I slept the whole night through.
And woke in my own bed, gratefully. Then, I gave Sin his protection, quickly hurrying into the shower when he had groaned drunkenly falling back onto the bed, trying to take me down with him. That was not about to happen, especially in whatever magical state he was in. An hour later as I was finishing packing a duffle bag, he had rolled out of bed, mumbling, “You can do that to me any time, love.” Stumbled toward the bathroom. “Any damn time.”
I didn’t ask.
A half hour later, we arrived in the conference room an hour before breakfast, duffels over our shoulders, both of us wearing black leather pants, black boots, Sin in a sheer tight, black long sleeved shirt, and me in a hot pink, silk blouse. We were in like company. Everyone already there, including Elder Bridges and Elder Samson, who Elder Farrar gave the nod of approval on and said they had been brought up to date on what I had said the evening before, both of them smiling a bit when they saw me, surely having seen my picture on the news…or internet…or whatever…but anyway, they had known and kept silent, kept time from altering.
I stood in front of everyone, gauging their attire. I nibbled my lip, and then blurted, “Maybe we should go a little…less.” I waved a hand at them. “You all look like sex walking.” And my God, did they ever in their subtle, but deadly combat attire. “The spirits won’t know to run from you or jump on you.”
King Collins cleared his throat, eyes sparkling. “Thank you, my Prodigy…but, maybe this,” he plucked at the black tight button up shirt, which he had paired with soft black, leather pants, “is just the type of man you prefer.” Blue eyebrows raised a smidge. “Your initial reaction about what the other spirits would think is probably the most accurate.”
Instantly, like the only woman in the room, I flushed, my cheeks burning. “You’re probably right.” I blinked, fluttering a hand. “I mean about what the spirits will think.” Hopefully. “Anyway,” I cleared my throat, ignoring a few masculine chuckles from the end of the table, “first I need to get…the breath…done on Elder Bridges and Elder Samson, plus they need to accept the binding silence.” I glanced to them. “I’ll do the silence first, since the other will leave you…happier.”
Sin choked on a chuckle, his eyes flaring a bit.
Elder Merrick—the one I had only glanced at once, dressed in a black thermal long sleeved shirt, outlining every damn line of his gorgeous torso, and black cargos, which hugged his thighs and ass like a loving glove, and black boots, flicked his finger to Sin, asking me, “You’ve already given him the protection?”
“This morning in bed,” Sin answered for me, resting his hands behind his head and leaning back like a well sated man. “And it was…delicious.”
King Collins choked a few times, glancing to me, but I only sighed heavily, rolling my eyes at Sin’s theatrics…ignoring how Elder Merrick’s lids dipped, hiding whatever he was thinking…and peered back to the two gentlemen in question I needed to tend to. “Well, you heard it. It’s delicious, but not,” I inhaled heavily, “this first part.” My Core flared and two stars flew from my mouth to theirs, both their eyes widening a bit, never having seen my powers. “I know you’re new to a spirits gifts, but try to keep those expressions off your face when you’re at the Temple. Act as if this is all old hat for you.” I waved a hand at their closed mouths, walking toward them. “Accept it, then,” my lips twitched, “I’ll make it all better.”
King Zeller laughed outright, shaking his head at me, then gazing to them. “Do as she says, and you’ll be very…pleased.”
They scowled at the stars in front of their faces, but opened their mouths, swallowing, and choking it down. Elder Bridges groaned, “Dear God,” he shook his head hard, “that’s…”
“Awful, I know.” I reached down where he sat on a chair, lifting his chin up, letting my Core open, glowing. “Now, open up.”
He stared wide-eyed for a moment, then quickly blanked his expression, asking on a hoarse voice, “This is better than that?”
Across the table, Elder Farrar muttered, “Definitely.”
Appearing ill and pensive, he slowly opened his mouth, and I inhaled heavily, calling on my own unique brand of protection, then tilted my head, pressing my opened mouth to his, and began blowing slowly, and thoroughly, into his mouth. Almost instantaneously, his power flared in the room, hot and seductive and heady, so damn powerful I froze. And squeaked when my head span, suddenly on his lap, his arms wrapped around me tight as I continued my protection, not about to have to start this again with him. His Vampire growled loudly, shaking me a bit, and I felt his fangs lengthen, one fucking nipping my lip, cutting me the barest bit…and I firmly ignored the touch of his tongue dabbing over it before it healed as I blew the last bit of air from myself to him, quickly pulling my head back, muttering, “Don’t you dare bite me.”
He shook his head hard, staring down at my face, the room silent as a graveyard, and he slurred, “Fucking,” another shake of his head, his lips lifting on one side, showcasing those amazingly frightening fangs, “Christ.”
“Yep.” I patted his arm. “Let me up.”
Brann had to give me a hand when Elder Bridges just blinked.
I readjusted my shirt and inhaled a bit shakily, really happy Elder Bridges was on my side with that power show, and moved to Elder Samson, who eyed me apprehensively, even though he was still slunk on his seat, his gaze darting to Elder Bridges, then back to me. “Is this really necessary?”
“If you want to go to the Temple?” I nodded once. “Yes.”
“It’s good,” Elder Bridges muttered on a slur, head on the table. “Really fucking good.”
Sin was chuckling quietly now at the other end of the table, but I ignored him, staring down to Elder Samson, flicking a finger around the room. “You want to do this?”
Instant. “Yes.”
“Then open your mouth.”
He glared for a moment, and I knew he had all kinds of reservations, but he did as I said.
I inhaled heavily, and bent…and couldn’t help winking at him…then pressed my lips to his, blowing slowly my protection. His eyes instantly flared and his skin glowed unpretentiously, then his lids dipped as his hands…Christ…touched my face very gently, cupping my cheeks softly, a quiet, masculine groan emitting from him. I hadn’t pictured him a gentle lover, but apparently, he might just be because his touch stayed utterly soft until the last of my protection flew into him, and I pulled my head back, and stopped glowing.
He blinked slowly. “Huh.” His glowing hands dropped from my face, and he quietly put his head on the table in the crook of his arm while he continued to glow.
My brows lifted as I stared down at him for a long moment, utterly surprised. Tugging on my shirt after a moment, I turned on my heal and headed back down to the end of the table, hearing a few clearings of masculine throats, apparently, I, not the only one surprised by that softer side of him. “Alright,” I fixed my shirt again, “now that the formalities are done,” and firmly ignoring Elder Samson’s glow, I asked, “Elder Bridges, Elder Samson, are you able to listen?” I got a Vampiric grunt and a flicked glowing finger in response from their prone positions, leaning on the table. “I’ll take that as a yes, so on to an important issue. Listen and learn our Laws. If you are charged while you are at the Temple, it won’t matter if you didn’t know you had done something wrong. The Law will stand. And you won’t like those consequences, and I won’t either, because I’ll probably be the one extracting the punishment.” I stared pointedly at those in the room. “Understand?”
I got silent nods all around.
Leric stepped into the room, resting his shoulder against the doorframe, arms crossed over his white linen shirt, and eyed everyone, nodding approvingly. Although his gaze faltered on the two prone Elders…and his lips trembled the barest bit, raising his eyebrows to me. “Is it my turn now?”
Elder Bridges’s and Elder Samson’s head instantly shot up, but that appeared to be all they could do, and I turned my attention back to Leric. “Very funny.” I waved a hand at the table. “Leric, this is Elder Bridges and Elder Samson. Elders, this is Leric Damon, the One.”
The masculine nodding of heads ensued with a few slurred words before they dropped them back to the table.
Leric chuckled quietly for a moment, then cleared his throat, stating to everyone else, “I just wanted to stop by and clarify one thing.” His head tilted toward me. “She’s your priority. Should a fight commence and you see me injured, I am not the one you save. She is. Get her out. Keep her safe.”
“Leric,” I murmured through our connection.
“No arguments,” he replied, but dipped his head to everyone else, then spoke aloud to the silent room. “We’ll be leaving after breakfast, so please take care of any last minute business before then.” He slipped out of the room.
I cleared my throat, staring where he had been for a moment, then bent and picked up Isolde from where she hopped in front of me, trying to get my attention, and a thought occurred. “Who in this room has Vizoacs?”
Everyone raised their hand, except for Sin, and he muttered, “Odd kid out.”
I handed him Isolde. “Not really.” I rubbed my face. “Shit.” I flicked a finger at everyone. “Your Vizoacs will have to come with, otherwise, they’ll freak out while you’re gone.”
Elder Merrick’s wolf huffed quietly, and he murmured, “Mine is a damn menace, and he only shows up when he wants to.”
I got nods all around.
I shrugged. “Well, I guess they’ll show if they’re supposed to.”
Elder Farrar’s eyes glowed a bit, and then he murmured on a quiet chuckle, “Oh…they’ll come.”
Exiting to the back lawn of the Elemental section after breakfast, duffle over my shoulder, I paused for a moment. Everyone also stopping as they exited. It looked like a break in a zoo had occurred. Four gigantic lions, two small wolves, and two massive eagles were scattered about the lawn, all sitting proudly, waiting. Behaving…
“Told you,” Elder Farrar muttered, whistling loudly. A golden eagle launched into the air, flying and fluttering to land on his outstretched arm, and I watched in amazement as the eagle carefully kept from digging its claws in.
“He’s gorgeous,” I murmured honestly, staring in rapt fascination. I stepped closer, murmuring up to him in a voice I didn’t even recognize. “Aren’t you handsome?”
He squawked, a shrill piercing sound, and his chest puffed proudly.
“He likes you.” Elder Farrar grinned down at me. “He doesn’t like many people.”
“That’s because he’s handsome.” I nodded, smiling at the bird. “Yes, you are.” I paused, realizing everyone was staring. “What?”
Sin cleared his throat. “We’re going to ignore you just did the “baby talk” thing to probably one of the meanest Vizoacs in history,” a twirl of his finger, “and move along.”
I cleared my throat. “Right.” I peeked back up to the bird, and whispered quickly, “But you are handsome.” I waved an arm. “Let’s get this show on the road.”
Everyone having said their good-byes already, we moved toward where Leric stood with Roselle and Reese off to the side, he having said it would be better to bring them through from outdoors, even with the protection I had given them, since there was so many. Vizoacs lumbered toward us, and I heard Elder Merrick’s wolf huff directly behind me, then he whistled loudly. I heard a piercing squawk, then the fluttering of wings behind me. I glanced back, and then stopped dead in my tracks, my jaw gaping.
I stared at the biggest eagle I had ever seen sitting proudly on Elder Merrick’s hand. He was pitch black, the morning light shimmering on its glistening feathers, appearing tinged with glistening blue it was so deep, its eyes a piercing gold that peered straight at me. “Oh, my,” I blinked slow, “You. Are. Striking.”
His head cocked, and he screeched loudly, fluttering his wings, damn near preening smugly.
“You’ll give him an even larger ego with comments like that, which he doesn’t need,” Elder Merrick muttered gruffly, and tilted his head behind me. “We should catch up.”
I cleared my throat, glancing back to see everyone had continued, and I turned, walking faster, but I couldn’t help but stare at the magnificent eagle. “What’s his name?”
“Shithead.”
I tripped, barely righting myself. “You can’t be serious?”
“He shits everywhere,” Elder Merrick grumbled. “So, therefore, Shithead.”
I stared at the eagle, who was glaring—and he was—at his owner. “You are better than Shithead.” His head bobbed. “See, even he agrees.”
Elder Merrick grunted. “Too bad he didn’t get to choose his name.” Navy eyes met golden ones, “Right, Shithead?”
Shithead’s wings fluttered in agitation.
“I can’t call him that,” I muttered. “It’s just not nice.”
“Better than what Elder Zeller called his for a while,” Elder Merrick mumbled quietly, and Shithead bobbed his head in, apparent, agreement.
“I’m not even going to ask.” I moved to catch up, making some headway to their longer strides, but I froze when I heard the fluttering of wings directly behind me, then stilled completely with my arms out to my side, a freaked as hell silent scream caught in my throat as I felt eagle feet land on my shoulder, and the soft brush of wings against the side of my face…as Shithead settled down heavily. And just sat there. My wide, frightened gaze stopped on King Zeller about twenty yards away where he had turned around, having arrived at Leric’s group first, and his own eyes widened marginally, seeing the enormous eagle on my shoulder, golden eyes peering down at me.
Elder Merrick made a choking noise behind me, but a second later, I heard him mutter a curse and he was swiftly standing next to me, holding his hand out, ordering on an extremely quiet growl, “Get back over here now, and don’t do that again.”
Feathers ruffled against my frozen face, but I felt Shithead’s feet walk down my shoulder with the barest kiss of his claws before he hopped to Elder Merrick’s outstretched hand…and he proceeded to shit, his wings ruffling in irritation as he glared at his owner.
“Yes…a Shithead you definitely are,” Elder Merrick drawled, and navy blue eyes found mine. “Are you alright?”
I patted my shoulder, my shirt not even torn. “Yes, he just scared me.” I eyed his Vizoac. “He’s just as screwed up as mine.”
Elder Merrick eyed Shithead. “Apparently.”
Elder Farrar called loudly, “The One is ready to go!”
I nodded, and started moving forward again, shaking my shoulders a bit, working the stiffness out of my frame from that fright, extremely glad I still had my eyes, not really relishing them to be pecked or scratched out. Inhaling, I moved to the center of my group and glanced to Leric, who had luckily missed that bit, talking with Roselle, and I stated, “I may use some of your power.”
He nodded once, white rolls swaying about his bronzed face. “With the Vizoacs, I’d imagine so.” Red lips tilted. “I’ll head over first, and warn the Guardians.” His eyes glowed a bit, and he was suddenly gone, Roselle and Reese glowing, and disappearing directly after him.
“Alright, gentlemen,” I waved at the Royals watching from the back of the manor, but continued speaking to those around me, “I’d like each of you to grab your Vizoac with one hand, keep a tight grip, and hold onto me with the other. Whatever you do…” I stressed the words, “do not let go of me.” I had no clue how long this would take with so many, and especially, through to the Temple. “And remember, when we arrive, try to wipe the look of wonder off your faces.” I adjusted my duffle’s strap over my head, and bent, picking up Isolde, holding her in one hand easily, then motioned for them. “Let’s go.”
They instantly moved in, their excitement barely contained, trying to appear professional, but each arm hooked around mine or around my waist was tight, cramped almost with their Vizoacs around us.
Letting my Core flare to life, I glowed brightly, stating, “Tell your Vizoacs not to freak out during this please.” That would not be a good thing, and smartly, each owner instantly did as I asked. “Now hang on. And remember, game faces, everyone.”
Instantly, I pushed my power to maximum strength, and everyone’s eyes glowed around me as I concentrated on so many connections…and we vanished…floating in the cosmos, brilliant beauty all around. I heard their gasps, saw their faces flying around, their grips on me instantly tightening. But it was hard, my body trembling with the effort, and I instantly pulled through my bond with Leric, needing his strength before I lost it. The power came, my glow brightening, and I shuddered, my Core filling again. Immediately, I started pulling their tethers in quick succession, making sure to grab up the slivers wrapping around them, their Vizoacs. Sweat beading down my face, I glanced up in the dark brilliance, stars and moon and comets all around, and saw Elder Merrick and Sin, both watching me, watching my glowing hands work, pulling the tethers from the hands on me. Chest pumping with the effort, I heaved with all my strength, lifting the tethers to my lips, my muscles trembling, exhaustion almost consuming and I pulled more power down my bond with Leric, my glow brightening, strengthening me, and I whispered on a gasp, “Temple, give us access.”
It wasn’t instantaneous, the pull feeling like a rush of wind as we were hurtled through the brilliance surrounding us, everyone gasping, including me as I hung onto their tethers, or risk losing them, and I shouted, “Don’t let go!”
A brilliant flash of white light erupted, like a sonic boom…and our feet were suddenly on the sands of the Temple, the ocean’s waves rolling, sounding behind us in the twilight of the early night, brilliant stars twinkling overhead. Guardians standing on either side of us, staring avidly, but not attacking. The deep, tall white stairs lifting a few yards in front of us. The majestic white Temple lit with the fire of the stars, appearing ethereal in its glow above. Leric, Roselle, and Reese already at the top of the stairs, looking down on us, waiting patiently, a small smile playing on Leric’s lips as he eyed the men’s responses around me, and I whispered on a tired pant, “Welcome to the Temple, gentlemen.”