Fairy Rings and Dragon Kings (Book 7 in the Twilight Court Series)

by Amy Sumida

  “I've prepared a list for you,” Lelan said. “Last night, I contacted some friends who frequent Underground establishments, and they recommended some places for you to investigate.”

  Lelan passed out folders. There was indeed a list of businesses inside; including addresses, names of the owners, and photos. Some were open to the public, others were strictly fairy environments which required proof of feyness before allowing entrance, and the last type were places where a human could enter only if sponsored by a fairy.

  “We can rule out the ones that are only for fairies,” I said. “We're looking for a place that sells to humans.”

  “Yes, Your Highness.” Lelan bowed more than nodded. “From my conversations, I've gleaned that Enchantments—the nightclub listed at the top of the page—is the place that has gained the most popularity among fairies and wealthy humans. There are rumors that you can get anything there; from fairy drugs to black-market magic.”

  “Black-market magic,” I whispered. “There's a name for it?”

  I looked to Killian, and he set grim, snake eyes on me. His jaw clenched; a muscle twitching in his cheek.

  “What difference does a name make?” My father asked.

  “Names have power,” Tiernan said, “even among the humans.”

  “It's a different kind of power,” I corrected him. “If there's a name for a product, it means there's a demand for it. This black-market magic has gained a reputation.”

  “Basically,” Killian said with a grimace, “it's a bigger problem than we thought. Are we telling the Human Council about this?”

  “Not yet.” Raza gave me a weighted look. “We will present it to them if it's discovered that crimes are being committed. Don't you agree, Queen Seren?”

  “Ouch, that was harsh, man.” Killian winced. “And not very subtle either.”

  “Dragons aren't known for their subtlety.” Raza shrugged.

  “You know; every time you act like an asshole, you chock it up to being a dragon. Dragons sound like dicks,” Killian noted.

  Dylan made an abrupt, erupting sort of cough-laugh and then coughed further to cover it.

  “We are,” Raza said with a smirk. “And we're high enough on the food chain to not care about it.”

  I burst into laughter then said to Killian, “He's got you there.”

  “Fair enough, King Raza,” Killian conceded. “But if you act like a dick to my fiance one more time, I don't give a shit how far up on the food chain you are; I will fucking school you on proper behavior around a lady. You catch my drift, dragon?”

  “No,” Raza sounded baffled. “I have no idea what you just said to me.”

  “I believe he said he's going to kick your ass if you disrespect our wife again,” Tiernan noted. “And I'm in agreement with him.”

  A heavy silence fell over the room as my lovers had a stand-off. Lelan paled.

  I breathed deeply and audibly. “Smell that testosterone!” I exclaimed. “Woo; that's musky! You know what else I smell?” I asked the men as they turned their attention to me. “Bullshit! Stop fucking around like a bunch of three-year-olds. For Killian, this is standard operating procedure, but you two are kings; you have no excuse.”

  “Yeah!” Killian said, then thought about it. “Hey, hold on now.” He scowled at me. “I don't always act like a child.”

  I gave him a deadpan look. Killian deflated.

  “He insulted me,” Raza snarled.

  “You insulted yourself!” I glared at Raza. “You also insulted me. Killian's right; you were being a dick. I don't need you teaching me how to be queen, Raza. Technically, I've been royal longer than you; so you can shove your 'queenly behavior' lectures up your scaly ass.”

  “Damn; I'm so turned on right now,” Killian murmured.

  “Shut it, Killian,” I growled at him.

  “Yes, ma'am,” he said with a smile. “And I have those handcuffs in my pocket, by the way. If you feel the need to chastise me later.”

  “My scaly ass?” Raza's lips twitched. “Out of everyone in this room, you are the only one who can attest to the fact that my ass isn't scaly.”

  “I've seen your ass too, King Raza,” my father added. “If you'll recall that time at the High Council House in Ireland when you transformed before us all? The sight was seared into my memory, much to my horror.”

  Raza's face went blank, and then he began to laugh.

  “I'm glad you're all enjoying yourselves while I try to establish my position in my marriage,” I huffed.

  “Mo shíorghrá,” Raza purred, “your position in our marriage will always be—”

  “I'd advise you to be very careful of what you say next, King Raza,” my father growled. “You forget that Seren's father and uncle are here.”

  “I was going to say that Seren's position is always one of power,” Raza finished smoothly, “no matter how much of a dick I may be, she will always be the one who can tame the dick.”

  “That so did not come out the way you meant it, dude,” Killian whispered dramatically.

  “Didn't it?” Raza lifted a brow.

  “I give up.” Keir threw his hands into the air.

  “You encouraged me to marry him,” I reminded my father.

  “If we could get back to the issue of magic being sold to humans and away from King Raza's dick?” Dylan asked dryly.

  “I think everyone in this room, with the exception of my wife”—Tiernan rolled his eyes—“wants to get away from Raza's dick.”

  “It is terrifyingly impressive, isn't it?” Raza sniffed arrogantly.

  “And you think that I don't act like a queen,” I huffed.

  “I never said that, mo shíorghrá,” Raza's tone gentled. “I merely wanted to remind you that in this instance, I expect your support for our people. They are currently on the right side of the law.”

  “Yes, Raza.” I sighed. “I know what you meant. I'm not the one who took offense to it.”

  “Good; I'm so relieved that you four have worked out your marital issues,” Dylan drawled dryly. “Now, what shall we do about this establishment? Enchantments; was it?” He looked to Lelan.

  “Yes, Your Grace,” Lelan said. “Enchantments; it's in Los Angeles, and the owner is listed as a Mr. Darren Devereaux.”

  “LA; of course,” Killian huffed.

  “The name is obviously an alias,” I noted. “Though I love the Golden Girls reference.”

  Everyone stared at me in confusion, except for Killian, who cracked up.

  “Who doesn't love Blanche?” Killian chortled. “You gotta hand it to this guy—Enchantments and Devereaux—he has a great sense of humor.”

  “Should I go in as a human or a fairy?” I asked them.

  They all looked at each other skeptically.

  “Try to pull off human,” Tiernan suggested. “We want to get them to sell you something they sell to humans. But if that doesn't work, just go with fairy.”

  “The goal is to discover who is making the weapons,” Dylan said. “If you can find the Tromlaighe, you'll find the source.”

  “Find the Tromlaighe”—I nodded—“got it. And what do I do when I find him or her?”

  The men looked at each other blankly.

  “Have a conversation,” my father said at last. “You're good at that, Seren.”

  “Sure, yeah; I'll just have a nice chat with the fear fairy,” I huffed. “Maybe we can bond over TV shows from the 80s.”

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  The kings went home to their kingdoms. Keir took Cat with him since I couldn't take her to an LA nightclub. Killian and I headed down to LA in one of my father's cars. We left Gentry before Lance returned with the extinguishers so that we wouldn't have to deal with his questions or the possibility of his following us. Technically, this was still a part of the missing person's investigation, but it was becoming so much more. Raza was right; there weren't any crimes being perpetrated as far as we knew, and I didn't want to go in guns blazing as if there were. An
d the humans would want to do just that. I know; I'd been on that side of the divide.

  It was a long drive, but it worked out well. By the time we arrived in LA and found a hotel to serve as our base of operations—AKA a place to sleep—it was getting dark. The nightclub opened at 9 PM, but everyone knows that you don't head to the clubs until after 10. So, Killian and I wasted some time testing the strength of his handcuffs.

  Later that evening, I took my time getting ready. I was wearing a slinky dress and more makeup than I ever used; including in my hair. I'd bought some root cover-up—sort of like mascara for your hair—and painted over the ombré purple stripe at my temple. A pair of contacts went over my eyes, toning down the silver stars to blend in with my green irises.

  I stared at the finished product in the mirror like it was a photograph from my past.

  “Huh; so that's what you used to look like.” Killian leaned against the doorframe of the bathroom.

  “Yeah.” I scowled at my face. “I hadn't realized the difference was so great until now.”

  “Those eyes of yours are something special.” Killian nodded.

  “So are yours,” I purred as I eased over to kiss him.

  He pulled away from me with a grimace. “You'll get lipstick all over me.”

  “It's a stain,” I said with a smile. “It won't rub off.”

  “In that case”—he eased back up to me—“give me some sugar, baby.”

  I moaned into the kiss, but when Killian's hands began to wander, I pulled away.

  “We need to get going,” I reminded him.

  He groaned but backed off.

  Killian was dressed in his usual get-up; jeans, T-shirt, and a black leather hoodie. He hadn't tried to mask his eyes because he wouldn't be going in with me. Killian would be keeping watch from across the street in our car. If I got into trouble, I could scry him on my handy new fairy phone. We'd decided that I'd get further as a woman alone. The ruse was; I was a rich human woman looking for a glamour charm—something innocent and girly, so I wouldn't raise suspicions. Lelan had assured us that all sorts of spells could be purchased. Most were just cast upon the human for a price; the magic bombs were a new development. So were the fairy-struck slave auctions, for that matter.

  That's right; I had to remember the humans. If I had the chance, I'd search for information on this new slavery ring. A fairy-slavery-ring; dear Danu, that was messed up.

  We drove down to the club and parked right across the street. Killian and I had scoped out the area as soon as we arrived in town, and we had placed a look-away charm on the parking stall to reserve it for us. A good undercover operation often depended on the little things. A parking space could make or break us, and in LA, parking was a high commodity.

  I kissed Killian goodbye and got out of the car. Merging with the foot traffic, I worked my way down the street before I crossed it and headed back up to the club. I didn't want the bouncers to notice Killian sitting there, and my walking directly across the street from his car would probably draw attention to him.

  There was a line of people waiting to get in the club, but the bouncer wasn't even looking at them; he stared off with his arms crossed resolutely. Lelan had warned me of this; humans always tried to get into popular nightclubs, but you only got into Enchantments if you were sponsored by a fairy. The way to show that sponsorship was with an enchanted object; which may possibly be how the club got its name. So, I walked to the head of the line and held my hand aloft for the bouncer's inspection.

  The bouncer was a guffitar; a type of dwarf associated with Lapland. Under his human glamour, he looked much taller, but he retained his dwarfish bulk and Finnish features. He peered at my enchanted ring and then nodded.

  “Have a nice night, Miss.” The guffitar opened the door for me.

  A few humans waiting in line muttered angrily, and the guffitar shot them a nasty look. They quieted quickly as I headed into the shadowy interior of the club.

  It was smaller than I'd expected; just a circular room with a few booths skimming the edges, a dance floor in the center, and a bar at the far end. It was also quieter than I'd thought it would be; the level of the music was something you might hear in someone's home, not a nightclub. There were only a few patrons in the booths, sipping cocktails and speaking eagerly with fairies, while one handsy couple ground against each other on the dance floor. I wandered in hesitantly, staring around me in confusion.

  “Is this your first time?” A voice like warm sugar dripped over me.

  I turned to see a gancanagh standing in the shadows of a velvet curtain. Gancanagh were also known as “love talkers,” and they had a reputation for pursuing anyone with a vagina. Their whole schtick was to seduce human women into falling in love with them, and then they'd leave them. The love-struck lady would chase the gancanagh all over creation as he siphoned off her energy until she died... heartbroken.

  Gancanagh were always gorgeous, and this guy was no exception. He had pale blond hair and perfect skin that seemed to glow in the low lighting. His stare locked on mine and flashed amber. Lush lips twisted up into a smile as he took my arm.

  “Yes, it is.” I played along.

  An unseelie fairy at the door and a seelie inside; interesting. Two races playing nice together, and it had nothing to do with my influence. I looked around and saw several more gancanagh waiting in the wings. That was some fucking evil brilliance; stocking a nightclub full of love-talkers. Whoever was behind this was no dummy.

  “What's your pleasure, sweetheart?” He asked me.

  “Um,” I stammered, pretending to be nervous, “I was told that I could buy magic here,” I whispered the last bit as if I were afraid that he might laugh at me. “I know; it sounds silly, right?”

  “Not at all,” he assured me. “Your sponsor was telling the absolute truth. We can offer you many enchantments or perhaps some intimate entertainment.” He led me further into the room, then settled me in a booth. He slid in close to me. “Let's talk about what you're really after.”

  He waved, and a waitress appeared—an apsara from India. They were known for their dancing abilities; another perfect choice for a nightclub.

  “Bring us two house specials,” the gancanagh said to the apsara, and she hurried away. “You'll love it; it's my favorite drink.”

  “I'm sure I will,” I purred as if his bullshit was actually working on me.

  “I'm Alex.”

  “Ser... ah,” I cleared my throat to cover my near-mistake. “I'm Sarah, nice to meet you.”

  “Nice to meet you too, Sarah. Now, let me show you the menu.” He pulled a laminated sheet out of a holder on the end of the table; it looked like one of those drink menus you see in bars. “We have individual spells, or you can purchase a package.”

  “A package?” I asked in surprise.

  “Yes”—Alex smiled wickedly—“women love my package.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “The One Night Stand.” He tapped the menu, and sure enough, there it was. “It offers your choice of companion for the evening with the option of extending past dawn. All activities included and subject to your instructions. And when I say 'your choice' I mean that I can be whoever you want me to be.”

  Alex waved a hand, and suddenly, Tom Hardy was sitting in front of me.

  “Good choice,” I commended him, and then teased him a little. “What about Tom Hiddleston? Could you shift between the Tom's? Then I could have two men for the price of one, and I wouldn't have to remember to scream a different name. You could even use the same accent.”

  “Sure,” Tom Hardy said without missing a beat, though his lips did twitch. The gancanagh shifted back into himself. “Or if you prefer women, we have several lovely ladies who would be more than happy to take care of you.”

  “Actually, I'm not looking for companionship, but thank you,” I murmured.

  “Of course you're not,” he said with disappointment. “A woman like you must already have a lover. But if you chan
ge your mind,” he leaned forward to whisper conspiratorially, “I'd love to spend some time with you—outside the club. Neither your lover or my boss would have to know. Call it a free sample.”

  “I'm faithful,” I said simply.

  “You would be.” Alex sighed. “But that's only the tip of what we offer here. Take a look.” He pushed the menu into my hands. “I'm certain you can find exactly what you're looking for.”

  I perused the offered services. There were glamours to enhance beauty and spells to make you more successful, more articulate, or more powerful. There were charms to help you pass tests, get out of parking tickets, and even get a favorable judgment in court. Fairy psychics would tell your future for a mere $200, or you could hire someone to handle that annoying neighbor who leaves his music on too loud. There was something for virtually any problem, and nothing there appeared harmful to humans... depending on how they took care of the neighbor problem. Then, at the bottom of the page, there was a small notation for other services available upon request.

  “What are these other services?” I asked Alex.

  “Oh, those are more intense offerings,” he said airily as our drinks arrived. “Thank you.” He nodded to the waitress and then pushed a glass into my hand. “Try it; it's called spellbound.”