"What about the idea of asking Anadey?" Leo's lips were thin and white and little lines flared around the edges of his eyes. Oh yeah, he had it bad and he was aware enough to recognize that Chatter had eyes for my cousin.

I looked at Rhiannon. "It's up to you-either we ask Chatter, or we go to Anadey's this evening and ask her for help. Whichever you choose is fine by me, but we have to get you help and it has to be soon."

She debated, glancing at Leo, then at the front door. After a moment she whispered, "I guess we'd better ask Anadey first. If she can't help me, then maybe Chatter will."

Leo visibly relaxed. "Good choice," he muttered, but I gave him another look and he shut up. The last thing we needed were testosterone wars running rampant around here.

At that moment, Grieve and Chatter returned.

"We'd best be gone and back to the Barrow," Grieve said. "They'll be expecting us."

"What if they know you two were the ones who helped us get away?" I held his gaze, not wanting him to go, wanting to go upstairs and do unspeakable things with every inch of him.

"Don't worry-they won't. I promise you. But you need to guard this house or get yourselves away from here before nightfall." He lifted my chin, reaching down to kiss me lightly. I ignored Leo's and Kaylin's bristling, and draped my arms around his shoulders, letting him lift me to my feet as the kiss intensified.

Heady. He tasted like summer wine and incense and wild mushrooms and cinnamon, and I let out a faint groan. Grieve sucked in a deep breath and leaned his head back, his teeth glistening and sharp, ready for the strike.

"Grieve-" Chatter's timid voice broke through the s.e.x haze I was drifting in and I gently tapped Grieve on the shoulder.

He held me fast for another minute, staring into my eyes, a triumphant smirk on his face, then he let go and-without a word-turned to leave. Chatter mumbled a hasty farewell, and before we could blink, they were gone from the house and I closed the door behind them.

I turned back to the others.

"Don't say it. Don't say a word. Grieve and I . . . We are whatever it is we're becoming, and like it or not, he and I are linked."

"You want want it to be that way," Leo said, a slight accusatory tone in his voice. "Don't trust him, Cicely. He's one of it to be that way," Leo said, a slight accusatory tone in his voice. "Don't trust him, Cicely. He's one of them them."

"No! Yes . . . but not fully . . ." Frustrated, I kicked at the burnt chair. "I can't explain this. Grieve and I have some sort of bond that formed long before he was turned by the Indigo Court. Why else would I have the wolf guardian tattoo and why else would he have a tattoo of me on his thigh? I trust him . . . as far as I can."

"Fine," Leo said abruptly. "You trust him, okay. But what are you going to do about balancing your work for Regina and the Crimson Court, and your feelings for Grieve?"

"It's not like I forgot about the vampires. Trust me, dude. I'm as confused as you are and whatever I do has to straddle both worlds. And I have to decide whether to tell Grieve about it."

"You're going to feed Grieve the information that you're spying on him and his people? How stupid can you be?" Leo jumped up. "I don't care if you f.u.c.k him. But are you forgetting the little matter that Grieve's new family kidnapped your aunt and my sister and our friend Peyton? Did you forget all of them all of them?" His face contorted and then he punched the air and took off toward the stairs.

"Leo-" I started, but Rhiannon stopped me.

"No, let him go. He's just angry and worked up. I'll try to calm him down. I understand both sides, unfortunately." She turned and raced after him.

Helplessly, I turned to Kaylin. "Is he right? Am I just not seeing things clearly?"

He sidled over to me. "Little girl, you aren't seeing anything but the sheets."

I bristled at the "little girl" but he just snorted.

"Remember, I'm one hundred and one years old. I can call you 'little girl' or 'little child' or 'wayward brat' if I want to, as long as you're younger than me."

"You really think so, do you?"

"I've got seventy-five years on you, Cicely-never forget that, even though I look your age. Rhiannon's right. And you're right. You and Grieve do have a connection. But I also believe that he has you under his power. Probably a venom in his fangs. The Fae of the Indigo Court are extremely seductive, and they inherited the vampire's ability to seduce along with their own natural charms, which pretty much makes them rocket scientists when it comes to s.e.x."

Without thinking, I reached up to touch the grazed skin on my neck. Was Kaylin right? Was Grieve playing a game with me? The memory of his touch, his tongue on my neck swept me under again and I let out a soft moan as I pressed the skin where he'd bitten me.

"h.e.l.l, woman, you're lucky I have any honor," Kaylin whispered.

My eyes fluttered open. He was staring at me intently, and I could tell he was aroused right through those tight jeans of his. Blushing, I lowered my hand. "I'm sorry . . . I don't know . . ."

"You reek reek of desire. I can smell you from here. And the look on your face-you're begging to be f.u.c.ked." He shook his head when I started to protest. "Save it. I'm not standing on ceremony because if I was any other man-a man with a weaker will-we'd be on the floor right now and I'd be s.c.r.e.w.i.n.g your brains out. You'd better go take a cold shower and think long and hard about the situation." of desire. I can smell you from here. And the look on your face-you're begging to be f.u.c.ked." He shook his head when I started to protest. "Save it. I'm not standing on ceremony because if I was any other man-a man with a weaker will-we'd be on the floor right now and I'd be s.c.r.e.w.i.n.g your brains out. You'd better go take a cold shower and think long and hard about the situation."

Stunned, angry, I made my way up to my room, where I stripped off my clothes, then hit the shower. I scrubbed the slightly sore wound on my neck-and every other part of my body-with a vanilla body wash, thinking about what Kaylin had said. As I stood under the pounding water for a good half hour, my thoughts began to clear.

f.u.c.k. Could Kaylin be right?

After a while, I stepped out of the shower and dried off, feeling self-conscious. Maybe Grieve was on our side-I wanted to believe it. But could we risk Heather's and Peyton's lives if my feelings for Grieve were due to a powerful aphrodisiac in my system?

Slowly pulling on a clean cami and pair of jeans, I let out a long breath. Truth was, my heart wouldn't let me walk away. And neither would the vampires. They wanted information and I was apparently their conduit. I was caught between two enemies, a p.a.w.n for one and in love with the other.

I headed down the stairs, a dozen questions racing through my mind.

Leo and Rhiannon were back in the living room with Kaylin, and they all looked at me as I entered the room. I gave them a wary look.

"I'm sorry. I . . ."

"Kaylin explained what might be going on," Rhiannon said. She was holding The Rise of the Indigo Court The Rise of the Indigo Court in her hands. "I skimmed through. Listen to this:" in her hands. "I skimmed through. Listen to this:"

Like true vampires, the Vampiric Fae developed a venom in their bite. But the venom is specifically focused. The mutation happened when the first Unseelie were turned. The Fae's s.e.xual powers were infused into the toxin and the controlling focus became of a s.e.xual nature rather than the ability to create general suggestions. In other words, a member of the Indigo Court can s.e.xually enslave someone through their bite. With the true vampires, the suggestion can be of any sort-from something as simple as handing over money to killing oneself. The primary difference, besides the s.e.xual component, is that the venom of true vampires will wear off after a while unless a mutual blood bond is created. But the Indigo Court Fae venom is c.u.mulative and at some point the victim will be hopelessly enslaved, unable to break free. The number of bites this takes is unknown.

She glanced up at me. "How many times has he bitten you?"

My stomach churned. My feelings couldn't all all be the result of a drug, could they? There was a link between us-we'd proven that. be the result of a drug, could they? There was a link between us-we'd proven that.

I shrugged. "Just once . . . twice maybe?"

"You can't let him keep biting you," Leo said.

"At least, not until we find out just whose side he's on," Rhiannon added softly. I jerked my attention to her and she gave me a soft smile. She understood.

She understands better than any of them, Ulean's voice whispered low behind me. Ulean's voice whispered low behind me. Truth be, there is a danger with Grieve, but not in the manner that they think. Truth be, there is a danger with Grieve, but not in the manner that they think.

I wanted to protest, but decided to just roll with it. "I'll be careful. I won't say anything to him about working with Regina without talking to all of you." I let out a long breath, about to head into the kitchen for a bite to eat when the doorbell rang. "You expecting anybody?"

They shook their heads. I slowly crossed to the door, but then it occurred to me that the Indigo Court wouldn't just come knocking. They'd forcibly abducted Heather, they wouldn't politely ring the bell.

I opened the door but there was no one there. Curious, I opened the screen door and peeked out, and then I saw it. On the porch-a huge basket filled to the brim with what looked like expensive treats.

Reaching out, I poked it with my foot. Nothing moved or exploded. Finally, I picked it up and carried it into the living room. The sucker was heavy and I set it down on the coffee table.

"Apparently, somebody likes us," I said. "Christmas is still a couple weeks away but it looks like we got a present early."

"Who's it from?" Rhiannon leaned forward.

"I don't know. Let me see if there's a card. Meanwhile, is there anything to eat? I'm starving." I cautiously opened the cellophane holding everything inside. I wasn't used to presents. Krystal's idea of a birthday or Yule gift had been along the lines of a Happy Meal or a quarter-ounce of pot.

"I'll start dinner," Leo said. "Let me know what it is-and yell if you need me. Rhiannon, why don't you call Anadey?" He headed into the kitchen.

The cellophane wrap was held together by a large burgundy ribbon and bow. I unfastened them and laid them to the side, then peeled the wrap away. As I began to lift out boxes of expensive chocolates and cookies, and imported cheeses and candy-all still tightly wrapped in their original wrappings-I finally saw a card in a crimson envelope. I quietly opened the seal, which was formed of a gold wax with flakes of crimson.

You know who it's from. Ulean was behind me, I could feel the gentle breeze of her breath blowing on my ear. An entirely different sensation than when Grieve did it. Ulean was behind me, I could feel the gentle breeze of her breath blowing on my ear. An entirely different sensation than when Grieve did it.

Oh, I know.

I knew who had sent the basket before I even touched the card, which sported a beautiful bouquet of red roses on the front. As I flipped it open, sloping writing-curved, elegant calligraphy-shone out in red.

From the Crimson Court to Ms. CicelyWaters & Friends.[image]Just a token to celebrate our partnership. Here's wishing for a long and happy connection. Your first blood t.i.the is due the night after next-please meet Lannan Altos in his office at the New Forest Conservatory on Sunday evening. He will have your first month's salary in advance at that time.[image]Best, Regina AltosEmissary to the Crimson Court.

f.u.c.k. I looked up from the note. I'd hoped for a month or so to adapt to the idea but their message was clear. They owned me, blood, stock, and barrel.

And it was time to pay the piper.

Chapter 18.

I tried to underplay the note. No use getting Rhiannon upset. Meanwhile, we needed to go talk to Anadey and tell her what we'd found out about Peyton and ask if she could help Rhiannon. We called and she agreed to meet us the next morning at her house. We spent the rest of the evening strengthening the wards around the house and playing Scrabble.

The next morning, while Leo and Kaylin volunteered to stay home and try to pull together some sort of protection for the land itself, Rhiannon and I jumped into Favonis and headed for Anadey's apartment.

She was hunched over the table when we quietly entered at her Come in Come in, teacup in hand, looking ten years older than when I'd met her the first day. She gazed up at us, her eyes still red from crying. "Any news?"

It was clear she was afraid to ask, but had to.

"Some. We found their hideout, thanks to Grieve. But we had to get out of there before we were caught. Heather and Peyton were both there, alive." And I prayed they still were, after our b.u.mbling efforts. What if Myst had killed them to punish us for our intrusion? It seemed like something she might do.

We told Anadey about our trip, swearing her to silence when we described Kaylin's abilities.

She pushed back her teacup and let out a long sigh. "Okay, so I need to quit moping and do something to help save my daughter. If you have the courage to take on the Indigo Court, I have to find my own will. I'm not sure what use I can be, though. My magic's a lot more subtle than my mother's was. I work with all the elements, but I tend to do so on a more . . . molecular level. It's hard to describe. I don't cast spells so much as rearrange events."

"I wish you could time hop and rearrange Heather and Peyton being captured." I sighed. Time jumping was rare and usually only allowed one to view events, not to interfere in them.

"If I could, do you think I wouldn't have already tried?" Anadey shook her head. "There are more powers in the universe than we can hope to ever understand. And some I hope we never fully know about."

"Anadey, I have a favor to ask." Rhiannon leaned across the table. "I need help. I need your help. The fire's been unleashed from where I hid it all these years. I'm having troubles controlling it now."

Anadey blinked. "Marta told me about you-about the car incident. I wondered how long it would be before you'd open up to the energies again. You can't ever suppress something like this for good. Mother thought you had managed to eradicate it, but I knew better. That's one place we differed."

She stood up and motioned for us to follow her into the kitchen, where she rinsed out her cup and offered us peppermint cookies. "These are Peyton's favorites. I guess I thought . . . maybe if I made a batch they would act like some charm to call her home."

Accepting one of the cookies, I debated whether to ask a question that had been running through my mind. Finally, I decided that it couldn't hurt. "You didn't get along too well with Marta, did you?" I asked.

Anadey let out a stiff laugh. "My mother and I never saw eye to eye, which is one reason she never gave me entrance to her precious Society. The Thirteen Moons Society-at least this branch-was dead before it began, and what remains is a shadow of what they could have had if they'd quit being such a.s.ses. Your mother never fully belonged," she added to Rhiannon.

"What do you mean?"

"Heather tried Marta's patience, she was willing to step outside the box. Marta kept a tight rein on the leadership in fear that Heather would take over at some point, before she was ready. I know she was hoping Cicely would come home and take over, but she had no clue just what you had become, my dear."

It hurt to hear her point out my weaknesses. "I never had anybody to teach me how to practice my magic the right way," I said, my words clipped to keep the pain from my voice.

Anadey shook her head. "Oh heavens, do you think I'm criticizing you? Not at all. You have no concept how far you've come by working solitary, teaching yourself through experience. You're far stronger than you believe. For one thing, you didn't have anybody to teach you the right way right way to do things, so you never believed you were doing them to do things, so you never believed you were doing them wrong wrong."

While I thought over what she had said, Rhiannon quietly took over, rinsing our cookie saucers. After a moment, she dried her hands on a tea towel and turned back to Anadey.

"So, can you help me? Will Will you help me?" you help me?"

Anadey let out a long sigh and nodded. "Yes, but you have to agree to several conditions. You must put yourself in my hands. You must listen to me. I won't teach you the standard practices toward harnessing your powers, but I will help you find the best way for you you. Every witch is different, every spell caster and sorcerer needs to learn their own path if they are to truly coexist with the energies they have locked inside them. Whatever you might call yourself, you're of the magic-born, and you're a daughter of the fire. Will you take direction from me, even when you're afraid?"

Rhiannon gazed into Anadey's face, the fearful look that was in her eyes beginning to slide away. "I will."

"Then we begin work tomorrow-Sunday, so be here at sunrise and prepare to stay all day. We'll fast-track you. And, both of you, if there's anything I can do to help bring my daughter home, you will let me know? Because somehow, for some reason, Cicely, I think you are at the heart of this and both Heather's and Peyton's safety rests on your shoulders."

Wearing such a heavy cloak of responsibility weighed me down. As I left the apartment, I glanced back to see Anadey waving through the window. At least Rhiannon would get the help she needed to rope in her powers, to use them instead of letting them use her.

By the time we got home, Leo and Kaylin had warded the land as best as they could. It felt better-stronger, like we had a cushion separating us from the forest. I decided to spend the afternoon combing the pages of A History of the Vampire Nation A History of the Vampire Nation, while Rhiannon flipped through the The Rise of the Indigo Court. The Rise of the Indigo Court.

We needed to familiarize ourselves with both b.l.o.o.d.y worlds as much as possible. Most of the texts seemed Biblical, in that there were long lists of names-who begat whom and who sired whom-and brief encounters by people who had lived and died centuries ago.

The afternoon slid by and as evening arrived, Kaylin and Leo made a beeline for the local fried chicken joint and returned with a couple of buckets of chicken and biscuits. As they came through the door, I looked up.

"You made sure that they don't have any cross contamination with fish there, right?"

Rhiannon nodded. "Not a problem. Not a fin or scale in the joint. Just chicken." She sat the food on the table and gathered some napkins and plates for us. "What are you doing?"

"Reading till my eyes have crossed. And I finally found something that I think we need to know. Listen." I reached for a drumstick with one hand as I held the book open with the other.

The Najeeling Prophecy (see Chapter 7: Examining the Book of the Undead) speaks of a member of the Indigo Court who will rise to power, hand-in-hand with his traitorous love. Together, they will bring about the necessary events that will set in motion the final war in which the Vampire Nation will go to war with the Indigo Court. The outcome of the war is not known; the investigator who translated the Book of the Undead died in a freak accident before he could finish his translation, and the actual Book of the Undead disappeared.

"I think this is talking about Grieve and me." I tapped the book with my other hand as I took a bite of the drumstick. Though the word "traitorous" made me uneasy.

"How can you be sure, though?"

"c.r.a.p. I knew I forgot something." With all the commotion, I realized I still hadn't told them about my meeting with Crawl. Quickly, I sketched out my visit to the Blood Oracle. "I was going to tell you earlier, but with Grieve . . . and the visit to the Marburry Barrow, it got lost in the scuffle."

"You went to see the Blood Oracle and you didn't think it was important to tell us? Christ, Cicely, you can't just shut us out of stuff like that. We're all in this together, you know." Leo looked huffy and I was beginning to see that he really really didn't like feeling left out of things. Either that or he was feeling touchy because until I'd returned, the vampires were his territory. didn't like feeling left out of things. Either that or he was feeling touchy because until I'd returned, the vampires were his territory.