My days of planning flew by too quickly, probably because Rik insisted I sleep most of it away in order to rebuild my reserves. The day before New Year’s Eve, we were on the jet headed to Mexico City, with a quick shopping trip in downtown Dallas. I didn’t even know the names of the small yet luxurious shops, but Gina had paid them enough to shut down the entire building just for us. We had access to designer everything, at insane prices that made my eyes bug out of my head. So Gina refused to even let me look at the tags any longer.

I’d never cared about having much money, as long as I had a safe place to hide from the monsters and enough to eat.

But seeing what the Isador wealth could do for my Blood…

I was very grateful for my immense legacy, because I’d never seen anything finer in my life than my seven men dressed in black-tie formal wear. A small army of tailors swarmed over the guys, pinning and measuring, nipping and tucking, until sleek black pants and jackets hugged their impressive bodies perfectly. Each of them picked out a slightly different style, but stuck to simple black and white. Mehen and Nevarre both chose tails, though Nevarre refused to exchange his kilt for pants. The tailors even managed to get Rik’s impressive tree-trunk thighs and massive biceps encased in a slick double-breasted suit that made me drool.

While the tailors sewed the adjustments to the guys’ suits, it was my turn.

At first, it was chaos, because all of them but Rik wanted to pick out the winning dress. I’d never seen so many guys dragging formal gowns up and down the aisles, yelling jokes at each other. When Mehen and Daire somehow made it a competition to see who could pick out the raciest dress, Gina put her foot down. “This is getting us nowhere. They’re overwhelming you with too many options, and ninety-nine percent of their selections are inappropriate.”

She might be human, but my consiliarius knew how to throw her weight of position around. With Rik’s help, of course. He snapped his fingers and gave an alpha tug on the bonds, and all the guys turned at once to look at him.

“Sit down,” Gina pointed at the chairs and ottomans scattered throughout the dressing area, and they did, at once.

She turned to the woman who’d welcomed us to the store. “Shara, this is Alice Wong, owner and designer. We’re looking for something for several very important dinners, but one specific gown to make an impression, without making the other guests feel as though she’s trying too hard. Red-carpet worthy, but we don’t need to stop traffic completely.” Gina winked at me. “That kind of dress will be used another day.”

She didn’t have to say it. I’d need a traffic-stopping dress if I ever had to make a Triune appearance. My stomach clenched with dread at the thought.

Walking around me in a slow circle, Alice asked, “Short or long?”

“I don’t really have a preference.”

“Your favorite color?”

I had to think about it. It’d been so long since I’d stopped to think about something as trivial as color when I had to fight for my survival every minute of the day. I wasn’t a child any longer, but even as a kid, the pretty pink room and frilly dresses hadn’t been my kind of thing. Dad had decorated a room in our house for me, and I’m sure it’d broken his heart when I couldn’t sleep in there with all those windows. Not with monsters outside. “I don’t really have a favorite color. I like all colors.”

“Try this,” Alice said, her voice a gentle, soothing lilt. “Close your eyes. Picture being happy. Glowingly happy. You can’t remember a time when you felt so beautiful.”

I did as she asked. Immediately, I was in the grove, staring up at the full moon. The ancient trees whispered around me, dancing and swaying in a gentle breeze. But instead of my house, I saw Isis’s pyramid in the center.

“What colors do you see?”

“Not color, really. Moonlight. Shadows. It’s dark, nighttime.”

“Very good. You can open your eyes now.”

I did, and Alice smiled at both me and Gina. “I have a particular gown in mind. I’ll be right back.”

“She should have more than one,” Rik said with a scowl.

“I completely agree,” Gina replied, giving me a wicked smile that made my brows arch with surprise. “This is the most important one, which is why I asked for Alice. Her associates are already pulling other outfits from the racks for our approval and will be here shortly.”

I groaned. Great. More trying things on.

“Alice took one look at you and knew your sizes and body shape. There should be very little trying on, unless you want to, of course. They’ll present the racks and you simply select what you like.”

“Or we can nod and take the whole store,” Daire added. “That’s my vote.”

“I don’t need the whole store. Where would I wear even a fraction of this?”

“I don’t mean to frighten you…” Guillaume said softly, drawing my gaze to him. “But your star is rising fast. Mayte is only the first queen to approach you for assistance or protection. Soon enough, all the queens will know of Shara Isador. The invitations and requests will stack up quicker than Gina’s entire team can sort them.”

“And then there’s the Triune,” Mehen said with a grim scowl. “Eventually they’ll demand your presence.”

My eyes narrowed. I didn’t like that word. Demand. Let them try and make me do anything or go anywhere I didn’t want.

“A Triune audience gown makes everything in this store look like something you’d wear to a picnic,” Gina admitted. “Which is one reason I wanted you to meet Alice and see if you like her designs. If so, we’ll commission her to make you a formal presentation gown.”

Formal presentation. Just the thought made me itchy, like I was breaking out in hives. “What if I refuse?”

Everybody stared at me, jaws dropping, eyes widening in horror.

“You can’t refuse the Triune,” Gina finally said.

“Why not?”

“They have ultimate power over all Aima. If the sitting queens take a vote to execute you, it’s done. No trial, no excuses, no chance to explain your side of the situation. You, your Blood, and all your court will be put to the sword.”

I shivered, hugging myself. Rik made a low rumble and came to me, wrapping his arms around me and pressing his solid heat against my back, but I still felt chilled, deep inside. “The nest wouldn’t protect us?”

“For a time,” Guillaume said, staring down at his broad, scarred hands. It made me think about his years as Desideria’s executioner. How many queens—and their Blood—he must have killed over the centuries. “I’ve heard the formal order go out for execution, though it’s been years, before Desideria died. It’s hard to keep everyone inside a nest indefinitely, especially in this day and age. No one’s self-sufficient any longer. Eventually the nest will run out of food or water. Or they’ll let someone in who’s in danger, or who promises to help, and they’re betrayed. Or, more often than not, the queen will negotiate with the Triune to allow her court to live if she surrenders peacefully.”

I tried to imagine what would happen to us if the order came down from the Triune to execute House Isador. Rage bubbled up inside me, a dark shadowy miasma that burned like acid. I didn’t know how I’d protect everyone, but I would. I’d find a way.

And if I couldn’t…

:We would never allow you to sacrifice yourself for us,: Rik whispered, though his whisper cut like razor-sharp steel. :Never. If you die, we die. I refuse to live without you.:

Alice stepped back into the dressing area with a long linen bag draped over her arm, but she hesitated a moment, sensing the dark mood in the room. “Everything all right?”

I forced a smile. “Yes. We were just discussing the possibility of someday needing an even grander gown than anything you may have in the store.”

Her eyes brightened and she gave me a wide, charming smile. “Now that sounds like quite the challenge.”

“Let’s see this gown first,” Gina said.

Alice used a small stepladder to hang the bag on a hook high enough the dress wouldn’t touch the floor. She unzipped the bag and carefully pulled the linen back to reveal the gown.

The skirt was long and full, made out of some kind of flowy material that drifted in the air like a cloud. The bodice looked fairly simple in a traditional corset princess style. It didn’t have any jewels or ruffles or sparkles. What made it unique was the dyed ombre effect, from a dark midnight purple on the bodice that slowly faded to lavender-gray and silvery white at the very bottom.

Alice lifted the skirt and let it flutter back down, showing how it would move as I walked. “What do you think? I call it Midnight Sonata.”

“It’s incredible,” I answered, looking to Gina. “What do you think? Is this fancy enough?”

“With the appropriate jewels, yes, I think this will work.” With her arms crossed, Gina studied the dress a moment, drumming her fingers on her elbow. “Yes, I think I brought that set. Let me have Angela bring the case in so you can try it on together.”

“Wait, you brought jewelry? Not even knowing what gown we’d end up with?”

Gina gave me a smug nod and said on the phone, “Could you bring in the red velvet case and the other I showed you in from the trunk, please. Yes. Thanks.”

Nevarre stood. “By your leave, my queen, I’ll walk her in.”

I nodded and he immediately headed for the limousine. I was still trying to figure out how Gina had brought down a bunch of jewels. The last I’d heard, all the Isador jewels were locked in a safe in Kansas City. Even if she’d stashed them on the jet, we’d only rented the car. Maybe that was why Angela had stayed in the car instead of coming inside with us. She’d been guarding the jewelry that I hadn’t even known about.

“It’s my job to think ahead and plan out everything to the last detail,” Gina reminded me. “As soon as you made the move from Kansas City, I had a majority of the jewelry transferred nearby so we can access it at a moment’s notice. Angela’s sole job on this trip is to keep track of your jewels and make sure they’re secure.”

“Should I always have one of the Blood help her guard them?”

“It’s up to you, but really not necessary. Angela is armed and is more than capable of dealing with anyone thinking to steal them.”

Dressed in a navy suit and elegant heels, Angela walked in with Nevarre, a large red-velvet case in one hand and a larger black case in her other. I glanced over her, trying to see where she’d hidden the gun, but it wasn’t obvious to my untrained eyes.

:She’s carrying a semi-automatic weapon in the small of her back in the waistband of her skirt.: Guillaume said.

:How do you know?:

His face didn’t move, but I felt him grin in the bond. :I can smell it.:

“If you’ll step behind the curtain, I’ll help you into the gown,” Alice offered. “The corset bodice can be difficult alone.”

“Gina, can you help too? That way you’ll know how to get me into it for dinner tonight.”

“Of course.”

We stepped behind the large dressing curtain and my mouth fell open. A huge selection of underthings were laid out on shelves. All varieties of panties, from thongs to full-coverage briefs. Dozens of different kinds of bras. Garters and stockings. The lower shelves contained glorious shoes of all types, from break-my-neck stilettos to dance-all-night flats.

Wow. I’d seen stuff like this advertised before, but had never really pictured myself wearing it. But yeah, I couldn’t wait to try some of these elegant things on. Even more, I couldn’t wait to see the guys’ reaction to seeing me in such finery. Though I’m sure they’d rather see me in nothing at all.

:You know it,: Rik rumbled.

Alice hung the gown reversed, so she could start loosening the ties. The bodice really was a corset, not just made to look like one. “This particular gown has plenty of support built into it, but a woman can’t have too many pretty things to wear.”

I could barely remember a time where I owned more than one bra at a time, and certainly never anything as fancy as these. Before I could change my mind, I said, “I’ll take them all.”

“Perfect,” Gina said. “That’s what I hoped you’d say.”

While Alice showed her the best way to loosen and tighten the corset, I stripped down to my skin and then pulled on a pair of barely-there white lace panties. Then they carefully dropped the skirt over my head and pulled the bodice down.

I watched in the mirror while they tightened the corset back up.

“She already has a lovely shape, so I wouldn’t recommend tightening it too much. Especially if she’s going to be eating or dancing at all. The boning is incredibly strong and will make it difficult to breathe.”

The corset was heavy and snug, but it felt really good. The midnight purple velvet made my eyes shine like jewels. The skirt fluttered about my legs, floating effortlessly about me.

“I have some light crinoline you can add underneath for more volume if desired.”

Even more volume? “Actually, yeah, I’d like to see what that looks like.”

“Of course. I’ll be right back.”

I twirled in the mirror, loving the way the color flowed from dark to light. Midnight Sonata was a beautiful name and suited the gown perfectly. The play of dark and light reminded me of midnight and moonlight, and I loved the way the colors bled together.

Alice stepped back in and helped me step into a crinoline slip that poofed out the dress even more, but was still light enough to twirl and sway gently when I moved. “Yes. I love it. What do you think, Gina?”

“Agreed. It’s perfect for this occasion. Beautiful and graceful, but not over the top. What do you recommend for shoes?”

Alice stepped closer to the wall, eying the lower shelves of heels and flats. “Is there going to be dancing?”

“I don’t believe so, but there’s a formal procession, so she’ll be on her feet for a while.”

“How well do you walk in heels?”

I grimaced. “I can do short distances, but I’ve never worn them much.”

“Then I recommend something like these.” She offered a pair of purple flats that truly looked like ballet slippers, complete with purple ribbons that would wrap around my ankles. “These are incredibly comfortable, and the unique style and color is sure to draw interest.”

I tried them on, and had to agree. The ties around my ankles were super cute, and the color matched the middle shade of purple perfectly.

Gina stepped back in with the red velvet case. “Now let’s add the jewels and you can twirl for the guys.”

When she popped it open, I gasped. I couldn’t help it. I’d never seen so many jewels in one place in my entire life. I didn’t even know what kind of stones they were. Dark purple, almost as dark as the bodice of the gown, several of them so large they didn’t even look real. Diamonds interlaced throughout the stones, adding to the sparkle.

I wasn’t the only one impressed. Alice’s eyes were as stunned as mine. She looked at the jewels and then me, a speculative look flickering across her face. She was wondering if I was famous. An actress, maybe, or some minor royal. I hoped we could trust her. Just because she designed fantastic gowns didn’t mean she wouldn’t secretly take a few pictures of me and sell them to a tabloid. If the Triune came asking for information….

“These have been in the Isador legacy for centuries.” Gina lifted the necklace from the case. “Just waiting for you to pick out a purple dress.”

The necklace was heavy and cold around my neck. Oh. My. Vanity. The jewels looked incredible. Maybe it was my imagination, but the stones seemed to catch the light and spin purple rays into the air around me. The diamonds glittered even more, sparkling like crazy. Attuned to my body, they seemed to glow with my magic simply because they touched my skin.

“Earrings,” Gina lifted them out. “Clip-on, since they’re so heavy.”

Wow, yeah, super heavy. They caught fire and glowed like purple stars beneath my hair. I tucked the long strands back to admire the earrings more.

“That’ll be next,” Gina said mysteriously. “Let’s go see what your men say.”

They already knew what I looked like in the dress. They liked it, a lot, if the bubbling volcano in our bonds was any indication.

Taking a deep breath, I stepped out from the behind the curtain.

Gathered in a ring before me, my Blood went down to their knees as one. “Your Majesty, Shara Isador. Long live our queen.”

I knew my queen was powerful, beautiful, sexy, confident, gracious, and kind to a fault—as long as you didn’t threaten someone she cared about.

But seeing evidence of her royalty…

It felt like Guillaume’s hell horse had kicked me in the chest with both rear hooves, while Daire had jerked the rug out from under me.

On my knees, I could only stare up at her, and praise every goddess who’d had a hand in creating her in this world, and allowing me to serve at her side.

Gina motioned to someone behind us—another sign of how shell shocked we were by our queen’s magnificence, that another approached without our knowledge. Luckily, it was several women who then swarmed upon Shara with brushes and clips and cosmetics.

“Not too much makeup,” Gina warned. “Emphasize her eyes and lips, but her face should look natural and flawless.”

“Her skin already glows,” one of the women said. “I’ve never seen anything quite like it.”

Because she had never seen a born Aima queen full of power.

They twisted and tucked Shara’s long hair into a loose pile of curls on top of her head that managed to look messy and completely natural, while baring her throat and letting the jewels sparkle.

“Now, the crown,” Gina said.

Shara’s head whipped around. “What crown?”

“You’re the queen of Isador. Of course there’s a crown. Several, in fact. But since you’re the last Isador queen, you’re entitled to wear Isis’s crown.”

Turning a large square case away from her, Angela opened it and Gina reached inside, pulling out a heavy golden crown with sweeping horns holding a red disk in the center.

“I saw Her wearing that,” Shara whispered. “I can’t… I mean, it’s…” She swallowed, her eyes gleaming with unshed tears. “It’s Hers. I’m not…”

“She gave this to Her line,” Gina insisted, holding the crown reverently. “I brought the other crown She also wore, if you’d rather see it. It looks more like a throne. This one…” She hesitated, her eyes hardening, her mouth firming to a hard slant. “I know the red may clash, but it’s the sun. After his attack on you, I thought you’d want to wear the crown that shows the sun is Her glory. Not his.”

Ah, Shara liked that thought. Her chin tipped up and she nodded. Gina stepped behind her and carefully set the crown on her head, adjusting her hair so that the heavy gold was cushioned and balanced on her head.

She already glowed with power and beauty, a goddess incarnate.

But with that crown on her head…

I, Isis, am all that has been and is and shall be.

If I’d still been standing, I would have fallen to my knees. How could any man stand before such power? Daire took it one step more and stretched out on his stomach, neck straining to keep his eyes on her. Guillaume followed suit, and I remembered how he’d lain face down on the floor when he first saw her. Nevarre and Xin went next, easily, but Mehen and Ezra stared at each other a moment, daring the other to go first, and then both lowered to their stomachs at the same time, smoothly, as one.

She looked at me, her eyes wide, her mouth opening to tell me no, it wasn’t necessary to show such submission before her glory. Holding her gaze, I leaned forward, palms on the ground, and lowered myself slowly to the ground.

Her lips quivered. Shaken, as if she’d never really understood her power over us until this very moment, she lifted her arm and tore her wrist open.

Gina gasped. “Don’t get blood on the dress!”

Actually, I thought the dress would look better with her blood splashed down its front. I could see it perfectly: a sleek white gown that hugged her shape, with red dribbled and splashed down the bodice and skirt with our queen’s blood.

Our goddess’s blood.

She came to me first and offered her wrist. I rose enough to cradle her hand to my mouth, licking the blood from her skin.

A few drops hit the marble tile, and Daire scooted closer to lick the floor clean. At her shocked dismay, he started purring. :We can’t leave your blood in public like this. Thralls will tear down the walls of this building to taste even a drop. I certainly don’t mind. I’ll walk behind you and lick up every drop that hits the floor if you’d allow me:

I called Guillaume to her next, and the rest of her Blood one by one in the order they’d dropped to their bellies for her. Mehen and Ezra were last, and I was tempted to make them share her blood at the same time to teach them to get along.

Mehen managed to surprise me. He jerked his head at Ezra. “You go first.”

The big man didn’t wait for him to change his mind and dove in to lock his lips to our queen’s wrist.

Mehen noticed my arched brow and laughed a little sheepishly. “If I go last, I get to lick the wound shut. That’s worth letting the bear go next.”

:Fuck me,: Ezra muttered. :I never thought of that.:

“Um…” Alice swayed slightly, her face pale.

Shara looked at me, her eyes flaring. :I forgot humans were watching.:

“It’s a very old blood oath ceremony, where knights of old swore fealty to their queen,” Gina said briskly. “Could we see the rest of the wardrobe you’ve selected for her?”

The promise of more sales seemed to shake the woman out of her stupor. She turned to her associates and they scurried around to haul in several racks of clothes Shara offered her wrist to Mehen and he took several swallows before sealing the wound with a firm swipe of his tongue.

I pushed to my feet, but hesitated to touch her. A glowing aura of power hung around her, light spinning from the jewels and the crown, but especially her eyes. Adding her blood had only enhanced her otherworldly appearance. No mortal man lifted Isis’s veil or would dare to touch Her. I wasn’t human, but I wasn’t immortal either. Right now, she carried the kind of goddess-level power that would blast a man to kingdom come for even thinking about laying a finger on her magnificence.

Shara laid her hand on my forearm. Her fingers trembled, her bond achingly fragile. Not scared exactly, but overwhelmed by everything happening to her. She needed her rock. She needed me. So I closed my other hand over hers and stepped closer, offering my heat, strength, and protection. Always. And, most especially, my heart.