I fought the urge to close my eyes and let the currents of energy sweep me away. A staggering amount of power, growing moment by moment, rising like a flash flood to pour through her entire house. Spilling out into the night. Absorbed by the earth and trees. All the green growing things and creatures who lived inside our queen’s nest. Flowers bursting with joy. Trees stretching high to touch the sky. Green, velvety grass a lush carpet begging for her touch. Even the night sky seemed to sing and dance with her, reveling in her pleasure. Her unending hunger. Stars drawing closer, the moon hanging low in the midnight blue sky, rivaling the shine in her eyes.
A faint sound drew my attention, my right hand automatically sliding over my shoulder to the short sword on my back.
Leonie tiptoed closer, drawing to a halt when she saw me. Her cheeks darkened but she didn’t turn away or try to slip back to her room. Smoothing her palms over the front of the blacksilk robe, she stepped closer. She stopped a few paces away from the door and leaned back against the wall.
“I couldn’t sleep. I won’t be any trouble. I’ll wait until she calls.”
I let my hand drop back to my side. “It might be a while yet.”
“That’s fine. I’ll wait as long as it takes.”
Same. Though I didn’t say it out loud. I sensed Llewellyn dropping to the ground outside, shifting to his human form before coming to our queen. Unless I’d lost track, he was the last Blood this time around—other than me—though she welcomed us to stay as long as we didn’t have duty. Guillaume, Sekh, and the twins had been inside for quite a while, long enough for Nevarre, Vore, Xin, and Okeanos to join them. Though most of the last set of men had left already.
:Leonie waits in the hallway.:
:Thanks for the heads up,:Llewellyn replied.
The door opened and Nevarre strode out with his kilt wrapped around his hips. I don’t feel sexual attraction for men, but even I could appreciate the chiseled abs disappearing beneath the plaid riding low on his hipbones. The long black silk of his hair swept about his shoulders as he turned for the stairs. Of course he gave an extra swish of his hips, making the kilt and hair swing. He glanced back over his shoulder, a smug look in his eyes. Catching both of us staring.
Though admittedly, I was staring at the still oozing bite high on his thigh. Hoping our queen had a reason to bitemythighs. Both.
“Does she typically feed on all her Blood?” Leonie’s voice quivered ever so faintly.
“Yeah. At least this time everyone’s walking out on their own power.”
“Oh.” The word came out more like a squeak. “I thought she might have exaggerated.”
“Oh no.” I grinned, shaking my head. “Not an exaggeration.She can feed until we’re all comatose.” I could have told her about when Shara called me to her side in New York City, but I didn’t trust like that. Other queens didn’t need to know our queen’s business. No matter how much Shara might want her. Besides, we knew very little about Leonie, other than the Dauphine had trapped her.
On the other side of the door, I felt Guillaume approaching, so I gave him a warning as well.:Leonie waits with me.:
:Fuck.:A rattle of blades made me laugh as I pictured Guillaume laying down all the weapons he typically carried so he could pull on his jeans.
Llewellyn came up the stairs two at a time in a pair of basketball shorts. Ever since Shara had admired Guillaume’s legs, we all stole his shorts whenever they were by the back door. Mehen and Daire both would steal Nevarre’s kilt if he happened to leave it unattended, so naturally he made sure to keep it secure with either me or Tlacel when he shifted. We winged Blood stuck together like that, except for the motherfucking dragon.
As Llewellyn approached, Guillaume stepped through the French doors. Shirt open, blades hanging out of his pockets and others tucked in the crook of his arm with several leather harnesses he typically wore beneath his clothes to hold the weapons.
“I see you kept your head,” Llewellyn said as he passed into the queen’s room.
G laughed. “This time.”
Before the doors shut, a lion’s roar tore through the night, making goose bumps rise on my arms. For a moment, I feared the gryphon and sphinx might tear each other apart. I even started into the room to help break it up, but Guillaume caught my left arm. “Sekh lost a bet. He’s not starting a fight.”
I let out a low whistle, my mind racing through who was inside. Who might have had enough balls to take on the general?Rik, yeah, but they’d settled the score before we went to New Orleans. Itztli and Tlacel were still with her, but I didn’t see either of them taking on the sphinx.
Guillaume pulled the doors shut, and I searched his face. “What happened?”
He glanced over at the waiting queen, weighing his words. He of all the Blood knew the most about the game of queens. Since she’d also been listening in on our bonds, he couldn’t simply tell me mentally either.
“Some Blood might appear to be soft or weak, but that gentleness hides an obsidian core that cuts as deeply as his brother’s.”
My mouth sagged open for a moment. “Tlacel took on the general?”
“He did indeed, and he won. He endured our queen’s hair longer than Sekh.”
Leonie’s eyes glittered like wide gold coins in the darkness. “Her hair is dangerous?”
G considered her words before shaking his head. “That’s not it. Her haircouldbe dangerous but not to us.”
