Their names are called, and they grin at each other as there is a short round of applause. And then it begins. She isn’t left alone for a second and she takes it all in her stride. She is a pro at working the room and he watches her with pride. He has noticed that she is avoiding his father and he wonders if that has something to do with his mother. Either way, it won’t do to snub him, so he goes over to her and guides her in Xerxes’s direction by her elbow.
When she realizes who they are going to see, she blushes furiously and lowers her eyes. It takes him now, all of two seconds to figure out why she is avoiding him. She hasn’t seen Xerxes since the witnessing of their consummation six and a half months ago, but to her it will seem like last week.
“Sorry,” he mutters, and she shrugs and raises her eyes to Xerxes who, to Xane’s surprise, is looking as embarrassed as Xerxei is. She holds her hand out to him and he takes it for a kiss and then they smile awkwardly at each other.
“I’m sorry for your loss,” Xerxes says and Xane cringes. He saw her cold attitude towards losing her baby yesterday and he doesn’t really want a scene caused. Not to mention reminding her of Xanthe’s involvement.
However, she inclines her head gracefully and accepts the condolences. She is completely composed. There is nothing whatsoever “Vampire” about her today and for that he is grateful. She is acting exactly as she should: like a Queen. Like his Demon goddess. Like everything except that god-awful creature. He is convinced now more than ever that when she is Xerxei, the Vampire is completely gone. He had his suspicions and he knows that she fusses over it when she is Xerxei, also saying she loses her Queenly abilities. He has seen no sign of that in recent months. Since Tiamat accelerated her Power, she is stronger than ever, even in this form. He wishes there was a way to get rid of the Vampire for good and keep Xerxei here. His mother said she thought there was a way, but as yet hasn’t been able to find one. She owes him big time and this time she will pay up. She will find a way.
“Xane?” Xerxei elbows him gently and he realizes he was away with the Faeries with his thoughts and missed what they were saying.
“Hmm?” he says, and she smiles at him, knowing he is distracted.
“Your father asked if he may have this dance?” she says.
He frowns at that. He doesn’t want anyone dancing with her except him. He doesn’t want any other male’s hands on her, not even his own father’s. “Sure,” he mutters, unable to say anything else. He watches as they disappear into the crowd and he doesn’t take his eyes off them as they twirl around the floor. He is about to cut in when he has decided this has gone on for long enough, but he is beaten to the punch by Lord Falcor. He steps back knowing that he can’t refuse the Head of the Council after the Trial. It seems that now she is on everyone’s dance card and he watches as his rage reaches boiling point as she gets handed off from the Head of each house to another until it’s Sven’s turn. He sees her hesitate, but only for a fraction of a second. If she refused him it would likely start a war, and she knows enough about their society now to understand that. She curtsies prettily for him and Sven beams at her, pulling her far closer than is necessary and placing his hand too low on her back to be appropriate. Xane knows he is doing it to get at him, but his jealousy knows no bounds and he marches over to them, determined to interrupt. Xerxes tries to intercept him, not wanting a fight in the middle of this party, but Xane is past caring. Sven now has his hand practically on her ass and she is smiling stiffly, taking it because she is a perfect host.
“Get your hand off my wife’s ass,” Xane growls at him and Sven just smiles back at him.
“But she isn’t your wife. I mean not really,” Sven goads him. “You haven’t bonded. We all know it was a farce.”
“Watch it,” Xane says to him quietly, holding his hand out for Xerxei. She reaches out for him, but Sven pulls her tighter to him.
“She is my wife in every way that counts, now get your hands off her before I slice your innards from your decapitated body and burn them,” Xane threatens. Actually, it’s not a threat. He is seconds away from reaching for his sword when Sven lets her go.
“You may have said your vows and fucked her, but I will never believe this is real between you,” Sven spits out. “I am going to find a way to re-open this Trial and when I do, prepare to have her ripped from your grasp and thrust into my bed. Mark my words, our consummation will last more than a few seconds.” He pauses with a look of pure lust directed at Xerxei and leans closer to add, “I have seen you in your real guise, you still want to tell me you belong to them?” He reaches for her and runs his finger in between her breasts. Xane grabs his finger and breaks it, snapping it in two just like he wants to do with his neck.
“There isn’t a Demon here who would blame me for killing you right now,” Xane whispers to him. “Even look at her again and I will pluck your eyes out with a spoon and feed them to you.”
He sees the sheen of sweat break out on Sven’s forehead. He may be a Head of House, but he is no match against Xane. They both know it and he backs off, but not before he says, “I will get Falcor to reconsider and when I do, you will be at the top of my list to watch me fuck her until she weeps.”
Xane reaches for him, his hands extended to beat the crap out of him, but Xerxei pulls him back.
“Don’t,” she murmurs. “People are already looking.”
“Xerxei,” he says to her in warning, pulling away from her and stepping towards Sven.
“Don’t make me pull my Faerie magick out,” she says, and he turns to her, angry that she would threaten him in public.
She is chewing her lip, trying not to laugh as she remembers the outrageous scene of her kicking his ass with that magick after their wedding. He loses his anger at her and laughs gently. She moves into his arms and kisses him so passionately that he grows hard and doesn’t care if the room full of Demons watch as he takes her right then.
Xerxes clears his throat and mutters, “Perhaps you two should take that elsewhere?”
Xerxei pulls away from him and looks at her dainty wristwatch. “I should get back,” she says.
“Not yet,” Xane says, reaching for her again. “I need you,” he whispers to her.
“I will come to you again soon,” she says. “I have to go now.” And with a quick nod goodbye to Xerxes, she flees the ballroom like Cinderella at midnight.
He stares after her, wondering why she left so abruptly. Mind you, as he feels the stares of Sven and his crew, it becomes apparent why she fled. It would have held more weight if she had stayed, but he can’t blame her. He sighs and turns to leave himself. He wants to go and see his mother and find out why she hasn’t come up with the Vampire-destroying goods yet. He pushes open the door to her bedroom and enters the gloom. The curtains are pulled back against the light and she is reclining on the bed.
“Mother,” he says to her stiffly.
She sits up and he sees the damage he did to her, but he doesn’t feel sorry about it. He asked her for her help in getting to Xerxei and she refused and handed her off to that beast instead. It is because of her that he has to endure this Sven nonsense.
“Xane,” she says hoarsely, as half her throat is still missing. She looks like she is healing up though. “How did the soiree go?”
“Perfectly until Sven threatened my wife,” Xane says sourly.