Dragon Rage

by Kelly Armenta

  We were going to talk. But first I needed to get some caffeine in me and then I’d think about getting dressed. In the meantime I was trying to remember how my body parts were supposed to work. My stomach growled loudly and Jace rolled his eyes, slipping into his loafers as he headed toward the door. “Be right back,” he told us. I heard voices out in the hall just before he pulled the door closed behind him.

  Areth had provided me with a robe which was still draped across the foot of the bed. I was thinking about putting it on when Jace returned carrying a tray with an omelet and country potatoes. The smell caused my tummy to rumble again while Jace slid onto the bed and propped himself up on the pillows. The man loved to feed me and I waited patiently, not even bothering to reach for the silverware. I knew better, having had my knuckles gently swatted on several occasions previously. Gareth took the empty mug from me and set it on the night stand. He leaned a hip against the bed, crossed his arms over his chest and watched us from blue eyes that appeared calm and content.

  “The others are waiting in the front room for us,” Jace commented as he held up a forkful of ham, cheese, and egg to me. “We think they should be part of this conversation,” he told me, his eyes flicking to Gareth, who nodded.

  I chewed and considered the problem. Two days ago we’d gone to run errands and ended up at the Courthouse, where Jace and Gareth had applied for a sex license for their club. They’d also gone there to pay a hefty fine, compliments of yours truly. It was the unfortunate result of my playing my Faerie flute, which seemed to have caused an orgy upstairs with the customers. It had also brought me Cursed, Amras, and Kit, and ultimately freed Owen from the spell he’d been under. So I couldn’t really feel badly about that. Unfortunately while we’d been waiting for Gareth and Jace to wrap up the paperwork, one of the guards had approached us and Amras had claimed diplomatic immunity when challenged for carrying a sword in public. One thing had led to another and before we knew it our picture was pasted all over the front page of every paper in town. Cries of ‘Princess of Faerie spotted in San Francisco’ and ‘Has the Sidhe opened its doors?’ had brought a media storm down on our heads. Among other things, this caused a very unhappy visit from my Mother who was up until two days ago the only known Princess of Faerie living in America. We’d managed to keep that under wraps for some twenty five years, then one nod from Amras and Cursed and all our hard work was undone. Not that I blamed either of them, they hadn’t known I’d been keeping my identity a secret and I had forgotten to warn them. I’d promised Mom I’d think of someway to minimize the damage but I wasn’t sure how to go about it.

  I evaded the fork and held up my hand. “No more please,” I told Jace, who frowned at the small amount I’d managed to consume. Between my liquid brunch of coffee and Gareth, I was already full. Jace’s face lost all expression as he picked up my thought and the fork dropped back to the plate with a clunk. His cheeks turned dusky and he shook his head. “Okay then,” he commented, turning to place the tray on the table next to the bed. Gareth just rolled his eyes and grinned.

  I pushed up off the bed and crawled to the edge. “Can I get some clothing?” I called, and watched as a pale yellow crop top blouse and matching palazzo pants materialized next to me. The material was soft and stretchy and had long wide sleeves that matched the wide pants legs. Lavender flowers were embroidered around the edge of the sleeves, neck and at the waistband of the pants and down the front of one leg. I lifted the top and bottoms, sighing at the lack of undergarments. I was going to have to speak to Areth, this seemed like it was becoming a theme. I pulled the top on, shaking my head at the way my nipples stood at attention and pressed against the clingy material. Sliding to the floor I pulled on the pants, which ended at least two inches below my belly button, leaving an expanse of skin showing between my top and bottoms. I had to wonder if Kit had had that conversation he’s threatened with Areth. A pair of matching slip-on sandals were sitting on the floor at the edge of the bed and I bent over to pull them on. My hair was a mess so I walked to the bathroom and retrieved a brush and the chopsticks which Areth had conjured for me. When I came back into the room Jace was gone, along with the tray and my empty coffee cup. Gareth took the brush from me and within a few minutes he’d managed to eliminate all of the tangles. I gathered up the hair around my face and twisted it at the back of my head using the chopsticks to hold it in place.

  “Shall we?” he asked and then opened the door for me.

  Owen had moved his chess board to the living room and he and Amras were in the midst of a game. Both of them looked up and smiled, their eyes telling me they liked the way I looked. Cursed was standing across the room facing the hall. Apparently he had been watching for me and his eyes turned smoky as he gave me the once over. Kit was curled in a chair with another of Jace’s Demon books in his lap. In the air beside him, a large feather pen looked to be taking notes on a roll of parchment. I’d have to introduce him to writing paper and Bic pens I thought, wincing as ink splashed off the page and onto the carpet below. He lifted his head finally and made a pleased sound in his throat, which was just his way of saying hi! Jace came into the room from the kitchen and hesitated briefly, his eyes sweeping over me from head to toe. “Lovely,” he commented as he took a seat on the couch and patted the cushion next to him.

  “Good morning,” I called, stepping down to the sunken floor and crossing to the couch Jace had selected. Heads swiveled and eyes followed me as I smoothed the back of my pants and took a seat. With my shields down I could feel their keen interest.

  “About time,” Kit complained, his dark eyes flicking over me while he licked his lips. “Much more of that and we’d all be worthless.”

  “Speak for yourself, Demon,” Cursed corrected him.

  Kit gave him a sidelong glance and made a scoffing noise in his throat. “This from the Goblin with the damp pants,” and rolled his eyes.

  Cursed gave him a dirty look but held his tongue. I felt my cheeks turn pink and beside me Gareth cleared his throat.

  Across the room Owen started out by saying. “I went up and spoke to Nick earlier. The camera crews and reporters are still camped outside. Though there doesn’t seem to be as many of them as there were two nights ago.” He then got up from his chair and went down the hall. When he returned he was carrying a huge bouquet of white roses. There must have been at least three dozen in the arrangement. Owen set them on the table in front of me and disappeared down the hall again. When he came back again he was carrying a second arrangement, this one done all in dark yellow and every bit as large as the first. He set the second bouquet on the table next to the other and stood, crossing his arms over his chest as he raised an eyebrow at me. Gareth and Jace both glanced at the flowers and frowned.

  I licked my lips and glanced around the room realizing that no one seemed particularly pleased with me. “Ah… do you know who sent them?”

  Owen shook his head and waved his hand at the flowers as if to say, look for yourself. “I have a fairly good idea,” he added.

  “Did you check the cards?” I asked, feeling somewhat guilty and not sure why.

  Kit made a rude noise and waved his hand so that the book and writing materials disappeared. But it was Amras that spoke. “We were not able to remove them from their holders. We each received a nasty shock when we attempted to do so,” he told me, his voice sounding annoyed. I think it was the first time I’d ever heard that particular tone from him. This couldn’t be good, even Amras was angry at me.

  He sighed and then replied, “Not at you, Princess.”

  I nodded and leaned forward. The white roses were closest and I winced when I plucked the card from the plastic holder, afraid I might also be shocked. When the card easily slipped free at my tug, everyone but Jace and Gareth growled. I winced and pulled back the flap removing the little card within. It read ‘Give me one night to prove I am worthy, Alan.’ Across the room Kit cursed and folded his arms over his chest, his red eyes narrowing to little slits o
f pulsing fire. I wasn’t certain why he was so annoyed by Alan; it wasn’t like I was planning on trading down. My thought brought Kit up sharply and his eyes widened as he stared at me across the room. I smiled at him and winked and he lifted an eyebrow as if to say…we’ll see. But he did manage to relax back into his chair and the stream of obscenities was silenced.

  I tossed the card onto the table and reached for the other one. As I read the words my eyes widened and I felt my face flame. Jace grabbed the card from my nerveless fingers and read it out loud for the rest of them, right before he ripped it in half with a growl that set the hair at my nape on end. Around the room teeth were bared and the tension ratcheted up about one hundred and fifty percent. If Bodark had been in the room I doubt he would have made it out alive. The card read, ‘The dress you wore last night was beautiful and would have looked perfect in a crumpled heap next to my bed this morning. Until then I’ll dream of you.’ It was signed with the same picture of a wolf head that had been on the card Gareth had removed from me last night.

  “Owen, could you…” I asked, motioning to the flowers with a helpless gesture. He snapped his fingers and the flowers disappeared. He was still frowning when he uncrossed his arms and went back to his chair.

  “I sent them to the terminal ward at UCSF,” he remarked as he lowered himself to sit.

  In spite of my shock I had to chuckle. The University had been specializing in treating non-human illnesses for more than thirty years. That he would send the arrangements to the terminal ward was actually very funny, and perhaps a bit of wishful thinking? “Thank you,” I told him, then muttered, “Let’s hope that’s the last of that.” To which all of them simply grunted.

  “Can we discuss the media now?” Gareth asked as he leaned back on the couch and placed his arm along the back behind my head.

  “I think we should talk to Mi first,” I told him, just as a ding sounded out in the hall. Jace rose from the couch at the knock on the hall door. Voices sounded in the hall and Jace came back carrying a flat black velvet box with a red bow wrapped around it. I noticed my name was printed across the card attached to the ribbon when he handed it to me without a word and sat back down on the couch. I placed it in my lap and stared down at it like it was a hissing snake.

  “Open it,” Gareth growled.

  I glanced at him but reached for the card. It read, ‘I hope you enjoyed the flowers. I see you slept late, wish I was to blame. I’m charmed.’ And again it was signed with the wolf head. I stared at the card in shock. How had he known? I was almost afraid to open the box but Gareth wrapped a curl of my hair around his fingers and gave it a tug as if to say, hurry up and get it over with. I pulled the ribbon off the box and snapped it open. Inside was a solid gold key charm, it look real and had the words, My heart engraved on one side and The door, on the other.

  “Clever, I suppose he meant that for your bracelet” Jace muttered as I closed the box and tossed it onto the table. He no sooner said it than the elevator dinged again and I sat frozen waiting for the knock. This time Gareth went for the door, irritation covering his face. Again there were voices and Gareth returned carrying a cream colored envelop which he tossed in my lap as he took his seat. The word ‘Princess’ was scrolled across the front. I sighed and turned it over, using my finger to pry it open. The card I withdrew simply said ‘Thank You’ on one side and I stared down at it in confusion.

  “Turn it over” Gareth suggested.

  I laughed sharply when I read it. “Dten sends his Mistress’ thanks,” I told them and grudging smiles broke out around the room. “Apparently she was most impressed with his efforts this morning.” Beside me Jace unbent enough to chuckle and Gareth teased another lock of my hair.

  When the elevator dinged again they both sighed, but it was Kit that beat them to the door. He returned carrying a large white envelop that he dropped in my lap on his way to his chair. “Careful,” he warned, as he wiped his hand down his black pants. “I don’t like the way that one feels.”

  I looked at the envelope which had ‘Princess Lexi’ embossed in black letters across the front, and slowly opened it. I drew out a card also on white card stock and flipped it open. This one I read out loud. “Princess Lexi is formally invited by Mayor Claudius Courday to be the guest of honor at a welcoming reception presented by the city of San Francisco. The event is to be held at City Hall at nine in the evening on the sixteenth. Attire is formal. Please contact us to advise your acceptance and time of arrival.” There was a phone number to R.S.V.P. to and it looked to be signed by the Mayor himself. “What day is today?” I asked.

  “The fifteenth,” Jace responded after having glanced at his watch.

  “Oh… Mi!” I yelled, then flipped the card onto the table with the rest of the stuff.

  “Claudius is cronies with Valentine,” Gareth remarked. “They have a mutually beneficial relationship. He’s also a Vampire.”

  “Just great,” I muttered and mentally yelled for Mi again.

  “Hey!” Jace winced. “Give us some notice when you’re going to do that.”

  “Sorry,” I told him and leaned over to kiss his cheek. “I’m just a little distracted.”

  “What?” Mi demanded as her disembodied head appeared above the table in front of me. The rest of her slowly faded in until she was seated with her bottom resting on the invitation and thank you cards. “When I turned you over to these two I didn’t expect to be visiting daily!”

  “What, you don’t miss me?” I chided and smiled when she grumbled under her breath. “So how did it go?”

  Mi avoided my gaze and glanced around the room, her large amber eyes hesitating when she caught sight of Amras. He noticed her glance and his eyes widened and he seemed to pale. “Let’s just say we’re still negotiating,” she replied, turning back to face me.

  “I’m going to need a little more than that,” I told her, my eyes flicking between Amras and her. “I’ve been invited by the Mayor of San Francisco to a party tomorrow night.”

  “So don’t go,” Mi replied.

  “It’s being held in my honor.”

  “Oh… well then hold on a minute, I’ll be right back. By the way, I love that outfit.” And so saying she winked back out.

  Mi was only gone for a few minutes and when she returned she had my Mother with her. Mi reappeared on the table, only this time she wasn’t seated on the papers. My Mother was wearing a conservative pale blue business suit with silk blouse and high heels and she appeared in the chair to our left. Her eyebrows lifted and she pursed her lips when she caught sight of my get up. It made me squirm uncomfortably on the couch. Lucky for me she turned her gaze on Cursed and then Amras, who also seemed to flinch. “Lord Amras,” she began, with her voice in that ‘I’m really annoyed’ tone I still sometimes have nightmares about. “You are causing me considerable difficulties. The Queen is quite wroth with you, Sir.”

  Amras turned even more pale. “Princess,” he replied, lowering his head while his eyes flicked to me. Next to him Cursed slipped to the floor on one knee with his head bowed. Apparently I wasn’t the only one in the room that recognized her ‘angry’ voice.

  “Why is the Queen mad at Amras?” I asked, frowning when Cursed remained kneeling.

  “You must ask Lord Amras if you wish an answer,” she replied, her eyes dismissing the pair across the room as she turned back to me. “Mi tells me you have been summoned by the Mayor of this city?”

  “Yes, I’m not sure how to respond. Do you have news of the Sidhe?” She clasped her hands in her lap and looked at me thoughtfully. I knew better than to interrupt her while she was thinking and simply held my tongue.

  “Nice to see you haven’t forgotten everything I taught you,” she muttered and I bit the inside of my cheek and tried to blank my mind. That got me a lifted eyebrow. “You will go and I shall join you,” she told me, nearly bowling me over with her comment.

  “What?”

  “The Queen has agreed to acknowledge you as a roya
l heir. So I will go with you to support your position.”

  “But... how will we explain… me?” I stuttered.

  She sighed and unclasped her hands. Her eyes slipped to Amras again and she frowned. “I believe a little misdirection will suffice. It was no secret I’ve been engaged, and witnesses can be found to testify that my… fiancée’ was seen some twenty something years ago.”

  My eyes widened in horror as what she was saying sunk into my brain. “You want to infer that Amras is my… Father?” I whispered, my voice actually shaking with the horror I felt.

  “I want to do no such thing!” she snapped, as her cheeks turned pink and her lips compressed into tight angry lines. “However, the Queen has been informed and understands the delicate nature of your… birth and merely offered it as an option. One I think we would be wise to support.”

  “But we… I’ve… this won’t do at all!” I told her in a strangled voice. “I can’t have anyone thinking I’m having ongoing relations with my own Father!”

  “I’m afraid that won’t be a problem,” she told me as she glanced at Amras again.

  “How could it not be?”

  “Because, my dear, Lord Amras has been called back to the Sidhe.”

  “No! That’s not possible,” I whispered in horror.

  Across the room Amras broke the silence. “Might I assume you have informed the Queen of the nature of our… relations?”

  “The Queen has been informed of many things.”

  Amras slumped back in his chair. His face was still pale and his eyes were filled with anguish. Beside him Cursed still knelt on the floor drawing my attention to his bent head. “Get up, Cursed!” I snapped. It seemed I was always doing that when my Mother was around. He looked shaken when he lifted his head and eased onto the nearest chair. I turned back to my Mother but Amras spoke again.