by S. J. West
Shael may look angelic and smell like cookies, but I can see now that she is rock hard on the inside when needed. I suppose she has to be this way in order to maintain peace among the alfar and handle those within the supernatural community. I don’t take her question as a tactic to bully me into submission. She is just trying to make sure I understand that, whether I like it or not, my life is no longer my own anymore. I have a new set of rules that apply to me now, and there’s nothing I can do to change that fact.
“Yes,” I tell her. “I understand.”
Shael smiles. “Good. I’m glad to hear it. Now, we must plan your first visit so you can meet the other alfar. They’re all dying to get to know you.”
“I really can’t be away for too long,” I tell her. “My sister is having trouble with her pregnancy, and I don’t like being too far away from her right now. To be honest, I’m not even sure where all of you live. Is it close?”
Shael’s eyebrows rise in surprise after hearing my question. I can tell she expected me to know more about where the alfar live by now.
“Oh dear,” she says, “I see we really do have a lot to teach you about where you come from. Nadia,” Shael says, looking over at her, “you will need to educate the princess about our world before she visits. Can I trust you to do that for me?”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” Nadia says, bowing at the waist to her queen. “In fact, I’ve already started to teach her a little bit about the other houses. I will make sure she knows what else to expect.”
“As always, I know I can rely on you,” Shael replies. “It’s exactly why I chose you to protect the princess.”
“Thank you for having so much faith in me,” Nadia says, bowing again respectfully.
“Well, I hate to leave you, but I must be getting back to the palace,” Shael tells me. “I have another meeting that requires my presence.”
“It was nice to see you again,” I tell her. “Thank you for coming here to be with me today.”
“I hope we can make some sort of arrangement so we can see each other more often. There is a lot I need to teach you about handling certain delicate matters among the alfar. My greatest hope is that I can prepare you for your reign better than I was at the beginning of mine.”
Shael leans in to give me a quick peck on the cheek.
“Take care of yourself,” she whispers in my ear, “and be careful who you trust in this city.”
She pulls away from me and turns slightly to Alden. “I suppose we should be heading home now, Alden.”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” he replies. “I think that would be wise. Lord Firestorm is not a man known for his patience.”
Shael looks at me and smiles. “I’ll see you again soon, Sarah.”
As Shael and Alden walk out of the room together, I know telling my aunt I don’t want to inherit the throne from her will be an almost impossible task. I’m not even sure she’ll listen to my argument, since her mind seems to be set on me becoming the next queen of the alfar. I would like to preserve my family’s heritage, but I also want to live my own life. Until I figure out a way to have what I want from each world, I’ll just need to learn how to balance them both.
When I set out on this trip to New Orleans, I viewed my life as my own. Now I can clearly see how naïve I was to think that, but I’m also determined to find a solution to my problems and make everything work in my favor. I refuse to give up on my dream of a perfect life with Julian. I just need to figure out a way to make it happen.
After the alfar leave the room, Damien picks up the dead body of his fallen comrade and tosses him over his shoulder. As he and Audrey walk out of the room, they do so quietly, but the expressions on their faces are filled with unfiltered rage. I can’t say I blame them for how they feel. I had no idea Mira and her Council of Elders could make unilateral decrees, such as blocking a certain population of supernatural beings from producing offspring. Now, I can fully understand why Petru said he would never choose to live in New Orleans. I wouldn’t either, which makes me wonder why the people here don’t revolt or just pick up and leave altogether.
I chance a glance in Nadia’s direction and expect to see a scowl on her face. I did, after all, just try to get her fired. Surprisingly, I find her grinning at me, looking pleased about something.
“I thought you would be mad at me,” I tell her, continuing to stroke Viktor’s back. I no doubt look like a Blofeld wannabe from a James Bond movie as I pet my white pussycat.
Nadia shakes her head. “No. I’m not mad, Your Highness. I’m perfectly aware that you consider my presence in your life a nuisance. At least you tried to do something about an issue that was bothering you, no matter who heard your request. I would rather have a leader who is proactive, instead of one who lets people run over her without protest.”
“A lot of good my protesting did,” I mutter.
“You could still have me and the others sent back to Alfheim if you wanted to,” Nadia reminds me.
“Not without you all going back in disgrace,” I say. “I won’t do that to you. It’s not your fault you were sent here without me consenting to the arrangement first.”
“Still,” Nadia says seriously, “it is your prerogative to send us back, if you want. That is within your power.”
I sigh. “Even if I did, Shael would simply send others to replace you.”
“True,” Nadia confirms.
“She might send someone even more protective than you are,” I reason. “At least I know I can get along with you. Who knows if I would be able to handle the next Valengard she sent?”
Nadia squints at me, looking puzzled by my words. “So this is your idea of ‘getting along’ with someone? I would hate to see how you treat a mortal enemy.”
“I haven’t been that bad,” I argue weakly.
Nadia looks at me like I might be secretly deluding myself concerning my behavior toward her but gives the diplomatic response of silence.
“Okay, I have been rude on occasion,” I begrudgingly admit, “but you need to remember that all of this is new to me. My life was my own only a few days ago. It’s going to take me a while to get used to everything that’s changed. I don’t know what people are talking about half the time and have to get them to explain things to me. It’s becoming really annoying. For example, you just said a word as if I should already know what it is. What exactly is Alfheim? I assume it’s the place you come from by the way you used it in your sentence, but that’s all I can figure out on my own. Is it a city?”
“Alfheim is the name of the alfar home world,” Nadia explains. “The alfar are from another planet in another galaxy.”
“Oh,” I say, not having a witty comeback for such a revelation. So being half-alfar means I’m half space alien too. I try to quickly accept that fact, but I think it’s going to take some time before that miracle happens.
“I understand that your knowledge about us is virtually nonexistent, and as I told the queen, I will teach you what you need to know. All I ask is that you take your time in learning more about where you come from. There’s so much you need to be made aware of concerning what’s going on with the alfar now and what’s happened in our past. You won’t be able to learn everything all at once. It will more than likely take several years for you to comprehend it all.”
“I want to learn more,” I tell her. “And I promise I won’t give you such a hard time from now on. I’ll do my best to accept the fact that you’re a part of my life now too, but I will need for you to give me some space and privacy when I ask for it.”
In a low voice, Nadia says, “I assume by privacy you’re asking me to look the other way when you want to be alone with your vampire companion.”
“I think we can both agree that Julian is just as motivated as you when it comes to keeping me alive. If I die, so does he. I’m perfectly safe with him.”
“I suppose loving you adds in even more motivation on his part.”
“Yes. It does. Do you have a problem with
us being in love?”
Nadia lets out a troubled sigh, tilting her head up to look slightly toward the ceiling as she considers her next words carefully. Finally, she looks back at me and says, “A relationship with him will complicate certain matters back home, but I also understand that you can’t always choose the person you fall in love with. While I might not have a problem with you being in love with your vampire, there are those within the other houses who will.”
“And will these people cause me problems in the future?”
“Most certainly.”
“Great,” I say, feeling a sudden headache begin to form between my temples. All I need are more problems to add to an ever-growing list. Well, I’ll just have to handle them as they present themselves. Right now, all I want to do is leave Mira’s home. I don’t feel comfortable or safe here.
I look for Julian and see him talking quietly to his sister near the front of the room. Involuntarily, I shiver at the sight of her. I don’t know why, but every time I look at Mira, she gives me the willies. I don’t understand how she and Julian can be siblings. They seem like complete opposites in almost everything they do.
Julian must feel my unease because he looks away from his sister to give me a reassuring smile. I take heart in the love I see in his eyes for me and strive to calm my nerves where Mira is concerned.
“Sarah?” I look to my left and see Fiona and Ryker walking over. I can feel their mutual curiosity about me and their shared apprehension. I’m an unknown variable being introduced into their world and neither of them seem to like that fact.
“We just wanted to formally welcome you to our city,” Fiona tells me with a smile that looks congenial on the outside, but I know it’s forced, not genuine. “We had no idea you were alfar royalty when we saw you at Mira’s party the other night or we would have paid our respects to you then. I hope you can forgive us for the slight.”
For whatever reason, Fiona is scared of me. I look at Ryker and sense his fear too. Why are they frightened of me?
“It’s fine. I didn’t know I was alfar royalty at the time either,” I tell them truthfully with a small laugh in an attempt to ease their anxiety.
Instead of breaking the tension, I seem to have just confused them further.
“You may be a princess, but you’ll always just be my Sarah to me,” I hear Adrian croon.
I look back toward the front of the room and see him walk away from Julian and Mira to join my conversation with the witch and warlock.
“I have never been, nor shall I ever be, your Sarah,” I inform him tersely.
Adrian covers his heart with both hands and feigns a distressed look of hurt on his face.
“You wound me, Sarah. Truly you do,” he says, executing a fair act of looking hurt by my words. “And here I thought we had something special growing between us.”
I choose to ignore Adrian’s antics and return my attention to Fiona and Ryker.
“Well,” Ryker says, looking even more uncomfortable after Adrian’s theatrics, “we just wanted to welcome you before we left. It was nice meeting you, Princess.”
Both Fiona and Ryker bow to me at the waist before they begin to walk out of the room.
I feel Viktor stiffen in my arms and notice Nadia take a step closer to my side as Adrian continues his approach.
“Do you have any more surprises locked away in your family tree that we should know about?” Adrian asks, coming to a stop on the other side of the table across from me. “Or is it safe to say that you’ve pretty much run the gamut of them?”
“I suppose that’s for me to know and for you to never find out, Adrian.”
“You’re so feisty,” he says with a crooked smile. “I do enjoy that about you, my Sarah.”
“Stop calling me that,” I warn him.
“Wouldn’t you like to be mine?” he whispers intimately, as his gaze softens with promises of sexual delights. “Even if it’s only for one night?”
Viktor’s body tenses with anger, and I know he’s about to leap out of my arms at any second and plant his sharp claws into Adrian’s gloating face. I quickly clamp one arm down across his back to prevent him from moving.
“I think you need to stop talking,” Julian says to Adrian in a dark tone as he walks up behind him. “Otherwise, I might have to rearrange that pretty face of yours.”
Adrian smiles grimly at me before spinning around on his heels to face the wrath of my companion.
“Not into sharing anymore, Julian?” Adrian taunts. “That’s a pity. I seem to remember us having a lovely time with the Moretti twins in Venice that one summer and sweet Georgianna in London a few years back. If I remember correctly, a fun time was had by all.”
“Companions are off limits,” Julian growls. “Sarah especially. You know that.”
Adrian shrugs. “Since she’s so many things to so many people, I thought perhaps we could make an exception in her case.”
“I love her,” Julian declares for those left in the room to hear. “So keep your eyes respectful when you look at her and your hands to yourself when you’re near her. Am I making myself clear? Can that tiny, shriveled up brain of yours remember those two basic instructions, or will I need to carve them into your skull so you never forget?”
“There’s really no need to be overly dramatic and threaten violence,” Adrian chastises, looking slightly offended. “You know I would never force myself on someone you’ve already laid claim to. Enjoy her while you can, Julian. Unfortunately, her life is a fleeting one. I would hate for you to miss any of it.”
Adrian heads toward the entrance of the room, leaving only me, Julian, Viktor, Nadia, and two of Mira’s guards behind.
“I can’t believe you told him that you love me,” I say, handing Viktor to Nadia while I walk around the table to be closer to Julian.
“Why wouldn’t I tell him?” Julian asks as he opens his arms for me to step into. “It’s the truth.”
“I know,” I say with a small shrug as Julian loops his arms around my waist. “It’s just that you don’t seem like the type of man who would talk about his feelings to others so openly.”
“Normally, I wouldn’t,” Julian concedes, “but I wanted Adrian to understand that you’re mine.”
I have to smile. “You sounded a little caveman-ish there.”
“With him, you have to dumb things down,” Julian replies. “Adrian can understand the principle of ownership more than he can comprehend the intricacies of being in love with a beautiful, intelligent, and strong-minded woman.”
“I thought he and your sister were in love.”
“I don’t think either of them are capable of that emotion anymore. In fact, before you came into my life, I wasn’t sure I would be able to feel it again either. They simply use one another for sex. Nothing more.”
“Can I use you for sex?” I whisper playfully.
Julian chuckles. “I am yours to play with in any way you see fit.”
“You say that,” I say with an exaggerated sigh, “but when, oh when, will it actually happen?”
I hear Nadia clear her throat as she gently reminds me that she can hear everything we’re saying.
I turn my head to look at her over my shoulder. “When Julian and I want to make love, you’re not going to stay in the room with us while we do it, are you?”
Nadia looks flustered by my question. Even if her cheeks weren’t turning a bright red, I would still be able to sense her embarrassment.
She clears her throat again but this time nervously.
“No, Your Highness, I won’t ask to be in the same room. Although I will need to stay nearby, just in case there’s a problem.”
“What if we discover we both enjoy rough sex?” I ask, not so much because I think Julian and I will, but hey, you never know. We might as well be prepared for every contingency while we’re on the subject. Plus, I’m having fun ruffling Nadia’s usually stiff feathers. “Are you going to barge into the room if you hear us break a few
pieces of furniture or crash into a wall?”
If I thought Nadia was discomfited before, she’s completely mortified now.
She composes herself before saying, “Why don’t we make a deal? If I hear you call out my name, I will come in. If I don’t, I will remain at my post and not interrupt your … play.”
I smile at her, doing my best not to laugh at how uncomfortable she looks. “That sounds agreeable. I guess your name will be our safe word.”
“Wonderful.” She grins tight-lipped, not looking one bit pleased that her name will be associated with mine and Julian’s sexual escapades.
When I return my attention to Julian, he raises a questioning eyebrow at me. I get the feeling that he isn’t pleased with me for teasing my poor Valengard protector, but I consider my questions justifiable.
“We needed to set up a system,” I say in my own defense. “Now we have one.”
“I suppose,” he begrudgingly concedes. “Now that we have a protocol set up, I suggest we put it into practice.”
“Well that sounds very promising,” I say, feeling the heavy burdens of the day lift from my shoulders. “Does that mean we’re going back home now?”
Julian shakes his head. “No. Not right away. I thought we would spend the rest of the day and night in New Orleans. I have a few surprises set up for us.”
“Surprises?” I ask, hoping one of them includes a bed somewhere. “What kind of surprises?”
“If I tell you what they are, they will no longer be surprises,” he says before kissing the tip of my nose. “Come on. I don’t want to be late for the first one, and they won’t wait for us if we’re not there on time.”
“They?” I ask, having a sneaking suspicion that Julian won’t be making sweet, passionate love to me for quite some time. Perhaps his plan is to torture me all day long before finally giving in to my every carnal desire. “You said ‘first one.’ Exactly how many surprises do you have planned for us today?”