Pia Does Hollywood (Elder Races, #8.6)

“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.

She whispered, “I remember those days too, when I was pregnant.”

“Tatiana,” he said in a soft, gentle voice, so as not to disturb his sleeping wife, “if you try to kick me out tonight, I’ll make it my personal mission to tear Bel Air down around your ears.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it,” Tatiana said quietly. “You have helped us tremendously today, and I am very grateful. We still need to adhere to the terms of the diplomatic pact, but I think we can get away with you staying one night. And frankly, what you choose to do with the rest of your week is none of my business. I’m certainly not going to be spying on you, should you and Pia meet up somewhere while she is out and about this week.”

“Thank you,” he said, relaxing.

“For tonight, I’ll have one of my guards show you where her suite is.”

The Queen stood, and he gathered Pia’s warm, soft weight into his arms and stood also. Then he paused. One other thing, he said telepathically.

Tatiana paused as well, and looked at him inquiringly.

Don’t poke at my wife about her Wyr form, he said. He gave her one of his hardest warning looks. I mean it, Tatiana. Leave her alone about it. She told me you had questioned her in D.C. Her Wyr form is shy by nature, and in the early days of our mating, it was a real strain for her to contemplate being with me. She gave up a lot to be my mate. She’s had to adapt to the limelight, and I won’t have her bullied or pressured over it.

The Light Fae Queen pursed her lips in a disappointed moue. Oh, very well. She paused. By the way, I’ve heard a preliminary report from my doctors who are studying your blood samples. They’re quite electrified at what they’re finding. They think they’ve isolated the contagion and might be able to develop something from it, which will be hugely useful if there are any more outbreaks. Also, apparently your blood is intensely magical in nature, but then nobody is surprised by that. And there’s something else—something truly unique, and they don’t know quite what to make of it.

Pia had already tried to heal him before his blood had been drawn. Was it something from her, or was it something inherent to him? Had she healed him after all?