Mentally, I hummed, Oh, Dominic! The way you talk to them…a groan…it’s so hot!
He stuttered, glancing down, clearing his throat.
I added breathlessly, Dom, I want…I want you! Those cameras are turning me on.
He made a quiet choking sound.
Please, Dom, please! I groaned.
He snorted, and I knew people were watching him strangely. Feeling I had done my job properly, I stopped. His eyes met mine. I knew there would be retribution involved. Probably a little good and a little bad.
“What’s wrong with him?” Elly whispered, her golden eyes swinging to me.
I tapped my temple and grinned.
Her mouth fell open. “That’s just mean.”
I chuckled. It was funny stuff.
The King Elemental, King Fergus, went next, speaking fluidly and easily to the assembly, his green hair shimmering in the light. “Our next King Elemental will be Jack Collins. He’s lived in Tokyo for his entire life and, like the other Prodigies, he’s thrilled to be here at King Hall for his senior year. His experience is immense…” Yada, yada, the same junk all over again. It sounded like they had all been through the same experiences since being chosen at a toddler’s age through a spell that let the current Kings know who the next Rulers were. “And here’s the next King Elemental.”
Jack Collins came out of the side curtains like Dominic had. I clapped right along with everyone else but didn’t add in the hoots like some of the girls were doing. He was hot. No doubt about that. He was about six foot, two inches, with a touch of Asian ancestry, and had bright blue hair that he wore stylishly over his right eye. He was dressed in a black suit that was fitted and trendy — not stuffy like the Kings’ — and his blue, extra-thin tie matched his hair. I could see his eyes were brown and his features bordered on pretty, but his muscled body was anything but slight.
He waited politely for everyone to quiet, then began with a slightly accented voice. “My name’s Jack Collins, and it’s a pleasure to be here…” More yada, yada.
Next to come forward was King Nelson, the King Mage, and he began with a soft grin, his hand brushing back his golden hair. “This is a monumental day, because for the first time in over five hundred years we will have a woman as our Ruler.” There were gasps throughout the audience. I had no clue a female Ruler was such a big deal, but clearly it was. “Our next Queen Mage will be Pearl Cooper. She’s lived in London for the entirety of her life, and her experience…” Heard it all before.
When Pearl Cooper walked out the crowd went wild. Especially the females. You would think the men would have been cheering the loudest but, I swear, women’s rights were taking a firm grip on every female in the place as Pearl took the stage. She appeared to be six feet tall, curvaceous, and with golden hair and golden eyes. She was drop-dead gorgeous, more than a normal Mys. She was so flawless she reminded me of a doll. She wore a black, checkered dress like a retro version of a 1950s house wife, except she paired it with a wide, glistening gold belt and gold platform shoes, to perfection.
I glanced down at my own jeans and plain white t-shirt with a smidge of disdain, thinking that perhaps I should pay a little more attention to my attire instead of just worrying if it was from the clean pile.
“Hello, everyone.” Pearl greeted the world with a celebrity wave, her English accent really freaking cool. “I’m so happy and honored to be your next Queen Mage…” She went on, and in her speech I noted she also had been recently mated. There were many groans from the men. Couldn’t blame them. She was that attractive.
Up next, the King Vampire, King Venclaire, nodded to the audience pleasantly and stated simply, “Our next King Vampire will be Ezra Zeller. He’s originally from San Diego, California, and has lately been traveling the world; his most recent location was South America. His power is truly remarkable.” The King smiled a little at his words, then turned toward the curtains. “Ezra, if you would, please.”
When the King didn’t drone on about his Prodigy’s experience, I asked, He’s done?
Guess so, Dominic replied, intently watching the curtained area.
Ezra Zeller walked onstage.
The first thing I noticed was the deep sapphire, hooded velvet jacket he wore. He had its hood up so I couldn’t see his face, and its hem was so long it skimmed the floor. It was unbuttoned, and he wore a simple white t-shirt under it with a pair of faded jeans, trendy holes in the knees. He had paired those with a clunky black belt and boots that looked identical to Dominic’s.
I clapped with everyone else, though my gaze was rapt on his size. He was as large as Dominic, at least six foot, five inches, his muscles massive. That was a little odd because, normally, Vampires were as tall as Shifters but were usually leaner, like a swimmer instead of a brute. His velvet jacket appeared worn, with patches at the elbows, and I was unsure if they were for fashion or economy’s sake. His vast biceps looked like they weren’t helping the stitching any, straining the material. His white t-shirt showed every ripple of muscle in his pecs and abdomen, and his faded jeans hugged his thighs flawlessly. You couldn’t even see his face, and I could already imagine the women in the audience licking their lips.
“Oh,” Elly whispered, leaning forward. “For a Vamp, he’s delicious.”
My best friend was one of them.
King Venclaire sighed and his hand flashed out, yanking back Ezra’s hood.
Flashes went off as everyone got their first decent view of him. He had skin like smooth mocha and he wore his red and black hair about three inches long in styled spikes all over his head. His features were perfectly sharp: high cheekbones, a straight nose, arched, black eyebrows, wide red lips, and an angular jaw. He wore a pair of unusual sunglasses — black and thick with round, platinum pieces on the front — and I stared at them, wondering what color his eyes were.
King Venclaire’s lips pinched, and he leaned toward Ezra, whispering.
Ezra shrugged a shoulder, lifting the sunglasses on top of his head. Expressive, almond-curved, glaring green eyes stared out at the audience as he tilted to the microphone, stating in a deep voice, “I’m Ezra,” a nod of his head. “Pleasure.” Fluidly, he turned, walking away from the podium to stand beside Pearl.
King Venclaire appeared completely exasperated until he pivoted fully to face the crowd, smiling charmingly, and said evenly, “He’s a man of few words and firm decisions. Let this be a reminder to the Vampires who’ll be under his rule.” He nodded once then left the podium to stand next to the other Kings, who had all raised their brows in silent question.
Trouble in paradise? I probed.
There’s always one, Dominic grumbled, glancing down the line at Ezra, who placed his shades back down as more flashes erupted, all four of them now standing side-by-side.
Chapter Two
Dominic growled, Where are you? They’re pairing everyone up!
Coming, I replied, running down the empty green hallway. I stayed late going over the reading list with Mr. Jarvis.
Dominic mentally sighed. You’re gonna get stuck with someone you don’t want. They’re going in alphabetical order. I’ve already been called and so has Elly.
Wonderful. I was going to get my butt kicked before lunch.
I ran into the girls locker room and jammed everything inside my locker before quickly stripping down to change into the black sports bra and black shorts we had to wear for these classes. I grabbed a ponytail holder then slammed my locker closed and raced out of the room and down the back hallway to the gym I had been in merely an hour ago. The bleachers were pulled back. Instead of an audience and press, my classmates were situated throughout the gym, paired off, standing on round blue mats.
I scanned the room and saw Dominic sigh in exasperation as he stared at my feet. I glanced down and realized I had forgotten to put socks and tennis shoes on. My black-painted toenails gleamed under the hideous lighting. I groaned, and started to turn around, but was stopped by a loud voice. “Ms. Ruckler! It�
��s so nice of you to join us!” It was Mr. Bertrand, my teacher for this hour of torture. “Get over here!”
Sighing in resignation, I jogged his way. “I need to get my shoes.”
Mr. Bertrand glanced at my bare feet and chuckled, shaking his head. “You’ll be fine without them. I don’t imagine they would help you much this time.” He gestured to his right. “Mr. Zeller is going to be your partner.”
I gaped, turning my attention to where he pointed.
Ezra Zeller was leaning against the closed bleachers with his huge arms crossed over his equally massive chest. He wore only black-knit pants, cut off below the knee like every student who was male, so I got a close up view of my impending death with all that bare flesh. He was enormous. It would be like taking on Dominic. Ezra shoved off the bleachers, gradually examining me from head to toe.
In unison, we muttered, “You’ve got to be kidding.”
Mr. Bertrand shook his head. “That’s what you get for being late, Ms. Ruckler.” He smiled like the evil teacher he was. “In the future, be on time to my class.”
“I will seriously hurt a Com,” Ezra stated bluntly, striding to stand directly beside me, glaring at Mr. Bertrand. “Pair me with someone who’s not a Mys wannabe.”
I choked, scowling. “I’m not a Com!”
He snorted, looking me over again. “Yes, sweetheart. You are.”
“Actually, she’s not,” King Venclaire countered, breaking away from where he and King Kincaid were talking quietly. Each King stayed with their Prodigy the first day, going to their classes to get an idea of what their Prodigy’s day consisted of. “She’s a Shifter.”
Ezra’s arched eyebrows lowered and he turned from the King to me, again giving me a once over, but this time with the gentlest brush of his power. It was dark and seductive, probing, feeling my Shifter magic in verification before he pulled it back. “Shift.” It was a command.
I snorted this time. Flipped him off. He wasn’t my “to be” King.
Mr. Bertrand’s jaw gaped.
King Venclaire only smiled. “You remind me of someone, Ms. Ruckler.”
I bit my lip. It wasn’t wise to attract the attention of the Kings. Not that I hadn’t already a month ago, when all four had been dressed in their eerie, hooded robes for this year’s Awakenings. Mine had taken over ten minutes. A normal Awakening only takes a few seconds. I rolled my shoulders, shaking my head. “That’s surprising.” Truth.
He nodded absently, his head cocking in his quiet perusal.
“What do you shift into?” Ezra asked suspiciously, closely watching the King’s interaction with me…and his almond eyes weren’t merely green. They were more a spring green, light and piercing, vivid against his mocha coloring. The simpering women here would fall at his feet.
“A wolf,” I grumbled in irritation, then turned back to Mr. Bertrand. “Seriously. I can’t fight him.” I waved a hand up and down Ezra’s frame, even poking his bicep — hurt my freaking finger. “He will murder me.”
Mr. Bertrand actually laughed. “The mat in the corner’s free. Good luck.”
I gawked as he and King Venclaire meandered in King Kincaid’s direction. Slowly, I pivoted, warily regarding Ezra. My assessment of being dead before lunch wasn’t too far off base.
Irritably, Ezra shook his head, stalking toward “our” mat. “What kind of training have you had?”
I gulped, and hurried to catch up. “Uh, none.”
“Perfect,” he muttered, facing me on the mat. “Try not to bleed too much.” A small curve of his wide lips. “Or do. Either way, I won’t mind.”
I ignored the Vampire’s comment while he stretched. My hands shaking only slightly, I quickly put my hair up in a ponytail. I rolled my shoulders and stretched my arms, glancing to Dominic, who had been paired with someone his own size. Being on time had merit.
Once Ezra and I were finished warming up, he gave no warning.
He lunged, using his Vampire speed.
“Ugh!” I grunted as my back hit the mat, my breath damn near knocked out of me.
“Get up,” he rumbled, still on his feet, his back muscles flexing with his rolling steps.
Gritting my teeth, I twisted, careful to not use my own miniscule Vampire speed. With a small portion of my Shifter strength, I dove. I didn’t care if his back was turned. It was probably the only way I could get a hit on him.
He turned at the last second, more than likely hearing me with his senses, but I still plowed into him. I wasn’t as agile as him to stay standing, so we both went down. He grunted this time when he landed on his back, and even though my forehead smacked against his shoulder, lying flat on top of him I still grinned with mischievous delight.
Until I was flipped. My shoulders slammed back on the mat. With a very heavy Ezra on top of me, I kept the grunt at bay, glaring up at him.
Spring green eyes glowered. “Good. You can’t beat me in a proper fight, so get dirty.” His nostrils flared, and he added, “You’re not scared anymore. You’re angry. That’s good, too, but don’t let it cloud your judgment.”
My glare didn’t disappear. “Shut up, and get off me.” He was like a freaking boulder.
Suddenly, his fangs lengthened. His voice was a mere whisper. “Get out of my hold.”
I freaked. This guy could seriously bite me. There was no way to get out of this. Panting hard from instant fear, I shoved anyway. The action got me nowhere. Trying to twist out from under him, heart pounding, I shouted, “Get off!”
He shook his head. “Calm down. Think.” Nice words, but his fangs were still out.
A deep wolf’s growl erupted next to us. “Get off my mate.”
Ezra blinked and tilted his face toward Dominic, who stood next to us, meeting my mate’s deadly gaze. Another blink. His eyes slid to Dominic’s neck, where my mate mark was, then to my neck, where Dominic’s mate mark was. Instantly, he was on his side of the mat and wearing a cool, blank expression. Like, one second he was a massive weight on top of me, and the next beat he instantly stood five feet away.
Dominic quickly lifted me to my feet, glaring, a definite growl in his tone. “When she tells you to get off her, then fucking do it.”
The two Kings had edged closer, but weren’t interrupting.
Ezra’s jaw seesawed back and forth, probably remembering all the rude comments he had already said to me, unknowingly offending the Prodigy Shifter’s mate. He surprised me, though; instead of apologizing, he stated bluntly, “She needs to learn to defend herself. That wasn’t a difficult position to escape from.” No fangs showed.
Dominic’s grip on me tightened, fairly vibrating.
All eyes inside the gym were now on the three of us, and I knew Dominic was on the verge of going after the Prodigy Vampire, so I held Ezra’s spring green eyes steadily, stating quickly and quietly, “Just keep your fangs away, and you can teach me, or whatever it was you were doing.”
Calm down, I told Dominic silently, I just wigged out.
Dominic’s gaze met mine, his dark eyes glowing, his hair falling around his cheeks. You told him to get off. He didn’t. The prick hasn’t even apologized.
I don’t think he’s going to, I replied calmly, I don’t think that’s his style.
Dominic snorted, his hands skimming down my back softly. You sure you’re okay?
Yeah. I’m good.
He lifted a finger and brushed it over my lips. Stared, as I gazed at his lips, but I remembered Ezra was still standing there. I peered away from Dominic’s perfect mouth to Ezra’s hooded gaze. “No fangs. We clear?”
Slowly, Ezra nodded, watching.
I nodded in return, agreement made, then smiled at my mate. You can go back to your partner and I’ll continue getting my butt kicked. My lips twitched. Maybe you can give me a massage during lunch?
Dominic grinned leisurely, making me feel all warm inside as a tiny, rumbling growl resonated from deep inside his chest. I can do more than that.
I laughed, pushing
him back. “Get going.”
“Yes, my sweet and innocent love.” He bowed, but when he straightened, walking backward to his mat, his gaze slammed into Ezra’s, glowing harshly. “Don’t hurt her.”
Ezra cracked his neck. “No more than necessary.”
Dominic took a deep breath. Nodded once.
I tried not to gawk.
Dominic’s brows rose. “You have to learn. It won’t be easy.”
I gulped, staring wide-eyed. Alright, I got that. Slowly, I peeked at the Vampire who was going to bring the hurt on. This so wasn’t my favorite class.
As everyone’s attention quickly went back to their own business, Mr. Bertrand stated loudly and cheerfully, “Get used to your partner, everyone. The person across from you will be your sparring buddy for the next month.”
Closing my eyes in resignation, I sighed heavily…right before my back hit the mat, taken unaware and unprepared by a tormenting Vampire.
Where are you? Dominic growled inside my head, bringing on a round of déjà vu. Everyone’s already seated.
I’m almost there, I hissed, running inside the administration building. I wasn’t about to tell him I had been ganged up on in the locker room. I had known it would come sometime today. The Shifter women weren’t at all pleased I had mated with Dominic. I had barely made it out of there without bleeding all over the place. There had been five of them. My face stung from the few bruises on my face, which were hopefully disappearing as I dashed down the hallway to Mrs. Jonas’s office where we were supposed to have lunch with her, the Kings, and the Prodigies.
Plowing into her office a few seconds later, I stopped dead, catching my breath. All eyes turned toward me. I quickly flipped my hair over my own right eye — the bruised one — and hurried to the empty seat next to Dominic. “I’m sorry I’m late. I got lost in the halls.” Truth. I had run down the wrong hall twice and went to an entirely incorrect building afterward, not used to the new section of King Hall I was now in.
Dominic stood, kissing my cheek before pulling out my chair for me.
I dropped my book bag under the table and sat, keeping my gaze down.
King Hall Page 2