Page 43 of Queen Takes Triune
His eyes were so sad, dark and wet like pools in a secret oasis. “You cannot save us all.”
My face hardened and my power sparked, casting specks of glitter into the air around us. “Watch me.”
“My queen.” Nevarre said, drawing my attention to him. He hesitated at the door, holding what looked to be an old phone book in his hand. “I’m sorry for interrupting. I return with the information your consiliarius required.”
Smiling, I draped my arm over Ezra’s shoulders and pulled him with me as I leaned back against Rik. When Nevarre had first left, I’d touched his bond constantly, reassuring myself even though it wasn’t necessary. I’d just liked feeling him in my mind while he was away. I wouldn’t say I’d gotten used to his absence, but I had at least adjusted to it. “I’m so glad you’re back.”
“That was quicker than I expected.” Gina gave him a teasing wink and then accepted the phone book. She immediately started thumbing through the pages. “Is the helicopter still in one piece?”
Nevarre winked back at her. “More or less.”
I turned my head aside offering my neck to Ezra. “Feed, my bear. Let my blood draw you closer and soothe your weary beast.”
I didn’t have to tell him twice. In seconds, his fangs penetrated my skin with a searing sting that quickly faded to sensual enjoyment. Goddess, I loved to feel my blood flowing into them. Every swallow brought us closer, entwining our souls so tightly I couldn’t tell where I began, and Ezra ended.
I was inside him, as surely as I’d been inside Nevarre. I didn’t need a blazing phoenix dick to claim him.
He grunted against my throat.:Claim me any way that you’d like, my queen, though I admit that I’m not too sure about lighting up my asshole with flames.:
I couldn’t help but laugh.
:My tail feathers were completely unsinged,:Nevarre said in our bond, making me laugh harder.
“Well, I guess it’s time to head to the table for dinner.” Gina tossed the book on the coffee table and smiled brightly at me. “Hungry, my queen?”
“Wait,” I said slowly. “What just happened?”
Her head tipped slightly, her brow furrowing. “Nothing, yet. Aren’t you hungry? Winston said he’d wait for Nevarre to return before he’d serve.”
I shifted forward, disentangling myself from Ezra so I could stand. Rik pushed to his feet, holding me against him. His hand spanned my stomach, ready to yank me up and get me to safety. I could feel his senses straining, searching for anything amiss. We weren’t under attack. Nothing unexpected approached the nest. Mehen and Guillaume were still out in the grove and saw nothing to report.
Yet something was very, very wrong.
“You just sent Nevarre on a three-hour flight to Kansas City and back to retrieve that book. But you’re not going to tell me what you found?”
“Oh, that?” Gina glanced at the consiliari phone book and shrugged. “It’s nice to have on hand as more sibling requests come in. Thank you for sending Nevarre to get it.”
Carefully, I touched her bond. She was confused by my reaction, but otherwise, she seemed fine. Her mind wasn’t frozen or clouded. I didn’t sense any stray entity or magic affecting her.
“I asked you to contact Leonie Delafosse’s consiliarius. You said we needed the book. Was she not in there?”
“Who?”
:She’s been spelled,:I warned my Blood silently so as not to alarm her.:Nevarre, did you feel anything strange when you touched that book?:
:Nothing, my queen. She had it open, though. Could the spell have been written on one of the pages?:
“Leonie. Remember? She’s in New Orleans. I wanted to talk to her, but you didn’t know her consiliarius’s name.”
“Oh, that’s right.” Gina laughed self-consciously, her cheeks darkening with embarrassment. Hands trembling, she picked up the book and started flipping through it.
I stepped closer, Rik glued to my back. My blood scented the air until it seemed to hum with power. I gathered my will into magical chains and nets, ready to seize anything that might crawl out of that book.
“Here it is.” She ran her finger over the paper and hesitated, staring at the page. I felt a sinking sensation in her bond, and she raised her gaze back to mine. “What was I looking for? I’m so sorry, my queen. I can’t remember.”
“It’s alright. I was just curious. Why don’t you hand me the book? I’ll look it up myself.”
“Of course.” She stretched out her hands, the book open, but I didn’t take it right away. I didn’t even look at the pages. Not yet.
