* * *
"Where can I find wrapping paper?" I asked later. Grace and Devin were swimming in the huge pool near the hot tub. I realized I hadn't even gotten into the pool, yet.
"What kind of wrapping paper?" Grace asked, coming over to the side of the pool to look up at me.
"Really big wrapping paper?" I held my arms out as wide as they'd go.
"Get some regular wrapping paper and ask Connegar to enlarge it for you," Devin suggested.
"I hate to ask him to waste his talents on something like that," I said. "Oooh—fabric. Maybe I can get fabric." I was off like a shot.
* * *
"You know, if we could get her to sit still long enough, we might have a good conversation," Devin laughed.
"I like her," Grace said. "She's not going to sit around and wait for the guys to come save her. She'll kick ass first, herself."
"My boys sure love her," Devin agreed. "I don't think Dragon would have appreciated any other woman where they're concerned. Lissa, though, the minute those boys said they wanted her, Dragon was okay with it."
"How many mothers can say their sons are mated to the Vampire Queen?" Grace laughed.
"Well, there's me, Conner, who is Connegar's mother, and Shannon, Shadow's mother. I think that's it," Devin floated away on her back.
* * *
"Mother would like you to come for a visit," Connegar helped me wrap the unicorn painting in drapery fabric. It was wide enough and I'd gotten a floral pattern with wide ribbon to match. I was tying the bow on the package when Connegar mentioned his mother.
"I love your mother," I said, straightening the bow I'd just tied. "Did she say why she wants me to visit?" I gave the bow a critical look and straightened it again.
"She just wants to give you information," Connegar smiled. He was on his knees in my closet, holding up the fabric-wrapped painting while I worked on the bow.
"All right, we'll go now," I said, letting him settle the painting against the closet wall. "Am I dressed okay?" I looked down at my linen slacks and sandals. I had on a royal blue silk blouse with pearl buttons.
"You look very nice. We will go." Connegar folded me away before I could change my mind.
"We are here, Mother," Connegar folded us into a beautiful study. Conner was there, typing on what was now an archaic computer. It even had a printer for paper copies—also something currently archaic.
"Hi, baby," she smiled at Connegar. "Shane is bringing us iced tea," Conner told me, turning her smile on me as well.
"Thanks," I said. "I haven't had iced tea in a long time." Shane did bring us iced tea, winked at me slyly and took off again after leaving petits fours with the tea. I love petits fours. There were two on little saucers with forks and pretty cloth napkins. Conner let me take mine first, and it was good. The iced tea was good, too, and mine was unsweetened, just the way I liked it. I got up to examine the huge Richard Estes painting hanging on the wall in Conner's study. "I always loved his work," I said. Conner loved it, too, I could tell. We turned to other things after I sat down again.
"I wanted to talk to you about who you were before," Conner said after we'd finished our tea and tiny desserts. "Franklin and Greg wanted to be here for this, but I said no. It was difficult enough when I showed them their lives before."
"I'm just glad they found one another again," I said. "They were so close, before."
"They have a M'Fiyah," Conner nodded. "Those are generally set before birth by the recipients themselves. I know this; perhaps one or two others know, but that's it. They all think they're given to them. They're not. They choose. And all parties have to choose before the M'Fiyah is granted."
"Wow. This is really complicated," I said.
"I want to show you who you were before, Lissa. And there is a reason for this, you just have to trust me," Conner sighed. "It isn't to hurt you, or bring up old wounds. It's just to show you what you can be in the future. You need to see this."
"Is this gonna be awful?" I asked. "I've seen enough of awful, lately."
"It may be painful, but remember that you are here now and not there then. Does that make any sense?" Conner gave me a small smile.
"I'm not sure, but we'll skip over that part," I said, shivering. Connegar squeezed me gently, offering comfort.
"My son loves you and he'll be the one bending time. We'll be there with you, holding your hand, Lissa."
"What if I freak?" I was suddenly gripping Connegar's shirt in my fist. I was terrified, and thinking I must have been awful in my previous life to deserve what I'd gotten in the current version.
"Do not be afraid, little rose," Connegar said and bent time and folded space before I could object.
It was awful. As awful as it could be, and if Connegar hadn't been holding onto me, I would have misted away and gone somewhere else. Anywhere would have worked, just to get away from it.
We were on Le-Ath Veronis, and the Ra'Ak were there. The city was on fire and thick smoke billowed through the streets. Buildings exploded and collapsed, sending glass, cascades of bricks and bits of masonry flying everywhere. It was similar to what I'd seen on the High Demons' world—with the screaming and noise of buildings and structures collapsing. The Ra'Ak were killing the few vampires and comesuli who remained, and there I was. I knew it was me—the Vampire Queen—fighting them off as best she could. She didn't have the talents I had; she was using her speed, her claws and her will to slice into them. Her clothing was in tatters as she carved through necks and was blasted away more than once by Ra'Ak dust. More vampires screamed and died from contact with the poisoned scales and teeth of the Ra'Ak. The Queen Vampire pulled herself up and started fighting again. Comesuli were swallowed up by feeding Ra'Ak and the Queen went after those monsters next. She was hit; a long gash down her arm and side and still she fought, trying to buy time for the fleeing comesuli.
"I don't want to see this," I buried my face against Connegar's neck.
"You need to see this." It wasn't Conner beside us any longer—it was the Guardian. Light and white flame shone around her, and I was compelled to look as the Queen—me, in my former existence—went after another Ra'Ak who was chasing comesuli. A vampire attempted to help her, but he was hit and crushed. The language the Queen spoke was one I'd never heard, but I understood it easily.