As I passed underneath, I noticed symbols burnt into the arch in a language I didn’t recognize. They were beautifully detailed, etched in shining purples, golds, royal blues and teals framed by vibrant pictures of the earth and the sun, various wildlife and what might have been astrological symbols. I wondered what stories they told and decided to ask Liam about them later when I had the chance.
Once we’d walked another few yards, Liam turned to us and said, “I’ll be leaving you now to meet with my father. I’ll stop by later tonight before you dine with my family.” Liam grasped Garrett’s hand, then turned and bowed his head to me, his violet eyes glittering with golden streaks of magical energy, probably some kind of spillover from the amazing feat I’d witnessed. I took in a deep breath of the scent of fae magic wafting around him and he smiled, amused as always by my impudence.
“Jacqueline, in three more steps you’ll be bathed in the scent. Hopefully that will hold you for a while.” We smiled at each other with affection. Liam and I had recently become friends, both of us blessed, or cursed, with the rare aura of a healer.
As he walked away, his body faded before my eyes as if he'd never been there at all. Samson whined; so I crouched down to give him a reassuring scratch behind the ears. I might have whined too, if I didn't know we were in Faerie, the most magical of places.
“Please follow me.” Kaera’s tone was all business, as usual. Garrett and I tagged along right behind her, not wanting to slow her down. I kept a firm grip on my mate’s hand, wondering what I’d see around the next bend.
The journey reminded me of walking through some kind of strange dream. There didn’t seem to be a floor beneath my feet and yet my boots touched down on something solid with every step. No walls rose beside us, only muted swirling colors, constantly in motion and emitting a pleasant warmth, which gently kissed my skin. As I walked I would catch a fleeting scent of flowers or pungent spices in the air or the noise of someone walking nearby, but in my small reality there was only a fae, a vampire, a shifter and a dog moving through a warm colorful fog. I was disoriented and snuggled closer to Garrett, managing to awkwardly bump his shoulder, drawing a reassuring smile.
“It's strange, I know, but you're safe.”
I took in a calming breath and suddenly Liam’s words rang true. The smell of magic was everywhere and I was breathing it into my lungs with each inhalation. Garrett wasn’t breathing at all, perhaps purposely avoiding taking in the extra magic. I looked down at Samson who was trotting along with a spring in his step, obviously enjoying his experience, his tongue poking out and his stubby tail wagging steadily.
We came to a door and Kaera opened it by pushing down on an ornately carved wooden handle. It opened into a spacious suite of rooms, decorated in lovely shades of greens and blues. A large common area along with a separate bedroom with a king sized bed and a private bath made up the spacious accommodations. The furnishings were all hand carved in exquisite detail, crafted in a light toned wood that shimmered with a golden hue. Flower arrangements and live plants brightened both rooms, filling the area with a lovely bouquet. A table in the main room was laden with fruit, cheeses, cold meats, breads and various other spreads and jams. My mouth watered and my stomach growled loudly, embarrassing me and announcing to my two companions that I was famished.
“You will be dining with Liam’s family in three hours. Someone will be back to get you at that time. I will be present at the meeting tonight, sitting with my family. Is there anything else I can do for you?” Kaera’s face was expressionless, just an official envoy doing her job, yet I could see tiny threads of gold spinning inside her large violet eyes. Perhaps she hadn’t enjoyed her assignment? I figured I'd keep a wary eye on this one. Something was up.
Garrett nodded formally. “Thank you, Lady Kaera, for your excellent assistance. Jacqueline and I look forward to seeing you again later.”
She nodded her head slightly to Garrett and then left the room, not acknowledging me at all. I hoped this wouldn’t be typical of my reception here.
“Lady Kaera?” I plopped myself down on the couch.
“She is Lord Argon’s oldest daughter. He’s an Elder along with Liam’s father, Lord Caelen, and two others, both female. There are always two women and two men on the Fae Council.”
“So she and Liam are equals?”
“Yes, absolutely. She’s younger, though.”
“What, like only twelve hundred?” I giggled. Liam was fifteen hundred years old, give or take fifty years.
He grinned. “Closer to three hundred, I believe.”
“Wow, a baby. Why would she be given a crappy job like escorting us here?”
Garrett laughed. “Escorting us would be considered an important task. The council would send one of their best warriors, familiar with shifter and vampire customs. Remember also, that she was escorting Liam, another council member’s son. If anything had happened to us on the way here, there could be political repercussions. She was most likely proud to have been chosen for the task.”
“Oh yeah, she looked really proud.” Garrett took my hand and led me to the table, indicating that I should sit. When I did, he playfully shook out a silk napkin and laid it in my lap, the way a server in an upscale restaurant would.
He grinned at me. “Eat, my love. It will improve your mood and restore your energy. Tonight you will need to be your usual charming self.”
I stuck my tongue out at him, not feeling at all charming. Maybe it was because our fae escort had wanted to be anywhere but with us, or maybe it was just that so far, other than the cool archway, Faerie had been a huge disappointment. Where were the spectacular colors, the amazing landscapes, the elegant people? I could just as easily be walking through the fields near our home in a thick fog, as spending time in Faerie. Hmph.
Garrett watched me out of the corner of his eye as he prepared a plate for Samson. He placed it on the floor while I shook off my funk and rose to dish out some food. After pouring himself a glass of red wine, Garrett sat across from me, stretching out his long legs and leaning back in the chair to watch me eat. The food was delicious and I savored every single bite, yet I was careful not to fill myself up. We’d be eating again in a few hours, although it was possible I’d be so nervous I’d have no appetite at all. Samson finished his meal in three gulps and then made himself comfortable, stretching out next to my feet with a satisfied rumble.
A gentle rap on the door caught our attention and Garrett motioned for me to continue eating while he rose to open it. A lovely young female shifter stood in the doorway, dressed in a long flowing yellow print skirt and a white button down blouse, ruffled at the cuffs and collar. To my surprise Garrett smiled warmly at her and she smiled back.
“It’s wonderful to see you, Serena. Please come in.” He gestured for her to enter and she moved quickly into the room, looking extremely relaxed and happy. He turned to me. “Jackie this is Serena, Serena this is Jackie, my mate.”
“It’s so nice to meet you Jackie.” Her warm expression was genuine and I did my best, but only managed to force out a thin smile.
“It’s nice to meet you too.” I said to Serena through a slightly clenched jaw. “Who’s this?” I sent to Garrett.
“Let’s talk in the bedroom.” He turned back to Serena. “Could you excuse us for a moment? Please make yourself comfortable. Grab something to eat if you’d like. Samson, come with us, boy.”
“Sure, take your time.” Serena smiled and sat down on the couch while Samson and I followed Garrett into the bedroom. He shut the door behind us and took my hand, leading me to the bed and sitting next to me.
“I need to feed. Serena is one of the shifters I feed from when I’m staying here.”
It took me two heartbeats to process what he’d just said. “Feed from me.”
“No. It will weaken you. It's important that you're able to think clearly at dinner and during the meeting. I’ll need to take a little more than usual, so I’m also at my best.” I stared at him and said nothing, afraid I might blurt out something in anger. “I feed from shifters several times a week when we’re at home. You should be used to this.”
I forced myself to sound calm. “Not in front of me. I don't know them personally.” He said nothing. “Where are you planning on enjoying your meal?” My snarky tone was no surprise.
“I could bring her in here.”
I looked at the bed with its luxurious sheets and comforter and pictured them curled up together on it. “That’s so not going to happen.”
He shrugged, still trying to be reasonable. “I could go to her room.”
I looked at him in disbelief. “You must want me to kill her.”
Several dots of silver popped to life in his blue eyes. “You’re being ridiculous and unreasonable.”
He was seriously upset with me, and I couldn't really blame him. His skin had felt cold when he'd led me to the table, so he’d waited too long already. He might even be in pain. It was just that I’d never actually met one of his donors and Serena was, well, she was very pretty. I looked at him as he tried to hide his irritation and I felt a flash of guilt. He needed to be in top form tonight and I was being a bitch and not showing him that I trusted him.
I sighed. “Okay, I’m sorry. I am being unreasonable. Go ahead and feed from her on the couch and I’ll take a very slow shower. When I get out, I’d better not hear any heavy breathing.” I grabbed his shirt and pulled him toward me to kiss him deeply, giving him a reason to think of me while he fed. When we pulled apart he was smiling again and his eyes were clear of silver. “Have fun.” I pushed him gently toward the door, my tone sarcastic. He grinned a sexy grin and shook his head, chuckling as I headed off toward the bathroom.
When I finished my shower, Garrett was sitting on the bed reading. His skin had a pinkish glow and his eyes sparkled with energy The feeding must have gone well. I felt guilty about how I’d acted earlier, so I crawled over to him, still covered in a large towel, and wrapped my arms around his now-warm chest. “I’m sorry that I’m a jealous idiot.”
“I’d feel the same way if things were reversed. But if you saw how it was when I fed from them, you wouldn’t be upset at all.” He ran his fingers over my arm and I cuddled closer.
“Hmm. Somehow I don’t think that would be the case. I’d see how much they were enjoying it and it would make me crazy. Has she left?”
“Yes, she’s sleeping. I had someone carry her back to her room.”
I giggled, reaching out to rake my fingers through his hair. “Greedy vampire.” He was just leaning over to kiss me when we heard another knock on the door.
Garrett gave me a peck on the cheek, not what I’d been hoping for, and got up to answer it. I heard Liam’s voice and decided that I should think about getting dressed for tonight’s meeting.
My clothes were already laid out so I got into them quickly and then ran a comb through my damp hair. I’d already been warned that electric outlets were rare in faerie because everything the fae needed ran on magical energy. Cell phones only worked if the council gave their permission, which was usually in an emergency situation where someone outside of Faerie needed to be contacted. We had permission to use ours as long as it was in our room and wasn’t more than a few times a day. Apparently the fae were sensitive to the waves sent out and received by the phones. Only the very youngest of the fae had ever used a computer.
Liam had suggested that I wear a dress to the first meeting, explaining that fae females dressed in a feminine way at meetings of this kind, but that I should also try to look powerful. I took that to mean edgy-chic, so I’d chosen a form-fitting silk dress in my favorite shade of emerald green with a moderate v neck and a slight slit on the side. It wasn’t too short, the hem was just above my knee, but the slit gave it a sexy touch. I added a pair of black heels and a simple silver and emerald necklace and earring set that Garrett had given me to compliment the dress. I shook my blonde hair out to let the air dry it into its natural thick waves, applied some lipstick and mascara and walked out into the common room.
The two men turned to look at me when I entered. Judging by their expressions, the outfit was a success.
Garrett moved toward me. “You look amazing, tres belle. Very beautiful. The Fae Elders will not be expecting such a powerful vision.”
“I've heard that fae women are the most beautiful of all the supernaturals. But I have something they don't.” I took hold of his wrist. On it was etched a sapphire colored cheetah's eye with a black tear stripe running down to his index finger. I had a matching mark on my wrist, although mine was tinted with the green of my eyes.
He lifted my hand and kissed my mark very sweetly. “They are not more beautiful than other females. They are perhaps, more magical. You'll outshine them all tonight, my love.” Out loud he said, “I’d better get ready, so we don’t keep Lord Caelen waiting.”
As Garrett left the room, I turned to Liam and smiled. “Would you like to sit down?” Liam was wearing a tunic in a vibrant shade of royal blue, black pants and a wide leather belt with a familiar knife housed in its sheath. He'd lent me this same dagger for my battle with Antoine, a powerful vampire from Eleanor’s nest. I'd defeated him, thanks in part to this amazing fae blade. I wondered if it was ceremonial to wear a weapon to a council meeting or if he thought there might be some kind of trouble.
Liam nodded and sat on the couch as I sat in the chair across from him. His golden hair fell down to his shoulders in lovely waves and his smile was warm. “How are you this evening, Liam? Was it nice to see your family?”
“Yes, it’s always wonderful to spend time with my father, brother and mothers. I’m looking forward to introducing you.”
“How often do you get to see them?”
“I'm home most evenings, but don't often get to spend time with them all together in one place, as my father and mothers are extremely busy with official business. Every cycle of the moon, we make a point of sharing a meal. I see my brother more often.”
He changed the subject smoothly. “I thought perhaps we could go over some of the standard rules for a meeting like this, just to refresh your memory.”
“Yes, of course.” I sighed and gritted my teeth. We’d done this before we left, but I knew better than to argue about it.
“You must address the Elders as Lord or Lady. If anyone else is introduced to you as a Lord or Lady then you must address them as such. You should not speak in anger. You must remain calm even if what is being said is irritating you.” This last part he’d spoken slowly for emphasis. “Some discussions can go on for quite a while and I know how—impatient you are. Don't let your anger run away with your common sense.”
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 to keep me from saying the wrong thing.”
He twisted his mouth in an uncharacteristic smirk. “That might 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 Council 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, but hidden behind his happiness for us, I saw a tiny flash of regret. It disappeared with his smile. “Someone will be here in a few minutes to take you to dinner and the meeting.” He nodded, turned away gracefully, and left through the door.
As I stared after him feeling slightly unsettled, Samson trotted over to rest 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 damp from his shower. A couple of strands hung over his eyes, giving him a rakish look. 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?”
He smiled, enjoying my attentions. “Lord Caelen is curious about him because Liam thinks he has some fae-hound blood. And if Samson gets too rambunctious, Liam will be able to calm him down instantly.” 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 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, which will be followed by a meeting with the Fae Elders.” He spoke in a more modern way, 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.”