Sebastian gets to his feet with his fists clenched. “I’ll give you that one. Next time, I kill you,” he hisses.
“Seb!” I snap at him. “Don’t you dare threaten him!”
“Don’t you dare defend him, Aefre,” he says back to me.
“Your attitude is really starting to piss me off,” I growl at him and if Drake hadn’t stepped in front of him, I would have gone for him. Vito is right. How could he of all people do this to another Faerie?
“Aeval, leave this room and get your temper in check. I will be with you shortly,” Drake says and turns to Vito. “You, get yourself clothed, man. And if you ever lay a hand on my daughter again, family or not, I will see to it that you go back from whence you came.”
I slope out of the room not eager to take on Drake while my Powers are all iffy. I am happy that he won’t harm Vito, this time, so I wait outside the room for him and the inevitable scolding I will receive.
As I wait, I hear Sebastian sneer, “You need more than just a big cock to keep her interest. You don’t have what it takes to be with her.”
“Kalen,” Drake hisses, not happy with that comment at all, and neither am I.
Jerk.
“Aeval,” Drake says, taking me by the arm and leading me away. “Your behavior is despicable, I will not tolerate this in my house by my own daughter. Do you hear me?”
“Yes,” I say sullenly, as I hear him, but I’m just not going to pay any heed to him.
“Aeval,” he snaps. “This is not the behavior, nor the dress I might add, of a Queen.”
“Hah, since when did you accept my rule?” I ask sarcastically.
“You are my daughter,” he stresses, “and one day you will rule this land, sooner rather than later, but not while you are acting like a randy teenager. I know your Vampire is strong, but you will get it under control.”
I blink at him. Rule this land? As the Dark Fae Queen? Vampire?
“Daddy, I’m not a Vampire anymore,” I tell him. “And I am not so sure you should be passing your title onto me. Your sons will have issue with that.”
“What do you mean you aren’t a Vampire anymore?” he asks. “You have suppressed it?” His hopeful tone makes me giggle despite the anger that still rips through me at Xanthe’s actions.
“No. It’s gone completely. Reverse-turned. Someone cast a spell.” I give him the short version, as I am sure he won’t be interested in the War and Peace version.
“Really?” he says with interest. “Gone completely, eh?” He strokes his chin and I can see the wheels turning. “This is excellent news.” He beams at me. “As soon as you are with child, I will announce my retirement and you can take over.”
He looks so excited by the prospect of some down time I don’t have the heart to tell him that no way am I moving here and that I really do not want to be a Faerie Queen. Dragon Queen is bad enough, and I am hardly active anymore in that role. I just nod as he barrels on, telling me all of his plans.
“But,” he says sharply suddenly, “You will stay away from Maurelle’s brother.”
“Daddy,” I say with a sigh. “You don’t understand. We were in love over five hundred years ago. I haven’t seen him since 1452. I had no idea what had happened to him. I will not do as you ask.”
“You found love with another Dark Fae?” he asks with a frown.
“Yes, of course I didn’t know he was Faerie at the time, as I didn’t know I was,” I say, not liking the deep scowl that has appeared on his face. “What of it?”
“Hm?” he asks, deep in thought. “Oh, nothing,” he adds innocently as I stare at him to explain.
Err, I don’t think so.
“Drake, do you mind if I have a word with Aeval,” Sebastian says.
“No, of course not,” he says and does a runner.
What is he hiding now?
“What?” I snap at Sebastian. “I am extremely pissed off with you. How could you?” I turn from him to stop the tears that have sprung to my eyes and face the wall, taking a deep breath.