“Trust me with this, Aaron. I know it holds very different meaning in the human world, but I need to keep you safe. Whenever either of these two men tell you to do something, don’t question it, just tell them yes and do it.”
Aaron cocked his head, looking concerned at Daniel’s pleading tone. “Okay. But I really hate it.”
“So did I.”
“You?”
“I was an Untouchable. My collar was electric.”
Caledon wondered why Daniel would offer that bit of information, but once he saw the effect on Aaron, he thought he understood. Aaron gaped and didn’t stop Daniel from putting the collar on him in the meantime. “Why?”
“Because we didn’t know who I was yet. I was just human, and it was to protect me, too.”
“Yeah, but electric?” Aaron followed them out the door, and Levidon locked up before they made their way through the halls. They entered a huge dining room with a lot of tables for two to six people and a beautiful view. Levidon led them to one of the six-man tables and chose a seat that would allow him to see everybody and the doors. Caledon sat at the other end of that table, guiding Daniel to sit between them. Marcadon sat across from Levidon, and Aaron next to him and opposite Daniel.
A woman, Mingler by the scent of her, came over and placed three menus on the table. “Coffee or tea?”
All but Aaron asked for coffee, and the Mingler left.
“Are you doing that on purpose?” Levidon asked, looking at Marcadon. Caledon looked at the red-eye except his eyes changed between red and human brown.
“What do you mean?” Marcadon asked, and his eyes stayed brown.
“They change to human looking. Are you nervous here?”
“Yes.” It didn’t look like the gruff cub was fond of revealing that. Levidon reached across the table and took his hand. It put a little smile on Marcadon’s face, and the two kept holding hands.
“There are warriors here,” Levidon announced. “More are coming. Only a few know Daniel is here, and even fewer know who he is. He’s safe here.”
Caledon looked up as someone sauntered into his peripheral vision. He was about to stand when Grand Lord Neardon put a finger to his lips and took a seat next to Aaron.
“Grand Lord,” Caledon whispered and nodded.
“My Prince,” Neardon whispered and winked at Daniel, who gave a ghost of a smile. Neardon then noticed Aaron. “And who’s this?”
“My Untouchable,” Daniel said, getting a disapproving look from Aaron. “He was my best friend growing up. I asked him to come with me, and now I’m trying to explain the necessity of the collar and protection.”
Neardon grinned. “Oh. Well, good luck with that.”
Daniel chuckled.
Levidon cleared his throat and discreetly cocked his head as if pointing in the direction of the Mingler who came their way with a tray full of mugs.
Daniel, Marcadon, and Aaron ordered food. The Mingler left.
“How is your Cubi coming, My Prince?” Neardon asked in Cubi.
“It could be better,” Daniel responded in kind. “I have focused on other duties.”
“Do you know what battle ready means?”
Daniel shook his head and looked at Caledon who whispered the English word to him.
“Battle ready who?” Daniel continued in Cubi.
Neardon smiled. “Royals have responded to our crisis, especially now that Nol-Elakdon has been captured. The King of South, the Queen of East, and the Queen of the Median are on their way.”
“That leaves only one,” Daniel said.
“The King of High. He’s already here.” Neardon pointed to a man with dark glasses in the corner of the dining hall, but he did sit facing the sun. “He has requested to meet you after you’ve eaten.”
“Not now?”
“No, he heard of your trip and wanted you well rested and fed. Are you well fed?”
“He can run circles around even a Guard Lord,” Levidon said.
Neardon sent Caledon a look full of pity and amusement.
The Mingler returned and placed plates with their orders. Daniel practically groaned at the sight of eggs, bacon, and toast points. While he ate, Caledon and Neardon continued to speak in Cubi to exclude the new Untouchable.
“When will the Royals arrive?” Caledon asked.
“Over the next six hours. We meet at seven this evening,” Neardon said.
“What are we actively doing until then? To find them, I mean,” Daniel asked.
“The Royal Guards are working on it. A plan is almost ready. They’ve been located, that much I know.”
“Are they okay?”
“I’m sorry, My Prince, we don’t have that information yet. After the meeting tonight, you’ll be moved to your House in the shared nation of Canada. Preliminary reports back from the human government there sound promising. We’ve been allowed to use a military airfield to fly Cubi into their country, and they’ll be transported to your land.”
Daniel rocked, the rest of his food forgotten. Caledon put an arm around his shoulders and pulled him in to kiss his temple. It earned him a smile, but sorrow lingered just beneath, and worry didn’t leave Daniel’s now beautiful green eyes. Caledon suspected that he, too, looked worried, yet he had more experience in hiding it.
“Remember to eat, cub,” Caledon said.
Daniel nodded and looked at his food like he absolutely didn’t want to eat it. But he managed another five bites and the rest of his coffee.
“Shall I inform Nol-Plydon that you’re ready?” Neardon asked.
“Yes, thank you.”
Neardon dipped his head and left the table.
“Will you be there?” Daniel asked Caledon.
“Always, cub.”
Daniel took his hand, squeezing it. He turned his attention to the man Neardon went to talk to, and once the King rose from his table, the air seemed electric. Oh, man, that was a strong King.
“What’s that?” Daniel asked.
“His essence. Look around.”
Daniel did, and the Cubi in the room looked around, clearly feeling the presence of a Royal.
“You’ll be strong enough to do that, too, one day. To feel your own power like that. To assure your people of your presence.”
Neardon turned to look at Daniel, and the young Prince straightened, holding his head high. The electricity in the room rose, and a red-eyed Succubus lost a dose two tables over, wiping at it with an embarrassed expression. Caledon smiled. He had no doubt it was Daniel’s added power that made it spike enough to cause the hungriest and youngest to dose uncontrollably.
Daniel stood, slipped behind Levidon, and walked straight up to the King. Caledon followed and found his place to Daniel’s left side.
“I certainly feel your strength, young one, but your eyes puzzle me,” the King said in Cubi. From where Caledon stood, he couldn’t see Daniel’s eyes, but the awestricken expression on the old King’s face revealed when Daniel’s eyes turned. “Oh, what a precious gift.” The King stepped closer and kissed Daniel’s forehead before dipping his head for Daniel to do the same. They then shared a kiss on the lips and stepped back, giving the cue for Caledon to bow deeply.
Chairs scrambled across the floor behind them and out the corner of his eye, Caledon saw every Cubus in the room bowing deeply.
“I’m very pleased to meet you, Nol-Plydon. I just wish it could have been under happier circumstances. And I’m sorry that I don’t know a lot of Cubi yet. I’m very young and still learning.”
“I have been informed, but also about your insatiable curiosity. That’s a good trait for a Royal.” The King looked around. “Thank you for the respect you show me. Please, continue your day.”
People stood and found their seats while Caledon stepped up close to Daniel’s left.
“Ilkil-Nol,” the King said, stepping forward.
“Lord Caledon.” Caledon dipped his head and received a kiss on his forehead.
“I have voted to
let the young Prince rise early as it is his people’s need. I will acknowledge now the role you will play later. Shall we sit?”
The four of them took a seat, Daniel and Nol-Plydon opposite each other, Caledon sat next to Daniel, and Grand Lord Neardon next to the King.
“Is it transferable?” Plydon pointed to Daniel’s eyes.
“Yes, but difficult to control at will,” Daniel said.
“I guarded Dan—Beaudon’s Fountain when we fled to escape the human soldiers,” Caledon said. “They caught up to us, but the Fountain, a young red-eye, changed his eyes back to human brown. He can’t control it, but it seems to be a reflex activated from fear or nervousness.”
“The people of Nil-Sundin need that gift more than any other Kingdom because of the human religions in her shared nations,” Plydon said. “But I would very much like to agree on pilgrimage with you.”
“I have to be stronger before than can be possible,” Daniel said. “But I’d like that. What gift spread with your rise?”
“Please stand.” The King stood, reaching for Daniel’s hands. They locked gazes, and Caledon waited.
“Wow,” Daniel said.
“Oh, you bring more, don’t you, young Prince,” Plydon said, smiling.
“I can make a breeder or Cubus euphoric by only looking at them. You can change how I perceive you?”
“What changed?” the King asked.
“You seemed to grow taller.”
The King wasn’t tall. Not as tall as Caledon and Seldon, and Daniel apparently liked tall men.
“That’s pretty handy,” Daniel mumbled, and the two sat again. He then leaned closer to Caledon. “How young is the next youngest Royal?”
Caledon chuckled. “Around Seldon’s age. Nil-Sundin. She was crowned…eighty?”
“Eighty-four years ago, yes,” Nol-Plydon confirmed.
“She took over the Kingdom of the Fallen King,” Caledon added.
“That’s why the name sounded familiar.”
“I am her closest ally and the King who Royally Empowered her,” Plydon said.
“What has she empowered her people with?” Caledon asked, because come to think of it, he had no idea. He didn’t believe they’d had anyone move to The Great House of Dahlidin from those Kingdoms.
“They can smell what humans are compatible with them, so they know who to dose.”
“Oh, useful!” Daniel exclaimed.
Plydon leaned closer, smiling. “Your name is very fitting, young Prince. Now that all of us are gathered, I will propose a Royal cross Empowerment.”
Caledon’s heart quickened because if he and Seldon had to fuck the Royal doses out of the cub after a six Cubi Royal fuck fest, they’d have to be starving bordering a cold to keep up.
“With our respective Ilkil-Nol Lords or Ladies, of course. In your case, both of them.”
Caledon’s heart sped up to a point where he felt dizzy because only a weathered Royal could dose him to lose control of his lust, and Nol-Plydon was suggesting he’d subject himself to all Royals in the world.
“Let’s get Nol-Elakdon and my Lokil-Nol back first.”
“A very focused Prince. I can appreciate that. Either way, we have to Empower as broadly as we can now that we have the chance.” The King seemed slightly irritated that Daniel skipped over something like the chance of cross Empowerment.
“Lokil-Nol is Beaudon’s lover, too. And Nol-Elakdon is his first allied.”
“You chose a lover?” Plydon asked Daniel.
“I chose someone my Grand Council thought worthy.” Daniel took Caledon’s hand again. “I’m fortunate enough to have found love with both of them.”
Plydon sat back with a diplomatic look on his face, and of course, a Royal older than Elakdon would look at the situation way more practically than Daniel did. Yes, Seldon and Caledon had ended up with important titles from love, but if the Grand Council hadn’t agreed, they’d have heard about it by then. Caledon even expected both of them to be replaced once Daniel found his sea legs and figured out how to run his Kingdom. Until then, Caledon would support the cub and his Kingdom the best he could, and once more capable Cubi took their place, Caledon just hoped the three of them would remain lovers.
But love in the Cubi world rarely survived one hundred years.
Caledon stayed quiet and remained a silent support pillar. He knew that his and Seldon’s place as right and left hand to the Sovereign King was still insecure. Yes, the Royals had pressed to let Daniel rise under the restrictions Caledon and Seldon had accepted, but not a lot stood in the way of the Royals wanting a new Ilkil and Lokil-Nol to be the ones helping Daniel. And this King didn’t look like he was a fan.
Noise sounded outside the lodge, and Caledon thought it sounded like a chopper. He half-turned and saw a huge-ass helicopter land—the big kind that looked like a plane but with two rotors.
It powered down, and people poured out. Levidon and a stack of purple-eyed were already out the door. Caledon made ready to hide Daniel behind himself, but something shimmered in his peripheral vision. Guard Lords, Caledon figured. The line of people continued in a high tempo toward the lodge while another chopper just as big as the first, landed. It, too, powered down, and people poured out of it.
Nol-Plydon stood and motioned for Daniel to come and stand next to him. “And here comes the cavalry.” Purple and golden eyes poured in, and Caledon made sure to stand to the left, but it was going to be chaos with so many Royal’s paying respects to the two Royals present.
“Oh, you are gorgeous!” a Queen exclaimed, spreading her arms as she closed in on Daniel, her scarf flapping behind her, and her loose skirt waving. Daniel smiled incredulously. She cupped his face and stood on her toes to kiss his forehead before she lowered herself to stand on flat feet which placed Daniel’s mouth at her forehead, but she still dipped her head, meaning Daniel kissed the top of her head instead. She smiled up at him and pursed her lips, getting her kiss as an equal. “I’m so pleased to meet you.”
“You, too, but you have me at a disadvantage. You know more about me than I do you.”
“You’re right. I’m Nil-Sundin of the East Kingdom. We’ll get to talk more. We have more pressing matters to attend to.”
Caledon liked how she turned serious. She turned to Caledon who bowed deeply.
“Thank you,” she said, gently grabbing his shoulders. He stood and bowed his head, and she kissed his forehead.
Daniel was greeting the next Royal, and Nil-Sundin went to her first ally, Nol-Plydon. Caledon waited and greeted in turn, feeling more and more hopeful as the Royals each promised Daniel that they were there to assist him.
Behind them, the dining room grew noisier. Once the greeting and formal pleasantries were over, Caledon turned to see the room filling up with purple-eyes and weapons.
“What’s the plan?” Daniel asked.
“They took a Royal,” Plydon said, sounding ominous. He generally seemed kind of ominous to Caledon, and his reputation said he could be a bastard. Even ruthless.
“We’re going to get him back to secure his people,” Sundin said.
Daniel drew a shuddering sigh before he turned to pull Caledon close. “The others are important, too. Why doesn’t it sound like it?”
“Because Royals are rare, Sires, Lords, and Ladies are a dime a dozen.”
Daniel looked up—his eyes beautifully golden. “Do you believe that?”
“I did once. Before I came to the House of Dahlidin, that is. I knew her. She certainly didn’t believe it, and she proved it by the hierarchy she made.” Caledon smiled and stroked Daniel’s cheek. But the cub needed more than that, yet all Caledon could offer was a kiss. He was powerless in the human world, and they had to trust in the allies who were there to retrieve their captured.
Chapter Twenty-Four
S eldon woke up with a start, waking the King sleeping on top of him. The one mattress didn’t leave them space to lie comfortably, and Seldon was the bigger of the two. He was co
ld, too, so sharing body heat was necessary. They’d left the other mattress to the Changeling who sat in his corner, shivering from both cold and hunger.
Geodin and Roardon were feeding in the cell next to them.
Elakdon moved around and nudged Seldon’s legs apart. “Give me your dose.” Elakdon stroked Seldon’s hunger boner and cupped a hand under the head. Seldon released a dose and then felt slick fingers pushing into him. It felt like he was being prepped for a quicky, so he relaxed and let the King open him with efficiency. Once open, Elakdon climbed up, pushed Seldon’s legs back, and entered him.
The Royal dose released, and Seldon’s mind clouded over. His lust spiraled, but he still recognized a quick and efficient feeding, the King more focused and less playful than usual. Elakdon sent their bodies toward climax within five minutes, and Seldon felt a yearning to hold and kiss his lovers as the orgasm swept over him. But they weren’t there.
Once done, they sat up and looked at the Changeling.
“Does he deserve to feed?” Elakdon asked.
“He’ll be a generally weak Cubus if we don’t.”
“I don’t care,” Elakdon said, looking sour. “I have no intentions of letting him rise.”
Seldon felt relieved because he was pretty sure he’d be the one feeding the Changeling. He then wondered what time it was. Looking at the frosted window and the shadow the sun cast, he figured they’d arrived two days ago because he’d seen that shadow once before, and before that, it had been dark. It had to be morning then. The Changeling hadn’t fed for a day. Was he petty if he didn’t take care of the Changeling’s needs? Elakdon had said he’d hand him over to Daniel, thus the Changeling would be a part of his House. What would Daniel want?
Whimpers escaped the Changeling, and he kept glancing at Seldon with hatred in his eyes. But also desperation.
“Would you mind if I fed him?” Seldon whispered.
Elakdon looked at him, surprised. “Do you want to?”
“Absolutely not.”
Elakdon chuckled. He then raised his voice from a whisper to a normal tone. “If he asks you to feed him, your mercy will be what decides whether or not he’s fed.”
Fountain of Beauty (The Cubi Book 4) Page 25