Chapter Three #2
Artemis smiled. “You were always there for him, so he forgot what it felt like to have you gone. He’s going to be super clingy for a while.
I tried to do this with Tannic, but someone gave me a fatal wound the day before I would have been free of him.
Azreen could have broken the connection unilaterally.
It’s rare for them to allow the familiar to initiate it. ”
Vaia glared at the other mage and said, “You couldn’t have warned me?”
“Naw, this is way funnier. Well, your familiar link is gone, but you still have the sharing available via your much more basic wedded link.” Artemis gathered everything she needed and disappeared.
Vaia looked down at Azreen’s arm across her chest and shoulder, and another around her back, supporting her. His cheek was pressed to the top of her head. “I want the link back. I am missing you.”
“No, but you can continue holding me as long as you don’t yank me around. My leg is burning.”
Azreen held his hand out over her thigh, and she felt the burn die and relaxed. “Thank you.”
He did the same for her ribs, and she smiled. “Thank you. Now I can just get the bill and find out why the hell there is an under-the-bed monster guarding my door.”
The male in question turned to take up the doorway. “I have been here to watch over you for your father, Princess. Your mage family was doing a horrible job.”
“A little fucking late to the party,” Vaia muttered.
He shrugged. “There have been six more attempts on your life in the last two days. They are tenacious.”
Azreen frowned. “What?”
“Someone from your side of the family is sending killers after her. Determined, too. There is going to be a shortage of mercenaries after tonight.” The man of shadows and burning red eyes grinned. “Hello, little cousin.”
“What? No. Wait. So... my father was—”
“Is. He is very much alive. Your arrival was unproven until you started to dance at the faire. The ripple of rumour of a psychic vampire got his attention. The fact that you were licensed for a once-a-year draw was what really impressed him.”
“I could have done it more often, but it was just easier to remember the date that way.”
He grinned, and the sharp row of sharklike teeth made her blink.
Azreen frowned. “Who is hunting her?”
“Your family or perhaps her family. All we know is it began when you received notice of the divorce filing.” He checked his phone. “Ah, when you are ready, call this number, and your father will arrive for his introduction.”
Her phone gave a text alert, and she stared at it. “How did you get my number?”
“Never mind. You are a sound sleeper, cousin.”
She blinked. “Does anyone know how badly my house was hit?”
He looked at her. “Get a hotel, cuz. They turned the frontage into lace. You were lucky to get away with two hits.”
“Oh. Damn. My other properties are rented out.”
“Ah, yes. I have heard you are quite the land baron. Well done, cuz.”
“Why... who... how are we related?”
The monster grinned. “Our fathers are brothers. Oh, and I have a mate all my own. My name is Reymark, and I am in the XIA.”
“Oh. Hell. You are Jennel’s.”
“Correct. How did you know that?”
“I made her dress because wearing you for the wedding to Jennor would have been tacky.”
“You are the dressmaker? Can you give me some ideas for designs? She’s happier when she has options.”
Vaia laughed. “Of course. That does explain your little gathering.”
He chuckled. “Well, I was on leave after the wedding, so when my uncle summoned me, I decided to play guard.”
“Fine. You obviously have my number. Bring me some images of what your lady is already wearing. I can offer some suggestions based on what she likes wearing already.”
“She likes sundresses and frilly stuff. She writes romances and likes to get into a particular mood.” He grinned.
“Right. I need discharge papers and have to organize some kind of repair to the house.”
Azreen cleared his throat. “I wanted to have a home here in Redbird, so I was given a real estate agent’s number.”
Reymark grinned. “Hannah?”
“Yes.”
“She’s engaged to an XIA agent as well. We’ve been having a very good year.” He chuckled. “I can call her if you like. She’s getting up right about now. She works nights.”
“Thank you. That would be helpful.”
Vaia paused. “Damnit.”
“What?” Azreen was at her side in an instant.
“I don’t have clothes. My costume was bloodied and is now in an evidence folder somewhere.”
Reymark nodded. “Your father authorized anything necessary, so what do you like to wear?”
She grimaced. “I am just going to call my assistant to see if she can deliver something of mine. I just want to get out of here. The food sucks, and the company is a little creepy.”
Reymark laughed. “No offense. One of the local ladies called us all by nicknames, and I got Creep.”
“Nylora. So glad she and her son are fine.”
He chuckled. “See? You are doing fine already. Already linked to Hannah via a few twists and turns.”
“Lovely. Well, at least Amy made it home all right,” she mumbled as she sent a text to her assistant.
Reymark laughed. “You know Amy as well? Wow, you are just about one of the family.” He laughed again. “I guess you are.”
Her assistant said she was on her way, with appropriate clothes, underwear, and shoes. Vaia slumped. “Right. Clothing is on the way. Now I just need my papers.”
Azreen said, “I pushed the button. I have also removed your IV.”
“I didn’t feel a thing.”
He snorted, and fire shot down slightly.
Reymark paused. “No way. Dragon?”
Azreen nodded. “I am still young, though. All the fire, none of the scales. Yet.”
“Well, cuz, that is impressive.”
Vaia snorted, no fire. “It really isn’t. Mom and her new husband sold me to his family. None of the rest of my family objected. It’s twisted, not impressive.”
Azreen huffed. “I would say I am sorry, but I am not.” He was rubbing his thumb over the mark the IV had left, and a trickle of energy removed the swelling.
A nurse came in with a kidney bowl containing syringes, and she froze to see the men in the room. “Only family is allowed.”
Vaia pointed at Azreen. “Husband.” She pointed at Reymark. “Cousin, apparently, also XIA agent.”
“Oh. Well, I have some more medication for you.”
“My husband has healed me, so I don’t require any more medication. I just want discharge papers, please.”
The nurse’s hands were shaking as she bustled over with a syringe. “I have to give you this.”
Vaia read the fear and panic in her body and said softly, “No.”
The nurse dropped to the floor as Vaia pulled her energy.
She looked at Azreen. “Please push the button again.”
He was reaching for it, and another nurse came in. “What happened?”
“She was approaching me with a syringe to administer drugs I no longer require and radiating lots of fear. Does she have kids? She appears to be under compulsion.”
The nurse looked at them. “I am more concerned about her being on the floor.”
“Oh, I just knocked her out. I want to leave now, and she came in with a ton of syringes and a look in her eye that said she had to use them.”
The nurse grabbed a phone and made a call. “I accept the healing on visual examination.”
Vaia nodded. “Right. I just need to grab my purse and get a robe, and I will get out of here. I feel a little target-ish.”
The nurse went to a cupboard and got the bag of belongings that Vaia had come in with. “Geez, this is heavy.”
“It’s the beadwork. Right, got that, ooh, shoes.” She went fishing in the bag and got her dance slippers.
She dusted her feet off and put the slippers on, grabbed her purse, and smiled. “So, just a robe, and I am going to walk myself out of here.”
The nurse opened another cupboard and pulled out a folded piece of fabric. “Here.”
“Thanks. Can you get a start on the paperwork? Oh, and get her out of here? I will revive her as soon as I am no longer in danger.”
“Oh. Right. I will call security.”
“Or maybe just an orderly. I don’t want her in trouble. I just don’t want her near me.”
The nurse called again, and two security officers came in, the man at the doorway letting them through. They had credentials, but so had the two nurses who had tried to kill her.
They looked at the woman and pulled her up, her floppy body going left and right.
“Get her feet under her, and she is waking up... now,” Vaia said softly while putting on the robe.
The woman woke up, jolted, and started sobbing. Reymark produced a notebook and took down some details in the sobs. She had, indeed, been threatened.
He spoke to her with his lenses in place and got the information. He nodded and said, “Okay, hold her for the pickup. They are on their way.”
The guards looked at the nurse and then the man made of shadows. “She’s a nurse.”
“She came in with the intent to murder my little cousin. She brought medications and tried to inject them into a patient who was standing on her own and had no remaining injuries.”
There was a knock on the doorframe. The remaining vampire guard, who was looking slightly embarrassed at letting another killer into her room, said, “Miss Depford, you have a guest.”
A hand waved at her from behind the vampire. “Hey, boss. I got your stuff.”
“Min! How did you get here so fast?”
“I was in the neighbourhood. I just had to summon an outfit from the shop.” The even tone was still coming around the vampire.
“Please let her in.”
The vampire sighed and stepped aside. There was Minayel, all five foot three of her, with a garment bag over one arm. Her ears stuck out in the way that the faes tended to when they had seriously mixed bloodlines.
She stepped in and held the bag toward Vaia. “Here you go, boss. I put the blue business dress in. I think you are going to be talking to people. Appropriate footwear is included. If you give me your costume, I bet I can fix it.”
“Bet.” She grabbed the plastic bag and handed over the garment bag.
“Do you want some privacy?”
“That would be... great.”