The Empress' Rapture (6 page)

“You didn’t hear or smell us, Nephews. I think your lovely mate has you distracted too much, no?” the taller one said.

Roman laughed and slapped his uncle on the shoulder.

“Yes, she is most definitely a distraction. Sierra I want you to meet our uncles,” Roman said.

Garth helped her up, pulling her in between their bodies.

“Sierra, baby, these big dorks are our uncles. The one on your left is

Chandler, and the on the right is Lucan,” Garth stated as he reached over and punched his uncle’s arm.

“It is a pleasure meeting you, small one. You are most lovely. I see why my nephews are easily distracted. It’s our pleasure to help your family in your time of need,” Chandler purred and took her hand, kissing the knuckles. His tongue smoothed against her skin, sending shivers up her spine.

Roman’s growl penetrated her foggy mind, and Sierra smiled at Chandler.

Sierra sensed Roman and Garth’s jealousy and it thrilled her to think they were really jealous. She pulled back her hand, “It’s a pleasure to meet both of you. Just ignore him. He has this problem in his throat.”

“Use caution, Uncle. We’re not yet mated, and you are trespassing on dangerous territory,” Roman said.

Sierra’s father walked out onto the porch. She slipped out of Garth’s arms and into her father’s. He carefully pulled her into his embrace, kissing her cheek.

“So we have more company for dinner. Welcome! Why don’t you come inside and join us for supper? We can talk later.”

Walking towards the door, Chandler pulled Roman back. “I’ll be there in a minute, Dad.” Sierra smiled up at her father.

“We must talk,” Chandler said. “The Queen sent us to help Roman because she doesn’t want to see any Troll with a female, let alone one from her Chameleon line.”

“Excuse me, but how did you know?” Her accusing glare landed on Roman. “I thought I could trust you. But the first thing you do is go and tell your family when not even my pack knows this?” Her voice shook with fear that her secret was now known.

“Sierra, he didn’t tell us. The Queen informed us.” Chandler turned his attention back to Roman. “I don’t know how much you know about Sierra’s family, but I will give you the short version.”

“Oh, yes please, let’s hear what you have to say about my family!” Sierra pushed in front of Chandler and glared at him. “Continue.”

“Enough, Sierra. He means no disrespect!” Garth pulled her back against his chest.

“I’m sorry, Sierra, but you might not even know this. You see, your grandmother is the Queen’s daughter. The Chameleon trait only comes from the Queen’s family.”

“What? You have to be kidding. There is no way. We would know about that.” Sierra tried to squirm out of Garth’s arms, but he held tight.

“Hush, baby, let’s hear the rest.” Garth rubbed his hands on her arms.

“As I was saying, we don’t believe that your mother knows this. The Queen believes her daughter will be here tonight. It could be a little touchy in there.” He paused and nodded to the house. “We don’t know why your grandmother left the royal family. The Queen has tried to contact her daughter, but no one could ever find her, till two weeks ago. She didn’t just want to show up at her home, but with so many of her family in danger she couldn’t wait any longer. The Queen will be here tonight, to be with her daughter, we must prepare everyone.”

“Crap! We need my dad! Let go, Garth, I have to go tell my father.” Sierra ran into the house.

The door banged behind her as she searched through the crowd of people.

Minutes later, she found her father talking to one of the pack and interrupted them. “Um, excuse me. Dad, Roman and Garth need to talk to you outside.” She smiled up at the pack member. “Please excuse us.” She dragged her father out to the porch.

“You wanted to talk to me alone, but you know you can speak freely among my pack,” Drake said, staring at the men when he walked outside.

“We need your guidance on something. Chandler, my uncle, would like to speak to you for a minute,” Roman said, nodding to Chandler.

Chandler once again told the story, and Sierra could almost see her father’s mind working as he paced back and forth.

Chapter Seven

“Mary Ann, my wife, has talked little of her grandmother. From what she’s said over the years, she believes she’s dead. Shannon, my mother-in-law, will be here tonight with her mate, Targon. She lives only a few streets down. I don’t know what to say! This is unbelievable,” Drake yelled and stopped in mid stride. “Maybe we better bring my wife in on this. She knows her mother better than anyone. I can’t believe the Queen is coming here and that she’s family,” Drake mumbled, running his hand through his hair.

He stormed to the door and swung it open, banging it against the house.

“Mary Ann, I need you out here for a minute!” he bellowed and began to pace again.

“You yelled, your highness?” Mary Ann laughed, walked to his side, and stared up at him.

“I want you to meet Roman and Garth’s uncles. They’ve been telling me some things I don’t understand and that I need your help with. Do you remember anything about your grandmother and did you ever meet her? Has your mother said anything to you about who she is?”

Sierra listened to her father’s words, watching the play of emotions across her mom’s face. Roman’s hold on her grew tighter as he reassured her everything would be okay.

Mary Ann laughed. “Whoa, hang on. One question at a time. Why are we talking about my grandmother? Don’t we have more important things to discuss besides my family?”

“Honey, please. This is important.” Drake slipped his arm around her waist and pulled her body close.

“I never met my grandmother—you know this. All I remember Mom saying was that she was dead and so was Grandpa. Why?”

“Maybe I could help out here?” Chandler stated, staring at Drake.

“Honey, this is Chandler and his brother, Lucan. Listen to them.” Drake kissed her cheek.

“Mrs. Blacksmith, the Queen of the Fey will be here tonight. She has sent my brother and me here to protect you and your family. The Queen believes your mother is her daughter and has been trying to find her for the past two hundred years. She wants to reunite with her family. You’re her granddaughter…the resemblance is uncanny…,” Chandler declared, shaking his head.

“Oh, my god, this can’t be happening! Our home is filled with people! My mom never said anything; neither did my father. I don’t know what to believe anymore. I mean, why didn’t the Queen know where we were? Hell, she should be able to find us easily! Oh, this day just keeps getting better and better.” She broke away from Drake, yelling, and paced in front of everyone shaking her head.

Sierra knew that something wasn’t right. Her mom had a point. The Queen should have been able to find them.
Maybe that’s why I keep sensing magic. Could a spell or something have been placed on Grandma?

We’ll find out, so don’t worry about it, baby,
Roman said and nibbled her ear.

Garth squeezed her hand.

Loud words drifted into Sierra’s mind, waking her out of the trance. Glancing up, she watched her mom question Chandler.

“I don’t know what happened with Mom. I think I should talk to her now. She just pulled up. I can try to question her about this. At least let her know what’s going on. Would that be ok?” she asked and stared at Chandler.

“Do we know when the Queen will be here tonight, Chandler?” Drake asked, pulling his wife into his arms again.

“We never know when the Queen will arrive. It would be best to talk to your mother. I wouldn’t want to have anyone uncomfortable tonight.” Chandler smiled.

Mary Ann turned and entered the house to retrieve her mother and father. Roman rested his chin on top of Sierra’s head.

“Chandler, do you think that everything that’s happened to our family is a result of someone knowing about the connection to the Queen? I know the Trolls don’t need a connection, but there have been other things that have happened that the women don’t know about,” Drake growled as he watched his wife walk back outside with her parents.

“Mom, Dad, I would like you to meet Sierra’s mates. Roman and Garth Doming. Their uncles, Chandler and Lucan, have brought us some news that we need your help with. Do you mind if we ask you a couple of questions?” Mary Ann groaned and shook her head. “God, I don’t know where to begin.”

“Why don’t I answer that, Granddaughter?” Queen Loretta stated, appearing at the bottom of the porch steps. Everyone stared and bowed.

Her grace emulated a presence of god-like sensations around her. Even wearing jeans she radiated beauty. Walking up the stairs, she faced her daughter, Shannon.

“My beautiful daughter, I have searched the world for you and have finally found you. I have missed so much of your life. Can you tell me what happened? Do you remember anything? One moment you were playing in the courtyard, and then you were gone. Two hundred years I have been searching for you,” the Queen whispered, touching Shannon’s face with her shaky hand.

Shannon, Sierra’s grandmother, stared at the Queen for a moment and said, “I was raised by a Witch. She always told me she was my aunt and that my father and mother died long ago. Her name was Jackie Grace. She didn’t have a mate. Jackie use to tell me our family was very old and special. That’s about all I know.”

“Hey Dad, Mom! Everyone wants to know what’s going on. They’re waiting to eat,” Sierra’s sister said, peeking out the door.

“Tell them we’ll be there in a minute, Lily,” Drake ordered.

“Queen Loretta, why don’t you come inside and eat with us? We can discuss this over supper and get to know one another. Everyone in this home can be trusted, and we would love to have you with us. It would give you time to be with your family members who you haven’t met yet,” Drake said.

“It would be an honor to eat with you. I hope you don’t mind, but my escorts must also be with me. Roman, Garth, it’s a pleasure to see you both again.” She turned and smiled. “I hope your mother will be here. I haven’t seen her in such a long time. It would be good to catch up.” The Queen turned her attention on Sierra.

“You look like my mother. You have her hair and eyes. I can also tell your powers match hers. You do know your powers will grow when you mate, as your mother’s did. Yet, I sense there is something in you that I haven’t sensed before. Well, I will figure it out later. First, let us go eat so I can meet the rest of the family.” She patted Sierra’s cheek.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Grandmother. Stay with us for a few days. We have plenty of room, and it would give us time to get to know you. I know our youngest son will have a fit if you don’t stay. He’s in charge of the family books and takes his job very seriously,” Mary Ann said and hugged her.

“Well, then I guess I can’t disappoint my great-grandson, now can I? I would love to stay around for the mating ceremony, if I could. I know we have time, but I would consider it an honor if Sierra would consider having it at our family home. Both Roman and Garth have been there before.” She glanced back at her and smiled.

“If and when I have the ceremony with my mates, I would be proud to have it there. But, you see, they haven’t proven to me they are my mates. I just met them. If they are my mates, they have a lot of courting to do. Don’t you think so, Great-Grandmother?” Sierra laughed and slid up to her.

“Oh call me Grandmother,” Loretta said, “it’s much easier.”

Sierra gave her a hug and they both walked into the house leaving everyone outside stunned.

Sierra heard her father’s laugh, “She is definitely your daughter, Mary Ann. You guys are going to have it rough courting my daughter. I’m glad I already have my mate.”

“We do love a challenge. We’ve never had one we couldn’t win,” Roman snarled and followed her into the house.

Chapter Eight

Sierra, Amy and Linda crept upstairs to Sierra’s bedroom while the males and the Queen discussed the problems at hand.

“Do you believe that jerk?” Sierra asked. “Roman forbids me to take any more walks at night! I swear, I couldn’t decide if I wanted to drag him to the closest closet to screw his brains out or rip his head off. Then, to top things off, my dad sat there encouraging him,” Sierra mumbled as she entered the room and slammed the door. “I should sneak out now.”

Amy sighed and helped Linda gather the things they would need for the piercing procedures. “I hate to say it, Sierra, but your roaming days are over. Especially now that your grandmother is the Queen of the Fey. You’ll have bodyguards up the ass. I have enough problems with my older brothers. Can you imagine if the Queen was my grandma? I mean, it will have privileges, but crap, too many people want to be near you.”

Linda laughed as she set up her instruments. “Hey, at least she has two hunks for mates, and, with the way they were watching her, I thought for sure they’d throw her on the table, rip off her jeans, and take her right there. I was so hot just watching the three of you, and don’t think we didn’t notice those hands brushing against your breast. Your nipples stuck out so far you could have poked someone’s eyes out with them. Everyone was watching the three of you. It would have been a perfect time to pierce your nipples.”

“We’ll let you do yours first, Sierra. God knows when your mates will come looking for you. I for one don’t want to be caught in the act when they open the door.” Amy laughed.

“Screw them. I was even thinking about having you pierce my clit. Do you think you could do it? Did you bring the ring I picked out just in case? We could go into the bathroom and get that one out of the way first. The lock on the door will give us added protection against my mates. And yes, I
know
they’re my mates.” She ran her hand through her mass of long curly hair. “God, no one has ever made me so wet. I had to get up three times to go to the bathroom just to wipe myself, and they kept laughing at me because of it,” Sierra giggled and followed Linda to the bathroom.

Sierra stopped for a moment and cast a protection spell on the room along with a cloaking spell. No one would know where they were. Her grandmother was right. There was something different about her in comparison to others in her family. She had to be part Witch, but she didn’t understand how. Spells would just come to her when she needed them.