Unremarkable, page 3
She sipped at the drink again. Her heart sank when she saw a familiar silhouette moving toward her.
Sunar spoke to the bouncers near the private area, gesturing to her and trying to tell them that she was his girlfriend. They growled at him, showing fangs.
She looked at him with sleepy eyes, and apparently, her vulnerability drove him a little crazy. He lunged to get past the guards and was carried off by one of the bouncers that had been posted.
She put her drink down, curled up in the corner of the couch she was on, and let sleep take her.
* * * *
Dancing, laughter, and drinking surrounded Ulric as he returned to his domain. He tried to feel his connection to Ally, but it was a soft, grey space. He walked to Zafiyed and looked at the dance floor where the ridiculously fit gym float team was dancing. “She did not come with them?”
His second turned and gestured to a dark corner of the VIP space. There was his little wren. He walked over to her and sat next to her. “Ally, what did you do to me?”
She was adorable. Her hair was in soft curls, the lace dress made her golden skin glow, and she had kicked off her shoes, and it was only the dramatic curve of her hip and swell of her breast that broke the illusion that she was an innocent child. He touched her cheek, and he whispered, “I believe I declared you to be my mistress to the heads of most of the corporations in town. Oops.”
Her eyes opened slowly, and he smelled apple on her breath as she started to breathe heavily. “You. Did. What?”
He grinned. “Your eyes flare purple when you are angry. That is not a human characteristic.”
She blinked, and her sleepiness cleared from her eyes. Her fury was amusing.
“What do you mean you declared me to be your mistress? I don’t recall that conversation, and I know I haven’t seen you naked, so being your mistress is right out of possible scenarios.”
He was enjoying how puffed up she got when she was outraged. “Would you like to?”
“What?” She focused on him again.
“Would you like to see me naked? We could go to my office and get that out of the way.” He grinned.
“Oh, gods no!” She covered her eyes.
He looked down. “I don’t think I am offensive-looking.”
She immediately tried to soothe him. “You are fine. Great. Ideal.” She clapped her hand over her mouth. “Right. I mean, I know I am not the type of lady you normally use for company and knowing that you would find me repulsive when you return to your senses would be awkward. I like living in this city, and a breakup with you would ruin my chances for income here.”
“So, you feel that I would be disgusted by you over time?” He was mightily amused.
“Yes. I am not any of the things that you find attractive.” She leaned away from him.
He caught her curls in his grip. “That isn’t accurate. I may have kept with an obvious choice based on long-standing taste, but I might enjoy having a wren in my bed.”
“Yeah, well, I am not a form of entertainment. I am not a toy. You can’t pick me up and then put me on a shelf when you are bored.”
He watched her eyes get purple again and played with her hair. “Do you dye your hair?”
She jerked back. “Why? Are you going to comment on that as well?”
As he watched, she seemed to come to some sort of decision. “Do you have somewhere quiet we can speak?”
Intrigued, Ulric nodded. “My office is secure. Put your shoes on, or I carry you.”
She scrambled into her heels and swayed to her feet. “Okay. I think I am decent and awake.”
“Pity. I preferred you slightly indecent and drowsy.” He stood and offered her his hand. They left the club with several notable gossips looking at them. News of his new lover was going to spread like lightning. He wondered if she noticed.
* * * *
Ohmygod, they are looking. They are noticing and commenting. I am not getting out of this easily. Ally nodded to her friends and didn’t meet anyone’s gaze. They walked to his office and back to his private office.
“Right. We are here. What do you need to discuss with me?”
She looked at him and sighed. “I think I bespelled you. It wasn’t on purpose, but I think you are under the influence of blood magic. One ounce would have been fine, but I think the second one probably created a link.”
He nodded and went to lean against his desk. “I am sure of it. So, you are a sleeping mage?”
“No. I am a mage who surrendered her power to my family as a teen.”
He paused and stared at her. “You did what?”
“My twin wanted power, and I wanted a normal life, so I gave her all the power, and she lives her life, and I live mine.”
Ulric had a stunned expression on his face. “You are a powerless mage. On purpose.”
“Yes. So, I am not a good candidate for a mistress. You could get all kinds of attention you don’t want if I am seen with you,” she explained. “So, it’s better if you just say I was crap in bed or something and get on with your life. I will look into breaking the blood magic because I honestly never wanted to affect you like that.”
He was quiet for a moment. “You are a low-powered mage?”
She blushed. “I was exceptionally powerful, but I didn’t want the life that was offered.”
Ulric cocked his head. “You want to break a spell you didn’t know you cast?”
“There have to be some tomes on blood magic.”
“There are. I have several. They are at my home, but I have about twenty books on blood magic. Some vampire, some mage-driven.”
She looked at him and swallowed. “What are the chances you would let me read them?”
“Well, as a casual powerless mage, not very good. As my mistress, you would—of course—have access to my home and the library that I have.”
Ally frowned. “I would prefer to do the research here, but I don’t have access to the local archive. I have been trying to hide my presence in town.”
“Ah, so that is why you don’t want to be seen with me.”
She nodded. “That, and I don’t want to get to the point of pretending that it is an actual relationship.”
Ulric chuckled. “Why not? I am very generous and would make sure that you were taken care of.”
“Um, that is nice and all, but I don’t understand why you would. This was an accident.”
“I don’t know why myself. Do you know what kind of spell was in your blood?”
Ally looked at him and slowly felt herself turning scarlet. “Yeah, a pretty good idea considering the result.”
“Do tell.” His voice was a growl.
“Uh. It’s kinda personal.”
“I am wearing it on my face and body, and I think everything you do is adorable, so what kind of spell was it?”
She covered her face in her hands and mumbled the answer.
“What?”
He was in front of her, pulling her hands down. She looked up at him and looked away. “A heart’s desire spell that I wrote when I was fifteen. I found the book last night, and it dictated the requirements that I had in mind for my ideal guy.”
He chuckled. “What was on the list?”
“Um, tanned, nice hair, good looking.” She looked up. “Tall.”
“Anything else?”
“Generous and nice to me. I was having a problem with bullying at the time.” She swallowed. “I am sorry that my teenage spell got stuck in my bloodstream. It was the last line that did it.”
“What was the last line?”
She whispered. “My blood calls to him.”
He chuckled. “That would be what did the deed. How long was the list?”
“Three pages. I was very precise.”
Ulric nodded and stroked her jaw. “I see. So, why would I be fascinated by you?”
“Well, there is the blood thing and also that you would be loyal and faithful to me. Well, not you but my heart’s desire.”
“You think that I am not what you want?”
“I know I am not what you want. I have seen what you want, and I am not it.” She smiled. “It’s a bit of a relief, actually.”
“So, you think I am stuck on blonde and leggy?”
Ally nodded. “I have never seen you with anyone else.”
“What colour is your natural hair?”
“Light brown. A few shades lighter than what I am wearing.”
“I think it is dark honey. I can see it against your scalp.”
“Light brown.”
“Dark gold.” He grinned. “Your eyes are brown until you are angry?”
“Or doing magic. So, I am going to get going now. I will set you free of this spell. I am going to try really hard.”
He ran his fingers down her neck. “I am not worried about it. You made me smarter.”
“Oh right.”
“Can I see the list?” He smiled.
“I will take photos and send them to you.”
“You could email them to me.”
She swallowed and stepped back. “I don’t have your email address.”
“You could text it to me.”
“Don’t have my phone here. Can’t get your number.” She smiled weakly as she backed toward the door.
“Are you trying to get away from me?”
“Yeah. You noticed.”
“Oh, yes. Your heart is beating faster, palms are sweating.”
“Sorry.” She felt the doorknob behind her back.
“You can go back out there, but one kiss will let me know if I can bear to have you on my arm.”
She gasped in outrage, but he kissed her anyway. When she tried to slam her mouth shut, he brushed his lips across hers, once, twice until she relaxed.
Ally felt the smooth curve of his lips, and she whimpered. Her teenage self hadn’t been able to guess at this sensation, but her adult self was all for it. He crowded her back against the door, and his mouth tilted as he coaxed her mouth to open.
She let out a small sound when his tongue caressed her lips, tracing inside slowly, and his lips urged her to participate. He held her head with his hands, and she moaned as her blood surged in her veins. He lifted his head. “Well, that proves that you have an interest in me, and this proves that I have an interest in you.” He pressed his hips to hers, and she felt the erection through layers of fabric.
She swallowed. “Oh. The novelty effect.”
He sighed and kissed her again until she sagged against the door.
She pressed her lips together and tried to get herself together. “My friends are going to miss me.”
“Probably, but they will be told you are with me.” He grinned. “I have an excellent reputation.”
“For what?”
“Not taking advantage of my companions. All women in my bed are there freely and able to leave when they wish.”
“So, there are a bunch of women piled on sheets somewhere?” she muttered softly.
He chuckled, stroking her cheek with his thumb. “No, there has been no one for a few months. I am old enough that I only need to feed once or twice a year. That is what I needed that blood for initially. I was due.”
“Well, I am glad that another courier wasn’t assigned to you. They might have pissed you off or had to find a replacement somehow. I doubt their roommate would have been standing outside trying to get in.”
He smiled. “So, fate has taken a hand. Are you willing to spend time with me to see if she was right?”
“Can I have access to your library to try and solve this?”
He grinned, and she could see he knew he had won. “Of course. I haven’t had a mistress this century. I believe this will be fun.”
“What? I have seen you with the same woman in the news.”
“Girlfriends and mistresses are not the same. Mistresses are kept and pampered, girlfriends are met on an equal footing. I like the idea of you being a mistress. You look like you can use someone caring for you.” He wrapped a curl around his finger. “I want that someone to be me.”
“Can’t I just be a girlfriend?”
“Oh, no. I don’t bring girlfriends home. I have a separate apartment for dates. Only a mistress is invited to stay with me overnight.”
She swallowed. “You are just making this up as we stand here.”
“Absolutely. Now, let’s go out and sit with your friends. I will need to meet them, and at the start is as good as later.”
She muttered as he eased her away from the door and into his arms. “Right, so when we break up, they will know why I am eating all the ice cream and who’s face to put on the dartboard.”
He smiled. “Yes, wren. Whatever you say.”
She looked at him in surprise as he wrapped an arm around her waist, and they exited his private office, went through the public office, and headed back to the club.
The sound hit her, and she swayed. He held her, and they returned to the VIP couches. Ulric sat in one of the chairs and pulled her onto the arm of the chair next to him. This put them at nearly the same head height.
“Your friends enjoy dancing.”
She nodded. “They do. TJ fancies himself an amateur choreographer.”
“How did you end up on the float? I hardly believe that you would have been practicing for that particular spot. You were lovely, and you have a knack for dancing.”
“Uh, how much of the performance did you catch?”
He chuckled. “The whole thing from various angles. My men were enthusiastic about filming the float and then having the evening to party. The festival is a big deal for the city.”
Ally nodded. “I know. I have only seen the party once, but once was enough.”
Ulrick mock-gasped. “Only once?”
“Yeah, I found out how tiring it is for humans. That’s why I was on the float. The regular dancer was just confirmed pregnant, so she wasn’t able to be out there where the energies of the population mingled, and a plain old human gets drained.”
“You are a plain human?”
“As far as my body is concerned. I am exhausted.” She smiled. “I am just going to wait them out and then hopefully not sleep through the shuttle home. Well, at least, Yalthea is getting to enjoy the drinks tonight. She missed them the last time she was here.”
He chuckled. “You work at the gym? It is a criterion for the floats.”
“Part-time. I do the desk work and keep up their bookkeeping for staff and scheduling.” She chuckled. “The rules do not say I need to lift the weights.”
He nodded. “Correct. These are all your friends?”
“TJ and Yalthea live with me. Or we live with him. There is another roommate, but she isn’t at the gym.”
“Where do you live?”
“Near the gym. Near First.”
He looked at her. “That isn’t a suitable location for you.”
“It’s fine. I have lived with them for five years.”
“TJ is Boss Jinson’s son. It isn’t appropriate for my mistress to be living in the domain of another boss.”
It was starting. “Right. This isn’t going to work. I will have to head over to Reyfalic and see if their archive will let me in. We don’t need to play pretend.”
The music changed to something slow, and half the crew came back to the VIP section. TJ stared at her seated on the edge of Ulric’s throne. Any chair the vampire sat in took on the aspect of a seat of command. It took a few moments for the other returning partiers to notice the owner of the club in their midst.
Henvin looked at her, then Ulric, and his mouth opened before he started laughing. The ogre liked to laugh. “Master Ulric, thank you for your hospitality. Geez, Ally. You look like a puppet.”
She tensed, and Ulric’s hand started to stroke her hip soothingly.
Ulric said, “You are welcome to the hospitality. You were a fine example of what the city has to offer, but please, for your sake, treat Ally with a little more respect.”
“But she’s perched there like a doll.” Henvin wasn’t too swift.
Ulric sighed. “She did that for your sensibilities.” He gathered her up and settled her in his lap, kissing her.
There were gasps of shock from her friends, but she lifted a hand to Ulric’s cheek and just enjoyed the kiss for a moment. When he lifted his head, he looked at her and came back again.
The rest of the night blurred into soft kisses, being cuddled against Ulric, and her friends wide-eyed with surprise.
It was a shame that she would make a run for it in the morning.
Chapter Four
She started packing the moment she got home and put a cheque for the rest of the year’s rent under TJ’s door. By the time they got up in the morning, she was exhausted, and they were confused.
She was drinking coffee and making calls. Three movers would call her back when they checked on their weekend staff. She had a tiny apartment in Reyfalic lined up.
Yalthea was holding her head to contain her hangover. “I don’t understand. Where are you going?”
“Away. It isn’t safe for me to be here thanks to Henvin’s photo on social media.” The picture of her making out with Ulric in the VIP section had been one thing, but the dazed and aroused expression on her face in one of the photos had shaken her to her soul. Nothing had ever put that expression on her face before. Ulric had just looked amused.
“Henvin needs to get a life.” TJ grunted. “The photo is just the excuse. You are running from him.”
“Yes. Absolutely.” She called a fourth moving company as the first three hadn’t gotten back to her in the promised hour. “Can you help me load the boxes in a van, TJ?”
“Sure. I will even make Henvin help.”
“Oh, god. No, thanks. He will post photos, and if someone sees them, I will be screwed.”
“Good point. Reg then.”
“No, he will bring Henvin.”
