Suzanne Johnson - Elysian Fields

“Mostly, they wanted to see anytime I’d used elven magic, how I’d discovered my skills, and anything that . . .”—tore me up emotionally—“was particularly painful in my life,” I said. “I don’t know why they needed so much detail.”

“To see how much of a threat you pose, gauge how much of our magic you can do, and watch how you react under stress,” Rand said, ignoring a look from Alex hot enough to boil water. “But they broke the agreement I had with them by performing a regression. A regular human wouldn’t have survived it. Maybe not even a regular wizard.” He turned his good eye to Zrakovi. “I’m sorry. I got Dru out as quickly as I could, and will be punished by the Synod for it.”

Rand had more layers than a Vidalia onion. He was positioning himself to be the go-to elf for the wizards, and he thought bonding with me would strengthen that position. He was already working his political angle. In his own way, Rand was more devious than Jean Lafitte, only without the charm or the French accent. At least Jean had his own, albeit skewed, sense of honor.

Alex spoke up for the first time, his voice tight and angry. “Is regression legal? It’s a mental version of rape. They imposed their will on DJ by force, took away her choices, did things to her without her consent. They should have to pay for it.” He turned eyes of dark-brown fire to Rand. “All of them.”

Zrakovi leaned back in his chair, fingers steepled in front of him. “I need to check precedent. The elves have had little to do with other species until now, so it might not have been an issue that has ever arisen, at least not in recent memory.” He pierced Rand with a forbidding look. “If it isn’t illegal now, rest assured I will be bringing it up before the Interspecies Council and asking for sanctions.”

I sipped the now-lukewarm coffee and wondered what sanctions would be considered fair trade for what I’d endured. Maybe dragging the Synod members behind Rene’s shrimp trawler through gator-infested waters? That would certainly make me feel better.

“Also, Randolph left out an important part of his story.” Instead of dissipating, Alex’s anger level continued to rise. “About talking DJ into bonding with him.”

Rand’s jaw clenched and I choked on a gasp. Alex had lost his freaking mind. Zrakovi obviously didn’t know I’d been exposed to the loup-garou virus, which was the only reason I’d agreed to the bonding. Once he knew, he’d easily deduce Jake’s involvement. The Elders would eventually learn it from the elves, but not tonight. We needed time to figure out a way to protect Jake.

“It was a preemptive move, for political reasons,” I said, giving Alex a warning look.

“I explained to DJ that my clan is in jeopardy,” Rand said quickly. “Our numbers are small, for a variety of reasons. Having an alliance with her will give us leverage when I take my seat on the Synod, probably in a matter of months. In turn, it will strengthen the alliance between the wizards and elves. There are those among the elven people who would see our long truce broken, or at least compromised.”

He rested a hand on Zrakovi’s arm, and I felt the shiver of his will . . . he was using elven magic on an Elder!

I whipped my gaze to Zrakovi’s face, looking for a sign of elven mind control, and kicked at Rand under the table. He jerked his hand back as the toe of my shoe made hard contact with his shin on the second try. He yelled in my head: That hurt!

Good.

“Interesting.” Zrakovi shook his head, probably to rid his mind of elven cobwebs. “It could provide a bridge between our people, which we need since relations are already strained over border negotiations. What I don’t understand, Drusilla, is why you agreed. Was Mr. Randolph forthcoming about what a bonding means in his world?”

I didn’t dare look at Alex. “I understand it’s permanent. But for us it will be a business partnership, not a m-marriage.” The word would barely come out, and I wished my mental communication skills extended to Alex so I could remind him again why I’d done this. “It’s merely a partnership of convenience.”

The room’s silence was palpable, full of weight and as electrically charged as a super-cell thunderstorm. The screech of Alex’s chair legs across the floor was jarring. “I can’t deal with anything else tonight. DJ, I’ll talk to you tomorrow. Willem, I’ll be sending you a report on the Axeman case tomorrow as well.”

The back door slammed before I could think of words to stop him. He knew my reasons were sound, that it was the best of all horrible options. I needed to give him time to cool off and think things through, and trust in his feelings.

“We’re going to have to revisit this, to talk about the implications of a wizard-elf bond, but I have to deal with the kidnapping and regression first.” Zrakovi pushed his chair back. “DJ, I’ll let you know what measures the Elders will take against the Synod. Mr. Randolph, while I appreciate that you brought Drusilla home at physical risk to yourself, she would never have been taken without your subterfuge. You’ll be hearing from us soon as well, bonding or no bonding.”

I turned to look at Rand, who’d settled back in his chair looking pleased with himself until Zrakovi’s last words. Now his mouth settled into a horizontal line. His voice in my head was petulant: I might need your help with him since you won’t let me influence him.

I turned away. Quince Randolph had come between Eugenie and me. He was threatening to come between Alex and me. If he thought I’d intercede on his behalf with the Elders, he’d bonded himself to the wrong wizard.

As soon as Zrakovi’s feet sounded on the stairwell and his footsteps caused the ceiling overhead to creak, Rand broke the silence. “Are you okay, Dru?”

“Hm. Let’s see. I’ve been kidnapped, emotionally violated, and forced by circumstance to bond myself for life to a treacherous, lying elf. Does that sound okay to you?”

“This is going to be a good thing—you’ll see.” Rand reached across the table to take my hand, but I pulled it away.

I left him in the kitchen and walked into the living room, looking around for Charlie. Sure enough, the staff had followed me from the bedroom and was propped against the wall near the guest room doorway. The only thing elves had ever been good for: making that staff.

“If you think this bonding thing gives you house privileges, you’re out of your elven mind.” I left Charlie where he was and slumped into my white lawn chair. Life had been so simple a week ago. No loup-garou threat. No bonded elf. No undead serial killer. And I’d had furniture.

Rand sat cross-legged on the floor near my feet. “We need to talk. I want to clarify some of the things that will happen because of the bond.”

A hysterical laugh escaped as I envisioned calling my grandmother in Alabama and telling her she had an elf in the family. She didn’t even want a wizard in the family. “If you tell me that—oops—you were lying when you said this deal didn’t have to be consummated physically, you can forget it.”

Rand reached up and rested a hand on my knee. I reached down and zapped him with a burst of my magic. I could do that much without the staff.

“Ow.” He shook his fingers, trying to jolt the feeling back into them. “I didn’t realize you were so violent.”

“We aren’t in Elf heim any longer, buddy. Keep your hands to yourself.” He’d think violent if he sprung any more nasty surprises on me.

“To answer your question, no more consummation is necessary—that’s what the blood exchange was for. But sex will be amazing with us. You’ll change your mind. One of the side effects of the bonding is increased attraction to each other.”