Dream Five, Chapter Twenty

(Anything in asterisks is meant to be italicized.)

"Please tell me you didn't Voice my dad again," I said as we walked back to Chester's. The druid spell that compelled you to obey the speaker had been something Barrons had used on my dad several times before. It had probably saved his life.

"He's built up too much of a resistance to it."

"But you didn't rule it out." He slanted me a look.

"You've got enough on your plate right now."

"Maybe you're right," I said with a sigh as we entered the club. He arched an eyebrow at me in mild surprise as he held open the door. "Don't get used to it."

We walked across an already mildly crowded dance floor, people parting like the Red Sea for us, to the chrome and glass staircase leading up to the Nine's private levels. Ryodan had human bouncers guarding it for the first time I could ever remember. Barrons led me into a conference room we'd used before, which surprised me; I wasn't anticipating being privy to this meeting.

"The meeting's being held elsewhere," he told me as I sat down. "I'm asking you to please stay here and to resist the urge to sneak into Ryodan's office and snoop. If things don't go the way we want them to go, Ryodan's going to sift in and take you somewhere safe. That's why I need you to stay here."

"What about you?" I had also been feeling clingy lately and didn't like being anywhere without him. Both of us valued our independence and it was one of the keys to our relationship, but he had rarely left my side during this phase. His patience with me continued to astound.

"He'll grab me if there's time." When I still didn't look convinced, he sat down and took my hands. "Nothing will stop me from returning to your side, Mac." Crimson swirled into his eyes and I knew he'd take them all on at once—and win—if he had to. "If that happens, Ryodan will stay with you. Dani's waiting on the roof to fly me away if it comes down to it." I nodded just in time for the new Unseelie King himself to open the door and incline his head to Barrons. Barrons looked at him before he turned back to me. He took my face in his hands and kissed me before locking his gaze with mine, my hands flying to his wrists.

*You're my sun, moon, and stars, Rainbow Girl*, he told me.

*You're my whole world, Jericho Barrons.*

Ryodan gave me a nod before the door slid closed and I was left alone.

&&&

Time seemed to stop as I sat there. I had no way of passing it. The hope of having Dani around to help kill it was gone incase Barrons needed a fast getaway. Sitting there and thinking led to tearing up because not only was I Jericho Barrons's Rainbow Girl, I was also his sun, moon, and stars. That's when I got really sick of tears and attempted to doze off. I'd drop off for about ten minutes before being jerked awake again for some unknown reason. About forty-five minutes went by like this when I was jerked awake by the door sliding open, revealing Dageus MacKeltar.

"Barrons said I'd find you here, lass," he said as he walked in, and I relaxed.

"Wasn't expecting to see you here," I told him as he sat down in the chair Barrons had last occupied. "I thought they were still leaving you alone."

"Aye, they mostly are, but Ryodan insisted this one concerned all of us." I nodded, inwardly thanking Ryodan for boosting our numbers. The Keltar have long served the Fae, specifically the queen. They're the ones you can rely on to be the good guys, without question. I felt pretty confident in counting Dageus among our allies in this matter.

"Is the meeting over?" I blurted before I could stop myself, my hand going protectively to my belly as I wondered why Barrons and Ryodan weren't with him and if something had happened.

"They've been going in circles mostly. I could na' stomach it. Barrons noticed and told me you were up here so I excused myself and said I needed to stretch. I wanted to thank you for giving Chloe the elixir. And to pass something on from the rest of the Keltar."

"It was the least I could do. I was happy to help," I said with a smile. He had been made immortal through Ryodan making him one of them, but I hated the thought of him never being able to join his wife in death so I had offered her Cruce's elixir once Barrons had killed the Prince of War. "What's the message?"

"It's more of a request," he admitted. "Long have we served the Fae and the Seelie Queen. It's our purpose, one we'd like to continue carryin' on."

"That is something I would most definitely be interested in discussing with your clan," I assured him. "Once I've got the Fae more settled in, I would like to draw up a new Compact."

"How are the Fae, if you donna mind the inquiry."

I thought for a moment before I said as I absentmindedly rubbed my stomach, "They're like very intelligent children right now. I can leave them home alone for a while but not for too long. At the moment they're too busy exploring and reshaping their world and each other to fight much, which is a relief. Before they drank, Summer tried to kill Winter and Winter and Autumn were plotting revenge. I was afraid I was going to have a war with Cruce and one amongst the remaining Seelie royalty all at once. They require a lot of guidance. I've quickly found ways of establishing rules and boundaries."

"Sounds like a rough crash course in parenting," he said. "You're acting as both their queen and their mother."

"That's exactly what it feels like," I said. "My fear is what happens when they grow up and no longer fear Mother Queen."

"If it comes to that, that's when you bring in King Da," he told me in a low voice. "I'd otherwise keep him away from them for now."

Oh, that won't be hard," I said with saccharine sweetness. "They're all bloody terrified of him. Even if they weren't, let's just say Barrons is tired of telling him to show up at court."

"He's a pain in the arse, all right," Dageus agreed, "but he'll come through when you need him most. I'll pass on what you've said to the rest of my clan. They'll be glad to ken it. Chloe also wanted me to say if there's ever anything you need, donna hesitate to ask."

"I'll keep that in mind," I said as he moved to the door. He stopped and glanced at me before he kept going, respect in his eyes. Knowing Dageus was here and most likely on my side allowed me to rest just a little easier. My drop off periods increased to fifteen minutes. Then to twenty.

I was awoken about two hours later to a large hand closing over the one I had resting on my stomach and one tilting my head up as I received a hot and hungry kiss. Half asleep, I automatically returned it, opening my eyes when the kisser pulled away.

"Jericho!" Happily and in relief, I stood up and was pulled into his arms. "How'd it go? What's the verdict?" I asked once I had indulged myself in his embrace long enough and was able to pull far enough away to look up at him.

"We've decided to let the chips fall where they may."

I grinned up at him before I kissed him because I was planning on spending a lot of time with the Nine and was glad they were beginning to accept me.