All That Glitters

by Dawn Ibanez

  Before Kalina could ask, Merrick’s hair went from black to bright green. His eyes also changed to gold. His skin paled to alabaster as he leaned forward. “My mother was a water demon. She had a crystal Faust needed to trap a djinn. She didn’t want to give it to him, so he killed her for it.”

  “And Ryan set up the meeting?”

  Merrick nodded. He ran his hand over his face and his appearance reverted to what it looked like before. “I know my mother. There was a reason why she didn’t want to give Faust the crystal. Ryan should have respected that.”

  “Are you sure Ryan knew Faust was after that crystal?”

  “He asked for it first. When she said no, Faust got involved.”

  Kalina tapped a nail against her bottle. “What’s a djinn?” she asked. When he looked at her, she smiled. “Still learning. It’s a lot of information.”

  Merrick smirked. “Djinn as creatures of smoke and fire. Humans call them genies.”

  “Faust has access to something that can grant him three wishes?” she asked. The idea alone made her sick.

  “It’s a long, complicated story but yes.”

  Kalina stood and started to pace. The more she learned about her father, the more she wanted this to be over. “He has too much power.” That was an understatement. “We have to find a way to stop him.”

  Merrick stood and stepped in Kalina’s path. He placed his hands on her shoulders and smiled. “I’ll work on the amulet after the equinox. Until then, I want you to think about something. Faust has been a demon dealer for a very long time. His ledger is something that has kept a lot of very nasty people in line throughout the years. Are you ready to disrupt that? And if you are, who are you going to get to take his place?”

  Kalina frowned as she looked at Merrick. She didn’t want to think about the aftermath of sealing away Faust or his magic. It was something she would have to talk with Ryan about. “How long will it take you?”

  “I can have it by the end of the week.”

  “Alright. How much will it be?”

  He looked at her. “You don’t need to worry about that.”

  “Yes, I do.” Kalina sent her bottle of water to the counter with a wave of her fingers. “Everything has a price. Especially magic.”

  Merrick nodded as he went to where the portal remained open. “We should head back. I have a party to host, and I am pretty sure Gold is ready to turn my entire staff into frogs.”

  Kalina paused. “He can do that?”

  Merrick laughed. “I haven’t heard of him doing it. But it wouldn’t surprise me if he did.”

  Kalina stepped through the portal again and saw Ryan speaking quietly with a woman with her hair in a long braid. “He’s very social,” she said.

  Merrick snorted. “You should see him at the real glamorous stuff. He’s the best magical broker out there because of it.”

  Kalina nodded at him once more. She walked to where Ryan was and recognized the woman Ryan was talking with. “Esme? You’re here?”

  The older witch reached forward and wrapped Kalina in an embrace. “Be careful with his heart,” she whispered.

  Kalina felt her face warm. “He told you what happened?”

  Esme smiled. “I saw him after you left. And I see him now. I’ve been around long enough to know.”

  Her face was on fire as Ryan’s arm wrapped around her waist. “How did your talk with Merrick go?”

  If she didn’t know any better, she would say that he was jealous. She slid her arm around his waist as well. “It was fine,” she said. “There are some things that we need to talk about, but they can wait.”

  Ryan pressed his lips together. He leaned over to her ear. “We don’t have to stay,” he told her.

  Kalina remembered the feel of his body pressed against hers. She wanted him nearly as much as he seemed to want her. But something made her turn and place a chaste kiss on his lips. “Don’t we get the celebrate a bountiful harvest?”

  He laughed as music started up on the other side of the mansion. “You really want to stay?”

  The knot that started to form in her stomach eased. “I would like to.” People began to portal in around the landscape of the estate. Kalina wasn’t sure if she was ready to be submerged in so much magic, but she didn’t want to leave either.

  Esme took Kalina’s free hand and smiled at Ryan. “I’m going to take her to the pyre. I’ll show her what to do.”

  Kalina kissed Ryan on his cheek. “I’ll see you soon.”

  CHAPTER 13

  The sun had set and the pyres started. Musicians from all around played as witches and other magical creatures danced around circles of fire. The celebration was in full swing by the time the moon rose high. Ryan sat off to the side with a glass of wine in his hand. Esme ran off with Kalina, and now his lover was dancing around the flames as if they were made for her.

  Watching it reminded him too much of another woman he gave his heart to. Kalina looked as if she were having the time of her life while all Ryan really wanted to do was take her back to his villa and hide her away from the world.

  “I would offer you another, but you appear to already have a drink.”

  Ryan looked at the woman that appeared in front of him and blinked. He would recognize her anywhere. But she was supposed to be dead. He killed her himself. “How are you here?”

  She smiled at him. “Would you believe a deal with the devil?”

  Ryan banished the drink in his hand. He didn’t trust himself with it. The urge to curl his hands around her throat appealed to him. But he wouldn’t cause a scene. “You know what I mean. You’re supposed to be dead, Satella.”

  The smile she wore disappeared. “I know. I was there, Ryan.” The two glasses of wine she carried disappeared as well. “But you know, if you wait around long enough, you’ll find someone dumb enough to want to end their existence. It doesn’t take much to convince them to trade places with you. I get a body, and they get to leave the mortal plane.”

  “You possessed some poor girl so you could walk around again?”

  Her eyes narrowed as she leaned in closer to him. “What choice did I have? To stay dead and let you win? I don’t think so.”

  Ryan shook his head. “This isn’t about winning or losing.”

  “That is exactly what this is about.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and smiled at him. “If you could have worn this glamor back then, I could have loved you.”

  He removed her arms from and stepped back. “You only love yourself,” he told her.

  “And you think she could love you?” Satella motioned to where Kalina danced with Esme. “Does she even know you? The real you? The hideous version of you that sentenced a child to die and killed his father out of spite?”

  Ryan shook his head. “I did no such thing. I couldn’t remove the curse and had to defend myself against the king. You know can tell yourself otherwise, but that is the truth.”

  She shook her head. “You made me lose my son and my husband. Try to reason as much as you want, but you are the reason I lost them both.”

  It was no use trying to argue with her. By just standing in front of him, Satella proved that there was nothing she wouldn’t do in her imaginary battle against him. Ryan moved away from her and frowned when she stepped in his path again. “What do you want from me?”

  “More than you are willing to give.” She smiled. “But watching you drown in your own misery should be enough. For now.”

  Kalina ran over to Ryan and glanced at Satella. She smiled as she took his hands. “Excuse us. He promised me a dance,” she said as she pulled him to the fires.

  Satella shrugged and walked away.

  Ryan held Kalina’s hands as she pulled him closer to her. “I don’t feel like dancing,” he said as she pressed a kiss to his jaw.

  “I know.” Kalina wrapped his arms around her waist. “Esme said that woman was going to be trouble.”

  Satella was his personal Sword of Damocles. Ryan sighed and b
uried his head against Kalina’s neck. “She will be. She wants to see me ruined.”

  Her fingers in his hair was an immense comfort. “What did you do?”

  Ryan tightened his arms around her for a moment longer. After she knew what he did, she would probably leave him again. This time for good. “I killed her.”

  She looked at him. Ryan couldn’t read the expression in her eyes as she stared at him. “She’s like a descendant or something?”

  He shook his head. “No, that was really her. I would know an imposter.”

  “How?”

  Ryan knew she was going to walk away from him. “Because I loved her that much.”

  Kalina pulled her hand away from his and rubbed her arms. “What?”

  He gestured toward the area Satella disappeared to. “I loved her.” He couldn’t stop the self-deprecating smile that crossed his face. “I worshiped her.” The thoughts of everything he had done for Satella ran through his mind. “I did everything she ever asked of me.” And she repaid him with betrayal. “In the end, I killed her.”

  Kalina remained frozen as the festivities continued around them. Tears filled her eyes as she looked at Ryan. He curled his hands into fists to stop from reaching out and touching her hair. She was going to leave him. Her morality would call for nothing else.

  Ryan looked at the raging pyre again and sighed. “I’ll make sure Esme can take you back wherever you need to go,” he said lowly. If she was only going to stand there, he would do them both the favor of walking away.

  Her voice was a whisper, but he heard. “Do you still love her?”

  Ryan turned to her. Kalina hadn’t moved from her spot, but her eyes nearly glowed. “No.”

  “If she asked, would you still worship her?”

  In this moment, the only woman he wanted to worship was Kalina. “Never again.”

  She walked to him and caressed the side of his face. “They why would you throw our shot away?” She smiled as she looked into his eyes. “You were supposed to teach me how to survive in this world. Are you going to turn your back on me after seeing her again?”

  He couldn’t stand with her so close and not touch her. He placed his hands on her hips and pulled her closer. There was no way he could deny her. As her face tilted toward his, he kissed her.

  The music around them flared. Ryan lifted Kalina and spun her around. As she broke their kiss to laugh, he joined in the dancing. He would keep her close to him. He would dedicate his heart and every ounce of his being to her.

  And when his curse activated, he would still continue to watch her from the shadows.

  That was what goblins did.

  *****

  Kalina’s mood lightened. When she made the decision to return to Ryan’s side, she had her doubts. Carly wanted her to stay far away from him, but Reese was the voice of reason.

  “There’s something there. We can’t stand in the way of it. If it was meant to be, then they’ll be together. If not, they’ll break up. But taking the leap is the important part. You have to know if there’s a chance, or you’ll always wonder.”

  And she knew. There was something between her and Ryan. Something that could become hot and all-consuming if they let themselves go. Kalina felt her heart ache when Esme told her to pull Ryan away from that other woman. But now she knew why. That woman was a key figure in Ryan’s past. She’d hurt Ryan, and Kalina had to do her best to protect him.

  He twirled her around the fire. As the music picked up the pace so did their movements. The air was charged with magic. She caught a glimpse of the tips of her hair, they were once again pink. Kalina laughed as Ryan picked her up again in time with everyone else. She would get used to the pink. Men and women were dyeing their hair the colors she could change it to, so she should enjoy it. And Ryan liked it, which made it all the better.

  Someone bumped into Ryan’s back. Kalina looked over and saw Merrick dancing with Esme in his arms. “Apologies,” he said with a laugh. “Make sure to have some of the wine. Travelers made it,” he whispered to her.

  Esme pulled Merrick back to her. “Ignore him,” she said with a laugh. “He’s drunk.” She then looked at Merrick. “And we’re called Romani now. You can get in trouble for calling us that.”

  Merrick pulled her close and whispered something in her ear. Kalina laughed as she blushed and looked at them. “I’m going to lock him up someplace before he gets himself into trouble,” she said leading him away.

  “I want to give thanks for this year’s bountiful blessing,” Merrick said.

  Kalina and Ryan laughed as Esme’s reply was lost in the music. She turned and looked at Ryan. “Should we get going to?” she asked.

  Ryan looked at the crowd of people around the estate. He rested his forehead against hers. “Do you want to stay on Bora Bora or go back home?”

  Something in her chest fluttered at the idea of his apartment being her home. “Let’s stay. For a little while at least,” she said. Ryan nodded as he stepped back. When he was about to start dancing, Kalina realized what she said. “I meant staying on the island,” she clarified. The dumbfounded expression on his face made her laugh. She stepped closer to him. “I’ll see about getting us a couple of drinks, and we can go back to the villa. Does that sound like a plan?” she asked.

  He grabbed the sides of her face and kissed her again. She was becoming addicted to them. And him. Ryan released her and smiled. “Use my name. They’ll give you a bottle of the Romani wine.”

  She smiled. “Is it that good?”

  “Second only to the fairies’ vintages, and since those little bastards aren’t around, well, we have the Romani.”

  Kalina shook her head and kissed him again before walking off. It was almost like being in an outdoor club. Everyone was dancing and celebrating the past year. Kalina almost couldn’t wait to come next year. By then she would truly have something to celebrate.

  “He’s only using you, you know.”

  The woman Ryan had been talking to stepped up next to the makeshift bar. Kalina looked her over. Dark eyes, long red hair, and a shapely figure. She and this woman had nothing in common. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  She shrugged as she brushed her hair off one shoulder. “The man you’re with.”

  Kalina smirked as she caught the bartender’s attention. She looked at the woman. “Whatever is between Ryan and me is absolutely none of your business.” She turned back to the bartender and smiled again. “Ryan Gold wanted me to grab a bottle of Romani wine.”

  The bartender laughed. “I’m sure he does.” He turned to the woman next to Kalina. “Can I get you anything?”

  She shook her head. “No, I’d rather not indulge.”

  Kalina turned back to where she left Ryan. He was being pulled into another dance by a group of women. She leaned against the bar as she watched him laugh and twirl the women around in turn. From the corner of her eye, she saw the strange woman take the same position. “What do you want from us?” she asked.

  “I want that disgusting little troll to wallow in misery.”

  The venom in her voice made Kalina turn. She was getting tired of people calling Ryan names. “He has a name. Use it.”

  The woman’s eyes narrowed. “I can’t.”

  “Bullshit.” Kalina stepped closer to the woman. “And just so you know, I’m getting really tired of people and their little games. Either say what you want or leave us the hell alone.”

  The affronted look on her face would have been funny if Kalina hadn’t been so angry. “How dare you talk to me that way! Do you know who I am?”

  Kalina shook her head. “Do I look like I care?” She turned back to the bar to wait for the bartender. Something wrapped around her throat. Kalina reached up and felt nothing around her throat. Panic started to rise when she couldn’t breathe.

  The woman smiled at her. “You’ll grow to care, Witchling.”

  Spots started to dance in her vision. Kalina curled her hands into fists as
her pulse echoed in her head. She couldn’t let this woman win. She wouldn’t allow herself to become a victim to someone else. Kalina snarled as she called on her magic. The tight band choking her broke and the woman looked at her with wide eyes.

  Kalina brought her hand up. She used her magic the same way the witch did. In a matter of moments, the red-haired woman was on her knees. It would have been nothing to squeeze the life out of her. Kalina knew she should have been horrified by her actions, but they felt right. Part of her wanted this woman’s blood.

  “Let’s go back to the villa, Sweetheart,” Ryan’s voice whispered into her ear.

  Kalina turned and was met by an appearance she never saw before. A man stood in front of her with green skin, oil slicked hair, a crooked nose. Kalina closed her eyes and shook her head. The magic around her started to fade as she rubbed her eyes. When she looked up again, Ryan stood next to her. “What was that?” she asked.

  He wrapped his arm around her waist. “We’ll talk about it when we get home.” He looked at the woman coughing at their feet. “I would suggest that you leave us alone, Satella.”

  Kalina couldn’t bring herself to look at her. She turned to the bartender and felt a chill go down her spine. The fear on his face made her want to throw up. She didn’t want anyone to fear her. She just wanted to be left alone. Her eyes fell to the bottle of wine on the bar. “Thank you,” she said as she reached for it.

  His hand shot forward and pulled the bottle back. “I can’t give you this,” he said.

  “It’s fine Pierre,” Ryan said.

  Pierre shook his head frantically. “I have to give her something worthy of her station.”

  Kalina felt sick as he turned and moved some of the boxes behind him. “My station?”

  Ryan caressed her face and made her look into his eyes. “I’ll handle this. Do you still want to go to the villa?”

  She rubbed her arms and looked around. Everyone near the bar was staring at her. Some looked at her in horror, others in amazement. “Why are they all looking at me?” she asked. To her own ears, her voice sounded small.