Authors: Cindy Spencer Pape
“Only if you want me to.”
They were whispering, but Ric didn’t forget for a moment that every eye in the place was still on them. He bent and kissed Meagan on the mouth, shutting her up.
Then he whispered in her ear. “I love you. We’ll sort out the rest when we’re alone.”
She nodded, her eyes bright with tears. “Back at you. Now let’s do this council thing.”
Ric unfolded his legs and they helped each other to their feet. Owain’s body had disappeared and most of the blood was gone, except for the pool where Ric had been lying. As soon as they stepped away from it toward the railing, servants descended on that mess as well.
“Majesty.”
Llyris nodded briefly at Ric and before turning her steely gaze on Meagan. “I see Lord Green Oak managed to find you, Lady Rose.”
“He did.”
“She was abducted by Neal of Rose.” Aidan joined them at the rail. “We left him in a cell, but I’d like to take a couple of guards back to retrieve him.”
“And the videotape.” Meagan said.
Llyris nodded. “Go.”
Aidan left and the queen turned back to Meagan and Ric. “Lady Rose, the bard here claims you agreed to marry his sorry hide. Did he speak the truth?”
Meagan nodded. Ric was proud of the way she stood up to the queen without flinching. “He did. Is that a problem?”
Llyris tilted her head from side to side. “He is sworn to my service. So you tell me.
Is
it going to be a problem? After all, there is still the matter of a geas, is there not, bard?”
“I am willing to accept the consequences, Your Majesty.” Ric bowed his head, praying the queen would take out her anger on him instead of Meagan.
But apparently, his amazing halfling had some ideas of her own. Ric watched as Meagan narrowed her beautiful green eyes and gave the queen a smile so cool and calculating it was worthy of Llyris herself.
“Since I believe there is still a vote scheduled today, I don’t see a problem. You want my vote, you release Alaric from your service and the geas.”
“I could still have you killed.” Llyris lifted one eyebrow. Ric couldn’t tell if it was anger firming the queen’s lips or—could it be approval?
Meagan nodded, crossing her arms over her chest.
“You could. But then you wouldn’t have my vote, now would you? Face it, I’m more useful alive than dead and after seven hundred years, it’s high time you found a new toy anyway. Let him go. Please.”
“You make a valid point.” Ric watched the queen’s face, unable to breathe. He could swear the corner of her mouth almost—almost—twisted into a smile. Then her bored expression returned and she waved her hand. “Fine. Keep him.”
Ric felt Meagan stagger, knew her relief was as overpowering as his own. “Thank you, Your Majesty. We continue to be your servants.”
“Yes, well, right now, you are a pair of decidedly smelly servants. Go change your clothing so the council can reconvene, will you? I wish to put this entire cursed business behind me.”
“As you wish.” Ric bowed and Meagan dropped a curtsey as they hurried out of the room.
“My place or yours?” Meagan’s laugh was a touch hysterical as soon as they left the council chamber.
“Mine’s closer.” He ached to pull her into his arms, but was afraid that if he did, the witnesses were going to get an eyeful. “This way.” Taking her hand, he practically dragged her down the corridor to his room. As soon as the door closed behind him, he pulled her close and pinned her body against the door.
“Meagan, will you marry me? For real? Be my lifebonded mate?” He searched her face for any signs of doubt or hesitation. “I’m sorry I never got to properly ask.”
“I love you, Ric.” Nothing but unbounded love shone in her bright green eyes. “Marriage, life-bonding, whatever you want to call it, I’m already yours.”
He crushed his lips down on hers, sealing the promise.
They had more to discuss, but the details could wait.
Apparently, Meagan couldn’t, based on the way her clever artist’s fingers were stripping off his clothing.
He helped by pulling the tattered remains of his tunic over his head. Meagan whimpered as she spotted the new pink scar on his left pec, which she leaned in and kissed.
“No more of these. I can’t take it.”
“I’ll try, love. Now that I’ll just be a musician, I think I can manage to stay out of knife fights.”
Her giggle was weak, but at least it was a laugh. He continued. “And no more getting kidnapped for you, either. Do we have a deal?”
“Deal.” She stepped out of her skirt and tugged off her jacket and blouse. Ric let out a groan as she pulled him back into her arms, his naked erection pressing against the soft skin of her belly. He reached behind her and unhooked her bra while she wiggled her panties off with one hand.
The adrenalin rush they were both still riding made foreplay redundant. He slid one hand between her thighs, found her already wet and swollen, while she nipped his lips between impatient murmurs. He put both hands under her arms and lifted, pressing her back against the door with his chest to hold her in place. Then using one hand to brace himself, he positioned his cock with the other before sliding home into her hot, tight sheath.
Oh, yeah, home!
She wrapped both arms around his neck, both legs around his waist and dug her teeth into his shoulder while he pumped into her in short, fierce strokes.
In a few lightning-fast seconds he felt her muscles tighten, heard her breathing hitch and she gripped him with arms, legs, teeth and pussy as she peaked, a wordless cry muffled by his skin.
The tight pulsing of her channel felt like a fist and it only took Ric a couple more thrusts before he exploded himself, driving so deep into Meagan that he felt like he could drown. He fell forward, his face against the oak door, his chin resting on the top of her head and struggled for breath.
“Wow.” She gently kissed the spot where she’d bitten him, which Ric had no doubt would be a bruise later on.
And he didn’t care a bit. His Meagan was welcome to mark him whenever and however she pleased.
But all he could manage to say over the pounding of his pulse was, “No kidding.”
“I suppose we really need to clean up and get back.”
He heard the wry humor in her tone and smiled.
“Yeah, probably. Think you can blink yourself something to wear?” He was ridiculously proud of how far she’d come with her magic.
“Yeah. But I sure as hell hope you’ve got a shower in here.”
Everyone was waiting for them when the court reconvened, but Meagan didn’t give a damn. She wore jeans and a cotton sweater, while most of the other councilors wore formal attire, but she didn’t give a damn about that either. Or the fact that both she and Ric were grinning from ear to ear.
Aidan was in his seat when they arrived, while a pair of burly guards stood over three chained-up prisoners.
Two of her cousins, Meagan thought in disgust. The third, oddly enough, was Aidan’s secretary, Fianna. One stiletto was broken and her suit coat was torn a bit and Meagan couldn’t help but shoot her a “take that, bitch” sort of look. Ric took up a position by the prisoners, standing near Kieran and Sean, who looked mussed but healthy.
Also looking discomposed but intact were Liam and Sinead, who sat in the gallery with the rest of Meagan’s staff, except, of course for Quinn, who had turned out to be in league with Owain. Meagan smiled at all of them for their support and took her seat as the queen’s herald called for order.
The vote was the first thing dispensed with, after swearing in the two new members of the council, since Meagan hadn’t been present for the earlier portion of the meeting. Owain’s heir proved to be a son who was every bit as oily as his father, but without quite as much pull, apparently. Instead of the vote ending in the expected tie, Llyris retained her throne by a landslide margin.
“Now it has become time to see to the punishment of these offenders. Lord Green Oak, whom do you bring before this council for judgment?”
Aidan stood and gestured at his secretary, who slumped in her corner, refusing to look up. “Fianna of the Meadow, my queen. She has admitted to allowing Owain le Faire access to the Detroit portal, which allowed him to bespell it. That spell caused the death of Gunter, one of my men.”
“Fianna of the Meadow, is this true?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. It was I who allowed my uncle access to the portal. But I had no idea he planned to place a deadly trap on it. He said his aim was merely to stop the halfling from taking her place on this council.”
“Her
rightful
place?” The queen glared at the prisoner.
“Humans and their offspring have no place in the Seelie Court!” Fianna was practically spitting now. “She should not be allowed Underhill at all, let alone in a position of honor!”
“Do you seek the penalty of death?” The queen arched an eyebrow at Aidan.
“No. She is only repeating what she was taught. I have a different punishment in mind, if it please Your Majesty.”
“Go ahead.”
“Thank you.” Aidan dipped his head and continued, his gaze focused on Fianna. “The relationship between Fae and human has always been a complex and interdependent one. Without their world, ours would lose many of its new ideas and much of its innovation. As a race, we are actually more fertile if we intermarry and I still believe this genetic co-mingling is healthy for both races. There was even a time I believed my own heir would be of mixed blood, though now I doubt I shall ever sire one at all. But Fianna is young and has not spent sufficient time with humans to begin to understand the richness of their culture, or the vibrancy of their spirit.
“I think this oversight should be corrected, Your Majesty. I believe you should visit on her the punishment you intended for Alaric the Bard. If Fianna is forced to be human for a time, perhaps she will have a greater sympathy for and understanding of our mortal cousins.”
“No!”
Fianna’s scream was completely ignored by Llyris who nodded thoughtfully. “An interesting proposal, Lord Green Oak. Does the council agree?”
Meagan nodded along with the others. “As long as somebody keeps an eye on her to make sure she doesn’t cause any more trouble,” she muttered.
“True.” The queen pursed her lips for a second and looked at Aidan. “Done. Lord Green Oak, you will have custody of the human prisoner, as soon as she is stripped of her powers. She is to be given menial duties outside of the safe-house, but will remain under close observation. Do you agree?”
“I do, Your Majesty.”
“What of the other two? Lady Rose, did one of these miserable excuses for Fae hold you prisoner?”
“The shorter one did, Your Majesty. He said his name was Neal and that he wished to marry me to gain my seat on this council.”
“And the other?”
“Neal said he was ordered to kill me by his brother, who would inherit my seat.”
“I see. I suppose you wish leniency for them as well?”
Meagan weighed that thought. “Well, I don’t think I want them dead. But I don’t want them anywhere near me, either.”
“I’ve an idea,” one of the councilors chimed in. “The safe-house in Brisbane could use a couple new members on the janitorial staff.
Human
members of the staff, that is. Strip them of their powers too, Your Majesty. Then I’ll take custody of those miscreants and teach them respect for humans.”
Llyris yawned and glanced at Meagan. “Lady Rose?”
“That would be fine.” Meagan smiled at the gentleman who’d spoken. “Thank you.”
“Finally, I’ve an announcement that the succession is secured for one of our noble houses.” Llyris smiled briefly at Blaine. “Lady Night Sky has been delivered of a healthy set of female twins. Congratulations, my lord.”
Blaine grinned like an idiot as the assembled crowd echoed the queen’s good wishes.
“Now if Lady Rose, Lord Green Oak and a few others would get on with their duties in this respect, this council would feel greatly reassured.” Meagan caught Ric’s eye and blushed. He didn’t look like he had any objection to helping make that a reality. Aidan, on the other hand, looked sad. What had happened with him? Meagan started to put together a bunch of seemingly unrelated details and decided that she really needed to talk to Elise. Meagan had a sneaking suspicion that Aidan already had his heir.
A little girl named Adina Sutton, with eyes as green as Meagan’s own.
When the meeting ended, the queen stopped Meagan from leaving with a raised hand and gestured for Ric to meet them at the rail. She waited till most of the crowd had left before turning to the pair of them.
“The joining ceremony will be held within the week.”
It was an order, not a question, but that was fine with Meagan and Ric didn’t voice an objection either. “I presume you wish to host it at Rosemeade?”
Meagan nodded. She’d love to marry Ric in the same rose garden where her parents had wed.
“Acceptable. Schedule it with the lord chamberlain. Most of the council will wish to attend. I suggest you get busy. I expect to be well entertained.”
Then she turned and swept away, leaving them both gape-jawed in her wake.
“Did she invite herself to our wedding?”
Ric nodded. “I believe she did.”
“What about our other friends, like Greg and Jase? Will they be able to come?” She had no idea what the rules were on inviting humans—or werewolves—to fairyland.
“I think we can work that out. We’ll also have to get married back there as well, if you want things to be legal in your world.”
Oops, she hadn’t thought of that, but of course he was right. She remembered hearing something about Las Vegas and her parents. “And I want to meet my grandparents. Maybe we can invite them to that wedding, too.”
“Whatever you want.”
A loud yowl erupted from the back corner of the room and Meagan spun. It sounded like Calculus.
Ric started to laugh. “Another country heard from.”
Meagan dashed over to the cat carrier and pulled Calc out into her arms. Ric approached cautiously, giving Meagan a crooked smile when Calc ignored him.
“Well, my lady, I guess we’ve got weddings to plan. Shall we go back to your place and get started?”