chapter two
Welcome Back
The door opened without a turn of the handle, swinging wide open. A tall dark man, dark enough to blend into shadows, walked through the opening. This man had black hair identical to mine that was braided in one long braid hanging against his back. His all black clothes wrapped around his musclular frame. Doyle hadn’t changed a bit. Still her majesty’s Darkness.
Behind him followed a woman a few feet shorter than him. She had hair as red as fire, in the high courts of the fey it was called Blood auburn. It was curly, almost wild and it flowed down past her shoulders. Her eyes were like mine, vibrant green but rimmed in gold not black. She was about as thin as myself.
The man that followed her made my heart stop. This man was exceptionally beautiful. He had the most beautiful eyes I had ever seen among the Sidhe. They were an icy blue color that was so clear blue that it was almost white. His pale handsome face was framed by long black hair that was loosely pulled back with a leather band. He was taller than me by about a foot and wore blue a blue shirt that was tight enough to see his chiseled body underneath. He had on black pants, brown hiking boots and a black trench coat over his shirt. I had forgotten how gorgeous Seki was.
“Damnit mother. Less power next time.” Seki made movement to walk toward me but Doyle stopped him.
“What did you think running would accomplish Orianna? All you did was worry me.” The Blood auburn haired woman glared at me. The last of my glamour faded away and my eyes glowed again. I held my stomach and balanced the rest of my weight on my other hand. Anita had been standing with one of her guns out pointed toward the crowd but I wasn’t sure if she had a target.
“It is alright Anita. It is just my…family” I spit the word with a bit of anger as she lowered her gun. Seki let out a breath that he had apparently been holding. “Seki, will you help an old friend?” I held out my hand that had been on my stomach and winced a bit. I was sure to have a bruise there by the end of the night.
Seki looked at my mother and she nodded. He walked over to me and smiled down at me. I was sure he had a smart-ass comment but this time he would keep it to himself. He took my hand and helped me up. Before I could protest he pulled me up against his chest in a very tight hug. I winced again at the pain but kept it mainly to myself, loving the fact that I was back in his arms.
Why did you leave me, Orianna? Before I had left, Seki and I had learned to talk to each other without words. His thoughts would flow into my mind and mine into his. It was an almost telepathic link. Shared only by our love for each other.
I’m sorry. It was all I could say. I couldn’t tell him the real reasons, he wouldn’t believe me.
“Orianna,” My mother chimed in. “I’m sorry I hurt you but you can’t keep pulling this shit.” I stayed in Seki’s arms and caught a look from Doyle to Seki that was almost hostile. I was going to ask Seki later what was going on but right now I was too busy wondering if Mum was going to kill me or maim me.
“I had my reasons.” She looked from me to Seki then to me again.
“Were those reasons enough to lose your most beloved friend? Orianna, listen.” She moved closer. “It is important that you come home with us.”
“I cannot.” I felt another power touching my wards but this time it wasn’t a Sidhe. A tall man stood in the doorway and looked around. His eyes were the most amazing sapphire blue I’d ever seen. His black wavy hair fell down to his shoulder. He was about Seki’s height but not as well built. He was beautiful but at the same time handsome. A strange smile formed on his lips. I could feel Anita’s energy change and her walls go back up.
“Jean-Claude what are you doing here?” My eyes widened. So this was Jean-Claude. I could tell almost immediately that he was a Vampire. It made me wonder what Anita Blake Vampire Hunter, also known as The Executioner, was doing with a Vampire in her aura.
“I felt strong power around you. It…worried me.” I blinked in confusion of the intimacy in his words. Seki’s arms tightened around me showing that he had just figured out what Jean-Claude was. Anita looked at me.
“Um, Anita was just leaving Monsieur Jean-Claude. I’m sorry I kept her from you.” I shot a glance at Anita. “Anita I look forward to tomorrow night. I look forward to getting to know you better.” I paused and looked at the strange man. “And you Monsieur Jean-Claude.” He gave a slight bow. I looked at Anita and she stared at me for a heart beat as if she was worried for me. I smiled trying to tell her that it was alright.
She nodded. “Goodnight Orianna.” She hesitated looking at everyone in the room then back to me. I nodded reassuringly then she proceeded to leave. Jean-Claude looked at me and smiled a very secretive smile. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to know what it meant. After they left mother looked at me again.
“Vampires? You really do have a death wish don’t you?” I sighed harshly. “What do you mean ‘you cannot’? It is important that you come home.”
“Why? So we can return to the ‘father wars’?” When the fighting over me had began I had dubbed it the ‘father wars’. They couldn’t just accept that they were all my fathers.
“You are my daughter that is all they need to know.” Her comment was general but she turned her head toward Doyle. Doyle’s energy jumped a bit, showing his dislike of her comment. The lash was cold and lingered. A warmer power wrapped around me like a blanket, shielding me from Doyle. It was then I realized that I was pressed up against Seki. I felt heat rush up to my face.
“We need you Ori.”
Seki looked down for a moment then looked me straight in the eyes.
“I…need you.” There
was an emotion in his eyes that I had seen before but I could never place.
“I have an important announcement to make, Orianna, and I need you
there.”
“Does it concern me?”
“Of course.” I sighed and looked up at Seki. He nodded to me.
Could I really go back? Would the Goddess call out against it? I paused. I don’t know what I was waiting for. Maybe a sign…maybe a vision, but there was nothing. I could. I knew that I could go back…I wanted to go back. I wanted to see Ceara and my home. But New York was my home and I would miss this place too.
“Fine.” Seki smiled again and hugged me tighter. “Fine. But tonight and probably half of tomorrow, I sleep.” I turned toward my bedroom then suddenly remembered. “Oh, and I’m having dinner with Ms. Blake tomorrow night. I also have some conditions to add to this deal.” Mother opened her mouth to protest but decided not to and closed her mouth.
Mother nodded. “We’ll discuss this later, but you’ll need someone to watch you. Seki will you stay with her?” Seki nodded.
“Meredith I don’t believe—“ Before Doyle could continue his protest my mother put up a hand to stop him.
“Seki will stay with Orianna. He’s the only one she fully trusts.” Doyle bowed his head but I could tell he was not happy. What had happened between Seki and Doyle? I moved away from him and took his hand, leading him to my room. I didn’t look back to say goodnight. I just said it over my shoulder.
“Goodnight Mother, Goodnight one of my many fathers.” Seki and I entered my room. He sat down on my bed and I went to my dresser. I took out my nightgown and began to put it on.
“You don’t mind do you?” Seki had seen me naked several times in the years that I was growing up but somehow things had changed. He blushed slightly and started petting Neko, my cat.
“I’ve seen you naked before.” I smiled at his embarrassment then proceeded to change. When I was finished I walked over to the bed and stretched out on it. Seki followed suit, bringing Neko with him.
“Neko seems to have taken to you.” I smiled at how much Neko like him. He smiled softly and continued petting her.
“I have a way with animals.” I couldn’t help but grin at him. It just felt so good to see him again. I touched his face, lightly running my fingertips down his jaw line. “Goddess I’ve missed you.” He took my hand in his and kissed my palm.
“Tell me what has happened with you and Doyle? You were his most trusted general. What could possibly cause such a disturbance between you?”
“We…had a disagreement about a subject that is sensitive to him.”
“Like what?” He hesitated and looked away.
“You.” I blinked. What could Seki have to say about me that Doyle wouldn’t agree with?
“What do you mean?” He continued to avert his attention.
“We didn’t agree about how I felt about you.” I blinked again. I was sure I knew what he was talking about but I had to here it from his lips.
“You…what?”
“I thought they should have left you alone. That you’d come home when you felt you were ready. He disagreed.” I looked down. I let out a breath that I didn’t know I was holding.
“O-oh, well…that…that explains everything. Doyle always though of me as more of his child because I look a lot like him. It was probably unwise to have told him to leave me alone.” I smiled a fake sweet smile. It wasn’t at all what I had thought it was. He didn’t secretly love me. Somehow I was disappointed. “So tell me, what is it that Mum is going to announce?” I quickly changed the subject out of embarrassment but I knew immediately that it only made it more obvious.
He frowned at the sudden change in subject but answered anyway. “I do not know. She has kept it secret from everyone.”
“Oh.” Neko moved closer to me, cuddling up next to my stomach. I welcomed her. She had been my only friend for so long. She could tell when I was sick or unhappy. She moved closer to me for comfort while I stroked her silky silver fur.
After tonight’s events I was too tired to talk more. I was drifting in and out of sleep only hearing bits and pieces of Seki’s one-sided conversation. Even in sleep I was scared. Scared of what was waiting for me at home. I didn’t want to leave New York it was my home now. I did miss the court but I would miss New York as well. I’d miss the people I’ve met.
There was a feeling deep in my heart that I almost dreaded. Something was about to happen something big and dangerous. I was suddenly in fear for my life but more so for the lives of my loved ones.Chapter Three: Stranger in the Midst
Copyrights: This is a fan fiction. All original characters from Laurell K. Hamilton's Fae series are hers and hers alone (too many to count sorry) this includes the Anita Blake series. All characters that weren't in her original series are MINE and I will kick any one's ass that steals them.