The Fox’s Tale

The rest of the weekend was spent relaxing in our apartment or screwing our brains out. I had almost forgotten about our dinner with the Unseelie queen, but at five pm on Sunday our doorbell rang. “It’s open,” I called, but no one stepped through.

“Oh, oh shit, no, they can’t come in unless we invite them.” Ellery scrambled to the door with me close behind.

“Why? Are they vampires?”

Ellery looked at me and shook her head. “Don’t use that word. They don’t like it. They prefer Incorruptibles, but yes, basically, that’s what they are.” She opened the door and greeted them with a smile. “Lucas, Darcie, welcome.” She stepped back so that they could enter.

Darcie was dressed like a cross between Lolita and a Goth in a black baby doll dress, spiked dog collar, black fishnet stockings and platform high heeled Mary Janes that made her tower over Ellery. Without them they would probably be the same height. Her hair was an unnatural shade of burgundy and I had a vague recollection of seeing her around the school.

Lucas had jet black hair, earrings in both ears, and was roughly six feet tall. He looked every bit as dangerous as his identity indicated he would. He was also dressed in all black, but wore motorcycle boots, black jeans, a black tee shirt tight enough to show major muscle definition, and a leather jacket. He grinned at Ellery showing off his canines.

“We are honored, your highness.”

I took a step back unsure how I felt about letting freaking vampires into my home, but Ellery gave each of them a hug and I relaxed a fraction. Lucas noticed my tension and laughed.

“I see the Crown Princess has informed you of our nature. Relax. We aren’t anything like how we’ve been portrayed over the centuries.”

“Lucas, you know that isn’t entirely true,” piped up Darcie.

He shot a glare at her. “Do you wish to upset Ellery’s Other, Darcie? If so, by all means keep talking. Otherwise hush.”

“I just feel that he deserves to know the truth about us, is all,” Darcie insisted.

Lucas scoffed, but acquiesced. “The only things the legends have gotten right are that we drink blood, have increased speed and strength, have to be invited into a place the first time, and we endure impossibly long existences.

“We are not undead, and we were born this way, not turned. Nor are we soulless. We can’t turn into bats; sunlight, garlic, silver, holy water, and crosses have no adverse effects on us, and we certainly don’t sparkle.”

I snorted. “I see. And you’re called Incorruptibles because?”

“We are called that because we are immune to all forms of magic, poison, temptations, and shame. Our loyalties cannot be bought, coerced, or forced because we have a tolerance for pain unlike any other and are exceedingly hard to kill.”

On that note Darcie took Ellery into the bedroom to begin dressing her. Lucas shrugged out of his jacket and we looked at each other for five minutes without speaking. I had the nagging feeling that I had seen him before, but try as I might, I couldn’t say for certain where or when.

At last he sighed and said, “don’t bother.” I shot him a confused look and he went on. “You’re trying to place where you’ve seen me before. You can’t, not unless I want you to.”

“That’s not comforting.”

Lucas shrugged. “The truth rarely is so allow me to ease some of your concern. Your first day of school, in the parking lot. I have seen you enumerable times before and after that, but you were too enamored with either your company or the Crown Princess to notice. I am her official bodyguard from the Unseelie realm after all.”

He gestured to the door of our bedroom suite. ”Shall we use the dressing room, sir?”

“Fine by me, but I still don’t think I need help getting dressed.”

“There are elements of your wardrobe that you will need assistance with, sir.” We walked into the dressing room between the closet and bathroom.

“Stop calling me ‘sir’ Lucas. Alexander is fine.”

“I will try to remember.” Lucas opened one of the largest boxes we had received to reveal a military inspired jacket in black with red accents. The next boxes revealed a matching vest, a white shirt and black pants.

“Nothing about this looks unusual, Lucas. Costumey, but not unusual. I’m sure I’ll be fine by myself.”

Lucas coughed. “We’ll see about that.” He pulled the pants out of their box. “Begin with these.”

I rolled my eyes. “Fine, give them to me.” I took them from Lucas and laid them on the ottoman, before stripping out of what I had on. I reached for them and Lucas cleared his throat.

“If I may, you will need to be naked for the pants to fit as intended.”

“Are you shitting me?”

“I’m afraid not.”

I glared at the pants and then at Lucas. “Turn around then. I’m not in the habit of showing off my tackle to guys I’ve just met.” Lucas raised an eyebrow at me, which reminded me of someone that I couldn’t place, but did as I ordered.

I pulled off my boxers and had the pants halfway up when I realized how tight they were. “Shit,” I muttered as I pulled them up the rest of the way, and adjusted myself before buttoning the fly. “Are they supposed to be this tight?”

Lucas turned around with an unsettling smile on his lips. “Your body will adjust. The Unseelie enjoy the feel of restrictive clothing, and how it enables them to appreciate the shape of the bodies wearing said clothing.”

“A simple yes would have sufficed, Lucas. I take it the shirt, vest, and jacket are equally tight?”

“They are, hence my presence.”

I groaned. “At least I know why I’m having to go commando. Okay, help me with the shirt.” He wrestled me into the shirt and then the vest. It was tight enough at first to make my breathing shallow, but as he had predicted my body began to adjust.

“Should we put the jacket on now?” I asked.

“No, we have a few other items to see to first.”

I patted myself. “I don’t have room for anything else, Lucas.”

He laughed. “Don’t worry; everything sent will be taken care of. Let me put your boots on for you.”

“I’m not sure I can sit.” I eased myself down and the pants did terrible things to my genitals, highlighting everything in a way that made my face hot. “Holy fuck. I’m not going to have to sit where anyone can see my crotch, am I?”

Lucas shrugged. “It won’t make any difference to the Unseelie. Modesty and shame are trappings of humanity. There is very little of it to be found in the Seelie Court and even less in the Unseelie Court. Judgment on the other hand, exists in spades in both realms.”

He finished putting my boots on and stood up. “Shall I pierce your ear for you now, sir?”

“Excuse me? Why would I need my ear pierced?”

He looked at me like I was an idiot before walking over to another box. He lifted something out and held it towards me. “For the ear cuff.”

I made a face. “I don’t want my ear pierced, Lucas. I’m not wearing that.”

“It’s only for the dinner. You may remove it at any time you wish after you leave.”

I crossed my arms in defiance. “No.”

Lucas stiffened. “I am unsure how to proceed.”

We entered into another staring contest before he yielded. “Let us go see the Crown Princess. Perhaps when you see how she is dressed you will reconsider your stance.”

He turned to leave the dressing room and as I followed him I said, “I highly doubt it.”

I smacked into his back as Lucas had stopped short just inside the bedroom door. It was like walking into a brick wall.

“Your highness,” he breathed.

“Doesn’t she look magnificent, Lucas? Move out of Alexander’s way so he can see her.”

I stepped around Lucas and sucked in my breath. At first all I could do was stare, so that’s what I did. I stared at Ellery with my mouth open. My eyes roamed over her as my mind tried to take in what she was wearing.

I forced myself to start at the top. Darcie had braided Ellery’s hair back from her face and had twisted the braids along with the rest of her hair into an updo.

Her hair was studded with platinum and diamond hair pins shaped like stars and one shaped like a crescent moon. She was wearing more makeup than she usually wore, especially around the eyes which made them seem even larger and the color more intense. Earrings of onyx, opals, and rubies set in platinum dangled from her earlobes and matched the choker around her neck.

I moved my gaze down further to take in the top of her outfit. She’d been laced into a black corset with a vee between her breasts that reached almost to her sternum. A small skirt attached to the corset flared out from her waist and curved down over her hips.

The fabric it was made of was also black, but was sheer so that you could see all of the boning in the layers. The edges were scalloped, but came to points creating the effect that it was made out of bat wings.

Beneath the bat skirt was a tight fitting mini skirt, also black, that would get her arrested for indecent exposure if she bent over. Black garters snaked out from beneath it and connected to the sheer black stockings she wore.

Ellery stood balanced by the side of our bed on platform stilettos that were finished with embellishments that coordinated them with her bat skirt.

Her left hand sported what at first glance looked like black paint, but on closer inspection appeared to be a half of glove that encased her middle, ring, and pinky fingers in black vinyl with protruding claws. After I finished taking all of this in I looked back at her face. She sighed.

“You don’t have to say anything, I know I look ridiculous.”

I licked my lips as a slow smile spread across my face. “Ridiculous is not the word I would use.” I turned to Lucas. “Which ear?”

Lucas took a moment to tear his gaze away from Ellery. “Did you say something?”

“Which ear?”

“Are you right or left handed?”

“Right, but what-”

Lucas interrupted me. “Ring and ear cuff on the dominant side, claw on the non-dominant. Your claw is platinum by the way instead of silver. You’re welcome.” He gestured for me to return to the dressing room and off we went. As he prepared the earring and cuff I felt him tremble. I cut my eyes to him.

“Are you okay, man?”

He nodded and then spoke in a voice thick with emotion. “The Crown Princess looks especially beautiful this evening.”

“She does, doesn’t she? I’m so fucking lucky.”

“I’m glad you realize it.”

I heard the sorrow and longing in his voice and I looked away. “You’re in love with her, aren’t you?”

He gave a brittle laugh. “No. There has only ever been one woman I loved the way you are suggesting. I do, however, care deeply for the Crown Princess. I suppose you could call it love, but it is not romantic in nature. She looks remarkably like her mother did in her court dress.”

He focused on the floor. “Once you have your marking ceremony I will resign my post as one of her personal bodyguards, if you wish.”

“Why would I want you to do that?”

“Sir?” he asked, confused.

“For fuck’s sake Lucas, I told you not to call me ‘sir.’ It makes me feel weird, okay? As for why I don’t want you to resign; no one could be more devoted to keeping her safe than someone who loves her.”

He eyed me for a moment, as if he was trying to determine if I was spinning him a story. “That is remarkably open minded. I was under the impression that Shifters were overbearingly possessive of their mates.”

I glared up at him. “Not like that. At least not in my family.”

“I see.” He ran a finger behind my ear. “Then the divinities have truly blessed the Crown Princess with you as her Other.”

I took a deep breath. “The only thing I’m letting you pierce is my ear, Lucas. I’m not a switch hitter.”

Lucas laughed a genuine laugh this time. “Duly noted. Shall we begin?” I’ll spare you the details of how Lucas managed to pierce my ear, but I bet you can guess. Once I was fully decked out I thanked him for his assistance.

“You’re welcome. Try to keep yourself rigid when you walk.” He demonstrated what he was talking about. “It will give you an imperious air that will impress the members of court and help with the discomfort of the pants.”

“Like this?” I copied what he’d done and he nodded with approval. “How do you know what to do? Have you worn this type of thing before?”

“Once upon a time, yes. I cannot fathom why Esmeralda has not modified court dress. I don’t miss it.” He tidied up the boxes that everything had come in. Despite my initial reservations I found myself warming to Lucas.

“Will you be coming with us?” I asked. “It would be nice to know someone else going in.”

Lucas spoke his next words with care. “A Winter Knight will come to escort you from the portal to the palace. Darcie and I will not be allowed to accompany you past that point.”

He looked me dead in the eyes. “We are Incorruptible, but the Unseelie Realm is not. You must stick by her side, Alexander Vos, while she is there. Do you understand what I am telling you?”

I did, all too well. “How can I reach you if there is trouble?” I asked as we headed to collect Ellery and Darcie.

“Touch your ear. The drop of blood has given us a link.”