Free NocC 020 - Michele Hauf - Wicked Games 03.75 - Moonspun - Harlequin 2012-08 by Nocturne

silver studding his boots glinted, and Blu knew exactly what it was
about the man that had attracted Lyric. Pure, unadulterated sex appeal.
    “So, you each, on separate occasions, promised one of your
children to some nameless faery?” Vail asked.
    Creed sat next to Blu and took her hand. “Right. Blu promised
our firstborn. I promised our second born. It was a foolish bargain, and now we
want to know if there’s any way we can renegotiate the deal.”
    “Was it made with the same faery?” Vail asked.
    “Not sure.” Blu sighed. “Why would the same faery make such a
cruel deal with the two of us?”
    “Why not? Faeries are malicious and cold,” Vail said. “If given
a choice, I’d much rather deal with the devil Himself.”
    “Is there anything we can do?” Creed sat forward. “I entirely
expect we should honor the agreement and give up one child. But both? That is
asking far too much.”
    “I couldn’t imagine giving away my child,” Vail said, his gaze
drifting over their heads. He and Lyric had had their first child a year
ago.
    “How is Johnny?” Blu asked.
    “Oh, he’s a little booger. And I mean that literally. Who’d’ve
thought kids had so much drippy, runny stuff inside them? And always scampering
about and shouting at the top of his lungs. He’s started walking, but it’s not
really a walk, rather a full-on run. I love the guy. I would kill to keep him
safe.”
    “Is that what’s required?” Creed suddenly asked. “Do you think
the sidhe would accept a sacrifice?”
    “Creed.”
    He glanced at her, but the hurt Blu saw on his face stifled her
concern. He was a man who would protect his own, as Vail had stated. Creed had
once been a battle warrior, who’d swung his sword to slay werewolves without a
blink or a stab to his conscience.
    “Sacrifices are looked upon with favor,” Vail said, “but they
are not so valuable to the sidhe as a half-breed child. This much I do
know.”
    And Vail did know, since he’d been taken to Faery when he was
two days old. The faery had taken him as payment, fully expecting he would be a
half-breed vampire/werewolf. Except he hadn’t been. His real father’s identity
hadn’t been known at the time of his birth to Rhys and Viviane Hawkes. Vail was
a blood-born vampire, but only at puberty was that discovered. Vail had suffered
in Faery because of this mistake—Lyric had told Blu—and as an adult he’d
returned to the mortal realm an addict. Even now, he had to avoid faeries
because one hit of dust would plummet him to some unspeakably dark depths of
depravity.
    “We’re idiots,” Blu said. “But surely, if we could speak to
someone high up, someone in charge, and explain the deal that was made, they
would make adjustments?”
    “Someone in charge?” Vail chuckled. “Ch’yeah. No one is in
charge of Faery. Though if you knew if you had dealt with Seelie or Unseelie,
that could help.”
    “Unseelie,” Blu and Creed said at the same time. They looked to
one another.
    “I don’t know why,” Blu said, “I just feel it.”
    “Me too,” Creed agreed. “She had three blue markings on her
face, slashed from brow to cheek.”
    “Yes,” Blu agreed, “I think it was the same one. I was thinking
she was a warrior or champion because of the crystal blade she wore at her
hip.”
    “Sounds like Unseelie, and you may be right about her being a
champion,” Vail said. “Crystal blades are rare. My guess? Ooghna.”
    “You know her?” Creed asked.
    “No, but I know of her. She’s vicious and cold. Unwavering in
battle. Why she would want a child is beyond me, but then, a half breed can be
traded in Faery for a great price, or raised and trained.”
    “Trained?” Feeling a queasiness rise in her throat, Blu
swallowed.
    “Ooghna is Malrick’s champion,” Vail said, wandering to the
patio doors and shoving his hands in his coat pockets. “He’s the Unseelie king.
You could appeal to him. Not sure it would do any good.”
    “We’ll do