Descending Into Darkness

by Alainna MacPherson

  Upon opening the door, Finn turned from looking out at the marketplace, to stare with his brother at the sight that they beheld.

  "Gentlemen," she greeted. Seeing that they both wore freshly pressed white long sleeved shirts with black leather vests she'd never seen on them before. The vests came complete with the usual and necessary, slits with velcro, with matching black leather pants and freshly polished boots. Their brown hair was brushed and gelled away from their faces.

  Bowing together, they held their hands to their sides in loose fists, both greeting her as they did, "Princess."

  Blushing, she realized it wasn't necessary to use the fake stuff earlier, she already felt like hiding her face for how much it warmed.

  "Please, allow us to escort you," they said straightening and stepping to either side, gesturing for her to go in front of them.

  "Thank you," she said, looking back at Alyss who had just finished putting on her shoes.

  "What are you doing, Shana?" Fallon asked, his body taut with tension. When he saw her enter the Barr, dressed to the nines for an evening of frivolity and wearing his mother's comb, it was all he could do to keep from ripping it from her hair and roar at her for her audacity. He had no idea that she would jump to such conclusions, as to wear it herself, when he had asked her to have it cleaned at the jewelers when she'd gone uptown to find a gown.

  Perhaps he should have seen it. Fallon knew she had fashioned a liking to him. And her dropped hints here and there about mating, having a future together… yes, he should have anticipated her actions. Which was what kept him from yelling at her, for touching something so well known to be precious to him, saved for his mate and only his mate.

  "Whatever do you mean, Fallon?" Shana said, smiling and twirling for him, showing off a dress he was sure he'd seen her in before. When she stopped to look up at him, the comb gleamed in the low light, which only made his jaw tick. "I'm here to help you greet our guests."

  Knowing he needed to go lightly, he breathed deep, his nostrils flaring from the rush of air. Blowing it out slowly, he said very clearly, "No."

  She stilled in front of him, smile fading slowly. "What?" Before the smile could disappear completely, she slapped on a new one and sidled up against him, placing her hand on his chest, above his heart. "Surely you don't mean that," she cooed, running a manicured fingernail along the pressed linen of his shirt. "I've always sat with you at your business meetings with the Fae."

  "Not this time, Shana." He said, moving to grasp her wrists in his gloved hands and stepped back. "This is a private and important meeting. Of which I have no need for your presence."

  The honey drained from her face at his words. Wrenching her arms free she said, "Have I done something to upset you, Fallon?"

  Before he could answer, Moira entered from the stairs, coming to a halt at the sight of them. Shana turned, hearing her enter, and frowned at the female. Rounding back to him, she spat, "It's her, isn't it?"

  "Yes. And no." He wasn't lying. Never had he given her the impression that they were mates. It's always the male who knows before the female, perhaps she just assumed by allowing her to continue her infatuated attentions upon him that he knew they were to be mated. No matter who she was, or that he'd finally found his true mate, he would never have allowed her to get away with wearing his mother's comb without his permission. To take such a precedence was a slap in the face, as well as an act of disrespect to him as her king.

  "I am to be Princess Jessandra's escort this meal, your presence is not required."

  She gasped, the hurt clearly written on her face. He’d always been so complaisant with her. The strong tone he took with her now, contradicted all those times in the past.

  "I accept that your reaction is partially my doing, and for that I apologize," he said, watching as a tear ran down her cheek, streaking the flawless make-up with ruined mascara. "Though, you've overstepped yourself, Shana."

  "What do you mean?" More tears clogged her throat.

  "You had no right to don my mother's comb," he said, unable to keep his temper from his voice. He wasn't oblivious to the things she'd done behind his back, or what she'd said to those she believed to be beneath her. He took an indifferent stance with it in the past, but the wearing of the comb would not be tolerated. "Remove it, now," he commanded, holding his hand out.

  She did, ripping it from her hair and taking a couple strands with it, throwing it in the direction of his face. Not staying to see that he'd caught it before it struck, she ran for the stairs.

  Opening his fingers, he was relieved to see that the comb was still intact. It was one of his most precious possessions and one of the very few things he had left of his mother. Tucking it safely in the inside pocket of his vest, he looked back up to Moira. "Is everything ready?"

  "Yes, Mo rí," she said, quietly.

  "Moira," he said, sighing. "Cousin. Thank you for informing me."

  She only smiled at him softly before nodding and heading back down the stairs, leaving him alone again.

  Hands in the crook of their elbows, the women were led through the now quiet marketplace by the twin warriors. Just before they reached the stairs, Kaer met up with them. Not saying a word, except for smiling at each of them and inclining his head to Jess, he led them up. At the top, he stepped to the side to allow them to pass, and just before they did, he said, in a clear and dignified voice, "Presenting Princess Jessandra NicManahan and Princess Alyss Manahan."

  Jess could see the surprise on Alyss' face as they rounded the corner to see the table in all it's beauty: candles lit, with a few low dimmed lights along the wall, gleaming white china plates with raised designs along the outer rim were paired with polished silverware. Ornate glass goblets at each place had twisted stems, waiting for the chilled liquid that would fill them.

  Finn and Keegan expertly withdraw their arms from the sisters' loose grasps and quietly go to stand against the wall near the main entrance, looking like sentries on guard. Hearing footsteps, Jess turned to see Fallon approaching from the shadows of the room. The look of awe on his face put a fresh red glow on her cheeks, tinting her neck and ears. Who knew that a smoldering gaze alone could make her belly clench and her clit ache? The way Fallon’s eyes didn’t waver from her body, except to slowly study it up and down, made Jess want to grab him by the ears and kiss him senseless, making things even. Because, senseless was exactly how she felt right then. It was becoming a thing with her body turning into a useless bag of bone whenever he looked at her. Or touched her. Hell, said her name! Lord, just him being alive did it for her.

  He didn't look too bad himself, she observed, in similar garb to what Finn, Keegan and Kaer were wearing. A pressed white button down dress shirt, sleeves removed and sewn to be a sort of fancy Chipindales tank top, was tucked into black tuxedo pants. A plain, yet polished, silver band wrapped around his left bicep and two more that had Celtic knots circling them adorned the talons of his wings. His hair gleamed a little from the gel he’d work through it, and was free of the usual tie that held it at the base of his neck, leaving it to hang by his shoulders. The small braids still kept the strands above his ears restrained. She knew she was seeing something rare. From the way he explained things the night before, Jess didn't think they entertained royalty or even played royalty on a daily basis.

  Coming to stand directly in front of the two women, he bowed, just as the twins had done earlier, before straightening to say, "The room is ashine by the shear rays of beauty you both are."

  Though Jess heard Alyss scoff a little, Jess knew she was just as flattered by his compliment as she was.

  "You look very handsome yourself, Mo rí," she said.

  Feeling a low hum start to course through her system as she looked him over again. Something about the bands just made him seem more primitive than imperial. And her body appreciated it. A lot.

  "My lady," he said holding out a gloved hand for her. When she took it, she let him walk her around the table as he spoke about
the evening’s menu. She guessed it was probably to distract her from getting too overwhelmed. The feel of his leather gloved hand holding hers, that was the true distraction. Though she usually associated leather with being cold to the touch, his hand was warm and seemed to make his grasp slightly tighter, engulfing her.

  "Queen Brianna should be arriving soon," Fallon said for the whole room to hear. "She will have two guards, just as we have. Any more is an insult to the agreed upon peace we have."

  Jess listened intently, taking it all in. She realized he was trying to teach her what she will later need to know and won't have him always by her side to explain. Her mind was numb from all the questions she still needed answering before she could make a decision regarding the Unseelie. She hardly knew anything about their history. What if there was more to the story about why they were exiled from the Seelie? What if it was for even more dangerous reasons than just King Sylus' vanity?

  "Kaer will be joining us as well, but not as a guard. It is Fomorian custom to offer escort to any female who doesn't arrive with one. In this case, Queen Brianna. Alyss," he called to her from the other side of the table. When she looked up, eyebrows raised, he said, "Cormac offered to be your escort if you'd have him."

  Obviously shocked, the dumbfounded look she gave him as she just nodded, had everyone chuckling a little.

  The sound of a car pulling up outside had everyone tensing except for Kaer and Fallon. Kaer walked to stand on the other side of Fallon facing the entrance to await their guests.

  Chapter Ten

  From the back seat of his town car, Bain watched the car pull up to the old stone building a mile up the road. He observed, in tense silence, as the Unseelie Queen stepped out of the vehicle, along with her son. Seeing that only two guards accompanied the two royals, told him that it was a friendly visit. Or at least one that she would want to show alliance or peace with by not presenting a defensive front. A sneer marred his beautiful features at the thought. This could cause things to become messy if it didn’t work out the way he wanted.

  A rap on the window signaled that his appointment had arrived. He waited though, until the four of them entered the top building of the D’ilansis before shutting off the tablet, tossing it onto the leather seat beside him and exited the car. The night was pitch now, which was a small blessing. Setting eyes on the horrid creature always tickled the back of his throat, making his gag reflex react in a most undignified way. It didn’t help that the thing carried a death-like stench too.

  Finally exiting the car, he saw it waiting beside the mouth of an alleyway, the dumpster somewhere in the back added to the hideous odor on its person. He saw the gleam of orange-red from the eyes that had already gone mad, but he didn’t fear them. If anything, they gave him a sense of pride in ownership. He had done that, Bain silently celebrated. He had crushed its spirt and stripped its soul away. Making him crazed with the tinneas dearg, Red Illness. He broke the creature to do his bidding. The thought had a momentary satisfied smile brushing his lips, before the stench caught up with him once again.

  Dutiful that it was, the creature kept his head bowed, not looking up or meeting Bain’s eyes with his own. Good boy, the master thought, stepping closer but stalling a couple feet from it. “The human female, I want her. Bring her to me,” he said in a tone that demanded obedience.

  The creature twisted it’s head to the side, rolling it back to the other and repeating a couple times, straining the muscles there in an effort to release some tension, before he stopped and nodded jerkily. “Understood, master,” it said with a voice that sounded like he ground nails between his back molars.

  “Good,” Bain said, satisfied and confident that the job would get done. He would soon have what he wanted. Grateful that business with the creature was over with for the time being, he swiftly turned to the car to climb back inside. Away from all the filth and its putrid stink.

  Chapter Eleven

  When Queen Brianna stopped at the threshold, arm linked with her son's, Kaer rushed forward to bow low to her with his left arm extended, and black leather gloved palm up. "A pleasure to see you Queen Brianna. If it pleases you, your majesty, allow me to be your escort this meal."

  "Kaer of Loch Donan, I accept your offer," the queen replied, placing her small white gloved hand in his.

  Cormac, having been relieved of his mother, stepped over to Alyss, who stood – sporting a deer-in-the-headlights expression on the other side of the table, to bow to her in a similar fashion.

  "Princess Alyss, please allow me to be your escort during this meal."

  Watching her baby sister be treated like a true princess, like their little girl dreams, had Jess chocking up just a little bit. Her Champaign red gown was something from what she'd told Jess was a night at a museum gala, that dipped low in the front as well as the back, and clung to her curves, which no doubt had Cormac drooling from the sight.

  Alyss nodded, mouth opening and closing but no words came out. Finally, she shook her head a little before trying again. "Yes, thank you, Prince Cormac." Taking his hand, he straightened to tuck hers into his arm.

  In a low voice, barely loud enough for Jess to overhear, he said, "Traditionally, you needn’t thank someone when they offer to escort you. It's them who should thank you for the honor." He winked at her when she blushed.

  "Oh," she whispered.

  Good to know, Jess thought.

  Someone cleared their throat and they all looked to see Kaer signaling Fallon.

  "Yes, right," Fallon said, clearing his throat and bowing himself in front of Jess, offering his gloved hand as well. "Princess Jessandra, please do me the honor of permitting me to escort you this evening?"

  "Yes, of course," she replied as regally as she could manage.

  Moira entered the room, followed by a handful of warriors and females carrying covered food trays and large glass pitchers of what looked like iced water and another filled with something purplish-red and sparkling.

  "Supper, Mo rí" Moira announced.

  "Thank you," he said before gesturing to the table. "Shall we dine?" They all nodded and the males began pulling chairs out for the females. Once they were seated, the men took their own beside them with Fallon at the head, Jess on his right, then Alyss and Cormac, Brianna to his left with Kaer.

  Jess noticed that Brianna had brought with her the two guards that had held Alyss when they had gone to collect her at Brianna's home. Her sister was currently eyeing them from across the room with suspicion. It appeared that they were ignoring her though and Jess had no doubt that that irked her sister the most about their presence.

  They were quiet as their plates were filled by the the servers and their goblets with the sparkling liquid. Once finished, servers having stepped back from the table, Fallon lifted his glass, everyone else did the same before he said, "To the first Thanksgiving between our two people. May it be the start of a productive and peaceful alliance."

  Brianna smiled a little when she reached over to touch her glass to his. "Anotú," she said, which had everyone else clinking glasses with one another.

  "Anotú?" Jess asked. She was definitely making a note to snag some lessons on the language soon.

  "It means 'to agree,'" Cormac informed her.

  Fallon, Kaer and Brianna nodded at his interpretation.

  "Oh," Jess said, filing it away. Since Fallon and Brianna began to pick up their cutlery, she too started to cut into the small steak on her plate, taking a bite of the juicy spiced meat.

  "Oh, my god, Moira. This is delicious," Alyss moaned, bringing to life just what Jess was thinking herself.

  Stunned, the rest of the room grew still, watching her.

  Moira, who stood against the wall, stuttered "Thank you, Princess Alyss. I will tell the cook."

  Alyss didn't say anything more and just took another bite.

  Jess chuckled to herself as she, too, dug in some more, reminding herself to go slow.

  "Princess Jessandra, I understand that t
his was your idea," Brianna said, taking a dainty sip of her drink.

  Jess dabbed at her mouth with her napkin before saying, "Yes, it was. I wanted to be able to speak freely."

  Brianna nodded, taking a bite of the snap peas and carrots on her plate.

  "What do you propose, Princess?" Cormac interjected, leaning forward to look around her sister.

  Jess went to answer when Fallon touched her hand gently, silencing her.

  "Understandably, you may not recall our custom of not discussing business while we dine, Prince Cormac," he said, smiling politely.

  "Ah, yes," Cormac said, then looked back to Jess again, "My apologies, Princess."

  She just smiled back at him, everything was new to her as well. She was grateful to have a reprieve to eat a few more bites.

  "It's bad for the constitution, Cormac," Brianna informed her son. He remained silent, focusing on finishing his steak and vegetables.

  "Are you all nocturnal people, Queen Brianna?" Jess asked, drawing everyone's eyes on first herself and then the queen.

  "Not by nature, dear. Though the Unseelie do business and interact with many of those who are, so most of us have adapted to sleeping during the day. I still enjoy seeing a beautiful sunrise now and then," the queen replied, smiling kindly at the young woman across from her.

  "Why all the leaves in your home in Connecticut?" Alyss inquired.

  "The Seelie, of which we are all derived from, have a special attachment to the earth and the plants that the Goddess Danu has created and scattered upon it," Brianna said, seeming to delight in speaking about her people.

  Jess thought on this as she finished her dinner and sipped her drink, which tasted like a sparkling grape juice with something else she wasn't able to name just yet.

  After everyone had finished and the table was cleared, sweet scone looking cakes were set out and coffee and tea was poured into bone China cups.