Page 75 of Beauty

“No, Kaja, we’re not leaving our family behind.” I can’tleave them now.

Because Torin found me and I can’t run anymore.

ChapterTwenty-Three

Lachlan

My hand is on my sword as I stride out the door. Thelight hits me, and I realize I forgot my protective glasses. The light on thisplane is too damned bright. It’s fine when we travel at night, but the fullglare of afternoon reminds me how strong vampire DNA can be.

“And where are you planning on going?” Roan asks.

“Bronwyn is gone.”

Roan curses and pulls out the communication device he usesto call his men in from their duties. “I don’t suppose you know where she’sgotten off to?”

Shim stalks through the door. He stops on his heels as thesunlight hits him. He slaps a hand over his eyes and steps back into the shadeof the house. “Damn me. What is that?”

Roan stands in the sunlight looking infinitely superior inhis full military gear. His body is covered with lightweight clothes thatprotect his skin from the sun’s rays. As with many vampires, he has implantsthat protect his eyes. They flow around his face when in the presence ofultraviolet rays and disappear when there is no longer a need for them.

I didn’t need them before, but the sunlight in Tír na nÓg istaking a toll. I can stand outside, but my eyes ache. Shim, it seems, can’teven stand to be in the sunlight at all.

“I should have known. Stay inside, Shim. You’ve had firstblood, haven’t you? It’s why you’re stronger. I saw it the minute you walkeddownstairs. You feel it, don’t you?” Roan asks.

Shim puts a hand over his eyes, staring out at the vampire.“I’ve never felt so damn healthy. Well, not since I was a child.”

“Consort blood. I’ve heard there’s nothing like it, butalmost every royal taking consort blood knows that the ultraviolet effects getworse. Shim, you’ve had blood, but Lach hasn’t yet, has he?”

“No. I didn’t think we should both bite her,” I explain. Mybrother does look healthier, a fine flush to his skin where he was pale before.After that terrible day so long ago when the connection was cut between us andBronwyn and Shim slipped into his long coma, I worried that Shim would neverfully recover. He’s gotten healthier, but he never regained his full strengthuntil this morning.

And now she’s gone.

Dellacourt jogs up. “I can’t find Kaja. I’m worried she’sout there eating crap she shouldn’t be eating.”

Roan smiles. “I bet she’s run with our princess. Your Kajais a smart woman, and she has a definite nose for trouble.”

Duffy stands beside Shim, his axe at his side. “I checkedout the window. It looks like she used the sheets to climb down the side of thehouse. Why do you think she would do that?”

“Because she’s probably scared,” Dellacourt says, hisirritation obvious. He pulls out his tablet and punches in some numbers. “Youshould have let me talk to her first. But no, you two had to jump her. I wouldassume at this point that the marriage has been consummated.”

“It wasn’t properly witnessed, but she is our wife, and I’llkill anyone who tries to take her from us,” I snarl. If Dellacourt thinks hecan take my wife…

The vampire makes a gagging sound. “Who thought it was agood idea for an Unseelie king and a royal vampire to get it on and createsymbiotic twins? They should have known damn well it would produce aridiculously over-the-top asshole. You don’t have to kill me, Lachlan. Bronwynalready got away. You might have taken time to talk to her. Introduceyourselves.”

“The mating fever did not allow for much talk,” Shim admits.

The vampire’s head shakes. “Well, naturally. Are you parttroll, too? I’ve heard they sometimes go insane and start eating brains.”

I flush. My cousin is a troll.

“I should have known. The Unseelie are not known for theirpickiness when it comes to mates,” Roan says with a laugh. “Most Unseelie Faehave a bit of everything in their family tree, unlike your Seelie brethrenwhere there is a stigma attached to having mixed blood.”

“Do you think she ran because she was disturbed that we’reUnseelie?” Bron had likely been raised to think less of the Unseelie and ouracceptance of the dark things of the planes.

Dante shakes his head. “I think she ran because she woke upand found herself married to two strange men with next to no explanation. Also,her parents always thought she was a little touched in the head. She spoke ofboys who played in her dreams. I suppose she meant the two of you.”

“Yes.” I’m not sure I want to hear more. My father didn’tbelieve me, but at least I had Shim. Bron had no one.

“What would you think if you had spent the majority of yourlife believing in one thing and you wake up and find out you were completelywrong and what you believed was imaginary is real and has two penises and twosets of hungry fangs? I think Bronwyn can be forgiven for running.” He turns asthe tablet beeps. “My Kaj, on the other hand, is going to get her sweet assspanked. She’s to the northwest. What’s up that way?”