A Lady of the Realm (3 page)

“I don’t want to go,” I said.

I curled on my side, refusing to meet his eyes. I didn’t want to go out with him tonight. It was depressing how he found willing partners so quickly.

“Why?” he asked.

“Go have fun with your groupies,” I said, closing my eyes. “I want to stay in. Maybe order junk food for dinner,” I said.

“Malachi is busy tonight. Do you really wish to stay alone?” he asked.

“Not really. Tell you what, I’ll go home and visit Nola.”

It wasn’t a happy thought. I had my own room here. I didn’t actually spend much time in it but it was big, clean and had every amenity I could’ve wished for. But I rarely slept in it, never had been able to sleep. For years, I blamed it on hunger, on the gnawing pangs that clutched from within. But, it wasn’t hunger. The elf had quickly remedied the food problem. Every room in the house had a mini fridge stocked with vodka and junk food for me.

“If you wish company, invite the witch here. This is your home now,” he said, leaning forward to touch my nose.

“No, it’s not,” I said, opening my eyes to slits.

He told me the same thing every time I mentioned leaving. He wanted me to stay until I had my own home. My room at the boarding house wasn’t a proper place for a Lady. I didn’t argue about leaving most nights. Now what I most craved was sleep, one night of blissful undisturbed sleep.

It happened by accident that I fell asleep in his bed, curled up next to his body, inhaling his scent. It’s always the little things which make a person more attractive.

“What to do?” he asked conjuring a bottle of Absinthe. He unscrewed the cap and took a swig. It was difficult dismissing him when I enjoyed his company. He was fun to hang around with when he wasn’t pissing me off.

I smiled. “You can do whatever you like,” I said softly.

He grunted. “Yes, I can, but I’d rather do it with you,” he said.

“Only because I haven’t caved in to your animal magnetism,” I said stifling a giggle.

He shook his head sorrowfully. “You’re a prejudiced witch,” he said after another swig from his bottle.

“I’m an informed witch.”

He sniffed the air, a small smile gracing his lips.

“I can smell your desire, such a delectable aroma. Why do you suffer when I know you can do otherwise?”

I felt the corner of my mouth inch a fraction. If he only knew how often I thought about the subject. The boys, as I’d been mentally referring to them lately, would certainly do me the favor. When the elf was out for the night, I slept curled up in the half-breed’s arms. He was also the perfect knockout pill. Neither of the boys ever tried anything sexual, which was a nice change from the norm. I liked to sleep.

“Maybe I should …,” I mused.

I slept with people for several reasons. I liked good looking guys to help with my physical itch. I preferred guys with something to offer on most other nights. It’s how I survived the last two years. Without an education or qualifications for a real job, I’d had to hustle.

My recent problem was that ever since my meeting up with the boys, every man acted as if I had leprosy. They would come over, start the small talk, and leave as soon as the elf kissed the nape of my neck or the half-breed rubbed my back. So not fair since no one cared if I groped them.

“I promised several weeks ago it’ll always be as you wish in private,” he whispered. His hand snaked across my stomach, tenderly reaching for my breasts. He was impossible.

“Would you like to stay in?” I asked.

“You plan on entertaining me?” he asked, his eyes glowing violet with the thought.

I swatted his hands away.

“For a seven hundred year old person, you don’t have much patience. I thought we’d had this conversation before,” I said.

“I’m Lord Alek, I don’t need patience. That was, until I met you,” he said flatly.

I rolled my eyes to the ceiling. “If you’re in so much need,” I ignored the burst of anticipation from him. “Let’s go,” I said.

It’d been a rather long time for me. Maybe I’d get lucky tonight. There were bound to be clueless tourists in the bar. I wasn’t born to be celibate, no matter what my mom said. His grin slipped.

“Pizza it is,” he said pushing me back on the bed.

“You don’t want to stay here,” I said.

“Don’t tell me what I want,” he mumbled.

He rose from his seat and walked towards the kitchen counter. Picking up his phone, he dialed the number to the nearest pizza parlor. I heard him place the order for our dinner and snap the phone closed.

“You said you wanted to go,” I said.

“We need to go over the history of allodials.”

He had his back to me, his mind shuttered against any intrusion. I smelled the soft scent of ginger and wondered what that represented. Shrugging my shoulders, I headed to the bathroom for a cold shower. I just didn’t understand the elf at times.

I was done within twenty minutes. I stepped out of the bathroom in a pair of old sweats and raggedy t-shirt. Three large pizzas were on the bar. It was nice when you had rank and money. Everything was just easier. I opened the first box and promptly pushed it aside. I didn’t get the vegetarian thing with him. The remaining pizzas were for me. Every meat on the menu was on the pies. I sighed in bliss.

He handed me a Kamikaze as I sat on a bar stool at the counter. The stereo came to life, the music low in the background. My eyes flitted up to watch him move about the room.

He ignored the food, going to the bathroom for his own shower. I settled down to eating. I needed food, lots of it. The elf said it was because of my blood. He’d tried explaining witch lore, but he wasn’t very knowledgeable on the subject. Every once in a while he’d remember something and spew it out, as if he’d had a brain fart.

He stepped out of the bathroom, and my eyes flickered to him. I choked on my pizza. He’d never before tried seducing me outright. If he had, I might have crumbled like the retaining wall on the Seventeenth Street canal.

He walked towards the bar, patting me on the back to help with the choking, and sat down. He grabbed the pizza box, took a slice out, and began chewing. I stared at his body.

His golden red hair, damp from the shower, was swept back behind his ears. He wore a pair of tight boxer briefs and nothing else. My fingers reached out to touch him, his scars. His body was littered with scars. Long gashes ran down his chest, several raised sections along his ribs were consistent with stab wounds.

“Where did they come from?” I asked as I skimmed my fingers slowly along his skin.

He stilled when I touched him. “Can’t keep track,” he said placing the pizza down.

The biggest one started just above his left nipple and crossed over his entire chest. It was odd, jagged as if placed systematically over different periods. I counted the raised sections until reaching the end. Three.

I didn’t look up when his breath hitched. His body, the marred perfection, had my complete attention. I ran my fingers over other scars, tracing the trajectories over his body. I’d never seen anything so brutal or beautiful.

I stopped the inspection and brought my hand up. The skin was smooth where Malachi had sliced my palm. I didn’t have any scars, now that I thought of it. I healed fast but without proof of any transgression against my flesh.

“I don’t scar,” I said in awe. I was twenty-three years old, and I never wondered why I didn’t have any scars.

“Witches,” he said.

I turned back to my food. I was still ravenous despite having eaten one whole pie by myself. Sasha filled my glass up with another Kamikaze, and I ate in silence.

“As we were discussing earlier, allodials were eliminated in one night,” he said.

“I got that part. Everyone agreed it was a good idea. But the title was never taken off the books … so on and so forth but
why
were they eliminated?” I asked.

“Varying reasons but the common thread was fear,” he said quietly looking at me. “The women became too powerful. At the time, only men were sitting on the council,” he said.

“All allodials were women?” I asked.

“Yes. All allodials were women. By some odd occurrence, and please don’t ask how because it was before my time, they were witches also. The four remaining witch Houses never had a member with the allodial title so they were allowed to live,” he said.

“How many women are sitting on council now?” I asked in confusion.

He snorted and rocked back. “Sitting as we speak is one. Lady Maria, House of Sangria has ruled Region Five for the last fifty years. She’s a shrewd woman. By the end of the year, there will be two. Lady Katherine is scheduled to gain Region One,” he said.

“So I’ll be the third most powerful woman in the Realm?” I asked.

“Yes, you will,” he said with a smile.

I stared down at my hands, focusing on my question. “Why are you willing to place me in such a position?”

He smiled and touched my cheek lightly. “I like you. You haven’t lied to me, yet. Besides, as far as the public and law are concerned, I may kill you whenever I wish,” he said.

“Nice to know,” I grumbled.

He laughed, mussing up my hair. “Why do you trust me?” he asked with a smile.

“’Cause I have to,” I said swatting at his hand.

He stood up, picking up the empty pizza boxes, and turned his back towards me. I sat back, leaning the stool on its two back legs. He wiped the counter with a cloth and placed his hands on the counter. He wasn’t looking at me when he spoke.

“Why won’t you sleep with me?”

I stifled the snort that threatened to escape. He was good at getting answers. I settled the stool on the floor and gave the question considerable thought. You’d think it would be an easy question to answer. We were essentially business associates and generally, I wouldn’t have a problem with the idea. The elf was a walking wet dream. I stared at his bent head as I formulated a suitable answer.

“I’ve never had a friend like you before. I like it. I like you,” I said.

There was no point lying. I wanted his trust so I gave him my honesty. Besides, he’d smell any lie, and then question me about it.

My mom swore my witch blood detached me from human emotions. I used sex as a … commodity. But, I liked him. I didn’t have to guard my words or thoughts around him. He accepted me, and it was nice.

The elf wasn’t just a useful ally any longer. He was my friend, and friends were harder to maintain if you fucked them. At least that’s what I gathered from my observations of the humans. I didn’t have friends because my observations also found that friends tended to be needy.

He turned around, his head tilted to the side. “You don’t say?” he grinned.

“Weird huh?” I said smiling broadly.

“I’ve never tried having a friend from the opposite sex. It’s a novel idea. How much do you like me?” he asked, coming forward, his eyes blazing with mischief.

I ran my hand up his broad chest thinking. “I think it’s that sugary smell from your pores I like, you slut.” He made a jabbing motion towards his chest, and I giggled. “Tell you what, keep it in your pants for two weeks, and we’ll discuss your rewards,” I said coming to a decision.

Two weeks should be long enough for him to forget about it. I was just a challenge. But, if I couldn’t find a damn man in two weeks, I’d use him like a toy. He wouldn’t mind.

“Fourteen days?” He gasped in true horror. “Can I count the last two evenings?”

“You’re funny.”

He was an elf. I asked for the zebra to change its stripes. At least he wouldn’t broach the subject again for fourteen days. I needed to get out and find a man soon.

Sasha took my hand and pulled me to my feet. He walked to the couch where he promptly fell in the corner. I huddled up on my side, a throw on my legs. He loved musicals; flicking the remote to the widescreen, some corny movie started.

“Come lay your head, pet,” he said indicating his lap.

I scooted closer, laying my head on his lap. My arms encircled his waist, and I inhaled deeply. His fingers played with my hair, smoothing it back away from my face. Elves and their aphrodisiac scent were impossible to describe. Everything I loved emitted from his skin: chocolate chip cookies, a salty ocean breeze, chicory coffee, coconut suntan lotion, I snuggled closer my tongue licking him softly.

Energy coursed through my body as I continued to inhale. Relaxed, sated, and tired from today’s lesson, I drifted to sleep. The last moment of clarity vanished when his lips pressed my temple with a chaste kiss.

Chapter Three
:
Fat Tuesday

Fat Tuesday had finally arrived. I glared at the foot traffic streaming underneath the balcony. The men guzzling on a beer bong were Exhibit Number One. Anyone walking around with his body hair braided and not cowering in shame was here for a party. The women baring their breasts for the cheap plastic beads thrown to them were Exhibit Number Two. I think there should be an age limit, possibly a weight limit also, on anyone wanting to show off her prized hooters.

“Why do you want to go?” Sasha asked.

I took a sip of the drink in my hands. The sweet, citrus vodka cocktail slid down effortlessly. “It’s Mardi Gras,” I said.

I didn’t throw a temper tantrum when Sasha told me to come home early last night. I did throw a glass when he suggested, rather strongly, that I needed to stay in today. I wanted to go to the club. I like bartending large events. Plus, I was tired of being cooped up in the mansion with no one to talk to and nothing to do.

“I can’t believe you would rather work than talk to me,” he said. He was behind me; his breath teasing the nape of my neck as his tongue skimmed the surface of my skin. His hands came up and cupped my breasts, fingers pinching my nipples softly.

“We’ve got tonight,” I said.

“Are you sure you won’t reconsider?” he asked.

I ignored him, the subject, and the intoxicated tourists playing leapfrog on the street, in favor of getting dressed.

I donned my favorite work attire for the evening. Black jeans, a white t-shirt and biker boots with the cushy gel inserts for comfort. Sasha had given up trying to persuade me to stay. He ushered me out the door instead. I planned on working until midnight if I didn’t inadvertently kill anyone in the process.