The center of the casino held a round garden with a small pond and fountain in the middle. Atop a small ledge near the fountain, was a concrete statue of a fairy boy with his hands held out, as if he were waiting for a bird to land upon them. I wondered briefly if the statue reminded my father of us as children—small and carefree. I doubted he was that sentimental, he probably hadn’t hand picked anything in this place. Decorating would be beneath him.
I made my way confidently to stand on the small ledge of the pond, near the statue. Hands on hips, I stared out at the bustling casino and let my wings unfurl. They were impressive, grey and six feet across. It went against every instinct I had to stand there and let the human eyes assess me. I didn’t waver though, I stood my ground and flapped them until I was sure I’d caught most of the eyes in the room.
When the cameras started flashing, I knew I had made a scene worthy of a death sentence.
Movement near the edge of the casino to the right, caught my attention. A couple security guards were amping up to do something. From here I was sure they were human, not a real threat. They didn’t look too sure that what I was doing was against any rule, but they didn’t like it either. I could see their mouths moving quickly, as they pressed to their ears, talking to whoever was in charge. Most likely, a non-human was on the other end of that call. Good, watch this! I thought with a grim smile as I pulled the braid out of my purse and laid it gently in the hands of the concrete fairy boy. I stood for a moment more before tucking my wings and striding off into the crowd, head held high.
The crowd parted hastily to let me through, Jackie following. A few humans clapped, thinking I was part of a show—maybe from a competing casino trying to steal business. Humans tucked away the impossible things they saw into reasonable boxes. If they didn’t, they would be overwhelmed by the reality of the world around them.
We walked fast, but the security guards were heading in the direction of the pond rather than toward us, as I had expected. My father likely witnessed the entire event on a screen in an office somewhere and told them to ignore us and bring him the braid.
Message delivered. I couldn’t help smiling, he wouldn’t be able to ignore that.
Once outside, I pulled Jackie into a dark alley and unfurled my wings again, taking flight with her clutched to me. I didn’t want to risk Alejandro, or his lackeys, coming to find us while we waited for a cab. It wasn’t easy to fly with Jackie’s weight, but I could have made it all the way home if she wasn’t struggling and grabbing at me like she was about to fall off a cliff.
“Jackie!” I said sternly. “You are perfectly safe as long as you stop moving!” One of her shoes came off and fell about ten stories to the ground. She lost it then, fainting in my arms, and that was almost worse. I nearly dropped her and had to set down in an alley a few blocks from the casino.
“This is why I work alone,” I grumbled and sighed. I stared down at her and debated leaving her. I couldn’t very well call a cab and shove her in while she was passed out. I was sure making it all the way home flying with her was out of the question—I was panting from the short distance we’d already gone, and if she woke up midflight, she’d freak out and probably make me drop her, or run into a building. I wasn’t Wonder Woman after all, I had my limitations.
In the end, I knew I couldn’t leave her, or carry her. I finally decided on a gentle shake and talked to her soothingly until her eyes fluttered open. “Am I dead? Where’s Anubis?”
“I’m no angel of the underworld, so no, not dead,” I laughed.
“Close enough,” she smiled. “You’re a good friend, Viv, you didn’t kill me. Did we make it to the building?”
I stood and she sat up slowly. “No, we didn’t make it very far at all. I thought about leaving you here.” I didn’t want her to think of me falsely, I had seriously considered it. She’d have been safe enough until she woke, but I would have felt guilty, and I hated that I would have. She was quickly becoming someone I cared about, and that was dangerous to both of us. If I really cared for her, I should separate myself from her completely.
“I don’t doubt that,” she laughed, and there was a truth and acceptance in her eyes that filled me with guilt.
She knew I had thought it, wouldn’t have been surprised if I’d done it, yet she wasn’t leaving. Maybe she had a death wish she was hoping I would fulfill eventually. “Let’s call a cab for the rest of the trip, shall we?”
The cab arrived quickly, and Jackie was feeling normal by the time we stopped in front of my building. I wanted to send her on her way from there, but she insisted on coming upstairs for a full explanation. I bared my teeth at her, but she wasn’t discouraged, just strode on ahead of me, barefoot—I supposed I owed her a pair of shoes—and called the elevator down. If I wasn’t careful, she would make me stop believing that I was scary.
“No more stairs,” she laughed, “and you might be surprised at what doesn’t surprise me, Viv.”
Once in the elevator, she turned to me and lifted an eyebrow in question. I am not sure if her stubborn determination to be my friend is why I have let her this far into my life, but it might be the cause of her death.
“I need my inheritance to pay the fine for breaking a marriage contract,” I admitted grudgingly.
“But he said he is coming for you to sign tomorrow, what contract is already in place?”
“I had to verbally accept, because I was about to be torn apart by a pack of werewolves at the time. There were witnesses, I have no choice but to honor it, or be killed.”
“Why does he want to marry you?”
“As offensive as that question is…” I huffed and smoothed out my dress. “He wants my vote. I am the only member of the Vondrake family that hasn’t aligned with another. I have never been a part of the counsel, not officially, but I technically hold a vote. If he marries me, he gets it.”
Realization dawned on her face and she nodded. “That is a pretty serious thing for him to give up.”
“My inheritance is very serious.” Not just money, but also a large plot of land in Northern England, and control over a port in Egypt. Alejandro would be a powerful man in both the human and supernatural world if he had it. It wouldn’t give him another council vote, but it would give him more weight to throw behind his one vote. Plus, I’d be agreeing to never join the council and throw my own vote in against him or marry anyone from the other families and give them my vote. That part was fine, I didn’t want a vote and I didn’t want marriage. I did wish I didn’t have to give up my mother’s land. It was powerful in the supernatural and human worlds. The Egyptian port was a gateway to the land of the gods—demons really, but when I was young, humans thought they were gods and worshiped them as such. The land in northern England was similarly special, a gateway to the land of Woden; again just a demon in disguise. Humans were foolish then; in some ways they were more foolish now for forgetting what powerful being resided around them. The land was powerful, and that was what Alejandro wished to control.
Jackie didn’t ask any more questions, just looked at me thoughtfully as we rode the elevator the rest of the way. Right before the doors opened, she spoke again. “Why not kill him?”
“I’ve thought about it, but he’s never alone. Gemma, Trystan and Ferdinand are his bodyguards, and they are lethal, even for me.” I didn’t have to add that I didn’t have anyone to back me up. I hadn’t spent the last thousand years making deadly friends who’d die to protect my interests.
I was so distracted by her questions that I forgot to look and see if my stalker neighbor was watching again, and I didn’t think of worrying about anything behind my own door. When I walked into my condo, I knew immediately that something was wrong, I couldn’t smell Falcon. I ran into the living room.
Blade and Calin were passed out on the floor, surrounded by bottles of beer. “What the hell!” I hissed, kicking Blade hard enough to roll his round little body across the room.
“Hey!” Jackie yelled. “Alcohol is their one weakness.”
“And that excuses this how?” I demanded, ready to strangle the little beasts.
“We didn’t bring any in,” Jackie said calmly.
“So where did they get it?” I hissed.
“Do you smell that?”
I stopped and breathed; deep and intentional, testing the air. “Sobahn,” I whispered. No doubt, he had been in my condo. What the hell was he up to, and why was he determined to mess with me? “Clean this up,” I ordered Jackie, and stalked out and down the hall.
“Sobahn!” I walked through the short hallway and into his living room, not pausing at his unlocked front door, he was expecting me. I had no doubt he was trying to get my attention—well here it was.
His place was decorated in deep dark colors, with accents of gaudy brass and gold. There was a bookshelf on one wall that held some very authentic looking Egyptian artifacts, and what I could only call an altar to Anubis—his father apparently, which made him at least half demon shifter. I wondered briefly who is mother was, he didn’t smell the least bit human, so I imagined she was fae of some kind too.
Sobahn was seated on a throne and Falcon was in front of him, laying on the ground with his eyes closed.
“Vivinity, welcome to my home. I have been anxiously awaiting your arrival. We have much to discuss.”
His accent I could now place, it was ancient, and it was heavy Latin mixed with Greek. His smile was infuriating, he looked so damn relaxed, I wanted to kick him. He wasn’t wearing a shirt, as usual, and I couldn’t help taking a moment to appreciate his chest. Thick with muscle and wide, bronzed from the sun and nearly hairless. I licked my lips as I studied it for a moment too long. I moved my eyes lower to try and break the thrill of looking at his bare skin. He was wearing a brown leather kilt today, and I wondered if there was anything underneath. Damn, keep your head straight! I chastised myself and looked lower. His thick thighs were parted slightly and there was a deep dark cavern between that made my mouth water. I snapped my eyes back to his face and his smile was wider, his eyes full of satisfaction, as if he knew exactly where my thoughts had drifted.
“What the hell are you doing with my prisoner?” I snapped, angry at myself now even more than him.
“You left three men in your home, none of whom you claim as a lover. It isn’t smart, what if they wished you harm?” He said it calmly but his eyes flashed a moment with held back anger.
I looked at him incredulous. “What!”
“I didn’t kill them,” he said imperiously. “I merely made sure they were all subdued. Taking this one was a guarantee that you would meet with me.”
“What did you do to them, and again, why! I am more than capable of taking care of myself and anyone I let into my home.” My body was vibrating again, there was something about being close to him that was so unnerving. His eyes were searching me constantly, and I felt them touch my soul. I wondered and worried about what he saw there, was it disgusting? Dried up and black? Could he see the wall around my heart? It’s been there so long it had probably grown moss, and prickly bushes sprouted around it to keep out intruders. I smiled at the image, it was comforting, it meant that I wasn’t letting anyone close enough to get hurt, or hurt me.
His face relaxed. “I offered the little ones drinks, they gluttonously overindulged as expected. This one, I gave a sleeping potion. I wish only to protect you and speak with you.”
“Don’t need your protection,” I hissed. “Why do you care anyway? And what do you want from me?”
He stood then and crossed the room. He moved smoothly for such a large man, more animal like than human and it sent a thrill up my spine. His face was serious, his dark eyes intense. They bored deep again. He didn’t stop moving until he was standing close enough that I could feel the heat radiating off of his body, so much heat. No wonder he was never fully dressed. I could hear his heartbeat, and I could smell his blood. I fought to keep my eyes open as I inhaled the most intoxicating scent I’ve ever encountered. My fangs ran out, and I wanted nothing more than to wrap my legs around his waist and sink my fangs so deep into his neck he would gasp in pain seconds before his body erupted in the pleasure I knew I could bring forth with my bite.
“I care because you are the winged daughter of Osiris,” his voice was quiet and rough with emotion, each word sending a little shiver through me. “My soulmate.”
I stood there with my mouth gaping so wide my jaw started to hurt. I couldn’t even comprehend what he was claiming. “What the hell are you talking about?” Not that I wouldn’t love to not be the daughter of Terrance Trifoli, I was pretty sure I would know if I wasn’t, he would know, and no doubt would have loved to shove it in my face as he threw me out of his life. The other part of his statement I chose to ignore, it ranked lower on my what the fuck meter.
“Your mother was the fairy, Princess Zobeth.”
“Yes.”
“She spent much of her years in Egypt.”
“Yes, she had business there that dealt in needs of humans and supernaturals.” Even a thousand years ago there’d been a need for travel and trade. My mother had inherited the business from her father, who had retreated to the other side of the veil when things became too modern for him—that was at least fifteen hundred years ago. It had made her a wealthy woman, and one reason my father had married her.
“She was married when she fell in love with Osiris, as was he, but they created a child anyway.”
I slow blinked up at him, there was no way this was true. That would make me half demon! Was that why I had survived the turn to vampire like no other fairy could? I shook my head, this was too much. “So why have I never heard from Osiris, and why would he send you, and why now?” I didn’t need another father who wasn’t interested in being in my life.
I added another brick to the wall around my heart.
“Osiris retreated back to the underworld for years after your mother refused to leave her husband and raise their child with him, he was heartbroken.” Sobahn’s eyes were intense with truth that threatened to make her believe. “He never stopped keeping track of you though, and when you died, he resurrected you.”
“What!” I gasped.
“You died when Demetrius Vondrake tried to turn you. When Osiris saw you, you were entering the underworld. He resurrected you, and you became this because you were resurrected with so much vampire blood in you.”
“This, kind of a vampire, kind of not, apparently half demon half fairy!” My voice was high and a little on edge. I wasn’t sure I could believe any of this, even though I really wanted to, for so many reasons it was better than the life I’d been living all this time.
“Why didn’t he save my mother?” I said with an emotional hitch in my voice that I tried to squelch as soon as it appeared.
“He was too late to save your mother; I don’t think he’s ever forgiven himself for that.”
I nodded; it was a reasonable assumption. “Why don’t I have any cool demon powers?”
He smiled, as if I were finally catching on. I wasn’t sure if I was, my head was spinning with possibilities that threated to give me hope.
“Demon’s often only have the powers they are taught. Yours must be untrained, so you cannot reach them. Although… I would say your ability to live alone, to not need or want anyone else, that is an inherent demon trait. We are often mostly alone until we find our soulmate.” His eyes darkened on that word, and I shivered.
I couldn’t deny that some of what he said made sense. Vampires wanted to connect, to create families and bonds with each other. Fairies flocked to each other for comfort and help, that’s why Falcon’s business was full of them. I didn’t want any of that, I shied away from getting connected to anyone and it was easy to do. “And you are here now because…”
“Osiris didn’t want to alert Isis to your existence, and he wanted to keep his promise to your mother that he wouldn’t interfere with your life and make it more difficult. He has kept others watching you all your life, from a distance. He has always been aware of your path and I was waiting to be sent at the right time. I knew from a young age that I was meant to meet, love, and marry the winged daughter of Osiris.”
He stepped closer and my body erupted in heat, my heart was pounding in my chest and I was panting for no reason. His words were a great story, such an easy package, too easy. I stepped back a bit.
His eyes narrowed, noticing my retreat. “He sent me, because you needed help, and because he said you were finally ready to receive all I have to give.” His words were almost accusatory.
I could barely speak, my throat wanted to close. I wanted to leap into his arms, be a damsel in distress and beg him to solve all my problems—as well as take me to his bedroom and stay there for the next few weeks. I tried to steady myself, tried to gain control in a way I’ve never had to before. “So, you are here to save me? Give me the money I need to break my engagement to Alejandro?” I dared to hope it would be that easy.
“Engagement!” His dark eyes flared, and his voice boomed. Falcon groaned on the floor. Sobahn grabbed my arms and squeezed. His eyes were huge now and flashing dark fire. He looked ready to kill and eat whatever came into his path.
I wondered briefly if I was about to see him shift, and then lose my head in his jaws. “What did you think I needed?” I kept my voice steady, unwilling to show any hint of fear that would trigger him further. No matter what he said about being my soulmate, I didn’t trust him.
“Osiris said he could feel a need, he couldn’t identify the danger. I assumed it was the two small beasts in your home, or perhaps this big whiny one who is your half brother.”
I laughed, “I can handle those three, and if you don’t have a fortune to give me by tomorrow night, you can’t help me. Soulmate or not, I have accepted a contract that’s binding on my life.”
His face contorted, and his words came out distorted. “A fortune in a night I cannot do. You are my soulmate; you will not be marrying anyone else. Not while I’m alive to stop it,” he growled.
“Well that’s what the big whiny one is for. I am holding him in exchange for my rightful inheritance from my mother.”
“Prince Trifoli has denied you your inheritance?” He gasped.
His outrage was endearing, and I relaxed slightly, so did he. His face reformed back to normal, and his grip loosened on my arms.
“Yes, but I have a plan, so I need Falcon alive.” I spoke calm, and sure. I didn’t think Sobahn could help me, but his interference could certainly hinder any chance of getting what I needed from Prince Trifoli.
“He’s alive.” Sobahn said casually. “How is it that you’ve found yourself engaged against your will?” His eyes narrowed, his words accusing, as if he didn’t believe it was an unwilling engagement.
“I was in a desperate situation,” I snapped, suddenly wondering why he hadn’t been there to save me that night instead of Alejandro. If I was being watched so carefully, how had that little bit gone unnoticed? I had to take a calming breath before I spoke again. “Can you carry him back to my guest room, hopefully he doesn’t wake up before the gnomes are sober enough to stand guard again.”
“I can break his legs.”
It frightened me how serious he sounded, how quick to violence his thoughts went. I shook my head quickly. “No, just move him please.”
Sobahn lifted Falcon easily, carried him across the hall and into my guest bedroom, dropping him on the bed with no care. Jackie looked up from scrubbing a suspicious stain out of the carpet. Her eyes were wide and glazed, staring at Sobahn with a wide smile.
“You can go home now, Jackie.” A tingle of jealousy rippled through my stomach and it pissed me off.
“I am almost done cleaning up.” She moved back to her scrubbing but kept her eyes on Sobahn.
He ignored her, which was surprising, since she was doing her best to draw his eye with her ass up and her tits hanging low as she scrubbed the carpet. I rolled my eyes at her and met Sobahn’s intense gaze. “Thanks, now you can go.”
“You need our help,” he insisted. “You should stop trying to get rid of everyone who wants to help you.”
“I thought we already went over this. You don’t have the money I need; you can’t help me. Jackie doesn’t either.”
“I am your soulmate! I will always have what you need. I can help you get the inheritance from Trifoli. Jackie is a powerful witch, she’ll no doubt come in handy.”
“Soulmate!” Jackie gasped, pausing in her scrubbing. “That’s why…”
I ignored her. “I already have a plan.”
“Taking the fairy’s hair and threatening his father?”
“Yes.”
“Is that working?”
I pulled my cell out of my purse and frowned. Nothing. “Not yet.”
“When it doesn’t, you will need me.” He stepped forward and touched me lightly under my chin, lifting my gaze. “You will always need me. I am the only one who will ever fill your needs.” His voice was low, dark, and gravelly and it went straight to my core, filing me with needy heat.
My knees went weak and my insides shivered in a most delightful way. I glared at him through my rising desire. One thing I didn’t need, was another self-assured asshole in my life. “I assure you, I won’t. I don’t believe in soulmates, and I don’t even know if I believe what you’ve told me about Osiris.”
Jackie made a pained sound behind me. I ignored her, but Sobahn shot her a curious look. “You’re—” he stopped suddenly and I turned to look at Jackie, catching the last half of a head shake.
“What’s going on?” I demanded.
“I will be here until Osiris is satisfied that your safety and happiness have been assured. Then I will stay until you admit that you feel for me everything that I feel for you.” He leaned close, his lips just a breath above mine and his dark eyes gazed into mine, possessing them. “It’s undeniable and it’s going to rock your world,” he whispered, his grin dark and promising.
I managed to pull away, I don’t know where I found the strength but everything he was doing to me terrified me on a new level. His frown at my retreat held a frustration that I could understand. I didn’t usually deny myself physical pleasure when I wanted it, but what he was offering wasn’t a quick romp in the hay.
“Great,” I grumbled, not sure any of the things he said would ever come to pass. I could be safe, or I could be happy, not sure I could be both at this point. The rocking my world, yeah I believed that promise, but it didn’t need to include my soul, just my body sliding against his.
“I won’t bother you, but I will not be far. Do not leave this place without telling me. It isn’t safe, my father said there may be an enemy in the city.”
“I do whatever the hell I want,” I couldn’t help snapping, feeling childish.
“Not anymore,” Sobahn growled and walked out.
I watched him go, his back muscles rippling. Those strange tattoos finally made sense; they were definitely hieroglyphs.
“What the hell was all that!” Jackie rushed over, squealing.
“I could ask you the same thing.” I looked at her face and saw something there, a pain. “I won’t ask you to tell me something you don’t wish to, but Jackie, I haven’t trusted anyone in a long time. I have to know if whatever it is, is it something that is going to harm me? Are you hiding something that will come back to bite me in the ass for trusting you?” God I hoped not.
“No!” She said adamantly, and I believed her, the sincerity in her face was pure.
I nodded, and she relaxed. “Apparently he wanted to make sure these males couldn’t harm me, so he incapacitated them, thinks he’s my goddamn soulmate.”
Jackie giggled and looked like she was going to explode with something. “What do you think?”
“I think he probably just relieved us of dealing with Falcon for the rest of the night.”
“But you don’t feel him, like in your soul?” she pressed.
“I don’t know what to think,” I said with a deep sigh, throwing myself down on the couch. “He says I died the night Demetrius bit me, says Osiris resurrected me. Do I even have a soul anymore, I definitely never wanted a soulmate.”
She frowned and changed lines of questioning. “So can he help you?”
“He can’t get me a fortune by tomorrow night, so no. Plan A is still in action.”
“No response from… Falcon’s father?”
It was weird the way she said it and it was weird that it was true—at least quite possibly true—that Falcon’s father was not my father. It made sense though, if he knew, why he could so easily cut me off. “No. Where are the gnomes? I don’t know how long Falcon will be out, Sobahn gave him a sleeping potion.”
“They are recovering in the bathroom. I put them in the shower.”
I realized I’d been hearing the water run, but it hadn’t registered with everything else happening. I closed my eyes for a moment, not sure if I wished Jackie would leave, or glad she was here to keep me company. So much had just been dumped on me, I almost wanted to sit down and girl talk it out with her… almost.
“You should give Falcon a good haircut while he’s passed out.”
I opened my eyes and looked at Jackie, yep, I wished she was gone. “Why would I do that?”
“It’ll make him feel better when he wakes up, a mohawk like Gemma’s would be hot on him.” She wiggled her eyebrows and smiled.
Her attitude lifted me a bit. “If I owned a pair of clippers, I would let you have at it.”
“Maybe your sexy neighbor has some I could borrow.”
I closed my eyes again. Sobahn’s hair was long and shaggy, like it was begging me to run my fingers through it, grab onto it as I rolled my hips over him. I shook the thoughts away before the building groan could escape my lips. I was willing to bet he did not have a pair of clippers. “Sure, go see.”
Jackie sprinted out of the condo with a happy giggle.