Flight (26 page)

“
Let go of me!”

“
You don’t understand how important this is. You can’t just walk away from me. You have to be with me now.”

“
I don’t have to do anything.”

“
Give me a chance to explain more, to show you.”

“
I gave you that chance inside.” I gestured to the door we just walked through.

“
Let me show you more of my people, introduce you, make you see how important you are.”

“
Why would I do that?”

“
Because you’re a good person. Because even if you hate me, you don’t hate Hailey and you sure as hell don’t hate the city of New Orleans.”

“
Why would being together affect New Orleans?”

“
It means everything. Without you, my family’s reign ends and the headquarters likely moves—taking everything with it. Do you really want to see New Orleans robbed of more? Like Katrina wasn’t enough.”

“
Shut up!” Well aware of people watching us I continued. “Don’t compare me leaving to a hurricane!”

“
There is so much you don’t understand. New Orleans needs us. Please let me show you. If you still don’t want anything to do with us afterwards, we’ll figure something else out, but at least give me one night to prove it to you.”

“
One night?”

“
Yes. Just one night.”

“
Fine. One night and then you find a way to let me leave.”

Levi smiled slightly with relief. “Good.”

We walked the rest of the way back to the hotel in silence. I hobbled painfully but refused Levi’s attempts to help me. I knew that he kept looking over at me but I avoided his eyes, I was afraid of what effect it would have on me. I already had to fight the urge to slip my hand into his. He wasn’t exaggerating the physical attraction.

About to head to the front entrance, I stopped when Levi called my name. “I’ll see you soon, I’ll have Hailey give you all the details.”

“
Details? What kind of night is this?”

Levi smiled broadly. “Just wait and see. All I’ll tell you is that it’s a party.” He took advantage of my surprise to kiss me lightly on the cheek before walking away.

Chapter
Twenty

“
I won’t even ask how you got into my room without me.” Pushing the door closed behind me, I immediately noticed Hailey sprawled out on my couch.

“
So how’d it go?” Hailey asked. She put aside her copy of People magazine. Hailey really had such a weakness for celebrity gossip.

“
Do you even need to ask?”

“
It couldn’t have been that bad, right?”

“
He said he needed one night to convince me to stay. After that, if I want to leave he’ll find a way to make it happen.”

“
One night? Did he mention which night?”

“
He told me you would give me the details but that it’s a party.”

“
Oh.” Hailey seemed to be contemplating what I said for a minute. “Oh! I bet I know what he’s thinking.”

“
What?”

“
Hmm, I need to find out for sure. I’ll be back.” Hailey got up and headed to the door.

“
Great.”

As I waited for Hailey to get back, I decided to call Dad. I hadn’t checked in with him since the dinner with Levi and thought I should at least try. The call went to voicemail after a few rings. I thought about calling my mom, but I didn’t know what to tell her until I had a better idea of my new plans.

Hailey was gone longer than I expected. I turned on the TV, but daytime channel surfing can only keep you busy for so long.

Right as I was about to give up and head down to the lobby, Hailey burst back into my room. “I was right. You need a dress.”

I turned off the TV. “Excuse me? I have plenty of dresses. What did you have in mind?”

Hailey was already one step ahead of me. She ran into my room, and I followed her. She quickly flipped through my dresses in the closet. “Okay, nothing works.”

“
What do you mean? What’s wrong with what I have?”

“
They’re not formal enough,” she explained.

“
Formal? What kind of party is this?” I walked back out to crash on the couch.

“
Okay, promise you won’t get upset.”

“
Not a chance I’m promising that.”

Hailey cracked a small smile. “Okay, I figured that much, so at least promise not to be upset with me.”

“
Fine. I’ll save my anger for Levi.”

“
Well, it’s kind of like an engagement party.”

“
An engagement party? Why would that upset me?” Then I thought about what she was saying. “Hold on, whose engagement party?”

“
Yours.” She looked down at the ground.

“
No way. No freaking way.”

“
Remember, no taking it out on me.”

“
Levi has to be the most infuriating man on the planet. He tells me to give him one night like it’s nothing, and it’s an engagement party!”

“
It’s not exactly an engagement party because you guys are more than engaged, but you get the idea.”

“
You don’t actually think I’m going to this, right?”

“
I know it seems awful, but what other choice do you have?”

“
I should just leave.”

“
Yeah and get kidnapped again? Levi has lots of bad traits but he does keep his word. If he says that he’ll find a way for you to leave afterwards, then he’s serious. Why not suck it up and do it? If by the end of the night, you’re not convinced then it’s over.”

“
Does this mean we’re going shopping?” I asked.

“
Yes! It’s going to be so much fun.”

Hailey’s celebration was cut short as her cell phone rang. “Hello? Oh, hi. Sure, I’ll ask her.”

“
Who’s that?” I mouthed.

“
I’ll have to call you back.” She hung up the phone.

“
How do you feel about meeting Levi’s mom?”

“
Why would I want to do that?”

“
Because she’s downstairs waiting to come up to talk to you. She’s really a nice woman. Too bad she didn’t rub off on Levi enough.”

“
She’s downstairs now?” I gasped.

“
Yeah. Should I call back and tell her to come up?”

“
Do I really have a choice?”

“
Probably not.”

“
All right then.” This kept getting worse.

I went to the bathroom to splash water on my face as I waited for Hailey to return the phone call. Looking at myself in the mirror, I cringed. Exhaustion wasn’t a good look on me.

A light rap on the door let me know she had arrived. Hailey got the door while I smoothed out my t-shirt. For some insane reason I cared about what she thought of me.

A beautiful and petite brunette walked in. “Hailey, would you give us some time?”

“
Sure, Mrs. Laurent.” Hailey gave me an apologetic look before slipping out of the room.

I stepped towards her and held out a hand. “It’s nice to meet you Mrs. Laurent.”

She shook my hand lightly before pulling me in for a hug. “Call me Helen. We’re going to be family after all.”

I stiffened and pulled away.

“
Why don’t we sit down?” she suggested, taking a seat on one side of the couch. I sat down on the other side and looked at her.

“
Helen, I appreciate you taking the time to speak with me, but I don’t know if you are aware of what is actually going on with me and your son.”

“
You mean he didn’t trick you into entering into a bonding you were unaware of?”

“
Well, yes,” I admitted.

“
I am well aware of what my birdbrain of a son did to you.”

I tried not to laugh at the use of the term “birdbrain.” How fitting.

“
I’m not here to defend him. I only want to tell you my story and maybe answer some of your questions. I am sure you have plenty.”

She was right, I had tons of questions and she seemed harmless enough. “All right.”

“
You aren’t the first human woman to fall victim to a Pteron royal.” She paused, looking to make sure I followed. “I was a few years older than you when it happened, but I trust the experience wasn’t too different.”

“
Okay.” She had me intrigued.

“
I’m not sure what you have been told, but you are incredibly important to our people now.”

“
I gathered that, but how so?”

Helen lifted her left hand revealing an identical ruby ring. “Each heir to the throne gets one of these rings. Once the ring is given and the relationship consummated he can never be with another.”

“
What do you mean, can’t be with another? What’s to stop him?”

“
Honor. Power. The knowledge that New Orleans would suffer another great hardship.”

“
I don’t follow.”

“
Our family only retains power if we continue to have an heir. An heir can only be born from the king, or future king, and his mate. The ring marks the mate, which is why the ring can never be removed. If Levi steps out on you in the slightest, he forfeits it all.”

“
But what does this have to do with hurting New Orleans?”

“
If our family loses control, the seat of power moves to where the next leading family lives. If the seat moves so does the entire base of the supernatural community. We’re talking a lot of money and influence—things our city can’t afford to lose. ”

“
You’re trying to tell me that if I don’t have an heir with Levi, the power structure changes completely?”

“
Yes. Of course, no one is expecting you to have a child now. It’s enough that there is a potential. Levi’s father and I were together for years before having him.”

“
Oh, but what if you, well, what if you couldn’t have a child?”

“
If a woman wasn’t able to carry a Pteron child for him he wouldn’t select her. It’s a simple matter of survival instinct.”

I didn’t think there was anything simple about it. The conversation was making me sick. I didn’t like being in the same room with Levi, so talking about having a baby with him was way too much.

“
I know this is all a lot to take in, but you must remember that you don’t have to act on anything immediately. We are only asking you to stay in the city so we can keep you safe and to keep up appearances.”

Wow. Talk about bluntness. “Keep up appearances?”

“
I realize how that must sound to you, but it’s essential that we don’t set off any panic. If anyone were to think a power shift was possible, it could set off a war or worse. Trust me, it wouldn’t be pretty.”

I didn’t dare ask what could be worse than a war.

“
So you want me to stay in New Orleans and pretend to be your son’s girlfriend?”

“
I’d rather you not pretend, but maybe the two of you just need time. I believe that eventually you will forgive him and realize how right you are for each other. You wouldn’t have been drawn to each other if you weren’t. Not to mention that he needs you. He needs a woman who will stand up to him and force him to be the best man he can be.”

“
You make it sound so easy, like it’s nothing.”

“
I certainly don’t mean to. I only want to spare you from repeating my own mistakes.”

“
What do you mean?”

“
I wasn’t tricked the way you were, but I still didn’t understand. Robert told me that intimacy after accepting the ring would bind us forever, but I didn’t really think about what forever meant. When we got into our first fight, I rushed out of the city back to my family home, much as you tried to do. Only, I lived closer and I actually arrived.” Helen looked wistful.

“
What happened?”

“
Suffice to say I was followed back and my sister was the one to pay. But that’s a story for another day.”

Noting the sadness on Helen’s face, I didn’t press for more details, but I could tell the story didn’t have a happy ending. I hadn’t even considered that my family could be at risk. How could I leave my mom vulnerable? It felt like the walls were closing in on me.