a fan. Since we were visiting Marie, I wasn’t armed. That was against her rules. My only weapons were my abilities. After I slept for fourteen hours straight, it felt like most of them were back to normal.
Thus, my attire was a dark silver Bergdorf Goodman column gown with long sleeves so my supernatural tattoo was covered. It also hung to my ankles, where instead of the heels Denise offered me, I wore a pair of black leather boots. Hey, I thought I would be traveling through crypt tunnels. Open-toed heels might have looked better, but I hadn’t wanted to spend an hour scrubbing rat feces from under my toenails.
Ian’s suit was deep sapphire. The contrast with his creamy skin, sunset-colored hair, and lighter turquoise eyes nearly grabbed your gaze with all the color. Looking at him, I suddenly wished we’d had more time alone at Spade and Denise’s, but between my marathon sleep session and trying to convince the ghosts that Tyler summoned via séance that they should join our side, our plate had been full.
It always seemed to be full, and I was struck with a sudden longing for what most couples had after they were newly married.
“If we make it through this, we should go on a honeymoon.”
A smile spread across Ian’s face. “Smashing idea. Where do you want to go? Because we will make it through this.”
The most remote place on earth sounded good, since I didn’t want to be near anyone except him. Still, Antarctica was hardly a romantic honeymoon destination.
“I don’t know,” I finally said. “Is there any place you’d like to go that you’ve never been to?”
“Yes,” he said instantly. “Your home.”
“Where I was born?” I let out a short laugh. “That’s somewhere in modern-day Iraq, to the best of my knowledge.”
“I’m not talking about location.” He reached between us, taking my head. “No matter where you were born, how much you’ve traveled, or how many properties you may own, everyone has a place that’s home to them. I took you to mine in Manhasset. I want you to take me to yours, wherever that is.”
For a moment, I couldn’t speak past the new lump in my throat. Yes, I had a place that was as close to home to me as a building could get, though it had always felt as if something was missing. Now, I knew what that was.
It had been missing Ian.
“Then, when this is over, we’ll go to my home,” I said in a newly husky voice.
He raised my hand and kissed it, his eyes never leaving mine. “There’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”
Ashael cleared his throat. “Hate to interrupt, but in two minutes, we’ll be late, and Marie does not tolerate lateness.”
I didn’t need to give her another reason to side with the gods over the vampires. So, with a final look at Ian, I left the car, squared my shoulders, and accepted my brother’s arm.
Time to negotiate with the ghoul queen.
Chapter 34
We walked right up to the front door without anyone stopping us. Marie didn’t appear to have any guards, either of the ghoul persuasion or the ghostly one. Then again, she probably didn’t need them. I’d seen Marie’s abilities firsthand. They were so formidable that one would be a fool to attack her.
Ashael rapped on the door. A handsome ghoul with a ruddy sepia complexion opened the door. His suit, ascot, and white gloves covered every inch of his skin aside from his face. Not that it needed covering. The word “ghoul” might conjure up images of rot and decay, but ghouls looked as hale and healthy as any human. They also had a pleasant, earthy scent that reminded me of herb gardens.
Bet it had been a vampire that had first started calling them ghouls. That they’d kept the term just showed how little they cared about our attempt to be derogatory.
“Greetings,” he said. “I am Jacques.” His gaze didn’t even slide to me when he added, “I’m afraid that Majestic was only expecting you, so she will need to wait with the car.”
“She is my sister,” Ashael answered. “Majestic can confirm that any family of mine was long ago included in her marker to me.”
“Wait here, sir,” Jacques said, and shut the door.
“You didn’t mention the family requirement for your plus-one before,” I said in a low tone.
Ashael grinned. “Wait until she realizes who you are.”
True. Marie, or Majestic, as her people called her, had never seen my real appearance. She wouldn’t recognize me