Piling into the armored limo, exhausted, I yawned. It was two weeks after the beach attack, and we were on our way to chat with the President of the United States of America about improving relations. Utterly drained, I had barely been able to drag myself out of bed after the late night babysitting at King Venclaire’s home the previous evening. Combine that with my studies at school and combat classes, and I was a walking zombie.
At least I had company in my mindless trek. Jack, Pearl, and Ezra weren’t any better. They had been putting in just as many long days with our punishment and the late night cramming study sessions.
The Kings were already in the limo, dressed in their finest, stuffy suits, watching us progress inside with charmed expressions. Yeah, it was loads of fun seeing us drag ass. All they kept saying over the past two weeks was that they should have thought of this sooner. Sadly, Pearl and I had decided against revenge, for fear of what new punishment they might concoct in those scheming heads of theirs.
All four of us plopped onto one of the side seats, slumping on the soft leather — not caring if our own stuffy suits that the Kings made us wear got wrinkled — while the driver shut the door behind us.
There were bulletproof vehicles in front and behind us holding our guards and our “elite” guards — the Kings had decided it was time to introduce them to the world. Felix was one of them. I hadn’t spoken a single word to him since I had found out what he was, though I was pretty sure my friends had. Especially because of the first day afterward, when he had arrived in class, bloody, bruised, and sopping wet. He had left me alone after that but, unfortunately, still stayed close, doing his job.
As the limo began moving, Jack’s head thumped onto my lap and he yawned so big I thought his jaw would break, then Pearl’s head landed on Ezra’s lap next to me, her golden hair flying over Jack’s head, which he didn’t even bother to brush away.
I patted Jack’s shoulder, my own head falling against Ezra’s shoulder, his head falling on top of mine. I closed my eyes to the Kings’ chuckling and high-fiving. Whatever. One day, we wouldn’t be babysitting New York’s finest brats, and we would be wreaking havoc again.
“What do you really think of the precious children?” King Nelson asked, snickering.
I opened one eye, muttering, “Babysitting is the best birth control ever.”
Pearl and Jack nodded.
Ezra grunted.
The Kings thought that was just too funny. He, he.
I barely withheld a snarl.
Ezra readjusted himself, sinking lower on the seat and throwing an arm over my shoulder, allowing me to snuggle up while Pearl and Jack flat out put their feet up on the long bench seat and were snoring within thirty seconds. Ezra rested his head back on mine, and I wasn’t sure who fell asleep faster, me or him, as we listened to the Kings laugh it up.
It was a long drive to Washington, DC, and I was proud to say we slept the majority of the trip, only waking at lunch to eat enough food to feed a small army, which the Kings watched in wide-eyed amazement, then we promptly fell back asleep, sprawled all over one another.
“Wake up, you unruly Prodigies!” King Venclaire barked loudly.
We groaned, snuggling further against each other.
“Watch this,” one of the asshats whispered.
A funny feeling tickled the bottom of my feet, waking me more, but the power-driven shock that zapped each of my toes had me screaming right along with Jack, Ezra, and Pearl, and then we were falling onto the floor in a big pile of arms and legs.
Pearl lifted her head off my stomach, blinking tired eyes at the laughing Kings, and the pretty golden doll bared her teeth, growling, “I will hurt you.”
“And, they’re up. In their finest form.” King Kincaid bumped fists with King Nelson. “That was a nice one.”
“Thank you.” King Nelson nodded regally, sporting a huge grin.
King Venclaire chuckled. “I remember you doing that to our history instructor when he fell asleep during his own lecture.” Snapping fingers. “What was his name?”
“Mr. Knetter.” King Fergus laughed. “That was priceless. His chair tipped over.”
“And you tell us we’re not following the rules?” I griped, waiting for everyone to get off me since I was at the bottom of the pile.
King Kincaid bent over, staring me in the face. “We might have caused a few issues here and there, like any adolescent, but the four of you together…” He lifted to recline on the seat, shaking his head. “You four are a whole other breed.”
“Thank you,” Ezra stated dryly, grabbing my hand and yanking me up. “We do try to excel at every challenge.” He smiled. There was a little fang in there.
King Venclaire waved an irritated hand, even though his eyes were crinkling in merriment. “Put those away, Ezra.”
Ezra sighed, and they disappeared. “I’m thirsty.”
Jack grabbed his neck, joking, “Don’t even think about it.”
Ezra rolled his eyes. “A water Elemental tastes,” he cracked his neck, “watered-down.” He missed Jack’s jaw dropping as he stared out a window, pointing at tourists walking by. “Think you can let me out here? I’ll catch up at the next light.”
“You’re serious?” King Venclaire asked, and Ezra nodded. “Just because you didn’t drink as you should, you want us to let you out, in Washington, DC, so you can have an illegal Com snack?” He shook his head. “Think again, Prodigy.”
“I didn’t have time with the babysitting,” Ezra ground out, his fangs descending again.
“I think we should let him drink,” Jack stated, now serious, staring at the fangs.
Ezra hardly ever showed them. It didn’t appear like he was in much control of them. A thirsty Vamp — not to mention, one as powerful as him — wasn’t a good example to bring to a meeting with United States officials, much less with the President.
I certainly wasn’t volunteering, not with my blood.
“Christ,” King Nelson muttered, glaring at King Venclaire. “You should’ve known this.”
“Do you keep track of everything Pearl consumes?” King Venclaire spewed.
No response, because that was just ludicrous.
Holding up her wrist, Pearl mumbled, “Here. Bon appétit.”
Silence.
Pearl rolled her eyes, shaking her wrist. “Seriously. You’re not going to be able to find a legal donor in the timeframe we have, and if you go in smiling at the President with fang showing that’s not good PR.” Another shake of her wrist. “Just don’t make it hurt.”
King Nelson’s lips thinned, but he didn’t stop his Prodigy from doing this, her offer within our Laws.
Ezra cleared his throat, saying softly, “I prefer the throat.”
Pearl grumbled, but lowered her wrist and pulled her hair away from her neck.
“Thank you,” Ezra whispered before he blurred, striking so fast I couldn’t track him.
Pearl made a soft sound of surprise, and a moment later her arms fell to her sides, body slack with the pleasant vibes Ezra sent her as he drank from her throat.
I cleared my own throat, turning away from them, and started a mindless conversation on the Washington, DC monuments we were passing with the Kings and Jack, giving Ezra and Pearl a little privacy.
King Nelson still kept an eagle eye on the proceeding.
Not thirty seconds later, I heard Pearl whisper, “That wasn’t so bad. Nice, actually.”
“Here.” Ezra pulled an orange juice out of the mini-fridge and handed it to her. “I didn’t take too much, but this’ll help with the dizziness.”
“Thanks,” she murmured, drinking it as recommended.
Ten minutes later, we pulled up to the White House.
Pearl had finished the orange juice, appearing perky fresh.
Ezra’s mocha skin was slightly flushed, a healthy glow.
Jack was half asleep again.
King Nelson kept glaring at King Venclaire.
King Venclaire only rolled his eyes.
King Kincaid and King Fergus prattled on non-stop, trying to keep the peace.
I, on the other hand, stared out the window in fascination. I had always thought the White House was so cool. I was, embarrassingly, in Com awe right now. It wasn’t just that the house was so impressive, but also what it meant to the Coms in America. It was where the most powerful Com in the world lived, and many before him. That was just extraordinary.
“Close your mouth, honey,” King Kincaid said quietly, and my mouth snapped shut. “Try not to look too impressed.” I nodded, still gaping out a window, and he mumbled softly to someone, “Keep her in the back.”
The driver opened our door, and yes, the Kings ushered me toward the back when we got out, placing me between Ezra and Jack, hiding me, since I was still failing to hide my reaction to the “wow” factor. There were Mys and Coms alike outside the gate, protesting about what had happened to us. They stopped their chant and started cheering and hollering when they saw us.
Without warning, a powered fireball arced through the air, catching a tree on fire.
“Put that out,” King Fergus ordered Jack instantly.
Jack nodded, eyes glowing, and lifted a hand. Blue water streamed from the center of his palm, the water arcing through the air. Jack’s magic always impressed me, and I watched in fascination beside him. Only to catch him right before he hit the ground when he slumped into a dead faint as the water doused the flames. We were instantly swarmed.
Laying him safely on the ground, I screamed his name, breathing heavily, not understanding what was going on. I shook him hard — too hard — in full-fledged distress.
Ezra yanked my hands from him, lifting me to my feet, and held me close.
On his knees, worry stamped across his face, King Fergus tried waking him.
Pearl appeared like she was going to cry, or scream, so I quickly yanked her into Ezra’s and my embrace, and the three of us waited to see what the hell had just happened.
Too long, moments later, Jack groaned, and instant relief flooded me as his eyes opened. Blinking sluggishly, he stammered, “Find who…sent the fire.” Gasping a deep breath he, bizarrely, became frantic, struggling to stand up as he shouted, “Find who sent the damn fire!” His eyes were glowing, and his features were like when we had been about to fight the Commoners on the beach. Scary-fierce determination.
King Fergus watched Jack wobble as they both stood to their feet, and a quiet expression passed over his face. He snapped his fingers at the guards, ordering sternly, “Search the crowd for a fire Elemental in the same state as Jack.”
Jack stumbled, his direction right at us. Ezra and I each grabbed one of his hands, keeping him steadily tucked between the three of us. I didn’t understand the situation right then, but I knew it was deathly important to him, so I kept his hand in mine, holding it just as tightly as he did mine. His eyes were trained on the crowd, his lips thin as he watched the guards moving through the masses.
“What’s going on?” I whispered to Pearl behind him.
With her steadying hands on Jack’s back and her jaw clenched, Pearl didn’t respond, also watching the crowd intently over my head.
It was like a jolt went through Jack as the guards stormed back through the entrance, carrying a fire Elemental, who looked barely coherent. Jack’s harsh inhale was audible and he dropped our hands, racing to them.
Again, I asked, “What’s going on?” I was so damn confused.
“Watch,” Pearl murmured quietly, pointing to them.
Jack reached the woman, and lifted his hand. His palm was glowing blue. The woman jolted in the guard’s arms, and raised one of her own hands, which was glowing red. Like magnets, their palms slammed together. A shower of blue and red sparkles burst from their connected hands, covering them in a circle.
“Oh, shit,” I mumbled stupidly, realizing what this was. “He’s found his mate.”
Jack spoke to his mate softly where he had carried her to our limo.
She sat inside it now, her brown eyes as big as saucers, regarding him in shock and wonder as he knelt outside the limo. She was twenty-one years old, had deep ebony skin, neon red ringlet hair, was just under six feet tall, and was all kinds of curvy. Her name was Nikki Williams, from the Washington, DC area, here to kick some Com ass. I could smell alcohol on her, which probably explained the ignorant act of throwing a fireball at the President’s tree. That was all I had gotten from her since she talked so softly…but, a mile a minute.
“Well,” I whispered where the three of us had stood back to give them some privacy. “Guess the Elementals of the world are out of luck.”
Ezra nodded, then cocked his head. “I’ve never actually seen an Elemental find their mate before. That was pretty remarkable.”
I nodded. “First time here, too.”
Pearl offered, “I saw it once before. Same thing happened when their magic touched. They actually fainted for, like, ten minutes, and then there were the sparkles of yellow and green.” She glanced to the news crews outside the gates. “Jack’s story is probably already being aired.”
Nikki smiled shyly at Jack when he said something.
I almost choked. God, the girl had a lot to learn to keep up with him.
Timid, he wasn’t, which he proved by kissing her right in front of everyone, and I did chuckle when he moved back, since she swayed like she was going to faint all over again.
“Oh, poor girl,” Pearl muttered.
Ezra grunted in agreement.
I continued snickering.
Jack kept rubbing his palm and pattering his feet, antsy as he glanced back toward the doors where he had left Nikki.
Squeezing his shoulder, I whispered, “Pull yourself together. This won’t take that long.”
The man had gone from petrified of finding his mate to protective of his mate in the blink of a shower of blue and red sparkles. King Fergus had ended up damn near dragging him away from the limo. Jack had only gone peacefully when at least five guards had been left with her. While she was locked inside an armored limo.
“It’s weird,” he mumbled, rubbing his palm. He glanced at me. “She’s pretty, huh?”
“Very. You’re a lucky man,” I stated honestly.
Ezra finished speaking with King Venclaire, turning to face us as we waited in the receptionist’s area outside the Oval Office, and stated bluntly, “Let’s see it.”
Pearl bounced on the balls of her feet. “Yes. Show us.”
Jack’s lips inched into a huge grin, and he unclenched his fist, palm toward the ceiling.
We tilted our heads over his hand. There was what looked like a tattooed red flame. It was faint, so you had to look closely, but it was there.
I squeezed his shoulder once more, this time in congratulations, but a thought occurred. My gaze turned to Pearl. “I’ve never seen your mark.” Mages also got tattooed mate marks, not bite marks like Shifters and Vampires.
Lifting her head from staring at Jack’s palm, Pearl blinked. “Oh.” Her cheeks pinked, but she covertly unbuttoned a tiny portion of her shirt near her belly button. She parted the material. Around her belly-button was a pale spiraling circle of gold. It reminded me of the mazes from the newspapers that I used to solve as a kid.
We bent, staring.
Ezra grinned, peering up at her. “What exactly were you two doing when your magics touched?” Mages also had to be skin-to-skin for the mark to form.
Her flush deepened, quickly buttoning her shirt. “Uh…”
Straightening, the three of us began to chuckle. Well, well. We now knew Pearl and Gideon did, in fact, have their kinks in the bedroom.
We were sitting along the wall of the Oval Office, and I couldn’t even be properly awed because Jack’s leg kept bouncing and his body kept jerking next to me.
I glanced around him to Ezra, who sat on the other side of him, and our eyes met.
His widened, clearly meaning: I have no flipping clue.
Sighing, and, even though it was rude as the President and a few Senators spoke with the Kings in the center of the room, I whispered against Jack’s ear, “You need to quit fidgeting.”
Jack jerked again and, to no one in particular, he mumbled, “Our gift is telepathy. I don’t know how to stop it. She’s nervous and scared,” he smirked, “and she thinks I’m hot.”
I was pretty sure two of the Kings heard his rant, and I whispered even quieter, “Concentrate on building a wall around your thoughts. For me, it was trees, but for you, try imagining a wall of water. A wall as tall as the sky is high, all around your mind. Explain this to her through your gift. It’ll probably be a wall of fire for her. You’ll still be able to hear her if she wants you to, and vice versa. You need to pay attention in here, and her distracting you isn’t helping.” It was harsh, but the truth.
He nodded slowly, and went still. He must have been communicating with her at first, because after a minute, he gazed blindly at the floor, somewhere far off in his own mind. He started panting quietly — it wasn’t easy to do at first — and maybe ten minutes later his large body relaxed against his chair. He wiped his brow, grinning at me sheepishly, and whispered, “Thanks.”
I nodded, and went back to what they were saying in front of us.
The President had given a press conference two days after our attack on the beach, and much of his comments were the same here. The Mys community had the full cooperation of the United States of America law enforcement. The Kings and President were now speaking about a joint effort between the Com CIA and the Mys MSA to provide intel between the two organizations about any planned attacks, whether it be Mys against Com — this was a real possibility since, with the attacks against us, our subjects were furious worldwide — or Com against Mys. They were correctly working for peace between our communities.
Although, the President surprised the crap out of me when he looked in my direction, then back toward the Kings, and cleared his throat — almost appearing nervous, but forged on — stating gradually, “I’m not sure if you have met Philip Masterson, Congressman.”
King Fergus flicked a finger. “We haven’t, but our Prodigies have met him. Along with your son, a few months ago.”
The President nodded, smiling. “Yes, my son was impressed by the Prodigies at the meeting.” He smiled in a way only a dad could and, really, he embarrassed his son with his next words. “I think he has a crush on Ms. Cooper.”
Sitting on the other side of me, Pearl groaned softly.
I only just stifled a chuckle.
The President got back on track, saying, “What I want to talk with you four about today is unconventional by United States standards, and it’s only one idea for peace. I hadn’t even thought about it until Mr. Masterson approached me with the topic. He appears to have interest in Ms. Ruckler,” I stiffened, “and he has proposed a very unique notion for shaping a more united relationship between Mys and Com.”
He tapped his fingers, staring at the ceiling for long moments before tipping his gaze back down to the Kings. “His idea stems from hundreds of years past when two kingdoms would marry two individuals of high ilk to unite their kingdoms.” His thumb tapped again as my heart rate shot through the roof, knowing where this was heading. “He would like to build a relationship like this with Ms. Ruckler. Have the two of them marry in hopes it will show the world our two divisions can come together peacefully.”
I had no clue what the Kings’ faces looked like, but mine had to show utter shock. My friends were stiff next to me, glancing from me to the President, but kept mute like we were supposed to. I think they were as shell-shocked as I was.
The President raised his hands when the Kings continued to sit mute. “As I said, it’s merely an idea. One to think about.” He lowered his hands. “I do believe it’s a fairly brilliant proposal. Mr. Masterson is an upstanding man in the United States. An up-and-coming man, really. I wouldn’t be surprised if one day he ran for President.” He glanced to me, then back to the Kings. “I’m no matchmaker, just the backer, but I do believe they would make a fine political couple.”
He had said backer. Which meant that Philip and he were pretty decent friends. Therefore, a marriage with him right now would still be advantageous, even if he wasn’t ready — right now — to run for President. Jesus Christ, this was seriously not good.
Chiefly, when King Kincaid — my King — said, “We’ll discuss this with Ms. Ruckler.”
I almost fainted. They could not do this to me.
All three of my friends stilled further.
Pearl inhaled a giant breath, undoubtedly ready to blast them right there.
I nudged her leg and gently shook my head. Now was not the time for this discussion. If Philip was such a close friend of the President, it wouldn’t be PC to abruptly turn the idea down — and not nicely.
The President smiled, nodding to King Kincaid, then went on to talk about future meetings the Kings and United States officials had planned, which were regular quarterly conferences.
As if he hadn’t just dropped that huge bomb on me, turning my world upside down. I was seriously alarmed that the Kings would consider his idea, because it wasn’t really a bad one, politically speaking. I wasn’t ignorant enough to miss the gains it could create.
Breathing shallowly, I barely heard the rest of their conversation. In fact, Jack had to nudge me when I was the only one left sitting when they were all standing, lost in my own thoughts as I was. I was pretty sure I shook the President’s hand when we left, but I was absolutely positive that as we made our way through the White House, leaving, I saw Philip standing with a group of Coms, studying papers he held.
Stopping dead in my tracks, I stared.
Pearl slammed against me from behind, whispering, “Lily, keep moving.”
I jerked my head in Philip’s direction, so she could see what I was seeing.
He was still as handsome as before. He wore his suit well, telling me he worked out regularly. The people around him seemed to genuinely like him as they listened to him speak while he pointed to something on the papers.
“Oh,” Pearl breathed, staring right along with me.
“What are we looking at?” Ezra asked, stopped ahead of us, and strolled back.
Jack followed, both of them peering where we were.
They both grunted.
My friends, the group with normally so much to say, expressed their feelings on this topic in such small ways, but all three of them always got their point across.
Philip’s eyebrows furrowed and he stopped talking, looking left, then right. Eventually, straight at me. Those dark, intense eyes leisurely ran up and down my body before meeting mine. Held. If one man could put a thought into his gaze, it was him. After only meeting him once, it was there in his eyes. He wanted me. Not just for the political aspect.
“Diplomatic decision, my ass,” Ezra rumbled.
Jack snorted and turned his eyes on mine, murmuring quietly, “He looks like he wants to throw you on a bed and gobble you up.” He paused. “Bit by bit.”
“With honey drizzled all over her body,” Pearl whispered, gaining a look from all three of us. She didn’t seem to notice, though, peering over my head to where our group had traveled. “We’d better go. The Kings are waiting at the door. They look annoyed.”
Glancing that way, I saw she was right. Clearing my throat and walking with my friends, I took one more look-see at Philip. He hadn’t looked away. For a Com, he wasn’t bad. Not bad at all. But, still, it just seemed wrong. Me with a Com? I seriously hoped the Kings weren’t going to push this.