Demon Lost (24 page)

"But what about Aurelius?"

"What about him?"

"Ry, I don't want to interfere."

"It won't be interfering."

"What will Dad say?"

"Your dad I don't know.
My
dad won't care."

"Come on, bro. Let's get in bed. If we don't get some sleep, we won't be awake to show Reah how to skip rocks."

"Fine," Ry grumped and followed his brother.

* * *

"Aurelius, I don't want you to be upset, but she was out of bed last night and cooking the best fish I've ever tasted." Lissa walked alongside Aurelius as he headed toward Reah's bedroom to wake her.

"My Queen, I would like very much for you to call me next time," Aurelius held his anger in check.

"I will. She was frightened when I mentioned calling you or Karzac. That's why I didn't," Lissa replied, not looking at Aurelius. He served as one of her advisors and often ran Council meetings with Aryn, another of her vampire mates, if she wasn't available to attend.

"I've spoken with Norian. That brother of hers has a lot to answer for," Aurelius snapped. Lissa was surprised—Aurelius never let his emotions show like this. Gavin, his only remaining vampire child, often said that Aurelius was more of a father to him than his natural father had been. Aurelius was doing his best to protect Reah, although they weren't mated, yet. Lissa didn't want to bring up the conversation she'd had with Jayd, either. Kifirin had put a stop to Jayd's idea anyway.

* * *

"Reah, if you are hungry again after bedtime, send for me. I will bring something for you." Aurelius was lecturing me before I was fully awake. Somebody had told him about my adventures in the palace kitchen.

"But it wouldn't be yaris fish and I won't have cooked it." I was pouting, I know. He'd once said to never show him that again.

"Yes, I listened to the cook rail over the fish he was planning to cook for lunch having disappeared overnight."

I rolled over in bed, turning my back to Aurelius and curling into a ball. If he wanted to make me feel guilty and miserable, he was doing a fine job.

"Love, he would have butchered the fish. He is preparing a chicken dish instead. Lissa is searching for a new cook—this one does not like the constant darkness outside and wishes to move to the light half of the planet."

"I cooked for Ry and Tory. And Drake and Drew. That's why so much of the fish was used. I was only going to take a little. They were really hungry."

"Reah." Covers rustled behind me as Aurelius slid into bed. An arm came around me, hugging me close. A kiss was pressed against the nape of my neck. My hair was still short. Much shorter than I ever wanted it to be. "Shhh," Aurelius said softly against my skin. I shivered.

* * *

"I saw you." Gavril came up beside me later as I walked next to Aurelius on our way to the dining hall.

"Really? Which time?" He seemed so serious for a child, his dark eyes examining my face as he looked at me. He was tall for his age—as tall as I was, in fact. I could look directly into his eyes as he spoke.

"I sneaked into the dungeon," he admitted with an uncomfortable shrug. "I saw you after Karzac and Renegar worked to heal you that first night."

"Then that must have been a terrible sight," I sighed. "I hope it didn't frighten you."

"I've seen Tory in Full Thifilathi. He growls and stomps through the palace. You were quiet and sleeping. Were the burns painful?"

My eyes widened when he mentioned Tory in Full Thifilathi. Tory was High Demon. He must be Lissa's child with her High Demon mate, Gardevik. It took a moment for me to come back to Gavril's question. "As much as the burns hurt, I was more scared about being in prison when I woke," I admitted. "I am terrified of being in tight places if I can't get out. I don't remember much—just screaming at first." My face felt hot—my weakness embarrassed me. Aurelius continued to walk beside me while I spoke with Gavril. He remained silent.

"I don't think I'd like waking up in a cell either," Gavril said, seriously considering the prospect.

"But you wouldn't be throwing yourself against the bars because you couldn't control yourself. You seem like an intelligent and brave young man. I think you'd be working out a way to escape instead," I told him.

"I was thinking of ways to get you out," he admitted.

"Then you just went to the top of my friends list," I smiled at him.

"Really?" He seemed pleased about that.

"I'm sorry to say it's a short list—I don't have any friends," I said. "Except you."

"Then I am an exclusive," he grinned.

"Most definitely one of a kind," I agreed.

"Grandfather Auri, may I sit beside Reah at breakfast?" Gavril now looked up at Aurelius.

"If your lady mother agrees. And Gavin of course."

"Father will allow it if you give permission, Grandfather."

Gavril did sit next to me at breakfast—Lissa said there was no harm in it. Gavril ate and we talked during the entire meal. "Ry and Tory were nearly sixteen when I was born," he said, spreading butter on his hotcakes. "I tried to follow them around when I was five, but they left me behind." I knew that wistful look he wore. I'd wanted to follow behind some of my older siblings. I was never allowed. I turned toward him in my seat and used the Alliance finger-speech—all Alliance troops knew it. I wanted to see if Gavril had been curious enough to learn on his own. He had.

Be in my room after breakfast. Don't let anyone see you
, I worked out on my fingers quickly. He nodded. He had no idea what was in store, but he was up for an adventure anyway. I figured he was lonely; I hadn't seen other children around the palace. Tory and Ry were about to have another guest to take when they showed me how to skip rocks.

Chapter 12
 

"Here, squirt, hold the rock like this." Tory was showing Gavril how to hold the flat stone in his hands. "Now, flip it out, like this." He made the motion with his hand. Gavril flicked his wrist, flinging the rock toward the smooth water of the pond we'd found on the light half of the planet. It bounced three times on the water before sinking.

"See, you're getting the hang of it now," Tory tousled Gavril's hair. Ry was trying to teach me the same thing, but I was watching Gavril, instead. He was so pleased to find he was included on our secret excursion that he'd almost vibrated with excitement in the beginning. Gavril picked up another flat stone, determined to make it go farther this time. He did—it skipped five times. He was bouncing on his feet as he watched the stone make five quick hops across the surface of the water before sinking.

"Reah, are you paying attention to me?" Ry's face appeared in front of mine.

"I was watching how Gavril did his so I could do it too," I said. That caused Gavril to turn to me, his face beaming with pleasure. The bright sunlight of the new day brought mist up from the water on the far side of the pond, where cattails grew and willow trees stood on the bank beyond. Lush grasses surrounded us—it was the ideal place to learn to skip rocks. I'd only seen things such as this in vids before now. Winged insects also abounded, but they left us alone. I wondered about that. Gavril skipped another rock. It went farther this time. He was a quick study and soaking up his older brother's praise like a sponge.

"Gavril needed this, didn't he?" Ry now stood next to me, his lips near my ear. I nodded.

"Come on, squirt—we have to get you back for your lessons," Tory hugged Gavril to him after he tossed one last rock.

"Maybe we can sneak away again so I can practice more," I told Gavril before Ry folded us back to the palace. We landed inside my bedroom where we'd met in the beginning. Gavril grabbed his comp-vid off my bed and took off at a near-run to make it to his tutor's suite on time.

"Now, how about some time spent with just us?" Ry grinned. Time spent with "just us" turned out to mean time in the pool and spa inside the palace. I hadn’t even known there was a huge room devoted to those two things.

"Most vampires don't come here," Tory floated lazily on his back in the pool. I could see why—sunlamps were scattered throughout the space.

"What happens if they come in and the lamps are on?" I asked.

"Their skin fries," Ry replied. "Only the ones who are modified can stand to be in here. Uncle Tony loves it."

I knew how to swim—it had been included in my dayschool lessons. Otherwise, Edan would never have allowed me to go swimming. I certainly had never been allowed to play with any friends. Not that I'd had many, growing up. They'd deserted me quickly after learning I could never see them outside lessons.

"Reah, come out to dinner with us. Tory and I want to go to Casino City to eat tonight." Ry was asking me something I was too afraid to say yes to.

"Reah, tell Aurelius. He can come too, if he wants." Tory lowered his legs into the water and now stood beside Ry and me.

"Tell Aurelius what? I handle a Council meeting and what do I find when I am done?" Aurelius stood on the slate tile floor at the edge of the pool.

"Uncle Auri, we took Gavril to a pond on the light side to teach him how to skip rocks this morning, before he had to go for his lessons. And then we convinced Reah to get in the pool. We also want to go to Casino City for dinner tonight." I stared at Tory—he was telling Aurelius everything.

"He'll know anyway—Uncle Auri can smell a lie," Tory laughed. "Mom can, too. It's better to tell the truth around here," he added. "And you never ever want to lie to Uncle Jayd. He's a guli."

"A guli is a High Demon truth-speaker," Ry offered at my blank stare. "They can see through any lie. Nobody gets past them."

"Reah, will you come out of the pool or are you going to force me to come in after you?" Aurelius stared down at me. I looked down, afraid to meet the accusation in his eyes. He'd caught me with two other males. I wondered what he would do to me.

"Come, Reah." Aurelius had a towel in his hands suddenly.

* * *

Uncle Auri, you're scaring her
. Ry sent mindspeech to Aurelius.

She should be resting and you two are hauling her about
, Aurelius returned.

We didn't tire her out, we promise
. Tory joined the mental conversation.

Young ones, if you wish to spend time with Reah, then check with Karzac or me. We will let you know how much time is wise. You have had her out for five hours
, Aurelius sent the mental chastisement. Reah climbed out of the pool as Tory and Ry watched. Aurelius wrapped her in the towel and folded her away.

"He didn't say she couldn't come to dinner with us," Ry floated away from his brother.

* * *

"Reah, I do not mind if you spend time with them. Gavril certainly needs someone young with whom to spend time. Those other two miscreants know better. They know you are recovering, yet they haul you from one end of the planet to the other," Aurelius huffed as he dried me with the towel. Ry had scrounged a swimsuit for me earlier, although he'd suggested we climb into the pool naked. I certainly wasn't ready for that and even more glad I'd insisted on swimsuits when Aurelius showed up.

"I wasn't tired," I ventured as Aurelius rubbed the towel over my exposed skin.

"Reah, do you wish to remove the swimsuit or do you want me to do it?" Aurelius bumped his forehead against mine, his golden-brown eyes staring into mine from close quarters.

I was afraid to let him do it. There was something in his eyes begging me to allow it. That frightened me. I wasn't prepared for that. Not yet.

* * *

"Your daughter was rescued from Mandil, but was wounded in the attempt. She is recovering now on an Alliance planet." Lendill Schaff sat at a table in Desh's restaurant in Targis, watching Addah Desh's reaction to the news. Addah had little emotion on his face as Lendill gave him what should have been very good news.

"Does the Alliance expect Reah to finish her enlistment period?" Addah asked instead.

"Yes. In fact, she will be transferred to the ASD as soon as she is healthy enough to report for duty. She not only managed to remain undercover while on a non-Alliance world, but was successful in taking down an enemy that could threaten the Alliance. The Director and I are quite pleased with her work, therefore she will be doing her remaining years of service with us."

"Very well," Addah Desh said stiffly and rose. "Since I cannot have an important member of my family back to assist with the family business, then I will leave you. Today is a busy day, Vice-Director Schaff. I hope you'll excuse me—I have work to do." Addah Desh gave Lendill a curt nod and walked toward the kitchen.

"Do you wish to send a message to her?" Lendill called out. Addah Desh turned to level a scowl at the Vice-Director. "She is no good to me at the moment. I have no message to send." Addah stalked away. Lendill watched him go through the door before rising to leave. He pulled out his communicator and had Norian Keef on vidscreen as he walked out of the restaurant.

"Nothing, Director. No emotion, no questions, didn't even ask which planet she was on or how badly she was wounded. Didn't offer to send a message, either. He's only interested in what she might do for his restaurants."