Once again, I found myself traversing the limestone labyrinth. This time, we were headed for the queen's chamber. Thankfully, Josh stayed in the dorm to shower, which he desperately needed. Christoph could have used a good hose-down as well, but I would never suggest it. No sense insulting my only ally.

"So, who is Hadria?" I asked Christoph as we walked.

"Hadria is Cecile's second in command. She is being trained to take over the hive."

"When will that be? How long can a demon queen live?"

"There is a queen still living in Paris who was born in fifteen thirty-two, but the oldest recorded queen lived just over seven hundred years."

"Yikes."

Whatever supernatural methods these demon queens used to keep themselves alive had to be powerful. Would I be looking at a wrinkled old crone when I met Cecile, like Michelle Pfeiffer in Stardust? Did she need life support?

"What about Willem?" I said. "When will I meet him?"

"He should be there when we arrive."

"Oh."

I shut my mouth and let Christoph lead me to the end of the rainbow. Too much information could cause unnecessary worry and sweaty pits. All the demons we saw along our way looked like regular people. Not a single pair of wings brushed past me, but I detected a heady scent when a particularly rowdy group passed us. They all smelled of the same thing. I wanted to say sex, but I wasn't going there.

The tunnel we traveled grew gradually wider and taller, until it finally culminated at a rock wall shaped into a honeycomb pattern. The phenomenon appeared to be naturally-occurring, with erosion being the cause rather than demon intervention. Individual lanterns holding orange flames flickered inside the many alcoves, each one dancing to a different rhythm. As I marveled at it, I nearly missed seeing the wide-girthed man walking toward us with purpose.

"State your name and business," the man said as he came to stand ominously over us, bringing with him that same heady scent.

"Christoph. I have brought Reese to see Cecile. How's she feeling, Max?"

The man named Max looked down his nose at us, which seemed to be a shared trait among the demons. "Her mood improved as soon as Josh delivered the news. Let's hope she's not disappointed."

Max lead us through the honeycomb wall, and Christoph took hold of my arm to keep me from tripping as I craned my neck to take in the queen's chamber. Although I hadn't given it any thought, my imagination could not have made up what greeted me. The honeycomb wall morphed into a dome-shaped cavern where tiny fires burned inside hundreds of limestone shelves. This had the room looking like the inside of an orange, and the glow reflected off a pale floor, the only surface that had been sanded to a smooth, satiny sheen.

In fact, the shiny ground made the space feel larger than it looked, and a plethora of colorful beanbag chairs and pillows were scattered from one end to the other. The whimsical furnishings had the chamber feeling like a children's playroom, but I had a hunch that was not the purpose. The strong scent of sex perfumed the air, and I watched as a girl moved around the room, picking up articles of clothing and dragging chairs into a more organized seating arrangement.

Near the back wall, another girl cleaned up a food tray, and when the sweet scent of honeybun reached my nose, my stomach responded with a loud growl. Christoph noticed and shot me a concerned look, but I knew we weren't there for breakfast. The two women lounging in front of us looked plenty sated from their positions on an overstuffed futon bed. Apparently, it was good to be the queen.

I made my assessment of the females as we approached them: middle-aged, although one looked a decade older than the other. Each wore a sheath of white gauze that left nothing to the imagination, and both were endowed with enviable bodies. An older man stood over them, younger than Mr. Pearlman, but with a full head of gray hair and a ruggedly handsome face.

Could one of these women be Cecile? Neither resembled a hag. In fact, both had stunningly beautiful faces, with bleached yellow hair and skin as white as porcelain. Their eyes hid behind rose-colored glasses, which didn't surprise me. My working theory was more status than function, but I could have been wrong.

Meandering through the brightly-colored furnishings, Christoph and I finally reached the women, and he addressed them as he tugged me down into a kneeling position. "Greetings, Cecile. Hadria. I have brought you the hybrid you have been searching for."

"We will see about that," said one of the females. "What is your name, girl?"

"Reese Kentwell," I offered, trying not to stare at the paleness of her gaze behind the glasses. What color were her eyes? Did they even have a color?

"Reese will do." said the second, younger-looking female. "We have no need for surnames here." She sat forward to appraise me with unabashed intensity, and her unusual beauty commanded my attention. No, demanded it. "I am Cecile. Queen of this hive. And this is my daughter, Hadria. She will take my place when it is time. You are here at my request. I apologize if our methods frightened you. There was no other way to entice you here under the present circumstances. Not many know of our little hideaway."

She waved her arm languidly at the room, making the gesture look both graceful and powerful. "Your arrival is of paramount import," she continued. "A matter of life and death, you might say. While you may believe otherwise, your hybrid nature is a blessing. Hybrids get free admission into every cathedral, temple, and synagogue in the world, where the misrepresented are welcomed with open arms and open hearts." She watched me through her rose-tinted lenses, and while she hadn't asked a question, I felt compelled to answer.

"It doesn't feel like a blessing."

Cecile gave me a knowing nod, pressing her hand to her heart, and that's when I noticed the pendant hanging from a thick gold chain at her neck. I recognized the symbol as an ankh, the ancient Egyptian symbol for life. Apparently, Cecile saw me lower my gaze, and a smile spread across her face.

"Do you like my amulet? It is very old, and contains such power that even I do not fully understand its properties."

"How old is it?"

"We have yet to find records if its forging date, but this amulet was worn by a pharaoh, I know that much. Are you interested in antiquities?"

"Yes, actually. I photograph ancient architecture. I have been interested in relics for as long as I can remember."

Cecile looked up at the gray-haired man, who nodded approvingly. "Reese, I do not know if Christoph told you about your connection to this hive," Cecile went on. "It is a strong one. Your grandmother and your mother resided here for many years, and your grandfather is still with us. This is Willem." She gestured to the man behind her, and he leaned forward as he offered a grandfatherly smile.

"Hello, Reese. I'm happy to see you alive and well. The last time we were together, I was calling you Elise, but Reese is very nice too."

Oy vey.

The intensity of the situation had my heartbeat gaining momentum as I greeted my grandfather with a sterile "Hello". The rest of the words got stuck in transition.

"So, the prodigal granddaughter returns," Hadria said, after an indifferent sigh. "Can we get to the point now?"

Cecile placated Hadria with a series of pats on her arm. "I know you are exhausted from all the merrymaking, darling, but you must always remember your place as a gracious and patient ruler. Reese deserves both from us."

Hadria nodded grudgingly. "You're right, as always, mother. Please, do carry on."

Hadria made a show of smiling at me, and I knew at that moment she hated my guts. Despite the rose-colored barrier separating our gazes, I could feel the malice oozing from every fiber of her being.

"Reese, I have summoned you here because Hadria and I need your help," Cecile said as she adjusted herself between a pair of pillows. Willem quickly crouched to assist. "I have been searching for an important artifact for more than twenty years. It is an amulet forged with powerful supernatural qualities, like this one, only in a different form." She waved her hand in front the ankh at her chest, and I noticed a tiny flare of orange as her fingers brushed the surface.

"Your mother was last in possession of this artifact, and we have been unable to locate it since her unfortunate passing. Gabrielle was indebted to the hive and her queen, and she agreed to procure the piece so my daughter Hadria could be imbued with its regenerative properties. In layman's terms, Hadria will stop aging, allowing her to maintain her position as queen for many centuries, just as I have done. It is tradition that one amulet remains with a hive, passing from each queen to her successors, but I am not ready to relinquish my throne yet, and Hadria is eager to maintain her flawless beauty."

Oh?

It seemed the queen bee wasn't ready to die, while her daughter got older by the minute. I could see the dilemma.

"Because you are the direct descendant of a hybrid, you should have the unique ability to breech supernatural barriers," Cecile went on to explain. "These barriers protect the repositories that exist beneath the foundation of many religious temples. Hidden rooms that hold countless treasures. Our only request of you is to help us locate the amulet and bring it here. Afterwards, you will be free to live your life as you see fit."

So, that's why they wanted me? I was the missing link? "Do you have any clue where the amulet might be?" I asked.

"We have several clues, and I will put together a list for you. In the meantime, I want you to take advantage of everything the hive has to offer. Familiarize yourself with our way of life. Christoph, I expect you to keep Reese under your watchful eye while she is here."

Christoph nodded politely. "I will make sure Reese receives a private room in the west dorm."

"Very good. Oh, and Reese." Cecile turned her queenly gaze on me, making me swallow unnecessarily. "I ask that you do not fraternize with the males while you are with us. Many are here for battle training and should not be distracted. If you feel the need for sexual congress, I am sure Christoph will be happy to oblige you."

A cough escaped my throat, and Christoph patted my back as I embarrassed myself quite thoroughly. "With all due respect, ma'am. I am in a monogamous relationship and have no desire to... That is, I'm in love with my boyfriend."

"Ah, yes. The gollum from New York who felt the need to slaughter one of our own to prove his worth to you." Cecile's expression turned frigid and the air rippled with hostility. Still, I needed her to know the truth.

"If you're talking about Heath, that wasn't a slaughter. Vincent didn't know I was a hybrid. He thought it was the only way to remove the demon mark." I offered my rebuttal in the softest voice I could manage, but Hadria cut me off as soon as I took a breath.

"Hah! The gollums do not need an excuse to exterminate us. They are cold-blooded and self-serving, and no hybrid will convince me otherwise. Even your mother turned against us in our time of need." Hadria shouted her protests as she stared me down through pastel eyes.

Willem stepped away from the bed, looking anxious as he gestured to me. "I am sure you're tired from your journey, Reese. Christoph and I will escort you to your quarters now."

Hadria shot Willem a wicked scowl, but he ignored it as he reached out a large hand to help me up. His grip felt soft yet powerful, and I bowed politely to the two queens, happily allowing myself to be escorted away from them.

"Holy crap, that didn't end well," I said as soon as we were heading away from the honeycomb chamber. "Hadria hates me like poison."

"Hadria hates everyone," Christoph offered.

"I don't think that's altogether true," said Willem as he took the lead. "She enjoys the company of many."

When Christoph didn't offer a rebuke, I turned around and found him pressing his lips together.

"So, Reese. What do you think of the hive?" Willem asked. "Have you met any others besides Christoph and Josh?"

I gave his question some thought and realized I didn't have the best experience with the others I'd met. "Dale and Bo and Rachel and Austin," I said. "Rachel hates me as much as Hadria does. And I couldn't get a good read on Austin."

"Well, you may be right about Rachel, but that is not your fault. She has an axe to grind with hive protocol, which has soured her attitude. As for Austin, he is fair-minded and likes to see young demons succeed."

"What about hybrids? Does he like to see them succeed?"

Willem turned around to offer me a smile, the kind you use to respond to sarcasm. "I don't doubt he has your best interests in mind. He knew your mother well."

The conversation ended there, which was fine with me. I didn't want to talk about my dead mother in the middle of a dark tunnel. Not long afterward, Willem excused himself to the elder's dorm, but first he admonished me to come to him anytime with questions about my parentage. That situation had awkward written all over it, and when Christoph and I were alone again, he felt the need to explain Cecile's inappropriate comment about using him as a sex toy.

"I hope Cecile didn't make you feel uncomfortable about the sexual congress thing. Like I said, demons have a relaxed view of sex."

"It's fine, Christoph."

"I just don't want things to be weird between us. I want you to trust me."

"Really, Christoph. It's fine."

"Okay, good. We're stopping by the priv dorm so I can pick up some stuff. I'll be staying with you while you're here."

"You're a direct descendant of the queen?"

"Yes. Cecile is my grandmother."

"But, aren't all the demons descendants of the queen?"

"Yes and no. If there's more than two generations of separation, they are not considered a priv. And, for the record, incest is not an issue among demons."

"So, you and Rach are an item, I take it."

My question had Christoph releasing a sigh. "Rach has an agenda. She's trying to get pregnant to find out if she'll be allowed to leave the hive."

"Oh. So, you're helping her with that. How thoughtful. Can you elaborate a little more on this agenda of hers?"

"Hive protocol dictates that any female who produces a female offspring is required to stay in the hive permanently. If a male is born first, she is allowed to leave the hive and live among the humans."

"Damn. Harsh terms."

"For a demon hive, it is survival. First of all, offspring are rare, and females are rare among offspring. It is the female who determines the sex."

Christoph came to the end of his demon genetics lesson just as we reached the priv dormitory. Everything about the living space looked identical to the west dorm, but where that one had been full of rowdy demons, this one stood empty save for one guy sitting in a beanbag chair reading a thick textbook. He glanced up when he saw Christoph, acknowledging him with a chin jut.

"Hey, Christoph. I haven't seen you... in... at... least..." The guy's greeting cut off as soon as he got a look at me, and Christoph led me over to make introductions.

"Neil, this is Reese. Willem's granddaughter."

Neil blinked repeatedly but managed a cordial reply. "Hi, Reese. I'm Neil. Willem's grandson."

Gulp.

"It's nice to meet you," I said, digging for something useful to follow it up. The guy was family after all, and he looked to be in his mid-forties, so I took a chance. "Did you know my mother?"

"Actually, I did. We tended the bees together."

"The bees?"

"Yes. Demons keep bees. The honey provides a source of nourishment and income for the hive." Neil shot Christoph an inquiring look. "You haven't told her about the bees?"

"No, but we haven't covered everything yet. We just came from the queen's chamber."

Neil bobbed his head knowingly. "Is Reese staying here, then?"

"No, the west dorm."

"Really? That may not be the best choice given the number of males in the hive for battle training."

Christoph huffed out a resigned sigh. "I have no say in the matter. I think Hadria is just trying to make my life more difficult."

Neil appeared nonplussed by Christoph's predicament, and offered me a sympathetic shrug before dropping his gaze to his book. "Good luck with that."