A knock at the door made her jump, a rush of gooseflesh running up both arms. Grabbing for
her purse Alex eased the door open hoping this was the food arriving.
Her heart was in her throat, she was unaccountably scared of facing a male who took her
breath away. With a sigh of relief, taking several bags from the nodding man at her door, she
held out payment and a large tip. Leaning against the closed door a savoury aroma wafted
from the bags in her hand. At least she would get to eat a delicious meal if her date failed to
materialise. “Do I have to beat it to death before we eat?”
A husky whisper at her back brought Alex’s head round to meet laughing eyes.
“Nope, that nice man did it for you.” She whispered back, a shiver running down her spine.
Teague had been given free access to her home. Why had she expected him to do the
normal thing and knock at the door? Hefting the bags onto the breakfast bar, she began
to unload every delicious morsel under watchful eyes. Indicating he sit on a high stool Alex
laid out each dish, placing chopsticks at the side of her plate.
“Do you want a glass of wine? I have red or white.” Head buried in the fridge shyness
enveloped her. They had spent hours together at concerts. But somehow this night held
out more than an eager enjoyment of music.
Teague noted that the nape of her neck was bare. The soft peach tint of naked skin drew
his eyes. Aingeal had held herself aloof from the males. His intent was to find the reason
for a distancing that held them locked in a battle of wills to win the Angel of Edanholme as
a mate. He doubted he would be the one to win her love, but he was compelled to try for
the sake of his sanity. Every minute spent from her side, Teague was in a world of purgatory.
A soft smile, swift in appearance invaded his dreams. Fathomless sapphire eyes glowing
with pleasure when he grasped the meaning of patient instructions in using the speaking
device she called an I-Phone was worth the effort he expended in having a tenuous
connection to Aingeal.
His previous life as the Bard of the Sovereign Court had been a nightmare of pain.
The Bard had denied Istirina, the previous Queen, his body. That denial placed him in the
hands of the torturer too often for his clouded mind to accept. Enduring endless and
diverse ways to undermine a refusal to go willingly to a bed that spelt further degradation,
he had retreated into himself. The serenity of a bland countenance led the nobles of the
court to assume he had lost his wits.
Distant and coldly uncommunicative, the bemusement on a noble visage hid a rage in his
heart at the betrayal of all the love and companionship denied any male tied to a court as
depraved as hell itself. The first time he had laid eyes on a tiny female with more allure in
sparkling blue eyes than Istirina could ever hope for in a body as voluptuous and decadent
as sin itself, his heart was lost to a human. The warriors had been warned that a seemingly
harmless female could and would wreak havoc, using a siren song to tempt them all into a
display of peacocking males. It had been disproved. Aingeal was generous with her time.
Her smiles were shy, not provocative. Indeed for any female to stay as pure as she in the
vicinity of Sidhe warriors was a testament to the regard the Angel of Edanholme had
acquired in securing a home for the dispossessed. Bringing his head back to the question
at hand, Teague bided his time.
“Red would suit me.” Inspecting the dishes, he could find no reason for the two sticks laid
side by side at Aingeal’s plate.
“Why do you have twigs with your food?” A frown marred his brow.
“They’re chopsticks.” Her laugh was deep and throaty.
“I’ll show you how to use them, if you ask nicely.” Pouring two glasses of Shiraz, Alex placed
them on the counter. Sitting across from Teague, she took the chopsticks from his fingers.
“I ask nicely.” He murmured, eyes lingering on the delicate column of an exposed neck.
With expert ease Alex delved into deep fried crispy beef, offering the first bite to a curious
male. “Less messy than fingers...”
Her heart skipped a beat as his mouth closed around the food on offer.
“Spare ribs you have to eat with your fingers. Sticky and sweet, they’re worth every mouthful
even if you become glued to the counter top.” Placing finger bowls and tissues at hand, she
took a sip of wine.
Teague was enraptured, taking a taste from each dish he kept going back to the ribs.
White teeth gnawing on bone, she realised this was what the warriors had become used to
before Cat had freed them from the prison of the Sovereign Court. Living as animals, they fed
as nature dictated. Alex knew all the alternate forms of the warriors except Teague’s. She’d
plucked up the courage to ask Kynthelig outright. His alter ego was the most beautiful, amber
furred lynx, with glowing yellow eyes. The Bard had never shifted in all the time she had spent
at Edanholme.
“Why did you ask me to have a meal with you?” The question was blunt, straight to the point.
She wanted an answer to the conundrum of a male who had been courteous but distant in
all the time they had spent together, except for today. This evening together was way out of
character, Teague always waited for her to make the first move.
Rinsing his fingers in a bowl of fragrant water, the Bard hesitated before answering.
His primary reason would cause conflict or repudiation in the eyes of Aingeal, he wished to
enjoy more of her smiles before she crushed his desires to dust.
“I thought to bring you news of the waif, safe from the ears of my kin. Not all the Sidhe
are as tolerant as we could wish.” Playing with the chopsticks, the Bard had the grace to
acknowledge the failings of his kind.
Alex nearly fell off her seat, today was a ground breaking event. Teague was beginning to
see the light at the end of the tunnel. God forbid he should relax enough to wear anything
other than Sidhe regalia… The sarcastic thought ran through her head, but wasn’t uttered
aloud in case he retreated behind familiar icy walls.
“You thought right…. I’m dying to know what happened.” Elbows braced on the counter top
she propped her chin on both hands. “Go on… I’m all ears.”
She chuckled at the confusion on his face.
“I am extremely interested in your news… Is that better?” Sometimes colloquialisms drifted
right over his head.
“Aye tis more intelligible…” His grin was wicked. The Bard knew exactly what she meant.
“Just tell me Teague.” Shaking her head, Alex loved his humour but every so often it made
her want to scream in frustration.
Laying down the chopsticks he emulated her pose, leaning over until they were inches apart,
a scant breath away from touching.
“First I wish to applaud thy quick wittedness in diffusing what could have been an ugly scene.
Many of the dispossessed lived through the vampire wars. They have no love for the blood
lusting creatures of the Dark Court…”
Alex held up a hand to stop him. It was her turn to be confused.
“Don’t they know Cat’s a vampire, that she is also the Queen of their
enemies?”
Teague actually grimaced, an expression that made him even more endearing.
“The subject has never arisen. Neither myself nor my brother enforcers have the authority
to disclose the Queen’s business.”
A shout of laughter rocked the stool beneath Alex, tears brimming on her lashes she
clamped a hand across her mouth. “I’m sorry…”
Sniffing back tears of unrestrained mirth, she choked back another laugh.
“But that’s priceless. I so want to be there when her true form is revealed, in fact I’ll be
the first to buy a ticket.” Biting at fingertips to stifle any further outbursts under the steady
gaze of the Bard her shoulders shook.
“Are you finished…?” The tone was astringent but the smile in his eyes as he passed her a
tissue showed nothing but chagrin. In truth he would also wish to be a witness to the
revelation of a sister to the Fates. Only the enforcers of the sovereign court had knowledge
of the Lore concerning the true nature embodied by the living deities of the Fae dimensions.
Each and every Goddess was a vampire…
Alex managed to nod, taking a sip of wine to still a fit of hiccups.
“The waif Ameia is the issue of hybrid Sidhe and renegade vampire. It appears not all of
Iscatya’s subjects were subdued by an infusion of her life essence. Many of the blood
drinkers dwell in the human realm, taking sustenance from any being with Sidhe heritage.
It appears the female is part human, Sidhe and vampire. It is possible she is older than an
adolescent form suggests, eyes of ancient suffering tell a different tale.” Misty lilac eyes
held hers with a suggestion of dread.
“Aingeal the waif is dangerous… She has the power to cross dimensions.” Reaching out to
push a stray wisp of hair behind her ear, long fingers trailed over Alex’s cheek with a wash
of reassurance.
“The female is starved… In desperation she sought aid from the Dark Dimension. The request
for help denied, due to the changes imbued by the Queen’s blood. The prince regent offered
shelter whilst he contacted Iscatya. The waif chose not to wait at the Queen’s pleasure by
taking the location of Edanholme directly from Phillipe’s mind…” Twining his fingers with
Aingeal’s the Bard stroked her wrist in a soothing rhythm in an effort to ease the panic in
her eyes.
“Iscatya is safe Lady Alex. She has re-directed the young one’s hunger to align with the new
breed, food will sustain her body now. The danger we feared has come to pass. We, the
enforcers have a further task, to hunt down the rogue vampires as we strive to save their
prey.” Using one finger Teague tipped Alex’s chin until she had no choice but look directly
into his eyes. What she saw was fear, fear for her.
“Iscatya knows the direction of thy thoughts Aingeal, is aware you plan to leave Edanholme.”
A gasp left her lips. Alex had forgotten how sneaky her friend could be.
“Tis not a wise move at present, thy bodyguard may be called away at a moment’s notice.”
The Bard had paved the way to reveal the sole reason to isolate Aingeal.
Suspicion and the shadow of pain darkened sapphires eyes to pools of despair.
“No… I am not submitting to being a prisoner in Edanholme because some damn vampire
shows up on the doorstep. I’ve managed to take care of myself for years. I have no trace of
Sidhe heritage in my blood. That makes me safe.” Shaking her head, Alex pulled free of his
hand. She knew without a shadow of doubt whom the appointed bodyguard would be, her
willpower wasn’t strong enough to cope with Teague monitoring her moves night and day.
She would crack under the strain.
“Can you be absolutely sure Aingeal…?” He posed a question she couldn’t answer with any
degree of certainty. Alex had been stolen from her parents, along with who knows how many
more innocent babies, to feed an illegal adoption agency.
That was the sum total of information revealed after an exhaustive search, the same day
she had learnt to use a computer. She hadn’t stopped the search even though there were
no leads to her birth parents. For all she knew a part of her heritage could be Sidhe.
It would be amusing to think so after she had denounced the Fae as arrogant asses, her
luck just wasn’t that good.
Locking her gaze on the Bard’s serene face, her eyes were narrowed, pinning him down.
“Tell me the truth Lord Teague why did you want to talk to me?” Every hair on her arms
was raised in a rash of gooseflesh, she had an idea where the answer would lie and still she
insisted on the truth.
“Your life would be sacred under the protection of the enforcers. My brothers and I wish
to know why you are reluctant to commit to a mating.?”
A breath of cool air washed Alex’s super-heated skin. He had been appointed spokesman
for the warriors. Disappointment at the spurious invitation he had held out coloured her
voice with growing disappointment.
“That’s it? The reason you wanted my company was to find out who I would choose to be
mated to?” Anger at being led into a minefield she had skirted for so long held her on the
verge of violence. Slapping the chopsticks onto the floor Alex walked away from the breakfast
bar to pull long drapes over the balcony windows.
“I don’t want witnesses to the fight we are going to have right now.” Pacing the floor her heart
pounded at the need to scream and shout out her desire for the one being who was beyond
a limited human self.
“I choose no-one. The reason for my reluctance to take on a relationship that is doomed to
disaster is the fact that I’m human, with all the frailties and limited life span of my kind.
To commit to a mating with a warrior of the Sidhe would mean I grow old as you stay young.
As much as love you all, I cannot live a life that would leave me heartbroken.” Heart break
touched her now. She wanted to be loved by Teague. Her head ruled, it was a dream she
didn’t really want to live if it meant she would age and die before his eyes.
Her heart wanted him for a day if it would assuage the longing in her soul.
“Any one of us is able to age with you, be a mate throughout your life.” The Bard offered a
sop to her distress. Well-meaning in his intent he made her angrier than ever.
“I would know the difference. I can’t live with the fear that my aging would disgust a mate.”
Vividly alive and vibrant, Alex epitomised the true beauty of immortality.
“Aye, I see why you would not want to be bound to a male who would outlive you.” Violet
eyes sparked with the flames of desire.
“Although a true mate would be with you until the midnight of your life, passing over to the
next plane of existence in your wake.” Holding out his hands palm up Teague entreated her
to listen to his words.
Alex shook her head in denial.
“That’s awful. Giving up a long life for a human is worse than having no mate at all...”
Tears streamed down her cheeks at the thought of him lying down to die without reason.
“Is it not more awful to deny yourself the joy of friendship and love for what little time
remains on this earth? If the choice were mine, I would grasp at the chance for happiness
with both hands. I would gladly be with you for a short span of years, than not have
you
at all.” He closed the distance between them in two long strides.
“I wish you to be my mate Aingeal.” He enunciated each word with husky desire.
Lifting wide eyes to his face, Alex was bowled over by Teague’s admission. Truthfully she
hadn’t expected this. She’d imagined Turi was using the Bard as a proxy for his sometimes
heavy handed overtures.
Cupping her face in a gentle grip, the Bard became anxious at her silence.
“I have made a mistake and frightened you with the intensity of my wishes.”
Shaking her head, glistening tears ran over the soft curves of Alex’s cheeks.
“No…” She whispered. “Not frightened, more like surprised.” Blinking away useless tears,
she smiled, radiance highlighting the crystal blue depths of guileless eyes.
“I thought you were going to extol Turi’s virtues…”
A soft growl of denial brushed her face.
“The bear has many virtues. None that I would be happy to expound at the sake of losing
the chance to have you for myself.”
Leaning down to place his lips on hers, Teague laid a soft kiss on a trembling mouth.
Alex was overwhelmed by the scent of Christmas. The taste of mulled wine, cloves and
cinnamon assaulted her senses in a wave of arousal that reached every cell in her body.
Practicality and common sense fought the waves of desire rocking the stability of a resolve
to stand apart from the longing in her heart to be one with Teague.
“This is so wrong... You are too much the Sidhe noble to be mated to a human.” Reality of
an ill-fated mating that would demean his bloodlines made Alex tear herself from a kiss she
had craved endlessly.
“I’m not fit to be your mate. I’m not pure. I’m unable to bear children.” A derisive laugh left
her lips as she walked away from a love that promised to be more intense than any emotion
she had ever felt.
“Not that any child from me would be a blessing to the Fae.” Her eyes ran over the calm
face of an erstwhile lover, every beat of a thudding heart tried to push him further away.
A frown built over Teague’s face. Being rejected by Aingeal was not unexpected.
The reasons for that rejection made him more determined to win her love.