Chapter 10

Jacob drifted gently down from the sky, manipulating gravity with a perfection of Earth Demon skills unparalleled amongst their kind. In fact, it was widely believed that Jacob would be the first of his element in over a thousand years to reach the level of Ancient.

It was not comforting, however, when one understood that was because all the rest of them had simply not lived long enough to reach the age of 700 years, the time where such distinction took place.

Jacob's feet rested lightly on a thick tree branch and he lowered himself into a crouch until his hands also touched the bark of the old oak tree.

The Enforcer could very well be considered the closest thing to a Lycanthrope their people had. He could hunt, scent, camouflage, and behave in dozens of ways that all the beasts of the Earth could behave. Not many of his people knew this, but he could not only charm the animals, he could mimic them by taking their form.

It was not like the Lycanthropes, however. It was all just a Xeroxing … an adoption of physical make-up and skills. Changelings were as much the animals as the animals themselves. Jacob would need several more centuries with his relatively new ability before he could enjoy a perfection of emulation that could be considered on par with the Lycanthropes' natural metamorphosis.

At the moment he was in his normal form and seeking through the night and the trees with his uncannily sharp vision. He had been tracking the Demon for quite some time, finding it easy to mask himself from his target in spite of the other's skill. It only proved how distracted and intent the Demon was on its course of action.

The wind blew harshly through the creaking limbs of the forest trees, tugging last, stubborn leaves down into spiraling deaths where they would join the others at rest on the forest floor. Jacob glanced up at the nearly full moon, rechecking his position by it, then watched as a whirlwind of leaves burst apart to coalesce into Elijah's natural form.

The Wind Demon crouched on the forest floor, mimicking the very position Jacob was in as he let his hand drift through bloodstained leaves and short forest scrub. He then moved toward the bodies of his victims from that day not so distant and touched each briefly, scattering the remains into the winds with little more than a thought.

Knowing how brutally distracting the time of the Imprinting could be, Jacob was more than a little impressed that Elijah had remembered to come and see to this sort of cleanup. It was, of course, important to remove all evidence of such battles and the beings who were not supposed to exist. Clearly the necromancers and hunters who had lost their compatriots in the battle did not feel the same need to cover their tracks.

But there was a need for secrecy even for the mortals who thought to live as Nightwalkers. Human society was too skeptical of magic and far too entrenched in its religious prejudices for magic-users to risk exposing themselves. And as voluble as hunters might want to be, even they had to conceal themselves for fear of being labeled insane … or even homicidal. Amusingly enough, their own kind—mortals, that is—could be more dangerous to these misled humans than the true Nightwalkers were.

Jacob had decided to follow Elijah because the warrior's temper was clearly off its mark, and after his parting comment to Bella, the Enforcer worried that the other Demon was not yet well enough to face the kind of trouble he was looking for. He had not been strong enough to face it alone the first time. What made Elijah think he could have any better luck this time was completely beyond the Earth Demon.

Elijah straightened from his task of disposing of the mortals' remains and braced his feet hard apart, balancing his significant weight firmly between them, an ages-old habit that was recognizable as distinctive of the warrior.

Both Demons suddenly turned their heads as they heard something their instincts told them was out of the normal for the forest. It occurred to Jacob that he had never found out what it was that had lured Elijah to this particular territory, Lycanthrope territory, in search of trouble in the first place.

Jacob burst into dust, riding the currents of the natural wind until a second later he was coalescing beside the warrior. The Captain did not seem surprised to see him.

"I figured Bella was going to send you after me," he whispered in greeting to the Earth Demon. Together they both returned to low positions near the ground. Jacob closed his eyes, extending a cloak of camouflage over them both.

Jacob did not affirm or deny his friend's speculation. He was concentrating on the movements of the forest that were both natural and unnatural.

"It has occurred to me that perhaps I was not ambushed after all. That perhaps I walked into something I wasn't supposed to, as hard as that is for me to admit."

"I would agree," Jacob confirmed. "I find it odd that you would be lured into Lycanthrope territory on purpose. Too many variables."

"So this begs the question, why are these women hiding out in Lycanthrope territory?"

"And my answer would be that Demons are not the only ones on their hit list. We already know that."

"Yes, but why would Ruth and Mary lead resources this way? Frankly, it's you and Bella and the rest of us they hold a grudge against."

"Perhaps," Jacob agreed in a whisper. "But since the Vampires and the Lycanthropes helped us defeat their troops during the Battle of Beltane, they may have made themselves part of that revenge."

Elijah was quiet for a moment and then remembered something Siena had said to him when he had first awoken in her care.

"Wait a minute. She said it … and it never even clicked!"

"What?"

"Siena. Siena said to me, and of course she was just being a smart-ass at the time, but she said she had to save my neck because she wasn't about to ruin years of peaceful overtures by letting our people find me dead in Lycanthrope territory."

Jacob's eye widened slightly in understanding.

"I see. What better way to dissolve any helpful relationship between the 'Thropes and the Demons than to lay suspicion at their door for the death of a Demon! And not just any Demon …"

"Me? Then that means I was ambushed."

"And may yet be so." Jacob's eyes narrowed as he peered into the trees. "It is your job to track them, Ruth knows that. So they leave an obvious trail. And when you go missing …"

"They lie in wait for you to come and investigate. You and Bella … and even Noah. They are still here." Elijah paused to listen to the wind a moment, marking where it blew around this object and that, and which of those objects were warm-blooded.

"Siena scared them away so they did not realize you were rescued. They have guards posted, waiting to report on anyone that enters the forest looking for your body."

"Which means we're in trouble."

"I would say so," Jacob agreed, feeling the sudden life swarming toward them through the trees. "Damn her, how did she mask so many of them?"

"Beats the hell out of me. We better get out of here."

Jacob nodded in agreement and moved to change his form to the dust that could not be harmed, as Elijah's form of the wind could not. But Elijah suddenly stiffened and grabbed the Enforcer's arm. Jacob went still and directed his attention to where the warrior's gaze was focused.

The gleam of gold in the moonlight winked in the tree line across from them. A falcon burst from the trees and swung into a lazy circle over the clearing, unaware of the camouflaged Demons sitting in the brush below it.

The warrior was still fixated on the tree line, knowing exactly what he was going to see even before the golden cat leapt into the clearing. It was not a coincidence that Siena was there, Elijah realized suddenly. She didn't realize it, but she had mistaken his intentions to investigate the scene of his near death as her own.

He had led her here.

Jacob felt Elijah's body tensing next to him and he reached to hold the warrior still.

"Do not move," he hissed.

"Why can't she smell them?" Elijah demanded under his breath.

"I cannot smell them either," Jacob informed. "It is a powerful glamour."

Elijah watched with despair as the falcon swung over the ground and metamorphosed in midair so that the Lycanthrope with bicolored hair he had met in the cavern touched down at a light run. She stopped and turned, looking for her sister.

Her sister.

Syreena.

Elijah suddenly knew exactly who she was and what her significance was to Siena. As Siena shapechanged herself, half a meadow away from the other woman, Elijah closed his eyes and tried to exert his connection with her more strongly than he had ever tried before.

Jacob saw the Queen go still, crouching down instinctively.

Siena tried to shake off the strange sensation creeping up the back of her scalp. She felt an inexplicable feeling of panic and warning, but it was not her own instincts she was feeling. She frowned and pushed the intrusion aside, assuming it was the busybody warrior in her mind protesting her actions. Well, she would be damned if he was going to tell her what she could and could not do. Investigating the occurrence that had brought them together was her responsibility and must be done to protect the safety of those who wandered this part of their territory. It was her duty to protect her people, and he wasn't going to dictate to her otherwise.

Elijah shook Jacob off and stood up. With a single stride he burst out of Jacob's camouflage influence and ran toward the stubborn Queen. She scented him before she saw him and stood up in shock as he stepped out of nowhere and ran for her. He was so fast that she felt him impact against her between one breath and the next. The next second she felt the molecules of her body literally disintegrating into his.

She suddenly knew what it felt like to be the wind. For a moment she felt as if she couldn't breathe, although everything was air. But his presence surrounded her as they soared into the night together, brushing past naked tree limbs, pine needles, and bats.

The Earth passed beneath them so rapidly that Siena was dizzy and a little queasy from it. She had no voice to protest his highhanded treatment of her, so she had no choice but to just cling to the essence of the air that was him.

It was barely a minute later before the Earth rushed up toward them.

She was solid again so suddenly that, had he not held her so tightly, she would have fallen face first into the ground. After a moment of discombobulation, she realized she recognized where they were. They were standing at the entrance of Jinaeri's cave, the one where all of this had begun.

Siena shoved away from him the minute her balance was settled, glaring at him with outrage and fire.

"Just what do you think you are doing?" she demanded.

"Saving your spoiled backside," he shot back.

That was when she realized he was angry. Not just a little angry, but positively livid. It was flaring in his eyes, the green of which was so dark it was nearly black. She suddenly felt vulnerable and at a distinct disadvantage. Instinctively, her hair circled tightly around her bare body.

Several heartbeats later, two other people coalesced from a shower of dust into the forms of the Demon Enforcer and her sister Syreena. Syreena was used to flying, so she was not as disoriented as Siena was. Still, being suddenly demolecularized was disturbing to anyone who wasn't experienced in the occurrence, so even she was a little paler for the incident.

"It was a trap!" Elijah snapped at Siena, drawing her startled attention back to him. "There were about a hundred necromancers and hunters closing in on us!"

"Impossible!" she shot back at him, her slender hands curling into fists. "I would have smelled them. You know as well as I do that magic-users are the vilest smelling creatures on the planet to us Nightwalkers. There's no way—"

"Apparently there is!" Elijah cut in, leaning over her so closely that she had to step back instinctively. "You aren't dealing with just misaligned humans anymore, Siena. There are Demons out there who have the power to deceive you in ways you can't even conceive of. There is a reason why your father never won a battle against us, no matter how hard he tried. And believe me when I tell you that, for all your people consider me a butcher, I could have done a lot more harm to them than any of them realize!

"A Mind Demon of Ruth's caliber can make you see, smell, and hear anything she wants you to. She can do it to us, her own people who are aware of it, so she can surely do it to you. The only way Jacob and I were able to see through the glamour was because we could use alternate abilities to sense their body heat."

"He's telling the truth, Siena." Jacob spoke up more gently, knowing Elijah was not going to be very diplomatic in the moment. Jacob knew what the terror of watching your mate come close to danger and death could do to your personality and your heart. "You both would have been slaughtered in a matter of minutes if Elijah hadn't seen you. I guarantee you, this time they were prepared for the possibility of a Lycanthrope. I am sensitive to all metals of the Earth, and I promise you they had enough silver on them to kill far more than two unsuspecting changelings."

"I saw nothing," Syreena said in disbelief. "I purposely circled the forest and the clearing several times before signaling to Siena that all was clear."

But it was clear the female with the dual-colored hair was not arguing the point Jacob and Elijah had tried to make. She was just more than a little shocked.

"If you need proof, I would be happy to take you back and dump you into that clearing so you can get your stubborn butt kicked," Elijah threatened.

"How dare you talk to me that way!"

Jacob winced as the second female turned to roll her eyes at him. It was then that he noticed this woman too wore delicate links of gold and moonstones around her neck. This jewelry was only a half-inch thick, as opposed to the over two inches of thickness to the Queen's collar. Jacob suspected that this other woman was also a member of the royal household, although he had never heard of a second Princess in the court from Gideon's reports during his time there.

The collars were remarkable, Jacob mused. There must be some sort of enchantment on them that allowed them to expand and contract when their wearers changed shape. To go from falcon to humanoid made for a significant difference in circumference, even though the Princess was a small, fine-boned little thing. She couldn't have been much over five feet tall, though. Like her sister, her presence was impressive enough to make her seem a little larger than life. And the harlequin-colored hair and eyes were beautiful, but also unnerving.

Jacob gently took the Princess's arm and led her several steps away from the bickering pair.

"I am Jacob, the Demon King's Enforcer. I apologize for taking you over without warning, but you were both in jeopardy."

"I believe you," she assured him, reaching to take his offered hand. "I am Syreena, the Queen's Counselor and sister."

Jacob watched as she looked back to check on her sister.

"Is it me, or are we about as useful as a holes in an umbrella at the moment?" she asked, the gray eyebrow raising above the brown one slightly.

"Are you suggesting we abandon your Queen and my Captain to their fates?" Jacob smiled slightly. "That would be incredibly bad form."

"I know," she laughed, "but you have not had to live at court with her these past few days."

"Trust me, he has not been much better."

They exchanged one last look before changing into dust and falcon, both flying off unnoticed by their companions.

"I am not the stubborn one here," Siena insisted, irritation snapping in her golden eyes. "If you would have stayed away from me, none of this would have happened!"

"I would really like to know how you figure that," Elijah demanded.

"If you hadn't bullied me around earlier—"

"Bullied?" he interrupted. "I have done nothing more than try and convince you of how stupid it is to torture yourself by resisting the inevitable. I am trying to protect you from—"

"I never asked for your protection, and I swear by the Goddess this very minute that I never will!"

"Too late!" he reminded her with a mean look of satisfaction. "Better be careful what you swear to or you will pay the price at your reckoning."

"And what, go to hell where all the Demons live? I think I'm already there, thank you very much for your concern."

She turned to move away from him, wanting nothing more than to run into the forest and as far from him as she could get. This time she anticipated his reach for her hair and ducked him smoothly, a cry of triumph on her lips as she jumped back and laughed at him. She changed so fast from human to Werecat that Elijah barely had time to blink.

This was something else completely different, Elijah realized, taking a wise step back as he stared down oval pupils, bared claws, and a tail that twitched with challenge. She had just made herself three times as strong as she already was, enhancing every feline instinct she already had.

This was not a form he wanted to do battle with.

He didn't want to do battle with any of her forms. He was tired of fighting her, of trying to make her understand what she refused to understand. So he ignored her challenge and, with a resigned sigh, turned his back on her and walked away several steps. He changed form about five yards away from her, disappearing into the approaching dawn.

Siena was surprised by his retreat, automatically reverting to her human form in her confusion. She looked around, feeling the lightening of the forest keenly. She put off trying to figure out what the Demon was up to this time, transformed into the cougar, and began to travel quickly toward home.

At top speed, she should make it back to her castle only an hour after daybreak.

She didn't even take notice of the cloud cover that seemed to follow her the entire distance.

"No doubt they now know you are not lying dead on the forest floor," Noah noted. "And that their trap has been discovered."

Noah waited for a response, but when it didn't come he looked up from the scroll he was trying meticulously to decipher. Elijah was leaning against his desk with his back to him, arms folded tightly over his chest, legs crossed at the ankles. But in spite of the relaxed positioning of the warrior's body, it was clear he was wrapped up tightly in tense thoughts and emotions.

"Elijah?"

The Captain looked around at the King with a raised brow of surprise.

"I am sorry, did you say something?"

"I said it is only one more night until Samhain. Have you had any progress with Siena?"

"No. She is just as obstinate as ever." Elijah gave him a grim smile of sarcasm. "However, she has learned a unique use for our developing telepathy. Do you know how many derogatory names there are in the Lycanthrope language?"

"No, but I have a feeling you do."

"Oh, yes," Elijah forced a smile and attitude of sarcastic delight, "and the hits just keep on coming."

"Look at the bright side. You will know their language before long at this rate."

"Yes, but I don't believe it is going to be a vocabulary that will endear me to the biased populace any more than I already am."

"Good point," Noah agreed. "Why will you not ask Gideon to talk to her?"

"After what happened last time? Don't you think the developing war with the lawless mortals is enough?"

"Elijah, I find it hard to believe Siena is that irrational. She has always proven to be a woman of uncommon wisdom and remarkable clarity of purpose."

"She is," the warrior agreed. "And her wisdom and clarity of purpose are directed full bore against me. As she delights in telling me," he reached to tap his forehead in indication, "there is a large variety of farm animals she'd rather make her King."

Noah winced, carefully pushing back the humor of that remark so as not to bruise the warrior any more than he already was. Siena was shrewd indeed. She was going after Elijah's most vulnerable spot—his ego. But there was a decided lack of wisdom in her abuse. It would only make things harder on her the next night. As it was, Noah could see the strain Elijah was under as that time closed in on him. Siena had no idea the remarkable restraint he was forcing on himself. She had no clue about how hard he was trying to protect her from himself, no matter how bratty her behavior.

Tomorrow all of that would be a moot point. If only she would use their connection to search Elijah's true intentions toward her, perhaps she would look on him a little more kindly. To the King who had known the warrior all of his life, Elijah was on his way to being completely in love with the spitfire Queen. In fact, the temper that so vexed him was no doubt a large part of his attraction to her. Elijah was warrior, through and through, and nothing suited him better than a challenge. A battle to be won. A victory hard earned.

However, Elijah would consider the occurrences bound to happen during Samhain brutally bad form and beneath his sense of honor.

Siena had no idea what that would do to him.

"I thought you were drilling the warriors this evening."

"I am," Elijah agreed, pushing away from the desk. "I wanted to bring you up to speed on what happened last night. You were sleeping by the time I got back."

"Well, keep everyone moving and prepared. Make sure all your warriors understand the importance of no one venturing out on his own." Noah paused a moment, turning to look into the fire across the hall. "And report any more disappearances to me as soon as possible."

Elijah nodded, understanding quite well what he meant. Ruth's knowledge of Demon power names was taking its toll. One by one, they were being Summoned into the black-magic pentagrams. Ruth was an Elder who had fostered many Demons over the centuries. She had been a popular choice for Siddah. Now every parent who had trusted her with their child's power name was in mourning and felt the agony of terror for the lives of their children. Ruth was feeding their names to the vile necromancers, and they were being Summoned one by one to do their bidding. There was no stopping it. No protecting them from it.

The only Demon to ever escape the fate of the pentagram had been Legna, and that had been a fluke of pure luck. All these others would already be mindless monsters that, eventually, Bella and Jacob would have to find and destroy before they could cause harm. Over the past months Jacob had been doing little else besides trying to track down the pitiful creatures and their captors. Now that Isabella was almost entirely well, she would finally be able to help him carry that burden. It was her Destiny to do so.

"Pairing up will also lighten Jacob's usual Samhain responsibilities," Elijah said. "Less chance of rogue attempts of seduction of humans and others if we monitor one another."

Noah could tell that Elijah could only wish something so easy would help him resist the mating instinct that would overwhelm him on Samhain. Demons misdirecting their mating instincts to humans on Samhain was one thing, and Jacob's duty was to stop that because it could be stopped. Elijah was Imprinted, and nothing would be able to stop it for him. Nothing outside of death.

The warrior dissolved into the air a few moments later and Noah watched the eddy of the breeze he had become as it drove past the fireplace and out an open window.

A moment later, Gideon's astral form solidified across from Noah.

"Is there anything you can do for him?" the King asked.

"No. Elijah is not the one being unreasonable. The fault lies with Siena."

"I know that. But I cannot blame her either. She does not understand our ways, other than what she learned from you, and this is a lot different than growing up knowing what is expected in a situation like this."

"But she is resisting even the traditions she did grow up with," Gideon informed him seriously. "The lore of the necklace she wears is very clear. The minute Elijah removed it, she became his. I do not think Elijah even knows about this. I have not told him myself because I see no need to cause him further pain. To know she would rather defy her own traditions then take him to mate would be tremendously painful."

"There has to be something we can do."

"There is. We can let the Hallowed moon of Samhain come and let nature take her course with them both. Nature did not make these compulsions come upon us for no reason. It is quite a clever trick, if you think about it."

"To force a rape? That is how Siena will perceive it. Had you not won over Legna in time, would it not be the same?"

"Perhaps. Perhaps not. Legna would have understood that I would have had no choice. She herself would have been thusly compelled. I do not believe it will be any different for Siena. It is no different for Bella or Corrine or any of the other Druids. If it crosses those species, the compulsion will very likely cross this one as well. I have seen Siena lately. She is pale and clearly yearning for what she is trying to resist."

"I am not sure I understand her, Gideon. If anyone would accept a Demon into her society with open arms, it would be her. Just as she welcomed you and Legna."

"We are not a threat to her reign and her sense of independence."

"Elijah couldn't care less about sharing her throne. All he wants is her. And willingly. He wants her to come willingly. Her independence is vital in order for that to happen."

One of Gideon's silver brows lifted in sudden contemplation.

"Perhaps this is an important point," he mused to the King. "Siena values her throne so highly … Noah, I think I may be able to help our Captain after all."

Gideon disappeared with a wink of silver light, leaving the King without explanation.

Give me a moment alone before you join us.

A re you certain? It only took a moment for her to lose her temper last time.

You will know when to come. I trust you, sweet.

Legna settled on that remark with pleasure. She drifted lightly in her husband's thoughts as he approached the throne room.

Siena had welcomed her court back to her outer and inner throne rooms little by little, so there were quite a few people there and the guards let him pass easily. They were not the ones to witness Siena's outburst those few days ago, so they had no reason to hesitate in doing so. Legna was in the room herself, in a distant corner well out of sight of the Queen, talking within a group of Lycanthrope gentlemen who found the gorgeous Demon female a delight for their eyes and their intellects. Unlike Jacob, Gideon was not disturbed in the least by this. Her smiles and her laughter were abundant and beautiful to see and hear. It gave him a remarkable sense of pride to watch her wrap the formerly stubborn members of this species around her pretty fingers. Her pregnant state only magnified their eagerness to cater to any desire she might voice. But he knew that at the end of the night, when dawn came, she would seek his bed and no one else's for the rest of eternity.

He could feel her eyes on him even as several of the women of the court approached him with equal warmth and greeting. He was not as social and diplomatic as his wife was, but this somehow managed to make him even more sought after. He had been puzzled by this unsought attention for months before his wife had deigned to explain it to him. Apparently, they considered him "mysterious." And this, for some reason, was attractive to them.

Gideon was his usual cool and direct self as he moved through his admirers. He felt the Queen's attention the minute she noticed him. Company parted as she stood up from her throne, where she had been in a discussion with her aides, Anya and Syreena.

She looked terribly pale and it was clear she was not sleeping properly. In fact, not at all, he thought as he measured her physiology with sharp senses. She descended the steps to the throne platform and continued from the platform to the main floor. She was dressed in a ceremonial outfit of gold cloth. The jacket was an intricately embroidered bolero vest that left her midriff, sides, and back completely bare. The long, light skirt that matched was settled very low on her hips and was made up of about a half dozen panels of fabric that fluttered behind her as she moved toward him.

She reached out to him with both hands, the gold and diamond bands around her upper left arm glinting in the overhead light. He took her offered hands in his and bent his head in an elegant bow to her. She reached to place a rare kiss of public affection on his cheek and whispered to him as the crowd around them murmured with speculation and surprise.

"Can you ever forgive me? I behaved like a child," she said.

"Untrue. You were upset, and I am capable of understanding why."

Her kiss was a distinctive honor in this court. By bestowing it upon him, she had just changed his and, by association, his wife's position in the court. No longer were they to be just a fascination, a curiosity, and foreign ambassadors. They were, from that moment on, to be considered close personal friends to Her Majesty.

"You wish to press your Warrior Captain's suit, I suppose," she said shrewdly, after taking a moment to measure him.

"I believe that you might be interested in what I have come to say. I recommend you hear me out."

"Apparently my advisors agree," she noted, lifting a hand to indicate Syreena and Anya, who had their heads close together in discussion while watching them. Siena linked her arm through Gideon's and he walked with her as her people parted to let them pass. "Did you see Myriad when you were visiting your King?" she asked conversationally, making small talk while still in earshot of others.

"Your ambassador comes to the castle often. I believe she and Noah have formed an antagonistic relationship over the chessboard."

Siena laughed, the sound seeming to brighten her appearance.

"Myriad is a stubborn creature. She will not give up until she defeats him," she informed.

"I beg your pardon," Gideon said smoothly, "but I believe it is Noah who is trying to beat your little half-breed."

"Really?" Siena laughed again, her golden eyes lighting with amusement. "Clever thing. I knew she was the proper choice to send to your court. I can only pray she doesn't get Noah so miffed that he declares war again."

Gideon smiled as she took him away from the populated areas of the throne room and its halls and strolled with him into the more distant reaches of the endless structure. She was the first to break the companionable silence that had formed.

"If you are here to remind me how futile my resistance to this Imprinting is, I can assure you I am already getting the picture. I am not myself, and I know it shows." She paused, and Gideon gave her time to decide what she wished to share with him. "I do not understand how you and your mate enjoy this thing so much. Whenever I see her, she is glowing arid beautiful and smiling. Your wit is the first thing I have been able to laugh at since returning to court."

"When Legna and I first Imprinted fully on each other," the medic began, "we were not what one might consider the best of friends. In truth, we had been hostile toward each other for nearly a decade because of an incident that had wounded her, pride. One I completely fouled up because of my distorted sense of right and wrong. The moment we Imprinted, however, we always understood it was inevitable that we would become lovers. That we would be mated for the rest of our lives. We understood this because as Demons it is part of our history and physiology, though until recently a very rare occurrence. Fortunately, the one thing we were able to control was the time we took to resolve issues between us, to get to know one another before Beltane forced us to each other. That preparation was vital and precious, Siena. Without it, I am certain that it would have taken much longer for us to find each other's hearts.

"Samhain will force you and Elijah to one another. I will make you this guarantee. I see the compulsion building within you as the time nears. It is mirrored in Elijah as well. Ramifications in both of our societies aside, I assure you that despite your struggles, you will find yourself waking next to him the morning after Samhain."

"You tell me to put my society aside when that is the one thing I cannot do. Anything that affects me affects my people." Siena bit her lips gently. "I am not a Demon female. You have never seen this particular cross in species before. You say it cannot be fought, but I am no ordinary being."

"Nor am I," the Ancient Demon reminded her with a cool, level tone as his mercury-colored gaze fell on her golden one. "Siena, you have learned after a long and arduous acquaintance to trust the truth of my words. Knowing me these twenty-five years, you choose to doubt me now? After you put the fate of your throne and all of your people on my word and my teachings of what your so-called barbarian enemies were truly about?"

He watched as she pressed a palm to her forehead, her pace beside him never changing. He felt her pain, could see the tension of the ache pounding in her head. It disturbed him that he did not yet know how to manipulate Lycanthrope physiology well enough to be much use to her. He had spent those five years of captivity learning and this past half-year reteaching himself the basics about their physicality. But it would take another few years of study before he began to make progress in healing this complex species. Humans and Demons were one thing, but the intricacies of the chemistry of a changeling, the DNA, the alterability of their entire bodies, made the art of healing them the most difficult challenge the highly skilled medic had encountered in all his long life.

The only thing he could offer her was words. Hopefully the right ones that would help her to understand she was making herself sick over something she simply could not change, even with all the power in the world. This was an act of supremacy too far beyond any of them, no matter how powerful they became.

My love …

Yes, sweet? he asked the soft, bright presence in his mind.

You must tell her something she wants to hear, Legna said wisely. It is not like you to be indirect. She does not respond to dictates. She will respond only to possible solutions. Siena cannot separate the woman from the Queen. She has repressed her womanhood savagely out of fear of being forced to share her throne, out of fear of losing control of her surroundings. This is why she is so terrified now.

Gideon knew Legna understood the matter far better than anyone could. As a Mind Demon, Legna had an amazing grasp of psychology that had grown exponentially since they had mated, sharing their power with each other.

"Tell your mate to mind her own business," the Queen remarked dryly. "I feel her presence buzzing around you, Gideon."

Siena had telepathy with other animals, including Lycanthropes in their animal forms, but she was not reading Gideon's mind. She did, however, sense Legna's presence in his mind and had something of a sixth sense that allowed her to have a vague idea of what their thoughts and discussions were tending toward. It was rather like the ability of predator to sense the next move a prey would make.

"She tells me to inform you that your well-being is very much her business," Gideon relayed. "And she reminds you that we are your friends, not your enemies."

"Everyone is my enemy," the Queen said bitterly, her pacing finally slowing as the weight of her saddening emotions weighed on her. "Or they soon will be. What will happen to our peace now, old friend?"

Siena felt the telltale pop in the air that heralded Legna's teleport. She had expected it, just as she expected the comforting hands Gideon's mate laid on her shoulders. Siena finally stopped moving, turning to look up into Legna's bright, sterling eyes, perfectly identical to her husband's.

"You must not mind Gideon. You know he is far too direct for good," Legna said soothingly, tossing a wink to her mate out of Siena's sight.

Gideon felt a swell of pride in his chest as he watched his lovely mate work her own brand of magic. He should have known to bring her with him from the start. The Ancient male was still learning to be part of a duo and sometimes made these errors, but it was to be expected after living a mostly solitary existence for over a thousand years. Some habits would take far longer than six months to break.

"I understand your feelings in this moment, Siena," Legna said earnestly. "Can I help you to imagine how I felt when I realized I was going to be saddled with this old man for the rest of my life?" Siena couldn't help but smile as she looked over at Legna's handsome "old man." "Despite what he says, I was not as accepting as he would like to think, and I can also assure you I was quite disturbed over the prospect of telling Noah. But we believe in Destiny and fate, as you know, and it is clear this is destined. It must be even to you."

"That does not make this any easier," Siena argued.

"No. I know that. But hear Gideon out. He may be able to help you."

"I already have heard all of your arguments."

"I do not offer an argument, but a solution." Gideon took a hand of each female and led them to a bench in an alcove where they both sat obediently. Legna instantly picked up the Queen's hand, pressing it between hers in silent support.

"You know you must give yourself and your people time to adjust to this. You have told me that they will not accept a Demon as their King, correct?"

"Yes. I am positive of this."

"Then do not make him King, Siena."

"But you said I cannot resist this Imprinting …"

"I said do not make him King. You have no choice but to take him as mate, and you do know that, in your heart and your soul, you want and need Elijah close to you." Gideon lowered himself into a crouch, resting a hand on the Queen's knee as he looked up into her perplexed eyes. "Do you recall the day I asked you to tell me about the history of your monarchy? The traditions and how they have grown and changed over the centuries?"

"Yes." She smiled. "You kept me occupied with the discussion for over twenty hours. I have never enjoyed a discourse more."

"Then think, for a moment, about those traditions. Did you not tell me that before you allowed males equal measure in your society, there was no such thing as a King? That it had changed by example about nine hundred years ago when …"

"… when Queen Colein elevated her Consort to equal level," she supplied when he searched for the names of the people involved.

"Yes. Alexzander. The first King in your history."

"I do not understand your point."

"Siena." Legna spoke up, her voice soft and urgent. "Elijah does not want to be your equal in your monarchy, only in your heart and soul and body. He is content with his life and his duties to Noah. Do you not understand this?"

"You see him as a threat to your throne. So I offer the solution of removing the threat until such time as you decide otherwise," Gideon urged her. "Make him your Consort, Siena, not your King. If one day you choose to elevate him as your political equal, then it will be your choice to do so and no one else's. There is no Lycanthrope law that demands you make him your equal in the throne, only that you make him your mate. Invoke an old tradition, keep your power over your people, and stop punishing Elijah and yourself with these fears of yours."

"Do you know what you are asking?" Siena asked hoarsely, her head spinning as hope and relief tried to overwhelm her. "You are asking me to publicly treat him in a way … in a way no man of his ego could tolerate."

"We are asking you to do what you have always done. To do the best thing for your people. That comes as natural to you as breathing, Siena."

"You do not know Elijah so well as you think," Legna added. "For you, I believe he would make any sacrifice. He does not need to impress your court. Only you. His position to Noah is more than enough for him. And I will tell you this, even if it did bruise his ego, Elijah would still take you to his heart under any conditions."

"But …"

"Siena," Gideon said with a sigh, "nothing is gained without venturing to risk."