The Devil's Masquerade: The Remedy (The Devil's Eyes) (18 page)

“Kayla? Are you okay?” someone asks, knocking on her door. I look down at her as she lifts her head towards the door. I don’t have the energy to run, and she doesn’t seem to have the ability to move period, so I start to panic.

“Ummm, yeah Ryan. I was just … just … doing some yoga before bed,” Kayla says as I try not to laugh.

“Yoga?” Ryan laughs. “Oh-kay. Enjoy that.”

She looks down at me while I cover my mouth to hide my laughter. “Stop laughing. It’s not funny. He probably thinks I am some kind of freak in here pleasuring myself.” I keep laughing, and she smacks my chest and jumps off me in a huff.

I grab that scarf, whip it around her waist, and quickly grab the other end, forcing her back to me. “I didn’t say I was done with you yet.” I pick her up into my arms, and we find our way into the shower. I take advantage of every second with her before I have to leave, not that it makes leaving her any easier. She helps me get back to my car safely, and I give her one last kiss. During my drive back to the office, I am exhausted but not so tired that I can keep from smiling wide.

Sitting down for breakfast, I feel a little better than the day before, and in fact, I find myself starving. I pile on the food, receiving a sharp glare from my grandfather. “Good morning, Ma Joie,” Grandfather says to me as he sits. Because of his curious expression, I decide it best to sit back and slow down my pace, but I am unable to speak with my mouth full of food, so I simply nod. He rolls his eyes away from me before greeting Galena. “Good morning, Galena.”

“Good morning, Father,” Galena says.

“Hungry are we Nicholas?” he asks, avoiding looking at me as I jam another fork full of food into my mouth.

Damn! I feel like I had sex all night and need to recharge entirely.
Oh yeah, I did.
“Yes, I’m sorry. I didn’t get to eat much yesterday, and I feel like I ran a marathon last night. My dreams were so active. Maybe I did run a marathon,” I say, continuing to eat.

“Dreams? What kind of dreams, may I ask?” Grandfather inquires with surprising interest. Galena laughs, and I look up at her strangely. “I bet I know,” she says, looking down under the table.
Fucking bitch.
I have had a hard on all morning, and I was hoping no one here would notice, not sitting at a table especially. “It’s okay, Nicholas. It is perfectly normal. It has been awhile for you.” Galena continues to giggle even through my huffing.

Grandfather sighs, “Galena, enough! Not much longer, Nicholas, and you will have plenty of women to fuck at your leisure. For now, you need to continue to concentrate on your training. Sex only distracts and changes your attitude too much. You need to stay focused.”

“How much longer must I be in training?” I ask, trying to calm my dick down.

“I am hoping in time for your introduction party, your Masquerade Ball. Everyone is coming, and if you like, I will have a parade of women for you to choose from. Fuck them all for all I care, but you must choose one to marry and present to the High Council so they can confidently make you a Lord.”

“Like who? Ria? I don’t like her,” I huff.

“It does not have to be Ria. It can be anyone of the options I provide for you. I would say Catriona is quite nice, don’t you think?”

“Yes, I do like her. She has some … great qualities about her, but why can’t I choose my own?” I ask, causing him to steam.

“I swear you are just like Dante!” he snaps suddenly.

“Who’s Dante?” I ask as he tries to ignore my question. I look over at Galena, and ask again, “Who is Dante?”

“Nicholas, eat your breakfast.” I sit back in my chair huffing. “Dante was your father, Nicholas. There. Are you happy, now? I told you about him, and I was hoping we wouldn’t have to revisit that heartache, but to make you happy, I did,” he says angrily.

My father?
I recall the conversation Grandfather had with Galena about me killing Dante.
I killed my own father? I thought he said he died in battle? Why would I kill my own father? Was it an accident? I must have heard him wrong. It must have been someone else they were talking about.
I stare off, trying to understand, when Grandfather shakes me back to his attention.

“Your father was a great man Nicholas. You should be proud of who he was and that you are like him. No reason to worry about it now. He died a hero and would want the best for you, and I am positive he would want the best wife for you as well. Nicholas, when you choose your wife, you need to make sure she will be a suitable mother to look after your children. You will not have time to deal with such things. Galena’s mother handled all the household details and the children so I was free to deal with business.”

“I don’t want children,” I say, trying to hold back my laughter as I watch Ro wrestle with Rabbie over a drink that is supposed to come to me.

They silently argue with each other over who will bring it to me until Grandfather, who is not amused by the scuffle at all, slams his fist onto the table and shakes them back to order. “I didn’t ask what you want. It is your responsibility to carry on the family, especially since my daughter is incapable of doing so,” he says causing Galena to sink into her chair.

“You want children?” I ask her. She shrugs. “Why don’t you then?”

“Father forbid it until …”

“Until she finds a suitor worthy of our seed!” Grandfather yells across the table.

“Why have you not found the right one? If you are finding someone for me, then why can’t you find someone for Galena as well?” I ask.

“I am not finding someone for you Nicholas. I am matching you with an appropriate woman to bare your children.”

“And so why can’t you do that for Galena?”

“Because she has not proven that she is an appropriate woman to bare our family’s children! Stop asking such questions, Nicholas. What is with you this morning?” Grandfather asks.

“I was just curious as to why. She seems sad about the matter.”

“She seemed sad did she? Who cares? She is constantly moody. No more of this Nicholas. I want you to take care of some business for me today at Sovereignty. Galena will assist you.”

“I can do it. She doesn’t have to babysit me wherever I go.” Grandfather sighs deeply and sits back. “I can do it. I don’t know why you don’t trust me?”

“Fine, handle it, but make sure you check in with me before you leave and check in with me when you get back.” I nod, already planning my day with a smile and an erection. As I walk out, I realize I forgot something, Ro. When I head back into the room, I overhear Grandfather talking about me.

“There is something wrong,” Grandfather says. “Nicholas is showing signs of feelings and emotions,” he emphasizes with disgust. “I don’t understand how this could happen?” Grandfather sighs before asking Ro to stay in the room, as he was desperately trying to sneak out a side exit. “Have you noticed anything different about my grandson? Has he been seeing anyone? Is he having sex with someone?”

“Ummm, no sir … I don’t know much more than Delin does. I just got here. Nick, I barely know the man. I mean, I know he … Nick, he is … well, he is a man … who … Nick likes things, and he doesn’t like things, and he likes to understand these things, and … ummm … so he asks a lot of questions so he can understand such curious things he doesn’t understand. You see?” Ro rambles, clearly not knowing what to say and what not to say.

“Oh shut up. I want you to tell me if he sees anyone outside of business; report to me his every move,” Grandfather says as I catch Ro’s eyes and direct his motions perfectly so Grandfather believes Ro is his servant. “I need to find a way to kill that woman before it is too late. I fear Kayla’s very existence has an effect on him. She must be dealt with, and if the High Council prevents me from doing it, then maybe someone with less ranking can.”

Once Ro meets me outside, I immediately pull him to an out of the way place. “Don’t ever let him know he can’t control you. I need you to help me, and in order to do that, I need you to be fully functional and aware.” I taught Ro how to look at my grandfather and, most importantly, how not to. He should never listen too closely or stare too long but always … always, seem to be under my grandfather’s control.

“He is going to kill Kayla. Did you hear him… kill her or I guess have her killed,” Ro says, jumping around in a panic.

“I heard him.”

“Well, what are you going to do Nick?”

“What can I do? I can’t go against Grandfather?” I say, avoiding looking at him.

“You are going to let him kill her?!” he says, shaking his head.

“If he wants her dead, there is little I can do about it,” I snap at him.

“Oh, well maybe you should go see her tonight then since it will probably be your last time before she dies. I am sure you will find someone else though, and it will be just the same I am sure,” he says, walking away from me.

I hate is sarcastic attitude sometimes.

Chapter 22

Catriona

The whole crew is gathered together, trying to decide if we can come up with a plan to win this battle with Savage before the Masquerade, before our next to the last minute ticks away. No one seems to have any great ideas until Amery stands up and says we need to take Nick out. Now. He continues to explain that there is no other way and we are out of options. Obviously, he has no understanding of the people he is speaking to. The cold silence in the room makes me uneasy, but it doesn’t faze Amery one bit. He goes on to say how we need to follow Nick and search for a time that he is at his most vulnerable so we can impose one fatal shot to his head. All we have to do is distract him so he doesn’t see it coming. All we have to do is have a plan. It should be easy, easy for them to kill their brother, best friend, and the father of two young children. Sure, that should be a piece of cake. I am not sure which person is going to say something to him first, Ryan or Elijah. They are both tensing and steaming in the same manner, not that the rest of Nick’s loyal friends in the room aren’t ready to tear Amery apart, too. I brace myself as Ryan and Elijah stand, but when Kayla steps into the room, she steps in front of them both before turning towards Amery.

“You can do whatever you want, but unless you want a target on your own back, other than the one you already have, then I suggest you work with the allies and not against them,” Kayla says with a powerful tone. “I think, instead of Nick, we should concentrate on Savage. There has to be something we are missing about him, something we can use against him. Let’s study him and understand his every move. Maybe if we understand him better, we can prepare to battle him more effectively. He is, after all, the main goal for all of us.” She doesn’t bother to ask if anyone agrees before she asks who will take the first watch. Amery storms out in frustration. Ever since Timber was killed, he has wanted to get revenge against Nick.

“What is his problem?” Elijah asks me.

“Nick killed one of his few friends,” I reply to him.

“How did that happen?”

“Amery and Savage engaged in a battle, and his friend was about to kill Galena when Nick came after him. He tried to lure him into the water so he and Amery could gang up on him and kill him, but Nick was too strong and killed Timber before Amery could make it to them.”

“If he went after Galena, then Nick was only defending her and himself. It’s not as if he went after his friend straight out,” Elijah says, satisfied with his understanding.

“Yes, but it was the plan Amery came up with, only Timber got to Galena first. It was supposed to be Amery … that is what he is truly upset about. Timber died because of Amery’s plan. He died instead of Amery,” I say.

Elijah nods. “Okay, I guess I understand being upset about that, but he needs to understand that it is his guilt controlling him and not the proper justice he is always talking about.”

Elijah and I volunteer to go and spy on Savage together. We barely get to the car before Amery jumps in with us.

“What are you doing here?” Elijah asks him with a sour expression.

“I am here to make sure Cat doesn’t need any help,” Amery says, making himself comfortable in the back seat. “So, what have you found out so far? Nothing? Figures.” Elijah rolls his eyes and drives us away without another word.