Immortals After Dark 07 - Kiss of a Demon King

shopping for baby swords or something." He scratched his head. "I'm kind of hoping they were joking about that, but with Valkyries, how can you know?"
    "How do you feel about having a babe?"
    "At first, I was happy, because I thought it'd mean Holly'd have to forgive me, like I'd smuggled an ally on the inside who'd help me," Cadeon said, still every bit the mercenary. "Then I got excited. If Holls thinks I drive her crazy, imagine little Cadeons running around all over the place."
    "I have firsthand experience with one. And that was plenty."
    An awkward silence fell over the room. Rydstrom took a drink, muttering over the rim, "Make sure you have wainscoting."
    "What?"
    Rydstrom shook his head. "Nothing."
    "No, tell me."
    "When you were little and your horns were molting, they itched so bad that you'd run them against the walls. Nylson and I used to burst out laughing to see every new three-foot-high gouge running the length of a hall. We wouldn't let anyone repair them." His lips curled until he noticed Cadeon's expression. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
    "You're talking about me. And it sounds . . . fond." What the hell did Rydstrom have to lose? "It nearly broke me to send you away."
    Cadeon scowled. "So much that you visited all the
    time?"
    This much resentment?. "I did every chance I could. At least once a week in the beginning."
    At Cadeon's disbelieving look, he said, "I was there watching over you, making sure you had everything you needed. I stayed out of the way because Zoe and Mia said I would interrupt your bonding with your new family."
    "How about not sending me away at all?"
    "After Nylson and our father had just been slain? Because they broke the custom? When you were little, 1 was still adjusting to being king. I'd just lost my older brother, who was my best friend. And my father, as well. Then you were to be in jeopardy, too? I couldn't stand the thought of it. I was tempted to take you and our sisters and start anew, turn our backs on wars and killing."
    Cadeon gaped. "You considered giving up the
    crown?"
    "If there'd been a worthy replacement for me. Yes. Then, just a few years later, 1 lost the kingdom to a vicious murderer. I'd wondered if I'd fought hard enough, or if I'd let go too easily. The guilt was unrelenting, is unrelenting."
    "But the crown was everything. That's why you've hated me all these years."
    "I never hated you. And the crown had nothing to do with why I've been hard on you." At Cadeon's raised I brows, Rydstrom said, "All right, that was part of it.
    But I was also angry because of the way you were living your life. You were selfish and uncaring." Rydstrom knew Cadeon wouldn't argue that. "Sabine's since told me that you would've been assassinated if you'd gone to Tornin. Omort had five hundred troops waiting for you."
    "Sabine told you that?"
    "She wanted to ease some of the strife between us."
    "Kind of nice, for an evil bitch."
    "Guard your words carefully, brother, that woman is going to be your queen." Just when Rydstrom thought they'd have another row, Cadeon raised his palms.
    "Yeah, you're right. Sorry. But don't forget that she's part of the reason I gave up Holly. I thought if I got the sword, I could free you. It ate at me, thinking of you in a dungeon. Nix told me the sorceress would ... use you."
    The sorceress did.
    With a nod at the now empty bottle, Cadeon said, "You've finished it-something I never thought I'd see-so are you ready to divvy what happened?"
    Rydstrom exhaled. Then he told Cadeon almost everything, leaving out his false vow, ending with, ". . . I'm not making progress with her as I'd hoped. And I've only got another two days."
    "Look, I know I'm the last person you want to take advice from, but you can't force this. You can't make her love you."
    "Then what would you do?"
    "You know, do nice shite for her. Buy her things. Really think about what she likes and what makes her happy and make it happen. She'll come around. And if she doesn't, you can cut off your horns for her. Chicks
    dig that."
    Rydstrom's gaze shot up. Sure enough, Cadeon's had been shorn. "What the hell did you do that for?"
    "Holly wanted a normal life, so I was trying to give her normal. She's since berated me, and forbidden me from ever touching my 'rock-hard, sexy horns' again. Then she outlined what she was going to do to me when they grew back. Gods, brother, that woman quicks my wick." Then he frowned. "Wait a minute. Did you say Sabine was going to be my