Laughing at Danger

by Zenina Masters

  “I believe so. She is the one who rescued me.” Lyros nodded. “Thank you for the information. I will put things in motion.”

  The one on the left cleared his throat. “You do not need to. Your lady has just entered the Crossroads.”

  Lyros flinched. He was still not completely recovered from his time in the bunker. The timing was not ideal.

  “You are sure?”

  The two looked at each other and nodded. “We are sure. She has entered the Crossroads with the standard payment of genetic material from her family and herself. As the fey did not offer to pay for her stay, she has booked space at the hostel.”

  Lyros blinked. “How do you know all that?”

  They stared at him and laughed in unison. “We are seers. We have seen it.”

  “I suppose that I am going to the Crossroads.”

  “You are wise as always, Lord Lyros.”

  The seers inclined their heads in dismissal, and Lyros took the hint. He left. He had packing to do.

  Chapter Three

  Three days after she had arrived, Lima was no closer to finding a mate.

  Spike poured her another drink. “You don’t have to challenge them all, you know.”

  Lima wrinkled her nose and sipped the orange and grapefruit cocktail. “I sort of do. It is ingrained.”

  Spike chuckled. “I guess I got away easily with the instincts. Rolling into a ball and being unpleasant to chew is easier than constantly fighting for supremacy.”

  “Being in charge is necessary, but having a mate who can hold his own is essential. It is a bit of a corner to be backed into. Female-dominated shifter cultures are not that common.”

  Spike nodded. “Well, you are lucky that the population here is ever changing. How are you enjoying the hostel?”

  “It is quiet. It makes sure that I spend most of my time out and about, which is nice but annoying.”

  “Well, I enjoy the company.” Spike grinned.

  It was late afternoon, and the guests of the Crossroads were slowly making their way into the Crossed Star.

  Ivy came in and held up a deck of cards.

  Lima grinned. “I think my date is here.”

  “You are going to have to try the next batch of guests. Some arrived a few hours ago.”

  Lima nodded. “I know; I saw a blaze of fire coming down just after noon. It was impressive. Must have been one of the new fey.”

  Spike raised her brows. “You saw fire?”

  “Fire, light, something bright that got my attention.”

  “Ah. That was probably your mate arriving. Have a nice game.” Spike waved merrily.

  There was a change in Spike’s attitude. She had gone from commiseration to smug knowledge in the course of those few sentences. Lima’s beast wanted to get the information out of her, but Lima turned away and went to play Go Fish with Ivy.

  With her fruit juice in one hand, she walked to Ivy’s table, and the moment she was settled, she started shuffling the cards. Whatever Spike was smirking about could wait.

  Three hours later, Lima was starting to get hungry. She was about to conclude their last game when her hackles stood up. Someone powerful had just wandered into her territory.

  Ivy smiled. “It is just one of the fey. They affect some of the shifters quite strongly.”

  Lima frowned and shook her head. “No, this is different.”

  She slowly turned her head to look for the interloper, and she felt her cards waver in her grip. She had last seen the male who had just entered the Crossed Star while he was bloody and broken. He was definitely in much better form now.

  She settled the moment that she identified him. “Ah, I have seen him before. That was it.”

  Ivy smirked. “If you say so.”

  The fey’s dark hair cascaded down to his shoulders, his pointed ears peeked out from the dark locks and his gold and brown eyes were scanning the room. He appeared to be looking for someone.

  He looked like a tall, handsome human. It must have made his job easier when he met with governing bodies.

  Ivy’s table was situated in the shadows. They had enough light to play cards but not enough to illuminate their faces as he scanned the crowd.

  Ivy chuckled. “Did you get the gem to authorize the fey to flirt with you?”

  Lima shrugged. “No. I didn’t know it was an option.”

  Ivy scowled. “You are kidding.”

  “No. I came through a transport, and Teal got me squared away while Tony got ready for the next arrival.”

  “That is weird. I thought they were trying to get everyone to sign up for the program.”

  “They may have been, but I am a wee bit different than other alpha females.” Lima shrugged. “Perhaps they thought I wouldn’t have been interested.”

  “Would you have been?”

  Lima chuckled and turned back to the cards in her hand. “I guess we will never know.”

  She focused on the game, but her heart wasn’t in it. “I am going to call it a night, Ivy.”

  “Go for a walk and clear your head. You look a little stressed.” Ivy collected the cards and shuffled them expertly before tucking them into the pack.

  Lima got to her feet. “Thanks for the evening’s entertainment. I think a walk will do me good.”

  She turned her back on the elf and his dance partner. She walked out of the bar and down the street, toward the open meadow and the rising moon.

  It was a crescent moon, and it glowed enticingly. Lima walked down the path that she had become intensely familiar with and tried to blank her mind. Some light communication had resulted in her finding out that her mother was attempting to sell her off to the highest bidder. As the technical alpha, she was within her rights to sell her daughter. Those rights were suspended as long as Lima was at the Crossroads, but the moment she set foot in the human world, she was under her mother’s jurisdiction. A mate from the Crossroads would change that dynamic. She just had to let her guard down long enough to find a male to call her own. Or a female. The rules weren’t fussy.

  Lima debated the pros and cons of finding a female of her own before she discarded the idea. She liked sex with men a little too much to just pick a female for her subservient attitude. It was a sacrifice she didn’t need to make, and it wouldn’t be fair to the female either.

  Lima sighed and kept walking until she felt the first waves of fatigue stirring in her limbs. The moon was high, and she slowly wandered back to the lane where the hostels were situated.

  By choosing a hostel, she extended her stay at the Crossroads from weeks to months. She had two months to find a mate, and she couldn’t lose hope just because three days had passed with no luck. Something had to change.

  * * * *

  Lyros could have sworn that he felt the familiar energy of the woman he was looking for, but when he finished his first dance with the young woman who had plastered herself to him, the familiar energy was gone.

  He scowled and went to the bar to request a beer.

  “You look confused or perturbed; I can’t decide which.” The perky bartender grinned at him.

  He chuckled. “File me under confused. Can I get one of those delightfully dark beers?”

  “Of course.” The woman went and pulled the beer with practiced motions.

  When she returned, she put down a coaster, extended the payment plate, and when he had swiped his charm, she asked, “Why the confusion?”

  “I could swear that I sensed a woman I knew when I came in here, but I couldn’t see her, and now, all traces of her are gone.”

  The bartender nodded. “It sounds like she isn’t registered for fey interaction. If she didn’t come in here on the program, they might not have registered her with the charm that would let you see her properly.”

  Lyros blinked. “She would have refused to consider an elf as a mate?”

  “That or they were busy and didn’t ask. Despite what some folks think, it happens. We get a rush from a large metropolitan area and
Teal and Tony are catching and guiding as fast as they can. They don’t have time to offer additional contracts.”

  “If she isn’t registered for fey interaction, how do I find her?”

  The woman grinned. “You don’t. Go back to the Meditation Centre and ask Teal or Tony to do it, or if you are at the Open Heart, ask Teebie to do the work for you. She and her mate are eager to help others connect.”

  “So, I can’t see her properly because...”

  “Because her charm doesn’t let you. By that, I mean the pendant on her wristband. The crystals on the ladies you can see in here are designed to make the resonance easy for you. They practically glow in front of your eyes for a very good reason.”

  Lyros looked around the room and saw a few shadowed spots and many women who nearly blinded him with their brightness. Knowing what was going on, it made a certain sense.

  “Thank you.” He sipped at the beer and kept his gaze casual as he watched the women who were alternately pursuing and retreating from the males.

  None of the shifter males became overly aggressive. They held back even when two collided over one female.

  Lyros kept his post at the bar as the aggression built on the dance floor. To his surprise, the tiny bartender leaped over the polished wood and got in between the men. When they got too close to her, she burst into spikes.

  Both of the men pulled back with wounds on their hands and apologising profusely. The woman inclined her spikey head and returned to her spot behind the bar. She casually removed the shirt with holes in it and pulled another on over her sports bra.

  Lyros smiled slightly. “That was impressive.”

  “That was a Wednesday night. It gets worse on weekends.” The woman inclined her head. “You can put the blade down. No one needs stabbing.”

  He glanced down and saw the soul blade that he had drawn. “I didn’t know I had it out.”

  “Ah. Well, I suppose introductions are in order. My name is Spike.”

  He chuckled and nodded to the silver band on her wrist. “Appropriate. I am Lyros. Where is your mate?”

  “In the restaurant. Al is particularly skilled with his hands when it comes to food.” She winked.

  “Is he a hedgehog as well?”

  “Nope. He is all swan. I like to get him drunk and ruffle his feathers.”

  Lyros looked down and his beer was empty. “I suppose this is as good a time as any to go to the Meditation Centre and ask about my missing female.”

  “You are that sure about her?”

  “The seers are, and she saved my life, so I definitely need to express my thanks.” He bowed slightly and smiled. “I will see you later, Mistress Spike.”

  “Bring your lady in, Lord Lyros.” She winked and moved off to attend to the other clients.

  He straightened his shoulders and left the Crossed Star. The Meditation Centre glowed warmly in the evening light, and he moved through the glow of the crescent moon to find out if he could change the classification of the woman he was seeking. He really wished that the seers had given him her name.

  Chapter Four

  Lima yawned as she wandered down the street in search of breakfast. The hostel was only a place to sleep. If she wanted food, she had to go get it.

  “Lima!” Teal waved at her and beckoned her over.

  “Good morning, Teal.”

  “Morning. I have something to ask you that somehow got missed during check-in.”

  Lima smiled. “Shoot.”

  Teal looked around. “Would you care to come inside?”

  Knowing that the other woman was uncomfortable, Lima decided to cut her some slack. “Sure.”

  Teal walked in and sat cross-legged in front of a table with some scrolls, a tea set and a plate of mouth-watering muffins.

  “Help yourself.” Teal smiled and poured two cups of tea.

  Lima took a small plate and placed a muffin in the centre of it, breaking it carefully into quarters before popping one in her mouth. It melted away in buttery, blueberry goodness.

  Teal placed the tea in front of her and inclined her head. “May I say that I am a little embarrassed that we forgot to ask you this, but would you consider a fey as a mate?”

  Lima took the tea carefully and sipped slowly. “Of course. I work with them all the time and have no hang-ups on that score.”

  Teal sighed. “That is what he said.”

  “Who?”

  “Lord Lyros. He has also offered to upgrade you to a bed and breakfast for as long as it takes for you to find a match.”

  Lima felt a blush come to her cheeks. “He did?”

  “Yes. He came over here last night and asked us if we had offered you the fey-acceptance contract. We were a little embarrassed when we hadn’t.”

  Lima shrugged. “You were busy. How did he know?”

  Teal grinned. “Apparently, he was looking for you. He could sense you but not see you.”

  “Oh.” She remembered his scanning expression but hadn’t realised that the charm on her wrist had hidden her.

  She worked on the muffin, and when it was gone, Teal moved the plate aside and showed her the contract.

  The scroll opened, and Lima read through the details of what she was being offered. Room and board, any clothing and food she could want, spa treatments, basically every amenity that the Crossroads could offer was at her disposal. She nodded at the mention that if she found a shifter mate, the contract would remain in place. It just wanted her to consider a fey mate.

  She gave Teal a sly look. “Can I have another muffin?”

  “You can have as many as you like, whether or not you sign the document.”

  Lima scribbled her name, pricked her thumb and left her blood on the page. Teal raised her brows at that.

  “Sorry. Force of habit. Hyenas do everything in blood.”

  “What kind are you? There is a strange aura around you; it throws me off.” Teal sipped at her tea.

  “Spotted. Most of the shifter hyenas are striped. I am bigger, meaner, and when I am in shifted form, my junk looks a lot like a male’s. Not my favourite attribute, but it is why I like half shifting. More power and none of the awkward genital jokes.”

  Teal blinked. “That would explain the mixed aura. The strength of command is all around you, but the feminine power is so strong, it is frightening.”

  Lima shrugged. “I get that a lot.” She reached for another muffin.

  While she was reaching, her charm changed. A small gem appeared in it and glittered.

  “Well, that was simple.” Lima set the plate back in front of her and divided the muffin again.

  “Can I ask why you are doing that?” Teal gestured to the plate.

  “Oh, my mother insisted that only those strongest enough to eat do so, so I took to dividing all of my food in quarters and giving it to my siblings. It drove her nuts, but it was my share, and I could do what I wanted with it. As long as there was more than one piece on the plate, I would share, so I broke all my food into small pieces.”

  Teal blinked. “Wow. That sounds a little harsh.”

  “As a royal swan, you know that expectation can weigh on you.”

  Lima watched the other woman stiffen.

  “How do you know that I am a royal?”

  “I have been to the Stargus home. Your portrait is still above the mantle.”

  Teal exhaled. “That is a surprise. Why were you there?”

  “I was young and doing security for a gala. I have been in and out of most of the homes of the high families.” Lima chuckled. “That is why I have heard the comment on my aura before.”

  Teal smiled with understanding. “Right. Folks do love to quantify everyone around them.”

  “And some of us simply defy description.”

  Teal suddenly looked uncomfortable. “Just so you are aware, your mother is taking bids for you.”

  “That is the next phase of our courtship, so it is not unexpected.”

  “Why is she doing that?”
>
  “Well, it is to her advantage to have strong but subservient females near her. I am not subservient, so my mother is trading me for either wealth or political advantage. She isn’t going to want me in a politically advantageous position, so selling me to someone weak and wealthy is to her advantage. Or wealthy and sadistic. Either will suit her purposes.”

  Teal made a face. “Ouch.” Teal kept her cup filled.

  “Yup. So if I can get a vacation here on the fey and have a chance at finding someone that I choose on my own terms, I would like to do that.” She sipped at the tea and ate the last of her muffin.

  Teal grinned. “You have siblings?”

  “I do. Two brothers and a sister. The last of them just got married on the weekend. I came here after my mother and I had a bit of a conflict at the reception. I knew she would lash out, so now that my siblings are safe, I am free to find my own mate.”

  They settled in and kept chatting. Teal was full of questions, and Lima answered them all. Lima already knew about the history of the guardian in front of her, and there were definite similarities.

  When they had finished all the niceties, they got to their feet. Teal said, “I will help you move your things.”

  “That isn’t necessary. I only have the one bag.”

  “Humour me. I was inattentive to you once; I don’t want to make the same mistake twice.”

  Lima surrendered, and they walked to the hostel where she cleared out her locker. With her bag over her shoulder, she let Teal lead the way to the Open Heart.

  Lima had already met Teebie and explained why she wasn’t staying at the djinn’s fine establishment. Andor smiled a welcome and took her bag from her as she stepped inside the building. He escorted her past the open doorway of the dining room and up the stairs.

  Andor chuckled. “Lyros told us last night that you would be joining us, so Teebie made a new room next to his.”

  “You mean made up a room?”

  He grinned. “No, she made a new one. I offered to try, but she was afraid I would blow a hole in the building.”

  “Some things need to be left to the experts.”

  “I heartily agree.”