21 Shades of Night, page 150
“Eleanor pushed her soldiers through without warning or permission, correct?”
“Yes, but an assault is an entirely different situation. That was a complete breach of our system. We’ve repaired the damage and established new wards. These recent crossings were made by individuals.”
“Eleanor rules under darkness, Liam. Think outside of your strict Guardian mindset. There are many dark fae that are willing to break rules, especially if the groundwork was already laid.”
Fiona couldn’t come out and tell me what I needed to know. Where was the fun in that? But I considered the information. The invasion may have been about more than taking over the portal. It may have been a bold attempt to poke holes in our system. Eleanor knew she couldn’t beat the Guard in a battle but she could establish chinks in our armor.
Lost in thought, I didn’t realize Fiona had moved closer until her hand moved to my thigh and I froze. “I’ve missed you. You’re spending too much time there and not enough in the kingdom.”
“I’m only doing my job, Your Highness.”
She leaned back but left her hand on top of my leg. Her fingers stroked the fabric of my pants. “Once upon a time, you considered my pleasure part of your duty and made your visits a priority.”
“That was many years ago, Fiona, and you’re the one that sent me to my post.”
“It’s not my fault you’re the best choice to guard the portal.”
“And Nadya.”
“Yes, and Nadya.” I said her name with intent, but it didn’t keep Fiona from tracing a finger down the back of my neck. I struggled to keep my eyes level with hers. The minute I entered her quarters I gave up any semblance of an upper hand. With her so close I could easily smell the waft of familiar sweetness that tempted my senses. I took a deep breath. Facing Fiona alone was a struggle for any male. If you’d tasted her, even once, she was hard to resist. Manipulation came in many flavors. Fiona excelled in them all. “Tell me, how powerful will she be?”
“I don’t know.”
She applied pressure with her nails, slicing into the skin beneath my collar. “Give me a guess. Just for fun.”
“Very powerful—her gifts will rival your own.”
I expected a violent reaction. All Fiona did was lean over and moved to brush her lips against mine. Sweet heat rose between us—compelling, but I turned my head and her lips landed on my cheek. In the past I would have fallen for such tricks. Now, with Nadya’s power mingling with my own, the Queen’s manipulation didn’t go further than the surface. She pulled back and frowned. “You have until Beltane to bring her to me.”
“That’s two weeks away.”
“Bring her to me or I will go get her myself,” she said with authority. I knew there would be no further negotiations.
I stood and said, “Thank you for your insights on the portal. I will look into the matter of darkfFae immediately.”
Fiona beckoned me and I leaned close. She wrapped her hands around the front of my shirt. “Protect her at all costs,” she said. “Close the gaps in the portal. Take whatever you need. I will not lose her to Eleanor.”
“Nadya will be safe,” I replied, resisting the urge to strike her down. Fiona was strong but with the bond flowing in my veins it was possible I was stronger. She didn’t need to know that. The timing wasn’t right. Not yet.
Chapter 20
Nadya
THE HOUSE WAS small and dark. Halfway covered in vines. The bottom step to the porch sagged and the screen door had a rip down the middle. Not keeping many flies out that way. Grace waited just inside the foyer with a giddy smile. Warm yellow light spilled out behind her.
“You made it!”
“You know, I’ve passed this place a thousand times and never noticed it before. Uh, wow.”
I had stepped through the threshold and stopped short. Everything about the house was perfect. Everything. From the furnishings to the decorations. Even the way it smelled. I felt like I’d stepped into an issue of Martha Stewart Living. Vintage wallpaper hung on the walls and beautiful, shiny, hardwoods lined the floor. I glanced back, out into the overgrown yard.
“The yard is a mess, right?”
“Uh yeah, but this?” I spread my arms wide. “This is beautiful. Did you decorate it yourself?”
“I added some touches but I really lucked out. The former owner was some sort of decorating genius.”
“For real.”
She shut the door. “Come on. Let’s get ready. I can’t wait to hit the town.”
The word town felt like an overstatement for how small Waukegan seemed at times. Maybe it was just how small my world had always been—although I could no longer claim that. Sure, things still appeared small here, but according to Liam and the other Guards there was an entire other universe on the other side of the portal.
“Oh, I just got the best lotion.” She thrusts a bottle into my hands. The lotion shimmered and smelled almost edible. I spread a little over my arms. Grace took the bottle back and poured out a generous handful. “More than that girl, don’t be shy.”
I felt her hands on my back, slathering the lotion down the skin exposed by my black dress. I’d pulled my hair up, in a bundle perched like a horse’s tail, long tendrils down by my ears. “Just so you know,” I told her. “I’m not very popular among the men of this town.”
She gave me skeptical look. “You’ve got the one guy, right?”
“Yeah, but before him, nothing. They think I’m a freak.”
“Whatever. They’re probably intimidated.”
I laughed. “Intimidated. Good one.”
She stood before me and looked me up and down. I wore no jewelry other than the necklace from my mother and the ring on my finger. The dress was tight but not slutty, I don’t do slutty, but it showed enough to count as “glammed up.”
“You need better shoes.”
I glanced down at my comfortable shoes. “I don’t like my feet to hurt.”
Grace turned and stepped into her closet. I heard the sounds of her rummaging through what sounded like a mountain of clothing, and she reappeared holding up a pair of wicked boots with spiked heels and a long zipper that landed in the inseam of my thigh.
“No way.”
“They’re the most comfortable shoes ever. I promise. Try them and see.”
To prove her wrong I tried them. The leather was soft and supple, the sole cushy like a pillow. I stood, like an amazon, five inches higher and said, “Okay, where did you get these? Because normal shoes do not feel like this.”
“I keep telling you to trust me. When are you going to believe me?”
My face heated from the pleasant rebuke. There was truth in her words. I don’t trust anyone, which could be why I was twenty years old and had no friends. I took a bold, balanced step forward and declared, “Starting now.”
Grace led me through the crowd of people, pushing to the middle of the dance floor. I followed her blonde hair that blazed like a torch.
“I don’t dance,” I shouted over the thumping music. How had she even found this place? Again, when we arrived at the basement level club, entering past a bouncer, I felt like she knew my city better than I did.
“Of course you do.” She twirled around and my feet, despite a million reservations, moved to the beat. Grace clapped and laughed. “See?”
“You’re crazy,” I said, but I couldn’t take my eyes off of her. Her every movement, every look, was filled with fun and energy. She was everything I’d never been. Everything, I considered, that with my new life, I could definitely become.
“Nadya,” she called, coming closer, so close we were almost touching. So close that hunger I’d been repressing roared in my belly. She smelled delicious, like the strawberry gloss I watched her coat across her lips. She’d given me my own blend, honey, she said. I ran my tongue over my lips to recall the flavor.
I wondered if I tasted her, would that energy rush through my veins like it did with Liam.
“What?”
“Let’s set this place on fire.”
I had no idea what that meant but the words sounded like music rolling off her tongue. Her fingers ran down my bare arms and the skin ignited with heat. She placed my hands on her shoulders and said, “Feel me.”
I did what she did, running my hands down her arms, feeling the slick coating of lotion that sparked. An image flashed in my brain, Grace kneeling before a gorgeous black-haired woman. Long, red, aggravated welts traveled the length of Grace’s back.
“Holy crap,” I muttered, trying to focus. It was futile as in front of me Grace’s skin began to glow, warm and soft. She looked like glitter that had come alive. “You’re shimmering.”
“You too, sweetie.”
I spun around and trails of light followed me. I too was aglow. A quick look at the crowd told me they could see it, too. They wanted to touch it. Touch me.
I wanted to touch them.
Feed.
“Take whoever you want,” Grace whispered. She danced in a loop, across the floor from where I stood, but her voice tickled my ear. I looked into the crowd and spotted him. Dark spiky hair. Shadowy eyes. Hot. Very, very hot. He knows it, which makes his essence even more delectable. “He’s perfect.”
I lifted my finger and beckoned him to me.
Chapter 21
Liam
THE SCENE IN front of me could only be called a massacre. Or at the very least a rave gone terribly, terribly wrong (or would it be right?). I made my way over the discarded bodies, each in a glassy-eyed stupor. Even in their current immobilized state they should be happy enough.
“Fan out,” I called.
“Someone had a good time.” Daniel said, picked his way through the carnage.
Brayden checked the vital signs of each human. “Everyone is alive—just drained.”
“What kind of Sidhe goes on a feeding frenzy like this?” Daniel asked. “It looks like the spring feast of 1487. But that was the result of an entire village.” He ran his finger across a man’s neck and held it up. Glitter reflected off the tip. “I get the feeling this was maybe one or two Sidhe; this substance is on every person.”
Upon my return Daniel had tracked an unusual blip of magic to this section of the city. We combed the streets until Brayden suggested we look in the basement level club. Bingo.
“I agree.” I stepped over two women huddled together, both with blissed out smiles on their faces. One blinked and I lifted her chin, tilting it toward me. I grinned pleasantly. “Hi.”
“Hi,” she slurred, eyes attempting to focus. “You’re pretty.”
“Thank you. Do you remember who did this?”
“It’s a little blurry.”
“I’m sure it is.” I stroked her cheek and her eyes perked up a little. “Men or women?”
“Women, so pretty. Like you.”
“Anything else?”
“They tasted so good.” She licked her lips. “Like strawberries and honey.”
Her eyes lolled to the side and she fell asleep. I stood and met Daniel and Brayden in the middle of the dance floor. “They’ll have a hell of a hangover tomorrow.”
“Who—these people or the Sidhe?”
“Both,” I said, grinding my jaw. The scene before us was not how we operated. Not how we fed and lived among the humans. It was risky and dangerous. A betrayal to our kind. “But for the Sidhe it will feel like nothing compared to the justice I will serve.”
“Should I contact Colleen?” Bradyen asked.
I nodded. Nerves twisted in my stomach—a type of worry I’d never experienced before. “Update her and make sure Nadya is safe. We’ve got a rogue fae running around here. I can’t assume there isn’t a connection.”
Chapter 22
Nadya
“NADYA, RUN!” GRACE called through the hazy light and I raced toward it. The spiked heel of my boot caught on something and I looked down. I squinted, trying to figure out what it was. A leg? A foot? Who did they belong to? Her voice, urgent, cut through my confusion. “Come on!”
“Slow down. I may puke.” I couldn’t remember how many drinks we had, but it was obviously more than enough. My head spun and my vision was blurry. Grace led me down the back hall, past the bathrooms and out an exit that pushed us into an alley.
“You won’t puke, but we’ve got to get out of here.”
“Why the rush? That was amazing, well, from what I remember. It’s all a little confusing.”
“The bar is closed,” she said, tugging at my hand. The golden light that had followed her all night dimmed until it was barely a faint glimmer. “But you’re right, that was amazing. Best night of my life.”
Three blocks away we rest against a brick wall. “I’ve never felt so good,” I told her. The nausea passed now that we were in the dark, away from the loud thumping music. Euphoria pulsed through my veins. I’d never used drugs or had sex before, but something told me that the feeling of exhilaration coursing through me was similar. And just as addictive. Already I wanted more.
“Never?”
“Well, maybe once or twice before. With Liam. He makes me feel the best.”
“Liam’s the guy?”
“Yes, he can do that to me and more. When we’re together it’s like we become one person. Together anything is possible. Oh crap. Did I kiss someone in there?” I’d never been close to anyone else. Did this feeding thing work on other people? On humans?
She shook her head making the glitter sparkle on her cheeks. “I wish I could tell you what all happened back there but I can’t. I got a little caught up myself.” Her words buzzed in my brain, tickling that part of me that discerned reality. I reached for it, waited for the blast of truth, but nothing came. The strange part was that I was there too—and I should know, but I couldn’t remember either.
“Answer one thing, why the hell are you out with me if you could be at home fucking a guy that made you feel like that that all the time?” she asked.
“Fu—oh no. We’re not doing that. Not yet, at least.”
“So you’re getting all that “connection” stuff from what? Kissing?”
“Yeah, kissing and other stuff.” The foggy mist hovering over my brain lifted a little and I realized I’d probably said too much. “It’s complicated.”
“Complicated? It sounds awesome. If it’s that intense from kissing, I can’t imagine what would happen if you take it further. You need to be careful.”
“It’s not a big deal. I have no plans on getting that involved with him,” I declared with absolute certainty. Of course, Liam clearly had other ambitions. There was little chance I would get away so easily, or when the time came, that I would want to.
“Be careful,” she said, again. “I’ve given everything to a man before and watched others do the same. You have to protect yourself.”
“Thanks, Grace.” I stepped through a puddle on the street and pulled her into a tight hug. “You’re a really good friend.”
* * *
SOMEONE WAS FOLLOWING me. I first noticed them after Grace and I separated close to her house. I wanted—no needed—some fresh air to clear my mind. The street was quiet, my house three blocks away. A shadow lurked in the background, ducking behind cars, hiding just out of the reach of light.
My first inclination was to run, but a calm voice whispered in my ear. “Assess the situation. Figure out a plan. Make your first move—even if it isn’t an actual move.” Colleen had said these words to me at each of our lessons. She’d drilled them into me, like a mantra, and I’d expected another test. The timing made sense. Jealous bastard. He’d probably been following me all night.
There was no way he would get the best of me again.
Even on my best night there was no way I could beat him—not fully. I needed to get away. Get to safe ground. That would be my way of winning this round.
My house was two blocks away. If I got inside the wards would keep a real soldier out. All I had to do was get home before he caught me.
Tiny nerves on the back of my neck tingled with anticipation. I walked casually, as though I had no clue I was being tracked. From past experience I knew he’d try to catch me in a weak position. Might as well get this show on the road. I bent down to adjust my shoe.
“Tick tock,” I muttered under my breath when he took too long. Oh well, I had another shoe. Switching over and tugging at the fine leather, I bided my time. I’d about given up, thinking I had made up the entire situation when a dark shadow crossed over the street. I stood and faced a hooded figure. “Took you long enough. I thought you’d given up.”
I heard a low rumble in his chest. The silver of his blade flashed in the streetlight. “Don’t cut me up this time, okay? That hurt like a mother,” I said, shifting to one side. I didn’t have a blade of my own. Maybe I should get one? I was confident in my increased speed and my ability pack a pretty hard punch.
Tired of waiting, he lunged at me and I moved away fast, jabbing him twice in the side. His claws scared me, exact replicas from the battle at the airport. I kicked him in the knee, hard enough that he stumbled, his razor sharp fingers scraping the ground. I took the time to inch backward. Closer to safe ground. He leaped from his spot, faster than I’d ever seen him, and tackled me. My head smacked hard against the pavement and both my arms were pinned to the ground.
“Dammit Liam, if you want to get me in your bed, buy me dinner and some freaking flowers first.”
That made him stop briefly, and in a swift move, he tugged the hood back. My attacker revealed a shaved head and dark, almost black eyes. A red line scarred his cheek and a dark tattoo covered his temple. With his sharp claw he drew a painful line across my throat. “You’ve got the wrong fighter, little girl.”
No, no, no…I shivered. Adrenaline kicked in and kneed him square between the legs.
“Gods,” he cried, but I used the diversion to shift and kicked him in the chest using the spike of my heel. I made a break for it—scrambling on the pavement, I ran. Fast and hard, down my street, past my neighbor’s houses. One more. One more house and up the stairs, through the door and I’d be safe behind the wards.
