Stalked (Rogues Shifter #2) (3 page)

Liam always had a way of cracking the shell and getting right to the yolk, which sometimes annoyed the heck out of me.
I scowled at him. “Gee, I wouldn’t want to
embarrass
you, since you’re being held responsible for my training. Maybe you can pull up some kind of vocal paralysis spell in case I say the wrong thing.”

He twisted his mouth in an uncharacteristic smirk. “That m
ight be a very good idea.” I huffed in annoyance, then realized I was being silly. We were on his home turf, after all. I should be paying attention and not doing exactly what he'd accused me of.

He continued despite my grumpiness.
“You can answer questions, but don’t give more information than necessary. Speak calmly. You must not use any of your powers on anyone here in Faerie; including your healing powers. And try not to show weakness, because the Elders and their families will be observing you closely. They respect Garrett. They respect his judgment. They will want to see if he has chosen well.”

I sighed, feeling more than a little overwhelmed. “Do
you think he’s chosen well?” I didn’t mean to put him on the spot but his opinion meant a lot to me and I knew he wouldn’t lie, even to spare my feelings.

“Garrett could not have chosen better.”  He took my hand in his and smiled reassuringly at me, but I saw in Liam’s eyes a tiny flash of regret, hidden behind his happiness for us.

It disappeared quickly. “Someone will be here in a few minutes to take you to dinner and the meeting.” He nodded, turned away gracefully, and left.

As I stared a
t the door feeling slightly unsettled, Samson trotted over then rested his huge head in my lap. I scratched him behind the ears and whispered, “Samson, you’re such a good boy. I’m sorry you have to stay in the room while we go out, but I’ll make sure someone takes you for a walk while we’re gone.”

“Samson’s coming with us.” Garrett was standing in the doorway, his hair still a little damp from his shower, a couple of strands hanging over his eyes. He’d decided to dress professionally in a dark gray suit, lighter gray shirt and a thin black tie. He looked scrumptious.

I walked over and leaned against him, playing with his auburn hair to get it to fall just right. “Do you think they’ll allow Samson at the meeting?”

“Lord Caelen
is curious about him. Liam thinks he has some fae-hound blood. Also Liam can communicate with him if he gets rambunctious.” Garrett pulled me in closer and nuzzled behind my left ear. I had a birthmark there that he liked to target, since we’d discovered recently that it was a very sensitive spot—in a good way.

“I could get rambunctious too.” I
was just tilting my head to kiss him when someone knocked firmly on the door.

We both
laughed at our apparent inability to have a moment to ourselves. Garrett opened the door and there stood another handsome fae dressed in a plain rust colored tunic in a similar style to Liam's. His waist length hair was a very pale blonde and his large eyes were more of a lavender shade, which indicated that he was younger than most of the others.

He nodded to us as he said our names.
“Garrett Cuvier and Jacqueline Crawford Cuvier, I’m Farrell, the youngest child of Lady Jorrenn. I'm here to escort you to dinner with Lord Caelen and Lady Silvus followed by a meeting with the Fae Elders."He spoke without any fae accent and was much more enthusiastic than the other fae I’d met so far. His handsome grin was dazzling: total movie star material.

“It’s very nice to meet you
, Farrell.“ He was pleased by my friendly greeting. When I nodded back, feeling a little awkward, he smiled good naturedly.

Garrett grabbed Samson’s leash and put his arm around
my waist. “We’re ready.”

Chapter Three

After walking along another misty,
seemingly floorless hallway, we ended up in front of a set of double doors painted a dark brown. It looked like the doors to any large meeting room, but I was very anxious to see the room beyond, hoping for something spectacular. Farrell opened the doors and I was disappointed to see that the room looked rather ordinary and utilitarian. It was quite large and there was a table for eight set up with lovely place settings and a small floral arrangement. It kind of felt like a table you’d see at a mediocre wedding reception. I sighed quietly and hoped that maybe the solstice celebration tomorrow night would be more colorful.

When we entered the room, four pairs of purple eyes
and one pair of brown turned to look at us, making my throat dry up instantly.  Garrett had quietly transferred the leash to me, since Liam felt it was important for them to see how Samson related to me. I smiled feebly at the group and then glanced around the room in curiosity, trying unsuccessfully to hide my nervousness.

Garrett placed his hand
on my lower back in a gesture meant to calm me and we walked toward them, stopping about ten feet from their table. He nodded and smiled at the five fae seated at the table and gave my hand a short squeeze. I only recognized Liam, but he was sitting next to a woman who shared his smile and who I assumed must be his mother. I felt relieved when Liam stood up and walked gracefully over to us to make the introductions.

Liam first introduced me to the handsome male fae who sat at the head of the table.  “Jacqueline this is Lord Caelen, my father. Father, this is Jacqueline Crawford Cuvier, Garrett’s lifemate.” Lord Caelen stood and nodded solemnly, not offering his hand, as it wasn't the fae custom to do so.

He was extremely tall, maybe 6’7”, with thick blonde hair the same golden shade as Liam’s, hanging all the way down to his waist. He had it tied back with a wide leather band etched with similar designs to those I’d seen on the arch. His large eyes were a very deep shade of purple and they pulled me into their depths like the moon did the tides. I quickly built up my walls but stopped myself from taking a step back, thinking it might be interpreted as rudeness or worse, weakness. His innate power was extraordinary and he smiled as he noticed my hesitation.

“
It's a pleasure to meet you, Jacqueline."

"
It’s a pleasure to meet you too, Lord Caelen,” I managed to squeak out, my voice cracking and my breathing coming a little fast. I sighed, disappointed that I hadn’t made the confident impression I’d hoped for.

“Please s
it next to me." He indicated the chair to his left. "Farrell, please take the hound to the kitchen to eat, let him run and then bring him back. He'll enjoy being in Faerie.”

After handing the leash to Farrell, I
sat as gracefully as I could, forcing myself to stay calm. There was something about sitting at a table surrounded by beautiful aliens that made me feel like I was in a Twilight Zone episode.

Lord Caelen pointed toward another chair.
“Garrett, if you could please sit next to Lady Silvus?” Garrett sat across from me with Lord Caelen’s wife to his right. On Lord Caelen’s immediate right and Garrett's left, was a handsome man with long dark hair like his mother’s and deep purple eyes, the same shape as his father’s, wearing a fancy royal blue tunic. Blue must be the family colors
.

Liam introduced me to the rest of the party. This is my brother, Aedus, and his mother, Lady Silvus, my father’s wife.  And this is my mother, Lady Erin. Garrett, I believe you know everyone here.”
We nodded to each other as Liam sat down next to his mother.

Lady Silvus, Lord Caelen’s wife
and Aedus' mother, was spectacularly beautiful with shining chestnut hair and large purple eyes which shone with flecks of gold. She wore a long gown of light blue silk and her skin was flawless and glowing with health. Her smile, however, was cold and I was surprised to see that she looked bored.

O
n the other hand, Lady Erin smiled warmly at me, her long thick red hair tumbled about her head in gorgeous curls. Her honey brown eyes did not shine with gold, but with welcome instead. I liked her instantly. Her dress was a simple one in sapphire blue with narrow gold trim and an empire waist. She was human and looked much too young to be Liam’s mother.

Garrett had already explained that Lord Caelen would hav
e both his wife and his concubine in attendance. To see them sitting there calmly, not clawing the other’s eyes out, was interesting to say the least. He’d also explained that although Lady Erin was human and her son Liam was over 1500 years old, one of the benefits for a human living in Faerie was a complete halt to the aging process.  When she’d agreed to be Lord Caelen’s mistress, over 1500 years ago, she’d stayed forever twenty-two years old. If she ever left him and returned to our world, she'd dissolve into dust. However, judging from the loving way she looked at her mate, I guessed she'd be continuing her life with him in Faerie. I was happy to see the same amount of love in her eyes when she spoke to her son.

As the first course was being served, a delicious smelling soup, Lord Caelen turned to Garrett and asked, “I trust th
at all is well with you?”

“As you see, Lord Caelen, my life has neve
r been happier.” Garrett smiled, the corners of his eyes crinkling up in my favorite way. I returned his smile and allowed my nervous tension to melt away.

“Jacqueline, perhaps you could tell us h
ow you met our Garrett?” I told the story of how Garrett had noticed me running on a deserted road, and had followed me home and continued to watch me. He suspected that I was a cheetah shifter, as he’d been, and that I would someday have the power to use the magic of the lines. After noticing that I was having the usual signs of a first shift, he’d enlisted Rob’s help. Then after my first transition two months ago, he’d introduced himself to me in person and had started to teach me how to use my unique talents

“And
can
you manipulate the lines?” This question was much more direct. His eyes had fixed on mine, and although he wouldn’t touch my mind without permission as it was a terrible breach of etiquette, I knew that he easily
could,
even with my walls up and reinforced.

“Yes, but I
have so much more to learn.” Magical cords of power wove through the air surrounding him, their colors vibrant against the background of the dull walls. Lord Caelen was powerful enough to stop my heart with only a thought or shred my mind with a blink of his deep violet eyes. Still, I forced myself to look at him directly without showing fear. This was Garrett’s ally and I needed his respect.

He
glanced at Liam. “My son is helping you?"

Liam was quiet for a moment. "Yes, Father. She has learned quickly and is an excellent student
.” Liam and I had sworn an oath not to reveal to anyone other than Garrett that he was training me. The fae guarded their secrets with their lives and so Lord Caelen was probably not too happy about the situation. I hoped that Liam wasn't in trouble. They seemed to speak mentally for a few moments then Lord Caelen turned his attention back to me.

“Your healing aura is strong.
However, I understand that you killed an older vampire in battle.”

“Yes.
He was one of Eleanor’s nest.” As much as Antoine had deserved his death, having been responsible for the death and torture of hundreds of innocents, the fact that I’d been the cause still brought on some horrible nightmares and even tears on occasion. He’d had a soul. Who knows what kind of person he was before Eleanor turned and corrupted him?

“I am familiar with the complexity of the feelings involved, although I am not a healer and so have never e
xperienced them myself. Jacqueline, I am curious about the battle. You used my son's blade? You were able to wield it?” His eyes penetrated mine with such force that I couldn’t have looked away even with the help of the lines.

“Yes. The blade saved my life.”

"Your ability to use it saved your life." Caelen turned again to look at Liam so I smiled in his direction and was relieved to see the corners of his mouth turn up.

He sent, “
You’re doing well. My father can be—intense—but he is not your enemy.”

Caelen spoke again. “There are fae who would not be able to use that blade. I’m most impressed.” He smiled at me warmly and ended his third degree.

During the remainder of the meal we all spoke more casually which gave me a chance to check out the rest of the family. Aedus was just as compelling as his father when he spoke, which was not often. He seemed to prefer to observe, storing information for a later date when it might prove useful. He was heartbreakingly handsome, but his smile was thin like his mother’s, probably because it wasn’t used often. Lady Silvus was also rather reserved, but she looked at her son and her husband with such love, that I couldn’t fault her for her reserved manner.

Lady Erin on the other hand was friendly and garrulous, asking many questions and
freely answering all of mine. Lord Caelen seemed extremely fond of both of his ladies and I sensed that their entire family was close and that each member was respected and loved. Their auras were all clear with shining golden edges, a sign of good health in Faerie.

When dinner was over and the plates cleared away, Farrell returned with Samson. My big furry boy was very pleased to be back, and wagged his stubby tail as he curled up on the floor next to me and yawned loudly. He’d managed to consume two delicious meals, no wonder he was tired.
“He’s greedy like his dad.”
I sent to Garrett, teasingly, and saw him smile and glance quickly at me before answering one of Lady Silvus’ questions. We were both enjoying ourselves and excited to see what the council meeting would bring.