Immortal Blood (11 page)

Bain lay, still a little damp, in Izzy’s bed with her half on top of him. She was a talented little human. Bain ran his fingers through her dark, wet locks, and then down her cheek to run his fingers along her long, elegant neck. She was beautiful, soft and supple. He ached to get inside of her and knew she would have let him this morning, but for the first time in his long life, he wanted to enjoy this part. Enjoy getting to know the things
his
Izzy liked. He wanted to do things right.

Bain knew he could be wading into dangerous water
. The fact that he had no idea how long Izzy would be a part of his life nagged at him.

She seemed comfortable here and apparently with his brothers too, damn Kale.
But she had so many important ties to her world. Bain sighed and let the thought flow far away from him.

A soft knock sounded at her door
, a good excuse to leave the doubts in his mind. Bain smiled at Izzy, pulling the covers over her. No one else was going to get a peek at her body.

She smiled. “Someone in this castle understands the importance of knocking
,” she teased.

“Would you have let me in last night?” Bain asked.

Izzy’s brow’s furrowed. “Probably not,” she admitted.

“Then I refuse to feel bad about my poor manners.”

Izzy shook her head and smiled up at him.
So did she.

Bain kissed her forehead
, grabbing his towel to wrap it around his hips and going to the door.

Izzy rolled over to simply drink in the view. Bain moved with a smooth
, languid confidence. It was a very attractive swagger of sorts, but he had earned the right to it. He had the build of a fighter, of a protector. His body was like a statue, solid, strong, and molded to male perfection.

“Good morning
, Darnell,” Bain said brightly.

Izzy cringed
. She didn’t want the sweet man seeing her like this. She slipped from the bed, sneaking back into the bathroom to get dressed.

She pulled her brush through her hair before pulling it back into a ponytail
, a few wisps of hair falling loose of the tie. She tucked those behind her ear and brushed her bangs off to the side. With a dusting of powder, a little black eyeliner, lip gloss, and a brush of mascara, her face was at least ready to take on the day.

She reluctantly pulled on a pair of fitted jeans, put on a baby blue tank
top, and topped it with a scoop-neck black shirt. She slipped her feet into a pair of flip-flops, gave one last glance in the mirror, and left to find Bain getting dressed.

“What did Darnell want?” she asked.

Bain gestured to a plump Garcia hovering over a fresh bowl of food. “He brought Garcia his breakfast and wanted to let us know breakfast was being served for us in the dining hall.”

“Oh
… do I need to change?”

Bain gave her one
long, smoldering once over before shaking his head. “Breakfast isn’t as formal as dinner.”

“Ok
ay, I’m starved. Let’s go.”

Bain chuckled as he laced their fingers and headed for her door.

“You’re thinking something dirty, aren’t you?” she accused.

Bain kissed her knuckles
. Yes, he was.

*****

A stunning woman sat at the table next to Uriah. She had long, black hair that Izzy was sure would reach to her waist, if not past it. She had lovely, soft features, with very light green eyes and pink, pouty lips.

“Hello
, Bain,” the stunning woman greeted them as they took their seats.

“Hello Jelena, I didn’t expect to see you here this morning
. How are you?”

“I am well, thank you. I came for Uriah’s feeding.”

“Ah.” There was something to Uriah and Jelena’s relationship. It was complicated, but Jelena only ever fed Uriah. Bain was certain the Immortal sister loved his brother and they all knew Uriah cared deeply for Jelena, but they weren’t supposed to fall in love with the Immortal rulers of the Underworld. It was an unspoken rule.

“Are you going to spend some time here? Rowan will be back later.”

Jelena smiled. “I wish I could, but my sisters require my presence. Perhaps next time.”

“Perhaps
,” Bain agreed.

Jelena looked to Izzy
, a bright smile on her face. “You must be the human, Isabelle?”

Izzy stiffened a little, taking a sip of water to wash down the bite of food she’d just taken.

“Uh, yes.” Izzy shifted in her seat as the stunning woman stared at her.

“Jelena
… you’re staring.” Uriah smiled sympathetically at Izzy.

“Oh
… my, I’m sorry I’ve never actually met a human. I’m not allowed in your world. I’m Jelena, one of the Immortal Three.”

“It’s nice to meet you. I’m Isabelle the
…
human.
”

Jelena laughed lightly
. It sounded like bells tinkling in the wind. It didn’t fit the ruler of the Underworld mold. “It’s very nice to meet you. Did you get a chance to meet my sister, Meriah, last night?”

Izzy forced a smil
e. No, she didn’t get to meet Meriah… She wondered if Meriah was as stunning as Jelena. Perhaps it was a good thing she didn’t get to meet her. She might have had an issue with Bain’s lips going anywhere near her. She’d hate to have an issue with an Immortal ruler of the Underworld … but Izzy was pretty sure there would have been an issue. She didn’t like the thought of Bain’s very talented mouth on another woman. Yet, she wasn’t sure she really had right to these feelings.

Lothar cleared his throat, causing Izzy to grimace.

Wait… crap! He was the empath… Shit, did he catch all of that?

Lothar chuckled next to her and shook his head softly.

Izzy dared a glance at him and felt a small flush warm her cheeks.

“No
, I’m sorry. I didn’t get the pleasure of meeting her.” Izzy tried for demure and pleasant; she thought she pulled it off.

Jelena nodded
. “That’s a shame. I know she would have loved to talk to you. In fact, she likely would have talked your ear off, or questioned you with no end in sight.”

Izzy smiled and took another bite of food
. She caught Kale’s mischievous eyes flicker between her and Bain, a shit-eating grin tugging at his baby face.

“So
… Izzy,” Kale started. “How ya feeling this morning? You didn’t get sick last night, did you?”

Izzy smiled and shook her head.

“Oh dear, were you ill last night?” Jelena asked.

Izzy shook her head
. “No, but Kale tried.”

Jelena looked to Kale and narrowed her eyes
. “Did you feed her that swill you call tequila?”

The whole table chuckled this
time, and Izzy had to wonder if Jelena had actually tried tequila before.

“He fed that horrid liquid to me once.”

“Yeah!” Kale broke through the laughter. “Izzy likes it.”

Izzy shrugged as Jelena looked at her questioningly.

“Patron is actually considered to be high quality liquor where I come from.”

Jelena shook her head
. “If you say so.”

Uriah wiped his mouth and stood, pulling Jelena’s chair out for her.

“I’ll catch up with you later, brothers,” Uriah told them.

“It was good to see you
all, and it was nice to meet you, Isabelle.” Jelena smiled wide at her.

“Call me Izzy
.”

“Ok
ay, I hope to see you again, Izzy
.
”

“Hello, Mother,” Rowan said as she and Cree entered the parlor. Esperanza lifted her gaze from her book and smiled. Esperanza studied her daughter as she set her book aside and got up from her chair nestled next to the fireplace. Rowan looked tired, small, purple bags hanging under her usually bright lavender eyes.

Esperanza smiled and wrapped her arms around her daughter. “I’m glad
you’re home. We have much to discuss, but you look like perhaps you could use a visit from your brother first.”

“Is it that obvious?” Rowan sighed.

“You are beautiful as always, but you look tired and run down. He can help with that.”

Esperanza let go of Rowan and moved to Cree, giving a solid, but brief embrace to the warrior leader.

“I take it everything is under control at the border?”

“Yes
, everything is fine, Mother.”

Rowan
sighed, tucking her nearly white, overworked wings back into her shoulder blades. She and Cree had been in flight for hours, spending most of the night in travel to get back.

“So what was so urgent that you had to rush out?” Esperanza started her inquisition, but Rowan had been expecting this as her welcome home.

Cree smiled at Rowan, who waved a hand at him. Her mother was always over concerned about their people. It often left Rowan exhausted and frustrated that her mother didn’t seem to believe in her ability to rule. How many centuries did she have to rule over a prospering and happy kingdom before her mother would accept her as the strong and compassionate ruler she was?

“The village was having theft problems and a young female
brownie went missing. Turns out she and her boyfriend were the ones stealing in an effort to secure enough funds to buy their way out of our world,” Cree explained.

“
Nonsense,” Esperanza scoffed. “Few brownies have the strength to pass between worlds.”

Cree shot an uneasy glance at
Rowan, who massaged the bridge of her nose.

“No, but there has been an uprising of Fae activity in the
Human World, and rumors are flying about a new portal that will allow any Fae, regardless of power, to pass.”

“That’s ridiculous
. We know of all portals, and we control most of them. Darion only has two portals in his land, and most of the Dark aren’t strong enough to pass through them.”

“There are stories of a group of drifters who have found a portal that anyone can walk through.”

Esperanza’s eyes narrowed.

“So what are you going to do?”

“Mother, stop. We’re working on it.”

“What if humans begin using this portal
? What will you do then, Rowan?” Esperanza demanded.

“I don’t know,” she admitted.

If the portal worked as the two brownies believed it did, then it was a real possibility that humans could stumble into the Fae world.

“I have a few of our men searching for the drifters
. Once we find them, we’ll have more answers.”

“What did the
brownies tell you?” Esperanza pushed.

Rowan looked to Cree
. “Can you please find Bain for me? Just Bain, let me get settled, and then I’ll talk to the others.”

“Of course
, love.” Cree settled a soft kiss on Rowan’s lips, before dropping his forehead against hers.

Don’t let her get to you
. I’ll be back as soon as I can.

Rowan smiled
. She loved the telepathy she and Cree shared; it made moments like this bearable.

I’ll survive
; she just worries too much.

Cree smiled, pressed a kiss to her lips
again, and headed for the door.

Esperanza stood with her hands upon her hips, her perfect
brows arched. “Don’t think I don’t know what was just going on, Rowan. What did he say about me?”

“You’re paranoid
, Mother,” Rowan joked.

“No, I just know you two very well.”

Rowan laughed. “Can we let this go? I promise you, I am working on finding the drifters, and the brownies really didn’t know anything. They were stealing things to sell on their journey to seek out the drifters.”

Esperanza nodded and left it at that.

Not long after the conversation had ended, Bain and Cree returned.

“Hello Ro
,” Bain called as he entered the room. “Wow, you do look drained. This may be more of a job for the Immortal brothers.”

“You are an
Immortal brother,” she teased as she stood to hug him.

“You know what I mean.”

“You’ll do just fine.” She smiled, and Bain raised his palms to cup her cheeks.

Rowan felt the cool breath of Bain’s healing power and smiled as a new burst of energy flowed through her.

“So tell me… How is Isabelle? I assume you convinced her to come home with you.” Rowan asked, her eyes still closed as Bain infused her with new energy.

Bain’s chuckle came out deep and smug
. “Are you surprised?”

Rowan shook her head as much as it would move in Bain’s hands
. “Not really, but I had hoped it would take longer.”

“
Rowan
!” Lady Esperanza said her name in chiding. “The less time any of you spend in the Human World, the better.”

Bain and Rowan both ignored Esperanza’s reprimand.

“A near-death experience helped my cause,” Bain admitted.

Rowan’s eyes flew open
. “What happened?” she demanded. “Did Zander come back for her?”

Bain shook his head.

Not exactly… if Zander had truly come after Izzy again, Bain would have killed the bastard.

“We did run into him, but that’s not what made her decision
. She was stung by a bee and went into anaphylactic shock.”

Rowan’s face went from concern to surprise
. “Did she not know she was allergic?”

Bain’s lips curled in a small smirk that held no humor
. “She never had been.”

He let go of Rowans face, placing a finger on her chin
. He moved her head from left to right, inspecting his handy work.

“Much better
,” he declared. “How do you feel?”

“Better
, thank you, but I would like to meet this Isabelle soon. It’s not a good sign if her body chemistry itself is changing. Zander may have taken more then I realized.”

Bain nodded
. Yeah, that was something he had worried about too. She’d been okay since she got here, but he had no clue how long it would last.

“Bain
, why don’t you go get her? I can meet with Isabelle while Cree fills you and the brothers in on what we found out.”

“Sure thing,” Bain agreed and left with Cree. He had no fears about leaving Izzy with Rowan
, not like he worried about leaving her with his mother.