“What did he say to you that lead you to believe that he didn’t want you, Tess? You may have read too much into it. I have heard of men saying things in the heat of the moment that they would normally never say to someone they love.”
“He doesn’t love me, nor do I love him. I offered him my throat and he said that we he didn’t want to feed from me, that we weren’t going to become a bonded couple. He said that the sex we had just had would be enough for him until he had to go back to Virginia. Pretty sure there was nothing there I could read into other than what he it sounded like. He was serious and I left.”
“Have you tried to talk to him since then? Of course you haven’t, I can tell by the look on your face. You are so…how long have you been here since then? It couldn’t be much more than twenty-four hours.”
“Five days ago. Why? What possible reason could you have for caring what happens to me sexually? It’s not like I was a virgin. I knew what I was getting into when I fucked him.”
“Don’t be crude. And has he tried to contact you in any way? Or have you closed down that vault you call a mind from him? Have you thought of the consequences of you shutting him out?”
“Again, why is it any of your business what happens to me? I’ve given you no reason to think that I want a deep and lasting friendship. You’re my boss. I do my job for you, the one you hired me for. Stay out of my personal life.”
“I would love to be more than your ‘boss,’ as you call it, but you’re still pissed off I asked you to become a part of the Black Knights. Besides, I’m afraid that isn’t possible for us to stay out, not now.” They both looked up when Albadar and another man walked toward them. “Thank you, Albadar. Please have a seat, Agent Tremont. Tess and I were just discussing your role in her life as a mate.”
~Chapter 6~
“My lady, the demon lord Marlus would like a word. He is claiming that it is within his rights to claim your kingdom,” the aide, Chantal, said.
“How is it within his…you know, I don’t care. Send him away.” Mel was tired and she was worried about Tess. The stupid woman blocked her at every turn. Mel had hoped that with Tess having a mate now it would be easier for her to finally get to talk to her, but it seemed she was just as elusive.
“My lady, I don’t think that is such a good idea. He is quite persistent in his need to speak with you. He claims that you are an unbound woman without a descendent and he has the
Council’s backing on this. I believe you should let him speak.”
Mel looked away from her aide. It would not due to have Chantal see the queen cry, Mel thought. And why today, of all days, did Marlus have to come by and talk about her not having a child?
This week marked the anniversary of the death of her little girl. It had been fifteen years.
Mel wondered what she would have been like, what she may have looked like. It was depressing to her to think how much she had lost in just seconds. Taking a deep breath, Mel turned back to her friend and aide, Chantal.
“Tell him to give me thirty minutes and then contact my mother and grandmother. If you can also get Sara here, I would be very grateful. Did he say which member of the Council he had backing from?”
“Yes, my lady, all of them. I will see what I can do about your family. And I will have Marshall bring in tea and cakes. I believe that the demon is allergic to the tea.”
Mel was still grinning when her mother came in ten minutes later. Sometimes humor came at the most unexpected times, she thought, as she hugged her mom.
“Chantal tells me that Marlus is up to his old tricks again. That man has a lot of nerve. You know he tried this same trick on me when I was in labor with you. He told the Council that I was incapacitated and should I die during the birth he was more than willing to step in and take over.
I thought your father was going to cut his throat. Of course we had to tell the simpleton that our breed does not die. I hope he has the balls to not wear long sleeves. I gave him quite a mark the last time he was here. See if you can read his tat.”
“Oh, Mom. He may have a valid point this time. He is correct in what he’s saying. I am unbound and childless. Chantal said that he has the backing of the entire Council on this.”
“Poppycock. That man will suffer greatly for his stupidity. What are you going to do?”
“See him. He should be here in about ten minutes. Where’s Grandma? I’d like to face him with full force.”
“She and your grandfather are on another honeymoon. If you ask me, I think they are the horniest people I’ve ever met. Good heavens! They go at it as much as Sara and that Aaron do.
Why, I caught them doing it on the table the other morning. They are quite nimble for beings their age, I must say.”
“Mother. Remember the rules? You are never to discuss your sex life, Grandma’s sex life, or anybody else’s sex life with me. I don’t now, nor do I ever want to think about any one of you having sex in any way, shape, or form. Do I make myself clear?”
“Yes, darling. But how do you think…”
“No! Do not finish that sentence! Now. We are going to pretend that you and I were
discussing the weather and then we’ll let Marlus in. All right?”
“I didn’t know that I had such a prude as a daughter. But all right, if it helps you to sleep at night, then we won’t discuss how you were conceived. We found you under a rock. Is that better?”
“Yes. Yes, I believe it is. Now, what do I do with Marlus?”
“Fuck him?”
Mel shuddered and walked to her throne room. Some days, like today, she felt all of her forty-five hundred years. She decided that as soon as possible, she was going to take a long vacation somewhere fun. Maybe she would go to Cedar Point. Duncan had told her he had had a great time there with Sara and the children last month. And the pictures he had shown her looked fun. She remembered fun, sort of.
Marlus walked in just as Mel and her mother sat down. Sara had said she would be there in a jiffy, whatever that was, and to not do anything stupid until Sara could bail her out. Mel snorted.
As if she would, she thought.
“Marlus, would you like some tea?” He backed away from the tray as if it had been a snake.
Mel sat down with another smile. “I’d like to know what you think you’re doing. You’ve come to take my kingdom, have you? Molavonta is not up for discussion. I’m the ruler of this realm and all the realms surrounding it. Magic is mine, not to be bartered with by the likes of you.”
“My queen, I only have the people’s best interest at heart. They need a sovereign that will make sure the rules are followed. How do you expect them to follow you when you can’t even abide by them yourself? You are in violation of the laws set forth by your liege. I demand that you yield to me and no one will get hurt.”
“You dare threaten me? You will leave this castle and never return, Marlus, or so help me, I will hurt you in ways you cannot imagine. I am the queen. You will leave on your own or I will call my guard and have you thrown out.”
Marlus moved so quickly that Mel had no opportunity to defend herself. He was behind her with a blade at her throat and her mother across the floor in a heap in seconds, tossed there by his magic.
“We could deal well, you and me, Melody,” Marlus whispered in Mel’s ear. “You agree to be my mate and I will make sure that you are taken well care of, your family as well. Say yes and I will become your king and you may rule behind me. Think of the magic you and I together could make.” He ran his hand over her breast and squeezed hard. She felt her stomach roll with nausea.
Mel felt the power surge in the room seconds before Sara appeared. Even dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, Sara was a warrior. Putting out her hand, a bolt of magic shot forward and into Marlus, hitting him hard in the shoulder. He stumbled, but did not lessen his grip on Mel’s neck.
“Let her go and we won’t kill you,” Sara said with steel in her voice.
“We? You seem to be quite alone, Sara dear. Has being mated to a vamp made you dumber?
I will have what I want, it was promised to me. I’m merely here to offer my dear queen a deal.”
“Promises, schomises. Perhaps you should take another look, Marlus.”
Aaron appeared first, his eyes bright red with his anger, his fangs biting deep into his lower lip, then Colin, Tucker, and Dominic, all vampires ready to do battle armed with their swords, knives, and magic. The room shimmered and pulsed with it. Eliz and Phillip were next, and James brought up the rear. Mel smiled wildly at her family. She had never been so glad to see anyone as she was these people.
Mel felt Marlus stiffen behind her, his own power diminishing under the power of theirs. He took a step back and then another, still holding onto Mel as he went.
“This isn’t over. I’ll be back. And when I am, we will see who rules this land. Take this as my final warning, Melody, Mistress of the Light, Keeper of the Magick. The next time we meet, it will be while standing in your blood.”
Mel felt herself being tossed forward and, before she could turn, Marlus was gone. She looked up at her family. They could not win, she thought. He would take her kingdom and kill them all. Because without the magic of Molavonta and the hold she had over it Mel and her family were just as mortal as any human.
~~~
“You can’t be serious. There is no way that you can make me bond with her. This is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard.”
Nathaniel was pissed. He had been asleep in his borrowed lair when suddenly his door burst open and a he had been snatched from the bed. And none too gently either. His shoulder still hurt from the bite of the blade one man held. He did smile, however; it had taken eight of them to haul him in.
“Oh, I’m very serious. You will bond with Tess. You should have done so already. You are not leaving here until you do. There are things set in motion and you two are to play an integral part in it.”
Nathaniel looked at Athropos and then threw back his head and laughed. His humor was
genuine. He wondered if she actually thought that it would be a hardship to stay. “Stay here forever? Let me see, I can see the sun without bursting into small bits, I can walk among beings I’ve only ever read about, the weather is warm, and I never get hungry. Not really a great incentive to comply with your demands, is it? No. I choose my own future and I will not allow you or anyone else to tell, no, demand that I take a mate. So, if there is nothing else…” He stood to go.
“Sit down, Nathaniel, I’m not finished. You will take Tess as your mate or I will kill her.
Right now, this very moment, I will cut her thread and she will be dead. That is the only choice you have. I’m not messing around with you two any longer.”
“Then kill me. I could care less. I won’t be mated to a man who does not want me and vise versa. You’ve taken everything I’ve ever cared about from me, so killing me is fine. I will even lend you the blade to do it.”
Nathaniel watched as Tess stopped her pacing, reached into her boot, pulled out a long, thin blade, and threw it across the long room.
End over end it went and then landed with a snap an inch from the sandaled toes of
Athropos. The blade quivered for several seconds as he stared at it, Tess and Athropos never taking their eyes from one another. He swallowed hard. She had never looked where she was throwing the knife and knew where it would land precisely.
Athropos looked over at Nathaniel then at Tess who had not moved from her stance.
Without taking her eyes from Tess, Athropos pulled the blade out of the floor and walked toward her. Magic churned from her empty hand as she walked, and suddenly there was a long thread in her hand. It trailed the floor as it lengthened as Athropos continued to Tess.
“You have lived a long life, child, and it could have been much longer. I do not like threats.
And I feel that rather than try to negotiate it is much easier just to cut my losses—no pun intended. Goodbye, love.” The blade slipped into the loop that Athropos formed and she stiffened to pull the sharp point through it.
No, Nathaniel’s mind screamed. “I’ll do it. I’ll bond with her. Just don’t cut that cord.”
Nathaniel was just as surprised as the women appeared to be about what had spilled from his mouth. It was then that he realized he would do it; he would gladly bond with Tess rather than let her die. He could not let her die, not if he could do something about it.
“Well bully for you. But I said no. I won’t have anyone who won’t have me and I’m not
particularly fond of either of you right now so forget it. I don’t need anyone to sacrifice himself for me. Cut the fucking cord, Athropos. I’ve no use for your games either.”
“If you lie to me, vamp, I will end you as well. If you say yes again, you will bond with her or I cut both your cords.”
“I don’t lie. I’ll bond with her. She’ll be my mate before the end of this day. I’ll see to it.”
Nathaniel held his breath as Tess turned to him. Not saying a word, she then turned to Athropos. She looked so hurt that he nearly reached out to pull her into his arms. But he knew that now would not be a good time to show her comfort. She would more than likely slit his throat than to have him touching her.
“If you do this, Athropos, I’ll never forgive you. Never,” Tess said. “And you know that I will hold true to this. This isn’t right, not to him, nor to me, and you know it. “
“You will see that it will all work out as soon as you are bonded with him, child. I swear it.
You must learn to trust me.”
“Come on, Tess. Let’s go. I made a promise and I intend to keep it.” He had tried for humor, but failed miserably. Tess was hurt and angry and he did not like how it made him feel.
“I’m not going anywhere with you, so you can just—put me down, you moron. I will not
mate or whatever with you.”
Nathaniel was a little afraid of what she might do to him once he put her down, but for now he felt he was semi safe. He had thought picking her up and tossing her over his shoulder was a good idea until he realized where her teeth were. The second she sank her teeth into his ribs he wished he had thought of a different way of transporting her to her house.