Lore vs. The Summoning (15 page)

I took one long steadying breath that was painfully ragged. Then I walked forward with as much grace as I could manage and hoped I didn't fall on my face. My own guard of sorts trailed behind me into the chamber.

Morrígan was a fan of drama and her sanctum reflected it. The interior was crafted of dark heavy stone as rough to the touch as it was to look at. In contrast, her soft gray granite floor was polished to a high sheen that begged to be caressed. As the high priestess over the Fire witch covens in the Northeast, she preferred candle and torchlight to modern electricity. Medieval sconces had been fit into each of her twelve stone support columns and a heavy iron torch hung from them. On either side of the wide room stood a grand fireplace with a roaring fire. Yet still it was too chilly for the witches that were littered about in ridiculous black leather hot pants and tiny bikinis.

But I'd already seen all this. My eyes were fixed in trepidation on the high priestess herself. Morrígan stood to the right of her dais, speaking with a lovely blond in a bikini. The priestess's own outfit was a sharp contrast to the rest of those gathered. She wore a gauzy cream gown that pooled at her feet in a delicate drapery of folds. Her pale skin wasn't darkened any by the lightness of the fabric covering her. If anything it sharpened how pearlescent her skin was. The one trait she shared with her brethren was the corset made of cream-colored leather cinching her waist.
 

Her glorious black hair was a mass of soft waves that fell to her waist. She knew it was one of her best features and almost always accentuated it with the barest of hints. Tonight it was a cream ribbon tied as a headband.

She turned toward us with an almost alien grace that continued as she walked to the center of the dais. The Alpha sucked in a quick breath of air. I glanced at him to find his eyes focused far below the priestess's face. He no doubt noticed the features her corset had lifted. I didn't know how he could focus on those when it was the exotic fusion of features and those
eyes
that ensnared a person.
 

When I turned back I felt the full weight of her gaze on me. The priestess had the biggest, bluest eyes I'd ever seen on a person. They practically glowed in the firelight. Perhaps they truly did glow.
 

My stomach did a flip that I desperately tried to ignore. It helped that she'd stopped on the second stair, feet in front of us.

"Ms. Denham," she purred in a contralto voice that was the perfect mix of roughness and silk. I could easily imagine her taking center stage in a grand old opera house to belt out a heartrending lament.

I nodded my head at her politely. "Priestess."

"I see you've worn my gift."

"You gave me little choice," I reminded her. But I made the mistake of looking up in time to see her gaze run up and down the length of me.

She made a sound of contemplation at that. "It is even better than I had imagined it would be."

Discussion of the leather outfit she'd given me was not why I'd come here. I quickly changed the subject with a gesture behind me. "Allow me to introduce..."

Morrígan interrupted me as if I'd said nothing. "And the choice of shoes, I must say, I approve."

Determined to get us off this path I said, "I believe you already know..."

Again I was interrupted. "Now that you've worn your gift, I can give you the pieces you are missing." She started down the stairs past me, the warm smell of heather and sunlit glades floating to my nose. "Come, Ms. Denham, they are in my study. You may come along as well, senator and Alpha."

I opened my mouth to argue that we weren't here for gifts but decided against it when I saw the pleased smile that had spread across her lips. She needed to be in a good mood if I was going to get information out of her. But the question was, was the information worth more gifts like this ridiculous costume?

Morrígan held an arm out to me once she'd neared. I let her set my hand atop her forearm and tried to ignore the unnatural heat of her skin. At the sanctum's entrance her personal guard fell into step behind her, cutting me off from my companions. I thought perhaps they'd done it on purpose.

"I trust you've been busy," Morrígan said lightly.

"Yes, very busy." It was a partial lie. This week I'd been busy but before that things had been status quo.

"You will be playing in the Chamber Tea." Most people would have added "won't you?" or worded it like a question. Morrígan didn't do questions. It was a particularly strange quirk of hers.

"Yes," I admitted. This was what I disliked most, small talk that spilled over into my mundane life.

"Good," she smiled and patted my arm.
 

As we took the first corner I felt a strange sensation low in my body. It was a vibration in the most inconvenient of places that started softly but quickly grew until I damn near toppled over with a sharp gasp. I leaned against the nearest wall. My cheeks had flushed pink and my temperature had risen enough that I no longer noticed the cool stone walls pressing in toward us.

"Miss Denham!" Aiden shoved Morrígan's guard out of the way to get to me. "Are you well?"

"I'm...fine," I said while catching my breath and attempting a weak smile for him now that the sensation had ceased.

The sharp creases on either side of his nose and narrowed eyes seemed to be evidence that he didn't believe me. But we didn't have time to get into an argument now. I let him use his grip on my elbow to help me upright.

"Better," Morrígan said with a flutter of her dusty lashes and her arm held out, an invitation for me to join her.

I stepped forward with a half nod and took her arm again. We resumed our walk to her study exactly as we'd begun it.

"Tell me about the next engagement after the Chamber Tea," the priestess said as if nothing had happened.

I was glad for it because I didn't enjoy feeling like more of an oddity than I already was. "The next scheduled events are the Fourth and Tanglewood."

"I've already made arrangements for Tanglewood. We're renting an adorable condominium with a pool. You will stop by at the very least."

"I will see how my schedule..."

The sensation hit me harder this time and didn't let up nearly as quickly. I bit out a cry before grabbing on to the nearest solid object. Morrígan made sure that was her.

While I clung to her to keep from falling she leaned in to whisper, "Your second present."

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Something tugged me back with a jarring movement that snapped my jaw shut. Thankfully my tongue had been no where near my teeth this time. A second later I was whisked off the ground.
 

The vibration the suit was giving off ceased. When I could breath again I saw Morrígan glaring at me. What had I done to piss her off?

"She can walk on her own, senator," Morrígan said coolly.

My muddled brain slowly cleared. That was when I realized Aiden was
holding
me in his arms. Now I understood.

"I can walk on my own," I repeated her sentiment shakily.

"Very well," Aiden said in an unreadable voice as he set me gently on my feet.

Bravely I walked forward even though my legs were gelatinous. I didn't want to hold Morrígan's arm again but knew she'd be offended if I didn't. Slowly I came to understand what had happened.
 

There was more to this outfit than met the eye. And Morrígan controlled its wicked secrets. I was afraid of what other secrets it held.

"I am disappointed you did not come alone, Ms. Denham," Morrígan said with a delicate pout of her lips. "I did so hope to see you in private."

There was nothing I could say that wouldn't insult her so I wisely remained silent. My heart beat a little too rapidly in anticipation of her next attack. By the mischevious smile on her face I knew she was enjoying this immensely.

"You will have to visit me again soon, without your guard dogs." She shot a bitter glance back at them.

My quick response was, "They're not my guard dogs."

Her attention returned to me with a slight frown. "I do hope you haven't brought your lovers into my den."

"They're not my lovers either."

"Good. I would be offended to have my nose rubbed in that, Ms. Denham."

"I know," was my soft reply.

Her arm dropped away from mine to curl around my back upon reaching the heavy door to her study. She guided me inside and to the sole chair in front of her broad oak desk with only the pressure on my tailbone. I knew the lack of seating was because Morrígan didn't like entertaining more than one person at a time.

The room was a space one might expect to find in an old Victorian house, complete with paintings, bookshelves lined with tomes and the paper strewn desk. But here there were no hovering witches. This was her private domain. Her personal guard would not be here if I hadn't brought the Alpha and senator.

I averted my eyes from the desk with a flush in my cheeks. Morrígan had brought me here for more than just supposed gifts. She wanted me to remember. And remember I did.

She settled into the large leather chair behind the desk. "Now, dearest Ms. Denham," she tapped a porcelain-colored finger against her chin. "I'd like a hint as to why you are here before I decide if we're to dispense with the unpleasantness of whatever business has brought you to me this time or if we're to do the gift giving first."

I was praying for the business first. "Another Fire witch has set a residence on fire, amongst other things."

She leaned forward with slightly wider eyes. Her fingers clenched one another in a tight, white grip. "Your dad."

It was difficult to remain impassive because I knew she was upset that someone might attack my dad again. "No. It wasn't my dad."

Morrígan relaxed into her broad leather chair again, setting her hands atop the arm rests at either side. "We shall get the business out of the way. I will answer all of your questions, gladly. And in return you will give me a few minutes of your time sans guard."

"No," Aiden answered before I could think of an excuse.

The priestess's blue eyes swiveled to where he most certainly stood behind me. Her gaze sharpened. When she spoke it was in the lower register of her voice. "A vampire speaks for you now."

I was quick to respond, "No one speaks for me. You know that."

"I thought I did." She kicked a delicately formed ankle up onto the desk with her eye fixed on him still. "I shall teach him not to presume to know your mind."

Shit! I did not need this crap. "No, priestess." My heartbeat skyrocketed. I could feel the muscle pounding against the wall of my chest. "Please," I added because I knew how much she liked to hear it.

Her eyes snapped back to mine with a malevolent gleam. I didn't need to hear a response to know I was in deep shit. Morrígan's ankle dropped to the floor so she could stand from her chair and lean over the desk toward me. "You say please for
him
."

When Morrígan backed me into a corner my bad reactions were far different from those with anyone else. I went on the
true
defensive because I was legitimately worried for the vampire. "He's only here because the Alpha got frisky last night. Please just ignore him. He doesn't understand."
 

Damn it. Damn It.
Damn
it! Why was I such an idiot? How could I have been stupid enough to bring a vampire into the den of the Fire witches? I should have fought him harder.

The furious gleam in her eyes transformed into something quite different. I knew that look. And I knew I wasn't getting out of this easily. "You will explain what it is that he doesn't understand."

"He doesn't understand that you and I have...a history," I said just above a whisper.

"A history," she let out a husky laugh. "How I wish that what we had could be counted as a 'history', dearest Ms. Denham."

"Can we do this later?" I asked miserably.

"Hmm." It was as close to a question as she'd come.

"We were going to get the business out of the way." I steadily grew mortified. Because of it wasn't able to temper my impatience. She would make me pay for that as well.
 

Morrígan settled back down into the chair then gave a brusque gesture of her long, pale fingers.

My heartbeat eased, for now. I got down to business before she changed her mind. "A Fire witch kidnapped the sister of one of the Alpha's wolves. And a Fire witch set this same wolf's condo on fire."

"You will tell me what it is that you want from me," the priestess said in her imperious way.

Aiden spoke up from behind me. "Did the order come from you?"

I turned enough to give him a sharp glare. Hadn't he learned anything since he'd been here? Aiden didn't spare a look at me. His determined gaze was fixed on the high priestess. I resumed my normal pose because it was obvious he wasn't going to take silent advice from me.

"No, senator, the order didn't come from me," Morrígan replied in irritation. "There would be no purpose in my kidnapping a random wolf's sister."

I noticed how specific she'd made the statement. The Alpha hadn't made any noise so I assumed she'd been telling the truth or she'd found a way to fool Were. I guessed it wasn't a complete waste that he'd come along.

Aiden asked another question. "Would you be able to tell us who did kidnap her if I were to describe her?"

The urge to look at the vampire once again was strong. How exactly could he describe the Fire witch? How had he'd seen her when no one else had? The information Michelle had given us had been generic at best.

"Perhaps," Morrígan said with a dismissive gesture.

"My description may be a little off, as it is tempered by someone else's perception," he added. "But it may be enough."

The priestess heaved a heavy sigh. "Get on with it, senator."

"She has flame red hair cut in an asymmetrical bob, gray or blue gray eyes, emaciated figure, and a rather large nose."

"Megan," Morrígan replied at once. "But she would not..." Her voice trailed off without finishing. A hand went to her temple as her eyelids closed heavily. "Perhaps she would. She was angry that I did not make her an Adept. I'd thought she'd diverted her passion into her studies."