Chapter Thirty-Eight #2
her with other men. Now that you’ve let yourself off the leash, I suspect
you’ll be between her legs three times a day. Try to remember I need her, too.”
Beck steals a kiss as well, though his is neither quick nor
sweet. His tongue plunders like the pirate he is. When he lets me go, I hold on
to his arm to steady myself. “I promise nothing. And you seriously
underestimate me if you think it’s only going to be three times a day.”
The downside to having two husbands suddenly becomes very
obvious. “Let’s talk about this.”
Whatever else I have to say is lost as two of the villagers
come riding up to the cottage. They ride swiftly, each man leaning forward in
the saddle with great determination. The very air around us seems to become
tense. Beck reaches for the sword on his back. It’s in his hand as we make our
way to the cottage.
“Your Highnesses,” one of the young men calls out. Both of
the men dismount and make courtly bows.
“Niall, Eiric,” Cian greets the men. “What’s happened?”
“’Tis the miller’s daughter,” the one I think is Niall says.
His eyes shine with unshed tears.
“Bri?” I ask, feeling my stomach clench. She’s a sweet girl
of barely sixteen years. I spent an afternoon with the girl and her parents.
What happened to her?
“Yes, ma’am,” Eiric confirms. “There’s been an accident. Her
father begs Your Highnesses to come and figure out what has happened to his
daughter.”
“How bad is it?” Beck asks the men.
“’Tis bad, Your Highness,” Niall replies. “Very bad. She’s
dead, and I’ll be honest, I am not sure this was an accident. The miller needs
the wise counsel of his kings.”
Cian and Beck share a look between them.
“One of us should go and one should stay here with Meg until
we determine if it’s safe,” Beck says.
“The women have gathered at the miller’s house,” Eiric
offers. “Bri’s mother is obviously distraught. The queen would be very welcome
there.”
“Assign a guard to the house,” Cian orders.
“At least three,” Beck adds.
Beck turns to me, but I know my duty. “Don’t worry about it.
I’ll get dressed and go to Bri’s mother. Niall can take me. You and Ci go and
find out what’s going on.”
Beck sighs and leans down for a kiss. “Stay safe, wife.”
I hold Beck’s hand as I reach up to kiss Cian. It feels so
right when the three of us are physically connected. “You two do the same. Come
and get me when you’re done.”
Beck whistles, and Sweeney appears from the fields where he
tends to run free during the day. As my husbands follow Eiric, I race into the
cottage after promising Niall I’ll be swift.
I quickly change into soft brown trousers and a linen shirt.
I shove my feet into boots and lace up the black vest that completes the
outfit. I have a more formal dress, but I want to be prepared to work if I need
to.
I grab my satchel and drape it across my shoulder so it
hangs over my torso and rests against the opposite hip. I have the small
medicinal kit Flanna has taught me to use. Just as I’m going back out the door,
the vampire computer catches my eye. I pick it up and slip it into the satchel.
It can’t hurt. If nothing else, it plays movies from the Vampire plane. Perhaps
a movie will entertain the children and keep their minds off the tragedy.
“I’m ready,” I call out as I walk through the door. “Niall?”
He’s on the ground, his head at the oddest angle. I try to
get to him, but before I can reach the young man, a hand grabs my arm. Cold
flows up my skin, like I’ve been touched by ice.
“Not so fast, Your Highness,” a deep voice says.
My stomach turns as I look up into red eyes. They smolder
from a cadaverous face. A face I remember. It haunts my dreams. The
Planeswalker’s skin is taut across his sharp bones, like a corset that has been
pulled far past its wearer’s comfort.
“What do you want?” I ask, forcing myself to stand tall.
There’s no point in struggling. I can feel the strength in
the demon’s claws. The wicked talons the demon possesses are merely brushing
against my skin right now. But I have no doubt they will sink into my flesh if
I give him the slightest provocation.
“What do I want? Oh, so many things, Your Highness,” the
demon says with a rueful sigh.
He towers over me at roughly seven feet. His body is long
and thin to the point of emaciation. He stares down, his eyes pitiless pools
regarding me with curiosity. I am absolutely certain I don’t want a demon
curious about me. “You really are their queen, you know. Even the hag has
figured that out. Tell me something. Have the twins come into their magic yet?
I rather think so. I can smell the power in this place now.”
“Why don’t you ask my husbands?” I know it won’t work. Niall
is dead not three feet away. The Planeswalker hasn’t come to request an
audience.
The demon chuckles. “I think not. I have a contract, you
see. Someone is paying me to take you off the plane. Odd, isn’t it? You’re just
a little cash cow, sweetheart. I made money stealing you from your plane, and
now I make money taking you back. The village hag is paying me handsomely to
get rid of you. She wanted me to kill you, but I told her she didn’t have
enough to pay for that. I’ll have to stay away from this plane for a while as
it is. If I killed you, I suspect the warrior half might never stop hunting me.
I gave the hag a spell to take care of him, but I don’t trust her to get it
right. I can’t have the warrior pursuing me.”
“The intellectual half wouldn’t be too happy, either.” I’m
trying not to think about the hag the demon mentioned. It’s impossible. Someone
in the village wants to hurt Beck and Ci. Panic snakes through my brain.
They’re in the village right now. What if the incident with Bri is really a
trap? “I don’t want to go back.”
A sly smile splits the demon’s face. He shows jagged, sharp
teeth. “Of course you don’t, dear. You’re a pathetic little nothing on your
plane. Here, you’re a queen.” He shrugs. “It’s kind of a crappy kingdom,
though. At least on the Earth plane you’ll have running water. Look at it that
way.”
“No,” I say, pulling my courage around me. “I won’t go.”
“You’re going to be trouble, aren’t you?” the demon asks
though he doesn’t wait for an answer. “Oh, well. We can do it the hard way,
then.”
As the demon brings his fist down on my head, I wish I’d
been smart enough to lie.