Pleasure (21 page)

“Ajai
Guin!”

That bellow of temper rising from Tristan and the area of Malaya's room did not bode well for a peaceful early evening. Guin leaned in the door frame of his room and waited for the Chancellor's coming storm. Tristan did not disappoint or waste time. He strode out of Malaya's room and headed for him with fury in his dark eyes. Since Tristan was built with that tall, athletic power just like his sister was, he made a fairly imposing presence that would have intimidated most men. But Guin wasn't most men, and even Tristan realized that as he drew up short of his urge to punch Guin in the face, the desire for which was written all over his face.

“What in Light are you thinking?” Tristan spat at him.

Malaya flew out of her room, hot on her brother's temperamental heels and just as angry as she tugged on a
k'jeet
for cover.

“Don't you dare yell at him!” she demanded in a rising voice. “Who the hell do you think you are? My keeper? My censor?” She wedged herself between Guin and Tristan, shoving at her aggressive brother's body. Because Tristan wasn't easy to move either, she pushed herself back into Guin instead. Guin couldn't help smiling softly at the feel of her, his hand reaching to steady her at her waist.

“I'm the final authority when it comes to your safety! We made a deal about that, Malaya. I hire and fire for you and you hire and fire for me so neither of us can run around under-protected!”

“Fine. If I'm in control of your security, then I'm putting extra guards on you. Now go ahead, fire Guin and we'll both be miserable but we'll both be safe.” She gestured to the man at her back by rapping her knuckles against his chest.

Tristan hesitated as he looked up at Guin's placid expression.

“I don't want to fire him; I want him to do his job. His job doesn't include screwing you!”

“Of course it doesn't,” Malaya snapped. “Does he look like a
houri
to you? But you tell me that of all the men in this city, who is it you would choose to be in my bed based on the matter of my safety alone? Hmm? Who better than Guin? He is completely loyal to me. He would never hurt me. I can finally make love with a man without a third person watching over me! So, now you have your terms, Tristan. Fire him or not, either way he will be in my bed until
we
decide otherwise. Not
you
!”

“I'm not trying to tell you who to bed, Laya,” he protested. He glanced at Guin. “And you both know I have the highest regard for Guin. He is by far Our most loyal servant and has proven his dedication to his job time and again, but he knows as well as I do that he cannot offer you protection
when you are absorbing all of his attention. I'd like to think that he would pay you the attention that you deserve, with full focus and intent.”

Guin couldn't see her flush, but he sure felt it. Her whole body shimmered with the heat of her reaction to her memories of how focused and intent he had been. It was so obvious that Tristan chuckled, relaxing as he laughed at her.

“Ah, so it's like that, is it? But doesn't that prove my point, Laya? And what will happen to your relationship when you grow tired of each other physically? Then we could lose Guin entirely and you will have ruined the best chance at protection that you have.”

“Why do you think I put off touching her for all these years?” Guin spoke up quietly. “But your sister and I have a long relationship with each other and we'll figure that out with maturity and respect when the time comes. You can't stop a flood once the dam is broken. I want her too much to be any good at my job unless I know now I can have her. You understand? And if you are afraid for her safety, you can appoint more coverage around her quarters. As for in the bedroom itself, I like to think I have her completely covered.” Guin met the Chancellor's eyes directly. “I'll never let anyone touch her. Even in our bed, it will be my body first they will have to get through.”

“Guin,” Malaya protested softly, just as she always did when he spoke of a violent end for himself in her service. She knew what his role was, but she hated to be reminded of just what it could be like if it reached its worst scenario. She leaned back into him, turning her face against him briefly in affection. He let himself trap her against his body by sliding a hand onto her belly and holding her tightly.

“Okay, okay,” Tristan relented with a sigh. “Fine. But none of this in public,” he warned sharply, indicating their affectionate stance. Guin tried not to bristle at the idea that Tristan didn't think him good enough to present himself as her lover in public. “I want to see you focused on protecting
her just like always. If your attention is affected by this, I will see it and I will resolve the matter. You understand?”

“I wasn't planning on trotting him out on my arm, Tristan,” Malaya said with a sigh. “Guin knows his job and wouldn't let anyone see us in public.”

“Servants will gossip. People will learn about this,” Tristan warned her.

“I don't care,” she countered. “Let them tattle on about it. They've been accusing us of sleeping together on and off for the past ten years. You and Xenia as well. It won't be given any more credence than usual.”

Guin didn't pay attention to Tristan's agreement. He was quietly absorbing the sting of their open attitudes about where he was placed among them and his value in the eyes of others as a choice in lovers for Malaya. But he had known all of this for himself. He was inappropriate and lowborn. Suffice it to say, he would never make the Senate's list of worthy men for her to marry.

Marry? Hell, he didn't even rate as a sexual partner. Not in their eyes. They all knew she was slumming, but he had to take satisfaction in the fact that she didn't seem to care and was fighting for her right to bed him. He couldn't care less about being seen in public as her lover. In fact, it was better that no one knew so they wouldn't think he would become flawed in his protection of her, just as Tristan was assuming.

Rightfully assuming. Malaya did take all of his attention. And he would accept more help to guard her in the mornings when he was with her, but he would never accept a guard watching over them as they made love, which Tristan was just suggesting.

“Honestly, I can understand a need for recreation and relaxation. Let Killian take his role when you're together.”

“No,” they chorused sharply. Then Malaya said, “If you took Xenia to bed, would you feel less protected?” The Chancellor shot Xenia an apologetic look for using her as an example of intimacy.

“He never seemed to,” Xenia drawled. Tristan stiffened and his neck and face flushed beneath his dark skin. Guin and Malaya both looked at her in shock as she gave them a cheeky lift of her brow. “What? Your brother is a fine lover. Why wouldn't I take advantage of that? We've toyed with one another on and off for years. We are old friends and old lovers and it never once affected us poorly. I just wanted you to know it is possible to shift between the two and still do our jobs. I also wanted to remind Tristan he was dancing too close to hypocrisy.”

“More like he was embracing it like a lover,” Malaya countered, her eyes narrowing on her brother sharply.

“Yeah, well…” Tristan cleared his throat. “I just want you safe, Laya. Is that so wrong? And if you'd known about Xenia before all of this”—he indicated Guin—“wouldn't you have done the same thing? You'd have been upset and worried, too.”

“But I wouldn't have infringed on your right to make the choice. I only would have asked you to add more guards. I would have trusted you to know what you were doing and what all of its ramifications might be.”

“That's because you are a far better person than I am, Laya,” he said with a sigh. “How you can remain so fair and open-minded at times simply floors me.”

“You forget how often I am pigheaded and stubborn.” She laughed at him, moving forward to hug him tightly. “What is it with you men who insist on seeing me as something so perfect? If you could only remember my flaws you would not place me so high!”

“They are few and far between,” Guin said quietly at her back. Malaya turned and gave him a smile. The relaxed warmth of her entire expression had him returning the expression easily. Guin simply didn't realize that he was a perfect mirror for that relaxation.

 

“Guin!”

Guin turned sharply when the hard call of his name registered with a wide measure of panic. When he saw Magnus running up to him, he could just taste the wrongness of fear on the man.

“Magnus, what is it?” Malaya asked quickly, turning from their progress toward the Senate.

“I beg you to let me have use of Guin immediately,” Magnus said, the harshness of his breathing indicative of more than the run up to them. Guin could feel it. How would Magnus have such a fear of anything? The man was the most formidable penance priest in Sanctuary. He had never met an opponent who could beat him. His very existence was proof of that. And if he was asking for Guin, he was looking for a warrior's skills. What more could he possibly need that he didn't own for himself?

“We will both come, of course,” Malaya said, setting off Guin's knee-jerk response.

“You are not going anywhere. Killian.” He turned to the head city guard. “Take her back to the residence. Keep her confined until I return. The Senate will just have to wait.”

“Guin!” Malaya protested. “I have to appear before them! I don't want anyone thinking I am avoiding this issue! I want to keep control of it.”

Tristan stepped forward.

“Let Killian be at her side in the Senate. Go with Magnus. I will set more guards just to be safe. Does that satisfy you both?”

Guin was far from satisfied. He didn't like her out in public without him. Letting Killian guard her in residence was one thing…

“Come on, Guin, who do you think took care of her those two weeks you were gone?” Killian asked him with amusement. “I'll take good care of her.”

Guin had no choice but to nod his acceptance. He reluc
tantly let Malaya go to face the pit vipers on her own. However, he knew Magnus was in terrible trouble and that he was needed.

Magnus took him into Sanctuary and directly into his rooms. Guin was surprised to find guards posted directly outside, and as they entered his bedroom there was a small collection of handmaidens and priests buzzing about the bed, where Daenaira lay quiet and still.

“Leave us!” Magnus commanded the others sharply. They hurried to obey, leaving them alone. Guin moved up to Dae and looked down into her blank stare. She looked dead at first, but to his relief he saw her breathe with a gentle expansion of her chest. “I found her like this when I woke this morning,” Magnus explained, his voice shaking with repressed emotions wanting to scream free, but kept in control by his force of will alone. “Nothing wakes her. Nothing will. I found this, sealed in an envelope, resting on her stomach.”

Magnus reached into the pocket of his tunic and withdrew a piece of sky blue stationery. It was crumpled as if from the crush of a hand, but it had been smoothed out again. Guin opened it and read it.

 

A penance for the priest who killed my youngest one.
The price, to say the least, will be my greatest fun.
Here lies your love, like the dead, her child also as well,
If you dream her escape in your head, you'll save her from her hell.
But bring a friend or two, I warn you, you'll not survive alone.
If you think to ignore what I tell you, the blame is all your own.
When the Senate meets is your only minute, because after I will return.

If she's still imprisoned there within it, in Light the bitch will burn.
But save her and your child will die, this I guarantee you and have sworn.

Leave her to die instead, and the husk of her body is yours until the brat is born.
A…

 

“Well, isn't she talented,” Guin growled in contempt. “What does this mean, Magnus? I mean, I get the threat and the choice she wants to force you to make, but where are you supposed to save her from?”

“Dreamscape,” Magnus said hoarsely as he moved to sit beside Dae on the bed. He picked up her hand and brushed a touch against her face. Guin saw how the comatose woman never even blinked in reflex to the approach of his hand. “She took her while I was asleep right beside her. She trapped her there somehow, and not gently either. The shock of it opened her eyes despite her sleeping state. I don't know what she's done to her, but according to the letter I only have until the Senate dismisses.”

“That gives us a couple of hours. Goddamn her, she's playing games with you while she sits in the Senate trying to screw over Malaya at the same time! She has our misery scheduled out like it is in some kind of sadistic appointment book.”

“We better go. I couldn't think of anyone else I trusted to bring. I know this leaves Malaya vulnerable, but…but Dae is…”

Magnus tried to speak again, but Guin rested a hand on his shoulder. He understood what Magnus couldn't say. Daenaira was everything to him. Even as devoted to his religion and gods as this man was, it was one special woman who held his heart and who had made all the difference in the world to him. Guin knew the feeling all too well.