Strange Love

"Face it, the bastards ditched." Russ growled as he studied another antique candlestick. "I mean how much useless shit does one palace need?" He tossed the candlestick over his shoulder to Ry.

Ry chuckled as he handed it off to Poseidon. "Good question... dad, how much useless shit does one palace need?"​​

Poseidon rolled his eyes as he made the candlestick disappear. "Most sensible people would call this 'useless shit' priceless family heirlooms."

"I hope not too priceless." Russ muttered as his gaze moved up to one of about 40 chandeliers on the bottom floor of the palace. "How much do you think one of those would go for?"

Poseidon shrugged, "It depends on the quality of crystal and metals."

"And these?" Russ asked as he pointed to the many pieces of old art that lined this part of the palace.

Poseidon let out a heavy sigh. "Considering they look like mid-century Baroque..."

"Broke or not, you think they would sale?" Russ asked as he lifted the bottom of one elaborate frame away from the wall.

Poseidon rolled his eyes causing Ry to snicker beside him. "Baroque, B.a.r.o.q.u.e, not broke. Copies would sell for hundreds, sometimes thousands. If they are originals some could be worth millions, again priceless heirlooms!"

"There's only way a palace full of useless shit is going to help my people, and that's by selling it to the highest bidders." Russ tugged the painting from the wall, leaving behind a discolored square where it had hung. He held the back out toward Poseidon. "What do you say?"

Poseidon let out another heavy sigh as he held out his hand. "It's an original Rubens..." Poseidon rolled his eyes as he watched the young wolf pull over an antique accent table and climb on top of it to inspect the crystal of the light overhead. "I don't know why you're doing this; I've already told you I will front whatever finances you need for the restoration of this town and its people."

"And have them owe you for life? I'd rather do this on my own." He unhooked one of the hanging dew-drop crystals and tossed it to Poseidon. "Well?"

Before he could answer his phone rang. "It's Chary, let's give it a break on the selling off of all the palace valuables... just for a few minutes..." He tossed the crystal to Ry as he turned away pressing the phone to his ear. "Hello dear, any news?"

[What the hell is going on there?! The antiques room is literally spilling out into the main floor of the library! Did you guys rob a damn museum or something?!]

Poseidon shot a glance over his shoulder as he continued down the hall. "Just store it in one of the upstairs bedrooms out of the way for now... I'll explain later."

[Dad, there's a ten-foot wolf statue in the f.u.c.k.i.n.g center of the library! How the hell am I supposed to get that big bitch upstairs, let along through the doorway to one of the bedrooms?!]

He let out an irritated sigh. "You'll figure out something, I'm sure..." A crash from down the hall brought his attention around. The delicate table Russ had been standing on was now splintered under the boy as he leaned to one side rubbing his a.s.s. "I have to go; we'll talk about this later." He didn't wait for her to reply as he hung up the phone and headed back to his son and the kid. "That table was probably worth a good amount as well... With that being said, how about we try to at least find proper tools to remove the rest of the shit you plan on taking down..."

Ry chuckled as he held out a hand to Russ. "Here kid, get up, dads got a good point."

Russ dusted off his jeans, brushing particles of wood away. "So, how long should the sales take to be final and the money to come through?"

Poseidon ran a hand over the tight bun of his hair. "Payments will be instant as soon as they sell and ship. That was Chary on the phone, some of them have already sold."

Ry arched a brow toward his dad over Russ's head. He gave the kid a pat on the back. "See kid, nothing to worry about. What do you say we take some supplies down and help out those we can now and let this most recent batch of antiques sell first."

Russ nodded as he made his way down the hall toward the kitchen.

***

Irritation slammed against the back of Russ's various emotions as he handed out the last basket of goods to a pair of young orphans. "Isn't there something else we can do? Can't they stay in a room of the palace or something until we can work something out?"

Ry frowned as he watched the children scurry off. "I mean you could try, but they most likely wouldn't stay. You have to keep in mind the palace has been nothing but a beacon of fear and destruction for them their entire life." He nodded toward a small group of skeptical onlookers. "These people don't trust you enough yet to take any offers past this simple kindness. Hell, some of them would rather starve than accept a loaf of bread... that has to tell you something about the hells they've been through over the past 16 years."

Russ nodded. "This time last year the only thing on my mind was confessing my feelings to Jos and keeping the both of us as far away from this island as possible. It had never occurred to me that the people here were suffering so much... but I guess she must have known..."

Ry nodded. "As your guardian, Raven had been kept up to date with the situation here. She and the council had argued often enough about the island's state and your return to it." He shrugged. "I can imagine it's why she supported the idea of you and Jos so much... she saw it as an answer to both your problems."

Russ furrowed his brows. "How would that be an answer, like Jos said my people and the council would never accept us together."

A sad smile spread over Ry's lips. "The council or the fae people didn't accept her and Isha's relationship a few hundred years ago either. Aside from being same-s.e.x, dark fae and light fae never cross... outside of war and disagreements."

"Just like alpha males should only be with alpha females? It's bullshit..." Russ grumbled as they walked through the back gates of the palace.

"Maybe... but there's good reason behind it... The light fae has spent the better part of the past 400 years in fear that the separation between Raven and Isha would bring down the wrath of the dark fae." Ry explained.

"Raven has never said anything about this, how would you know?"

Ry arched a brow. "I work for the council; it's been a whisper there for years." He shrugged. "I mean, obviously it's not a problem at the moment but could still be down the road."

"Why would the dark fae give a shit about a single rogue member?" Russ asked as he pulled open the thick exterior door leading into the service entrance.

Ry chuckled as Poseidon's attention snapped up at them from his phone he'd been typing furiously on. "You're not serious, are you?" Poseidon asked.

"Yeah, why?" Russ questioned.

Ry laughed heartily as he slapped Russ on the back. "You really don't know shit, do ya..."

All three men came to a dead stop as they walked into the main dining room of the palace. Anger flashed across Russ's expression as he moved forward, but Ry caught his arm. "What is she doing here?" Ry asked.

Fern wiped at the corner of his mouth with a silk napkin. "Oh, good, I don't have to waste my time with introductions." His gleaming eyes danced to Russ. "I thought it was time your fiancé joined you here... since you're so eager to take over, that is."

Russ snarled down at the girl sitting quietly beside his uncle. "Send her back wherever you found her, I have no intention of marrying that woman."

The girl's mouth dropped as she shot to her feet. "You can't mean that! We've been promised to one another since we were two!"

His lip turned up over sharp white canines. "You may have been promised something, but I never was. Get out of here." He nodded toward the two men beside him as he turned out of the room.

She ran after him, catching his arm in the hallway. "This is still about her, isn't it?! That old whore you were f.u.c.k.i.n.g back in the states?!"

Russ snapped around, hatred radiating from his pores. "Gigi, I'm warning you, get the f.u.c.k out of my sight now!"

"No!" She stomped her foot disobediently against the marbled tile. "I'm your intended, and you can't make me leave!"

He growled as he yanked her hand violently away from his arm and pulled her up to eye-level. "The hell you are, and the hell I can't!" He sneered down at her. "You'll never be more than a passing f.u.c.k for me, a f.u.c.k who might I add, blackmailed your way into my bed!" He flung her away from him. "Now leave."

When she opened her mouth to protest, Ry lifted his hand to stop her. "No, you've heard the prince. He doesn't require your presence. I'm sure you remember me well enough to know not to argue this."

She nodded as she backed away slowly. Once they had turned and scaled the stairs she turned and ran back to the dining room. "I told you this wouldn't work!" She cried as she flopped down on the chair beside Fern.

Fern tossed the napkin to the side and stood, walking over to the young wolf. He lifted her pouting face up to meet his, an affectionate smile spread across his lips. "Surely I taught you better than that..." He bent and placed a warm kiss to the bottom swell of her pouting lips. "Do as you were taught or I'll toss you back into the pit with the rest of the useless females down there." A sardonic smile curved his lips. "And added fun, there are two new additions in there simply to die for. Maybe you'd like to see what it's like to be caged with those creatures you hate most? I bet it gets pretty intense after they've been starved long enough... wouldn't you imagine?"

"You're a monster." She whispered timidly against the flow of tears running down her face.

A wicked snarl curved his lips as his fingers sank painfully into the tender flesh of her face. "I own you. Your life belongs to me. You would still be starving and covered in your own excrement." He released her face with a look of disgust. "I've given you all you have; I can take it away if you don't obey." A sweet smile returned to his features. "Now go do as I've asked... and when you're done, find me... I've missed your company."

Gigi swallowed hard as she slowly lifted from the dining chair. All those years of trauma nearly paralyzing her. The only thing more horrifying than the thoughts of going back into that pit was the idea of returning to the sadistic maniac's bed. Her family had been killed when the palace was attacked by vampires, and it hadn't been long after when she'd been taken off the streets and tossed into a dark cellar. At the time there had only been a handful of other children all of them younger than her own four years of age... and all girls...

Gigi quickly made her way to the room that had been given to her upon her arrival earlier. She turned the lock of the door but know it would not keep the monsters at bay... especially not the worst of them... Fernando... Her mind played over the day he'd taken her away from the pit. She'd thought it was the luckiest day of her life... until later that night... At only nine, her body was incapable of adjusting to the many tortures he'd delt her. Every night for four years she'd wished she had died with her parents until finally, she'd thought her luck would change. A lovely couple showed up at the palace. Her bags were quickly packed, and she was informed she'd be moving to the states with them, to lead a normal life. "Ha, what a fool..." Gigi berated herself. The couple treated her with disdain, only ever caring about the money sent to keep her and only ever keeping up with the most basic guidelines of the deal. She was to attend the same school as the young prince, seduce him, and keep him close.

A gleeful smile curved her lips. The only joy to her present circ.u.mstances was seeing that bastard lose everything. He'd forced her back as a means of distraction... just long enough to get what he wanted... "Hahaha..." She laughed uncontrollably as tears streamed down her cheeks. "He'll show you... Russ will show you... he's ten times the wolf you'll ever be, you sick bastard!" Her laughter died off as she sank to the floor and her head fell back against the door. Her hope all along had rested in the prince actually falling in love with her... seeing her as his mate... but no... he'd fallen in love with that bitch... Her lips snarled as her clawed fingers dug into the pads of her palms. "I'll make the bitch pay for what she's taken from me!"