by Eve Newton
He pales at the threat, but it doesn’t stop him. “My charge has fucked him as well. I wonder if he compared the two of you?”
My mouth drops open. Jess and Cade? When? How? Yuck!
“Is that what you did?” I ask him just as nastily. “Did you compare her and me?”
His stiffens, shocked that I would ask him that, but it is me who gets a shock when he answers, “Yes.”
I bring my fist back and punch him in the face. He goes flying into the tile behind him and slides down, looking a bit dazed. I stand over him fuming and he shakes his head to clear it.
“She was better than you,” he mocks me. “She made me feel things I could only dream about.”
It takes me a moment to understand what he has just said.
Then, I cannot believe he just said that! I hold my hand out and fire off some Faerie magick at him, which leaves him fried.
“Say that again?” I ask him quietly.
He stands up on shaky legs and looks me dead in the eye. “So much better,” he says. “I craved her touch, her kiss…”
“You bastard!” I hiss at him and blast him with some lightning. He spasms furiously and drops in a heap at my feet. I reach out for him, dragging him to his feet so I can hit him in his handsome face again.
And again.
I beat him to a bloody pulp while the tears of rage and frustration and hurt stream down my face. He doesn’t fight me back; he just takes it and eventually I stop hitting him. He is bloody and bruised and scorched from my assault on him, but he smiles at me as I stare at him, panting.
“Feel better?” he asks around his swollen and split lip.
“What?” I ask him, a bit dazed and scared of myself for doing this to him.
“You wouldn’t speak to me. I had to do something to get you to take out your anger on me,” he says.
It doesn’t surprise me. It is a very Devon thing to do. He hates sitting around, always wanting action. It must have been killing him to have me ignore him like I have been doing.
I stand up and brush off my robe, pulling the belt tighter around me while I think of a response.
“Before you say anything, it was all a lie,” he says quietly. “I hate her. I am disgusted with myself; I feel dirty and cheap for even looking at her. I know have pissed on everything that was between us. Especially after what I asked you. I couldn’t help myself.”
“Why?” I ask desperately before I can stop myself. “Why did you do it?” I wring my messed-up hands as I wait for his answer.
“She offered me something that I wanted,” he says eventually.
“Which was?” I ask, because I really don’t know.
“My sire,” he says shortly.
“I am your sire,” I say and thump my chest for emphasis. “How dare you substitute me!” The tears have sprung into my eyes, but I will them not to fall.
“I didn’t mean to,” he says. “She came to me in a moment of weakness after you got back from the Fae Kingdoms. I was torn up inside, desperate to help you heal, but I couldn’t touch you. I needed something and she gave it to me. And then she kept coming back as Elizabeth. I told myself it was over a thousand times, but she wouldn’t let me go. I am weak, and I don’t deserve you. I’m so sorry. Please say you forgive me.”
I shake my head. “I can’t, Devon. Maybe if it was a look-alike, I could consider it, but another me? And that one to boot? It’s repulsive,” I say.
“I know,” he says, looking down. “I know,” he says again more forcefully. “I hate what I did to you, but every time I tried to end it, she wormed her way back in. She knew exactly which buttons to push.”
I heave a sigh and turn from him. I need a minute. I wasn’t ready for this confrontation. I am not ready to forgive, and I will never be able to forget the image of him screwing her in the clearing.
“Have you seen her since I found out?” I ask.
“No,” he says quickly.
“Because she didn’t come back or because you realized what a mistake you had made?” I challenge him.
“She came back, about a week after you were taken. I told her to go to Hell and Constantine was there. He will tell you,” he says desperately.
“After I came out of the coma and we were together, were you with her before me?” I have to know if I have been defiled.
He looks away and my heart explodes into a million pieces. I gasp sharply and turn from him, blinking back the tears.
“Yes,” he says quietly. “But I didn’t come to you that way. It was someone else.”
I turn back towards him in disbelief. He thinks that makes it better?
“I know how it sounds,” he says when he sees my face. “I was trying to get rid of the feel of her…”
He stops speaking as my face goes thunderous.
“I showered twice,” he adds meekly and in spite of everything I snicker at him. “I haven’t given up on us, Lizzie. I love you. I need you. I still want to marry you. This whole situation is killing me.”
I look at him quizzically as now he is talking about something else, but what? So much has happened.
“Everything!” he says. “You have four husbands, and not one of them is me. You are destined to have kids, and yet none of them will be mine. It was always supposed to be us, Elizabeth. You and me. You promised me centuries ago.”
“I know,” I say. “I’m sorry how all of this has played out and I know you are hurting. Obviously,” I add quietly. I think I am starting to understand why he did what he did. It doesn’t excuse it, not by a long shot, but I know I haven’t been there for him. So, he found someone who would be. I close my eyes and draw in a deep breath. He hesitantly steps forward and I take him in my arms. He crushes me, whispering into my hair after I tell him I forgive him. If I don’t, this will fester, and it will ruin us.
“Don’t ever,” I start to say, but he interrupts me.
“Never!” he says fiercely. “Never, ever again. I promise.”
It breaks my heart that we have had to go through this. I never thought I would have to have this conversation with him of all people.
I pull away from him and turn towards the shower. I have to get a move on now.
“Are we okay now?” he asks tentatively.
“Yes,” I say. “I don’t like not speaking to you.”
“I hate it!” he says. “Especially after everything that has happened to you.”
“You know, I’m okay,” I say.
“What about what I asked you?” He looks away.
My heart thunders in my chest. “I can’t, Dev. Not now. I can forgive you, but I can’t forget. Not yet.”
“Lizzie, please,” he begs me, his face distraught.
I shake my head and I see the glisten of tears in his eyes. I lower mine so I don’t have to see how upset he is. But I can’t help thinking that he brought it on himself. He knew how I felt about this. I needed him of all people to never hurt me and what he has done is one of the worst things possible.
“Please, Lizzie, don’t say no. Just tell me you need time.”
I stare at him silently.
“Please,” he whispers and my heart breaks.
“There is so much going on. As you said, I have four husbands. I am being lined up to be a brood mare for different creatures, I have shit piling up around my ears. I just can’t think about it. Not yet.”
“I will give you time and space. The ball is in your court, Lizzie. Please just tell me it’s not a ‘no’ and I will back off. I swear.”
I nod at him and the relief floods his eyes.
He nods and backs out without another word. I am devastated. I really wanted what he was offering me, but not after what he did. How can I trust him? My darling boy has been defiled by that whore and I just…can’t.
I need to get my head into gear for this confrontation. I can only hope that the child is nowhere to be seen, or I am probably going to lose it. I hate to admit it to myself, but I think part of the reason I complied wit
h CK’s request is to get back at Cole. It’s so petty, especially as he says he didn’t know about it, but it still hurts, and I am still so very angry about it.
I sigh and climb back out of the shower and get dried and dressed, carefully. I choose a black business suit with a white blouse underneath. This isn’t a social call, it’s business, so dress the part.
I breathe in deeply and am just about to Astral off when Cole stops me.
“You’re going now?” he asks.
“Yes,” I say.
He hands me my handbag and says, “You will probably need this.”
I take it from him with a sheepish smile. Yes, I very definitely need the contents of this bag. “Thanks,” I mutter.
He shrugs and then bends down to kiss me. I give him a quick peck and say, “I’ll see you soon.”
He nods and off I go, having the presence of mind to create a shadow cover the second my feet hit the ground outside Carolyn’s Beverly Hills home. If anyone saw me, now all they would see is an empty porch, and think they had hallucinated or something. I take a moment to look at the house. It’s nice enough. Modest, by my standards, but then my standards are pretty grandiose. I ring the bell and wait, not really knowing what to expect.
I did not expect a woman to open the door that looks almost exactly like me, but a bit taller. I grip the handle of my bag a bit tighter and make a mental note to blast Cole for not giving me a bit of warning that I was coming to see a look-alike. It does occur to me belatedly that I am actually her look-alike and that thought does not sit well with me at all. It makes it easier to be angry, though, so I hold onto that as I grimace at her, in the form of a tight smile. She smiles back and tilts her head at me.
“Can I help you?” she asks, her green eyes quizzical.
“Yes,” I say. “I am here on behalf of Cole O’Dell.”
Her face freezes over as she clearly recognizes me then.
“I’m Liv O’Dell, Cole’s wife.” I twist the knife and get some satisfaction that she has been thoroughly disarmed by my visit. “May I come in?”
She hesitates and then decides, for propriety’s sake, to let me in. I will deal with this out here if need be, but she has other ideas. She steps back and ushers me inside. I know from Cole that she is a lawyer, so anything I hand to her she will be able to read and understand herself.
My stomach clenches as she leads me into a sunny sitting room filled with baby paraphernalia of every kind. A quick glance around shows me the child in question is not in attendance. Thank the old gods.
She squares off with me as I turn back towards her and she crosses her arms. No polite offer of a cup of tea or even to sit down. Straight to business. My kind of woman, I think ironically.
“Cole has sent me to negotiate some terms with you,” I start. When she doesn’t say anything, I continue. “He will be financially responsible for your child, but other than that he wants no part of your lives.”
She simmers in silence and I raise my eyebrow at her in frustration. Well, nothing left but to pull out the document and the check and hand them to her. “This will cover the first installment. As you will see there are six more of the same value to be issued at various points in the child’s life.”
She takes it from me, and her eyes widen at the check. Yes, it is more than generous and hopefully an incentive for her to accept the offer and not pursue this with Cole.
“Why didn’t he come himself to tell me all of this?” she asks eventually.
“You are his past,” I say. “Our family is his future.”
I let that carefully chosen phrase linger there for a moment. This is what I wanted to say to her without Cole’s knowledge. If she thinks there is a child between us, she will know it’s over between them. I don’t feel guilty at the little white lie. I never specifically said we were having a child, I just let her believe it.
“I see,” she says quietly. She sits then and flicks through the document. I turn away to give her a minute and look out of the window while I wait. I turn back to her when she says, “Fine. If he doesn’t want any part of our son’s life, then tell him to go and screw himself.”
I tilt my head at her as she throws the document on the table. Very well. I reach for it and the check, which she quickly snatches out of my reach.
I smile condescendingly at her. “No signature, no check,” I say and that gives her pause. I am asking her to sign away Cole’s parental rights and to never mention to anyone, especially the boy, who his father is. She thinks it over and I know she is going to comply. A total of thirty million dollars over her son’s lifetime far outweighs anything else she is thinking right now, and once she signs it will be too late. This isn’t just a legal document, but a magick one. I’m no fool. Once she signs, she will be magickly unable to tell anyone anything. She leans over and signs away, still clutching the check to her. I whisk the paperwork off the coffee table and sign it myself, giving her a copy back. I nod and turn towards the door.
“Tell Cole I hope that he’s happy,” she says quietly.
I am ready to retort with a sarcastic comment when I realize she was actually being sincere.
“He is,” I answer on his behalf and leave her house hoping never to return. I Astral back home from behind a tree, leaving the shadow cover in place. It’s the least I can do to protect them in their own home.
“Well?” Cole asks me as soon as I land back in our bedroom.
I hand him the signed document and he looks somewhere between relieved and sad. “Changing your mind?” I ask.
“What? No, no of course not,” he says quickly.
I nod briskly and change my outfit to something more comfortable. CK tuts at me as he enters the room and I roll my eyes at him. “Just give me today,” I say. “I will dress the part tomorrow.”
“We are going to do that thing now,” he reminds me gently with a look at Cole, who frowns at him. “You cannot go looking like that.”
“Fine, pick me something appropriate out,” I whine, and he looks delighted that I have handed over control of my wardrobe to him.
“Where are you going?” Cole asks, standing up and hovering over me anxiously.
“Uhm, nowhere interesting,” I stammer and CK freezes momentarily before he resumes his search of my closet.
Cole frowns at me. “Where?” he demands with his hands on his hips.
“Just somewhere that is important to CK,” I say and hope that he doesn’t step in and blurt out our plans to Cole. I am sure I want to do this, but I am not sure how I am supposed to tell this to Cole. He will be devastated.
Lucky for me, CK is in a secretive kind of mood and turns around to say, “Yes, I need Aefre to come with me somewhere. I need her advice on something.”
“What’s the big secret?” Cole yells. “Why can’t I come with you?”
“You aren’t invited,” CK says.
I place my hand on Cole who looks like he is about to commit murder and try to placate him. “We will spend some time together when we get back. Just the two of us, I promise.”
“Fine,” Cole sulks. “Go on your little secret mission. See if I care.” He stalks off in a huff and I feel just awful. This hasn’t been the best day for him so far and now this.
CK silently hands me a gown as I stare after Cole and I absently take it without really looking at it. When I do, I raise my eyebrow in surprise. “Traditional and formal, is she?” I ask, holding up the over-the-top, extravagant, burgundy silk gown with gold embroidery that I didn’t even know I owned.
“Yes,” he says shortly and helps me into the cumbersome gown before he turns me to tie up the laces. I know what is coming next when he asks casually, “Why do you not want Cole to know where we are going?”
“It’s more that I don’t want him to know why we are going. Not yet, my love. It will hurt him,” I explain.
“Hmm,” he says. “He is going to have to know eventually.”
“I know,” I say. “Just let me be the one to tell him, o
kay. Please.”
“Of course,” he says, as if he wouldn’t dream of blurting out our secrets. Arse. “Ready?” he asks.
“Yes,” I say, turning around. I take his hands and Astral us to the ruins of Tintagel Castle in Cornwall, England. I look around expecting to see Rosalina standing there, which is rather silly of me as Sebastian said she lives on a plane adjacent to here. “How do we get there?” I ask CK and peer over his shoulder as Sebastian Teleports in behind him.
“What are you doing here?” I ask him as CK senses him and turns around.
“What are you doing here?” he asks back.
“None of your concern,” CK snaps at him. “Leave us.”
“No,” Sebastian says, and I roll my eyes. What is with everyone today?
“Why are you going to see Rosalina now?” Sebastian asks me with narrowed eyes. “Is there something I should know, Aefre?”
I grab CK’s hand that has bunched into a tight fist and is ready to slam into Sebastian’s nose.
“Call her that again and I will take your head off your shoulders and shove it so far up your ass you won’t know what hit you,” CK says and while the mental picture is rather amusing, the logistics of that would be rather difficult to accomplish what with Sebastian turning to ash and all.
As a result, Sebastian doesn’t give into the threat and crosses his arms as he looks at me, expecting an answer.
“Nothing like that,” I say quietly.
“Then what?” he presses.
“None of your fucking concern,” CK says and I don’t need to see him to know his eyes have gone black. He is really losing his control at the drop of a hat these days. It is slightly worrying.
Sebastian glares at him and CK glares back and then goes smug. Seems he has changed his mind and is quite eager to share now. “Aefre has agreed to have my child. We are going to see Rosalina to help speed the process along. So, if you don’t mind, we should get going. She doesn’t like to be kept waiting.”
Sebastian’s mouth forms a tight, grim line and he is absolutely furious. “What is the meaning of this?” he thunders at me. “You told me you chose your father, that means you chose me.”