eyes were shimmering topaz, and he cocked his head, looking at me.
“Well, are you going to kill me or not?” His voice was smooth, coiling over the words like a snake.
“I…I…” Unprepared for his easy manner, for the lack of care, I stepped back, tilting my head to squint at him. He was no native, that was apparent. And then I knew: He was of Summer’s descent. Unlike the Seelie from back home, he belonged fully to this land. But the scent of summer’s breath wafted off him like a beckoning finger, both enticing and irritating.
I knew who he was then. My mother had done her research. “You are the Summer Prince. Your name is Shy, and you belong to Lainule’s realm. Run now, while you can, Summer’s child, or I will devour you.”
He laughed, and his voice beckoned me forward. Suspicious, angry, I lowered my head, staring at him through the fringe of my lashes.
“I am indeed Shy of the Summer’s realm. I am Summer’s bear-child.”
“You should not laugh-do not laugh at me! Do you know what danger you’re in?” I should just have at him, get it over with, destroy the prince of our enemy and be done with it. But something stayed my hand.
Shy’s lips crinkled as he smiled. “Oh, I’ve heard tales of you. Cherish, the gem of the Winter Court. You are of the Indigo Fae-the Tainted Ones. We know well of you, beautiful enemy. We know of your charms and powers. Tell me again, why should I run? Do you really think you can destroy me?” And his voice was honey on the night breeze.
A wash of roses glided by on the wind and I caught myself falling under their spell. Mingled with a faint taste of apricots and the sound of the rushing river, they made me want to tear off my gown and go running through the field, naked, letting the moonbeams bathe me under the wild night.
I tried to tear myself out of the trance, but something held me firm, and then I realized that it was Shy-he had hold of me and I couldn’t free myself. I bared my teeth, but the feel of his skin against mine set me aflame in a way I’d never before felt. I gasped, shivering as the fire raced through my belly, Summer’s touch sparking feelings I’d only heard of.
“No,” I gasped out, but my hands were no longer pounding against his chest but racing over his skin. “No…” He pressed against me, hard and demanding, and my body-so long used only as a weapon-became pliant, responding. “No…” My breath came in ragged pants as he fisted my hair and laughed low.
“Cherish, the gem of Winter, what say you to the scepter of Summer? Will you bend? Will you fight? Will you yield? Will you…” He stopped then as our gazes locked, and within that moment, a lifetime of knowledge passed between us, and my will to fight-my will to destroy-faded like cloth left out in the sun too long.
“Cherish…” The triumph was gone. He stood back, letting me go, staring at me, fear and bewilderment crowding his expression.
I could have destroyed him then. I knew it, I could have ripped out his throat and taken him down, devoured him. But I was as trapped in the spell as he. I searched my memory, trying to decipher what emotions were playing on my senses. I’d never felt like this before, never wanted someone this way. Never wanted to…spare anyone. I’d killed hundreds of people over the years, and never once had I questioned what I was doing.
“Shy…” My voice was shaking, and I began to tremble and then cry. “What’s happening to me? What’s this feeling? I don’t want this!”
But he stepped forward again, slowly this time, and held out his arms. “Cherish?” It was a question, no longer a demand, and try as I might, I could not resist answering. I stepped into his embrace and he pressed his lips against mine, his tongue seeking mine, his arms holding me tightly.
As our lips met, the world shifted, and we were bound, and I knew then I was forever lost. The gem of Winter had fallen into Summer’s hands, and the only thing I knew was that we had both sealed our doom with a kiss. A kiss that I would willingly die for.
Chapter 8
As Grieve and I fell back, his fingers stroking my hair, his razor-sharp teeth and fangs shimmering in the dim light, I came out of my flashback. A noise startled me into realizing that someone was knocking on the door. I wanted to talk to Grieve, to see if he remembered our first meeting as Shy and Cherish the same way I did, but there was no time. I pulled a robe around me as he shifted into clothing again and answered the knock. It was Rhiannon.
She peeked in, blushing lightly, but she merely said, “Lannan’s back and boy does he have news. You’d better come out now.”
If Lannan said he had news, it was probably important. I scrambled into my clothing. Grieve pulled me into his arms.
“I know, Cicely.”
“Know what?”
“I know what happened during the blood fever. Chatter told me.”
Damn it! Grieve had known I’d had to drink from Lannan, but I’d kept from him that I’d almost fucked the vampire. The blood fever had held me in thrall and I’d opened myself to him. He’d been barely inside me when the others found us. Ever since then, my body had responded to Lannan in a magnetic way and I knew that it had something to do with drinking his blood, but there had been no choice. Crawl, the Oracle of the Crimson Court, had almost drained me, dragging me into the shadow realm, and only Lannan’s blood had saved me.
“Chatter
Grieve smiled, faintly. “He felt it better I know than find out from Lannan. I understand why it happened. I hate the thought, but I understand that if you’re ever in that predicament again, it may well have to happen again. But if he hurts you-I will destroy him.” The smile left his face.
I paused, not knowing what to say. “I cannot help that my body responds to him, but my heart resists. I can’t stand his touch, yet when he puts his hands on me…But know this, my love, I will never willingly walk into his embrace. I will never jump into his bed-not by choice. The blood fever-there was no choice. It’s like…”
“It’s like the hunger I feel since Myst turned me,” he whispered softly. “This is why I say what I do. I truly do understand. I resist my nature, but if Myst were to appear here, in front of me, the will to disobey would be hard- pressed. So yes, my love, we both are ruled by compulsions stronger than us, yet we fight against them.” His lips sought mine and I sank into his kiss, again, floating on the waves that rippled between us.
After a moment, he let me go. “We’d better join the others.”
I stood back, letting him lead the way, loving him more than ever.
Lannan was sitting at the table, leaning back in his chair, looking vaguely amused as we appeared from the doorway. I steeled myself for some snarky comment, but he just nodded for us to sit down.
Without preamble, he said, “Regina has removed Geoffrey as Regent.”
We all stared at him; the announcement was out of the blue. Totally unexpected. Regina, Lannan’s twin sister and lover, and the Emissary to the Crimson Court, was a scary-ass vampire who gave new meaning to the concept of Type-A personality. She was ruthless and controlled more by her head than her lusts, which was the exact opposite of Lannan. But this was going to extremes, even for her.
“You don’t believe in small talk, do you?” I wasn’t sure what to say, although a slew of questions flooded my brain. Was Geoffrey dead? Well, of course he was dead, but for good? What the fuck had happened?
Lannan let out a low chuckle. “Small talk is for small minds. Yes, it’s true. Poor Geoffrey is no longer Regent, effective immediately. I will serve in his place on a temporary basis.” He stood up, a feral grin spreading across his face. “I am now Regent. All of Geoffrey’s contracts revert to me.
