Genesis (41 page)

Giants? My head snapped around as my
eyes searched for signs of them. “Are you serious?”

He gave me a mischievous chuckle. “I
just wanted to see if you’d fall for it.”

I pushed his shoulder. “You’re as bad
as Travis.”

Zach’s eyes changed, the light drifting
away. “Your cousin, right?”

I nodded, wondering what had zapped his
mood like that. “Yeah, I guess. Aunt Grace actually just told me
that Travis is not a blood relative.”

He tilted his head, glancing at me
sidelong. Something was different about him, but I couldn’t label
it. “I am aware of the conversation.”

What else was he aware of? “I still
think of him more like a brother. I always have.”

Zach nodded once and answered me in a
monotone. “We must find him.”

I stopped him and stared into his eyes.
“What’s going on? Why are you acting this way?”

He blinked a couple of times then
smiled. “I’d only thought you would want to rescue him, as well.
The rest of your family is safe from the Order, are they
not?”

According to Tabitha they were, but the
imp wouldn’t tell me where she had put everyone. “Well, yes, but
Travis is in a high security facility. I’d hoped to get to him
eventually, but I want to be truly trained before we
go.”

He tilted his head, giving me a look.
“There’s no need for you to come. I will find him for
you.”

“
But where would you take
him? I have no idea where Tabitha put the rest of my
family.”

He eyed me sidelong. Maybe I shouldn’t
have told him that? “I was planning on bringing him
here.”

“
Really?” I couldn’t imagine
why Zach would want my brat of a cousin around. “I don’t know what
to say. I thought the fae didn’t allow humans into the realms, and
now it seems you people will open the doors to anyone.”

“
Exceptions are always taken
when there is good reason.”

Travis was probably enjoying his stay
with the Order. He had the male chauvinist attitude down already.
He was nothing like Uncle John. Where my uncle had been kind and
always willing to help, Travis avoided work any chance he got. He
stayed late at school, or went out with friends while I had to take
care of his sisters. I guess that wasn’t a fair assessment anymore.
Maybe that explained why he never showed any real connection with
his siblings. It would also explain why Uncle John had allowed him
to get away with so much. I’d always thought it was because Travis
was the only boy, but now I wondered if there was way more to
it.

I only knew that Travis had always been
there. I’d had so little time with my mom, but Travis had been
taken as a baby. I suddenly felt sorry for him. He probably never
knew his mom.

I squared my shoulders. “You’re right.
We should go get him.”

Zach laughed. “There never was a we in
this scenario, love.” He tweaked my nose. “I think you’re
forgetting one very important thing.”

I gave him a look. “Yeah? What’s
that?”

“
You have been bound to the
realms. I could not take you if I wanted to.”

I stared at him. I hadn’t realized
until now what that truly meant. Unless something changed, I
wouldn’t be able to go into the mortal realm again until they
release me.

I shook off my growing
anxiety and laughed at him. “I thought you said
we
needed to hurry.”

Just then Fexlie showed up with
reinforcements. Styx bowed low before us. I raced over and threw my
arms around him. I didn’t know what it was about him that reassured
me, but whenever he was around, I just knew things would turn out
okay.

His laugh echoed in my mind. “I am
happy to see you too, Rayla.”

Zach gave a whap to my rear end as he
passed. I whirled on him, glaring. “What’d you do that
for?”

“
You never greet me so
willingly.”

I shook my head. “Are you seriously
jealous of your pegasus?”

He mounted and held out his hand. “What
I am is late, love.”

I stiffened, but allowed him to pull me
behind him. Styx took off, and I flailed for something to hold
onto. Zach laughed when I used his abdomen as my anchor. I gritted
my teeth but was soon enchanted by the land below us. I gasped when
we came closer to the castle.

It was right out of one of my fantasies
with jutting turrets, intricate spires, and colorful sparkling
glass. The sculptured grounds held a whimsical flair that would
make the queen of hearts envious.

When Styx touched down a few minutes
later, I couldn’t wait to explore this place I would call my home.
No wonder Zach hadn’t been all that impressed with Roger Wayne’s
estate.

A shiver ran through my body. I glanced
around, but I didn’t see anyone lurking in the shadows. It was
probably Creed come to check on me, but I couldn’t help worrying
that it was someone else with more nefarious plans. The only other
option was Heath, and as much as I longed to see him, I hoped he
would stay away. For both our sakes.

Ainessa greeted us at the door, pulling
Zach into a warm embrace. And here I thought we’d gotten away with
not seeing her at the bonding. She kissed both of his cheeks like
she was actually happy to see him. When she turned to me with a
glowing smile, I backed away.

She laughed the tinkling trill I had
come to hate. “Rayla, dear, you needn’t be afraid of me. All is
well.”

I wanted to punch her in the face, but
I smiled instead. She was Zach’s sister, after all. “I had no idea
you would be here.”

She tsked me. “How could I stay away?
It is not every day I get to see my brother bound. What has it
been, Ammon?” She tapped her chin then smiled. “Nearly a thousand
years, if I’ve kept track correctly.”

“
That’ll be enough,
Ainessa,” said Zach. The menace in his tone would have sent most
women running, but not her, and not me.

She pouted. “I merely wished to come
and give you two a gift.”

Oh no she didn’t. I was about to tell
her where she could shove her gift when Zach spoke up. “Fexlie,
would you please show Rayla to my chambers? I will be along
shortly.”

Fexlie flitted to eyelevel. “Come
along, miss.” She gave a contemptuous glance toward Ainessa then
turned back to me. “Nothing to be seen here.”

When I looked behind me to see what was
going on Fexlie yanked my finger. I stumbled forward under her
unexpected strength but was able to right myself. “Fine!” I hissed
when she tried again.

She led me up the stairs and
into a vast hall that oddly smelled like wildflowers, yet no blooms
or plug-ins were in sight. That’s where I stopped her. I ignored
the amazing crystal chandelier and the shining silver cutlery and
jewel encrusted goblets. I made myself focus on the little pixie
with the strangest colored eyes I had ever seen. They were nearly
magenta right now. Did they darken with her mood? “So that
princess
wasn’t even
punished?”

Fexlie scoffed. “Oh, child, you have no
idea how bad this is. She’s got her fangs in deeper than ever
before. You must be careful, mistress. Fae may seem civilized, but
I warn ye not to get on that particular princesses bad side. You
may be powerful, but she has the ear of the most influential
courtesans in all the realms. You’ll need time to adjust to this
life, but be wary. Things are not always what they seem, and
neither are people.”

I leaned in closer to her, not sure if
I should even ask this. “Is she influencing him?”

She gave a slight shrug. “Master has
been through much since he met you and went off to that island,
but, not to worry, he merely requires an adjustment period, as
well. He’s been around her longer than you can imagine and knows
how to deal with her.”

I could imagine a long time, but that
didn’t mean I could understand what it was like to live it. I knew
I needed to trust Zach, yet things just kept getting worse. What
was going to happen when I actually did have to face the court? I
stopped myself from going further. No point in worrying about it
now. I nodded at Fexlie and she led me all over the place before we
finally reached a circular staircase. I tried to keep up, but she
just might have forgotten I didn’t have wings.

At the top of the landing I heaved in a
huge breath and let it out. I sincerely hoped Zach was a runner
because I was tired of being out of breath. Technically I shouldn’t
be in danger anymore now that I was fully bonded, but my evil alert
was shouting full blast. Fexlie opened a door that showed a small
parlor. We didn’t tarry. The other rooms were a blur, but from what
I could see this was a rather large chamber. For some reason, my
heart went crazy when we entered the bedroom, hammering as if I was
being chased, but it was probably from knowing what I was going to
have to deal with tonight. I shook off the feeling pretty fast once
I got caught up in exploring.

Zach’s rooms weren’t any fancier than
anywhere else I had slept. In fact, his bedroom was rather plain by
fae standards. The carved bed rested toward the back corner with a
cozy seating area and fireplace near it. Book cases lined the
walls, which didn’t surprise me at all considering Zach’s house in
Indiana. What did surprise me was the neatly wrapped box sitting on
the bed.

I meandered deeper into the room and
ditched my shoes. The plush carpet hugged my toes, and the crackle
of the fire soothed my nerves.

“
Well, miss, I’ll be leaving
you to it. You’ll find a full wardrobe in the closet and the
facilities are through that door. Mind you, don’t take too long, or
I’ll come looking for you.”

Been there already. I nodded and
pointed at the box that still held my attention. “What’s
that?”

She zipped over to the bed, and I
followed. She gave me a happy grin. “It seems to be addressed to
you.” Me? Not us? I’d thought it was probably the gift Ainessa
mentioned, but now all I wanted to do was see what it was and who’d
sent it.

I touched the shiny cream wrapping
paper then curled my fingers around the package. A card was tucked
neatly under the ribbon. With shaking fingers, I opened it, not
sure why I was so entranced by the thought of a gift. The only
thing that came to mind was I hardly ever get any and this one
should be safe now that I was bonded.

I scanned the note penned in
an old fashioned script, which surprisingly was still easy to read,
looking for the one thing I wanted to know.
Yours in love and life, Zach.

I dropped the card as if it was acid
and clutched my chest. I’d read the card later. Right now all I
wanted to see was what he had gotten me.

I picked up the box and pulled the
ribbon. Once I got the paper off, I stared at the plain cardboard
thinking it odd that a fae lord would use something so human as a
box. By this time my pulse had kicked up and my breath was shallow.
My nail punctured the tape easily, and I went for the other side.
Once that was out of the way I tucked my nail under the
flap.

My scar exploded with pain I hadn’t
felt in so long I had almost forgotten I even had a scar. I dropped
the package and the pain disappeared.

The sound of the door opening jolted
me, and I stepped away from the bed. Footsteps told me I didn’t
have much time. Should I confront Zach about the package? Now might
not be the best time to start an argument. Whatever was in that box
wasn’t a present I wanted.

I shoved it and the card under the bed
and turned just in time to see Zach’s weary face. If he was reading
my thoughts he didn’t show it. He frowned at me. “I’d hoped you
would be ready.”

Yeesh, I hadn’t been up here that long.
“Sorry.” I gave him a smile. “I’ve just been getting acquainted
with your bedroom.”

“
Our bedroom,” he corrected.
His hard tone lingered in the air between us like a brick wall. If
only it wasn’t see through.

I flushed when his eyes traveled to my
bare toes and back up. It was difficult to swallow around the chunk
of nerves in my throat. My mind wandered to what would happen later
tonight. I didn’t want to deal with awkward technicalities when I
was tired. “Since you’re so tall, I’ll take the couch.”

He laughed. “Don’t you trust
me?”

I pressed my lips together then smiled.
“I’ll just go change.”

He grabbed my elbow, halting my escape.
“You can’t possibly think I would take advantage of you after
everything we’ve been through, everything I’ve done.”

I shook my head. “It’s not that. I
guess I’m just tired.” I kept my mind off his present because I
didn’t want to talk about it right now and focused on my need to
freshen up.

His brows furrowed, but he let go of
me. I found what I needed fairly quickly and went to it. I only
realized later that putting off dinner wasn’t such a good
idea.

By the time I had finished changing,
Zach was gone. Fexlie wasn’t around, either, so I found my way back
to the dining hall. Soft music spilled from the space. The glow
radiating into the hallway told me my eyes weren’t going to like
where I was headed, but I straightened my spine and made my legs
move forward.