Mona Lisa Blossoming m-2 Read online

  I turned to the watching Hell hounds. Shadow's and Smoke's intelligent feral eyes swung from their master to me. I swallowed under their intense yellow gaze.

  "Thank you for your help," I told them, feeling foolish talking to them. But Halcyon had spoken to them as if they'd understood, and oddly, they seemed to know what I wished to convey.

  Their jaws opened in wolfish grins. Lifting their muzzles to the sky, they howled, a chilling, primal sound meant to stir man's deepest fears. The rest of the pack joined in the baying, a lonely but joyous sound. With startling bounds, they loped off into the woods, fleet-footed shadows of death, to hunt other prey.

  "This way, milady," Winston said. He pushed open the heavy front door, carrying Halcyon inside. There was nothing to do but sheath my sword and follow them into the gloomy tower. Inside was even less inviting. The looming corridors seemed empty and windy. The grand stairway spiraled along the interior, reaching for its infinite pinnacle. Winston's footsteps echoed hauntingly in space rarely treaded by others. It was hollow and dark, a prison with only two lonely inmates trapped inside. Upon closer inspection, the interior was immaculate, spotless. Furnished in wood tones, accented with dark forest green and heavy gold, some might even call it stylish, if you liked that old gothic, monolithic look. The school of doom and gloom, not your typical Town and Country look. It was a man's abode. Not my cup of tea.

  Via the windy stairway, Winston took Halcyon to a spacious bedroom on the second floor, and laid him gently on the bed. "I will awaken the High Lord," he said and left, moving with a curious silence and grace for one so tall and gangly.

  I moved to Halcyon's side and smoothed his soft black hair back from his face. "I thought returning home would make you better, not worse."

  Halcyon smiled. "The trip down did that, not being here."

  "Ah, yes, the trip down. You shielded me. That's what drained you so much."

  "You were in pain."

  "I can take a little pain," I said softly.

  "It was not a little."

  "I can take a lot of pain, then."

  "I could not," he said, eyes tenderly stroking my face. "I could not bear to see you in such pain."

  "Oh, Halcyon." My fingers stroked his hair gently then moved down to cover the gaping wound slashing down his chest. It had started to bleed again, either from the rough landing or during the ride on Shadow's back. Dark red blood seeped out sullenly, wetting my hand, coating the pearly mole embedded in my palm, making it tingle, warm, come to life. Pain called my power forth and I let it pour out of me and seep into him. I moved my other hand down, swept both my hands across his chest, my palms strumming with energy as I moved them over his slashed chest.

  Halcyon's eyes widened. "What are you doing?"

  "My question as well." A dangerous voice came from the doorway.

  I gasped and stepped back from Halcyon to stare at the High Lord of Hell. Standing framed in the doorway, he looked like the portrait I had seen once at High Court. Like the spitting image of his son. Or perhaps it was the other way around. The same long straight nose, narrow high cheekbones, full wide mouth. The same quiet elegance, trim, and slender build. But he was darker than Halcyon, bronze rather than golden, and wore unrelieved black: a black silk shirt, tailored black pants, black diamond cufflinks. The dusting of white hair in the portrait had become solid wings of silver flaring his temples while the rest of his hair remained dark.

  The greatest difference, however, between father and son was in the eyes. The High Lord's eyes were the same dark brown color, like bittersweet chocolate. But it was the expression in them or, rather, the complete lack of expression in them that so differentiated them. They say that the eyes are the windows to your soul. These eyes were blank, empty. Completely neutral eyes that I had only seen once before. In the Queen Mother. Eyes that weighed and measured you and passed judgment. Eyes that did not care if you lived or died. It was more unsettling looking into those unemoting eyes than to stare into the hungry yellow eyes of a Hell hound. At least you knew what compelled that animal.

  "Father," Halcyon said, his voice a weak whisper from the bed. "Mona Lisa. My friend."

  "Your friend?" The High Lord arched a brow, an identical echoing gesture of his son's. "Your blood coats her hands," he observed, and silky menace coated his voice, thicker than the blood staining my palms.

  I glanced down at my incriminating hands, at the guilty blood gleaming so darkly red against my white skin. "I was only easing his pain."

  Halcyon nodded. "She brought me here."

  "Winston said Shadow did."

  Halcyon smiled. "Him, too."

  "And he brought her here as well instead of ripping her apart and feasting on her tender blood and delicate body parts."

  I shivered at the gruesome image those cool words conveyed. It took great effort not to fidget under that cold, cold stare.

  "I claimed her as my mate," Halcyon said. "Shadow would not comprehend the meaning of friend."

  The dark brow winged up again. "And he accepted her as such?"

  "He smelled my scent upon her."

  "I see."

  I wondered if the High Lord did and felt a blush rising in my face.

  "Call me Blaec." The High Lord flashed me a sudden white smile, wielding charm as effectively as did his son.

  I blinked. "Blaec? What an unusual name."

  "It means 'darkness. "

  "Oh." I swallowed. "And yet your son is named for joy and happiness."

  A fleeting shadow of memory and regret chased over the High Lord's face, then was gone. "A mother's wish for her son," he said quietly.

  Procuring a pristine white handkerchief from an inner pocket, the High Lord offered it to me.

  I gratefully wiped his son's blood from my hands. Not knowing what to do with it now that it was stained, I left it on the small bedside table.

  Blaec's eyes swept over Halcyon's torn chest with almost cool detachment. But when it alighted on the bite mark, a ripple of dark power pulsed, thickening the air, filling the room. Making it suddenly hard for me to breathe.

  "Who dared?" Blaec hissed, leaning down to catch the scent.

  "Mona Louisa," Halcyon said.

  "Does she still live?"

  "Yes."

  Something unspoken passed between the two of them. Lightly, Blaec ran his fingers over his son's neck, just above the skin. When those fingers lifted, I gasped. The marks were no more.

  Blaec swept his hands slowly down Halcyon's chest, floating over the surface, healing the torn flesh. And it was healing so effortless, so unfelt. Always before, with Janelle, with myself, you could feel the power flowing from one to the other. But not so here. I stood only a foot away and did not sense anything. No pulse of power or strumming of energy. He just moved his hands and tissue was healed. And the complete absence of effort spoke more eloquently than words of the vast power he must wield in those hands. What one could heal, one could also destroy.

  Even knowing this, when Blaec turned to me and pushed open the collar of my man's shirt to reveal my own jagged wound, I did not flinch or draw back. I just looked into those cool chocolate eyes with the knowledge of his power clear in my eyes as he lifted a hand and ran it over my torn shoulder. He did not touch my skin, but a feeling of tingling warmth, of heat, fell from the shadow of his hand and balmed my flesh.

  "You have no fear." He removed his hand.

  "There is nothing I could do should you decide to hurt or heal me," I said quietly.

  Blaec's dark eyes glinted. "You'll do," he murmured. "Come."

  "Where are we going?" I asked.

  "Back to your people."

  "You are taking me back to the portal?"

  Blaec nodded. "I will await you at the front entrance."

  Alone once more in the room, I looked down to find Halcyon's gaze warm upon me.

  "You are well?" I asked.

  "And will be even more so in a few days."

  The sting of tears bit the backs o
f my eyes. "I am so sorry that you were injured this badly."

  "Shhh," Halcyon crooned and grasped my hand. With gentle pressure he brought me down to him. Lifting his head, he met my lips for the first time, real, with his. Soft. A tender brushing. A sweet pressing of tender flesh to tender flesh. A searching, discovering. A knowing, now, of the shape of my mouth, the feel of his. A light stroke over the seam of my closed lips asking for entrance, for a greater knowing.

  I drew back and looked down at him, my lonely prince, wondering why he drew me so. Wondering if his warm eyes would grow cold like his father's as the centuries marched slowly by.

  "This attraction between us is now endangering you," I said. It had almost gotten me killed before. Now it had almost killed him. "We must end it. For both our sakes."

  He shrugged, gave a wry smile, and answered simply, "I cannot. I cannot stay away from you, though I truly tried."

  "Oh, Halcyon."

  "You have so much love within you," he said quietly, his eyes searching mine. "Can you not spare a little for me?"

  My heart twisted at his words. I did love him. And not just a little. But telling him this would only worsen things, not help. Wouldn't it?

  "You are my only friend." Halcyon sat up suddenly and folded me into his arms. "My chosen mate," he whispered against my lips. "Do not leave me alone."

  I closed my eyes, unable to resist his plea otherwise. "I cannot stay here."

  I felt a sad smile curve those soft red lips. "I know. And I cannot be long away from here." A soft releasing sigh, a promising kiss.

  "But I shall see you when High Council meets. And perhaps upon occasion at Belle Vista, your home, if your invitation still remains open to me."

  I gazed into his eyes, into those bittersweet eyes so like his father's and yet so different. They swirled, alive with emotion. It was those eyes that helped make up my mind. I could not bear the thought of those eyes growing cold, detached. Becoming neutral. He'd been alone for so long. I knew how precious love was; it did not matter how long or short a time you held it for.

  I sighed and smiled and yielded. "You are always welcome, Halcyon. In my home and in my heart." And I kissed him, sealing my soft pledge.

  "Mona Lisa," he murmured and crushed me to him. I opened my mouth to him and he stole in, a sweet marauder, plundering what I offered and giving so much more in return. His tongue sought mine out with rough passion, glided sensuously against my tongue in a sweet wet slide. He trembled against me, broke the seal of our lips, and laughed softly against the sensitive hollow of my ear. "Ah, Hellcat, you make me ache when I am too weak to do anything about it."

  My hand slid down to stroke his bold length, to measure his sweet arousal. He groaned and shifted against my hand as I savored the lovely fullness of him. "You don't feel weak," I purred.

  He gave me one last hard, almost husbandly peck and set me away from him. "We will not put it to the test." His eyes grew heavy-lidded, slumberous. "Until later, when I am fully recovered."

  "Until later." I echoed his promise with a sultry smile. "Heal quickly." One last glance at the son, and I closed the door behind me and made my way downstairs to the waiting father.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Without a word the High Lord led me outside. My attention was caught immediately by the two horses on the front lawn, if that was what they could be called. I stared at them with both wonder and apprehension.

  Suddenly the dark tower groaned. The walls shook and the ground quaked. I whirled back to catch the High Lord calmly removing his hand from where he had pressed it against the smooth black wall. The trembling ceased.

  "What was that?" I said.

  "I set the wards. Nothing can enter now."

  That sounded nice. It would keep Halcyon safe until he regained his full strength. "What about getting out?" I asked.

  "The stones of Darkling Tower are keyed to Halcyon's hand as well. He will be able to leave when he is ready." Darkling Tower. Another edifice with a name. And how appropriately named.

  Once that task was accomplished, Blaec seemed like a different person. His eyes were no longer empty but filled with energy, with purpose. He strode down the front steps, fairly strumming with impatience, as if he couldn't wait to be off or rid of me. I trailed warily after him. Wary because he headed straight for those giant demon horses.

  I was getting a bad feeling about this and was trying to find a polite way to tell the High Lord that I didn't ride, in case he was getting any ideas that way, when he plucked me up and swung me onto the back of one of the animals, completely ignoring my sputtering sounds of protest. Blaec's hands lifted from me and then I was alone on the terrifying beast. I squeaked as I felt myself sliding sideways and instinctively tightened my hold on the flowing mane, but it was the gentle unseen power shifting me upright like an invisible pushing hand that really kept me from falling.

  "Was that you, High Lord?" I managed to squeak out.

  Blaec leaped gracefully onto his own mount, a jet-black stallion that neighed and snorted, eager to be off. And I noticed then that it wasn't only its greater size that set the demon horse apart from its equine brothers up on Earth. It was also the eyes. They flared to life, a fierce, fiery red then faded slowly back to dark brown. Sharp intelligence glinted in those knowing eyes.

  "No, that was Mary, your horse," Blaec said.

  I gazed down at Mary with surprise. Whereas the stallion was ebony black, she was pure white, like fresh-fallen snow. "Er… thank you, Mary."

  The mare tossed her head in acknowledgment and gave a polite little neigh. Her eyes, I noted thankfully, were not glowing red. No doubt they would, though, if I aggravated her enough. I tried not to do so. I tried to hold real still as Mary took off in a gentle canter after the stallion, as if by not moving, I wouldn't imperil my perilous balance. It sounded good in theory, but like many good theorems, did not work out in application. I continued to shift and tilt and slide sideways, and Mary continued to patiently push me back upright with that invisible hand.

  The stallion snorted in disgust, prancing in place, waiting for us to catch up with them. His rider snorted in equally impatient disgust.

  "Hell fire," Blaec said, not bothering with charm anymore. "You're stiff, like an iron poker's shoved up your ass. No wonder you keep falling over. You've got to relax, girl, if you want to keep your seat."

  "Why didn't you say something sooner!" I said. He wasn't the only one disgusted. "This is my first time on a horse."

  "Really?" Blaec said dryly, "I couldn't tell. Oh, just pretend that it's my son you're riding."

  I gasped in outrage but the High Lord turned and galloped off before I could come up with a scathing retort.

  "Stupid, arrogant male," I muttered. Mary neighed. Her eyes laughed kindly back at me, as if I amused her. "Well, he is," I said to her and groaned as I slid sideways once more. Gently, she shifted me back.

  "Let me just walk," I called ahead to Blaec.

  "I told you before, no time."

  "What's the rush," I muttered, and grimly concentrated on relaxing, letting my upper body roll with the easy rocking motion of my mount. Surprisingly, it did help me keep my seat, and the fact that the High Lord was right only served to rankle me more.

  We passed a scattering of shabby abodes. The demon dead were out and about. Men, women, but no children. They bowed to the High Lord, eyed my white glowing skin hungrily. They made no effort to approach me, but their hot gazes itched my back.

  When I finally seemed to be getting the hang of staying on Mary, Blaec said, "Hang on." With that one warning, he murmured something to the stallion. The great beast gathered itself and sprung up, stretching out, soaring into the air, floating up, up, and then down in a long effortless arc, covering well over a hundred feet.

  I only had time to say, "No!" and squeeze my knees tightly around Mary's barrel sides, and then she was also springing up, air-bound, dropping my stomach down into my feet and choking a gasp out of my throat as she landed a soari
ng distance away. Her feet barely touched the ground before she sprang up again in another giant leap after the High Lord's stallion. "Goddamn it! You're supposed to be horses, not leap frogs."

  But my protests seemed not to matter to them. When Mary finally came to a halt, I slid off her, falling into an ungraceful heap beside her dainty hooves, thankful once more to be on solid demon ground. She eyed me sadly, as if sorry for one so clumsy.

  Blaec dismounted with a natural fluidity that I was beginning to despise. Walking over, he offered me a slender, elegant hand. Grudgingly I took it and he lifted me to my feet with hardly a pull.

  "Showoff," I muttered and he grinned. He grinned, the bastard.

  "No wonder he calls you his hellcat."

  With a gentle murmur of thanks and a light stroke on their powerful necks, Blaec sent the demon horses on their way.

  I assumed there was a portal here. Couldn't really tell. It looked just like an ordinary clearing. But when I turned my head, looking around, I caught sight of it: a shimmering white force, barely visible, like a blurring of reality you could only see from the corner of your eye. If you looked at it straight on, it disappeared.

  I stepped toward the portal. "My thanks for escorting me here, High Lord," I said grudgingly. I still had manners, even though his had apparently completely fled.

  "My duty is not yet done, child." Blaec took my arm.

  "You don't have to bring me up."

  "I will accompany you. Then you will bring me to Mona Louisa."

  I halted. "You're going after her," I said flatly.

  "Yes."

  I regarded him calmly. "What if I told you that I will take care of her?"

  Blaec shook his head. "I must see to the matter myself."

  My shoulders and the back of my neck were already tense from that harrowing ride-flight. Now they were tightening even more—great big knots of tension that threatened a pounding headache if they continued.

  I did not want to be responsible for Blaec's safety. No, that wasn't true. I really did not want to be responsible for his death. Halcyon had said that his father had not walked the Earth for a long, long time. And the longer you'd been away, the harder it would be to play.