Author's Note 11/9/19: Finally managed to get chapters 5-7 revised. It took way longer than I expected, but it'll be well worth your time to re-read these now that I've added new material and updated some of the original sections. Also, just as an FYI- chapters 6 and 7 are slightly redacted to comply with FanFiction's rules about MA content. If you want the full chapters, PM me or have a look at my DeviantART acct (VernichtenAlles).
1/Terreille
Lilith didn't look altogether convinced. Despite having agreed to let him do this, the witch clearly had misgivings about her decision. Alex could tell himself that her reaction was only normal, given that she was a virgin. Of course she'd be nervous. But several times, he'd gotten the impression that Lilith's hesitation ran much deeper than that. That it had something to do with him.
You know what it is.
He did. He just didn't want to admit it. And yet the answer permeated his thoughts like a sickening perfume, taking the form of two words that refused to be silenced: Pleasure slave.
A label that had existed in Hayll long before the Purge. A derogatory slur witches- and some men- used to humiliate the victims of Meredith and her pet Queens. Alex hadn't ever thought of himself on those terms in all the years he'd been in Draega. He'd seen himself as a leashed predator who preyed on any witch foolish enough to bring him into her bed. The label hadn't mattered to him.
It mattered now.
Alex had seen her involuntary flinch when he'd told her he was experienced. And while he'd meant for it to be reassuring, all he'd really done was draw attention to the fact that he'd been used by more witches than he could ever count. Experience like that gave him skills, but it was hardly a recommendation for a witch like Lilith. Why would she see anything positive about giving herself to someone like him? To a pleasure slave.
He shouldn't care what she thought. Shouldn't care what any witch thought, but he did. Cared more than Alex wanted to admit.
Don't let yourself get distracted. Focus on what you're here to do.
Advice Alex intended to follow. Meaning he needed to distract Lilith from any thoughts beyond the physical relief he'd promised to give her. The question was- how? Centuries of experience bedding witches and Alex wasn't sure any of it was going to help him. He didn't appreciate the irony.
"Alex?"
The sound of her voice brought him swiftly back to the present, as did hearing his name. Lilith hadn't said it since he brought her into his bedroom. He'd told her to use it- rather, had insisted. It lessened any chance that she would accidentally trigger memories of the coven bitches. They preferred referring to his caste when they used him. No telling how he'd react to hearing it tonight, even if Lilith wouldn't mean it like they did. So his offer had been nothing more than a practical solution.
There was nothing 'practical' about the heat stirring in his blood. Or the desire to hear her say it again. Not in the uncertain querying tone she had just now, but the way she'd call out his name when passion made her desperate and wanton. When she'd be his. Nothing practical at all.
What did I say before about claiming things? Lilith is just-
Mine, another part of him insisted vehemently.
I'm only doing this to help her through the safframate, he argued back. It's as simple as that.
It is simple. She's ours. Has always been ours.
"I think I'd better go."
Alex didn't really register that Lilith had spoken, too preoccupied with the argument against himself. What the hell did that mean, anyway- always? He'd only known the witch for a little more than a day. And as soon as the safframate had run its course, she would be gone again. Hopefully back to whatever territory she'd come from, never to return. Somewhere far from Meredith. And…him.
That last thought rankled, although not quite so much as Lilith's attempt to shy away from his embrace. Alex didn't loosen his hold, gliding his hands down to her waist to pull her closer. So close that he could feel the heat of her skin- the subtle press of her curves from shoulder to hip. He'd expected to fight a nasty battle against himself to suppress the cold rage that usually gripped him during moments like this.
It didn't come.
An altogether different battle raged inside him. Raw desire. It churned and rose up from somewhere deep within- unfamiliar and potentially dangerous. Alex wasn't quite as sure that he would be able to control it. Wasn't sure if he could convince himself he wanted to control it. He certainly couldn't stop himself from tilting her chin up so that he could kiss her.
Lilith offered only a second's hesitation before her mouth warmed beneath the encouraging brush of his. It wasn't enough, and so he deepened the kiss to ask for more. No hesitation this time. Not even a token resistance as he teased her lips open enough to explore the sweet taste of her. Like drinking in sunlight. For a man who'd spent most of his life caged in the cold darkness of Draega, it burned through him like fire.
Needing a moment to catch his breath, Alex pulled back slightly and broke the kiss. Lilith, still caught in a sensual haze of passion, stared up at him helplessly. No fear. No calculating meanness or cruel satisfaction. Nothing except a hunger that almost made him forget who and what he was. But Alex forced himself back to reality, reminding himself that she wouldn't be looking at him like that if not for the safframate.
Are you so certain?
Of course I am. You saw how hard she's resisted even when drugged. She doesn't want me- wouldn't ever want me.
You don't really know that unless you ask. He could ask, but he would risk revealing his own desire to her. Too dangerous, even if she wasn't like Meredith or her coven bitches. Alex couldn't afford to let any witch get that close to finding out he was vulnerable. Coward.
The word rang sharply in the back of his mind. Insulted by the accusation, he shot back, I'm only trying not to lose one of the few advantages I have.
A heartbeat passed, and then two.
If you aren't careful, you'll lose something far more important.
Riddles. Words that did nothing but incite confusion and apprehension. Neither of those emotions was useful to him at the moment, and so Alex did his best to shut them- and that damned voice- out of his mind. No more distractions. He focused on taking them to the next step of this dance, guiding Lilith towards the bed. Except she wasn't so eager to follow his lead. The delay caused by his internal argument must have given her time to regain some of her self-control.
"I think I'll be okay now," she said, trying to hold him away with her hands. "There's no need to…"
"Lilith, we're not going over this again."
"But, I dunno…"
"Remember what I told you? Nothing to worry about."
She didn't look convinced, but didn't protest as Alex closed the distance between them again.
2/Terreille
An entire day had passed since Meredith's demonstration. More than a day, in fact. In Valinna's opinion, it had met with mixed results on the whole. She hadn't been in favor of letting Grael break the witch, and she certainly hadn't agreed with the Queen's decision to let DeSade have her. Unfortunately, all of her objections had been largely pushed aside and dismissed as overly alarmist.
Most disturbing had been Meredith's insistence that she didn't need to monitor DeSade. Even Ettia had questioned the decision, and Valinna hadn't credited the witch with much in the way of intelligence. But the Queen had held firm against the witch's doubts- and Valinna's. She'd repeated her claims that the Prince would obey her for the sheer challenge it represented. While she had to admit that DeSade did take pleasure in how creatively he could defy them without actually defying them, Valinna suspected that without proper supervision, they would find a corpse when they returned to his suite to collect the witch.
If there's even that much left of her.
Blood males could not- and should not- be trusted. She'd learned that lesson early from the man she should have been able to trust more than any other. Lord Tekel, though, had broken that trust shortly after she'd gone through her Birthright Ceremony. No doubt he would have done it sooner, but felt the need to wait until he'd been given his full paternal rights. Well, that night the things he'd done to her in the squalid cubicle she'd called her bedroom had been anything but fatherly.
But not enough to break her.
Valinna had walked away from that nightmare with her inner web still intact. Tekel, enraged that he was too late to enjoy breaking her, had savagely beaten her mother to death just weeks after the Ceremony. No one in their village stopped any of it from happening or punished him in any way. They all stood back as the bastard lost no time in satisfying his desires with his other daughter- Valinna's younger sister, Chelsea.
Of the two of them, Chelsea had been the sweet-tempered one. She just wasn't a fighter. Probably why she shattered when Valinna had held on. And why Tekel focused most of his abuse on her. Most, but not all. Valinna experienced her fair share of horror at his hands before she finally escaped the monster. She'd had to leave Chelsea behind, though she swore she'd return for her one day. Unfortunately, by the time Valinna had been strong enough to take on Tekel, the bastard had covered his tracks and disappeared. She never saw him- or her sister- ever again.
Regrets long gone, Valinna reminded herself. Can't change the past, so keep looking onward to the future. Her gaze fell upon the witch sitting before her, giving an update to Meredith about DeSade's activities. Or at least be mindful of the present.
"Still no sign of the Prince outside his suite," Ettia confirmed. The same message she'd brought to them as every other time the witch had been summoned. "He hasn't been seen by anyone in the coven in the two days."
That doesn't mean he's still in there.
Skepticism that Meredith did not seem to share. She leaned forward, edging into Valinna's peripheral vision and replied, "I expected as much. Giving DeSade a witch to play with has kept him content, so there is hardly a reason that the coven should have anything to fear. In a few days, they may reap even greater benefits from this arrangement."
Ettia shifted uncomfortably in her seat, expression slightly dubious. Valinna couldn't blame her, having similar doubts. They were by no means safe, and with another night stretching ahead of them, it was premature to celebrate a victory. Beyond reckless, even, to insinuate that the coven may expect to use the Prince for themselves. But as the latter concern didn't propose as immediate a threat, she voiced her concerns about the former instead.
"I would advise to maintain caution. The Prince may still lose interest- especially if the witch is no longer in any condition to be of any genuine sport."
After a brief pause where she pretended to consider the advice, Meredith delivered a condescending rebuke.
"I'm sure DeSade quite understood what was expected of him, my dear. And I'm equally certain that he has taken that into account so as not to spend the witch's endurance too soon." After a slight pause, in which Valinna tried not to seethe with indignant frustration, she added, "However, we will naturally continue to keep an eye on the Prince."
Ettia bobbed her head at the meaningful look cast in her direction and agreed with a hasty, "Yes, of course."
"So you see, Valinna, no need to fixate on doom and gloom. All is well in hand."
I very much doubt it, she thought dourly. But as you've already made it quite clear that my input is not wanted, I see no use in pursuing this until the chit has left the room.
In Meredith's mind, the topic was settled. She looked to Ettia and invited the witch to raise anything that she felt required the Queen's attention. After a pause that held for several minutes, Ettia hesitantly brought up a subject that she looked as though she'd rather have left unaddressed.
"Actually, there is one thing the rest of the coven wanted me to ask about."
"Oh?" Meredith sat back and crossed one leg over the other. "And what was that?"
"They were wondering whether it's possible to resume use of the pleasure slaves."
Valinna was not surprised at the request. Disappointed, perhaps, but not surprised. She was prepared with arguments meant to keep the coven in check, not willing to jeopardize their safety just to appease a few overactive libidos. Lifting the restrictions still presented a credible risk in Valinna's opinion. Ever since the attack on Zirah, she'd meticulously probed the Ring that had failed to control the Warlord. And in two days, she'd discovered no reason as to why it had failed.
Disconcerting, to say the least. An impending disaster waiting to happen to put a finer point on it. If Valinna didn't think the rest of the coven would openly rebel, she would have insisted that all blood males in the hall be destroyed and no new ones acquired until replacement Rings could be created. Honestly, she would have tried to argue against having them at all.
Such a battle could not be won in her favor, and so she abandoned it in favor of a lesser plan. Keep investigating the anomaly, all the while keeping the coven away from any potential danger. In fact, she almost hoped that Meredith was correct about the Prince's obedience, and that she would soon have the ability to further interrogate that servant witch they'd discovered in the store room. Valinna suspected that she would be able to provide key pieces to the puzzle- especially when asked about the controlling rings she'd been caught stealing. So until she completed her investigation, the coven would just have to wait.
"I don't see why not."
Meredith's casually delivered response ruined everything. It was as if the witch had heard none of Valinna's warnings in the past day and a half. But then, she supposed she shouldn't have been surprised by it; the Queen's appetites were even more insatiable than those of her coven. She'd complained almost constantly about having to do without. And so having this request brought before her had given the witch the perfect opportunity to countermand Valinna's restrictions, which she found so unreasonable.
"I'm not sure that's wise," Valinna cautioned, unable to hold silent even though she knew better.
The Queen arched a brow at her, clearly perturbed at having her authority openly questioned in front of a coven member. Her tone conveyed her displeasure even more sharply as she queried, "And why would you think that, Valinna?"
She could not hope to convince Meredith to change her mind now. At best, she could try to relay a carefully worded warning to Ettia that might prevent any serious harm from befalling the coven. It was worth a try. With difficulty, Valinna schooled her expression to be as neutral as possible.
"I only mean that our Sisters should be cautious. Although no other blood males have engaged in acts of aggression, we cannot afford to let down our guard so much that we give one the opportunity to try again." She sighed. "That being said, if the coven is of the mind that they are able to maintain control, then I suppose that prohibiting this particular amusement is not necessary."
"For a moment there, you almost had me worried. But I'm glad to hear that you believe the coven can manage their own affairs."
Needling, sly and petty. Valinna heard it, and she suspected Ettia did as well. Not an image that boded well for either of them if the witch gossiped about any of this exchange with the other members of the coven. She had to make an end to this fiasco before Meredith did any more damage to the united front she'd worked so hard to cultivate. Once she could get the Queen alone again, she intended to remind her why that front was so important.
"I always have faith in their abilities," she lied. "My cautionary suggestions are merely given with their best interests in mind."
The platitudes seemed to pacify the Queen. Enough that she was content to release Ettia on her errand to deliver the 'good' news to the rest of the coven. The witch rose and fled the private salon with far more speed than dignity. When the door closed behind her, Valinna turned to face Meredith.
"Have you lost your mind?"
"Hardly," she retorted in an affronted sniff. "If anything I should be asking you that question."
"Why, because I am actually trying to keep this situation contained? Do you realize how precarious our control is at the moment?"
"Precarious? You exaggerate the dangers of a handful of light-jeweled warlords, Valinna."
I wasn't just talking about our control of the blood males, though they do present a very serious concern. If we don't navigate these next few days the right way, we'll face an even greater danger from our own coven members.
"And you underestimate the issue," she countered quietly. "I've told you multiple times that I'm not confident that the malfunctioning Ring was an isolated incident. I haven't even determined the root cause behind it. It is not safe to allow the males any opportunity to repeat the attack suffered by Zirah."
"Zirah got injured because she hesitated to strike at that Warlord when his Ring didn't respond. As far as I'm concerned, she deserved what she got. Furthermore, I have no interest in holding the coven's interests hostage just because you can't work out the problem with the Rings."
Meredith made it sound as though the fault was with Valinna. As if the 'problem' should have been no problem at all. And while Valinna agreed that she shouldn't be having this much difficulty, she resented the implication that it was due to any lack of skill on her part. Resentment she couldn't afford to let show- not even when they were alone.
Not yet, anyway. Valinna narrowed her eyes slightly. But it may be time to rethink our…dynamics.
For now, she pasted an insincere smile on her lips and replied, "In that case, I believe I shall adjourn so that I might devote the evening to that task."
3/Terreille
The shock of brushing against his clothes- not to mention the blatantly male body beneath them- silenced any attempt to argue. Lilith surrendered, unable to fight anymore; the safframate had put her body on Alex's side, anyway. His hands traced their way down her curves, eliciting shivers of pleasure that melted her bones. She sank onto the bed, gasping at the sensation of silk sheets against her skin.
Lilith stared at the ceiling, unable to look at anything else as the mattress dipped and he settled next to her. Hands clasped so tightly they shook, she tried to steady the desperate rhythm of her heartbeat. Mother Night, how was she going to get through this? Alex unlaced her fingers gently and drew her hands apart; they still shook, but he pretended not to notice.
Don't make this harder than it needs to be, she told herself. Just let him do whatever needs to be done and get this over with.
Not so difficult to comply when his languid touch slid over her body. Teasing. Caressing. It fed the need that had been building since yesterday, but fell short of satisfying it. Lilith sucked in a stifled whimper as the safframate gripped her again. Alex stole the end of her keening whimper with a kiss. Tremors built, bubbling and skittering inside.
He eased up suddenly, leaving her breathless. If she could have formed a coherent thought, Lilith might have killed him. She had no idea what they'd been striving for a moment ago, but he'd deliberately pulled them away from that edge. A frustrated growl escaped her.
"Slow down, Lilith," he crooned in a low voice before nibbling on her earlobe. "We've only just begun. I have so much more to teach you."
More? I'm not sure I can survive more.
But oh what a teacher Alex was. No wonder witches risked his temper. Despite the pain brought on by the safframate, his touch was seductive. Addicting. Shattering, even. Lilith struggled to maintain her balance as he took them down that dark road again. For that moment, she didn't care that he wasn't doing this because he wanted to. In fact, she didn't care that she shouldn't want to be doing this. She allowed herself to feel how she wanted to, and damned anything else.
For a moment.
When he pulled away to stare down at her, Lilith realized she'd been shaking. Mother Night she hadn't wanted him to stop- still didn't want him to stop. What was she doing? Allowing him to provide physical relief was one thing, but she wasn't supposed to lose control. She had to get it back. And from the strange expression filling his gold eyes, Alex was fighting a battle of his own; Lilith didn't want to think about what kind of struggle he might be facing.
She almost found the courage to ask him about it when Alex kissed her again. A demanding kiss that Lilith might have called possessive if she didn't know better. She gasped; she trembled. Once, she thought she might have whispered his name in a desperate plea as pleasure took on a fierce knife edge. Lilith's breath shuddered into sobs and time spiraled on endlessly.
Gradually, he brought them back from that edge with gentler caresses. She could breathe again- shakily and somewhat unevenly, but she could breathe. Alex wasn't helping in that regard, teasing her with leisurely kisses. His lips lingered just above her right collarbone to lavish his single-minded attention on that spot. Lilith shivered and closed her eyes, heart pounding.
Alex drew back and her eyes fluttered open to stare up at him. Mistake. In the aftermath of such abandon, thoughts of guilt and recrimination drifted in. Of what she'd just let him do. The things she'd done- and said- in return. Lilith found herself struggling with the effort not to flush crimson with embarrassment. What should she say now? How could she get around this feeling of awkwardness?
"I imagine other women are more articulate at this point," she mumbled reluctantly, breaking the silence.
"Other women tend to talk a lot without saying anything."
"I don't know what I'm supp-"
Lilith heard the break in her voice and was horrified that she might start to cry…again. That was not the appropriate reaction to what he'd just done for her. She reached for some measure of control, but her nerves were frayed to the point of snapping. And despite what they'd done, her body still hammered with that relentless need. Lilith clapped a hand over her mouth and looked away, hoping to silence the sob that was trying to escape.
4/Terreille
Whatever Lilith had intended to say was lost in the choked cry that she was struggling to hide. Stress. Alex didn't take it personally, and wasn't surprised that it was wreaking havoc with her emotions. But damn it hurt to see her so upset. Lilith was too embarrassed to even look at him. He reached out to stroke her hair.
"Hey. You don't have to do anything."
She cringed away and whispered in a haunted voice, "I knew I wouldn't be any good at this. Turning into a total basket case over nothing. I'm never going to be any good at this. At any of this."
"It's just the safframate," Alex assured her while trying to get her to meet his eyes. She kept them downcast. "Lilith, you're being too hard on yourself." After another pause, he tried again. "Lilith?"
Still nothing.
He was at a loss what to say. Lilith honestly believed that she'd done something wrong, self-doubt written all over her face. An impression that would be easily contradicted if she let her gaze drift just a little further down. Mother Night, his whole body was still aching from the need to finish what they started. If not for knowing she was a virgin…images of what he would have done next filled his head. Alex tried to quell his body's response and failed miserably.
Maybe that was what spurred him to answer her with the first thing that came to mind.
"I'd prove you wrong if you let me."
"WHAT?" Lilith bolted upright, pupils dilated in shock. After it had worn off, she shook her head. "Okay, maybe I was overreacting a little, but that's no guarantee I'd be any good at…" she hesitated. "Well- that."
Alex wanted to tell her that he knew from experience that she would be more than just 'good', but the less said about his 'training' at the hands of Meredith's coven, the better. And yet what did he tell her? He was still pondering the answer to that question when Lilith asked one of her own.
"What possible interest can you have to find out, anyway?"
Why am I interested?
He shouldn't be. Had told himself not to be, but the desire rose past every defense Alex laid in its path. Maybe he could have ignored the lure of a beautiful body. He'd seen hundreds of them; they'd all left him cold and disinterested. No, what he wanted- what he needed- was to possess the woman. This woman. The golden-eyed hellcat who argued with him in one breath and laughed with him in the next.
But she was a virgin. The safframate might be waning, but the risk wasn't worth it. Far safer to back off and let her go. She'd be able to make this decision on a different day when she could choose the man. A man that wouldn't be him. Something deep inside roared to the surface and rejected that idea before Alex could let it sink in.
To Hell with what is safe. She's mine.
Something he didn't dare admit aloud to Lilith; thinking those words was dangerous enough. Alex preferred to let her believe his interest was more fundamental in nature, and so he pulled Lilith up against him to let her know he was aroused. She read the unspoken message easily enough. Odd, though, to see a fleeting look of guilt flash in her eyes. There and gone.
"So what do you say, Lilith," Alex entreated her softly. "Why not let me prove you wrong?"
"I really shouldn't."
"Why not?"
Lilith paled dramatically and murmured, "I have my reasons."
"Which are?"
"Mine to keep."
Her words rang with conviction. Obviously, whatever her reasons, they were more than worry over the Virgin Night. Alex told himself that he should just end it there. But he found he couldn't. He wanted her, and he meant to have her.
"I promise you'd never forget it."
Something in those words sparked her temper, and she narrowed her eyes as she retorted sharply, "That promise can go one of two ways you know."
"Not tonight."
"Have you even done this before?"
The honest answer to her question would be no. Meredith had never risked letting him give any of her pet coven bitches a Virgin Night for fear that he'd break them. Not because he didn't understand how to keep them safe, but because he would have ignored those precautions intentionally. After all, Alex would have had no interest in protecting those witches. Lilith, on the other hand…
"I can do this," he assured her solemnly.
"Well, at least one of us thinks so."
"Is that a lack of faith in me, or are you doubting yourself again?"
She snarled something he couldn't quite catch and then stopped abruptly to draw a sharp breath. The safframate had her again. Alex captured one of her hands in his and held it until it passed. His other hand smoothed circles over her back. Gradually, she pulled out of the spasm.
"It's not as bad, but it still won't leave me alone," she whispered. After a momentary pause, she sighed heavily and asked, "How much does it help?"
"An idle question, or are you serious?"
"Were you serious?"
"I was."
"Then so am I."
"I don't know," Alex told her after thinking on it for a few minutes. He'd wanted to tell her it would so that she'd be more likely to agree, but owed Lilith the truth. "If this was any other situation and you weren't…"
"A virgin."
He nodded. "Factor that in and things get a little…complicated."
A wan smile tugged at the corners of her mouth as she lamented wryly, "Everything I do is complicated. Just once I wish something would be easy."
Having no good reply, Alex chose to say nothing. Silence stretched between them as she seemed to be working up to making a decision one way or another. The longer it took, the more he was convinced that he should just let her go. If Lilith didn't want this, he was only making it harder for her to say no. Alex wouldn't want her to feel like she couldn't. He'd be little better than Meredith or her coven bitches.
Or worse.
"All right."
Deep in his own thoughts, he'd almost missed her reply. Alex couldn't believe what he had heard, and the shock prompted him to utter, "Mother Night."
"And may the Darkness be merciful," she finished for him.
She was giving him her virginity. No witch had ever given him anything, let alone something as personal as this. Alex had only one regret, surprisingly. He wished he were able to do this as a free man. Lilith was bound to notice the Ring of Obedience he wore. Even if he put a sight shield over it, he'd know it was there. Just one more thing in his life that would be tainted by those bitches.
Nothing I can do about it.
5/Terreille
Ettia was glad to escape Meredith's private salon. She'd seen far too much of it for her liking these past few days, having been summoned to it no less than a dozen times to provide the Queen with updates on DeSade. An arrangement that suited the rest of the coven just fine, as it meant she stood as the main barrier between Meredith and everyone else. Not that she could blame them; if the task had fallen to Seren or any of the others in the first circle, she would be more than happy to be spared dealing with the Queen. But as she'd drawn the unfortunate luck of witnessing the exchange outside of the Prince's suite, the duty had fallen on Ettia's shoulders.
The updates didn't make sense, in Ettia's opinion. Or, at minimum, were completely unnecessary. She firmly believed that all of this could have been avoided if Meredith had just monitored DeSade through the Ring. Even if she didn't interfere with whatever he decided to do to the witch, having that much awareness would have provided some measure of control.
Unless the Prince's Ring isn't working.
That thought did not sit comfortably at all. DeSade. Without anything to stop him from doing whatever he wanted. Ettia had tried to push it aside as her imagination getting the better of her. After all, she'd heard the stories of how his Ring was 'different'. So even if others failed, his wouldn't fail the same way. And yet, she couldn't shake the uneasy suspicion that it was true. Why else would the Queen sequester herself in her suite for this long? Almost as if she were hiding from something. Or someone.
But if it is true and his Ring no longer works, then why hasn't he come after us? Why hasn't DeSade come after the coven? Why haven't any of the blood males come after us?
Questions she couldn't answer, but didn't feel brave enough to ask directly to Meredith herself. As it was, she'd already pushed the envelope just by bringing up the pleasure slaves. Hadn't wanted to, but Idrina and Kaeremi had been most adamant on the subject. They'd talked of nothing else since yesterday evening. Which just proved how quickly they'd forgotten the incident with Zirah.
Valinna hasn't.
She'd seen the look on the Black Widow's face when Meredith lifted the restrictions on using the males. Had it been up to her, the answer would have been very different. And though she may not have been able to completely walk back on the decision, she did make it very clear that the coven should reconsider acting on their restored privileges. It was the first time she'd ever seen Valinna openly criticize the Queen.
Something that bears consideration.
Ettia shoved that thought to the back of her mind as she drew up to the dining room. Right now, she had to deal with the rest of the coven, who had all gathered at one end of the long table. Not everyone, but a few key members from the first and second circle. Ettia noted that Bethaeny was not among the latter. Her cousin had, like Meredith, kept mostly to her rooms these past few days.
Better that way, since it's meant no one has noticed me spending time with her.
"So," Kaeremi prompted as soon as Ettia joined the group. "What did Meredith say?"
"Meredith relaxed her position about the blood males, though Valinna-"
"Finally," Idrina cut in emphatically, not even waiting for her to finish. "I seriously couldn't have gone another night this way."
From her tone, Idrina made it sound as though the restriction had been in place for weeks instead of one whole evening. Although, given her appetites, maybe it had felt like weeks to the witch. Ettia knew she'd gone so far as to claim one of the blood males exclusively for her personal use and rarely passed a night without using him. As had Kaeremi, who emulated Idrina on everything. No doubt both of them would send for their favorites in spite of any warning she might pass on to them.
Others in the group, however, were not quite so enthusiastic about the news. From Danella and Maeren's wary expressions, they were weighing the risks and weren't all that convinced that the benefits would be worth sharing Zirah's misfortune. Seren was harder for Ettia to gauge; she kept her thoughts closely guarded in general, making it more difficult to know her position.
Talking over the excited chatter between Idrina and Kaeremi, Seren directed a pointed question Ettia's direction, asking, "What were you going to say about Valinna?"
"She offered a warning that we should remain alert for any signs of disobedience or rebellious behavior."
Three heads nodded in immediate understanding; two merely laughed it off as an amusing joke. Of the latter, Kaeremi went so far as to scoff at the warning, sounding very much like Meredith as she sniggered, "I think I can handle one of Paeter's little temper tantrums if he dares to get out of line. And if he refuses to perform…well, there's always the safframate."
The mention of safframate was intended to be light-hearted, but only managed to remind everyone about Meredith's demonstration. Even Kaeremi, who bit her lip with a self-conscious wince. Ettia hadn't been able to stop thinking about what had been done and the implications of what it might mean for all of them. Obviously, she hadn't been the only one. Dosing a witch with it- none of them had seen it done before. Didn't mean it hadn't happened before their time, but only that Meredith hadn't felt the need to use that particular punishment on her coven in recent years.
Now that she has, I've no doubt she'll be using it again.
"What do you suppose he's done to her," Danella queried in a half-whisper.
"I've tried not to think about it," Maeren replied. "Thief or no, DeSade unleashed isn't anything I'd wish on any witch. Throw two spoonfuls of safframate on top of that…"
"She'd have been better off to have confessed to Meredith and Valinna from the outset. It's not like she was going to win against them once she got caught."
Seren was right. Which made the witch's resistance all the more baffling. Why force the Queen to take such drastic measures instead of accepting defeat and receiving a lighter punishment? Ettia could only conclude that the witch was blindly arrogant about her chances of survival…or completely insane.
"A moot point now, I guess," Idrina said with a shrug that suggested she no longer cared about the topic. "If she was stupid enough to challenge Meredith and Valinna, I won't lose too much sleep over it." A catlike smile turned up the corners of her mouth. "Although, I suppose I don't intend to be doing much of that tonight, anyway."
By then, Kaeremi had recovered enough of her good humor enough to laugh along with her. A thread of nervousness remained beneath that laughter, but neither of them would admit it. Nor did they want anyone to point it out to them, and so both witches broke away from the group as quickly as possible. Seren followed shortly thereafter, leaving just the three of them behind. Ettia traded a glance with Danella and Maeren, saying nothing.
"I sure hope they know what they're doing," Maeren commented after a moment or two.
"I suppose worse comes to worst, Meredith loses two Blood males. It's not like Paeter or Dahlen can overpower either of them."
Danella was right in some ways; wrong in others. Ettia reluctantly spoke to the latter, reminding the witch, "Only if they work alone. The two of them could take on Kaeremi. Maybe not Idrina, since she wears Sapphire, but they could still cause serious damage if the attack came as a surprise."
A long pause followed.
"You've given this subject considerable thought."
"Couldn't afford not to. Meredith put me in charge of the coven's safety until DeSade is through with the witch."
Both women shuddered.
"I honestly don't know why you wanted to be in Meredith's first circle," Danella murmured. "It's dangerous enough being in the coven at all, much less to intentionally draw that much attention to yourself."
She hadn't. But Ettia had little choice in the matter. Last year, a space in the first circle 'opened up', and of the witches in the second circle, Ettia had been the strongest in terms of Jeweled strength. Of the other witches who were already in the first circle, only Idrina and Geara outranked her. Naturally, Meredith had proffered the invitation to her- an offer that Ettia had known she could not turn down. Not if she wanted to remain among the living.
Rather than say any of that aloud, she took a wholly different approach.
"Equally dangerous not to be noticeable at all. I couldn't afford to let her see me as 'expendable'."
Clearly Maeren and Danella hadn't looked at it from that perspective. Just as Bethaeny hadn't, and look where that had gotten her. Avoiding the Queen's notice may have seemed to be the safer alternative, but really, it wasn't. All it did was make these women blind to whatever unpleasant fate awaited them. Better to understand that now than to be surprised by it later.
"There's just no winning," Maeren said at last. "For any of us."
The comment teetered on the side of dangerous; Ettia's reply pushed the conversation over the edge, even though she knew she shouldn't say it.
"In Hayll? No. As long as Meredith remains Queen, I don't think anyone is truly meant to win."
6/Terreille
Alex pushed that thought aside and turned his full attention to Lilith. She'd caught her lower lip between her teeth, clearly nervous. If he hesitated too much longer, she'd change her mind.
So give her a reason not to.
He started slow, letting his fingers trace her jawline as he coaxed her into looking at him. Their gazes held for a second or two, and then Alex lowered his head to capture her lips with his. A lingering kiss that made no demands- rather, one that encouraged Lilith to make a few of her own. He doubted that she was even aware that she'd answered his invitation, arching her body to press against his while teasing the hairs at the nape of his neck.
A moment later, reflexes kicked in and she jerked away in an attempt to escape. The reaction provoked the predatory side of his nature, and Alex ruthlessly suppressed the instinct to pull her toward him again. Stay calm. Don't frighten her, he told himself.
"Lilith," he murmured soothingly, breathing in her scent to help steady himself. "Please don't be afraid. It'll be all right. I promise."
"I'm not, I just-" Color rose in her cheeks and she cast her eyes down. "I wish I weren't such a trial. This must be very frustrating for you."
It was frustrating. Alex couldn't deny it, but he didn't want her distracted by those thoughts. Didn't want her focused on anything beyond what he was doing with his hands…his mouth…arousal heated his blood as he allowed himself to imagine the things he would do with his cock. Almost let himself get so carried away that he nearly didn't answer her. With difficulty, Alex forced himself back to the conversation- if only to find a means of ending it.
"You shouldn't worry about that."
Lilith's gaze snapped up, eyes blazing with smoldering temper.
"If you tell me once more that I shouldn't worry over something, I could very well throttle you," she snarled at him, nose almost touching his.
Well, I suppose that's one way of overcoming her embarrassment, though I can't say it was the reaction I intended to get.
Despite the sincerity of her tone, Alex felt the inexplicable tickle of laughter at the back of his throat. Lilith continued to glare at him for a minute or so, and then the lunacy of the threat must have struck her. She rolled her eyes and bit her lip to stifle a giggle of her own.
"All right, I probably won't, but I don't need to hear it again."
"Then what do you need to hear?"
"I don't know. I told you I don't know what I'm doing."
So she kept saying. But Alex saw the excuse for what it was: A way she could skirt away from the real problem. His lighthearted mood collapsed in on itself, replaced by bitter regret. Why was he so determined to pretend he was something he wasn't? What was he trying to prove- and to who? Alex steeled himself to tell her that maybe she'd been right about not doing this, but when he finally spoke, the words leaving him went in an unexpected direction.
"Or perhaps I know too much."
For a moment, she just stared at him in silence. Probably just as taken aback as he was that he'd dare bring up the subject. Finally, she must have decided one of them had to say something.
"Alex, what are you talking about?"
Her eyebrows knit together as if confused- as if she didn't know what he meant. They both knew what he was, and to have Lilith pretend otherwise put a sharp edge on his temper. He knew he should back away from it. Back away from all of it. But instead of following that advice, Alex was inclined to say the words that had been gnawing at him since he brought her into his room.
His eyes narrowed. No, he wouldn't just say them; he'd hurl them at Lilith like a weapon. Use them against her. Hurt her.
No! That furious outcry rose up from deep within and choked him into momentary silence. You will not do this!
Who says I won't? It's not like she doesn't deserve it. It's her fault I'm upset over two words that never bothered me before I met her.
They always hurt us. Every time. You just refused to acknowledge it.
Liar.
You'll regret this. Don't do it- don't make a move we can't take back.
Unconvinced and feeling spiteful, he drowned out the warning in those words as he snarled, "Pleasure slave. I'm a pleasure slave, Lilith. In case you'd forgotten."
Lilith paled and closed her eyes, but not before he'd already seen anguish filling them.
"No, I haven't forgotten," she answered in a small voice, cringing away. Her legs swung over the edge of the bed and she turned her back to him. "And if you'd said it mattered to you that much from the beginning, I wouldn't have agreed to…" The words trailed away with a wobble. "I think it's best if I see myself out."
Are you happy? Is this what you wanted?
Alex wasn't sure what he wanted. Too many different feelings pulled him in too many directions. A moment ago, he'd been so sure that throwing those words in Lilith's face would have given him some satisfaction. But now…he didn't feel better; he felt worse. Meanwhile, Lilith had already reached the door to the hallway, stopping to collect the shirt that had been discarded on the floor. She'd halfway gotten it on again by the time Alex crossed the room to stop her.
"Lilith, don't."
"No, I really think I should." He moved to block her path, but Lilith refused to look at him. She thrust her left arm in the other sleeve and pulled the edges closed again. With a half-step to the side, she tried to push past him. "It wasn't my intent to-"
Alex caught her and didn't let go.
"I shouldn't have lashed out that way."
"You're right to be angry."
"Not with you." By her lack of response, he could tell she wasn't convinced. Alex wondered why she thought she deserved his anger. "Lilith?"
Say the words.
What words? Haven't I said enough already?
Tell her why it matters. Horror filled him as Alex realized what the voice in the back of his mind meant. He couldn't. Mother Night he couldn't say those words. Pride wouldn't let him. Or will you sacrifice something you want over a matter of pride? Baited by the scorn in that last question, Alex found he'd started speaking without having realized it. The words spilled out of him as if uttered by someone else; he wasn't entirely certain it wasn't.
"Hell, what can I say? Of course it matters. But-" his breathing hitched in the back of his throat. "You can never understand what it means to be a pleasure slave, Lilith. To be ringed and used in that way. To be…" he stopped short, unable to finish. Unable to admit what he really feared. Didn't want to see the disgust in her eyes once she knew that he'd been tainted. But even that fear didn't stop the torrent that followed. "Every damn day of my life is what it is because that's what they want from me. Six centuries. Those bitches own this body and have done whatever they liked with it."
Alex exhaled and raked a hand through his hair, staring ahead as the memories clawed into him. Dragged him through each and every day. Every second of torture that Meredith and her bitches put him through. His jaw clenched with the effort of driving them back again and put a rough edge in his voice as he railed at it all with an air of self-deprecation, "Do you have any idea what that leaves a man with on the inside? Nothing. Worth. Anything."
Silence eddied around them in the wake of those words. Not to mention horrified dread as Alex realized what he'd just admitted.
I shouldn't have let myself think that, much less say it aloud.
He'd revealed too much- offered too much and left him feeling exposed. Now he avoided Lilith's eyes and took a step backward. Retreating. Or at least he tried to. Lilith's hand on his forearm held him in place, even though Alex could have broken her hold easily. They held the tableau for several minutes.
"I don't believe it," she countered vehemently. "And neither should you."
A bitter, incredulous laugh escaped him. He'd thought as she had once, but time had cured him of that idealism. Lilith just hadn't seen enough of the poison Meredith had spread throughout Hayll to lose hers. Pushing those thoughts aside, Alex forced himself to admit reality.
"A man in my situation can't afford to forget what he is. Not when he has to answer to those bitches for the rest of his life."
He'd expected to end the debate there, but then Lilith asked, "What if you didn't have to? If Meredith didn't have you chained to her leash anymore- would it be different? Would you want to find out?"
She's serious. She's actually talking about walking away from all this. Alex suppressed a flash of anger, knowing she had no idea that she was asking for the impossible. Didn't understand how futile those questions were. Might as well try to explain it to her, for all the good it'll do.
"Wanting has little to do with it."
7/Terreille
Kareal passed through the nearly deserted halls, smiling to herself as her steps lightened. Having finished with her duties for the day, she finally had time to see Dahlen. Had been looking forward to it since she'd forced herself out of his bed early this morning. Hell's fire, that had been quite the struggle. But who could have blamed her for wanting to stay? Especially when Dahlen exceeded anything she could have imagined when she'd challenged him to come up with a better idea than giving up his bed for her.
Recalling how creative he'd been in carrying out his alternate proposal, Kareal's cheeks heated.
If not for the worry that the coven would mark her absence, she might have been tempted to ignore her responsibilities. Could have contacted Fawne and asked if she could cover for her today. But even Dahlen had agreed- albeit very reluctantly- that neither of them could afford one of those bitches wondering where she it turned out, they'd been concerned about nothing. Kareal had seen passing glimpses of a few coven favorites throughout the day, but most of them had played least in sight- even Meredith.
Would that they all just disappeared for good.
An unrealistic fantasy. The coven was just spooked about what happened with that witch yesterday. Kareal knew the hall would be back to normal in another day or two at the most. Which was why she intended to make the most of this pocket of time while it lasted. She knew just where she wanted to begin- by returning the favor for some of the wonderful things Dahlen had done for her last night.
Kareal was imagining just how she intended to thank the Warlord when she ran across two of the very last people she wanted to see: Idrina and Kaeremi. Bitches. Those two were the worst of Meredith's first circle in her opinion. In some ways, worse than Valinna. They treated their personal servants like dirt and blood males…well, Kareal didn't like to think on that too much.
The witches stopped talking the moment they saw her. No chance of slipping by unnoticed, and so she slid to a halt and dipped her head in deference to their status. "Ladies."
Most days, she wouldn't have received any acknowledgement from either of the witches, but she had a bad feeling that she wouldn't be so lucky this time. Idrina cast a smug look to Kaeremi before announcing, "What a convenient stroke of luck, Sister. I believe we've found the perfect messenger for our errand."
The other witch mirrored the other witch's expression and nodded. "I quite agree."
An errand. Arren and Torie had shared stories of the kinds of 'errands' that they'd been required to do on behalf of these two. So had Kirsten and Chenoa, who'd acted as their personal servants before being promoted to the coven's second circle. Based on their accounts, Kareal could think at least a dozen things these particular women would want from her; she didn't want to do any of them. But sadly, she didn't have much of a choice.
"I'd be more than happy to be of assistance. What can I do for you ladies?"
"We need a message delivered- to the pleasure slave quarters." Kareal's heart sank as Idrina continued, "The coven is expecting them to provide their regular services this evening. Kaeremi requests Paeter's presence in her suite immediately." A spiteful meanness glinted in the witch's eyes. "I want Dahlen."
Those three words- said in that way- very nearly provoked Kareal into ripping the bitch's hair out by the roots. A reaction nothing short of suicide. Idrina's Sapphire Jewels would rip through her Tiger Eye in less time than it would take to draw her next breath. But it didn't mean that she didn't have an overwhelming desire to do it, anyway.
With effort, Kareal reined in her thoughts and feelings to force out the words, "I'll see that it is delivered straight way."
Satisfied, the coven bitches turned away and resumed their animated conversation without any thought to the misery they'd just inflicted. Leaving her standing frozen in the middle of the hallway, hands clenched into fists at her sides. How could she bear such awful news and live with herself? She knew what those two had planned- what kind of 'services' they expected.
It's just not fair, she railed. He doesn't want you. And you don't really want him, either. But you'll hurt him just to get your own temporary pleasure. Kareal closed her eyes in defeat. He's going to hate me for this.
No matter what Dahlen would think of her, Kareal knew she couldn't afford not to deliver the message. Even a minor 'delay' would earn swift retaliation. Likely for Paeter and Dahlen just as much as herself. So she made her feet move, once again on her way to the wing reserved for the coven's blood males. Only this time, her steps marched on with leaded resignation.
Far sooner than she liked, Kareal arrived at her destination. She reached Dahlen's door and raised one hand to knock. Couldn't quite bring herself to use the special cadence he'd taught her this morning, feeling that it would be a betrayal to bring this message under the guise of a friend. Her knuckles rapped on the wood three times. Flat. Impersonal. Which likely explained why he didn't open the door at first. And when he did, he appeared genuinely surprised.
"Kareal! I didn't realize it as you- did you forget the signal?" She shook her head, unable to speak. Dahlen grew alarmed and drew her inside his room. Kareal stood in place as he closed the door and circled around. "Did something happen- Othar or Larkin weren't bothering you, were they?"
"No, I'm fine."
"We must have very different definitions of 'fine'," he mused. When she didn't return his humor, Dahlen's brow creased with renewed concern. "All kidding aside, Kareal. What's wrong?"
Just get it over with.
"I ran into Idrina and Kaeremi on my way here," she mumbled to the floor. At the mention of the two witches, Dahlen's whole posture stiffened. "They insisted I bring a message from them." She exhaled slowly. "For you and Paeter."
The room rang with deafening silence. No need to relay the actual words; Dahlen would know already what kind of message she'd been told to bring. She couldn't even say she was sorry, having exhausted the last of her voice before it deserted her. With the hard lump lodged in her throat, she couldn't have spoken, anyway. It was all she could do to wait until Dahlen broke the strained tension with a comment of his own.
"I had hoped to get more of a reprieve after the upset with Cassel, but I can't say I'm surprised the bitch wouldn't let that inconvenience her for more than a night." Kareal heard the bitterness in his tone, and dared not look up to find it directed at her. Dahlen, though, was having none of it, and tilted her gaze up; his expression held only mild regret. "I'm sorry, Spitfire. But our evening plans will have to be put off for another time."
She blinked in surprise, unprepared for his reaction.
"You're apologizing to me? Dahlen, why would you even-"
"Because I made a choice and sacrificing tonight is a consequence of that choice. When I made it, though, I hadn't counted on you paying it with me."
"I don't understand. What choice?"
He sat her down on the edge of his bed and took both of her hands. No hint of a smile in his grim expression, so whatever he had to say, she knew it would be serious. Dahlen pressed his forehead against hers and sighed heavily.
"I don't want to put you at risk, Kareal. If I tell you, and Meredith or the other coven bitches find out…I don't want to be responsible for what could happen."
Only one thought came to mind at hearing those words: Rebellion.
"Dahlen…you weren't actually mixed up in any of what that witch was talking about, were you? About freeing Hayllians from Meredith and the other Queens?" He didn't answer, which was answer enough. "Mother Night, that's…you saw what happened to her."
"It's not what you think."
"Even if it isn't, I still don't know how you expected to fight back against them when you're ringed."
Dahlen seemed to weigh the pros and cons of some imaginary debate with himself before telling her, "I'm not, actually. My Ring hasn't worked in four days. None of them do because she's stolen all of the controlling rings."
A full minute passed before Kareal could comprehend the words and what they meant. When she did, she almost couldn't credit them as being true. But then she thought about what happened with Cassel yesterday. The Warlord had attacked Zirah and she hadn't been able to control him with his Ring. And even if she discounted that as a fluke, she couldn't brush aside that Idrina should have noticed something was going on last night through her controlling ring. So why hadn't she?
"How is that even possible," Kareal murmured. Before Dahlen could reply, she blurted out a far more puzzling question. "And why are you still here, for that matter? Why not leave this place if they can't force you to stay?" She leaned back with a contentious frown and crossed her arms. "Why even submit to Idrina at all tonight?"
Dahlen tossed her a rueful grin. "Ah, there's my Spitfire. I knew she'd be back if I pushed the right buttons."
"I'm serious. You don't have to do this."
"I do. I told you that I made a choice. As all of us did. We chose to stay and placate the coven until she's finished her final task. That's why I have to do this."
8/Terreille
Lilith heard the hopelessness and pain in his voice- saw both reflected in his downcast eyes; it would have been easier if he'd stayed angry. If Alex hated her for using him as Meredith and so many other witches had used him, she would have done the smart thing and kept walking. Staying would only cause more pain in the end. But the second the façade of his temper crumbled to reveal the deeper soul wounds beneath it, all thoughts of self-preservation melted. Evaporated in the blazing heat of her own anger.
You bitches, Lilith seethed in rage. You snatched him up, chained him and made him your plaything. Inflicted scar after scar on his heart until he's convinced he's less than a person. Until he doesn't believe he deserves a chance at a different life.
She couldn't go back and undo what had already been done, but she could at least take the first step in ensuring Meredith couldn't do any more damage. And while this wasn't exactly how she'd planned to do it, maybe it was better this way.
"You could be free now," she told him quietly. "I could do it."
"No, you can't."
"I know how-"
"No, you don't," he cut her off. "You might know how to release an ordinary Ring of Obedience, but not mine."
The certainty in Alex's tone gave Lilith pause. She hadn't heard anything from Meredith or the rest of the coven that would have marked anything unusual about Alex's Ring. Didn't mean that he wasn't right. In fact, it might explain why he hadn't broken free on his own. The question was- just what had they done to this one…and what would it take for her to undo it?
He must have seen the question in her eyes, and so he went on to explain, "A spell has been worked into it so that it can only be unlocked by a witch who wears the Ebon-gray."
Oh hell's fire.
"Not even Meredith could remove it now. Not even if she wanted to."
Alex closed his eyes in pain.
"The bloodlines of Hayll are failing. A handful of witches left who wear anything darker than the Opal in the past century. The chances of any witch wearing the Ebon-gray are slim to none. Even if one might, Meredith would kill her before she could make an Offering. There is no hope of escaping this. I'll spend the rest of my life whored to those bitches until I can't take it anymore."
They stood in silence for several minutes as Lilith debated what to do. Well, it wasn't really so much a debate really; she couldn't just not free him. It was more a matter of finding the courage to tell him that she could. She had been hoping to get through all this without revealing any of her Jewels, and definitely nothing darker than Sapphire. Wasn't really an option now, was it? Lilith let out a breath.
"Alex, I can do it."
He was highly skeptical, naturally, and shook his head.
"I think I would have noticed by now if you wore the Ebon-gray."
Well, here it goes, then.
Lilith called in her Jewels and unkeyed the illusion spell masking them. Or at least the one for the Ebon-gray. No need to reveal anything else unless absolutely necessary. As it was, she was nervous about going this far. Especially as Alex's intense stare fixed on the pendant resting just below her collarbone. Its Jewel glittered in the witchlight, caught in a net of silver strands. Finally, his eyes slid up to meet hers; Lilith marked the wary suspicion in them.
"You're a Black Widow."
She could have denied it and told him that someone else had created the illusion spell. But even that came with risks- likely far worse than just admitting it. Too many lies to make it work. Lies that would be revealed as such eventually. Lilith let out a reluctant sigh and dropped the sight shield on her right ring finger, revealing the snaketooth that marked her caste as one of the Hourglass Coven. The next part was more difficult; she had to provide him with some kind of explanation.
"It's not something I advertise openly when I'm in Draega. At least if I want to avoid drawing unwanted attention from Valinna's direction."
Not to mention the other things I don't advertise when I'm staying here. Or anywhere else, for that matter, she added in afterthought.
"That I can understand," Alex replied in a controlled tone. "Even wearing the Ebon-gray, it's still wise to be cautious around that bitch. But what I want to know is why you didn't mention any of this to me, Lilith. Were you even planning to tell me at all?"
No.
She couldn't say that. Knew better. But she didn't have much else in the way of alternatives, either. And the longer the silence went on, the less patient he was about waiting for an answer. The wariness in his eyes turned to anger as a chill settled over the room, alerting her that Alex's temper had shifted- gone cold. If she didn't shift it back again, he might unleash it on her.
Better think of something fast, then.
Really, Lilith had only one option.
"I rather hoped that we'd be having this conversation after I'd already gotten you out of Hayll and we were on our way to reunite you with your family."
It worked. The rage fizzled as quickly as it had appeared and his eyebrows arched in shocked surprise. "Family?"
She nodded.
"It's why I came here in the first place. Once I'd discovered who you were, I told your sister that I'd find a way to get you out of here- promised her I wouldn't return unless I had you with me. Granted, when I made that promise this wasn't part of the bargain."
"What wasn't?"
Lilith gestured at the two of them and to the surrounding suite with an exasperated, "This. I mean, I knew Meredith would be pissed off when I let her catch me stealing the Rings in the storage room, but I hadn't counted on her dosing me with safframate. Or that you of all people would wind up in the corridor to interrupt Grael."
Hadn't counted on a lot of things.
As she drew in another breath to keep going, Alex held up a hand. "Back up a minute. She caught you doing what?"
"Stealing Rings," Lilith replied with a half-shrug. "I was swapping all of them out for ordinary gold rings infused with a bit of Craft that makes them seem like the real thing. I'd already taken care of the ones worn by the blood males- well, except yours. That was supposed to be the last phase of the plan."
His expression turned thoughtful, as if something about what she'd said jogged his memory.
"Before I stumbled upon Grael, I heard two servants saying that one of the coven bitches had been attacked by a Warlord. They mentioned that his Ring hadn't worked. That was because of you, wasn't it?"
"Yes."
"If you set them all free, then why was he still here? Why are any of them still here?"
"They're biding me a little time," she explained quietly. "If they all left right away, Meredith would realize what I'm really up to, and she would have made it twice as hard to get you out of here. I told them I'd send a signal once it was safe for them to slip away, but to lie low until then."
"Mother Night," he murmured half to himself.
Lilith looked him square in the eyes, preparing herself to ask the final question. Find out if all this was worth it.
"So, what's it going to be, Alex- will you let that bitch think she can own you or do you want to live free?"