Pia Does Hollywood (Elder Races, #8.6)(38)

Yes, you should. I’m walking up to Tatiana’s house right now. I’ll tell you about it later. He paused. He hadn’t had anything to do with either the interior design or landscaping of the house. Pia had done all of that, and she had thought everything through very thoroughly. He told her, You are a wise woman.

Pleasure warmed her voice. I do have my moments, don’t I? But then … I have other moments too. Dragos, I have to confess something. Tatiana nailed me down about your memory loss, and I couldn’t find a way to wiggle out of admitting the truth.

Oh, for f*ck’s sake, he sighed. He felt a brief impulse to strangle the Light Fae Queen. How much does she know?

Well … pretty much an abbreviated version of everything. I never would have volunteered to tell her anything, but she had already guessed that the contagion hadn’t really messed with your thinking. She told me quite a story, both how she and Isabeau became estranged, and also something of your time at the Seelie Court.

Briefly, he wrestled with his pride, and pragmatism won. Did she give you any indication what I was doing at Isabeau’s Court?

Not really. She indulged in some speculation, but she didn’t know anything for sure. She said you and Isabeau sort of flirted, but sort of acted edgy around each other. She didn’t know if you were ever lovers, or even if you had parted on friendly terms.

As Pia talked, he grew close enough that Tatiana’s mansion came into view.

He told her, I don’t remember any other lover but you.

I don’t believe you.

I don’t. I know the facts of other lovers, but all the real, visceral memory, or any emotion has burned away. Those lovers happened to someone else, the man I was before I met you.

She had stepped out onto the lawn. Eva and a couple of vigilant Light Fae guards stood with her, but as the Light Fae guards were actually guarding her, he didn’t mind them so much. When they saw him, they didn’t draw their weapons. Another win for the day.

Pia saw him at the same time. He started walking faster, and she gathered her skirt up in one hand and broke into a run. She flew down the driveway, and the eager light on her face was simply everything.

She hit him in the chest with her full weight, flinging her arms around his neck. Laughing, he spread his feet wide to absorb the impact and snatched her close. She held him so tightly, she damn near strangled him, and he knew he all but crushed her ribs.

Burying his face into her neck, he growled, “I hated not being able to touch you.”

“I know. I felt the same.” Greedily, she stroked the back of his head, and his shoulders. “You’re okay? Quentin and Aryal—they’re okay?”

“They’re fine. From the way Aryal talked, I believe Shane is fine too, but I don’t know anything about Shane’s men.” He rubbed his face in her hair, tightened his arms until she squeaked, then eased his hold on her. “Come on, let’s go inside. That way I can tell this story just once.”

Together, they turned and walked to the house. He kept his arm around her shoulders, and she slipped an arm around his waist. She told him telepathically, I gave myself the injection.

He had no longer been worried, but still, the confirmation lightened his spirits. Good. That means you’re going to feel tired and achy—or do you feel that way already?

I’m pretty tired, she admitted.

She never complained about it. Not once. Everything she said about the pregnancy was filled with a positive attitude and eagerness for the new arrival. He replied, I take it that means you do feel achy too.

She shrugged. It’s okay.

He tightened his arm around her shoulders and said aloud, “And that means you need to go to bed soon. See, I’m figuring out your encoded messages.”

She gave him a brief, laughing glance.

Tatiana herself came to the front door, meeting them as they were about to step in. She smiled at him. “I just heard from Bailey. They have a few areas they need to scour, but she thinks the tide has turned now.”

“It has,” Dragos said.

“Come back to the family room and tell me what happened.” Turning, she led the way to the back of the house.

Settling on one of the couches, with Pia curled at his side, he told Tatiana and Pia about the encounter with Morgan, and the amulet, which he had destroyed.

“I don’t know how she could let something like that loose in the world,” Tatiana murmured, looking ill. “We skirted so close to catastrophe. As it is, I’ve lost hundreds of my people.”

Something teased at the back of his mind, and he paused, waiting to see what came of the sensation. It felt like memory … or almost a memory. Then, in the next instance, the feeling was gone. Frustrated, he shook his head.

“Isabeau needs to die,” he said crisply. Pia rested her head on his shoulder, and he pressed a brief kiss to her forehead. “But then, so many people do. And the reality of it is, she’s very well guarded. She has full control over her Other land, and her Hounds appear to be completely loyal to her. And Morgan is—formidable. I’ll never understand how obsessive people can command such fanatic loyalty.”

“Well, she has more than her fair share of the Light Fae charisma, which would help.” Tatiana’s gaze fell to Pia. Suddenly her face softened, and she smiled. Looking back up at Dragos, she put a finger to her lips.

He raised his eyebrows. Then he tilted his head to look into Pia’s face. She had fallen deeply asleep. Her lashes cast long shadows on the curve of her cheeks, and her soft, full mouth had gone lax.