SIX
AISLINN ran her hand along the smooth rose marble of
the corridor’s wall, deep in thought. She was waiting for Carina.
They had plans to go to a dress shop in downtown Piefferburg today.
That was all her life was—an endless loop of teas, lunches,
clothes, parties, and cocktails. Was it wrong that she wanted
more?
Why was she the only
one who did? There had to be more to life than this. She couldn’t
be the only one in the Rose who wondered what it might
be.
Her friend Bella had
yearned to travel. She had felt trapped at Seelie Court and wanted
more than anything to see the rest of Piefferburg and beyond. Her
friend had received her wish—not in the best of all possible
ways—when she’d been banished from the Rose.
The fae lived long
lives. There had to be more Seelie Tuatha Dé bored with the
expectations placed on them to stay elevated on their pillars for
the sake of the troop. If Aislinn wanted to work, she couldn’t. If
she wanted to develop her magickal skill, it wasn’t allowed. If she
wanted to go off for an afternoon to visit Goblin Town or the
Boundary Lands or the Water Realm, that was forbidden. That was
what Gabriel didn’t understand. The Seelie were just as trapped by
illusion as everyone else.
Or, at least, she
was.
Her fingers slid
along the wall until she eventually halted in front of a shadow.
She turned her head and focused her eyes. Gabriel came into
view.
“I watched you walk
the entire length of the corridor. It’s like you were sleepwalking.
What’s on your mind this morning, beautiful?”
Beautiful. He probably called every woman he knew
beautiful.
“I don’t know.” The
last thing she was going to do was spill her heart to this guy. “I
was just thinking.” She shrugged.
“Hmmm.” He studied
her. “Not just about new clothes, I would make a
guess.”
“What? How could you
know that? I didn’t tell you my plans for this
morning.”
Carina showed up at
his arm. “I told him. I thought it would be fun if he came
along.”
Her gaze snapped to
Gabriel. She had been hoping to escape him for a little while. He
made her feel . . . well, he made her feel. She didn’t want that now. She didn’t want to
feel attracted, compelled, interested . . . and maybe just a little
bit crowded. But Aislinn understood Carina’s game. She wanted to
make a match between them. Her friend thought an affair with
Gabriel would be a good thing—no matter how short and
shallow.
Aislinn simply didn’t
want short and shallow.
She laughed. “Come
on, Carina, Gabriel doesn’t want to be dragged to the dress shop
with us. I’m sure he’d rather spend time . . .” She eyed him from
head to toe. Today he wore a pair of faded jeans that did nice
things for his already nice butt and a navy sweater covering his
broad chest. “Doing whatever it is he spends time
doing.”
“Nonsense.” Carina
hooked her arm with his. “I’m sure he can’t think of anything more
interesting than spending time with one beautiful woman and a
less-pretty married one.”
“I enjoy spending
time with gorgeous women and you definitely fall into that
category, Carina,” answered Gabriel with a smile.
Carina grinned at
Aislinn. “I really like this
man.”
“Yes,” Aislinn
murmured. “So does everyone else, it seems.”
“Except for Kendal,”
Carina answered. “Everyone’s talking about what happened last
night. That was some kiss and Kendal’s reaction was classically
jealous.”
Aislinn sighed. “I
noticed that, but it’s not because he loves me. It’s only because
he loves himself.” She turned her gaze to Gabriel. “So you’re
coming along, then?”
“I can hardly wait to
go dress shopping.”
“It takes a man who
is very secure in his masculinity to say that,” snickered
Carina.
Together they walked
to the entrance of the building that faced the streets of downtown
Piefferburg. The hobgoblin servant at the double doors of the Rose
Tower greeted them with an incline of his small, bald head. “Miss
Finvarra, your car is here.”
The three of them
exited onto the street, where a cool, early spring breeze blew, and
allowed the driver to usher them into the back of the limo she’d
ordered to take them to the shop. The back of both the towers
looked out on Piefferburg Square, where no cars were allowed, only
pedestrian traffic. Along the edges of the huge cobblestone square
were the most successful of troop businesses—some securities and
law firms, a few cafés, and some retail shops.
In the center of the
square was the charmed iron statue of Jules Piefferburg, founder of
their prison. The statue could not be taken down because of its
magick, but it could be altered and maligned, and usually it was .
. . badly . . . profanely. Sometimes it was dressed up according to
holiday or season, but usually in a way that disrespected the man
it represented. The only other notable landmark of Piefferburg
Square was the clock tower on the north side, perfectly in between
the two courts, like it was counting down to
something.
The area around the
front of the Rose Tower was the richest and poshest of downtown
Piefferburg, complete with all the troop-run jewelry stores,
clothing establishments, swanky restaurants, and coffee shops.
Piefferburg and Piefferburg City had a thriving economy, though it
still received much financial help from the world outside its
borders and many shipments of supplies. Aislinn figured they were
entitled to it, since they were keeping them in
prison.
She understood the
area around the Black Tower was also posh, except inclined toward
the nightmarish portion of the fae troop. Aislinn was curious to
see it, though she’d never say so out loud.
The car pulled away
from the curb and started down the street. Troop passersby were
dressed nicely in this part of town and paid very little attention
to Seelie vehicles, which were commonplace here.
“You said Ronan and
Bella are doing well,” Aislinn said to Gabriel once they were
moving, “but you didn’t really elaborate. Can you?”
Gabriel gazed out the
window as he spoke. She sat across from him in the back of the limo
and Carina sat beside him. “They came to the Unseelie Court under
the Summer Queen’s banishment last winter. The Shadow King took
them in immediately. Ronan was far more at ease in the Black Tower
than Bella was, but it didn’t take long for her to see it wasn’t as
bad a place as most Seelie believe it to be. They have an apartment
there, have made friends, and seem to be happy. I believe they’re
trying to have children, may the powers that be allow
it.”
No fae could really
try to have children. Fae fertility
didn’t work that way. Women couldn’t use birth control to prevent a
pregnancy, it never worked. Just as women couldn’t time intercourse
to increase the chance of conception. Pregnancy was at the whim of
the Goddess Danu.
Aislinn blew out a
slow breath. “I hope you’re telling me the truth.”
He turned his face
from the window to study her. “Why would I lie?”
She looked him in the
eye. “There’s something about you I don’t trust. Call it my
intuition.”
“Still? I think
that’s your ex talking, Aislinn. You don’t truly believe I’d lie to
you. Or perhaps you hold the same bias against me that Kendal
does.”
“Of course not. It’s
just that I don’t understand why the Shadow King would take Ronan
back so easily. I mean, he defected the Black for the Rose and then
pulled that job for the Phaendir—he worked for the Phaendir, Gabriel—I’m surprised the
Shadow King didn’t kill him on the spot.”
“He defected to the
Rose for Bella, for love. The Shadow
King understood that. He’s not without a heart. Also, Ronan is a
powerful mage, Aislinn. You’d be surprised how much currency you
have in the Black if you possess strong magicks.” He paused and his
eyelids lowered halfway. Lazily, he asked,
“Satisfied?”
“It sounds plausible
enough.”
“I’m happy you think
so,” he replied with a wry twist to his lips. “I aim to please
you.” The last words were spoken in a low, smooth voice and with a
double entendre that made her lower stomach flip. She looked out
the window at the stores they were passing.
The car reached the
dress shop and let them out. The driver would return when they
called for him. On their way into the small, high-class
establishment, Carina squeezed Aislinn’s upper arm and hissed, “Be
nice!” Gabriel was already on his way inside.
“I’m honest and I
always voice my feelings and opinions.” She hesitated outside the
door. “I can’t pretend to be anything but what I am,
Carina.”
“Okay, but there’s
this little thing called tact. Try some, you’ll like
it.”
GABRIEL was glad she was both honest and intuitive.
For her sake it was better, though it was making his job much
harder than he’d ever imagined it would be.
He watched her enter
the store, having heard every word of their hushed conversation. It
was good that she didn’t trust him. Healthy. She shouldn’t trust
him. Gabriel liked her honesty, too. He knew where he stood with
her. No guessing. And that was refreshing.
Aislinn was an
intelligent person and insightful, too. Those two things, combined
with her beauty and the mystery of her magick, made her intriguing
to him on a level not many women were.
He genuinely liked
her.
Too bad he was duping
her.
An odd, heavy
sensation filled his chest, wilting the smile he wore as he gazed
at her. For some inexplicable reason his thought process had
diminished his pleasure. What was this feeling? Aislinn breezed
past him, touching the gowns hanging on the racks near the door of
the small, crowded shop. His smile completely faded and the heavy
weight grew as he watched her. Was this regret?
Gods . . . was it . .
. guilt?
Carina hit him
playfully on the shoulder. “You’re frowning. What’s
wrong?”
He blinked and
jerked, not sure how long he’d been standing there so annoyingly
confused. “Where’s the lingerie and let’s see if we can get Aislinn
into some,” he growled and walked toward his prey.
“There’s my boy,”
Carina purred.
Aislinn had stopped
to finger the material of a dark red gown with a plunging neckline
and back. It was sleeveless and had a long straight sheath skirt.
Aislinn would be a knockout in that dress. It would set off her
light skin tone, the silver blond fall of her subtly curling hair,
and her beautiful light gray eyes.
“It’s beautiful,” he
murmured as he imagined taking it off her. She’d look even better
swathed in nothing but moonlight. Or just his hands.
She flipped the tag
up at him. “It’s Valentino and it’s twelve thousand
dollars.”
“You can’t afford
it?”
“Oh, yes, I can
afford it,” she said, moving to the next rack of gowns. “My family
had money before Piefferburg was created.” She flicked him a sour
glance. “We don’t live off the backs of
the troop. However, I make it a point never to spend that much on
any article of clothing for myself. It’s too
self-indulgent.”
“I would spend that
much in a heartbeat,” murmured Carina, coming to stand beside
Gabriel. She fingered the rich material of the dress, then wandered
off toward the purses.
“Okay,” answered
Gabriel, pushing past Carina. “Then let me buy you something expensive and
self-indulgent.”
She turned and
narrowed her eyes at him. “No.”
“You have to let me.
It’s to show you my appreciation for being my guide this
week.”
She turned her back
to him. “No, thank you. It’s not necessary.”
“Something slinky and
sexy for your next lover, maybe?” He paused. “Who won’t be me.”
Lie, lie, lie.
“No.”
“Ah, that means you
will be taking me as your next lover?”
A clerk came near.
Aislinn smiled and waved her away. “Hardly.”
“Good. We’re agreed.
Let me buy something for the next lucky man. You have no reason to
say no and you’ll offend me if you do, since I’m trying to repay
you for your kindness.”
She halted near a
rack of designer shoes. “I haven’t been very kind to
you.”
“All the more reason
to relent and allow me to buy you a gift.”
She ran her index
finger down a pair of red Jimmy Choos. “I’ll say yes just to get
you to quit and let me shop. I have a feeling you won’t stop until
I give in to you.”
Oh, she was right about that.
He flashed a smile
and hoped it didn’t look as predatory as he felt. “I’m nothing if
not persistent.”
“Believe me, I
noticed.” She turned and began to saunter away. “When I find
something suitable, I’ll let you know.”
“It has to be
lingerie and you have to let me see it on you before I buy it. You
know, to make sure your next lover will approve.”
Her steps faltered,
but she only called airily over her shoulder, “Fine.”
He blinked. He
thought she’d howl at that string he’d attached.
Having no particular
interest in women’s clothing other than when he was taking it off
someone, Gabriel watched Aislinn. She touched the gowns, examined
their sizes and lengths, talked to the clerk about alterations, but
she did it all with a dull look in her eyes. Whereas Carina seemed
beatific in the shop, with her ability to buy new things to wear at
court, Aislinn touched the garments with listless, roaming hands,
as though searching for something that wasn’t there, something she
knew she’d never find between the four walls of the building. While
all the time she kept glancing out the plate-glass window to the
street and the passersby.
Aislinn Christiana
Guinevere Finvarra of the Seelie Court, supposed purebred Tuatha Dé
Danann, was bored. Bored with her life, yearning for more. That was
another secret she kept from her peers. Add it to the
pile.
She had to feel so
lonely.
The heaviness that
had settled in his chest earlier eased a bit. Luring her to the
Unseelie Court was the best thing he could do for her. In the Black
Tower she could develop her magick without fear of reprisal or
banishment. A woman as intelligent and as interesting as Aislinn
deserved that and more. She didn’t deserve to be stifled and
strangled in a toxic and delusionary environment like the Seelie
Court.
She wouldn’t be bored
anymore. She wouldn’t be alone. Sure, she’d hate him for what he’d
done. This couldn’t end any other way. But in the long run she’d be
better off in Black with her own people.
“I think I found
it.”
Gabriel came back to
himself, realizing she’d browsed over to the lingerie section. A
distance away he could hear Carina nattering at one of the store
clerks. He walked to Aislinn and saw she held a red satin and
chiffon slip in her hands. It looked long and . . . fascinating.
Sexy. Now these were the kind of
clothes that men were interested in, at least for the couple of
minutes a woman wore them before they became a heap on the floor of
the bedroom.
His eyebrows rose.
“Try it on.”
She disappeared into
the fitting room and reappeared a couple of minutes later. It
covered her down to her ankles, yet still managed to be the sexiest
thing he’d ever seen. The bodice cupped her breasts just perfectly,
just the way he wanted to. His fingers curled as he imagined doing
just that. The red looked incredible against her skin
tone.
“Turn around.” His
voice came out just a tad hoarse and he realized he was clutching a
silk gown off one of the racks hard enough to wrinkle.
She turned and he
lost his breath. The back dipped down very far, all the way to the
top of her beautifully rounded bottom. He wanted to run his lips
over every inch of slender, flawless skin from the nape of her neck
to the small of her back and then—
“Gabriel?” She’d
turned around and was staring at him, frowning.
He cleared his
throat. “It’s beautiful on you. Your next lover will drool all over
the carpet.” He knew that for certain because he would be that man.
No way was he allowing any other man to see her in that gown.
Aislinn was his.
“I like it, too.” She
flipped her heavy hair over one shoulder, the silver locks curling
around her breast and making him almost swallow his tongue, and
turned this way and that in front of a nearby mirror. Her nipples
were rock hard and pressing through the thin fabric of the gown. “I
never wear stuff like this.”
“You looked just as
pretty in your sweater and pajama pants a couple of nights ago, but
luxury is good once in a while.” He turned and walked toward the
shoes. She needed to put her clothes back on before he
spontaneously combusted in the middle of the store. “You need a
pair of pumps to go with it.”
She laughed and said
in a dry tone, “Yes, with fluffy feathers on them.”
He picked out the
fluffiest pair he could find while he kicked the plot for her
seduction into high gear. Except this time it had nothing to do
with the Shadow King and everything to do with his own
desires.