A Wicked Meeting Chapter 2- The Gathering
A/N: Hey guys (and gals), I'm so sorry this chapter took so long I've just been swamped by school work etc soo... Sorry? Anyways this is chapter 2 for y'all. Hope you enjoy it. You can review if you want but my plot hasn't been interspersed that much yet :) anyway Enjoy! P.s I don't own any of these characters *cries* Melissa marr owns these lovely fey...
Once I'm changed, I sweep my hair into a high ponytail, leaving a few loose strands to frame my face. I apply a smidge of lip gloss, revelling in how calm I appear despite my fluttering heartbeat and anxiety over hosting my first ever emergency meeting. I take relief in my summer fey and how they are so accommodating despite how new I am at being queen. I take deep breaths as I add a touch of mascara to my dark brown eyes. Once composed, I exit the bathroom shooting a hopefully assuring smile at Nala. I dig through the pile of school assignments stacked neatly on my desk (only rolling my eyes at my 10-page English essay my new college professor assigned us to complete), to pocket my keys, purse and mints.
"Want a mint?" I ask Nala, politely, popping a spearmint one in my mouth. She declines, curly blonde locks curling like vines, and I shrug still pondering what and why a vampire has entered town. A town brimming with faeries at that!
"Let's go then." I usher. Nala follows obediently and the exotic birds stare curiously, picking up on the rather sombre atmosphere. We leave the apartment and I wave my guards off, feeling the familiar prickle of uneasiness at being watched. As if she heard my thought Nala says:
"They are here to swerve and protect you, my-Ash". I huff out a breath, forgetting about her bitten off 'my queen'. The guards bow respectively as I pass and I wave awkwardly in return. Curse royal etiquette. I think to myself. The urge to move flares within me. I pick up my pace remembering the rules drilled into me over the years by Grams. 'Don't run, it only makes them chase.' But now I am one of them, now, aren't I? A pang of sadness hits me from nowhere, reminding me of Moira and how she chose death over the fate I'm living out now. How Keenan has ensnared her into this malicious intoxicating trap which stole the mortality of countless girls for centuries. I wonder briefly whether she's be ashamed of me. What she's say if she was alive to see my title, who and what I've become. The impulse to run washes over me again and this time I succumb to it, indulging the whim of being so fast not even humans with the sight would be able to detect me. Faster. A little voice in my head encourages. My legs power me effortlessly over the ground and I feel liberated. A smile blossoms across my face and the air warms. My head clears, nothing disturbing the tranquillity as my sneakers slap across the frigid ground.
I'm at the door of the club within minutes and I quickly quieten the voice which whines at not being able to run faster for longer, focusing instead on getting to see Seth again. I'd not seen him since yesterday due to school-work- darn it you irritatingly fascinating English project- and queenly duties (aka dancing and socialising with my fey). I round it to the alley where I slowly become visible, summoning my glamour as easily as one might summon their most loyal pet. Immediately my brilliant radiance is tamped down and I enter the pub, calling out a friendly greeting to vik and Sam (my pool friends) as I go by.
I scan the pub fleetingly until my eyes land on Seth's figure in a corner booth. His navy blue t-shirt and lustrous black hair entice me to come closer and like a moth to a flame, I do. As I draw nearer, I notice Niall who is rolling up a cigarette as he talks with Seth. Nala, who I'd forgotten was beside me due to my fixation on running and, now Seth, places a gentle hand on my arm and I give her a quick hug goodbye, promising quietly to catch her up to speed later. She replies with soothing words of encouragement which bolster my confidence a tad. She then slinks away , fading from human sight as she makes for the shadowed areas.
I swing into the booth, next to my truly wonderful boyfriend.
"Hey." I say warmly as I turn to him. Seth's dark eyes light up re-igniting a flame within me. I capture his lips with mine- a sweet but sadly shortened kiss- bred from the spontaneity common of summer fey. I hardly notice the temperature raise a couple more degrees. I way too occupied trying not to blush as I stare up at Seth. He leans back and puts one arm around my waist, scooting me closer. He tilts his head down. Black silky hair brushing my ear and making me shiver with anticipation. "Hey." he replies a little huskily, with an undertone of tease. Niall coughs, amusement blatant on his face. My cheeks flame as I turn to face him.
"Oh-um, sorry Niall. I was just, uh-"
"It's perfectly alright," he smirks, waving away my embarrassment. He lights up his cigarette. "Vampires, huh?" he comments absently "Haven't seen them for at least half a century."
"Oh?" Seth prompts, his inquisitive nature peeking through his constantly calm exterior. Niall chuckles, the dark voluptuous tone of it raiding small goosebumps on my arms rise.
"-You have to admit it is intriguing though." Seth continues "Like the whole idea of vampires co-existing with the fey realm makes you question what else exist if these do..?" I nod emphatically,
"I agree." I chip in excitedly. "Seth and I are new at this whole..." I cut a warm glance his way "-Faerie thing. We're newbies in the supernatural laws and etcetera". Seth gazes at me, a loving smile curving at his tempting lips and I blush and fidget under the spotlight of his affection.
He plants a light butterfly kiss on the end of my nose and the temperature of the room suddenly shoots up.
"Damn global warming." a wrinkled, gruff man grumbles loudly at the bar. "What is with this heat" I turn my head from Niall's smug expression and Seth's pierced eyebrow which has risen almost cynically.
"Shut up." I mutter, nudging his arm petulantly, "It's your fault 'global warming' is messing with the pub." I hiss. Seth grins at me cutely and my indignation melts away. I try not to forgive him instantly (after all I am a queen and therefore have an identity to cover) but soft tides of peace slide off of him due to his courtly power. I resist the urge to lean close and instead scowl at bis ever-collected demeanour.
"So not fair." I mumble "I change the temperature and set stuff on fire when emotional, yet all you have to do is bat your lashes and people turn into peace-loving hippies-" Seth smiles at me beatifically while Niall snorts. Our casual banter is brought to a rather abrupt end as Donia and Keenan swoop I, looking regal and slightly haughty as they tower above lazily flicks some ash on the table, not bothering to acknowledge their presence. Seth places a hand on his shoulder, a silent plea to play nice. Niall reluctantly budges allowing enough space for me and Seth to make room for the Winter Queen and temperature lowers to its normal rate at their presence and a few locals justify that 'air con' must've kicked in.
"Hey, Donia." I greet the iced queen warmly. Her crystalline eyes gentle as if bemused by my informal greeting and, before I can ponder whether I should've spoken more royally, I greet Keenan in the same respect. Seth stiffens slightly by my side when he exchanges pleasantries and I have a brief surge of flash at their rocky history and how, on my venture to queenlihood combined with Seth's departure to become a faerie we got ensnared in a rather unusual love diamond, me, Keenan, Seth and Donia. I assess them both surreptitiously. Donia wears a snow white sweetheart dress with a periwinkle lace trim, as if clinging to the remnants of winter although now we are in the perilous month of March, spring is wears delicate, demure silver heels and no coat showing off her elegant collar-bones, milky white skin and platinum hair carefully arranged in a French chignon. Keenan's copper hair is a duller almost rustic shade and his emerald eyes appear lighter with speckles of sky blue and an icicle glaze which give off just as much of a hypnotic gleam as they did while he was a part of the summer court. He wears light blue jeans and a white tee-shirt and his arm is firmly attached around Donia's slender waist. They look like royalty, but I'm perfectly content in my own bad-ass attire and don't have the energy or attention to care. Especially not while Seth's knee is pressed to mine and while his feet are brushing mine under the table.
"Can we begin the meeting now?" Keenan asks, ever the impatient one. I bite my lip to stop the smirk unfurling. Keenan never was one to wait, nothing except the century long game to reclaim his crown kept him from desiring instantaneous results. I clasp Seth's right hand in my left, interlocking our finger and placing them on my lap. His tension eases at my touch and I feel his gratefulness in the way he squeezes our cupped palms.
"No," Niall answers Keenan coldly, obviously still bitter over the Leslie situation last year. "Fist we must wait until Irial arrives." Keenan and myself gape at this announcement. I shut my jaw with a snap.
"Was it really wise to invite the carnation of war to a meeting on vampires?" Donia questions mildly. Shadows dance at the mere mention of Irial's name, and I'm strangely reminiscent of the song we once studied at Bishop O'Connell High: Danse Macabre, a haunting otherworldly melody fit or the phantom dancers. Niall then smirks a truly wicked smile, one which makes my spine stiffen and a certain pattern of light and dark twirl within his abyss-like eyes.
"Oh vampires and Irial, such a dangerous pair to meet." he comments musingly, "if anything it will certainly be interesting."