Then the doorway opened. These weren’t just a few vampires unhappy with Aleksander’s leadership. This was an invasion. Before that night, vampires never knew they were descendants of beings from another world.
“Can I just tell you how much more fun my teen years would’ve been if I knew Thomas was an alien! All those wasted jokes…” Her eyes once again traveled to the pastries on the plate. Definitely worth it. She snatched a cheese-filled Danish, her mouth already watering.
Brock took another bite of his own lemon pastry. “You have a sweet tooth?”
Elsie closed her eyes as she savored the sugar and corn syrup flavor, moaning her appreciation. “You have no idea.”
“I’ll have to remember that,” he said with a sideways grin.
“Why did the myotis try to kill you?” The suddenness of the question was met with Brock’s silence. “I think I deserve an explanation.” She had kind of, sort of saved his life.
“I can’t say for certain. I think Cullen hired him.” At her questioning look, he continued, “Cullen is the main competition for the throne. He recently claimed a mate and there are whispers about her being the next queen.”
Great. More complications. “What do the other wolves think of him?”
“They want a queen. If his mate has been dreaming of Marella, she might have a chance of claiming her power.”
“Wait. What?” All she knew was that the dreamers died.
“In the dreams, Marella attacks the dreamer. Legend says that whoever defeats Marella will have her power. After she was murdered, she left a note directing that the next queen must pass her test.”
Elsie looked away from Brock, not wanting him to see her thoughts. She was dreaming of Marella. Maybe it was time to explore the dream world a bit further.
No! Don’t be stupid. How many others said the same thing before never waking up again?
If she really was in danger, she should tell Brock. “Why was she murdered?”
He shrugged. “Same reason as always. Some idiot wanted more power. My great-grandfather was able to kill the usurper, but it was too late for Marella.”
The sun peeked out from behind a white, fluffy cloud and Brock lifted a hand to shield his eyes. His golden eyes seemed twice as large in the sun and the rigid planes of his face were highlighted by the shadows.
For a moment, all Elsie could do was stare. Brock truly was the perfect specimen, and he was her mate.
“I don’t want you to worry about any of this, though. You aren’t a shifter. To be honest, I’m relieved. I don’t know what I’d do if I thought you were part of that damned curse.”
Maybe it isn’t the best time to mention the dreams. Time to change the subject. “What does it feel like to be a wolf?”
Brock smiled. “It feels like taking a hit of ecstasy and coke at once. I feel stronger and faster. Colors are brighter and smells paint a picture of the world you couldn’t even imagine.”
“That’s intense. You can control it, though. At the plant, your fangs and claws were out, but you still looked like you. I thought only the super old and powerful shifters could do that.”
“They don’t call me king for nothing.” He quickly scarfed down the rest of his pastry and jumped up, holding a hand out to her. “Come on.”
She pulled her feet out of the water and grabbed his hand. “Where are we going?”
“Don’t you want to see?”
Her eyes widened. “No, I don’t want to see! That seems kind of private.” She thought back to all the werewolf movies she’d seen. The change varied from excruciatingly painful to a shimmer of light hiding all the details.
Would his transformation look like magic or would it look like a wolf bursting free from its human cage? Okay, maybe she did want to see.
He pulled her off the dock, abandoning the food and her shoes. “It is private. That’s why you should see.”
As they entered the foliage of the forest, he slowed down, allowing her bare feet to carefully step around sticks and stones. “You change in broad daylight?” She knew werewolves could turn anytime they wanted, regardless of the moon, but it seemed too dangerous. He might own the land, but surely people still wandered in once in a while.
“Even if someone saw, we’d take care of it,” he assured her, as though he read her thoughts.
She stopped in her tracks and stared at him.
“Shit,” he muttered. “I mean we’d convince them they were drunk or delusional. Not ‘take care of them’ take care of them.”
He looked around them at the moss-covered rocks and bright green foliage. “This seems private enough to me.”
“Does it hurt?” She took a few steps back, giving him room to do whatever it was he needed to do.
“Only the first few times. And if you go a long time without changing, like a year or two. It’s sort of a muscle. The more you work it out, the stronger it will be.” He pulled his shirt over his head and Elsie’s mouth went dry at the sight.
Good Lord. His stomach was so tight, his abs actually cast their own shadows. Don’t stand here like an idiot. Stop drooling and say something! “How do you exercise this muscle if you live in the city?”
“Lots of weekend trips. I’ve changed in Central Park a time or two.”
Elsie rolled her eyes at his confession. Who shifted in the middle of such a populated area? “So you’re a stupid king?”
His long legs quickly ate the space between them until he was just inches away. “Not many people call me stupid and get away with it,” he warned. His crooked smile told her he was joking, but she didn’t doubt his words.
She crossed her arms over her chest in a defensive position. “You going to show me your magic trick or not, Dog Boy?”
His smile disappeared and he took a step back. His eyes closed and head tilted back. Elsie opened her mouth to point out he was still wearing pants, but before she spoke, Brock was gone and a massive black wolf stood in his place.
Elsie quickly realized her mouth hung open and she tried to regain her composure. “Brock?” she whispered. The beast moved toward her, and Elsie stumbled back a few steps.
He didn’t stop. With his tail low and gently circling and ears at a relaxed position, he wasn’t necessarily giving off threatening body language. Nonetheless, just seeing the two-hundred-pound wolf walking toward her set her nerves on edge.
Elsie pushed down her fear. This wasn’t a beast. This was Brock. Her boss for the last two years. The man she would smile at over Jackson’s shoulder. Her mate.
Stopping her retreat, Elsie held her hand out toward Brock, palm down. She frowned. Normally she held her palm up for a new dog to sniff. Did the same theory work for werewolves? Or was it insulting to think of them as domesticated dogs?
Brock moved under her hand, pushing his thick and coarse fur into her palm. He walked forward, allowing her hand to stroke him from the short fur right between his huge brown eyes to the thick bunches right were his tail started.
Elsie had always considered Riggs a big dog, weighing in at seventy pounds, but he had nothing on Brock. The wolf’s head reached well above Elsie’s waist and he had long, nimble legs with a thin waist and thick chest. Brock’s pants fell off on their own due to the new proportions.
Beginning to feel more comfortable, Elsie knelt and brought her other hand to stroke Brock’s fur. It seemed almost rude to pet him like a common house pet, but he seemed to enjoy it and continued to push himself into her touch.
“This might be the strangest moment of my life,” she whispered.
He moved his head, causing his cold and wet nose to bop her on the forehead. Looking into the majestic eyes that were somehow Brock’s and somehow not, Elsie knew he did it on purpose.
She laughed and rolled her eyes. “Fair warning, I am at my limits. If you lick me right now, I’ll probably take off into the woods screaming.”
Rustling sounded from the direction of the house and Elsie quickly stood. Brock turned toward the noise, his fur r
ising in anticipation of a threat and muscles going tense.
When Russell emerged from behind the cover of trees, he relaxed a bit, but not completely. “Hi, Russell,” said Elsie in the friendliest voice she could manage.
Russell’s eyes traveled between Brock and Elsie. She shifted her weight, suddenly feeling as if she had been caught doing something wrong. Though she couldn’t see disappointment in Russell’s handsome features, she could feel it emanating from him in waves. What the hell had she done wrong?
Maybe she was just imagining it.
“Hey,” he muttered. “I was going to go for a run with Brock, but I didn’t realize you were taking him for a walk.”
Nope. Definitely not imagining anything. “I like to reward him for good behavior.”
Russell looked her over, eyeing her shorts and shirt, which were still perfectly in place. “Not the reward I would’ve chosen.”
Brock growled and Elsie crossed her arms over her chest. “You’d be lucky if I threw a ball for you.”
Russell just shrugged. “I’d stay away from the house for a bit if I were you. Dani is throwing a fit and I’m not sure if Gloria will make it through the morning without strangling her.”
“Scared off by a teenage girl?” taunted Elsie. Immediately she wished she’d kept her mouth shut.
He smirked at her. “More like a strategic retreat. Observe.” He continued to walk past her.
She turned and watched him go, wondering who’d come out on top during their small war of words. He was the one walking away, but Elsie couldn’t help but feel as though he was formulating ways to make her life a living hell.
“Don’t worry about him,” said Brock from behind her.
Elsie gasped and jumped around, half expecting to see the wolf still there. Proving her theory that wolves couldn’t speak was Brock standing in front of her in all his naked glory.
“Oh my God!” Elsie whipped back around as the image of her boss bare as the day he was born burned into her memory.
He chuckled at her reaction.
The sound only made the red on her cheeks get deeper. “Very funny,” she murmured.
Mate or not, she’d never seen a naked man before. Sure, she had watched movies and the Internet had shown her things she wished she could un-see, but never in person.
And none as beautiful as him.
Men didn’t like to be called beautiful. They liked to be called handsome, strapping, strong, masculine, and maybe even badass. Brock might be all those things, but beautiful really was the perfect word to describe the rippling muscles. The perfect amount of hair dusting his chest and leading to his particularly large cock that rested between his legs.
This was her mate? She was supposed to, well, mate with him? Men like him were supposed to mate with beautiful and experienced women. Someone strong enough to know what to do with so much man.
She barely knew how to kiss. What would his face look like when he realized just how inexperienced she was?
Sure, she’d told him she was a virgin, but men always liked the idea of being the first. The actuality of it was different. She didn’t know what to do with her hands or mouth.
Things like a blow job sounded easy enough, but it couldn’t be as simple as just putting her mouth over his penis and moving up and down. There were techniques and tricks Elsie couldn’t even begin to imagine.
“You can turn around now. I’m decent. Promise.”
Elsie’s eyes widened. Oh God. When had she started thinking about blow jobs?
“Sorry for the overreaction. I was just surprised.” She tried to put her cool and aloof smile on. Naked guy? No problem. I can totally handle that without having a nervous breakdown.
He was just buttoning his pants as she turned and reached for his shirt. “So, you’re still you when you’re furry? You still remember everything?” She refused to be sad when he covered his beautiful abs.
“I remember Russell being a dick,” he said.
Elsie smiled, relieved she wasn’t the only one who thought so. “It’s not his fault. I think it’s his only setting.”
Brock snorted. “No. He can be a great guy. For some reason, he doesn’t like you.”
“Dani likes me and I’m fairly certain you are okay with me. Lana and Russell both think I’m the spawn of Satan. Gloria?”
“Who knows. She hasn’t mentioned you to me in a good or bad way. She just wants the family to get along so she is going to tread carefully so she doesn’t piss anyone off.” Brock slipped into his shoes that fell off when he turned. “I’m not completely me when I turn.”
Great. She’d just been completely vulnerable with something that didn’t have complete control of itself. She waited for him to continue.
“I remember who I am, family and all that, but my mind doesn’t work the same way. Decisions aren’t as logical. They are instinctual. All my inhibitions seem to go away.”
Elsie raised an eyebrow. “So you are a drunken huge wolf? Maybe I should’ve been told this before I was rubbing my hands all over you.” Her palm went to her forehead as she realized what she said. “Please tell me that wasn’t sexual!”
Brock threw his head back and let out a deep laughter. “No! We don’t do the animal and human sex thing. No worries.” Elsie breathed a sigh of relief and he added, “Don’t get me wrong. I still get turned on by your hands, but it just made me want to turn human, pull you to the ground and take you right here.”
And the blush was back. To avoid looking at him, her eyes went to the ground. Of course, once she looked there, all she could see was Brock on top of her, pulling down her shorts and spreading her legs as his naked hips moved straight to her—
“We should go inside. Russell mentioned there was some drama.” Without waiting for a response, Elsie turned for the house.
What had Russell called it? A strategic retreat.
CHAPTER TEN
Elsie made her way to the couch, but Brock put a gentle hand on her arm and led her to the loveseat. A part of her wanted to run for the couch. Loveseat. Even the name made it sound like a couple’s chair.
To save her from her sudden chair claustrophobia, Brock didn’t sit down with her. “I’m going to grab some water. Did you want some water or tea?”
Did Brock know she drank tea? Did he watch her that closely when he visited the plant or was he just asking to be polite? It wasn’t as though tea was that uncommon of a drink. Realizing she hadn’t answered, Elsie quickly said, “Tea please. Lots of sugar.”
He nodded and disappeared into the kitchen. Dani sat tucked into the corner of the couch, arms crossed over her chest, and stared at the floor as though she wanted it to catch on fire.
Hell hath no fury like a hormonal teenager.
“So, Brock said you don’t like your dress?”
Dani turned her angry glare to Elsie. “It’s horrible. I found it online and it was the prettiest thing I’ve ever seen. It sparkled and the model looked like a damn fairy princess. I look like crap.” Elsie started to say something comforting, but Dani continued. “I know I’m no model, but I am definitely thin enough to pull it off, you know? I don’t understand what is so different. Why I can’t look good in the same dress.”
“Being thin isn’t the only measure of beauty. There are plenty of other factors.”
Dani gave Elsie a glare as if to say How stupid do you think I am?
“It’s true. Hair, body type, skin tone, physicality, and personality are all factors and the weights of those factors are dependent on the person judging the beauty. That’s why they say beauty is in the eye of the beholder.”
“You really are an accountant,” muttered Dani.
At that moment, Gloria made her way down the stairs, carrying a large garment bag. “Here we are,” she announced.
The plastic rustled as she lifted the bag off and revealed the gown that was the subject of so much debate.
Elsie could see why Dani fell in love with the dress. The soft pink was delicate and fe
minine. The crystals sewn intricately into the material formed a dazzling and hypnotizing design. It must’ve cost a fortune.
Gloria looked to Elsie expectantly. “Brock said you’re good at this stuff. Tell Dani that this dress is amazing and she should be happy to wear it.”
Elsie nervously gulped and looked between the mother and daughter. No matter what she said, someone was going to leave angry. Footsteps sounded behind her and Brock walked back into the room. He gave her a weak smile of support.
“Well, it is a beautiful gown. It’s obviously constructed well.” Gloria smiled and looked to Dani. “But, the color is a problem.”
Dani and Gloria’s gazes both shot back to Elsie. “What?” asked Gloria. “The color is gorgeous.”
“It’s gorgeous on its own. But Dani has pale hair and a fair complexion with pink undertones. This is a great combination and is one of the reasons she is so pretty. However, if she wears such a pale pink, it will completely wash her out. So her amazing complexion actually makes her look worse instead of better.”
Dani jumped off the couch, fist pumping in the air. “So I’m not crazy?”
“You’re not crazy, but you are in a time crunch. Did you have a hair appointment scheduled?”
“Yeah, but we can cancel.” Dani took the dress and started to wrap it back in the bag, apparently unable to look at it any longer.
“No. You go. While you’re there, I’ll find another dress. Then we can meet back here to do your makeup.”
Dani turned back around. “What are you talking about? If I don’t have a dress, I can’t go.”
Elsie raised a brow. Maybe this was about more than a dress. “You’ll have a dress. Trust me. I’ve been to so many formal events in the past ten years, I could style you with my eyes closed.”
Dani looked as though she wanted to argue, but decided against it and pushed the dress into her mother’s hands before she ran upstairs. Gloria gave Elsie a questioning glance. “You really don’t have to do all this. We bought her this dress and she’ll just have to wear it.”
She didn’t have to, but it would be good to get the youngest of the werewolf royal family alone for a few hours. Besides, makeovers were always fun.
Ruling Fire (Bad Boys Of The Underworld Book 4) Page 9
