Tiearan stopped me before we left them to settle in. "We do not like being indebted," he said.
"Do you know what a true gift is?" I asked him, looking into his leaf-green eyes. I figured he was thousands of years old, but I didn't have a gauge yet on Green Fae scents.
"What is this of which you speak?" He was curious, now.
"A true gift," I said. "A lot of gifts are given because the giver is obligated, somehow, or they expect something in return. A true gift is one freely given, with no expectations or conditions. That is what this is," I flung out a hand toward the newly erected village. "You are free to do with it as you will. This is yours, now. I know you will respect the land—I saw what you did on Vionn." I'd seen Redbird in the distance, leading Toff around—he was trotting happily behind her, his chubby fists filled with wildflowers. Roff still didn't recognize his child and I wasn't going to open that wound right then.
Tiearan was staring at Roff, who was helping Green Fae herd cattle into a fenced enclosure. "That one has wings," he said, surprised.
"That one is Toff's father," I looked Tiearan in the eye. "And if you hadn't stolen Toff, he would be the same—a rare, winged vampire one day. Only your daughter managed to fuck that up, didn't she?"
"She will treat the child well."
"Honey," I poked Tiearan in the chest, and he backed up a little, "
I
would treat that child well. Did treat that child well, as did many others who loved him. Your daughter took what wasn't hers to take. I saw her—scented her—when she brought Toff in after doing what she did to him. She's a spoiled little bitch, Tiearan. Is that your fault, or somebody else's?"
"I did not wish to instigate a confrontation." He held up both hands.
"Then learn some fucking manners," I muttered.
"Tiearan, perhaps someone else should interact with the Queen." A new Green Fae stood next to Tiearan, now.
"You are?" I had arms crossed over my chest, trying hard not to let my anger take control.
"Zervias, lady," he nodded to me. "I am the seer for this tribe. I attempted to tell them not to take the child, but they were desperate and ignored me."
"Do you hand out bad advice?" I asked him.
"Not as a rule, lady."
"Then why weren't they listening to you?"
"Some are headstrong, and want what they shouldn't."
"I can see that," I was still glaring at Tiearan.
"It was my idea—the kidnapping," the female called Rain came forward. "So now I am without my child, when it was Corent I was trying to keep by my side."
"He's only fifty miles away," I said. "He can live here if he wants. I have no argument with him. You just got added to my shit list, though."
"What would you have in exchange, or as punishment?" Rain asked.
"What is wrong with you people?" I asked, tossing up a hand. "You can't go around trading things for babies. Is that what you think? Look at yourself." I was glaring at Rain. "You were desperate to keep your child. Put yourself in my shoes for a minute. Imagine what it would be like if that child no longer recognized you as his mother. How would you feel about that?" I was pissed, and she was just now getting that idea. She backed up and stood behind Tiearan, now.
"I will say this, though," I went on. "If your daughter breathes a word to Toff, trying to say bad things about his father or anyone else on this planet, as soon as that child is grown, I will take her so far away from the rest of you and leave her on a deserted world somewhere, she'll never be able to get back to you. That world will be shielded, too, so she can't skip or flash or whatever it is that you do, to get off it. Do I make myself clear?"
"You can do this?" Zervias asked.
"I have a whole planet full of former Ra'Ak and Elemaiya, who would be more than happy to tell you just what I can do," I snapped.
"You know who I am?" Kifirin was at my side, suddenly, blowing smoke.
"Dark Lord," Tiearan went to one knee and bowed his head.
"This is my mate," Kifirin put his arm around my shoulders. "She is what I am, and has spent too much effort in your direction already. When the child comes of age, I will pass judgment upon you myself, for all your errors."
"I told you," Zervias hissed at Tiearan.
"You will be confined to this world," Kifirin went on. "I expect you to treat all as fairly as you can, and if the child suffers in any way, you will answer to me."
"Leave Corent and Zervias out of it," I said, looking up at Kifirin. He was the god, now, and nothing else.
"I will do as you say," he inclined his head to me. Zervias was weeping as we folded away.
* * *
"And we thought it was going to be terrible to offend the Warlock King," another Green Fae came forward. "Instead, we have offended the Lord of the Dark Realm and taken his mate's child. How have we come to this?"
* * *
"Brother, Mordain is dead, as are those Prylvis sent. Their spawn have been destroyed and the Green Fae have disappeared. Saa Thalarr came to Vionn."
"Our brother is dead?" Viregruz hissed. "That is preposterous. Did the Saa Thalarr take him down as well?"
"I have interrogated Red Hand troops who were nearby. They say not—a red-haired woman stood before our brother, then disappeared shortly before his death. We believe it was the Queen of Le-Ath Veronis. Our plan has been interrupted, brother." Ringolar was angry and very close to shifting. He had no desire to shift before Viregruz, however. His brother abhorred such loss of control.
"You believe she killed Mordain?" Viregruz lifted a dark eyebrow.
"Yes. No one else was near."
"She will die for killing our brother, then. Double the price on her head. That will keep her busy fending off amateurs while we make our plans. The Five-Year Conclave is approaching, is it not? How difficult do you think it might be to attack her there? She is obligated to attend."
"That might be accomplished, brother. And it may be easier than you think. All we need is a bit of cooperation from our Solar Red allies."
* * *
"Lissa, you have to stop torturing yourself with this." Winkler stood with me outside the Green Fae village. Rain fell around us as I kept watch, hoping to get a glimpse of Toff. The Fae had used their talent to bring rain to newly planted crops, and everyone was staying inside if they could.
"I know. That stupid Conclave is coming up, too, and I've barely looked at the agenda. What if Toff doesn't come back to us?" I looked up at my handsome werewolf's face. Winkler was using some of the Power granted by the Saa Thalarr to keep rain off us as we talked. Reaching up, I smoothed a lock of black hair away from his forehead.
"I used to dream about us. About you putting your hands on me," Winkler's smile was gentle. "Come back to the palace with me. We'll make the bed bounce and then you can read all that boring crap."
"Rubbing it in because you don't have to read boring crap anymore?" I asked.
"Absolutely. All I have to do is bite heads off spawn. You have no idea how nasty those things taste."
"You poor thing. Should I order room service so you can eat before we bounce? Just to get the spawn taste out of your mouth?"
"I think I can stave off hunger until the bed has been bounced from one end of your suite to the other."
"You know my palace is filled with vampires. Their hearing is very good. All of them will know exactly what's going on."
"Is Gavin at the palace?"
"Probably. In the office he shares with Tony."
"Good." Winkler gave me his best, wolfish grin.
"That's just mean," I slapped his arm.
"Nope. Just getting back at the stuffy vamp, that's all." Winkler folded us to my suite.
* * *
"We will fill your coffers if you allow us to establish our temples on your world."
"But your religion has been outlawed by the Alliance." Tamaritha, Queen of Twylec sat upon her jeweled throne, watching the one who stood before her. He claimed to be a simple priest of Solar Red. She had her doubts—she wasn't a fool. Nevertheless, her world was in financial ruin—the crown had demanded from and taxed the population to excess. She'd occupied the throne for four years, and those four years had been fraught with disasters and loans come due from other worlds.
She'd borrowed from others, just to pay the old debts. Now the new ones were asking for payment and she had nothing to give. Crops had been bad, newer technology could be acquired elsewhere and disease had killed off herds and a large portion of the population, as well. Twylec was not on anyone's list to visit, nowadays. Except for Solar Red priests.
Her cousin, Satris, had already made a deal with those devils. He'd been held in the dungeons of Le-Ath Veronis for plotting to murder their Queen. Only Tamaritha's protests and requests for diplomatic immunity had gotten him away from there and returned to her in one piece. The two friends he'd conspired with had been left behind—they weren't related to the crown. Satris had railed at length that he'd lost two friends and cursed the Queen of Le-Ath Veronis while he did it. He'd also cursed the vampire who'd agreed to kill the Queen for a portion of the reward money. Cursed him for not dying, as the others had.
Tamaritha had grown tired of his irrationality and hushed him after a while. She should have left him on Le-Ath Veronis, she decided, and asked her healer to be sent in for the headache she'd gotten. Satris was being kept away from the throne room and Council meetings, too—he'd developed a terrible cough her physicians couldn't cure. Nowadays, listening to her cousin's coughing and whining annoyed her greatly.
"How much will you pay to establish your temples here under a different name?" Tamaritha asked, coming back to the priest before her.
"Ah, now we begin to see reason," the priest gloated.
* * *
"Here is the agenda for the Conclave," Grant laid the handheld computer before me.
"Lovely," I muttered. I was supposed to go through and review all the petitions, et cetera, so I could cast a vote. The Alliance had five hundred eighty-six members, so we were going to meet in one big meeting hall, I suppose. Everybody would have bodyguards and personal assistants with them, so you could multiply that number by at least six. There were three hundred sixteen items on the agenda.
"We're supposed to get through all this in a week?" I asked in disbelief. The General Alliance Council, comprised of the twenty Charter Members of the Alliance, reviewed petitions to join and things of that nature, but the laws governing all the Alliance had to be debated and voted on by the monarchs, presidents, despots, autocrats or whoever seemed to be in charge at the moment. That meant I had to go.
"At least half of it is electronic vote, with no debate. Those are laws that are already in place and only need approval to remain in place," Grant pointed out.
"Oh. Well, I guess I better read through this, huh?"
"Yeah. Get crackin', Queenie pants," Grant grinned.
"Did you call me Queenie pants?" I lifted an eyebrow at Grant in surprise. Some of his shyness had gone away. Truthfully, I was happy to see it go.
"It's more respectful than itty-bitty pants," he pointed out. Well, somebody had overheard my twins, then.
"Can I go?" Grant changed the subject. "To the Conclave, I mean?"
"I was planning on taking you and Heathe." I didn't add that Davan would have gone, too—if he were still with us. I was allowed to take up to nine people with me. I'd have to take Grant or Heathe—possibly both; I needed them to keep up with appointments and take notes. That presented a problem. We'd informed the Alliance (through Thurlow), that meetings during the day wouldn't be a problem. Let them make of that what they would. Grant and Heathe needed to have that ability, too. Grant was in my study; Heathe had gone to run an errand. Just as well, I could only do one at a time.
"Grant, when did you eat last?" I asked, turning the small computer in my hands.
"This morning. Why?"
"Can you bite, without, well, you know."
"Without what?" Grant wasn't getting this.
"She means without giving the climax." Thurlow folded in. "I can do this for you, lady."
"I'd prefer to do it," I muttered. "I know you did Rigo."
"I did. You need to take him with you," Thurlow informed me. Grant was now staring at both of us, not sure what was going on.
"Grant, if I give you blood, you'll be able to walk in daylight like some of the others," I told him. Grant had a light in his eyes and he was smiling, now.
"Can we do it now?" He was practically bouncing with joy.
"I have to give formal permission, first," I said.
"And you must be gentle," Thurlow added. Grant frowned at him.
"As if I wouldn't," he huffed.
"Come here," I motioned for him to stand beside my desk as I stood up. "Now. My blood is a gift to you, Grant," I said. "You will take no harm from it. There are no bindings or conditions, it is freely given." I pulled my collar aside, so he'd have a clear space to deliver the bite.