"Most of them do, but they still want to complain," Flavio grinned. He was the handsomest man I'd ever seen, and loved his mate Kyler very, very much. I was thinking about that when Grant appeared at our side in a blur.
"I already have the messages sent to all the businesses, telling them the new tax rate goes into effect next month," he said. "Heathe and I got it done in record time."
"Good," I nodded at Grant. "Thank you."
"At least we can stop draining Niff's accounts to pay for stuff," he said. He would know about that—he co-owned Niff's Ice Cream Shops with Heathe and the Queen.
"You can stop draining Niff's accounts to pay for stuff," I agreed, smiling at Grant. "I didn't tell them what else I wanted to do, either," I said.
"What's that?"
"To raise the price of the tour tickets. They haven't gone up since they started, and prices certainly haven't stayed still for what those tickets buy for the comesuli."
"I believe we might tackle that next week," Flavio laughed. Gavin didn't say a word.
* * *
"Dad, I need her. For the annual meeting here on Campiaa. If she could give me information on a few people," Teeg, whose given name was Gavril Tybus Montegue, said. "If you'd witnessed what she did with that prisoner—just spouted off his name and everything else about him. We couldn't get past whatever was blocking the information."
"Then I'll have her ready. When?"
"I'd like to take her now. The meetings begin tomorrow. I know it's off-days for her, but I heard she usually works on those distribution accounts for the comesuli anyway."
"I'll have to call the Larentii to change her face back."
"I can get the warlocks to do it."
"I'll get her."
"I'll come with you."
* * *
Breanne's Journal
At least they knocked before barging in. Gavin, followed by Teeg San Gerxon. Father and son. Both dark-haired and dark-eyed, with leashed anger simmering deep within. They wanted something. I was already in bed, going through information on my comp-vid while my friendly snake peered over my shoulder when my visitors walked in.
"Get dressed," Gavin commanded. The snake lifted up in bed, spread his hood and hissed—
hissed
—at Gavin and the Founding Member of the Campiaan Alliance. Both took a step back.
"I only need to borrow her for a few meetings—I'll bring her back safe and in one piece, I promise." Teeg addressed the snake directly.
"It's okay," I ran a hand down the snake's back—he really did have a nice pattern—and slowly he pulled his hood back in. Disdainfully he slid off the bed and left the bedchamber, hissing at Gavin a second time before going through the door.
"The snake has spoken," Teeg sighed. "Get dressed; you have to come with me tonight."
* * *
"You can sleep in here." Stellan Starr showed me to a bedchamber. It wasn't huge, but it had everything I needed. Astralan, Stellan's older brother, had already removed my disguise, so at least I looked like myself again.
Gavin had gathered a few items of clothing from the Queen's closet and stuffed them in my arms before I left Le-Ath Veronis. I wasn't sure about his ideas on how to dress a woman, but didn't argue.
"Closet over here," Stellan led the way and opened the door. I hung dresses, blouses and slacks on empty racks. Stellan lifted things from my arms and held them while I placed clothing on hangers. He, like his brothers, was more than handsome enough, and he was dressed casually in a white shirt, the sleeves rolled back for comfort. Dark slacks and boots completed his outfit, and he grinned at me while I worked.
"We didn't get shoes," I muttered after thinking about it.
"I'll have some brought in tomorrow," Stellan promised, smiling crookedly at me.
"Thank you." I nodded at him.
"I don't suppose you'd mind having dinner with me, sometime?" He almost sounded shy as he asked. If I could read him, I felt certain the reading would indicate how unsure he was. He worried that I'd refuse.
"I suppose," I said.
"Then we'll go. Soon. And I'll have someone bring shoes, I promise." He left the room quickly, as if he were afraid I'd change my mind.
* * *
"Reah is here, so she'll be with me part of the time. I hear you have mindspeech, so I'll be in contact with you, asking about this one or that." Teeg took in my appearance after I was escorted to his study by Stellan. One of Queen Lissa's ball gowns met with his approval—I could see it in his face. He was dressed simply—and elegantly—in expensive fabrics. I knew it was for ease of movement, as well as appearing stylish.
"So you and Kevis Halivar are mated to the same woman," I said. I'd seen her in their readings.
"Yes." His answer was curt. He didn't like it that I could see everything about him. He was a modified vampire—I knew that, too, and he knew I knew. He resented it. Not many people held that information, and very few knew who his parents were. I was dangerous to Teeg San Gerxon.
"You could ruin me just as easily," I said, looking away. "I know how to keep my mouth shut, Mr. San Gerxon."
"I am telling you now not to reveal anything about my personal life to anyone." The compulsion would have cracked anyone else's skull. It had no effect on me. I blinked at him before nodding. Why would I tell him that I could scream his information to the world? Teeg San Gerxon was more dangerous than most people realized.
"Come, we will gather my warlocks and go through the tunnel to the San Gerxon Casino," he said. Obediently I followed him from his study.
The Starr brothers gathered around Teeg as we walked through the tunnel. "Dee has already taken Reah over." I blinked at Astralan Starr—he was mated to Reah, just as Teeg was. She had many mates, I discovered. Dee, well, he was Teeg's assistant and also a modified vampire. Very old, too—my curse told me.
Stellan kept his eyes ahead and paid me no mind, as any good bodyguard should. I wasn't the one to be protected, after all; the Founding Member was.
* * *
Reah's Journal
Edward, she frightens me. As if everything in my head will be laid bare to her
, I sent to Edward. He'd escorted me to Campiaa, but stood across the room seemingly disinterested in his surroundings. I was Teeg's wife to everyone in the Campiaan Alliance, and Edward had no desire to come to anyone's attention. Teeg knew I was pregnant, and he'd reluctantly agreed not to ask me to attend any more functions until after the birth.
He'd explained, however, that Breanne could, in his words,
read
people, and that included Larentii. Only the gods much higher than the Nameless Ones could read Larentii, and that meant she could likely read Edward and me as well. I didn't want that, because it did frighten me. Who was this woman? I had no idea, and only wanted Edward to take me home at the earliest opportunity.
Teeg
, I sent.
Reah?
As soon as this is over, Edward is taking me home. I'm not feeling well.
I was hoping you'd spend the night.
Please don't ask.
Astralan wants to see you.
Tell him to visit Avendor tomorrow.
If there's nothing to prevent it, I'll come with him.
If that's what you want.
Reah, we've spent two nights together in the past six months.
I know. You're always welcome on Avendor. Edward says so.
I don't like the way he and Aurelius watch me while I'm there.
You think they don't have cause?
Reah, let's discuss this another time. I have work to do tonight.
As you say, Founder
. I cut off the mindspeech before I became more upset than I already was, and Edward was sending love and concern in my direction—he knew I was upset.
* * *
Breanne's Journal
Tell me about this one
. Teeg's mental order was terse. He was upset about something, but I didn't want to know what that might be. The grand ballroom at the San Gerxon Casino was filled with people, all of them dressed extravagantly and all of them drinking, talking and laughing.
This many people always made me uncomfortable. Receiving so much information at once usually gave me a headache, so I kept my eyes lowered, staring at shirts, dresses or jewelry instead. The man Teeg indicated was short, balding and holding a large glass of wine in his hand. What looked to be a servant stood at his elbow. I focused on the targeted face.
There is little there
, I returned.
He believes himself in charge. The one at his elbow is running his kingdom and offering little in the way of authority or information to the figurehead at his side.
You're joking?
filtered into my head. Teeg walked up to the President of Theele and shook his hand in the accepted way.
Come with me
, Teeg added.
Reah, Teeg's lovely, white-haired High Demon mate, spoke with someone nearby and paid no mind to his departure. I hadn't looked directly into her face, hoping not to read her. I'd read enough about her in Teeg's reading, and wanted to hit him for what I'd seen.
It also seemed that the newly elected President of Theele was happy with the attention he was getting from Teeg San Gerxon and happily trotted beside Teeg, his taller, thinner shadow following close behind. I trailed the entourage discreetly as Teeg led them into a meeting room behind the ballroom.
Close the door
, Teeg instructed as I walked inside. Obediently, I closed the door behind me.
"I was hoping we might meet in private sometime tomorrow," Teeg said smoothly to President Ferdik of Theele. "Just you and I, with no one else present. I have things to discuss that must remain between the two of us."
"Oh, no, Nall here goes everywhere with me. Keeps me up to date and helps me remember things," Ferdik chuckled. "You won't even know he's there. When would you like to meet?"
"Breanne, would you come here for a moment?" Teeg said. He'd deliberately kept his gaze on Ferdik and didn't look my way as he spoke. I went.
"This is my new assistant, Breanne. Nall, hit her." Compulsion coated his words and I barely saw the punch coming before I was hit in the face.
* * *
"I didn't know he would hit her so hard, or that she wouldn't duck. She's vampire, for cripe's sake." Teeg's shirt was unbuttoned, his tie lying loose on his desk.
"I believe Stellan wants to punch you right now." Astralan set a drink on Teeg's desk.
"I said I didn't know. I only wanted to get Nall Seak arrested for assault, so I could grill Ferdik alone and look into Theele's puppet kingdom."
"I'm assuming you laid compulsion on both of them before I arrived?" Astralan asked dryly.
"You assume correctly. How's the girl?"
"Fractured facial bones, Kevis says. Half her face is purple and black and her left eye is swelled shut."
"Fuck."
"Stellan's pissed."
"I understood that from your previous statement."
* * *
Breanne's Journal
"I want to go home."
"I know that. Teeg wants you to stay." Kevis focused on my face and eye—the one I couldn't see through. It didn't matter, the right one still worked fine. Kevis wasn't happy and he was upset with Teeg. He wasn't alone in the upset department. Honestly, I would have settled for upset. I was seething. Teeg had done what he could to separate President Ferdik from Nall Seak—for a full two days. Have Nall arrested, get Ferdik alone. That was the plan. I received a black eye, bruises and broken facial bones out of it, for the second time in a matter of months.
"And if I refuse?"
"I believe Gavin would like you to stay."
"Oh. The command from the sire. How nice for me," I muttered angrily.
"Hold still, I can heal this. You'll only have a fading bruise tomorrow and the warlocks can cover that up."
"Really? So that's supposed to make this all right?"
"I didn't say that," Kevis place cool fingers on my face to remove the pain. "I realize this may have brought up bad memories. I can place you in a healing sleep after this, if you want."
"I don't want. And we won't be talking after this."
"Talking?"
"You asking me uncomfortable questions and me spilling my guts. That talking."
"I'll find another therapist for you."
"No, you won't. We're done."
"You can't let this stand in the way of your health."
"My health was just compromised by the Founding Member of the Campiaan Alliance. Is that part of the health you're talking about?"
"I see we're not getting anywhere tonight. We'll discuss this later."
"No, we won't."
"I'll finish this, and you'll be ready for the meeting in the morning." Kevis went about his business and left a few minutes later. I sighed and crawled in bed.