“They voted against us, though the dark breed vote was split,” Necron replied grimly.
“The warlocks will have to be punished once we’ve gained control of the underworld. This was akin to allying with good witches.”
“They fear us as do some of the dark breed,” Necron said. “They don’t have half the power we have and see us as a threat to them and their way of life. They’re sure there will be no protection for them if we’re in control of the Congress and the underworld.”
“We can’t deviate from our plans now.” He perched on the edge of his desk and Necron stood only inches away looking down at him. “The joint Congress must come into being and be destroyed.”
“Then we’ll have to divide and conquer,” Necron said and moved a step closer. “You pursue the stones, and I’ll handle the warlocks and this joint Congress issue.”
“That’s doable,” Voltaire murmured as he reached out to caress the other man’s thigh. He loved the solid feel of him even more than he appreciated the softness of a woman. “But we need Dark Crystal on board.”
“I’ll get them,” Necron told him firmly and put his hand on Voltaire’s to stop its progression. “Carrel used to be one of them. They’re the ones being investigated and Declan wants to crush them to set an example for the others of their kind.”
“Good.” He drew his hand back. “Why not?”
“I don’t want to deal with your drama, Volt,” he said. “You always manage to forget that as much as I enjoy men, I enjoy women more.”
“I—”
“We can’t afford to have your petty jealousy get out of control like it did last time,” Necron reminded him softly. “Her murder will only cause me to lose my hold on Silken Cord. Besides that, whoever replaces her on the Joint Congress might not tumble into my bed as easily. Then, our plans will never come to fruition.”
Voltaire glared at him. “I just want you to spend the night with me tonight,” he murmured. He stood then rested both hands on Necron’s hips. “I need you.”
****
The air was always still here or so it seemed to Aria as she stood on the cloud-strewn floor of the communications room. Through the wide windows, the blue of the sky was a perfect canvas of beauty.
The air at her back rose and blew over her, a gale force that nearly toppled her and lightning crackled.
“You asked to see me?”
Aria turned to face the attractive woman staring at her with enigmatic eyes. She wanted to kill her, but Storme was the pure energy of storms, air, lightning, rain, and even ice and snow. She was power that Aria didn’t have and couldn’t defeat.
“Yes.”
She gritted her teeth against her lack of the upper hand here. “You’re aware of what’s going on in the city.”
She’d chosen this, their airy home, a realm outside the human one, called the Mist, in case things came to blows. A fight between two aurai could get deafening when lightning was involved.
“I’ve noticed that the marked are awakening and one in particular seems to have drawn some attention. You smell of her, the Hart girl.”
“She’s my soul-consort,” she retorted.
“Can you protect her or do you need my assistance?” Storme asked.
“I can handle things,” Aria said icily. “I just wanted to know if you were thinking of attacking the dark ones attempting to steal her stones.”
“You handle the situation,” Storme replied with a shrug. “I’ll monitor things from afar and if this turns out to be an attack on our family then we’ll defend it without causing a war if possible.”
“I’m not sure that will be possible. All we have is supposition at this point, but it seems Dark Hollow might be involved and have possibly infiltrated good witch families,” she said and Storme’s jaw tightened. She knew the other woman was remembering the blood war that had raged for centuries between good and evil.
“I’ve heard the rumors of it,” she said. “And I’m prepared to act should the Goddess wish us to. Otherwise, we’ll put them down and keep your girl safe.”
“Thank you.” Aria almost choked on the words, but the truth was Storme was the kind of woman she’d want at her back in a demon fight. She was vicious, tenacious, and fatal like all storm nymphs.
Storme assessed her, cocking her head before saying, “We’re both just doing our jobs. If we’re told to move against the demons, stop them before they become a problem, I’ll let you know.”
“In the meantime, I have work to finish.”
“Good luck on the coming collection,” Storme said. “I look forward to wearing some of it.”
Aria studied the other woman and saw no mocking or malice in her face. She still didn’t like her.
“Thank you.” She took her air form and exited the room not wanting to be near that woman any longer than she had to be.
****
“That’s really a nice dress,” Alice commented, as she pulled into a parking spot at the country club that evening.
“Thanks,” she murmured and rubbed her bare arms. She had planned to take a cab, but Alice had insisted they ride over together. She’d accepted because it was convenient and in case she decided not to leave with Aria, she didn’t want to have no reason not to accept a ride from Morgan.
Juliet didn’t want to be alone with him if she could avoid it. His flirting would annoy her and might push her into outing herself before she was ready.
“Morgan will be lucky to have you on his arm,” Alice said.
“Right, but maybe I’m planning on spending the evening with a woman instead,” she said flippantly and Alice laughed.
“Then she’ll be lucky, but I hope she’s got backbone enough to stand up to your mother because she’s going to freak.”
“But that should make you happy,” Juliet said releasing the seatbelt and reached for the door handle. “Then, you’ll really be the daughter she wants.”
“Your mother loves you,” Alice told her softly. “I admit I’m jealous that you have a mother who spent time with you, raised you rather than trained you, and still thinks of your best interest. It’s too bad you can’t see that.”
Juliet turned slowly giving her cousin a surprised stare. “If she loves me then why is she so willing to turn the business over to you?”
“I might get to run it, but it’s yours, Juliet,” she said. “You’re her heir and everything she has goes to you. Like her mother before her and hers before her, she’d die for you. She’d have to think twice about doing the same for me, but that’s better than nothing.”
“Your mother—”
“Wouldn’t give a finger for me let alone her life,” she cut in quickly and for the first time Juliet saw the pain of a child longing for her mother’s love in her cousin’s eyes.
She knew her mother loved her. Juliet had only begun questioning her mother’s care for her in the last year. Her mother had paid for her education, given her the best of everything money could buy, but Alice hadn’t had the same.
“Alice.” She put a hand on Alice’s, her chest clenching in agony for her cousin. She’d never noticed her unhappiness because Alice had always been trying to—to be a big sister to her.
“No.” She shook her head. “I just thought you should know how lucky you still are, Juliet.”
“Thanks,” she said.
“And about Morgan, don’t let Callie push you into something you don’t want,” Alice said and released her own seatbelt. “Your mother isn’t going to disown you if you don’t hand-fast anytime soon.” She climbed out and Juliet did the same.
“I know that,” she said. “I just don’t know why she thinks having a man in my life is so important.”
Alice shrugged. “I don’t know. She keeps her own council, and you’re like her in that.”
“Maybe a little,” she admitted uncomfortable. She glanced around feeling as if someone was watching them.
“Not even Patrick knows what she thinks, and he’d love to,” Alice
said. “I heard him suggesting to her that she take the bracelet from you in case the dark breed was after the stones.”
“What are you talking about?”
“She knows you were attacked the other night, but Patrick told her not to press the issue. You’d obviously survived and needed to be applauded rather than berated,” Alice explained.
She groaned. No wonder her mother was even hotter for her to have a man in her life. “How did he find out?”
“He said someone saw you at some gay bar,” Alice said with a hint of amusement. “She’s was horrified, but she didn’t get to dwell on it since Patrick changed the subject to the stones.”
“And what did she say?” Juliet demanded.
“She knows she can’t get it or the bracelet from you,” Alice told her. “Gram told her when the bracelet first appeared on your wrist, there was no way to get it off and the book would be closed to her once you turned sixteen. And not even she was ever able to touch Great-Gran’s BOS.”
The book of shadows contained lore on the family trad, as well as the coven’s trad along with exercises for training skills. The grimoire only contained spells and some of them hadn’t been there before she gained exclusivity to the book.
Most of the spells were centered on air and fire magick and development of both her psychic skill and memory.
“What did she say?”
The wind picked up and swirled around them as if in warning and Alice went silent, though Juliet had the feeling she wanted to say more.
“Good evening, ladies,” Tucker said from behind them.
“Hey, guys,” Callie said warmly and took Juliet’s hand when she reached them. “That dress looks great on you!”
“You do look lovely,” Tucker said. “You both do.” He gave Alice a smile, and she returned it.
“Thank you,” she said. “You look like you’re ready for a game of polo.”
He grimaced. “Damn, I was going for cute rather than athletic.”
They all laughed.
They walked on, but Juliet turned to glance over her shoulder, still feeling as if they were being watched.
Chapter Sixteen
Once inside the ballroom, Alice separated from them, and Tucker led them straight to Morgan.
“You look beautiful,” Morgan gushed. “Wow! I can’t wait to get you on the dance floor.”
Juliet gave him a smile. “Sure.”
She spent the next two minutes listening to him and Tucker talk about the number of people in the room and the music before they joined a group of people both Morgan and Tucker knew.
Juliet danced with Morgan and then Tucker, even as she kept an eye out for Aria. When she finally saw her, Aria was conversing with a small mixed group of men and women.
“I’m a little thirsty,” Morgan said. “Why don’t I get us something to drink?”
“Sure,” she said distracted. Aria glanced her way then and a soft breeze brushed across her face, making her heart race.
“I’ll be right back,” he said. “Then, we can slip outside and talk. I’m eager to learn more about you.
She looked at him and nodded. When he left she searched the room for Aria and found her heading to the patio door.
“Juliet.”
She sighed and went to her mother. “Hello, Mother.”
“Hi,” she said and sounded as distracted as Juliet felt. “How’d you arrive?”
“I came with Alice,” she said with a frown.
“Ride home with her,” Samantha ordered. “Understood?”
“Why? I thought you wanted me to hang out with Morgan.”
“We’ll talk about this tomorrow,” she murmured and gave Juliet’s arm a squeeze. “You look beautiful, by the way, honey.” Samantha cupped her face.
“Sam, do you have a moment? Hi, sweetie, you look gorgeous.”
Juliet smiled. “Thanks, Declan.” He took her mother’s arm and led her away after returning her smile. He’d been her father’s closest friend and he’d a massive crush on her mother.
She heard someone call her name and hurried for the patio door, her curiosity about her mother dissipating. Once out in the balmy air of summer, Juliet hurried down the stone steps heading toward the grove and its delicious scent of basil which grew wild along there.
The grass was neatly cut and a stone path wove through one side leading to the gardens and forking to head out to the groves with its grottoes in hollowed out trees that looked like fairies should live inside them.
The wind kicked up the further she got away from the club buildings and turned to fog as if attempting to hide her escape. Her palms dampened nervously as she passed a gazebo and then slipped off the path following an errant breeze whispering through trees. Beyond it were creeping vines hiding an entrance. She stared at the dimly lit path ahead as the leaves rustled and the vines lifted for her.
Juliet’s heart pounded and she wiped her sweaty palms on her dress before ducking beneath the vines dotted with flowers. Leaves swirled to her left and a thin thread of fog slithered away from her.
“Aria?” she called not wanting to go much further without knowing whether it was Aria leading her here or someone else.
Faint strains of music from the ballroom hunted her, but she ignored it, listening for signs she wasn’t alone.
“I’m here.”
Juliet glanced to her right and through a tangle of leaves, she spied a golden brown face and curls that rippled as if caressed by the wind.
Juliet moved toward Aria, her heart a hard beat in her throat. She was acutely aware of the cool wind brushing over her and taking the heat from the air, the branches that scratched lightly at her arms and the twigs that tugged at her dress.
The stars glinted overhead like sunlight off water and the moon’s glow was pale as it penetrated the thick limbs.
Aria’s face faded, but Juliet followed until she was clear of the vines and standing before a knotty tree from which thin fingers of light beckoned.
“Aria?”
“Come inside, Juliet,” she urged softly and Juliet obeyed because she couldn’t do anything else. Part of her felt as if she already belonged to Aria and to refuse her would be to refuse part of herself.
It was strange to feel that way, and she didn’t really understand it, but she felt connected to Aria on a fundamental level.
Looking around she found sparkling colors that illuminated the darkness perfectly. Aria leaned against one side in a fire-orange button-down. The top three buttons had been left open revealing a peek of cleavage and hint of black bra.
“Don’t you look gorgeous,” Aria drawled. “I’ve been watching you since you arrived and wondering how in the world I was going to stay away from you.”
Breathless, Juliet stepped inside, pulling the door closed at her back. She heard a click and her eyes widened.
“The lock just engaged, but the second you attempt to leave, the doors open without hesitation.”
“Oh, that’s cool,” she said. She’d never been to this part of the club, though Callie had told her about the aeries and grottos that became havens for making out or doorways to the fairyland.
She crossed the room, the floor a smooth surface of dirt beneath her sandaled feet. Her gaze went to rest on Aria’s bare arm. She had no hair on her arm and on her wrist was a trail of black ink. Her eyes followed it toward the fingers, but it ended there. There was no connecting design and no watermelon tourmaline crystals.
Coincidence or was Aria playing some kind of trick on her mind?
Why would she? She had no idea what Juliet had seen in the visions. The black was probably some work mishap that would fade in a day or two.
“No cameras or surveillance equipment of any kind including embedded spells,” Aria said and Juliet lifted her gaze to Aria’s face.
“Good,” she said and Aria held out a hand to her as she smiled. Juliet took her hand.
“Guards do walk the grounds though to ensure no underage sex or rape is going on.�
�� She pulled Juliet against her and slid her hands over her sides down to grip her hips.
“I’m not sure I can do this,” Juliet murmured lifting her hand to tentatively stroke Aria’s jaw before tracing her fingers over the side of her neck to rest on her shoulder.
“This?” She asked and brushed her lips against Juliet’s. Juliet sighed and her fingers flexed on Aria’s shoulder as her lips parted to allow Aria’s tongue to dart into her hot mouth.
Aria’s tongue brushed against hers, thrust deeper into her mouth.
Juliet’s hand curved around the nape of Aria’s neck as she leaned into her. She moaned softly, savoring the strength of Aria’s body against hers. Aria’s fingers pushed into Juliet’s hair holding her head as she plundered her mouth greedily.
Juliet pressed closer, arm around Aria’s neck and a hand on her hip. Heat built in her belly, fanned out to heat her entire body, building arousal so fast it almost shocked her.
Aria’s hands glided over Juliet’s arms as she lifted her head to look down at her. “Or is it this you’re not sure about?”
She kissed the side of Juliet’s neck to where shoulder and neck met. She nipped the delicate skin and the sting tightened Juliet’s nipples even more before she sucked the succulent flesh. At the same time, deft fingers undid all the buttons of Juliet’s dress.
“Or this?” Soft lips moved over her throat, tongue licked up the column and down to swirl in the hollow at its base.
“Umm—” She couldn’t think for the sparks of fiery hunger spearing through her, let alone form words.
Aria placed a kiss just below the hollow and drew her tongue between the valley of Juliet’s breasts. She palmed both and squeezed drawing a gasp of pleasure from Juliet.
“Aria,” she pleaded breathlessly.
Aria pushed the dress open to reveal pert pink nipples standing at attention. Aria’s breathing hitched and she looked up at Juliet. Her eyes had turned dark gray-green with sparks of lightning that took Juliet’s breath away.
The wonder and the beauty left her speechless. If she had any doubts about Aria being aurai, they were gone now.
“Your tits are so pretty.” She drew her thumbs over the tips before giving them a pinch that drew a moan from Juliet.
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