King Hall (28 page)

Done taking care of necessities, I was washing my hands when a knock sounded on the door, and I called loudly, “Occupied!”

Not a second later, the door opened.

My mouth was opening to tell the person, who evidently couldn’t hear me because of the wild music, I was almost done when I froze in shock. I stared into the mirror, gazing at the reflection of a very handsome man with black hair and intense dark eyes. A Com.

I sputtered, “Philip Masterson. What are you doing here?” He was dressed in jeans and a black t-shirt, looking very casual and sexy…and it was more than a little odd he was here.

He shut the door and locked it, and leaned back against it, crossing his arms. “It’s very difficult to speak with you in person. Do you know that?”

I dried my hands quickly and turned around, resting against the sink, reflecting his pose with crossed arms. “No. I didn’t know that.” I cocked my head. “Did you sneak into this party to try to talk me into marrying you?” Blunt, to the point. King Kincaid had relayed the denial months ago. I had almost second-guessed my decision to have the King tell the President but, after further thought, I hadn’t felt the need to say it directly to the individual who had asked me to marry him, because he hadn’t actually asked me in person.

“I’m here for your reason for why you said no. Not to try to talk you into it.”

I didn’t believe him, his wording too vague, but I explained, “If you want the honest truth of it, Philip, it’s because I think it would be archaic to marry someone I don’t love. Marriage is meaningful in both the Com and Mys communities. I also said no because you asked in the first place. You shouldn’t have. You were using the situation to your advantage. If you wanted to have sex with me, you should have just asked for that instead of being deceitful.” I tried to not be too harsh, considering who he was. “Women don’t need a ring on their finger to have sex, if you weren’t aware.”

He stared for a full minute in silence before he stated, “I understand what you’re saying.” He didn’t deny it. “I should have handled it differently.”

I nodded.
Um, yeah
.

“Is there any way to mend my actions with you?” he asked slowly. “Because what you said is correct. I do want you.” Well, at least he held my gaze saying that instead of ogling my chest like some.

I bit my lip, wondering the best way to break it to him.

“Ah,” he murmured softly. “It’s written all over your face, Lily. You won’t touch me because I’m a Com, right?”

“I’m sorry,” I said steadily. It was my turn to not deny it.

He nodded. “At least I understood that part about you.” He pushed off the door, taking a step closer. “But, you’re wrong to deny me for that reason.” He took another step closer. “Not every Commoner is the same, just like not every Mystical is the same. You are unfairly being prejudiced against me in the same way Mysticals can be treated unfairly.” Another step, and he was right in front of me. He slowly lowered his head, his eyes staring into mine. “Are you going to be a prejudiced Queen, Lily?”

I shook my head. “No.” A pause. “Only a little gun shy.” Ironic, that, since I had killed multiple Coms with a gun.

“Really?” he whispered. “I think I can help you overcome that shyness, Lily the Beautiful.” His lips were abruptly on mine.

I jerked in surprise, but he wrapped me in his arms, holding me still for his onslaught of leisured, sensual kisses. For a few seconds, I was too stunned to move, and that was all it took to feel his soft, heated mouth doing wonderful things to mine. Ah, God, I really needed to get laid because his mouth felt incredible. And I didn’t even like the man.

I pulled my head back. “Philip, this isn’t happening. Let me go.”

His eyes were on my lips, and he said softly, “You didn’t even give it a chance.” He dipped, and his lips were back on mine.

Okay, that was enough.

I raised my hands and started to shove him, but he twirled us, slamming my back against the bathroom door. His mouth nipped at mine too hard. Too rough. Just like his uninvited touch when he palmed one of my breasts. And I, being a Shifter, deciding his touch was
too
brutal, which was saying something.

“Get off me!” I shouted as I jerked my head to the side, pushing him roughly.

He skidded back, his legs hitting the tub.

Pivoting quickly, I grabbed the handle, needing to get the hell out of there, but my face was slammed against the door. I felt my eyebrow split open on the hard wood, and he pressed against me from behind, his hands instantly going up the bottom of my dress.

His mouth against my ear, his words were brutal as he hissed, “It didn’t have to be like this, Lily. You could have enjoyed it.”

I hadn’t expected this of him. At all. He hadn’t seemed like a rapist to me, but I guess you never knew. I grunted and shoved off the door, using some of my Shifter strength this time, and we both flew back. We stumbled, tripping as we hit the tub, and a sickening crunch sounded under me as we landed inside it. I rolled over on top of him and saw blood start to seep from the back of his head, spreading out like a ghastly halo on the white porcelain. He was unconscious. I had pushed with too much strength for a Com.

Oh, God.
He was a fucking Com congressman, and I might have just given the man brain damage. I threw myself out of the tub, scrambling backward toward the door. This could not be happening.
This could not be happening here.
Not only would I get charged, since Coms would most definitely take his side over mine, but also, possibly, anyone at this party they wanted to pin it on.

Jumping to my feet, I threw open the bathroom door, and looked frantically for my elite guards. I didn’t see them anywhere, so I shouted, “Felix! Aros!” The few Mys students who had begun congregating in the hallway glanced my way, and their eyes instantly went to my head. I pressed a palm to my forehead, remembering my eyebrow had split. The wound was long healed, but I had blood drying on the side of my face.

Aros and Felix turned a corner, and took one look at me before sprinting my way. Good. The sooner they got in here the better.

I moved aside, letting them in, and slammed and locked the door. They took in the mess I had made of Philip, but didn’t say anything since they looked mighty furious seeing the blood on my head. I stated in a hurry, “News is going to travel fast about the blood on my face, so we need to hurry. Felix, can you make a two-storey drop holding him without injuring yourself?”

He nodded briskly.

“Good.” I pointed at the tall window over the tub. “Take him to my Hummer. He’s a fucking Com congressman. He can’t be here dying. I’ll be there in a few.”

“Fuck,” Aros muttered, glancing back to Philip, then me. Yeah, he got it. I would be put behind bars if the rapist Com died and was found here with me, but Aros did state, “Head wounds always seem to bleed more than what they should with Coms.” He rubbed my arm, trying to calm me. Not really what I needed right now.

Felix was already moving, pushing the window open. He glanced down, saying, “No one’s out back yet. That’s good.” Five seconds later, he was out the window with Philip in his arms.

I trusted him not to lie about hurting himself in the fall. Plus, he was a panther Shifter. Cats landed on their damn feet, right? I turned the shower on hot, and Philip’s blood quickly washed down the drain. Grabbing spare toilet paper one of the organizers of this party had placed in here, I wet it and wiped my face quickly. I stored that damp evidence in my purse, and glanced around for any other blood in the room, scenting the air. Other than on my black dress where it had dripped there were no remains, the door clean of dried blood after Aros used a lighter from his pocket on it.

After shutting the steaming shower off, Aros opened the door for me and started pushing people away, since, yes, word had traveled and they were beginning to congregate outside the door. We had made it halfway down the steps, Aros shoving people as they tried to talk to me or stop our progress with needed touch, when I glanced up from his broad back.

My friends, who were still dancing, had noticed the commotion on the stairs. They took one look at my face and reacted much like my elite had, all three pairs of eyes beginning to glow. Jack and Pearl gave their mates quick kisses in farewell, and the three of them started slipping through the crowd.

I pushed Aros faster. We needed to get to my Hummer. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do with the Com from there. Maybe, take him to the hospital, or bury his body in the backyard if he was dead — either one was a real possibility — but I couldn’t do anything until I got to him.

Pearl, Jack, and Ezra saw where we were heading and beat us there, waiting outside on the front lawn. They didn’t say anything, but quickly fell into step with me as I pushed past Aros and started working my own way swiftly through the milling crowd.

Once I hit the sidewalk, I started a fast jog, friends in tow, and Aros taking the rear. My Hummer was a block down the road, but when we arrived I didn’t see anyone in the dimly lit area. “Felix?”

“Right here,” he stated, coming out from hiding behind my Hummer.

“Where is he?”

“Tree line.” He pointed to the row of trees where the park started. “Behind the largest oak closest to us. I couldn’t put him in your Hummer because I didn’t have your keys.”

“Shit,” I murmured, having forgotten about that. “Alright, okay.” A swift rub of my forehead, trying to think. “Felix, you need to get out of here and burn those clothes.” I didn’t see or scent blood on him, but I didn’t want to take unnecessary chances.

He nodded, eyes turning to Aros as he tossed his keys to him. “I’ll run in case you need the car to haul him.” He turned, and started a fast sprint that was going to be, at least, ten miles if he was running all the way to where he lived.

A deep breath in and a slow release. “Well, it’s time for the real party to start.” I unlocked my door and stowed my purse on the front seat. “Let’s see if Philip Masterson is still alive.”

My friends had been standing quietly, waiting and watching, but froze hearing that name drop, and Jack asked in confusion, “Philip Masterson?”

“Yep.” I nodded, talking while walking toward the largest oak. Coming out of their shock quickly, they followed. “He ambushed me in the bathroom. He talked a little, then tried rape on for size. A little too much Shifter strength trying to defend myself, and he hit his head on the tub. He was unconscious and bleeding the last time I saw him.”

Ezra went to grab my arm, but fisted his hand — no touching — and quickly dropped it, stating quietly, “There’s no heartbeat coming from over there.”

I paused, listening. Mindful of Aros, I didn’t say I agreed when I didn’t hear anything, but I did say, “Shit!” Putting my hands on my head, I turned in a circle, scanning the area and listening to the sounds of the night. Nothing. “Oh, Jesus.” That could mean only one thing.

“He tried to rape you?” Pearl asked furiously.

I couldn’t even respond I was freaking out so badly, hyperventilating a definite likelihood, as a shovel and shallow grave became the future of this evening with the absence of a much-needed thumping beat.

I stopped moving. Stared. My jaw slightly parted, slack. “Oh, God. I’m not sure if that makes this better or worse.”
He wasn’t dead.

My friends quickly snapped their attention in the direction I gawked, and silently we watched Philip Masterson drive by in a Mercedes, window rolled down, directly under the lone street light.

He was staring right at me. One eye closed, and then opened, winking plain as could be with blood covering half of his face. The next second, he stepped on the gas and his car shot off past the party, and farther, until the only indication he had been here were tiny, red dots of tail-lights in the dark distance.

Pearl repeated her question into the silence, “He tried to rape you?”

I nodded mechanically, my heart rate jumping a frantic rhythm.

Jack stated, “We need to tell the Kings about this.”

“And quickly, in case he goes directly to the Com police with a bogus story about Lily,” Ezra growled, already stalking toward my Hummer. “Maybe they’ll let us kill him.”

Pearl and Jack nodded, herding me — without touching — to the vehicle.

Ezra was already in the driver’s seat, which I was grateful for, and Jack jumped in the passenger’s seat while Pearl helped me into the back, following me in.

Absently, I saw Aros running to Felix’s car, and in the distance, the other elite Mysticals jogging to theirs. I hadn’t even known they were there, but they had been doing their jobs, and were going to continue to do so, following us.

As soon as we pulled away from the curb, Pearl grabbed my hand, holding tight.

Jack covertly reached back and rested his hand on my knee, squeezing it.

Ezra lifted his hand, and dangling from it was the damp toilet paper stained red with my blood. He must have found it digging through my purse for my keys. He growled deeply, “He made you bleed.”

It was a statement, so I didn’t answer. I didn’t think I could right now. Worried and anxious, I sat mute as the three of them got on their cells to call the Kings at two o’clock in the morning and wake them up to inform them we had snuck out and there was a situation.

We were to meet at King Kincaid’s.

The night, or morning, was only getting started.

The Kings beat us to King Kincaid’s. Their cars were in the driveway, and we were informed by Fi — wearing a nightgown, bathrobe, and a worried expression — that they were in the study waiting for us. When we silently entered, they were all there, most of them dressed as informally as I had ever seen, some still in their pajama bottoms with a light jacket over their bare chests, the others in jeans and t-shirts, and while their attire was casual, their eyes were intent and severe.

“What’s happened?” King Venclaire asked immediately, skimming our faces and stopping dead on mine. “Lily?”

Instantly, King Kincaid rushed to my side, guiding me to the couch.

Antonio slipped inside the study, locking the door behind him, also wearing his nightclothes. I got the same reaction from him. As soon as he got a good look at me, he immediately disappeared, reappearing directly in front of me to swiftly sit beside me on the couch, wrapping his arms around me in a familiar, protective embrace.