My father stated gently, “We can see that. But is it feasible in the timeframe we need?”
“I believe so,” Lord Belshazzar mumbled and crawled to a different book. He pointed at the page, still not looking at either one of them. “I will need Chester. He needs to be brought here immediately.”
“Is that all you need?” My father didn’t argue, even though he had said he hated the man. “We need a list of what it’ll take to complete the spell.”
Lord Belshazzar raked his fingers through his tangled hair and lifted his pad of paper to view it. He stated, “I’ll also need a druid woman with a child in her womb. Her blood needs to be drained—all of it—and kept in a vase made of amethyst. She needs to be awillingsacrifice, not coerced.”
Lord Xenon tapped his fingers on his cell phone, taking notes, while my father stayed silent and was his ear for patient listening.
“I’ll also need snake’s venom. It doesn’t matter what kind of snake. And I’ll need four rocks, one from the east, west, north, and the south. And two feathers from a crow. Two feathers from a dove.” He scanned his notes and flipped the page, reading further. Eventually, he bit his lower plump lip, pulling it out slowly between his teeth. “And the fucker’s head. It’s fortunate we have that. Otherwise, the spell wouldn’t work. I think that’s it for ingredients.”
I breathed a silent sigh of relief.
That list wasn’t awful. And I had made the right decision allowing the lords in, even if I hadn’t wanted them to disturb him. It would take a few days to wrangle up what he needed.
“How long until you’ve got the spell ready?” My father asked with serenity in his tone. “When should we have everything ready for you?”
“Five days,” Lord Belshazzar stated instantly while writing on his pad of paper again. “No later.”
My father nodded and stood to his feet. “Five days. We’ll have it ready for you.”
When the lords were both at his door, ready to leave, Lord Belshazzar’s head snapped up, stopping them in their tracks. My vampire Overlord growled dangerously, “Do not allow Chester to be alone with our queen. If you do, I will end you.”
Lord Xenon blinked…and repeated the words he had said to me outside, “You’re awfully protective of her, my lord.”
“Yes, I am.” My lover didn’t blink.
Lord Cato chuckled—evilly. “Don’t worry, my lord. I won’t allow that demented ass near her.”
With that, they left the room.
I hummed softly and scratched at my cheek. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard of this Chester individual. I take it he’s a real piece of work?”
“He is.” Lord Belshazzar’s attention returned to his writing. “If, by chance, he gets past Lord Cato, don’t hesitate to run from him as fast as you can. That wouldn’t be the cowardly act either, Gwen. It would be the smart one for you.”
I pulled out my phone and started to research the druid. “I’ll make sure to stay clear of him.”
“And keep Crow with you while Chester’s here. Crow is a little faster than Phoenix.”
“Duly noted.” I flopped back onto his bed and held my cell phone above my face, scrolling through information. “Bel?”
“Yes?”
“Youareeating tonight. I don’t want to hear you argue, either. You will eat and shut up about it, or I will stuff the food into your mouth.” I sniffed. “And you’ll sleep in bed with me tonight. Am I making myself clear?”
He grunted.
“That’s not a yes.” I had learned his ways, too, in the past four days I’d been sleeping in here. “I want to hear you verbally say it.”
Bel hissed, “Yes.”
“Thank you.” I flipped through another page. “And it wouldn’t hurt if you took a shower before coming to bed. You kind of stink.”
Sniffing from the floor… “I don’t smell that bad.”
I snorted. “Shower, Bel. You’ll take one. You’re fast enough. It won’t take that much time away from your work.”
“Fine.” The beast growled.
