Page 36 of Vicious Fates and Vast Futures
Chapter Seven
Adelaide
“Why does everyone call me at the ass-crack of dawn?” I grumble, trying to disentangle myself from En on my bed. Bryn has already made it to the call mirror. I think he can feel it before it rings. Ossy is still asleep, his big tattooed arm over En’s ribs, holding her to him. They look striking together and my heart sings for the sight of En starting to trust the boys.
Bryn leans back through the door of my reception room, beautifully naked. “It’s Maja.” His voice is relaxed; he thinks I made the correct choice not turning her over to Gitta. I’d be annoyed if I didn’t agree with him, the magnificent asshole.
I grab a robe as I head to the mirror. Maja’s yellow skin looks positively glowing. Ossy had told me that’s a sure sign they’ve been imbibing more than their usual vegetarian fare, which makes me a bit nervous about her mood.
“Good morning, Maja. And what can I do for you?”
She snarls, obviously still annoyed I forced her into spying for me. “I have information for you, Priestess.”
“Excellent.”
“The Upper Council will be meeting in person in Nevada within the next week.”
Bryn slips behind me and lifts my hair to the side, leaning down to kiss my neck. He’s trying to distract me so Maja can’tread the concern on my face. I raise my hand over my head and place it on Bryn’s neck, leaning back against his hard body.
The alf makes a noise of annoyance before continuing. “I have heard snippets regarding your traitor. It seems that the traitor is a female.”
Bryn bites the skin of my shoulder, eliciting a gasp from me. I turn my face towards his, trying to compose my features. Not Declan, then. Or Malcolm, though he’s dead. Eira. It must be her.
I look at Maja hard. “I need a name.”
She snorts. “Do you think I’m a miracle worker?”
Anger flares inside me. Without confirmation, I’m dead in the water. I can do nothing without verification. “You had bestbecomeone lest your queen turn you inside out starting at your belly button. Do alves have belly buttons?” I shrug, smiling evilly. “Starting with your intestines, then.”
She stills. Queen Gitta gave me the impression of being merciless. I doubt she’d stand for a traitor in her inner circle.
Maja’s gaze falls on Bryn before she nods. “I’ll do what I can, Priestess.” She blanks the mirror before I can respond, the rude bitch.
My eyebrows pinch together as I turn in the circle of Bryn’s arms. “Why would the Upper Council be meeting now? In secret?”
Bryn runs his tongue along my mouth until I open my lips for him. He lunges in like he would possess me. I melt into him. He always feels so incredible, and my aura positively buzzes when we touch. When he pulls back, his face is soft but sober. “Not for any good reason, a chroí.”
IT’S BEEN A LONG DAYof whoring myself, proverbially, to the heads of the houses. I need as much support as I can muster.
If I had known how much work this would be, I would have just taken the throne, I think sourly. I could have told them all to sit the fuck down and shut the fuck up. But because I’m trying to take the better, kinder route, I have to kiss ass all day. It puts me in an awful mood.
I flop down in my chair in the library. I’m in a nightgown and robe, and a small fire is crackling merrily. The stone of the sithen tends to hold in the cold, and besides, I love the ambiance of a fire. I close my eyes, trying to center myself and master my anger. Soon, I hear the door open behind me. The buzz of my aura tells me all three of my mates have entered.
A glass of Guinness is pressed to my shoulder. “Thank you,” I mutter to Bryn. He places his beer on the coffee table and tosses himself in the comfortable leather chair opposite. Ossy and En settle on the plush couch closer to the fire.
No one says anything as I drink deeply. They can obviously sense my mood. I take some deep breaths. This isn’t their fault. I should not take my shitty attitude out on them. I take another swig, memories of Dublin and drinking fresh-from-the-tap Guinness dancing in my head. I’d loved my time there while I was working on my degree at Trinity. Maybe we could all go visit when this is settled. The thought of Ossy kissing the Blarney Stone makes me grin into my beer.
I take one more calming breath before addressing them. “I appreciate you all giving me time to wallow in silence.”
They each chuckle. En says, “You’re a right bitch when disturbed, birdie. Of course we do.”
I look to Bryn and Ossy, who both nod sagely.Well fuck. I down the rest of my beer and stand, crossing to En and climbing onto her lap, one leg to either side of her. I take her half-empty beer from her hand and toss it down my throat before placing the empty glass on a table.
Bryn
MY EYES ARE GLUED TOAdi as she kisses En like she’s drowning. My poor free-spirited mate. She’s sick of all this shit. I don’t blame her; I am too. We’ll take her mind off things for the night, at least.
