Sundown & Serena Read online

  With that newfound sense of self, I finally was able to look towards a future. I’d always lived day-to-day my entire life, my mantra that tomorrow would take care of itself and the present was all that was important. I saw now much of that attitude had been because I had never been able to see a tomorrow that was filled with something better than today. Cliché as it was to admit it, I hadn’t known anything was missing in my life until Terian had shown me how much more was out there. Hesitantly, I secretly began to consider a future of getting married, maybe enrolling in a short college program, or getting some kind of part-time job with Solutions, Inc., like Sar had. Hell, maybe I could fill in for her on the days she wasn’t here, as that seemed to be most of the week these days. With Danial growing the business, Terian said there would be a lot more work coming in.

  I was finally happy, really happy. I had a home, a committed man that loved me, and real friends. I wasn’t going to mess that up for anything.

  * * * *

  A few months later, I got a letter from a lawyer, telling me my father was dead. In spite of everything he’d done and how much I hated him, I still went to pieces.

  Terian was wonderful, holding and comforting me until I managed to pull myself together. We arranged travel to meet with the lawyer, fortunately having already planned to go west to try to track down any remaining members of Terian’s foster family.

  Terian’s “can of worms” was not that big, but it was supernatural: a demon Titus was his father, and his mother was a faerie called Leri. Titus had apparently wanted a child, but Leri hadn’t, or at least Titus hadn’t checked with her before casting a spell to make a pregnancy possible. Leri had dealt with her bundle of joy in the worst possible way: hiding it from Titus until she gave birth in secret, then foisting the child off on an unsuspecting human whom she’d bespelled. It was obvious that Terian’s feelings for his mother resembled mine for my late father. While I couldn’t fault him for that, I did understand Leri’s panic; most women who got pregnant by a demon died giving birth. I didn’t excuse her for her actions, but I trusted Titus even less. Another reason I was not rushing into marriage anytime soon, with those kinds of potential in-laws.

  Our trip was a good one. Terian did find the sister of his beloved brotherwell, the man he’d thought of as his brother. When he came back from meeting with her, he’d clearly been crying. But he seemed so much more at peace than he had been, almost like he’d been given a reprieve from the gallows.

  On our way home, we stopped in Janesville, and met with the lawyer.

  “Your father didn’t leave you anything,” he said in a solemn tone. “He said you betrayed him when he needed you most. But he didn’t leave a will, and so the money comes to you, as next of kin.”

  “I don’t want it,” I grated out, full of old wrath. “Draw up papers to donate it to the state program for children.”

  “Which one?” the lawyer asked, clearly taken aback. “There are dozens.”

  “Pick one for abandoned and orphaned children,” Terian said, putting his hand over mine and squeezing. “One that gets them together with new families, and gives them a chance, even when they think there isn’t one.”

  I nodded, pressing my lips together tightly and blinking a lot to control my emotions. The lawyer said he’d do it, and send me some papers to sign in a few days.

  Later, we went to my father’s old trailer. Once again, it looked abandoned, with all the signs that it was being used for sex by the local teenage crowd.

  “Want me to incinerate it?” Terian offered, a blue ball of his mystical fire appearing in his hand. “Just say the word, and it’s done.”

  “No,” I said slowly. “Leave it. My father liked sex more than anything. Maybe this is a good way for him to be remembered.”

  Terian clearly thought me crazy for that thought, but he just held my hand, and together, we walked away. We had one more stop to make, before catching our plane home.

  When I got to the cemetery, my mother’s grave was overgrown again. Terian helped me weed it, and before long, the patch of earth in front of it was bare again.

  “We need to plant some flowers,” I said in dismay. “I forgot to bring any.”

  Terian looked around. “Grab me one of those wild roses, over there,” he said.

  I grabbed one. Swearing when it jabbed me, I broke off a piece with a flower. It was a pretty variety, kind of pink and pale orange. I handed it to him, and he stuck it in the earth.

  “It’s better than nothing—” I broke off, gaping in shock. Terian was murmuring something, and the rose was growing before my eyes, branches and greenery springing forth. Soon it was a foot tall bush, covered with fragrant blossoms.

  I stared at the beautiful roses, touched to the point I couldn’t speak. I had known for years that Terian could wield magic, but this was the first time he had ever done some for me. “Thank you,” I finally managed, blinking back tears.

  “The roses will last,” Terian said, giving me a smile. “I helped the flower grow deep roots, Sun. It’ll be able to get water when it needs it.”

  Only one thing more was needed. Blinking rapidly, I got out my Sharpie, which I had remembered this visit, and wrote “Beloved Mother” on the stone. “Mom, this is Terian,” I said. “He’s my guy, and I’m finally happy. I might not be back for a while, but—”

  “I can teleport you, Sun,” Terian reminded me in a whispered tone. “We can come back whenever you want.”

  I’d forgot. I shot him a grateful look, and went on. “Dad’s dead, maybe you already know that. Anyway, he donated his body to science, to try to help find a cure for what he died of. Maybe he wasn’t the bastard we both thought he was.” I paused. “I wanted you to know that. And I hope you can see Terian and I, and that you’re happy for me.” I wiped away sudden tears. “Because I finally am happy, with him. He helped me find my way to a great life, instead of just a life.”

  Terian took my hand, and we began to walk away.

  “Why do you write on the stone?” Terian asked. “Did your Mom and you have some inside joke with Sharpies?”

  “No,” I said, smiling at his naïve assumption. “I want the stone to say what I wrote. And it doesn’t.”

  “I can fix that,” he said lovingly. “Cover your eyes.”

  He turned, and lightning shot from his hands, striking the headstone. I covered my face with my arms as stone chips exploded outward with a sharp crack.

  Terian gently took my hands away from my face. “How’s that? It’s a little jagged, I’m afraid.”

  He’d rent the stone with the lightning. Now “Beloved Mother” was there in scrawled letters, beneath my mom’s name.

  I gave him a hug and a kiss, more unshed tears in my eyes threatening to spill down my cheeks. “It’s perfect. Thank you.”

  “Anytime,” he said, kissing me again. “Now let’s go home, Sun.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  I decided I’d better walk to the main house, and call Terian on his cell. He’d probably already left, but he was going to be so pissed off when he realized he’d forgotten the meeting plans. He’d have to stop with Theo, wherever they were in route, and teleport back to the house to get them. At least if the plans were at the great room, it would be easier for him.

  I walked up the drive, and saw his truck was missing. He and Theo had already left. Fuck.

  But there was another truck there I recognized, one I didn’t expect. More unsettling, I also recognized the man in the front seat.

  Lash got out when he saw it was me. “Hello to you, too,” he said, grinning a little. “I heard you and Terian are back together. I’m happy for you, Sun.”

  I couldn’t stop gaping at him. It was so odd seeing him here like this, knowing what we had been to one another. Especially after Terian had been so repulsed by Sar being with Devlin and then later with Lash. How would he feel knowing I’d been with them both, too? Especially knowing I’d been the one to initiate sex with Lash? Not good was my guess.


  “Would you rather I pretend I don’t know you?” Lash hissed, his face losing its friendliness.

  “No,” I said biting my lip. “I’m sorry, Lash, I just don’t know how to act. It’s been a long time since I saw you. Things are so different now.”

  “Only nine months ago,” Lash said with no expression. “But it’s a lifetime ago, Sun, for both of us.”

  There was a nasty scar on his face. “What happened?” I asked, reaching out to touch him,

  He grabbed my hand before I touched his skin, pushing it away. “Demon attack. His blade had poison.”

  I knew enough now about werepoison to know it inhibited healing. “Does it hurt?”

  “Only when I smile,” Lash said, and smiled, his scarred skin twisting a little to bare one fang.

  “What are you doing here?” I asked worriedly. “It’s day, Devlin can’t be here.”

  “He’s not,” Lash retorted. “Devlin had a fight with Sar. She left without her sushi. I brought it for her, so it didn’t spoil—”

  There’s something in his tone when he talks about Sar.

  “—and she let me borrow a DVD I needed to return. You’ve heard of South Park, Sun? It’s these kids, but they don’t talk like kids—”

  “Not you, too,” I said in disbelief.

  “Not me what?” Lash hissed in confusion. “Do you not like South Park?”

  “Not that, her,” I said angrily. “Sarelle. The woman it seems everyone wants, sooner or later, even fucking weresnakes!”

  Lash bared his long fangs and hissed at me, in that moment looking angrier than I’d ever seen him. “I don’t know what you mean.”

  “You’re in love with her, too.”

  “She’s just been nice to me, that’s all, and—”

  “Don’t lie to yourself! You like her! You probably fucking love her!”

  “Fuck off!” Lash hissed at me loudly, leaning back on his truck, and crossing his arms over his chest. “It’s not your business what I do, Sun, or who I do it with.”

  “You fuck off! Theo and she are happy, don’t go chasing after her.”

  “Shut up and get out of here. Right now, Sun! You have no claim on me!”

  “Stay away from her Lash, or I’ll—”

  “You’ll what? Tell everyone you slept with me?” Lash said loudly.

  I cringed, hoping there was no one around to overhear.

  Lash saw my fear, and seized on it. “There is nothing you can say without admitting we were together. And it wasn’t just once! You asked me for more the next night! You want your demon to know that? That you couldn’t get enough of me? That I had you so much that night that my sack was empty, because all of my seed was in you, every last drop? That hardly ever happens to male weres, especially snakes, but you did it to me, Sun. You drained me dry.”

  I flushed bright red, horrified. “Shut up!”

  Lash kept talking. “You think he’ll still want you in his bed, knowing you were with me? That it wasn’t just sexyou all but asked me to live with you? That you spent the night with me even knowing he was alone, that he would have wanted you back? That you only got back together with him after I left the fucking country? Shall I tell Terian all that, my morning angel?”

  I flushed a deeper red, and dropped my eyes, cowed. “Please don’t say anything.”

  “Then leave, Sun. Now,” Lash hissed urgently, looking at the house. “Sar’s coming. I don’t want her to see us together. She’s not stupid; she’ll see I was your lover. It’s all over your face.”

  I broke and ran, sobbing. The front door opened as I rounded the corner of the garage, Sar’s surprised voice asking Lash what he was doing here. A moment later, she went back inside to tell Danial she and Lash were going to lunch.

  I debated going after her and trying to convince her not to go with him. Spending time with that infatuated snake was just going to make things worse between Theo and Lash. It was obvious Lash wasn’t going to listen to me, but maybe she could. But I was angry all over again at her for always being the one everyone wanted. Instead of intervening, I stayed where I was, watching them drive off together.

  As soon as they left I returned home. Then I called Terian, telling him about the forgotten plans. He appeared in the great room in a second with a relieved sigh, taking the plans from me. “Thanks for this. I’ll be home about two or so,” he said, giving me a kiss. “Theo and I’ll stop for lunch someplace, but we’ll be back right after. Want me to bring you anything?”

  I wanted him to bring me some revenge, because I was still smarting from Lash’s words. The easiest way would be to send Terian and Theo to the same place Lash was headed to with Sar. Theo would go ballistic. Everyone knew he hated Lash. If Theo knew they were together, he’d go after them and separate them, whatever it took. The hard part was arranging the chance meeting without saying it flat out like a tattletale.

  Where had they headed? Lash had mentioned their shared taste in sushi. But I couldn’t ask for raw fish. Gag and yuck. I couldn’t ask Danial the name, either, though he had to know. Fuck it, without knowing for sure, I couldn’t point Terian the right way, either.

  “Sun, what is it?” Terian said with concern, interrupting my thoughts. “Are you feeling okay?”

  “Bring me some Chinese food,” I said with a shrug. “Some lobster fried rice?”

  The nearest place to eat was Alan’s Creek. Lash and Sar had likely headed there for lunch. All the eating-places there were on the same street. It was the best I could do.

  “Sure,” Terian said. “I hope I can convince Theo to go there instead. He wants to get sushi at some new restaurant in Alan’s Creek, because Sar brought some to him the other day.” He made a face. “I said I’d go before I thought about it too much.”

  I gave him another shrug, wicked glee radiating through me. “Make the best of it. I’ll make you a sandwich when you get home, if that stuff tastes too awful.”

  He flashed me a smile. “You’re on.” Then he disappeared.

  Maybe it will work. Maybe it wouldn’t...

  “The game you’re playing is a dangerous one, Sundown,” a low voice said.

  I turned to see Danial at the top of the stairs, his eyes glinting red. “I don’t know what you mean.” I blushed, hearing myself repeat Lash’s words.

  “I think you do,” Danial said as he glided down the stairs, baring his fangs. “And as it involves Sar, it involves me. You wanted Terian and Theo to go where Lash and Sar are, to find them together. Why?”

  I went to leave but he grabbed hold of me, and squeezed my wrist hard. I cried out in pain. “Stop, you’re hurting me.”

  “I’ll hurt you worse, if you don’t answer me,” Danial growled. “Why?”

  “I heard that about you, that you were just like your brother,” I retorted, deeply bitter.

  Danial dropped my wrist, snatching his hand back, sudden understanding breaking across his face. “When?” he asked softly.

  I closed my eyes, and didn’t answer him.

  “When, Sundown? Back this past fall? When did Devlin have you? Because I hear in your voice that he did. I’m guessing it had to be before he left for Rio, before being with Sar. They are Oathed now, and Dev would not risk breaking that, not for you.”

  I flushed, and then realized belatedly he didn’t know about Lash at all; he was only asking about Devlin. “Back when Devlin was weak, over two years ago,” I admitted. “When he was angriest at Sarelle. You know why he came on to me. He’s your brother. You must know what he wanted to do with Sar; what he did with me, pretending I was her...”

  I trailed off as cool arms encircled me. “I wondered why you mostly kept to yourself at the werecompound, and didn’t ever spend much time here,” Danial said quietly, hugging me gently. “I thought it was Sar, or me, maybe. But you were afraid of running into Devlin.”

  “Yes,” I confessed, trembling. “I don’t ever want to see him again, I’m so afraid of him.”

  “Don’t be,”
Danial assured. “He has the real Sarelle now. No matter that they fought recently, nothing has changed between them. He would not even lay a finger on you now, Sun. Not for Terian’s wrath, or mine, but because he doesn’t want to lose her. He does love her, in his way. He was obsessed first, it’s true, but that obsession has turned into love.”

  I stayed quiet. Maybe Devlin was his brother, but he didn’t know him well, if he thought Devlin could ever love anyone.

  “Do you want me to say something to him?” Danial offered. “My word is law, at least in America, even to another Ruler. I can forbid him from coming within sight of you, if you like.”

  I’ve already managed to avoid Dev all by myself. I’d be all set, if only my fear was rational. “No,” I replied, pulling out of his grasp. “But thank you.”

  “You’re welcome. Now explain your actions,” Danial said, his dark eyes on mine. “Why send Terian and Theo to where Lash and Sar are? You want them found together for some reason, even though you must know it will cause a fight, a bad one, no matter that it’s just lunch.”

  “Because it’s not just lunch. Lash cares for her, I think,” I said.

  Danial said nothing, though he looked uncomfortable.

  “You knew?” I accused. “Why did you let her go with him, then?”

  Danial sighed. “Devlin said they had been together again a few days ago, and that he thought Lash had feelings for her, by the way he acted afterwards. He said not to worry, that he had talked to Lash, and Lash accepted that the situation was temporary, that when The Lust ended, Sar and his sexual relationship would be over. It’s not what I’d prefer her to do—being with that repulsive creature—but it’s not her fault, Sun. It’s not as if she wanted to be. She must sate The Lust when it occurs, or she becomes wild. It is better Lash is with her, and not one of the other guards. I know she hates having to be intimate with him. But that is a small price to pay for Devlin to have a child of his own—”