The question came out with expectant curiosity rather than accusation.
“Vampires are rough, Your Highness,” Colin explained without a hint of self-consciousness. “Relationships here, at least sexual relationships, involve a dominant partner and a submissive partner.”
Now Beck sat up and poured himself another glass. Meg had used those words. “Are you the dominant?”
“Yes, I am. Susan prefers to give up control in the bedroom. It was strange at first. You have to understand, Your Highness, I was raised in a very isolated part of the country. I didn’t know I could bond until I came to the Vampire plane. I was a farmer. I had been taught to treat females with great softness.”
“We are bigger and stronger,” Beck said, parroting the words he’d heard from his father. “They need our protection, not our abuse.”
Colin’s dark brows rose questioningly. “If you’re worried about me abusing your cousin, Your Highness…”
“Say what you need to say, Colin,” Beck encouraged the slightly younger man. “Forget I’m the bloody King. I’m your cousin. Talk to me that way. The goddess knows I need someone who’ll be honest with me.”
“Fine,” Colin said, his eyes narrowing. “I’d tell you, cos, to get the stick out of your ass. My relationship with my wife isn’t open for your judgment. I heard that gentry marriages were cold exchanges of protection and money, for bloodlines and a proper bond. I don’t want that. I want a real marriage. Maybe it’s because I’m a commoner, but you can keep your perfect little bondmate. I don’t want to be treated like a bit of fluff to be taken off a shelf and fucked when my mate thinks about it. I certainly don’t want to treat my wife like that. Life is hard, no matter your circumstances. You should have a partner, not a weight around your neck.”
Beck felt his stomach drop. He thought about what he’d said to Meg. He’d told her she was a responsibility to be borne. She’d asked to be his partner, and he’d complained about having to feed and clothe her.
“I don’t think of her that way,” Beck said quietly. He didn’t. He thought of her all the time, though. Now that he’d had her, he couldn’t sleep without picturing her close to him. He held a pillow close to his body at night and pretended it was Meg against his chest. Goddess, he missed her.
Colin poured another round. “It’s hard in the beginning. Marriage ain’t easy. You have to find your way. It’s harder for you because there are three of you involved.”
“Ci doesn’t seem to be having a problem.” Beck took a drink, shooting the warm liquor into his belly. Cian had been plain in his correspondence. He was pissed with the way Beck had treated their wife up to this point.
Everyone was mad at him.
“Then maybe you should listen to Ci,” Colin said sagely. “He would listen to you when it came to killing gigantic bats.”
That thought amused him and reminded him he did have a place where Cian didn’t best him. “He wouldn’t have time to listen. He would be running the other way.” Cian had always been a pussy when it came to things with fangs trying to kill him. “I want to go home, Colin. Can you get me home tonight?”
The big Fae smiled. “That I can do, Your Highness. I suspect I could get someone to drive you straight through to your village, if you like. If you go back to the city, you’ll find yourself being debriefed for twelve hours.”
Beck groaned. “Please, no more meetings.”
Colin graciously inclined his head. “Go take a shower while I get a driver set for you. I have to prep this site for mining operations, or I’d take you myself. As it is, I suspect I’ll get in trouble with my boss. She’s expecting you to report back like a good little employee.”
Beck grinned. “Then she shouldn’t have paid me up front.”
He rushed off to get changed. He was anxious to get back to his sleepy little village where his sweet wife waited to start their life together.
Five hours later, Beck stared slack-jawed at the chaos around him. There were tents and campsites everywhere. His quiet village had turned into a raucous marketplace. There were people everywhere.
“Your Highness,” a pretty sidhe said. He thought her name was Bri. She was carrying a basket, and he could hear the coins jangling in her pockets. He searched his memory. Her father was the miller. “Welcome back. I hope your trip went well.”
“It was fine,” he replied, still dazed. “What is going on here?”
Bri’s eyes were wide. “It’s a celebration. It’s the tradition. We’re celebrating the Kings’ bonding with three weeks of festivities. Last night we had a great bonfire, and the priestess blessed King Cian and Queen Meg. It was a lovely ceremony. They’re so in love.” Her face was shining with remembrance. She frowned suddenly. “Your name was mentioned, Your Highness. Everyone cheered.”
“I’m glad someone remembered me,” Beck ground out. This was how Cian chose to protect their bride? He was supposed to hide her from prying eyes. Instead, he’d invited the whole damn plane to a party. The goddess only knew how many of these people were actually spies for Torin. He caught sight of a big shape walking through the stalls. “Is that a bloody goblin?”
The young girl nodded. “Yes, they have brought so many strange wonders. Some of us worried they would not behave without Your Highness around to keep them in line, but they are terrified of the Queen, so all has been well.”
Beck felt his heart seize. His little Meg had met the goblins? Cian had allowed a goblin to get close to their bride? Had he lost his mind? What had the girl said? “What do you mean the goblins are terrified of the Queen?”
The girl smiled proudly. “Our queen beat them and threatened to never make another cookie for them if they ate her. She got the goblin chief to back down. Imagine that, a Seelie queen forcing an Unseelie lord to back down.” She leaned in conspiratorially. “If you ask me, the force is strong with our queen.”
Beck wondered if that damn vampire had taken him to the wrong plane. “Someone is forcing the queen to do something?”
“No,” Bri said helpfully. “It’s an old human legend. You see, the force represents…”
Beck saw someone who might be more helpful. “Thank you, Bri. Tell your father I’d like to talk to him about the mill. We’ll need more flour if this goes on for too long.”
“Don’t worry, Your Highness,” Bri said as he started to walk away. “The queen already took care of it.”
Well, of course she had.
Beck pursued Liadan across the square. Liadan wouldn’t be under the new Queen’s spell as everyone else seemed to be. “Lia!”
The blonde turned and, when she saw it was him, made her bow. She was cool and polite. “Your Highness. You returned early. You weren’t due back for another week.”
A thought struck Beck. In another week, the three weeks of celebration would be over. His brother was a tricky bastard. Cian might not have been able to cover the fact that he’d called the festivities, but he would have been able to say they were small. He would have attempted to convince Beck that they were small but necessary to the villagers’ acceptance of Meg. He was a sly one, his other half, and about to get that magnificent brain of his bashed in.
“Would you like to tell me what the bloody hell has been going on while I was away?”
Liadan smiled sweetly. “It is a celebration for your queen, Your Highness. I was surprised you authorized it. It is very expensive and seems a strange thing to do when so many are hungry. I wouldn’t be surprised if our food stores are empty by the end of the festivities.”