The dirty, sexy thoughts that raced through Daemon’s mind made her scramble to leave his head.
Daemon chuckled and put her back on her feet.
George was eyeing them both suspiciously.
“I explained the new sleeping arrangements,” Daemon said.
Actually, he hadn’t, specifically.
Was there something else they had planned behind her back?
“I’m not going to run away. I’ll sleep alone. Thanks, anyway,” she grumped. She needed space to figure things out.
“That’s not why we’re sleeping with you.”
George had leaned down to whisper in her ear, leaving her nipples hard as she got sandwiched between him and Daemon from behind.
“Everything sorted out here?” Geer asked, interrupting their budding threesome. “Who’s going to tell her that we’re turning around?”
Elizabeth blew both princes back and stepped over to Geer.
“What? We’re ready. Everybody’s here,” she said in confusion.
“Don’t blame me. The demon has insisted we go about this diplomatically,” Geer said.
Geer must have been eavesdropping on Daemon’s conversation with Raphael.
Elizabeth sighed and turned around to face Daemon. He had heard from Pan about how atrocious things were for the dragonesses of the light clan.
“Why the delay?” she asked him.
“Our father didn’t know that the dragons had divided up into clans. I have to make my offer to both—although, I have agreed that any offer is contingent on the freedom of all the members of the clan being allowed to make a choice. We’re sending your buddy, Geer, to deliver the terms,” Daemon explained.
He reached a hand over her and clapped Geer—standing behind her—on his shoulder.
The other male grunted and sent her a telepathic answer.
"Guess I’m going to do the hero thing all by myself. It would be showing off, but I don’t consider the task that dangerous. Do tell your princes to make good use of their downtime with you while I go do the heavy lifting,” Geer said.
She turned around, putting Daemon at her back.
What nonsense was this about Geer going to face the bad dragon king all on his own?
“We’re going to check out the dark caves!” Reid exclaimed with excitement.
She was much less happy.
She wasn’t facing the Dogs, so she felt comfortable giving Geer a worried look.
When she tried to communicate with him telepathically, however, she found he’d blocked her.
“Why you, and why alone?” Elizabeth asked, not letting Geer get away without an answer.
“You already know the answer to those questions, although I told you that you may forget,” Geer cryptically replied.
“He’s untouchable!” Raphael barked, coming up to join them. Pan was by his side. “Your princes asked this favour, and I cannot disregard a last attempt at diplomacy before a definite show of force. It’s only a couple of days delay at most.”
George’s mind was still open to her.
He seemed as confused as her in his thoughts, wondering what made Geer so untouchable.
Geer looked to be the same age as the Dogs, and they were still in training, even if George allowed them more dangerous tasks because of their strength as a unit.
Daemon left his mind open, but only partly.
He told her to be satisfied with what answers she’d gotten from Geer already, warning her from probing his mind further.
“Fine. I never got to see much more than the bedrooms in the dark caves the first time. Perhaps we’ll have time for a better tour?” Elizabeth asked, pushing her way past Geer and heading back the way they’d come.
All of the males kept their distance, only Pan running to catch up with her.
“It’s going to be okay,” Pan cheerfully told her.
Elizabeth sighed. “Yes, I do believe Geer knows what he’s doing. Raphael and the others wouldn’t trust him otherwise.”
“No—well, I mean, yes, Geer is a good choice for a messenger. He’s . . . special,” Pan said.
The girl had paused for a moment, trying to describe Geer.
Elizabeth had peeked into her thoughts and all she could find was a fuzzy idea, which centred on Geer’s tattoos.
They symbolized something that Pan recognized on a gut level, but she didn’t have a clear idea exactly what made Geer special.
Didn’t he say everyone forgot? Was this what he meant?
Elizabeth hadn’t forgotten a thing that he had told her.
“Okay, Geer is special,” Elizabeth agreed.
Pan shook her head, as if she’d been thinking too hard on what made Geer special and was only now realizing she’d lost the rest of her focus.
“The vampire boys didn’t recognize me,” Pan said, changing topics.
“Boys? You mean the Dogs?”
“Yes, the ones sent after the princes. They’re younger than I realized when I spied on them from a distance. Is the Maeren kingdom hurting so badly for soldiers that it sends out boys?” Pan asked.
“No. Remember, they’re a special task-force. I wouldn’t underestimate their abilities based on their ages, Pan.”
"The Dogs scented Pan and they do want to talk. I swear, it’ll be polite. She did steal from them as well as set them up and use them. Cason will forego any talk of compensation if she returns his sister’s brooch,” George said, catching their conversation.
Oh, there really was no way around this.
“Pan, did you scavenge something from the Dogs when you came across them in the Wastes?” Elizabeth asked.
The girl guiltily looked at Elizabeth.
“I hid a piece of jewelry in your bags. I just thought it was pretty, but there was a blood-locket worked into the piece and the jewels were paste. I figured it was more sentimental value, so I ditched it in your bags, where I figured someone else would eventually find it and return it to them.”
That explained why Elizabeth hadn’t seen it. Pan had transformed and lost most of her clothes, so there really wouldn’t have been anywhere for the younger girl to keep a brooch hidden on her.
“They don’t know yet. Perhaps you should ask George to help you retrieve it from the luggage and return the brooch yourself. It belongs to Cason,” Elizabeth said.
“C-can’t you do that for me?”
“The Dogs will be polite. If they give you trouble, tell me. Unfortunately, I have my own problems to deal with once we reach the caves. It will be better if you don’t wait on me to get it done, sooner than later.”
"Yes, kerashemeria. We have to talk about your punishment still, don’t we? I’ll make sure we get a room that is appropriately equipped,” George taunted.
"Stop spying on me!"
Geer’s sudden disappearance was cast in a new light.
Going off to be a hero?
Ha.
He’d set her up for some ‘alone time’ with her princes just to allow them to punish her!
If only it didn’t also feel like Geer was protecting her. The guilt and worry tempered her second response to George.
"I’m sorry I scared you and Daemon. It wasn’t a well thought-out plan. My hasty actions did put me and Pan at risk. We’ll talk—but that’s all I promise."
Looking over at Pan—who still seemed nervous as she walked beside her—Elizabeth used George’s telepathic spying against him.
If he was listening, he better make this happen.
“George had our bags. Let’s go to him together and ask for the brooch back. I’ll help you,” Elizabeth said, changing her mind about aiding Pan.
Although Elizabeth’s reprisal for her actions couldn’t be avoided, Pan’s mistakes could be repaired.
Returned objects weren’t really stolen, but borrowed. The rules could be bent.
Vampires pushed. Witches gave.
Unless one of them redirected the pull of the rules first.
Danger Courted
&
nbsp; Jaeson
“Come upstairs.”
Kaila looked away from where Jill was seated at the booth near the back of the pub.
The younger ones had claimed that spot as their own. Alexander had them playing cards, a preferred past time in earth clans.
Victor had to be taught along with the princess, but Jill caught onto the games quickly.
Cards were popular in the human realm as well.
His daughter, Deborah, used to love playing poker best.
“Why upstairs?” Kaila asked, interrupting Jaeson’s memories of Deborah.
His only reaction was a blink.
Kaila didn’t know much about what had happened to him while she’d been missing in the human realm. The heartbreak wasn’t something he was ready to share.
Kaila sighed, impatient for his answer.
“Are you hungry? I would think a vampire your age would know how to please a witch well enough to find someone else willing to feed you. I’m busy.”
Jaeson looked away from the young ones, returning his gaze to the witch that he’d come to fetch—at the general’s command.
Kaila would rub it in his face if she knew he was only following orders.
The reason she was needed upstairs had nothing to do with feeding him, but he couldn’t let her snide comment slide.
“We’re fighting dragons, wren. Don’t you think I ought to drink premium blood to shore up my magic? Have you become fang-shy with only dull humans to kiss you?”
Kaila scoffed.
“If anyone is shy, it’s you, Jaeson. Why hide away upstairs, when I can give you my wrist here?”
One of Jaeson’s eyebrows shot up.
“You want me to prime you here?”
Knowing that wasn’t what she’d meant with her challenge, he pulled up a stool beside her to sit on, holding a hand out for her wrist.
She looked around to ensure nobody was watching them.
“Not now!” she said, facing him again.
“Of course not,” he agreed with a smile. “We’re needed upstairs right now. You could come to my room, later on, to feed me.”
He expected Kaila to decline.
What mattered was that he’d told her she was welcome to approach him. He’d left the door open.
Kaila had always been curious.
“I expect you to prepare a hot bath, properly scented. Don’t get your hopes up, Jaeson. It’s been a long time and what you knew about me is from childhood. I’ve grown,” she said.
She latched onto his hand, still outstretched for her to give him her wrist.
He nearly jumped off of his stool at the firm touch of her hand binding them together physically as she offered him a traditional earth-courting parlay.
There were many herbals that could be used to scent a lady’s bath—the trick was to match the scent, and medicinal properties if applicable, to the witch one wished to claim.
Of course, he’d probably have to lug up the bath water dozens of times before he got it right.
Most suitors were prepared to demonstrate strength, tenacity, and sensitivity by the courting parlay.
Witches would hint at the herbals with their comments as they judged each bath. Eager witches might even leave a sachet or a hand-written note with the location of their favourite plants.
Wren would make him work harder to ruffle her feathers.
Jaeson stood. He used his free hand to curl around the low of Kaila’s back and drag her closer to him.
The scent of verbena that he’d thought come from using lemon polish on the wooden bar was actually from her.
He smiled.
Verbena was one herb.
“If you continue to sniff me like a dog, I’ll rub your nose in something to ruin it for a week,” Kaila threatened.
His smile grew bigger.
“I’d rather rub my face all over your naked body after your bath, which I will get right, Lady Kai.”
That made her laugh. The sound of merriment was quickly cut off, as if she was embarrassed from her loss of rigid earth-control over her emotions.
He wanted to poke her in the belly and make her laugh again.
She needed more joy.
“Your idea of foreplay reminds me of the two of us rolling around in the hay, up in the barn loft. Um, but with a lot more clothes,” she explained.
“It was innocent then, Lady Kai. I still don’t mind making you laugh in bed or spending hours in the hayloft with you,” Jaeson said, bending down, so he ended up whispering the last into her ear.
She shivered.
“We’re not children. I don’t have hours to waste.”
Jaeson pulled back up, paying attention to her strict tone. She wasn’t going to let down her guard fully yet.
He was pushing too hard. If it wasn’t for their previous close relationship, she would have rebuffed him completely.
It was best to accept what she offered. Coax her instead of demand.
“Kaila, you know I will follow protocol with you. If you wish me to court you by earth-customs, I will. When you tell me by word or gesture that I’m making you uncomfortable, I will desist.”
She pursed her lips, not looking happy about his reassurances.
“Why waste time pursuing someone difficult like me? Plenty of other witches would appreciate a strong earth-lord,” she said.
It didn’t sound like that was what she wanted.
“I’m sure that you have already entertained offers, sitting here, looking pretty at the bar, Kaila,” he said.
She hadn’t—he’d made sure of that—but it was fine to admit she was as desirable as she thought he would be to others.
“There are always hungry vampires,” she dismissed.
“As well as witches looking for someone to pick up for them, dependant on a lord-of-convenience,” he countered.
“I don’t want you feeding other witches.”
It was said with quiet reserve. No emotion didn’t mean that she lacked. Her strength was in earth.
He crushed her to him in a hard hug.
“I’ll break the noses of any lord stupid enough to try to prepare you a bath. You are mine!”
Kaila laughed again. He smothered it against his shoulder, so she could enjoy her merriment this time without cutting it short.
A quick air-barrier around them would be felt by her and doubly reassuring.
When she finally stopped laughing, wiping her eyes discreetly on his sleeve, she tapped him to let him know she was ready to be let go.
“I can break noses on my own, you know,” she told him as he released the air-barrier.
“You don’t get that choice,” he said, stepping back to give her some space. “You can send me away with a rap of my nose.” He tapped the tip of her nose. “But you can’t tell me how to act with others. No other lord is going to make off with you this time.”
“Are you just going to break noses?” she asked.
He met her eyes with a serious look.
“No,” he answered, shaking his head. “You’re right. We’ve grown up. I’ll fight any others until one of us doesn’t get up. Each and every time anyone dares smile at what’s mine. I don’t need a claim to state my intent.”
“Jaeson, I’m glad to hear you learned your lesson about going easy on fire-lords courting my daughter, but we have another concern at the moment.”
The general was standing close by, but with enough distance to not be right on top of their conversation.
It was a subtle reminder that although he was Kaila’s father, she was a grown witch, once married and free to choose her own suitors without his interference.
The distance said she would get first chance at defending herself against unwanted advances, but her father was close enough to step in if necessary.
“Yes, sir. Kaila has just agreed to formal earth-courting. I haven’t told her yet about the interrogation you wanted her to be present for upstairs.”
“The air witch?” Kaila asked.
/> The general nodded.
“It’s your choice to be present, daughter,” he said. “William did disparage your sensibilities, saying you have developed a weak belly for blood and violence. I can’t promise a gentle interrogation.”
Jaeson scoffed.
“I don’t need to ask if she has the stomach for it. Wren never liked violence, but she was a true mother hen whenever one of her patients were injured. I doubt that now she has chicks of her own that her instincts have softened.”
Kaila turned to face her father more fully.
“I’ll come upstairs and watch. If you can’t get her to talk, let me try.”
An Interview
Kaila
The captured witch was seated at a small table, sipping tea, when they all entered the upstairs room.
It didn’t look at all like an interrogation was happening here—the door to the room had even been unlocked.
The only hint to the witch’s imprisonment was the circle etched into the floor.
Charcoal and an extra line of chalk outside of that—both set with earth.
It had been a long time since she had seen an earth-circle. Her father’s circles had always been exceptionally strong.
Doubly reinforced earth-circles were meant for prisoners of the highest security risks.
“Take a chair and have some tea,” Jaeson ordered Kaila. His tone had changed from downstairs.
Her friend—the potential lover from her past—was gone.
In his place was a soldier who would do whatever he had to in order to convince their prisoner he was a cold, heartless male, ready to bleed her for information.
Her father went first. He put his hand in the whirling circle of sand, parting an opening for them like the grains made up a solid curtain he could draw back at will.
The whole weight of a circle this size had to be close to her own, so not something that could easily be lugged around by the average elemental.
The best sand was refined from crushed stone brought out of the caves by her clan, full of minerals. Instead of fresh clothes, most earth-lords were known for bringing their personal sand mix along with them.
Good earth was worth its weight in gold.
Witch Darkness Follows (Maeren Series Book 3) Page 32