Page 50 of Light Fae's Love
I feel deep within my heart that my lovers are in danger; taking a slow breath, I inhale the cool scents of the nighttime forest.
Then turn to Alleno—knowing I have to go.
“As my Darkwatch protector, I’ve asked much of you over the years.” I know I have to speak the truth of my heart to my cousin now, hoping he’ll understand. “You’ve done so many things for me; many insane things I’ve asked you to do, and you’ve looked the other way so many times when I’ve gone off on my own to do insane things, of which I know you don’t approve. Tonight, I need to ask for one more insane thing from you, Alleno. I need for us to get down to Rome, to help Ariana and Quinn. Or I fear I will die of heartbreak when they fail to return a Revenant and lose to the Vampire Council. I will perish from the agony of feeling their loss inside me. I know it.”
“That bad, huh?” Alleno is quiet now as he watches me, his emerald eyes pale in the moonlight.
“That bad.” I nod, knowing to my blood and bones it’s true.
Alleno takes a deep breath and heaves a sigh. And then the wryest smile takes his lips as he shakes his head.
“You know I’m with you, Lucca. All the way. If you say we go to Rome, even with you in such a mess of a state right now, then we go. But not without backup.”
“What do you suggest?” I cock my head at him now, knowing Alleno has something up his sleeve. Like Quinn, he’s always thinking.
Always coming up with a plan, even when mine are just rash.
“You need someone who knows Rome, and the Council.” Alleno’s eyes glint under the moonlight, and I know he has someone in mind.
“Who?” I ask.
“Someone who has proved invaluable in helping you, Quinn, and Ariana before. And who hates the Council with a passion.” Alleno’s lips twitch up in a smile now as he hands his idea to me, and I know then to whom he refers.
“Lady Eiseth Pendragon. Of Britannia.” I blink now, a smile cracking my face also, for the first time in days.
“She helped you, Ariana, and Quinn form the bond that stabilized Ariana’s power.” Alleno goes on, even though I know he’s right and I don’t need further convincing. “She’s kept that secret this entire time, and she’s been there with Ariana and Quinn, fighting through thick and thin to help them. She’s never once wavered in her support of them, or you. And she hates the Council for dismissing her as a backwater warrioress. That’s the ally you need in Rome. That’s the person you should approach with your idea… and see what she can come up with.”
“We need to find out if she’s still in Florence,” I say now, knowing Quinn dismissed everyone from his Hotel who was not of his own Dark Haven, as soon as this emergency arose. “The Meeting of the Havens already concluded; even the last Masters who were here for it have probably already departed, since Quinn gave Devi and Curio an ultimatum to send all guests packing.”
“Only one way to find out.” He pulls out his cell phone from a pocket in his leathers, something we’re not supposed to carry as Fae thanks to my father’s edicts, but Alleno does anyway for emergencies. He’s already dialing and I lift an eyebrow at him, but he shakes his head, waiting for an answer.
“Shadow Fae. Why are you calling me? Don’t you know there’s a lockdown happening in Florence right now? I have a million things to do and no time for a booty call. Scram.” The haughty, brisk voice on the other end of the line is unmistakably Devina Scarlotti, Quinn’s Second-in-command. My eyebrows rise as Alleno turns a faint scarlet color in the night, then clears his throat and answers Devina.
As I also hear her drum her very red nails impatiently on something hard, like a tabletop.
“I’m not calling for a hookup.” Alleno is firm as he glances at me. “I’m calling because Lucca and I need to find the Lady Eiseth Pendragon, concerning something for Quinn. Is she still at the Hotel?”
“You’re in luck, sneaky Fae. She’s still here.” Though Devina’s words are tight, I hear a fondness in them for Alleno—fondness of a very intimate variety. I lift my eyebrows at him, wondering how the hell he’s been having a secret relationship with a Vampire, and for how long it’s been going on.
Right under my nose, my father’s, and the Darkwatch.
“Good. Tell her we need to see her. We’re coming now.” Alleno lifts his eyebrows at me and I nod. I take out a tiny silver Fae-whistle from an amulet on a chain around my neck, blowing a three-note call to the night.
Somewhere far-off in the woods, I hear my owl Altenni hoot back.
“Tell Devina Quinn’s in trouble,” I say to Alleno before he can hang up. “Tell her he’s been staked with Devilswood, in the heart. Quinn survived because he drew blood and power from Ariana. He will not last three nights, though. if it continues to poison him. He won’t draw enough of his magic out of Ariana to heal the wound properly, since he’ll want to preserve it inside her to balance my power for the demonstration. Which means we need some of the Hotel’s special sauce for Devilswood. A lot of it.”
Alleno relays my words to Devi. A string of Italian curses come from the other end of the line, and then Devi is demanding to speak with me.
Alleno hands the phone over.
“Are you sure about the Devilswood?” Devi asks me, her voice urgent.
“One hundred percent.” I nod.
“Dammit, Quinn. What have you gotten yourself into?” she says, furious now, though it’s not for me. “Is he with anyone he trusts? What else did you see through your bond when it happened?”
“I think he’s with Arturos.” I nod, understanding Devi’s concern. “I thought I saw his water-magic in the vision, just for a moment.”