AllFreeNovel
Share Us
My wolf growled, low and threatening. “Take your hands off me now before Grieve shows up here with a stake. And he will.”
“Perhaps I should have him put down. Rabid curs are dangerous.” But the next moment, Lannan let go and stepped away. He gave me a narrow look. “Oh, sweet Cicely. I hear you are going to protect me tonight against Myst and her minions.”
“I wouldn’t laugh them off so easily if I were you.” I grabbed a pair of bikinis out of my drawer and stepped into them before he could get a better look at my snatch. I fastened my bra, yanked on my jeans and zipped them up, and pulled a thick sweater over my head.
“Perhaps not, but would you have me turn tail and run from the Goddess of the Ice Sculpture?” His voice was still sarcastic, but he sobered somewhat and I could see beneath the veneer. Lannan wasn’t quite as confident as he sounded.
“Where’s Regina? Will she be there?” Maybe I could get his mind off my body by mentioning the one woman—well, vampire—he seemed to actually give a damn about. The fact that they were brother and sister squicked me out, but hey, it worked for them, and as long as I didn’t have to join their reindeer games…
He shrugged. “She is preparing. She will be there, along with a veritable army of my guards. We should be able to put down any uprising by the Indigo Court.”
“There’s also a group coming in from the Consortium and twelve of Lainule’s elite warriors. As well as the rest of us, for all the good we can do.” I brushed my hair back, sleeking it into a ponytail. I didn’t want to put on makeup, but at a look from Lannan—he pointedly nodded to my dresser, where I saw a palette of cosmetics set out—I sighed and sat down at the vanity, making quick work of painting my face.
“So, you really expect there to be trouble?” This time, his voice was sober, and I could feel his eyes on my back even though I couldn’t see him in the mirror.
I nodded slowly. “Think about it. Not only did we rescue Grieve, but I stole something away from her grasp. Something she wanted so much that I guarantee you she’s out to kill me. Furthermore, when you give the order for the town to evacuate, Myst isn’t going to like the idea of relinquishing her feedlot without a fight.”
“Yes, I know about Lainule’s heartstone. I heard the story. Wrath told me.” Lannan’s hands were on my shoulders, but this time, he didn’t seem out to grope me. He leaned down to whisper in my ear. “You are brave, Cicely, for one of the magic-born.”
“I am also my father’s daughter.” I let out a long sigh and glanced over my shoulder. “Lannan, we can’t let them win. Do you understand why I went to the Consortium?” I was hoping against hope that he wouldn’t hold it against me. “I know Crawl would probably order you to kill me or something equally as bad because of what I did…”
Lannan dropped his hands away from me and strode over to a chair where he could look me in the face. He quietly crossed his right leg over his left, folding his hands on his crotch. Nervous, I waited for a moment, but he showed no sign that he was about to jack off in front of me, so I relaxed.
“Cicely, I am not my predecessor. Yes, I am a hedonist. Yes, I would love to fuck you in every hole you have, but trust me—I do not relish altercations. Though I could probably take them on, I have no desire to fight your father and Grieve. Not at this moment. But you must understand something about me.”
He leaned forward, staring intently at me with those jet obsidian eyes. “I am not stupid. Never underestimate my intelligence. I don’t crave the same type of power Geoffrey sought. I am Regent by default. I would not keep this position if given the choice. I am far happier being free of these responsibilities, but when the Crimson Queen gives a directive, I obey to the best of my abilities.”
“Then you aren’t going to punish me for talking to Ysandra?” Surprised, but relieved, I relaxed. I’d been expecting nothing short of a beating, although knowing Lannan, it wouldn’t be a flogging but another humiliation scene.
“No. The Petros woman is nothing for me to worry about. The Consortium is as corrupt as the next institution, but if they offer help, I will accept it. Frankly, I could care less about fighting Myst. This is not my war. Geoffrey started this battle, and he wanted to soothe his bruised ego. So I welcome help. We may not need it, but I won’t turn away those who might be useful to me in the future.”
And with that, he stood and motioned to the door. As we passed through into the hallway, Lannan offered me his arm. Startled, and feeling unable to refuse—when Lannan showed a gallant side, it paid to acknowledge it—I took it and we quietly descended the staircase.
I had deliberately avoided telling Lannan about our plans to help Grieve, and I hoped no one else would spill the beans. Right now, we needed to focus our efforts on emptying the town without interference from Myst. Luck was with me when we entered the room. The others looked over at us but said nothing.
Grieve’s face was overcast with a dark shadow and I knew he’d felt Lannan’s advances toward me. As he glanced from Lannan to me, I shook my head at him, mouthing Let it be. Leave it alone…into the slipstream. Grieve snarled. Still scowling, he did nothing. But he kept his gaze glued to the vampire.
“We’d better make plans now that you’ve had a chance to sleep for a while.” Wrath spread out a blueprint on the table. “Here’s the radio station—it’s housed in the WorldCom Building, midtown. The building is used for a number of businesses, including a local credit union and a series of offices on the upper floors, which house architects, a couple of lawyers, and a decorating firm.”
We studied the plans. I flipped back to the first floor and tapped the paper. “The New Forest Radio Station looks to be recorded in a studio on the main floor. There are numerous entrances and exits, too many to assign guards to.”
“I disagree.” Lannan said. “I have enough willing guards here to cover every door into and out of that building.” He looked up, daring anybody to challenge him.
I stepped up to the plate. “That’s not the most productive use of your men. It will scatter them too widely. If you cover every stairwell, every door, the Shadow Hunters will be able to overpower them. That would mean a loss of manpower because while you are better matched to fight the Vampiric Fae than we are, your men can still be destroyed.”
“Then what do you suggest, my lovely Cicely?” Lannan glared at me.
I shrugged. “I think it’s better to cover the studio doors with numerous guards and set up several men on the roof with cell phones to keep watch. Then send out the rest of your men to the streets. Because you can bet that the moment word goes out that you want people to evacuate New Forest, the Shadow Hunters will be hunting anybody they can find. I believe the Regent is under legal obligation to guard the city in cases like this.”
“Does Myst even know you’re making this announcement? Why should she think anything amiss? Why are we expecting a fight tonight?” Peyton leaned back in her chair. “I agree, we should be prepared, but I am curious as to why you think she has inside information.”
Lannan shrugged, turning to Peyton. “Geoffrey still has spies among my men. I know this, but haven’t been able to ferret them out yet. I think he would not be above sabotaging my efforts by arranging for Myst to overhear the scuttlebutt. Also, an announcement that I’m making an emergency speech has gone out in the paper this afternoon.”
“Myst has eyes and ears everywhere in this town.” I shook my head. “She’ll be ready. And when she arrives, she won’t be alone.”
“Myst had a personal vendetta against you before,” Rhia said. “But after that little show in the chamber room, I don’t think she’ll stop at anything to avenge herself.” She turned to Peyton. “Myst was there. She almost had the heartstone, but Cicely snagged it right out of her grasp. The look on Myst’s face was terrifying.”
Peyton sucked in a deep breath. “I’ve seen that look.” And she had—Myst had captured Peyton, and Heather had given her life to save our friend.
