A Little Street Magic (22 page)

“I’m not going to be controlled according to what others think is best, or because they’re afraid of me or what I may do in the future. What I am going to do is this: I’m going to protect the people I care about. I’m going to keep doing my best to help people. If that’s not to your, or anyone else’s liking, tough cookies.  Newsflash: I’m not your bitch.”

Kethyrdryll burst into applause, and I shot him a quick smile. Thorandryll seemed frozen, but recovered and turned his head to glare at his twin. The other clapped a few more times before dropping his hands and managing to suppress his smile.

The prince turned back to me, a frown etching deep lines other either side of his mouth. He suddenly looked far older than thirty. “I’m afraid my focus on the future has caused my missteps with you, Miss Jones. I, too, only wish to protect those I care for, and the innocent.” He leaned forward, crossing his arms and resting them on his desk. “I don’t believe it’s too late for us to come to a working agreement.”

“I’m not going to marry you, and unless you start treating all other species with the common courtesy they deserve, I’m not going to be your ally.”
There, stick that in your pipe and smoke it, Your Highness
. I crossed my arms and waited for his response.

For once, Thorandryll seemed to be at a complete loss. He was silent for several seconds, his expression neutral as we watched each other. With a single shake of his head, he finally spoke. “Firstly, please accept my sincere apologies for my actions, and the repercussions they’ve had for you.”

Behind him, his brother’s eyebrows shot upward. I had to pretend to cough, to cover my mouth before I smiled. Dropping my hand, I picked a few pine needles off my coat. “Are you asking for a clean slate?”

“Yes, I am. Please.”

So polite. I looked at him again. “Okay, you’re forgiven, but don’t expect me to forget.”

“Thank you, and I don’t.” Thorandryll took a deep breath. “This is a new world, and a new time. I’ve been allowing the past to rule me, when choosing to fully adapt is the wiser choice.”

Well, that sounded promising. Enough for me to offer him a smile. “Great.”

He straightened, unfolding his arms and sitting back. “We need to show a united front, Miss Jones. Not only for your protection, but for ours—the whole of Santo Trueno’s supernatural community. Lord Derrick and I are the faces of that community now, but you’ll be joining us soon.”

“Not by choice,” I pointed out. “I’d still be flying under the media radar, if not for you. And just in case you’re thinking it, no, I’m not going to pretend to be your girlfriend.”

A half-smile crossed his face. “I’ll ban the hunting of shifters.”

“Good idea, but you should’ve already done that.” I hadn’t heard about any hunts. Then again, I didn’t know every shifter group in the city.

“You’re correct, I should have. I’ll rectify my mistake.” Thorandryll gave a nod. “The Council is small, and in need of new blood. We’re hidebound, too few of us willing to attempt forcing changes through.”

I held up my hand. “I do not want to be on the Council, if that’s where you’re heading. I have enough on my plate.”

“Then would you be open to accompanying me to a meeting, now and then? I think it would be good for you to gain an understanding of the Council and its members.”

Ugh, endless meetings with bickering supe politicians? Let me think: Nope, with a side of hell, no. “I’ll think about it.”

Heh, maybe I was cut out for politics.

Thorandryll nodded. “I’m afraid it won’t be an easy process, yet I believe it’s time we give seats to the leaders, or elected representatives, of each supernatural species.”

I was speechless, because that was A Really Huge Thing. My eyes went from him to Kethyrdryll, who was beaming. He nodded. I found my tongue. “Are you serious?”

“Deadly serious, Miss Jones.”

Uncrossing my ankles, I sat up straight. “Can you make that happen?”

Thorandryll nodded. “I swear by Danu it will happen.”

He’d sworn by Danu before, and Logan had said elves didn’t do that lightly. I felt like jumping to my feet and doing a touchdown dance. Instead, I smiled. “When you get the first shifter on a Council seat, I’ll declare myself your ally.”

“Do you have a preference as to whom?”

“I know exactly three shifter leaders. Terra’s only been Queen a short time, and she’s young.” She was also busy, what with making changes to the clan rules, living on her own—well, as much as she could—and of course, having a live-in sweetie. Which left me with one name. I hoped O’Meara would go for the idea. “Nick’s dad is a jerk. How about the Rex?”

“I believe he’s a good choice.”

It occurred to me that Thorandryll might be playing a deep game, because his about-face was truly unexpected. Pretending to be ready to get with the times, and using honey instead of vinegar to get what he wanted. That would be sneaky as hell, therefore, right up his alley.

Then again, if every species did get a Council seat, let him play his game. I glanced at Kethyrdryll, who was smiling at his brother. Or maybe he’d been busy, and after having been assumed dead, was working Thorandryll’s relief and joy at his return to the max.

Whichever it proved to be, I would deal with it. “Then when the Rex is on the Council, I’m your ally. Is it okay if I mention it to him?”

“Please do. I don’t think he’ll take my word without the confirmation of someone he trusts.”

“Yeah, being snooty and homicidal toward shifters does tend to make them a teensy bit leery of you.” I earned a brief, reproving frown from Kethyrdryll for that. Didn’t intend to apologize.

“Now, to mark the occasion of our agreeing to work together, I’d like to offer you a gift.” Thorandryll lifted his hands before dropping them to his desk top. “What would you have of me, Miss Jones?”

I hesitated, feeling my eyes narrow. Was this a trick? A way to get me into his debt? But he’d said “gift.” “Like what?”

“What do you desire?”

Logan
. I managed to keep from grinning, but there it was: I had what I desired. “I can ask for anything, and you’ll let me have it, no strings attached?”

“Yes.” He smiled, but there was a worried edge to it.

“You’re kind of taking a big chance there, dude. What if,” I looked around. “I wanted your sidhe?”

Thorandryll’s face lost some color. “Is that what you desire?”

“Nah, just wondering.” What could I ask him for? I dropped my eyes and picked more pine needles off my coat and jeans. The royal twins stayed silent, letting me think. I wondered what time it was.

Nothing was coming to mind. I wouldn’t mind not having a mortgage, but if someone else paid it off, it wouldn’t be my house any more. It would, but not really. The clan was happy, so I couldn’t think of anything to ask for them.

Oh, but wait. I let the idea solidify before looking up with a smile. “I know exactly what gift I’d like, and it’d be good press for a guy who’s running for mayor.”

Thorandryll relaxed. “And that is?”

“Two of the biggest issues in Santo Trueno are the homeless, and stray animals. My mom does a lot of charity work for the homeless. The city shelter puts down hundreds of dogs and cats every month.” I crossed my legs and bounced the top one. “You guys are really good with animals, and space isn’t a problem for you.”

“No, it’s not.” Thorandryll turned his head. “Keth, would you...”

“I’d be delighted to take charge of the animal situation.”

The prince smiled, looking at me. “And I’ll be honored to offer your mother all of the assistance I can.”

I clapped my hands together. “I may even vote for you now.”

“I
’m sorry, what did you just say?” Logan was sitting on my bed, watching my attempts to pick out a dress and shoes.

“Shifters are going to be on the Council, starting with O’Meara.” Semi-formal. I scanned the handful of dresses in my closet and sighed. “I don’t have anything to wear.”

He was in black dress slacks, a white shirt, and navy blue suit jacket. “I’m not quite getting from A to B on my own here, Cordi. You said Celadine was there?”

“At first.” I had been rushing during my first attempt at explaining. Hm, I couldn’t wear the gown I’d gotten for Thorandryll’s ball. Not my black and green mini-dress either. “Is showing skin at a vamp party considered an open invitation to being bitten?”

“I doubt it. How does Celadine tie in with shifters getting Council seats?”

Little black dress it was. Mine was a simple, knee-length, sleeveless sheath style. “Oh, she was bitching about getting the mirror back without the spirit.”

“Okay, what happened with that?”

I gave him a more complete account while slipping into the dress, and deciding on my black heels. “And then I said ‘Newsflash: I’m not your bitch’.”

Logan was laughing. “How’d he take that?”

“He was speechless. Kethyrdryll gave me a standing ovation.” I left the closet and posed. “How’s this?”

“You’re gorgeous.”

I preened for a second. “Needs some jewelry. Anyway, we had a talk, and I told him I wouldn’t consider being his ally until he started treating everyone with common courtesy. Then he blew me out of the water with putting the leaders, or elected reps, of each species on the Council.”

I chose a long, sparkly necklace of crystals in varying size—Christmas present from Mom—and diamond studs. “I hope it’s okay I suggested O’Meara.”

Logan blinked. “Wait. You picked who’d be first?”

“Well, I told him I’d declare myself his ally when he put the first shifter on a Council seat.” I fluffed my hair, using the mirror over my dresser. “Thorandryll asked if I had a preference, and since I only know three shifter leaders, I picked the Rex.”

“Why him?” Logan stood. He didn’t seem upset, just curious.

“Nick’s dad is a pompous ass. Terra’s still settling into being Queen. You told me the Rex was tough, but fair.” I shrugged, checking my teeth for lipstick. There weren’t any smudges. “And I like him, so I picked him.”

“Good decision.”

I smiled in the dresser mirror. “Thank you.”

“We’re going to be late.”

“Ooh.” I dashed back into the closet, and came out with a purple gift bag. “Almost forgot.”

Logan raised his eyebrows. “Who is that for?”

“Tase. Look,” I showed him the bag’s contents. “What do you think?”

“I bet he’ll love them.”

L
ogan drove to the Barrows, and we walked to Derrick’s. Once there, a liveried attendant guided us from the front door to the end of the great hall. There, tall glass doors stood open, allowing us to hear the soft strains of some instrumental piece. He paused at the door, gesturing for us to step through. “Lady Discordia Jones and Mr. Logan Sayer, Protector of the White Queen.”

The announcement of our arrival swiveled heads. I whispered, “Ain’t we fancy?”

Logan chuckled, patting my hand, which was tucked over his forearm. We walked down three steps, and I looked around the room. It was an indoor garden, with one large seating group in the center, and smaller ones scattered about, among nooks surrounded by trees and other plants. Conservatory? I thought that might be the correct term.

Aside from not being vampires, we fit in. The women wore simple cocktail dresses, and most of the men were in suits. A few wore dressy shirts and breeches tucked into heavily polished boots.

Derrick met us within a few feet of the steps. “I’m pleased you were able to come. Here.” He collected a couple glasses of champagne from a hovering servant, and handed them to us. “Come, let me introduce you around.”

“Thank you.” I noticed there were a few humans circulating, dressed in black pants and sleeveless, snug-fitting maroon vests. The one closest to us had fresh fang marks on her forearm. She was smiling, and seemed cheerful, so I kept my mouth shut.

Our host followed my line of sight and smiled. “Willing volunteers, I assure you. I don’t coerce my donors into serving my guests.”

“I didn’t say anything.”

“And I appreciate your restraint.”

The next hour was spent meeting the few dozen vamps in between cooing over rare plants. Logan impressed me with his ability to carry on a conversation about rare plants such as
Lignum vitae
and
Guaiacum santum
, or Tree of Life and Holywood.