Valan Playboys (5 page)

I paused outside one door when two women slipped outside it in my path, patiently waiting, only for a tanned bare arm to hold a purse absently outside the door. I froze when the head attached to the arm tilted outside the door, his lips parted to speak. But he froze, his gaze snapping on mine. Face carefully blank, I merely lifted a brow at King Balar, not glancing at his rumpled curls or the two women standing outside his door, still halfway getting dressed.

I had, at least, finished getting dressed in Angel boy’s room, only my boots dangling from my hands at my sides. Although I knew that I looked exactly as I felt, my own hair bed-rumpled, my ripped stocking nowhere to be found, so my legs were bare under my short skirt, showing lots of peaches and cream skin.

His mouth snapped shut, tossing the purse to the closest woman while a white brow lifted as his gaze scanned my person. “Is there something you need, Ms. Claire?”

I pointed with one boot. “Just past your overnight guests, King Balar. They’re in my way to my room.” Graciously, they split apart, taking a step back toward him. I nodded to them absently, keeping my eyes out of the room, not entirely in the mood to see any more of King Balar’s tan flesh. I was certain he was shirtless if his bare muscled arm and shoulder were any indication, not about to fathom the lower bits. “Thank you.” Slipping past them, I moved easily on down the hallway, even though I felt ice blues tracking me until I turned the corner at the end of the hall. I started bounding up the stairs, my room on the top floor.

I pointed a finger. “I did not do all of that.”

Callie growled, “Yes, you did!”

My blink was slow. “Well, you did tell me to have fun.”

Her arms waved wildly while thunder pounded the ceiling. “I did not tell you to break our pool!” Her arms paused, frozen in mid-air, as she glanced at me. Her brows puckered and her tone dipped to incredulous. “Just
how
the hell did you manage to do that?”

“Pure talent?” I mumbled as my wide gaze scanned from left to right, staring unblinking at the mess of the indoor pool. “Honestly, I have no clue.” I remembered being in here last night with heaps of other younger Valan. I just didn’t remember leaving the place exactly, only mere blips through the alcohol. I snapped my fingers. “I think the Shifter-beef-trio had something to do with it.”

“Shifter-beef-trio?”

I waved a vague hand. “You don’t want to know.” I scratched my chin, glancing at her. “I can’t pay for this.”

“Oh, I know,” she grumbled, then fluttered her hands wildly again. “But, you can clean this place up!”

“
Yeah...
I don’t think so.” I swiftly turning on my heel, taking off at a sprint and jumping over toppled tables. I shouted over my shoulder when she took chase, “I’m your bodyguard! I can’t be absent all day long!”

“The hell you can’t, Lana!” she hollered, her longer legs catching up in a hurry. “You’re going to clean this place—”

“
Oomph!
” I body-planted against a wall, not watching where I was going, then I quickly spun, racing down another hallway when I heard Callie stop to laugh her butt off. “Quit laughing! It just jumped out in front of me!” I swerved, heading down another hallway, my boots taking me as fast as I could go until I hit the cafeteria. The place was packed for breakfast, my arms swinging as I slid inside the doors, with heads snapping toward me. Breathing heavily, I stood still for a moment, patting at my hair, and then gave a general wave to the populace of Valan. Then I quickly pivoted when I heard Callie’s feet pounding behind me, and I bee-lined it straight to the buffet line, cutting in the middle and using an enormous Shifter to hide me.

Callie entered much the same way, halting inside the doors, her chest heaving, her furious gaze darting left and right as heads again snapped in the direction of the entrance. She regained her composure quickly, standing straight, swatting once or twice at her hair. When she didn’t see me, she grabbed another unlucky Valkyrie, who happened to be passing by her at the time. Saying a direct order to her, the Valkyrie instantly appeared surprised, then crestfallen as she nodded. The unlucky soul then walked from the room with her shoulders slumped.

I chuckled quietly in victory, stepping in time with the Shifter, who was being polite enough not to give my position away, as it was obvious I was hiding. Grabbing a plate, I loaded up waffles and bacon, slathering them with syrup, then added silverware before I allowed her to see me. I merely grinned, shaking my hips once, mouthing, “
Love you.”

She glared, her arms crossed, standing toward the back of the line next to the Queen Mermaid, Queen Nilkos, who watched on silently, appearing humored.

I made a quick peck of a kiss in the air to her, and then grabbed an orange juice, turning to maneuver through the tables, hopping up the stairs, heading straight for my table—that was not vacant as it held two individuals. The same two who had intruded on my solitude yesterday during brunch. Pausing, I debated for all of a millisecond before I sighed and continued as it was still the least crowded table in the place.

Sitting, I growled, “You do realize this is my table, right?”

King Jerome chuckled softly, munching on a piece of bacon, and ignored my question. “Why were you running from Queen Clover?”

I rolled my eyes as I lifted my morning flask from the inside of my pocket, adding vodka to my orange juice. “Apparently, there was a
little bit
of damage to the indoor pool last night.”

“What did you do?” He waved his bacon back and forth. “I thought you were through after the chandelier crashed and burned.”

I nibbled on my lip, trying not to laugh. “That one wasn’t entirely my fault.”

King Balar snorted softly, sipping on his coffee, his eyes on my drink as I stirred the liquor in the orange juice. “Fifty Valan dancing on a chandelier—”

“Exactly,” I interrupted. “Fifty. Not one. It wasn’t just me.”

A white brow lifted. “And the pool?”

“Not entirely sure what happened there. The Shifter-beef-trio had a little something to do with it, if I remember right.”

His brows puckered. “Shifter—”

“You don’t want to know.” I took a healthy swig of my drink before I began cutting into my waffles, my stomach growling quietly, starving.

King Jerome hummed softly. “And the Angel?”

My lips curved softly around my fork, and then I chewed slowly. “No worries for King Sephove. I was
gentle
.” My gaze casually swung to King Balar, brows lifting. “And how was your evening with your overnight guests?”

He shrugged a casual shoulder. “Satisfying.” His grin was utter masculine delight, glancing to King Jerome. “I now see the beauty of Queen Clover putting this little meeting into place.” He sighed, sliding a little further down on his chair, his legs spreading wide in his black suit pants. “Our homes are a long way from other Valan.”

King Jerome lips twitched. “Indeed.”

I scratched my chin distractedly, glancing at him, eyeing his sated expression. “And your evening, King Jerome?”

Same answer. “Satisfying.”

“Wonderful.” My lips curved, my expression sweet. “We’re all satisfied.” Lifting my drink, I sat back on my chair, sipping it distractedly, staring out at the crowd…until I almost choked on it. Quickly grabbing a napkin, I dabbed at my mouth. Hurriedly, I sat it down, grabbing King Balar’s coffee, chugging it down even as it scalded my throat. My eyes were wide in the direction of the doors to the cafeteria.

Both men were already staring where I was, their brows furrowed, watching as Callie rushed to the newcomers who had entered. Her own gaze enormous, holding her hands up with a plastered fake smile on her lips and talking animatedly to them, she glanced covertly up in my direction with a pointed expression.

King Balar whispered, “Who are they?”

“My foster parents and their kid.” I was still choking a bit with a fist in front of my mouth and stuffing my flask hurriedly into the hidden pocket of my jacket. Swiftly standing to my feet, I ignored their failed attempt to hide their shock at the fact humans were here. I ran my fingers through my hair hurriedly, asking hastily, “Do I look all right?”

King Balar was incredulous. “You care what they think?”

My sigh was heavy. “This family is nice. A lot nicer than the others.” My gaze hurriedly swung to King Jerome. “
Do
I look all right?”

His voice was calming, smooth. “If you’re asking if it appears like you were two sheets to the wind last night, no. You look beautiful, even if you wear too much make-up.”

My blink was slow. “Thanks. I think.” I waved a hand at my plate. “Don’t eat my food. I’m starving.” Vaulting down the stairs, my smile was utterly genuine when Hanna, their four-year-old daughter caught sight of me.

“Lana!” she shouted excitedly, her hands flying in the air excitedly. Her tiny feet raced across the stone flooring, her arms spread wide, dodging past Valan who paused in their meals to glance behind them as the bitty bundle of energy flew past them.

Laughing quietly, I waved to my foster parents when they glanced in my direction, then I dipped fluidly, catching Hanna as she barreled into me. I tickled her instantly, listening to her squeal in delight before I grabbed her hands, swinging her around to my back. Her tiny legs instantly hooked around my waist, her arms around my neck loosely, in a piggy back hold as I straightened, holding her legs tightly so she didn’t fall. Glancing back at her, my smile was soft, my words quiet. “I missed you, kid.”

She kissed my cheek, big and sloppy, making a loud popping sound with it. “Missed you more.” Her brown eyebrows puckered. “When you coming home?”

“Soon.” I squeezed her legs, and then started maneuvering through the silently watching Valan. “Only another month and I’ll be home.”

She sighed, resting her head against my shoulder. “Not now?”

“It won’t be that long,” I reassured her. Then I smiled at my foster parents when I stopped in front of them, letting my confusion show in my eyes…and my worry. “Is something wrong?”

Mrs. Manter shook her head, placing one of her hands on my cheek. Her smile was gentle and kind. “No, we just thought it would be nice to steal you away for the day.” She tucked a piece of my hair behind my ear, her gaze flicking between mine. “It’s been a month of no Lana. We’re in withdrawal.”

Hanna’s little arms held even more tightly around my neck.

Mr. Manter raised his brows when I didn’t initially say anything, my mind working frantically, knowing I really did need to be here. He glanced at Callie, whom he thought was running the ‘summer camp’ I was at. He asked her politely, “Do you mind if we take her for the day?”

Callie’s smile was still forced. She never liked the fact I hadn’t just left them to begin with and moved directly into the mansion. However, after glancing at me once, she nodded her head casually, not about to make a fuss in front of humans. “That’ll be fine, but she’ll need to be back by five. We’re heading out for a field trip in the city then.”

Mr. Manter instantly nodded, placing his hand on my bicep, pulling me in closer to them, already herding me toward the door. “Thank you. We’ll have her back in time.”

Slipping inside the conference room, much closer to six than five o’clock, I kept my expression perfectly blank when the meeting stopped in mid-talk. Royal eyes turned in my direction, along with the bodyguards lining the walls. I knew my reception wasn’t going to be pleasant.

Callie casually lifted her gaze from her paper in the quiet, meeting my stare. She was silent for an extended moment, glancing once to the clock, then back. Currently, she didn’t wear the expression of a friend, or even mentor. She was currently Queen Clover, a true mien I hardly ever received from her. Voice soft, she growled, “Get out.”

Mentally calculating, a touch unsure, I asked, “Of the mansion? Or just the room?”

Her shoulders stiffened, her tone quiet. “The
room
, Lana.”

I nodded once. “I’ll send Janet in to guard you.”

Grinding her teeth the barest bit, she inhaled and exhaled slowly, then demanded, “I want to see you in my office after we’re through here.”