Hidden Heart (14 page)

“Great. What should I wear?” Of course it didn’t matter. I’d be happy to show up in my yoga pants and a ratty t-shirt. All I cared about was getting Emmy back. And it was finally going to happen.

If the TV station visit and Viper Room show had caused a frenzy among my fellow fan podders, then the announcement of a star-studded Hollywood party had incited absolute pandemonium. Some of the girls were actually throwing up in our dorm before we boarded the bus for Vallon’s beach house.

All of us wore swanky evening wear provided by Amalia. I had no idea where she’d gotten it or how she’d nailed all our dress and shoe sizes, but apparently it was important for us to look occasion-appropriate because all of it bore designer labels.

Between the Laboutins and the Chanel, we were wearing a collective fortune.
Oh my gosh.
Were those designers Elven, too?

I’d never worn anything that hadn’t been purchased at a discount store or run-of-the-mill department store, but the sparkly dress wasn’t what excited me about the evening. After all these weeks, all the worry, I was about to see Emmy again.

As we boarded the bus, I tried to prepare myself that she might have changed. She might look different, act different. She might not even recognize me if she’d been glamoured thoroughly enough. It didn’t matter. I’d finally know where she was and
how
she was and could begin the work of getting her back home safely.

The bus came to a stop on the Pacific Coast Highway outside the mansion, and Amalia stood to give us instructions. “You are here to represent Nox and serve his interests, to be seen and not heard. If someone speaks to you, you may converse with them, but you are
not
to approach any celebrities. They may choose to approach you, even invite you to an event. Only then are you allowed to interact with them.

We entered the ultra-modern beach home in a parade of tanned skin and stilettoes. And fit right in. It was bizarre to be surrounded by so much beauty—like I’d stepped into a magazine or a CW primetime show.

The girls with me dispersed, moving through the crowd, each no doubt hoping some celebrity would spot her and strike up a conversation. I shuddered at the knowledge of what was really going on here—the real reason the Dark Elves had brought along their fan pods—and began a search of the room.

Every few minutes, a servant would stop with a tray, offering me an appetizer, a sparkling drink. I refused it all. I wasn’t here to have a good time. I was here for one reason only—to find Emmy.

She didn’t seem to be on the first floor, so I climbed the beautiful open staircase to the next floor and walked through the rooms, scanning in every direction. I hadn’t seen Nox yet, though I knew he was here somewhere because I’d overheard some girls from another pod chattering and giggling over spotting him.

She’s not here. Moving on.

I climbed the staircase to the third floor where a DJ was playing retro Disco music inside at the bar, much to the delight of the party-goers who filled the dance floor. Squeezing past them, I made my way to the open-air roof deck. There was music out here, too, but not as loud, allowing for conversation among the groups of people enjoying the night air, sea breeze, and moonlit ocean view.

Walking the perimeter of the large deck, I spotted someone who made my heart pound like the drumbeat from the alternative band playing in the corner. Not Emmy—but the next best thing. The one person who knew for sure where she’d been the past two weeks.

He was leaning against the deck railing, his tall, perfectly sculpted form framed by a backdrop of stars over the Malibu beach, and naturally, surrounded by a crowd of adoring teenage girls and twenty-something women.

              Adrenaline surged through my veins like the surf I could hear in the background. Finally, after everything I’d gone through to get here, I was so close to finding her.

Preparing to charge Vallon Foster—huge Elven bodyguards be damned—I planned to demand Emmy’s whereabouts and immediate release. A strong hand gripped my shoulder and slid down to my waist. I was pulled back against the solid warmth of a large male body.

              “Calm down, Ryann,” the smooth familiar voice murmured at my ear. “And let me handle this.”

              With considerable effort, I reeled in my emotions and pasted on a smile. We approached the movie star together, hand in hand.

              “Sweetheart, I’d like you to meet my good friend, Vallon Foster.” The voice of the beautiful guy beside me was comforting, full of loving assurance.

I forced myself to appear something less-than-hostile as Nox introduced me.

              “Vallon, this is Ryann… the newest member of my fan pod.”

The movie star looked different in person, younger and more handsome, if that were possible. He wore a silvery gray suit with a black shirt underneath, unbuttoned nearly to the center of his chest. His dark hair was slicked back from his tanned face, revealing the ice blue eyes so many moviegoers (and co-stars) had fallen in love with. There was no denying it. He was a beautiful man.

Vallon seemed to appreciate my appearance as well. Either that, or he stared lewdly at every young girl who crossed his path—I hadn’t been around him long enough to know yet.

His eyes browsed my body, stopping at the parts he found most interesting, then continuing their perusal. Up and down. Down and then back up. When his gaze finally landed on my face, his lips spread into the most predatory smile I’d ever seen… like a crocodile oh-so-politely introducing himself to a small animal shivering on the shoreline.              

“Well, well, Nox. Looks like you’re off to a good start with your first crop of girls. I’ll have to talk to Alfred, though—he must be sending me the second class choices if
this
is what he’s sending you—and on your maiden voyage, too. Lucky boy.”

Nox cleared his throat and looked at his feet, twisting his lips before answering tightly. “Thank you.”

Vallon lifted a hand to the side in a lazy gesture. “Feel free to look around and take whatever you’d like from my stable. You’ll find I’m very generous with my friends.” Giving me another interested glance he turned back to Nox. “I hope
you
feel the same?”

“Oh, of course. But since I got my girls only a few days ago—I’ll probably just hang on to what I’ve got for now. I don’t even know all their names yet.”

Apparently that amused Vallon. He burst into laughter and slapped his leg. “Oh—that is priceless. I love the newbies. God, I haven’t known the names of one of mine for ages now. It hardly matters.”

Nox’s face reddened. “Well, I’m still learning the rules, I guess.”

“Stick with me my boy—I’ll be happy to show you how it’s done. So where did this sweet plum come from?”

He was talking about me as if I wasn’t there. My blood started boiling—I’d been in his presence exactly three minutes, and I hated him. I wasn’t a piece of meat, and I
did
have a name. So did Emmy—not that he would know it.

“I’m from Mississippi,” I snapped, looking directly at him.

He laughed out loud again. “Oh my. A feisty personality to go with the lovely body and face. You are
precisely
my favorite flavor, my little Southern Belle.” His eyes turned to Nox again. “Actually, I had one from Mississippi myself. Cute thing—outrageous accent. She was quite delicious except for the glasses.”

My heart seized—he was talking about Emmy. And he’d said he
had
her. What did that mean? Was she not with him anymore? Had he sent her home? Was she okay?

I couldn’t ask about Emmy myself—it would tip Vallon off to my un-glamoured condition. But I turned and looked at Nox, willing him to ask. In fact, I was fairly screaming it inside my head.

He must have gotten the message because he repeated my silent question out loud. “Where’s she tonight? I’d like to check her out. I have a thing for the Southern ones, too.”

Vallon flipped his manicured fingers in a bored gesture. “Well, she was fun for a while, but they all get old rather quickly, you know? No, I guess you don’t—but you will. I traded her to Reggie.”

“Reggie Dillon, the Tremors’ quarterback?” Nox asked.

“Yes, have you met him yet?”

“Not yet—I haven’t been in town very long.”

“Oh, you’ll like him. He’s
lots
of fun. And he has excellent taste in fine young things. Make sure you get an introduction and check out his stable.” Vallon browsed my body again, cataloguing my individual attributes from head to toe. “So… how would
you
feel about making a trade tonight? One of my girls for this one? Any one you want—take two in fact.” He did everything short of licking his lips in anticipation.

Nox’s grip on my hand tightened painfully. I tried not to wince—it wouldn’t do to alert Vallon to my companion’s spontaneous reaction.

His voice betrayed nothing as he emulated Vallon’s blasé tone. “Well… that’s a nice offer. But I haven’t had a chance to sample this one yet. Listen, I see someone over there Alfred wanted me to meet—I’m going to say hi. Great party. Come on, Ryann.”

“Keep it in mind—whenever you’re done with her,” Vallon yelled to our backs as Nox nearly dragged me across the rooftop toward the far end of the bar.

“Who are we going to see?” I asked, running to keep up with his hard-digging stride.

“Anyone but that asshole,” Nox growled. “I didn’t want you spending another second with him.”

His protective tone sent a flutter of nerves through my midsection. “Yeah—he was pretty horrible. I don’t even want to think about what he did to Emmy—or made her do before he got rid of her.”

Nox pulled me into an alcove between the bar and a potted tree. “You’re better off
not
thinking about it. At least we know where she is now.”

“Yes—and we know how to get her back.”

He shook his head. “I haven’t gotten quite that far yet. What do you mean?”

“Well, you’ll have to trade me, of course.”

He stiffened, his already tense facial muscles tightening further. “What? Absolutely not! You saw what Vallon’s like. Reggie could be worse.”

“I doubt anyone could be worse than Vallon.” I laughed.

Nox’s frown said he didn’t find any humor in the situation. “Well, it doesn’t matter. I’m
not
trading you for Emmy. What good would it do, anyway? Then she’d be free, and you’d be trapped.”

“But I wouldn’t be. Since I won’t be glamoured, I’d be able to escape.”

Noticing a couple looking at us, Nox spun me around and pulled me further into the dark alcove. In a lowered voice he said, “How do you know you won’t be susceptible to Reggie’s glamour? You might be. You’ve never even met him.”

“Well, he’s an athlete, not a musician. Chances are if I’m susceptible to musical glamour, I’m resistant to other kinds, right? Lad wasn’t able to glamour me at all.”

Nox’s eyebrows lifted at this news, and a pleased half-smile developed before he mastered it and got serious again. “What if Reggie won’t trade Emmy? He only just got her.”

“Then you could trade me for another girl in his fan pod—I could get in there with Emmy and maybe
un
-brainwash her or something. We could escape together. Maybe I could even help a few of the other girls he has there.”

Nox shook his head, the stubborn frown returning. “No way, Ryann. I like this plan less and less all the time.”

Grabbing his forearm, I squeezed it, trying to make him see reason. “This is our best chance to find Emmy. If I don’t do this, what are we even here for? I might as well go home. Oh my God, is that Chris Hemsworth?” 

He glanced over at the tall, muscular movie star who’d stepped onto the roof deck with his stunning model wife. “Yeah, I met him at the Assemblage ten years ago—he’s from the Australian clan.”

“Right.” I nodded. “I probably should’ve guessed
that
one.”

Nox asked me to meet him on the pool deck later that night, after everyone had gone to bed. He was already outside when I opened the back door.

“All right,” he said with a sigh.

I beamed at him. “You’ll arrange something with Reggie?”

“The team’s got training camp this week—it’s closed to the public, but I can get us in. I’m
not
promising to arrange a trade. We’ll just
meet
him, check him out personally. Maybe we’ll even see Emmy there—I understand the pods are encouraged to be there. But I’ve got a condition.”

“What is it?”

“If I get a bad feeling about him, we’re walking away.”

“But—” 

He held up a silencing hand. “We will walk
away
. And… I want you to work on your nonverbal communication.”

I blew out an impatient breath. “Why?”

“Because I’ll feel better if we can communicate that way. You’ve heard me a time or two, and I’ve heard you, but you’ve got a long way to go before you’re actually proficient. I sent you messages a few times during the party tonight, and you didn’t seem aware of them. I need to be sure you can hear me
every
time, in case I need to give you some sort of warning or instruction for your own safety. Or in case we get separated. Plus, it’d be a great way to get around my guard dog when we’re here at home.”

“Guard dog?”

He hooked a thumb toward the house. “Amalia.”

I laughed at his description of her. “So what’s her deal, anyway?”

He shrugged and shook his head. “Alfred sent her over with the first group of fan pod members—called her a ‘house manager.’ She seems more like a spy to me, though.”

“I thought the same thing. A spy for whom, though?”

“The Dark Council, I guess.”

“Is there anyone here you trust completely? Anyone who’s loyal to you?”

“Yes. Ewan, the one who brought you the note last night. He’s been with me since I first got out to California. He actually worked for my parents when I was a kid. I re-hired him first thing when I set up a residence here.”

“That’s nice. Also, it’s weird. It’s hard for me to get used to the fact that someone you knew as a child could look almost as young as we are.”

“Yeah, it must be strange to a human. I’m used to it.”

“So… what kind of intel do you think your house spy is here to gather?”

“Probably checking to see if I’m with the Dark Elven program. I mean, to them, my past is a mystery. I told Alfred as little as I could get away with. But he knows I spent the past five years in Mississippi—Light Elf territory. He might be worried I interacted with them too much, that I developed sympathies with the Light Kingdom or something.”

“So which side
are
you on?”

He leaned back on his hands and stared up at the starry sky. “Hmmm… I’m not sure I’m on any side. I came to understand the Light Elves very well while I lived in Altum. And I love some of them deeply. But of course, I was born a Dark Elf and lived among them the first twelve years of my life. I feel loyal to that side. I wish there weren’t two sides, honestly, but that’s like saying you wish there weren’t different denominations of churches or different political parties. People will always disagree.”

“True. I guess you have to get to know them better before you can really decide. Have you figured out what the fan pods are for yet?”

“I think so. I mean, clearly it’s about winning the love and loyalty of humans—as many as possible and getting them as deeply invested as possible. If we have influential young people working to create new fans for us, then we have a stronger following. I’m not sure how much Lad told you about our histories, but Elves used to be the rulers of Earth. Humans following us and serving our needs was the natural order of things, and from what I gather, the Dark Elves want things to go back to the way they were. Fan pods seem to be one step in the plan toward the ultimate goal.”

“Which is?”

“To eventually be able to ‘come out of the closet’ and be open about who and what we are, to stop hiding, stop fearing human discovery. The Dark Elven leaders believe the only way we’ll be safe in doing that is if the humans are under our power. You outnumber us tremendously.”

“I remember Lad telling me that. You know, I understand about them wanting to have freedom to be who they are and come and go as they please without having to hide their identities, but I can’t say I’m crazy about the whole plan for world domination.”

Nox wrinkled his nose and nodded. “Yeah. I’m not too comfortable with the whole idea myself. But it’s hard. I mean, I have to accept who I am, right? My parents were Dark Elves, and they weren’t bad people.”

“But they died under mysterious circumstances. Isn’t that what you said?”

“Yeah. So?”

“Well, think about it. Maybe your parents, who were very influential,
weren’t
on board with the Dark Council’s plans. Maybe they were causing trouble, stirring up doubt among other Elves or something. Maybe that’s why they were killed. Maybe that’s why your mom escaped in the middle of the night and put you in the heart of the Light Elves’ Kingdom—the furthest place from the Dark Council’s hands.”

He blinked and jerked his head back as if he’d been slapped. “Whoa. You may be right.” Rubbing his face with one hand, he went on. “If you are, then I’ve done the stupidest thing possible by coming back here and immersing myself in the Dark Elven world again. Maybe that was why Ivar was so angry with me when he learned I’d been sneaking off to California. I thought he was trying to boss me around—control me.” He ran a hand through his hair. “Man, I sound like a pouty teenager, don’t I?”

I laughed and held my fingers up an inch apart. “Teensy bit.”

“Even more reason we need you to get up to speed on your Elven communication. You and I…” He gestured between our bodies “…we’re the only people we can truly count on out here. We might need to send an emergency message at some point.”

“Okay, so how do we do it?”

He appeared to think for a minute, staring out at the rolling sea. “How about a game of Truth or Dare?”

A trill of alarm went through my body. I’d always hated that game at middle school parties. It was probably even more dangerous and potentially embarrassing now. “How about ‘I Spy’ instead?”

He grinned. “No. We’re going to play Truth or Dare. That—or no meeting with Reggie.”

“Fine. Who’s going first?” I grumbled.

“You go, since you’re the weak link here.”

“Hey.” I smacked his arm. “All right. You’re right. Okay… let me see…” I focused my thoughts, forming a message for Nox. The question I’d asked him the other night in his suite—the one he’d refused to answer—came immediately to mind. I knew it would be impossible for him to lie to me when we were speaking mind-to-mind.

Truth or dare—who was your first love?

He narrowed his eyes and smirked.

Dare.

I laughed out loud. I was winning this game already. Hmm… what was something I could make him do that he’d hate? Aha. Thinking I’d send him into the ocean for a chilly nighttime swim, I formulated a command and pushed the mental send button.

Take off your shirt.

And then immediately regretted it. He wasn’t aware of the context of my words, only that I was suggesting he undress.

His eyes flared as he looked at me. And then he got to his feet and slowly peeled his shirt off, grasping the bottom and pulling the garment over his head, staring at me steadily through the process.

As it dropped to the deck he gave me a sexy smile. “How’d I do?”

I got to my feet and cleared my throat. “Um, yeah. That was good. I was thinking I’d make you run into the ocean, but I didn’t want you to have to do it in your clothes. Sorry. You can put it back on now.”

“It’s not hypnosis, Ryann. You can’t
make
me do anything I don’t want to do. And I think I’ll leave it off. Okay, my turn.”

Nox stared deeply into my eyes. I couldn’t hear anything at first and I was starting to get uncomfortable. Was I failing the experiment already? And then I realized he was taking his time coming up with a question for me. I wasn’t really worried about what he’d ask—I had nothing to hide. 

Who’s a better kisser? Me… or Lad?

Dang it. I didn’t want to talk about that. And I couldn’t lie to him—not communicating this way. Only one thing I could say.

Dare
.

You got it. Take off
your
clothes now.
When my eyes widened to the size of teacups, he laughed.
Just kidding. Get up and walk to the stairs, go down them, and stop at the edge of the water.

I’d heard him, even over the sound of my heartbeat pounding in my ears. Crossing the deck, I descended the stairs and walked across the beach, stopping as my toes reached the lapping surf.
Ohmigod the water’s cold!

He laughed.
Excellent, now—

Hold on, mister. Your turn is over. It’s my turn now. Hmmm…
He wanted to play hardball? I could ask questions that made him squirm, too.

Who’s the prettiest girl in your fan pod?

Easy. You.

No—that’s not a legitimate answer. Give me another name.

I can’t remember any of their names.

Okay then—it’s a dare. Do a cartwheel in the sand.

“Ryann…” he complained aloud.

No whining. Either do a cartwheel or run into the ocean. And if you’re wondering… the water’s effing cold… beware of shrinkage.

Well, since I haven’t done a cartwheel since I was about eight and would probably pull a muscle…

Nox unbuttoned his shorts and let them drop to the sand around his feet. Underneath he wore boxer briefs, which he began to inch down his hips.

Heart sputtering, I spun around to face the opposite way. “What are you doing?” I screeched, completely forgetting we were supposed to communicate without sound.

Accepting your dare. And be ready… because my turn is coming up next.

The sound of splashing and a whoosh of expelled air was followed by a hearty male laugh. “Damn this
is
cold!”

When I turned to search the water, I could see the top of his head and his face glowing pale in the lights from the house shining across the dark waves.

I’m going to make you pay for that one
, he threatened silently.
Truth or Dare—I’ve never been glamoured, and I’m curious. What goes through your mind when you hear me sing?

I glared at him. He had stacked the deck. He was purposely asking me questions he knew I wouldn’t answer.
Dare
, I muttered in my mind.

His smile gleamed
. Come on in, baby, the water’s fine.

I’m not taking off my clothes,
I insisted.

I didn’t say anything about your clothes this time. Keep them or lose them—but I’d hate to hear what Amalia will have to say if she finds out you ruined a twenty thousand dollar Prada dress with salt water.

Dang! Did it really cost that much? Nox—give me a different dare. I couldn’t wear a bra under this gown.

His white teeth glowed against the darkness of the night sky and the deep blue ocean around him. He shrugged.
Not my problem. But if you can’t follow the rules of a simple game, maybe you’re not ready to tangle with Reggie Dillon.

“Fine,” I muttered. Then without speaking, I added,
But close your eyes until I get into the water.

He laughed and held a hand over the top half of his face.

I slipped one strap off my shoulder, then another, before clamping my arm across my breasts and letting the gown fall. Shooting a glance at Nox, I confirmed he still had his hand across his eyes. Wearing only my panties now, I tiptoed into the water, making small noises of complaint the whole way and dreading each moment the next inch of bare skin would contact the chilly water.

It’s easier if you go under all at once.

My gaze flew to Nox, who was now peeking at me from between his spread fingers.
Hey! You’re not supposed to be looking until I got all the way under.

How was I supposed to know
when
you got all the way under unless I peeked?

Because I was going to tell you idiot. Oh—you are such a cheater. You were peeking the whole time, weren’t you?

“No,” he said aloud.

I was relieved until it hit me. “Hey—wait a minute—you answered me out loud on that one! I want to hear you answer the Elven way.”

“Maybe I did,” he said with a rascally grin. “Maybe you just didn’t hear it. Maybe you need to work on your skills some more.” And he dived under the water, disappearing from sight.

Suddenly there was a hard jerk on my ankle and I went under as well. Immediately, the grip around my leg was released and I popped to the surface, spitting salt water and highly perturbed.