Chapter 6

"What exactly is your field of expertise?" Caspian asked as we waited.

My response was one part honesty, quarter part nerves, and the rest cockiness talking. "The easier question would be what isn't," I told him.

Caspian sniffed and rolled his eyes. "Do regale me."

I turned to Preston. "Back at the Faculty residence, he grabbed iron full on when he opened the door."

I hadn't really been paying attention to it, but basic instinct had caught it and filed it away until I saw a pattern and could explain it.

"You handled my key chain with your bare hands."

The chain was constructed mostly of cheap woven fabric, but the clasp was iron, yet he hadn't even flinched. His grin faltered and Preston's eyes narrowed. I took Caspian's hand, slowly, so Preston wouldn't do anything that required me kicking his ass, and held it to the light. I had to angle it just right to confirm what I suspected. Over his hand was a kind of second skin that was nearly undetectable.

"There are few methods that would allow for a level of micro adhesion to act as to repel agents on a biological level. The barrier is also removable, so it isn't kinetic or bio-fusion. This uses 'Wexler's Theory of Cnidarians'. Good choice but you applied it incorrectly."

At this point his eyes were wide and his mouth wasn't far behind. I let go of his hand and it fell like dead weight onto the table. It snapped him out of it just as the room began filling with people. I was introduced as his assistant. The news garnered me everything from envy to disdain. When the meeting was over only two remained. They were the Joint Senior Chiefs of Staff, a gray-haired Indian woman named Chari Gupta, and a gangly, middle-aged man with thinning hair and outdated bifocals, named Isaiah Argeneau.

They were both in the know judging by the way they regarded Preston. It humbled Chari, but further inflamed Isaiah's 'better than thou' complex. He knew what to look for so he knew I wasn't Fae. That automatically made me a dumb blonde who had to have exceptionally remarkable bedroom skills. That was why I didn't have human friends.

"Explain to us why you think we have adapted Wexler's Theory incorrectly," Caspian began.

"Impossible!" Isaiah said.

Chari nodded and mildly added, "It has been proven countless times to allow the Fae to handle iron."

All eyes were on me. I could play nice to avoid conflict but that wasn't how I was raised. "I know it was adapted incorrectly because I wrote it."

You could have heard a fly burp, it was so quiet in that room. Isaiah's face was red and he looked ready to lose it but he didn't know where to begin.

"Leave us," Caspian said.

Chari happily bolted, but it was with heavy reluctance that Isaiah followed. Oh, man! I couldn't wait to talk to Eric about all this! I was going to have office politics!

"Niall informed me that you are twenty-seven-years old, chronologically. You expect me to believe that you developed, tested, and perfected that theory all before you were seven years of age?"

"Six," I corrected.

I reached for a piece of scrap paper. Caspian looked doubtful but wholly curious and wasn't above peeking at what I wrote. I scribbled down the formula I'd proposed when originally writing the paper. I fiddled with it until I was sure I had the formula for his glove, and then underneath it, I wrote what it should have been. The difference was slight but the results staggering.

"In solid form, Mesohyl carries a risk of synthesizing toxins over time instead of resisting it."

He nodded, "Yes, that was a concern but the need was great. Everything in the outside world was turning to iron it seemed. Also, I had no idea how to stabilize it once it was in liquid form."
"Can't be done. Emulsify it with ethanol and turn it into gas." I concluded, holding the sheet up.
He took the scrap piece of paper as if afraid I would steal it away. With a wave of his hand it withered into glittering white sprinkles that were seemingly absorbed into his skin. Interesting, I could honestly say I'd never heard of such a thing before. I arched a brow in question but he just smiled. It was stunning. Don't get me wrong, I knew the sight was panty-melting good but mine stayed firmly in place, handsome as he was.

"I'm a nerd through and through. Fortunately, I am beautiful."

A typical faery can't go ten minutes without a compliment, even if they had to give it to themselves. I shrugged impassively when what I really wanted to do was smile. He was looking a bit sheepish. Oddly enough, I thought it was genuine.

"Shouldn't take long to replace the gloves."

"Not at all," Caspian agreed.

"The glove was the only thing that saved Claudette's hand when you stabbed her," Preston accused.

I didn't flinch but it took effort. As I'd suspected with Claudine I did feel conflicted. Every time I thought of that day, the horrified look in her green eyes continued to haunt me. I didn't regret my actions. I needed to use force, but I had to admit to myself that it might have been excessive.

I recalled that Claudette had been so oblivious, chatting with her twin about something until I came along and stabbed her in the hand. I had used an iron blade and I had nailed her to the table. I might have been able to justify Claudine even knowing that I'd cost her a rare reproductive cycle. Her sister wasn't so easy because she'd been so ditzy. I had no reason to stab Claudette. Punching her in the face would have sufficed, I'd known she was weak.

Tension descended and along with it came my mask of cool. I wouldn't dignify him with a response as I asked Caspian "Is there anything else with which you would like my help?"

Caspian seemed to have some internal debate but in the end he nodded, "Repopulating my species."

I stared at him not sure if he was serious. He was, deathly so. "Okay, so no big deal then."

I checked in with Eric when I finally returned to the Faculty Residence Hall. Now that my anxiety had disappeared and I'd gotten through my first day, I didn't know how I was ever going to get to sleep without him. This place was too new and not entirely friendly territory either. Then again, it wasn't overtly hostile. I couldn't sleep so I started to contemplate the solution for Fae infertility.

Doctor Wexler had told my father I was a genius and, in a sense, he was right. I had the IQ to prove it but, when I did the impossible, I didn't think it had anything to do with that. It was like being on a desert island with a boat miles and miles into the ocean. The only way to reach the boat was to continually visualize myself on it. I would simply sit with a question in mind and over time, I gathered information about it, and then, BAM! I had my solution. I didn't know to which part of my makeup I could attribute that. It didn't matter. It had never failed me. I also hadn't used it in a long while.

At some point I fell asleep but I woke too early. The bed was empty, cold, and smelled like me and me alone. All my senses felt like I was in the wrong place and needed to get back to where I belonged. It wasn't possible at the moment. Instead, I got up and explored the campus but all the while I felt eyes on me. Preston was nowhere in sight though. I guessed my daytime sitter was remaining invisible. I ignored it and headed into the city.

On a whim I went to Disney World. I knew exactly where it was; for a month Amelia and I had lived in Cinderella's castle. This trip wasn't just about nostalgia or paying triple for a bottle of water. The commute was over an hour but with the journey I lost my shadow. I wasted a good portion of the day.

I was in the parking lot headed toward my rental when a car with tinted windows sped past. When it passed me, it came to a screeching halt. Before I thought anything more, it sped away. Odd as it was, it was non-threatening. Since the driver wasn't thinking about me, I was forced to chalk it up as inconsequential.

Back at my room, Caspian was seated in front of the door. "Colman said he lost you," He said in hello. "They thought you ran off to do something dastardly." His face was a dramatic mask of malevolence complete with a pyramid of evil contemplation.

Do not smile. "Am I keeping you from his rallying of the torches and pitch forks?" I asked.

He laughed heartily. "I wasn't invited to this one. I've been here for a while and I need to head to the Café," He said. "Otherwise you will see a nerd have a meltdown. Believe me, that shit is ugly."

I went with. I could eat but Caspian had me beat. The servers didn't seem surprised; some had extra portions ready for him. I had to admit that he was seriously un-faery like; there was an apple in his mouth while we waited in line. Somehow he was eating it with no hands while he waited.

"So tell me about you," Caspian said. He pointed his French fry at my left hand. "I see you are married."

Immediately I clammed up. Any ease I felt in his presence faded. "Yes."

He eyed me and shook his head despondently. "Niall paired you with me in the hope that you would take to me and I to you on account of our being geniuses, good looks and my charm."

I snorted a laugh. That was the most ridiculous thing I'd ever heard. To my shock he laughed too. "I am charming, irresistible to most, but you are a rare breed known as 'The Happily Married.' A part of me suspects that The Prince knows this but he wants you to align to the Sky with a fervor I have never witnessed, why?"

I had that same feeling but I already realized Niall having given me this job was his way of doing just that. The fact that he thought pairing me with a pretty male Fae could tempt me in the least was beyond farfetched and well in the realm of lunacy, so much so I had never even considered it. I had no idea why Caspian was telling me this though. It could be an angle but that didn't seem plausible.

Instead of answering his question, I posed one of my own. "Why tell me this?" I asked.

He shrugged. "I still can't believe you've been writing under Wexler's name since you were a baby. I follow his work...well, your work like crack. The defining laws on 'Individual Molecular Cell Manipulation' alone…"

He was smiling like a total 'Fan girl'.

Our eyes met and we burst out laughing. "I am not normally this awkward. I'm actually quite suave."

I rolled my eyes. "I bet."

He grinned, making a few women around us take notice, "You never answered me about why Niall wants you so badly, even though it seems to upset everyone, Colman especially."

By his question, I knew it was upsetting everyone but him. He didn't get out much, obviously. It was stupid, but with the exception of Genie I had never met anyone who was so much into science, never mind another Supe. It made me want to answer his question but I didn't trust anyone there so I said nothing that wasn't already common knowledge.

"The only thing that comes more natural to me than this," I tapped my temple. "Is fighting, and I am very good at it. In fact, I can kill with very little physical or mental effort."

It was a warning simply because I liked him. It told him that while I might share a few laughs over lunch in the campus cafeteria, I was lethal. If push came to shove I would prove it. Caspian eyed me speculatively for a few seconds, but then he nodded. Admittedly I'd waited for him to balk. Instead he resumed eating his food easily. I picked at the little on my plate.

"I've got a class," He said. "I know you don't have shit else to do, so come on."

I followed him to the Human Biology course he taught. I had never been to college or even attended high school. I was fascinated by the assortment of people, many of whom didn't pay me the least bit of attention. I listened to the lecture and found myself… learning. Then again, Human Biology was a course I wasn't that into, having not grown up around many.

At some point I felt a presence in the class. I glanced to the door and there was Colman, scowling at me as if I was all that was wrong in his world. There was no emotion on my face but I felt that just maybe, I was. Not only had I injured his mate, I'd cost them both a chance at trying for a child, which he hadn't forgotten if his glare was anything to go by.

Now it made sense that Claudine had given up the invaluable Cluviel dor so readily. She didn't want to be hurt worse. I'd hurt her anyway. As far as robbing Claudine …I didn't give a rat's ass when it happened. I felt as though it was my due. She was my enemy and the magical pebble had been a spoil of war. It saved Sai when Eric had reduced him to ash. So why did I feel as though I owed her? Maybe I did and I guess that was part of the reason I was here.

My first week in Florida flew by. Reluctantly, I admitted that Caspian wasn't so bad. His mind was so open that it reminded of Ollie. Being the third son of a King, Oliver, much like Lysander, wasn't built for power. No, Ollie had a philosophical air that not even two centuries of undead life could steal. Of all my siblings, Oliver would be the only one who would encourage me to be friends with a faery.

When Preston came to return me home, I couldn't find it in myself to hide my excitement. He saw me smile and stopped short. Right, to him and many other people I was a soulless, bloodthirsty monster. There were some preconceptions you could argue with logic but others could only be dispelled by time. The faery needed time to get used to me.

Eric was at the farm house waiting for me. I'd thrown myself in his arms before my transporter vanished. I don't think we spoke that night. It was all physical. I needed to feel him. I needed to drown all my senses in his love. I did, however, talk his ear off the next evening on our way to Fangtasia. I don't think he got a word in edgewise. I didn't let him but then he started laughing.

He tried to talk through it but couldn't. I frowned having the distinct feeling I was being laughed at.

"I'm not above hitting an old man," I warned.

He rolled his eyes. "You were gushing and prattling...it isn't you."

I supposed not. "It was better than I thought it would be."

He took my hand as he helped me out of his car. "I am glad."

My emotions went from shock to curiosity and finally settled on uncertainty as we walked into Eric's office at Fangtasia. Pam sat on the couch dressed in her usual garb. Beside her was a pair of vampires I didn't know. One was a scrawny preteen dressed in dark clothes too big for him and no soul. He seemed to be nothing but a shell. Holding his hand was a scarred dark-haired vampire who was dressed similarly.

Pam was looking at me with indifference. We weren't friends but we were amicable, and I knew if only because of Eric that she cared. It didn't help that the scarred vampire seemed to look at me as if I was something the cat had dragged in. I couldn't process that. My attention was torn between the boy who had no light in his eyes and my husband. Eric had turned into a statue. The hold he had on my fingers went from light to painful in a blink.

I needed him to get him to give me direction on what to do. Thankfully, he did. He thawed immediately, the hold he had on me eased, and he smiled. I knew Eric but that smile wasn't mine. It was generic. Okay, we had to fake it. Game on.

I looked at the boy and his face registered. "Alexei Nikolayevich Romanov," I said with a proper curtsy. "Youngest Tsar in Russian history."

Something behind his soulless eyes sparked, but then the scarred vampire ran a scarred hand and yellowed nails through his hair and the light was gone. My skin crawled and my stomach turned, but in the room I was the only one who seemed to take notice of something that was so wrong. My game face slipped and it took everything I had not to act. Eric must have felt it. He wrapped an arm around me, it looked like affection but it was to restrain.

"Welcome, Ocella." Eric said with a deep nod. "Meet my wife, Sookie. Sookie, meet my Maker, Appius Livius Ocella."