“You shouldn’t be so tense,” Jion teased, walking toward Alek who lifted his sword without a word, settling it between Jion’s eyes. “We’re only having a conversation, but your blood lust is egging me on.”
Not giving him any attention, after all she knew Alek could handle himself. She kept her eyes on the more strategic one.
He carefully observed her silently before lifting his chin. “What do you want from us?”
“You will help us fight the Surrem,” she said with no fear. “After all you’re familiar with them aren’t you?”
Lyon frowned, his white eyes squinting. “Legolas was wearing the mask of an elder, he did not display his Surrem traits often.”
“But you knew what he was and like him you sought the key to return home. So, here is my offer and it’s one that won’t be around for too long. You either will take it, or forget we’ve everspoken. And if you’ve been paying attention, I’m not as weak as I was when you found me in the woods.”
“You were never weak love,” Alek said, staring Jion down.
“Are you sure we can’t just kill them, Mother?” Sorin asked from behind her.
Lanias whipped around in shock. “What did you just call me?”
He shrugged, keeping his eyes on the two unseelie. “Mother. Would you prefer stepmother?”
Lanias would have preferred some warning first. Awkwardly clearing her throat, she pretended not to notice the smirking amused faces of Andrei, Mihai, Dmitri and Alek. She’d deal with the acknowledgement of her role as their father’s mate later.
Facing Lyon once more, she continued. “So, Unseelie. Do we have a deal?” she asked, wearing a Cheshire smile.
A look of resentment came over Lyons face. “Fine, Witch, we will help you. Come, Jion.”
“Tsk, you’re no fun Lyon.” Jion sent Alek a wink before he quickly joined his brother in the shadows disappearing.
Lanias released the breath she’d held. Dealing with those brothers always put her on edge. An arm entered her preview.
“So…” Alek settled his arm on her shoulder, ironically that was the arm that also held the sword. “When were you going to tell me, you had a pair of Unseelie stalking you?”
She laughed nervously. “I might have forgotten.”
“Forgotten?” His voice grew rough. “Who just forgets that?”
“I’ve had a lot on my plate recently,” Lanias grumbled, using her shoulder to push off his arm. “A contract with a Vampire King, fighting Surrem, trying to find my birth heritage. Not to mention everything else, I’ve been a regular heroine of my own novel.” She stomped her foot, only to flush when she realized how childish she sounded. Shaking her head, she turned awayfrom where the Unseelie had been standing. “Let’s go. We’re going to be late if we keep loitering about.”
“Well now,this is an interesting group of people,” Tiller commented as he looked around the (repaired) meeting room. “If I wasn’t sure you’d all come to fight the same enemy I would think I was handling a treaty.”
“Can we hurry this up,” Malcolm said from where he stood behind Eliza. He glared at Tiller. “You’ve been stalling for too long. Who are we waiting on exactly?”
“You’re waiting on me Puppy,” Lanias said as she entered the meeting room. His green eyes sharpened on her, he smirked.
“Look who’s come back from the dead.” He grinned. “What? Couldn’t enjoy Hell?”
“It just wasn’t interesting enough,” Lanias said, walking over to a seat next to Oye.
Oye looked from Malcolm to her. “Do you two know each other pretty well?” she asked while narrowing her eyes.
“You could say I provided him help, the sort that only a brothel could offer,” Lanias said, giving Oye one of her secretive smiles. Lanias continued hinting to Oye. “If you ever have needs of support, we have additional services that may assist,” Lanais added a glance in Castian’s direction filled with an implication of lack in sensual expertise.
A knife hit the table between them. Neither woman flinched.
Castian spoke through a tight smile. “She’s needing no help from the likes of you. I’ve got her well supported.”
Lanias calmly looked up at him. “Well that’s good to hear.”
Castian narrowed his gaze when the knife he’d stabbed down got pulled out by delicate pale fingers.
