“Historically, the White Chalice drank the magic of any Twilight Realm individual they deemed too threatening. Often Royal Dragon Clan Firsts. And Royal Dragon Binds.” Adrian’s gaze was pinned to Luke, his eyes flinty though he was controlling his power now.
And just as Layla grasped the fullness of the problem arising between Adrian and Luke, Luke did also. Staring Adrian down, he spoke coldly. “I’m not your enemy, Adrian. Or Layla’s. If her happiness lies with you, I have no beef. If you fuck up her life, though… I might just learn whatever it is thisnullaxcan do.”
“Is that a threat?” Adrian snorted, his eyes narrowing as the gold in them brightened, molten.
“Not unless you want it to be.” Luke countered, giving Adrian his own hot emerald gaze as he sat back and crossed his arms over his chest, vicious.
“Adrian, Luke – enough!” Layla rose from her chair, staring them both down as she set her fingertips to the table, a rush of spiced wind slapping out from her as her Dragon roared in her veins. Even though Dusk’s barrier was still up between both men, they felt it and flinched. But Layla didn’t care as they glanced to her – she wasn’t about to abide another pissing-match between them.
“Luke is my friend, Adrian.” Layla snarled coldly, pinning Adrian’s gaze first with her drakaina roaring hot and fierce in her veins. “We will support him through his transition, no matter what his magic turns out to be. And Luke, Adrian is my mate. He’s not going anywhere, no matter how much the two of you hate each other. Deal with it.”
Adrian’s eyes burned as they returned to Luke, and Luke’s were no less furious. But Adrian drew a deep breath, and Layla felt him at last pull his magic back. Layla saw Luke shudder, closing his eyes as his magic retreated also, as if putting it away was an immense strain. All around, people watched intently, but as both men finally doused their power, Layla turned a chastising look at Luke. Something in him was stubborn as ever, his hot emerald eyes holding hers without apology, even though Rikyava still restrained him by the shoulder.
As the standoff finally ebbed, Layla’s head suddenly lanced with pain. She reeled as exhaustion caught up with her, blinking hard in a swamping fatigue. She hadn’t slept last night, she’d been stressed about becoming a Courtesan and having her friends visit, and it was all coming home to roost now. Suddenly, she could see tendrils of energy like colored smoke easing through her vision – the auras of Luke and Adrian’s magics still seeking to test each other even though their fight had mostly ceased. It was something Layla had never seen before, and blinking hard, she shook her head as she watched magic move like a tennis match in multi-dimensions – feeling like perhaps she was going crazy in the wake of her friend’s abductions.
“Layla? Did you hear me?” Dusk had stood and reached out, pouring a grounding vibration through her.
“What?” Layla blinked, shaking her head again. She hadn’t even felt him rise beside her, hadn’t even noticed he was touching her until just now.
“I said, you’re exhausted.” Dusk spoke again, low and kind. “Come, have a seat.”
“I’m fine.” But as she let Dusk help her back to her seat, Layla felt her body tremble, in the completely spent way marathon runners have after a race. She suddenly didn’t feel well at all, and wondered if perhaps something in the food had bothered her. Even as she thought it, she shivered hard, her face and head too hot while her spine between her shoulder-blades felt deeply chill. Layla shivered again and Dusk saw it. Turning his chair, he scooped Layla out of her seat, pulling her into his lap and wrapping his warm arms around her.
Relieved, Layla cuddled back into Dusk’s expansive warmth as he shucked his suit jacket and tucked it around her, then reached up, feeling her forehead and cheek. “Jesus, you’re burning up! Why didn’t you tell anyone you weren’t feeling well?”
“I’m fine.” Layla repeated, though another deep shudder took her, so hard her teeth rattled.
“Layla? Are you sick?” Luke’s wrath had evaporated across the table, as his dark brows knit in concern.
“She’s not sick.” Adrian spoke softly at the head of the table. “She shifted last night for the first time. It’s a shift-stasis fever; she’s healing her system after her Dragon’s first change.”
Silence fell as everyone stared at Layla. But with a hearty laugh, Rikyava was up quickly, rounding the table to wrap her arms around Layla in a tight hug. “Congratulations, girlie! Hope you gave Adrian a little hell as your drakaina.”
“I think so.” But even though she smiled, Layla’s teeth were chattering well and good now despite Dusk’s deep warmth, and she couldn’t stop shaking. She saw Adrian rise, then Quindici, followed by the Madame and the rest.
“We need to wind this up tonight.” Adrian spoke to the group. “Since Imogene is still unconscious, tomorrow if Layla’s well enough, we’ll take a trip out to Château de Chambord to talk with Queen Justine Toulet and see if she has information on where we can find this White Chalice group, and the Smoke Faunus working for them, so we can get Layla’s friends back as soon as possible. Dusk, Rikyava, Luke – all of you will come with, so we can introduce Luke to King Huttr and Queen Justine and see what direction his magic is taking. Quindici, Etienne, Rake – please hold down the fort here and keep all of this exceedingly quiet, especially from Lulu Duvall. Dusk, make contact with Heathren Merkami in the Intercessoria tonight, to see if we can get backup to go after the White Chalice.”
Heads nodded around the table; hands went to hearts as people pledged their allegiance to Adrian. And though Layla shuddered hard as Dusk helped her stand, she found herself pleased watching her Royal Desert Dragon take command.
As Adrian turned her way, giving her a concerned glance, Layla tugged Dusk’s sleeve. He came with her as she moved to Adrian, letting Adrian enfold her in his arms as well as Dusk’s. Relief breathed through Layla to be held by both her Royal Dragons. Ease washed through her, and somewhere far away, she felt Reginald turn in her mind, regarding her. A wave of dark oceanic power suddenly poured through Layla’s muscles, and she let out a sigh. Exhaustion swamped her, and she only had a brief glance at Luke, who watched her with agony in his eyes as her bound men claimed her.
She’d deal with Luke another day – one disaster at a time.
CHAPTER 14 – FEVER
Layla felt terrible, like a chill fever had swept her. A tremor rocked her as they departed the Waterfall Grotto and Dusk swept her up into his arms with his jacket still wrapped around her. She didn’t even protest, and neither did Adrian as he flicked his fingers for Guards to follow them back to the Hotel. Shivering all through her core, Layla’s teeth chattered as if she was coming down with the flu as Dusk cuddled her close. Moving off through the nighttime winter gardens, Adrian ordered Guards on ahead to prep Layla’s room with a hot bath and a fire.
Pushing in the doors of the Hotel, Dusk maneuvered through the halls with Layla in his arms and Adrian at his side, a cadre of Guards still flanking them in a prickling chevron. People stared; guests and staff alike, a number of people bowing their heads to Adrian. Talisman or not, everyone knew he was here now, and Layla was certain the Crimson Circle would hear about it soon. But they were close to Layla’s room on the third floor, and shouldering through the doors, Dusk maneuvered into her rooms at last.
At the sight of dragons writhing all over her walls and furniture, Layla was suddenly roaring with fever. As if being reminded of her recent change, she felt herself thinking in her beast mind – in terms of mates, fighting, and fear. Moving quickly to the marble and gold bathroom as if he felt what was happening, everything lit bright and a roaring fire in the hearth, they found the enormous ceramic tub thundering with hot water as two big Red Giant Guards stepped aside.
Layla didn’t recall being laid on a velvet resting-chaise in the bathroom as she watched water tumble from the gilded faucet, seeing diamonds fall from the spout with every shimmering wave. His concerned face above her, Dusk laid his hand on her forehead, his blue eyes deeply worried. Breathing had become difficult and Layla suddenly couldn’t recall how to do it, her chest struggling to rise. Kneeling swiftly beside her, Adrian set his lips to hers, pouring a reviving breath into her lungs as Dusk’s fingers rumbled a bolstering power through her body. It helped, but she still felt cold, Dusk and Adrian’s fingers burning upon her skin.
Layla made a pained sound and Adrian ordered the Guards out; they went, closing the bathroom door quickly. She shuddered on the chaise, deep in shift-illness now, her body shutting down. Her head was pounding, her vision strange as she continued to watch magic flow through the air in auras of color and light. Dusk had cast away his jacket, and ripping off his tie, he unbuttoned his shirt fast and stripped it off. His shoes were off, but he didn’t care about the rest, for he heaved Layla up from the chaise. Ice seared her as Dusk and Adrian helped her undress, and she shivered hard.
She was only naked a moment as Dusk stepped them into the bath, but it felt like an eternity. Sliding into the hot water, Dusk cradled Layla, humming soothing vibrations through her. Adrian had stripped off his jacket and rolled up his shirtsleeves as he knelt beside the tub, feeling Layla’s forehead as he continued breathing his power down her throat. But Layla’s heat was gone, no ecstasy surging through her at Dusk or Adrian’s touch. She still felt chilly and she blinked, feeling like her entire world had become slow and dark, and strange.
“This isn’t good.” Lifting an eyebrow at Adrian, Dusk clasped Layla closer to his hot, strong body. “She’s not warming up. She should be recovering by now.”
