Poison in the Blood (17 page)

“Why don’t the two of you compare notes? Dr. Bennett, may I speak with you for a moment? I fear I may be feeling lingering effects from the blood loss,” I said.

“Yes, of course,” the doctor replied.

I pulled him off to one side, and Michael followed, studying me with concern. “Are you unwell?” he asked.

“Oh, I’m fine. I wanted to hear how matters are proceeding between Dr. Bennett and Miss Dubois.”

Dr. Bennett immediately began cleaning his spectacles. “I have not had a chance to speak with her about it. The opportune moment has not arisen.”

Michael cleared his throat. “In my experience, it is best to get these things out in the open as soon as possible.”

“Is that so?” I quirked a brow at him. Michael smiled at me, and for a moment I thought he intended to kiss me affectionately, but the ghost of a blush stained his cheeks and he folded his hands in front of him.

“The sooner you are both aware of it, the sooner the two of you can begin your lives together,” he said.

Dr. Bennett ceased fussing with his eyewear and sent one longing glance in Justine’s direction. “Perhaps you’re right, though I’m not certain she’ll have me. I am not a guardian.”

“But she is in the employ of the higher powers, and they meant you for each other. I doubt anyone could argue with that,” I pointed out.

“You’re right.” He nodded, standing a bit straighter. “I will tell her tonight, after we leave.”

“Good for you. I hope you both are very happy,” Michael said. The doctor wandered over to stand at his lady’s side, and my husband turned to me. “Are you happy?”

“I love you,” I replied.

“That isn’t necessarily the same thing,” he said, and I nodded.

“I know. You’re not always an easy man to love, but I am happy to be a wife and a mother. But I am also a seer, and I would like to continue using my abilities to help Miss Dubois.”

“I don’t like seeing you in danger.”

“I don’t enjoy being in danger,” I agreed. “We have spent so much time ensuring that you use your magic to its fullest. It only seems fair that I be allowed the same consideration. Although…” I trailed off, thinking of my dream of the future and the nightmare of Simon’s past. If I became—I wasn’t sure what I would become, being neither chronicler nor necromancer. A blood drinker, certainly.

“Although?” Michael prompted.

I took a deep breath, preparing to inform him of what I had seen, but then I was transported out of the room along with Miss Dubois and Dr. Bennett. The three of us suddenly stood in a great marble hall, a splendid room like I imagined Mount Olympus would look like. Instead of ancient Greek gods, we stood in front of three female faeries. I hoped we weren’t in trouble, and I was very grateful for the fact that Michael had given me his spare pocket watch in case of any other surprise trips to Faerie. I truly loved that man.

“Guardian Dubois. I do not believe that we have been properly introduced yet.” The middle faerie spoke. Her skin was dark green, and her spindly brown hair appeared to be made of twigs and sticks. I vowed to never complain about how dry my own hair could become in the winter.

“Yes, Lady Hippolyta. I am Justine Dubois, and my companions are Dr. Andrew Bennett, a witch, and Mrs. Emily Black, a seer.”

Dr. Bennett and I bowed politely, and I fought the urge to attempt to read the council’s auras. After my first foray into Faerie, I was certain that I would go blind if I attempted it. My inner seer whined like Robert refusing to be set down, for I wanted to study my surroundings to the extent of my abilities, and being unable to use my vision was very limiting.

“A seer?” the faerie on the end said. Her body was made of water, her skin rippling and glinting in the light as she moved. She studied me with limpid eyes, and I stared back in complete fascination.

“I have not met a seer in quite some time,” Lady Hippolyta commented.

“Mrs. Black has been aiding me in my investigation. She has been invaluable in discovering the truth,” Justine informed them. For a moment I basked in the word:
invaluable.

“You’re certain you know the truth of this situation? It seems fantastical,” Lady Hippolyta said. “I do not mean to impugn your abilities or those of your companions. I believe that caution is best, for if you are correct, a crime of this magnitude has not occurred since the formation of Faerie.”

The enormity of her words sank in to each of us, and I watched as the weight settled onto our shoulders. It made my discovery of Mr. Farrell’s crimes at Lord Willowbrook’s ball seem insignificant in comparison. The deaths he caused touched only a handful of people. These could affect hundreds of magicians and faeries.

“How does the council wish to proceed?” Justine asked.

“At this time, we believe a trial would be best. We will assign an investigator to work with you in prosecuting the case. Perhaps Polonius?” she suggested, and the last faerie finally spoke.

“Polonius is a doddering fool. Summon Horatio. He will do well in this matter,” the faerie suggested. While the first two were earth and water, this one was fire. Not coal-dark like the Infernus faeries, but her coloring was a blaze of bright oranges and yellows like a dancing flame, and she had enormous, fiery butterfly wings. She appeared cheerful, while Helen’s brethren were dour.

Lady Hippolyta nodded and then waved her hand. A male faerie appeared in front of our group. I assumed this was the aforementioned Horatio. He was short and squat in stature, rather like a bulldog, with rough brown skin that I assumed indicated an earth faerie of some sort. He bowed to the three faeries and then turned and eyed us.

“Madam Guardian,” he greeted Justine.

“Horatio, we wish you to work with this guardian and her companions on a matter of justice. The Infernus clan stands accused of numerous crimes against magicians. We need you to be quick but thorough in your investigation and the trial,” Lady Hippolyta instructed.

Horatio nodded. “I will do my best, my lady.”

“Please do. I fear that this matter will only become worse with time, and all will suffer because of it.”

My seer’s magic recognized the prophetic nature of her words, for the terrible truth was that Faerie was about to be greatly changed, and no one would be spared from the coming wrath.

Chapter Thirteen

We were transported from the faerie council’s great hall to Miss Dubois’s sitting room, along with our new faerie companion, Horatio, and Michael and Simon. For the most part Horatio ignored the chroniclers unless their information was needed, and both Michael and Simon watched the faerie like cats fascinated by a bird.

Simon had likely not seen a faerie since he was alive, centuries ago. Though my faerie knowledge was limited, I did know that as a rule faeries avoided chroniclers and master necromancers, because the faeries disapprove of magicians’ attempts to live forever. Faeries were long-lived and nearly ageless, but they could be killed, as their elven cousins had proved by going extinct.

After Horatio had finished questioning us about what we had discovered, he said that he would confirm our information, and that we would be called upon to testify during the trial. I was quite anxious to see what a faerie trial would be like, and also eager to see Helen and Paris punished and kept far away from my family.

He left, and with a series of stern looks and emphatic gestures I intimated to Dr. Bennett that he had best tell Miss Dubois of their situation. My entourage and I returned to Josephine’s, and much to my surprise I was invited into the library. Generally I was only invited into the library in our home in Yorkshire when bringing Michael afternoon tea.

“Why did you never mention that you are half-blooded?” I asked Simon, taking the offensive.

“Perhaps because we have never discussed matters of genealogy,” he countered. “I would be willing to discuss it at another date. I have been quite curious to ask if there are any other seers in your ancestry.”

Chagrined, I took a seat apart from the chroniclers and folded my hands in my lap, fidgeting with the fingers of my black silk gloves. “What did you wish to discuss now?”

“I thought this would be an opportune moment to allow Michael to practice feeding from you. You have recovered from your blood loss, correct?” My face warmed with an embarrassed blush, but I managed to nod in agreement. “Excellent. Shall we proceed?”

Michael cleared his throat. “I am not certain this is advisable. If I should lose control again—”

“Then I will be here to prevent you from harming her.” Simon frowned sternly down at Michael, looming over his chair like a disapproving tutor, which I suppose in this instance he was. Despite his mentor’s attitude, Michael continued to hesitate, and I did not fault him for it. Though I would never admit it to either of them, I was nervous about the idea.

“Perhaps we should wait a few more days…”

Simon folded his arms across his chest. “Michael, if you do not feed today, your chances of hurting her will be greatly increased in a few days’ time. You are right to feel guilty for harming her, but you cannot let that guilt prevent you from completing your training. You will need to feed from her again. There is simply no avoiding that.”

“You’re right, of course,” Michael admitted. My husband and I exchanged an awkward glance, and I began removing my right glove.

Simon sighed and shook his head. “Let us be honest with each other, please. No one believes that you will be taking blood from your wife’s wrist. Besides, that is nearly an insult to her.”

By now I was quite certain that my face was on fire judging by the heat of my cheeks, but I resolutely rose and crossed to Michael’s chair. He stood and clumsily brushed stray locks of my hair out of the way, and I caught his hand and held it.

“I love you,” I reminded him. “I trust you. And if something should go wrong, I won’t blame you for it. Everyone must stumble before they learn how to walk.”

He smiled, some of the tension easing from his frame, and he drew me into his arms and simply held me for a long moment. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the comfort of his embrace. Then the slice of his fangs broke my skin, and I flinched and tensed. The warm wave of pleasure followed, and my knees went weak.

“Don’t overdo the spell,” Simon warned. “It may be your first instinct to please her, but if you flood her she’ll be unable to warn you if you’ve taken too much blood.”

The sensation faded and my other senses returned. The effect was still pleasant, but I was able to think clearly enough that I would be able to warn him if I began to feel weak or dizzy.

“Are you feeling well?” Simon asked.

“Yes. I feel fine,” I replied. It was an odd thing to speak while my husband drained my blood, but I managed it. He healed the bite and drew away, and he seemed normal, no sense of madness or loss of control.

“Are you all right?” I asked, and he nodded.

I glanced at Simon and saw deep, wrenching anguish in his expression. A glimpse of a memory flashed through my mind, of Genevieve staring up at him with an open, trusting expression. “You can bite me. I am not afraid,” she promised him. It reminded me of how devastated by her loss he appeared in my vision. He must have been so lonely for so many years…

Simon suddenly straightened, composed once more. “Would you care to try it again?” he asked.

“How often do you require blood? And how much?” I asked. Because I donated so rarely, I hadn’t thought to ask before.

“Michael will require greater amounts of blood and more often than I do, because he is still adjusting to his condition. As he ages, he will need less.”

“So I will need to donate more often than he donated to you,” I said, and Simon nodded.

“Yes, so you can see why I think it important that Michael master his control as soon as possible if the two of you are going to be living under the same roof. Now, if you would be so kind as to continue?” he suggested.

As always, he was, unfortunately, right. We attempted several more bites, and though the situation continued to be awkward, Michael performed admirably. No loss of control or problems with overwhelming bloodlust, and it was encouraging. So much so that when we were finished, Michael surprised both Simon and me by asking for permission to spend the night in my room.

Simon pondered the request for a long moment, and then reluctantly nodded. “Very well, as long as no biting occurs. I am serious about that. Emily, if he bites you, I expect you to strike him.”

I blinked, both shocked and awed by the development. Smiling broadly, I acted on impulse and hugged him. I did not experience the mystical energy field that pacified my ill-tempered son, but after a moment of stiff surprise Simon returned the hug. It was the most progress we had made in our relationship in years.

Afterward, I took my husband’s arm and allowed him to lead me out of the room. I tried to act as though everything was normal between us again, and that this was just another average night in our marriage, but a thrill of excitement tingled through me. It reminded me of our wedding night, and the wonderful, nervous anticipation of it. When we arrived at my bedroom we stood staring at each other for an awkward moment. Michael was afraid of hurting me, and I did not need my seer powers to know that, for it was written all over his face.