Again she blinked, and I swear a small flush graced her cheeks before she cleared her throat and completely ignored him, turning her attention on me. “You could have been injured or killed.” And…her voice was a tad breathless.
I stared. God, Sin could manage to fluster and affect even the happily married, his skills apparently knowing no bounds. It was really something else to watch. But this was not the time, since Reese wasn’t an idiot. He noticed his wife’s reaction and stepped covertly between her and Sin, wearing only white swim trunks, his arms easy at his sides. He was falsely relaxed as he glared down at Sin, both men already having a combatant relationship. I gave a quick glance to Sin, gifting him a special look from under my lashes and letting him know that little stunt wasn’t appreciated. Then I peered back to Roselle, stating evenly, “But I wasn’t. We’ve been doing this for years, and the thrill of it is fantastic. If you’d like to try, you’re more than welcome to use my bike since I’m done, instead of Sin’s gracious offer.”
She sniffed, in control of herself once more, and crossed her arms. “I think not. That bike is utterly vulgar.” She flicked a finger at me. “And a deathtrap for you.”
“I’d like to try,” came a quiet, menacing purr directly in front of me from the one man I hadn’t chanced glancing at yet. I saw a tanned hand with brushed platinum rings land on the handlebar directly next to my right hand.
With fortitude I peered up at Leric where he bent a bit over the tire and stared down at me. Like Reese, he was also wearing only a pair of white swim trunks that reached a few inches past his knees. All that naked flesh glistening under the sun, half of his hair still pulled back…I pretty much wanted to jump the man right there and then. But I kept my gaze moderated and stared in his silver eyes, which flicked to Sin then back to me.
“Possibly Sin can give me a lesson since you’re through.” Red lips curved sinuously. “Unless I can ride behind you. I’ll promise to keep a tight grip so no one falls too fast.”
Yeah, pretty much like Roselle a moment ago, a tiny blush stole over my cheeks and I blinked at him, at a complete loss for words. A very carnal, very naughty imagining of what he spoke of was igniting my thoughts.
Sin drawled beside me, his grip tightening on my leg, “I’d be more than happy to give you a lesson, Leric. Keep you from falling into holes you shouldn’t.” My lips parted and I swallowed hard, trying not to choke on a laugh as I turned my gaze on Sin. One corner of his lips quirked at me, but he turned his attention back to Leric, a green eyebrow cocking. “Have you ever ridden a bike before?”
Leric’s hand, warm and lingering, brushed the side of mine as he pulled it away, straightening. “Not a dirt bike.” Silver eyes actually sparkled a bit with what appeared to be eagerness as he stared down at the one I sat on. “But that looked like fun.”
Sin’s eyes evaluated his expression, his head cocking. “An adrenaline junkie?”
Roselle snorted, glancing away quickly when Leric tossed her a glance.
Leric’s lips curved as he peered back at Sin, a feral smile gracing his features, his teeth dazzlingly white against his tan skin. “It’s safe to say I’ve been known to push things to the extreme.”
“I imagine you do,” Sin murmured, eyeing him, then slapped my leg once. “Get up, Caro. I believe the man is searching for a rush.”
I rolled my eyes at him, but I stood, holding the bike steady as Leric spoke to Roselle and Reese. I leaned down to whisper at Sin’s ear, “Getting him hurt right now is probably not a great idea.”
He kissed my cheek, whispering back, “Pay better attention, Caro. I believe he can take care of himself just fine.”
Yeah, as if Sin wasn’t going to use his powers to have a little fun with him. “Just don’t do anything too much.”
Large, warm hands landed on my hips, and I stood frozen for a second as Leric rumbled over my head to Sin, “Actually, please do.” He squeezed my hips before giving me a tiny shove forward, moving to take the handlebars and mount the bike. He was shoeless, his nipple rings sparkling in the light as he grinned devilishly at Sin. “I can’t wait to see what you create.”
Sin chuckled deeply as he stared at him, some type of communication going on silently between them. Sin flicked his eyes to me, stating, “Give him your goggles, Caro. He’s going to need them.”
Leric’s grin only grew before he tipped his head at him, then he turned his attention to me, politely holding his hand out. “Hand them over, Sprite.”
From the corner of my eye I saw King Collins exiting the back of the house, instantly heading in our direction at a fast clip, his blue hair shining under the sunlight. So, with one last warning glance at Sin, I quickly removed my goggles before the King stopped the action, apparently having been informed something was going on. Handing them over I stated, “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” I also felt the need to jerk my head in Sin’s direction, crossing my arms as I stared hard into Leric’s silver eyes. “And no funny business.” I didn’t want him messing with Sin, either.
Leric chuckled quietly, adjusting the goggles before placing them on his forehead. “I’ll try to control myself.” He peered at Sin, tilting his head at the tree line. “I haven’t spoken with King Collins since our return, and I would rather do this first.”
Sin grinned outright. “Understood.” He and Leric started their bikes, pulling their goggles down. “At the end of the loop, whatever you do, don’t let go of the handlebars, and make sure to hold your breath.”
My eyes widened as Leric nodded with that devilish grin, and I held up a quick stopping hand, knowing where this was going. But they both took off past me, dirt flying everywhere behind them. I swiftly turned to watch them race as fast as they could across the lawn. King Collins was shouting as he came up behind me, trying to get Sin to stop. He finally came to a halt next to me, Roselle, and Reese. All four of us watched as the ground lifted in thin lines directly in front of each of the bikes, taking them in a curve into the air. Only a small patch of dirt appeared before their tires, so it probably seemed to them as if they were riding on thin air as they rode in a large circle before descending to the ground. Both of them were shouting deeply in enjoyment, right before they shut up as they neared the ground…which swallowed them whole. They completely disappeared from sight.
“Oh…fuck,” King Collins muttered absently, his jaw having dropped as he stared at the flat ground where they had once been. An extreme beat of silence passed as we all stared, waiting for them to reappear, before King Collins’s head snapped to me. His brown eyes were penetrating as he asking hurriedly, “Tell me Sin won’t leave him down there.”
I cleared my throat. “Probably not any longer than he can hold his breath.” I pointed vaguely at the tree line where they had been headed. “I imagine they’ll come out somewhere within the trees.”
“Probably, imagine,” King Collins growled, his head turning to the thick trees where we wouldn’t be able to see them even if they did come up within them. “Fucking Sin. Goddamn criminal antics bullshit…” He continued grumbling as he turned on his heel and started marching back to the house and where the other Prodigies were still watching the show from the pool.
After a moment Reese stated, staring after Leric and Sin with an expression of longing, “I might go for a ride when they get back.”
Roselle actually smacked his chest, pushing him back toward the pool. “Not a chance in hell.”
Reese peered down at her as he let her shove him backward, an ornery expression on his face. “I wouldn’t be gone too long.”
Instant. “No.” Another shove.
He grabbed her hips, grinning privately. “Oh, come on.”
Another shove. “No.”
I rolled my eyes at their cuteness and ignored them, turning to stare at the woods, seriously hoping Sin behaved himself…and Leric, too. Instantly, I realized how foolish that was, so I turned my back to actions I couldn’t stop from happening within the woods, not going to worry until
I had to, and went to change into my bathing suit. I made a mental note to also grab Sin’s, knowing he would want to cool off after he came back, hopefully unharmed.
I grunted, the smell of dirt permeating my senses as familiar, strong arms lifted me against a bare, hard chest, waking me from the nap I was taking under the sun, the warm rays having made my body lethargic. “Sin,” I murmured grumpily, hazy sleep keeping me under as I wrapped my arms around what felt like his dirty neck, tucking my face close. “I was comfortable.”
“I know,” he whispered softly against my hair. He started trembling against me, chuckling quietly. “But it’s time for you to wake up.”
I froze as I felt him jump, then we were freefalling before I shrieked at the contact of cold water touching my heated skin. I quickly held my breath as we went under, the water like ice against my skin as it enveloped me inside Sin’s hold. I pushed away, swimming to the surface of the pool he had just dropped us in. Blinking water out of my eyes, I waited…then pounced as soon as he resurfaced, dunking him quickly and lifting my feet to his shoulders, shoving him down even farther. I chuckled evilly as I treaded water, staring down where I had pushed him, then shrieked again as his hand gripped my ankle and dragged me down. We fought under the water, each of us trying to keep the other one down as long as we could. Eventually, when my lungs felt like they were going to explode, having nowhere near his lung capacity, I pinched his arm lightly and he instantly released me, shoving me up toward the surface while following me up.
“Trying to drown yourselves?” Leric drawled from somewhere to our right as we sucked in oxygen, feet and arms treading water as we grinned at each other.
I tilted my head in his direction, still grinning, and saw him sitting at the edge of the pool, strong legs dangling in the water. Droplets of water glistened on his naked, golden-brown skin under the sunlight. He was resting back on his muscled arms, his white hair wet and dangling in sexy clumps around his tilted head, his silver eyes watching us closely. “Oh, no,” I murmured after a moment of allowed panting time, “This is trying to drown him.” I pounced on an unsuspecting Sin, laughing as his green eyes widened before he went under. I followed him down, both of us fighting for supremacy, and I hoped I hadn’t given him enough time to beat me.
I lost.
Again.
Resurfacing, I pouted as I caught my breath, and Sin chuckled, kissing my forehead. He murmured breathlessly, “There’s always next time, love.” With that, he winked at me and swam toward Roselle, who was standing in the shallow end talking with Aria. Reese was nowhere in sight.
“Your relationship is interesting,” Leric stated softly. “I think you would be pleased to know I cannot figure it out.”
I smiled privately before turning in his direction and swimming toward him. “Most can’t, so don’t feel as if you’re losing your touch with regards to judgment.” I dunked myself under the water, dipping my head back to get any hair out of my face before resurfacing and grabbing the edge of the wall next to him. I rubbed water out of my eyes to stare up into his silver ones.
“Is it still not up for discussion?” he asked, his eyes running over my face.
“Sorry, but no, it’s not,” I stated factually. “How was the bike ride?”
Instantly, he grinned, a real flash of thrilled happiness. “It was extremely enlivening.”
I gawked. His smile was lighting up his whole face, showing no menace of the One. Honestly, I hadn’t been sure if the man knew how to have simple, honest fun being the individual he was, but apparently he did. “That’s a nice smile.”
His lips tilted even more, his eyes twinkling down at me as he brushed a strand of his white hair behind his ear. “Be careful, Sprite, or I might actually think you like me.”
Yeah, I knew what he was talking about. “I couldn’t let you murder him.”
He lifted a brow. “Would you have pulled the trigger?”
My lips pinched as I crossed both arms on the hot concrete, resting my chin there. “Yes.” And it was the truth. “He didn’t deserve to die.”
“Ah,” Leric murmured softly. His thumb thumped on the concrete for a silent minute before he stated, “You have the making of a good Queen to the Elementals.”
I peered up at him. “And?”
His lips lifted sardonically as he peered at the woods. “Beautifully deducted, Sprite.” Silver eyes peered down at me, holding mine steadily without remorse. He whispered on the barest breath, “From a perspective of power myself, I understand completely your actions, but on a more personal level, sometimes sex…doesn’t turn out to be just sex.” He cocked one eyebrow. “So please refrain from knocking on my door again anytime soon.”
Instantly my stomach plummeted, and I turned my head away, staring blindly, lost in my own thoughts. I understood. I understood completely. Last night it had been…different. It might have started out as a normal sexual encounter, but it hadn’t exactly ended that way, no matter how much I tried to ignore it or fool myself. I had quite possibly lost a very decent start to something more, doing as I had to do.
No.
As I chose to do. Every action was my own.
No matter that he was the One, he was obviously still a man at heart.
And I had hurt him.
Swallowing hard, I murmured softly, “Right. I understand.” Jaw clenched, I inhaled heavily. Cleared my throat. “And I am sorry.” For hurting you.
“And I believe you,” he said just as quietly…and nothing more.
“Right,” I murmured again and blinked quickly, mortified I actually felt tears welling in my eyes. I realized I had been staring where the Rulers were standing near the back door of the house discussing something quietly amongst themselves, and that King Zeller was staring right at us, or rather, me. I knew I had the opportunity right there and then to tell Leric we had been eavesdropped on last night, to tell him his room was more than likely being spied on, with the added benefit of doing it while King Zeller was currently eavesdropping. Luckily, Leric had been quiet enough now that no Vampires around us could hear the more intimate part of our conversation.
But, as he was just a man at heart, I was also just a woman. A woman he had also just hurt by making his decision, his own choice to not further our personal relationship. So I remembered the political position I held, and sided with the Rulers. Pushing myself out of the water, I stood for a moment dripping next to him, running a hand over my face as I stared straight ahead. My gut was churning at what might have been, but I inhaled once…before I silently walked away.
Chapter Fifteen
Sometimes life gives you joyful sunshine with blue skies.
And sometimes it nails you with merciless hail.
I was drinking, not sipping, my third glass of vodka in one of the fine entertainment rooms of the Elemental section of the castle where everyone was congregating after dinner. We were playing poker at various tables when I decided a bit tipsily it was the latter of the two that life was giving me as four individuals walked into the room.
One was a Mage in his thirties, strikingly handsome with golden hair to his shoulders. Oddly, he was dressed in black trousers and a black dress shirt and shoes; the only gold he sported was the buckle on his belt.
The second was a devilishly attractive Vampire also in his thirties, with American Indian ancestry and short, red and black hair. He was dressed in an Armani suit, the jacket casually open over a blood red button-up shirt, and black shoes.
The third was a Vampire, about twenty years old and stunningly beautiful with ringlets of red and black hair to her shoulders. She was wearing a simple, straight-line silver dress that cut off at her shapely calves, and black heels, making her just shy of six feet tall.
The fourth and final person to enter the room was another Vampire, twenty years old. Her straight red hair with a few black streaks was a bit longer than she had worn it three years ago, now brushing past her shoulders. She wore a pair of flat front black trousers, an emerald green s
ilk blouse, and a pair of black heels, though she was still the shortest of the four by a good half foot. She was just as exquisitely beautiful as I remembered.
It was Isa.
I choked on my drink, quickly covering my mouth and grabbing the napkin Sin handed me, dabbing my lips. I watched Queen Ruckler jump from her chair at our table and rush to Isa, giving her a welcoming hug. I sat more than stunned. A bit drunkenly I recognized that this entire day just fucking sucked. Hell, Leric and Roselle were even sitting at my damn table, to add insult to injury, and it had been a chore just to ignore what had happened earlier and be civil while repeatedly refilling my drink.
And now Isa was being resurrected from my past.
“Fucking perfect,” I grumbled under my breath, downing the rest of my drink. I turned on my chair, not even bothering to stand, and reached for the decanter behind me on a table.
Sin watched for a moment, eyeing the amount of liquor I was pouring in my glass, and sighed, knowing the conversation Leric and I’d had earlier. He turned back to the table and tilted his head covertly to where Queen Ruckler was greeting the newcomers, quietly asking King Zeller across from him, “And they would be?”
King Zeller also glanced at my glass as I turned around on my chair while taking a healthy swig of my drink, before his gaze turned to Sin. “The Mage is Elder Farrar, Queen Ruckler’s father, for a lack of a better description. Elder Zeller, my father, is the other man.” I blinked at that, eyes going to the man across the room, now seeing the resemblance. “The Vampire with the silver dress is Torrie. She’s dating the other girl, who is Queen Ruckler’s adopted daughter, Isa.”
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