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protest on my part. But I just wasn't up to it tonight.
Andais caressed a hand up Pasco's clothed back. "I think you have surprised
him. He told me you'd never agree to sharing a bed with him."
I shrugged. "It's not a fate worse than death."
"Very true, niece of mine."
Our eyes met through the nothing of the mirror. She nodded and pushed the man
to his feet. She slapped his butt as he walked out of frame. "He'll be right
over."
"Great," I said. "Now get out, Griffin."
Griffin hesitated, then walked into view of the mirror. He glanced from one to
the other of us. He opened his mouth as if to say something, then closed it.
Probably the wisest thing he could have done.
He bowed, "My queen." He turned to me. "I will see you again, Merry."
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I shook my head. "What for?"
"You did love me once," he said, and it was almost a question, almost a plea.
I could have lied-there was no spell on me-but I didn't. "Yes, Griffin, I
loved you, once."
He looked at me, eyes roving over the bed and the smorgasbord of men. "I am
sorry, Merry." He sounded sincere.
"Sorry you lost me, sorry you killed my love for you, or sorry that you can't
fuck me anymore?"
"All of it," he said. "I'm sorry for all of it."
"Good boy. Now get out," I said.
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Something passed across his face, something close to pain, and for the first
time I thought that maybe, just maybe, he understood what he'd done was wrong.
He unlocked the door, stepped outside, and when the door closed behind him, I
knew he was gone, gone in a way beyond simply not being around.
He was not my honey bun anymore, not my special person.
I sighed and leaned back against the wall. Kitto snuggled close, sliding one
bare leg up and down against mine. I wondered if there was a chance in hell of
me getting any alone time tonight.
I looked at the mirror again. "You knew I wouldn't accept Griffin as your spy,
not if it meant having sex with him."
She nodded. "I needed to know how you truly felt about him, Meredith. I had to
be sure that you weren't still in love with him."
"Why? "I asked.
"Because love can interfere with lust. Now I'm sure that you are rid of him in
your heart. I am pleased."
"I'm just tickled pink that you're pleased," I said.
"Have a care, Meredith. I don't like sarcasm directed at me."
"And I don't like having my heart cut out for your pleasure." The moment I
said it, I knew it was a mistake.
Her eyes narrowed. "When I cut your heart out, Meredith, you'll know it." The
mirror spilled into fog, then was suddenly reflective again. I stared at
myself in the mirror, my pulse thudding in my throat.
"Having your heart cut out," Galen said. "Poor, poor choice of words."
"I know," I said.
"In the future," Doyle said, "keep your temper. Andais doesn't need any help
coming up with awful ideas."
I pushed Kitto away. I lifted my foot off the bed, carefully, using the
bedside table to stand up.
"What are you doing?" Doyle asked.
"I am going to clean some of this blood and dirt off, then go to bed." I
looked at the men gathered in the room. "Who wants to help me run my bath?"
The silence was suddenly very thick. The men looked at one another as if not
sure what to do, or say.
Galen stepped forward, gave me his hand to help me stand. I took the hand, but
shook my head. "You can't be with me tonight, Galen. It has to be someone who
can finish what we start."
He looked at the floor for a second or two, then up. "Oh." He helped me back
to the bed and I let him do it, then he walked to the chair where he'd thrown
his leather jacket. "I'm going to see about getting a second room next to this
one, then I'm going for a walk. Who's going with me?"
They all looked at each other again, little eye flits from one to the other.
No one seemed to know how to
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handle the situation. "How does the queen choose between you all?" I asked.
"She simply requests the guard, or guards, she wishes to have for the
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evening," Doyle said.
"Don't you have a preference?" Frost asked, and there was something almost
hurt in his tone.
"You say that like there's a bad choice here. There is no bad choice; you are
all lovely."
"I have had my release with Meredith," Doyle said, "so I will bow out for
tonight."
That got everyone's attention, and Doyle had to explain very briefly exactly
what he meant by the comment. Frost and Rhys looked at each other, and
suddenly there was a tension in the air that hadn't been there before.
"What's wrong?" I asked.
"You must choose, Meredith," Frost said.
"Why?" I asked.
Galen answered, "You can't bring it down to just two of us without the danger
of a duel."
"It's not just two, it's three," I said.
They all looked at me, then slowly at the goblin still on the bed. He looked
as surprised as they did. He stared back at us with large eyes. He looked
almost frightened. "I would never presume to compete with the sidhe."
"Kitto is coming in the bathroom regardless of who else comes in," I said.
Every pair of eyes in the room swiveled back to me. "What did you say?" Doyle
asked.
"You heard me. I want the alliance with the goblins sealed, that means I have
to share flesh with Kitto, and that's what I'm going to do."
Galen went for the door. "I'll be back later."
"Wait for me," Rhys said.
"You're leaving?" I asked.
"As much as I want you, Merry, I don't do goblins." He walked out with Galen;
they shut the door behind them, and Doyle locked it.
"Does this mean you're staying?" I asked.
"I will guard the outer door," Doyle said.
"What if we wish to use the bed?" Frost asked.
Doyle looked thoughtful, then shrugged. "I can wait just outside the room if
you feel the need
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of the bed."
There was a little more negotiating. Frost wanted it clear that he did not
have to touch the goblin. I
agreed. Frost picked me up and carried me into the bathroom. Kitto was already
in the room running the water for the bath. He glanced up as we entered. He'd
taken off Galen's shirt and was back to just his silver thong. He said nothing
to us, just watched us with his huge blue eyes, one hand trailing under the
water as it poured from the faucet.
Frost looked around the small room. He finally sat me on the counter by the
sink. He stood in front of me, and suddenly it was awkward. The kiss in the
car had been wonderful, but it was the first time Frost and I had ever touched
each other. Now suddenly we were supposed to have sex-with an audience.
"Awkward, isn't it?" I said.
He nodded. The movement sent that thin veil of silver hair gliding around his
body. He reached out, slowly, tentatively, to the dress's jacket. He pushed
the velvet off my shoulders, slowly, sliding it over my arms. I started to
help him with the sleeves, but he said, "No, let me."
I put my hands back at my sides, and he pulled the sleeves off one hand, then
the other. He dropped the jacket to the floor. He ran the tips of his fingers
down the bare skin of my shoulders. It raised goose bumps down to my
fingertips.
"Undo your hair," I said.
He took out the first bone clip, then the second, and the hair fell around him
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in a glorious spill of
Christmas-tree tinsel. I reached out and grabbed a handful of it. It looked
like silver wire, but it felt soft as satin, with a texture like spun silk.
He stepped close enough that his legs brushed mine. He ran his hands over my
bare arms. His touches were so tentative, as if he was afraid to caress me.
"If you will lean forward, I will unzip the dress."
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