rogue shifter 07 - cut off (11 page)

"Who can say? We can experiment on the mongrels."

"No, I think not. We don't want them breeding, do we? Your children with her will also be mongrels like Charles."

"That word will never be used in reference to Charles or any other child I have with Jacqueline. Do you understand?"

"You dare to give me orders?"

"You will do this for me, Fionna." I'd changed the tone of my voice as I sent out a mild rush of my energy, and was pleased to see her eyes glaze in confusion. It was necessary to be subtle with my magic. I could not attempt to take over control completely, not yet. She had many followers at court, even though the residents could clearly see how life here had deteriorated so desperately. When necessary, I used my magic to nudge and suggest, skills I'd learned long ago. Today was my first attempt to use true Influence on my foolish sister, however this was a battle I must win.

If only Fionna had inherited our father's wisdom along with much of his power, I wouldn't be in this situation. I'd have a partner to work with instead of a needy child to coddle.

She walked to the window, her brow wrinkled, her expression stern. "I might consider your request."

My touch had done its job. "Thank you, my queen." I bowed low, kissing her hand.

She smiled and stroked my cheek. "You were always my favorite, Kennet. The others did not understand me."

"How could the imperfect understand perfection, my lovely queen?"

She kissed my cheek and flounced toward the door. "I will check on the vampire." Her new toy. When she'd disappeared, I shook my head. How could a female have lived three thousand years and more and not garnered at least a modicum of understanding regarding the plight of her people? The rest of the world could sink beneath the seas for all I cared, but the Faerie Court should be a place of exceptional beauty, its people admired above all others, their physical and magical strength, godlike. It was once this way, under my father and his queen. It would be this way again.

I sank into the nearest chair, weakened from my continued efforts to hold Fionna in check. Her impulsive nature would be the death of us. Kidnapping Garrett was not the avenue I would have trod to achieve her goals, but I might still accomplish the first steps in my own long-range plan before these few days were over.

I took a sip of wine, enjoying the warmth that spread throughout my body. I had to import this quality of honey wine from the sidhe in Bavaria, since the court demi-fey were almost extinct, another situation I planned to remedy as soon as I could. The court used to be swimming in the very best of everything.

I shook off my grim mood and chose to think instead of Jacqueline, a female so far superior to the one who ruled that I would have laughed at fate if the circumstances at court were not so dire. Twice a year since Charles was five, I'd spent time with Jacqueline and my son in a private location of my choosing. The time was spent training him to use a blade, a bow, and when he was older, a sword.

We spoke mostly in Seelie Fae, the language of his people and mine. Behind more mundane activities, I worked secretly with him, teaching him the mechanics of how to use his Influence. If Jackie had known, she would have attempted to end our work, but according to our agreement, she could have done nothing to stop me.

When I worked with Charles, Jacqueline would watch my eyes. During her time with me, she'd discovered that when I used Influence, my pupils lightened in color, turning a dustier shade. It was a simple physical reaction unique to me, yet she'd seen it and remembered. Sometimes her intelligence startled me, so different than most females I'd come in contact with.

She said she did not trust me and, although I had agreed not to hurt her or Charles, she did not believe me. Most would agree that her feelings were more than justified. I had swept her away and held her captive, hoping she would accept my generous and heartfelt offer. When she fought against me I became enraged, whipping and then taking her against her will.

Her creamy flesh had broken so easily under the lash, but not her mind. No, she fought my magic with all that she was— and she was extraordinary in all ways. Her will, her intellect, her beauty and her magic confounded and delighted me, reawakening my senses after many tedious years. Without even a drop of fae blood, it is still clear that she is meant to be mine. Not my slave, or even my consort, but my partner. My bound mate. My lover. Queen to my king.

We will rule together, bringing Faerie back to full strength once more. As my father did before me, we will repopulate our depleted sidhe, and one day Charles will defeat Naberia and the Demon Realm will fall.

Even though my time with Isaiah had ended sixteen years ago, my strength had not returned completely. He'd stripped me bare, mentally and physically, adding blocks that burned and stabbed whenever I tried to access my powers. It had taken me many years to unravel them, but I was almost free.

One day I would have my revenge on Isaiah. Until then, I would work toward my immediate goal of restoring the Faerie Court to full power. Fionna was a hindrance and would have to be eliminated, but Charles, Jacqueline and I would soon take up the reins.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Elle knelt beside her sister's still-warm body and drew Niral's head into her lap. She brushed aside the strands of chestnut colored hair that covered her face, then leaned down to kiss her sister's pale forehead.

"We have been kept apart for more than fifty mortal years."

"Niral asked me to take you with me when I leave."

"Why would Niral ask that of you?"

"Love. Fear for your safety. She thought of you with great affection, telling me you work in the fields and that I should try to find you there."

"I prayed for many months that I would be allowed to work in the fields. The queen had other ideas." Several tears splashed from her eyes onto her sister's cheeks, as if they both mourned their separation, now final. "I am alone. Truly."

I took her hand and she immediately looked down in submission, perhaps trained to do so. "As long as I live, you aren't alone. Niral gave me her blood and I promised her that I would help you. This was a ritual agreement between us."

She tried to pull her hand away. "You got what you wanted. You do not have to honor the agreement."

"I do." I forced her to look me in the eye, hoping that her fae senses would show her the truth.

"What is your name?" she asked.

"Garrett."

"Gar-rett." My name sounded odd as she tried to pronounce it. "Garrett." I nodded and smiled. "I see you have honor, but there is nothing you can do to save me."

"Caelen will take you into Cascade."

With a whoosh of air, Fionna was back and looking bored. She scowled as she glanced around the room. "Now that you're cooperating, I might give you better accommodations. You can wait for your sweet little cheetah in comfort. I cannot have my twin brother thinking I mistreated you." She laughed and took hold of Elle's braid, yanking her to her feet. "The slaugh hungers for your sweet flesh."

I stood, speaking in a commanding tone, "Leave her. I'll need more blood soon."

The bitch queen narrowed her eyes and sneered. "She is tainted with human blood, like her sister."

I continued to meet her gaze, smirking to make her think that I could also be a cruel being. "I've grown fond of human blood over the centuries."

She let go of Elle's braid and looked me over with a new interest. "If I do this for you, you must do something for me. I'll even give you a choice when the time comes."

"Not torture or murder. Nor will I forsake my family, friends or my allies."

"Agreed." She shrugged.

Seeing no other way out, I nodded. "Excellent. I will find another companion for the slaugh." She yanked on Elle's thick braid. "See that you satisfy all of the vampire's needs, mongrel. The corpse of your sister will please the dogs." She dissolved along with Niral's body.

Elle stood, untying the laces on her bodice, her expression blank. "No, stop." She tilted her head up, confused. I showed her the mating mark on my wrist. "I am bound to my lifemate, Jacqueline. I will never ask you for anything except perhaps a small amount of freely-given blood. I cannot help us escape if I am starved."

"Why did you take so much from Niral?"

"Fionna was going to feed her to the slaugh if I didn't drain her. This death was her choice, not mine."

Her body went slack with relief. "At least she found peace at the end. Will you do the same for me?"

"Only if there's no other way. I've promised Niral to do everything I can to rescue you."

"Thank you, Garrett. You have honor. Few at court do."

I sat in the far corner, giving her as much privacy as the small space would allow. "We prisoners should stick together."

She didn't smile at my feeble attempt to make her feel comfortable. Instead her expression turned dark. "Because I am of impure blood, I am considered a mongrel, passed to her favorites so they may play with me as they like. Some want sex, others prefer to see me humiliated, others to hear me scream. I've never disappointed any of them." She wiped another lonely tear from her face. "Is Charles like his father? Like Lord Kennet?"

The question surprised me. "Charlie's almost as tall, and he has an incredibly strong mind. Is that what you meant?"

She was silent for a few moments. "He is not cruel?"

"No. He's a healer, a trait inherited from my mate. His nature is compassionate."

She nodded solemnly. "When he arrives, they will train him to be like Kennet. They will force him to torture and kill."

I shivered at the thought. Eleanor had done the same to me. But then I thought of my love, positive that her ferocious protective instincts would prevail. "I am certain the queen and her court will never meet my son."

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

I was shown into the room by Aislin, who greeted me warmly and then dissolved with only whisper of a breeze left behind. Caelen and I nodded our own greetings, but the atmosphere remained cool. There had been other talks of this nature between Lord Caelen and myself. I hoped that I could find a way to allay his fears.

"Thank you for taking the time out to speak with me, Lord Caelen."

He indicated that I should sit with a nod toward the chair across from his. "I've grown fond of your family." His voice wasn't particularly warm.

"You've been a father to Garrett for over a century. He loves and respects you as do I."

"Do you?" He arched an eyebrow. "Garrett normally listens to my advice."

I hesitated. "Garrett's older and sees certain situations differently than I do. In this case, I believe he would have encouraged me to send Charlie to the DR."

"I disagree."

I took a slow breath to calm my nerves. "Your advice and opinion are always welcome. However the fact remains that I'm Charlie's mother and Garrett's lifemate, and I put those allegiances above all others. Fionna and her fae soldiers can't travel to the Demon Realm. Charlie is safer there than anywhere else."

"You don't trust us to keep him safe?" His eyes were hard with anger. This was the key. He felt I didn't trust him or his people with my child's safety, a bash to their communal ego. The Cascade fae had welcomed him into their hearts with every visit. They loved him as a young child and also as a young adult. I couldn't let Lord Caelen think that I wasn't aware of their generosity.

Yet there was also a certain tidbit of information dropped into my lap by a long-dead twin that continued to weigh on my mind. She'd told me that the fae intended to help Charlie win the war and then strip him of his demon magic, leaving him fae and cheetah, a combination they could easily accept if he chose to live in Faerie. Bridgett had also revealed that Isaiah was the one who'd discovered the truth. When I'd confronted him about it eleven years ago,  he'd laughed, telling me he'd never heard of an instance where that had occurred. Permanently blocking a part of someone's magic would be like tearing out a lung, leaving the victim unable to function at well, perhaps even bringing death.

For Charlie's sake, he continued to search through arcane tomes for the answer. I hadn't as yet mentioned it to anyone else. Looking at Caelen's expression, I sensed that this wasn't the time to bring it up.

I sighed and rubbed my eyes. I desperately needed a good night's rest, although I dreaded crawling into bed without Garrett there to hold me. Maybe I can sleep in a guest room tonight. "I would send him to you in any other circumstance, but Fionna's power is at its strongest in Faerie. She appeared during Kennet's trial without any trouble at all. Charlie is half fae. In her mind, he's her subject. She'd use that to control him."

"We have ways to cloak someone."

I forged ahead, lifting my chin. "He's where he needs to be, learning what he needs to learn to protect himself. Perhaps to protect all of us."

Aedus asked, "Isaiah continues his training?"

"Yes. I'm leaving him where he is. When this is over, I'll bring him home." When they didn't respond, I continued. "Charlie is the reason I survived my attacks, the reason I've been put on this planet at this specific time. Charlie has to survive no matter what happens to either of us.

"The world could be devoured by the evil of Naberia if he's not there to lead the fight against her. Not just the shifter world, but the human, the werewolf, and the fae world."

Caelen grunted. "Naberia does not know our strength."

"Charlie is part of that strength. I'm asking you to trust my instincts as his mother. He'll be returned to me as soon as I get home with Garrett."

"And if you and Garrett are killed?" he asked.

I didn't hesitate. "Isaiah will bring him to you long before the war begins." We'd discussed this years ago.

"You believe him?" Aedus asked.

"Yes. He has no love for his mother or her ways."

"Why? He is pure-blood demon. He would naturally support his mother. What you say makes no sense."

"He told me his reasons in confidence."