Shadow Queen (18 page)

              “I’m not that great you know.  Now that you’ve kissed me, you’ll know it.  I have faults.”

              “It’s the faults that make you perfect, Anastacia.  Can’t you see that?” He hit the tree again.

              I was just about to pull on his arm to stop him from another tree dent when he said into his hand, “He is at Toxic.”

              “No way.  Across the street from the very enemy he thwarts.”

              “Ever heard the phrase, hidden in plain sight?”

              I flashed my eyes to the house.  “Yeah, I know that one well.”

              “So you do.  You were hidden for years, Anastacia.  For good reasons.  Let me do this for you.”

              The estranged statement couldn’t be left alone.  “For me?  You can’t.  I have a spiteful mother who comes to me in my dreams and reminds me often that it is me who will end this farce.  Borgon is the key.  If he goes, the war dies with him.  I can get the factions together, that much I know.”

              “But you can’t survive the one who holds the only weapon that can destroy you.  Do you know how hard it is to avert your path from his?”

              “Avert?  You’ve been busy.”

              He knew he’d said too much. And I had a bad, bad feeling I knew where it led.  “Did you cause Drac to go after Cas?”

              His avoidance said it all.  “I will hate you the rest of your lonely life if he is hurt.  I will kill anyone who harms him.  Mark my words, Dyer Lee.  He will not be harmed.”

              “Understood.  At least I heard it from your own lips.  Loyalty means something to me too.”

              I pushed him up to standing at a distance.  “Loyalty.  Lies.”

              He leaned back against the tree making me able to see his face from the adjustment to the darkness.  I could read people better now.  Not perfect. I could tell what their face really meant.  He pushed off and starting backing
me
up against the tree.  “If I ever proved disloyal to you, say it now but I will NOT STOP fighting for you.  I
will
keep you safe.”

              “And if you want to live…you will leave now," the dark flavor of his voice startled even me.

              I didn’t even feel him get close.  Cas stood a mere foot away from me.

              “Be seen and we are all through.”

              “Be seen and you will be dead before you make it to your car hidden behind the wall five hundred feet from where Borgon is currently watching you.”

              None of us made a move.

              “And keep you mouth off those who wish not to have it tainted.”

              Lee wedged a fist into the air.  Cas, whom had yet to look my way, said rather loudly, “If you harm her, I will kill you.”

              Realizing what ploy Cas intended if for, Lee answered him with, “She will never make it on her own.   She is done.”

              He was too loud also.

              “She is never alone.”  This time Cas' voice was only loud enough for us to hear.  I purred inside at the implications. 

              Lee took off in a run towards his car.  I could only imagine the conversation he would have with Borgon, but I refused to think about it too long.

              Standing alone with Cas in the woods with no one around but the owls and crickets was tempting.  If I looked at him, I’d fall to pieces.  I tried to analyze why I couldn’t feel him approach, but was sidetracked by his movement.  Walking towards me, he took my arm.  Like a thousand locks opening for the first time, my body was on fire.  He must have felt it too because his knee jerked in step to mine.  We both gasped aloud. 

              I wanted to crawl inside him and never come out.  The skin on skin was torture.

              With a quiet whisper, “Do not look at me, Kissa.  If I look at you, I can’t do what I’m about to do.  Know in my heart I love you with everything I have in me, but if we are both going to live, I have to finish this.  Drac will be dead by the next full moon and I will come for you.  Until then, you act like you hate my very presence.  Do you understand?”

              He loved me.  I heard the rest, but HE.LOVED.ME!  Any depression left in me dissipated as I went into the act he needed.  I yanked out of his arms and screamed at him, “Keep you hands off me.”

              He whispered, “Wow.  That was convincing.”

              “And you haven’t been?  I’ve been sick for a month.”

              “I needed it to look real.”

              “It worked.”

              “I’m sorry.”

              “You can make it up to me,” I stomped backward holding up a dagger for the show of it.  Out of the corner of my eye I saw Cord running from the garage.

              Quickly I added in our whispered tones, “How did you know he kissed me?”

              A growl emerged.  “I can smell him on you.”

              Oh.  Noted. 

I was on fire again.  Nothing would stop me now.  If only he’d got word to me before, but I understood the reason behind the wait.  Either way, I was a new woman.

When Cas deposited me back to Cord and I had to pretend to fall in his arms while Cas watched on in quiet rage his own eyes were black with a slow burn.  Cord watched him too as he kissed my cheek.  It was the tensest moment I’d experienced in a long while. 

Whisked away, I felt the knots form in my stomach.  I would never tire of being around the feeling Cas sent through me with just being close to him.

Cord took me to his court in his car, while Angus drove mine.  He lectured me, but stopped short when I told him what Cas said to me.  He didn’t believe me at first, but after repeating the words for a third time, he gave.  We discussed what the information gained next.  Not only did I learn from Lee of Lord Jetten’s whereabouts, I also learned that Cas had plans to end Drac in some way. 

Putting it altogether into one head game was the hard part.

The next night, Calum, Cord, Szar, and I headed to Club Toxic.  Since we were not new to the place, myself newer than the guys, we walked right in.  I didn’t leave Cord’s side.  This pissed off Calum in a royal way, but he followed my lead.  If anyone was watching closely enough, they’d seen me come with three different men to this club. 

We sat at the table we did the time Cas brought me here.  I watched the bar intensely to see if Cas appeared. He’d checked on it several times when we were here last.

Focused elsewhere, I didn’t see him come from the other direction.  But I felt him before we entered the club so distinguishing where he was located was out of the question. 

He let me follow his slow waltz across the dance floor.  They moved out of his way as if they all knew exactly who he was.  He watched me.  I watched him.  As if in a trance, the world around us paused. 

“Stace.  Stace.”

I heard the voice screaming beside me.  I dashed a quick look at Cord and told Calum to shut up and whipped my head back to Cas, but his face was gone.  I saw his figure behind the end of the bar talking to the bartenders.  He didn’t look my way the rest of the night that I knew of.  Nor did he leave the bar. 

After a good hour, I asked to be excused to the restroom.  I counted the doors past what was labeled the girl’s room.  Four.  I would have to try every one of them.  The first one was well…
very
occupied.  It was another restroom, but wasn’t being used as one.  The second was empty.  The third was also occupied with some kind of private dance party dinner. With only one door left, I prayed for not another restroom display with Lord Jetten getting busy with it.

I knocked to be courteous, but entered after the third knock.  Inside, there were sofas and chairs, a bar, and a bookcase full of books.  On the farthest sofa sat the man I seek. 

“He said you’d be here soon.”

“I will get to the point since I haven’t much time.  I have at least fifty of your people hidden and ready to follow your lead.  I want you to go back to them and get control of what was taken from you.”

He uncrossed his legs and crossed them the other way.  His shoulder length sandy hair was combed impeccably straight and his clothes were tailored and fitted like a silk glove.   “Don’t pretend little girl to act like you know what is the right thing for me.  I know very well that you have a motive behind everything you do.  I am aware of your circumstances. So why don’t you tell me why you want me to do this
for
you.”

He was wise.  “If you don’t, Borgon will win.  I will most likely die.  The factions will cease to exist if I am eliminated because they will not get along.   Your kind invented the sword that has a means to take me and my apparent ancestors out. Someone, very near to us now, wishes to have the sword and control of the factions and all of us out of the way.  If I don’t bury that sword and Borgon with it, I can’t make that happen.”

“And what of the Vampire?”

Did he mean Cas or Drac? 

“You’re face doesn’t tell your secrets, so I will guess that you need confirmation of whom I speak.  That is quite the asset.  I am referring to your enemy, not your lover.”

I would have corrected him, but what was the point? 

"Drac needs to be buried old news."

A puff of smoke circled up around him.  "That part is assured." He knew.  Were he and Cas
working
together?

“What do you need for me to get you back to your people?”

“More than fifty.” He lit a cigar next.  Somehow, I didn’t picture Elf lords smoking cigars. 

“If I can do it, will you lead them?”

“I have no doubt in your abilities.  It’s what happens next that I want an agreement on.”

Did Cas know he was this organized in his thoughts?  “Borgon.”

“How?” The cigar lit up and them went dry again. 

“With your help, I believe I can draw him out.  He doesn’t feel threatened at the moment.  With the other eliminated, he is out of allies.” Allies whom actually hold power.

“And if I do the deed for you?”

Surprised by the invitation I answered cautiously, “It would be the easiest out for me, but the worst damage.  It would be best if you were left out of it.”

Another puff of the cigar later, he nodded.  “I will do as you ask.”

We left the club without me seeing Cas again.  I filled the guys in and even included Kassie and Maze.  They were in on this now.

The six of us, excluding Cas, discussed what to do.  We had a movie on for the sake of appearing like a group of friends having a good time.  No one would have guessed the topic included how to murder on old family friend gone mad and wishes to take over the world. 

Making a decision to band together as a group against a group was nothing new to most of us.  But making the decision to take out the Hitler in an organized way seemed different than just the random scrimmages we’d been in.   And without Cas by my side, I felt empty, but not lost.  All I had to do was remind myself that I wanted him safe and beside me.

I convinced Cord to take me to some of the various hotspots that the various wayward Elves were popping up.  He refused to let me go alone so I bargained for just him and Calum to go with me.  It was what I wanted all along, but one lesson I’d learned in life was that sometimes they had to think it was their own idea.  At least with men and the following of a woman’s ideas, that is.

The first of many was a dangerous feat.  There were two lone Elves standing on the dance floor of Cas’ club.  Keeping a watchful eye out for Cas, I danced my way to them.  They were drunker than a sailor tied to a barrel of rum.  I managed to convince them to come with me, but not before I got a very harbored look of violence from the owner of the club.  I did the very ladylike thing and stuck my tongue out at him.  It felt invigorating. 

The two Elves made waves with us at first wanting to take us out rather than join our boy band. 
And one girl!

After we sobered them up, they alerted only to the part of the conversation concerning Lord Jetten.  They wanted to know his intentions. An hour later and two unofficial check-ins from a very frustrated club owner, who I have on good authority was a grump of late, we left with five, not two, Elves to join the team.  As the others had, they lead us to the next place to find more. 

Outside of town, in an abandoned aerospace hub for research, we found a nest of over a hundred Elves living on nothing.  Old aircraft engines littered the giant rooms.  Broken ladders and various machines that resembled giant wrenches were in the corners.  

The Elf race really has seen its worse years of late.  How the factionlet it get to this, I don’t understand.  We have to work as teams, and I think it’s time we are including the humans.  They could handle it.  We just needed a leader with people skills and a beloved respect from his people.

Calum offered to join us.  I texted him back where to meet us, but Cord decided he needed to check in with his faction and would find us later.  Switched between two males like I’m being babysat was what it felt like, but I kept my opinions inside only because we were hunting out the Elves that would get us closer to the goal.

He argued with me about being selfish with my time.

I laughed without humor at Calum’s assessment.  “I can hardly be the one to teach anyone about selflessness.”

“Either way, you can take any situation and make it work for you.  I am simply amazed and often just watch you in action.  You can work a room into killing an entire race if you really wanted it.”

That’s what I’m afraid of.  I refused to meet his gaze, squaring my shoulders. “We are off topic again.  Stop doing that and help me find the lake house.  And when did Gem City get swamps?”

“And you’re avoiding reality.”

“Reality chopped her hands off to not risk killing someone she loves.”

Calum coughed, “That’s morbid, Stace.  And you are not evil.  Remember that.”

I’ll try the next time I’m taking someone’s life like it’s a branch being severed from a tree.  It changes a person, human, sup, or made from the gods—whatever the makeup.

Another step into the marshy water and this time my foot sunk at least six inches.  Even my unusual strength didn’t bring it up.

“I’m stuck in the mud, Calum.”

“Ha!  Ha!  You’re not.  Come on.”

I blew out an exasperated breath at the downward suction my foot held.  “I’m stuck, Calum.”

This time he pivoted sideways just to check.  Four feet from me now, his eyes dipped to my lopsided figure.  Feeling every bit the hunchback, I growled when he didn’t move.

“Okay.  So you’re stuck.  You want me to put my hands on you to get you out?”   His grin was two-folded.

“Calum.   Dirty minded or not, we don’t have time for playing.  Just get me unstuck so we can get going.”

“That’s not a word.”
              Huh!  My face said all I needed.

“Unstuck in not a world.  And besides, you’re getting your just rewards.  Comeupance is fitting for those who smart off to their swamp guides.”

Calum and his big words.  He would never let anyone else know how smart he was.  Just lucky, lucky me.

I grumbled as he lifted my leg like it was covered in butter and halfway out already.  He was such a mountain man.   And I really wish he’d moved faster than the ice age.

Though his posture still remained restrained and with that of a gentleman, I knew he liked being close to me more than he should.  I wish I could help that, but short of forcing him to fall in love with someone else, I was out of options.

He barked a soft laugh that turned into a full on echo. 

“What are you laughing at?”

“You’re scowling face.  You are so worried what I might do to make you uncomfortable.  I am a little more honorable than you give me credit.  It wasn’t so long ago you found me irresistible and—

“Calum!  Don’t!  Rehashing won’t make this easier.  I love you like a brother and always will.  I can take your fun loving banter and even annoying stubbornness as the personality traits that make you undeniably irresistible to any female that comes near you, but I can’t always deal with not knowing if your being a butthead or trying to get me to change my feelings for you.  So let’s make this clear.  I am with Cas.”

His eyes blinked once.  Only once.  He yanked my foot up once more and steadied my center of gravity before stepping a whole foot away making a splash hit my leg. 

“That ring is replaceable. I will never give up Stace if it’s the last thing I do.”  With that, he closed off his emotions and held out a hand for me to lead.

I was afraid of that.  I couldn’t comprehend how he could feel so strong about me if the feeling wasn’t mutual, but I wouldn’t hold it against him either.  We all have our faults.

“You say that, but you don’t see yourself from my perspective.  You have a drive that only sees the fight.  You enter a sparring ring seeing the end result.  You challenge the biggest demons to a fight you could never win, yet always do.  You aren’t wired for the focus I would require from you to be loved the way I need.”

His face fell so fast I worried my next words wouldn’t be heard.  “But it is enough to be loved by you in the way we are to each other now.  You can’t see any more that what it would do is mess up what we have.  You'd never focus on us.  It's against your nature.”  I know him.  He saw this as the “I see you as a friend talk” as he called it once before but with the whys.

But he couldn’t see that he would have never loved me forever as he should because his purpose for things changed too often.  I would always be in second place to anything he did.

And...for once he didn’t shade the truth.

“I am a Hunter, Stace.” 

Precisely.

I searched for the house to make us on task.  Finally, I caught sight of our destination and looked the opposite direction.

“Who are you looking for?”  His eyes flitted to mine.

Evil villains.  “No one.  Just taking in the view.”

I had to act this part.  He would act first and figure it out later disguising his lack of a plan as “what he intended all along”.  Ten or so joined up with little argument because we didn't go in guns blazing.

After two more days of rounding up, we had over a hundred and twenty more ready to follow their previous leader.  All it took was the reminder of the difference between a tyrant and a caring lord. 

The scene was set.  Lord Jetten agreed to coming forward and taking command.  Word made it to every faction of Borgon’s anger.  Nara was back spending way too much time at the Cross Manor and Drac was unusually quiet. 

My mother visited me in a quick dream last night reminding me of the ones she chose.  It was odd hearing her version of Orion after realizing she is telling a true story, yet the Hunters were not descendants of them.  Calum was, the Hunter race was not.  Either way, she gave me a great clue.  Orion and Scorpion go hand in hand.  In their story they use tactics such as trickery and good timing.  Both of them are polar opposites and so are Calum and Cord.  They are one in the same. I already knew this so I wasn't sure why she made her point.

A strange text came to me in the middle of the night from Lee with some type of secret decoded message.  I thought it woke me up, but it didn’t.  I was already drowsily awake.

BIRD NO MORE

I didn’t show anyone for fear that someone else might know things I don’t and not tell me or that it would release information not ready to be released.  I overheard a couple of the guards conversing with Angus about the club closing its doors and interrupted hopeful of learning what was meant by it.  They all bypassed me with jobs that were suddenly more important but didn’t go far.  It hadn’t gone unnoticed how much they were overdoing the following me around today.  Not to be discarded so easily, I put on the charm for Cord who was lifting weights in his room that was remarkably close to the same as Cas’ room as well as the layout.

Standing there long enough for him to stop and be forced to offer attention up he asked, “What are you up too?”

“Why would that need to be said?”  I batted my eyes hoping for answers that I didn’t initiate.

“Quit the righteous act.  I am aware of your only vow of innocence.”

I screwed my mouth at him,  “How would you even know that?   My word isn’t always the truth.”

“That will be all Angus.  She is safe for the moment.”  The door behind me closed.

Cord mouth twisted up as he exaggerated the lift of his nose to the air and breathed in.  “I am part animal, Stace.”

Eww! Gross. 

“Whatever.  You’ll never know, so quit your badgering.”  We had this conversation twice now and I believed he knew the truth, but hearing he could tell with his animal instinct was as disturbing as the Vampires sniffing me.

He grimaced lifting his towel to his neck.  “What are you trying to get out of me?  You’d never come on your own volition.”

A reminder that my people skills still needed work no matter how forward they've moved up.  “I am sorry for that.  I have come to value your opinion Cord.  I could blame it on my upbringing, but it is my own poor insight.  I am working on it.”

I smiled to hopefully reassure him.

He relaxed a little and turned to his water bottle.  After emptying the contents, he told me to talk.

“Your guards were talking about a club closing.”

He saw the challenge in my eyes if he lied to me.  “Drac is gone.  The club is closed until further notice.”

“Gone?”

“Extinguished.”

“Dead?”

“Yes,” he said irritated.

“By who?”

“Do you really want to know?” his voice was dark with insistence.

“Is he okay?”

“I am to keep you under lock and key until tomorrow at midnight or until he signals the cost is clear.  You cannot leave.  You cannot step to the balcony.  You cannot use your phone except for Kassie or Maze.”

“And when were you going to tell me?”

“Wasn’t,” he shook the obviously damp towel over his hair sending spatters of sweat all over.

“So who is telling you to do this?  How do you know I won’t just go off on my own?”

              “Confidential.  Besides, it’s my job to know your next move.”

              “Yeah.  Well, you should get a new job.  Your boss sucks rotten eggs.”

              “Vivid, but I will let him know of his lack for talent.  Helps me out with the lady I’ve been trying to impress.”

Full of anger at the implications of being left out
again
, I stomped over to him and placed a sturdy finger to his chest.  “You tell me right now what I want to know or by the gods I will leave here right now and you won’t stop me.”

“You’ll need that ruthless attitude for others, but acting like you don’t care doesn’t work with me.  I knew you for years.  You’re not the ice queen you liked to call yourself in the dark because you were lonely.  You are not alone anymore.”

And neither is he.

“I’m not ruthless enough one minute and now I’m not kind.  Which is it, cuz’ I’d really like to know.  Sorry if wanting everyone alive is a crime.”

“Stace, I didn’t mean it that way.”

“Really.  So you really meant to say I am a selfish b—