Tainted (9 page)

I flinched at his words trying to sit up feeling yet another shock wave of emotion and avoiding his naked man chest staring at me.  Calling to me.  How quickly his manly thoughts return. I stopped him with my arm after careful deliberation, “No stay here.  I want to hide out and pretend we are the only two people in this world for just a little while.”  He chuckled.  His hand touched the bare skin on the nape of my neck sending very pleasant chills up and down my spine.  Something no one else could do.   “Our own private bubble,” I begged and leaned my head back to his arm.  It wasn’t long before I was asleep. 

I awoke sometime in the night beside Ian achy and felt the stretch loosen me as I unfolded out around him surprised he was sleeping.  I touched his eyelids gently caressing each one.  I moved my hand over his face and slid down the length of his nose and stopped on his lip.  The stubble on his chin was scarcely there as if he didn’t shave off what was the start of a mini goatee. 
Hmm!
  I traced his lips relishing in the fact that I’ve never done this before and enjoying the thrill it shot up my body.  Those lips had touched mine.

“Feel free to move about anywhere you want.  If I offer to stay like this, will you continue?”

I jumped at his first word but relaxed into a giggle by the time he opened one eye.  “I thought you didn’t sleep.”

“Don’t!  Much!  Occasionally since my girl gives me reasons to be worn out.” He pulled me tighter.

Well!  “Since my man gives me no information and leaves me alone with creepy people.”  And Pike is Mr. Creepy no matter what.  I just couldn’t seem to pinpoint why I found that so appealing or nerve rackingly crazy. 

He released me and reached behind his own back.  His hand came back with two red roses and found their way to be centered between our two faces.  Not moving, I looked into his eyes as he did into mine.  “Why two?”

“You were upset the last two times on the trampoline and I didn’t feel like you would...well, I needed to make up for them.”

As sad as that made me, I smiled.  “I would have wanted them anyway.  I noticed, but would never ask.”

“Duly noted.”

“Can I ask you something?” I reciprocated the squeeze on his arm as he did mine savoring the sensation.

“Always.  You know this.”

Men!  I’m figuring another degree of their reasoning.  They don’t give information freely like us.  Maybe it’s not that he hides things purposefully but doesn't just openly speak unless asked.  “My father and mother exist together.  Why are there no other half humans?  Surely the Fey have wanted to mate with some humans they fell in love with.  It does happen.”  I smiled at my beloved in question.

I guessed because it was a question he was disinclined to tell me because his faced pained like it was a bad memory.  “It is forbidden.  They only let you live because your mom and dad married and left.  With the intention to hunt her, the AWOL Firebearer, the hunt was stopped because the prophecy came along.  That is the only reason your mother is alive.  And me.  I promised to keep an eye on her to assure her wicked ways were mended.”

I laughed.  But something didn’t add up.   “The prophecy came when she was pregnant with me I thought.  Either something doesn’t gel or there is another prophecy.”

He sighed.  The kind of sigh that says he was afraid of this sharing of information.  He never counts on my mind reasoning things out. 

“There is.”  Pause.  “No matter the words the seer foretold it.  It simply said that a Firebearer would rule the court.  No one believed it.  Why would they?  It had never happened before so it was dismissed as not probable and forgotten until your Firebearer mom ended up pregnant and another prophecy showed up when your grandfather died who delivered the second prophecy without a seer.”

My next words were a guess.  “No one knew my mom was pregnant.  And when the other prophecy came, it changed their minds.  I lived.  My parents lived.  And three bad to the bone princes fought for the affections of the newborn and there on.”

“Yes,” his teeth gritted at my warped entangled web description ending.

I ticked off on my fingers, “Let me tell you the ending.  It’s my fairy tale after all.   The prophecy proves that the guardian Ian won the girl, already went the ball, got married in a very elaborate beautiful wedding where she has a dress that makes him quiver and drool, best honeymoon that ever existed, and the two of them live happily ever after.  The end.”

“Will you tell me the details of this dress and honeymoon?” his smile returned with a quick wink.  He could retrieve armed to die for smiles at a moment’s notice, couldn’t he?  This is undoubtedly a guy’s best weapon.

“Would rather live it?  No you may not see the dress.  Human Tradition.  Half Human here.  And you’re in charge of the honeymoon.  Just remember, I want amazing since I’m being made to wait this long.  I’ve waited five very hormonal years to get my hands on you and I will not hold back.”  Move out angel Grace, you’re packing up and leaving the building.

His face was so fun to watch when I could shock him.  He seemed to only give me, alone, any real facial expressions.  Everyone else got the gorgeous smile, but it was guarded with humor and cleverness, not underlying messages.  “I don’t know what to say here, love.  But I can assure you, I’ve waited eighteen years, been pent up for a hundred now, and will easily make every one of your fairy tale dreams come true.  If this Grace who sits before me wants to be so bold, I will surely have to keep up with her.”  Still under the trampoline, I felt his hands traveling up my waist now and stop at the skin just under my arm.  He cleverly, softly moved slightly up.  I felt his fingertips edge around the fold of my chest upward and stop at the place where my pendant stayed.  I was panting so heavily that I was light headed and closed my eyes to keep from passing out.

He leaned in.  His breath sweet like the mint I loved with his breathing smooth unlike mine.  I opened my eyes and quickly closed them seeing his eyes so close.

“Open them,” the breathy voice said.  I did as told.  With his eyes open too, he kissed me softly.  And he did it again, then again with more force.  Eyes still open the kiss deepened. I felt his tongue breach my teeth and my whole body shuddered uncontrollably.  His hands were moving around to my back and stopped just above the curve of my hipbone.  When he stopped and backed away putting his hands away from me, I moaned.  Shocked at my own response, he lifted his lip in a satisfied smile.  My whole body was on fire from the tips of my toes and all the way up.  Huskily I asked, “Why did you stop?  That was...wow!”

“Amazing?” 

Cocky man!  I hit his chest playfully.  Agenda man!  I narrowed my eyes.  “And you say you are not experienced in this?” I cautiously asked.

He smirked sorrowfully.  “No Grace, I’m not.  Kissing a few girls hardly counts as skilled.  Does that disturb you?”

Gosh no!  “Just, you seem really good at it.”

“Perhaps you ignite a fire in me that has no control and wants none.”

I gasped.  This is fun!  “I don’t want it contained.”

“Deal!”

“If you do that again, I’ll agree to anything you want
Master
Ian.  I am forever your servant.” I bowed the best I could from my position.

“Hmm!  Tempting.  But....”

The moment had passed and I was sad, and I pouted.  He laughed a hearty laugh and pulled me into a bear hug.   “You’re warm,” he commented. 

I blushed.  “Umm, wonder why?”  He released me fast.

“You really struggle with the waiting issue, don’t you?” I said as if I just realized this.  And it was true mostly. 

He sighed heavily.  “Yes, Grace.  It is very hard to restrain myself away from you especially when you give yourself so easily over to me.”

Do I?  “Well, I can solve that.”  And I moved far, far away from him in the soft dew covered grass. 

“That’s extreme.”

“Wouldn’t want to give the wrong impressions,” I batted my eyes repeatedly.

“That’s not what I meant.”  He rolled his emerald green silver glazed eyes at me.  I waited for him to ask.  “I mean...that you respond too well to me.  It makes me almost unable to stop.”

“Like we are meant to be together.  Puzzle pieces,” I mumbled more to myself.

“Exactly.”  He’d heard me.  I smiled satisfied, in love, and in total admiration!

After a long period of moving back together and more kissing on the top of the trampoline, we forced the stopping again and laid there in each other’s arms.  Another famous red rose appeared and I was fully satiated in the bliss of the moment.  That was number three in one night.  All the roses alone made him drool worthy.

I would try a different tactic on the latest issue before our lovefest started back up.  “Will you tell me later about your insights on the future? Kin.  And my past? My parents. When the time is right.”  I put my hand on my hip in horizontal fashion, both of us on our sides.

“Yes.”  He smiled being let free of burdens he knew.

He rolled over and stood.  He was shirtless and his sleep pants were riding low.  I closed my eyes tight holding back my after marriage thoughts. He was chuckling with that sweet manly growl of his and bending back towards me.  I got a major yummy whiff of him.  “You’ll be the death of me, Grace.”

“Not until after we’re married and older than dirt.”  Angel Grace MOVE over, devil Grace is ready for new horizons.  NOW!  I thought I told my inner angel to take a hike earlier?

“The dirt is older than all of us.”  I was waiting for my kiss that I knew was coming.  He started to pull up and I grabbed his bare shoulder making him fall beside me.  “This Grace is so daring and brave.”

“And you’ve watched her become who she is and grow into that person.”

“And I loved every second of it.  Well, there were a few moments I would change.”

I was distraught.  “What is that?”  I pulled back to be sure I saw his face.  It tells all!

Reading my fear, “Kinsler, Pike, that other boy.  And your memory so I can erase them from your brain.”

I understood his jealousy, but… “Ian, those events, helped to make us who we are and put us here now.  I have no doubt that they were important because that led me to know exactly what I wanted in life.”

“And that is?”  

“You!”  I pecked a kiss on his lips and scooted around him.  He walked me back to my room, and stayed
standing
in my room.  He said he’d leave when I was safe in the bed, but I needed my nightly routine with pajamas and clean teeth first.

He sat on my bed and watched me till I was in the bathroom behind closed doors. I swayed and wiggled my still-in-my-in-last-night’s clothes behind at him until I closed the bathroom door warranting a whistle.  I also wondered how he ended up in “pjs” and I didn’t.  And I wondered if he’d stashed them there or wandered around the court bare-chested in pajama pants.  I would search the room for his clothes when I got out, but knew they wouldn’t be here then briefly wondered what I would do if he ever came in the bathroom, but those thoughts were too far in the danger zone so I willed them away.

The next day proved boring really.  And the next.  Normal I guess.  I liked it.  No drama.  No Pike.  But no Ian much either.  At the end of that very next day though, things heated up.  Ian pulled me into the meeting room where Pike and all the guards stood ready to discuss all of what I was left out of before.  Danella accompanied me.  We listened attentively to the dangers coming with surveillance on Kin and his watchful eye over my parents.  I hadn’t figured yet why Kin would do all this in the first place and the conversations of the meeting room left me puzzled more.

“Because it helps him get you.  He thinks you will let your guard down just as you did.  He thinks you will do it again.”  Pike turned only halfway around to acknowledge the answer to my thoughts.  He’d been absent from my presence for three days.  I felt relaxed during that time I noticed now.  But not anymore.  We were in a crowded room where nothing and anything could happen.

“And he will not have me,” I said through gritted teeth.  Now I
HAD
the double meaning!

He addressed the men with, “If the queen gets anywhere near the house, he is bound to attack her.  It is better to keep her here or send a decoy.”

Ian agreed with Pike, “Agreed.  I think a decoy is in order.  Perhaps we can divert him long enough to get her parents out, but where is—

“OUT!  NO!  They will stay there and live their lives.  Kin can do the leaving.  My father doesn’t even know about all this and it is enough stress on my mom to go through this for me, but to lose her home.  NO!”  Somewhere in the back of my mind I knew now I was brought in here because of the promise Ian made to keep me informed better, but I would have my last word concerning my parents.

Ian pressed his lips together into a straight line trying to keep his cool, “Perhaps we can make Kinsler want to leave.”

Pike spoke to the group, but watched me as if he were trying to talk to me secretly, “Like use Grace to lure him away.”  He was doing everything to go against me.  I had my pendant on and secure.  No go Mr. Pike.

“Too dangerous.  I won’t put Grace in that situation.  I meant to create a problem elsewhere to keep him occupied.  I will lead them away.”

“What do you have in mind?”  Pike asked and they all moved away from me.  I sat at the table looking at the map of my parents house pretending to not really listen.

They discussed this over coffee in their large seating arrangement around the bulky round table in the meeting room.  Half their chairs were rocked back and teetering as if they were bored.  Since coming here, I’ve acquired an even greater taste for coffee every morning due to the vivid earliness of the morning routines.  I had both of them hooked on it also.  Even the newest addition to their dude powwows.  Bane.  As I listened, I discovered that this was assuredly not the first time the three of them sat chatting over coffee like three old women.

I was happy for Ian even though it included Pike.  I knew that in my mind this would prove awkward to Ian to sit with a guy who kept making moves on his woman, but then I rationalized that maybe it was a man pride peacock strut routine of “yeah, she’s mine and you can’t have her so watch from afar knowing my scent’s all over her and I have my eye on you”.  Or the “keep your friends close and your enemies closer” theory.  Or both!

But there was also the idea that maybe, just maybe, Pike and Ian could be friends. I think they were at one time.  Before me!  Girls never stayed friends with one who is a boyfriend stealer.  But boys, they seem to take pride in announcing to other males who their woman is. This meeting resembled a coffee house, not the business feel it had before.

After much deliberation, the three had their plan in detail.  I, on the other hand, had my own plan.  Part one included that I had no intention of letting Ian get hurt which defied the deal we’d made for me to not leave the court unaware.  I intended to bring my guards…and lose them.  He was purposely, stubbornly putting himself in harm’s way for me so I was just returning the favor, stubbornly. And I kept my promise by keeping Rion and Caymin with me.  They understood that this was part of the plan and not my own.  I knew that Ian would know soon and I had to make my move quick.

I loaded up with armor, arrows, daggers and a pit stop to the jasmine.  I spent the last two days of any spare time researching the elements of several plants and found my most needed answer in the nonchalant mumblings of my lady’s maid.  Danella mentioned in my jasmine infused bath that the plant is also used to mask the scent of the Fey even to they’re own.  Okay, so I probed it out of her!  That is a newsworthy tidbit of information useful for just where I was headed.  Because I already knew this, it was only confirmed.

I rubbed the jasmine flower all over my exposed skin and tucked some down into my boots and pockets just like Pike. Memories flooded my mind of endless hours in the garden with my mom planting the stuff and only now did I wonder if it was used for masking purposes more often than even I knew about.  Well perfumed and disguised, I set out.

I sizzled up to the side of the gazebo and slid down under the brush already close and undetected.  I was reminded as I lifted my head to see over the railing to the house about the night I found out about Ian.  I pictured my fall to the ground and vaguely remember Ian talking to someone.  And after thinking and reliving it, I remember it well enough it had to Pike.  He was there.  I’ll revisit that later with the intention of analyzing Pike’s role a little more.  I rubbed my newest wrist pendant close to me for safeguarding of my thoughts.

I refocused and headed across the grass curving around the trees sprinkled non-symmetrically around the yard.  All the way up against the house and knowing that Kin was just six feet away from me, I squatted..  He hadn’t spread his Nym goons out well enough to surround the whole place.  I needed a diversion like Ian and Pike talked about by making him think something attacked and make sure he knew Ian and Pike remained back at court.  I knew half my plan would work, but the other half was still working itself out.  Earlier, telling my mother to make vacation plans sounded reasonable.  It would only be a couple of days.  At seeing this many Nyms, I wouldn’t make it in and out undetected.  My backup plan was to blast them away from the place long enough to tell her to head to head to Hawaii so I could talk to Kin alone, if need be, and then run back to court before they saw I was missing.  Everything always sounds better in the planning stages.

I eyed the shed standing just in front of me and checked behind me making sure my guards stood in the shadow of the tree line.  I argued with myself on how well I felt I could get to the backside of the shed without being seen and cursing myself for not going there first.  I watched the guards and waited for an opportune moment to take off towards it.  At least five or possibly ten minutes past and finally I had a shot.  I looked in every direction and soft padded it over to the covered lean-to part of the shed and waited.  Holding my breath, I heard nothing.  I assumed my stealthy Intel had paid off with the help of my trusty jasmine but peeked again to make sure my guards were still hidden in the trees.  Too much time had passed and soon a mad Ian or Pike would appear before me.  Of that I was sure.

I parted the door and stowed away inside.  I rummaged quietly through the musty aired darkness assuming the bagel still be in the corner under the table saw.  How my father ever thought he would take up woodworking was beyond me?  Pop!  I froze.  Something rolled off the chair beside me.  After a minute of a very long silence, I continued to bend over and there!  It was right where I thought.  I pulled it free of debris and started to back out of the shed peeking in every direction and proceeding to head back to the spot I had before.  After time, I made it around to the opposite side and remained there hidden under the side of the house trellis that no longer supported mom’s jasmine vines.  I would have this done and make the bad guys ready for Ian and Pike to pick up and carry away therefore keeping my parents safe and myself to boot.

I mounted the objects I freed from the rotting shed catching a sneeze from the powder residue left on my fingers.  I finished my artful presentation and stood back in proud awe of my handiwork. They were aimed to shoot straight up in the air, towards the trees, but burn out before impact. I refocused once again and set about lighting them with the goal of returning to the front of the house in time to see the explosion and be hidden from all.  Since my father had bought these at least two years ago, I was now resolving to believe that they might not light.

BUT…at the last second of my concern a small spark flew out and the whole side of the house lit up like a birthday cake. 
Happy birthday to me!
 

All in slow motion, the boom of the blast threw me back a step and caused my vision to blur.  Like a movie, I had to regain consciousness, ignore the buzzing in my ears, and trace my steps to where I was sitting upright now in the tall privet hedge by the front of the house.  Maybe I was a little too close.  For some reason I could hear Pike’s quick witted response to me saying that.  Nonverbal or aloud, I could predict his humor.

I heard scurrying feet in every direction and felt the satisfaction of hearing Kin yell to one of them, “Check where the prince thieves are.” 

Prince thieves?
   I checked for the amulet And made it sure was around my neck safe and secure.  I needed step two of the plan, but it had to be exactly on time. 

“Check the Starmens.”  He must have shouted to another body I wasn’t aware of the whereabouts.

I waited then snaked a peek. He was right in front of me sniffing the air like he could search the perpetrator out like a bloodhound. And that would be
me!

It was now or never.  I moved the necklace out of shirt and held my breath.  I didn’t dare move even though my ever famous hands burned and itched with him close.  I thought it left me, but it was back.  Just then a shorter Nym dude came around the corner and shouted, “No go on the princes.  They are at court and know nothing.”

Kin stopped at this pulling his hand to his chin puzzled.  I loved it! Ha!

He took off after seconds and made his way to the back the front of the house. 

I seized the moment letting go of the amulet and screamed at the top of my brainwaved lungs, “PIIIKKKKEEEE!”

My next move…is where I made my first mistake.  Winding myself to get a better look at Kin’s impending demise walked me straight into his wake. 

“She’s here.” Kin said as he sniffed.  He looked puzzled and mad at the same time.

When the first goon caught sight of me, Kin froze in shock, quickly recovered, and snapped one finger to give the order.  I was pulled into two directions and sitting in the gazebo now with Kin’s face next to mine. 
Ugh!
 

He barked at them for hurting me and took me from them holding onto my arm in a gentler way.  “Well, well, well.  Look what we have here.  Stolen property.”  He sniffed me again sporting a ferocious grin.  What is with the sniffing? 

His eyes searched my body making my mind throw up in my subconscious paper bag. 
Double ugh!

He poked his finger into my legs and I jerked.  I felt him reach his fingers in my boots and the itch of the jasmine brushed upward on my leg.  He dragged it across the other leg too. 
Where might we find more of this?
  His eyes darkened as he spoke to my mind.  I saw now he had my pendant dangling from his palm.

Nasty, foul, loathsome man.

Now.  Now.  Nice manners please.

When you do.

He backed up from me changing his stance.  He sat on the bench across from me giving us a definite boundary.

He nodded and watched me for longer than I wanted.  This was the same Kin who always pestered me into things I didn’t want.  He was up to something.

“No, not up to something.  And I was ever only wanting you to consider your options.”

“What?  To be your queen!”

He looked shocked, but half bowed from where he sat, “Well, yes.  I would be honored.”

What?  Why?
  I am tired of boys offering me options.  Maybe the term “old maid” sounded better than being pulled in three directions.

“Why?  Because you were so heavily guarded by others that I had to stoop low enough to get anywhere near to just speak with you.  I am not the evil you make me to be.”

“You’re Unseelie.”

“And that by definition makes me evil?” he raised the guy trademarked eyebrow but his, though sexy, was laced with poison.

“Well, doesn’t it?”  I never contemplated that it was only my own assumptions or that I was led to believe it.

“No, sweet Grace,” his words purred off his tongue.  “I think even you could dig a little deeper into the history books to discover some closer truths.”

“Yes, however, I think that delving into your psyche might prove dangerous alone.  I’m not sure I want to go there.”

He moved a little closer making me draw my shoulders in from the nearness.  “If you’d give me half a chance, I would give you the world. Everything you ever wanted.   Just think about it.”

This proved a severe dilemma.  I would have never guessed I’d be sitting here having a conversation with my #1 enemy being wooed by him
. 
What is it with these Fey princes?