Sebastian (Bowen Boys, #5)(29)
“You should know that your eyes are glowing, Sebastian.” She looked over at Dylan as he spoke to his brother. “Not to mention I can see the sigil coming out pretty good now, too.”
Sebastian stopped moving for the first time in over twenty minutes. He stared around the room for a minute before he looked at her. She smiled at him and wondered again why she ever thought not having him as a mate was a good thing.
“I’ve been going through some changes of my own. I’m not sure how much you guys know about Ama, but she’s an earth faerie. And because we’re mated, I’m sort of one, too. Actually, I am one. She and I are the king and queen of faeries.”
Walker stood up and put his hand on his forehead before he turned to the room. “I’m sorry to tell you guys this, but Sebastian has gone over the deep end. He has delusional grandeur. A serious disease that men with huge heads and egos get when they think they’re king.”
“Shut up, you ass, and sit down.” Sebastian seemed to relax a little after that. “I am king to Ama’s queen. We talked with Jacob the wizard today, and he told us.”
Ama looked around the room, and the only people who didn’t look shocked by his news were Dylan and his mate. Jonny winked at her and smiled. She knew that they’d spoken somehow.
“So, let me get this straight. You’re a computer shop owner as well as a panther that just happens to be a king. Works for me.” Caitlynne sat back and smiled. “You might want to have business cards made. It will save time in trying to get people to remember all your titles. They are titles, right? I mean, should we just call you Ding-Dong Panther and be done with it?”
He growled low at her and Ama started to laugh. When he turned to her and glared, she simply raised her brow at him and he flushed. She wondered what he would have done if she had laughed harder.
“Seriously though, we have to figure out what to do about this guy. I don’t think he’s going to quit now that he’s figured out where you are. You said that he could take Ama from you if you’re dead, right?” Sebastian nodded at his dad. “Then you think that’s next on his agenda? You think he might try and kill you just to get her?”
“What does he want you for anyway?” Reed flushed. “Sorry, that didn’t come out quite right. What I meant was, why you? I mean, yes, you’re all that, but what about you makes him willing to come to this place and take you?”
“I’m a faerie, and I’m the only species other than his own that can get pregnant without him being my mate. Sort of like humans. If the time is right and he’s there, then—” She stopped talking when Sebastian growled at her. “I didn’t say it was right, you overbearing pig. I’m only saying it’s true.”
“But why is he so hyped up to get you now? I mean, you’ve been a faerie all your life. Why is he just now trying to get you to come to him and so in a hurry to get you now?” His mom looked around the room. “Does he have some sort of deadline he’s trying to meet?”
“In a way.” They all looked at Dylan as he continued. “His name is Wanera. He’s an underlord in a different realm. He came here specifically to get Ama because of the reasons she said. And he has to have a child or someone to take over his realm by summer solstice. If not, he is put to death. There isn’t a lot of use for his kind once they’ve served their time. If he has a child, he can stay on until such time that his child is old enough to rule the realm, then he can retire, not die.”
“A child is all he wants from her?” They looked at George. “That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard. So he would just have a baby with her, then what? Toss her away? Who would love and nurture the child? Not him, that’s for sure. He sounds like a real *.”
“He’s not very bright either. When he was in the store, he asked to buy a hard drive for two computers. Debby said that he acted like he was just buying something at random.” Sebastian came and sat next to Ama while he continued. “I could smell him. That’s the reason I came out of the office. I thought something was on fire. Then when I saw him…I could see him.”
“See him?” She looked at him when he nodded. “You could see a demon lord in his true self? Wow, I’ve never done that before. Do you think he knew what you were?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. He knew I was your mate, but he didn’t say anything about the rest. Do you suppose he thinks that we’re just mates and nothing more?”
“That could work to your advantage if he came to you again. I mean, didn’t you say that Jacob said you were like the all-powerful Oz or some crap?” Monica laughed as she continued. “Does that mean you have powers over him? Could you like, order him to be gone or something?”
“No.” They looked at Jacob as he entered the room with a large tray. “I brought sandwiches. And some fresh juice. It is important that you drink more than you are, my lord.”
He sat the tray down and each of them took a sandwich. Ama watched the others around the room as Jacob moved to each of them, giving them tea instead of the juice. When he sat down, he looked ready to tell them what they wanted…needed to know.
“Wanera is something different than most of the other underlords. He is a low man on the ladder of beings in his realm, but he is still powerful. And yes, he is somewhat stupid, and knows little about this realm at all...and that’s a good thing. He has beings that work for him, hundreds of them, that pick up after him and even run most of the day-to-day work, but he does have magic.”