SWNOVELS Queens and Monsters: Chapter 6
Dray was a big fat liar. He went back to the House of Wren. Ergo I was alone. Therefore he lied.
You’re not alone, Rhysa.
His voice echoed in my head. I looked everywhere, slightly scared shitless.
Dray?
Call me if you need me. I’m right here. You’re not alone.
And then I felt the connection go dark.
I wasn’t sure if that was real, super cool, or freaky as fuck. I guess I could ask Gigi when she arrived for dinner. Dray had “business to attend to” so once Hecta showed up for her shift, he left.
I wasn’t entirely sure what was happening between us. We had a powerful connection. I was attracted to him and intrigued by his mix of surly protective overlord and caring brother. Maybe attraction wasn’t enough. Maybe I wouldn’t know what was between us until I knew him better and he knew me.
And probably after I figured out what my life even was anymore.
My phone dinged in the next room and it took me a minute to dig it out of my backpack.
Olivia: Dropping off dinner! Be there in five.
With everything that was happening, I begged off on weekend dinner. She insisted on bringing something tonight instead. And since I loved her cooking I said yes.
I warned Hecta a human was dropping by and to be scarce. Two minutes later there was a knock at my door.
“You look exhausted.” Olivia pushed past me with arms full of grocery bags.
She was dressed in jeans, a blouse, and a blazer, so probably fresh from class, not the law offices. Her dark hair was up in a fancy bun and her neck adorned with flashy jewels. Olivia loved jewelry.
“Well thanks for the compliment.” I slammed the door shut and followed her into my kitchen.
“I know, I know. End of the semester is always hard, but you really do look tired. I worry.” She patted my cheek. “Which is why I brought more than dinner. It’s important that you keep your nutrition up.” She began unloading the bags.
A premade salad with lots of veggies.
A turkey white bean chili.
A breakfast casserole.
My favorite chicken pot pie.
A bottle of orange juice, yogurt, and freshly baked bread.
“Hopefully this will help get you through the week.” She began organizing my refrigerator and preheating the oven for the pot pie.
It might get me through tomorrow. Gigi thought my diet would stabilize a little, that I was probably going through so much that I was burning more energy than normal. She also said this weekend would blow my mind.
I was looking forward to it. I had so many questions and as great as she’d been at answering them, seeing and experiencing things teaches much faster than hearing second hand.
“How are you feeling about your classes?”
“Good.” Even with being completely derailed, I knew the material and was ready to turn in final assignments and take the tests. And really, my expectations had taken a nosedive. Did it matter if I got a ninety-nine versus an eighty-one? Both were good grades. Luckily I was an excellent student and had pretty high averages before my life flipped upside down. I could afford a little wiggle room at the end.
“Did you get the classes you wanted for fall semester?” She slid the pie into the oven, then pulled out hummus and naan. “Appetizer?”
My stomach growled. Again. I felt like that’s all it did these days. “Sounds good to me!”
We settled at the table and chatted about classes for a while. She was teaching a new class next year so she was putting the syllabus together for that as well as preparing data for a case coming up at the law firm.
I told her I had some new friends, leaving out the non-human part.
Naturally.
It was nice to be mothered for a little while. Olivia was probably the closest I had ever come to having someone truly maternal in my life. I wanted to tell her everything that was happening to me, and knowing that I couldn’t, hurt.
After dinner she stored away my leftovers and gave me a big hug. “Get some sleep. Chicken pot pie is notorious for good dreams. And promise me you’ll take at least a week off when the semester is over. It’s important to recover.”
Nervous energy ricocheted through me. “I’m actually going away for a bit.” I still wasn’t sure where the House of Axl was located.
“Wonderful.” She gave my hand a squeeze.
An hour later Gigi arrived with Chinese takeout and I devoured all of that too.
“So we’ll leave right from the lab. My shift is over at two.”
“How long will it take to get there?” At least I had a little bit more of an idea about my weekend travel plans. The Wrens lived in the mountains on a large piece of property where different branches of the family all had their own space.
“It’s about an hour from here. You’ll be so distracted by the mountain views you won’t even notice the time pass.”
So no vanishing in the mist as a form of travel. Noted. “I’m nervous to meet your family.” I wanted them to like me the way I liked Gigi and Dray.
“Don’t worry about them. Just be prepared for loud. When all nine of us are together things get noisy in a hurry. Everyone is excited to meet you and help you learn all about your new life.”
“Your family isn’t really in real estate is it?”
She blushed. “No. That’s our human cover story. Don’t hate me.”
I rolled my eyes. Like I could hate her for having a human story to cover up her real samhain life. “And the charity ball?”
“I mean, it was really a ball, but it wasn’t for charity.” She sipped her wine. “Since the families live in relative isolation, we have regular rituals to bring the families together. That night was the Super Moon. All of the House of Wren allied families get dressed up in their finest to meet and celebrate.” She took another sip. “It’s the best time to mingle with potential mates.”
“So it’s a mating party?” I teased her.
“Not at all,” she shot back. “It’s very proper and formal.”
“Dray said samhain are more sexual than humans.” I had so many questions about that and no time to ask them before now.
“We are.” Her gaze unfocused as she stared at the wall. “Definitely throw all your human preconceptions out. We don’t have the same prudish views on sexuality. Sex is different than mating, and mating is complicated to explain. We’ll get to it. All you need to know for now is we like the sexy times. A lot.”
Fair enough. If my response to a few minutes alone with Dray was any indication, the samhain were very into the sexy times.
We sat quietly for a while, letting each other have some quiet and time to think. It was one of my favorite things about Gigi. She might be effervescent, but she also enjoyed silence.
“Do you think I’ll ever meet my mother or her family?”
Gigi set her wine down and gave me her full focus, which I appreciated. “Yes. Dray is using his position to contact the right people and start making plans. He’s hoping it will be easier after you visit Lord Axl.”
“I don’t like feeling like I’m a pawn in someone else’s game.”
“I understand. It will get easier. I promise.”
I had to take her word on that. I poured a little more wine into my glass. “What happened to your parents?” It was strange to realize we had a little in common.
“It was a long time ago.” She swirled her wine, focusing on it like she could see her memories playing out like a movie. “I was six when it happened. An accident. Took them both. Dray became head of the house at the age of eleven. We were raised by our aunt. We all, of course, were devastated to lose them, but there was always so much love in our house. Aunt Bethany made sure we grieved and found purpose again. Only Dray had trouble. I think the weight of responsibility being thrust on him at such a young age changed him forever.” She smiled and her gaze unfocused. “He was the funniest kid. He still is sometimes, but it takes more to pull it out of him.” Then her gaze snapped to mine. “You’re connected. You and Dray. Your fates are intertwined. I can see it but not all the details. Not yet.”
That felt so right it actually calmed me a little. “I care about him.”
“And he cares for you. He’s loyal to his core.”
Part of me worried he only cared for me due to his loyalty. It was hard to pick apart the two with that man.
“Interesting.” Gigi sat forward, sliding her wine glass onto the table. “You have feelings for him…and you doubt they’re returned.”
I gave her a look. “I thought you weren’t telepathic.”
“I’m not,” she laughed, “but your aura is powerful and very easy to read.”
I had an aura?
“Did you know we experience something sometimes called Fated Mates? It’s when someone is destined to be with someone else. Their connection is beyond all other connections.”
Was I Fated to be with Dray? He dreamt of me before he knew me. “That’s a pretty big leap for someone I barely know.”
Her eyes wandered over me like she was seeing me for the first time. “My best friend and my big brother, Fated. Huh. This is cool.”
“How does one know if one is fated?” My heart started racing. As much as I liked Dray and really wanted to spend more time with him, this conversation was quickly veering out of control.
“You know already. And so does he. And it scares the piss out of you both. I mean, I get that there are complications with the war and you being half enemy, but he’s not at your side out of honor. Yes, he chose to exercise the treaty and stand for you in the place of your mother, but it’s so much more than that. He chose you first. He’s just using the treaty as an excuse.”
I swallowed down a lump in my throat as I remembered the night we shared, how perfect and necessary he felt. How he said I’d never be alone. “I think that’s about all I can take tonight.”
Gigi laughed. “Oh honey. Wait until tomorrow. You have no idea what overwhelmed is.”