Chapter Six
How did Moonies travel? Wealthy ones, that is. They flew. In their own private jet. We didn't need to pass through the other Queens' territories, we simply passed over them. Solved a lot of problems.
Mona Sera sat up front in her well-appointed private jet. Marble gleamed and gold trim sparkled. Surrounded by her eight guards, she swiveled around in her reclinable seat and studied us with a smug, calculating expression like a cat who had just swallowed clotted cream. Or perhaps more like a snake that had just downed a rat whole and was digesting it while it still squirmed, alive within her. I sat in the rear with the whole distance of the plane between us, snug between Amber and Gryphon, and yawned.
"Sleep," Gryphon told me, lifting the armrest between us and drawing me against his side.
Ignoring Mona Sera's reptilian eyes making a cold study of us, I snuggled into his arms and rested my head against his shoulder. "Amber and you need to rest as well."
"We'll take turns."
"Turns?"
"One of us needs to remain alert. I shall take first watch."
I blinked. "Oh. I'll take the next then. Wake me when it's my turn."
Gryphon and Amber exchanged a look. "An honorable notion," Gryphon said, "but that won't be necessary. Amber and I will suffice."
"Men. Still the same. Full of macho crap," I muttered, too tired to argue with them. My lids closed, much too heavy to lift back up, so I missed the smile my men shared.
I awoke three hours later as we were descending, my head in Gryphon's lap, his hand stroking my hair. I sat up, tucking the loose strands behind my ears. "Did you two get any rest?"
"Yes."
I turned to Amber. "How are you feeling?"
"Better, milady," he replied politely, that cool control back in place. His normal defense and demeanor, I suspected.
My hand automatically reached out to assess him, then stopped. I hesitated, uncomfortable about touching him so freely. "May I?"
Amber nodded, his firm lips unsmiling.
I gingerly freed one button and slid my hand over his bare chest. My palm tingled and I smiled happily as I read him. "You are well." I buttoned him back up awkwardly while he sat there gravely, letting me perform the small task.
I turned to Gryphon and he lifted his shirt without my having to ask. My palm tingled and itched but didn't heat as I covered his wound. There was no happy smile with him. The poison was spreading slowly, insidiously, and there was not a damn thing I could do about it. I removed my hand without looking at him.
"It's all right," Gryphon said with a gentleness that moistened my eyes.
I shook my head. It wasn't. It wasn't all right at all. I looked up to meet Mona Sera's black moribund eyes. The plane thudded lightly as we landed and she swung her chair back around, that morose calculating mind of hers computing all she had seen, no doubt.
We had landed in a nicely appointed private airstrip in Ericsburg, Minnesota. A generous expanse or' black tarmac was visible under the bright night-lights that lined the airfield. Whatever the Monère were, they did not seem to lack money.
"Why is the High Court here?" I asked as we descended the steps. "What's in Minnesota?"
"Exactly," Gryphon said dryly. "We own hundreds of acres of wooded land here and the climate is cool year-round. Canada abuts us less than twenty miles to the north and we are encircled by private Indian reserves and state parks on all other sides. It is, in a word, ideal, is it not? If one wants isolation. "
Three new generic grey vans awaited us. Two drivers were Full Blood males, but the third was a Mixed Blood with red hair and ginger-red freckles sprinkled across his young, perky face. I knew he was a Mixed Blood because he radiated much less power, barely any at all, in fact. We stared at each other with equal fascination. There was no pull between us, only a sense of recognition, as with the women but much fainter.
"Are there many Mixed Bloods here?" I whispered to Gryphon as they loaded our luggage into the vans.
"Very few. They are rare among us. Almost all live among the humans, unaware of our existence."
"Why?"
"Mixed Bloods are essentially human, more fragile, requiring more care, and they often die if left among us. Most are abandoned at human hospitals, orphanages, or such like facilities at birth."
As I had been. My hand unconsciously rose to finger my cross.
Beldar approached, handing me back my knives and returning Amber his sword. I gazed at the sword closely. It was full length, quite long, in fact, but looked almost toy-sized once strapped to Amber's strapping girth.
We rode for five long minutes along a private paved road, the only disturbance to the otherwise natural, pristine land, before reach ing a sprawling compound where several smaller buildings flanked a large, three-storied stately manor house. Untamed forest surrounded and enclosed us in wild, peaceful serenity. The sky began to lighten as night slowly ebbed into rosy dawn.
An impeccably groomed man not much taller than I bowed to Mona Sera, his black hair touched with silver strands at the sides though his face remained unlined. "Welcome, Queen Mona Sera. It has been too long since you last graced us with your presence." A small army of attendants stood at attention behind the neat little man.
"Thank you, Mathias," Mona Sera replied with a true enigma of a smile. It told you fucking nothing. "This is my daughter, Mona Lisa."
Mathias swept a low bow. "Most welcome, young Queen. We are pleased you have come. My title is that of steward here in the Great House. If you have any needs or questions, please do not hesitate to seek me out. Some of the other Council members have arrived but have already retired for the day. More shall arrive tomorrow. I will show you to your quarters for now and let you seek your rest."
Under his efficient guidance, the luggage was separated and carried upstairs. Mona Sera and her eight dwarves—oh, sorry, wrong story—Mona Sera and her eight guards were taken down one hall, and I, gratefully, down another hall. I was given a large, luxuriously appointed suite with two separate but adjoining bedrooms, normal but for the fact that there were no windows. Sure beat sleeping in coffins, I guess.
The door closed, leaving the three of us alone in the larger bedroom in sudden silence.
"Where would you like the luggage?" Amber asked, his strong, rugged face carefully blank.
I swallowed. Well, hell, maybe the coffins wouldn't have been so bad after all. Would have solved the dilemma of where we were all going to sleep. "Um, they're all yours, right? I didn't bring anything."
"The small trunk belongs to you," Gryphon said. "Sonia packed you some clothing and other such items."
"Bless her. Then you can leave that here. And your things, Gryphon, if you'd like." The latter was added on softly, a shy afterthought.
A beautiful smile lit Gryphon's face. "I would like."
Without a word, without any change in expression, Amber hefted his trunk easily and carried it to the next room. I threw Gryphon a troubled look and followed Amber into the other bedroom, closing the door behind me. "Amber?"
He set the trunk down at the foot of the bed. "Yes, milady." Reserve colored Amber's voice and face. But I remembered that burning flare of emotion in his eyes.
"What we did…" I chewed my lip. "I know the greater part of me is Monère, but I'm still human, inside me, in my mind." My voice softened. "You are a magnificent lover."
The blueness of his eyes heated, causing me to rush on hastily.
"But I want what other human women want. Just one man. And for me, that's Gryphon."
Amber's eyes, so terribly expressive when he allowed it, lowered to the ground. "I understand, milady."
"I know it's horribly unfair to you." I took in a deep bracing breath and released it. "Amber, you are free to go to another Queen. Is there any particular one you wish to go to? If there is, I will try to intercede on your behalf."