The Skye Trilogy: Isle of Skye, Isle of Night, and Isle of Dawn. * Bonus: Scrumptious Skye Confections Cookbook* (39 page)

“All right, you mangy mutts just don’t try to take a leak on me, and we’ll be good,” she said. “I’m going to set up my tent and stuff.”

“Already?”

“I figure I’m going to be way too drunk tonight even to attempt setting up my camping oasis. It’s always better to be safe than sorry.”

“Thinking ahead are we? That’s very mature.”

For the next few hours, Polly and I lugged her stuff outside. I used some of my powers to help set up her tent and other paraphernalia she had brought.

“You know I have a fully serviceable kitchen?” I asked, holding up her portable grill.

“I had to be prepared,” she answered. “So what do you think of this for our evening out?”

I looked up to see her holding a black, shredded silk and tulle dress.

“So you’re going for the crack head prom queen look tonight. Nice.” I replied

“That’s exactly what I was thinking,” she cried

“I’m going to get ready. If you need me, I’ll be down in my underground lair.”

I went into my house and started to go through the several doors and safety features that my home was equipped with before I even moved here. Since it had once belonged to a pair of vampires, you had to go through the door with its own twenty-five digit code. Then there was a handprint scanner for the hatch to get underground in the next room. Lastly, down the stairs there was a retinal scan just to get through to the bedroom.

Since vampires are in almost a coma like sleep, the easiest time to kill them would be when they are resting. That’s why all the homes on the island for the Guardians each had what the local
s called ‘The Vampire Special’.

I showered and dressed carefully. Even though, Copa’s was in the forest part of the island or the Guardian section, everyone went there when they wanted to cut loose. It wasn’t a fancy club, just a roadside bar, but it was a place where you could be comfortable and have a good time.

I picked out a short denim skirt, black see through blouse with a camisole underneath and my new black ankle boots. I brushed my long auburn hair and fluffed up my curls on the end. After applying a little makeup to freshen up my blue-green eyes and pale ivory skin, I was ready.

I met Polly in the kitchen, and we had a quick glass of wine before heading out to the bar. When we pulled up, I was surprised at how packed the little place already appeared to be. We walked in, and a loud cheer went up. I waved to all my family and friends that had arrived before us.

“Willa.” Julia shouted as she made her way over across the crowded bar.

“Hey Jules,” I returned. “Julia this is my best friend Polly. Polly this is my cousin and other best friend Julia.”

“Hi Polly, It’s nice finally to meet you. I have heard so much about you from Willa.” Julia said

“Hi,” Polly said. “Don’t believe anything this chick said about me. So you see the future and crap right?”

“I do.” Julia smiled

“So have you had any visions of me marrying Riah?” Polly laughed

Julia’s smile had dimmed for a second before she answered somewhat stiffly. “I’m sorry. I haven’t had any visions about that, but I will be sure to let you know.”

“Thanks girl.” Polly replied. “You definitely need to tell me. Especially if there are ones featuring him filing a restraining order on me?”

“I will keep you informed.” Julia smile returned.

After greeting everyone I looked around for Polly but didn’t see her. I was just starting to get concerned when all of a sudden I heard her voice coming from the small stage in the back.

“Oh God,” I muttered to myself.

“Hi everyone!”
Polly said. “My name is Polly Woods. Are you ready to get down tonight?”

A loud cheer went up from the crowd. “OK, then ladies and gentlemen. I brought my iPod which, Carmine, the fabulous owner here has graciously let me plug into the sound system. So all I got to say is let’s
go!”

All of a sudden lights started flashing and Calvin Harris’s song ‘Let’s Go’ came over the speakers loudly. I smiled as Frank pulled me on the dance floor and began to gyrate all around me. Pretty soon the place was rocking with people dancing and laughing.

Being here tonight was like attending a wedding reception. There was no anxiety about looking cool or trying to find some random person to hook up with for the night. This was just a bunch of people letting loose and having a good time. We all knew each other or had at least seen each other in passing. Friendships were deepened while doing the ‘Electric Slide’ and bonds were formed over who could ride the pony during ‘Mony Mony’.

After almost two hours on the dance floor, I was relaxed and having the best time of my life. When a hand snaked around m
y waist and lips touched my ear I grinned.

Riah had finally made an appearance.

“It’s about time.” I yelled as we slowed danced.

“I had to medicate myself with some liquid courage before I have a talk with my not so blushing bride.”

“Riah!” Polly shouted from across the room. Riah groaned, and I laughed as I extricated myself from his arms.

“Ms. Woods.” he said. “How lovely to see you, may I have this dance?”

“Um, yeah, you can have a lot more as well. Just to let you know,” she said flirtatiously

I watched as Riah smoothly led her away to a quieter corner of the bar and began talking earnestly to her. I hoped he let her down easy. Although honestly at this point I thought, Polly’s crush was more of a joke than anything serious.

Thirty minutes later all thoughts of Polly and Riah flew out the window as Polly lined all us ladies up against the bar.

“What’s going on?” I asked apprehensively

“Well, Riah and I had an exchange of services. I would stop stalking him, and he would be our body shot boy toy.” Polly answered

“Oh no, I’m so not a shot kind of girl Polly, you know that.” I said

“You are tonight. One shot, that’s all.” Polly pleaded. “I mean, come on. Granny’s doing it.”

I looked down and noticed not only my grandmother, but my mother, and both of my aunts were lined up against the bar and laughing. Riah sauntered over to them with a bottle of tequila, a salt shaker, and a bowl of lemons.

I have to say that I have never laughed as hard as I did over the next five minutes. Everyone in the bar gathered around and howled when Riah started with my grandmother. I shook my head in disbelief when she licked the salt off of his neck and moaned appreciatively.

By the time Riah got to me on the end, I had thrown my inhibitions out the window and was poised to take my turn.

“The moment I have been waiting for.” Riah smiled. He tipped back his head and waited for me to lick his neck. I leaned down and tasted his slightly salty skin before shaking some more on the little strip of wetness my tongue had left. I licked the salt quickly, downed my shot and sucked the lemon as fast as I could.

Smiling I held up my glass in triumph. Everyone clapped and whistled, especially when Riah shouted, “My turn."

“Don’t forget your promise.” he whispered in my ear. I rolled my eyes and turned my head to offer him my neck. He slowly licked all the way from the neck to ear before gently shaking salt on his saliva.  When he bent his head a second time, he flashed me a grin and licked the salt before taking his shot.

All the bar patrons went wild and I laughed through my slight alcohol fueled haze. I was so overcome with happiness I grabbed Riah and gave him a loud kiss on the lips before whispering, “Thank you.”

“Anything for you my lady,” he said chivalrously

I don’t know what made me look up but later I would remember a flash of red that had caught the corner of my eye. The crowd parted slightly and when I saw him standing there, the air around me tightened. Every single person and voice
was drowned out by the sound of my beating heart that was pounding furiously in my ears.

Mathias was back on the Isle of Skye.

And Mathias looked really pissed off.

Chapter Four

I stood frozen in shock as I drank in the sight of Mathias. Our eyes locked onto to each other, and every person in the room seemed to blur out of sight for a moment. As he walked over I was aware that his name was being spoken, and greetings flung his way but neither he nor I reacted. We were in our own little world.

When he came to a halt right in front of me, my eyes greedily took in his tall, broad shouldered appearance. His dark, thick, chestnut hair shone in the dim light of the bar. The ends were slightly longer than when he left, and they curled around the nape of his neck. I wanted to run my hands down his face so I could trace the outline of his chiseled cheeks and lush lips.

His eyes, oh how I missed those smoky whiskey colored eyes, were gazing down at me with a furious hooded expression. For four months, this face, those eyes, had haunted my dreams and made my soul ache. To have him standing right in front of me was so surreal. I almost pinched myself to make sure I wasn’t dreaming.

He tore his gaze from mine and fixed a scathing look onto Riah.

“I told you to protect her, not to fuck her.” Mathias sneered.

His words washed over me like a bucket of cold water. Instead of saying hello or even acknowledging my presence he went right after Riah for our harmless antics.

“Mathias.” Winifred said shocked. “Riah has done nothing inappropriate to Willa or anyone for that matter. His behavior has been above reproach.”

“I just witnessed his behavior and its grounds for dismissal.” Mathias said coldly

“Absolutely not,” Winifred said. “We were all enjoying some mindless fun and frivolity this evening. As a matter of fact, if you had arrived a few minutes sooner you would have seen Riah and I engaging in drinking body shots off of each other.”

Mathias barely even registered my grandmother’s words. He still fixed his steely gaze on Riah. For a few minutes, no one said a word or even moved. Finally, Mathias drew in a deep breath and nodded to Winifred.

“Forgive me your Majesty if I misjudged the situation.” Mathias said stiffly.

“I think you owe Riah and Willa an apology Mathias,” she replied

I snorted. Like that’s going to happen in the near future. The small sound that came out of me had returned Mathias’s attention on me.

“Guardian Worthing,” I said. “How lovely of you to finally come back to the Isle, especially since we now only have a little over a week until the Fae come to visit.”

Mathias continued to stare at me with an angry expression. The more silent he stood, the more pissed off I became. Was he really not even going to speak to me?

“Cat got your tongue?” I continued. “Or maybe it’s the giant stick that’s s
till lodged up your ass? Is that why you can’t seem to recognize people having fun when you see it?”

Mathias stepped closer to me. My eyes almost rolled in the back of my head when I inhaled his spicy scent. I forced myself to stay calm and look back at him with indifference.

“Be very careful with what you say to me right now,” he said in a low, husky voice

“Why?” I asked. “What are you going to do if I don’t? Stare me to death?”

“Mathias,” a woman’s French accented voice called from the door of the bar. “You took off so suddenly.”

I looked over his shoulder and saw a tall, stunning brunette walking towards
our group at the bar. Her eyes lit up with amusement as she took in the scene before her.

“Sabine,” Winifred said almost coldly. “It’s very kind of you to come in our time of need.”

“Of course my queen,” she answered. “There’s nowhere else I would rather be than here serving you and your family.”

When my grandmother didn’t respond, she turned to my Aunt Gussie. “Augusta, I’m so sorry about your terrible ordeal. I am happy and relieved that you and your daughter are home safely.”

“Thank you Sabine.” Gussie replied. “May I introduce to you my sister Cecily?”

Sabine looked over and gave my mother a small smile in greeting before she turned her attention to Julia.

“This must be your daughter. She’s just as beautiful as you Augusta,” she said

“Yes, this is my daughter Julia.” Gussie answered. “Julia, this is Sabine, a former Guardian.”

Julia gave Sabine a quick hello and then promptly went over to stand by Polly, who was watching with undisguised interest.

Sabine sauntered over to Mathias and me. She gave Riah a slight nod, which he did not return, before turning her attention to me.

“This must little Willa. I’m honored to meet you.” Sabine said with a condescending smile

Really?
This bitch just said that to me? Just as I was about to show her how not so little I was, I saw her right hand lightly grasp Mathias’s arm and my blood ran cold.

Sabine and Mathias had been intimate. I realized this immediately, because, like any woman, I could sense when another woman tried to mark her territory. They might not have been together recently but at one time they had and she informed me of that in a subtle, fuck you, kind of way.