Red Satin Lips (24 page)

The lights flickered, and Lars could have sworn he heard what sounded like the hum of a boat motor, but then what could be considered a wave of pure light-energy poured through him. It sent Gage and him on their asses.

“What the hell?” He shook his head, but still the room spun.

“Give it a minute, you’ll be fine. My job here is done. Time for me to go home, please inform your wife the place was amazing and next year let’s have a ball with no danger attached.” With that the Queen of the Fae disappeared.

Maxim reached down and offered him a hand. “What the hell was that all about? I thought Baal wanted her to stay?” Gage grumbled as Tamara ran back into the room.

“Are you okay?” She looked at both of them. Her dress was a little lopsided and her right breast was exposed.

“We’re fine,” Lars grumbled and reached over to slip her breast back into her dress. “Don’t run in that dress.”

She rolled her eyes. “I’d rather be naked then to have your two dead. I swear first there’s a burning sensation over my left boob, then a huge flash that almost blinds me when I’m walking back in here to find you two.” Tamara rubbed a spot of unexposed skin.

“Move your hand,” Gage said and slid the dress over to expose the skin where she had been rubbing. The black symbol was a mix between the traditional male and female symbol along with an alchemy-soapstone. There were red lightning bolts on each side of the symbol, along with a red star in the circle and below that a horn indicating royalty.

“What the hell is it?” Lars looked at Gage and he shook his head.

“That’s his personal mark,” Jander stated from behind him making every one jump. “Your father has claimed you as his. The stars are immortality and the lightning bolts are his personal symbol as the prince of hell.” Jander whistled. “Out of all of his children, which number in the thousands, you are in the very rare column Baal has actually claimed and protected.” He leaned over and touched her hand. “As far as I know you are the first female. In the world below, you are now considered a princess.”

With those parting words Jander vanished from their sight and their lovely, angry wife started yelling.

“What the hell do I do now? Did he kill those people? It’s obvious he can’t be trusted, but why save me?” her hands flew up in the air as she paced back and forth. She stopped and faced Lars. Her hands were clenched at her side. “I have no choice,” Tamara turned and started up the stairs when Bane came running in.

“We have a big problem.” Bane looked from her to them. “Come quickly.”

Picking up the hem of her dress, Tamara ran to follow her brother. “Don’t run!” Gage yelled, but she ignored him.

Going in the opposite end of the hall, where their guests would be coming from, Bane, Storm and about ten other of her siblings stared out the big glass pane windows with his family and Gages'.

“This is not good,” Storm whispered and rubbed her hands over her bare arms.

“What?” Tamara asked and looked out the window. “Oh, shit…I’m so not dealing with those, Lars!” She stepped back and he wrapped his arms around her.

Her whole body was trembling, Tamara pointed to what appeared to be hundreds of spiders climbing the wall outside and moving into a vent.

“Shit, Bane are you sure they are her’s?” Lars kissed the side of her neck and fixed her dress again.

“I’m sure. From what mother dearest said for the first month the hatchlings would be in spider form. After that, well your guess is as good as mine. They are all poisonous and if we kill them now, she’ll know and we need her with father when the words are said,” Bane looked at Tamara. “Are you still going to allow her to feed?”

“What?” Lars spun her around in his arms and glared down her. “You have two minutes to explain before I take you home for good.”

“You know you can’t do that.” She patted his chest and smiled at Gage when he stepped up next to them. “In the old days if a man had a woman and she was becoming an ancient like him it was an honor for the man to have the host feed his woman. It’s also an extreme privilege for the woman. This way there are no humans brought into the equation. I just didn’t want to risk it with everything else going on.”

There were no words. Lars was stunned for a matter of seconds. Then anger like no other surfaced, the demon inside him ripped at his insides to get out. “No!”

Spinning around, Lars started to walk away when he heard her words.

“There is no choice, it’s one of the reasons the Queen Mother protected me and I guess my father, but it will be done.” He turned to see her gone.

He looked at Gage. “We will find her and take her home.”

“You can’t do that. If you do, hundreds will die. My sister knows what she is doing. Trust her,” Bane said putting his hand on Lars’ shoulder.

There was no warning. One minute Lars was staring at Bane and next the Beast burst forward. Everyone stepped back giving his father, grandfather, and Gage room to move around him.

“Now is not the time for this. Your woman needs you to understand and stand beside her. She’s right to do this and you know it,” his grandfather said as he placed both of his hands on Lars’ bare shoulders.

When changing into his demon form, there were no clothes. His tail whipped around behind him, his claws at least two inches long.

“Your grandfather is right, Lars. I’m furious too, but we should be proud of Tamara and stand beside her. You know how terrified she is of spiders, but our woman is doing this to save lives. Would you do any less?”

Inside Lars focused on the beast, trying to take a few minutes to calm down. At times Lars wondered if having another being inside him was worth the gifts he brought, but he knew one thing, both of them agreed Tamara needed their help. Seeking their personal connection, the beast melted away.

Tamara sat in one of the outer offices with her head down on a table crying, her emotions swamping them. Anger, loneliness, hurt and fear all converged on Tamara making her a bundle of nerves which did not help their babies.

Dressing himself once more, Lars nodded to Gage. “Our woman needs us. Bane, just try and keep the spiders to another part of the building, away from the party if possible. If we can keep them together, we can destroy them when we finish with her.”

“We’ll see what we can do,” Tamara’s brother said and disappeared with three of her brothers. Dad, take the women into the hall and keep them there. It’s protected.” Lars nodded to Gage. It was time to ease some of this burden their wife was dealing with.

****

Seeing those spiders and feeling her men’s anger and disappointment was too much. Tamara found the first empty little room and closed herself in it. Before she could even sit down, the tears rolled down her cheeks to land on her dress leaving stains on the silk. Just another thing to add to her mental breakdown, Tamara didn’t know what was worse, the queasy feeling she got in the morning or this emotional rollercoaster.

With her arms crossed on the table, Tamara rested her head on them, letting the tears fall. All she had was six hours to go, but could she pull it off? Would these last few hours be her last? How could she face death if it meant leaving her men angry at her?

She didn’t even hear them until Lars' words had her jumping and turning around to see both of them behind her.

“Stop, Tamara, you’re going to make yourself sick and you don’t want your eyes all puffy for tonight.” Lars whispered while he leaned down and scooped her up in his arms, taking her spot.

In front of them, Gage knelt and started to wipe her face with a damp cloth he had. “We’re sorry we hurt you, baby. You gave us a shock and we weren’t ready for it.” He put the towel on the table and took her hands into his.

Kissing each hand, Gage sighed. “We stand behind your decision, but we don’t have to like it. You won’t be alone. Lars and I will also volunteer to feed her, and while she feeds from us, you can work your magic. But please no more tears.”

“My dress is ruined…” She looked down at the wet spots, but they vanished. Looking up, Tamara saw that Ishka stood behind Gage.

“Now, do you really believe I’d allow you to go out looking like that? Stand up and let me take a look at that face. Why don’t you two wait outside for us while I help my granddaughter? It’s almost time for our guest to arrive. We’ll be right out.” She pushed Gage out of the way and helped Tamara up.

“Go out, you two. I need to speak with Tamara for a few minutes.” She pushed them out of the door and turned to Tamara, frowning.

“I have an idea. In the Fae realm there are these microscopic organisms that sometimes get into our bodies. They do no harm to us and are easily…well flushed through your system. But if I’m not mistaken, they would devour psycho bitch in an hour or two from the inside out.: She held up a small tube of something that looked like water.

“Why would they attack her? I don’t understand.” Tamara looked around the room for a mirror, but saw none. “Can you maybe, a mirror?” she asked Gage’s grandmother.

“You look great.” She nodded behind her. “On our world there are no spiders. I hate to say this, but last year I bought one of your tarantula’s to take back to give a friend's child. Well little did I know about these things and in a matter of minutes the spider was dead. Talk about a kid screaming. Never again will I give a pet to a child.” Ishka cringed. “Till this day he still gives me an evil eye.”

Tamara laughed and looked into the mirror. “I can only imagine. Children are very sensitive. You sure it won’t hurt the children?” She placed her hand on her stomach, looking into the mirror. Ishka had not only fixed her dress, but her makeup.

“I took it to the queen’s doctor and asked. He said they won’t even carry over into the children.” She shrugged. “Who knows it might not even affect her, but it could be a backup. What time are you feeding the freaky thing?”

“Half-way through. When everyone is eating supper we’ll have the ceremony.” Tamara turned and reached for her mask.

“Good, it would be perfect timing. Here drink it.” She handed her the little tube after putting on her mask.

“Is this going to make me sick?” Tamara took the lid off and sniffed it. I smelled like coconut.

“No, it’s milk from the coconut. The thing's organisms love it.” Ishka stepped up to her and took the tube after she drank it. “You know the mark you carry?” Ishka nodded to her breast.

“Yes, another something I wasn’t expecting,” Tamara said.

“You know it could be a good thing being claimed by him. For one thing anyone below will never bother you or your family.” The door opened and Ishka hooked her arm into hers. “Second, it will bring you closer to those that carry the mark as well... I know you don’t have family, but now you’ll have a very large one. The ones that carry that mark happen to not have that gene in them, so you’ll be safe. They should be here tonight. Maybe you can meet them.”

“Who will she meet?” Lars asked, kissing her cheek.

“Others who have been marked like her. They’ll be able to help each other with their powers as they come to them. Plus, all of you will now have a connection the others don’t have.”

Gage walked on the other side of his grandmother. “And how do you know this?” Gage asked as he leaned over and winked at her.

“Over the years you hear things, plus with several of them living in our realm, we were bound to hear things. It also helps that I have an annual lunch with the Queen and, believe me, she knows a lot. It’s time.”

They stopped and watched the line of people moving into the stadium in costumes of all colors. Now it was time to put on her happy face and to perform one of her greatest feats.

Chapter Eighteen

The band was absolutely marvelous. Tamara watched them start to play the “Vienna Waltz.” She had always loved to listen to the old music. She’d even made her mother sign her up for ballroom dancing.

“Dance with me, Daughter,” her father said, holding out his hand. Behind him, Tamara could see Lars dancing with Benita. His gaze met hers. He winked at her and she smiled, placing her hand into his.

“I would be honored, but be warned, I haven’t danced the waltz since I was in...”

“Since you were ten years old.” Her dad walked her out onto the dance floor meeting the other dancers. “I used to sit there and watch you dance. Even back then you had a grace to you. Never was I so proud of you.” Baal squeezed her hand and leaned down to her ear. “I’m tired, daughter, tonight I leave this world for a while, but I ask for one thing from you before you send me home.”

Another lump formed in her throat and Tamara blinked away the tears. “You do this to me to throw me off? If you know what I’m going to do, why not kill me?” She looked into his face as a single tear rolled down her cheek.

“That’s why?” He reached up and wiped away her tear. “For the first time in centuries, you are the only child who actually cares. You don’t want what I can give you and you accepted me at one time. Don’t get me wrong, there are days when nothing or no one matters to me. I’m a bastard and always will be, but tonight I am your father.”

On the side of the dance floor, Gage watched every move they made. She could see the worry in his face, but he kept to the sidelines as did Orlando and Lydia. “What would you ask of me, father?” She turned and looked at him. “And I did love you and I still do. This is why it hurts so much.”

Stopping in the middle of the dance floor, Baal looked down at her. “Inside you have a connection to me. Only you can access this. I can’t come back and hurt you through it.” He reached up and placed his hand over his mark. “Each child I give this to has this connection to me and others if they wish. I ask you to keep me up to date on your life. The little things, your pregnancy, the birth, birthdays, holidays and such just so I can feel a little normal once in a while.”

She knew where the link was, had known the minute he’d given her the mark, but to trust him with her children. “If I do this, how do I know you won’t use it against my children and me later on?” Tamara turned to walk away, but he reached out and took her hand into his.