Chapter 9

Gideon materialized on a vacant street corner beneath a broken street lamp. He looked around carefully, taking a step backward until he was against the brick of the corner of a building and settled deeply in the shadows. He manipulated his eyesight until he could not only see clearly in the darkness, but could see at any distance he wished. He was aware of how impressed Legna was by the new way he was looking at things.

It was actually her first real situation where she would experience the use of his powers from a behind-his-eyes perspective. Gideon found himself hoping that she would not witness too much more than tricks of his eyesight and other simple biochemical alterations.

Stop fretting about me and what I will see. That will be just as bad as you worrying about my physical presence.

You are correct. Thank you.

You are welcome.

Gideon continued to scan his surroundings, using a clever alteration of body chemistry to extend an attractively scented trail as bait for the creatures he was looking for.

It wasn't long before a dark figure appeared in the street some distance down. In a blink of an eye, he had skimmed the half-mile distance and stood even closer to Gideon's position. The medic spiked his body chemistry with adrenaline. This served two purposes. One, it prepared him with heightened strength and reflexes in the event of an altercation; two, it called to his possible adversary like ambrosia.

The Ancient's target moved faster than even Gideon's improved eyesight could track, but the medic didn't even bother to try. He felt a viselike hand close around his throat, slamming him against the wall until he felt brick digging into his scalp, the leather of his coat the only thing protecting him at other points of contact. Gideon felt Legna's emotions jolt, but to her credit, she poured her faith into the reassuring whisper he sent to her. She remained ready for any consequence, though, and it pleased him.

Gideon watched calmly as the beast reared his head back, his mouth opening with a hiss and a display of long ivory fangs. The Vampire feinted for his neck but suddenly stopped, its dark eyes widening with surprise. Slowly the other Nightwalker eased back, his wide gaze moving slowly downward until they rested on the blade of the knife that had just pricked through his shirt and the skin over his heart. He finally took the time to meet his prey's eyes and, with a sigh and a curse, he suddenly released Gideon.

"Demon! Bah!"

Looking quite put out, the Vampire stepped back until Gideon finally turned the blade away and with a nimble flip, resheathed it as silently as he had drawn it.

"My apologies," he said graciously, "for the trickery. But I needed to attract someone's attention and it was the quickest method I could come up with since I was certain you were all out hunting by now."

The Vampire grunted in reluctant agreement "What do you want, Demon?"

"I want Damien's hunting grounds. Would you be privy to the information?"

"If I were, why would I give it to a Demon?" the other male queried.

"I do not intend to harm him, only speak with him."

"My question has not changed."

"Indeed," Gideon agreed. "But you would know if I were lying, and you will have to be satisfied with that."

The Vampire tilted his head to the side, his darkly handsome features a study in speculation.

"You have a point. Still, I will only tell you to concentrate your search in San Jose. Other than that …"

The Vampire gave him a mock, open-armed bow before leaping into a flight that took him into the shadowed recesses of the taller buildings across from Gideon.

Do you need me to take you to San Jose? Legna asked him.

No. Rest. It is close enough. Save your strength for later. Do not worry. Damien and I are acquainted. I am in no danger from him.

But I can feel you aren't as positive about that as you would like to be. Do you suspect him in this attack on Bella?

I will know the answer to that shortly.

Damien's head lifted suddenly as he caught a powerful and familiar scent wafting on the mountain breeze. He turned his head quickly even as he crouched down low, the long braid of his black hair whipping like a flagellum with the abrupt movement.

"Gideon?"

The Demon stepped out into a shaft of moonlight, the exposure bold enough to relax the Prince. Damien regained his height and the elegance of his more human composure, dismissing the wary beast of moments ago with an easy thought.

"Damien," Gideon greeted with a respectful nod.

"Come to hunt me down in my own hunting grounds?" Damien asked.

Legna had never seen a Vampire as old and as potent as Damien, the Prince of Vampires. Through Gideon's eyes, she was astounded by what she saw. He was as powerful and broad in build as the warrior Elijah, except where Elijah was blond and always seemed to be enjoying a good joke, this creature was dark in dramatic ways.

He had blue eyes so dark that they almost appeared to be black, the pupils nearly indistinguishable from the irises. His hair was raven black, with that blue-black sheen that often tinged the feathers of those cunning birds. Unlike those she had seen of his ilk previously, this Vampire sported a closely barbered beard and mustache. There were lines and grace to his face that made him naturally handsome, but Vampires had a glamour of sensuality that enhanced the effect even further. His features, from cheekbones to generous lips, were highly seductive as they broke into an amused smile.

"Gideon, you old dog, you have taken a mate," the Prince accused with humor sparkling from those fathomless eyes. "And I believe she finds me quite attractive."

Gideon heard Legna gasp in shock and tried to repress a feral smile as he became aware of the burning blush she sprouted.

"I would not cross that particular line even as a joke, Damien," Gideon warned him smoothly.

"My apologies. I could not resist." Damien looked steadily into Gideon's eyes for a moment. "She must be young, not to realize I would be able to read her presence within your mind."

"She is young, but I would not underestimate her if I were you."

Gideon's confidence, which radiated throughout the statement, helped Legna regain her perspective and balance. She blew the image of a gentle kiss to him, making him smile.

"No, indeed," the Vampire agreed. "You have come to ask me if I have betrayed your confidence, have you not?"

"I have. Outside of my people, you are the only one who knows the significance of the female Druid who is mated with our Enforcer. You know because I told you myself. I want you to tell me you had nothing to do with the brutal attack that was visited upon that same female. An attack that nearly resulted in the deaths of her and her unborn child."

Damien's entire countenance changed. The seductive humor and handsomeness faded just enough to allow fangs and animalistic ferocity to reflect in his blackening eyes.

"Who would commit such an atrocity?"

Legna felt the relief that ricocheted through Gideon. She knew, in that second, exactly what Gideon did. The Vampire had done nothing to harm Isabella.

"I am sorry I had to ask, Damien," Gideon apologized with a heartfelt bow to his acquaintance.

The Vampire blew the apology aside with the wave of an elegant, long-fingered hand.

"Understandable, considering. You will be asking Siena about this, I take it?"

"Of course. Though this is not her style, it could be rebels from amongst her people. What of yours? Anything I should know?"

"Not really," Damien mused, thinking on it a minute longer. "We have our outlaws, those who kill indiscriminately for the perversion of the pleasure death-fear gives them. But I believe they are too busy running from justice, avoiding the sun, and making their kills to be bothered with your politics and propagation."

"I agree. I did not think there were Vampires present at the altercation site, but it does not hurt to be thorough."

"Would you like me to speak with Tristan?"

Gideon shook his head negatively at the mention of the Shadowdwellers' monarch.

"The attack was at sunset. Far too much daylight to have anything to do with them. But thank you for the offer."

"I tell you what I will do, Gideon, as a return favor for your warning about the necromancers. I will get my Vanguard to scour the dens of the human Vampire hunters and see if they hear anything."

"Thank you. That will be a help. Elijah is on a similar task. But I believe your intelligence on these people is much more complex and thorough than ours."

"That is because you do not normally have anything to fear from normal humans who are without dark magic. You are too strong for that. However, while we are strong, we Vampires have that one weakness that humans can exploit far too easily. Being forced to sleep in paralyzed weakness during daylight makes the average human far more of a threat to the average Vampire, requiring us to have a deeper knowledge of their ways. At least you can fight your lethargy, can hear the approach of enemies, and can use your abilities at near full strength in spite of your sleep under the sun. Very few of my people can claim the power to do the same."

"I understand that quite well," Gideon reminded him.

"I was reiterating for your young female," Damien said, showing a fanged smile and mischievous wink.

"You are never happy unless you are flirting with danger. A frightening quality in a leader of an entire species," Gideon returned dryly.

"Nonsense. I am merely pleased with your good fortune. Enjoy her well, my friend. You have earned her."

Gideon thanked the Vampire once more, then each gave a short bow to the other before the Vampire took to the sky with an enormously powerful leap. The Demon felt his mate watch the departure through his eyes with significant awe.

I have led a life far too sheltered, I am realizing, she mused to him.

One would think otherwise, having lived at the hub of our court all of your life. I am surprised you have not met Damien before this.

Well, as you previously noted, Noah has a way of making certain I am not present for volatile situations. I would say the Prince of the Vampires making a sojourn to the court of the King of the Demons would no doubt qualify.

I believe you are correct. Now, my beauty, we are ready for one more stop.

By all means, dearest.

Have I mentioned I love it when you say that?

As a matter of fact, you have.

Jacob moved slowly up the stairs, feeling weighted and tired. It was a struggle for the Enforcer to leave matters so close to his home and heart to others, but he trusted Elijah with every ounce of breath he drew, as well as with the life of his wife. The warrior simply adored Bella. How could he not? Jacob's "little flower" had broken the warrior's nose the very same instant she had met him. To Elijah, that was the ultimate quality in a good woman.

Jacob chuckled with that thought, feeling somehow lighter for it. He also realized he was changing his feelings about Gideon lately as well. The medic had never truly done anything outsiders would see as a great offense, but because he had earned Bella's hostility at the start it had naturally gravitated into Jacob's own heart.

Funnily enough, it was Bella who had begun to act with civility and honest appreciation toward the medic first. It was so like her to be that changeable, that forgiving and tolerant. It would have been impossible for her to trust the Ancient with the care of her health and the health of their baby otherwise. She had genuinely formed a sense of humor about the medic's eccentricity of manners. It simply was not in Bella to hold grudges, especially when she understood the great gift Gideon was bestowing on them by lending his formidable skills to aid her pregnancy.

Jacob had wondered why that particular outlook had not rubbed off on him as easily as the irritation had. However, if he were to be honest with himself, it probably had a lot to do with the fact that Gideon constantly had his hands all over his mate. It was necessary, of course, but that did not change the instinctual hostility it created. Perhaps it was because Gideon was now Imprinted himself that there was a distinctive easing of his negative perspective toward him. There was comfort in the idea that they were now on equal footing, each understanding what the other was forced to feel, from a firsthand perspective.

Gideon had also performed a miracle saving the lives of his family, and Jacob was keenly aware of it. No one else would have been able to save both mother and child. This task alone indebted Jacob to Gideon and ingratiated Gideon to Jacob for the rest of their days.

Jacob entered his borrowed bedroom in Noah's home, not bothering with the lights when he could see with perfect clarity without them. Bella was sleeping lightly, already stirring when she sensed him coming near. With a smile, Jacob began to whip up a surprise for her.

When Bella opened her eyes, it was because she was suddenly overwhelmed with the aroma of roses. She sat up, feeling rose petals cascading off of her torso as she did so. She laughed, scooping up handfuls of the luxuriant petals, rubbing them over her face and throat as she inhaled their potent fragrance.

"Jacob," she murmured with pleasure.

Jacob scooped up more of the silky-soft flower parts, dumping them over her head as he took a seat beside her. She giggled, the first expression of her old humor he had heard since the attack. She had been so sad, so depressed, that it made his heart hurt. The simple parlor trick of the flowers was worth gold if it made her laugh.

"Hello, little flower," he greeted her, leaning forward to kiss her gently, the scent of roses lifting up from her warm skin and all around them.

"I love you," she whispered, her hands cradling his face as she kissed him once more. "I love that you stay with me even though I know your heart aches to hunt for those who hurt me."

There will come a time, little love, when I will not be able to stay," he said gently, touching her soft features in the dark with exquisite care.

"I wouldn't expect you to, Jacob. Remember, there is a lioness in my heart as well. She will not be satisfied until she is a part of the destruction of those who tried to murder her young. And the only way I will achieve that now is by residing within your heart and your thoughts as you seek revenge for us both."

Jacob nodded, utterly speechless as emotion choked him into silence. There was so much to feel, he couldn't sort through it all. Love and hate, satisfaction and discontent, joy and rage. It all but destroyed him to hear words like "revenge" and "destruction" coming out of his sweet-natured mate's mouth. She had been born to be a peacekeeper, an Enforcer of great laws, and an impressive warrior in her own right, but that she had reason to hate and to fear … Jacob felt even more keenly the sense that he had let her down. Darkness was his to deal with, his to protect her from, and he had failed. It stirred a red haze through his mind when he thought of it, when he felt it. She was there almost instantly, trying to soothe him and ease his frustration, but even her touch in his mind was weak and clearly exhausted. It was as if she was merely a shadow within him, and it simply should not be that way. She should be vibrant and overwhelming him with her energy and love, not this soft-spoken fragility that scraped at the interior of his heart.

"Oh, Jacob," she sobbed softly, her weak body leaning against his as she wrapped slim arms around him. "Please," she begged him, "please don't let this destroy you. I need you so much. I need you here and at peace."

"I will be here, little love," he murmured into her hair, his voice aching with the tragic pain her tears caused within him. "But I will buy my peace with battle, Bella. For both of us. Once done, I will put it behind me."

"Swear it to me, Jacob, because I know you can't break your word. Especially not to me."

"I swear it, Bella. I will bring us to our enemies, and then leave them on the ground behind us. I will not bring that darkness into our bed, near our child, or anywhere where it will fester. I will come to you with a clear mind, heart, and soul. I swear it to you with all of my love."

"I love you, Jacob," she said softly, hugging him tightly, knowing full well that the only thing that would clear his mind, heart, and soul would be their retribution.

Gideon sat crouched in the shadow of a large boulder, his breath white and hard on the freezing air of the bare start of a Siberian spring. He was not dressed for such weather, but it did not matter. He regulated his body temperature as a secondary thought, a shimmer of warmth visible as it lifted away from the exposed skin around his face and neck. He absently tugged a glove tighter into place on his hand as he watched the activity of the village below him. He easily sensed the pulses of about a hundred creatures, all upright, bipedal and four-legged varieties. He did not dare to skulk for long because he would be spotted and a point of suspicion if he did. He was able to track the mammalian forms of the Lycanthropes around him well enough, but it became more difficult when they took cold-blooded or avian forms. Any animal around him could Lycanthrope, and he would not sense them all.

A true Lycanthrope could exist in three stages. A single animal of any species imaginable was the first. There was a human form for the second, indistinguishable from any normal mortal who could not see beneath the skin and into their genetic make-up. Most Demons could tell just by their scent that they were not truly human. Gideon suspected this was probably true of other Nightwalkers as well. The third and final form was the Lycanthropic form, a combination of the first and second, the specific animal and the specific human usually as large as a human but sporting the specific attributes of the Lycanthrope's animal form, like the fur and claws if it was a bear, or fangs and wings if it was a bat.

These were the classic forms humans referred to as werewolves. But what most humans did not realize was that Lycanthropes were not just limited to the form of the wolf. In fact, there was hardly an animal that was not represented amongst the Lycanthrope populace.

Gideon could alter his body chemistry to blend in with the scents around him, a glamour that only the most powerful Lycanthropes would be able to see through. He did so as his boots slid down the steep path leading into the narrow valley that housed the village. It was deceptively quaint. Gideon could see that there was method to its placement and its sturdy construction. It was made to withstand the inhospitable weather of a Russian winter, but it also would withstand any form of attack if necessary.

As a rule, Lycanthropes were never far from a variety of armory. Lycanthropes were not chemically adverse to technology, as Demons were. Demons were also not the focus of self-appointed human werewolf hunters. If there was a Nightwalker more well-known to human mythology than Vampires, it was the Lycanthropes. As a result, both races were plagued by those who were overzealous in their attempts to prove the myth was real and to kill the mythical monsters as if it would make them heroes of equally mythic proportions.

Though Lycanthrope natural attacks were formidable on their own, when dealing with overzealous hunters and the like, it was always wise to fight firearm with firearm, so to speak. The Lycanthropes were wise enough not to bring a pair of claws to face an enemy with a gun. They would not have survived long as a species in this era of high technological weaponry had they not understood that basic fact.

Gideon walked around the edges of Siena's village until he was approaching her residence, which consisted of a remarkably camouflaged cave. As he passed the guards, he greeted them coolly. As far as they realized, he carried the scent of Lycanthropy and therefore belonged there.

Siena's residence was a cavern more than it was a cave. More so, it wasn't even simple enough to be called an ordinary cavern. It had been carved out of the center of a mountain and shaped into a breathtaking edifice made completely over into the grandeur of a castle, allowing for an enormity and artistry that included multiple levels and conveniences like light and plumbing. It was all carved out of a reddish brown stone, a massive task that must have taken decades to complete. It was a flawless design, just as Gideon remembered it. The only obvious access to the Queen's castle was by way of that one demure entrance. It could be blocked and guarded off in a heartbeat, protecting the entire village and the Queen's household if necessary. There were outer houses around the castle bailey, just as if it were under a sky instead of a mountain, like any other castle from history. It only lacked the unnecessary moat and portcullis to protect it. It was enough of a fortress and did not need those things to help it.

Gideon walked on, entering the castle common room with confidence and a familiarity that came rushing back to him as he remembered the mapping of rooms and the graceful carvings so painstakingly ground into the stone walls around him. Even the common room was decorated lushly, reflecting Siena's wealth and penchant for the finer things in life. It was a great improvement from the last time he had attended this court Tapestries, artwork, rich carpeting, and elegant touches of the like that had not been there thirteen years before … before Siena had ascended to the throne. The reception area was twice as large as Noah's Great Hall, but it no longer echoed so easily against its own walls as people moved through it as he was doing.

It had been easy to gain entry to the immediate common room, but it would be a different matter completely to get closer to Siena, Gideon understood. The Lycanthrope Queen was no fool. She would not have the access points that led closer to her guarded by anyone less than older, highly skilled Lycanthropes capable of seeing through simple Demon glamours with the mere sniff of a keen nose. Luckily, he was no simple Demon. This, of course, was what Elijah had realized, and had been counting on, when he had chosen Gideon for this dangerous task. No one else would be able to do what he was about to accomplish.

What will you do now?

Just watch. And be very quiet. Lycanthropes have a great variety of abilities, some of which would surprise you. The less you give away, the better.

After what happened with Damien, I believe you, she whispered before falling silent.

He was aware that she did not back away in any other manner, though. She was tense, ready for any possibility, determined to protect him however she could if it came to that. It turned his spirit into a tight spiral of pleasure to feel it, to feel her powerful instinct to protect him. It meant that she was coming to care for him, whether she was ready to admit to that or not. The idea delighted him, far more than he had expected it to.

Gideon tucked it all aside for later examination, though. He needed to stay completely focused on what he was doing. Lycanthrope territory was still, for many intents and purposes, a hostile territory. The war had ended only thirteen years hence, after three hundred years of squabbling and outright attacks led by Siena's father. The previous King had been a warlord, satisfied only when he was battling for property, wealth, or position. But his type was never satisfied. When Demons had proved unbeatable after he had spent years antagonizing them, he had satisfied himself with being a constant burr in Noah's side. Kidnappings, marauding, all forms of torture and hassle, until Noah realized that centuries had gone by and there was not a Lycanthrope alive who had not been tainted by the propaganda against Demons. There would never be peace, not even after the warlord died, if there was no intervention.

And so he had sent Gideon into the King's prisons.

As for tonight, it was clearly a night of justice for the Lycanthrope Queen. By the volume of people coursing in and out of the frontmost throne room, and the line of patient subjects leading into it, it was clear she was very busy dispensing whatever form of law it was that tended to the disputes of her people. Noah held similar days of access once a month. It was required that all members of the Council take part in these days of dispensing law. Each Councilor had their own area of expertise. It was what made the Council so well balanced, as a rule, the troublesome temper of Councilor Ruth notwithstanding. But even she held a useful position. Her constant challenges of their ideas and choices always kept them on their toes. If anyone laid anything before the Council without the proper preparation required to argue their point for the obstinate Ruth, they would most likely fail under her scrutiny. As a result, the laws and actions the Great Council created would perhaps not be so very well thought out as they were.

Gideon was finished observing the movements of those in the nearby rooms. He watched as one group of spectators left the throne room and another began to form. As the guards allowed the group to gain entry, Gideon joined them. He was aware of the guards lifting their heads, reaching out to scent something that was not quite right, but before they could fixate on a target, Gideon was well into the room and mingling with the crowd. That did not mean he could not be spotted at any moment, so rather than wait for someone to grow wise to him, he rapidly strode onto the rich purple carpet that led up to the throne where Siena sat listening to one side of an argument, the other party to the complaint under debate waiting with some impatience to her left.

Siena noted his approach almost instantly, her head coming up suddenly as she fixed her golden eyes on him.

The Queen was in her human form, that of a magnificently beautiful woman with golden hair so pure in color it resembled the color of virgin gold filament Her hair was almost as long as Legna's, but unlike Legna's silky, wavy fell, Siena's was naturally curled, the large coils about fist thick in circumference as they twisted around and around down the length of her back and torso. She had the features of a cat, full of sly points and curves that made her exotic and lovely. This included ears that came up to delicate, elfin points, the only part of her that did not look quite human, but these could be easily overlooked by anyone not searching for the distinction.

Siena stood up when recognition set in, a soft sound from her alerting her guards, who, without delay, stood between the Queen and the intruder, imposing halberds clutched in their hands. The guards were Minotaurs, enormous and powerful creatures with the look and strength of ten bulls, a height that towered over Gideon's own significant stature, and a warrior prowess that would challenge even Elijah's skills.

Gideon halted his approach, one foot on the first step leading to the throne.

He folded his hands across the top of his thigh and bowed to Siena with respect, remaining with his head lowered until she decided how to proceed with him. His seeming subservience appeared to put her at ease. She relaxed, sitting down slowly before turning her attention to a nearby servant.

"Jinaeri, clear the court," she instructed to one of her female aides. To the petitioners in mid-hearing, she smiled comfortingly. "Gentlemen, you will be my guests for the next twenty-four hours, during which we will continue this discussion."

It was clear the solution was more than generous enough to keep them content. They both bowed, all smiles and excited pulses. Siena was famous for her lavish court. It was an honor for commoners to be allowed access to it.

Gideon continued to wait, his head remaining bent as the room was cleared. Though he looked vulnerable, both he and Legna were quite aware of their surroundings. Gideon did become aware of the fact that a great deal of Legna's suspicion and tension was directed toward the lovely Queen seated a mere ten feet away from him.

The sound of the throne room doors closing with a clang was the final indication that they were relatively in private. That was, excluding the two dozen guards standing stiffly at all exits and around the throne itself. Gideon raised his head and met the Queen's speculative gaze, letting the curious gold eyes pick him apart slowly, as if trying to discover his intentions by sheer force of will.

"Disarm him," the Queen commanded sharply.

Instantly, the two throne guards flew at Gideon.

The medic, however, was no longer where he had been. He was, instead, rolling across the floor and out of range of the wicked reach of the Minotaur weaponry.

Gaining his feet with sleek agility, Gideon feinted a lunge at the guard to his left, forcing the Minotaur to anticipate and swing his weapon. The halberd had an impressive momentum to it due to its top-heavy weight. Once the Minotaur committed to the swing, he was virtually defenseless until it was completed and recovered. It was plenty of time for Gideon's enhanced reflexes to give him the advantage.

The next thing the guard knew, he had a Demon flying at him, using his own halberd as a sort of step to propel himself into the air and above the guard's horns. It was a daring maneuver—the horns themselves a dangerous weapon, capable of goring a victim with a single thrust and a twist of the Minotaur's powerful neck muscles. But Gideon was well out of reach, even if the guard hadn't been so startled by the unconventional maneuver. By the time the Minotaur had gathered his thoughts, he was bowled over by a powerful kick to the center of his back. Of course, "bowled over" for a creature of that size meant being driven down onto his knee. Still, it was an impressive feat, even for a Demon.

Gideon turned to face his other opponent, catching the shaft of the other halberd hard in the ribs. The blow literally lifted the Ancient off his feet, and Legna was not the only one to hear his ribs snap in response. However, the injury was nothing to a healer of his remarkable power and skill. The ribs were halfway healed by the time the medic finished rolling with the momentum of the strike.

Gideon was back on his feet, facing off with one guard, eyeing the second, and cocking his head to listen to the soft whisper of his mate as it slid through his thoughts. The Ancient Demon smiled, a rare but impressive show of fangs flickering in the light of the throne room's gas lanterns. It was Legna's strategy he followed as he grabbed one of his thigh blades with incredible speed, sending it flying as he sleekly dodged a halberd swing. He drew the second knife and froze himself into a throwing posture.

"Halt!"

The guards hesitated as the Demon and the Queen shouted the command in tandem. The startled Minotaurs turned perplexed looks to their Queen, each snorting with shock at the sight that greeted them.

The Lycanthrope Queen was sitting back in her throne, her chest rising and falling with her own shock and outright panic as she turned wide eyes onto the haft of the blade that almost touched her temple as it held her pinned by her hair to the back of her throne.

Gideon smiled wider, taunting his opponents with a flip of the blade in his hand.

"And I meant to miss," he said darkly, his eyes gleaming with silver warning.

The throne room was utterly silent except for Siena's breath sounds. Suddenly, she laughed, a short, sultry sound that drew everyone's attention.

"Gideon, you bastard, there's silver in that blade!"

"In both," the Demon corrected, relaxing his stance and returning the second blade to its sheath with a flip his mate was realizing was as characteristic as it was a skilled one-motion maneuver.

The Demon moved to the steps leading to the throne, approaching the Queen in order to do the one thing no one else in the entire castle or village could do. He grasped the handle of the knife and, with a powerful pull, withdrew it from its deep embedding in the wood of her throne. The knife was snugly put away in the following second while Gideon made a respectful retreat back down the stairs. He spared a glance to the guards behind him, watching carefully with senses other than his eyes as one Minotaur extended a hand to help the other back to its feet.

"It has been some time, Gideon, since you have graced Our court," Siena noted, her strong voice ringing echoes throughout the cavernous room as she regained her composure with a sly grin and a shake of her hair. Gideon's keen eyes carefully measured the amount of blood that fell in droplets from the tips of the strands of hair his blade had severed. The injury to the tensile, living hair was incidental because Gideon had never meant her any harm. The small wounds, no more or less painful than about a half dozen paper cuts for the Queen, would heal quickly. Had he meant to harm her, severing a large chunk of the gold filament strands could have easily been the equivalent of cutting off her arm when measured in trauma.

"As I recall, I was your prisoner at the time," he reminded the Lycanthrope Queen. Gideon mentally hushed Legna when she snickered over the idea of the feminine Queen getting the better of him.

"Ah, yes, you are correct. I had almost forgotten. But we did not part on bad terms those many decades back, so I trust you are not intent on exacting some sort of vengeance."

"No, Highness. You treated me quite well for a person of such dubious status. I am, in fact, ever grateful for the generous hospitality you showed me."

The statement managed to hush Legna's laughter more effectively than any of Gideon's warnings had. He was suddenly very aware of her renewed and highly hostile focus on the Lycanthrope female.

"So tell me, Gideon, is it my hospitality you seek tonight?"

There was no mistaking the suggestion in her voice and the sly lift of both a golden brow and one corner of her full lips. The Queen stood up once more, slower this time, allowing her tall body to expose its remarkable charms gradually. She was garbed in a simple golden bra, the brief article of clothing accenting an exquisite and full pair of breasts. She wore a thick golden chain that linked around her slim hips, holding a couple of thick veils over the front and back of her long legs. A thinner chain circumscribed her trim waist, the glittering gold drawing attention to the muscular fitness of de fined abdominal muscles and the deep inward curves of her sides. The only other thing she wore was the collar of her office, the gold and moonstone choker a one-of-a-kind creation that marked her for who she was to any Nightwalker who saw it, Lycanthrope or otherwise.

She moved to the top step leading from the throne itself, looking down to Gideon as she slowly began to descend. Every motion of her body was a purposeful dance in sensuality. Gold shifted and twinkled flirtatiously, gossamer veiling fluttering with the breeze of her movement. Lycanthropes tended to be highly sexual beings, even more so than Demons, and it radiated from every living cell of the Queen's advancing body. These Nightwalkers were not merely genetic carriers of animal instincts from long ago; they were pure animalism, living a third of their lifetime as little more than an intelligent beast. That fact eddied from the beautiful Queen like raw pulsations of nature.

Gideon was aware of a soft, antagonistic hostility nibbling at the edges of his thoughts and realized the source was Legna, who, for all her control and detachment, was apparently just as susceptible to simple jealousy as anyone else. The Queen halted her approach about three steps away from him, her posture held with proud perfection as she once more took his measure.

Sweet Destiny, you would think a Queen could afford the entire dress, Legna remarked dryly.

Gideon realized he was trapped between potentially unpleasant circumstances. It would be difficult to tender goodwill to the Queen while maintaining peace with this different emotion for Legna. His goal, in the end, was not to upset either of them, and at the moment it seemed very unlikely that he could manage that. It was enough to ruffle even his practiced calm as a soft sheen of moisture appeared on his forehead.

"You come armed to my home. Why is that?"

"Would you do any less when walking into the den of those who have held you in threat in the past?" Gideon countered. "If invited to Noah's court, would you relinquish the weapons you have, even now, concealed in your hair?"

"You were always the shrewd one." She laughed, her smiles and humor lessening the tension in the room considerably. She came closer to the Demon, her motions more businesslike as she did so. She walked on, and he fell into step beside her. She led him farther back into the cavern, a slow, strolling tour of rooms he had lived amongst once, quite some time ago.

So long as her bedroom was not one of those rooms, Legna warned, her jealousy a fiercely tangible thing.

No, Neliss. I can assure you it was not.

And I am to take your word on that?

I would prefer if you did. However …

"I see you have not yet settled on a mate," Gideon said to Siena.

"And I see that you have, despite all your proclamations that you never would. I can smell her all over you. She must be … delicious." Siena's phraseology was provocative, making Gideon smile inwardly with the imagery it churned up.

I shall have to fully test that theory, he mused.

There was no response, but he knew Legna was too flustered by her mixed emotions of the moment to formulate one.

"I recommend it," he offered amiably. "Especially in your situation. It is far more satisfying than maintaining the status of a virgin Queen, Siena."

Virgin? Her?

"Yes," Siena said, a crooked smile spreading over her lush mouth. "As delightful as that sounds, I can easily forgo the cravings of the body if it keeps me from being forced to mate with some male I will end up chained to for the rest of my life." It was clear by the contempt in her voice that, for all her natural sexuality, she'd rather roast on a hunter's spit. "It is quite unfair," she remarked, "that I should be plagued by this outdated, obnoxious genetic predisposition to chose one and only one mate for the entire span of my existence." She sighed with lascivious drama. "Imagine the fun I could be having." She became serious instantly, speaking to Gideon as the confidant he had been for her so many years ago. "I have no need for a King, and therefore, no desire to take a lover who would become one. So, a virgin I will remain, very likely to the end of my days."

"Those words almost have a familiar ring to them," he mused.

"Yes, I know. And now you have a mate." She cocked her head, taking a deep breath as she drew in his scent with obvious curiosity. "You are lucky, Gideon," she said with honest surprise and pleasure for him. "You have Imprinted on your mate and she on you. A rare phenomenon for your people, as I understand it. I wish you joy of it."

"Thank you," he responded graciously.

"But perhaps if you bedded the wench, she wouldn't be so jealous of me."

Gideon could not help the release of a groan as he was caught between Siena's wink of mischief and Legna's outraged exclamation in his head.

"Siena, I did not come here to get myself a dubiously cozy bed in the proverbial doghouse. So, if you would please have mercy?"

"As you wish. Tell me why you have come," she said as they entered a room filled with enormous fountains of gold.

Surrounding these fountains was a bath occupied with Lycanthropes of all shapes, breeds, and sexes. All these creatures were in various states of furring, feathering, and undress as they bathed in water that spread the length and width of a football field before the two of them. Gideon wisely kept his eyes averted, not wishing to inadvertently condemn an innocently bathing female to the wrath of a jealous Demon, should he set eyes on her nude body by accident.

"Have you any reason to suspect there may be a faction of your people who have taken it into their heads to resurrect the war by attacking my people?" he asked the Queen.

Siena turned to look at him, the coined gold of her eyes brightening as she speculated a moment.

"I am glad you do not think I had anything to do with this."

"No, Siena. Though there are still many on the Council who fear your intentions, the years I spent with you during my incarceration have had an effect on both of our perspectives about each other's species." Gideon smiled because he recalled that that had been Noah's intention all along. Gideon had endeared himself with his grace and his deep wisdom to a young girl who would one day become Queen. "With the exception of testing my prowess with throne-room pranks, you are above picking petty fights. I know we have done nothing to provoke you to do anything as strong as what has happened."

"Well, if there are rebels among my people, I usually find them quick enough. Explain what happened."

Gideon did with efficiency and a minimum of detail. The Lycanthrope Queen listened intently.

"No. Gideon, my people may pick fights with yours, but to organize an act of such specificity and cruelty? The survival of our young is the highest priority in our moral code, and because it is high in our esteem, we consider it monstrous to do anything that resembles an attack on the young of even our worst enemies."

"I sensed you would say as much, but you understand it was important that I make absolutely certain. For all we were aware, you may have had a social criminal on the loose that we simply had not heard about."

"You are correct, of course. It is strategically unwise to leave avenues of possibility unexplored. If I have learned one thing about you and, I believe, your people, it's that you are not foolish in matters of strategy." She paused for a slow beat. "Gideon, I believe it is time for Noah and me to sit down together. At the very least, we should arrange the parameters for an exchange in ambassadors. With such positions set up and exchanged, there will be less opportunity for these gaps in information. The only thing that will come from not communicating with one another is mistrust and mistake. Before you know it, we will be returning to war for reasons we won't even be clear on."

"Do you think your people are ready to accept a Demon in your court?"

"I believe enough time has passed. I would request you for the position, except I know your Council duties and your new mate will be keeping you quite occupied. Perhaps you can suggest someone in your stead?"

"I am certain I can. As for your half of the exchange, be certain to choose someone very smart, very eager, and very unprejudiced toward our society as your ambassador. It will take an open mind to open the closed ones in the Demon court. Meanwhile, I will courier your request for a meeting to Noah. I will send you word of his response myself."

"I will be awaiting you. In the meantime, I can search through my intelligences to see if there is something that I may have overlooked."

Siena turned to face him, slipping a ring off her finger and handing it to him. She knowingly managed the exchange without touching him.

"This will allow you to come and go in my court in your honest form without fear of being accosted. That is, until we designate the ambassador who will wear it after you. There is no further need for tricks of camouflage. I prefer to know the true nature of that which approaches me. You might remember that for the future."

"I never doubted your abilities to find me out, Siena. That is why I shed the glamour as soon as possible. I thank you for your information, and for this." He closed the ring in a secure fist. He bowed to her with an elegant flair that made the Lycanthrope Queen smile.

A moment later, he was yanked away, disappearing with a definitive pop, as if being rescued from the jaws of death. The jealous motivation behind Gideon's removal sent the Queen into gales of laughter, forcing her to take a seat when she developed a stitch in her side. The possessive actions of Gideon's mate tickled her with their obvious lack of reasonable logic. If the unseen woman had only thought about it a moment, she would have known it was an utter impossibility and she need not have been so insecure. After all, there was no way Siena would ever allow herself to be attracted to a male, least of all a Demon male.