Destiny Divided (21 page)

He put out a calloused hand and said, “My Quee
n.”

She took his hand, rose unsteadily to her feet, and looked out into th
e crowd.

Dozens of eyes stared back at her with shock and awe. T
hey slowly began to take a knee, one by one. Bowing. To her.

***

James ran as fast as he could, headlong into Sage’s scent, not caring what met him when he found her.

Something hit him and he flew backward into a tree.
Before he could see his enemy, a pair of silver cuffs dug into his skin and his arms were secured behind his back. He didn’t fight because he knew that whatever these creatures were, they would bring him that much closer to Sage. And he would take it, even in silver handcuffs.

Sage was grateful for Marcelo’s presence
in the Underworld in the last week. Not only had he saved her life, but he’d helped her through the transition in becoming the Queen.

H
e knew the kingdom well. He understood the needs of those living there so she put a lot of trust in his word. She’d even asked him several times if he wanted the throne. He was strong, smart, and more qualified than she. But he refused, saying it was only his sense of responsibility in creating Cadmael that kept him in the Underworld for the last century.

Marcelo had told her there were many werewolves an
d vampires living Topside who’d made lives for themselves despite the growing threat of those who wanted to eliminate them – like the Counsel, who, ironically, were feared by the Underworld inhabitants.

The Underworld cont
ained only a small number of supernaturals. The vampires that remained Topside had their own government, which consisted of chaos and violence. But Sage wanted the Underworld to be open to any creature that needed a safe haven, as well as a prison for those who couldn’t live among humans.

She’
d just finished a plan for re-growing the nearby forest when Marcelo popped into her office.

“He
llo, Marcelo.”

“Queen,
” he said from behind her chair.

It had become a twist
ed game between the two of them –Marcelo would traverse into a room to try to startle her. But since she’d obtained her superhuman senses, she’d been able to sense him every time, though it didn’t stop him from trying.

She
gave an exaggerated sigh as she turned to face him. “I told you to stop calling me that.”

His lips twitched.
“Sorry.” He moved to the other side of the desk. “Majestic Queen Eirian of the Massachusetts Order of the…the…”

“Vwitc
heress’!” she finished for him.

Marcelo may
have addressed her as royalty, some of the time, but really they were equals. And they both knew it.

His gaze lifted to the ceiling as if he were praying for strength. She made an irritated sound.

“I need to talk to you about taking my leave,” he said.

She frowned. “Already?”

“I told you I was only here to take care of my people. I’ve been in the Underworld too long already.”

She sighed and shifted back in her office chair. “But why? What’s so important Topside that you have to abandon me so soon?”

Marcelo seemed reluctant to answer, which made Sage itch with curiosity. “I have a…quest.”

“A quest?
Who are you? King Arthur?”

“Who?”

“Do you seek The Holy Grail?” She chuckled to herself.

“The what?”

Apparently movie references were irrelevant when you lived in the Underworld. “Never mind. So tell me about this quest.” She smiled slyly. “Does it have to do with a girl?”

“How do I say this nicely?” He rubbed a hand over his chin. “It’s none of your business,
reina
.”

She grinned. “Come on, you can tell me. I can keep a secret.”

“I will tell you about my quest,” he flashed a devious smile, “if you tell me about the vampire you slept with.”

Her
grin faded and she grabbed the stack of papers on her desk and straightened them to distract herself. “You have freedom to leave for your quest whenever you’d like.”

He
didn’t say any more as he turned to leave, but she didn’t miss the smirk he tried to hide.

“Oh,” he said turning back to her. “Speaking of your vampire…”

Her vampire? She opened her mouth to protest.

“
You have a visitor. He says his name is James and he demands to see you.” He gave her a lopsided grin.

She had the sudden urge to chuck a stapler at his head.

“Of course he
demands
it,” she muttered under her breath. She wondered if Marcelo could hear her heart skipping beats. “Bring him to the front hall. I’ll meet him there.”

Marcelo bowed slightly.
“Your wish is my command, Majestic Queen of the Vwitcheress’.” He stepped closer and whispered, “Your title will never catch on with the others you know.”

Her lips twitched.
“I know. I just enjoy watching you squirm.”

He nodded then put his mouth to her ear.
“I have a feeling, if this James is who I think he is, you’ll be the one squirming soon enough.” He jumped back with a satisfied grin while she lifted the stapler in a threatening motion.

She
left her work and made her way to the front hall where she’d first met her father just one week ago. Goosebumps covered her skin and she tried to slow the racing of her heart.

He came for me
.

She had to push aside the flutter of hope that welled in her chest. He’d probably
only come for revenge. And if he didn’t hate her already, he would once he found out who she was. They could never be together. Her insides twisted as sharp pain speared her chest. Another piece of her heart broke.

It was best for James to move on – to find a demure sorceress who didn’t make him grind his teeth with frustration all the time. Someone who would love him
as much as…she did.

She swallowed hard and shook that thought away.
There was no point in dwelling on those feelings. Though it would hurt, he couldn’t know she’d ever loved him.

It’d
been fleeting anyway. A different time and place. Funny how two week’s time changed everything.

Before
entering the front hall, she took a moment to pull herself together. Now she was a queen. And it was time to act the part.

***

James had spent the past two days locked in a magic-proof, silver-lined cell in the basement of Cadmael’s castle,
Rheol Hearn.
In fact, it may have even been the same cell he’d been locked in the first time he was in the Underworld more than a hundred and fifty years ago.

He’d have a fucking
stroke if the blood staining the ground was his. He shuddered at the painful memories. The scent of disease and decay made bile rise in the back of his throat. The only thing holding him together was being surrounded by Sage’s scent. He’d been searching for her heartbeat, or the sound of her voice, or anything that would prove she was alive, but exhaustion dulled his senses.

She was in
the castle though – or had been recently, he could tell that much. His shoulders sagged in defeat. Two weeks it’d been since he’d held her in his arms. Once he had her there again, they would never part, not even for two hours.

A
vampire appeared in his cell.

James rose to his feet and demanded, “Where is Sage? I know she’s here. I can smell her.”

The vampire ignored him and produced a pair of silver handcuffs.

“Please, she’s young and she’s more fragile than –” He sto
pped and inhaled a deep breath.

Sage. The Spanish vampire reeked of her. He hissed in a breath then lunged for his throat.

“If you laid a single hand on my –”

His threat was cut short when
the vampire easily pushed him aside, sending him flying into the dungeon wall. Were James fed and rested, he probably would have been an equal match. But hungry and exhausted he was in no condition to fight.

“At least
tell me if she’s alive, damn it.”

The vamp fastened t
he silver handcuffs on his almost healed skin. “She is alive,” he answered.

A moment later
, they stood in a large stone hall with a winding staircase and a balcony above.

Silence stretched on then a door slammed. T
he clinking of heels on a hallway floor echoed across the stone foyer. Sage’s sweet scent filled the air.

His heart sped
up, his muscles tensed readying to run for her, but the vampire kicked him to his knees and he felt the tip of a silver sword at his neck.

The cli
nking sound moved down the stairs and the hair on the back of his neck stood on end. He swayed a little when a wave of power washed over him.

Cadmael
?

He lifted his gaze
to see two knee-high leather boots, shapely thighs with fishnet stockings, and hips that filled out a short black skirt riding low and flashing a bare navel. Higher, a pair of lovely breasts spilled out of a dark purple top held together on the side with metal clasps.

He’d never seen anything so sexy in all his life. When he caught a glance at the face t
hat went with the body, his jaw dropped.

B
rown hair was braided back from her face then hung loose around her shoulders and she wore a small platinum crown.

“Sage?” He squinted up at her. He didn’t know whether
he wanted to rip off that sexy outfit with his teeth or cover her up with his coat.

She sauntered slowly down the
last few stairs. “It’s Eirian.
Princess
Eirian to you.”

Her voice made him breathe a sigh of relief. She was alive. Different, but at least alive
.

“Or you could just call m
e, Your Majesty.”

Buggar me.
She was on one hell of an ego trip. “What are you doing?”

“Fulfilling my destiny, of course. Becoming the Princess of the Dark. Meeting my long
lost evil father. But of course, you knew all that, didn’t you?” She gave him an accusing glare.

“Yes,” he answered softly. “But not at first. And it doesn’t m
ake anything we had less real.”

“Ha. Right.” She rolled her eyes,
reminding him of the real Sage – the one whose lack of presence had been torturing him the last two weeks.

He wanted so
badly to draw her into his chest, bury his face in her hair then kiss every inch of her skin. With handcuffs on, and a sword at his back, he was in no position to do anything but…chat.

“Sage, leave with me now,” h
e pleaded. “There’s nothing here for you. Come home with me. It’s where you belong.”

“What do you know abou
t where I belong?”

He lifted his chin. “You belong with me. By my side, Sage.
Forever.”

“Why, so you can boss me around som
e more? You know,” she leaned in, “I think it’s funny you think you still have a say in anything anymore.” He’d said that same thing to her when they’d started training.

“What are you getting from this alliance?”

She gave him a bored look. “Oh, you know…money, power, world domination. All that jazz. Besides, it’s what I am.” She planted a hand on her hip and her skirt rode up an inch.

James growled.

“Come on, James. You’ve seen the dark corners of my mind. It all fits, doesn’t it? I don’t respect rules. I’m mean. I have issues with authority. I don’t make emotional connections.”

He shook his head furiously. “You connected with
me, Sage. I know you did. We had something real.”

For a moment
, her facade faltered. “Maybe you thought we did.”

“I
know
we did.” He grinned. “And your response to me in the cave proves it.”

The only thing that
prepared him for the Bolt was the livid look on her face. It knocked him off his feet and threw him into the back wall.

The stone
crumbled and his shoulder popped from its socket. As he struggled to his feet, a thick vine wrapped around his throat then lifted him off the ground and held him there.

Sage told the silent
vampire to leave the room and he begrudgingly obeyed.

The evil glint in her eyes as she watched him squirm to get free unnerved him. Was she too far gone?

No. The memory of their time in the cave had sparked her temper. Hate was preferable to apathy.

“You’ll regret saying that,” she told him. “I’m more powerful than you now
, James. I’d watch your tongue.”

He managed a smile despite th
e vines around his throat. They weren’t tight enough to cut off his air, which said she was holding back. Another good sign. “More powerful?” he rasped. “Prove it. Free me and we’ll have a duel.”

“That’s a stupid move
. You can’t win.” She allowed the vines to release him and he sank to his knees on the floor.

Despite his current condition – bruised, sweaty, and barely remaining upright – he took the opportunity she presented.
“I can win. And I
will
win. You’re powerful, yes, but you’re still a slave to your emotions. You’ve already proven it.”

S
he laughed. “So you want a fight? To the death?”