Gardevik stood there with his brother Jaydevik and a woman was held behind King Jayd. Jayd looked as if he were about to explode or go Thifilathi. Garde breathed a sigh of relief when he saw it was Kifirin and me. Honestly, I wasn't looking forward to a battle between Kifirin and Jayd and was glad Jayd backed down.
"We wish to see Roff and Giff," Kifirin announced, as the woman elbowed Jayd aside and then stepped around him.
"Wait," she said. "I haven't been introduced to the person who saved us." She came forward and held out her hand. "I am Glindarok," she said. "Queen of the High Demons." There wasn't any way around it, she was gorgeous. Long, white hair hung down to her waist and she had blue eyes and beautiful skin. She wasn't much taller than I was, either. I took her hand. "I wanted to meet you as soon as I found out you still lived," she said.
"Well, here I am," I replied. "I'm Lissa, but then you already know that. Erland Morphis just told me that you were the first woman he ever wanted to go to bed with."
"Why did that idiot tell you that?" she asked, smiling and releasing my hand.
"Because he informed Lissa that she's the other female he wishes to take to his bed," Kifirin announced. I wanted to elbow him in the ribs for that.
"As if he has time for a female," I snipped. "His first love is Erland Morphis, and any woman would stand behind a long line of males on the rest of his list."
"Exactly what I always thought," Glinda laughed.
Roff walked into the room at that moment, followed by Giff, who was carrying a baby. "Roff," I whimpered, wanting to run to him. I held myself back.
"Is this our Queen?" Roff asked, coming forward. This Roff didn't know me. Had never met me, or kissed me or held me. I missed the Roff who'd done all those things.
"Honey, I've missed you," I said, afraid to touch him.
"You call me an endearment?" Roff was surprised, I could tell.
"Do you not want that?" I asked, worried.
"I should be kneeling at your feet," he said, shocking me.
"Honey, don't you ever do that," I said. "Ever." I couldn't help it; I went to him and hugged him.
"The Queen loves you, Roff," Kifirin said softly. Roff's arms went around me.
"Would you like to offer your blood, Roff?" Kifirin asked; his head suddenly next to Roff's ear. I wasn’t about to take much, just enough to give him satisfaction.
Roff couldn't speak, but he was eager. I held him away from me. "I won't hurt you," I said, leaning in to kiss him. Roff was ready now, and Giff watched in wonder as I leaned in, placed another kiss on Roff's neck and bit him as gently as I could. Roff cried out in ecstasy and I held him while his body convulsed against mine. He was now holding onto me as hard as I was holding onto him. The High Demons were watching all of this, I noticed, when I licked Roff's neck to heal it and leaned away from him.
"Did you like that?" I asked.
"Very much," Roff's voice was hoarse, his brown eyes still clouded with pleasure. "I would like to do it again."
"I didn't take much from you, but you still don't need to do this again for a few days. Is that little Toff back there with Giff? You need your strength to take care of him."
"Yes," Roff was still trying to gather his wits as he motioned Giff forward.
"Hey, baby," I played with Toff's little hands. He was adorable and the proud owner of a full set of teeth—I saw that right away when he yawned in Giff's arms.
"They eat animal protein, straight from the birthing sac," Kifirin informed me.
"Because you made them that way," I looked up at Kifirin, who shrugged.
"What would your first law be, if you were Queen on Le-Ath Veronis?" Kifirin said instead.
"That it would be a death sentence if anyone drank from a child," I replied instantly. "The rights of the comesuli should be considered first, don't you think?" Kifirin's eyes lit up as he smiled at me.
"I will bring you a copy of the old laws," he said. "The first of which levied a death sentence upon anyone who drank from a child." Roff and Giff were listening to us, their eyes shining.
"Their rights first?" Jayd asked as he, Glinda and Garde moved closer.
"You are looking at potential vampires. They are vampire young in that respect and I have it on good authority that Roff and Giff are winged Infilathi and will make winged vampires. I want to see that for myself. How would you treat your children, Raoni?" I gave Jayd a hard look.
"We have laws protecting our children," Glinda said. "We should have understood what the commons meant to your race."
"Avilepha, we should go," Kifirin said. I nodded. No sense getting the High Demon King all riled up—it could affect the way Roff, Giff and the others were treated.
"Sorry we barged in on you like this," I apologized. "Kifirin offered me the chance to see Roff and I couldn't turn it down."
"You came only to see me?" Roff asked.
"I came mostly to see you. And Giff, and little Toff. I hope I get to see you again soon." I gave Roff another kiss before Kifirin folded me away.
* * *
"Roff, I think you're special to the Vampire Queen," Glinda gave him a hug.
"I cannot believe it," Roff said. "Why did she pick me?"
"Why wouldn't she pick you?" Garde patted Roff on the shoulder.
"Perhaps we should take Toff to the kitchens, he looks hungry," Giff said.
"Do you think so?" Roff lifted his youngest child out of his oldest child's arms. "Let us go feed Toff, then," Roff agreed, smiling as they walked out of Glinda's suite.
"In less than half a click, this story is going to be all over Veshtul," Jayd moaned.
"Stop whining," Glinda slapped Jayd's stomach with the back of her hand.
* * *
"The Queen gave the rapture? Truly?" Those words were spoken from one comesula to the next until it was all over Veshtul, just as Jayd said.
* * *
Kifirin spent the night with me, but left early in the morning after kissing me while I was still asleep. Just as well, I had things to do. More gates waited and I got another five, for a total of fifty-four nesting pairs. Flakkar were just filthy and foul and if I'd had more time and energy, I'd have Looked to find where they came from and what their natural enemies were. I might have also gone Looking to find how they'd gotten there to begin with, but that would have to wait. People were dying in the meantime and I could only do so many things at once.