Unwavering, silver eyes peered into my own gaze. Finally he grumbled deeply, “Say something, Sprite. I just laid it out there for you, and you’re honestly starting to scare me.”
I swallowed hard, trying to calm myself. “I’m a bit overwhelmed.”
Slow speech. “Overwhelmed?”
I nodded rigidly inside his hold, my stomach kind of clenching oddly and not in a good way. “Yes.” More nodding of my head. “Overwhelmed.” In fact my stomach churned in a very unpleasant way, and I felt the blood drain from my face. I was more than a bit dizzy with emotions and fatigue.
I watched silver eyes widen on my face. “Sprite, what’s wrong?”
My stomach clenched again and I mumbled, “I’m fairly sure I’m going to be sick.”
There was a beat of silence. “Not exactly the reaction I was hoping for—”
“Leric,” I groaned, cutting him off by clapping a hand over my mouth, “there’s glass all over the toilet.” I stood on tiptoe, rotating to glance for any outlet but trying not to cut my bare feet, my stomach rolling. “Not good, not good, not good.”
“Shit,” he muttered, his eyes flicking from my face to the glass all over the floor before he hurried to straighten. He opened the door a bit, barking outside, “Mom, get me the trash can over there.” I heard her start to say something but he cut her off, shouting, “Now!”
Three seconds later, I heard his dad mumble something close to the door, but Leric pulled a medium sized trash can—unlike the small one in the bathroom covered in glass—inside. He slammed the door on whatever his dad was saying, placing the trash can under my mouth just as I spewed into it, my stomach crunching painfully. I groaned heavily, trying not to move my feet, which was harder than I thought. I hurried to tuck in my towel tighter so I could grab the trash can from him, since he—the One—was already silently gagging as I heaved into it again. Once I had a grip on the trash can, he flipped the fan on—as if that was really going to help with the immediate smell—but he stayed in the bathroom manfully, pulling my hair back while I dispelled every last ounce of my dinner.
And possibly some of my breakfast.
I moaned quietly, spitting the disgusting remains of my stomach’s contents. “Can this evening get any worse?”
Leric gagged, his choking making my stomach clench all over. But there was nothing left in it to come out. Dry words were spoken by the One. “I’m thinking not.” A pause as he choked on air. “What the fuck did you eat, Sprite?”
“A little bit of everything from the looks of it,” I mumbled honestly, groaning as I spit into the trash can again. I didn’t really want to remove my head from the thing for him to see, partly because it was embarrassing and partly because I didn’t want to hold his hair while he used it next. “Can you grab a washcloth over there to cover this?”
“On it,” he rumbled, sounding more than happy to do so. Using one hand to hold my hair, he grabbed a cloth off the counter. He shook the glass off it gently, then quickly placed it over the opening of the trash can under my face. He released my hair to take the trash can from me and, yes, gagged again at the feel of it. He opened the door a bit, holding it out of the crack. “Mom, take this…away.”
“Is she all right?” His mom ask softly, actually sounding worried. She took the disgusting trash can since Leric’s hands came back inside the bathroom empty.
“Never better,” I mumbled in his stead, catching my towel as it loosened again. I took the opportunity to shove Leric out the door. I glared at everyone in my room. “Can someone get me some damn clothes?”
Wincing as Roselle pulled glass shards from my feet with bitty tweezers, I didn’t glance Leric’s way. But I was pretty sure he was either scowling or watching with amusement since that seemed to be his mood when I was making him leave the bathroom. Not to mention, I was fairly sure I was wearing clothes his mother had bought me. I truly hated the pure white silk pajama pants over a matching white silk tank top.
Gritting my teeth while Roselle plucked another shard out, I watched as Queen Cooper exited my bathroom, done using her Mage magic to fix my mirror. I really wanted to brush my teeth now, seeing as every single damn Ruler was crammed into my smallish room—and all of the spirits in attendance—leaving hardly any room to move, much less breathe on people.
Queen Cooper’s lips were pinched on her beautiful face, and she completely surprised me by placing her hands on her hips, stating bluntly, “You’ve thrown up twice recently.”
I shouted on a croak as Roselle pulled an extra-long piece of glass from my heel. I did manage to growl at Queen Cooper, “Your point being?”
“You’ve also been highly emotional.” She stared emphatically.
I shrugged a shoulder. “PMS.”
Her jaw clenched, her fingers tapping on her—fake—slim hips. “So you haven’t missed your period?”
I stared, and then my gaze darted to King Collins. “Don’t you tell her anything?”
His blue eyebrows rose slightly while he rested with his back against the wall. “I happen to agree with her line of questioning.” His brown eyes flicked over my head, his gaze darting in Leric’s direction—he scowled—then back down to mine. “I don’t know if you’re on birth control. You never stated if you were. I only guessed at the theory, and then you went mute.”
Predictably, every spirit in the room went quiet, none of us saying a thing to the credibility of his theory.
King Zeller cleared his throat, his jaw seesawing back and forth for a moment, and then he quickly coughed. “I overheard her say she was on it. I don’t think there’s anything to worry about.”
Queen Ruckler blinked. “When did you hear her say that? Who would she have been talking to when she can’t speak—” Her eyes widened as she cut herself off. She quickly studied her black boots, murmuring under her breath, “Ah, shit.”
There was a beat of silence, then Leric growled, “You’re fucking kidding me, right?” And—Lord have mercy—he did not sound happy, so I was pretty content I wasn’t looking at him. The room shuddered from his anger, a definite freakishly frightening crown of the galaxies sitting atop his head right now with that tone. “You fucking listened in on us? You couldn’t have walked the hell away from your eavesdropping when it became obvious what the fuck we were doing?”
“Yeah.” King Zeller spread his legs to steady himself, while others gripped the shaking walls or bed or chair. “Sorry about that.” A black arched brow lifted. “You had to have known someone was listening in. It did go silent in there before you got too far along. You enacted some type of privacy spell.”
Leric muttered so quietly I barely heard him, “And apparently common decency is fucking gone.” The room shook again. “Just keep your fucking mouth shut about our intimate moments, and I won’t have to do anything extreme. Like gladly rip your fangs from your mouth.”
King Zeller was quiet then. But appearing unbidden, his lips twitched the barest bit. He quickly cleared his throat and peered up to the ceiling as he mumbled, “My lips are sealed about anything private I’ve heard on any nights, wherever you’ve chosen to sleep, including intimate actions, personal conversations, intrusive uninvited guests, amusing phone calls, or even interesting nicknames.”
My eyes closed in the overly long beat of silence.
Leric, sounding sickened, muttered progressively, “Fucking hell, you have got to be kidding me. You goddamn Vampire jackass with fucking ears I would just love to—” I cleared my throat heavily since he wasn’t helping, and he stuttered to a stop behind me. But a second later he continued. “Just don’t forget, I know what your supposed masculine Vampire adores to be called.”
His wide lips curved as his spring green eyes flashed downward from their stare at the ceiling. He rumbled on an intimate purr, “I have no shame.” And I swear, King Zeller was seriously enjoying himself as he watched Leric over my head.
“Just fuck off before I decide to kill your intrusive ass for the damn fun of it.”
“Good to know.” King Collins’s eyes were a bit squinty, but he spoke steadily as his gaze came back to me. “Just to clarify, there’s no possible way you could be pregnant?”
I would love to know what book he was reading to get all of his information. If a spirit Elemental fluctuated the use of their powers, which I had done, it could cause the birth control not to work. I was thankful my period had come after my night with Leric.
“No, I’m not pregnant. Jesus, that would be too much…wig-the-fuck-out much.” I flinched when Roselle quickly discarded the last glass sliver. She wiped my feet, cleaning away any lingering blood. “I really need to brush my teeth before we discuss why the hell you’re all in here.” I scooted off the bed, having to zigzag around everyone to the bathroom.
When my teeth cleaning business was done, I stepped out of the bathroom. My breath was minty fresh. “Well, I imagine Reese blabbed about what he saw.” Hopefully not all of it, just the important part. I walked to the bar fridge and glared at the complimentary bottles of water. I could really use a stiff drink. “Just what I wanted for this talk: a fine, refreshing water.”
Roselle cleared her throat, stating kindly, “It will sit better in your stomach than alcohol, since you did just throw up.”
I blinked at her. “Thank you for the recap.”
Her lips lifted charmingly. “You’re welcome.”
I turned my back on the fucking spirit Elementals in the room, grudgingly opened the bottle of boring water, and took a swig. I glanced at King Collins still standing against the wall. He was busy rubbing at his temples, shooting deathly glares at Leric’s back. My lips twitched, actually enjoying the fact King Collins was just as upset at Leric as I was for his actions tonight at dinner. I moved forward, patting his arm. My mouth opened to say something, but I stopped when a knock sounded at my door.
Everyone in the room turned from pensive-quiet to violent-quiet. All eyes in the room—some instantly glowing—swung to the door. Hell, Queen Ruckler even had a gun aimed at the damn wooden barrier. I waved a hand at everyone, whispering, “Seriously people, a real threat doesn’t knock. It’s probably room service with the wrong room.” I moved toward the door, rolling my eyes. I called loudly, “Who’s there?”
A deep rumble from outside. “It’s Brann.”
I tripped, banging my head against the door. “Shit.”
There was instant concern from outside. “Felon?”
“I’m fine, I’m fine.” I opened it just a crack to peek outside, the occupants of my room utterly silent. “Now is not a great time.”
He rested a shoulder against the doorframe. “Come on. I brought beer.”
“Not now.” But it was sweet of him that he was really trying to be a friend.
I saw it in his eyes when his ‘sniffer’ got a load of the scents in my room.
He quickly pushed off the doorframe and took a step back from my door.
I glanced down at the beer. “Can I keep that?” It was alcohol, after all.
He handed it over easily enough. A black eyebrow lifted as he began walking backward, away from my full room. “I hope it makes your evening a little better.”
“Doubtful,” I mumbled. I quickly shut the door. Setting the beer down on the table next to my opened water, the glass bottles clanked noisily in the God-awful silence. Running a hand through my hair, I glanced absently to the left, my gaze landing on Queen Ruckler. She was now sitting on my bed, a leg hitched up and elbow on her knee, with her hand covering her mouth. “We’re just friends. I swear.” I cracked open a cold one. I was in definite need.
A few beats of silence, and…fuck me…another knock shook my door.
My eyes widened even further because the last visitor hadn’t exactly gone over too well—even if it had been harmless. I took a large swig of the beer, not moving. The person would go away.
King Collins garbled, “Don’t you want to get that, Caro?”
I took another sip of my beer. “Not especially.” But when the pounding only continued, and everyone stared at the door, I sighed and set my beer down. I leaned toward the door. “Who’s there?”
The knocking stopped instantly.
“Oh.” A surprised feminine voice from outside. “Do we have the wrong room?”
“I don’t know. I’m pretty sure this was the number he said,” a different feminine voice stated. “Maybe he has another girl with him.” A pause. “I wouldn’t mind, if you wouldn’t. He totally proved he could handle more than one woman.”
The first giggled. “He definitely wore us out.”
Sighing, I didn’t even bother to open the door. I rubbed my forehead. I had a possible headache about to attack from the absurdity of the two flakes outside. “Sin’s not here.”
There was a stretched pause, then the second flake said, “We don’t believe you.”
“I don’t really give a shit.”
They must not have heard me because there was more banging on the door.
The first hissed, “We know you’re lying.” More banging. “You’re keeping him to yourself. Open the door!” A pause. “Darn it! I broke a nail.”
I stared at the door a moment, watching it vibrate with the pounding outside. I glanced back at the room. “If you have a weapon, please raise it.”
Their entirely-too-amused expressions quickly altered to blank appearances, and everyone—minus Leric and his parents—raised a gun, aiming it at the door.
I nodded with satisfaction.
Unlocked the door.
Opened it wide.
The air and fire Elemental screamed like they were in a horror movie.
While racing away.
It was spectacular.
I flicked the door shut, a bitty, evil smile gracing my features as I stared at the door.
But my humor disappeared a few beats later when another—goddamn are you shitting me?—fucking knock sounded. Grabbing my beer, I turned toward the bed. I stated with gravity, “I’m not answering it this time, so you can all fuck off.”
Chapter Ten
“It’s Elder Farrar!” The Mage called from outside, stopping me in my tracks. “I’m here to offer my services.” A pause as he choked. “And I’m not referring to sex!”
“I’ll get it,” Queen Ruckler muttered, standing and motioning at my bed as she strode across the room. “Sit down, Caro.”
Not really caring about giving in easily to the order, I sighed as I sat on the bed, rolling the tension from my shoulders. I placed my back against the headboard but quickly jerked up straight when my shoulder intimately brushed Leric’s muscled one. I was nowhere near content with the man—my acceptance of his apology was a long way off.
“Sprite…” he purred softly, while Queen Ruckler let Elder Farrar inside.
“Get off my bed,” I groused, not glancing at him. “You’re no longer invited.”
He didn’t comment, but I heard him growl quietly under his breath. Instead of doing as I said, he kicked his feet up, getting more comfortable. He even placed one of his arms on the bed, curving it directly behind my hips—not touching, but damn close.
Nostrils flaring at his persistence, I rotated my attention to him and stared directly into his amazing silver eyes. “I will hurt you.”
His lips curved slowly. “Yes, I believe we’ve already spelled that out.” Proof positive would be the dried blood still on his cheek, but more than likely he was still talking about the gun I had pulled on him what seemed like ages ago. A white eyebrow raised a smidgen, and he whispered intimately, “Besides…a little hurt can be enjoyable.”
I stared, thoughts swirling madly.
Elder Farrar was asking me something, but I couldn’t hear him through the buzz in my ears. I placed my hand on Leric’s lean hip, his eyes widening at the soft touch. I le
t my power—only a bit—flow down my palm in a livid rush. A minor pulse wave erupted between us, blowing my hair back.
Like a beautiful dream, he grunted in pain before his body sailed off my bed, taking the bedside lamp with him. He hit the wall with a resounding crash directly under the windows.
Sadly, the remaining beer bottles shattered against the wall, leaving huge stains, the glass and Leric both falling to the ground.
He disappeared, only the glass hitting the carpet.
I jumped when my hair ruffled from the soft purr against the back of my ear, “That wasn’t exactly what I was talking about.”
Snapping my head around to where he had reappeared, I came nose to nose with him. I tried catching my breath as my eyes narrowed, and I decently managed, “I’m so sorry. I guess I misunderstood.” I moved my head closer, the tips of our noses barely brushing, and I was pretty sure I saw amusement—again—and irritation in his mesmerizing gaze. “Stay the fuck off my bed before I really misunderstand.”
I lifted my hand—to which he didn’t flinch one bit—and slowly began tracing one finger over his gorgeous face, down his cheek, dragging it over his jaw. I said even more quietly, “Because you see, Leric, even though you are more powerful than me, my patience for revenge is marvelous to witness. I’ve snuck into your bedchambers before and I can do it again. Possibly when you’re sleeping and unaware. Right when you’ve begun to forget about me.” I tilted my head, rubbing my nose on his. “I believe your imagination can take it from there.” And yes, I meant it. I was letting him see the cruel, heartless bitch I could very much be, staring at him with cold, dead eyes.
I didn’t get the reaction I had expected. I readied myself for an attack, but instead of malicious power thrown at me…I received charm. His red lips curved, his gaze running over my face as he whispered, “God, you are so fucking adorable when you get all testy and furious,” his eyebrows lifted arrogantly, “and try to threaten me.” He chuckled quietly while I sat frozen, blinking at him in shock. He raised his hand and tapped my nose lightly, staring at it. “Your nose even crinkles a little.”
Chosen Fool (Forever Evermore Book 5) Page 7
