Prince of Fools

by Nancy Gideon

  With that, she led the way up the walk with a swish of her hips.

  The simple climb up the stairs in the silent building took the last of Amber’s reserves, especially with Evie hanging on her, barely able to keep her eyes open.

  Sylvia opened the first door to an austere room, stating, “I’ll stay in here tonight, so knock if you need anything.”

  Hardly a place they’d expect the flashy princess to prefer, but her wistful smile betrayed a sentimental value for that single bed.

  She herded them down the hall to another room, this one a huge, obvious bachelor’s quarters with its mammoth bed, cavernous closets and remaining bits of sound equipment that screamed of Colin Terriot. The edgy contentiousness dropped from Mia as she toured the space, touching his things with the stroke of her fingertips. To their guide, she said a soft-spoken thank you and with a nod to Amber and Evie, closed the door.

  What kind of room defined Frederick Terriot, Amber wondered as she followed Sylvia to the next door. His modest space held sleek furnishings and a big bed for the other pastime he and his brothers excelled in, but no personal touches. Evie dropped right into the covers, barely remembering to take off her shoes.

  “He’s a really sweet guy,” Sylvia noted, standing at the open door. “All he’s ever needed was someone to belong to. You’re the family he’s always wanted.”

  Amber gave a start when the neckline of her shirt was pulled aside to examine scar-free shoulders.

  Sylvia’s surprise echoed in her amazed, “You don’t wear his mark. You’re not mated, yet he sent you here to our mountain? An outsider? He knows better than that.”

  “I didn’t ask him.” Amber readjusted her top, embarrassed by the topic and the other’s scrutiny. “I didn’t want to come here. I knew we wouldn’t be . . . welcome.”

  Sylvia continued to stare at her, now amused and puzzled. “He asked and you said no. You said no to a prince?” A marveling laugh. Then her tone softened. “Why?”

  “We’re too different. Our lives are too far apart.”

  “Have you met my mate? We might as well have come from different planets! But I can’t imagine my life without him. You and Rico seem so . . . so right for each other. And sex with him can’t possibly be the problem.” Sylvia chuckled at Amber’s uncomfortable flush. “Sorry. We’re casual about such things here. Sex is no big deal until you’re bonded.”

  “And then?”

  “Then no one else even exists except the other.” A curious look. “You don’t love him?”

  “No one else exists but him,” she admitted with a sigh. She nodded shyly toward the scar peeping out from beneath Sylvia’s scooped neckline. “Is it awful?”

  “What? Mating? It’s scary and exciting and pure hell . . . for about a second. And then . . .”

  “Then what?”

  Sylvia’s gaze grew starry. “Then everything changes. There’s no you without him anymore. There’s a connection I can’t even begin to describe. Not just physical, but let me tell you, girl, the sex . . . mind blowing! But even better than sex . . . and I can’t believe I just said that . . . you’re not alone. He’s here,” she placed her hand above her heart, “always. Filling in all those imperfect, broken parts. And you know, really know, there will never be anyone else for him but you.” She grinned. “And did I mention the sex?”

  “It wasn’t him,” Amber admitted. “It was something before.”

  “Ah. Baggage. It won’t matter to him.”

  Amber could hear his earnest pledge.

  “I'm right here. I'll always be right here for you and Evie. Nothing, nothing will change that. I'm your guy. I will fight for you. I'll protect you. You know I will.”

  “He’s all I’ve ever wanted,” Amber admitted at last. “From the first time I saw him. And he wants me, and all my baggage. It’s just too much to accept. Too good to be true.”

  “Oh, it’s not a fairytale ending. He’s still a Terriot, and that comes with an obnoxious amount of luggage you can’t lose no matter how you try. Family.” Sylvia snorted. “The dysfunctional shapeshifter Brady Bunch rated R for violence, language and thankfully, nudity. But it’s family, and bonding makes you part of it, whether you or they like it.” She laughed. “And Mia’s here. A Guedry! Now that’s the power of love.”

  The last thing Amber expected was an accepting hug.

  “Be good to him. Love him. You won’t regret it.”

  After her new Terriot friend was gone, Amber found one of Rico’s tee shirts to sleep in. In the bathroom, she discovered a drawer full of new toothbrushes. She drew out two, smiling rather sadly at the revolving-door life he must have led. A lonely life now crowded with two needy females.

  She curled up beside Evie, expecting to drop off to sleep. But her eyes remained open in the darkness and her mind churned with thoughts of Rico and his brothers up to their royal necks in the trouble she’d left behind.

  Chapter 26

  A tap on the door woke Amber to total confusion as to where she was. And then the sight of her child and the scent of her prince centered her. Rico’s room. In the heart of Terriot territory.

  Sylvia waited at the door, annoyingly gorgeous in the early hour to advise before asked, “No word from them yet. I’m starving. Figured you’d want a meal before meeting the fam.”

  She wanted a stiff drink and the support of a mate beside her. After rushing through a quick bathroom regime, what she had was a cranky young pre-teen, yesterday’s clothes and smudged mascara to make a first impression. But clean teeth.

  “Better grab something warm,” Sylvia warned as an equally fresh-faced Mia joined them.

  Swaddled in two of Rico’s jackets, they followed the other pair outside into a below-freezing morning where Evie drew up and gasped, “Snow! Look at all of it.”

  Four- to six-foot drifts created a fantasy world of white, lining their brisk walk to the huge main lodge. They left bulky outerwear in the foyer to advance into a cavernous great room where a fire blazed at one end and a hot buffet and the scent of strong coffee had their mouths watering. Amber’s relief was premature as the Terriot king rose from one of the tables. He smiled, but Amber wasn’t sure it was gesture of welcome.

  “I heard you arrived last night. I hope you were made comfortable. Any news from my brothers yet?”

  “No,” Mia answered in a tight voice.

  “You’ll let me know when you do.” It wasn’t a question.

  “Of course.” Amber intercepted Mia’s reply which she wasn’t sure was going to be polite. “Thank you for taking us in.”

  The pretty blonde at his table smiled, her gesture genuine. “You’ll let us know if there’s anything you need. We’ll have suitable quarters for you by this afternoon. Sylvia tells me you’ve only the clothes on your backs. We’ll do something about that after you’ve had breakfast.”

  “There’s no need.” Mia’s assertion wasn’t exactly rude, but rode the line closely. “We won’t be here that long.”

  The Terriot queen’s gaze softened. “I hope that’s true, considering the circumstances, but in case there’s a delay in your returning to New Orleans, we want you to be comfortable.”

  Under Cale Terriot’s wary stare? Not likely.

  “Hello, Evangeline. I’m Kendra. Welcome to our home. What do you think of it?”

  The girl dropped excitedly into the chair beside Kendra eyes wide, totally missing the tension surrounding her elders. “It’s beautiful. I couldn’t see much of it last night because it was dark. There’s so much snow!”

  A gentle laugh. “That there is.” Kendra looked beyond the girl to the far door. “We’ve invited some visitors who are anxious to see you.”

  Turning, all Mia’s prickliness fell away. She rushed to meet Colin’s sisters, sweeping them up in her arms, trying to answer their hurried questions as best she could.

  “No, I haven’t heard from him. I’m sure he’s fine. Of course, I’ll let you know. I don’t know how long we’ll be here. I’m so
glad to see you!”

  Once they’d quieted, Mia looked to her hosts, eyes shiny with gratitude, to give a nod of thanks.

  Amber had just sat down beside Evie when she felt the buzz of her phone. Insides trembling, she grabbed it from her pocket, issuing a gust of relief when she recognized the number.

  “Rico? Are you all right?”

  “Not without you and Evie. Got a weak signal here. Not sure when I’ll have another chance to call.”

  He sounded strange, and so very far away. Mia and the girls crowded around as Mia urged, “Is Colin all right?”

  Having heard her demand, Rico laughed, replying, “He’s Colin. It’s hard to tell. We’re in the middle of some stuff. Is Cale there?”

  Reluctantly, Amber surrendered her phone to the Terriot king who walked away from the table so the conversation couldn’t be overheard. Amber winced at the sudden, hard crush of Mia’s hand about hers then clung just as tightly to her. After a hurried conversation, Cale returned her phone, his expression unreadable.

  “Rico?”

  “Is Evie with you? Let me talk to her.”

  Evangeline gripped the cell tightly, pressing it to her ear. “Are you remembering your promise?”

  Amber’s smile trembled at her daughter’s first words. The girl’s gaze rose to her as she replied, “I will. Okay. I love you, too. Don’t get hurt while I’m not there to save you.”

  Imagining his grin, Amber’s tears started falling as she accepted the phone back. “Are you taking care of yourself?”

  “You know me,” came his cavalier response.

  “Yes, I do. That’s why I asked.” Sudden loud noises had her holding the phone away. She pulled it close again to demand, “Were those gunshots? Rico?”

  “It’s getting kinda bad here, so I gotta go. I’ll take care of myself and Colin. Mia’d kill me if anything happened to him. Amber, there’s something I need to—”

  A crackle of static. “Rico?”

  “—your brother.”

  “Rico!”

  “—love you, Am—”

  The call dropped and with it, Amber’s heart.

  * * * * *

  The drive back into the city had begun as a silent one. Colin exchanged brief texts with Kip.

  “K?” The reply was almost instant. “KU?” “AGoUR6” “KBCU”, the abbreviations clear. Kip had survived the extraction at Brady’s without compromise, was warned that a play was about to be made, for him to watch his back, and they’d see each other soon.

  In the darkness of the back seat, Rico replayed those treasured words over and over.

  “I love you, Rico Terriot. I trust my life and everything I love to you.”

  “So,” Turow ventured from the front seat. “Amber.”

  “Yeah.”

  “When did this happen? Looks like you got everything in one package. Lover, best friend, mama, kid, the works. Nothing like one-stop shopping.”

  “Shut up, Row,” he growled.

  “Hey, I didn’t mean it in a bad way. It’s just that it’s not like you to be so . . . adult.” At the appearance of Rico’s middle finger, Turow laughed. “I take that back. So, when did we get this new sister-in-law?”

  “She’s not. We’re not.”

  “What?” Shock blanked his brother’s expression. “You sent an outsider and her kid to our compound?”

  “Big deal. You took a traitor and Colin brought an enemy. I hardly think mine was the greatest sin.”

  Animosity sizzled in the close interior as silence stretched out for several miles and uncomfortable minutes. Finally, Row broke it.

  “Why isn’t she wearing your mark?”

  “Her choice, not mine.” How admitting that failure to his brothers stung. Rico braced for their expected ridicule. They surprised him.

  “That’ll change,” Colin assured with a chuckle. “Mia ’bout knocked my block off when I tried to convince her the first time.”

  Turow shared his amusement. “I had to sweet-talk Syl into it. You know what a chatty guy I am. Don’t think I’ve said so many words in my entire life.” His tone roughened. “But it was worth it.”

  “Oh, hell yeah,” Colin agreed. “Problem is, the ladies think it’s about control, about us gaining it over them.” He snorted. “Nothing could be more wrong.”

  “So, bonding gives them the power,” Rico ventured, wondering why that didn’t bother him as much as it should.

  “No. It’s about everything being equal. And I mean every damn thing you can imagine.”

  Rico stared at Turow in confusion. “That’s a good thing?”

  His brothers exchanged knowing looks.

  “Oh, yeah,” Colin finally admitted. “Good like you won’t believe. And hey, if she says no, you only have a few more years to wait until the kid’s of age.”

  Rico’s smack to the back of his head almost cost him control of the car.

  After correcting the vehicle, Colin regarded him in the rearview. “You’ve got nothing to worry about. She’s gonna jump your bones the second you get back. And I wouldn’t warn her away even if I could.”

  Rico leaned back thoughtfully. Something to hang on to until he got the chance to correct earlier mistakes.

  * * * * *

  Cheveux du Chien had settled into hard drinking/partying mode by the time the Terriot princes arrived. Jacques LaRoche was behind the bar. He groaned when he saw them but set up three glasses as they approached.

  “I got no time for your drama,” he warned, pouring freely.

  “Guaranteed drama-free zone,” Colin assured him, tossing back the first glass and gesturing for another.

  “Why don’t I feel relieved?” He looked to Rico, asking quietly, “They okay?”

  At Rico’s slight nod, much of the bald man’s hostility fell away.

  “What’s the word?” Rico asked. “Have any of the Patrol members been in tonight?”

  “Haven’t seen any of them.”

  “We need to talk to Tibideaux. Can you get him here?”

  Jacques frowned. “We’re not exactly—”

  “Something’s going down. We need to know what and where.”

  “Hey, good looking.” Fran’s fingertips roved up Rico’s arm as she approached with a tray full of empties. “All on your lonesome?”

  “Guess that’s a permanent thing now,” he grumbled, seeing her features light up at the opportunity.

  “Amber dumped you?” She tried to make that sound like a bad thing.

  “Cut and run, no idea where to.” He shrugged, tossing back his drink before motioning for a beer. “Better switch over. It’s gonna be a long night.”

  “Got plans?” she purred, breasts rubbing over his arm as she leaned across him to open his bottle. He gave her a long look and smiled.

  “Maybe.”

  LaRoche returned from making the call to scowl at his waitress to get her moving and eyed Rico narrowly, grumbling, “He’ll be here in ten. Relax.”

  Too soon for that. Rico glanced toward the door to see T-Ray Roux and nearly a dozen of his co-workers flood inside the front door, already fairly lit and looking for a good time. To get the party started, Rico took advantage of the opening nonsensical count down of Def Leppard’s “Rock of Ages” to grip Fran’s apron strings in passing, pulling her back against him to begin an earthy grind to the metal beat as he howled, “Better to burn out . . . than fade away!”

  “Oh, shit,” LaRoche muttered from behind the bar.

  T-Ray and friends drew up in surprise to see him at the bar with his brothers, calling the two of them out onto the dance floor with a loud demand that they rise up to rock the Shifter club to the ground, much to its owner’s dismay.

  One Terriot showing off his stuff on the dance floor created a stir. Three started a noisy riot. Powerful, athletic, harshly handsome and totally in sync with every hard-bodied move inciting lusty thoughts of battle or sex, they roared lyrics claiming they had the power and the glory, and if their audience wanted it, t
oo, to say, “Yeah.”

  The large room echoed with that enthusiastic cry as T-Ray and the others joined them, a little more clumsily but with equal enthusiasm, vowing to help the trio burn the place to the ground at their command.

  To LaRoche’s relief, they chose instead to commandeer several tables and push them together, ordering pitchers as T-Ray demanded of their Terriot instructor, “Where did you disappear to?” He seized Rico’s chin, turning his head to examine the fresh scar tearing an ugly groove back into his hairline. “And what the hell is this?”

  An echo of dismay rippled through the group and wonder that anyone could have survived such an injury.

  “Treachery,” Rico answered, quieting them all with that grim word. “I was drugged and dragged from here the other night, held and tortured by two who pretended to be our own. They killed Gus when he tried to protect me.”

  Murmurs went from shock to an ugly speculation that T-Ray voiced for them. “Who?”

  “Poe and Donny.” Over the disbelieving mutters, Rico continued. “They weren’t our friends. They weren’t like us.”

  “You’re not like us,” one brave sole grumbled, bringing Rico’s attention to him with a bullet’s directness.

  “Not of the same clan, but of the same kind. They aren’t our kind. They want to destroy us all, to use us and our families in the worst possible ways then discard us. Ask LaRoche who they are and what they’re capable of.”

  Philo Tibideaux chose that moment to arrive, speaking over his men’s tumultuous conversations to state, “They’re monsters.” The group instantly quieted so he could continue. “They see our kind as no better than animals, to be experimented on, drugged, abused, stripped of our rights, our freedoms, our loved ones. They kept my friend,” he gestured to Jacques without looking his way, “in chains, like a pit bull on a leash, and when he dared to defy them, they ripped his memories from him and dumped him here to die. When they couldn’t take his life, they took his mate and child from him. They tortured and killed Poteet right under our noses! Are we going to do nothing to stop them, to save ourselves and our kind? I asked them here,” his gesture encompassed the Terriots. “I asked them because they aren’t afraid of anything except losing their freedom, when we’ve forgotten how to fight for ours.”