fae

Ellysetta Baristani." Belliard's voice caused her to stop and turn back around. "Even should you clothe yourself in rags and dirt, you would bring honor to the Fey.

Oh, Ellie, you look beautiful. Like a Fey-tale princess.

If I get in the water in this outfit, the cloth will turn completely transparent.""I know, and I'm looking forward to it more than you can imagine.

Teach him something useful, will you?" Elorian shook his head. "It is like housebreaking a puppy. There are bound to be lots of accidents and lots of cleanups." Frustrated beyond measure with the whole situation, her missing staff, an out-of control mage, a frozen mage, and a cursed phantom fae turned raven, Ena couldn't believe the mess they were in.

When I see you, Jolie, I see a woman who is far more than she realizes but who will someday grow into her powers. One who is much stronger than those who would trap her inside their cages or try to put her to harness. One with a bold intelligence, with whom I can laugh. One who surprises me."He paused, and when he spoke again, his voice was so soft I had to strain to hear. "I see a woman who makes me feel alive again, like a man, and not like a wraith who has lived beyond his usefulness in a world that no longer needs him.

He can surround a sword with flames." Freya sounded proud of him. That irritated Ena. He was her prisoner and only she had the right to feel proud of him as far as she was concerned.

This is beautiful." Eugenie ran her fingers along a massive mahogany sideboard, on the top of which rested a red velvet sash with fine embroidery on it and, on top of the sash, a silver dagger. That little vignette was Jean Lafitte in a nutshell. Refined gentleman and renegade. Velvet and violence.

Since when do wizards wear robes?" I whispered. "That's falling into every human stereotype ever created." Jeezum. Next thing you knew, they'd be waving around magic wands."The First Elder thought they'd look more intimidating in robes than in business suits," Alex whispered back. "They look like they're on their way to a costume party at Hogwarts.

Will you return to your home if Prince Grotto's reign is ended?" "Yes. It is home." "Will you take me back as your gardener?

Ena," Brett said. "Lady Ena, Ryker corrected from the doorway. Brett smiled. He couldn't imagine her wanted to be called anything but Ena, but he would call her anything that pleased her. The sharp look she gave her butler made Brett think calling her Lady Ena was out. Ryker, being his usual unflappable self, just looked at her as if he was in charge and she would go by her new title or else.

She glanced down and gasped, and her arms slapped into place to cover all her most interesting bits. He grinned. The robe and gown were sheer and he had not spun undergarments.She scowled. "This is not what I would call being 'very, very good.'""That is a matter of perspective, shei'tani. From where I'm standing, it looks very, very good indeed.

I didn't dare put down the staff with Etienne popping in and out like a half-burned, bloodsucking whack-a-mole.

Alex leaned over and treated me to a Rhett Butler kiss, slow and deep but not too sweet. He once told Scarlett something to the effect of how badly she needed kissing, and by someone who knew what he was doing. Alex knew what he was doing. By the time he finished proving it, I was breathless. I rested my head on his shoulder, basking in his warmth and filling my lungs with his scent. "What was that for?""That was to show you how glad I am that we got out of that mess in one piece and that we're here together." He extracted his arm from around my shoulders and sat back. "Now let's talk about your crazy stunt."Damn it, Rhett did that, too. He'd kiss Scarlett silly, then lecture her.

We walked the length of Jackson Square, stopping to look at the work of a couple of artists who'd set up their sidewalk shops for the day."Look." Eugenie stopped in front of an acrylic painting of a mustached man with curly dark hair, hooded eyes, and a big hooked nose. He looked like he'd steal the hubcaps off your grandmother's Cadillac."It's Jean Lafitte, our most famous pirate," the artist said. "He was quite a character."She had no idea. She also had badly missed the mark on his looks. His hair wasn't that curly, he'd been clean-shaven the whole time I'd known him, his nose was straight and in perfect proportion to the rest of his features, and he didn't have hooded black eyes. Still, he might find it entertaining. "How much?" I asked.

When he caught his breath, he regarded her with glowing, half-closed eyes. "If I'm very, very good, shei'tani, will you do that again when we're alone?

Great! I hope different police officers are here this time." "Might be, but we're in the same police jurisdiction. I'm certain from the last time you were here, they probably have a record about you. What was it you said? You were playing some game re-enactment the last time you were injured?" "Yes. How did your brother come up the idea of a paint-ball game? That's a good one." "He's played them here before. He would like to bring the game back to our world, but we fight for real.

His hand trailed down the side of her face, brushing back spiraling tendrils of hair. "Come, shei'tani, dance the skiles with your mate.

I don't want you to go." She reached up to touch his face and pull him down to her. "I want this, Rain. I want you.