Soul Mates: Magic (Soul Mates Series) (18 page)

“Of course you will go. There was never any doubt,” Tatiana said with a smile. “Now, who do we send with you? Best speak to Thomas about that. He knows the Goblin’s best.”

I nodded and went in search of Thomas.

Chapter Twenty-three

I didn’t find Thomas, but I was ready to go by four-thirty and arguing with Daire about who to take. More than anything, I wanted him to go with me, but he was refusing.

“Abbey, love, I cannot go. I would only jeopardize things. The Goblin King would never allow me entrance, knowing how you feel about me, anyway.”

“Then who am I suppose to take with me?” I asked crossly.

“James will go with you. The Goblins like him and he will watch your back.”

“I’ll even watch your front,” James commented with a wolfish grin.

Daire glared at him and he shut up. “I will say one thing for the Goblin King, he’s got good taste. You look amazing,
mo ghrá ach,
” he murmured softly as the door to Never Never opened.

“Princess, I have the honor of escorting you to the Goblin Palace,” Thomas said stepping through the door.

“Thomas,” I said with a relieved smile. “I’m so glad it is you!”

“Who else could make it here and back to the Goblin
palace in the short time the Goblin King wished?” Thomas said with a grin. “Are you ready?”

I nodded.
“Yes,” I said with a look in Daire’s direction. He came forward and gently kissed my lips.

“I’ll be waiting right here until you get back,” he said then glanced at Thomas. “I expect her back at a reasonable time. Or I will come after her.”

“He knows,” Thomas replied with a grin.

I followed Thomas back through the door to
Never Never. He shifted to his dragon form before I attempted to mount his back. It wasn’t going well. The micro-mini was not made for dragon riding. “How am I supposed to…?” I said gesturing at Thomas’ back.

“I gotcha,” James said picking me up and setting me just behind Thomas’ neck, so that I sat in a sidesaddle position, then he climbed up behind me and held me around the waist. “You good?”

I wasn’t sure what to do with my hands, so I just folded them in my lap. “Yeah, I guess so.”

Thomas leaned back on his haunches and launched us up into the deep purple sky of Never Never. I shivered a little, when the cool the air brushed my skin. Thomas was flying fairly low, just grazing the treetops. He didn’t want to be noticed by anything of the Dark. The return trip was going to be worse. At least I’d be able to change clothes before we made that trip.

“Cold?”

“A little,” I nodded.

James let go of my waist and started to remove his jacket. “Here, now don’t fall off trying to put it on,” he said with a chuckle.

I slipped my arms into the leather jacket, grateful to have it. “Thanks,” I replied.

“Shouldn’t be too much longer till we get there. I can see the
mountain just past these trees.”

Thomas banked to the left, gliding down toward a small clearing in front of the mountain. He gently landed on the soft green grass and waited for James and me to climb down before shifting back to his human form. “Pretty good time,” he said with a smile. “Are you ready, Princess?”

I took a deep breath and nodded. “Let’s go,” I said before I removed my ring to let my Faeness show. I handed the ring to James for safekeeping and followed Thomas through the door.

“You came,” Gareth said by way of greeting. “I was not sure you would, actually.”

I smiled. “I did give you my word, Gareth.” I held out my arms and gave him an affectionate hug. “It is good to see you.”

“I agree. Well
, let me look at you…” Gareth held me at arm’s length, let go of one hand and then slowly walked around me, still holding my other hand high, as if we were in the middle of some sort of dance. He studied my outfit from all angles. From the tight fitting, ultra thin strapped, black micro-mini, which barely covered my behind to the thigh-high Manticore-hide, spiked heeled boots. “You look…incredible,” he said appreciatively.

I smiled. “You have good taste in women’s attire.”

“Come, I have had a delightful meal prepared for the two of us,” Gareth said, still holding my hand, he led me into an intimately small room and shut the door in James’ face.

“Just the two of us?” I asked raising a brow. “Won’t your ladies be upset?”

Gareth grinned showing his fangs. “They have your wolf to play with. I’m sure they will be fine.” He guided me to a low sitting
, well-cushioned sofa that sat a few feet from a blazing fireplace. There was a white fur rug on the floor with a bucket of champagne and a bowl of large ripe fruit. Nectar of the gods.

“Gareth, you know that I am involved with someone,” I said with a frown. “And you promised you would not-”

Gareth laughed. “I will not make you do anything you do not wish to do, Abbey, my sweet. I simply wish to enjoy your company.”

“All right,” I murmured taking a seat upon the pillowed sofa and sank into its luxurious folds.

Gareth poured the champagne into fluted glasses and handed one to me. “Have you ever had champagne, Abbey?”

“No, actually, I haven’t.” I took a sip. It was very sweet and delicious. “It’s good.”

“It reminds me of how you taste.”

“Gareth, you promised.”

“I only promised you wouldn’t have to do anything you were uncomfortable with, I never promised I wasn’t going to pursue you,” Gareth said with a grin. “You could be the Goblin Queen as well as the Queen of Light and Illusion. There is power here, in the Goblin land. If you were to be my Queen, I would happily share that power with you.” Gareth ran his finger up my arm.

“You do me a great honor with that offer, Gareth, but my heart belongs to another.”

Gareth smiled. “We shall see.” He held out his hand to me and pulled me to my feet.

“Now what?” I asked curiously.

Gareth snapped his fingers and a sensuous song I didn’t recognize began to play. He took me in his arms and began to dance with me. He slid his hands down my arms to my wrist and spun me away from him before bringing me back and pulling my body tight against his. “You see? We fit together nicely, Abbey my sweet. We could be good together.”

I smiled but didn’t comment. He was a very good dancer, and I was actually having a good time. When the song ended he offered me some of the Nectar of the gods fruit, but I declined. “Thank you, but I think I would like to not hallucinate this evening.”

“Does it affect you that way? It wouldn’t if you were Goblin Queen,” he said slyly.

“Really? How does it affect you?” I asked curious.

“It is an aphrodisiac for us,” he said taking a bite with a lascivious smile.

“Gareth, I think you are aroused enough,” I said with a laugh.

He continued to eat the fruit, its sweet juice dribbling down his chin. “Does it worry you, my sweet Abbey?”

I rolled my eyes and grinned. “No, not at all,” I replied totally lying and he knew it.

Gareth chuckled as he picked up a small bell and rang it. A moment later, several Goblins came into the room with platters of food. They set the platters down silently before leaving the room again without saying a single word. “Are you hungry?”

“Of course,” I replied. “You did promise me dinner.”

Gareth filled two plates with various meats, a mixture of cooked and raw upon mine, and all raw upon his own. There were also several exotic cheeses and breads and more fruit, very plump thimbleberries and sweet cherries. “For you, my sweet.”

I took the offered plate and joined Gareth as he sat upon the fur rug, delighting in the heat coming from the fire.
“Thank you, Gareth.”

“You are ever welcome, my sweet.”

I took a bite of the Manticore meat and closed my eyes in pleasure as it practically melted in my mouth it was so tender. “This is delicious.”

“I am glad you are enjoying it,” Gareth said between bites. “Tell me something about yourself that I do not yet know.”

I nodded and thought for a moment. “I am an avid reader, though lately I have been too busy to read.”

Gareth smiled again. “Remind me to show you my library.”

“I will,” I agreed. “Do you read?”

“I do,” Gareth replied. “I have always been
a fan of what the humans call Science-fiction. And occasionally I will read a mystery. What do you like?”

“Urban fantasy is my weakness, but I also like Steampunk.”

“Devotia would be pleased to discuss the Steampunk with you. She has become enamored of the fashions, as you shall see later this evening.

“Later this evening?” I asked.

“I did promise entertainment, did I not?”

“You did,” I replied curiously.

“After we dine, my Goblin’s have prepared a show for us.” Gareth took another bite of meat. “You have heard of the Cirque?”

“You mean the Cirque de Sol? Of course,” I replied.

“In exchange for trespassing, one of their trainers agreed to teach a few of our ladies to dance with ribbons. This will be their first time showing off their new talent.”

“That sounds intriguing,” I said with a smile.

We finished eating and Gareth took my hand leading me deeper into the palace. We came to an oval room with stadium seating and a large stage set up in the center surrounded by a large red velvet curtain. Gareth and I sat in special seats, center of the stage. Other Goblins began to fill the room, taking the seats surrounding us and the stage. Techno music began to play and Devotia stepped onto the stage. She was wearing a tight leather corset that laced up the front, a flared white mini skirt with fishnet stockings and black leather boots with gears and mechanical looking buckles. On her head was a top hat and black veil. Her jewelry, earrings and choker necklace, were clockwork made of real silver and gold.

“Ladies and Goblins,” Devotia said with a smile. “Welcome to the first ever, Cirque de Goblin. For tonight’s entertainment, Aiseka, Oeraka, and Nunelda shall
start the show with a sensual ribbon dance to Abney Parks’
Herr Drosselmeyer’s Doll
.” Devotia held her arms out in a grand gesture and the red velvet curtain dropped to the floor to reveal the three attractive ladies dressed in matching skin-tight corsets and short skirts. They each stood by long silk ribbons that dropped to the floor from the ceiling.

As the music began to play, the ladies began to ascend the ribbons, wrapping their legs in the colorful folds. They moved and stretched and twirled with a graceful sensuality that reminded me of elegant ballet dancers. I was completely mesmerized. Everything they did was in sync and when the final notes of the song played, they hung suspended in the air by their arms. The bright ribbons were the only things keeping them from plummeting forty feet to the stage.

I clapped enthusiastically as the curtain rose again, hiding the dancers from our eyes. “Brava!” I yelled along with all of the Goblins.

Devotia returned to the stage, a sparkle of excitement in her eyes. “Ladies and Goblins, give them another round of applause, for an amazing performance from the lovely ribbon dancers! And now, as a special treat, one I am sure our King, Gareth will enjoy, the beautiful, Oemaba, and her girls Nallina, Lovari, and Tallari, will perform a burlesque to Pink’s
Funhouse
for your entertainment!”

“Are you having a good time, my sweet, delectable Abbey?” Gareth asked, stroking my fingers.

I smiled at him, “I am! This is truly amazing, Gareth.”

“I am glad you are having such a wonderful time,” he said with a considering look that had me worried, but only until Oemaba and her daughters came on stage dressed in Steampunk looking dresses and began to perform an awesome array of high kicks and dance moves.
I applauded as loud as the rest of the Goblin’s when they had finished.

The last act was a
knife-throwing act, by Lederik and Katin, and was quite exceptional. When the show ended Gareth escorted me back to the intimate room for another glass of champagne. I sat upon the pillowed sofa as he poured our glasses.

“Have I surp
rised you this evening, Abbey?” he asked, quirking a brow.

“You have
, Gareth. I have had a wonderful time. No one has ever gone to so much trouble for me before.” I took the glass he offered as he sat down close to me upon the sofa.

“We are not the monsters that humans think we are. We can be barbaric, if necessary, I suppose, and we are, I admit, ruled by greed in all things. However that does not mean we are not generous when we want to be. In some things I believe I am quite generous, you could ask any of the ladies,” Gareth murmured seductively.

I flushed at his reference. “Gareth, you are a good man, a great King, but I am spoken for. And I would never consider you a monster. With that in mind, I wanted to invite you to my come-out ball on Yuletide. It is to be a masked ball,” I said with a smile. I pulled the invitation out of the air and handed it to him. “Do say you will come.”

“You are inviting me, without use of a boon?” Gareth questioned with surprise.

“I am,” I replied smiling.

“I would be delighted to come, my dear sweet Abbey,” Gareth said with pleasure. “And now, I ask something of you. I would like to use my last boon, but if you turn
it down, we shall pretend I never asked and I will use the boon for sometime later in the future.”