Wiping sweat from my brow, I glowered at Felix. I had no clue where Ezra was right now, and apparently neither did Mr. Bertrand, so he had paired me with Felix. It was almost the end of class, thank God and, to my surprise, I wasn’t doing too badly. If you didn’t count the twenty or so times I had hit the mat.
But who’s counting, right?
“Your butt has hit the ground twenty-eight times,” Felix muttered, staring at said butt. Of course, he would count. “I can think of better uses for it.”
This was the first real time we had spoken since I had found out about his “elite” position. We hadn’t even spoken for the last hour. I still didn’t want to speak with him. “Don’t talk to me unless you need to.”
He slammed me against the mat and, as I tried to catch my breath, he lay over me, feeling all warm and big and very much male, reminding me why I had taken him as a regular lover in the first place. He grinned slowly. “I don’t need to talk to use my mouth, so I think I can follow that order.” He leaned down, his lips a breath away from mine as he whispered, “I’m only going to say this once. I did not have sex with you for my job. Not once.” His eyes lowered to my lips, and stayed there. Truth to all.
“Hey!” Pearl whispered sharply, unexpectedly at our sides. Her face was at our level on the mat. Except, that was all there was of her. A head. Sort of. It was almost transparent, like an apparition.
Felix jerked.
Even I had to hold back a scream. I had no clue she could do that!
Her see-through, golden eyes darted to Felix on top of me, narrowed. “Why is he lying on you? I thought…” The floating head shook, eyes back on mine. “Never mind. We’ve got more important matters to handle. Meet me outside the girls’ locker room. Jack’s already here with me.” She turned her gaze back to Felix. Glared. “That means get off her, asshole.”
He growled, his panther voicing its annoyance. “She doesn’t answer to you.”
“No, she doesn’t.” Her eyes rolled before they met mine. “It’s Ezra. Come on.”
I nodded. “Coming.” The floating head disappeared. I slapped Felix’s shoulder. “Off. Now.” It was a command.
Again, his panther growled low hearing my tone but, nevertheless, he lifted off me. He had never defied me, which I was grateful for, but he was strong enough to cause problems if that was his intent. He grabbed my hand as I got to my feet, saying softly, “Seriously, Lily. Think about us. You have the wrong idea and we both want the same thing.”
I bit my lip, considering it, and eventually said, “I’ll think about it.” It had been really nice between us, and if he was telling the truth, then there wouldn’t be any reason for us not to be bed partners.
He grinned before I turned and walked away. I could feel his eyes. I glanced back, and yep, his heated gaze was on my butt. He hadn’t known I was going to look back, which proved that he thought me attractive. That was definitely a plus for him.
Slinging my book bag over my arm, I raced out of the locker room to where Jack and Pearl stood. They didn’t say anything, but Pearl put her cell away, which she’d had to her ear, and they turned and started running, so I followed. It had been three full months since Jack had found his sweet mate and, coincidentally, since I had told them about my hybrid nature. The time had flown by. Luckily, the Kings had stopped the babysitting gig a month ago for our study’s sake — our finals had been this week — and we had pretty much been together non-stop as, fortunately, our continual “grounding” didn’t restrict us from being with each other at the Kings’ houses.
We raced clear to the administrative building before we stopped, and Jack immediately filled me in. “Ezra’s in trouble. Big trouble. We aren’t sure why, but one of my classmates was gossiping about how they heard Mrs. Jonas yelling at him through her office door. Expulsion and jail time were mentioned.”
Pearl nodded, fixing her windblown hair. “Gideon just called and said he saw King Kincaid and King Venclaire’s cars stop in the parking lot from his classroom window.”
I took a steadying breath. This wasn’t good, whatever it was, if jail time was being threatened to a Prodigy. Pearl and Jack didn’t know anything else, so there was nothing really to ask, and we stalked into the receptionist’s area, giving the look to said receptionist, who shut her mouth real fast but, as soon as we were past her, we saw her get on the phone.
We picked up the pace.
The door to Mrs. Jonas’s office was locked, and we could definitely hear her yelling inside, so I — oopsy — vandalized school property by turning the knob and pushing so violently it broke the lock. And some of the doorframe. Everyone in the room turned to look at us as we continued to stalk inside.
Mrs. Jonas was there, red-faced. A Shifter named Rebecca was there. A Vampire named Viper — yeah, she thought she was hot stuff — was there. Ezra stood against a row of bookcases wearing a pair of silver-laced handcuffs on his wrists and his ankles, barely visible beneath his jeans.
We stopped dead in our tracks seeing that.
Spring green eyes on us, he showed no emotion, but those handcuffs had to hurt.
My wolf growled quietly.
Pearl’s skin started to glow.
“Why is he cuffed?” Jack asked, his voice very quiet. Not really a good sign.
King Kincaid and King Venclaire stormed into the room, almost slamming into us since we had stopped right inside the doorway, but managed to swing around us.
King Venclaire immediately went to Ezra, cupping his face, his blue eyes glowing as he stared at my silent best friend, then his Vampire growled as he swung around, appearing ready to rip Mrs. Jonas’s throat out.
I wouldn’t have stopped him, but King Kincaid stepped in front of my biological dad, asking what Jack had only a minute before, “Why is he cuffed?”
“They need to leave.” Mrs. Jonas jerked her head at us. “This is none of their affair.”
“The hell it’s not,” I said with a definite bite to my tone, thinking quick. “We know you’re threatening expulsion. If that happens, our vessel training will be shot to hell. Come Awakening time, not only will we, and the Kings, be embarrassed if we can’t pull it off, the school will also be for its mediocre training.” A direct hit. “We’re staying to see our fate.” And get Ezra the hell out of this.
Mrs. Jonas’s face had blanked and I knew I had her, so I slammed the door shut and twisted the knob so hard it made the wood groan as I embedded it back together. I smiled, halfway enjoying her face paling at my show of strength.
King Kincaid gave me a covert glance, but spoke to Mrs. Jonas, “They’re staying. Now, what is the issue that caused you to silver him?”
King Venclaire’s Vampire hadn’t stopped its quiet, menacing growl, which would scare just about anyone.
It didn’t appear Mrs. Jonas was any different. She tried for posturing, but failed miserably as the sweat beaded on her forehead. Her voice croaked until she cleared it, saying, “Mr. Zeller was caught drinking illegally.”
My friends and I didn’t even bother glancing at Ezra. The charge was serious. It was expulsion worthy, not to mention that it would include jail time, but we didn’t believe it. He had so many donors more than willing at King Hall that the charge was ludicrous. Nevertheless, even if he had done it, we wouldn’t give a flying monkey’s ass.
King Venclaire appeared cross-eyed for a moment, the charge was so stupid.
King Kincaid had to clear his throat, covering a chuckle.
Everyone in the room knew it was bogus. So, why didn’t Mrs. Jonas?
Into the silence, Pearl asked, “Why do you believe this?”
Mrs. Jonas sputtered, “He was drinking from Rebecca and Viper at the same time, working back and forth between their necks. A witness came upon the act, and said that after Mr. Zeller was through with his mind hold, Rebecca started screaming for help.” She paused. “Viper says she, herself, was willing, but doesn’t remember,” she scowled at Viper, “what happened because she was too light-headed afterward.”
My lips thinned.
I wasn’t stupid enough to not understand this, nor had I missed the covert glances Ezra had been aiming at my throat for the past two weeks. The one, and only, time he had drank off me he had called my blood unique. Ezra never drank off Shifters if he could help it, always Vampires, but what did mixing a Shifter and Vampire’s blood make? Me. He hadn’t wanted to ask me for some reason, and had gone and bit a damn Shifter who was all about appearances.
My wolf growling low, I stalked forward, peering at King Kincaid. “Mind if I handle this?” With him here, he had precedence, but I wanted to show Rebecca what she had to look forward to if she lied again under my rule.
King Kincaid placed his hands in the pockets of his dress slacks, rocking back on his heels. “Go right ahead. I’d like to see how you would handle this.”
I muttered, “A simple tactic really, for what she’s accusing a future King of.” I stood directly in front of her, glaring down to her eyes where she sat. “Get up.”
She was a wolf Shifter. Strong. It ticked me off even more that Ezra had picked her. Hell, her hair was even auburn. Glaring, her wolf growled, but she stood, towering over me.
Focusing, I let her have it, my power hitting her brutally. Probably, too violently, really. I didn’t hold much back, I was so furious.
She choked, immediately falling to the ground at my feet. Hard.
The room’s occupants jerked and then stilled, feeling the aftershocks.
Quickly tamping my power down to a simmer, I squatted. I knew my eyes were glowing fierce blue as I lay my hand on her auburn head of hair. When I spoke, my wolf vibrated through my voice, demanding quietly, “The truth.” None too gently, I thrust the command directly into my palm on her head, and she jerked. “Now.”
Instantly, she started rambling, “I consented. I lied to Mrs. Jonas. I saw my friends coming and didn’t want them to know.” Truth.
Debating my choices, it wasn’t too hard to pick.
I slammed her face against the ground.
Shifters are different than any of the other Mys groups in our forms of punishment since we’re animalistic in nature. I could have turned the charges around on her and sent her lying butt to prison, which would do me no good since I wanted her to tell the tale of how powerful I was, a little fear never hurting anyone. Or, I had the option to physically punish her, which relieved a bit of my tension. Only a bit.
The force of the blow busted her nose and her lying mouth. Decent trade, I thought.
Ignoring how Mrs. Jonas and Viper jumped at the crunch of bone, I grabbed a handful of auburn hair and yanked her face up, letting the violence of my power cut off, but kept my eyes glowing as I growled in her bloody face, “You lie to harm a King or Queen again, or our Mys community as a whole, and I’ll personally rip out your throat. Do you understand me?”
That, I was allowed to do, too. I would do it if she tried to harm my friends again. The death penalty was an option as a punishment for lying to damage a King or a Queen. She was really getting off easy, but she was still young, and I really wanted her out there shaking in fear as she spoke of me. Plus, the fact that I had offered her kindness. She was still breathing, after all, and not behind bars.
She whimpered, and nodded as much as she could with the grip I had on her hair.
I dropped her head in disgust, standing and wiping my hands off. She really was a sniveling, materialistic idiot who would probably only cause more problems. Maybe I should just put her behind bars for the Shifters’ sake. I cocked my head, rolling my shoulders, but after a few seconds of thought, I realized even if I wanted to, I couldn’t, since I had already given my ruling.
“Shit,” I muttered. Live and learn, I guess. I seriously hoped I didn’t regret letting her walk out of here free and clear. “I’m done.”
Everyone was left blinking, except for King Kincaid. He had seen me use my powers before, since he felt I needed to learn to control them, making me practice on any boarders who volunteered to help with my training. None of my friends had seen me use it, much less felt it, like they had today.
They probably didn’t even expect me to know what the hell I was doing, since they never saw the meetings in the study that King Kincaid would drag me into when I wasn’t studying. I knew the Law; it was a reading I actually didn’t mind. Hell, King Kincaid had even tasked me with deciding a few of the Shifters’ fates before. This wasn’t new to me, but it was new to them, seeing this side of me.
King Kincaid said, “I agree with the punishment.” He wasn’t going to rebuke me in front of everyone. Or even later. I could tell by his eyes he did agree, even if I hadn’t scented his truth.
King Venclaire recovered the fastest from his only slightly stunned expression, turning to face Mrs. Jonas. “Get the cuffs off him now.”
Mrs. Jonas nodded, but she still stood motionless, her eyes darting from me to the bleeding Shifter who was still sniveling at my feet.
I figured she would get moving faster if I moved, so I stepped over the bloody mess on the floor, and went to stand by Jack and Pearl, both of them not glancing in my direction, but were fairly bouncing where they stood.
We watched Mrs. Jonas release Ezra, and he sucked in a sharp breath as the cuffs came off. I had never been silvered before, but I had heard the horror stories. It was like the cuffs sapped your strength and burned you all at once. He flexed and rotated his wrists and squatted once, working out his ankles, then stalked over to Viper, completely ignoring Mrs. Jonas who had been in the process of apologizing.
He bent over her where she sat, his hands on the arms of the plush chair, and his eyes flashed so deeply they were like lasers aimed straight into hers. She stilled instantly, and he asked, “Were you incoherent after the drinking or did you lie to Mrs. Jonas?”
“I lied,” she murmured, her voice monotone, sounding like a robot.
“Why?”
“You’ve ignored me since our last time together, and when you wanted to drink from me again, you brought a Shifter in with us,” she replied, tone the same. “It pissed me off.”
“Hmm,” Ezra hummed low as his eyes stopped glowing. “I believe you need an introduction to just how pissed off I am you lied, an illegal action.” He paused, watching her come back to herself, her expression instantly of fright. “I can make it pleasant, as you know, but I can also make it,” a quiet, deadly purr, “not so pleasant.”
He struck, his sentence on a Vampire charged with lying. Their rules were the same with sending her to prison if he wanted, but he chose an old form of Vampire justice.
Her feet didn’t touch the ground as she was held in Ezra’s arms, his fangs in her throat, screaming.
God, I had never heard anyone screech quite like that before. Not even the Com men who died on the beach shrieked in such terror. He wasn’t pulling hard, more like gently suckling to make it last longer, not trying to drain her, and honestly, I didn’t know how he did it with her mouth so close to his ear.
Temptation called, inviting me to cover my ears, but I didn’t. I held out, like Jack and Pearl did. Christ, did we hold out. This went on for at least ten minutes.
When he finally released her, dumping her on top of the shivering and crying Shifter, he grabbed the handcuffs from Mrs. Jonas and bent over her, slapping them on her wrists and ankles.
Oh yes, he was most definitely pissed.
She started shaking as soon as they were on, and her eyes flew open, tears rolling down her cheeks.
Ezra jerked her chin toward him, stating harshly, “I’ll drain you next time you’re so senseless.” He stood, and faced the visibly shaken Mrs. Jonas. “Keep her in those for as long as you had me in them.”
She looked at King Venclaire, her question silent.
He murmured calmly, “Agreed.”
She nodded, staring down at the two liars, then back to Ezra, apologizing again.
Ezra muttered, “I’m out of here.” He slung his backpack over his shoulder, stepping over the guilty, and headed our way.
“You won’t leave school property, Ezra,” King Venclaire stated steadily.
Ezra nodded, waving a hand above his head, but to us, he muttered, “How fast can we make it to the Hummer from here?”
After going through the drive-thru of Ezra’s favorite pick, we sat in the park in Choep at a picnic table under the shade of trees while monsters — AKA toddlers — played on the playground watched over by a parent, our guards all around us, but far enough away to give us privacy and not scare the Coms too bad.
Jack bit into his chicken sandwich, saying around the mouthful, “Lily, that was freaking impressive power.”
I shrugged, fiddling with the lid of my milkshake. “We’ve all got our Ruler’s power. You just hadn’t seen me use mine yet.” I was still mad as hell, and had barely refrained so far from throwing my shake in Ezra’s face. Instead, I finally settled on picking up a fry and leaning over the table, pointing it at Ezra, hissing, “Why?” I didn’t say anything else. He had hurt my feelings. I didn’t know why he hadn’t asked, and it offended me.
Pearl and Jack paused in their munching, glancing back and forth between us.
“Caught that, did you?” Ezra lowered his half-eaten burger, his eyes on mine.
“Caught what?” Pearl asked, quickly swallowing her mouthful of onion rings.
I jabbed my fry at Ezra. “He was drinking off them that way because he wants…” I pointed at myself with the fry, scowling into spring green eyes. “You didn’t answer my question.”
Unhurriedly, he wiped his mouth with his napkin, and then placed his arms on the table, leaning over to be nose-to-nose with me. “Because you taste good.”
“And?” I asked, exasperated, my hurt feelings overpowering my anger. “Why the hell didn’t you just ask me instead of drinking off idiots like Rebecca and Viper?”
He took a deep breath. Blinked for a few ticks. “I hurt your feelings?”
I pinched his nose. Stupid thing. Keeping a good grip on it, I said, “Well, yes. Why wouldn’t you ask your best friend if that’s what you wanted in the first place, instead of trying to find a replacement?”
He swatted my hand away, wiggling his straight nose in agitation. “Because you are one of my best friends. It would be counterproductive for what we’re doing with,” he mouthed, “you.”
I blinked, realizing he was, in a sense, putting me first. If I drank from one of the three of them, then he drank from me, it would be counterproductive, like I had figured out that first time. I’d had to resort to bagged blood that night because I had been so low after he drank from me. I muttered, “I don’t exactly like it, but I don’t mind going,” I mouthed, “bagged,” then, spoke normally, “if you wanted to every once in a while.”
We knew I needed to be strong, and going bagged every day wouldn’t cut it for me, or for them, since they also liked me strong — like any real friend would — so Ezra couldn’t drink from me every day, but if he wanted a treat every once in a while, I could deal with it.
His lips thinned. “That stuff’s disgusting. It wouldn’t be fair.”
It was disgusting, but I had lived off it the majority of my life since my first Awakening. “I really don’t mind. Life’s not always fair.” Again, I pointed with my fry at his nose, which was still close, whispering softly, “Seriously, if you’re going around picking donors like you did today to try to get the same taste, I would prefer it this way. You can’t be put in jail, Ezra. If it means that much to you, I’m willing.”
“Let her do it,” Jack said, beginning to eat his food again, now that he understood the tension. “Like she said, it won’t hurt her to have the other stuff every once in a while.”
“Yes, and I agree with her,” Pearl muttered, tossing an onion ring at Ezra’s face. “Those picks were stupid. You should have just gone for the real deal instead of imitation.”
Sitting back, I kept my gaze on Ezra. “It won’t hurt me. It’s not really selfish because I don’t mind it too much.” It wasn’t pleasant, but it was doable. If he had something I really wanted, I would ask if I thought he wouldn’t mind too much. There’s give-and-take in any friendship.
He grunted, his nostrils flaring, and, finally, he nodded. “Alright.” His gaze lingered on my throat. “Thank you.”
“Just quit looking at me like I’m a juicy steak,” I amended. His gaze flew up, and I chuckled. “When we leave here, I’ll give you what you want.”
“Nikki said that to me last night,” Jack murmured absently. He was always saying stuff like that now. The man had a serious case of Nikki-on-the-brain…or other parts.
“I’m sure she wasn’t talking about nutrition,” Pearl chuckled, going along with it.
He grinned cockily. “No. Not at all.” His smile softened, and he looked like the man in love he had become. It was sweet, but also an odd look for him. He worked it, though. “She thinks she has me wrapped around her little pinky. It’s adorable.”
I choked on my food.
Ezra muttered, “She does, man.” When Jack scowled, Ezra clarified, “She made you watch cycling competition reruns all Saturday night instead of coming over to Lily’s for movie night with us. And, she was even invited.”
Pearl snickered. “She had you babysit her two younger brat brothers when she went shopping with her mom.”
“Also,” I added, “she bought you that god-awful peach shirt you hate, which you wear. For her.” I glanced down. “That shirt, to be exact.” Damn, that thing was hideous.
Ezra lifted his little finger. “Oh yes, my friend. She’s got you wrapped and,” his finger bent sharply, “hooked.”
Pearl patted Jack’s hand when he sat blinking. “It’s alright. You’ll get used to it. She’s the same with you. I can’t believe some of the things she does…” She stopped talking when he shook his head.
“Sorry, I wasn’t freaking out about that. She wants,” he tapped his head, “us to bring her back something to eat at school. Lunch was barf worthy today, so she didn’t eat.”
I snickered as he quickly started cleaning his mess. He was interesting being in love.
Ezra expounded, “We can drop it off, but I’m not going back today.”
Jack nodded. “I didn’t think so. I told her we’d bring it, but I was leaving afterward.”
“Good,” Pearl murmured, but she was looking at me with eyebrows raised. “So, you think you might explain the situation that led to Felix lying on top of you today?”
Jack and Ezra, at the same time, asked harshly, “What?”
“Um, yeah…” I shot Pearl a dirty glance. Of course she would blab. Nothing ever stayed a secret between any of us for long. “He was my hand-to-hand partner today, since Ezra wasn’t available.” A quick scowl at him. “He wants to hook up again. He said he never slept with me because of his job.” I munched on a fry. “He spoke truth.”
“Bad idea,” Jack muttered, shaking his head. “Do not sleep with him again. These people are supposed to be our elite guard. Having a relationship — any relationship — with them could complicate things. They’re there for one reason, and one reason only. To guard us.”
“There are plenty of other guys for you to pick from,” Ezra murmured. “After today, I wouldn’t touch anyone if I only thought they were being honest.” He grimaced. “Those cuffs were atrocious.”
Sighing, I rested my elbows against the table, getting what they said, but argued, “It’s hard enough to find someone that will even look me straight in the eyes, much less half of what Felix does.” I grinned, biting into my last fry. “Very well, I might add.”
They sat back, quiet and thoughtful, knowing it was hard to find someone on equal footing. Not timid with us. Or who acted like we were perfect. Because we weren’t. No one likes to be cooed over or have someone jump to do your bidding all the time, even though you barely mentioned it. If you found someone with backbone, it was a rare find indeed. Add in the attraction between Felix and me, and yeah, it wasn’t an easy decision.
Ezra’s lips pursed. “When I left home after Felicia died, I did an extensive amount of traveling. I met tons of different Mysticals during that time, some of them more reputable than others.” He cracked his neck. “There was this one alpha Shifter I met—”
I held up a stopping hand. “I don’t do blind booty calls.”
He shrugged. “It was just an idea.”
“I know. I’ll figure it out with Felix.”
Pearl ended up buying lunch for Gideon, along with Jack’s buy for Nikki, so while they were waiting to hand off their bags-o-goodies, Ezra and I slipped into the back of the Hummer, it still running, music playing unobtrusively over the speakers. The guards were still sitting in their cars, which were parked toward the front of the building, halfway between where I had parked — not my normal spot in the back — and where Jack and Pearl were outside King Hall’s front doors. Classes were in session for another fifteen minutes, so I had told Ezra he could drink now if he wanted. His wandering eyes had said it all. He very much wanted, so we were sitting on the backseat.
“How do you want me?” I asked, pulling my hair back into a ponytail.
Ezra considered it, then said, “Lie down on the seat so no one sees us.” I nodded, and he moved to the edge so I could lie down flat. The leather was warm under me where Pearl and Jack had been sitting, and Ezra maneuvered over me, hovering there for a moment. “Tell me if I’m too heavy.”
I snorted. He was very heavy. A solid mass of muscle, not a scrap of fat on him that I had ever seen, and he had plowed into me countless times in our training, so I knew firsthand how it felt having him on top of me. But, this was different, and he was trying to be polite, so I nodded. “Will do.” I hesitated as he gently rested his enormous body on me, and then asked, “What do I taste like?”
He jerked his eyes away from my neck to meet my gaze. “Like wild spice. I’ve never tasted anything like it. Drinking off a Shifter and a Vampire doesn’t even compare to your natural taste.” He cocked his head. “I’m surprised you’ve never sampled your own blood before if you were curious.”
I shook my head. “Nope.”
His eyes were back on my neck. “I’ll try not to take too much.”
I shrugged under him. “Take what you want.”
He grunted, pretty much telling me he was only going to take a small amount no matter what I said, and I tilted my head to the side and back, giving him free access. His hand slid to the nape of my neck, pulling up so my head fell back even farther. He struck. Long, sharp fangs sliced into my neck, but I didn’t flinch. He did it so quickly it didn’t hurt at all, especially when, a second later, he groaned, and all I felt were those angel’s feathers massaging my body.
I moaned in contentment, his power not so overriding this time but more controlled, since he wasn’t fearful of hurting me as he had been before. I was able to lift my hands to his spiky hair, fisting it, holding his mouth to my neck, never having felt anything like the caresses of his mind hold, it utterly beautiful. As the sensations faded, reality returning, I felt his thumb brushing back and forth over my nape, and his warm tongue slowly sliding across my wound, licking away any wayward drops. Blinking my eyes open, I turned my head, and our cheeks brushed as he pulled his head back. I still had my hands in his hair, and he smiled down at me, our noses touching.
His cheeks were slightly flushed from his drinking, and he asked softly, “Was it as good for you as it was for me?”
I chuckled.
Tap, tap.
We froze.
Someone was standing outside the window. Had just knocked on it. Our positions were very, well, not the best with him lying on top of me between my legs. Hell, I had even wrapped a leg around his waist at some point in the drinking and he was gripping one of my hips to keep from tumbling off the bench seat. Just…not good.
Slowly, we peered up.
Well, fuck. That was the only word that described this situation.
“Fuck,” Ezra muttered. He agreed, too.
A hand made a rolling motion outside the window.
Ezra hesitated, but released my hip, his other hand too buried under my neck and in my hair. He hit a button on the door, and the window rolled down smoothly.
We both stared out the opened window, undoubtedly looking guilty, even though we weren’t. If anyone else had caught us, it probably wouldn’t have been a big deal, but it wasn’t just anyone. It was possibly the worst two individuals who stared down at us with quiet eyes.
Into the strained hush, King Kincaid murmured, “So,” a motion to the King at his side, “King Venclaire and I were just finishing up with Mrs. Jonas when we walked outside and saw Lily’s car in the parking lot idling, but no one appeared to be in it.” His voice was very quiet. “I thought I would turn it off for her, but you can imagine our surprise when we found it,” a short pause, “occupied.”
King Venclaire said just as quietly, “Ezra, what exactly is going on in the school parking lot? Because, right now, it doesn’t appear favorable.”
Ezra cleared his throat, starting to lift off me. Seriously, luck was not on our side at the moment because, as he progressively rose, it showed that the loose buttons on my shirt — my favorite, old shirt — had popped off, baring the swells of my breasts and my pink bra, adorned with winking camels, in full view. Ezra and I didn’t notice until the Kings sucked in a harsh breath, staring down at my chest.
We followed their line of sight, and both of us cursed.
Ezra tried a few times to pull my top together, but it was one of those tight cotton shirts and, with no buttons, my breasts kept “bursting” back into view. He cursed again, and peered up to the Kings, saying, “It’s not what it looks like. I swear.”
“The shirt’s old,” I explained quickly, scrambling with it and holding it closed as we fumbled clumsily over one another to sit properly, which probably made us look more guilty. “The buttons were on their last leg and must have broken off under the strain of Ezra’s weight.”
Little by little, his voice still quiet, King Kincaid asked, “And what was Ezra doing on top of you in the first place? You weren’t exactly pushing him away.”
Ezra ran a hand over his face, covertly glancing at me.
I nodded. Just tell them. It wasn’t that big a deal.
He cleared his throat and, with innocent, spring green eyes, gazed at the Kings. “I was drinking. We were lying on the backseat for privacy.”
Both stared, blinking at us until King Venclaire asked, “You were drinking off Lily?”
Again, it wasn’t that big a deal, so I informed them, “You’ve both seen him drink off Pearl before. Just substitute me for her.” I shrugged. No biggie, right?
King Venclaire blinked once more, real slow-like, then cleared his throat, blue eyes on Ezra, and asked, “You were still thirsty after drinking off a Shifter and a Vampire,” a glance at his watch, “less than three hours ago?”
King Kincaid’s nostrils flared. I knew he was scenting for deception, so I stated bluntly before Ezra lied, “He was silvered earlier.” Make your own assumptions from that. It was supposed to take a toll on the body. Therefore, it might make him thirsty. I hoped that angle worked for our sakes, so we didn’t have to say he just enjoyed my flavor and wanted a nip.
“Hmm.” King Venclaire’s eyes hooded as they danced back and forth between us.
“Well,” King Kincaid adjusted his suit jacket, “that is true.”
King Venclaire nodded, but didn’t say anything.
“I’m going home. I have business I need to attend to,” King Kincaid stated. “Lily, I’ll see you there, since you need another shirt.” He leaned in through the window and kissed my forehead, whispering against my skin, which was useless because they were Vampires, “Allowing him to drink from you will make you physically weak. Drink some juice when you get home.” He paused, and then added against my forehead, “You’re lucky it was us who found you.” One more peck on my forehead, a slow nod to King Venclaire, and he was marching away to where his car must have been, but I couldn’t see it from here.
King Venclaire watched him go and, when King Kincaid was a good distance from us, he turned his attention back to Ezra and me, bending and placing his forearms on the windowsill, hands hanging inside my Hummer, and said quietly, “He’s purposefully ignoring a few key factors, giving him plausible deniability. Number one: Pearl was the only one who offered that day, and that’s not the case now with a whole school full of willing donors available not a hundred feet away. Number two: You’re in Lily’s car, instead of inside King Hall. And, not only that, but Lily’s car is parked in a different location than it was when we first arrived. Number three and the most important, in my humble opinion: Lily’s not dazed or dizzy, and Ezra, you were done when we arrived since your face is flushed, meaning you were not, indeed, thirsty.” He folded his hands together, and stared. Waiting.
We sat silent. There was nothing safe to say.
“Well? Have I done the impossible? Rendered the two of you mute?” His mouth opened wide in mock shock when we stayed quiet. “Oh, I do believe I deserve a cookie. I’ve made the impossible, miraculously, possible. This is assuredly a monumental day. Perhaps hell has frozen over. Or, maybe,” he glanced up at the blue sky, “pigs have taken flight.” He clapped his hands once, smiling at us. “This would be the perfect occasion to use my new camera phone and take your picture together.” His smile widened. “I’d title the photo: Up Shit Creek Without a Paddle.” His head cocked, grin gone. “Does that sound about right?”
I swallowed hard. His brand of interrogation was a hell of a lot different than King Kincaid’s. Whereas King Kincaid was physically in your face, King Venclaire — my biological dad — was a cunning smartass chock-full of clichés to use when people were that stupid. It was actually a bit more frightening than the frontal assaults I was used to. My hands were clenched on my shirt, and Ezra had silently maneuvered an arm behind me. I think he was ready to chuck me out the other door, so I could make a run for it if needed.
However, our worrying was for nothing because King Venclaire was on the wrong track. His face turned deathly serious, and he stated, “Now, as King I’m not supposed to say this, so I’m not. If you ever claim I had this conversation with either of you, I will deny it, and you’ll be named liars.” That implication was clear since we had dealt with that subject today. “Right now, I’m speaking with you both as a regular Mys, not a Ruler. Although, almost all Mysticals would, also, never say this to you, but since I’m just that special, I will.”
He cleared his throat, and then spoke ever so softly, “If you two are going to partake in sexual acts together,” oh my God, “you need to be more circumspect. I mean, really, Ezra. The school parking lot? Even if Lily was Vampire, not Shifter, don’t you know better than this? You two are going to be King and Queen to your people, and you know the Mys communities don’t…mingle. If this keeps up, for any length of time, you need to keep it private. No one, including your guards, should ever know. It will undermine the way your subjects feel about you, even if it’s none of their damn business.”
He opened his hands wide. “And this, young Prodigies, is not private or circumspect. You are out in the open with, more than likely, students spying out of their classroom windows, guards watching behind their tinted glass, and anyone walking by.”
He stalled, eyebrows together, then pointed with both index fingers, one for each of us. “Also, I feel obligated to remind you that when you have sex, it needs to be protected. I know sometimes having a condom on hand can be forgotten, and in that circumstance, you need to abstain. Our Law is brutal for children born of mixed Mys breeding. I would never want you two to be placed in that situation.” He folded his hands together again, and went silent. Done.
Uh.
My brain was numbed dumb as I stared. Neither I, nor Ezra, had moved a centimeter during his — my biological dad’s — gross sex talk. I was seriously struck stupid. I didn’t know what to say to that, since if we argued that we weren’t together, he would go back to the original issue of why we were in the back of my Hummer when there were a crap load of donors inside the school. We weren’t going anywhere near that one.
“I really should take a picture of this,” King Venclaire mumbled under his breath, glancing back and forth between us. Then, he really went overboard, appearing thoughtful as he asked, “Are there any questions you two have about sex between Mys factions? There are many differences between Shifters and Vampires.”
My cheeks flamed. My mind wasn’t cooperating with my mouth, so I just shook my head. Same as Ezra. That was, in some measure, a response, and I prayed it was enough to shut him up. This man was still my biological dad, even if he didn’t know it. Sex was not something I ever would have discussed with my mom, much less a dad that didn’t know I existed.
“Well, then,” King Venclaire murmured, clapping his hands in finality. “I think I’m done speaking for myself and King Kincaid.” He paused, pointing a thumb over his shoulder. “That was what that little look was about. He’s no fool, but since I’m somewhat more open, he elected me to have this conversation with the two of you.” A push away from the door and he stood straight, placing his hands in his pockets. “If you two ever do need to talk, my door is always open.”
He turned, starting to walk away, but glanced over his shoulder, saying, “That silvering excuse was good, Lily. It might have worked — to some extent — if King Kincaid and I had never worn them before and known the effects they have.” His gaze swung to Ezra, eyebrows lowering. “Get to class.” Then his long legs were eating up the asphalt to wherever his car was.
Staring after him, I just blinked. I was pretty sure Ezra did too, since he hadn’t moved a muscle. I wasn’t even sure he breathed for a little while. So, that’s what we did. Stared. Stunned senseless and mute.
Not sure how long we sat like that, I barely noticed when Jack and Pearl got back in my Hummer, Pearl thrilled to be in the driver’s seat and Jack already fiddling with the radio. They didn’t even look back at us until we were out of the gates, jabbering away with each other about the party tonight. When Jack did glance back, saying something to us, his voice trailed off, and he blinked — much like us — and asked, “What’s wrong?” His brown eyes skimmed over where my fists were white knuckled on my top, and his eyebrows rose. “Lily, why’s your shirt ruined?”
“What?” Pearl asked, her head darting back to us, then forward to the road. “What’s going on?”
I tried to speak, but it came out a mumble so, after clearing my throat, I tried again, and managed to say with a hoarse throat, “King Kincaid and King Venclaire paid us a visit.” I licked my dry lips. “They came right after Ezra was done drinking. We were lying on the backseat so no one would see us.” My mouth flapped for a few seconds, but I eventually succeeded in continuing. “It didn’t look good to begin with, and my shirt’s buttons popped off sometime during the drinking, since it’s old, so when Ezra lifted off me, it looked like we’d been…” No need to finish that. They got the point.
Pearl yanked the Hummer to the curb, both her and Jack looking freaked, and she asked, “Are they separating you two?”
Ezra shook his head slowly. “No. King Kincaid left after we gave some bogus excuses for the drinking. He left King Venclaire to…” He trailed off, his voice just as rough and quiet as mine, all of us vigilant of any Vampires nearby.
“What? What did King Venclaire do?” Jack asked, eyes darting between our faces.
“Did he hurt you?” Pearl hissed.
We shook our heads. No, there hadn’t been any physical pain. Only mental anguish, but that wasn’t what she meant.
“Well, then what?” Jack asked, throwing his hands up and accidently knocking Pearl in the head. Reflexively, she reached over and thumped him back. Both pairs of eyes glued on us.
I cleared my throat. “They didn’t buy our story.” I paused, then choked out, “King Venclaire gave us a sex talk.”
Ezra added, whispering, “Told us to keep it private.”
“And circumspect,” I mumbled.
“He mentioned condoms.”
I nodded stupidly. “Said we needed to use condoms.”
“Asked us if we had any questions about Shifter/Vampire sex.”
“His door’s always open…”
Jack and Pearl gawked, jaws hanging wide.
“Oh my God,” Pearl murmured. Hiccupped. Swallowed hard. Another hiccup. A choked gurgle and then, she busted up, laughing.
Jack wasn’t too far behind her, his lips twitching fiercely, and he finally gave in, bellowing with a deep belly laugh. He pointed to us, laughing it up with Pearl. “And they couldn’t tell him they aren’t having sex,” a loud roar of laughter, but words still soft, “because he would have gone back to their original bogus answers.”
Pearl nodded, wiping a tear from her eye. “Oh, that’s precious.” Her whole body was shaking with her hilarity.
“It’s not funny,” Ezra grumbled, cracking his neck and digging his arm out from behind me. “It was horrible. We had to sit there and take it.”
“I think I’m that much more stupid for having listened to it,” I groaned while Ezra rubbed his temples. “Both Kings think Ezra and I are getting our freak on.”
Jack slapped his knee, bending over, choking on silent laughter. It had progressed to the point he was having trouble breathing.
“Maybe I’ll bring someone home tonight after the party,” Ezra mumbled to himself, “Make sure King Venclaire sees her.”
I nodded, thinking that was a good plan, and wondered who I could bring home myself, but Jack and Pearl found that even funnier.
Pearl sputtered, “That’s never,” she snorted, laughter bubbling over, “gonna work.” More tears wiped away. “If they think you’re together, they’ll see that tactic for what it is.”
“You’re lucky it was them that found you like that,” Jack sucked in a large breath, trying to get control of himself. “If it had been my King, or Pearl’s, you two would already be on planes flying in opposite directions.”
I crossed my arms in agitation. “If that won’t work, what do you two propose we do?”
Ezra leaned over the back of the seat, and then flopped back down, throwing on my lap a spare sweatshirt I had stored in here. “Cover those up. They’re what got us in trouble in the first place.”
Pearl and Jack hooted.
I glanced down to where Ezra was glaring. Crossing my arms had opened my shirt again and pushed my boobs up to full view. Bra, cleavage, and all. I sighed and ripped my shirt the rest of the way off since it was a goner anyway, and Ezra tossed it into the back with vigor. Once my sweatshirt was on, I asked again, “What should we do?”
Pearl and Jack were calming themselves, and Jack shrugged, panting a little, saying, “Just give it time. You don’t want them coming back to the truth, so let them think what they want, and once they figure out on their own it’s not true, hopefully they’ll have forgotten your reasons for being in the Hummer in the first place.”
Pearl nodded.
Sluggishly, Ezra and I agreed.
Jack added hesitantly, “This situation reminds me that I need to speak with you guys about something.” He rubbed his chin. “I think we need to discuss how much we touch each other in public.” We stared, and he simplified, “Nikki’s still new at school. They talk around her more, not realizing who they’re next to. She hears things.”
Forehead wrinkling, Pearl asked, “What things?”
Jack sucked in a breath. “Most of the students think it’s odd how much we touch each other. A few words Nikki overhears regularly are weird, twisted, and unnatural.”
We sat in silence, letting that sink in.
“It’s not any of those things,” Pearl whispered, clearing her throat. “We aren’t like everyone else. We’re,” her hand flittered as she thought, “on a different level. We need each other because we understand what the other’s going through.”
Ezra nodded slowly. “Yes, but our subjects believe they own us. Which they do. They wouldn’t understand our reasoning since they’ve never lived a day in our lives.”
“Mysticals stay separated,” I murmured. “That’s how it’s always been. And, possibly, for good reason.” I chewed on my lip. “This isn’t good.”
Jack nodded. “Some are already saying we’re going to be terrible Rulers since we’re ignoring Mys ways.”
“Jesus,” Ezra grumbled, sliding down on the seat, his arms crossing.
Pearl tapped a fingernail on the headrest, staring out the back window. “I don’t think we should stop being seen together. That would give our subjects too much power over us.” She paused, a frown lining her perfect face. “But, maybe, we should stop touching each other. It may actually be our easiness with one another that’s truly bothering them. We don’t want them attacking our friendship. Give them this, and hope it’s enough to calm the masses.”
Slowly, we nodded in agreement, all of us wearing scowls or frowns because it was awful that we were owned this severely by our people. But we were. We were going to be their protectors, leaders, and punishers in a few years’ time. Sadly, as King Venclaire had said, we couldn’t have them undermining us. If we began our ruling with subjects who had no faith in us, that wasn’t acceptable. The weight was always heavy on our shoulders but, sitting here now, seeing one more freedom slip away, it made that barrier between us and our subjects that much wider. And they wondered why we were so close.
Jack murmured, “The Kings won’t be fighting with each other so much, anymore.”
We nodded again. The Kings had been at each other’s throats a few weeks ago with another argument, which they hadn’t even bothered to hide from us.
“Thank God that argument hadn’t happened today,” I said quietly. “King Kincaid would have probably agreed with King Nelson and King Fergus.” King Venclaire had never attempted to separate us, so I didn’t worry about him so much.
We sat in depressed and stressful silence.
Quietly, Jack asked, “What kind of touching is acceptable? I need clarification. It just comes so naturally now. I don’t even realize I’m doing it.”
My shoulders slumped, and my voice was weak, Shifters needing touch. “No nose pinching.”
“No holding hands at any time,” Pearl gritted between her teeth.
“No hugging,” Ezra stated gruffly. “Or kissing.” We did that a lot when we greeted or left each other. Simple kisses on the cheek or forehead, but now, it seemed like a biggie.
“No sleeping on each other,” Pearl added, rubbing her forehead. “Or massages.”
“No drinking,” Ezra grunted.
“This is all in public, right?” Jack asked, his forehead lined in worry. “We are still free to be ourselves behind closed doors?”
All at once, Pearl, Ezra, and I said, “Yes.”
Jack breathed a sigh of relief.
“We only touch when it’s publicly acceptable,” I said slowly. “Like if one of us is hurt,” a thought, and I grinned, “or dancing.”
They stilled, and slow smiles crept over their faces.
We nodded.
It was the party of the year. It was always planned for right before the students had to start cramming for year-end finals, when there was only a month left of school. For the four of us, though, since we had already finished our finals, it was more of a celebration of the hard school year gone by, with our last month of classes to be spent purposely with the Kings teaching us to use our powers together. I had passed my finals — all three years’ worth — and so had my best friends. We were dressed in our finest and ready to party.
This year it was held at an abandoned house on the outskirts of Choep. Every year the party changed locations, but this house had been foreclosed on and mentioned as a possibility and, bang, it was a done deal. A Mage had magically turned the power and plumbing back on for the night and it was a good thing there wasn’t any furniture, because the place was packed.
I ran a hand through my hair since it was a little windblown. I’d had to sneak out tonight — as had my friends — since we were still “grounded”, dodging all bodyguards. Our elite guards were here, so we didn’t feel too guilty leaving the others behind.
Nikki poured tequila shots where we stood at the counter. Her expressive brown eyes were wide with excitement as the almost-too-loud music pumped through the air. She held up her shot, asking, “What should we drink to?”
Instant. Pearl held up her shot. “To no more homework. Ever.”
“That doesn’t really work for me since I’ve got one more year left, but whatever.” Nikki grinned at us happily. “I’m the minority here, so I cave.”
Jack picked up his shot, murmuring something against Nikki’s ear that made her laugh, before he said loudly, “To never having a number two pencil again.”
I held my shot up. “To no more detentions because I fell asleep in class.”
Gideon held up his shot. “To hoping I pass my finals.” He shrugged at our expressions. “It’s relevant to me.” His drink sloshed as Pearl swatted his lips with a kiss.
“To no more five-thousand count essays.” Ezra held up his shot.
“I’ve got one,” Nikki murmured quickly, blushing. “To new friends.”
We grinned at that and knocked glasses, downing the shots, carefully standing with a good foot between each other.
More shots quickly disappeared until we were all toasty warm, just a little tipsy, and that was when warm arms wrapped around my waist from behind, and Felix’s familiar voice whispered against my ear, “Dance with me.”
I closed my eyes, feeling how good he felt against me. His heat penetrated through my thin black dress, and I felt myself sinking against him. He was everything I wanted in a consistent sexual partner. No strings. Only heat, strength, and attraction.
It was really hard for me to open my eyes and turn around in his embrace, and say, “I can’t, Felix. You’re one of my two elite. I can’t mix business with pleasure when safety’s on the line.” I had figured this out right before we walked in here, knowing he was attending and would, more than likely, try this.
Felix held my gaze. His jaw clenched. “Lily…” He closed his mouth, lips pursed for a few beats until he spoke quietly. “You’re sure about this?” He wasn’t going to beg or ask twice. I knew he was stronger than that, so this was his last offer.
My nostrils flared, scenting him, and my eyes closed in remembrance. God, we had been really good together. My own jaw clenched, and I opened my eyes. Nodded. “Yes. I’m sure.”
Stooping slowly, he kissed my forehead. “At least we had a little fun in this godforsaken lifetime.”
My heart broke, because I knew his heart was still torn for his late mate. I hugged him, kissing his cheek. “Yeah. We had fun.”
He squeezed me tight, and then backed away, but not too far, still doing his job.
“That was fucking depressing,” Gideon muttered as I turned back to my group. I don’t know what my face showed, but he mumbled, “Shit, Lily. Why don’t you just go be with him if you want to?”
I poured another shot, and pointed to Gideon around it. “Because I don’t want to so badly that I’d risk dying for it. He’s here to keep me alive, and he can’t do that with his hands on my ass.” I downed my shot. “Anyone wanna dance?” I needed contact. Not because of the Shifter need, but because of the woman-in-me need. I needed comforting.
Everyone wanted to, so we made our way to the dance floor, which was in the middle of what had probably been a living room at one time since it had a brick fireplace on one wall, the bricks rising to the ceiling, the only adornment to the navy-blue painted walls. We squeezed through the crowd and started dancing with one another. No-one picked any certain partner. We just piled together and moved.
Two songs later, I was laughing when Pearl bent down in front of me and crossed her eyes, bopping her butt in the air. So un-Queen-like I loved it. Seemingly, Gideon did too because he moved behind her, grabbing her hips, and both of them moved a tad different then.
Jack pulled Nikki against him, their foreheads together, and began slow dancing with her even though the music was upbeat enough to make a rabbit happy.
Turning, I crooked my finger at Ezra, who was being mauled by two Vampire girlies.
Tilting his chin up once, he somehow maneuvered out of their hands. He began pulling me against him right as I felt hands land on my waist accompanied by the smell of polar bear, but those unwanted hands released me as I moved away. Thank God, he had been quick. Jim had become a regular stalker most days, and it was all I could do to avoid him in the hallways at school.
“Thanks,” Ezra muttered, glancing over his shoulder.
I snorted. “I should be thanking you, not the other way around.”
He lifted his head, peering over mine. His lips twitched. “That guy seriously can’t take a hint. I thought you locking him in his own car three weeks ago was ingenious.”
I grinned, moving my hips with his. “Just took a little Mage magic.”
“Pearl?”
“Yep.”
“Nice.”
“I thought so.”
He pulled us closer to our friends as we moved against one another like it was second nature. So easy. Fluid. He led and my body followed, just like our training sessions every morning.
“You guys dance really well together,” Nikki said loudly over the music, nodding her head approvingly. “Jack and I still step on each other’s feet.”
“They practice fighting every day,” Jack grumbled to her. “They should be good.” He scowled at us, mouthing, “Mess up.”
Ezra and I chuckled and, a few beats later, we bumped heads, making a production of it.
“It’s alright,” Nikki consoled us. “Nobody’s perfect.”
Jack mouthed, “Thank you.”
Nikki patted my shoulder, then she was dancing again, oblivious.
Ezra held up his little finger behind her back, crooking it.
Pointing at it, I nodded grandly.
Jack shrugged and smiled, bringing Nikki even closer to him.
I moved to the crazy beat with Ezra for another song before nature called. “I’ll be back in a minute.”
He released me with a twirl, and I kept my head down as I maneuvered through the crowd. The first floor bathroom was taken, so I trotted up the stairs, getting stopped at least seven times by Shifters needing touch. I hugged them and, generally, gave them my presence as alpha before I finally made it to an empty bathroom.
Done taking care of necessities, I was washing my hands when a knock sounded on the door, and I called loudly, “Occupied!”
Not a second later, the door opened.
My mouth was opening to tell the person, who evidently couldn’t hear me because of the wild music, I was almost done when I froze in shock. I stared into the mirror, gazing at the reflection of a very handsome man with black hair and intense dark eyes. A Com.
I sputtered, “Philip Masterson. What are you doing here?” He was dressed in jeans and a black t-shirt, looking very casual and sexy…and it was more than a little odd he was here.
He shut the door and locked it, and leaned back against it, crossing his arms. “It’s very difficult to speak with you in person. Do you know that?”
I dried my hands quickly and turned around, resting against the sink, reflecting his pose with crossed arms. “No. I didn’t know that.” I cocked my head. “Did you sneak into this party to try to talk me into marrying you?” Blunt, to the point. King Kincaid had relayed the denial months ago. I had almost second-guessed my decision to have the King tell the President but, after further thought, I hadn’t felt the need to say it directly to the individual who had asked me to marry him, because he hadn’t actually asked me in person.
“I’m here for your reason for why you said no. Not to try to talk you into it.”
I didn’t believe him, his wording too vague, but I explained, “If you want the honest truth of it, Philip, it’s because I think it would be archaic to marry someone I don’t love. Marriage is meaningful in both the Com and Mys communities. I also said no because you asked in the first place. You shouldn’t have. You were using the situation to your advantage. If you wanted to have sex with me, you should have just asked for that instead of being deceitful.” I tried to not be too harsh, considering who he was. “Women don’t need a ring on their finger to have sex, if you weren’t aware.”
He stared for a full minute in silence before he stated, “I understand what you’re saying.” He didn’t deny it. “I should have handled it differently.”
I nodded. Um, yeah.
“Is there any way to mend my actions with you?” he asked slowly. “Because what you said is correct. I do want you.” Well, at least he held my gaze saying that instead of ogling my chest like some.
I bit my lip, wondering the best way to break it to him.
“Ah,” he murmured softly. “It’s written all over your face, Lily. You won’t touch me because I’m a Com, right?”
“I’m sorry,” I said steadily. It was my turn to not deny it.
He nodded. “At least I understood that part about you.” He pushed off the door, taking a step closer. “But, you’re wrong to deny me for that reason.” He took another step closer. “Not every Commoner is the same, just like not every Mystical is the same. You are unfairly being prejudiced against me in the same way Mysticals can be treated unfairly.” Another step, and he was right in front of me. He slowly lowered his head, his eyes staring into mine. “Are you going to be a prejudiced Queen, Lily?”
I shook my head. “No.” A pause. “Only a little gun shy.” Ironic, that, since I had killed multiple Coms with a gun.
“Really?” he whispered. “I think I can help you overcome that shyness, Lily the Beautiful.” His lips were abruptly on mine.
I jerked in surprise, but he wrapped me in his arms, holding me still for his onslaught of leisured, sensual kisses. For a few seconds, I was too stunned to move, and that was all it took to feel his soft, heated mouth doing wonderful things to mine. Ah, God, I really needed to get laid because his mouth felt incredible. And I didn’t even like the man.
I pulled my head back. “Philip, this isn’t happening. Let me go.”
His eyes were on my lips, and he said softly, “You didn’t even give it a chance.” He dipped, and his lips were back on mine.
Okay, that was enough.
I raised my hands and started to shove him, but he twirled us, slamming my back against the bathroom door. His mouth nipped at mine too hard. Too rough. Just like his uninvited touch when he palmed one of my breasts. And I, being a Shifter, deciding his touch was too brutal, which was saying something.
“Get off me!” I shouted as I jerked my head to the side, pushing him roughly.
He skidded back, his legs hitting the tub.
Pivoting quickly, I grabbed the handle, needing to get the hell out of there, but my face was slammed against the door. I felt my eyebrow split open on the hard wood, and he pressed against me from behind, his hands instantly going up the bottom of my dress.
His mouth against my ear, his words were brutal as he hissed, “It didn’t have to be like this, Lily. You could have enjoyed it.”
I hadn’t expected this of him. At all. He hadn’t seemed like a rapist to me, but I guess you never knew. I grunted and shoved off the door, using some of my Shifter strength this time, and we both flew back. We stumbled, tripping as we hit the tub, and a sickening crunch sounded under me as we landed inside it. I rolled over on top of him and saw blood start to seep from the back of his head, spreading out like a ghastly halo on the white porcelain. He was unconscious. I had pushed with too much strength for a Com.
Oh, God. He was a fucking Com congressman, and I might have just given the man brain damage. I threw myself out of the tub, scrambling backward toward the door. This could not be happening. This could not be happening here. Not only would I get charged, since Coms would most definitely take his side over mine, but also, possibly, anyone at this party they wanted to pin it on.
Jumping to my feet, I threw open the bathroom door, and looked frantically for my elite guards. I didn’t see them anywhere, so I shouted, “Felix! Aros!” The few Mys students who had begun congregating in the hallway glanced my way, and their eyes instantly went to my head. I pressed a palm to my forehead, remembering my eyebrow had split. The wound was long healed, but I had blood drying on the side of my face.
Aros and Felix turned a corner, and took one look at me before sprinting my way. Good. The sooner they got in here the better.
I moved aside, letting them in, and slammed and locked the door. They took in the mess I had made of Philip, but didn’t say anything since they looked mighty furious seeing the blood on my head. I stated in a hurry, “News is going to travel fast about the blood on my face, so we need to hurry. Felix, can you make a two-storey drop holding him without injuring yourself?”
He nodded briskly.
“Good.” I pointed at the tall window over the tub. “Take him to my Hummer. He’s a fucking Com congressman. He can’t be here dying. I’ll be there in a few.”
“Fuck,” Aros muttered, glancing back to Philip, then me. Yeah, he got it. I would be put behind bars if the rapist Com died and was found here with me, but Aros did state, “Head wounds always seem to bleed more than what they should with Coms.” He rubbed my arm, trying to calm me. Not really what I needed right now.
Felix was already moving, pushing the window open. He glanced down, saying, “No one’s out back yet. That’s good.” Five seconds later, he was out the window with Philip in his arms.
I trusted him not to lie about hurting himself in the fall. Plus, he was a panther Shifter. Cats landed on their damn feet, right? I turned the shower on hot, and Philip’s blood quickly washed down the drain. Grabbing spare toilet paper one of the organizers of this party had placed in here, I wet it and wiped my face quickly. I stored that damp evidence in my purse, and glanced around for any other blood in the room, scenting the air. Other than on my black dress where it had dripped there were no remains, the door clean of dried blood after Aros used a lighter from his pocket on it.
After shutting the steaming shower off, Aros opened the door for me and started pushing people away, since, yes, word had traveled and they were beginning to congregate outside the door. We had made it halfway down the steps, Aros shoving people as they tried to talk to me or stop our progress with needed touch, when I glanced up from his broad back.
My friends, who were still dancing, had noticed the commotion on the stairs. They took one look at my face and reacted much like my elite had, all three pairs of eyes beginning to glow. Jack and Pearl gave their mates quick kisses in farewell, and the three of them started slipping through the crowd.
I pushed Aros faster. We needed to get to my Hummer. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do with the Com from there. Maybe, take him to the hospital, or bury his body in the backyard if he was dead — either one was a real possibility — but I couldn’t do anything until I got to him.
Pearl, Jack, and Ezra saw where we were heading and beat us there, waiting outside on the front lawn. They didn’t say anything, but quickly fell into step with me as I pushed past Aros and started working my own way swiftly through the milling crowd.
Once I hit the sidewalk, I started a fast jog, friends in tow, and Aros taking the rear. My Hummer was a block down the road, but when we arrived I didn’t see anyone in the dimly lit area. “Felix?”
“Right here,” he stated, coming out from hiding behind my Hummer.
“Where is he?”
“Tree line.” He pointed to the row of trees where the park started. “Behind the largest oak closest to us. I couldn’t put him in your Hummer because I didn’t have your keys.”
“Shit,” I murmured, having forgotten about that. “Alright, okay.” A swift rub of my forehead, trying to think. “Felix, you need to get out of here and burn those clothes.” I didn’t see or scent blood on him, but I didn’t want to take unnecessary chances.
He nodded, eyes turning to Aros as he tossed his keys to him. “I’ll run in case you need the car to haul him.” He turned, and started a fast sprint that was going to be, at least, ten miles if he was running all the way to where he lived.
A deep breath in and a slow release. “Well, it’s time for the real party to start.” I unlocked my door and stowed my purse on the front seat. “Let’s see if Philip Masterson is still alive.”
My friends had been standing quietly, waiting and watching, but froze hearing that name drop, and Jack asked in confusion, “Philip Masterson?”
“Yep.” I nodded, talking while walking toward the largest oak. Coming out of their shock quickly, they followed. “He ambushed me in the bathroom. He talked a little, then tried rape on for size. A little too much Shifter strength trying to defend myself, and he hit his head on the tub. He was unconscious and bleeding the last time I saw him.”
Ezra went to grab my arm, but fisted his hand — no touching — and quickly dropped it, stating quietly, “There’s no heartbeat coming from over there.”
I paused, listening. Mindful of Aros, I didn’t say I agreed when I didn’t hear anything, but I did say, “Shit!” Putting my hands on my head, I turned in a circle, scanning the area and listening to the sounds of the night. Nothing. “Oh, Jesus.” That could mean only one thing.
“He tried to rape you?” Pearl asked furiously.
I couldn’t even respond I was freaking out so badly, hyperventilating a definite likelihood, as a shovel and shallow grave became the future of this evening with the absence of a much-needed thumping beat.
I stopped moving. Stared. My jaw slightly parted, slack. “Oh, God. I’m not sure if that makes this better or worse.” He wasn’t dead.
My friends quickly snapped their attention in the direction I gawked, and silently we watched Philip Masterson drive by in a Mercedes, window rolled down, directly under the lone street light.
He was staring right at me. One eye closed, and then opened, winking plain as could be with blood covering half of his face. The next second, he stepped on the gas and his car shot off past the party, and farther, until the only indication he had been here were tiny, red dots of tail-lights in the dark distance.
Pearl repeated her question into the silence, “He tried to rape you?”
I nodded mechanically, my heart rate jumping a frantic rhythm.
Jack stated, “We need to tell the Kings about this.”
“And quickly, in case he goes directly to the Com police with a bogus story about Lily,” Ezra growled, already stalking toward my Hummer. “Maybe they’ll let us kill him.”
Pearl and Jack nodded, herding me — without touching — to the vehicle.
Ezra was already in the driver’s seat, which I was grateful for, and Jack jumped in the passenger’s seat while Pearl helped me into the back, following me in.
Absently, I saw Aros running to Felix’s car, and in the distance, the other elite Mysticals jogging to theirs. I hadn’t even known they were there, but they had been doing their jobs, and were going to continue to do so, following us.
As soon as we pulled away from the curb, Pearl grabbed my hand, holding tight.
Jack covertly reached back and rested his hand on my knee, squeezing it.
Ezra lifted his hand, and dangling from it was the damp toilet paper stained red with my blood. He must have found it digging through my purse for my keys. He growled deeply, “He made you bleed.”
It was a statement, so I didn’t answer. I didn’t think I could right now. Worried and anxious, I sat mute as the three of them got on their cells to call the Kings at two o’clock in the morning and wake them up to inform them we had snuck out and there was a situation.
We were to meet at King Kincaid’s.
The night, or morning, was only getting started.