King Hall (33 page)

I choked on my salad and quickly scrambled to grab my Coke. Everyone was watching us, since King Kincaid had voiced this loud enough to be heard at the other end of the table, which had been his plan. I gulped my drink, and then said as calmly as I could, “I’m not sure that’s a great idea. I’m not looking for anything serious.” If this Broderick guy had lost his mate a while ago, he might be.

The King’s eyes glowed, his frustration showing. “Humor me and meet him.”

Staring into those dark eyes, I didn’t want to make a scene, and King Kincaid was close to doing that, so I mumbled, “If it means that much to you, I will.”

He nodded, a real smile gracing his features. “You won’t regret it.”

Yeah, I probably would.

We stared in morbid fascination at the fire Elemental lying on the edge of Ezra’s bed. She was tall, like every other Mys, but still, the amount of noise coming out of someone her size was truly remarkable.

“Does she snore like that all the time?” I asked in wonder. “It’s like an atomic bomb booming every time she exhales.”

Jack crossed his arms over his bare chest, his black-and-white striped pajama pant legs wide from his stance. “I think it’s cute.”

Now, we stared at him.

His forehead puckered. “What?”

“Your mate bond is truly something to behold,” Ezra mumbled, appearing amused and, also, irritated as Nikki bombed away again.

I nodded. That sound was
loud
. “I don’t know if I can sleep in here.”

Jack stalked toward the bed, climbing on the mattress beside her. “Calm down. She quiets when I’m next to her.” He snuggled close to her, wrapping her in his arms.

Like a freaking miracle, her god-awful racket did quiet.

“Amazing,” Pearl breathed, walking closer to stare down at Nikki. “That really is something.”

Gideon shook his head, unplugging his ears. “I’m just thankful my mate doesn’t do anything that atrocious.”

“Hey!” Jack hissed. “Quit insulting my mate.” His eyes glowed as he scowled at Gideon.

“Alright, gentlemen.” I held up my hands. “No fighting. Especially since I’m too tired to give a damn, and I’d rather not have to clean up any messes you make.” That had never happened between them, but there was always a first time for everything. I pointed at Pearl, then Gideon. “Get in bed before I put you there.” My wolf growled testily.

Jack yawned. “That time of the month?” He asked it so sweetly, too, like he was truly curious.

“No. It’s not,” Ezra answered for me, digging through his dresser. Paused. Tossed a pair of black panties onto the floor behind him before resuming his search.

“That’s sick,” Pearl muttered. “I would hate being a Vampire.”

“It has its perks.” Grinning, he glanced over his shoulder. “Vamps get all weeks of the month to enjoy our women.”

“Seriously, didn’t need to know that,” Jack mumbled, letting his head flop on his pillow. “Goodnight.” When his forehead touched Nikki’s, he was out. That truly was astonishing.

Distractedly, Ezra tossed me a shirt during his hunt.

I went into the bathroom to do my business and change into his oversized t-shirt. I preferred a larger one over what I had brought. Really, I needed to start shopping in the men’s department for pajamas. It would be a hell of a lot cheaper and that much more comfortable. The thing practically hung down to my knees, fully covering where it needed to.

Pearl was already in bed, her cute — uncomfortable — golden pajama shorts set only showing a little under the black sheet she had pulled over her and Gideon where they lay on the other side of the bed from Jack and Nikki. I was pretty sure she had situated the gap in the middle, so no repeat occurrence of that first morning of the camping trip happened.

“The shirt good?” Ezra asked, pulling his own shirt off over his head.

“Yep.” I blinked at his chest. He had always had a perfect body, had already been large but, now, he appeared
more
. “Have you gotten even bigger?” He was ginormous. His muscles bulged, his mocha skin seeming to take up more space than before.

Pearl glanced up, scrutinizing him. “He does look more muscular.”

Gideon yanked her back down. Guess he didn’t like her looking at Ezra.

Ezra’s eyes scanned my face, then he shrugged his massive shoulders. “Could be.”

I stared. “Yeah. You did.” I cocked my head. “Maybe you went through a growth spurt. I heard that happens sometimes right before your aging slows.”

“Whatever,” he rumbled. Typical male. “Can I get into the bathroom now?” He held black silk pajama bottoms in his hand.

Grasping that I was blocking the bathroom door, I moved, climbing into bed.

Gideon was nodding off and Pearl peered over her shoulder, golden eyes on mine and her nose crinkling as she whispered worriedly, “I hope I don’t have a growth spurt, too.”

Eyes closed, Gideon droned, “You’re beautiful, dear heart. Legs that go on for miles. Quit worrying.” He grinned, even though I was pretty sure he had fallen asleep as soon as he had finished assuring her.

“If I get any taller, I’ll be bigger than my mate,” she complained quietly.

I kissed her cheek. “No worries. If you do grow, you’ll only be an average height for most Mys women. And, Gideon’s right. You’re beautiful.” It was so weird comforting her about her body. She was perfect, but insecurities plagued the lovely, too.

Pearl thought about it, and then nodded. “I guess I am a bit shorter than most Mys women right now.” She grinned. “Thanks.”

“No prob. Now, go to sleep.”

She turned back to Gideon and was out before Ezra had exited the bathroom, and he didn’t take that long. Damn mate bond. Even though I was exhausted, it would probably take me a few minutes to nod off.

Ezra flipped the light switch and the room went dark. His eyes instantly glowed spring green, like two colored flashlight beams, as he walked toward the bed.

I chuckled. “You could do your own light show with those babies.”

“I’m not the only one,” he whispered. “Your eyes are glowing, too.”

Blinking, I grasped that I was naturally turning on my own Shifter night vision, and peered up, seeing two blue lights hit his black ceiling. “That’s pretty cool.” He dropped on the bed between Jack and me and pushed his legs under the sheet. “Look up at the ceiling.”

Two green lights hit the ceiling next to my blue ones. “Huh. I never noticed that before.”

I whispered, “Close one eye.” He did, and one green light disappeared. A little slaphappy, I giggled. “Okay, open it, and tell me what this phrase is.” He opened his eye, and I closed one of mine and started to move my head, one blue light traveling across his ceiling in a specific way.

He chuckled softly. “Is this the equivalent of a man writing his name in the snow while he’s pissing?”

“Quiet down, funny man. Pay attention. If you read it right, you’ll get a prize.”

“That, I like. Although, there are too many people in the bed to really—”

I elbowed him in the ribs, cutting him off.

He groaned in mock pain.

“You want to play or not?” Keeping one eye shut was hard after a while.

Deeply, he purred, “
Oh, I want to play
.”

I sighed heavily.

“Fine, I’ll behave.”

I waited.

“Really, I’ll be good.”

Still, I waited.

“Sweetheart, I want the damn prize. I’ll be as virtuous as a saint. Promise.” A pause, then a rumbled growl, “Unless, you don’t want me virtuous.”

“Ezra?”

Innocent. “Yes?”

“Shut. Up.”

He did. He even started pseudo snoring when I took so long to start, waiting on him to open his trap once more, but I began moving my head again, writing with my blue eye’s light. He hummed in his throat. “It starts with a ‘B’.”

“Yep.” More head moving.

He watched silently, and then slowly sounded it out. “B…Bi…Bit…Bite…M…Me.” A gentle chuckle. “Bite me?”

“Yes, sir. I know you’re thirsty. You didn’t drink tonight.”

“No, Lily, that doesn’t—”

Slapping a hand over his mouth, I stopped him. “Just take a little. It won’t hurt me or make me too weak.” I took my hand off his mouth as I felt his fangs descend. “Good, you actually agreed without too much argument.”

“I’m parched,” he rumbled quietly, beginning to roll. “Arguing isn’t in me right now, but I’ll make up for it in the morning.”

I snickered. He was a grump in the mornings. “Nothing really new there.”

“Be quiet,” he whispered, yanking me flat on my back.

Gasping at the rough movement, I felt his face against my neck before I could blink.

He inhaled deeply, a quiet groan escaping. He slipped over me, wrapping a hand behind my nape and lifting demandingly, not waiting for me to do so, making half my body arch and my head fall back. Leaning on one elbow, he kept part of his weight off me, but he was still heavy.

Reflexively, I spread my legs, and his own slid between mine, relieving some of his bulk.

He was being more forceful than normal, but he had said he was parched. When Vamps got too thirsty, some of their predator came out. That was normal, so I wasn’t afraid when his fangs brushed my skin, sliding from my ear to my pulse as the predator in him tried to scare me.

I merely ran my fingers through his spiked hair, a soothing motion.

His fangs paused on my pulse, and he sucked in a harsh breath, whispering rapidly, “Sorry.” Their grip loosening on my neck, his fingers massaged. “I’ll try not to take much.” His fangs immediately sliced into my flesh, and he groaned gutturally as he took a hard pull, his muscles flexing against my body and, a bare beat later, I was caressed by angel’s feathers, the intense, pure grace brilliant.

Sighing in contentment, I blinked open my eyes, perceiving he was done drinking. We were now lying on our sides, facing each other, while I had a death grip on his hair.

He was grinning, his fangs still slightly descended, but not completely lowered, meaning he had, indeed, only taken a little. Just enough to take the edge off. In a break between the full bed of quiet snores, he whispered, “Thank you.”

Snuggling my head under his chin, my hands loosened in his hair. “Welcome.”

Unsure of what woke me, I blinked my eyes open to a dark room. Instinct had me scenting the air, and I instantly knew that the man crushing me was Ezra. With another blink, my location came back to me, remembering that all of us were sleeping at King Venclaire’s, in Ezra’s bedroom, in his bed.

One more blink, and I also realized that in our slumber, Ezra and I had moved from our sides. I was lying on my back and Ezra was using my right boob as a pillow. His other hand was up under my shirt, cupping my left boob — sans bra for bed — and the rest of his body was sprawled over my stomach and legs. He was snoring quietly. Maybe drooling a little, too, since the part of my shirt near his mouth was damp and clinging to my skin. Somehow, us sleeping under the same blanket never ended up proper.

My arms were around his neck, and I grunted, trying to wiggle out from under his frigging immense weight, but he just grunted, pressing down harder, and started snoring full out. Opening my mouth to wake him, I froze. There was another scent in the air. Not one of my friends’, either.

Inhaling deeper, I found the scent was…muted. Barely noticeable really, but still there. My heart kicked into overdrive when I couldn’t figure it out. The scent confused me and my senses. It was like I should know it, but it was only vaguely hovering. Maybe, come and gone?

That made my heart speed even faster: comprehending someone had been in the room while we were sleeping. Very near breathless, I began scanning the room, my eyes glowing severely as I attempted to see if anything was amiss.

I had accomplished evaluating half the room when Ezra’s snore abruptly stopped and he froze over me, his muscles clenching. This also meant his cupping palm squeezed my boob. His hand froze with the action, probably recognizing what he had a hold of. I didn’t really pay attention, though, still scanning.

His head snapped up, his eyes glowing on my face. “What’s the matter? Your heart’s going berserk,” he inhaled sharply, “and you’re scared.” His hand was slowly releasing my breast as if, if he did it slowly enough, I wouldn’t notice it had been there in the first place.

“Someone’s been in the room,” I growled — yes, a little wolf — quietly. “The scent’s odd and light, but it’s there.”

His warm palm slid down my stomach, his fingers trailing over my skin so lightly, and even though I was freaked, goose bumps still popped up on my skin, before he gripped my hip, cocking his head. Listening. His thumb tapped a few times on my lower stomach in an odd rhythm before he started rubbing it back and forth soothingly, whispering, “Only the heartbeats that are supposed to be in the house are. Maybe, you’re scenting something on one of their clothes.”

Another inhale as I tilted my head left, then right. “No. It’s not them.” I was starting to tremble. The scent was puzzling, my senses distressed. I even sneezed.

“Sweetheart,” Ezra purred softly, repositioning, drifting up so his hard body rubbed over mine and stopped directly above me, his face so close our noses brushed, “Calm down. You’re scaring yourself over nothing.” His hand on my hip slid to the small of my back, then higher, rucking my shirt up over my hips to my belly button, and I tried to look around his head, wanting another look at the room, but he pressed down heavily on my trembling frame, keeping me immobile.

I glared.

A gentle shake of his head, his fingers delicately massaging my tense back muscles, and he whispered, “If there was anyone in the house who shouldn’t be, I would hear them.” He bent his head, rubbing his cheek against mine soothingly. His was bristly. Heated lips against my ear, he breathed even more quietly, “Although, I can tell you the cook is getting it on with one of the servants right now. Their heartbeats are going crazy.”

That jarred me from the shaking mess I had become, and I chuckled hard, my body shaking for a different reason now. A pleasant one.

“That’s it,” Ezra murmured on a mere exhale, his words only for us. “Just keep thinking about those old geezers getting their freak on.” He chuckled himself. “I have to listen to it every other night. Half the time they complain about their joints aching before, during, and after. I actually bought earplugs.”