All Wound Up: The Fever Court, #1

By Dagmar Avery, K. Margaret and S.A. Price

Theodora Amorenta, Princess of the newly minted Fever Court, has her hands full. A thriving business with new opportunities on the horizon, a Sithen to assimilate, and cementing her court and members are keeping her busy, but there's still more to do.  Things she has been eager to start.

On top of finding and waking the god that will activate her powers, she is in the market for the best part of being a princess of the fae: her own guard.

Growing up in the Light courts, she has a real issue with the males that call the designation home, because in the thirty years she had been part of the courts, she had yet to find a male interesting enough to consider forever with, only men that see women as trophies, or broodmares.

But all that is about to change.

Men of worth, men meant to hold her heart for always are around the corner, and it's going to be a complete surprise to Theo who they are and how they enter her life.

Because without them, she won't be able to wake the god destined for her, and she won't be able to handle the craziness that's about to envelop her business life either.

• Language: English
• Publisher: S.A. Price
• Release date: Jan 5, 2021
• ISBN: 9781393958543

Book preview

THE FEVER COURT BOOK ONE

ALL WOUND UP

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DAGMAR AVERY & K. MARGARET

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

All Wound Up (Fever Court Book 1)

Copyright© 2020 Dagmar Avery and K. Margaret

Cover Artist: Stella Price

Interior text design: Stacee Sierra

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All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.

Theodora Amorenta, princess of the newly minted Fever Court, has her hands full. A thriving business with new opportunities on the horizon, a Sithen to assimilate, and cementing her Court and members are keeping her busy, but there’s still more to do. Things she has been eager to start.

On top of finding and waking the god that will activate her powers, she is in the market for the best part of being a princess of the fae: her own guard.

Growing up in the Light Courts, she has a real issue with the males that call the designation home, because in the thirty years she has been part of the Courts, she has yet to find a male interesting enough to consider forever with, only men that see women as trophies, or broodmares.

But all that is about to change.

Men of worth, men meant to hold her heart for always are around the corner, and it’s going to be a complete surprise to Theo who they are and how they enter her life.

Because without them, she won’t be able to wake the god destined for her, and she won’t be able to handle the craziness that’s about to envelop her business life either.

Prologue:

Not long after returning from Senara’s coronation...

There. That about does it, Theo said to her mother, Yenna, as she placed the creation stone in the newly dug earthen floor of the main house of the estate she grew up in. She smiled as she got off her knees and dusted off her hands on her overalls. This house, she loved it, loved the memories she had of the halls, the grounds, and her parents. Here they weren’t Yenna and Justin, socialite and captain of industry, here they were her parents, and loved her. Having this as her Sithen was the only choice.

Looking down, she marveled as the fist-sized stone, a brilliant glowing pink, pulsed in the earth it was nestled in, and watched as it all started to change.

What’s going on now? Yenna asked, walking up next to her. Is it going to change the house itself?

Theo shook her head. Not on the human plane, but from what Cosmo said, it’s creating its own pocket of Faerie here for us. It might take some time, might be overnight, they aren’t sure because of how oddly toxic the earth has become. The creation stone needs to purify the land, and then dig deep, root itself here and let its tendrils grow.

That sounds immensely time consuming. Will it hurt Cosmo?

Theo shook her head. That was the first thing Riddle asked after the claiming ceremony. He has been storing so much magic for so long, he’s eager to let it loose.

Did Cheshire’s love have to go through this?

She shook her head again. No, Senara inherited the original High Court. Only the Light Courts, us new royalty, get to do this from the ground up.

And this Cosmo, will we be getting one of him?

In a sense, yes. Queen Verity said each of the Sithens has an avatar, so we will see who comes with this stone.

The stone pulsed once more as what looked like little flagstones ringed it in a sooty black, and then started to slowly appear farther away and underfoot, not in fully formed circles or anything, but a stone here, another there.

So, how does this work?

Sithens tailor themselves to the royal living in them from what I understand. Though, I don’t want the house on the outside to change at all but it’s likely the Faerie side of the Sithen will have new flora and fauna that grows in the region we are in in Faerie.

It’s all so exciting, Yenna gushed.

Theo knew her mother had never been to a pocket. Justin, her late father, was uninterested in the Faerie side of being and had never taken her or allowed her to go without him. While she loved him, and he was good to her and to her mother, he was too human for his own good. He could have been a very powerful fae, and should have been by rights as he was head of Amorenta, the court of lusts and fertility in the Light Court, but something had happened so long ago, and he just didn’t see the value in that kind of power.

Now, with him gone, and Amorenta in her hands, she was ready to pursue what her father thought trivial, inherent power, to keep her Court and her company safe and to help Faerie become what it once was. This house, this Sithen, was her first step.

We should start seeing small changes like this everywhere, and soon it will click. Cosmo said once we see the avatar, the stone will be fully integrated.

Well, I can’t wait. Have you decided what to name the Sithen?

Oh, the avatar usually names itself. But if you’re asking about the estate, well, in the human realm it will look like we have done some construction, and I was thinking, since we will be changing out the front gate and all, or the Sithen will, I want it to say ‘One Thousand Veils’ on it.

Oh, Theodora, I think it’s perfect, Yenna said. Just perfect. And I want you to know, I am so proud of you. Taking all this on, becoming a princess... I want to see you as happy as possible.

I know, Mother, I will be. And you will be, too. Boy, did she deserve it. Yenna was in a largely loveless marriage with Justin for so long. So beautiful, slightly vapid, though she couldn’t be held responsible for that, not when she was literally raised to be a perfect trophy wife. She deserved to love someone more than Theodora, and to be loved in return. I promise that. Hugging the woman that gave her life, she smiled. Now, let’s let this do its thing. Dinner?

Yenna nodded and brightened. Spagoshi?

Theo laughed. I guess we are going to go into the city then.

1

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Sunlight streamed into Theodora Amorenta’s private office, albeit muted through the darkened glass, giving the room a sultry, thick air to it. The black walls with their rose gold frame, and the pink accents everywhere showed who she was to a T, and the hazy air added to the overall feel of decadence in the space.

She loved it, loved watching the motes in the wavy light, especially as she took calls, like she was now.

Listen, Gina, I understand your concern on it, and we have it well in hand. There is no way Stephanya is going to be alone in a room with any male ever, let alone a performer we don’t even know. I haven’t even heard of this dude so not to worry. Her contract is handled, and she will be working from a secure location in our building on our secure floor. Right. Yes. Of course. No problem. She hung up the phone and sighed.

The managers meant well, but bringing to light some beef with a performer that didn’t even work with Amorenta was hardly something to worry about. All male performers were run through an insane background check when they applied, and she had never even heard of this Zane Morse guy. Still...

Hitting her intercom, she rang her assistant. Marnie, I need a portfolio on a performer.

No problem, boss. Who?

Zane Morse?

He’s not in our database, she heard Marnie say as well as keys clicking.

No, but I just got off the phone with Gina Vance, and she’s worried about Stephanya working with this dude while her contract is here at Amorenta. Seeing as I don’t know the dude... And they took every issue seriously.

No problem, boss. I’ll have our best data miners on it. You’ll have a portfolio by the end of the day.

Good. Spare me nothing.

As always. Oh, and Ridley Echo called while you were on with Gina.

She smiled to herself. Since they had all become princesses, Riddle had been reaching out more, all the girls had. It was feeling more and more like real friendships and extended family. Awesome. Hold my calls, yeah?

You got it.

She unhooked the intercom and hit the button that would call Riddle from her phone. Rids, what’s up?

Riddle laughed. I’m just getting up for my evening, figured I would see if you decided to go see Addie or not.

Theo grinned. Adeline Granier, princess and all around badass of the Sciath Court, was participating in a fight in Atlantic City and had invited all of them to see her wipe the floor with a dude who had been talking a lot of shit against her on social media. Considering it still, I mean lord knows there will be some interesting characters there. Did Eira get her rings from Caspera yet?

Not that I know of. So I don’t think she’s going to be in attendance. Not that it is her scene anyway.

True. Sen?

Riddle sighed. She’s with that hunka man meat, Anders, at his ranch.

So that was a no. So, you coming or no?

Probably not. I can’t get anyone to take over and the automation doesn’t work with a live weekend. Though I promised to watch it online, apparently Granier is going to be streaming it on their website. So, if you’re going...

I’m going alone, she finished the thought.

Technically, though I understand ol’ Leo and the rest will be there to cheer her on, they always are. I mean aside from seeing them from afar, how many of those dudes have we actually met? Could be fun.

Theo nodded to herself. It could. If nothing else to meet and flirt with a few sexy dudes she didn’t have to promise anything to. It wasn’t that Light Court males were unattractive, they were extremely handsome, but for the most part they were self-possessed assholes who thought women had a specific function. It was maddening. If nothing else, she could flirt and get into the idea of a Light Court male in her bed.

As it was, they figured out that Light Court females, princesses in particular, ended up with a Heart Eternal from the Light Court. Seeing as they all needed to find this male, to help them grow and get a reign on their powers and person, it was paramount they spend time with their own Court. If that were to happen for Theo, she would have to get past the idea that all Light Court dudes were either scum or boring.

Personally, she saw the whole mission of finding a Heart Eternal in her own Court more of an impossibility than identifying, finding, and waking the god that would bloom her powers.

Come on, Theo, we need to support. If I could be there...

Theo laughed. I know, if you could be you would. She sighed. Well, I better get a car handled then. What time is the throwdown?

Event starts at six. I think Addie gets in the ring at seven. So, if you wanna see her beforehand...

Be there by five. Got it. Which meant she had a little over five hours to get ready and get to AC. Okay, I’m off.

Wish her luck for me, would ya?

You got it.

And have fun. She hung up.

Sighing once more, she stood and hit her intercom again.

Yeah, boss?

I need a car set, Theo said as she rolled her shoulders.

For and when?

Two hours from now, to Atlantic City.

Swank. Something good?

A friend is going to beat the crap out of that showboating asshole, Pelnnic Blitz, she said with a wry smile.

Ooh girl, I got money on her.

As well you should. She’s going to kick his ass.

Hell yes. Okay, car will be here in two hours. Now, what are you going to wear? Repping Amorenta?

Theo smirked to herself. What indeed?

2

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Even approaching dusk, Atlantic City was awash with lights and energy. Theo had thought there would be a lull, as people rushed off the beaches to the casinos, but no, it was all alive and abuzz. Rolling down the window of the town car, she breathed deep, the salty air of the Atlantic so different from what she scented back at her childhood home. It was thicker, and brinier here, with an undercurrent of copper and something a little more decadent, as if the ocean knew it was a place of vice and sin.

She smiled as she saw Granier Hotel and Casino come into view, the largest and most grand on the strip. Of course, it would be, Granier had done everything right and had assured their empire was not only synonymous with decadence, but with fairness and luxury as well. It worked with their image, she had to give them that.

We will be at Granier in about five minutes, Ms. Amorenta.

She nodded to her driver and took stock of herself. Lipstick was perfect, as were her makeup and hair, which was short, wavy, and bouncy, her signature shade of almost carnation pink bright in the deepening darkness. Her outfit, a pair of black capris with little pink bows on the slits in the back, a fitted black vest, no shirt or bra, though she didn’t really need one, as she was gifted with one hell of a tight and supple body. A necklace of black diamonds and pink tourmaline plunged down her chest. Her nails were bubblegum pink with black tips, her large black diamond ring on her middle finger of her right hand completed the outfit. She was as perfect as she was going to get.

The car pulled up to the front and a valet opened the door.

Welcome to Granier Atlantic City. Checking in?

I’m here for the fight, as the guest of Adeline Granier.

Ah. Ms. Amorenta? a man dressed in a black on black suit said to her as she stepped out.

Yes, she said, surprised he would know.

It’s the hair, he said and winked. My name is Phillip, I’ll be your escort down to Ms. Granier.

Thank you, Phillip. She followed him into the building proper but then instead of hitting the lobby, went to the left, toward a doorway that said PRIVATE. Entering in, she saw a small elevator, which opened as they stepped up.

Once inside, Phillip looked to her. We were expecting a Ms. Echo as well?

Unfortunately she couldn’t make it. It’s just me, she said with a smile.

Very good. Have you seen Adeline fight yet?

Not in person, no, but she’s a dear friend so I’m glad I could make time to come.

Of course. Well, you are in for a treat. The elevator stopped and the doors opened, and Phillip led her down a hallway, then another, and once more, till she heard voices, two males and one female, coming down the corridor.

She is just down on the right with her trainer. When you are done, there’s another elevator on the other side of the room, and that will come out just outside of the arena room. Here, he handed her a lanyard, "your ticket and access