Dream Four, Chapter Eleven

(Anything in asterisks is meant to be italicized.)

Barrons and I were sitting in what used to be the Sinatra sub-club at Chester's. He was watching me with interest as I devoured the Guinness fish and chips platter. His hands were behind his head as he leaned back in his chair and his lips were twitching at the corners.

*What are you almost smiling at?* I fired along our connection.

*You.*

*Why? What's so funny?*

*You get emotional when you eat.*

*I do not. *

*Do too.*

*Do not.*

*Too.*

*Not.* I stiffened and became determined to eat without showing any emotion. I usually enjoyed it when we got into childish arguments like this but that's because I was usually the one who started them. *Even if that's true, it's not my fault this is some of the best food I've ever had. You've had Mom's cooking; you know that's saying something.*

He inclined his head ever so slightly before he said, *You've been rather prickly as of late, Ms. Lane.*

I regarded him coolly when he didn't call me Mac. *Who even says stuff like "as of late"? Or words like "prickly" when not specifically referring to Dani or a porcupine?*

An eyebrow arches ever so slightly because he's usually the grumpy and cantankerous one. Although his moods have significantly improved now that I'm frequently naked and in his bed. Or naked and in our sex dungeon. Or naked and on my favorite Chesterfield sofa in my bookstore. Or on the floor. Or up against the wall. Even in the Queen's Bower in Faery. Once in a closet at Chester's when we were supposed to be in a meeting. (That time had the added benefit of irritating Ryodan for "wasting his time.") Sometimes his massive shower. Up on the kitchen counter. Bent over the desk in his study.

Pretty much anywhere, really.

When I don't say anything more and keep him blocked out of most of my mind, he says, *Are you going to tell me what's bothering you, or do I have several days of you brooding to look forward to before you finally tell to me?*

I narrow my eyes at him and fleetingly entertain the latter until I flashback to when I still had the *Sinsar Dubh* in me and was constantly brooding. Not wanting to return to that time because it's only going to put him in a pissy mood, too, and will lead to us fighting—and sadly not in the way I enjoy—I take a deep breath and deflate. He patiently waits as I gather my thoughts.

"I've been kind of tense and high strung for the past few days, haven't I?" I finally say as I lean back and smile a little.

Barrons shrugs and says, "A few days, a few weeks. Most of the time I've known you."

He doesn't even blink when I punch him, let alone flinch. My wrist is suddenly in his hand when I go for a second blow to his ribs. I glare at him and receive several glares myself as the temperature plummets.

"Why are you icing my club, Mac," Ryodan says as he and Dani appear, pulling up chairs to sit across from us.

"Because she says she's tense and high strung," Barrons informs him as I try to free my wrist from his inhumanly strong grip.

"Is she just coming to this realization now."

"Mind your own business," I snap at Ryodan.

"I am. You're icing my club and disturbing my patrons."

I ignore him and turn back to Barrons. "Will you let go already?"

"Are you going to continue telling me what's bothering you?"

"Yes," I tell him through gritted teeth. He studies me for a moment and only releases my hand when he's satisfied I'm not going to immediately start brooding or sift away purely to irritate him.

"Why are you feeling tense and high strung, Mac?" Dani asks as she snags some of my food. I roll my eyes and push the platter towards her, having lost my appetite.

"Ice first," Ryodan says when I open my mouth. I suppress a sigh and another eye roll before making the ice and snow evaporate and restoring the temperature.

"As I was about to explain to Barrons before I was so rudely interrupted—" Barrons slants Ryodan a look when he opens his mouth. A muscle twitches under his eye but he closes it without speaking, bringing me much satisfaction that slightly elevates my mood. He may be the new Unseelie King and one of the most powerful beings in existence, but Barrons is still the leader of the Nine. "—I've come to the conclusion that the only real fun I've had in years is during sex." Barrons slants me a look. I roll my eyes and cross my arms before snapping, "Oh, don't give me that look. We both know how thoroughly I enjoy having sex with you."

Dani snickers as Ryodan grits, "To the fuck much information, Mac."

Barrons ignores them and says softly, "Clearly not enough, though."

"I didn't say that," I tell him quietly as crimson sparks appear in his eyes. "There are other types of—look, what I'm trying to say is that I need a vacation. In fact, I'd say we've all earned one."

I feel Barrons relax the tiniest bit beside me, Ryodan looks at me like I've lost it, but Dani thinks for a moment before she says, "I've never actually been on a vacation. Are you talking about going on a trip?"

"Yes!" I say with a grin. I can always count on Dani to back me up. "We could even take turns choosing the destination so we all enjoy it."

"Now you're suggesting multiple trips," Ryodan says.

"Like I said, we've earned it," I shrug. "Things are relatively calm for once. We each get to pick a destination and plan a long weekend, or maybe even a week."

"Should you really be away from court for a month?" Barrons says.

"We don't have to do them all back-to-back," I point out. "What do you think, Dani?"

She grinned and said, "Fecking-A, I think it's a great idea, Mac! When can we leave?"

Ryodan gives her a look and she gives him a 100-Mega-watt grin. I look at Barrons and he considers me for a moment before he shrugs resignedly. Ryodan glances at Barrons and does a double-take. Then he exhales and says, "Who's going first."

"Dani, you can go first, if you'd like," I tell her. She always wants everything to be epic so my guess is she's had her very first vacation planned for a while.

"No way," she says with a shake of her head. "Your idea, you go first." I look at Barrons and Ryodan who both nod their agreement. "Where're we going, Mac?"

This had gone way better than I had expected. I hadn't expected them to agree so I hadn't actually thought about where I wanted to go. I almost pinched myself because of course there's only one thing I had desperately been wanting to do for quite some time.

"Beach trip. And a *real* beach, too, where the temperature reaches above sixty."

*That's* where it took convincing. Dani grew up on television where sitcom families would have specials where they went on vacation so she wasn't difficult. It was the other two who don't like to be seen during the day that were tricky.

"What part of this trip am I supposed to enjoy," Ryodan said after twenty minutes of discussion.

"Beach sex is the third hottest sex," I told him. "Behind elevator and White House. Or so I've heard."

"And from where did you hear this."

"Does it matter? Dani's never even been to a proper earth beach and I haven't had a tan in—well, centuries for me. I can throw up glamours so we'll have privacy. We'll find two beach houses next to each other so we don't have to listen to you having sex and you don't have to listen to us. Preferably with one of them having a nice back porch. And a fire pit."

"With s'mores?" Dani says.

"Of course!"

"Ryodan, please?" she says as she turns to him and puts her hands on his crossed arms. "It'll be like Baywatch with Mac and I in swimsuits! You know, the running scenes!"

Ryodan's eyes soften a bit when he looks at her grin and he smiles just a little when he says, "It better be."

"Barrons?" I say as I look at him hopefully.

*If it'll keep you from brooding*, he flashes at me with another shrug.