The Witch blood Chronicles: Boxset books 1-4, page 48
Gita ambled over. “He’s not here. Was here about fifteen minutes ago. We told him you’d been by and he went to find you.”
“Shit.”
“What happened?”
“Nothing. Except I think Vritra might think it was something.”
“Wanna talk about it?”
Did I? “No. Not really.” I needed to fix this. I needed to tell him nothing had happened between me and Paimon. “I’ll catch you later.”
The next stop was his chambers, but there was no answer there either. The upper floor training room was the only other place I knew to check. The place he’d asked me to avoid for safety’s sake. But my heart was pounding too loud to think. I had to see him and explain.
Pushing through the double doors into the huge chamber I scanned the almost bare room. There was a monolith of an asura doing a strange kata to my left and that was about it. Vritra wasn’t here. Wait. There was someone at the back of the room—two someone’s sparring. I walked farther into the chamber and the gloom receded enough for me to identify Vritra in hand-to-hand combat with the tiny female asura I’d seen kicking the huge guys arse a few days ago.
They both moved fluidly, attacking and defending, countering and evading. It was almost hypnotic and then Vritra had her in his grasp. He flung her to the ground, covering her with his body, a move he’d used on me several times. A move that had left me breathless and aching as we’d stared into each other’s eyes. He was looking into her eyes now. And her chest rose and fell erratically, and then she wrapped her legs around his waist and gripped the back of his neck, pulling his mouth down to hers.
I turned and ran.
Out on the street my phone buzzed in my pocket. Dammit, why was I crying? Why did my chest hurt so bad? I answered, wiping my face with the sleeve of my shirt. I’d left in such a hurry, I hadn’t even grabbed a coat, and the chilled air penetrated the thin fabric of my long sleeved shirt.
“Hunter,” Melody said. “Alara just got back to us. You have a go.”
Go. Yes. I needed to go and do something. Switch off the tumult of emotion and take action. This was what mattered—the fate of the fucking world. My heart and its complexities would have to wait.
17
Alara stood in Melody’s office decked out in ornate robes, her hair in a stylish up do. She looked stunning and completely out of a place.
Melody handed me a file. “You’ve been promoted.” Her brows flicked up. “I’d say congratulations, but with the task ahead of you, I’m not sure it’s cause for celebration. Your new identity card is inside along with instructions on what our government wishes you to negotiate for and what we have to offer in return.”
I cracked the seal and scanned the document. They wanted to trade human technology in exchange for aid in the event of an attack on our world. They’d also agreed to offer sanctuary to the djinn in an event their world was in jeopardy and soldiers to fight alongside them. It sounded reasonable enough. Except the djinn realm atmosphere was toxic to humans. This was something I’d have to spin.
I pocketed the ID and document and placed the empty file on the desk. “Okay, let’s do this.”
“Our atmosphere is toxic to humans and the creatures from your world,” Alara said.
“I know.”
“So what do we do?” Melody said.
There was only one way I knew of. “You have to bind with me, don’t you?”
Alara nodded. “How did you know?”
So Paimon hadn’t told her everything. “Paimon took me to your world once. I didn’t see much of it though. I was locked in a room while he did important council stuff.”
Her lips turned down slightly. “In that case, it should be relatively simple. If you have been bound to one of us before, your body shouldn’t be too resistant to the transition. Unless you would rather bind with Paimon?”
The thought sent a shudder down my spine, part longing and part apprehension. It was best not to go there again. If we were to move on, then our minds and bodies needed to be separate.
“Do you wish me to summon him?” Alara asked.
“No need. I’m okay with you. So, how do we do this?”
She studied me a moment, her brows low as if expecting me to reconsider. I raised both brows in a shall-we-get-on-with-this-gesture.
“Very well.” She stepped closer and placed her hands on either side of my face.
My dragon opened its eyes, curious but not wary.
“You need to let me in,” she said.
When Paimon had done this, he’d been privy to my emotions, my thoughts. This was dangerous ground—allowing his betrothed into my mind—but it was preferable to binding with Paimon again. I exhaled. “You’re allowed in.”
Whereas with Paimon, I’d felt ice infiltrate my veins, with Alara, it was as if darkness seeped into my bloodstream. As if the sun had dropped below the horizon and night had taken over. For a moment, the world was a mass of twinkling stars set on a blanket of ebony, and the only thing tethering me to the world was the impression of her hands cupping my cheeks. And then the pressure of her fingers was gone allowing the room to swim back into focus. Alara’s face took center stage, her deep green eyes a vortex of receding stars.
I licked my dry lips. “Well, that was different.”
She gave me a half smile. “You are now bound to the night, temporarily of course. You may break the link whenever you wish. You have the power to do so.”
“I know, but I don’t want to accidentally do that when we’re on the other side. What do I need to avoid?”
“The binding can be broken by force of will. You would need to focus on pushing me away, on snapping the tether between us. Can you sense it? Close your eyes and empty your mind.”
I followed the instruction and sure enough, there it was, a glowing rope, similar to the threads binding me to the skein, but instead of gold and silver they were blue.
“I see it.”
“Then we’re ready.” She held out her arms.
This was weird. Stepping into my ex potential lover’s fiancé’s arms, and yep, that was a mouthful. But here we were, her jasmine scent filling my head and her soft curves pressed against mine. The world fragmented.
We materialized in a feminine chamber with billowing curtains and the tang of brine heavy on the air. A deep balcony was visible beyond he gauzy drapes, and the sky was a black expanse encrusted with diamonds. The crash of waves and our breathing were the only sounds in the silent room.
Alara released me abruptly and stepped back. “You reek of him.”
Shit. “It’s not what you think.”
“Isn’t it? I assume he presented the proposal?”
“The one where he asked me to be his whore? Yeah, he did.”
She arched a brow. “Whore is a harsh term. Concubine would be more apt, and yet I sense you don’t approve.”
“No. I don’t.”
“You want him, so what is the problem?”
“The problem is I’m nobody’s mistress. I deserve better than that, and so do you.”
Alara looked me up and down, a small smile playing on her lips. “Yes, I suppose we do. Unfortunately, not all of us are free to pursue what we deserve. The safety of my world is dependent upon Paimon and I marrying. I’m no fool. I know his heart is engaged elsewhere, and was it not imperative we ally, I would turn down the proposal and allow myself the luxury of following my own heart.”
“You have someone?”
She hesitated a moment. “No. But it would be nice to have the freedom to look.”
“So, you gave Paimon permission to take me as his Sharmuta?”
She shrugged affecting a nonchalant air, but the tightness around her eyes told a different story. “It is not uncommon among lords to have a Sharmuta. And in this case he wouldn’t be flaunting you under my nose.”
I had no intention of ever taking Paimon up on this offer but I was curious. “Wouldn’t it bother you? He would be your husband.”
“In name only.”
“But it doesn’t have to be in name only. He’s a good man. And in time—”
“You mean now that you’ve turned him away. Maybe in time he would come to love me, the second choice—the consolation prize.”
Aw crud, she had a point. It was hardly flattering to her. “I’m sorry. I truly am. When he bound with me, I had no idea this would happen. That we’d grow close and come to care for each other. If I’d known about you, maybe I’d have fought it harder. I don’t know. But I can promise you that nothing happened between us, and it never will.”
“I know. I can sense your sincerity and your resolve, and something more... pain, but unrelated to Paimon. Your heart is in turmoil. Tell me?”
Vritra. She was picking up on my feelings for the asura. But now wasn’t the time to take those out of their pretty box and examine them.
“I’d rather not.”
She chuckled soft and melodic. “Very well.” She strode over to the door and opened it. A straight backed male was stationed outside. He offered her a deep bow.
“Jaffry, please find out what time the council is meeting.”
He smiled, showcasing even white teeth in a deeply tanned face. “My princess, the council is assembling as we speak. The meeting is due to begin within the hour.”
“Well,” Alara said. “It looks like we returned just in time.”
“Wouldn’t they have waited for us?”
She snorted derisively. “To them it is enough to agree to a meet, whether you arrive on time is your problem.”
“So, they would have just met up and then, what? Said, oh well, she didn’t show?”
“Something along those lines. Although it would have been recorded as our people snubbing ours. It is a grievous insult to request a meet and not be present.”
“Well...” What was there to say to that? The rules here were different, and if I was going to achieve the desired outcome, then I’d need Alara’s help. “What happens at these things? I mean, what’s the protocol.”
“Protocol? For a petition such as yours where they would be giving much more than they’d receive?”
“Hey, we have some awesome technology.”
She rolled her eyes. “Yes, but our technology is so advanced your race calls it magick.”
She had a point.
“I’m not saying there aren’t advantages to your primitive technology. We could use them as decoys to lull an enemy into a false sense of security before attacking with our superior weapons. I’m just saying that if this alliance is agreed, then your race will be the one who benefits immediately.”
“So, protocol?”
“Is more along the lines of groveling. Give your testimony first—what you have witnessed with regards to the threat—then impress that this threat could soon turn its attention to our world. After you’ve given them a moment or two to digest the information, offer them the terms of the treaty.”
Okay sounded simple enough.
“Pay particular attention to Jarud. He is of the faction that wishes to claim your world. Do not take his words at face value. You will find an ally in Gamund. He is a peaceful djinn who desires to build bridges and enrich both our worlds with shared knowledge and technology. He is what your people may call a scientist and what our people call an alchemist. If we did ally, we would learn much from each other. He believes that our rapid advancement has blinded us to processes that your world may still have yet to discover. There are more positives to a treaty than mounting an invasion, and the council recognizes this, especially in the face of the cosmic assault your world now faces. And, in Jarud’s case, he may agree to the alliance simply to help rid your world of the cosmic threat and leave it free for an invasion by the djinn at a later date. Tread carefully, Carmella. If in doubt, ask to speak to your counsel.
“My counsel? Who is that?”
The council has appointed Amon as your counsel in djinn matters.
“Thank you.”
The run down had settled the nerves in my belly. I was ready to do this. A rap on the door was followed by Jaffry’s warm voice.
“Your carriage awaits, princess.”
Alara reached for the door handle. “It is time.”
18
Alara’s temporary home—a four story mansion—vanished around the curve in the road and we were hurtling down flatlands, the sea to our left and sand dunes to our right. A rough breeze slapped my cheeks and raked its fingers over my scalp. Alara drove the carriage like a demon, and the strange horse-like creatures pulling it seemed to fly across the ground. Their long purple manes flowed back in the breeze, nostrils flaring and releasing a frothy mist into the air around us.
I gripped the rail in front of me, struggling to keep my butt planted in the cushy seat beneath me. Thank God for the barriers around us, holding us into the strange carriage-like structure. It was like riding a revamped version of the Roman chariots of old.
“How far is it?”
“We will arrive in a few minutes,” Alara said.
Thank goodness. Just close your eyes and breathe. A gust of wind shoved itself down my throat, overloading my lungs. Or maybe not.
Alara whooped and cracked the reins, and just when I thought this thing couldn’t go any faster we were flying.
I closed my eyes and bit back a squeal. Oh, God. Oh, God. I was so gonna kiss the ground when we got to our destination. Wait, was the chariot slowing down? Yes. Yes, thank fuck, it was. Risking a peek, I let out a sigh as the contraption came to a smooth halt in the driveway of an impressive looking obsidian domed structure. The building was blacker than the night, standing out like a three dimensional shadow against the inky darkness.
Alara hopped down. “Come on. They’ll be starting any moment. We must not give them a reason to exclude you from the proceedings.”
“They can do that?”
“Oh, yes. They can rule in our absence and all council rulings are final.” She shot me a glance over her shoulder. “Until the next time.”
Legs like rubber, I climbed down from the carriage, leaning against it to keep my balance.
Alara laughed, a full throaty sound that warmed me. “Oh, dear. Let me help.”
“No, I can manage.” I pushed away from the carriage and took a step. My legs buckled and I went down.
Alara arched a brow.
Yeah, maybe not. I held out my hands. “I’ll take that help now if it’s still on offer.”
Alara hauled me to my feet and supported me until we got up the steps to the building. My legs were still wobbly, but by the time we got to the doorway I was okay.
“Thanks.” I gently extricated myself from her grip. “You ride like a demon by the way?”
She grinned. “I was taught by one.”
Did she mean a real live demon?
“Come on, we best get inside.” She led me through the doors and into a marble foyer. Two guards were stationed, one on either side of a massive entrance. A familiar figure slipped through into the foyer.
Amon smiled warmly. “You made it. They were just about to begin.”
“I’ll remain here,” Alara said.
“Wise,” Amon replied. “Your father cannot be seen as influencing these proceedings.”
She inclined her head and walked outside into the night.
“So, you’ve met Alara,” Amon said.
“Yep.”
“And what do you think?”
I think she’s nice, and given other circumstances we may have been friends. “I think we should get on with these proceedings.”
Amon offered me the crook of his arm and led me into the chamber beyond. Whereas the exterior of the building had been black, the interior was gleaming gold and white marble. The domed ceiling was so high the pinnacle was a blur and the council members seated on their red velvet thrones looked like tiny marionettes playing at royalty. Seven members, an odd number to aid in voting. All male, all impervious looking. Great. It would help if I knew which one was Jarud and which Gamund. Hopefully, it would become apparent shortly.
“Amon, is this the human?” One of the council members on the far right asked. He leaned forward in his seat to peer at me inquisitively. “Small, just as I expected.”
“Small but feisty,” Amon said. “I can attest to her survival skills. Miss Hunter has been attacked many times and escaped death.”
“Really?” The council member’s brows climbed up his forehead. “A tenacious race then?”
“Indeed,” Amon said.
The council member sat back, wriggling as if to get comfortable. It was impossible to get any clear indication of his size because the robes they all wore were so voluminous. The tips of their fingers, their heads, and the tops of their boots were the only visible parts of their bodies. The robes themselves were cream and gold and the material looked expensive.
“Speak, human. We are amiable to hearing your petition.”
Yeah, my petition. The paper with the terms was tucked in the back pocket of my cargo pants.
It was time to give them a rundown of what was happening in our world right now. Where to start? Ah. I’d start with the disappearances. The words tumbled from my lips, too fast to begin with—nerves were a bitch—but as their interest was piqued, the storyteller in me sat up and took center stage. I told them about the facility, the mind control and the meeting the cosmic god dressed in Banner’s skin had conducted. I finished with the purge—a threat to our world, and possibly others if these beings were permitted to continue unchecked.
Then it was time to take a breath and give them a moment to digest it all. I waited, watching the play of emotion on their faces, or in some cases, complete dispassion. Were they made of stone? I was just about to launch into the whole treaty thing when the djinn to my far left spoke.
His eyes above his silver beard were kind. “These cosmic beings have been watching your world for some time. You are of interest to these powerful beings?”
“It sure seems that way.”
“Then they must see something unique in you. Some potential they wish to harness, no?”
