Two hours later Maximus pulled on a pair of black boxer briefs and sauntered into Sameya’s kitchen. Sunlight flooded the room through a huge set of windows that overlooked an impressive oceanic landscape.
Does darkness ever fall? Since his arrival, the sun had hung high in the sky.
Shaking off the weirdness of the days here, he rummaged through her cabinets until he located a canister of coffee. After prepping the coffee pot, he waited. Tapping his foot as he watched it drip…drip…driiiip…much too slowly.
His body hinted the hour was much later than he thought. Late enough he was long past due for a shot of caffeine.
“Those opposed to E’Neskha will come for Sameya soon.”
The squeaky voice startled him, and Maximus jerked at the intrusion. Spinning about, he found a creature not more than a foot tall. She stood on the counter top, staring at him with her arms crossed over her flat chest. Pointy eared, with cherubic features and white hair that trailed behind her on the counter.
“Those against her Empress will come for her,” the tiny fey reiterated.
He noted she called E’Neskha, Sameya’s Empress and not hers. “I’m aware. Are you the brownie?”
“Name’s Dart. Feel free to use it. Are you a blood sucker?”
“Yep. Call me Maximus.”
Her sparkling rainbow eyes studied him. “I can see why she likes you. You’re more than a one-nighter?”
“Mates.”
White eyebrows elevated. “And the other fellow?”
“Mate also.”
Both eyebrows ratcheted higher. “What do you plan to do about the threat against her?”
The changes in topic made his head swim. “Get her the hell out of Atlantis if possible.”
Dart sat on the edge of the counter, her legs dangling over the side. She looked like a doll a child would play with. He’d seen newborns bigger than her. “You’ll protect her.”
Insulted he allowed his vampyr to show in his eyes. “She’s my goddamn mate.” Of course I’ll protect her.
She held up a doll-sized hand. “No disrespect meant, bloodsucker. How far will you go to keep her safe?”
Fascinated he peered at her. A brownie cleaned homes and according to Sameya served as her jack-of-all-trades if the stocked cabinets were any indication. As tiny as she was, he imagined she often went unnoticed. “What are you suggesting?”
Her legs swished back and forth. In a swirling array of sparkling lights, a box of dog treats appeared in her hand. She tossed two toward the Zions that’d crept up behind him. “Would you kill the Empress to save Sameya?”
“Are you part of the revolution?” He watched her closely, opening his senses, but couldn’t detect any guile.
Dart rolled her eyes. “Why would I bother? No one governs a brownie.”
The coffee pot beeped indicating it’d finished brewing. Finally! Opening cabinets in search of a mug, he said, “You work for Sameya. Isn’t that something like being governed?”
“Here.” She thrust a mug toward him; it’s bulk huge against her tiny frame. It’s a wonder she can lift it.
He hadn’t seen her move, nor had he witnessed any of that sparkly magic, so he had no idea how or when she’d come by the cup. Neither did he care at the moment. He needed caffeine, so he accepted the dishware.
“Sameya compensates me with fine, fine tequila. And…I guess I sort of like her. A little.” She moved like a jaguar on speed. Going onto her tippy-toes, she got in his face as best she could. “You tell her that and I’ll bite your fucking leg off!”
Maximus laughed, startled by her vehemence. Like his gal a little? He didn’t think so. Dart wanted to appear aloof, but her emotions were high. At the brownie’s glare over his amusement, he cleared his throat and forced a straight-faced mien. “You’re serious?”
“Dead.”
“Bite my leg off, hmm?” He stepped aside and poured his mug full of coffee. Bite my leg, indeed! Even crazier the little brownie thought that’d actually cow him. “Your secret is safe.” And in order to say that with a straight face, he had to bite the inside of his mouth. “As for the Empress, I’d kill her in a heartbeat if I thought it’d save Sameya.”
“I like you.” Dart sauntered away, her little feet stuffed into itty-bitty stilettos made a tapping sound against the marble. Maybe she wasn’t as tall as he’d originally suspected. “We’ll get along just fine.”
“Do you know who leads the upheaval?”
“Yeah. There’s a list of names of the militants.” She pointed at the table as a sheet of paper magically appeared.