Artistic Vision tgc-3

by Dana Marie Bell

  She took off, already dreading the coming interview with the Hob. Robin was not going to like this latest development. That was one man who really hated to lose.

  He was lost in a nightmare world of pain and degradation, the visions coming faster and faster. Unable to process them, he’d given up trying to make sense of them. Instead, he allowed them to flash before his eyes, helpless to hide from his own powers even deep within his own mind. More than a few of those visions showed what would happen to Shane if he gave in, if he allowed the sweet whisper of dark power currently coursing through him to take over, to channel his visions. It didn’t take a genius to figure out who the seductive female figure whispering in his ear was.

  The Dark Queen, the first leanan Sidhe. The first vampire.

  Most vampires had forgotten the lore that their ability to seduce their victim’s minds, to inject pleasure or pain, came from their Sidhe Queen’s roots. So had most Sidhe. But Shane understood, whether he wanted to or not. When she’d given her soul over to the demon masquerading as a man, he’d granted her powers beyond those of any Sidhe who’d ever lived. But deep inside, she’d still been a Sidhe.

  A flash of creamy breast, a burst of agonizing flame in his balls and Shane was screaming to be released. The vision flashed again, and Shane stood on a black road, watching something or someone drive away, someone he desperately needed to talk to. Then another flash, and Akane lay broken and bleeding, her wings torn, her horns twisted off her head. Her golden eyes had dulled to lifeless black.

  Shane writhed in his restraints, the need to save his mate overriding everything else.

  The vision whirled away to be replaced by a hospital room. A pretty woman stood over a child and smiled while pumping poison into its veins.

  “We’re losing him.”

  “Where the fuck is Cassie?”

  Shane could barely hear his sister’s voice, but the fear in it had another vision floating before him. Moira, chained and naked, marked by countless bruises, the personal cow of a vampire so malevolent he made the Dark Queen look like a sheepdog. The vampire’s bright red hair had Shane shivering in horror.

  “If his mind cracks nothing will bring him back.”

  The Liberty Bell rang, cracking on the third ring.

  Duncan. That voice belonged to the Sidhe who’d mated his sister.

  “Shane! Listen up! If you give in Akane will die. You hear me? Akane. Will. Die!”

  Akane.

  The visions swirled again, and before him was the vision that had driven him to first create the sculpture Akane. The dragoness soared, high and free, joy in every movement of her body. Shane watched her, a child held close in his arms, another trying desperately to follow his mother into the sky.

  Shane held onto that vision with both hands, using it as a club to beat the others back. If he could hold on just a little bit longer, that one would come true.

  But the darkness crept closer, and one of the children vanished.

  Akane followed Jaden’s directions to the safe house, changing once more to her human Seeming when they reached a quiet part of the city. The sun had finally set, but the humans were thick on the ground, forcing Akane to land on top of a building that looked like it might have a working fire escape.

  “C’mon down.” Jaden whispered to her, clinging to the side of the building like a four legged spider.

  “You’re funny.” Akane made her way to the fire escape. “You’re also paying for the taxi.”

  Jaden snickered, but otherwise climbed silently down the side of the building. Akane kept her own descent as quiet as possible but she didn’t have the vampire’s ability to silence her footfalls. Still, she was a Blade, trained by the Hob himself to use what the gods gave her. So Akane, realizing the fire escape was too damn noisy, chose to risk spreading her wings. She glided down to a dirty, stinking alley silently, wondering why she’d bothered with the fire escape in the first place. She shouldn’t have made such a rookie mistake.

  “Mating makes you crazy, especially when one of them is in danger.”

  Akane glared at the vampire.

  “Oh! I have a present for you.”

  Akane walked out of the alley, praying nothing had stuck to the soles of her shoes. She’d hate to burn a favorite pair of Ferragamos. “What?”

  He held out a plastic jar. “Just a little something for when we find Constance and Hobart.”

  She took the bottle and read the label. “Barbeque sauce?”

  He shrugged. “You would have preferred Heinz 57?”

  Akane held up the barbeque sauce and shook it. “Taxi!”

  “You’re no fun anymore.”

  The cold was seeping into his bones. The children were gone. The dragon was gone. Only the voice remained, whispering.

  “Shh. I have you now.”

  Seagulls. Why did he hear seagulls? Waves crashed on the shore, gently washing against the bare feet of the man with the silver hair and sad eyes. Something precious had been lost in the waves and might never be found again.

  Crows cawed in the distance, answering the call of their lord, but whose side he was on no one knew. Darkness followed him, and the road forked before him, one full of fog, one dark as a moonless night.

  A dark-haired man sat at a bar drinking whiskey, remembering a time when he rode a destrier at the side of the lord with the silver hand. He lifted his glass in remembrance of the fallen lord.

  “Shh. Duncan, I think I know what’s going on.”

  Oh goody. At least someone had a clue.

  “Can you heal him?”

  Duncan sounded pretty tired. He should go take a nap.

  White sheets on a white bed. Monitors blipped and a woman wept. Black nails caressed a pale nape as hope died.

  “He’s losing his touch with reality. The parasite was burned away, but not before planting a dormant seed. When Shane and Akane mated the seed woke and did this, but I don’t think it was supposed to be triggered just yet. I’m going to root it out. Moira, I’ll need the salamander in here to kill it, okay?”

  He couldn’t hear what else was said. A crow feasted on one bright blue eye as the farm burned around him.

  “Now I need you to do one more thing for me, okay, Moira?”

  Shane watched the axe fall, taking the hand of the king.

  “Cover your ears.”

  All the visions stilled as the most beautiful voice in the world drove them back into darkness.

  Akane jumped out of the cab, a shiver of dread running through her. “We don’t have much time.” Jaden nodded, that brash tongue silent for once. They stood before the safe house, knowing it was more than likely a trap. “I’ll take the heat for killing Hobart. You take down Constance.”

  “She’s the Black’s Malmayne lord.”

  Akane stared at her partner. “How do you know that? I thought Henri pledged them over.”

  Jaden shook his head. “He lied. I could smell it on him.”

  One eyebrow rose. “Really?”

  Jaden snorted in disgust. “It was stinky. Kinda like camel piss.”

  Akane blinked. She was not going to ask. She was not. “Are we sanctioned for this hit?”

  “You have doubts?”

  Jaden and Akane both flinched. “Robin.”

  “Did you think you could hide the signs from me of one of my own?” Black claws caressed her cheek and Akane bowed her head.

  “Forgive me, lord. I only thought of my injured mate.”

  Those sharp-as-fuck claws tapped, drawing blood. “I know.” Jaden grunted. The Hob had exacted blood price from him as well. “The kill is mine.”

  “Yes, sir.” Akane remained bowed, waiting for Robin’s permission to move.

  “Take the female. Make an example of her, but leave enough recognizable that Glorianna will be satisfied with the death.”

  “Yes, my lord.”

  She didn’t hear Jaden respond. For a split second she was afraid for her partner, that Robin’s price had been higher fo
r him than it had been for her.

  “Rise.”

  Akane lifted her head, almost dizzy with relief when Jaden appeared unharmed.

  “Whatever you do, stay away from the back parlor. Do you understand me?” Robin’s hand pushed back her hair from her forehead like a proud papa. “I will be most displeased if you disobey.” The tone of voice was quiet and pleasant, but the intent was not. Whatever Robin had in mind for his errant child was not to be witnessed by outsiders.

  “Yes, my lord.”

  “Yes, sir.” Jaden nodded once, his gaze already glued to the upper story of the safe house. Green flashed through his ebony eyes. “She’s up there. Hobart is in the basement, my lord.”

  “I know.” The Hob once more sounded amused. “Go. Exact Oberon’s Justice for what was done to Shane Joloun Dunne. May the gods have mercy on her soul, for we shall not.”

  The Hob smiled at them, sauntered up to the door as neat as you please, turned the handle and went inside the house, for all the world as if he lived there.

  “That man has diamond balls.”

  “You mean brass,” Akane corrected. She took a deep breath and looked around, hoping the street was empty despite the early hour. But the fact that they were in a fairly nice neighborhood put paid to that hope. People were beginning to come home from work in the early evening light. She eyed the front door and considered whether or not she had the same balls her boss did.

  “Nope. Diamonds are a lot harder. Besides, they’re a girl’s best friend.”

  Akane stared at her partner. “That’s just wrong.”

  Jaden winked and began climbing up the side of the building.

  “Show-off.” Akane braved the front entrance but extended her claws just in case. If Constance made a break for it the punishment would be over far too quickly, but Akane couldn’t risk the Sidhe female escaping. She set her foot on the first stair when a feminine cry of distress echoed down to them. Jaden had apparently made his appearance and Constance was none too happy about it.

  “Hey! Leave some for me!” Akane cried out, racing up the stairs.

  Tonight Constance Malmayne would die.

  Akane burst into a very feminine room. Pale pastels adorned the walls, matching floral prints on the bedspread and sheets. The furniture was a pale golden brown. A nicely padded armchair rested before a fireplace faced with white marble.

  “What took you so long?” Jaden had his arm wrapped around Constance’s neck, his hold just tight enough that the Sidhe female couldn’t break free. He shook the woman’s head. “Stop that. Only three people in my head at a time, thank you.”

  Akane grinned. “Let me have her.”

  “Are you going to do that head ripping thing? That is so hot.”

  Akane tilted her head and pretended to think about it. “Nah. I was thinking of playing butterfingers.”

  “Butterfingers?” Jaden frowned. “Isn’t that the game you used to call bombs away?”

  “Yep.” Akane examined the toe of her shoe, frowning. Something dark and icky stained the point. She rubbed her shoe on the pale rose carpet to try and clean it.

  “You can’t kill me.” Constance trembled in Jaden’s hold, whether from fear or from the effort to break into the vampire’s mind Akane didn’t know.

  “Haven’t we heard this song before?” Jaden tossed her like a doll, sure Akane would catch her.

  Akane grabbed hold of the flailing Sidhe. “It’s an oldie but a goodie.”

  “You think I’m no threat to you? You think if you kill me the Malmaynes will leave the Dunnes alone? Is that it?” Constance laughed, the sound bitter. “She has plans for them, plans we were only a small part of. This is bigger than the stinking half-breed Dunnes.”

  Akane caressed Constance’s cheek much as Robin had done hers. “Really?” She exchanged a look with Jaden, getting his approval to continue questioning Constance. “Tell me more.”

  Black lace over blood-red eyes. Claws ripped away the veil and revealed nothing but darkest night. Bright light dimmed in the face of tragedy. Chaos became blind in the name of love. White cloth coated in innocent blood. Rage and grief took vengeance side by side as love drained away.

  The visions were coming too fast now to make much sense. Shane held on to the sweetly singing voice, his only lifeline in the maelstrom around him. Without that voice he’d already be mad, the visions driving him over the edge.

  Lost. He was lost. They were lost, memory a fragile thing, easily broken. Tainted blood brushed against his tongue, poisoned his dreams. His only hope lay in the rise and fall of the fickle sea.

  “There’s some sort of plot against Oberon, but I don’t know all the details. Just our part in it.” Constance wriggled, trying to break free of Akane’s hold. Just because Akane was short people continued to underestimate her. There was no way the Sidhe female was getting away.

  “Which was to get the child of Dunne.” Jaden gripped Constance’s chin, forcing her to stare into his eyes. “I take that personally.”

  “The child of Dunne will one day perform an act that will change our world.” Constance parroted the prophecy. “The child had to be in our control.”

  “So you could hand him or her over to the Dark Queen.”

  Constance nodded. “My father had it all planned.”

  Jaden barely blinked, but Akane’s partner was shocked. If this went back to Cullen… “What about the original marriage contract between Duncan and Aileen?”

  “That had nothing to do with the prophecy and everything to do with power. We knew Sean Dunne would marry into the Joloun family. If we had a toehold in the family we thought we might be able to influence him.”

  “How?”

  Constance bit her lip, refusing to answer.

  “Answer me!” Akane breathed pale flame on the column of Constance’s neck.

  The Sidhe shrieked. “How what?”

  “How did you know Sean Dunne would marry into the Joloun family?”

  Constance tried to protect her neck, lifting her shoulders. “The Seer.”

  Akane’s eyes closed. Damn her mother and her policy of handing out visions. “But you didn’t know it would be Aileen who would bond with Sean.”

  “Thus becoming part of the prophecy.”

  “Is that why Kaitlynn insisted on Leo as her sperm donor?” Jaden’s claws scraped down Constance’s arm, raising red welts on her pale skin.

  “She wanted the Dunne with the purest Sidhe blood.”

  “And you? How would Hobart feel if you got Leo in your bed?”

  “He understands prophecy,” Constance whispered.

  “Oh yeah. Every man thinks of prophecy when another man is shoving his dick in his woman.” Jaden rolled his eyes. “It’s sort of like England but…different.”

  “The child would have been ours!”

  “If it wasn’t for us meddling kids?” Jaden gripped Constance’s throat, ignoring her yelp of pain. “I say we kill her.”

  “I say we let the Hob question her.”

  Constance stilled. “Robin Goodfellow is here?”

  The terror in her voice proved she was smarter than she seemed. “Yes. He is.”

  At that point the real struggle began. Constance pivoted in Jaden’s grip, ignoring the long scratches that appeared from his claws. She lashed out with her foot, catching him the upper thigh. Her elbow flew back, catching Akane in the throat. Akane’s grip loosened and the Sidhe was free.

  “Oh goody. I was hoping for a fight.” Jaden laughed and went on the attack, dancing around the Sidhe with lazy grace. His hands moved, and small cuts appeared on Constance’s face. He licked his lips at the sight of the blood. “You’re not getting out of here alive.”

  “I know.” She reached up and clasped the simple onyx pendant around her neck.

  Neither of them could have predicted what happened next. The explosion damn near destroyed the safe house, sending both Jaden and Akane flying. Akane unfurled her wings, halting her flight through the air. Jade
n didn’t fare so well. The vampire plummeted, knocked cold by something that left a bleeding gash on his forehead.

  She flew down and scooped the vampire up in her arms, racing skyward in an effort not to be seen. Jaden was unconscious, unable to help. There was no sign of Constance.

  She hoped the bitch had been blown to smithereens.

  Akane flew over the house just to make sure and blinked. One room remained standing amidst the rubble. One room in perfect, horrific order. Akane hovered over the room and stared at the black sludge that coated the walls, the floor, every bit of furniture within. Only the ceiling was gone, the victim of the explosion. Akane wasn’t sure why when not even the furniture had overturned.

  Then the scent hit her, that acrid, horrible stench of the thing that had filled Shane’s veins. Akane’s flame swirled around her, her wings glowing with it. That thing needed to die before it could touch any other living being.

  She blew, burning the room to ash in the blink of an eye. She didn’t have to worry about someone caught in the flames. From the looks of things Robin was already gone, his job done, his erstwhile son either dead or close to it.

  When she was sure none of the sludge had survived her fire, Akane took off, Jaden cradled in her arms. There was still no sign of Constance, but Akane couldn’t worry about the Sidhe now. If Constance had survived, she wouldn’t stay alive for long. If the Dark Queen didn’t take her out for her failure to capture Leo, Akane would see to it that she died a long, lingering death by fire.

  Akane headed home, already aware that Shane had been saved.

  Shane blinked. The visions before him weren’t swirling, twirling, puking, hurling or otherwise doing something that would make him want to do any of the above. Moira was staring down at him, her eyes red from crying. Duncan, pale and trembling, held a hand to his head.

  “Hello.”

  Shane looked up into a face too long to be pretty, too interesting to be called plain. Her full, bow-shaped lips were curved in a smile. Her nose was slightly crooked, as if she’d broken it at some point and it hadn’t quite healed right. Her eyes were absolutely huge even in her human Seeming, a turquoise so bright Shane blinked to see if they were real. Their most dazzling aspect was the intelligence and humor that lit them from within. Her forehead was really a fivehead, further elongating her face. She’d made an attempt to hide it with bangs, but then she’d pushed half of those bangs back with a headband. The ends stuck out of the back of the headband, giving her an odd, rooster-like look. She had a sharp, pointed chin and quirked, full eyebrows. Her hair in her Seeming was brown, but it would be sea green in her true form.