Payton laughed loudly. “Nah, nothing like that. He just had business out of town. He knew Taryn needed somewhere safe, and the Ritz has excellent security. You and I are just here for shits and giggles.”
“Oh my gawd,” Kylee groaned with orgasmic pleasure as she threw herself onto a bed that just cushioned her body like gossamer wings from heaven above. “I luurve shits and giggles.”
“Don’t we all.” Payton nodded as she walked into one of the bathrooms. “Holy mother of God…” Her squeal brought Kylee and Taryn running as they all stopped dead in their tracks. “That’s the biggest bath I’ve ever seen,” Payton exclaimed.
“I claim it first,” Kylee’s words shot out quickly, as she pictured herself immersed in that glorious pool of water.
Taryn shrugged. “You can have it. I don’t like baths.” She turned away disinterested.
“One less person I have to kneecap for bath rights,” Kylee laughed.
Taryn walked back into the less formal living area. Jo and Ladon were standing by the large floor to ceiling windows, pointing out at things they saw in the incredible views. She flopped down onto the plush cream-colored sofa, the air rushing out with force, as it cradled her like a newborn babe.
Jo turned his head to the sound. “You okay?” He walked over and took a seat on a chair opposite her. It didn’t give the same level of plush comfort he’d seen with Taryn’s seat, but certainly wasn’t offensively hard.
“I guess…” she said, her words lingering in the air.
“Most women would love to be in this suite.” He laughed as he looked over and saw Kylee and Payton running from room to room, opening every door they found. Seeking hidden treasures in their own temporary kingdom.
Taryn lowered her head, her shoulders lifted and dropped with her exhale.
Jo got up, walked over and took a seat next to her. His eyebrows lifted as the sofa felt as if it had opened its arms and welcomed him directly into the arms of a goddess. “Wow! That was unexpectedly soft. If that’s the chairs, I can only imagine the beds.” Bouncing a little on the cushions, he said, “Unbelievable, Ladon.” He looked up to his brother. “We need to get these in the Nest. This shit’s crazy comfy.”
Taryn smiled as she watched Ladon join his brother on the sofa, both bouncing and wiggling, like a couple of puppies with a new blanket. “You two are funny.”
Stopping with a wiggle of his eyebrows, Jo said, “He is fun-ny.” He tilted his head to his brother who was presently crossing his eyes and lifting his lip in some weird drunk Elvis pose. “I am just fun.”
“You’re not like the others.” Taryn’s words were low, staring into his almost fully white eyes as she leaned back in the corner, bringing her legs up to her chest.
Jo noticed her moving into a position of self-protection. Body language was something the warriors were highly trained in. Best way to defend was to predict their attack first, and small tell-tale signs were often key to that. He looked down at his arms, they were heavily inked with designs of battles lost and won. Scenic spots they had called home at one time or another. Words that struck at his soul when he needed to focus. “You wouldn’t believe half of what makes me different.”
“Oh, I didn’t mean that…” Taryn pointed to his ink. A small flick up to include the piercings and unusual eye coloring. “I just meant, more… um… relaxed.” She shrugged. “I am an ink addict, too.” Pushing up her sleeve, her arm stretched out so Jo could see she was inked from wrist to as far as he could see.
Leaning over, he saw a myriad of iridescent brightly colored flowers and vines that wrapped around her wrist and rotated up her arm. “Solid sleeve?”
Taryn nodded. “Wrist to ankle… solid half of my body.”
Jo nodded in admiration. “Half? Like a personal equator line?”
“I guess.” Taryn looked down and rolled her jeans slightly so he could see the ink did indeed reach her ankle. “Makes me feel balanced. Both halves of the one person joined in perfect balance.”
“It’s a hard thing to find,” Ladon said. “Balance that is. Not ink,” he snorted. “We all have ink. Jo, as normal, always goes to extremes.” Pushing his brother’s shoulder to complete the dig at his weirdness.
“Why do you have so much?” Taryn asked Jo.
Jo paused, leaning back on the back of the chair. He propped his feet up on the expensive looking coffee table as he linked his hands across his chest. “I was born different from my brothers, ink helps me to embrace it. It’s like I’ve taken control of it. I own it. I’m different because I want to be…” Jo disclosed a little of himself to her. “Sounds crazy.”
“Crazy as a cut snake, brother,” Ladon agreed as he got up and went in search of the others.
Taryn watched his brother leave before she looked at Jo. “Doesn’t sound crazy to me. I have always felt different to my family, too.”
Jo was about to ask more when Payton and Kylee walked back into the room, followed by Ladon who was looking like he wanted to get going. He turned his head to Payton and asked, “What are you ladies up to now?”
“Well…” Payton wiggled her eyebrows. “I know a certain friend who needs some clothes. So… shopping, I guess. Then back for an afternoon of the hotel’s most indulgent treats. I have a gold card, and I’m not afraid to use it.” She chuckled.
“Do you need us?” Ladon asked. Their orders were to get them settled in the hotel. Once that was achieved, V had said it was up to Payton. If she felt no threats, then it was fine to leave and check back in with the Nest for further orders.
“I think we can handle it.” Payton winked. “I don’t think you both want to spend hours playing pack-horse as you carry our purchases around. Tell V it’s all good when you see him.”
Jo sat up, he placed a hand on Taryn’s knee and squeezed, his voice low as he said, “Different isn’t a bad thing, okay?” When she nodded, he got up and followed Ladon out of the hotel suite and toward the elevator.
“Different is exceptional. And you, you sexy mo-fo, are fucking extraordinary.” Kylee did a little bump and grind dance as she accentuated her point.
“We have clothes to buy, and a card to test.” Payton waved the gold card in the air, as all three women grinned, even Taryn’s mood lifted with the thought of free clothes. “Ten minutes, ladies, and the gold train is leaving this station,” Payton said as she went in search of the bathroom.
Ladon and Jo stood at the doors of the elevator, waiting for the steel mouth to open and let them in. Jo took a few to scope the corridor. “Only two doors?” he murmured.
Ladon replied. “With the size of those suites, I guess two is all they fit on the top floor.”
“Makes sense. Better for security, too,” Jo was saying as his head flicked back to the doors. A ding had signaled that their lift had arrived. As the air-filled whoosh opened, Jo’s eyes locked with a woman standing on the other side. Every hair on the back of his neck stood instantly on end, an immediate, gut-reaction to attack was threatening to unleash. The next few seconds happened like a slow-motion movie. Both Ladon and Jo parted to let this mysterious woman walk out as they both walked in. Rotating to go back into the elevator, their eyes were locked and loaded, as they watched her walk through. Her eyes didn’t leave theirs either—a recognition of something more, an uneasy exchange of space.
Only the closing of the doors broke the gaze. “That was intense.” Jo spoke first to Ladon who was already grabbing his cell.
“Way too intense,” Ladon mumbled as he texted quickly to V. “Way, way, too intense for an owl.”
“I haven’t met an owl shifter before, but stories call them the ‘Keepers of Prophecies.’ Calm and softly spoken unless provoked.” His face squinted. “And we didn’t provoke. Did we provoke? I sure didn’t think I was provoking. I normally know if I do—”
“Shut up, Jo,” Ladon said as the doors slid open. “We need to check in with V.”
Jo gave his brother the finger as he walked out of the hotel. “You check in. I need a cigarette, so I’m going to be over there…” He pointed to a small park area.
“I thought you gave up?” Ladon questioned.
“Aren’t you a dumb fucker then?” Jo snorted and broke into a small run across the street.
Shaking his head, he dialed the number and waited for V to pick up.