Enthroned by Amethysts (A Dance with Destiny Book 3) (11 page)

“Yes, my child. I’m trying to take a deep breath and look at the whole thing so I don’t miss
any
of my intended blessings.” Jenevier smiled and twirled a lock of Mika’s raven hair around her finger. “I have already found one.”

The girl looked back, finally focusing shocked eyes upon the woman. “You think…
I’m
your sweet cake?”

“Yes, dear child, I know you are. But I have a feeling you’re not my
only
sweet cake. The sweetest one, yes. But not the only one.”

Mika giggled at the thought and the image it brought to her mind—all covered in icing and sugar. Her cheeks flushed bright red. “I think you’re my sweet cake, too.”

“I’m certain of it.” Jenevier playfully tapped the girl’s nose. “Will you let me braid your hair? Mine’s so curly, it only tangles and knots. Yours is so shiny and straight, it’s beautiful. I want only to brush and braid and play with it.”

“I would trade with you in but a breath. I’ve never seen hair such as yours, Milady.”

Jenevier laughed. “No one has.”

Chapter 16

Vittorio

(vit-TOR-ee-oh)

“Shaemon. Shaemon Green, come forth.”

“Ugh, what is it now, Death Angel? Will you never leave me in peace? What will you require of me this time? What’ve I done to offend you on this most glorious day?”

“Aye, ye speak thusly tae a Death Angel?” Vittorio had to hold in his chuckle when he recalled Jenevier’s story about this little Fairy man.

He’d gone first to their secret place, Princess Falls, but found no trace of her scent. She hadn’t visited there in months.

“I meant no offense. It’s just, every time I see you something bad happens. And it’s usually to
me
,” Shaemon huffed.

“I’m looking for someone an’ I thought ye may be just the man tae help me.”

“Help you? What will I get out of it?”

Vittorio’s patience was wearing pretty thin. A strange feeling came over him that he’d never experienced before. It was a gnawing, growing, nauseating feeling in the pit of his stomach. He knew only his sweet Jenevier could ever cause him to feel thus. He had to find her. He had to hold her. She was the only reason he could even breathe. He shook off the bitter fear quickly taking root in him and glared at the irritating little man.

“Ye’ll get tae live until tomorrow,” he growled.

“S-sorry, Angel. Apologies.” Shaemon started wringing his trembling hands together. “Who is it you seek that I should know them?”

“The colorful woman ye met in the hidden valley. I need tae find her. Have ye seen her or heard word of her presence among yer kind?”

Shaemon jerked his shoulders back at the mere mention of her. “No, no sir. I’ve not laid eyes on that strangest of women since the day we first met.”

“An’ yer certain of this?”

“Of course I’m certain. She’s not a creature who’d go about unnoticed anywhere she happened to roam. If she’d been walking around here, the whole place would be buzzing with the news.”

Vittorio conceded to the tiny man’s rationale. He left layer one with a heavy heart and weighted wings. He believed, if she had disappeared of her own accord, this was the one place she would’ve run to. Finding her absent was a damper upon his soul.

Then she was taken. Dammit. When I find her again, I’ll sew that wee rabbit tae my side so we cannae be parted. I care nae whose manacle my lass now wears, she wulnae leave my sight ever again.

With these thoughts still ringing in his mind, his angelic feet touched down in Eastern Spadroon.

He searched the whole of the third layer. Not only did he find no trace of his beloved Jenevier, he could scarce even sniff out a single demon.

“Aye, when that old blue devil of hers cleaned this place up, he left nae stone unturned.”

Vittorio’s mind went back to the day Shabriri cut his wings from his back, tossing them aside like so much rubbish. He could still hear his tiny, blinded warrior screaming as she ripped the head off every demon she could find. Then tears burned the backs of his eyes when he remembered her pitiful pleading screams as Shabriri tortured and tried to rape her.

“One thing’s for certain,” he said to himself as he left the third layer realm. “If any demon claimed her, Apollyon would know aboot it. How could he nae?”

Vittorio knew the vast size of layer eight, but he also knew Jenevier loved those children she had saved while on their first mission to Earth. She had told him much about her time spent in exile and of the policeman who had helped her there. He wasted no time as he burst through the clouds and pushed open the doors reading
Precinct 6
.

The humans couldn’t see the determined Guardian as he made his way into Chief of Police, Tony Delvado’s office.

The kind man with the graying hair looked up when the door slammed. He saw nothing. Eventually, he went back to his paperwork. Vittorio watched him for a moment more before he cleared his throat, allowing the man to see him, showing himself sitting in the chair opposite the desk.

Tony jumped to his feet, gun leveled at the Guardian in the next breath. His eyes went wide.

“I dunnae believe we’ve been properly introduced, Chief Delvado.” He inclined his silver-crowned head regally. “My name’s Vittorio. Perhaps ye’ve heard of me?”

Tony closed his eyes, counted to five, wished real hard upon a star, and then slowly opened them.

“Well, hell. You’re still here.” The man managed to holster his gun with a shaky hand and collapsed back into his seat. “So, what’s she gone and gotten herself into this time?”

Tony sighed, but the kilted Guardian only smiled knowingly.

*****

As Vittorio started to leave layer eight, empty-handed yet again, he tried to decide which way to fly, which way would prove more conducive to finding his little Angel.

“Aye, Lass. Give me a sign, my wee darlin’,” he mumbled to himself. “Where could ye be?” He sighed softly. “I miss ye, Lass… fear I’ll go mad withoot ye.”

A warming sensation filled his chest when he recalled some of their time together. The battles they’d fought. The laughs they’d shared. Desperation set in. He had to find some clue among those many beautiful, bloody memories. Concentrating, focusing, he was sure there must be something stored within his memory. Some clue he could use. Something she may’ve said. Somewhere she may’ve been. Somewhere
they
may’ve been.

Memories flew through his mind like a fast forward dream, suddenly halting, lingering on her smiling face, drops of blood within her hair, upon her fair cheek. Tears burned his eyes, his chest tightened. This was a more recent memory, only months old, when she could yet don her wings. His mind flashed back to their co-summons. It was just after she had returned from her banishment, after her sentenced execution and her four years of lonely roaming. His heavenly smile was unbidden. This was one of his favorites, an exquisitely precious memory. The kind you kept to yourself and treasured always…

She was standing there with her claws fully extended, wings outstretched, chest heaving, covered in blood, surrounded by armor clad, viciously trained soldiers. They had been summonsed right here to this very layer, the eighth layer realm called Earth. But they were in a much different place than the one he now stood. The crime-infested streets of Detroit couldn’t hold a candle to the secret, unspoken underbelly of a small area east of here, across the blue expanse, called Rome.

The citizens were lovely, the city was beautiful, and all the sparkling little strings were being pulled by the unlikeliest of people, the
religious
ones. Corruption of every kind could be found from the smallest cathedrals to the largest. Their wicked deeds trickled down to the depths of an ancient brotherhood, a secret organization. A society made up of zealots, spreading fear through ignorance.

“Who wears armor and carries a broad sword anymore?” she pondered aloud.

“Aye, Lass, have yer eyes nae beheld yer devoted brother?” Vittorio held out his arms, revealing his flawless body for her inspection. “I’m clad thusly, my wee darling.”

She giggled and squeezed his arm as she ran her fingers over the defined muscles. “Not much in the way of armor, Brother, a piece here and there. Mostly I see only your delicious skin. But a more handsome creature could not exist, sweet warrior. You make me want to purr.” She rolled her Rs over her tongue, turning ruby eyes back to their adversaries. “Yet I meant upon
this
layer. You and I have danced a bloody path through countless places here on Earth. Never have I seen men arrayed in garb such as this.”

“I have, but it was hundreds of years ago.” He yanked one of her curls.

“Mmm… I would’ve liked to have seen such a thing for myself,” she mused. “Yes, I believe I would have enjoyed that delicious little vision way too much.”

“Aye, Lass, then ye must go tae Dimthe Leard. Layer six is much the same as this one once was.”

“Hmm, sounds interesting. Perhaps I will.” She bumped him with her shoulder. “Do you think you can take care of this on your own, Brother? I need to depart presently. I wish to check out all those knights in shining armor.”

The obvious confusion painted across his face made those infectious giggles of hers spill out.

“That look was priceless.” She bent over double with laughter, holding her tummy. “I shall have to record it to memory so I may have a good laugh one day when I feel like crying.” She wiped the happy tears from her eyes.

“Aye, wee sister, ye lost me. I cannae see what’s so funny. Ye’ve been tae the sixth layer plenty of times. But if ye need tae go there, I’ll take ye when our summons is done.”

She sighed and patted his arm, as if he were a small child. “Vittorio, sometimes I forget just how young you are.” She playfully winked at him as she used the words he had for her, so many times before. “Let me put it this way. I was curious if you could handle this mission on your own,
little brother
. If so, then I was going to head off to layer six and see all those valiant men for myself.” A wicked little smirk turned up one corner of her mouth. “It would be like a dream. Fearless men, donned in armor, glistening in the sun, sword drawn for battle, dripping with blood. Now,
that
would be a sight worth skipping all this for.” Her smile widened. “I can imagine their chests heaving from exhaustion, battle rage coursing through their veins, deliciously sweet sweat trickling over their rippling muscles.” She placed the back of her hand to her forehead and sighed dreamily. “Ahh, yes, I do believe I could do with a bit of that right about now.”

Vittorio just stood there, dumbfounded, staring at her in disbelief.

“What?” She feigned innocence.

He grabbed her around the waist and pressed her up against a nearby tree. “Aye, mine Angel. Ye’ve all that an’ more, standing flesh before ye. There’s nae need tae leave this very spot tae have yer desires fulfilled.” He licked her neck and shuddered. “Ye spoke yer words as jest, wee maid. Yet I taste the want within ye.”

The suddenness of the situation set the butterflies in her tummy to warring. Her heartbeat raced, her breath quickened then hitched. Vittorio didn’t miss a thing. Her reaction pushed him further.

“Aye, did ye wish tae play, Lass?” He smiled. “I can play. I’m quite good at it, actually. I knew ye desired me. An’ now yer body screams oot the proof of it—trembling beneath my touch. Ye cannae hide, nae anymore.”

The glint in his eye and the smirk upon his lips proved to accentuate the teasing nature of his dangerous play. He licked her once more and whispered in her ear.

“All ye had tae do was but ask, fair maid. Admit yer desire for me. Speak the words from those sensual lips an’ I’ll spend day an’ night for all eternity wholly satisfying ye.” He smiled mischievously, gave her a quick wink, a peck on the cheek, released her, and turned to leave.

Jenevier appeared in front of him, flames sparkling in her ethereal eyes. He stopped short to keep from running over her, almost toppling in the process. She placed her hands on his chest and pushed, pinning him against the same tree he’d only just used to tease her.

“I’ve never denied my desire for you, Vittorio. I only deny the action, deny myself from acting upon said desire.”

Lifted by her hovering wings, she lightly brushed her lips across his, tauntingly. He trembled. She pressed against him, placed a dainty kiss upon the corner of his mouth, lingering at the spot briefly. The other side received the same tender attention before she kissed him just a bit harder. Their racing heartbeats echoed like thunder through the forest. Jenevier moved as if she were going to kiss him once more, but stopped a fraction before they touched. Taking his bottom lip in her teeth, she gave it a tiny tug, barely a nibble. He moaned. Her mouth fell firm upon his, parting his delicious lips with her tongue. Vittorio was so rattled he forgot to breathe. She didn’t relinquish her vile power over this great warrior until she sensed his sweet surrender. She owned him and he wished it no other way. When he melted as a snowflake upon her warm skin, she released him and flashed a sultry smile.

“Come. We have much work to do, Brother.”

He grabbed a handful of her retreating curls, pulling her back against him.

“Aye, Maiden, tell me. Where’d ye learn such evil as this? How is it ye play with fire an’ expect tae nae get burned?”

She pointed to her one blue curl. “This is not all that remains of the devil I loved.”

“Aye, an’ just who was it that taught my innocent lass tae behave thusly? Was it him? Was it yer devil? Who was the man tae put such wicked games in this lovely little head?”

“Oh, well, yes, Vindicus, for the most part. But you can also thank your brother, Vareilious, for the
fun
part.”

He wrapped his free arm around her, pulling her ever harder against his chest. “What did ye say? Tell me now, my love. Ye did such as this with Vareilious?”

“Nay, Brother, loosen up. Just chill for a minute.”

“Dunnae mimic his vile speech, maiden of my heart. I wish only tae hear
my
words drip from yer lips, wee lass.” He licked her ear. “Speak as I do, nae as he.”