Fashionably Dead (41 page)

“I promise.” I curled into him, loving the way his skin felt against mine. “Ethan?”

“Yes?” he was wary.

“About Pam . . . ” I started.

“No,” he cut me off and tried to get out of the bed.

I quickly straddled him and pinned his arms over his head. He could get away if he wanted, but he was very happy with this position. Quite honestly, I was too.

“What if I guess?” I asked, pushing my breasts to his lips.

“Have you ever heard of fighting fair?” he laughed, freeing himself from my grip and cupping my bottom with both hands.

“Nope,” I grinned. “Can I guess? I love guessing. Will you tell me if I’m right?”

I wiggled my bottom and he squeezed me tighter.

“Try,” he challenged.

Alrighty then, how did Ethan know Pam? I knew it wasn’t sexual, but she did say she loved him. Was she a former girlfriend? No . . . that didn’t feel right. She threatened to beat his butt raw. That was just weird and rude, even for Pam. She swore at him the way she would with someone she cared a great deal about. She was thrown the first time she saw the pink diamond on my finger.

Holy hell . . . no way. The King had been wandering around the palace like a zombie looking for someone. He sensed her presence. Nana was the only other Angel I knew and she was connected to the Vampyres in a former life. Did that mean my Angel, Pam was connected to the Vampyres in a former life also? I believe it did.

“She’s the Queen,” I told him. I saw surprise flash across his face and he started to grin. I grew more confident. I knew it, I was right! “She’s Queen Paloma, the woman who raised you. The woman your father has been waiting on for centuries.” Damn, my entire life was one big jigsaw puzzle. Everyone was somehow connected to everyone. “Do you think she’s come back to stay?”

“I don’t know,” Ethan sighed. “That’s why I’m avoiding my father. I don’t think I have the strength to keep this from him, but he knows she was here and it’s killing him. He’s just not functioning well and everyone is confused and worried.”

I laid my head on his chest. “Do you want me to tell him the truth?”

“No, Pam made me promise,” he reminded me, clearly frustrated.

“Yes,” I agreed, “but she didn’t make
me
promise . . . ”

Ethan’s body tensed. He rolled me over onto my back and loomed over me. His grin grew wide. “She didn’t, did she?”

***

It was good to tell him. He had a right to know and I had a strong feeling Pam approved. I just wish I knew where the hell she and The Kev and Gemma were.

“Thank you,” the King whispered, his beautiful eyes glittered with tears. “I knew she was here.”

“Your Majesty.”

“Father,” he corrected me.

“Father,” I said shyly. “I don’t know if she’s staying.”

“Oh my child.” He was so serene. “She is back. She’ll come to me when she is able.” He held my hands and glowed with joy. “Her work is not done, but it will be soon.”

“How do you know?”

“I feel it here.” He touched his heart and smiled. “She is the love of my life and you, my child, my Chosen One, have brought her back to me. You have saved me.”

Oh my God, maybe that was it. Maybe my purpose was to reunite the King with his Queen. Was that how I was to save him? It seemed too simple. I was positive I’d have to take out a few Vamps and Demons. This would certainly have been a hell of a lot easier. Having a bounty on my head was not my idea of a good time, but if all I had to do to save the King was go find Pam’s sorry ass, things were looking up.

Being alone with the King was lovely. His suite was beautiful. Very colorful, eclectic and comfortable, just like him. Ethan didn’t want to be anywhere near this conversation. That way his promise to Pam would remain unbroken.

“Astrid, I will be with you at the memorial tomorrow night. Venus, Paris, Cathy, Sir James, Samuel and I will be your guests and twenty of the Elite Guard, including Ethan will be outside surrounding the building.”

“Are you sure you’ll be safe?”

“Yes, my child,” the King chuckled. “I’m probably safer with you than I am with anyone else.”

I was shocked. “Sire . . . um, I mean . . . Father, I fear you give me too much credit.”

“You really have no idea how powerful you are, do you?” He began to pace the room. “Astrid, you are the Chosen One. Your Magic and skills far outweigh the most gifted Vampyre and the most evil Demon.” He stopped and I could swear he peered into my soul. “You may not have control of it yet, but it’s all there. I can feel it.”

Shit, he was serious. I certainly hoped whoever was in charge knew what they were doing when they saddled me with this Chosen One crap, because I would have chosen someone else. Anyone else.

“Ah, Sir James,” the King acknowledged his dear friend, “come in and join us.” I looked at my de facto father and grandfather and giggled. They looked like they could be my brothers. My mate was older than my grandpa. I had entered a whole new world of strange.

“Astrid,” Sir James smiled and led me to a lovely chocolate brown velvet couch, “there are several things I think you should know.” He looked pointedly at the King. The King nodded gravely and took a seat next to me.

Sir James took my hand. “Astrid, the Chosen One has been blessed with many gifts, physically and magically.” He paused. I waited. “There is one gift we cannot comprehend.” He just stared at me.

“Well, if you guys don’t understand it, I’m sure I’d have no clue,” I laughed uncomfortably.

“How have you been feeling, child?” the King asked. I noticed a book in his hands.

“Okay, I suppose. I’ve been a bit headachy and nauseous.”

The two men exchanged a smile.

“That makes you happy?” I was confused.

“Oh yes, Vampyres never get sick.” The King clasped his hands together like a child. “Yes, so very happy.”

“This is wonderful,” Sir James muttered, paging quickly through the book that the King had been holding.

I held these men in high esteem and had grown to love them in a very short period of time, but I was starting to question their sanity. Their glee over my headaches and nausea was a bit upsetting. The King was practically doing a jig and Sir James was becoming frantic as he paged through his book.

“Got it,” Sir James yelled. He slammed the page against his chest, hiding it from my view while the King knelt at my feet.

I knew their excitement should alarm me, but they were behaving like two little boys on Christmas morning. I started laughing. “What is going on?” The King was bouncing and Sir James was biting his nails. I’d never seen Vampyres act so human.

“What we are going to show you mustn’t leave this room,” Sir James whispered.

“You can’t tell Ethan yet, though you will want to,” the King said, trying to contain himself. “If you tell him, he will lock you in a room and throw away the key.” Sir James nodded in agreement. “You must put what we are about to tell you into your mind and then shield it completely, so even Ethan can’t see it. Not yet.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Most of the information we have on the Chosen One is through pictures, not text,” Sir James explained. “Some of it was drawn before written language existed.”

“How long have Vampyres been around?” This was all news to me.

“Since the dawn of time,” he said. “There is a picture we want to show you.” His eyes were twinkling. “Not many of our kind have seen this. It’s been held back so we would be able to very accurately recognize the true Chosen One.”

“It may scare you,” the King chimed in, still bouncing, “but we do think you’ll be happy.”

“Well, you guys certainly seem to be,” I muttered, beginning to get nervous.

“Many things that seem impossible are not,” Sir James said. “Until recently you had no knowledge of Vampyres or Demons or Angels or Fairies. Correct?”

“Correct,” I answered.

“You, my child, are the Light in our Darkness. Your Vampyre and Demon heritage is your Darkness and your blood and compatibility with Angels and Fairies is your Light. You are very different from us. You embody impossibility becoming reality.” He seemed about to burst. I felt a bizarre wave of dizziness come over me.

“Sir James, Your Majesty,” I said.

“Call me Father.”

“Call me Grandpa.” They spoke simultaneously.

“Oookay, Father and Grandpa.” I did like the way that sounded. “No disrespect, but could you please get to your point? You’re freaking me out and I’m feeling dizzy and nauseous.”

“That’s fantastic,” the King shouted, jumping to his feet and hugging Sir James.

I gave him the eyeball and he quickly reigned himself in. Good God, you’d think they were about to reveal the Second Coming.

“Wait,” I stopped them. They looked at me expectantly. “I don’t want to keep anything from Ethan. It’s wrong.”

“If you want to attend the memorial, then wait until afterward to tell him,” Sir James said.

Finally I nodded.

Slowly Sir James turned the book around and showed me a picture. A beautiful picture. A picture that would change my life. Forever. I gasped and my eyes filled with tears. I looked at both of these men who watched me with adoring eyes.

“Is that true?” I whispered.

“Yes, my darling child, it’s very true,” the King said.

It was too much. The room began to spin and I grabbed the hands of my father and grandfather. They both held me lovingly as my world faded to black.

Chapter 38

“If you’re going to strap daggers to your thigh, I would recommend a dress with a full skirt.” Venus dropped the pile of clothes she was carrying onto my bed.

“But if I need to fight, pants would make more sense,” I countered.

“True . . . but where would you put your knives?”

I considered my options. “If I wear ankle boots, I could carry two there, and if I wear some kind of jacket, I can strap a smaller sword and a gun to my back.” That could work. “I could also carry some throwing stars in my pocket.”

“Just don’t hug anyone,” Venus laughed.

“Or go through a metal detector,” Gemma added, appearing from out of nowhere in a gust of Fairy Glitter.

“Gemma,” I shouted, tackling her in a hug. “Where have you been?”

“I’ve been close by,” she grinned and hugged me hard.

Did she just run her hands over my stomach? I quickly glanced at her to see if she knew, but she was busy hugging Venus.

“Is Pam or The Kev with you?” I asked, grabbing her hand and pulling her down on the bed.

“No, I haven’t seen Pam in several days. The Kev and I have been to the Fairy Royal Court. I’ve been presented,” she giggled.

“Like a Deb?” I laughed. “Did you wear a white dress and go to a ball?”

“No, actually I got sent back here to break the fourth Mortal String, whatever the hell that turns out to be,” she sighed.

“No one would tell you?” Venus asked.

“No one knows,” she replied. “Although from everyone’s attitude, and let me just tell you some of those Fairies have ‘tudes, it seems like it will be freakin’ awful.” Gemma absentmindedly hummed ‘
Wanna be Startin’ Somethin’
as she played with my hair.

“God, I’ve missed you. So much has happened while you were gone,” I said, wondering how much she might know. I watched her closely. She didn’t appear to be in on my secret. Damn, I wanted to talk to someone about it, but I gave my word to the King and Sir James. I had hoped that as a Fairy, Gemma would sense it. I really thought she knew when she touched my stomach.

“I want to be with you tonight at the memorial.” She squeezed my hand. “Venus, do you think anyone would mind if I stayed here at the Cressida House for a few days?”

“Hell no,” Venus plopped down on the bed with us. “There are guest suites or you can have a slumber party in my room. Of course it won’t be quite as fancy as the Prince’s quarters that Little Miss Astrid now occupies,” she laughed.

“Speaking of the Prince, where is Ethan?” Gemma asked.

“He left before I got up to scout out the memorial site,” I told her, examining the pile of clothes. “I’ve been thinking . . . ”

“Oh, Lord help us,” Venus groaned and Gemma laughed.

I punched her in the arm and continued, “I’ve been thinking that I’d like to give Paris my Nana’s house and give my house to Old Charlie and Niecey from my art class. Paris told me they’re getting married and need a bigger place.”

“Paris Hilton?” Gemma asked.

“Yep, I think she’d be happy there.”

“So you’ll live . . . ?” Venus teased.

“Where ever Ethan does.” I stuck my tongue out at her and she snorted.

“So you’ve given in . . . finally.” Venus giggled. She jumped off the bed with Vampyre speed to avoid my right hook headed her way.

“I think it’s beautiful. He loves you completely.” Gemma hugged me again and started humming ‘
Ben
’.

“I love him too. For better or worse, I love him. Completely.”