Elder Merrick chuckled quietly, standing behind me as he taught me how to flip myself over him while also breaking his neck. Well, not really break his neck, but how the move was done for a surprise attack from behind, using only a smidge of my strength to carry me up and over him. This exercise was actually fun since he was the one who continually hit the mat. I had really enjoyed seeing his ass down there and not having the situation the other way around.

“What’s so funny?” I asked, wiping my forehead, which was sweating disgustingly.

“Your escort has returned from his absence,” he breathed against my ear, his finger traveling over my shoulder.

I brushed his hand away. “Stop that.” I turned my face to his. “What are you—” I stopped, sniffing the air. Ah. My eyes instantly hooded. Ezra. “We have plans to do brunch.”

Again with the whispered breath against my ear. “Is that what it’s called nowadays?”

I snorted before I could stop it, then quickly coughed. “Brunch, as in lots of plates full of yummy treats.” I paused, but quickly added, just in case he came up with something raunchy for that, “Food. Substance.” I slapped at his hand as it started to brush up my arm. “I’d rather see you on the mat than have you groping at me.” And yes, I said it loudly, just in case Ezra was listening. Although, I wasn’t quite sure why. “Let’s do this once more so I can go eat.”

Elder Merrick chuckled, sneaking in a quick kiss against my sweaty, disgusting neck — served him right — before he slapped my ass, saying, “Then do it.”

I rubbed my forehead. “You’re a pain in what you just inappropriately touched.”

“That position is one of my favorites if you would care to find out.”

I blinked. “Huh?”

He laughed gravelly, murmuring, “Innocence is for the young, Ms Ruckler. Branch out a little.”

I had no clue what he was talking about. “Whatever.” I threw a scowl over my shoulder. “Can I hurt you now?”

“Now you’re getting the idea.”

“You talk in riddles,” I muttered, then jumped, giving him no notice. I tucked, rotating in the air, then reached out and gripped his neck as I started to descend behind him. I shoved down hard as I untucked, the act where I would jerk an enemy’s head clean off. I landed beautifully on my feet as he thumped hard on the mats below me.

He grunted, grabbing at his ear. He blinked. Gave his ear another tug. “Cahal taught him well.” A slow grin up at me. “Your escort is much less innocent than you, Ms Ruckler.”

My gaze shot to Ezra. I saw the glow swiftly diminish from his eyes, returning them to their normal stunning green. My lips pinched, realizing he had used an old form of Vampire communication to say something to Elder Merrick during my take-down. My gaze moved to the intended recipient as he jumped to his feet. “I took you down fair and square.” I wasn’t about to let Ezra’s distraction say otherwise.

“You did.” Elder Merrick rubbed his neck. “A bit too hard, really.”

I nodded once. Truth. “See you tomorrow.”

He waved absently, popping his neck, and I went to where Ezra was sitting on the bleachers, next to my bag. He was reclined with his arms on the seat behind him, watching me move toward him. His gaze was guarded, even though his lips were lifted in a predatory way. I grabbed my bag, tossing him a dirty look, and pulled a sweatshirt out along with a water bottle.

Quietly, he murmured, “I didn’t say anything until he was already on his back.”

My hands stalled. “Promise?”

“Yes.”

I nodded, glancing at him as I pulled the sweatshirt on. “What did you say?”

He grinned, his fangs slightly lowered. “Nothing too bad.”

Yeah, right. “Just be careful.”

“Always,” he whispered, eyes moving around the room and not staying anywhere in particular as I began guzzling my water. “So, my dad.” He cleared his throat. “Well anyway, he stopped by the kitchen this morning and asked if I’d join him and my mom for lunch. I told him I had plans already for brunch…”

I blinked, watching as his eyes flittered everywhere but me. “It’s alright if you’re cancelling. I can just meet with King Fergus earlier.”

His eyes did meet mine then. With a bit of irritation. “You’re still going to meet with him?”

My eyebrows rose, but I whispered, “He’s lonely. I was lonely. We’ve become…friends, I guess. I’m not going to leave him hanging when he needs someone.” I shrugged, drinking from my water bottle again. “Plus, it’s fun.”

His lips pinched, but he didn’t say anything further about King Fergus. “I wasn’t cancelling our brunch.” His fingers tapped on the bleacher. “My dad asked who I had plans with,” he paused, clearing his throat, “and I told him you.” Another pause. “He somehow manipulated the situation to where he and my mom are now joining us.”

I stared. “You didn’t.”

“Not on purpose,” he groused, sitting forward and rubbing his neck. “He got the better of me.”

Goddamn Cahal and his wily ways. “Well,” I guzzled the rest of my water, “I think I’m not feeling well.”

Ezra shook his head. “Don’t try to back out. It’ll only arouse his suspicion more.”

I groaned, chucking the empty water bottle into my bag, which I then zipped up. “I’m all disgusting and stinky. If I’m going to,” Christ, “have a meal with your parents, I would prefer to be clean.” I paused. “And possibly drunk.”

He glanced at his watch. “No time for either.” He stood, grabbing my bag and tossing it over his shoulder. “We’re meeting them in ten minutes.”

“Perfect,” I mumbled, walking with him as I tried to fix my ponytail, half my hair wet from sweat. “Maybe I’ll stink them out.”

He chuckled. “Vampires, sweetheart. Not Shifters.”

“Any clue why he wanted to have lunch with you?”

He peered at me, eyes roaming my face. “Just to have lunch.”

“Oh.” I glanced forward. It had been so long since a parent figure wanted to have a meal with me just for the mutual pleasure of it that I had forgotten families actually did that. “Right.”

I could still feel his eyes on me as we wound through the Mysticals, who were watching us warily since we weren’t arguing, and he finally asked, “Did you and your mom have a favorite place to eat?”

My smile was soft. The hurt of her death was no longer unbearable. “At home. She loved to cook.” My grin increased, memories invading. “She used to slap at Antonio’s hands when he tried getting to the food before it was ready.” I chuckled. “I remember a few times when he chased her around the kitchen while she held a bowl of cookie dough like it was a football. She would always threaten to beat him over the head with her skillet when it got to that point.”

“Sounds nice,” he murmured, standing close to me when the walkway became too crowded. “We ate out a lot since my mom could burn water she was so awful at cooking. Our favorite place was this little Italian restaurant with the most hideous red décor, but the food was amazing. We’d go there every Wednesday night for family night, no matter our schedules.”

I blinked. “Is it Wednesday?” Time had blurred here, days becoming weeks as we waited, at the brink of war, in this sanctuary.

“I don’t know,” he said absently. A pause. “We should get a calendar so we’re not oblivious.”

I nodded, agreeing wholeheartedly as we paused before the dining hall’s doors. “Show time.”

Ezra grunted and then inhaled deeply, opening the door for me.

It was deja vu all over again as the place went quiet when we entered. Ezra and I ignored them the best we could as we peered around the dining hall. Leave it to a scary-ass mom to embarrass her son fully by shouting from the far corner, “Ezra, dear!” She waved grandly. “We’re over here!”

My lips pinched in an effort not to laugh as Ezra sighed, giving her a little wave as everyone’s heads flew back and forth between mom and son, watching. He pointed at the buffet, and herded me in that direction, just as we heard his mom state loudly and gruffly to the entire packed dining hall, “Show’s over, people. Eat your damn food and quit gawking.”

A chuckle did escape me as Ezra sighed again, rubbing his face, cheeks pink. “Aw, she loves you.”

“Damn embarrassing,” he muttered, grabbing two plates. “I’ll never hear the end of it from the Vamps.”

I snorted, and whispered as the dining hall began to resonate with quiet chatter, “Just threaten to invite your mom to their gatherings and they’ll shut up.”

Ezra hummed as I picked up two plates. “Not a bad idea.”

Sitting at their table with our trays loaded with plates and drinks, Ezra and I politely ignored the way his parents eyed our food. It was the usual wide-eyed expression most adults had at seeing our normal intake of yummy grub. Although, they didn’t seem surprised by Ezra’s — their gazes pretty much stuck to my tray, which held just as much as his. In their silence, we did our normal: set the desserts between us, eyed each other’s food to see what the other had gotten — just in case we had missed the other sneaking in something extra tasty — then pretty much reached over each other to snag items we really wanted…because it never failed that someone else’s food looked better than your own.

Grass…greener…yada, yada.

But I was proud I remembered to place my napkin on my lap. I wasn’t one to go without manners, so I carefully stuffed my mouth full of sausage drenched in syrup from Ezra’s plate. God, that was good. Okay, maybe a little moan escaped as I forked another one, even as he nabbed a few strawberries off my plate.

But he did the unthinkable. He tried to take my strawberry jam packet. I growled, my wolf taking voice, slapping his hand. “Mine.”

His eyes narrowed, and he slowly took the banana pudding from its place between us. He held it far away, my eyes avidly on it. “Then this is mine, since I got it.” His head tilted toward the buffet, slowly grinning, his eyes still slitted. “And I got the last one.”

My hand fisted on the strawberry packet, lips pinched, the smell of bananas wafting toward me. “Fine, I’ll split the jam.” My other hand reached for the pudding, fingers waggling.

“Thank you,” he nodded, setting the banana pudding between our trays again. “Jam, please.”

I grumbled, but handed it over, watching him closely as he picked up his knife, positioning it over the opened packet. “Nope.” My finger flicked. “To the right a little.”

He gave me a cross look. “This is half.” And he sliced into it.

No, it wasn’t.

I waited a moment, then stole his knife with the jam on it. “My half.” I grabbed my toast before he could argue, spreading the jam. I bit into it, grinning around my bite. “And it’s good.”

He growled, his predator ticked, but grabbed his knife back and spread his jam on his bread.

Vivian cleared her throat, and we both jolted in our chairs, our attention snapping to her. Again, we had forgotten about the people sitting with us. I wasn’t sure if it was a food thing, but Ezra and I were making a very bad habit of this. His parents were both resting back in their chairs, staring.

Stupidly, I mumbled, “We like food.”

“I don’t believe that escaped our attention,” Cahal stated dryly.

“You would think they hadn’t eaten in weeks,” Vivian murmured absently.

Ezra cleared his throat and picked up a cup of hot chocolate, holding it out to her. “I got this for you.”

I stared at the wafting steam rising off it, the scent of creamy chocolate — my hot chocolate I had asked him to grab for me — filling my nostrils as he tried to give it away.

“Dear, I think you had better put that back down,” Vivian stated quietly.

“Shit,” Ezra mumbled, my attention avidly on my drink as he set it back on his tray and grabbed the cup of steaming tea next to it, holding it out to her. “I meant this one.”

Covertly, I lifted my hot chocolate off his plate, putting it on the far side of my tray so he wouldn’t try again to give away what was mine, as Vivian took the tea, saying, “Thank you. Although, I am surprised you thought of me during your raid of the buffet.”

“Was there anything left?” Cahal drawled.

“Give us a break, Dad,” Ezra grumbled. “You were young once.”

Cahal chuckled. “It feels like forever ago.”

Ezra grinned, grabbing his coffee off my plate. “It was.”

Vivian smiled at Cahal. “Wide open.”

I glanced at each of them while chewing my waffle — my mouth closed. They were one of those families. The cutesy kind. All smiles and love.

There had been plenty of smiles and laughter in my family, too, but there had also been an underlying caution. We were always watchful. A bit wary of those around us, at all times. Even at our dinners we would always have half our attention on the front door as we joked with one another.

Cahal caught me staring, his eyes quickly assessing. “So, Ms Ruckler,” too late to glance away, dammit, “we know scarcely anything about you. What can you tell us about yourself?”

Hardly anything. I pointed at my chewing mouth. Stalling. Organizing my thoughts, I wiped my mouth and took a few swigs of my coffee, then stated, “You know Antonio and my mom, Angela Springs, raised me. After Antonio left, my mom passed away, and my uncle,” Ezra growled a bit, “took over my guardianship until King Kincaid took over that duty. I was mated to Dominic Kincaid before he was murdered. His power went to me at his death, and I became the Prodigy Shifter. The rest you pretty much know from there.”

My head tilted. “I also love to read for pleasure, my original degree being in Creative Writing before I was put on the fast track to graduate in Political Science. I enjoy the outdoors as long as it’s not snowing. Hate materialistic items unless they serve a valid purpose, although, I have a secret passion for tattoos,” I whispered, “They’re hot.” I cleared my throat, moving on, “I’m an extremely skilled driver. Need a getaway driver and I’m your gal. I’ll pick a romantic movie over an action flick any day, but give me a great comedy and it’ll be a toss-up…unless it’s cartoons, in which case, reverse everything I just said. I don’t agree with rules that hold no meaning except for ‘they just are’. I loved my mom, and amazingly, I still love Antonio. Also, my favorite food is ice-cream.”

Cahal stared.

Vivian blinked.

And Ezra continued eating.

Hopefully that was enough abstract information to distract them from the fact I hadn’t mentioned a damn thing about my younger years when I was hiding in the Com community. I picked up my spoon and quickly scooped up some banana pudding, since Ezra’s spoonfuls were twice as big as mine and were making it quickly disappear. Our spoons scraped against each other’s just as he took the last bit.

“I only got one bite,” I grumbled, scowling as his spoon rose to his lips. “I was talking, Ezra.”

He stared at his spoonful, and then sighed, handing it over.

I dropped my utensil, grabbing his, and hummed in pleasure as banana exploded across my tastebuds. “Thank you.”

He shrugged and grabbed my coffee cup off my tray, since his was long gone. There was half left in mine, but I didn’t mind since I had a Coke to wash down the rest of my food. I put his spoon back on his tray and picked up my fork — as Ezra sipped at my heavily creamed and sugared coffee — slicing off some off my pancake. “I’ve never been to California,” I said cordially to his parents, not forgetting they were there this time. “Ezra’s told me his favorite parts about it, but what made you choose to live there in the beginning?” I placed my slice of pancake in my mouth, looking up to them politely.

Vivian’s mouth was slightly parted, her eyes darting back and forth between us. My chewing slowed as my eyebrows puckered in confusion, my eyes darting to Cahal. He was watching Ezra, who in turn was staring at my plate, eyeing the remaining food there. Absently, I pushed my tray to the side, farther from his reach, while pushing the full fruit bowl in the center closer to him, as my eyes moved back and forth between his parents.

Cahal cleared his throat, apparently just realizing they had been silent for too long after my question. “That’s where I chose my home base. I enjoy the weather.”

A perfectly non-descriptive answer.

Which I ignored, asking, “Mrs Zeller, is something wrong?”

Ezra’s head snapped up from the food, obviously hearing the caution in my tone.

Her finger started to lift, pointing, but Cahal’s hand quickly covered hers, lowering it back to the table, and he murmured, “She’s fine. She’s just in shock.”

She was staring at our food, which we had managed to put pretty much all away.

“You should see us when we’re really hungry.”

Ezra’s head cocked. “Is that all, Mom?”

She blinked. “Yes.” She cleared her throat. “Only shock.”

Lie, then truth.

My gaze narrowed, following hers. She was staring at my coffee cup in Ezra’s hand. Casually, I lifted it from his grasp, ignoring his grumbling to not drink it all, and took a sip. Watching her. Her eyes widened marginally, her heart rate accelerating.

Ezra’s hand halted in trying to get it back, and his gaze slammed to her, apparently hearing the same thing. “Mom?” His head cocked, staring at me when she didn’t answer. He blinked. Blinked again, his eyes going to the cup I held, tapping my fingers against it. I had no clue what was going on. But Ezra stilled, eyes widening before hooding, his heart rate shooting off.

Glancing at all of them, I murmured into the quiet, “Do I want to know what we’ve done wrong now?”

Ezra’s chuckle was breathy and, placing an elbow on the table and leaning heavily on it, he used his hand to cover his mouth. “Probably not.”

“And still, I do.”

That odd chuckle again as he flicked a finger at the coffee cup. “I forgot.”

Truth.

“Forgot what?”

His eyes went to his parents, hand still over his mouth. “It means nothing.”

Not so much the truth.

“It took you long enough to remember.” Cahal rested back in his chair, arms resting over his middle. “You did it in front of my group the day Jacobs and Merrick arrived.”

Again, Ezra chuckled. “That’s right. It makes sense now.” I was pretty sure I had never heard him make that sound before. It was more of a nervous gesture than an actual laugh.

“Um, hello?” I stated quietly, placing down the coffee cup that had created this mess. “I would love to be enlightened.”

Ezra’s gaze darted to mine, holding there. “Sharing a drink with another Mystical is a gesture that you trust one other with your lives.”

I stared. “I think I’m missing the issue here. Of course we trust each other with our lives. We’re part of our four.” And the big deal is?

“And?” Cahal hedged, head cocking.

Ezra cleared his throat. “It’s really only a big deal if you do it in front of others during a large gathering like a meal or a party.”

Still, I stared.

Cahal coughed.

Ezra’s head tilted back and forth, and he said quietly behind his hand, eyes on mine, “And the symbolic gesture is done when two people are,” he paused, “courting one another.” My mouth gaped, and he added quickly, “One partner initiates it, pretty much telling any other suitors vying for the other partner’s attention to back off, and when the other partner drinks from the cup it means they accept the offer.” He choked. “It’s done at marriage ceremonies as an old tradition.”

I was pretty sure my eyes were as large as saucers, but I cleared my throat, picking the coffee cup back up. “All that for drinking from this?”

All three nodded.

My chuckle sounded as weird as Ezra’s had, my gaze swinging back and forth between his parents. “Well, I told you guys I didn’t like rules that ‘just are’.” I toasted them. “Bottoms up.” And I downed the remaining contents.

Ezra made a choking noise, his hand blurring he grabbed the cup so quickly from me, but I had already finished it off. There hadn’t been much left. He stared into its porcelain depths. He made a gurgling noise, tipping the thing upside down. Nothing fell.

Vivian’s hand covered her mouth, her eyes wide.

Cahal cleared his throat, staring at the cup. “What he didn’t finish telling you, Ms Ruckler, is the prophecy of the act of sharing a drink.”

Ezra sat the cup down carefully. “If the drink is consumed completely, greed instead of selflessness, the one who took the last drop will sacrifice all for their partner.”

Huh. “It sounds complicated.” I gestured to the cup. “And yet, it’s still an old tradition full of superstition. We had no clue what we were doing, and we’re only friends, not on the track for marriage.” I shrugged.

Ezra rested back, also shrugging, finally getting his act together. “No problem.” He scooted the cup with his finger. Away from him.

I snorted, giving him a moment more to compose himself. “No wonder Elder Merrick’s and Elder Jacobs’s eyes went wide.”

“Yes, they were surprised,” Cahal murmured, his eyes still on the cup, like his wife’s. “And before, out of curiosity, I checked the beer bottle and the two coffee cups that day, after you left. There were a few drops left in each one.” His gaze lifted to ours. With very quiet words, he asked point-blank, “Is there anything romantically going on between the two of you?”

Well, today he wasn’t beating around the bush, and beautifully, Ezra and I kept studious expressions on our faces, our heart rates normal. Probably because we had been accused of it so often in the past that we were now used to it. My eyebrows rose, and I pointed at the cup. “You’re asking because you believe in an ancient ritual?”

He rested back in his chair again. “Actually, no, I’m not asking because of that. Although, I do believe in it, even the prophecy, since I’ve seen it occur, the one who drank the last drop not even realizing they were completing the sacrifice.”

“Me, too,” Vivian murmured absently, her hand still over her mouth, her eyes on the cup.

“No, Dad,” Ezra whispered. “There is not, and never has been, anything romantically going on between Lily and me.” Lie. “We’re only friends.” Lie. “But, don’t feel bad, you’re not the first to think otherwise.” Truth.

He said it all without a fluctuating heartbeat or batting an eye.

Cahal’s blank expression didn’t change, his gaze turning to me. He raised one eyebrow. “And your answer would be?”

“The same.” I scrutinized his raised eyebrow as I spoke quietly. It had the same arched shape as Ezra’s. “He and I aren’t involved outside of friendship and business.” Score to the big ol’ liar who didn’t flinch under pressure.

His head cocked, face perfectly expressionless, as he spoke barely above a whisper. “What were you two doing together in the supply closet last night at King Nelson’s party?”

“Arguing,” Ezra stated instantly, earning his father’s gaze, which was convenient since I froze.

“For close to an hour?”

“Yes.”

“The argument was about?”

Ezra hesitated, and I said, “A personal issue.”

Cahal’s dark gaze turned steady on me. “Personal?”

“Yes.” I shrugged. “We’re friends, so we tend to have those.”

Instant. “Who was the father of your babies?”

My gaze narrowed. “That is none of your business.”

“Perhaps.” He nodded once. “But how is it the father didn’t know you were pregnant? Any Shifter male knows by scent alone.”

My lips thinned, digging myself deeper. “I was only with him once.”

He hummed, eyes to Ezra. “And you’ve tasted her blood before?”

“If you’re asking if I have bitten her in a sexual act, the answer is no, since I’ve already stated we’ve never been involved,” Ezra growled, his jaw clenched tight. “And I think that’s enough of your inappropriate questions.”

“One more,” he whispered delicately, his eyes steady on his son. “Why were you as heartbroken as Ms Ruckler when she miscarried?”

I stared at his eyebrows, scrutinizing them hard, trying to think of nothing. Of course, his dad had been scenting Ezra’s emotions during that time. He had been right there, watching over his son. He hadn’t been there for me. In retrospect, I should have made him leave.

I heard Ezra’s heart pound erratically for the barest moment, before he got himself under control, stating, “Lily’s my friend. It hurt me to see her hurting.”

Both his parents stared at him.

I cleared my throat, glancing at Ezra with a small smile. “A meal is never just a meal when I’m involved.” I placed my napkin on the table. “I think I’m going to head out so you three can enjoy yourselves.” I did feel bad for ruining their obviously good time together.

Vivian’s hand shot out. “No. Please, don’t.” She tilted her head at Cahal. “He doesn’t know when to quit sometimes.” She motioned at the buffet. “We’ll get some coffee and the four of us will talk,” she eyed her mate, “civilly.”

Ezra’s gaze was steady on mine. “It’s up to you.”

I paused.

My gaze roamed over the almond shape of his green eyes, which could be large and expressive or carefully blank and were hidden behind his thick lashes, then over his dark arched eyebrows, his sharp cheekbones, the complexion of his mocha skin, his strong jaw with its severe angles, and his full, wide red lips, which were parted slightly, his straight white teeth flashing between them. He looked so much like his father. I knew that deep within him he was much the same, so that I could truly respect one, and not the other, wasn’t fair. I inhaled deeply and nodded. “I’ll stay.” And try to not let his father rattle me, and hope my being here wouldn’t ruin his family’s comradeship.

Ezra’s lips quirked, one eyebrow rising. “That’s brave, after an Elder Zeller examination.” His eyes took their own slow perusal of each of my features. “You’re a regular glutton for punishment.”

“Or,” I held up a finger, “I just really want another cup of coffee.”

He chuckled softly. “Or there’s that.”

My lips lifted, actually happy to be staying. “And more banana pudding, since you ate it all.” To spend more time with him.

His scowl was completely fake. “You had the last bite.”

I hummed. “You can have the last one this time, since I’ve completely,” my eyes rolled grandly, “upset your delicate sensibilities.”

His grin was slow, like the sun peeking out behind a cloud to eventually cast its full glory on you. “Finally, you see the error of your ways.”

“Oh, no,” I murmured, eyes caught on the beauty he was gracing me with. “I’m not conceding anything. I’m only informing you of your gentle constitution and the kindness I’m offering.” My own grin fanned my face as slowly as his had when he choked, completely enjoying myself.

Shaking his head, he started chuckling, and gazed at my mouth. “Shall we?” He scooted his chair back. “I’ll get the coffee.”

I nodded. “And I’ll get the pudding.”

We glanced at his parents, waiting for them. They were staring at us — again — and I was pretty sure they weren’t even blinking. Cahal opened his mouth, but Vivian stood abruptly, placing her hand on his shoulder, her eyes on her mate. “I’ll get our coffee. Just sit here and enjoy the,” she cleared her throat, “silence.”

Little by little, his mouth shut, and he grunted.

Yep, a lot like his son.

Antonio joined us fifteen minutes later. He sat next to me with his arm over the back of my chair. At first, Ezra and I had both been quiet at his arrival — neither of us had been completely comfortable with him after his threat. But eventually, Ezra laughed at something he said. The conversation was not at all like the first part of our brunch as Vivian led the discussion, keeping the topics less painful.

When Cahal snuck in a question about where I had grown up and what schools I had attended, Antonio answered smoothly, lying out of his ass as he rested his hand on my shoulder. I finally glanced at him when Vivian enquired about my mother, and he recounted a story which made me smile as he laughed. His golden gaze met mine, and he leaned over, placing a kiss on my forehead and murmuring, “I love you, Lil.”

I forgave him for everything at that instant, knowing I didn’t understand everything there was to him. His layers were as deep as my own. But the truth was there. I loved him and he loved me. My grin was a little watery, but I sniffed the tears back, resting my head against his shoulder, and joined the conversation around me. A meal became simply a meal.

Exactly two weeks after Ezra and I became sexually active with one another again, the Kings decided to hold a movie night down in the fighting arena, which was the largest area of clear space, since some of the natives were becoming restless as the rumors of war escalated even further, which weren’t at all off base, judging from our intel meetings. The Kings also decided that when it was all said and done, the four Prodigies were going to be on clean-up duty, calling it ‘cleaning up our subjects’ messes’. Of course, they told us while laughing at their own ‘superb intellect’ practically in our faces. But we weren’t going to let that get us down. All four of us loved a great movie marathon, and the Kings had picked out three perfect films — a romance, a comedy, and an old scary flick, which was pretty much a comedy to a Mystical.

Mages had arranged the sublevels with rows of black leather couches, slanting the bleachers, and set up an enormous movie screen at the end of one wall. The kitchen staff served buffets at the other end full of hot dogs, nachos, and candy galore. Add in the popcorn and soda fountains, which were magically replenished, and it was a packed house. So much so, I was betting that the Kings would do this at least once a week, though hopefully without us always on clean-up detail.

I stood with Pearl in line for drinks, staring at Ezra, who was standing near where we were sitting. There was a pretty Vampire woman talking with him. Oddly, she had a tiny Maltese dog in her purse, which she kept shushing when it made barely a sound. And she had very friendly hands. It was almost comical to watch Ezra trying to evade them, making me feel better. Ezra and I hadn’t talked about sleeping with other people, but that was only because we just weren’t doing it, so we never actually needed to have ‘the talk’.

“Do you know who that is?” I asked, chewing on my lip.

Pearl followed the direction of my gaze. “I think it’s Daisy or Petunia or something like that.”

My eyebrows slammed together. “Rose?”

“Yep, that’s it.” Pearl nodded. “She ate with us at lunch one day weeks ago when…” She cleared her throat. “Never mind.”

I snorted. “I know about them.” I stared at her dog, evil thoughts entering my mind. “I do believe she wants a repeat with Ezra.”

Pearl snorted that time. “He looks like he has to pee, he’s moving around so much trying to escape her clutches.” She leaned forward, squinting. “God, are her nails painted pink? On a Vamp?” She paused. “And black polka dots. Whew, she’s something else.”

“An experience…and she sprinkles her bed with rose petals,” I murmured, my power flaring at the dog, which finally glanced my way. “But she’s not going to smell so pretty anymore.” And my eyes flashed for the barest moment, capturing the dog’s complete attention as I pushed my will on it. That was all it took. I rocked back on my heels, stuffing my hands in my pockets and grinning like a fiend.

“What was that?” Pearl whispered. “It was only a tiny fluctuation.”

“Tiny bit for a tiny dog.” I nodded toward Ezra and Rose. “Watch and learn.”

Her attention snapped to them as we slowly moved in the line. We watched as Rose and Ezra both sniffed the air, right before Rose peered down at her little, innocent pooch. She opened her purse wider. Pearl and I both blinked in surprise as she screamed bloody murder, holding the bag and dog out at arm’s length, literally running through the obstacle of couches and out the fighting arena’s doors, her shout following her.

The place had gone silent.

I slapped a hand over my mouth so my laughter didn’t attract any undue attention. And, God, was Ezra’s face priceless. He shook his head at his dad and mom, who were sitting on the couch behind our reserved one, clearly confused.

Pearl was gurgling, making an odd swallowing noise. “Poor dog.”

And I couldn’t help it, my laughter just busted out. Loud and booming. She had the right of it.

Conversation had begun to pick up again, saving me from everyone looking in my direction, but Ezra’s eyes snapped to me, his keen hearing picking up my laughter. I wiped a tear from my eye, waggling my fingers at him as he blinked. I mouthed, “You’re welcome.” He stared, his eyes slowly widening.

Pearl was cracking up, too, but quickly stepped in front of me when Cahal began to turn his head to see who his son was staring at. “I’ll have to remember you can do that.”

Rubbing my stomach, my muscles cramping from laughing so hard, I chuckled, “We’ve put a herd of predators to sleep before.” My gaze met her watering one. “I can handle a dog’s bowels.” Not to mention, King Kincaid had been taking me out into the woods for the past few days, having me call wolves in preparation for the upcoming war. They were my animal. It was pretty awesome to be able to control them with a single growl and my will.

Ezra and Jack had already gotten our popcorn, so when Pearl and I sat on the center of the couch, we exchanged their drinks for our salty, buttery goodness. Ezra still stood, tipping back his beer, eyeing me. I dug into my popcorn so I wouldn’t laugh. Jack sat on the arm of the couch, taking his own swig of beer, watching us. Pearl’s shoulders started shaking under their gazes, and Jack instantly glanced at me, to which I opened my eyes wide in mock shock, before grinning.

“Genius,” he mouthed, then took a sip of his beer.

I bowed my head, and then scented cigarette smoke. My eyes traveled to Ezra, who was taking a drag on a cigarette, still staring at me. From behind me, Vivian stated loudly, “Dear, that is just obscene.” A pause. “And it stinks.”

“Would you prefer I smoke something a bit more herbal?” Ezra drawled, his gaze moving over my head, daring her as he grinned evilly.

I heard her gasp. “You would never.”

“Of course not, Mom,” he murmured, eyes twinkling and roving back to me. “Does the smell bother a Shifter’s nose?”

I shook my head, the scent mixing with his pretty damn deliciously. “It’s not bad.”

“Speak for yourself,” Elder Merrick griped behind me and to the right. “It’s fucking repulsive.”

Ezra purposely blew the smoke his way, but his eyes were on me. “How’s your popcorn?”

“Good, thank you.” My head cocked in thought. He was watching me awfully hard. “Mad?”

His lips quirked around his beer. He swallowed, shaking his head. “No. More…intrigued.”

That was a relief. If he had been upset about Rose I probably wouldn’t have had it in me to apologize. “Good beer?” I munched on my food with my eyes on him, returning the favor.

“Yes, thank you.”

Abruptly, a black envelope hovered in front of my face, obstructing my view of Ezra. Blinking, I tilted my head back to look at it. It smelled of wolf and hung in midair, obviously spelled. It had my name on it. Wiping my hands on my pant legs, I plucked it from the air. Shrugging at Ezra when he raised an eyebrow, I opened it curiously.

Read its contents.

Quickly, I wiped all expression from my face.

I had known this would happen. King Kincaid had prepared me for it. Still, it was a shock to the system. But there was nothing to be done except to handle it.

“Problem?” Ezra asked, more than likely scenting my emotions.

“No. Just some Shifter shit,” I mumbled, lying out my ass as I set my popcorn and drink down on the ground, standing. “I’ll be back in a bit.” He stepped in front of me, but I quickly stuffed the envelope in my pocket before he could peek at its contents, smiling up at him. “Nothing major.” He couldn’t be involved in this. It was mine to handle.

His head cocked. “Sure?”

“Mmm-hmm.” I nodded. “I’ll be back before the movie starts.”

Resting against the back of the couch in front of us, he drawled, “Alright.” His lips curled around his cigarette, taking a drag, his green eyes watchful.

I hadn’t fooled him, but he wasn’t going to push so I gave him another smile before turning to where the Kings and Elders were. Elder Merrick was talking with King Nelson, but I caught his eye. His speech faltered. Raising my eyebrows, I tilted my head slightly toward the exit. When he gave the briefest nod, I started moving through the couches, trying not to let my nerves get the better of me. One glance at King Kincaid and Elder Talus, and they were quickly following. There had to be three witnesses for a formal challenge. That was what I had in my pocket, and what I couldn’t believe some fuck was doing during a time like this. On the brink of war. But there it was.

I had been challenged, Shifter style.

As soon as we were beyond the arena’s doors and heading up the walkway, I pulled the envelope out of my pocket, and handed it to King Kincaid. “I’ve been challenged, like you said would happen.” Probably not the last one I would receive in my lifetime. I was small when Shifters were supposed to be large and strong like the three men around me. That in itself was enough to make Shifters question my strength. Honestly, it wasn’t a bad assumption. I didn’t try to fool myself that I was stronger than them.

“Jesus,” King Kincaid muttered, quickly reviewing the letter’s contents. His feet stalled, before he put them back into motion. “Two? Two people are challenging you?”

“Apparently,” I sighed, rolling my shoulders, utterly tense, pissed…and a little scared. “This is gonna hurt a little.”

“Who signed it?” Elder Talus asked, placing a hand on my shoulder, offering comfort.

“Doesn’t say,” King Kincaid growled, crumpling the letter. “Only that the challenge is now. On the beach.”

“Shifted form, hand-to-hand, or swords?” Elder Merrick asked instantly.

“Hand-to-hand,” I whispered, beginning to stretch my arms. “Maybe we should have a medic on stand-by.” This wasn’t going to be pretty. Though, if it had been my tiny shifted form…that was a worry to evaluate on another day.

“Shit,” Elder Merrick growled, even as King Kincaid pulled a cell phone from his pocket, calling the medical staff. “Okay…okay. You know where your weak points are. Just don’t let them hit you there.”

I snorted. “Lord help me.” I was going to need it. A formal challenge was to the death.

“Are you sure you want this?” I asked the Shifter woman in front of me. I hadn’t seen her before, but that wasn’t saying much since King Cave was enormous. The other person challenging me was sitting on top of a grassy sand dune, watching silently. He would be next, assuming I made it through this first fight alive. “You have the option to back out.” I could only ask once per Shifter Law.

“Fuck you,” she sneered. As I thought she would. She didn’t appear to like me much. “Do you really think you can lead us through this war? Because I sure as hell don’t.”

My eyebrows rose. “I am going to lead us through a war if it comes to that.” And I attacked.

This was not what I wanted to be doing. Killing a Mystical. We needed every single viable one available to us in the case of war. But, since this was going to happen, I was going to fight the only way I knew how. Quickly, with the surprise of attack. I was going to survive. There was no other option.

Shifter power was allowed, so I hit her first with that. She was incredibly strong, but she didn’t have the Queen’s power. And as she faltered — though I didn’t even use all I had — I jumped, planting my fist into her face.

With every ounce of strength I had.

And that quickly, the fight was over.

Her head flew from her neck, ripping off completely, soaring through the air and obscenely thumping against a vehicle parked up on the hill. Blood flew into the night air and I quickly stepped back as her body fell to the ground. Covering my mouth with the crook of my arm, I turned my back to the gore, my head falling. No, I hadn’t wanted this.

A moment later three wolves’ howls rose into the night’s silence, giving voice to the turmoil inside me. King Kincaid, Elder Merrick, and Elder Talus were in their shifted forms as was tradition for a challenge. They sat on their haunches, spread in a triangle around the beach, far enough away to give the challenger and me plenty of room to fight. Elder Talus began taking a few steps in my direction, and I quickly held out a hand. “No. Leave me.” It came out brusque and choke-full of the misery that had taken hold. He stopped moving, lowering his head in understanding.

I moved downwind, breathing in the cool air coming from the ocean before turning my head, and shouting, “Medic.” A Mage rushed forward from the cave’s entrance, sidestepping the decapitated Shifter. I held my hand out. “It’s broken.” I had felt the bones snap, but there was no physical pain. Nothing overrode the sorrow for taking her life.

The medic quickly fixed my hand, popping noises erupting over the sounds of the waves crashing and the wind picking up. I didn’t watch as the Mage worked, his hands glowing as he healed the injury, instead staring up at the silent Shifter who had wanted this challenge. Once the medic moved away, I leapt into the air, landing at the edge of the sand dune he sat on.

He wasn’t as big as King Kincaid, but by the length of his legs in his sitting position I gauged him to be at least a foot taller than me. His muscles were well defined under the black t-shirt and jeans he wore, his black-and-light streaked hair glistening silver under the moon’s light. His features were beautiful in their harshness while he stared at me with unflinching dark eyes, digging his shoeless feet further into the sand, preparing for an instant attack, even though he didn’t rise.

But there was one thing that gave me pause.

Where the previous Shifter had power pouring from her in an effort to intimidate me, he was the exact opposite. In fact, I sensed nothing from him. Not a damn thing. He was completely masking, which shocked me just as much as it made me wary. The only indication he was Shifter was the heavy scent of wolf pouring from him, thanks to a recent shift. Pushing all thoughts of the previous fight aside, I walked toward him. Cautiously. “How did you get mixed up with her?” They were nothing alike.

“She only saw me writing the note.” He shrugged, his shoulders tense for action. “She wanted to be added to it.” He surveyed me as I made my trek toward him. “Our fight won’t be as easy as yours with her.”

I knew this. “And your reason for wanting to challenge me?”

“I don’t agree with the Laws you enforce.” Another shrug. “I plan to change things when I’m ruling.”

“You don’t know what I believe in,” I stated softly. “I’m not Queen yet. I currently hold no true power.”

“You are no different than them,” he said just as gently, his voice void of emotion as he nodded at the King and Elders. “And I plan to kill you for it. It’s no more than you deserve for living your life with your eyes shut.”

He attacked.

He sprung so quickly and landed so close that I didn’t have time to deflect as his fist pounded into my stomach. I could only jump back to lessen the blow. Still, it felt like a sledgehammer to my gut. A shout echoed the night — my shout — as I flew backward through the air, barely tucking and flipping in time to land on my knees on the beach, heaving oxygen that didn’t want to fill my lungs. My sense of smell gone, I ducked, rolling as I gasped for air, knowing he would be coming.

And he did, the sand billowing out from beneath his feet as he landed next to me. I hit him squarely with my power, letting it all flow into him. Bad thing was, he did the same thing, at the same exact moment. My God. I did get air in as I screamed and as my body bowed in fierce, relentless agony, his magic something damn powerful. Luckily, he dropped, holding his chest and head, shouting right along with me, my power hitting him.

As quickly as we attached magically, both of our powers switched off. Like they short-circuited. Gasping, I rolled to my hands and knees, a deep growl erupting from my throat. The fucker had damn near killed me with that shit. Hearing his own growl, I tried to hit him again with my power. But, crazily, he did the same thing.

With the same damn effect.

“Well, fuck it,” I panted, rising on unsteady legs after another pain-filled screaming match. “I’ll just kill you the hard way.”

He growled, wobbling in front of me, in the same condition. “Good luck, Red.”

I sniffed with a bored air then sprung at him, hitting him square in the gut with my shoulder, returning the favor from earlier. He landed hard on his back as I rolled, coming clean — okay, a little shakily — to my feet. I aimed my boot straight at his crotch, giving it all I had, but he adjusted at the last second. The contact wasn’t exactly what I was aiming for, but I still heard his leg snap.

He only grunted.

I snorted at his show of ‘manliness’, and then lunged on top of him, going straight for his throat with my mouth. It didn’t happen quite like I wanted. We ended up rolling around on the sand, fists flying, but nothing connecting as we dodged the blows, his bum leg not giving him any problems. He got lucky after a few minutes when I felt my left wrist break. He had managed to grab it and crush it within his grip. Gritting my teeth through the pain, I slammed my fist into his forearm before he could rip my hand clean off.

A satisfying snap sounded, and I dove at his neck when he jerked. And, fucking finally, my teeth latched onto his throat. What I didn’t expect was for shock to freeze my body as his blood filled my mouth. He shouted, grabbing at my head with a last attempt to get away from the killing blow I had him in. My wolf growled long and hard, but I used my Shifter power differently this time, pushing soothing pulses toward him.

He grunted, his body relaxing for the barest moment. Just enough to quickly flip him under me, pressing his chest to the sand, and hold his thumbs behind his back with my good hand. Quickly, before he retaliated when figuring out I didn’t have the killing blow on him anymore, I breathed quietly at his ear, “Think carefully because I can only ask this once. Do you want to stop this?”

He froze under me, in the process of beginning to attempt to free himself. “What?”

“I can’t ask it again.” I pressed my elbow into the side of his neck. Where I could easily break it with the tiniest shove. “I need an answer.”

He lay under me for a full minute. Silent. Smart. Fucking powerful enough to rival the Queen’s power, just unlucky in this fight. “But…you’ve…”

And also a fucking hybrid.

Shifter and some type of Elemental I couldn’t quite put my finger on. But it was there in his blood, which still lingered on my tongue. He understood I knew this. He was also confused as shit.

“Yes, I know,” I whispered. “I told you before that you don’t know my views of the Law.” Louder, I stated, “Now answer my damn question.”

He paused, then stated, “Yes. I want to stop.”

Still, I held him down. Just because he said he wanted to stop, it didn’t mean I had to. He had instigated this challenge. But ultimately it was up to me after he decided to back off. In the barest breath I whispered against his ear, “Did you know about the beasts?”

Instant. “No.”

Truth.

“Would you ever create one?”

Instant. “No.” A pause. “I’ve taken care of the possibility of that occurring.”

Truth and truth.

My wolf growled in approval. “We never had this discussion.”

“What discussion?”

I let his thumbs go and removed my elbow from his neck. “Don’t ever challenge me again.”

He grunted, not really an answer, but I heard his wolf growl low with respect.

“Your name?”

“John Smith.”

I chuckled, getting to my feet, before yelling for the medic to see to his injuries. “Creativity isn’t your strong suit, Mr Smith.”

Dark eyes stared up at me, since he was unable to stand because of his broken leg. “I believe I could be creative enough for you.”

I laughed outright. “From killing to fucking?” I shook my head, holding my injured wrist. “Not interested.”

Eyes traveling up and down my frame from his fucking prone, broken position, he shrugged, pure cockiness, sand shifting under him. “Yeah, me neither, but it was natural to ask.”

I shook my head in exasperation, moving back as the medic arrived. “If that’s your idea of reasonable foreplay, you’re out of your damn mind.”

He grunted as the medic began working on him. “You’re right. It was a bit much.”

Hearing his bones snap back into place, I muttered, “Just a bit.”

He groaned, “Okay, more than a bit.”

King Kincaid, Elder Merrick, and Elder Talus walked behind me as we traveled back to the fighting/movie arena after the Mage had fixed my arm, I very much feeling the injury that time. King Kincaid was silent. Elder Merrick had thumped me once on the back, but was silent after that. Elder Talus was still shaking his head.

“That was the weirdest challenge I’ve ever seen,” he mumbled. Another shake of his head.

“He wanted to walk.” I ran my fingers through my hair, getting out the tangles and sand. “I let him.”

“Huh,” he murmured, giving me the distinct impression he probably wouldn’t have.

I shrugged, and shoved forward into the arena, not wanting to answer any more questions. Now that the challenges were over, I felt queasy with the remembrance of the first one. All I wanted to do was sit. My head was spinning a smidge, the memory of taking her life not as easily forgotten for me as it might be for other Shifter Rulers who had seen it happen many times.

Moving through the Mysticals who were still conversing merrily, my heart ached. It was part of my life now, but that didn’t make it any easier. I stumbled past a few couches and stopped in my tracks. Jack and Pearl were talking quietly on our reserved couch, laughing about something mundane. My gaze dropped, and I sighed heavily as I rubbed my forehead. I didn’t want to tell them. I didn’t want to ruin their good spirits, which had only recently become more commonplace. Too much shit had happened to pull them down.

Rolling my shoulders, I shook my hands out and took a calming breath, preparing myself to…I stilled, sniffing the air. My head snapped to the side as I felt something heavy land inside my cargos pocket. Ezra was standing directly next to me. He took a drag of a cigarette, attention toward Jack and Pearl, not looking at me. My hand immediately went into my pocket, staring at him as he continued to watch them. My breath caught at the gold flask I held, and I instantly unscrewed the top, chugging one large gulp after another of the smooth whiskey, the icy cold quickly transitioning to a fiery burn.

“Not too fast,” he said softly. “We wouldn’t want you puking again in front of everyone.”

A half hysterical laugh burst forth, the burn of the liquor slowly becoming a steady warmth. “Where did you get this?” I studied the flask. It was solid — as in probably real gold — and overly fancy with engraved designs, one of which was his initial.

He shrugged. “My dad gave it to me as a gift one year. I had it in my closet.”

“And the liquor?” It went down a lot smoother than the shit from the bar.

His lips twitched around his cigarette, still not glancing my way. “Let’s just say you’re guzzling some of the finest whiskey ever made.”

I blinked from him to the flask. “It’s the original stuff he gave you?”

He hummed while blowing smoke up into the air.

“Thank you.” My eyes lowered as I rubbed my forehead, my gaze catching on his boots. “Ezra?”

“Hmm?”

“Where else did you go besides your room?”

His chuckle was more of a rumble as he bent, breathing at my ear, “You lied to me.”

Staring at the sand on his black boots, I took another sip from the flask. “You shouldn’t have been there.”

“I wouldn’t have interfered,” he whispered.

Nostrils flared, my eyebrows rose at the lie.

His own rose, still bending, our faces level.

Ah, a lie for a lie.

Barely above a breath, I hissed, “You cannot ever interfere with a challenge.”

He hummed. “I didn’t.” Truth. “You didn’t need my help.” Truth. His head cocked. “Although, I would love to know what made you stop at the end of the second one.”

My lips lifted. “The world will never know.” It wasn’t my secret to tell.

Ezra blinked. “You’re really not going to tell me?”

“Nope.” I twisted the top back on the flask and handed it to him. “You’re in trouble, mister.”

He snorted, pocketing the liquor — not stupid enough to drink after me in front of people — and sidestepped the fact he had trespassed on a Shifter tradition. “I can’t believe the fuck hit on you afterward.”

I shrugged, turning my attention back to Jack and Pearl, who had caught sight of us. “He wasn’t really interested.” I glanced at him. “Where were you hiding?”

He grunted, and then grinned naughtily. “Keep your secrets and I’ll keep mine.” Probably downwind and in the trees for me not to have scented him. His smile faltered for a moment, his eyebrows puckering a smidge as he glanced at me. “You alright now?”

My lips pinched. “I’m…better.”

He nodded once, then motioned for us to move forward. As we did, I found it a tiny bit amusing the way he positioned himself next to me. As if he were protecting me, automatically maneuvering himself between me and anyone else who got too close. “Really, Ezra. I’m better.”

His only response was a grunt. He didn’t stop what he was doing even when it was King Venclaire who was heading for what appeared to be a refill of popcorn. The King blinked, his nostrils flaring, and he slammed a hand on Ezra’s chest, his head swinging in my direction. “Lily? Are you hurt?”

It was my turn to blink. “No.” At this point most of the Elders’ heads around us swung in our direction. “Why do you ask?”

Ezra was carefully removing the hand against his chest, glaring at it, as King Venclaire inhaled again, holding in the breath. “Blood. Grief.” His lips pinched as his gaze ran up and down my frame. “You were challenged?” His tone held bite to it, his eyes flashing in irritation as they met mine.

I held my shoulders as straight as I could, nodded once.

“Twice,” Elder Talus murmured from his perch on a couch. “She handled both well.”

Nice. Now everyone knew. Which included Jack and Pearl, both of them having gone mute. I clarified, “The first challenge couldn’t be stopped. The second I let go.”

Elder Harcourt nodded from a row away, sipping from his drink. “Mercy inside death’s grip is true wisdom.” His lips lifted. “Such a Queen you will become.”

A soon-to-be Queen who only wanted right now to sit and ignore everyone. “Thank you.” I motioned to our couch. “I’d like to rest now if everyone’s questions are through.”

I wasn’t sure if anyone opened their mouths to object because Ezra moved to block their gazes, giving me a tiny shove with his hand when they couldn’t see, pushing me toward our couch. It was appreciated, but I still glanced at him a little baffled. Understanding hit me only after the lights went out. Before that, it took him sitting down next to me on the couch, hitting the button to make the footrest pop out, maneuvering his legs so I could use it, too – Jack and Pearl also getting comfortable — and the lights flashing the warning for the movie’s start. It took for him to lean over the side of the couch and throw our comforter blanket that we had brought across us — big enough to cover the four of us easily without anyone complaining, although, we might grumble later about the bits of popcorn crumbled on it.

Then as the lights dimmed, the previews starting loudly on the speakers situated around the arena, his arm was instantly snaking its way behind my back against the couch, our now shoeless feet –curled around each other for comfort — hidden. He gripped my hip almost brutally while his other hand glided across my leg to clutch my inner thigh under the blanket. Only then did the light bulb in my head turn on as he exhaled heavily — a bit shakily — his entire body relaxing, though I hadn’t even noticed it was strung tight, lost in my own thoughts.

Huh. My eyes darted to him as the movie started. Apparently, it wasn’t only Shifters who needed touch when they were upset. And that was what he was. Upset. Extremely so. It was…sweet. Tilting my mouth to this ear, I whispered so quietly no one would hear but him, “I’m alright, Ezra.”

He nodded jerkily once, his grip only tightening. “The medic healed you.”

Realizing just how hard it had been for him to watch and not interfere, as I more than likely would have done if the situation had been reversed, I placed my hand on his hard thigh, giving it a squeeze. “Thank you.”

He grunted, and then murmured, “Hush.” His eyes darted to mine, dipping over my features. “Watch the movie.”

And sometime during the middle of the first show, I yawned heavily, tired from the workout with Elder Merrick, King Fergus, and King Kincaid, then my more intimate workout with Ezra, and lastly the challenges, the expensive whiskey having settled my rolling stomach and thoughts. I fell asleep, perfectly content in our sanctuary…only to be woken later.

A clapping sounded, and I heard King Venclaire bark, “Wake up, Prodigies.”

I growled, my wolf sounding, snuggling further into the warmth.

“Fuck off,” Ezra’s voice vibrated against my ear, his arms tightening around me.

“Five more minutes,” Pearl slurred.

“Hell…chickens,” Jack groused.

It was the snickering that really woke me.

And the sound of…Elder Jacobs…muttering, “Chickens?”

“Kill ‘em…bastards,” Jack snorted.

Jack mumbling unintelligibly in his sleep was nothing new, but hearing Elder Jacobs and King Venclaire? Well, that wasn’t normal. Nor were the many chuckles sounding.

My head and Ezra’s popped up at the same time, and I blinked blurrily. “Huh?” I pulled my hand out from underneath the blanket, rubbing my eyes to see better in the bright light. “Who’s there?”

Ezra’s predator growled loud in my ear, sounding ferocious, though he apparently had the same problem as me with his sight, taking a hand off my hip to rub his eyes. “Answer her!”

Someone whistled long and high, followed by, “Someone’s testy when they wake up.” That would be King Nelson’s voice off to my right.

“You have no idea,” Cahal’s voice muttered, sounding exasperated, directly in front of me. “I don’t know how many bedroom doors, alarm clocks, and light switches we went through during his teenage years.”

I shook my head, still hearing Jack and Pearl snoring, and squinted through the light. I went completely still. I had no clue how Ezra and I had ended up on the ground, but there it was. We were lying in front of the couch, half concealed by the blanket, which was wrapped under us and protecting us from the hard, cold floor. All the Kings and Antonio’s posse were standing in front of our couch, spread out like a bad fucking dream. “Nightmare. It’s got to be.”

“Jack had it right the first time,” Ezra grumbled, basically lying on top of me. “It’s hell.”

“With brooms,” I muttered, brushing hair out of my face and staring at what King Kincaid held, firmly ignoring some of the looks we were receiving waking like this.

“And dustpans,” he mumbled, eyes on what Elder Jacobs held, even as I felt him carefully removing his other hand from under my shirt, where he had been gripping my breast. One of his favorite sleeping positions. Just not exactly appropriate for our current audience. Again, thankfully, the blanket partially covered us.

I nodded toward King Fergus’s hand. Stalling. Giving Ezra just a bit more time. “Pearl can Windex.”

“Revenge?”

“I stank of it for weeks afterward. It was like it soaked into my pores.”

“Are you two done yet?” King Nelson griped.

Ezra actually chuckled, his hand slowly creeping down my stomach. “Just about.”

I snorted hard, and my voice choked as I glanced at Cahal’s hand. “Jack gets the Dirt Devil.”

King Venclaire appeared pretty damn amused. “For the hell reference?”

“Exactly,” Ezra murmured while his fingers gently pulled the hem of my shirt down. “Well, that about does it.”

My head lolled back against Ezra’s chest as I began to laugh my ass off.

“Ignore her.” Ezra patted the back of my head. “I think she smoked something herbal.”

King Venclaire snorted, but coughed over it, then took the broom King Kincaid held next to him. I blinked as he whacked Jack and Pearl, whose snores turned to shouts, up on top of the couch. The broom was suddenly back in King Kincaid’s hand, and King Venclaire pointed at him, saying, “I believe he did it.”

“What?” Jack muttered loudly. A pause. “Hey! Where the hell are Ezra and Lily?”

“Down here!” I called, my chin quivering as I waggled my fingers. “Somehow.”

“That happened during the…” Elder Merrick paused, looking at King Kincaid. “What? During the second movie?”

King Kincaid’s head tilted. “Well, it all started during the first when Pearl fell asleep.”

King Venclaire nodded. “Ezra and Lily were already out, and then Pearl fell asleep.”

“What did I do?” Pearl asked slowly.

King Venclaire blinked. “You fell over on them.”

Cahal pointed the Dirt Devil at me. “Ms Ruckler started growling in her sleep, muttering something every once in a while about ‘too hot’.”

Elder Jacobs nodded. “Then Jack fell asleep.” He made a down motion. “And he fell over, too.”

King Nelson pulled at his ear. “Then Lily really started hollering.”

King Fergus shook his head, a look of absolute disbelief on his face. “How you four slept through her racket is seriously a miracle.”

“Ezra started growling when she got louder,” King Venclaire chuckled. “We didn’t see anything, but suddenly, we heard a thump.”

Elder Merrick’s eyebrows rose at the Kings and Elders, prompting, “During the middle of the second movie.”

They all nodded.

“I jumped up to check on you guys,” Antonio stated. “Apparently, Ezra had used his Vampire speed in knocking Lily to the floor, leaving Jack and Pearl to have the couch to themselves.”

King Nelson sighed. “It was blissfully silent after that.”

They stared, eyes darting back and forth between the four of us.

Jack muttered, “They’re putting us on.”

“Maybe drugged us, too,” Pearl griped.

“Lily?” Ezra asked, rubbing the back of his neck.

I chuckled, extremely embarrassed. “Truth. All of it.”

Elder Merrick’s nostrils were flared, ignoring me as his eyes darted over us. “That’s one hell of a blanket.” He pointed, eyebrows puckering. “Huge, in fact.” He sniffed long and hard.

Ezra and I both stilled. Oh, hell. Had we washed it recently? Not only were all four of our scents on it, which wasn’t a huge deal since we were currently all using it, but there was the tiny fact that Ezra and my combined sexual scents might remain. Just as my own nostrils flared to test the scent, a flash of golden light shone from above us. Ezra and I both grunted as we fell a few inches onto the cold floor, the blanket suddenly gone.

“I have a very large bed,” Pearl murmured, her legs swinging over the couch, barely missing stepping on Ezra and me as she stood. “Do you have an issue with that, Elder Merrick?” Her hands were on her hips as she glared at him.

His lips slowly curved. “No, Ms Cooper.” His eyes met mine. “My own bed is large.”

Pearl snorted, then nudged us with her foot, having saved our asses. “Lily, you get the Windex.”

Sighing in defeat, I muttered, “Fine.”

And so, we cleaned.

I reeked of Windex for several days afterward.