Shara

When I woke again, sunlight streamed in through the windows and Mayte was gone. Rik sat beside me on the bed, already dressed. I looked down at myself, relieved to see that I’d shifted back to my normal human shape at some point. Though I couldn’t help but feel vaguely cheated. I’d slept the rest of the early morning hours away instead of enjoying another Blood or touching Mayte in another delightful three-way session. I couldn’t believe I’d slept so long and heavily. My stomach rumbled like I hadn’t eaten for days.

Rik handed me a cup of coffee with a grin. “You needed it. There will be plenty of three-way sessions anytime you wish, my queen.” He waggled his eyebrows at me, deliberately making me snicker. “Or more, of course. We’re eager to serve in as many ways as you’d like.”

I took a sip and sighed with bliss. I might live after all. “But not with Mayte.”

He grunted softly. “Very true. I didn’t send her away. She woke an hour ago and scurried out of here like the house was on fire.”

Triggered by his words, the tapestry in my mind flared to life without conscious effort, sending me a mental picture of the entire home and beyond to the land and people living nearby. Her nest, now mine. I felt her with her child, laughing on her knees beside the bathtub. Her Blood were grumpy and silent, giving me a glare as I touched them briefly. Every living soul inside the perimeter, their health, needs, fears… available to me at a moment’s notice. It was staggeringly easy to immediately assess one hundred and twenty-three people.

Drawing back to my immediate vicinity, I couldn’t help but linger on each of my Blood. Mostly, I felt fierce determination mixed with some wicked glee and a healthy dose of possessiveness. But from the two newest Blood, Mayte’s twin brothers, I felt impatience and hunger bordering on desperation.

I focused solely on Rik’s bond. :I think I may have made a mistake.:

His eyes narrowed. :What concerns you, my queen?:

Despite my misgivings, I didn’t want to hurt the twins’ feelings, or give my other Blood cause to act out even more in some twisted desire to protect me. I sighed softly and slid to the edge of the bed while Daire and Nevarre brought me some clothes. Another pretty dress, this one made from a white gauzy material. White made me nervous—I had the annoying habit of dribbling blood all over me if I wasn’t careful. :I said I wouldn’t take a Blood I didn’t love. I don’t love them.:

:You felt the rightness of it, though, so my guess is that you will love them eventually. The foundation is there. You wouldn’t have even considered them if you hadn’t felt the possibility.:

:But?:

Rik made no noise, but I could hear the sigh in our bond. :I don’t trust them yet. I can’t forget that they did nothing to protect you from the geas, yet wanted to serve as your Blood.:

:They made it sound as though they didn’t know Mayte hadn’t told me.:

:It doesn’t matter.: His bond hardened, molten steel in my mind. :They wanted to be your Blood before we came here. They knew of the danger. They should have been present at your arrival to voice that concern, rather than trusting someone else, even their sister and queen, to take care of the warning. If they’re careless with your safety and assume another Blood will take care of a risk, no matter how small, then I’ll kill them.:

He said it calmly, though every single word reverberated with intent in our bond. He didn’t exaggerate. He’d snap their necks without hesitation if they didn’t live up to his expectations.

:Make them wait until they’ve earned the right to touch you. Remember that most Blood rarely ever touch or feed from their queen. It will do them no harm to wait until you’re fully assured of their love and dedication.:

Dressed and caffeinated, I headed downstairs, driven by my grumbling stomach. I wasn’t sure what time it was, although it was certainly too late for any meal to be called breakfast. Luckily, Mayte’s people must have been used to late risers, because the breakfast room was well stocked with both traditional breakfast foods as well as soup and sandwiches.

Gina smiled at me, already at the table with a cup of coffee nearly gone. “Good morning, my queen. When you’re ready, I have some things to go over with you.”

“Me too.” I sat down and trusted Rik to get me a plate. “When we get home, I’d like to take a look at the legacy again.”

She immediately picked up her phone and typed rapidly. “Of course. I’ll make sure it’s there and waiting for you.”

I loved that she did as I asked without question. “What else is happening at home?”

“Our general contractor was eager to get some work done despite the holiday. Evidently, we had some unseasonably nice weather, so your bedroom and bathroom should be ready for you when we return to Eureka Springs.”

Rik set my plate in front of me and I dove into scrambled eggs with peppers and onions. I normally wanted something light, like fruit, but I’d slept so long that my body was eager for protein. Of course, he’d somehow known that, more in tune with my body than I was. “Oh wow, really? That was fast.”

She smiled. “He had a small army of workers who were eager for bonuses in an otherwise slow time of year. Next up will be the kitchen. Even with that small army, Winston estimates a full week of work, but he’s arranged for all the meals to be delivered indefinitely until he’s satisfied with the renovations.”

Mayte came in with her daughter in her arms, both of them dressed in bright, colorful dresses. “Good morning, Your Majesty.”

I started to rise, but she quickly dropped her hand on my shoulder. “Please, don’t trouble yourself. Not for me.”

“Then you shouldn’t call me Your Majesty, either. Especially under your own roof.”

Smiling, she sat down beside me with Xochitl on her lap. “I have to set a good example for her, and this is still my roof only by your good graces.” The little girl giggled and reached for me. “Oh, no, sweetie. Wait until our queen has finished eating.”

“Nonsense.” I put the fork down and opened my arms for her. The little girl crawled over into my lap, her eyes bright. “Good morning, Xochitl.”

She giggled. “It’s afternoon, silly.”

“So it is. I was up way too late last night, and I sleep a lot.”

“Mama slept in late today too.”

I didn’t look at Mayte for fear I’d blush. “What have you been doing today?”

“Papa took me riding this morning. I have my own pony.”

“You do? What’s her name?”

“Esperanza.”

“That’s a pretty name. What color is she?”

“White. How did you know she was a girl?”

I smiled and leaned down to whisper, “Because girls are the best.”

“Could you ride with me today after you eat? Please?” She drew the plea out for several long seconds, her eyes glistening with excitement.

“I’m afraid I don’t know how to ride.”

“I can show you. It’s easy. Papa has lots of horses that you can pick from.”

I quirked my lips and tipped my head in Guillaume’s direction near the door. “I have a horse to ride. I just don’t know how to use the reins, or how to keep from getting bucked off.”

Guillaume let out a huff in our bond that sounded very much like a disgusted nicker. :As if I would ever allow you to fall off me, even if I’m bucking beneath you.:

I couldn’t help but look at him, then, my hunger stirring. I’d like to have him bucking beneath me. Very much indeed.

“He shifts into a horse?” Xochitl wiggled around to look at her mother. “Mama only has jaguars. Can I call horses, Mama?”

“It’s too early to know what you’ll call, sweetie.”

I sensed hesitation in Mayte’s bond, a reluctance to disappoint her daughter. Mayte’s mother and grandmother before her had only ever called jaguars, so it was very likely that Xochitl’s goddess would give her the same gifts.

Xochitl looked back at me. “What else do you have in your Blood?”

“A rock troll, warcat, hell horse, wolf, dragon, raven, and a bear. Plus, your uncles can shift into a giant black dog and a feathered serpent.”

Xochitl tipped her chin up, her eyes gleaming with sudden determination. “Then I’m going to call unicorns.”

My power stirred, my hair fluttering softly about my face. Staring into her brown eyes, I asked her solemnly, “Are you sure that’s what you want? Unicorns?”

“Yes. That’s all I want. Forever and ever.”

My power shimmered inside me, shifting with her intention. Isis could give her this gift through me. I touched Mayte’s bond. :My goddess is willing to make this gift, if you aren’t opposed.:

I felt a surge of tearful emotion from her. :Blessed be, thank you, Great One. Yes, please, I would give her anything in my power, but I cannot give her any Blood but jaguars.:

:Has she had blood before? I don’t think I can give this power to her otherwise.:

:Yes, she’s had mine and her father’s. She knows what it means, though she has no need to feed yet. She doesn’t have fangs yet.:

I looked back into the child’s eyes, shining with such promise. I didn’t want to call down my massive fangs and scare her, so I held my hand up for Rik. He carefully punctured the tip of my index finger and I offered my blood to the child. “Take your gift of unicorns, Xochitl. Make them yours.”

Her rosebud mouth closed over my finger and she sucked hard, like I was a piece of candy and she was determined to get every drop. Her eyes spun rainbows for a moment, glittering like crystals and diamonds. Then she pulled back and smiled brightly. “I can’t wait to grow up now, so I can have my unicorns!”

Mayte smiled, her eyes glittering just as brightly as her daughter’s, but with tears. “What do you say, dearest?”

“Thank you, my queen.”

“You’re very welcome, Xochitl, Princess of Unicorns.”

“I’m going to go tell Papa!” She jumped off my lap and raced for the door, but paused, looking back at me over her shoulder. “You will go for a ride though? Please?”

I laughed and nodded. “Of course. If Guillaume doesn’t mind.”

“Yay!” She skipped out the door.

I turned my attention back to my food. After a few moments, Mayte said, “You’re very good with her. You will make a wonderful mother.”

“Maybe someday.”

Mayte gave me a questioning look, her brow furrowed. “You don’t want children? I assumed… Well, I mean, if you can have a child, and children are so rare to our kind, I thought you’d be eager to have as many children as possible. The power you’ll gain will be immense.”

“How old were you when you had Xochitl?”

“Nearly two-hundred-and-thirty years old, but only because I couldn’t have children. I tried everything we could think of for decades. Every queen does.”

“I’m only twenty-two. I’ve been alone for the last five years, on the run and scared to death. I’ve only had my Blood and known what I even am for a few weeks. There are a million things I must do before I can even think about settling down into my nest and having a child. Not the least of which is making sure we’re all safe.”

“Certainly, take care of Keisha Skye and Marne Ceresa first, but—”

“They’re not my only enemies,” I whispered softly. “In fact, they’re not even the worst of my enemies.”

Mayte’s eyes widened and she dropped her voice to a whisper. “Who’s worse than Marne?”

“Ra.”

“The god of light? What does he have to do with you?”

My knee gave a phantom twinge as I remembered the skeleton trying to drag me through the portal in my bedroom. “Everything.”