God Save the Queen (The Immortal Empire) (35 page)

Dede.

They released me at dusk. I was well on my way to recovery, had taken full advantage of the blood bank – intravenously, of course – and had made myself enough of a pain in the staff’s collective arse that they were happy to see me go. No one even questioned my rapid recovery thanks to Ophelia.

I wasn’t sure how I felt about her risking herself to steal a bullet and bring me those photographs. I had an easier time thinking of her as an enemy, or at least a nuisance. Thinking of her as an actual sister would complicate things. Family, I’d been told,
was my biggest weakness. Ophelia was enough like me to play on that.

Avery and Emma came to fetch me. Vex had called to see how I fared and to say that he’d come round later. I needed to think of what to do, not only with the pictures, but with the disfigured lump of metal that was also in the bag with my belongings.

I didn’t know anyone other than Val who might be able to test the bullet, check its markings and all that. Did I want to involve him? The Yard already had my blood on Simon. If Val was caught doing ballistic tests on the bullet that shot me – a bullet stolen from the hospital before it could even be sent to the laboratory – he could get into a lot of trouble.

Ophelia wouldn’t have given it to me if she knew anyone capable of doing such tests. I had yet to hear from my mother about their own tests on my blood. Either her lab person was really slow, or there was foulness running amok in that quarter as well. Or perhaps she hadn’t yet quite thought of the proper maternal way to say “Sorry, but you’re fucked.”

It was tempting to say sod it and stick my head in the mud and pretend none of this had happened – stop looking. But being shot had pissed me off, in addition to scaring the shit out of me. Maybe it had been an accident, maybe not. I would never feel safe at work until I knew who had done it, and I wanted to have a little chat with the twat responsible.

Or hide in the cellar and never come out again. Both had their merits.

When we arrived home, Avery insisted I rest and shooed me into the den while she and Emma made tea for the rest of us. I was glad of the reprieve. I was healed from the actual bullet wounds, but tetracycline was a bitch. I hadn’t thought it would muck me up quite so badly, but the muscles and tissue down the entire left side
of my back felt stiff and sore – bruised and raw. I was still a little nauseous as well. According to the doctors I would be fine the next day, when the drug was fully flushed from my system, but for the moment I had to whine silently to myself while putting on the show of a stiff upper lip.

I was lounging on the sofa like a lady recovering from a good swoon when my rotary buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out and realised it was the one my mother had given me. The screen said I had a new message:

WE MUST MEET.

Not very cryptic at all, that. I listened to make certain neither Emma nor Avery were on their way, and quickly keyed back,
TOMORROW EVE
. That would have to suffice, as I wasn’t going anywhere for at least the next twenty-four hours. I was going to take advantage of my sister’s newly presented hero-worship of me and let her play nursemaid.

I needed a little vacation from this full-on hatters situation. I was home, where I was as safe as I could be. I was going to watch the box, eat until I felt my skin stretch, and try to pretend that things were normal for a few hours. As normal as they could be given that it appeared I had been intentionally shot.

I was prevented from fantasising about all the things that could be wrong with me by the arrival of Avery and Emma. One had a tray with the teapot, cups and plates while the other’s contained sandwiches and cakes. I watched them arrange everything on the tea table with a smile.

“You two are so domestic. You should get married.”

My sister and her partner exchanged glances. Avery’s cheeks lit up like a Christmas tree. “We’ve talked about it,” she murmured, avoiding my gaze.

I raised a brow and turned my attention to Emma, who looked at my sister as though the sun rose and set on her.

“Life is short,” I quipped. “Best to do these things while you can.”

I hadn’t meant it as some “I’ve seen death” sort of wisdom, but obviously that was how Avery took it, because her big eyes filled with tears. “You’re right.”

“Ave,” I began, reeking of remorse, “I didn’t mean …”

“No.” She shook her head and turned to the other woman. “Emma Stanfield, I would like very much to marry you.”

Aw, shit. I didn’t need to see this. I didn’t
want
to witness this intimate moment, but that didn’t stop my eyes from tearing up. It was the pain, obviously – and the stress – making me overly emotional. I looked away and busied myself with filling my plate while they whispered, kissed and generally cooed like pigeons at one another.

Avery announced that it was cause to celebrate, and ran off to find a bottle of something, still wiping happy tears from her cheeks. I offered them my felicitations when she returned, and the three of us toasted the happy news with champagne, cucumber sandwiches and cake. The champagne mixed pleasantly with the horse tranquilizers I’d been given for pain.

We were still celebrating – the champagne long gone – when someone rang the bell. Emma went to answer, giving me a few moments alone with Avery. I appreciated it, because I got to hug her and congratulate her in private.

Emma returned with our guest – my father. Avery leapt up to greet him, but when I went to rise from the sofa, he stopped me. “Stay where you are, my dear.” It was clear that he intended to sit next to me, so I moved my legs to give him room. He seemed happy – more chipper than I’d seen him for quite some time. His eyes were bright, his cheeks rosy. Avery must have told him her news. My sister offered to open more champagne, but he refused.

“How are you feeling?” he asked, patting my legs through the blanket I’d draped over them.

“Fair to middling,” I lied. This was without a doubt the worst wound I’ve ever sustained. “You?”

“The pain of seeing you injured notwithstanding, I am exceedingly well this evening.”

“I noticed,” I replied, feeling the infectious pull of his smile. I cast a grin at Avery. “Betrothal giddiness abounds.”

“There is that,” Vardan replied. “And there is this.” With a great flourish – the kind all dramatic people seemed to possess – he pulled an envelope from his jacket pocket.

“I met Her Majesty before coming here. She asked that I give you this.”

Hesitantly, I reached out and took the envelope. I had no idea what it could be, but my stomach danced with anticipation. I broke the royal seal and removed the paper inside.

I wasn’t certain when my hands began to tremble, or the rest of me for that matter. I didn’t know exactly when the words began to blur or my heart started to pound so hard my still-healing wounds hurt.

“Xandy?” came Avery’s concerned voice. “What is it?”

I looked up. I couldn’t quite see her through my bleary eyes. “It’s a royal summons. I’m to be knighted.”

“Is this good news?” Vex asked, sitting at the bottom of the chesterfield, his arm stretched along the back. “Or bad?”

He was the only one to ask me that question – and he’d waited until we were alone to do it. My father had left hours ago, and Avery and Emma had departed shortly after he arrived – and after my sister made him swear to look after me. She and Emma had
run off to celebrate their engagement. To be honest, I was glad to have them gone so Vex and I could talk.

“I don’t know,” I replied, glancing at the summons on the coffee table as I picked absently at the chenille throw over my legs. “This should be the happiest day of my life.”

His gaze was incredibly wise – and non-judgemental. “My mother used to say there’s no such thing as ‘should’.
Is
this the happiest day of your life?”

I hesitated. “No.” It was the truth, and I couldn’t decide how I felt – guilty or angry. “It’s not.”

He lifted his fist and rested his temple on it. “Why’s that, then?”

As if he didn’t know. “Mostly because someone I know shot me in the back. There’s something wrong with me and a friend of mine is dead because of it.”

Vex watched me for a moment, his expression vexingly unreadable – hence one reason for his name, I suppose. “That doesn’t change the fact that you took a bullet meant for Queen V.”

I rolled my eyes. “Fine, but you must allow that the distinction is diminished by circumstances.”

His lips twitched. “Aren’t you a fancy talker?”

“I am educated, you know.”

“I never would have assumed otherwise.” His expression sobered. “I’m not suggesting a commendation will make everything better. But Xandra, this is a big deal – something you should enjoy and be proud of. Everything else can fly the fuck off.”

“Now who’s the fancy talker?” I teased, but I appreciated the sentiment. I really did. He was right – this was a big deal and I should enjoy it, regardless of all else. “Thank you.”

Vex smiled – a little half-grin that made my libido wish I was in better condition physically. Alas, I was a mess and so none of that for me. In any case, this sitting and talking together felt more intimate – somewhat unsettling and naked, but good.

Vex made some sandwiches and found a couple of bottles of ginger beer in the fridge. He brought it all in on a tray with two big bowls of warm treacle pudding for after. My mouth watered.

“You’re very domestic for an alpha,” I remarked as he set the tray on the table and offered me a plate with a huge sandwich on it.

“Would you rather I thump my chest a few times?” he asked with an amused expression. “I don’t have to prove myself. I already know what I’m capable of, and so does the pack.”

“And now I know you’re capable of making a brilliant sandwich,” I said as I swallowed a bite of bread-embraced heaven.

“An alpha’s job is to take care of his wolves.”

“I’m not a wolf.”

His gaze lifted to mine – direct and certain. “No, but you’re still mine.”

His gaze was so intense I couldn’t hold it for long.

“Your scent has changed,” he went on, seemingly oblivious as to how his remark unsettled me. He wasn’t that blind though. “You smell wild – like the wind and the rain. It’s subtle, but different.”

My attention wandered to the large plastic bottle on the table. Avery had left my supplements, with orders to take them. Prescribed for me and me alone. Medication could change the way a body smelled, couldn’t it? I took the bottle and dumped a large white pill out into my palm.

“You have labs and all that in Scotland, right?”

Vex wiped his mouth and smiled. “Telephones and flush toilets too.”

I offered him the pill. “Would you find out what’s in this for me?”

He didn’t even blink as he took it. “What are you thinking?”

“I don’t know what to think.” That was probably the single most honest, revealing statement I’d made in days. “But right now
you’re the only person I trust to help me and not get yourself killed.”

Vex cupped the back of my head in one hand, long fingers parting the tangle of my hair. “We’ll figure this out, you have my word. I won’t let anything happen to you.” Then he kissed me.

It was the sort of kiss that made a girl feel like she couldn’t draw breath – and not care. And just when I thought I might pass out from a lack of oxygen to my brain, I heard something – and it wasn’t blood pounding in my ears. Suddenly my hearing went all sensitive-like and I heard the sound of claws scraping at my front door. Vex must have heard it too, because we both stiffened at the same time. And when he lifted his mouth from mine, a growl escaped.