Blood Betrayal

Chapter One

Lanterns blazed, illuminating hundreds of empty chairs facing the raised platform where Daxus sat upon his throne. With one leg perched over an armrest and a hand over his face, Daxus watched his Second approach through parted fingers.

"I have a message from the Sidhe mound," Marthus said.

"Can this not wait?"

"I am afraid not, sir. The Sidhe have asked to meet with you on neutral ground."

Daxus pulled his leg off of the armrest, sitting up to his full height. "Why now?"

He had gained the King's full attention. Marthus twitched with discomfort. He was all too aware that Daxus's soft youthful features concealed a fierce temper. Marthus dropped his gaze to the unfolded letter, scanning the sparse words for the hundredth time.

"The message does not state a reason, only their desire to meet with the Queen and yourself on neutral ground at your soonest convenience."

His head tilted to the side, he studied the unusually tall man with the cold calculation of a hawk contemplating a small woodland creature. The way Daxus's dark irises covered nearly all the white in his eyes gave them a predatory glint. Marthus absently ran a hand over his bald head, wiping the beginnings of perspiration off his brow.

"Is that all?" Daxus finally asked.

"Yes, sir."

His King kept him waiting for an agonisingly long minute before gesturing to the door. Daxus pressed his fingers against the bridge of his nose. He clenched his jaw tight enough to make his gums hurt. A meeting with the Faeries. It was the last thing he needed, but he couldn't refuse.

Modern humans think of Tinkerbelle. Sweet, small things with butterfly wings and a taste for cake. Fae were neither small nor sweet. The majority were not even winged. They were a damn pain in the ass. He had to take every request they made seriously.

He fixed an inscrutable expression on his face before venturing out into the halls. His personal chamber was opulent and kept well lit for his arrival. Stone floors and walls covered in coloured furs gave the impression of warmth. A plump woman in silvery grey tones sat in one of two dark red chairs beside a long fireplace. She set the book she had been reading down and without a word began snuffing out lights.

The sight of his vast bed dripping in black silks and plush pillows brought the night's weariness on tenfold. The scattered paperwork he left over the large wooden table had been moved to the top of a credenza in several neat piles. Each pile was a reminder of all the things he was expected to do.

He tugged off his shoes, then sat on the edge of the bed. Two figures lay tangled in the mess of sheets. One was awake. The other was breathing heavy and deep, as humans do when sleeping.

"Must you keep them in our bed?" he asked.

"No, but you are late," the second more familiar figure mumbled. She was tiny at under five foot. Her hair would have kissed the peak of her calves if she were standing. Just then it covered her body like a dark shroud as she lay on her stomach.

"I missed you."

The way she was using her crossed arms as a pillow muffled her words. He smiled down at her before his attention turned to the human male. The boy was young and light haired. His heart beat slowly. It was a sturdy, thick sound. It told him that, yet again, she had not taken enough blood.

Daxus poked the human's leg. He stirred, looking to the small woman beside him with a lazy smile. He reached for her, but she turned to her side, out of his reach. She motioned toward the foot of the bed.

The boy dropped his hand just short of her, his eyes lingering over her body before reaching Daxus. Startled and clumsy, he jumped up, tripping along the way. He clutched a pair of pants over his nude front.

"I-I'm sorry sir, I didn't hear you come in. Must have fallen asleep. I'll get the lights for you I'm sorry for my-"

"That's fine, just go," Daxus cut him off. He forced a pleasant expression despite his annoyance with the boy's presence.

The boy nodded a bit too enthusiastically. He was new to their bedchamber. He lacked the sure confidence some of her pets had. Daxus flashed a well practised smile for the human's benefit, then waved him off with a shooing motion. Still gripping his clothing, he joined the matronly chaperone on her way out the door.

Daxus settled into the vacant side of the bed, using his feet to kick the sheets into order. They contained residual warmth. The Queen's tendency to keep her food in his bed could be irksome, but he could admit they were useful for warming the blankets. They left an oily film of their pungent pheromones clinging to everything they touched. There was no avoiding the stink of human. Not being able to get away from it had forced him to tolerate it. Perhaps even enjoy it for more than an instinctual dinner bell.

"Was that a new one?" he asked.

Her full bow lips curled up. Both dark eyes sparkled with mischief. Like his, they were large with irises that covered nearly all the white. At first, they would appear black. In enough light, the true colour shone through.

If he didn't know her well, he would have assumed her sly smile spoke of sex. While her face could have been mistaken for that of a younger girl, her full breasts and rounded hips told the truth. She had stopped aging at an age-old enough to think of carnal things.

"Not going to answer me?" he teased, not caring if she answered or not. His body burned with sleep and his mind still worked on troubles. All he wanted was to drift into the thoughtless abyss of slumber.

"I don't think it matters, but he has been coming here for the better part of a year."

"No, I suppose it doesn't matter," the King murmured.