Rik leveled a hard stare on the man, and then both me and Daire. “I’m glad to have another Blood, but do either of you care to tell me how you allowed him so deeply into our queen’s home?”
“It’s not their fault,” the man replied. “My gift is invisibility.”
With that, he disappeared. I didn’t feel any movement, hear any steps, no shift in air currents, nothing. The man was simply… gone.
“I can still see you,” Shara said.
“Of course.” The man revealed himself, still on his knees beside me. “You’re my queen. I could never hide my presence from you.”
“Who are you?”
He bowed his head. “Xin, my queen. Forgive me for not introducing myself sooner, but you were otherwise occupied.”
Her mouth twisted in a grimace. “Such a nice way of saying that I was too busy killing my alpha to notice a new Blood.” Her gaze fell on Daire, still curled into Rik, hiding his face. “I don’t mean to be rude, Xin, G, but could we have some time alone?”
“Of course, my queen.” I stood and held my hand out to the new Blood. “I’m Guillaume de Payne. Let’s go make some breakfast.”
Xin let out a low whistle and shook my hand. “I’ve heard of you, Payne.”
I braced for the ubiquitous joke about keeping his head, or worse, our alpha keeping his head.
Instead, he said, “I usually go for the stab in the back myself.”
And I decided Xin and I were going to be very good friends.
13
Shara
I really was a monster. A terrible, poisonous monstrous snake that had killed my own Blood.
I didn’t know how I would deal with this. I didn’t know if he and Daire could forgive me.
“Forgive you?” Rik retorted, his voice low and hard. I’d never heard him speak that way before, let alone to me. “Daire is the one who needs to beg your forgiveness. You have nothing to apologize for.”
My big, protective, tender caring alpha Blood. I might have only known him a few days, but he meant the world to me. I’d sworn to do anything to protect them and keep them safe, and the very next morning I killed him. My eyes filled up with tears and my throat closed off. I couldn’t say the words but I knew he heard and felt my emotions through the bond.
He cupped my chin, squeezing hard enough I felt the imprint of his fingers on my jaws. I didn’t want to look into his eyes and see condemnation. Or hatred. Or anger…
But he wouldn’t let me go. He squeezed harder, making my face ache. Until I relented and looked him in the eye.
Leaning down so closely his nose almost touched mine, he whispered intently. “You. Are. Queen. My queen apologizes for nothing. Even if you hadn’t resurrected me, I would say the same thing. Kill me. Use me. Drain me dry. I’m yours, body and heart and soul and blood. If you killed me and left me dead, then I would know that I had died in your service and your need had been great.”
“No need would excuse your death. I would rather die myself.”
“Never. We need you alive. Without you, we’re nothing. You can find another alpha. You can find dozens of Blood. We cannot find another queen. We certainly can’t find another Isador queen. The goddess blessed you for a reason. She needs you. We need you. We cannot lose you. No matter what. Our lives are nothing as long as you live and complete the goddess’s plans for you in this world.”
He touched his forehead to mine and released my chin, but turned that fierce gaze on Daire. He had his face pressed against the mattress, still clinging to Rik. I felt his agonizing fear still trembling in the bond. He couldn’t bear to lose Rik. He loved him. He loved me. To have to choose between the two of us…
“There is no choice,” Rik retorted, his voice harsh. “There’s never a choice. Her life above mine. Her life above all. Her needs above all.”
“Rik—”
He jerked his gaze to me, eyes blazing. “No, my queen. I’ll cut off my arm if you order it, but when it comes to Blood dealing with Blood, I’m his alpha. This is between him and me.”
“I couldn’t bear it,” Daire whispered, finally lifting his head. His eyes were swollen and red and deep lines grooved his mouth and eyes. “I couldn’t bear to feel you die and do nothing.”
Rik stiffened against me, his shoulders squaring, his already impressive muscles hardening toward granite. “You failed me, but more importantly, you failed her.” He leaned forward, his chin jutting out, his voice rumbling with thunder. “You. Failed. Her. You were going to hurt our queen. And for what? To save me? So what if I die? I’m nothing. You’re nothing. We’re Blood. Dying in service to our queen is the greatest honor of all. You would have dishonored my death by hurting the very person I’m willing to die for.”
Daire pressed against him. “Rik—”
“No.” He pulled back and used his foot to shove Daire backwards on his ass. “Love is no excuse for dishonoring yourself and me. What if you had succeeded in cutting into our queen? What if you had succeeded in keeping her from envenoming me? Who’s to say that we wouldn’t all die the next time a queen tries to overtake Shara’s territory, because her greatest weapon was never made? Because you stopped her from doing what needed done? What if my blood was meant to poison Keisha, or Rosalind, or Marne herself, for daring to try and steal our queen’s power, but you stopped Shara from accomplishing it? Then we’re all dead. And for what? Because you love me? How does that serve any of us? We’re fucking dead!”
Daire rolled over on his stomach, his face pressed to the floor. “I know. I’m sorry. My queen, please forgive me. Alpha, please forgive me. I failed you both.”
“I banish you from our queen’s bed,” Rik said softly, though Daire’s shoulders flinched. “You won’t so much as sleep beside her until I’m satisfied that you understand the gravity of failing her again. Now get out of my sight before I shift to my rock troll and pound your furry ass into the ground.”
Even as he said the words, he sent a surge of affection to Daire through the bond. He was angry, yes. He was punishing him, absolutely. But he understood, and yes, loved Daire too.
Daire slunk from the room and Rik sighed. “I love that bastard.”
I threw my arms around him and pressed my face against his throat. “I’m so sorry. I don’t know what I’d do without you. If I lost you…”
He squeezed me so tightly I couldn’t breathe. “Never. You’ll never lose me.”
My stomach growled loudly, making him laugh. He loosened his fierce hug and started to pull away, but I touched the large punctures I’d left in his stomach. The skin was red and tender, though he had healed enough to close those marks. “I think this might scar.”
“Good. I like wearing scars my queen has given me. It’s an honor badge for all to see.”
I narrowed my eyes and glared at him. “No one had better get close enough to see these honor badges, or see you without your shirt, but me.”
“Possessive,” he purred, taking my hand and kissing my knuckles like Guillaume had done. “I like it.”
14
Shara
I stared in the mirror and I didn’t recognize myself.
What am I becoming?
It wasn’t the clothes, though I couldn’t remember wearing anything so nice in years. Brand-new one hundred dollar jeans, a sweater that probably cost twice as much, and a pair of cute ankle boots with a wedge heel that I’d never have selected before.
Wedge heels were a bitch to run in.
I ran my tongue along the back of my teeth on the top of my mouth and shivered. I had fangs. Big ones. I was both relieved…and terrified. Horrified. Every time I looked at Rik’s stomach and saw those brutal scars, I’d remember that I’d killed him.
I’d been so concerned about hurting innocent people, or enjoying killing monsters too much, that it had never occurred to me that I ought to be afraid of what I’d do to my own Blood.
What they’d allow me to do without saying a word.
That scared the shit out of
me.
I tried to sneak quietly into the kitchen, but I took one step into the room and four sets of male eyes locked on me.
G and the new Blood pushed their chairs away from the table and stood. Rik and Daire were in the kitchen rattling around. Uncharacteristically shy, Daire approached with eyes downcast, carrying a cup of coffee. I wasn’t even sure how or when he’d decided he was the one to handle my coffee, or how he knew how I liked it, but it was always perfect. No sugar, just a healthy dose of cream and strong, rich coffee.
“Thank you,” I murmured and he flashed a dimple at me. Before the cobra incident, he would have slid in for a hug or kiss, or at least teased and flirted with me, but he quickly retreated to his chair and stood waiting with the other two men.
I looked at Rik as he brought our plates to the table, a bit worried. Maybe Daire was still mad at me, or worse, afraid of me?
:He’s trying very hard to be contrite. But I wouldn’t suggest using your cobra persona to bite him anytime soon.:
I shuddered. Yeah. I wouldn’t want to be the cobra very often either. Even though I thought it’d been a dream, I still remembered how… detached I’d felt. Emotionless. I’d known I was hurting Rik, but at the same time, I didn’t really care. I didn’t want to feel like that again.
They all remained standing until I sat down. At least they’d chosen to stay in the breakfast nook rather than the formal dining room, though the small table was rather crowded. G and Xin had made scrambled eggs, sausage patties, and toast. It looked and smelled good, but my stomach still ached from cramps. Granted, I was physically hungry, but I didn’t have much of a desire to actually eat. I sipped coffee and nibbled on toast, watching the rest of my men adjust to having a new Blood among us.
If he was Blood. I wasn’t sure about him. I didn’t feel anything from him. I certainly didn’t feel like I needed to feed from him, or give him my blood.
“Tell us about yourself, Xin,” Rik said in between bites. “Where are you from?”
“California. I served Wu Tien’s court until she dissolved the nest fifty three years ago.”
I forgot how long they—we—lived. He hadn’t even served a queen for nearly twice as long as I’d been alive. I had no idea when he’d been born, even though he looked like a twenty-something year old man. Incredibly lean and tight, like an explosion of speed and power waiting to happen. “I was known as Eddie Xin in California, but I much prefer Xin.”
“Wu Tien,” Guillaume said. “Descended from Empress Wu?”
Xin nodded. “Wu Tien was her great-granddaughter, but none of Wu’s daughters ever carried her level of power. She guarded her power too closely and never allowed her heirs to develop. When she died, that power died with her, rather than blooming in her few surviving daughters. Wu Tien’s court was under constant attack and pressure, even before New York allied with Paris. She decided to dissolve the nest and return to her homeland, hoping to unite with any of her surviving sisters. Some went with her and others were drawn to New York, but many of us just… existed. Sibs remained sibs, for the most part, but our power waned without a queen.”
He met my gaze. “If and when you’re ready to enlarge your court, I have former sibs who would leap at the chance to return to a real court. Though they would never be able to serve as Blood.”
“I guess I’m still confused about the difference.”
“Think of a medieval castle, ruled by the lady of the manor,” Rik said. “The lady has knights who serve her and guard the castle and land from their enemies. But there are also people who live around the castle and work the land. Craftsmen who work in the castle. People who tend the animals and the sick, or work in the kitchens. Blood are knights, protecting the manor, but sibs are the everyday workers who contribute their individual skills and lives to the betterment of all. Only the knights will ever feed from the queen directly, but most sibs prefer to live in a court where they’re protected by a powerful queen, even if she never feeds them. They gain power by being close to her, and from occasionally feeding from one of her powerful knights. All power trickles down from the queen.”
“So people like Gina?”
Rik didn’t answer right away. “Maybe. I don’t know that she’s Aima enough to even have the desire to feed. She gains power by associating with you, absolutely. Status among the courts, money from managing your accounts. But that doesn’t make her a sib. A sib will feed at least occasionally, but it varies greatly.”
“But they won’t feed from me. Only one of you.”
“Yes.”
I thought about it a moment. Maybe it was my human sensibilities, or maybe I was just a jealous queen. I didn’t really like the idea of any of my Blood feeding someone else. If I was there, and we were all feeding each other, making love… Absolutely. I would love to see something like Rik taking care of one of the other guys, because that’s exactly what it would be. Tender care. Like when Guillaume had first come to us, Rik had been willing to feed him, simply because I needed strong Blood.
But someone outside of my bedroom…
“Is that something you would want?” I finally asked.
Rik didn’t hesitate. “I’m your alpha. My blood is yours, and indirectly, your Blood’s. I’ll feed anyone in your bed, if that will please you, my queen. But I’d rather not feed anyone else.”
“I told you that I can only feed on queens, which is true.” Across from me at the table, Guillaume gave me grave look. “What I did not tell you before is that I was often ordered to feed others against my will, especially my previous queen. So no, I will not wish to feed anyone outside your Blood, my queen.”
My throat tightened. I could only imagine how terrible being forced to give blood would have been. Like a kind of rape. Forced to share your own blood against your will.
“I don’t want to ever do anything like that,” I whispered. “I don’t want to force you to do something against your will, but I don’t want to refuse you something that you’d want and enjoy too.” I leaned forward slightly, daring to tap on my power just a little. His eyes and nostrils flared as he scented my rising power. “You must tell me. I order you all to tell me when you’re not comfortable with something, or if you’re feeling a lack that I’m unaware of.”
He tipped his head. “I will abide by your order, my queen.”
The other Blood followed suit, giving their oaths. I wasn’t sure that was exactly what I’d had in mind. It seemed dumb to make them swear an oath not to obey me blindly.
They finished up breakfast and started to clear the table. Only Xin remained sitting with me, and I sensed through the bond that Rik had done that deliberately to give me some space to decide about this guy. Even though he was sitting right in front of me, Xin had a blankness about him that I didn’t understand. “So, Xin, what’s your specialty that you did for your queen in San Francisco?”
“A Blood of my skill has but one use, my queen. I was used to assassinate other queens.”
Xin
I did not yet know what to make of my new queen. If she would become my queen at all. Her eyes flared with shock, and horror, I thought, at my talent. Instead of immediately planning on how she could wield me to further her territory.
Exactly what a Triune-worthy queen would do.
Doubts gnawed at me, though I don’t think any of them could tell.
It took all my will to remain calm and blank, the skills that had kept me alive through one of the most tumultuous Aima courts. Empress Wu had been consolidating her power and widening her influence in both Imperial and Aima courts from the moment she was born over a thousand years ago. Even if that meant assassinating her own family members. A lesson that generations of surviving heirs had learned all too well.
House Wu was destroyed from the inside out, our own daughters slaughtered, blood and power wasted, until little of that great house remained, and I had played the knife in that destruction. I had been the silent shadow that eliminated competitors for my queen’s power in her own hou
se… until she found that no more power remained. She couldn’t even sustain her own court any longer, and so dissolved the San Francisco nest and abandoned America—and her court—entirely. Leaving behind the knife she’d used to decimate the last of her competition.
I thought again of my alternatives. I could return to China and find a small Wu court that had survived. Or I could join one of the other American queens. Everyone talked about Keisha Skye’s alliance with the Paris court, and how much stronger that made her, while ignoring the obvious.
Skye was weak enough that she needed an ally to hold her territory, and the Paris queen had been weak enough, despite her age and grand old city, to accept her offer.
I didn’t even know why I was here, not really. I’d been waiting to feel a call for so long that I’d almost given up and settled on Skye. While Shara Isador certainly carried enough power to make the Triune queens tremble in their precious seats, I didn’t sense the kind of drive and piercing savvy that would make her a threat. The cobra queen had been impressive, no doubt. But I was a killer, a silent assassin, and I didn’t get the impression that she’d be willing to use me in that regard.
She seemed… soft. Another American queen who wouldn’t be able to stand against the old queens. Too young. Too ignorant. Too… safe.
Standing, she gave me a lingering look, a bit of a frown on her lips. As if she had serious reservations about me, too. She refilled her coffee cup but didn’t return to the table. “Do we have any plans today?”
The queen. Asking her Blood. What they were doing. I caught myself before I could shake my head.
“You should rest today, my queen,” the big alpha said, his eyes narrowed with concern, even though he’d been the one killed—by her—this morning.
I stood and followed her to the next room with her other Blood, my mind whirling.
Shara picked up an old book on the table, but didn’t sit down. She didn’t say anything, but her alpha glanced at the other two and they disappeared a moment. He sat in the corner of the sofa with his leg up on the cushion, and she settled into his embrace, leaning back against him. The other young Blood tucked them in with a blanket and the knight brought a phone to her.
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