And they would do it as one – as the Bind came together to fight their enemy at last.
CHAPTER 18 – SOLSTICE
Entering the Grand Ballroom of the Red Letter Hotel Paris for the Litha Bonfire with her Bind-mates, Layla looked around and saw friends. Majestic to the max, the recently repaired ballroom was a masterpiece of fire and light tonight for solstice. Massive gilded braziers roared with white-gold fire everywhere she looked, enchanted by King Lethou Mathii to writhe up the white marble columns to the highest vaults of the crystal dome. Every chandelier snarled with Dragon-fire, all that fierce light magnified by gilded mirrors upon every wall. A roaring energy filled the hall, as Layla gazed into the human faces of Crystal Dragons and Sirens, Storm Dragons and Desert ones, Phoenix, Archangels and more attending the party. And as she looked around to their allies from various clans, friends from different Lineages, and co-workers from the Hotel, she saw how King Mathii’s works brightened them all for battle.
Swirling through their veins with a bliss only etheric magic could truly create.
As everyone turned with fierce smiles to see Layla and her Bind enter the party, she felt how they were ready to answer Hunter’s war tonight. Twice before, Layla had entered this hall and experienced disorientation at magic hitting her from all around, or stares from hostile foes. But now, she entered the Grand Ballroom and saw only loving faces; and as she passed King Mathii and his retinue, he smiled at her with a scalding readiness in his bright turquoise eyes.
Like the Bind, King Mathii wore one of his beautiful desert robes but made from Amalia’s handiwork tonight – all their allies were clad in Amalia’s ostentatious suits and tuxes, ballgowns and sleek cocktail dresses of gold and black, red, turquoise, and bright white for the celebration. As another familiar energy breathed through the hall, Layla suddenly felt the Deathkeeper magic of Rake André, circulating the Hotel’s Guard like Bartenders as he got his drinks into every hand. Coming to the Bind from behind the mirrored bar, Rake put short pours of bourbon into all their hands, mixed with something that shimmered gold, plus a curl of orange peel and a cinnamon stick for garnish. Wearing one of his all-black Bartending outfits, sleek with Amalia’s work, Rake lifted his drink to them as Layla and her men raised theirs back. Holding Layla’s gaze with his intense jade-green eyes, Rake shot his bourbon back.
And as the Bind followed, Layla felt togetherness blaze through her life.
It staggered her as Adrian and Dusk quickly shored her up, her glass tumbling from her hand to be caught by a Red Giant Guardsman in crimson-scale livery. As the Bind breathed with Rake’s magic now, Layla felt her etheric senses flare like enormous wings – enveloping the entire hall. Suddenly, she could feel the breath of every person in the ballroom upon her lips, and all their heartbeats in her chest. She could sense their lips on her skin and their hands reaching out to her.
As her Dragon unfolded in a massive wave.
It was tremendous, an erotic delight that poured all through Layla as she breathed in unity with the rest of the hall now; and for the first time, she could feel Rake’s aura truly unfold in the ether as he let himself touch her with his real power. He was an angel of battle as he sought her, his etheric magic a wave of scintillating darkness and light as it flowed through her; and Layla felt it devour her as he kissed her without touching her at all. Holding her gaze with his jade-green eyes, Rake’s magical kiss at last subsided, but not the vast eros and incredible oneness that Layla could feel flooding the hall. As she breathed hard, feeling the Bind careen through her along with Rake’s incredible breath-magic, she heard his voice in her mind.
We’re together now, Layla.Rake spoke as he watched her quietly.All these warriors are pulled together by my breath tonight via the drinks they have taken, and will act as one until they fall. It’s not a true Bind, but you and your Bound mates may use it thusly, as I have given you drinks tonight that can command this unified auric field we are all experiencing. Wield our friends and allies with care tonight… and let’s go kick some ass.
Staring at Rake, Layla at last knew why Reginald and Rhennic had been so adamant in involving him tonight – and why for hundreds of years, the Intercessoria had considered Rake a threat. Like the Bind, he was so much more than he seemed, Layla understood now; and she also understood that if his magic was ever used for nefarious purposes, it might truly wreak havoc. Staring at his smooth jade-green eyes, Layla felt herself shudder, wondering what would ever happen if Rake went bad. But then he smiled, and Layla felt peace fill her life as his aura surged all through her.
That will never happen, Layla.Rake spoke gently through her mind.I would kill myself before I ever let myself go dark. But you may use my power tonight, and all of us shall be with you.And I know you will use it for good – as good as your beautiful heart.With a deep nod like a Courtier’s bow, Rake turned away, moving back to the bar and attending to dozens more drinks for arriving guests. But even as Layla shuddered off their intense connection, she could still feel his vast erotic aura binding the entire party together tonight.
To give them unity in battle.
“Holy fuck, Stephen Strange.” Layla breathed as she watched Rake behind the bar. Glancing at Reginald, she gestured to the party, feeling everyone there breathing through with Rake’s heady battle-eros. “Did you know he could do… this?”
“I did, Layla; I’ve always known. Rake is a force of the ages, even for one of his kind.” Reginald spoke from where he stood next to Dusk, something deeply pleased in his eyes as he gazed at Rake. Glancing at Layla, blue-grey steel flashed in Reginald’s eyes with gold. “We are lucky he is with us tonight, risking it all with his clan and the Intercessoria to help us.”
“When did you find out… about what he could do?” Layla breathed, still amazed at Rake’s etheric energy unifying the party.
“I knew from the moment he first made me a drink.” Reginald spoke with a softer smile now. “I know everything about my Courtiers and Courtesans; reading their strengths and weaknesses, their loves, hopes, and desires with my Siren-magic the moment they arrive under my care. As Head Courtier, it was my business to know the darkest secrets and brightest lights my Courtiers and Courtesans hid. Now as Hotel Head, it is still my business to know the powers of everyone who steps beneath this roof, for the safety and pleasure of all. But come. We should head out to the main party in the gardens. Let us go outside, and I shall make my speech so the Litha Bonfire can truly begin.”
With an effete nod, Reginald indicated for the Bind to move towards the gardens at the rear of the open hall. But before he could take them there, the Madame suddenly appeared in all her catlike grace. Clad in the most enormous golden ballgown Layla had ever seen, Madame Etienne Voulouer seized faces of the Bind as she kissed cheeks, beaming with a fierce joy at them all tonight. As she came to Layla, she clasped Layla’s hands with warm firmness, then put her palm to Layla’s cheek, her golden tiger-eyes bright as she smiled.
“Darling!” Etienne spoke with her fierce feline presence. “I want you to know that whatever happens tonight, it has been apleasurehaving you among our family here at the Red Letter Hotel Paris! There is no one better that I can think of to go down fighting with. Tonight, I will raise my claws for you in a way I haven’t done forages– but I welcome all the same. Battle runs in my veins just like it does for everyone else here. And I will fight for what is right tonight – peace and love beneath this roof, and nothing else.”
“You fight?” Layla blinked, still astounded to learn about the pasts of her Hotel friends.
“My girl!” Etienne laughed brightly as she patted Layla’s cheek. “I was Throat-Ripper of my Lineage before I was caught in a bad situation with the Intercessoria and forced to choose either the Red Letter Hotel for amnesty or be put to death centuries ago. I chose the Hotel – and here we are.”
“Throat-Ripper?” Layla blinked again, frowning.
“It’s like a Siren Concubine, Layla. A Golden Tigress Throat-Ripper is the most devious, most deadly person in a Golden Tiger King’s Court. Like his Queen, but far more capable. Or did you think Etienne becoming Madame here was happenstance?” Reginald chuckled as he extended his arm and the Madame flowed to him. Beaming at Reginald, she gave him a teasing little slap, but Layla suddenly saw the power in it. Though the Madame was old, she was far from just another pretty face. And Layla suddenly wondered at their Tiger Mama’s ability to run the Hotel so effortlessly all these years – and the machinations she’d orchestrated behind the scenes to do it.
But the fantastic revelry of the Grand Masquerade was already beginning inside with the main banquet, everything planned meticulously by the Madame, Reginald, and the whole host of people it took to make such an incredible event happen. Food-tables were laden all through the hall with every kind of dish imaginable, massive chandelier-candelabra swirling with Dragon-fire as their centerpieces. A tremendous orchestra of Guard-musicians played a fiery waltz of impossible harmonies on a crystal dais flowing with gilded flame.
But in traditional summer solstice fashion, the real party was outside; and it was there they headed now as Reginald and the Madame led the way. Moving out through an enormous open arch of marble columns at the end of the hall – their crystal walls smoothed back by magic tonight – Layla and her men descended the gilded marble stairs behind Reginald and the Madame as they moved out into the settling evening.
The gardens of the Red Letter Hotel Paris were resplendent, enormous gilded braziers heaving with magical flames that curled up into creatures of every Lineage tonight. Enchanted by the Gardeners before they left, every kind of flower bloomed in a heady riot now all through the grounds, spilling over waterways and fountains and devouring statues and topiaries with their fragrant blossoms and vines. Packed with warrior-allies already enjoying themselves, more music filled the outdoors as people crowded the gardens, milling with food and drinks around the unlit edifice of trees that would become the main Dragon bonfire.
But as Layla watched the last flare of the setting sun dip below the forest to the west, the blue-white nimbus of the Twilight Realm searing through the sky as diamond stars began to pop out above, she noticed a shimmering swirl flow through the air. Squinting at that shimmer, she suddenly realized it was a massive dome of etheric magic – surrounding the entirety of the near gardens and going up over the whole Hotel.
As Layla blinked, her lips falling open in astonishment, she spied Fallen Ephilohim in black Intercessoria armor holding the dome at intervals around the revelry, wings spread wide as they held their hands out to the night as if lifting that massive dome up. All had their eyes closed, deep in meditative trance; and as Layla and the Bind arrived at the gilded announcement-platform before the main bonfire, Layla spied Heathren Merkami and Insinio Brandfort with their dark-light wings spread wide.
Holding up that enormous magical barrier with the rest.
