Chapter 3 #3
“Audrina’s room isn’t actually in the house. I set up a pocket dimension for her, separate from Violet, but kind of stuck on the outside of her. If you went into her room and left via her main door, you’d find yourself in a little apartment complex in the Marina District.”
“Really?”
“Yes, really. The door you listened outside of is actually a worm door that leads to the pocket dimension. Nobody can open it other than us.”
“A worm door.” It was a lot to take in.
“Yes. Worm, as in wormhole. It’s like”—he screwed up his face while tossing plates in the dishwasher—“it’s like a mini portal. The internal door in her room connects to the hallway here. But her main door opens out to an apartment a few miles away from here.”
I frowned “Why?”
“Security, you dunce. You abducted her from a psych ward; the police are looking for her now. There’s an alert out for information regarding her whereabouts.
If the cops come here, Violet can hide her, but it would be better if they didn’t come here looking for her in the first place.
We built the pocket dimension last night, I decorated it, and when she woke up and the drugs had worn off a bit, I had her wander around the communal areas of the apartment building in the Marina.
Lots of people saw her.” Cecil finished stacking the dishwasher and kicked the door shut.
“The police will be focusing their search on an apartment block far away from here. And it will take them forever to search it. Almost all of the apartments are Airbnb’s, so finding the owners and getting warrants is a logistical nightmare.
The most they’re going to get is a dozen residents telling them that yes, they did see a girl matching that description in the building.
And since her actual room is not in that apartment building, they’ll never find her. ”
“That’s smart,” I said. “So, you can just build little pocket rooms out of nothing?”
“Being this talented is a burden, but I must do my duty,” he sighed, tossing his mane.
Donovan let out a grunt. I arched my eyebrow. “He didn't build the pocket dimension,” Donovan said. “That magic is far beyond him.”
“Spoilsport,” Cecil muttered.
“Eryk and Nate built it.”
I frowned. “Nate and Eryk seem quite taken with Audrina.”
“Indeed, they are,” Donovan said, attacking his bacon.
“Really? They’re not just guarding her, like we asked them to?”
“No. They are both entirely infatuated with the Songbird and have been since they laid eyes on her.”
“Oh.” I gnawed on my lip, thinking. “Is that going to be a problem?”
“I do not see why it would be. In fact, they are well matched. By human standards, Eryk and Nate are not much older than her. They have only just reached adulthood themselves.”
I made a face. “But technically…”
He met my gaze, his expression lightening.
“You do not have to worry. Both my bondsmen are sworn to chastity until I release them from their vows, and their interest at this stage goes no further than friendship and deep admiration.” Donovan scowled deeply for a moment, glaring at his plate.
“I am not afraid of death, nor of pain. But I am afraid of what Martina will do if she discovers that we have disregarded more mortal laws.”
I stifled a chuckle. “Okay, so is it going to be a problem between them? Eryk and Nate, I mean. They’re not going to fight over her if they decide to start dating?”
Donovan swallowed the last of his bacon and tossed his plate over his shoulder.
Cecil caught it without looking and placed another plate of pancakes in front of him.
“Of course not. Eryk and Nate are brothers in arms. In Eryk’s culture in particular, it is quite common for noble women to have harems of men. ”
I took a moment. “Okay, then. I’m sure Audrina will be delighted with how things are turning out for her. And I suppose I’m glad she’s got someone to look after her. I’ve got a busy day ahead.”
“You do,” Cecil said, clearing my plates. “You’ve got a meeting with the vampires tonight.”
“Oh, God.” I slumped. “Tonight? Are you sure?”
Bart had left me a handful of voice messages, which I’d listened to while catching my breath last night.
He’d had no idea I’d been arrested or hospitalized, nor did he know about my little trip to the Underworld.
But Jillian, his accountant—a terrifying woman even before I learned she was a vampire—had been riding his ass to get an audience with me.
He nodded. “Bart popped in while you and His Highness were cloistered in your bedroom, playing your nude game of Twister. The vampire Ancients have finally decided on a course of action, and they have extended an invitation for you to visit their realm this evening. They want you to close their spark stone.”
“Do they?” I frowned. “That's… that’s nice, I suppose.”
Cecil whipped out a lint roller and attacked my pantsuit, trying to get rid of the orange glitter. “Do I detect a little hesitancy, Chosen? I would have thought you’d be happy about getting the opportunity to guard such a powerful stone against Connor.”
“I am.” I batted the lint roller away. “I’m freaking delighted.”
I wasn’t delighted at all.
Both Bart and Jillian had impressed on me what an honor it would be if the vampires chose to back me as Ruler of All the Worlds, so I should be happy.
Vampires were one of the most powerful supernatural creatures in the Middle World.
They were fast and strong, and they also possessed compelling magic which helped them lure their victims in.
Not only that, but they used their magic on weaker-willed souls and turned them into their servants.
I was happy that the Ancients chose me instead of Connor. For a while there, it felt like Connor’s PR machine was winning the battle. He’d spread so much misinformation, nobody knew who was the good guy and who was the bad guy.
It felt like the tide was turning a little.
Unfortunately, there was a small contingent of vampires—misogynists of course—who had vocally aligned themselves with Connor.
Some had even gone so far as to try and sneak the Devourer into their realm so he could find and steal the vampire spark stone. It was lucky that his plan failed.
If Connor got his hands on the vampire stone, he’d get all that compelling magic, and we’d be screwed. Closing the stone meant that the danger would vanish. I should be eager to get it done.
Still. There was something about the whole thing that made me… uncomfortable.
I couldn’t put my finger on it, and I had too much to do today to really dig into why I was so reluctant.
I forced a smile. “This is good news. For you too, Cecil. You don’t need to make dinner tonight because I guess I’ll be dining in a creepy gothic castle on the side of a craggy black mountain in the vampire realm. ”
Cecil snickered. “You’re assuming too much.
You really don’t want the vampires making dinner for you, Chosen, they’re not exactly known for their human culinary expertise.
Contrary to popular belief, they can’t make Italiano.
Black pudding, blood pancakes, suspicious-smelling borscht, and that’s about it. Don’t worry, I’ll pack some snacks.”
“Great,” I said weakly. I gathered up my laptop bag and my phone. “I really have to get to work.”
“I’ll be coming with you, of course. I told you; I’m not letting you out of my sight.
” He tossed the lint roller behind himself and did a little pirouette.
Golden sparkles erupted out of both horns, and all of a sudden, Cecil was a large golden Labrador in a service vest. The letters on the side of his vest declared Working Animal.
Try To Pet Me and You’ll Lose Your Fingers.
“You really don’t have to come to the office with me, Cecil.”
“You don’t have a choice, Chosen,” he sang back.
“She does have a choice.” Donovan scraped his chair back and stood up, unfolding his massive frame from the table. “She could order—” The words died on his lips. He froze.
A thrum of alarm pulsed through me. “Donovan?” I tiptoed over to him. “Are you okay?”
He scowled and tilted his head slightly, as if trying to hear something. “I?—”
Footsteps thundered down the hallway. “Your Highness!” Nate and Eryk both burst into the kitchen. “Did you sense that?”
“I did.” Donovan stood very still.
Goosebumps rose on my flesh. Whatever it was, I felt it too. “What was it?”
“A thrum of great magic,” Donovan explained, moving towards the window. “A gateway between Worlds has been forced open, somewhere close by.”
“Is it Connor?”
He hesitated for a second. “I do not think so, but it would be unwise to be unprepared for it. Eryk, Nate.” He nodded at the boys. “Arm yourselves. Nate, scry for the source of the disturbance and summon Cress here immediately. She has taken a U-Haul to her mate’s abode.”
I picked up my laptop bag. “Great idea. And I’ll head to work. Cecil, will you drive me?”
They all turned to stare at me.
“What? I’m not going to hide here in Violet, waiting for the next hammer to strike. If Connor has an army of slavering beasts out there, I’ll fight through them to get to the office.”
“Chosen—”
“I’ve made a commitment, Donovan. I took a job, and I’m going to do that job to the best of my ability for as long as I’m able to.”
“No, I was going to say that you should do as you wish.” Donovan moved to stand right in front of me, looming over me.
“You are entirely right. There is always going to be a crisis on every horizon.” The hard line of his lips softened slightly.
“Like Lady Bronwyn says, there is no point fighting battles that haven’t happened yet. ”
I smiled up at him. “So wise.”
“And to be safe, I will alert Martina that she may be needed at your side.” The corners of his lips twitched up again. “Just in case you are arrested by the human enforcers.”
I chuckled awkwardly. “That’s actually not a terrible idea.”
“With your power, Cecil’s beauty, and Martina’s law expertise, I think you will be sufficiently protected.
” Donovan’s hand cupped my cheek, thumb lingering on my lips.
“Besides, I assume that the gateway has opened on the rooftop and spat out my mother’s advisers, coming to ensure I am still alive. ”
“Oh.” I melted into his palm. “Of course.”
Eryk cleared his throat. “We should locate them, Your Highness. Before they make a spectacle of themselves here in the human realm.”
“And I should get going,” I said, checking my watch. “Now I’ve only got an hour and a half before work starts.”
Donovan leaned down and kissed me, and my resolve to go to work almost vanished. His kiss was electric and intoxicating, and I wanted it to go on forever. Too soon, he pulled back. “Be safe, Chosen.”
“I will.” Silently, I added the word try.