Betrayal (30 page)

I reached up and kissed his cheek.  He leaned his head over and whispered, “You look beautiful today.”

I smiled into his cheek and kissed it once more.  “Thank you.  Now go dance with you mother.  She is staring at us.”

He looked her way, smiled wide like a wonderful son would, and stepped back from me.  Her beautiful raven hair was up and framing her sweet face.  Her mind may be erased, but she was happy nonetheless.  He took my hand in the air and kissed it like the charming knight in shining armor that he was. 

“Does she still not know that you are her son?”

“I’ve told her, but she doesn’t remember that so much as she at least knows that I was someone she cherished.”

He’s used so many non-manly words for Pike lately.  I had a feeling I wouldn’t see much more from him in the future unless a chance happening with him alone and a topic like this arises.  Ones I would avoid.

“Go, go!” I pushed his arm gently and he turned back on the bad boy charm he showed in front of others.  Ian had watched this entire display.  I’d kept my mind open for him to hear and knew he’d listened without blocking.  To know he’d soon be able to read them without effort on my part was scary. 

Several times I felt his secret glance wash over me and back again while I was not beside him attached at the hip.

As he moved towards me after kissing his mother’s hand like Pike had just done, I watched in silent admiration for the umpteenth time at the amazing way he looked in the hunter green tails tux he wore with the sword at the side.  He was so tantalizing hot I sometimes wondered how I’d been so lucky as to snatch him. 

“Hello hotness,” I crooned as he sauntered towards me with a definite teasing swagger in his step.  He offered a delicious smile meant only for me and let on a promise of what was to come. 

“I believe that is “Your Royal Hotness to you.”

Huff!  “I believe that is Your Royal Pompous....”

“I see a punishment coming soon to my queen.”

“Bring it on!”  I was standing in a fighting stance amongst the ruffles of my skirt and holding my hands out like the great chase was about to begin.  A low growl began to rise in his chest as he grabbed my arms and twisted me against his own chest.  His breath was warm against my ear.  My own breathe hitched and I pulled my chest up tighter to hold in the excitement. 

“I am ready to take my bride for her punishment.”

He was so-so....

“Then take me!”  I challenged licking my lips nervously.  His eyes flashed and he immediately looked away.  His growl grew, his hands gripped harder.  I separated my teeth and watched his do the same. I held and watched it make a fluttering current forcing his eyes to close and open again.  They were glowing.  I tossed my head around, but not a soul was looking.  “Too bad you have to wait till after the dinner.”

“Who says?” Ian’s growl mixed with his words.

“I say.”

Sarah’s voice sounded distant to me until I realized she was standing right beside me.  “My queen,” she bowed giving me the knowing look she knew I was flustered.  “My king,” she bowed to Ian.  That was strangely exciting, but not from my closest friends.  “You are needed at the table now.”

She bowed to both of us and left with crimson red plastered all over her pretty face. 

“Saved.  For now.”

I sizzled at the possibilities.

The dinner was fantastic.  The laughter was contagious.  The growing excitement inside my belly was unbearable.  I was beyond acting all seductive and flirtatious now, I WAS SCARED!

The dinner ended and everyone clapped as the two of us stood to make our leave.  We walked through the court as dozens of Fey lined the walls to lead us to our marriage chambers known as our room. 

I’d asked Tren to inquire to others who would know a million more times if it really was sealed with protections of privacy.  She assured me that Lazyra and Altheon had made it so and checked it several times over at my own request.  He said that a powerful magic hovers over our bedroom.  No one can break through it.  Lazyra’s gift to us.  Privacy!

We walked into the room like a paraded set of clowns and when the door finally closed my mouth was dry and my heart was racing.  I watched the door not knowing where else to look giving the room barely a glance.  Something in the room was different, but my mind was elsewhere. Of course, he knew my fear despite my playful attitude of late.  I just stood and stared.  His body was closer to me now.  I knew because his heat radiated from anywhere semi close to me.  The heat between us was hotter than the candle burning on the table across the room.  I knew it was there, I could smell it.  Fabric moved around and shifted.  His hands were on my shoulders now. 

“Turn around,” he whispered hoarsely.

With my eyes closed and my body shaking I pivoted my feet to stand directly opposite from where I was.  He wasn’t behind me when I opened my eyes. 

Red!  Red, green, yellow, pink and every color rose petals covered the entire floor and bed and everywhere I could see.   His thumb brushed my bare shoulder and I tensed knowing his shirt had dissipated.  I felt so foolish for being nervous. 

“A bath or shower.”  Was he asking or telling? 

He didn’t wait for my answer.  His warm hand fell against mine and tugged my fingers towards the huge tub and five man shower that I’d admired for over a year now. The cords in his neck flexed and danced before me.   The candle burned on.

Letting someone see me so exposed and open was like giving someone a knife to cut open my heart and look inside.  Essentially, that is what I was doing.  And he me!

The night was like a magic all its own.  I would never feel as amazing as I felt with Ian in the amount of raw feelings he’d made me privy too.  I was bound to him and him to me. 

And then the other reality hit me as I stood here in the shower sensing the heat rise around me like a sauna.  I was marked and every male eye who looked at me today would know it.  Ugh!

But the other result would surpass the downside.  I no longer hated the idea of Ian reading me so well.  After what he made me feel in the last twelve hours, I couldn’t imagine not being able to keep myself open to feel that again. It wasn’t that it was a helpless feeling, it was like an awareness.  The stroke of his fingers against my shoulder now sent sensations of pure excitement, what was to come.  Yes, the nervous tension was there, but it changed.  It was anticipation and adoration all mixed into an intimate picture of bliss and contentment.  Everyone would know, no
probably already do
know I feel that way too.  I knew the powers they said would come, came to me now, and would for all of my life.

***

Breakfast was served in our room.  It was there when we surfaced out of the bathroom in the late part of the morning.  The incredible smell of fresh baked bread filled the room as well as freshly squeezed oranges. 

A table was placed in the room with two chairs that weren’t there before.  I blushed at the thought that someone had been in our room while we were locked in the bathroom.  We
were
married.

“Who did this?” I had to know.  I tried to control the warm cheeks that surfaced.  I sat carefully in the silver silk robe I’d had since moving here a year ago.

“Tren.”

Oh!  Good! I was distracted helplessly at Ian sitting only in his boxers with his wet hair falling in his left eye as he sat down across from me. Would he always wear so little in here?

Ian nodded. 

Help me now!

I cleared my throat erasing my thoughts by shutting my eyes tight for a second.  When I opened them, he was grinning all impish and cute in the same way.

I could feel the desire rise in me.  Geez!  Ian could tell too. 

“These powers are definitely stronger.”  I couldn’t stop my palpitating heart.

“Yes, they are.”  His smirk widened.

I stared at his rock hard chest that severely distracted me still, “Do you think you could put on more clothes?”

Ian chuckled under his breath and reached for the black jeans hung at the front of his side of the closest that Tren had spent the last week rearranging. 

I heard the buckle and zip and saw him come around me to sit again.  The powers were stronger and I could feel his desire over everything else since the wedding. 

I looked him over only able to see his backside.  I mumbled really low, “Like that’s gonna help me behave either.”

He stinking laughed under his breath again.  I couldn’t read all of his thoughts though, only snippets here and there as if they were as sporadic as my own.  And they
were
dangerously similar to my own.

“These powers are going to be the death of me.”

“Oh, death isn’t what I had in mind,” Ian’s voice was deep and low.    I thought of every scar on his body and where they were.  I knew them all now.  I love knowing that the scar on the back of his left thigh is from falling on his own knife once when he and Pike were playing around as boys.  The scar just below his stomach was a slice wound from sparring with one of his new recruits long before I was born even.  And the scars on his ribs, chest.  They were because he would do anything to protect me.

“No, cuz’ I know what’s in your mind now.”

Ian laughed full out this time.  “And you don’t like it?”

I recanted, “No, I’ve changed my mind on that part, but it does have its certain disadvantages.”

“Only if you see it that way,” he said wryly and took the bread in his hands and broke off a piece for me.  I saw the steam lifting in the air from it sending its yeasty aroma all around. 
Mmm!

“Okay, good point.  However am I to accept that others know what we’ve been doing and face them?”

He smiled down at me, something flashing in his eyes.  He was so ape man sometimes.  I tried to be embarrassed about it, but somehow that part was complimentary.  “I rather think that’s the part I like the most.”

“You would, you’re the man.”

“And you are ashamed?” his eyes were still on the bread as he buttered his own now.  I held mine in the air and watched him.  He didn’t like the idea of me being embarrassed.

“No, that’s not it at all.  I just think what I do with my husband is my business.”

“Agreed, but the knowing can’t be helped.  All manner of creatures procreate, Grace.”

He still hadn’t looked at me.  “That’s not what I’d call it, but—never mind.” Frustration settled in.  Who says
procreate
?

Now,
now
his eyes found mine.  “The fact that we were completely happy doing what every other married couple do— all night long— shouldn’t embarrass you.  I am aware that I am a guy and I am very aware that you are a girl.”  My already burning cheeks lit on fire.  “But for others to know we did the most amazing things to each other last night and allowed that to happen is more like a shout out that you are mine and no one else will have you.”

Oh, that is what he worried that I thought.  Men really are from the Mars kind of thinking and just when I think I get him, I don’t.  I whispered the words separated by spaces of air, “I want everyone to know you’re
mine
.”

“That’s all I want.”

All?  “Then no more talking to those girls who try to talk to you all the time when I’m not around,” I sounded jealous and immature but I wanted my say in the “mine” matters.

His smile reached up to his eyes with certain scary look that he often displayed elsewhere, but never me, “As well for you.”

He had a valid point.  He meant Kin and Pike.  That wouldn’t be a problem, I think.  I put down the bread and watched his eyes follow mine as I stood up.  As daring as I was not, right then I wanted what I wanted.  When my hand reached the tie on my robe, he dropped the bread knife he still held onto letting it hit the plate and the clang echoed for a few seconds as he stayed frozen.  Brazen Grace was a brand new person.

Hearing Ian
now
was odd.  His voice resonated with a dark angel bell echo.  “You sound different.”

How?
he asked.

“I..I..don’t know.  It’s just angelic-like.”  Wrong mental picture but it seemed to have made him puff his chest out either way.  “So what’s different about me?” I ventured to ask regretting it instantly.

He smiled up from the bed propping himself on one elbow and watched me intently.  “I am not sure I can put it in words.”

Bad or good?
  I wasn’t sure I wanted him to answer.

All good.

I jumped at hearing him answer me in my head making me all queasy inside.  It was like a switch was flipped every few seconds.

“I can’t get used to that yet.  And you are sure no one else will hear us, like, talking to each other?”

“Oh, I was sure to ask Altheon and Lazyra that a hundred times.  I assure you, we have privacy.”  He rolled over onto his back letting out a sigh of relief I guessed from the surety of anyone knowing our private thoughts and the very lucid mental pictures.

He
asked
? 
How
scary
!

Why is it scary, as you say?

“Okay, Ian.  You’re going to have to scan my thoughts and consider if I want to be asked?”

He laughed instead to the negative reaction I’d guessed halfway through saying it that it might conjure.  “I’ve been tapped out of your wonderfully quizzical mind for an entire year.  Please don’t deny me the joy of exploring it.  After all, it was amazingly vivid last night.”

Yee gods.  IAN.  Please!
  I begged with my mind.

He walked his fingers slowly up my bare leg under the covers and across my stomach resting on the side of my hip where he knew well now I was very ticklish.  I braced for impact.  When he didn’t go forward, I opened one eye to see what he might be doing and was met with the swirl of his even more vibrant green eyes.  In fact, they were otherworldly green like my own now. 

The whole night was amazing and terrifying and finally the best night ever on the scale of “hands down” wow.  I account that all to who I was with.  He made it that perfect because of who he was all the way around.

He leaned in closer still leaving me to speculate where his next move was.  “I don’t ever want you to think that I didn’t love every single second of the best night of my life.  I want to relive it again tonight and tomorrow and the next.”  He kissed my nose.  I decided I loved the new echo in his voice.  It was sexier than ever and not a bit angelic like I’d termed it.

And who said he was ever not good with words?

You said that?

Ian, stay out of my head!
I blew out a breath.

“Never.  But for now, I’ll at least behave and not answer back all the time if that will help you.  Not silently, that is.”  He smiled, happy.

“Thanks,” I kissed him fast on the corner of his neck where he smelled divine.  It was a small win.  Not a hardship, just a detail to get used to.  I wasn’t completely lost to the idea that he could read me when I wanted it most or even when I wanted a private moment when no one else could sense or read us.  The idea was very intriguing.  “You smell the same to me.”  I kept running my mouth like a faucet.  It was going to catch up to me sooner or later.  He called it quizzical, more like open mouth insert foot traffic talk.

He laughed.  He’d been listening again. “Sorry, again.  And you smell the same to me.  Your scent is actually stronger, floral with an added sweetness to it.”

I blushed for sure.  “Are we ever leaving the room,” I questioned where Sarah could be.  Knowing he was probably listening I marveled to ask, “Will you block me out sometimes?”

He thought on this shortly and started to slowly move his hand higher than my ticklish waistline, “Um, don’t you think it would be wise during business meetings and your book clubs and such.  The conversations could get heated if I break in to send a mental picture of what I’d like to do to you when I—“

I stopped his hand moving up even more and blocked at the same time.  I giggled as he attacked.

“Maybe I don’t want you to be so perceptive of me?” I counter attacked his threat.

“Oh, Grace.  That is far from the truth.  If I allowed for one minute to turn a blind eye on your beautiful girlish needs, I’d be in the doghouse and you know it. No ignoring, you said.  You are all I think about.  You’re what I breathe.  I was suckered for you long ago and have no problem yelling to the world that I will do and be your every wish if it means I have you.  So perceptive I will be if it serves to make you happy.”

An hour later, we surfaced out of the room.

Sarah was there, ready for action.  Ian kissed me for the show of it and greeted Bane at the doorway to the main hall noting his eye color change already. She knew my needed answers without asking.

“No, you smell the same to me,” she whispered as low as she could. 

My shoulders hunched in sore relief.  “And my appearance?”

She eyed me carefully, “Nothing Grace.” I relaxed even more as I led the way into the room.  The second I stepped up to Ian the room bowed in submission including Bane and Sarah.  Not a second later they were bobbing their heads to wait for us to be seated, so I scurried to the table and sat before Ian could properly move my chair back the way he would have liked.  He frowned at me, but I was out of the limelight and that’s what I wanted.  He purposefully leaned over and kissed my mouth with a larger than normal smack.

Breathing in, out.  In, out. 
Where is Pike?
 

Ian’s head shot to me.  Bloody brilliant.  “Um, shouldn’t he be watching the court for you since you’ve been out of commission?”  I chose to wink at him and give into to his public PDA he loved to flaunt in front of others claiming to feel needy in saying I was his.

He gave that deadly sexy bad boy smile and accepted the punch from Bane on the shoulder in the guy fashion of a “good job there".  I played on it to keep him from asking about Pike by saying, “Ian, better make sure Pike’s available again tonight and the next.”

Ian’s shocked face when I mentally shot him a heated picture of what he’d certainly remember every second of the rest of the day was priceless.  And Bane’s uncomfortable state of mind was none the better.  Brave Grace was getting attuned quickly to how to read her man. 

Sarah slapped my leg under the table.  “Behave, my queen.”

“When he does,” I said loud enough. 

Ian joined me at the table with Bane on his other side.  Sarah wasn’t allowed to leave my side today, I made sure of it.  Consequently, neither did Ian or Bane. Seeing Pike would be harder than I thought.

We lounged all day with our two best friends in the library, drinking coffee, and even invited Bane and Sarah to our trampoline.  I decided afterward I kind of like it better when it was a private thing now that well, the advantages of marriage were available to us.  I could at least officially say to any other girl, human or Fey, it was worth the wait.  Feeling like this and sharing what we did that was with no other—it was just amazing.  It was first and foremost the single most top of the list best day after of my life.  I would continue the list, but nothing before now could top it. 

Once he called me a kitten.  He explained in his own way how my “lioness” comes out strong with my kitten ways always staying on the edge of sweet and perfect.  He really thinks of me that way?

I had only one highly blushable moment throughout the day after. Apparently, my new found powers included being able to see vividly accurate pictures of me reliving our first night together.  He could even tap into them and interrupt them or alter them with his own thoughts. I had a feeling there wasn't a limit to what we could experience together.

Getting used to Fey way of life was ever a new challenge daily even after a year of living here.  Somehow, it was different as a married woman.

I spent the better part of every morning enjoying my new trees given to me as yet another wedding present.  Several fruit trees and a baby maple.

I can sense a lot now.  My scent sensor was super strong in the Ian department especially.  We were both very aware of where each was at all times.

Ian can sense when someone breaks into my mind.  He likes this new found power.  No one can get into “his wife’s wiring without him knowing” he said.  I had to laugh at that. Without fail.

I could glamour well now too.  I could even glamour well enough to get into a place without anyone knowing like Ian used to do.  Probably still does.   Of course, Pike and Kin could always do it too, but it was new to me. 

Hearing others was great and even greater when I could block it all.  It was just the fact that I had to make an effort to block now as opposed to trying to hear it.  Pike was just the same.  I could hear him, he could hear me but it was only when we wanted to.  I had yet to see him.

With Ian it was constant.  Disturbing more than all, Kin’s was stronger.

I tried to alter my own dream last night taking the original one from all of my teenage years and trying to make the ending just perfect.  I managed to even place it in Ian’s head before he woke.  That was fun.

I didn’t see Pike till dinner the next day.  He was gone.   I worried why he’d stayed gone, but ignorance was bliss sometimes. 

“And?”  He knew what I wanted to know.  His eyes darted sideways with the intention of avoiding the subject but he gave in.  He nodded swallowing hard and fast.  Other men knew I was marked. 
              I remained happy each of every second Pike turned his head my way at the table offering him warm smiles and nothing more.  I blocked my mind from him and had no problem feeling strong and powerful when with Pike. They all three were like that to me.  Pike was the brother I never had.  He didn’t see it this way, but I was comforted by his presence and he knew it.

Ian knew all of this. Climbing in the bed, he pulled me close.  Freshly showered and smelling of the woods and mint like I loved, I took him in inch by inch.

I smiled, in love.  “I love you.” 

“I love you more.”