Again, flashes of memory invaded Esme’s mind. Spindlox dropping from trees… The felicox splitting in half…
Lexi sighed. “I know I’d be fine with Owen stepping down. It’d be easier to make decisions as the chief than it is to get approval from the never-around chief.” She pulled her long, blond ponytail over one shoulder and gave Esme a grin. “I’m fine with a lot these days, you know. I mean, where Owen’s concerned.”
Esme squirmed.
Lexi sighed and rubbed an eyebrow. “I don’t know what I was thinking. Owen and I didn’t work at all. Hakim needs to have his matchmaker card revoked.”
Esme remembered what little she’d heard before interrupting Hakim and Owen at her Order trial. Apparently Hakim wasn’t done playing matchmaker for the king.
“But you two,” Lexi went on, “that makes sense. I mean, if you’re interested. I’m sure it’s super weird, considering.”
Esme widened her eyes in agreement.
Lexi sipped her martini. “You’re better for Owen than even your origini. She was… I don’t know. Owen doted on her, and I could tell they loved each other, but he was never entirely himself with her, you know? He tried to be whatever it was she wanted. Drives me nuts when women do that to men.” Lexi rolled her eyes. “I was trying to reshape Owen too. I see that now. But with you… Owen’s very himself with you.”
Esme took a drink and avoided Lexi’s eyes. She was trying so hard not to develop feelings for Owen, but she understood what Lexi was saying.
Lexi swallowed the rest of her martini. “Our goofball king needs someone who doesn’t put up with his crap. I’ve witnessed several times when you haven’t been afraid to put Owen in his place. You’d be good for him.” She gave Esme a look. “I don’t mean to act like all we have to talk about is men. I just want you to know that, as someone who’s known Owen a long time, I think you two suit each other.”
Esme paused and looked at her drink.
We’re king and alterni. There’s no room for bullshit in that relationship, so we’ve had to get to know each other. But making anything more of our partnership… Wouldn’t that make things horribly complicated? Not to mention the ultra-weird fact that Owen’s already been in love with a version of me.
“I’m not interested in his royal lordship.” Esme finished her whiskey and winced from the delightful burn in her throat and chest. She lifted a finger from her glass. “No, I take that back. I think about Owen all the time…but only because he’s the one who’s supposed to keep me alive.”
Lexi grinned. “Okay, alterni. Then let’s just celebrate the fact that you saved the king’s ass tonight.” She called to the bartender and ordered another martini as well as a new whiskey for Esme.
Esme sighed, knowing her objections would be ignored.
The time display on her television read 2:30 a.m. Esme had sobered up an hour ago, but she wasn’t ready for sleep. She’d instead kicked off her sandals and snuggled up on her couch under a blanket. Clicking the channels back and forth, she simultaneously watched two late night movies, not focused on either one. Bethy lay snoring at her feet.
I needed a normal night out. Lexi’s fun after all. It felt good to unwind.
Esme’s bandaged hand itched, and she realized she’d received no instructions about how to care for it. Lying on her back, she lifted her hand and pulled at the end of the bandage to slowly unwrap it. She’d expected fresh pain, but the bandage came off without incident. The pad against her palm fell away without pulling at her wounds, and it tumbled off the couch to the floor. Once her hand was free, Esme examined the palmar and dorsal sides but saw no wounds. Her hand was healed. There weren’t even scars.
Wow. Hooray for vampire blood.
Esme sat up with the blanket cocooning her and clicked off the TV. The sudden stillness of her house was both comforting and nerve-wracking.
Owen’s wounds were way worse than mine. I hope he’s okay. If I hadn’t stopped that felicox…
An image of the felicox’s open jaws flashed into her mind. Esme’s heart rate increased as fear returned with the memory. She closed her eyes, wishing the memories away. But that had never worked.
Instead, Esme forced herself to remember other times. She pictured her first meeting with Owen in the pizza place. She pictured punching him in the gym and only realizing later that he’d been trying to make her feel better, in his clumsy way. She pictured Owen smiling with pride after her Order trial.
Esme opened her eyes and sighed.
On our ride to the rift tonight, Owen purposefully riled me up so I’d be angry at him instead of nervous and terrified. It worked. He understands me pretty well. Over the past few weeks, I have to admit-
The doorbell rang. Bethy barked, then launched off the couch as if it was her life’s duty to guard the door. Esme flailed out of the blanket to stand. Barefoot, she hurried out of the living room and into the hall.
“Bethy, calm down!”
The beagle snorted and sat back, staring at the door with her crazy smile.
Esme opened the door and saw Owen on her doorstep. He wore his usual jeans and a T-shirt, and with his good arm he held a paper grocery bag. The arm previously ripped to shreds was now bandaged and in a sling. Scratches dotted his face, and one whole cheek was swollen from the felicox’s tail strike. As for his bad leg, it was so stiff and straight that Esme assumed it was tightly bandaged under his jeans.
With the hand poking out of his sling, Owen sent her a small, wince-inducing wave. “Evening.”
“Cat balls, Owen! What are you doing here?”
He laughed and leaned on her doorframe. “Cat balls? You curse like a werewolf now?”
Esme realized she’d picked this up from the Hoffman brothers during gym workouts. Peppering paranormal cusses into her vocabulary was one of the more entertaining ways she’d found to blend in.
“A little help, please?”
Esme snapped out of her surprise and hurried to take the bag. Then she shifted to let Owen use her as a crutch. “Get in here before you drop dead on my doorstep.”
Owen leaned on her and entered the house. “Yeah, I can see the headlines now. ‘Alterni saves the king only to let him die at her door.’”
“The Order has a newspaper?”
“It was a joke.” Owen wiggled his head. “But yes, the elves run a newspaper.” He seemed a little out of it.
But he looks so much better, she thought with relief. He looks like months have passed!
“Are you sure you’re okay to be here?”
“I’m fine.” Owen removed his arm and leaned on the wall in the foyer.
Bethy barked and wagged her tail at him.
Owen now noticed the beagle as she wiggled against his legs. “Hey, it’s Bethy Maude the Demon Dog!”
Esme’s eyes widened, and she stared at the little dog. “What? Is Bethy some kind of…”
Owen chuckled. “Relax. It’s just a nickname.”
Bethy sat back and grinned at him, then at Esme.
Esme wasn’t entirely convinced.
Owen looked down the wooden hall toward the kitchen. “Nice place. Mind if we skip the tour of the house I bought you? At least until I have full function of my legs?”
Esme guided him to the living room. “Owen, you were unconscious a few hours ago. I don’t care how good those healers are – you’re not ready to be on your feet. Hakim said you’d have to stay in the hospital another few days.”
“I’m the king. If I want to sign myself out against medical advice, do you think the vamps can stop me?”
“Can’t they?”
Owen hesitated. “Well, yeah, but they wouldn’t. They’re a loyal bunch. Vamps are probably the most peaceful race in our weird little kingdom.”
Esme sighed, knowing he was trying to distract her by playing on her interest of the paranormals. “I’m surprised Hakim didn’t talk sense into you. Or Roman.”
“Roman’s busy studying his pets. I doubt he’s even heard what happen
ed yet. As for Hakim, he was there when I woke up. I assured him I’d stay put and gave him the weekend off to visit his parents.”
“So you lied to him.”
“Not the first time. Won’t be the last.”
They reached the living room, and Esme helped Owen to the couch. He sat and leaned back with his sling propped against his chest. He lifted his bad leg onto the couch, narrowly avoiding Bethy as she jumped up to sit with him. Dirt fell off his boots, but Owen didn’t notice with his head tipped back on the couch.
Esme sat on the ottoman across from him. “You know, for royalty, you have the worst manners. Are you even house broken?”
“Well, I had a catheter an hour ago. Cut me some slack if I-”
She made an annoyed sound to get him to stop. “Ugh. Really?”
Owen winked his less swollen eye and grinned. “Sorry. My vampire blood cocktail might’ve been stronger than I thought.”
“You didn’t drive here, did you?”
“King, remember? I have people.”
Esme shook her head at him, then looked in the bag she held. “What’s this?” She pulled out a tall bottle.
“That, my alterni savior, is a thank you present.”
She turned the bottle to read the shining blue label. “Utopiva?”
Owen lifted his head to look at her in horror. “Don’t tell me you don’t have this stuff on your Earth?”
She eyed the bottle again. “Nope. What is it?”
“Only the most expensive, most delicious vodka on the planet!” Owen lay his head back on the couch and flopped his arm against his chest, which apparently he forgot would hurt. “Great. I went all out with my gift, and you don’t even know how expensive it was.”
Esme smirked at him. “King, remember? You can afford it.”
“Tell that to the goblins.”
She set the bottle on the floor at a safe distance. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” Owen’s drug-induced good humor dimmed, and he met her eyes. “Thank you, Esme, for saving my life. You didn’t have to do it. You shouldn’t have done it.”
She knew what he was getting at and shook her head at him. “We’re partners, right? What kind of person would I be if I’d left you there to die?”
“You’d be a not-putting-yourself-in-danger kind of person. Like I ordered.”
“What, you’re the only one who gets to play hero?”
“I’m serious, Esme.”
“So am I.” She tried to explain. “Tonight was terrifying and crazy, but it was also amazing. I finally did something worthwhile. It’s such a relief to have done something right.”
“You did something wrong too. You disobeyed me. I ordered you to leave-”
“I saved your life!”
“And I’m grateful! But don’t ever do something like that again. I told you to run.”
“I didn’t die, Owen!” She didn’t mean to shout this, and she tried to calm down. “This isn’t going to work if you’re so worried about me dying that you don’t let me do my job. I think I proved that I’m ready for this.”
Owen put his leg down with a wince and sat forward on the couch to look her in the eye. “I know you’re sick of talking about this, but I can’t lose-”
“I know.” Esme leaned to take Owen’s less battered hand in hers. “Please, listen.”
He looked surprised she’d taken his hand, but it’d done the trick and shut him up.
“Owen, I know what my death would do to you. I promise to be careful. But you have to watch your own back too, not just mine. You can’t put my life above yours. I’m replaceable-”
He started to object.
“No, Owen. I am replaceable. We both know that, even if it sucks.”
He frowned at the floor.
Esme paused. “I realized something earlier tonight. This – all of this – is exactly what I’ve wanted my whole life. Back home, I was floundering. I had this idea of who I wanted to be, but I never let myself go for it. I had no family, no friends worth keeping in touch with. My job didn’t mean anything, really. But here, I can make a difference. I’ve already done something that matters. So even if I die tomorrow, I want you to know this has been worth it. I regret nothing. What you’ve given me… Don’t ever feel guilty for bringing me into this. Even if I die, don’t hold yourself responsible. I chose this.”
Owen looked back at her, his expression uncertain.
She realized something else. “Each Esme chose this. We alterni are free to go home if we want, right? But the eight Esmes before me stayed – even the stupid, nymph-dating, fairy Esme. From what I’ve read, a lot of kings’ alterni went home. The fact that mine stayed makes me proud. We Esmes are pretty tough after all.”
“Or stupidly stubborn.” He looked back at the floor.
“Owen, I think they each wanted to matter too. I know it hurt to lose your partners, but not everything is up to you, your royal lordship. They chose this. You don’t have to carry this guilt.”
“Esme…” Owen looked in her eyes as if he wanted to say something.
She felt his thumb gently rub her hand. Her stomach did a weird little flop, and she couldn’t force herself to pull her hand away.
It’s the pain meds he’s on. It’s just the pain meds. That’s the only reason he’s looking at me that way… Or maybe he’s remembering the first Esme as he looks at me.
She sat back and pulled her hand free. That seemed to disrupt whatever was going on in Owen’s mind, and he blinked his gaze away from her. He used the hand she’d been holding to rub his neck, and with a deep breath he rose to his feet.
Bethy jumped off the couch and ran to the door in anticipation.
“Thanks again,” said Owen like nothing had happened. “How about from now on we just agree to watch each other’s backs…and our own backs… All backs involved will be watched. Okay?”
Esme smiled and stood with him. “Deal.”
Owen nodded with a grunt and ruffled her hair, disintegrating whatever had hung in the air between them a moment ago. “Granny,” he muttered with a grin.
She rolled her eyes and provided moral support on his way to the exit, but she didn’t act as his crutch this time.
Best to not touch again.
Owen opened the door himself and stepped out into the dark night. Bethy dashed between them and ran off to do her business. The house’s security light kicked on, and Owen blinked against the glare. Esme looked to the street and saw, thankfully, a driver in the car waiting for him.
“Goodnight, alterni. They tell me you didn’t give a report yet, so we’ll do that first thing in the morning with Roman. See you in the library bright and early.”
He sounds like an official king once again, Esme thought with unexpected disappointment. Is that for the driver’s sake…or mine?
“Goodnight, my lord.”
She waited until Owen shuffled to the waiting car. Then Esme called Bethy back inside, shut the door, and leaned against the white wood.
What was that? We had a moment. That was weird… And I liked it, which was weirder. Oh, crap. Why can’t he be taller? I’d be completely turned off if he was tall!
When she heard the car drive off, Esme headed down the hall with the purpose of going to bed. Then she had a better idea and went to retrieve her thank you gift.
Hakim walked with Owen toward Marybeth’s restaurant. The king had given Esme the night off to hang out with Lexi. She’d earned it these past few months. Hakim himself could’ve used a night off, but Owen had insisted he come to this meeting.
“You can’t handle this yourself?” he asked the king.
Owen unrolled his cavali uniform’s sleeves to look more official. “A couple of jinn scout leaders are reporting in, and you know they think I’m an idiot. With you by my side, they take me more seriously.”
“Funny how I’m jinn and not a fairy when it suits you.”
“Isn’t it?” Owen grinned as he reached the door and stepped inside Marybe
th’s.
Hakim sighed and followed.
They entered to find a hodgepodge group seated around the largest table. Marybeth bowed to the king before she shuffled past them to lock the door, then she walked to the back of the restaurant to tend to business. While the rest bowed in greeting, Hakim scanned the group. First, he wasn’t thrilled to recognize the two well-dressed, heavily tattooed jinn men at the table. Next were two elves dressed as homeless men. Beside them was a big, dark-haired man with werewolf blood whom Hakim didn’t remember. Joe the nymph and Piper the fairy were the last of the group, with two empty chairs beside them.
It’s like the start of a bad joke, thought Hakim with a private grin. Two elves, a nymph, and a fairy walk into a bar…or barbecue joint, in this case.
Formal bows made, the scouts sat back in their seats. Everyone’s expressions were tense, even Piper’s, which wasn’t a good sign.
“Evening,” said Owen as he and Hakim sat in the vacant chairs.
The others mumbled greetings.
“Thanks for coming,” Owen began. “I appreciate how hard you’ve been working. Piper, thank you in particular for taking Esme to close the rift at the dance theater. I know that one was causing problems.”
The stunning fairy smiled at the king. “Happy to oblige, my lord. And thank you for contacting that agent in LA.”
He gave her a quick grin, then faced the elves. “Esme closed the new rift outside the art museum. Any more malevolenci activity in that area?”
“None since, my lord,” said the taller elf.
“Any more sightings around Eighteenth and Vine?”
The shorter elf shook his head. “None.”
“What about around the homeless shelters downtown? Esme closed the last rift there on Tuesday.”
“Our scouts at the shelters have their eyes open, but nobody’s seen anything.”
“Awesome.” Owen faced the big man with werewolf blood. “Any demons left around the stadiums?”
“There was a felicox we’d missed.” The man’s voice was low, as befitting his ancestry. “After Esme closed the rift, we made one last sweep and found the felicox scratching up cars in the parking lot. I took care of it.”
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