Vision of Seduction (36 page)

He cocked his head, studying her to make sure she was serious. "Are you

sure? Once we find the Healer and she goes through the coming of age,

there is a triangle ascension ceremony with all of us. You'll be bound here

to help provide the planet and the other participants with energy."

"I love you, and I love this place. I'll do whatever it takes to save both."

Katelyn was surprised to feel no doubts—only a deep knowing that she

had chosen the right path.

Where the hell was that a few days ago? She smiled and shook her head. "So,

what's next?"

They gazed into each other's eyes for a long moment as a comfortable

silence settled between them.

"If you're sure, then you marry me—as soon as you kill the queen."

***

Katelyn took a deep breath and slipped inside Alyssandra's large

bedchamber. It was open and airy with crystal white walls. The color

purple was everywhere in varying shades, and open books lay scattered

about the room as though the queen liked to read several books at once.

Katelyn pressed her hand to the front pocket of her jeans, reassuring

herself the small vial was still there and hadn't broken.

A quick glance showed her where to find her goal. The queen would return

from her evening bath in a few minutes and would have hot tea as she did

every night.

Katelyn made her way toward the small round table next to the huge fourposter bed. The table held only a steaming ceramic mug and another book,

lying face down and open.

Thank the Goddess Grayson and Stone had told her when the maid had

gone to deliver the tea. Espionage didn't seem to be one of her strengths—

especially since her hands already shook.

With silent steps, she crept forward and glanced around to make sure no

one had seen her, but everything seemed calm and quiet. She squared her

shoulders for courage and then worked the cork out of the top of the bottle

until it came free with a small pop. She took a deep breath and tilted the

dark vial of liquid into the mug, watching it disappear into the depths of

the dark beverage.

Footsteps sounded in the hallway, and Katelyn panicked and slipped

inside the large walk-in closet. She had hoped to be able to hide out on the

balcony to watch, but she would have to make do. She huddled next to a

large hanger full of diaphanous cloth inlaid with small crystals. She had no

idea what occasion there would be to wear it, but she was glad it was large

enough to hide behind.

She peeked out, careful not to be seen, and watched the queen close the

door behind her and walk forward toward her nightly tea.

Alyssa picked up the mug, audibly inhaled, and took a healthy sip. She

made a soft "mmm" sound and then took another big drink of the tea

before opening her book and reading as she crossed the room, the mug still

in hand.

Halfway to her dressing table, the queen groaned and clutched her

stomach, her face contorted with pain. Her mouth opened and closed as

though trying to speak, but unable to form the words.

Alyssa crumpled to the floor in a heap, her arm flung outward, her eyes

glazed and staring. The mug broke into several pieces, the remaining tea

spilling against the throw rug.

Immediately, a small, curvy woman Katelyn didn't recognize ran into the

room and looked around. As soon as she was sure no one was around, she

relaxed, and a smile stretched across her lips. She walked slowly toward

the queen's still form and looked down on her, her hands fisted on her full

hips.

"You shouldn't have threatened Valen, my lady. You overstepped your

bounds and had to be stopped. Your mother can heal the planet, now that

she's had some rest."

Anger surged inside Katelyn, and bile rose in the back of her throat. This

woman would've gladly watched the queen die. Before Katelyn knew what

she planned, she stepped out of the closet and started forward.

Grayson and Ryan stepped in through the open balcony doors, surprising

the woman as well.

The woman gasped and started to back away.

Katelyn had already closed the distance, her hand balled into a fist, which

she drove into the center of the maid's face. "Bitch!"

The sound of bones crunching sounded loud inside the room. Katelyn

barely felt the pain that shot through her knuckles and wrist as blood

spurted from the woman's nose.

The woman wailed and cried, her hands pressed to her face.

Gavin and some royal guards burst into the room and took the sobbing

woman away.

Only then did Katelyn turn to look at Alyssa, who had rolled onto her back

and stared up at Katelyn in surprise.

"Damn. Remind me never to piss you off." Alyssa held up an arm, but

before Katelyn could reach out to help her up, Stone rushed forward and

picked up his wife in his arms, depositing her gently on the bed.

The adrenaline drained from Katelyn's body, leaving her shaking and

weak. Before her legs buckled, Grayson led her to the sitting area and

settled her in an overstuffed chair. She mumbled her thanks, and then a

hysterical laugh rose in her throat. "Who the hell was that?"

Alyssa sat down across from her. "Jaseen. She's one of Valen's consorts."

"And," Stone added, "was one of the group who threatened Alyssandra to

drop the triangle or else." He propped his hip on the chair in which his wife

sat. "I am a bit jealous you got to punch her."

Katelyn smiled. "Did I do a good job as an assassin?"

Grayson kissed her abraded knuckles. "You were wonderful. What did you

put into the queen's tea?"

"Chai I took from your rooms." She smiled. "But you'd better hide your

stash, I think she liked it."

"I did," answered Alyssa. "I just can't believe she thought my mother could

reascend the throne. It would kill her even to try."

"Jaseen was a private cook for your parents," Stone said, disbelief thick in

his voice. "What could have moved her to want your death?" He glanced

over at his wife.

Alyssa shook her head. "Instituting this triangle has done strange things to

everyone. Maybe now that Katelyn has heard everything, she could help us

find both the statues and the Healer."

Katelyn examined her sore knuckles. "I would love to spend some time

reading back over those journals I wrote growing up. I think, with

everyone's help, I can figure out where I saw the statues. And who knows,

maybe I wrote something more about Ryan's blond wife."

"I guess it's too late to marry you myself." Ryan gave a mock pout and then

laughed when Grayson shot him a murderous look. He held his hands in

front of him in surrender. "I was only kidding. Katie-Cat is a handful, and I

wish you all the luck in the world."

"Hey!" Katelyn protested and then laughed with everyone else.

Grayson moved to sit next to Katelyn, his arm draped around her

possessively. "This woman has agreed to marry me, and I want it done

quickly before she comes to her senses." A smile played at his lips. "After

the wedding ceremony, and our trip to the hot springs that keeps being

interrupted, then she can try to trigger a vision about the Healer and find

the statue."

She elbowed him and shook her head with a smile. "We aren't even

married, and you're already bossy."

21

Sela glared down at Aedan, whose throat was trapped under one of her

new designer boots. "So, let me get this straight, you've lost contact with

your informants? All of them?"

Several guards stood around the edges of the room with small smirks on

their faces.

Aedan opened his mouth, but only a small gurgle escaped. Sela arched an

eyebrow and huffed in impatience. But she finally took some of the

pressure off his throat. Aedan coughed and gasped for breath. "Well?" she

demanded.

"I..." His voice sounded like a hoarse croak. "I went to meet with them last

night, and they never showed up."

Anger snapped and sizzled through Sela's body. "What did I tell you I

would do if you failed me again, Aedan?"

He struggled to swallow under the pressure of her boot. "I'm valuable to

you, Sela. Don't throw that away for a small setback."

Sela's fury bubbled and exploded from every pore of her body.

Power slammed into Aedan as well as into the guards.

Sela raised her arms, enjoying the surge of energy flooding through her,

uncaring if anyone in the room survived.

Only when every guard slumped to the floor unconscious and Aedan went

limp under her boot did she let her power flow away.

Sela stretched her neck from side to side, enjoying the small pops of her

vertebrae realigning. She turned and kicked Aedan in the side with all her

strength, enjoying the loud crack of bone in the now silent room.

"A good power surge is almost as good as an orgasm. If you live, we'll

discuss more later."

***

Katelyn gritted her teeth and walked down the front steps of the castle, the

gentle breeze playing against her bare skin.

"Are you ready?" Alyssandra asked from beside her, fully dressed—or at

least as fully as the Klatch ever were.

"Why do I have to be naked again? I feel like I'm stuck inside a Star Trek

episode at one of those nude weddings."

"I wouldn't mention that to Grayson," Alyssa offered. "I don't think he

would get the reference. Just remember, my wedding involved sex in a vat

of oil and burning all the reception food to crisps. You've got it easy—for

now."

Katelyn cringed. "Don't remind me." She had heard all about the queen's

ascension ceremony, her wedding, and all the public sex and nudity

involved. Some of those same things would be involved in the triangle

ceremony, but Katelyn at least had until they found the Healer to worry

about that.

The area between the base of the stairs and the large fountain had been

cleared for the ceremony. There were no flowers arranged or pews set up

as she was used to seeing at a wedding—but, then, the area was so

beautiful it didn't need any decoration. The large, two-story fountain made

entirely of sparkling balda gurgled happily in the background. A gentle

breeze brought the scents of a variety of flowers and other blooming things

and gently teased the full boughs of the tall trees—not to mention the

hardening of Katelyn's nipples into tight points.

Weddings were rare on Tador, because usually only the royal family

married, so a large crowd had gathered to watch. Katelyn tried not to be

self-conscious about her full hips or her bright red curls at the apex of her

thighs.

She wondered briefly how many in the crowd disapproved of her being

here and of Grayson marrying her. But a quick glance assured her that

royal guards were scattered throughout the crowd.

Her foot touched grass at the base of the stairs, and she looked up—

straight into Grayson's intense amethyst eyes.

Everyone faded to the background—everyone except Grayson. This was

why she was here. This man who had taught her to trust and to open her

heart. He was worth any amount of embarrassment. And after this he

would be hers. Wholly and totally hers.

He took her hand in his, his cock hardening into a thick length as soon as

he touched her. "Damn. I don't think I'll ever get enough of you."

"You mean you won't, or he won't?" She stroked his cock, and he hissed

with pleasure.

Through gritted teeth, he said, "I think it's safe to say both of us will never

tire of you." He crushed her to him, capturing her lips, and she kissed him

back.

When cheers erupted from the crowd, she stiffened, remembering they had

an audience.

"Prince Grayson, Seer, if you are ready?"

Katelyn turned to see an elderly woman dressed in the normal Klatch

gauzy clothes, braids sprinkled throughout her long gray hair.

Grayson led Katelyn forward to stand in front of the woman. Rita stood off

to the right side—Katelyn's maid of honor. Katelyn stopped to give her a

quick hug, accepted an encouraging smile, and then moved so Alyssa

could take her place next to Rita.

It had taken quite a bit of explaining for Rita to wrap her mind around

Tador, but because both she and Detective Damien would be in danger

from the Cunts back on Earth, they had temporarily moved to Tador and

were staying with Alyssandra's parents in the country.

And as for the shop, Ethel Harding had agreed to run it in their absence.

She was still grateful that Grayson had pointed her toward her newest

husband-to-be, so she was feeling generous.

Ryan and Stone stood off to Grayson's left, their expressions unreadable.

"Let the ceremony begin." The elderly woman's gravelly voice rang out

over the clearing. She clapped her hands twice, and the crowd quieted and

turned their attention toward her. "I am Annara, and as the eldest princess

of the second house of Klatch, it falls to me to officiate." She held out her

hands to both Katelyn and Grayson.

Katelyn stepped forward to take the proffered hand, and Grayson mirrored

her movements. Annara brought her hands together, keeping them cupped

over hers and Grayson's.

"Katelyn Hunt, Seer, do you willingly come forward to be permanently