The Valium had helped clear, and calm, my mind so I could think properly.
Think properly on the right course of action for revenge, that is.
So now, in the pre-dawn light, I lay in wait. After Sin had done some recon for me, I had found Elder Merrick took early morning runs through the woods of the manor. And this morning was no exception. In fact, Sin’s contact told him he had taken off extra early, along with the general area. I hadn’t asked Sin who his contact was or how he had managed to get it, but I knew it was good…because Sin was that good. After escaping our room, and guards, by going out the side window, I had slunk in the early darkness, careful not to trip any of their alarms, knowing those easily from King Collins mandate the Prodigies know their surroundings, and protections.
And now, I sat on a tree limb, downwind, but toward the manor, out of sight from where I had spotted Elder Merrick’s clothing pile. My dart gun was ready, as it had been for the past half hour, and I was only waiting to take his ass out. Sure, there was another pressing matter I needed to take care of, but this one had—selfishly—taken priority, fury still boiling through my body like damn potent lava.
And revenge came by a sweaty Elder Merrick walking through two trees, his gym shorts already on as he pulled his shirt over his head. I waited a few moments, eyeing him down my sight of the gun, waiting for the moment he noticed me. Because I wanted him to. I wanted to come at him head on…at first.
And like the wolf he was, he stopped dead in his tracks not a moment later, his head cocking. He went completely still. He sniffed the air once. His lips curled viciously, his eyes glowing instantly as his head turned directly in my direction, his gaze bearing straight on me.
My own lips curled a bit as he arrogantly began prowling directly at me.
“Hello, Caro,” Elder Merrick purred softly, unfazed I had a dart gun aimed at him. “Come to try to take me down?”
I lowered the gun a bit, so I could stare him straight on, my own eyes glowing down on him where he stopped ten yards away from under the limb I was on. “Oh…I’m not going to try.” My head cocked. “I will take you down.”
His wolf growled quietly. “You are no match for me, and you know it.” He flicked damp curls from his face. “Run along before you get hurt.”
My brows rose. “Any consideration for me getting hurt was trashed over forty years ago.” My eyes were cold on him, just as his were on me. “Which was only yesterday for me, you bastard. And,” my lips curved, “you once told me two is always better than one, which I agree with wholeheartedly when you really trust the individual, so I don’t believe it will be too much trouble taking you down.” I tapped the tree twice with my foot.
He froze completely, even as he sniffed the air.
But it was too late for him.
Sin rose from the level ground a few feet behind him, dart gun raised, and shot. Aim perfect. The dart injected directly into his neck. Even as he growled furiously, starting to twirl around to the unseen adversary, yanking it out and tossing it, he was already swaying with the silver-laced sedative, unable to use his powers. I swung down quickly from the limb while Sin used his power, roots lifting from the ground, encircling Elder Merrick’s ankles, vines falling from the trees, snaking around his wrists, lifting them high above his head, stretching him tight.
“You fucking bitch,” Elder Merrick bellowed, but his head teetered as he glared.
“Yes, I am a bitch,” I murmured, putting the dart gun into my black cargos side pocket. “Especially to the wicked.” And I swung hard into his stomach, my power flaring.
He grunted, the vines moving with him, then bringing him back in front of me, but he only grinned sloppily. “Is that all you’ve got?”
“Nope.” My lips popped with the motion, and then I jumped, slamming my glowing elbow into his face, his head flying back between his raised bulging arms, beautiful blood dripping from his nose, not healing thanks to the injection as he glared back down to me. “I’m only getting started, asshole.” Then, I took my boot and rammed it directly into his crotch.
He shouted a very foul curse, his body trying to hunch in on itself.
I grinned in pure sadistic delight. “God, I fucking hate you.”
“Likewise, spirit bitch.”
Sin had a hand on the ground, keeping watch with his powers, watching us silently, but he interrupted after I rammed my fist into Elder Merrick’s kidneys. “There’s someone coming. One minute max.”
“Dammit,” I muttered harshly, glaring up at Elder Merrick’s bleeding, furious face, pissed I wasn’t going to be able to use him as a punching bag for much longer, so I plowed my fist into his eye. “You just got lucky, asshole.” I darted him again quickly, his lids drooping from the added drug before gesturing to Sin. “Make it deep. Shifters freak from that shit.”
“I hate you,” Elder Merrick muttered on a deep, gravelly slur even as he started to sink into the ground at a swift pace. “Watch your fucking back.”
I chuckled. “Watch yours. I’m sure there are all kinds of little critters down there that are going to try to burrow into you.” I waved. “Buh-bye, asswipe.”
He inhaled heavily just as his head went under the eating ground, the vines snapping around his raised wrists like handcuffs as Sin sunk him deep into the earth.
I waved an absent hand. “I don’t want him dead, so leave an air hole.” I pouted a bit. “I didn’t get to finish.”
“Will do,” Sin mumbled, and I saw a tiny air hole form. “Deep, you said?”
“Very.” I glanced about, not seeing anyone yet. “Time to go?”
Sin was still studying his work, his eyes glowing fierce green, but he yanked me close, stating, “Hold your breath, love.”
And down we sank into the ground, moving far away from the scene of the crime undetected.
After sneaking back inside and taking breakfast in our room, enjoying being coddled by Sin, missing him as I had, and coddling him right back, I knew I couldn’t miss the luncheon meeting scheduled King Collins had phoned to tell me about, clearly expecting me to be there and on my best behavior. I was the Prodigy again, after all, plus…I had some more business to take care of. I showered and changed into clothes I had also missed, wearing a pair of my black leather pants and layered black and hot pink soft t-shirt, dug my Prodigy ring out from the secret compartment in my purse, putting it back on my toe, then made my way down to the meeting, trying to keep a tight rein on my emotions.
Walking sedately into the conference room, I tucked a stray piece of hair behind my ear, and sat next to King Collins, ignoring the glances I was receiving by those who were in the room, actually arriving a few minutes early, leaning and whispering, “I’d like to talk with you privately after the meeting.”
He patted my hand. “Alright.” He squeezed before pulling his hand back, brown eyes evaluating me. “You appear like you’re feeling better from your ordeal.”
“I am. Thank you.” I pulled a sandwich and chips from the middle of the table. “Did the Elders get you up to date on what happened in the past?”
“Yes.” He cleared his throat. “Well, the parts they could remember, anyway.” He snorted as he ate a chip, blue eyebrows rising. “The other Rulers and I would love to know exactly what the four Rulers before us couldn’t remember, seeing as they gave us hell when we were Prodigies.”
I chuckled quietly, glancing at Elder Kincaid and Elder Nelson directly across the table from me, who were decidedly eavesdropping and giving me covert glances. “You know, I can’t remember, either.”
Another snort, even as the Elders relaxed on their chairs. “Sure, you can’t.” A choked chuckle. “I can imagine what it was like if you were there.”
I flicked a glare at my King. “I’m not that bad.”
More choked chuckles as a few stragglers entered the room, it almost full. “Of course not.” His eyes turned slowly serious. “And Elder Jacobs told us about what he and Elder Merrick did.” He inhaled and exhaled slowly. “I’m sorry any of that happened to you, especially after what Jacob Angel did.”
I nodded once. “I know.” I smiled sweetly. “Just doing their job, and all that bullshit.”
Queen Ruckler sat on my other side, and lifted a sandwich from the middle of the table, asking the room’s occupants, “Has anyone seen Elder Merrick this morning? He wasn’t at breakfast and we had a meeting scheduled an hour ago, which he missed.”
I ate a chip slowly, keeping my expression blank while I was damn giddy on the inside, an evil chuckle reverberating through my boiling, furious veins. As everyone voiced they hadn’t seen him, like clockwork, their expressions blanked, and all heads swung toward me. I chewed another chip gradually, asking innocently, “What?” Unfortunately, I knew my eyes were frosted, cold and deadly, while they continued staring, but I couldn’t help that, enjoying it entirely too much. I tilted my head to Queen Ruckler, staring back into her own cold eyes. “Like you, the last time I saw him, he was furious and alive.” I chewed another chip, speaking around it. “Pity, that last part.”
Elder Farrar sat at the table, grabbing a sandwich, golden eyes watching me calmly, interjecting quickly as Queen Ruckler’s eyes narrowed, her lips parting. “Lily, I believe I saw him a few minutes ago, coming in from a run. I’m sure he’s on his way here as we speak.”
“He’d better be,” Queen Ruckler muttered, and then leaned down whispering directly in front of my face. “Get over their deception. It was in the damn past before they knew who you were. Their actions were justified from what I understand.” She bared her teeth a bit. “You’ll only get hurt if you mess with someone a hundred times more powerful than you.”
My eyebrows only lifted a bit. “I don’t believe I stated I had done anything wrong.” My head dipped to her. “But thanks for the advice.”
And…speak of the devil. Literally, in my opinion.
Elder Merrick walked calmly into the room, wearing a pair of black dress pants and a silver blue button-down shirt, dressed nicely like the other Elders, but his chest was heaving a little, his black curls were still a bit damp from a shower, and—I bit down a grin—his cheeks were flushed on his olive skin, obviously having rushed to get here in the Elemental section for the meeting. Leave it to Elder Farrar to twist the words I had once used—which would only be yesterday morning in 2035—when his perusal swung to Elder Merrick, who was catching more than a few looks, deadpanning, “You’re looking refreshed, Elder Merrick.”
I attempted to contain my smile. Not only had I accomplished taking him down—literally into the ground—I had also snuck into his room and stole my short swords back. It had only taken twenty minutes to rummage through his belongings to find them. I stretched my legs out in front of me comfortably, continuing to eat my chips, and waited for his response as damn near everyone in this nosy room of onlookers were doing.
Elder Merrick grunted, swinging a leather chair around to sit down, saying evenly, “Actually, I am.” His grin was feral as he pulled a sandwich and chips from the middle of the table, eyes swinging to Elder Farrar. “A decently executed restraining technique can be invigorating, and I’d like to enjoy the afterglow and shit, so fuck off.”
I ate another chip, trying not to stare any more than the others were doing, comprehensively enjoying watching him put the truth out there to hide the secrets.
“Right, then…fucking off,” Elder Farrar mumbled, chuckling and shaking his head as he lifted his sandwich. “Although, I believe it bears repeating the house staff is a damn bad idea.” Golden eyes flicked to Elder Merrick, but slid to Aria before traveling back to his sandwich as he took a bite.
“I’ll try to remember that,” Elder Merrick murmured on a quiet growl as he started to peel into his sandwich, and I knew his comment would come up a lie under the Shifters radar, making them think he might have, indeed, slept with the staff.
Queen Ruckler instantly stiffened. “Next time you plan to miss a meeting for extracurricular activities, I would appreciate a phone call.” Her wolf huffed quietly. “I waited for thirty minutes.”
His head dipped to her. “Understood.” He didn’t apologize, just continued eating his sandwich, navy blue ice cold eyes never once swinging toward me to give anything away.
I was just biting into another chip, conversation starting up around the table again when the One asked lazily, but a bit harshly, “Ms. Jules, would you care to explain how you lost my diamond…in the fucking past?”
I chewed slowly, setting the bag down on the table, and went with a patient expression when I swiveled my chair toward the far end of the table to where he sat. Not having glanced at him yet, keeping a rein on my control for now, I stared directly into shadowed, attractive silver eyes, and lied out my ass, stating slowly, and clearly, “It was mine, not yours, and it went down a drain.”
Slow words. “Mine…and a drain?”
I nodded once, tilting my head toward Elder Farrar, but keeping eye contact with the One. “When I found Elder Farrar with it, I landed in a shower with him. He was…busy…with company at the time, and my arrival startled all three of us. I dropped the damn diamond,” I made a subtle, small whooshing motion with my hand, “and down the drain it went.”
It was dead quiet in the room as he blinked at me once, then asked in a bored tone, “You wouldn’t be lying to me, would you?”
“Of course not,” I stated, and then crinkled my nose. “Well, I guess I could be, but I would have come up with a better freaking story than that.” And, I let my cheeks blush, making myself remember vividly what I had seen on Elder Farrar. “It’s actually damn embarrassing.”
His eyes flicked over my face, and then he sat heavily back on his chair, running a hand over his mouth. “Dammit, I hate losing my shit.”
“It was mine,” I muttered, swiveling my chair, turning my attention back to my sandwich.
“Mine.”
I snorted, taking a bite of my food, chewing calmly.
And…not one Shifter outed me, every single one of them either watching silently, or eating their food calmly, even the one I had buried this morning.
Across from the One, Elder Zeller leaned forward, appearing all types of eager for information, asking him, “Now that’s it’s gone, will you tell me what it could do?”
The One flicked a tired hand, his brows still together in irritation. “It’s sufficed to say, the damn thing had many different influential uses.” Another irritated flick of his hand. “Think of the name itself. Primal Diamond…Primal. It wasn’t just spelled. It was ancient. An original.”
I swallowed slowly, the bite feeling cutting down my suddenly dry throat, taking a pickle off the sandwich with a steady hand and setting it on the wrapper as I felt Elder Zeller’s dark gaze on me, his words even darker when he muttered dryly, “You couldn’t have held on to the damn thing, Ms. Jules?”
“You have no clue what I saw in that shower.” I faked a shudder, still rocked by what the One had said. “I was lucky I didn’t faint.” I took another bite.
“So was I,” Elder Farrar muttered dryly around his food. “Teeth don’t have to be sharp to hurt.”
I chewed slowly; trying not to choke as every single man at the table blinked, shuddered, and then started shifting on their chair.
Irritated words from Elder Merrick, who talked while chewing slowly. “That, is going to ruin my glow, dammit.”
Elder Farrar snorted. “It did mine.”
“Towels on the right…” King Collins muttered under his breath, shaking his head, and then, he turned his attention to me, asking, “Did Philip Masterson give a reason for the attack and taking you back in time?”
Dammit…think, think…I swallowed my bite, and then murmured, “He was upset we had attacked him in his place of business.” And, he had been.
King Collins muttered a curse, and then grumbled, “That was damn extreme using his powers like that, but he probably figured taking you way back would get you out of the picture since you know his secrets, growing up with him as you did.”
I hummed, looking thoughtful and nodding absently…and let everyone else talk after that about the fallout from the press on the attack and any new intel the MIA had been able to pull, which wasn’t a whole hell of a lot.
Finally, sitting in King Collins office, one of the privacy spelled rooms in the Elemental section, all the Rulers were in here, plus a few of the Elders, and Queen Ruckler stared at me with cold, blue eyes, asking bluntly, “Tell me I didn’t just cover for you in there because you selfishly want to keep the Primal Diamond.”
I snorted, ignoring the few surprised glances around the room for those not in the know. “Of course I’m keeping it. It’s mine.” I sat more comfortably on my chair before continuing. “But I lied because Philip Masterson’s whole reason for taking me back in time was because he wanted to take me to someone who could supposedly extract it from me.” My head cocked. “Tell me…how did he know I had it after the One so obviously used it, since Philip Masterson and Jacob Angel are protected magically, and then the Guardian under the One’s care?”
Everyone’s faces went deathly, scarily quiet.
I nodded once. “Yep, we’ve got a traitor in our midst.”
“It had better be a fucking spirit, and not one of our own,” King Zeller growled quietly, his Vampire sounding.
“Actually, I think it is,” I stated evenly, staring back into his deadly, green eyes. “Did you notice anyone else’s reaction in the room while I spoke about the diamond?”
Elder Zeller murmured, “Reese was more pissed than the One was.”
Elder Merrick muttered a quiet curse, his wolf growling as he started pacing back and forth, like he was caged. “He reeked of aggression at the news.” His head lifted, eyebrows together, sniffing once in the air. “Do you smell that?”
I sniffed the air, but didn’t smell anything.
Queen Ruckler sniffed the air, relaxed on her seat, answering, “Maybe the carpets were cleaned recently, but other than that, no.”
I moved along as Elder Merrick continued to pace. “Reese tried to hide it, but his eyes,” I narrowed my gaze, “they got all squinty.”
King Collins inhaled heavily before sitting tiredly behind his desk. “How the hell do we handle this? We can’t attack Reese without telling the One, but I somehow doubt he will believe us.”
I spoke evenly, possibly a bit clipped in irritation when I couldn’t contain it any longer. “Let me talk with him on this subject.”
Every single person in the room froze, including me, when a quiet chuckle came from a corner…an empty corner…the sound menacing and purring, then suddenly the space wavered to show the One standing there, arms crossed, leaning a shoulder against the glimmering golden wall, an eyebrow cocked. “And what would you say, Ms. Jules?”
My nostrils flared in instant irritation. “Seriously, Leric?”
“I would have hidden longer if he,” head tip to Elder Merrick, whom had been edging, pacing, toward that corner, “didn’t have the power, and nose, he does.”
I jumped to my feet, pissed the hell off. “You’re fucking spying on us in our own home?”
His lips curved gently, but his gaze was predatory. “As I’ve been spied on since I arrived.” Both eyebrows raised, and he stated evenly, “I want my diamond back.”
“And you can kiss my ass, because it’s mine.”
His eyes flared the barest bit. “How the stars have such humor…” He shook his head. “Ms. Jules, you really should have stayed at the Temple longer to learn more.” His head tilted slightly, white rolls dangling, swaying. “Now, tell me, what would you say to convince me one of my most trusted has deceived me?”
My chest heaved as I growled, “I would say,” a jabbed finger in his direction, “that you already fucking knew, and you allowed him into my home.” He knew fucking everything about his people if he wished.
His lips curved slowly. “Of course I did. And I still am. He will lead us to who we seek eventually.” He pushed off the wall, and started stalking toward me, his white linen shirt and pants billowing out behind him, his movements altering to predatory, a hunting stalk. “And I do not appreciate you trying to lie to me.”
“And I don’t give a fuck,” I hissed, righteous anger flooding every part of my being. “You knowingly allowed a damn traitor into my home.” I slashed a hand through the air, my body starting to tremble. “I will lie again. Again. And again when your selfish and negligent actions help to contribute an attack that killed almost all of my guards. My fucking people.”
He hovered over me, his own chest heaving, and he bared his teeth down at me, using the words I once had. “They should have moved faster.”
Smack.
The One’s head whipped down to the side, but he didn’t stumble as I had hoped he would as I pulled my glowing hand back, chest heaving in the silence that surrounded us, those that had started to creep forward, stilling, waiting, and watching, ready to pounce if they needed to.
Quietly in the stillness, a tiger’s growl rumbled from his chest…igniting something…odd…precise…deadly…inside me as my fury boiled for a man that I seriously didn’t know how I still found him attractive, but I pushed it down hard, not about to lose any more of my temper, my eyes glowing fiercely on the side of his face covered by white-on-whiter rolls.
“As I said, I will do anything to protect my people.” My teeth were bared, barely hanging onto a fury boiling through me I didn’t understand. “Which, are fucking dead thanks to Reese, one of your people.”
The sound cut off inside him, and in the stunned quiet, a soft chuckle sounded, the One’s head, slowly lifting from the side, and he peered at me with slightly glowing silver eyes, a cruel, beautiful smile on his lips, the first time I had ever seen that expression on him, and he murmured quietly through his chuckle, “I almost awakened you, didn’t I?” My jaw stayed clenched in anger, but confused at the question, staying silent, locking my legs when he took a step closer, and closing the gap I had put there. “And I’m right about Reese. Leave him as he is. He will make a mistake and lead us to them. I’ve also had casualties on my side because of his actions, and I won’t have him taken down before he gives us what we need.” Then, he bent, and I held perfectly still as he whispered against my ear, “Awake for me, kitten.”
And he was suddenly gone, disappearing from the room.
I jerked anyway, stumbling back from where he had been, bumping into Queen Ruckler, and twisting around her, moving hurriedly to stand in front of a window, grabbing the edge and staring outside as I breathed through the force flowing through me. A new pure killing fury, purely animalistic, twisting right alongside utter and complete confusion, my mind churning, Elder Merrick’s betrayal sparking it and the One’s betrayal fanning it to a nice flame.
King Collins was the first to break the extended silence behind me, his tone muddle and careful. “What the hell just happened?”
I watched a bird fly by as I tried to calm myself.
King Zeller cleared his throat. “Well, if you need the recap. First, the One appeared out of thin air, and the only Shifter who could scent something was wrong was Elder Merrick. Second, the traitor was confirmed as Reese. Third, your Prodigy hit one of the most dangerous men I’ve ever met. Fourth, the One, a spirit Elemental, growled like a tiger.” A pause. “Oh, yes. And fifth, the One seems to believe your Prodigy is…sleeping…or some such, telling her to “awake for him”.” Another clearing of his throat. “That about sums it up.”
I gripped the sides of the window, chest heaving in rage and fear and confusion, losing it a bit, starting to glow as I scrambled to open the window, searching for a latch, needing air, pushing back the…fury…clawing, rolling inside me. “Air…help me get the fucking window open.” My voice was shaky and breathless as I tried to control myself. “I need air.”
“It doesn’t open,” King Collins mumbled absently.
Ah, fuck it. I swiftly pressed my hand to the window, shooting my power out briefly, and it dissolved instantly, afternoon wind rushing inside, ruffling my hair as I sucked in greatly.
“Does now,” Elder Farrar murmured, sounding mighty amused.
“Oh, why not?” King Collins muttered in exasperation. “Who cares about a six thousand dollar window at this point, right?”
It was rhetorical, but still…”Right.”
King Collins snorted a bit crazily, but calmed after a moment of Queen Cooper talking softly to him, then it sounded like he cracked his knuckles before stating, “Alright, let’s take this one step at a time, and focus on what we have a shot in hell of accomplishing, which would be the traitor. Reese. What the hell do we do about him?”
“Let him stay,” Elder Jacobs stated instantly. “The One should have told us about him, but he was right. Keep him close until he makes a mistake.”
“I agree,” Elder Merrick stated brusquely.
My fingers clamped down, just hearing him fueling the flame.
Quiet tone from my King. “I also believe that’s the best choice for right now as long as he’s watched.”
Everyone else agreed, so I mumbled my ascent, knowing he would have multiple eyes on him.
“Alright,” King Collins cleared his throat, speaking hesitantly, “I’m not sure where to even begin on the tiger bit…anything you can contribute to that, Prodigy?”
“He’s the One,” I muttered harshly, staring out at the lawn, yanking my hands away from the window to run them through my hair. “That should be enough reasoning for him.”
More knuckles cracking, then my King stated hesitantly, “So then, it’s not normal.” Knuckles. Cracking. “Is there any chance he’s your mate? Is this a possible,” a pause, “excuse my idiotic floundering, but is it a possible spirit…mating thing? He did say you should have learned more at the Temple…and he’s trying to “awaken you”?”
My shoulders shook for long moments before I started chuckling quietly, the sound pulled from deep within me, a deep hurt, but at the same time, a glory at having the freedom of choice. “All Mysticals are not created alike.”
All I heard was silence.
“Well…I had to ask,” King Collins mumbled, sounding irritated, and maybe, just a bit ticked. “Just once it would be nice to ask a damn question and have it answered.”
I stated, voice void, “And just once, I would like for you to see the bigger picture when you ask questions you shouldn’t, but I still manage to answer.”
A deep irate huff. “Caro, I am trying, but dammit,”
Elder Merrick actually interrupted, his tone curt, and overriding. “King Collins, with everything we know so far of spirit Elementals, I believe it’s easy enough to deduce she means they’re like Coms in reference to mates, so when she says all Mysticals are not created alike, it means spirit Elementals don’t have them.”
Ticking…booming…silence.
My own voice was curt, but void, as grass blew in the breeze. “Don’t any of you dare pity me.” I ran a hand through my hair. “I’ve heard enough horror stories of mates to scare anyone off from having one.”
Elder Farrar cleared his throat. “Yes, I believe Elder Merrick’s late mate would fit that category.”
“Elder Farrar,” Queen Ruckler demanded in quiet shock, her tone a reprimand.
Elder Merrick grunted. “There’s no offense taken, Queen Ruckler. She was way before your time, and she also ended way before your time when I put a silver bullet in the bitch’s head.”
I placed a hand down on the edge of the window as calmly as I could, barely managing to keep my heart rate under control, yanking that white solace down over me, knowing I had buried a man this morning who had killed his own mate, never having asked him if he had found his yet. In the beginning it was because it was “casual”, but later I kept silent for, maybe, fear of the answer…which was only more absurd now with his treachery, but Queen Cooper didn’t manage so well, hearing her gasp, and mutter, “Jesus.”
He actually chuckled quietly, the sound pure malice. “Lawfully, of course.”
“If you wouldn’t have done it, I would have even without the Law,” Elder Jacobs mumbled.
Elder Farrar and Elder Zeller both grunted.
A beat, then King Collins murmured, “Moving right along,” a pause, “since it doesn’t appear we have any current answers to the “tiger issue”, I’ll do some research on it until Caro gives us some indication she has an answer.” He clapped his hands a few times. “And until then, I’d like to talk with Elder Merrick and my Prodigy alone, so this meeting is adjourned.”
Oh, for the love of God.
“I have something I need,” I started to murmur, turning to face my King, just as Elder Merrick muttered, “Queen Ruckler and I need to,”
He cut us both off. “It wasn’t a request.” A snapping of his fingers, pointing. “Please sit down.”
The damn room seemed to clear out fast as I inhaled heavily with defeat, seeing that look in my King’s brown eyes, so I trudged to a red chair, flopping onto it, even as Elder Merrick moved to sit in the farthest seat from me. Both of us stared at each other with barely banked loathing, hardly hearing when King Collins closed and locked the door behind everyone, and Elder Merrick without removing his gaze from mine, instantly stated, “I do not appreciate being ordered to a private meeting like a scolded child, King Collins.”
“Then don’t act like one,” King Collins immediately retorted, coming to stand to the side of us between our two chairs, his gaze darting back and forth as we continued to silently eye one another with retribution in our gazes. “Now, tell me what really happened in the past, because you are both hiding the truth, and this type of hostility is not healthy when we need everyone working together.”
My nostrils flared. “He befriended me, gained my trust, all for information he wanted to obtain because he viewed me as a threat.” My teeth bared at him. “And now, I am a fucking threat.”
His wolf growled quietly. “A dart gun and a little dirt do not constitute a threat.”
“Yeah?” I smiled sweetly. “How are your balls feeling, Elder Merrick?” His nostrils flared, an angered flush rising on his cheeks, and I beamed. “Any worms crawl into your mouth?”
Lush, red pouty lips curved the barest bit. “I am going to make you fucking scream, spirit bitch.”
My mind blanked. Remembering him saying that to me before, but in a different variation, a more intimate one…one where I had thought we connected on a much deeper level. But, instead, he had been fucking me, someone he detested, all for intel. My voice was a mere whisper as I stared at him. “You are such a bastard.”
His smile was feral. “Yes, I am.”
Memories rushed in a torrent. Us, together. Our bodies’ hot and sweaty bodies rubbing. Sweet, sensual words whispered breathlessly. Dirty, torrid shouts of sexual demands. Our bodies connecting, becoming one, the most intimate of acts I had ever lived.
And it had all been a lie, a ruse.
I swallowed hard, my throat burning fiercely, constricting as excruciating tears filled my eyes, and I choked, “I hate you to the bottom pits of hell.”
His gaze flicked over my face before returning to my eyes, unflinching and cold, but his own tone was guttural. “The feeling is completely mutual.” We glared at one another, both of our chests heaving a bit in our conviction as I prayed no tears fell, wanting nothing more than to rip his damn heart out…or maybe even mine…until his wolf growled quietly in his chest, and his gaze flicked up…to King Collins who stood still as a statue off to the side where I had completely forgotten about him. Elder Merrick ran a hand over his face, then shoved out of his chair, his shoulder ramming into King Collins as he swiftly moved past him, muttering, “I’m done here.”
I didn’t flinch when the door opened and slammed shut behind him, only continued to stare at his chair, counting to thirty in my head, then standing, and moving with a grace I wasn’t feeling past King Collins’s quiet form, muttering, “We aren’t going to stop hating each other, so don’t try that again.” And I closed the door calmly behind me.
Over the next three weeks…I went on a bit of a bender. To the point Sin could barely keep up, and that was saying…enough. It was also safe to say I now had no longer only had sex with one man. Really, I lost count somewhere in my drunken state. One particular high point…or low point…I vaguely remembered King Collins walking into one of the formal living rooms inside the Elemental section—the time of day was undetermined—and ordered/yelled at the group, I believe the rodeo was in town, to get the fuck out before he carried my ass up to my bedroom, dropped me in my bathtub and turned freezing cold water on me, telling Sin’s half staggering self to straighten my ass out before he did so. That…really hadn’t helped much…since that was all in the first week.
What did wake my ass up was waking up in fucking Japan.
All without Sin this time.
Yeah.
I had managed to outdo Sin somehow.
I wasn’t even sure how the hell I had gotten there, lying naked in bed with four naked Elemental men, drugs and alcohol surrounding us.
That was a bit of a wakeup call.
Or…it was, when I’d had to call King Collins when I had realized I didn’t have any identification on me to get home. He had shouted so many curses he had become hoarse over the phone, and Elder Farrar had yanked the phone from him, asking calmly where I was. After answering, that had produced silence. Then, I swear I had heard King Zeller in the background start yelling, “There had better be no damn videos”. Elder Farrar had cleared his throat, and asked me to ask one of the gentlemen I was with their name, since he couldn’t find me with my protection. I had tried, but none of them spoke English. More cursing had occurred in the background, but after handing over the phone, Elder Farrar had spoken with them, and then told me he would be there in a few minutes.
Elder Farrar had arrived, took one look around at the self-destruction I had gotten myself into, grabbed me, and taken me back home. We had ended up in the kitchen, where he had apparently left from, and I had held my hand up in front of my eyes from the bright light, still wearing only the button-down man’s shirt I had found on the floor. Everyone was there, including Sin, who sat back, wiping his mouth off and chewing calmly, but staring at me with an expression that didn’t bode well.
Elder Farrar held up his free hand to King Collins, who started to open his mouth, cutting him off, murmuring quietly, “You really don’t want to know.”
“How long have I been gone?” I asked Sin after a moment of silence, my voice incredibly hoarse who-knew-what-the-hell-from, running a hand through my tangled hair, pulling something out of it…seeing it was a joint, and placing it with a shaky hand on the table.
“Depends on what you mean, love,” Sin murmured quietly. “Mentally, around three weeks. Physically, two days.”
“Ah.” I nodded once, hoarse voice quiet. “It’s probably time to stop.”
“Probably.” He tilted his head toward the far door. “Why don’t you go shower and I’ll bring up some breakfast.”
“Alright.” I took my arm out of Elder Farrar’s strangle hold, turning to King Collins, murmuring, “I’m sorry. And I’m done.”
He only growled…but he still reached out a hand to mine, squeezing it the barest bit as I started to move past him on my walk of shame.
“You’re not going to say anything?” Elder Merrick growled loudly at King Collins, my ears instantly ringing as I stumbled at his vehemence. “She has been out of commission from alcohol and drugs and whoring for the past,”
King Collins interrupted him, voice deathly quiet, murmuring on a hiss, “She is my damn Prodigy to do with as I will, so therefore, you need to shut the fuck up and stay out of this, especially, seeing as you, someone she had preconceived notions of trusting, were part of the problem.” As I stared at the side of my King’s face, brown eyes flicked to me, and he tilted his head to the door, his tone lightening immensely. “Go on, Caro. Get cleaned up.”
“I will,” I murmured, and quickly averted my face as damn tears started to well. “And again, I’m sorry.” I quickly left the room before I completely shamed myself by bawling like a child in front of everyone…because no matter how many men I had been with…talented, to the not so talented…I still couldn’t fucking erase the memory of the one man I would hate even in death.