Defying Eternity (An Obscure Magic Book 5) (9 page)

“She prefers women. Your attentions were unwanted and unwelcome. That is a type of torture that you should be aware of.”

He blinked. “What do you mean?”

“I have read your dossier. Matthias provided me with all the information I would need to understand your motivations. You have had a rough existence, but it is up to you to wish more for your followers and offspring.”

He looked confused. “Fine. Take her.”

Octavia looked shocked and stepped forward, but Leo held up her hand. “Not quite yet. Leah, draw it up.”

The signing of the sale was the first part.

“Olvadi, as you have signed, you must now free her.”

He muttered, “I free you.”

Octavia smiled faintly. “Thank you.”

Leo stopped Leah and Octavia from leaving. “Not quite yet. Olvadi, give Octavia your blood.”

He jolted. “How do you know that?”

She sighed. “I am Matthias’s apprentice. Just do it and complete freeing her.”

Octavia looked uncertain, but when Olvadi bit his finger and extended his hand to her, she bowed over his hand and licked the dark-crimson drop.

An electrified expression took Octavia over, and she fainted.

Olvadi scowled. “I trust you will come for a visit before you leave tomorrow.”

“Of course. Now that business is concluded, the social aspect of my visit can commence.” She smiled and inclined her head.

“Excellent. I am throwing a party in your honour, and I hope your wardrobe is up to it.” He smiled tightly.

She nodded to Leah and turned to Lima. “Please carry Octavia. She is going to need some care before she settles into the peculiar situation she is now in.”

The dwarf lifted the unconscious vampire in her arms and carried her out through the halls. Leah followed, Leonora was behind her and Coren protected her back.

Their party was through the door and on the way to Regick’s home in ten minutes. It was the longest walk of her life.

Fifty hungry vampires trying to stare through her skin was enough to unnerve anyone, but she kept her aspect calm and cold. It took all her powers of concentration, but she made it to the vehicle. There would be time to break down later.

Leo went straight to the quarters put aside for her, and she went to bed. She was going to need all of her strength for the evening ahead.

Octavia was still unconscious and going to remain so for a day or two. That was what Matthias’s text had told Leo when she had asked him in the vehicle.

He had also told her not to worry about what Olvadi had in store. No harm would come to her.

His words had done wonders to soothe her.

She crawled into the king-sized bed, and she went to sleep. It wasn’t even weird to sleep as dawn struck. She was getting used to it.

* * * *

Zora had to know. “How did she get him to agree?”

Leah opened her mouth, but nothing came out. “I don’t think I can say.”

“Were you sworn to secrecy?”

“No. I just don’t think I can say. The words won’t come out. I can say that she didn’t do anything untoward. The agreement was come to using law and tradition.” Leah exhaled in relief.

Zora chuckled. “Well, as long as that is what happened and Octavia remains free, I am good with it.”

“Leonora’s vampire said that Octavia would sleep for a few days. She will come to and have her freedom.”

Regick wrapped his arms around Zora. She leaned back against him. “Can we trust Matthias?”

He kissed her temple. “We can. If he says she is free, she is free. Where did Leonora go?”

Leah smiled. “She was tired. She is resting. She still has to attend Olvadi’s official welcome ceremony. She muttered something about needing her strength.”

Zora felt queasy. “She has to go back there?”

“She does. She said that was the scariest part of the whole visit.” Leah shrugged.

Zora understood. Olvadi’s taste in parties tended to be on the bacchanalia side of things. From what she had witnessed, it was not really Leonora’s scene.

* * * *

Leo got up, grabbed a shower and pinned her hair up in a loose bun. She slipped a robe on and went in search of food.

Lima and Coren were sitting in the dining room. Coren’s wings were open and sticking out on either side of the chair back. They had a shining metallic edge and looked a little deadlier than something so transparent and delicate should.

“Good... morning?” Leo winced.

Lima grinned and got to her feet. “Good morning. You just caught it. Five minutes from now it would have been good afternoon.”

Leo headed for the kitchen, but Lima held her hand up. “Sit. You haven’t eaten in quite a while. I will bring something in for you.”

Leo snorted and raised her brows. “Does it involve coffee?”

“Of course.”

“Excellent. I only get tea at the manor house. It is driving me nuts.”

Lima laughed, and Leo turned to join Coren at the table.

Coren was reading a tablet and flicking through yesterday’s news. Leo caught a glimpse of the pictures and stared at the images of herself.

“What does that say?”

Coren grinned. “Basically, the moment we left, Matthias held a press conference that announced you as his new assistant and representative, acting ambassador of Redbird City.”

Leo sat back and grunted. “Well, hell. I can figure out why he chose now to send me to Arbor.”

“Why?”

“Because I would kick his butt if he tried to make me an ambassador and I was close enough to reach him.”

Coren gave her a long look, and then, he laughed. “I think you would.”

Lima brought her a cup of coffee, and she smirked. “And he would let her.”

Leo blinked. “Why would you think that?”

Lima grinned and headed back to the kitchen without saying a word.

The coffee had two creams and two sugars, just the way she liked it.

When Lima reappeared with a plate that contained an omelette and two pieces of toast, Leo asked. “How did you know how I take my coffee?”

Lima hopped up onto her chair again. “I texted your sister. She is a fount of information. Your niece is doing well, by the way. She texted you a few pictures of the baby. They came through on your phone.”

“And my phone is...”

“On the charger.”

Coren continued to read the news on his tablet.

“Where are we, exactly?”

“Three floors below the penthouse housing Zora and Regick.” Coren spoke absently.

“Where is Octavia?”

“She is on the floor above ours.”

“I would like to see her after I eat.” Leo nibbled at her toast.

Coren glanced at her. “Of course. Would you care to get dressed before we go?”

She shrugged and looked down. “Nope. I am good. Since I have to get fancy for this evening’s activities, I prefer to spend the day as comfortable as I can.”

“You will want to keep the robe closed then.” Coren looked at her and smiled.

“Generally, yes. I would pin it, but I don’t have pins.” She bit into the omelette but paused. “This tastes like it does at the manor.”

Lima smiled. “I am your cook. The mayor would not trust anyone else with your safety.”

Leo ate and smiled. “It is still excellent, no matter where we are. I can’t believe I slept as long as I did.”

“Well, your schedule is ahead an hour because we travelled eastward, so you will be hungrier than the time allows.”

Leo paused. “That is why the bonding kicked in so early. Thank goodness. I was wondering about that.”

Coren put the tablet aside. “Is that when Olvadi laid hands on you?”

“Yup. I feel fine now though. It seems that the original surge of energy has worn off.” Leo finished her breakfast, and she lifted the plate up before Lima could help.

She washed her dishes and put them away once she dried them. The apartment was all set up for visitors.

A knock at the door had Coren in motion. He flipped out of the chair and was over to the peephole in a blur of wings.

He opened the door, smiling at the guest. “Miss Zora. Good afternoon.”

“Thank you, Coren. Is she awake?”

Leo stepped forward. “If I am she, then yes, she is.”

Zora ran up to her and hugged her. “Thank you so much. Leah can’t say how it happened, but she said that you had to take extreme measures.”

Leo grunted with the impact, but she smiled. “They weren’t that extreme. I just am a little less than enthusiastic about returning there tonight.”

Zora released her and wiped tears from her eyes. “I know that wanting her free was a bit of a silly thing, but it means a lot to have her loose.”

Lima asked, “Would you care for some coffee? I have a pot on.”

Zora smiled. “Please.”

Leo nodded as well with a thumbs-up. “Come on and tell me about her.”

They sat together in the living room, sipping coffee and talking about Octavia.

“When do you think she will wake up, and how hungry will she be?” Zora finally asked the questions that had obviously been on her mind.

“Oh, she will sleep for a few days, and she won’t be hungry for blood. Like other given vampires, she will be able to consume energy from those around her. She will need to be in a crowd at least once a week.”

“She is a taken vampire. She was made centuries ago.” Zora looked confused.

“That is where it gets a little odd. I am only telling you this because you won’t remember the details. No one does. So, Olvadi gave her his blood after he freed her. It undid the bond between them, which left her with a transformed body and no master. Her system is setting itself to not needing blood right now. When she wakes, she will be able to drink it if she chooses, but she won’t need it to survive.”

“Why won’t I remember the details?” Zora looked amused.

Leo shrugged. “I don’t know. I just know you won’t.”

How Matthias’s blood worked in this situation had trickled into her mind along with the power rush. It wasn’t as sharp as it had been, but she knew that the information wouldn’t last. It was not for the taken to know how the given worked.

“Would you care to hit the spa this afternoon? The building is pretty fully stocked with businesses.”

Leo wrinkled her nose. “If you don’t mind, I would rather just catch up on my emails so that there won’t be as much backlog when I get home. I am here on business after all.”

“Fair enough. I just want you to know that your efforts are appreciated.” Zora smiled. “Call if you need anything, and I will see you before you leave.”

“You will?”

Zora got to her feet and laughed. “This is the only building the helicopter can land on. I will be seeing you again.”

Just like that, her hostess was gone and Leo was free to pursue her love of order by attending to the emails in her account that needed answering. Images of Melody were in every three emails, and it helped the day whiz by.

When the sun was setting, Coren entered her room, closed her computer and pulled out a garment bag. “Go and eat. Lima has a burger and fries for you.”

“What are you doing?”

“When you are done, I am going to lace you into this, so keep that in mind.” Coren smiled.

“Well, that is a tempting offer, but I think that Lima can help me.”

“She can’t reach.” Coren winked. “Go eat. Your food is getting cold.”

Leo got up, tightened her robe and stalked into the dining room. The moment she cleared the bedroom door, she grinned and it remained on her face until she finished the delectable burger, ran her fries through the drippings and got up to get dressed. Suddenly, she had the premonition that this was going to be the hardest part of the night.

“Don’t you dare.” Leo scowled at Coren, but he grinned and took a picture of her with his phone.

“I am sorry, Ms. Wicks. I had to. Matthias’s instructions. Olvadi could not be the first vampire king to see you in this.”

The vest was skin tight and embossed leather. Her skirt was laced from mid-thigh to hip. The shoes that she was wearing were held in place by the thinnest straps she could imagine and wrapped up to her calf. Coren hadn’t been kidding. The lacing was involved and the four-foot dwarf would have had a problem with getting the upper lacing on her bodice.

Coren also had skills with hairstyling. Her hair had been pulled up into a tumbling wave that went down her back.

There was no way that anyone would mistake her for a vampire. All the places where vampires bit their children were exposed and unblemished.

Once the picture was taken, Coren wrapped her in a cloak embossed with golden branches and crimson fruit.

It was after eight in the evening, and Leo gave herself a final look in the mirror before she left with her guards. Her bags were packed for the return trip, and Regick’s people would bring them up to the helipad when they were on their way back.

For now, she had her phone and her guards. That would have to be enough for the evening. She didn’t have anything else to hide behind.

The court had a different vibe when she arrived. There was an excited tension that she hadn’t anticipated. They knew something she didn’t know, and Matthias hadn’t told her what it was.

“Ambassador, thank you for gracing us with your presence.” Olvadi’s major-domo bowed and offered to take her cloak.

Coren raised his hand and stepped around, making the vampire jump back to avoid the razor wings. He gave her a solemn look before he unfasted
ed her cloak and removed it with a flourish. He folded it over his arm and stepped aside.

She whispered, “Stay close; you have my phone.”

He winked and stepped behind her again, leaving her to face the lounging Olvadi.

Leo inclined her head slightly and stood straight once again. “Good evening, your majesty.”

“I hear that I am being graced by Ambassador Wicks.” He quirked his lips while he looked her over.

“Apparently Mayor Matthias has decided to elevate me to the status of representative while I have been away from the office.” She gave him a bland look. “I must thank him properly when I return home.”