King Cave

by Scarlett Dawn

  I found the button and his voice cut off for a second before I held the phone up to my ear. Hearing him work himself into a tizzy, I interjected, saying, “I’m fine.” I was pretty sure he didn’t hear me because he kept going on. And on. “Ezra.” And on. “Ezra!”

  He shut up, and I said, “I’m fine. I need to call you back, though.”

  Silence, then a clipped, “You aren’t lying?”

  “No. Scout’s honor.”

  He snorted. “Just call me.” He hung up.

  Rolling my shoulders, I studied my phone, trying to figure out how to put it on vibrate.

  “Ezra…” Lynn murmured into the silence, his kids miraculously still sound asleep. “As in, Ezra Zeller, the Prodigy Vampire?”

  I nodded, finding what I was looking for. “Well actually, Ezra Zeller, as in, King Zeller now.” I pocketed my phone. Time to see if Brann was the brat I wanted. “Okay, let’s do this.” I glanced at him, ready to gauge his reaction as I again held out my hand with the fisted die.

  And froze.

  He was giving me a peculiar look.

  “What?”

  He blinked. “Did he call you sweetheart,” a pause, “in the middle of his outburst?”

  I blinked this time and couldn’t come up with anything adequate in my addled, sleep-deprived mind. “Yeah. I think he did.” I shrugged. “I called him an arrogant asshole a few hours ago.”

  “Okay.” He smiled, which made him even more handsome. “I get it.” Approvingly, he nodded with grand motions.

  I wasn’t sure what he really got, but he wasn’t fussing, so I went with it. I raised my eyebrows and nodded, like him, smiling. Then I jerked my head at Brann. “How about we do this?”

  His eyes instantly hooded.

  Ah. I caught it this time.

  He wasn’t thrilled.

  Too bad.

  Slowly, I uncurled my fingers, but the die was only white like before the spell had been cast. “Shit.” God, I was definitely off my game. “Mr Johnson, I’m going to need you to take your daughter and drive around the block.” My gaze met his, and I saw his nostrils flare. “The spell doesn’t work if any other Mystical is nearby, but hopefully if you’re a block away, it will.” My lips pinched when I could tell he hated the idea. “Look, I’m not here to hurt you or your family. I’m here to find the Prodigy and protect him.”

  It took five more minutes to convince him, even though he was scenting my truth the entire time. Protective he was, and I didn’t disagree with his reasoning, so I didn’t push my will on him, convincing him civilly, since I may have to deal with him in the future. I even helpfully carried the unconscious Com out to his car while he carried Brenna’s peacefully slumbering form. That wasn’t completely selfless, because I really didn’t want the Com waking to find me alone in the bedroom with the boy. I had a feeling that after being knocked out, she would shoot first and ask her questions later.

  Finally hearing his car pull away, Bonnie and I sat in the middle of the twins’ bedroom, the white die in my opened palm. Waiting. A minute later, the die sparked to life, glowing an even brighter black, which pulsed in my hand. I jerked forward, the die literally pulling me toward the bed with the boy. I crawled, luckily already on my knees because the thing suddenly weighed a ton, and my hand hit the mattress. I watched in fascination as the black spark of knowledge beaded out of the die, leaving it white as before, and raised high into the air, floating above the boy’s forehead.

  It dropped, landing like a blot of ink before disappearing against his skin altogether.

  The boy didn’t even notice, still snoozing peacefully.

  I grinned, even as I felt the Prodigy ring and the Queen ring splitting, separating into two rings, and my eyes turned to Bonnie. “It’s him.” I tossed my die into the air, catching it with satisfaction at finding my mark. “Stay here and protect him while I wait downstairs for Mr Johnson.” I stood, pocketing the white die, Bonnie nimbly jumping onto the edge of the bed. “Don’t hurt him if he wakes and tries to pet you.”

  “I found him,” I said over the phone to Ezra. I chewed on my thumbnail, standing in the foyer and waiting for Mr Johnson to return, not really wanting to say the next part, but needing to, so when he met them he didn’t react…oddly. It was only now hitting me as the adrenaline from the possibility of danger left my system. I was even feeling an ache inside my chest. “His name’s Brann Johnson.”

  “And?” Ezra asked slowly. “I can tell something’s wrong.”

  I sighed, rubbing at my chest. “He’s a twin. A boy and a girl. The girl’s name is Brenna.” My breath hitched. “They’re really cute. Brenna’s small with orange hair and Brann’s large with black hair.” A too-close representation of what our twins could have looked like.

  I heard him inhale deeply — the licks just kept on coming — and he stayed silent.

  “I just…” I cleared my throat, trying to reign in my emotions. “I just wanted to prepare you.” Rubbing my forehead, I sighed, pushing over our past. “At least we can get out of this fucking city tomorrow morning.”

  “Tomorrow?”

  I blinked. “Yes.” My forehead furrowed. “Is that a problem?”

  He sighed. “No.” A pause. “I think I’m going to take a walk. When will you be here?”

  I heard the car pulling up. “A walk?” Visions of what his dad had done on his walk bombarded me. “Ezra…” I said softly. “Your dad already took care of your mother’s burial wishes.”

  Dry words. “Sweetheart, Dad told me what he did, so you don’t have to sugarcoat it.”

  “And you’re still going walking?” I asked hurriedly, hearing the key jingle in the lock.

  “I’m not using the term walking as metaphor for doing something heinous.”

  The door opened, and I held up a finger to Mr Johnson as he stepped inside and opened his mouth. “Alright. We’ll probably be there in a few hours.” I turned, whispering, “Be careful out there.”

  “Always.”

  I snorted and hung up, turning to face Lynn Johnson. Protective dad. A man who didn’t like to be controlled. Yay, me.

  Lynn’s arms were crossed, his eyebrows lowered even as his nostrils flared. I walked to him and patted his shoulder. “Brann’s the new Prodigy.” His eyes slowly closed and he dropped his head to rub his forehead. “We need to leave soon. He needs to be kept safe.”

  “Where?” Lynn whispered.

  Good, he wasn’t ignorant enough to argue with facts and destiny.

  I cleared my throat. “First, we’ll be traveling with Elder Zeller, who just recently lost his mate, King Zeller, and Elder Farrar to find the Prodigy Vampire. Once the Vamp child is found, we’ll be heading straight to Connecticut. King Cave.” When he hunched, I squeezed his shoulder. “It’s not a five-star hotel, but it sure as hell beats a sewer.” I squeezed again. “It’s really not that bad. Most of the Shifters adore it. It has a wonderful forest to run and hunt in. Plus, the entire area’s protected.”

  He tilted his head, one golden eye peeking at me. “You spoke truth.”

  “I wouldn’t lie about that.” I knew how Shifters needed their open space. “Now, how long before you and your children are ready?” I paused, and asked very carefully, “And is there a mate we need to call and have return?” There had been too much blood, I could tell from the fading scent, but I needed to double-check.

  “I’ve never mated,” Lynn said quietly, turning his face away. “But my wife died in the attacks.” He was even more rigid than before. He cleared his throat. “We can be ready in a few hours.”

  “You aren’t going to run from me?” I had to ask, scenting the air.

  “No,” he said softly. Truth.

  I pulled the Prodigy ring off my pinkie. “The ring’s now your son’s until he passes it to the next Prodigy. Tell him to keep it on him always when he’s old enough.”

  He stared at it before fisting it, and nodded.

  Duty fucking done.

  It was my damn
luck Brenna had taken a shine to me since the scowling Com had brought her inside. The tiny monster wasn’t such a damn monster, as I discovered over the next hour, even though she made a bad habit of clinging to me. It was hard enough to keep a firm grip on my emotions, just seeing her cute face, but add in the fact that she was like a damn monkey on me, holding tight around my neck as she talked about everything she looked at, giving me a tour of her house…well, by the time we arrived via Lynn’s SUV at the vacant house, parking around back where no one from the street could see us, I was ready to sit down and bawl. The only thing keeping me from doing so was Brann’s sly antics for antagonizing his sister. A ‘rascal’, he most definitely was.

  “The place is empty,” I told Lynn quietly, lifting some of his bags over my shoulders before Brenna managed to jump on my leg, demanding to be picked up. “I hope you brought a few toys so the kids will be entertained tonight.”

  Lynn evaluated the house, his eyes assessing as he shouldered a few of his own bags. “Why not a hotel?” A snob, he also was.

  “We ran into trouble last night,” I whispered, picking Brenna up. “That’s all you need to know.”

  His lips pinched, but he nodded once. “Here, let me take one of those bags if you’re going to carry her.” He lifted one of the many from my shoulders, and for the first time, I think he actually looked at me…well, like a man notices a woman. Not as someone barging into his house, turning his world upside down. His head cocked, and he touched my glasses softly. “You look better without these. They hide your features.” He was almost shy in his flirting, which was actually a bit endearing, really.

  But it was time to cut that off. “That’s the point, Mr Johnson.” My eyebrows rose as I hefted Brenna higher on my hip, my tone pure business. “Shall we get inside?”

  His lips lifted on one side. “Sorry, I’m a little out of practice detecting if someone’s interested in me.”

  I did smile then. “No worries. Let’s just get the rest of the bags and get in the house.”

  I felt a swift breeze, and Ezra was suddenly resting a shoulder against the side of the SUV, standing directly next to Lynn. I blinked even as Lynn’s lion growled quietly, startled. And quickly averted my gaze to the bags in the back of the SUV, because all Ezra was wearing was a pair of black soft leather pants. That was it. Well, that and the black knit cap, his brown hair peeking out. Looking f-i-n-e as hell. “Mr Johnson, this is King Zeller.”

  Lynn’s growl cut off instantly as I lifted another bag out of the car with my free hand. I watched from the corner of my eye as Lynn studied him. Gradually, he stuck out his hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, King Zeller.”

  “Pleasure’s all mine, Mr Johnson,” Ezra drawled, pushing off the side of the SUV, and just as slowly extended his hand, shaking Lynn’s. “I understand Queen Ruckler’s named your son the next Prodigy Shifter.”

  Again, Lynn’s mouth pinched in dissatisfaction. “Yes.” He took his hand back.

  Ezra’s lips twitched. “There are worse things to be.”

  “Like?”

  Ezra took the bag I had in my hand, hooking it over his shoulder. “Dead, for one.”

  Lynn blinked, and then rumbled with a deep chuckle. “Well, yes, that would be worse.”

  Ezra’s eyes met mine, darting back and forth, his nostrils flaring, and then his gaze zeroed in on the girl in my arms, who was glancing around with wide eyes. “This is Brenna?” His voice was quiet.

  “Yes,” Lynn stated, smiling and lifting a hand to ruffle her orange hair. “Brann’s still in the car, probably mad because his sister has already figured out how to unbuckle her child restraint belt and he hasn’t.”

  Ezra’s head cocked. “She’s scared.” His lifted a finger, hovering it right in front of her forehead, and glanced at Lynn. “May I calm her?”

  Lynn’s eyebrows came together, and he stared at Ezra’s finger, even taking a step closer to me and Brenna, but finally, he nodded.

  Ezra’s eyes flashed and he gently touched Brenna’s head.

  She damn near broke my heart when she sighed and grinned greatly. “T’ank you.”

  Ezra’s resulting smile was sad. “You’re welcome.” His eyes flashed again, and his finger gently brushed my arm. Instantly, I felt soothing peace — my shoulders relaxing — which lingered even when he took his finger away to point at the SUV, asking Lynn, “May I get Brann?”

  Lynn nodded slowly. “That would be fine.”

  Ezra nodded once before grabbing a few more bags from the back, then headed around the side of the SUV to open the door.

  “Like him, Daddy,” Brenna whispered.

  Lynn’s eyes darted to mine, then down to hers. “Yes, he was very kind to you.” His eyes went to my arm, then back to mine. “And you.”

  I smiled, saying elusively, “Just because he’s a Vampire, doesn’t mean he’s cruel.”

  Lynn blinked. “That wasn’t what I meant.”

  I swallowed, glancing at the house and figuring I needed to quit being so defensive. Not everyone thought Ezra and I were together. Lynn had only been stating fact. “Of course not. I’m sorry for assuming.”

  “Not a problem.” He grabbed the last bag and shut the door. “But you should know up front, since we will be dealing with each other, I’m not an unkind man. Only a little set in my ways.”

  “I understand that,” I murmured, watching Ezra move around the back of the car while he held a scowling Brann in his arms. I nodded toward the curly-haired cutie, saying to Ezra, “He’s big, huh?”

  Ezra’s smile was still sad, but it also held amazement as he turned his attention to Lynn. “Are you sure they’re twins?”

  Brann pointed a finger at Brenna. “Hate you.” He really was upset about the seatbelt.

  Brenna stuck her tongue out at him, but grinned like the devil afterward.

  “Yes, they’re twins.” His chest was all puffed. “Brann was born two minutes before Brenna.”

  “Well,” Ezra lifted Brann so he was staring him directly in the eye, “I do believe Queen Ruckler is going to have her hands full with you.”

  Lord help me, Brann slowly grinned, chuckling quietly.

  Ezra watched, then his gaze met mine, one eyebrow leisurely lifting, and snickered.

  “I don’t want to hear it,” I muttered, already having seen Brann’s devious antics when his dad wasn’t watching. “All I have to say is…first ever female Prodigy Vampire.”

  Ezra grunted, placing Brann back on his hip. “Don’t remind me.” He tilted his head at the house. “Let’s get inside.” I didn’t miss how he maneuvered so he was walking between Lynn and me. He glanced my way. “I need to talk with you once they’re settled.”

  My eyebrows puckered. “Alright.” I wasn’t sure what that was about, but his expression was serious. “It shouldn’t take too long to find a bedroom for them.”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  It had taken a bit longer to have that talk with Ezra than we had planned, since he had wanted us to leave the house to have it, so it was dark by the time I burrowed Lynn’s SUV. When we had first entered, we had mutually — silently — agreed to sidestep Elder Zeller since he was still standing in front of the window, but this time holding a bottle of whiskey, which was half gone. Lynn hadn’t said anything, but he must have remembered I had told him Cahal had recently lost his mate because all he had done was lower his eyes and follow us upstairs.

  It had been Brann and Brenna who had kept us there, running about, exploring the vacated home. You would think little monsters wouldn’t be able to hide in a home that had no furniture and was stripped bare, but together they had somehow managed it. There had been one particularly high point when we had caught them playing with their tiny cars on top of Antonio’s still-slumbering form. Lynn had been, for the most part, horrified, apparently deducing who Antonio was, but Ezra and I had only lifted the kids and gotten them out of the room before Lynn had a complete meltdown.

  I was now driving us down the
town’s main strip with the plan to pick up dinner for everyone, while Ezra sat silent on the passenger’s seat even though he had wanted to talk. “So,” I finally relented and broke the silence, “what did you want to speak to me about?”

  And, holy fucking shit, he just blurted, “Will you marry me?”

  Surprised didn’t even explain what jolted through my system. More like utter and complete astonishment. I physically jerked, the SUV also swerving with my motion, and Ezra’s hand blurred, reaching over to grab the wheel and right our direction before I plowed into a van. “Did you…,” I blubbered, gripping the wheel tight to keep it straight on the road, my eyes darting back and forth between him and the street, “Did…did you…I…” I swallowed hard, trying to breathe normally, my heartbeat racing like mad when he only stared at me, not taking his words back. “Did…did you just ask me to marry you?”

  He held his hands up. “Just hold on and hear me out before you answer.” He was scrutinizing me like someone might watch a cagey animal. “First, I’m not asking because my mother was killed yesterday, and I’m looking at life like it’s too short to waste, although, that reasoning is true, just not because I lost my mother. I had planned to ask you that night after we left the ice-cream parlor. Remember I had told you I wanted you in a good mood to ask you something?”

  I blinked, gulping in air, swallowing hard as my thoughts swam in a million different directions, but I did remember him saying that right before Antonio had his vision, so I bobbed my head, an odd sound making its way out of my throat.

  Confusion. Fear. Shock. Surprise.

  All of these emotions were slamming at me, and not to mention I also felt…thrilled.

  Fuck, I was a mess.

  He gestured around us. “Well, when we figured out we were going to stay in Vegas, where there’s a chapel on every damn corner, it reminded me of some friends I used to know, and I didn’t think there would be another opportunity like this for us, with the war approaching.”