Chapter 10
As we were dressing,
Rhiannon and I remained quiet, letting the stereo do the talking
for us. “Around the Bend” by The Asteroids Galaxy Tour was playing,
and I head-bopped to the beat as I thought about my flight with the
owl, and how each time, I went further into the life and didn’t
want to come back. Though I loved Grieve and my cousin and friends,
everything seemed so dark that it would have just been simpler to
fly off to a distant wood, to live out my life on the
wing.
But that’s what your mother did. She ran away from her
life, ran away from her fears. Though she ran from her powers,
retreating into one facet of your life would be akin to the same
thing.
Ulean danced in tune
to the music, the air sweeping this way and that. Though I couldn’t
see her from this plane, I could feel her. And I knew what she
looked like—a pale being, sparkling with light, the currents of the
slipstream like a wild head of hair that moved as she moved. Even
her gender was a misnomer—I assigned it to her because she reminded
me of a woman, but Elementals had no real gender like
people.
My mother was afraid of her powers, not her life. Don’t
lie to me—or yourself. Your mother was afraid of everything. Do you
really want to follow in her footsteps? If you retreated into owl
form and stayed, you’d be turning your back on every challenge
coming your way. And you’d be leaving Grieve behind
forever.
I hate it when you’re right. Frowning, I slid into
the tight dress I’d bought at Slither, tugging it down to hug my
body and curves. As I smoothed it over my belly, my wolf let out a
low moan and I could feel him—awake and in pain.
Grieve . . . where are you? What’s going
on?
But all I could see
was my prince’s face, tormented, as a wave of pain slid over my
back, and then another and another. The stinging blows raced
through my body and I sank to the floor, curling into a ball,
whimpering. The hail seemed never-ending and Grieve let out a howl,
my wolf echoing back to him. And then Rhiannon was shaking me out
of the haze of pain.
“Cicely! Cicely, come
out of it—come back to us.”
As I opened my eyes,
I saw that I was surrounded by Kaylin, Chatter, and Leo. Rhiannon
gathered me into her arms and I screamed as a white-hot lance raced
across my skin.
“What? Your back!”
She leaned me forward and I heard the men murmur.
“What about my back?
Other than it hurts like a son of a bitch.” All I could think of
was that Grieve had taken one hell of a beating and I’d tuned in to
it. The thought of him out there, lost to Myst and her beatings,
made me queasy.
“Your back is covered
with raised welts. Like you’ve been whipped.”
They helped me up and
to a mirror, where I looked over my shoulder to see the red thin
weals crisscrossing my skin.
“Fuck. Oh
motherfucking son of a bitch.” I stared at the oozing cuts even as
Leo raced downstairs. “Grieve was being beaten—I felt his pain. I
didn’t realize . . .”
“You took on his pain
for yourself. Cicely, this bond you have with him—it could be
terribly dangerous. What if Myst decides to kill him?” Kaylin took
my chin in his hand, forcing me to stare into his eyes. “We have to
break the connection.”
“No! Grieve is mine .
. . he’s mine . . . she can’t have him!” I burst into tears as I
folded into Rhiannon’s arms. She held me quietly.
“Shush . . . we’ll
figure something out. We’ll find a way . . .”
I knew she didn’t
believe it, but hearing her say it made me feel a little better.
Leo returned with a jar of salve in hand, and as he smoothed the
ointment over my back, the sting and pain began to recede. After a
few moments, it vanished.
“There, it all soaked
into your skin. I don’t think we can bandage them—the marks cover
your back, but I also don’t think that it’s going to leave marks.
They’re fading a little already. I think because these were
sympathetic magic, they’ll disappear a lot quicker than actual
lacerations would.” He let out a long breath. “I hate to sound
pushy, but we’ve got to get moving. Geoffrey and his crew don’t
brook lateness, and Lannan will use any excuse he can to get to
you. You don’t need that right now.”
I nodded, swallowing
the lump that had risen in my throat. Rhiannon helped me up and
gently helped me adjust the dress. I winced, but at least the fact
that it was backless kept it from brushing against the welts. I
hoped Lannan wouldn’t notice and ask questions. I’d wear a shawl,
and hopefully that would cover the marks until they
faded.
Heartsick, wondering
how Grieve was, I applied my makeup and then slid into stiletto
black patent leather ankle boots. Brass padlocks ornamented the
side zippers, and I slowly clicked them into place. Then I added a
red chunky bracelet and necklace. If I wore silver to a vampire
soiree, I’d be asking for trouble.
When I was finished,
I slid a black shawl laced with sparkling red threads around my
shoulders and picked up my clutch. A look in the mirror told me too
much—I washed up pretty good. Which normally would make me feel
wonderful, but in this case, I knew Lannan would be there, watching
and waiting. As I headed for the door, I tried to push him out of
my mind, but the vampire was there, and he wouldn’t let
go.
Geoffrey’s mansion
was sparkling as we pulled up in the limo he’d sent for us. The
crowd overflowed, out the main doors, a scintillating Who’s Who of the bite-me set. As Rhiannon, Leo, and
I walked through the crowd, I felt like a walking invitation to an
all-you-can-drink party.
Rhia wore a blue
ankle-length cocktail dress, sparkly with sequins and about twenty
years too old for her. I had to get her to stop plundering
Heather’s wardrobe. The two were nearly the same size—tall and
willowy—but Aunt Heather had dressed sedately and Rhia looked older
than she was in Heather’s clothing.
Leo was the surprise
of the night. He was wearing a pinstripe zoot suit, with the
matching white-and-black shoes. And it looked good on him. He
grinned at me as he caught my eye.
“Geoffrey said I need
to break out of my style rut. I decided to take his advice,
especially since he pays the bills.” He touched the brim of his
felt hat and winked at me.
“Geoffrey calls the
shots, doesn’t he?” I eyed Leo cautiously, thinking that for a
magic-born healer, he really enjoyed working for the
vampires.
Leo’s smile
disappeared. “Geoffrey pays both our salaries. I think it would be
best to shelve this conversation for a more suitable time.” He
wrapped his arm around Rhiannon and waved to one of the guards, who
motioned us through without even searching our purses.
The mansion was a
glitter of sparkling lights. Though Geoffrey and his kin didn’t
usually celebrate holidays as the living did, he’d still taken
advantage of the season and a giant tree filled one corner,
glistening with a thousand lights.
The swirl of vampires
filled the hall and I noticed that one of the bigger rooms was
closed off. No doubt their playhouse—the vamps had a predilection
for orgies, and having been witness at one, I had no desire to join
another.
I glanced around,
looking for Regina or Geoffrey. The foyer was filled with bodies,
all incredibly seductive regardless of shape or size. Sensuality
came with being a vampire. It was an innate ability, like drinking
blood or fading into shadows or—for some ancient vamps—turning into
a bat or wolf or spider.
The music swirled
around us. Buffalo Springfield, Nine Inch Nails, Marilyn Manson,
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Nirvana . . . I closed my eyes,
swaying slowly to the beat. The heavy scents of perfume drifting
around us clouded my senses, and the smell of musk in the air was
intoxicating. Ulean couldn’t come with us—the vampires didn’t like
Elementals, and so there was no one to wash away the lingering
smell of sex that permeated the room.
And then, at my
elbow, Regina appeared. Her gold hair was swept up into a chignon,
adorned with a black-and-red lace comb covered with Swarovski
crystals. She was wearing a jacquard bustier in crimson and a black
chiffon pair of lounging pajama pants, with five-inch stiletto
sandals.
She coiled herself
around me, her fangs showing slightly as she smiled. “You look
lovely, Cicely. I’m sure my brother will appreciate the
effort.”
“I didn’t do it for
him. I don’t give a fuck what your brother thinks about my looks.”
I couldn’t stop myself. I was worried about Grieve and my back hurt
like hell. Well, that was a lie. I did care what Lannan thought
about me. I just didn’t want him to like the way I looked, though I knew that was too
much to hope for. “I was ordered to dress, and I did. Simple as
that. I’d rather be in my jeans and a comfortable sweater.” Or one
of Rhiannon’s gypsy skirts and a tank top, I thought.
She shook her head.
“We need to have a private talk. Now.”
Grabbing me by the elbow, she threaded through the room with me in
tow. Leo and Rhiannon watched us go, but Leo was smart enough not
to attempt a follow-and-rescue.
Regina dragged me
into a small room off the main foyer and slammed the door. I
glanced around and realized that what I’d thought was a smallish
parlor was actually a huge bathroom. Must be for the bloodwhores,
since vampires didn’t need to use the bathroom, unless it was to
wash off the blood.
She slammed me
against the wall and I gasped—all vampires are strong, but Regina
was stronger than most. My back sent a shiver of pain through me
and I moaned as she leaned in, all too much like Lannan, and slowly
reached out with her tongue, licking gently along my
cheek.
“You are delicious.
Lannan is right. You’re a sweet treat on a tiring night, a gumdrop
or sugar cube to a man who’s hungry. Why, I bet that even your
blood . . .” She reached out and, with the sharp fingernail of her
index finger, cut me with just enough force to leave a thin red
mark. As a weal of blood rose up, she lightly traced it with her
tongue. “As I imagined. Your blood is sweet, too. My brother calls
you his ambrosia. He says you’re ripe . . .”
She pressed her lips
to my lips, forcing her tongue between them. I melted under her
kiss—so foreign and yet so inviting. Regina shifted, pressed her
breasts against my own, and part of me wanted her to continue,
while the logical side of me was screaming, Stop! Stop!
After a moment, she
quietly pulled back and crossed her arms.
I stared at her. She
was beautiful in a frightening way, so pulled together, so
confident. But then, she was thousands of years old and Emissary to
the Crimson Queen. And she was far more ruthless than her brother.
Even I knew that. Lannan was a creature of impulse. Regina was
calculating.
“One of these days,
I’m going to tell Lannan to drain you dry and make you one of us.
Or maybe we should do it together, become your joint sires. Because
what my brother wants, I make sure he gets. And your attitude begs
for an adjustment, which you would so very much get if you were
sprawled prone at our feet.”
She pressed against
me again and I flattened myself against the wall, wincing at the
pain from the lacerations on my back.
“I like little girls
like you, Cicely. I eat them out for breakfast and fuck them for
lunch. You remember the party a couple of weeks ago? I can make
that look like a play date at the park. I could strap you down and
fill every orifice in your body with my toys . . . I have my own harem, you know. I like
watching them ravage limpid young women. Do you understand
me?”
I nodded, breathless.
She was stunning and her charm was working its way through my body,
but I still had sense enough to be terrified. I also knew she was
referring to her retinue of lesser vamps as a bunch of toys, which
told me just how far up the food chain she was in the Crimson
Court.
“Yes. I understand.
I’m sorry.” When in doubt, apologize.
“One of these days an
‘I’m sorry’ won’t be enough. But perhaps you’ll learn and won’t
disparage my brother in public again. And you’ll think twice about
your demeanor when he arrives. You’ll enjoy his company. You’ll
laugh at his jokes and flirt with him when he winks at
you.”
I nodded,
silent.
She snorted. “Yes,
I’m sure you’ll do your best. You’re smart enough to listen to me.
But perhaps not wise enough? Think on
this: Leo knows his place, and he is properly subservient to
Geoffrey. You have not learned the manners you need with which to
survive vampire society. Let us hope that you take etiquette
lessons as soon as possible. It would be a shame to lose your
services and see you become just . . . one of the
throng.”
And with that
not-so-veiled warning, Regina turned and smartly strode out of the
bathroom, her heels clipping on the tile with precise rhythm. I
peeled myself off the wall, leaving a trail of salve and blood, and
straightened my dress. Breathless, turned on, and yet petrified, I
decided I’d better toe the line and followed her out.
“Lannan! Darling,
you’re here.” Regina’s voice filtered through the crowd first, and
by the time I squeezed through the throng of vampires surrounding
her, her tongue was deep in his throat. His hands were cupping her
butt and I watched, both fascinated and repelled, as the
brother-sister team were all over each other like puppies in
heat.
Leo and Rhiannon
found their way to my side and gave me a questioning look. I shook
my head and smiled nervously. A waiter came by, stopping to serve
us. His tray held goblets of both blood and white wine. He offered
us our choice, and we all quietly accepted the wine. He gazed at us
for a long time before moving on.
Rhiannon moved closer
to Leo, but as I watched him, he seemed to take on a different
demeanor. I’d noticed it before. Leo, when he was in Geoffrey’s
presence, seemed more imposing, a little more threatening and
controloriented. And dressed in the zoot suit, he made the perfect
addition to the scene. He blended in, which scared me. I still
hadn’t figured out how much he was in Geoffrey’s back
pocket.
A sudden movement
behind me and hands wrapped around my waist as a low voice
whispered in my ear. “Oh, my Cicely. How wonderful of you to dress
for me tonight. You remembered my request.”
Lannan. I glanced over my shoulder. Dressed in
jeans and a tuxedo jacket with tails, juxtaposed against the formal
background, he stood out. The golden tumble of his hair down his
back made him even more eye-catching.
I shuddered but,
remembering Regina’s admonishments, stood still. I swallowed my
desire to spit out some nasty remark and instead slowly smiled.
Lannan’s face was inches from mine. His eyes—the purest
jet—gleamed, fixated on me, and the tips of his fangs sparkled as
he gave me a sinuous smile. My stomach lurched as my body reacted
to the sight. Even I couldn’t deny that
the vampire was gorgeous, but I hated the loss of control when he
was around. I had no ability to keep my body from
responding.
“Did you miss me,
wherever you disappeared to?” he murmured. “Or did you just decide
to vex me, to not answer my call? Hmmm?” He cocked his head,
showing a bit more of his fangs, as he pressed against me. I could
feel him, straining at his jeans, hard and rigid and waiting for
the slightest provocation.
“I’m sorry I didn’t
answer.” It took everything I had to keep my voice civil. “I had an
errand to do . . . one assigned by Lainule. There was no time to
tell anyone where I was going.”
He perked up, his
smile growing by a fraction of an inch. “Lainule? An errand, you
say? I wonder what this errand was? Did it have anything to do with
your wolfen lover,
perhaps?”
As I shook my head,
he crowded closer and, in a tender voice, said, “Tell me, have you
ever fucked Grieve when he was in wolf form? If so, I want to know
every detail. And I’ll know if you lie. Remember that, Cicely. I’ll
always know if you lie to me. And I’ll
punish you.”
Horrified, I whirled
around, only to find myself fully in his arms. “No,” I said
hoarsely. “No, and I never will—I am not of the wolfen
Cambyra.”
He laughed. “You’re
blushing! How delightful. What a little priss you are. I’ll just
have to find the perfect way to corrupt you. And what fun that will
be. Now, be a good little slave and kiss me, Cicely. Give me enough
reason not to drink you down tonight.”
I could see Rhiannon
and Leo watching from the side. Rhia looked on the verge of tears,
and Leo—it was impossible to read his expression. He’d donned a
pair of sunglasses and I couldn’t see his eyes. A glance to their
right showed Regina watching with a triumphant look. A sick feeling
in my stomach, I allowed Lannan to lean in for a kiss.
My wolf began to
whimper as Lannan pressed his lips against mine. The taste of the
grave, of dust and old embers and bonfires long dead, of death and
silk and apple brandy filtered into my mouth along with his tongue.
A heat began to burn in my legs, working slowly up my body as I
shifted against him. Against my heart, I was kissing him back,
rubbing against him as his hands cupped my back and ass. He was
intoxicating, passion incarnate, and my body lapped up the feel of
his energy like kittens lapping cream.
And then he rubbed
his hand along my back and the pain broke through the haze. I let
out a little cry and he let go.
“You didn’t resist
me. I rather miss that,” he whispered. “But what’s this?” He pulled
my shawl away and peeked at my back. “What—who did this to you?
What happened?”
I stumbled for words.
“I don’t know. It was . . . a magical attack.”
“You’re lying.” His
voice was flat, warning me.
“I . . . someone
attacked Grieve and his pain became mine.”
Lannan stared at me
for a moment, then let out a harsh laugh. “You are so very linked
to him that you take on his pain? How brilliant. How utterly
precious. Perhaps we can put a stop to that. I will not have you
marred by someone other than myself. It’s not
becoming.”
I wanted to protest
but then shut my mouth as Geoffrey and Regina motioned to us.
Lannan joined them.
Geoffrey pointed to
me. “Come.” He glanced at Leo and Rhiannon. “You two enjoy the
party. Don’t get yourselves in trouble.”
And with that, I
followed the three vampires into Geoffrey’s office.
Geoffrey took his
place behind his desk, while Regina sat on the corner of it,
crossing her legs so that the smooth pale skin of her thigh flashed
through the slit in her skirt. Lannan motioned for me to sit on the
love seat and then parked himself beside me, his hand on my
knee.
I stared at it for a
moment, imagining what it would be like to stick a silver pin
through his palm, which led me to smile and laugh out
loud.
“You have a joke
you’d like to share with the rest of us?” Regina
asked.
I blinked and lowered
my gaze. “Not really . . .”
“So, we have a
situation. We need to ask Crawl, the Blood Oracle, for help. But
you must be present because you are the fulcrum; you are the
closest connection we have to Myst and her secrets. You have locked
within you the memories of when you were part of the Indigo Court .
. .”
I stared at them.
They knew. They knew I’d been Myst’s
daughter, just as Chatter knew. “Am I the last one to find out? You
know, don’t you?”
Geoffrey searched my
face, then nodded, a pale smile crooking his lips. “Yes, my dear.
We know. You were Myst’s daughter. We weren’t going to tell you,
but obviously you’ve discovered the truth. Or
remembered?”
I shook my head. “No,
I didn’t remember. I was told.”
The Regent turned a
frown on Lannan. “Not from one of us, I presume?”
Lannan snorted.
“Retract your fangs, Geoffrey. I didn’t tell her. But you’re right,
she needs to visit Crawl. As much as I dislike the messiness of
politics, it seems we will not be allowed to live in peace as long
as Myst continues to make a nuisance of herself.”
“Nuisance?” I sat up, pulling away from him.
“That’s how you think of her? Myst and her people are killing the
magic-born and yummanii alike. And she’s coming after you, as well
as me. If you haven’t figured out her plans, let me spell it out,
Lannan: Your bloodwhores? Your favorites? All targets. Myst is
strong. Terribly strong.”
“Cicely is correct,”
Regina said. “We cannot ignore Myst and you know it, my brother.
The Mistress of Mayhem is out to kill all of us. Winter’s next move
is coming, and we must be prepared. We need to know more about her.
When you tried to turn her—”
Here, Regina stopped
and looked at Geoffrey. He blinked and shrugged.
“Yes?”
“When you tried to
turn her, Myst was lost to our spies and over the eons, we’ve
barely been able to keep track of her. Now we have the chance to
find out how strong she’s become since she was turned. We can probe
Cicely’s mind, and because in one life, she was Myst’s daughter,
Crawl should be able to see back to that time and find out more
about our enemy. Not all the information will be up to date, but we
can at least get a feel for some of the abilities she gained after
we lost sight of her.”
Regina’s words struck
terror in my heart. Crawl. My dream
came rushing back to me and I leaned over, moaning as I rested my
head in my hands.
Lannan’s hand slid
around my waist and he slowly raised me back up to a sitting
position. “Oh, still the waterworks, girl. Crawl is . . . who he
is. One of us will be there with you, to make sure he doesn’t wrap
you up and suck you dry like a mosquito caught in a
web.”
I turned a bleak eye
to Geoffrey. If anybody would be sympathetic, he would. “Do I have
to? Crawl gives me the fucking creeps.” I didn’t care if I offended
them. The last thing I wanted to do was to visit the Blood Oracle
again.
“I’m afraid so. We
need to see into your memories—and since you can’t give us a clear
view, we need his help. It won’t be pleasant, but it won’t hurt you
as long as you don’t resist. And as Lannan so succinctly put it,
one of us will be there to ensure your
safety.” As he stared at me, once again, his words rang in my
head.
I’m offering you my protection again, girl. Join us in our
world. I will sire you and keep you safe.
His look was low and
sultry, and I felt myself wavering. Being under Geoffrey’s rule
wouldn’t be as rough as dealing with Lannan, but then, before I
could entertain the idea, a spark of sanity crept in and I shook my
head. There wasn’t much I could say. I had no intention of letting
anyone turn me into a vampire. Besides, I had the feeling it would
spark off a war between Lannan and Geoffrey, with me suffering the
consequences.
No thank you, but—thank you, for the offer. If I were to
ask anyone to turn me, it would be you.
He inclined his head
at the same time that Lannan clamped his hand around my waist.
“Then we take you to Crawl. And I claim
the right to see you through the ordeal. Can’t have you losing your
way, now can we?” And with a look that spoke volumes, he told me
exactly what I already knew: If Geoffrey ever turned me, Lannan
would be out for blood.
“I think perhaps we’d
better let Geoffrey take her. I have another engagement and you, my
brother, tend to set Crawl off on his tangents.” Regina stood and
smoothed her skirt.
But Geoffrey, his
face humorless and taciturn, let out a rough laugh. “No, let Lannan
take her. I have guests to attend to.” And with a last look at me,
his thoughts were clear.
I offered you safety from him, but you obviously prefer
Lannan’s ministrations to mine. Remember: Being a vampire is not
altogether unpleasant.
Taken aback, I let
out a little cry. No—don’t leave me to him.
I’m part Cambyra Fae; you would turn me to something akin to Myst
and I could not bear the thought.
You are only half Cambyra . . . I doubt very much that you
would shift over to one of the Indigo Court. But this is your
choice. Do not come crying to me when he tears you down, although
if you change your mind, I am here.
I stared bleakly as
he left the room, the door closing behind him with a soft hush.
Regina waited for a moment, then turned to me.
“My brother will take
you to Crawl.” Her look was almost one of pity, but she, too,
turned to follow Geoffrey. With one last look over her shoulder,
she added, “Lannan—do not lose her. She means too much to us. And
do not let Crawl touch her. You know, as well as I do, that he
lives to feed on flesh again, but we dare not let him touch a
mortal . . . be they magic-born, human, or Fae. I mean it—you are under strict orders from the
Crown. She comes back in one piece, with her mind
intact.”
Lannan laughed. “I
hear you, sweet sister. But that doesn’t mean we can’t have our
fun, now does it?”
“Then do as you
please.” Regina shut the door behind her and I was left alone with
Lannan.