“Sounds like a plan.” Gage was prepared to tell his family all the things he had been keeping a secret right then and there, but that was put on hold by a shrill screech that tore through the house.
They both ran to the door just in time to see Leigh jogging down the hallway. “Toni!” she shouted, “Get back here! No! Land, damn it, land!” Frankie and Gage turned to look at each other for a moment before bolting out into the hall to chase after her.
They made it down the hall and down the stairs before catching up to Leigh. She was standing in the middle of the living room with her eyes trained toward the high ceiling. Frankie looked up and saw a tiny little dragon sailing in circles above their heads.
“Oh shit,” Gage said, seeing it at the same time Frankie did.
“Toni!” Leigh demanded. “Shit, Cowboy, get your daughter!” The dragon screeched again and shot fire from her little mouth. The drapes caught fire. Again.
Rebel had been standing there watching to see what would happen. There was no way Leigh could change into her dragon in the house, so he wanted to see what his little girl would do. Now that she had started a fire, he guessed it was time for Daddy to help. He lifted his body effortlessly into the air and caught Toni in his arms. The little dragon struggled in his grip, but he began to sing as he slowly lowered them both to the floor. “Hush little baby don’t you cry,” his deep voice rumbled. Toni began to calm and by the time Rebel’s feet touched the carpet, she was no longer struggling.
“Time to go back to being a human,” he told her softly. The dragon whimpered, but the magic began to surround her and she was once again a small infant human. She turned her little body and snuggled into her daddy’s chest.
Rebel looked at Leigh and smiled with so much pride in his eyes that it was hard for her to stay mad at him for not helping sooner. “I tell you what,” she grumbled as she marched off to find the fire extinguisher, “that child can’t even crawl, but just as soon as she gets pissed off things catch on fire.” She continued grumbling into the other room. Even as she said it, she knew that Toni was definitely her daughter, and although she was angry and frustrated, Leigh was also exceptionally proud of her little dragoness.
“Maybe we should plan that talk for Toni’s naptime,” Frankie suggested.
“Yeah,” Gage agreed, “And maybe we should give up on having drapes in this house.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
“Sit still,” Delia told Rakimesh as she pushed him back on his bed gently. “I can’t get this off unless you cooperate.”
“Do you have any idea how much that hurts?” he snarled at her.
Delia was not affected by his anger. She knew he wasn’t angry at her, but at the situation. He had come to her for help because he knew she could be trusted. He knew she would help him. It was all she could do not to laugh when he told her the problem. She listened quietly, biting the inside of her cheek, as he gave her a play by play of the events he had endured.
“I am not trying to hurt you,” she said softly. She had searched the tool room in the palace for anything that would release glue. Finally, she had found some release gel. It was intended for super-glue, but it was all she had, so she gave it a try. And it was working. She would apply a small amount to his hand and let him try to work it free. Every few minutes, she would apply a little more. Slowly but surely, his hand was releasing his cock.
Delia couldn’t help but think it was Karma that did this to him. She knew that his bride would be coming soon, but that did not prepare her for the intense pang of jealousy she felt at first sight of that woman.
Gods, Serena was beautiful. Her long red locks were something that just wasn’t common in this part of the world, not to mention her eyes. She seemed to shimmer with every move and she held a latent power within her that made Delia shudder.
Of course, Rakimesh was not hers to defend, so she remained quiet and polite during their meeting. She did not act upon the urge to scratch the new woman’s eyes out for even thinking of touching her Prince. But after a moment or so, it became very clear to Delia what the deal was with Serena. The pain in her eyes spoke volumes and it was clear that she did not want to be there any more than Delia wanted her there.
“There,” Delia said as Rakimesh’s hand finally broke free. “Go wash as much off as you can, but I am afraid it will take several days to be rid of all that glue.”
“I cannot thank you enough,” he sighed full of relief. “I trust you will tell no one about this?”
“Rest assured, I will not say a word.”
Delia watched him walk carefully to his bathroom, which had been cleaned and fresh towels brought in, to wash away the remaining glue. She bit back a snicker, knowing full well who was to blame for his predicament. She didn’t dare mention that his hair now held lovely red highlights; for fear that it would be his breaking point. He told her about the shampoo mixture, but she assumed he did not know what vinegar and baking soda would do to hair. He had not mentioned it and she was not going to either. She hated that he had to go through such a painful and embarrassing situation, but she also felt a ton of respect for the woman who did it to him. If Serena wanted him to not want her, she was going about it the right way.
Delia decided it was time for her to speak with Serena. As funny as her antics were, Delia feared she would use more and more dangerous methods to keep Rakimesh away from her. She was willing to offer Serena her aid if she would take it. She hoped as a result, no actual harm would come to her prince.
“I am going to go and check on your bride,” Delia said loudly enough for Rakimesh to hear her over the water. “She is no doubt disappointed that you will be unavailable for a time.”
She heard a mumbled thank you from the bathroom as she exited his room. She padded down the hall to Serena’s room and knocked lightly.
“I am not in the mood to entertain now,” Serena answered from inside.
“I am not seeking entertainment,” Delia answered. “We must speak, and what is to be said cannot be said through a closed door.”
Delia waited patiently while Serena decided whether or not to open the door. She knew when the decision had been made, because she heard her walking to the door. She cracked it open only an inch.
“What is it?” she asked through the crack.
Delia broke into a wide grin. “It seems that the prince will not be coming to you tonight,” she said, barely suppressing a laugh. “I would very much appreciate it if you let me in so we can talk in private.”
Serena bit her lower lip for a moment before deciding on letting Delia in. She finally opened the door wide and stepped aside for her. Delia made sure to close and lock the door behind her. She looked at
Serena with barely contained laughter. “Someone has sabotaged the prince’s bath and he is feeling a little under the weather because of it.”
Horror struck across Serena’s lovely face. “Is he sick?” she asked. It was not her intention to make him sick, only to inconvenience him.
“Not exactly,” Delia chuckled. “He is currently washing glue from some uncomfortable places.”
Serena saw a vision of him trying to wash the glue off his dick and barked out a laugh. She covered it with a cough and used her hand to hide the smile on her face.
“No one else in the palace knows what has taken place,” Delia said seriously. “But I believe I know who the culprit is.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Serena denied.
“I understand,” Delia said, “and your secret is safe with me. I have come to help you.”
Serena was dumbstruck. Why would she want to help? Helping her could get her kicked out of the palace. “I am not sure I follow what you are talking about.”
“You don’t want to be here. It is plain in your eyes. I know Rakimesh, and I think I can help you.”
“Why would you want to help me?” Serena asked, taking a seat on her bed. She did love the plush down comforter that was spread across it. She ran her ha
nds over the soft material while Delia made herself comfortable.
“Because it is plain to see that you are pining for someone else. I know how that feels. If you marry Rakimesh, there is no hope for you to be with the one you really love.”
“You care for him,” Serena said. Not a question, but a statement of fact.
“Yes, I do,” Delia answered honestly.
“I mean no offense, but I don’t see myself married to a man who keeps other women. I saw the way he looks at you. I don’t think for a second he will be faithful to me.”
“He treats us all with reverence and affection,” Delia said. “And if you were to marry him, we would remain here. We would no longer share his bed if that was what you wanted, though. We are well taken care of and we enjoy our life here. We would find other ways to become useful here in the palace.” “I don’t believe he would let you go,” Serena said. “He looks at you like Gage looks at me.” Serena felt a sharp stab of pain in her heart when she said his name out loud. Her chest sank in on itself and she had to forcefully pull air into her lungs to keep from dying of heartbreak right there.
“Gage,” Delia said. “What an interesting name. Is that the man you pine for?”
Serena nodded, afraid to speak because she knew the tears she held at bay would come crashing out of her, reducing her to a slobbering pile of blubber.
“Then we must be honest with Rakimesh,” Delia said. “He is more understanding than you think.”
Serena didn’t know why, but she trusted this woman who vowed to help her. She knew that even if they were not successful and she was forced to marry him, at least, she had a friend here. That gave her some measure of comfort, and for the first time since she arrived, she began to feel a small bit of hope.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Brea watched as her family filed into the living room. Of course, Jade and Angel were there first, sitting on the sofa together and having a silent conversation in their minds. The looks they were exchanging made Brea wonder if she should be worried about what they were planning. They had their heads together and giggling every so often, like a couple of teenagers.
Then Jessica and Sebastian walked in. Brea knew Jessica had not been sleeping lately, but unfortunately, they had not told anyone if it was because she was dreaming or because she didn’t want to dream. Her dreams could be disturbing sometimes and Brea didn’t know how Jessica survived them. The only saving grace for them was that they always meant something. Someone’s life was always affected and she alone had the power to change the outcome.
Jacque and Frankie were next, entering the room hand in hand. Brea loved to see them together. She had watched Jacque waste away for too long without her, and now that she was home, things were better. He was happy again. The color returned to his face and he even smiled. A lot. Frankie made a great vampire and the look on Jacque’s face was pure adoration. It was the same look Angel still gave her.
Gage came next, alone. He flopped down into the recliner and cocked his head back to stare at the ceiling. The mark on his neck was a glaring reminder of why they had to have this little meeting in the first place. It was beautiful and the butterfly wings only enhanced it. But the look of pain that he carried in his eyes was nearly enough to send Brea over to him just to hug him. She didn’t know what else she could do, but that would be a start.
Her feet moved without permission from her brain. She bent down over him and wrapped her arms around his neck before he could protest. She heard him sigh and then he returned her embrace. There were so many things she wanted to say to him right then, but none of them would come out. All she ended up saying was a whispered “We love you.”
She felt him nod against her shoulder and his arms tightened around her for a brief second. He let her go and she returned to her seat across the room. Everyone was looking at her, silently agreeing with her.
Leigh and Rebel were the last to join the group. “I’m sorry,” Leigh said as she took a seat with her husband. She let out a long breath as if she had been holding it for a while. She looked overly tired and a little worse for the wear. “Toni wasn’t feeling the nap. Rebel finally got her to go to sleep.”
“Ah, Love, what ever would you do without me?” he said playfully.
“Go completely fucking insane,” she answered honestly. She reached over and took his hand into her own. “Now,” she said to the group, “Let’s get on with this.”
Gage pulled a deep breath into his lungs before standing up. He knew it was time for him to come clean. Not just about Serena, but for all the things he had been keeping from his family. He looked at each of their faces. These people, who looked at him not with anger, but with sympathy and love, were his family. He didn’t know why he thought they wouldn’t understand and he didn’t know why he felt that he couldn’t trust them with his secrets. They were all he had in this life, and he felt extremely sorry for his actions. He opened his mouth to tell them so, but he couldn’t seem to find the right words. They all sat there, waiting, expecting to hear some real answers. Hell, after all he had put them through, he owed them nothing less than the truth. The whole truth. Apologies first. He dropped his barriers to allow them to feel just how sorry he was. He let them feel how much he loved Serena and let them know that it was never his intention to hurt them.
As the wave of emotions hit them, a couple of the men groaned aloud and Brea put her hand on her chest and gasped. Jessica and Frankie had tears rolling down their cheeks. “That hurts, Gage,” Jade chastised him. He looked into her eyes. I’m sorry, he said to her mind.
Jade nodded and Gage put his barriers back up. “I didn’t want to hurt anyone,” he started. “I wanted you to know how very sorry I am. For everything. I should have told you. I should have trusted you.”
“Damn right you should have,” Leigh grumbled. She fought against herself to rise up and slug him again, just for good measure. He had hurt her by not trusting her or their family. She wasn’t a tears and boo hoo type of girl. Her emotions usually came out as anger first. Rebel put his hand on her knee and she sat back, allowing Gage to continue.
“I feel like I should start from the beginning. I am a vampire. I was not made, I was born a vampire. I never knew my father, but my mother told me he was a pure vampire, as was she. I know what this means.”
“A purebred,” Angel said to no one. A pure-bred vampire had skills that were either stronger than mixed vamps or that they did not possess at all. A pure vampire was something special. It was so special that they were revered as leaders, respected for their power, and even feared.
“Yeah,” Gage replied. He pushed his hand through his hair. Well, he might as well get it all out in the open. “I didn’t want anyone to know because I didn’t want to be treated differently. I didn’t want anything to do with my heritage, and I still don’t.”
“All these years,” Angel said, “and you have never once mentioned your family. Who was your mother?”
Gage stared at the floor. He wished it would just open up and swallow him. There was no turning back at this point though. He raised his eyes to meet his long-time friend and leader’s. Finally, he just said it. “My mother was Helena Rachnoire.”
A collective gasp filled the room. Yeah, the people who were not vampires had no idea who she was, but the others did.
“Wait,” Jacque said, standing to be eye to eye with Gage. “Your mother was Helena. Queen Helena? The last of the royal family? She was your mother?” Gage nodded in response, while staring at the floor.
“Zut alors,” Jacque whispered in his native tongue.
“What?” Leigh snapped.
“Helena,” Rebel whispered in awe.
“Would someone please tell me what the fuck is going on?” Leigh demanded. She was not liking where all this talk of Queens and shit was going. Hell, she was silently praying that she had not had a fist fight with a fucking royal shit head.
Angel stood by Gage’s side. His eyes traveled over Gage from top to bottom and ba
ck again. It was as if he were looking for something that was different in his friend that he might have missed before. “Helena was the last of the royal family. I never met her, but she was rumored to have had a child before her death. No one knew for certain. She went into hiding years before they found her body next to the body of a werewolf. After her death, the royal bloodline was considered extinct, which is why we now have clans and clan leaders.” He looked directly into Gage’s eyes. There was no sign of a lie there, and Angel finally understood. This changed everything.
“No,” Gage said, knowing what Angel meant to do, but it was too late. Angel dropped to one knee in front of Gage. “Really, no,” Gage said again. “Get up. This is why I didn’t tell you.”
His brothers followed suit and they all kneeled in front of him. “Your Highness,” Angel said reverently. “We pledge our allegiance to you and are yours to command.”
“No,” Gage said again as Frankie joined them on the floor. This was exactly what he did not want. “Guys, stop.” He knew he was bordering on whining, but still he tried. “No, stop this.”
Brea and Jessica joined them on the floor as well. Oh hell, this was worse than he ever imagined. Here he was, pouring out his heart and soul, and no one would fucking listen.
Well, almost no one.
“I sure as fuck hope you don’t think I’m gonna bow to you and do your bidding,” Leigh said from her relaxed seat on the sofa. “You can kiss my ass on that one.”
At that same moment, Cody and Marcus walked into the house. As the main guards to the house, they had standing permission to enter at any time, and so they did. Often they came by just to say hello at the beginning of their shift or goodbye at the end. As they entered the family room, they saw what was going on.
Cody shook his blonde head and Marcus squished his eyebrows together at the sight of everyone kneeling in front of Gage. “Um, I think we missed something important,” Cody said to anyone who was listening.
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