Kissed by Moonlight (23 page)

Jack sniffed. "Some flowery thing. Are you wearing perfume?"

"Right. I just pulled out a vial while I was unconscious and started spritzing myself in the middle of the sewer." If sarcasm could kill. "That's the scent of the Other World. The land of the Sidhe."

"Down here?" Jack ignored my testiness. "How is that even possible?"

I didn't answer. I knew about as much as he did.

Moving through an archway, I stopped, Jack nearly barreling into me from behind. I held up a hand to forestall any grumbling, my eyes fixed on the vision ahead of me.

The archway opened into a small brick-walled room. Opposite was another archway leading on into the dark, but in the middle of the room, blocking the pathway, a disc hovered, suspended in midair. It swirled and shimmered, the free-floating green circle reminding me of a wormhole from one of those science fiction movies.

I stepped a little closer, feeling the tug of its energy pulling me. The scent was strongest here, emanating from the glowing disc. I could have sworn I heard the delicate sound of flutes from the other side of the disc.

"It's a portal to the Other World." I couldn't keep the awe from my voice. The previous times I'd traveled to fairy land, it had been because the queen pulled me there. I hadn't needed a portal, but I recognized it from my dream.

"A portal under the streets of Paris?" Jack sounded dubious.

"Why not?" I held out my hand, palm toward the swirling disc. The energy from the portal gave it a gentle tug. This was it. Finally. A way in. I could face the Queen at last. Demand answers.

"Careful, Morgan," Jack warned. "We don't know why that thing is here."

I smiled. "Oh, yes, we do. The portal is here because Alister and Darroch are hiding out with the Fairy Queen."

He seemed startled. "Why?"

"No idea. But I'm going to find out."

Between one breath and the next, I stepped through the portal.

***

It was as though every bone in my body was being ripped out through my skin and smashed to dust. The air was sucked from my lungs, the water sapped from my eyes. I couldn't see, couldn't breathe. Even my heart stopped, the awful pressure squeezing it until every drop of blood had leaked out, leaving an empty husk.

Then I crashed to the ground in a heap, and everything came rushing back. I sucked in a lungful of flowery scented air, coughing and choking on nothing. I pressed a fist against my chest over my heart, which was hammering so hard, I thought it might explode. I curled the fingers of my other hand into the ground, sinking them into soft soil and tender green things. Real. This was real.

I managed to roll out of the way a split second before Jack crashed to the ground exactly where I had been kneeling. I lay there in the lush green grass staring at him, willing my body to move. It ignored me.

I was able to flop over on my back, staring at the sky as Jack coughed and gasped beside me. I frowned. How odd. Unlike the sky back home, the sky of the Other World was more green than blue. Everything around me, as far as I could see, was a rich, lush green. No bright flowers or birds, just leaves and vines and bushy things. The last time I'd been to the Other World, it had looked nothing like this. It had been all black, cold marble with a vein of gold running through it. This place, on the other hand, was warm and alive.

I dragged in another deep lungful of exotic air. I could definitely smell flowers, so there must be some somewhere. Spices, too. Vanilla and coffee. Chocolate maybe. Other things I couldn't identify. But it all smelled as though a bakery had exploded and taken a florist shop with it.

I rolled up to my knees. Somebody was definitely playing a flute. The tune was jaunty and haunting at the same time. A dragonfly buzzed near my face, flashing like a ruby in the sunlight. I brushed it away only to realize it wasn't an insect at all, but a small, winged human-like creature. It grinned at me, flashing fangs that would have done a vampire proud. Then with a giggle, it zoomed off to disappear into the jungle of trees and vines.

I staggered to my feet, determined to avoid any more such creatures. The world spun for a second, and then righted itself. Good. I wasn't going to fall over. Or hurl.

I closed my eyes, willing strength back into my body. That's when I felt them: my powers. They were hovering just beneath the surface, ready to bust out and do their thing whenever I willed it.

"Impossible," I muttered under my breath as I opened my eyes. During both of my previous visits to the Other World, my powers hadn't worked. Not even a tiny bit. My hunter strength had been there, but the Atlantean powers had vanished. Now, if anything, they were stronger than ever.

"What the hell?" Jack sat up next to me, one hand on his forehead. He winced against the light.

"Exactly what I'd like to know." The strange voice came out of nowhere.

I spun around, rather unsteadily, and stared at the newcomer. He was tall, blond, and very nicely built, but his face was shifting through incarnations so fast, I was afraid that I might throw up after all. I had to stare at his right shoulder to avoid the dizzying morph of his features. Behind him ranged a dozen high-ranking and heavily armed Sidhe.

"Shit," I mumbled, glancing at his shiny armor and wicked looking sword.

"I prefer Kalen. Captain of the Queen's Guard. Please." He flashed a smile that left me feeling decidedly icky. "Come with me. The Queen desires an audience."

"And if I say no?"

A dozen swords cleared a dozen sheaths. "That," Kalen said in an icy voice, "would be unwise."

Chapter 34

Jack and I marched along the narrow path behind Kalen and his gang of merry men. Two more guards walked behind us, swords at the ready should we decide to get feisty. That was unlikely, seeing as how Kalen had bound our hands in front of us with some kind of fuzzy green vine. If I so much as thought about escaping, the vine tightened until my fingers turned purple. It was like it was psychic or something. Too bad we didn't have this stuff in our world. I sure could have used it.

If that wasn't enough, our weapons hadn't come through with us. It wasn't entirely a surprise. The other times I'd been to the land of the Sidhe, my weapons had stayed behind in my world, something about human metal being anathema to the fae. Apparently, human metal simply couldn't pass through the barrier between our worlds. No doubt our blades were still back in the sewer tunnel in Paris.

Escape was definitely out of the question. At least for now.

Giant trees loomed on either side of the footpath, trunks as thick as my car was long. Their long branches swept over us, creating a tunnel of greenery. It was as though we moved through green twilight. Here and there, hidden within the dense green leaves, I caught sight of dainty cream-colored blossoms. Yellow eyes stared at us from deeper within the forest, and brightly colored bird-like creatures flitted about, filling the air with their songs. I recognized the flute sounds I'd heard earlier.

The air was warm and a little muggy, almost jungle-like. Kalen and his men appeared unmoved by the heat despite their heavy armor, while my clothes stuck uncomfortably to my sweaty skin. I repressed a yawn. The heavy air was making me unusually sleepy. Or maybe it was the flowers. Who knew what kind of properties could be found in the flora of the Other World? I wondered if I could sneak some back for Eddie. He'd be delighted to study them.

More of the little dragonfly fairy creatures with fangs fluttered around our heads, dipping and dive-bombing us in flashes of bright reds, oranges, and pinks. Their shrieks of hilarity threatened to burst my eardrums. Oh, for a fly swatter. Or a really big bug zapper.

One of them landed on my shoulder and tried to sink his fangs into my skin. Without even turning, Kalen snapped out something in Sidhe. With a tiny squeal, the fairy creature took off like the hounds of hell were on his ass. Guess I owed Kalen one. No telling what that mini monster would have done to me. For all I knew, its fangs were filled with poison.

"This is insane," Jack muttered. "We're just going along with this?"

"We don't exactly have a choice. Kalen left the portal guarded, we have no weapons, and there's no getting out of these damn vines. Not to mention we have no idea what kind of creatures are lurking in that forest ready to eat us. So for now, we play along and look for an opening." I didn't mention I really wanted to see the Queen.

He snorted. "You know the minute we're in front of the Queen, we're dead."

"You are, maybe. But she has other plans for me."

"Gee, thanks," Jack said dryly. "That makes me feel all warm and fuzzy."

I flashed him a grin. "Don't worry, Jack. I'll protect you."

My feet and back were aching by the time we finally broke free of the forest and stepped out onto a wide, grassy plain. The path cut its way through the grass, sloping away until it ended at a ravine. On the other side, jagged black rocks rose from the ground to form a natural barrier, and rising from within the thickest part of the rock forest was a castle.

"Behold." Kalen gestured grandly. "The Palace of the Queen of the Sidhe."

It was straight out of a fairytale: soaring turrets, princess towers, flying buttresses. The palace was a study in the delicate and whimsical. Except every inch of it was black as coal and inside dwelled the creature who'd taken Inigo from me.

***

"Ah, Kalen, what have you brought me?"

I'd know Morgana's voice anywhere.

"Interlopers, my queen," Kalen said with a flourish and a bow.

The Sidhe guards shoved Jack and me to the floor. My knees hit the familiar black marble with a shock of pain that brought tears to my eyes. Bastards. I glared up at my guard, promising myself he'd be the first to pay. He sneered at me, his face morphing quickly into a new incarnation.

The Queen was lounging on a massive black throne that seemed to rise straight out of the marble floor, as if it were all one single, solid piece. Her left leg was draped over one arm of the throne. A dainty bare foot with toenails painted hot pink swung casually back and forth. Morgana's strawberry-blond hair fell in wildly disheveled curls all around her as though she'd just hauled her ass out of bed and hadn't bothered to comb it. She had on one of her trademark Grecian style dresses, though one of the straps was dipping so low, she was very much in danger of going truly Grecian and flashing boob. Knowing the queen, she probably couldn't care less. Or rather, she knew exactly how such exposure would affect everyone around her, and would wait for just the right moment to have a wardrobe malfunction.

Behind the throne a dozen different fae creatures stood, holding various items the queen clearly thought important. The creatures were definitely not Sidhe, but from lower castes of fairy. The one currently kneeling next to the throne was a striking female who looked more-or-less human, but had gold skin and hair to match. And by gold, I mean the stuff that comes out of the ground. Actual gold color, not the dark yellow people refer to as gold. She glittered and shone like she was made of the precious metal. Even the box she held was gold. The only thing not gold was her simple ankle-length robe, which was as black as the marble all around us.

My attention was snagged by a familiar figure trying to blend in with the exotic beings around him: Brent Darroch. With his smarmy good looks and perfectly tailored clothing, I'd recognize the bastard anywhere. He caught me looking and shot me a sardonic smile. Jackass. I didn't see Alister Jones.

I turned back to the queen. "Hello, Morgana." It was daring, calling her by one of her true names, but it was the one power I had over her. I needed every trick at my disposal if Jack and I were going to come out of this alive.

"Morgan. How lovely of you to visit again." She smiled, her plump pink lips parting to reveal the tiny gap between her front teeth. "It has been an age since you were last within my realm."

"I called. I guess you were busy."

The smile widened. "Oh, yes. A bit." Morgana reached into the gold box held up by the gold girl. When the Queen brought out her hand, she was holding a piece of dark chocolate. She popped it in her mouth, savoring it for a moment. "I do have a kingdom to run."

I snorted. "More like a war to start. What the hell were you thinking, getting into it with the djinn?"

Her face turned into a mask of ice as she went rigid with fury. "Choose your words carefully, human. My patience wears thin."

The ice took hold of my veins as she held my gaze. My stomach churned and my legs turned to jelly. I was drowning, wallowing in fear.

I shook my head. No. This was Morgana's doing. I could see it now, clear as day. She was making me feel afraid. Yes, she was more powerful than I. Yes, she could squash me like a bug. But I was not without power of my own, and if Morgana had wanted me dead, she'd have killed me long ago.

"Guess what?" I snapped. "So does mine. You used me, Morgana, and that is not something I forget. Or forgive."

"It is not up to you to choose forgiveness." Her voice was a hiss, reminding me of the viper she was. "I am queen here." Her tone indicated she considered herself queen pretty much anywhere.

"Are you? Really? If you're so damn powerful, then why hitch your star to the likes of Alister Jones and Brent Darroch? I know you and Alister tampered with Jade Vincent's memories. Father Nicolas's, too." I had no proof of the later, but there was no doubt in my mind she was in it up to her gap-toothed smile. "Are you so weak you need humans and vampires to do your dirty work, now, Your
Majesty
?" Holy shit. Had I crossed the line? I half expected her to smite me on the spot.

The queen was shaking with fury, her cheeks flushed, eyes ice cold. She clenched her dainty hands into fists. "How dare you. You have no right... ."

"I have every right," I interrupted. If you're going to poke the beehive, might as well do it with gusto. "You killed the man I love." Morgana didn't need to know Inigo was still technically alive. "If that weren't enough, you used me to start a war. When you pick a fight with the djinn, you pick a fight with humanity. That makes this my business."