Etched in Stone: Twilight Court Book 9

by Amy Sumida

  “Then what?” Abby flounced down on the chair beside the window. “You gotta tell me. Tonight is your bachelorette party, and I can't make it a good one if you're all serious and morose.”

  “I'm going to have to rule,” I said as I turned to her. “I mean, really rule. Like make decisions and mediate arguments and shit like that.”

  “You've been doing shit like that for awhile now,” she pointed out.

  “No; Raza and Tiernan have been doing it,” I said. “I sweep in, grab a bite to eat, boff their brains out, and then breeze away to do ambassador stuff. But now, I have to be there; present and responsible.”

  “That's what you wanted, honey,” she said gently.

  “I know, and I'm grateful for it,” I said earnestly. “But...”

  “You're also scared,” she concluded.

  “Out of my damn mind,” I admitted. “Do you know that all four of my men had a meeting last night to discuss a schedule for having children?”

  “They can do that?” She frowned. “I mean; schedule them. Obviously, they're virile enough to procreate.”

  “Magic.” I waved my fingers through the air. “Tra-la-la and Seren's pregnant with a dragon baby.”

  “Tra-la-la?” Abby asked with a smirk. “I always imagined that Raza was more of a growler in bed.”

  “Ha-ha.” I huffed as I plopped into the other chair. “Babies, Abby. Babies.”

  “Yeah; we always knew we'd have children someday,” she said. “But we grew up expecting to have to train them to fight. Now, you get to train your children to tra-la-la.” She made a face. “Wait; was 'tra-la-la' a euphemism for sex? Because then that's just gross, and not at all what I meant to say.”

  “It's not,” I assured her dryly. “And teaching my children magic is a hell of a lot better than teaching them to kill.”

  “And having children with those guys is a hell of a lot better than having them with say... oh, I don't know... Brandon.”

  “Ugh.” I rolled my eyes. “Are Alexis and Brandon still hot and heavy?”

  “Don't you know it!” Abby laughed. “And, dear God, please tell me why? I mean... why?”

  “He is attractive,” I said. “I admired him once.”

  “And then you got to know him better and discovered that he's a douche-bag,” she said.

  “He's less so now,” I tried to be generous.

  “Well, Alexis is a telepath,” Abby pointed out. “She must know something that we don't.”

  “And let's hope she keeps it to herself,” I muttered.

  “I'm here!” Aideen declared as she flung herself into the room. “Where are the strip-teasing men?”

  “Strippers,” Abby corrected her. “They're limbering up downstairs.”

  “Please tell me you're joking,” I said.

  “She had better not be; I've been looking forward to this,” Aideen huffed; the delicate branches of night-blooming jasmine trembling in her pale green hair.

  The patch of branches she'd lost had grown back, and I couldn't tell the new from the old. It was a relief to see that, and a joy to see her. I was ecstatic to have her as a bridesmaid.

  “I got the strippers from the same person who provided our shirts,” Abigail said as she pulled a T-shirt from her bag and tossed it to Aideen.

  Aideen looked over the shirt and hooted. She pulled the shirt on over her silk dress and proudly displayed the wedding motto across her chest. I shook my head and laughed despite myself. Then I scowled.

  “You got the strippers from Daxon?” I asked.

  “On loan from that club of his.” Abby nodded.

  “Taboo?” I asked with horror. “He didn't send the centaur, did he?”

  “Hell no,” she huffed. “We don't want to see that shit.”

  “Speak for yourself,” Aideen exclaimed. “I want to see every version of cock that Fairy has to offer!”

  “Girl, you need to calm down.” I held up my hands to ward off her eagerness. “You're about to blow a gasket.”

  “No calming down permitted!” Nighean said as she walked in with Latharna.

  Nighean's sylph wings spread out wide with her enthusiasm, and her ivy eyes glittered with excitement. Latharna—Tiernan's sister—smiled at her affectionately. It was hard not to like Nighean.

  “The room is ready,” Latharna said more calmly.

  “All of it is ready?” Abby asked conspiratorially.

  “Yes,” Latharna confirmed.

  “Excellent!” Abby pulled another T-shirt out of her bag and shoved it over my head.

  “What the hell does this one say?” I looked down but couldn't read the words from that view.

  “It says 'Bride' with that little number three that means; to the third power,” Abby said. “Because you're a bride for the third time!”

  “But isn't a number cubed, the result of the number multiplied by itself twice?” I asked.

  “It doesn't matter since 'bride' doesn't have a numerical value.” Abby rolled her eyes. “Now, stop trying to screw up my joke.”

  “Well, you did say the Call of Danu multiplied every time you felt it,” Aideen reasoned.

  “Dear Goddess; did it?” Nighean asked with horror. “By the time it came to Daxon, you must have been practically panting to get into his pants.”

  “Panting to get into his pants!” Abby hooted. “Yep; that was her all right.”

  “It was not.” I sighed. “Let's just get downstairs so I can have a drink. I suspect it's the only way I'll make it through tonight.”

  “Ladies!” Killian slurred as he stumbled by my bedroom door with one arm around Daxon's shoulders. “You all look lovely. I dig the shirts!”

  “Get out of here!” Abby squawked and shooed Killian away. “And don't look at Seren! It's bad luck!”

  “Calm yourselves,” Raza strode up and filled the doorway; effectively blocking Killian's view. “It's under control.”

  “What are you guys doing to Killian?” I asked Raza.

  “Some human tradition.” Raza shrugged. “Daxon said that if Killian isn't vomiting by the end of the evening, we have failed him.”

  “Don't listen to Daxon,” I growled and started toward the door.

  “He'll be fine,” Nighean fluttered her hands airily. “Killian's a fairy now, remember? He'll recover quickly, and if not, there are potions to help.”

  “And we're to watch numerous women remove their clothing,” Raza added. “Daxon provided us with human money to throw at them. It's bizarre.”

  “You're gonna watch strippers?” I snarled.

  “Are you not watching men undress?” Raza lifted an ebony brow at me.

  “Fuck.” I grimaced. “I am.”

  “Then, I believe we are required to do our share of ogling,” Tiernan pushed past Raza's arm to say. Then he hurried off.

  “Tiernan!” I huffed.

  “I will keep them in line, mo shíorghrá.” Raza came into the room to give me a kiss.

  “Thank you,” I said with relief.

  Raza glanced down at my shirt and frowned. “I don't think that's the correct usage—”

  “Bride has no numerical value,” I cut him off before Abby got mad. “I'll see you later, sweetheart.”

  “Yes, my Queen,” Raza whispered with a sexy smile. He walked to the door and nodded to the other women before he left. “My ladies.”

  “My ladies,” Abby repeated in a swooning tone after Raza had left. “Can he be any more gallant? Or any more gorgeous?”

  “Nope; to both,” I said as I pushed them out. “Raza's the most charming dragon in the world; both worlds, I'd wager.”

  “Party!” Nighean shouted.

  “All right, all right,” I gave in.

  We followed Nighean downstairs—her bouncing down every step—to my doom. I mean; my bachelorette party.

  Chapter Forty-Nine

  Aideen and Karmen had been the masterminds behind the bachelorhood party. Oh yes; Councilman Karmen Dinello was in attendance; wearing his o
wn pink shirt with my logo on it, drinking fairy punch from a penis, and directing the strippers on who to motorboat next. The ladies at the party loved him, and some of the men were succumbing to the Karmen charm as well.

  My friends had commandeered the ballroom for this little soiree and had invited the ladies of my courts—all three of my courts—so the room was crowded. A table of naughty edibles—mostly phallic-shaped items—was set beside a snake cake and a punch bowl full of something pink and powerful. Horrifyingly accurate dildos were stuck on sticks among the purple floral arrangements, and penis balloons hung from the ceiling. A massive picture of Killian graced one wall; the perfect shot of him looking over his shoulder while wearing tight jeans. Women were playing pin the tail on the nathair-sith with it. There were little, green, snake tails all over Killian.

  A pile of presents surrounded me; featuring numerous magical, sexual aids that I never knew existed. I lounged back in my bridal throne and surveyed the loot as I sipped my dick-drink thoughtfully. I knew I wasn't supposed to see Killian before our wedding, but how wrong would it be to use one of these gifts with a man I was already married to?

  “Wrong,” I muttered. “So wrong.”

  “What was that, Princess Drunk-Ass?” Karmen asked.

  “Nothing,” I slurred. “Where'd that merman go?”

  “Um...” Karmen looked around the room. “Oh; he's back in his pool.” He waved at the kiddie pool they'd brought in for the merman to refresh himself in.

  He was not alone in it. Several women had taken the plunge and were lounging against the inflated, lavender plastic while they stroked the merman's tail.

  “You gotta love a man who produces his own lubrication.” Karmen sighed. “So convenient.”

  “And he has a shiny cock,” I whispered.

  “Like the inside of a clam shell,” Karmen said and then frowned. “Is comparing a cock to a clam inappropriate? I feel like it is.”

  “This whole damn party is inappropriate,” Sorcha—Tiernan's mother—declared as she sat down beside us.

  Karmen and I went wide-eyed with guilt.

  “And I love it!” Sorcha added.

  “Oh, thank goodness.” Karmen exhaled in relief. “I was about to have a panic attack.”

  “Honey,” I purred, “goodness had nothing to do with it.”

  “Oh; nice one.” Karmen fist-bumped me. “Can you stand? I want to go sandwich that selkie. You up for it?”

  “Fuck yeah!” I started to get up and swayed. “Fuck no!” I fell back into my seat.

  “Alas, I will have to make do on my own.” Karmen strode off toward the selkie without me.

  “Are the floral arrangements up for grabs?” Sorcha asked.

  I gaped at her.

  “Aideen and Abby can't possibly need all those phalluses,” she went on. “Surely they won't mind if I take a couple.”

  “Help yourself,” I said generously.

  “Thank you.” Sorcha beamed at me. “I've been dating this sidhe with earthquake magic, and he loves experimenting.”

  “Nope!” I held up my hand. “I 'preciate that thish... er... this is a wild party and all, but I cannot hear about my mother-in-law's shex... er, sex life.”

  Sorcha chuckled. “All right, Seren. But it's only sex; everyone does it... mostly.”

  I burst into giggles. “Sorry; I may be a tiny bit drunk.”

  “I hadn't noticed,” she said dryly.

  I started giggling again. My giggling increased when I was pulled out of my seat by a sexy, cu-sidhe fireman with his hose hanging out of his pants. He angled me against a dryad cop who came equipped with a hard, wooden nightstick. They began to do to me exactly what Karmen had wanted us to do to the selkie. But since they were holding me up, it worked. The dryads hands were starting to wander up my belly, and the cu-sidhe's face was lowering to my cleavage when a shout came from the doorway.

  “Hands off the twilight titties!” Killian shouted.

  Everyone froze as Killian rushed in with Raza, Tiernan, and Daxon. Before I knew what was happening, I was pulled away from my dancing partners and carried off by a bunch of hollering, drunk men.

  “Wait!” I screeched, and they paused. “Grab that pink box!”

  Chapter Fifty

  I woke up in a blissful haze of handsome men. Everywhere I reached there was the curve of thick muscles or the silk drape of hair. I opened my eyes to a dreamy sight; a froth of tresses that went from platinum blond to deepest black with stripes of crimson, auburn, and indigo swirled in. Claws tickled my body, and strong fingers held tight. Limbs twined with mine in shades from pale pearl to midnight black, and lips spread kisses across my skin.

  “When did I die?” I whispered. “This can't be real.”

  “We may have overly imbibed last night.” Tiernan moaned out a sigh.

  “But it landed us here, so it was time well spent,” Daxon declared as he stretched out on my massive bed.

  Thank the Goddess I had such a large mattress; without it, most of my men would be on the floor. As it was, Raza and I took up half of the bed while Tiernan and Daxon got the rest. Killian was sleeping between my legs and across my hips. Kill rubbed his cheek against my belly as he woke and then tossed back the blanket covering him.

  “What a fucking night!” Kill declared. “You know; I didn't think I'd like sharing, but it ended up being hella hot. We need to do this again.”

  Images of the previous night started flashing through my mind, and a blush crept over my face.

  “Sweet Danu,” I whispered. “Did we really...?”

  “I'm afraid we did, mo shíorghrá,” Raza said as he nuzzled into my neck. “And the snake is right; it was... erotic.”

  “That thing with turning your hands into tails was freaky, Killian,” Daxon said. “But damn; color me impressed with what you did with them.”

  “Are you all right, Seren?” Tiernan asked softly. “Morning brings harsh reality. If you don't wish to do that again, we don't have to; we'll be living separately anyway. It would have just been an—”

  “No,” I cut him off. “It was bloody fantastic. I just need a second to process.”

  Daxon laughed as he got out of bed. I admired his glorious body—and the intricate tattoos that covered it—as he strode through a patch of sunlight to collect his scattered clothing.

  “Fantastic is a good word for it,” Dax said. “But today is about Killian and Seren.” He looked at the men. “As in; let's get the hell out of here, gentlemen.”

  “We probably broke several wedding rules last night,” Tiernan said as he crawled out of bed. “I don't think lingering a bit longer will hurt.”

  “Oh, be sure and thank whoever gave you that thing.” Killian waved his hand at the pink box.

  “No kidding,” I murmured as I sat up. “What the hell was that?”

  “Dark magic,” Raza purred into my ear. “That was an Unseelie wand.”

  “I like your Unseelie wand better,” I teased him.

  “I saw that.” Raza chuckled as he slid out of bed. “And felt it.”

  “Fuck, dude.” Killian held up a hand to block Raza's nudity. “I don't need that image staying with me on my wedding day; talk about making a guy feel inadequate.”

  “Are you referring to my physique or my manhood?” Raza asked as he went for his pants.

  “Yes,” Killian said and shook his head. “Seriously, though; I'm talking about that fucking pleasure bone you got on your pelvis. How the hell are we normal dudes supposed to compete with a dragon bone with the sole purpose of rubbing a woman's clit? That's so unfair.”

  “You can do things that Raza can't,” I reminded Killian as I sauntered by him. “And I'm counting on you to do them tonight.”

  Killian stared after me with a goofy grin.

  “Now, all of you; get the fuck out,” I growled. “I gotta get into my wedding gown.”

  With perfect timing, my bridesmaids came tumbling into the room in a giggling mass of excitement. They froze in
the doorway; taking in the selection of shirtless, stunning men.

  “Dear, sweet, Danu, thank you for the gifts you have given us this fine morning!” Aideen declared.

  “And thank you, Aideen.” Killian bowed to her. “You've made up for my dragon bone sighting.”

  Aideen blinked in surprise, and the women eased to the side as the men strode by.

  “Dragon bone?” Aideen asked as Raza came abreast of her.

  “It can be startling if you're not prepared for it,” Raza said with grim sincerity.

  Aideen's eyes widened as Raza shot me a mischievous wink.

  “Get out of here, you beast!” I said affectionately.

  “As my queen commands.” Raza bowed and then swept back his sleep-tousled hair.

  Raza stretched his shoulders and cracked his neck as he walked out. I'm not sure if he purposefully did it to give the women a show, but that's what the end result was.

  Nighean shut the door on the men and sighed. “You are the luckiest of women, Your Majesty.”

  “Don't I know it,” I murmured. “Now, it's time to push that luck a little further. Let's get me ready for wedding number three.”

  Chapter Fifty-One

  My father was waiting for me at the bottom of the stairs; looking as handsome as a fairy king could. His long, plum-colored hair was swept back beneath the Twilight crown, and he was wearing his full, royal regalia; velvet tunic, silk pants, and fur-lined cape. The cape was affixed to his shoulders with diamond, star brooches; to match the crown he wore. But despite all of the sparkles, Keir looked very masculine. Killian was right; only a full-blooded fairy could pull this look off.

  I was in a gown of lavender so pale that it was nearly white. Silk clung to my top and flared out into a full skirt that draped my body like flowing water. A dramatic train made of intricate, handmade lace, with a pattern of stars and snakes woven into it, was attached to my waist by a velvet belt. Matching lace formed my veil; held in place by my Twilight crown.

  “You look beautiful,” Keir whispered as he touched the curl of ombré hair that had been left free of my updo; to fall over my shoulder in a sleek transition from black to purple to lavender. The tip of it matched my dress. “I wish your mother could have seen this.”