements.

  The harsh reality made me sad.

  We had been walking for so long my feet throbbed. Passing by the never ending supply of hotels made it seem impossible that we would ever figure out where Nevin was. Each hotel promised the highest of luxuries, yet each time I pointed to one, Rowan quickly rejected it. He said he had a feeling where Nevin would be, but said nothing else as we strolled down the main streets of the city. I imagined Nevin would be at a five-star hotel with a large casino, mostly catering to high rollers with large wallets. A place with exquisite food and drinks were served by men and women who just recently stepped out of Vogue magazine.

  While Rowan ignored us, Ariel and I kept each other company. She pointed out all of the tourist attractions, telling me about the history of the city. Her face was animated while she told stories of mobsters, famous murders, and old Hollywood. Her familiarity with this place led me to assume she grew up here before returning to Avalon.

  Rowan stopped unexpectedly and we nearly fell into him. He made a beeline toward a crowd around the largest water fountain I had ever seen. We sorted through the swarm of people until we reached the edge of the water. Jets sprayed the water straight up into the air as speakers started to play a recognizable song I couldn’t place.

  Ariel sang, "Luck Be a Lady” along with the chorus of the song.

  I leaned my head into her ear. "Frank Sinatra?” I guessed.

  She nodded, but never took her eyes off of the colorful water as it danced hundreds of feet up, perfectly performing to the lyrics of the song.

  As the crowd cheered, Rowan announced, "The Bellagio.” Our eyes met. He wore a wolfish grin.

  Ariel waved for me to follow her as she headed toward the main entrance of the hotel. The moment we walked into the lobby, my mouth fell open. I gazed up at the high ceilings. A chandelier with thousands of hand blown glass flower blossoms covered most of the space. I was breathless. Other tourists bumped into me while they took pictures, trying to get a better look at the artwork. Although I knew I was being moved around, I never budged while I stared aimlessly at the colorful treasure.

  Ariel put her arm through mine. "The sculpture is called, Fiori di Como. It was created by world renowned artist, Dale Chihuly.”

  "How do you know that?”

  She pointed to a wooden stand in the middle of the room with an engraved gold plate that told all about the glass blown sculpture and its creator. I clasped my hands behind me while I leaned into the stand. As I stood silently, reading all about the artist, someone tapped my shoulder. An impatient Rowan stood next to me with his pierced eyebrow raised. "Come on.”

  He led us down one of the many hallways of the hotel. I peeked over my shoulder and saw Ariel following closely behind. Music played wherever we went in a language I didn’t speak. Walking within the identical cream-colored hallways made me dizzy. Each had sparkling marble floors covered by lavish maroon rugs. I wondered how many people got lost every hour in this place. My nerves sparked each time a hotel worker passed by. They wore perfectly assembled outfits matching the hotel’s decor. I kept waiting for one to ask where we were going, but instead, each only slowed down to greet us.

  I caught a glimpse of a sign that read, Conservatory and Botanical Gardens and an urgency came over me that I couldn’t explain. All I knew was that I needed to go in there. I inhaled a long breath. My nostrils filled with the intoxicating floral scents. When I turned around, Ariel smiled excitedly which told me she was thinking the same as I was. Rowan, on the other hand, wore an aggravated expression. I made my best ‘sad puppy eyes’ expression at Rowan and he grumbled under his breath, but followed me anyway.

  Once inside, we strolled through an oasis of abundant trees, exotic flowers and plants. The heavenly sweet scents inundated my senses as we wandered leisurely inside elegant glass gazebos. We strolled over a wooden bridge and stood beside a man-made pond that even a nature loving elemental would appreciate.

  When we reached the last row of red tulips, I felt a hand around my bicep. I peered over my shoulder as Rowan said, "We have to keep moving.”

  "Why,” I snapped, but I wasn't sure why I sounded so aggravated. We didn’t come here to be tourists. This trip was about rescuing my father. But something about this place made it irresistible. "It's beautiful. I want to stay just a little longer.” I crossed my arms, happy to challenge him.

  Rowan bent down until he was only inches from my face, making it impossible to look anywhere else. My heart raced. "There's a faint pheromone scent hidden beneath the flowers. It's been a while, but I’m guessing…Nevin,” he said, pointing to a hallway at the far end of the Conservatory. “The scent is coming from that direction.” Rowan turned his attention to Ariel. "We should track it.”

  We followed Rowan toward the walkway. As soon as we got away from the flowers, Ariel put her hand over her nose. "I can smell it now. It's awful.”

  Although I couldn’t smell it, there was something unnatural about the way I felt. My emotions were heightened. "You can smell Nevin? Sounds a little creepy if you ask me.”

  Rowan let go of my arm. "Every incubus has a unique pheromone they use to attract mortals. To a mortal, they smell like your favorite scent. To an elemental, it's much more potent, like a pollutant. Once you've had more training, you'll be able to sense it immediately.”

  The farther we went, the more the corridor lined with mortals. Bells, whistles, and cheers filled the air. It didn’t take long to realize where the scent led. The casino? Well, that's actually pretty smart. The mortals are drawn to it as if gambling wasn't enough on its own.

  "Wait one second,” Ariel interrupted, gesturing around us. "Look around everyone. You're standing inside a five-star hotel.” She pointed to our clothes. "We can't go into the casino looking like this. We have to blend in, and right now, we look like a
bunch of teenagers. There's no way they'll let us set one foot inside.”

  She was right. All the commercials for the casinos always had women in lavish dresses and men in suits. "Any ideas on how we can get a clothing upgrade?” I asked.

  Ariel perched on her tippy toes, scanning the hallway. "I think I see a restroom down there.” She met eyes with Rowan. "Go and change into something suitable. Leave Kalin to me.”

  Leave Kalin to me? What in the world does she have planned?

  "Meet back here in fifteen minutes,” he replied.

  Ariel ushered me into the ladies bathroom which was just as regal as the rest of the hotel. An apple scent lingered throughout a sitting room filled with plush chairs. A wooden end table in the corner of the room held a rounded globe of red rose buds. The rest of the bathroom had the same creamy marble as the rest of the hotel. I followed Ariel inside one of the much larger handicapped stalls.

  She wasted no time using her glamour to alter her yellow dress robes into a tight, black cocktail design with spaghetti straps. Apparently satisfied with herself, she turned her attention to me. She reached out for the rim of my tank top, and I stepped out of her reach. "No way I'm wearing something like that.”

  "We'll drop the glamour as soon as we find King Taron. But for now…” She twirled around. "Let's have a little fun,” she squealed.

  I held my hands up in retreat, and she went to work. With the flick of her wrist, my shirt and jeans became the exact same dress she was wearing except the color was emerald green. Stepping out of the stall, I tugged at the bottom of the garment. When I caught a glimpse in the mirror, I had red lips and my hair was styled into long, loose curls. Not believing my eyes, I leaned into the mirror and examined the new make-up and hairstyle. "When this is all over, you definitely need to teach me that trick.”

  Ariel giggled. "I promise.”

  Peeking out the bathroom door, Rowan was waiting outside. He leaned against the wall, fiddling with the silver bar in his eyebrow. His wore a black suit and maroon tie. With his hair slicked back, he looked devilishly handsome in a James Bond sort of way.