by J. K Harper
Duke shrugged. “We finally found a way to see her. I’m all business when it comes to the things that are important to me.”
“Glad to see we agree on that one point.”
“Now, we only need one thing.”
Duke arched a brow. “And that is?”
“To find you a flame retardant tuxedo.” Jai snickered as he walked back to his room.
The vampire was lucky Duke was in a good mood. Fucking lucky, indeed.
* * *
“I’m not wearing that monkey suit,” Duke said.
Jai held out one of the most expensive suits he could find at the local men’s shop. Okay, second most expensive, since he was wearing the better one. Knowing that Duke hated tuxedos, he wasn’t wasting good Italian material on someone who wouldn’t appreciate it. Apparently, he’d made the right decision. “Since I’m almost positive monkey and ape shifters exist, I’m going to label that as offensive to them.”
Duke shook his head. “Monkey suit, clown costume, or whatever. Don’t care. Not wearing it.”
Jai was usually the patient one between them, but his so-called partner was testing his last nerve. He’d wondered on a few occasions if dragon’s blood was as sweet as human’s and was tempted more than once to drain the guy of life.
The tension between them made him realize that Sherri was more than a witch who belonged to them and stilled their internal beasts. She was also the one who kept the balance between them, too. The spirit witch was the true balance in their triad. Without her, both Jai and Duke’s animalistic sides were at odds with one another.
He understood the reason a witch had to balance out two warlocks. Without her, the men could tear each other apart and cease to exist at all. Was that what was happening with him and Duke? What did that mean for other creatures like them who bonded? Maybe forming triads was the actual solution to peace between the multitudes of paranormal beings and wars that occurred amongst them.
Either way, he had found his own world of peace during his time with Sherri. If they didn’t get her back soon, there was a strong possibility he and Duke would battle it out until they killed each other. The men were bonded, that was for certain. He knew that Sherri belonged to Duke as much as she belonged to him. Jai didn’t know how to explain why he knew that. He just did.
Maybe there was a spell or ritual that had to be done when the triads weren’t made of only warlocks and witches. Everything was still so new for them. It seemed new for Sherri as well. He would give anything for them to figure it out together, and if everything went as planned, they’d be doing that and then some before long.
For the moment, he would settle for a simple spell to get a dragon in a proper suit.
“The invitation said formal attire required.” Jai held up the suit that was still on a hanger and partially in the wardrobe bag. The man hadn’t even taken the whole thing out to look at, let alone try on. If you don’t wear this, we can’t get in.”
What the fuck was Duke’s problem? You’d think Jai had asked him to get on the ground and rollover like a dog. Maybe he could command him … no. That was too mean of a joke, even for him.
Jai could smell the burning air and sensed the heat bubbling inside of Duke. His anger over the tuxedo made no sense, but if he didn’t calm the dragon down, their entire room would burn to a crisp.
“Listen to me, Duke. I need you to take a deep breath in and out.” Duke didn’t respond, so he spoke again, this time very slowly. “Take deep breaths. In. Out. Focus on that and nothing else.”
He heard the slow breaths that Duke took, and knew he was listening to him.
“Good. Keep breathing. Don’t think about anything but breathing.”
Slowly, the smell of burnt air disappeared, as if it never happened.
When he saw Duke’s face revert back to calmness, he spoke. “You want to tell me why a simple tuxedo can get you so riled up like that?”
It was Jai’s turn to go quiet. He didn’t pressure Duke or force him to say anything. Instead, he put the suit down and waited.
“The dragon clan I was in before I came here was a fucked up one. It wasn’t too far from here, Miami to be exact.” Duke took a moment before he spoke again. “They had conditions to be a part of their clan. Ever heard of Fighting Golden Dragons?” When Jai shook his head, Duke continued. “It’s blood sports for dragon shifters. Illegal cockfighting in the dragon variety, except it can’t be illegal when the human race doesn’t even know shifters exist. Mythology talks about gold being a dragon’s weakness, but in today’s society, it’s cash in exchange for blood.”
“Is that what they made you do?” Jai asked.
Duke nodded. “No one ever had a choice. You either fought or died, sometimes both, but they dressed you up for it first. Apparently, the audience paid more money to see us decked out like we were fucking Thanksgiving turkeys before we killed each other. A suit was the thing they made me wear before my last fight. I never liked fancy clothes before, but now I despise the things.”
“Since you’re here telling me this, then I guess you won most of those fights.”
He nodded. “If you can call it winning. The worst part was that my dragon got used to the fighting so much that he craved it. Lived for it. I could have left whenever I wanted, but I didn’t.” Duke’s fists clenched and then relaxed. “Fighting that way was the only thing that could calm my anger, until Sherri that night. Spending time with her was the first stretch in weeks that I didn’t need to spill blood for my dragon to settle down. I don’t know what she did, but without that calmness, without her near me … I feel like I can lose control of that part of me and not ever come back from it.”
Jai understood what Duke meant more than anyone. He didn’t even know who turned him into a vampire. When he was changed, he didn’t have a coven of vampires to teach him how to control his constant longing for blood. The thought was irrelevant. He’d lost count of the lives he’d taken. It tainted a part of him that he could never get back.
When the cravings set in, all he could do was let it consume him until he had his fill. After being on his own for almost half a century, he joined the Chicago coven fifty years ago, the same coven that had him searching for a new place to expand their reach in Kala West. He was their liaison for new coven expansions. He had to keep moving, or the early days of his change haunted him like ghosts.
Putting down roots was Jai’s fear. How could he make the man wear a tuxedo when he had so many horrible thoughts attached to it?
“She makes you forget what it was like before you lost control,” Jai said.
Duke finally looked up at him. “Yeah. Just like it.”
“You and I are more alike than you realize.”
A small smile crossed Duke’s face. “Maybe.”
“Hell, then no full tuxedo for you. You’re going to need to stay hidden from the other guests, until I find her and bring her out. Otherwise, you’re going to be too obvious. The last thing we need is for them to throw us out before we can even get near our witch.”
Duke took a moment to think about what Jai said before answering. “Then I’ll wait for you to get her and keep watch outside the ballroom. I don’t want anything to keep us from getting to her.” He nodded to the suit. “I just can’t put that damn thing on.”
Jai could tell that Duke hated his moment of weakness, but after learning the significance of his fear, Jai couldn’t fault the guy for his past. If anything, that proved the man and his dragon were far from weak.
“Then we’re agreed,” Jai said. “Before this night is done, we’ll finally have Sherri.” He zipped up the wardrobe bag and turned to leave. “I’m not sure what we have with her exactly. A bond or mating link, but either way, I’m honored to share it with you.”
“Agreed,” Duke said.
It wasn’t much, but at least they had respect for one another. Now, once they got their witch back, they could take their time to learn about the connection that made up their triad.
&
nbsp; Chapter 7
“Are you ready?” Carmen asked.
Sherri stared at her friend in the mirror. “Ready to be introduced as the new Mistresses of Spirit and Fire or ready to go out there and see if my men are here?”
Carmen giggled. “I guess both, but I meant look for your guys. I don’t care what anyone says. Finding them is your priority tonight.” Carmen looked stunning in a fire-red gown with her hair pinned up and a matching mask. Her fire symbol was woven into the dress’ center.
Sherri’s white and silver dress sparkled under the lights, making her warm skin pop against the material. Her circular spirit symbol sat in the middle of her dress as well. “I thought you said our new duties are crucial.”
Carmen waved her hand away. “Screw that. I also said I’m with you no matter what. You have to find them before they leave forever.”
Sherri stared at her best friend. “No pressure or anything.” Her nerves raked through her. She didn’t want to think of what could happen if her plan didn’t work.
“If I’m being honest, one of the best things about being a witch is finding my warlocks. I think that’s what happened to you, except they weren’t warlocks. But none of that matters. All you need to think about tonight is them. I’ll handle the rest, or me and my guys will handle the rest. We also have Charice and Claire as backup. If anything goes wrong, my sisters will whip shit back into shape before you know it.”
Sherri took a deep breath. “Have I ever told you how awesome a friend you are?”
Carmen shrugged. “All the time, but I never get sick of hearing it.”
They left the women’s restroom and headed to the ballroom entrance. A man announced the witches and warlocks who entered as if it were some debutant event. However, they didn’t do the same for the other paranormals invited. Sherri made a mental note of that flaw and vowed to fix it for the next major event, where they invited others outside of the magical community.
The announcer saw them and projected to the room. “Introducing the Mistress of Spirit and Mistress of Fire!”
All of the warlocks and witches in attendance bowed their heads in respect as they entered. The other paranormals were the only ones who watched them walk in. She looked around but didn’t see the two men she hoped were there. It was hard to see anyone with their masks on. Damn. She should have made masks optional, but it was the ball’s tradition. That meant she couldn’t change it.
What if they didn’t arrive at all? She performed the spell to include any paranormals in Kala West, but she didn’t consider if they had left the town’s borders.
The ballroom at Kala West Resort was the biggest in town, and the place where most of the big events were held. The Kala West All Hallows’ Eve Ball was no exception.
It was a night to celebrate the magic that made witches and warlocks what they were. Outside of Firewick Festival, it was the biggest event of the year and one that everyone attended.
Colors representing every element hung from the ceiling as strings of crystal. Whites, reds, light and dark blues, greens, and the occasional black were woven into the décor. Tables along with the eatery were decked out.
The resort was also closed to outsiders, so magic filled the entire room with floating chandeliers and candles. Although they could have used magic on the instruments, Sherri had been adamant on having a live jazz band. She had to call the magic community in Orlando, but they were able to get them booked in time for the event.
What shocked her most were the auras of colors that came off every witch and warlock in the room. It was like she sensed them with a new power. The Mistress of Water and the Mistress of Earth warned that her magic would get stronger the longer she was bound to the Elemental Board. Even Carmen and her older sister, Charice, said that they felt stronger during their bond to El-Board. Sherri hadn’t experienced anything different, until that moment. It was slightly dizzying, but she made her way inside.
She spotted the other Mistresses, and they bowed their heads in their direction before continuing their conversation with other guests.
Sherri tried to push her nerves aside and enjoy her debut as interim Mistress of Spirit with her best friend, but Carmen’s men were there waiting for a dance. She should have known they would want to be with their witch.
Royce held out his hand to Carmen, while his twin, Ryan, mimicked him.
“May we dance with the new Mistress of Fire?” Royce asked her.
Carmen glanced over and gave Sherri a pout that was perfected well.
“Go and have fun with your warlocks, Car,” Sherri said. This time she wasn’t envious. It only made her long for the two men she was sure weren’t there.
“I am not ditching you, no matter how much these two try to lure me away,” Carmen said, resolution in her decision.
Ryan and Royce’s sad faces were even worse than Carmen’s. They were definitely mated as a triad.
“I’ll be fine.” Sherri pushed Carmen towards her warlocks. “Go!”
The smile on her best friend’s face was worth being alone for a spell. She watched as others danced to the upbeat shift in a classical piece by Bach.
Although the masquerade was a formal event, many of the single witches and warlocks would have relaxed parties in their suites later that night that would last into the morning, like they did every year. She and Carmen had gone to a few during their college days, but she had no desire for extra entertainment that didn’t include who she had come there for.
Sherri still made herself useful by going around and greeting the other paranormals. She didn’t discriminate who she talked to, which included mostly wolf shifters from the Kala West Pack with a couple of visiting bear shifters. Many interacted with people outside of their coven. However, some witches and warlocks still kept company with other magicals.
After a while, she needed a moment to herself and some rest from the auras surrounding her wherever she turned. Sherri moved to a deserted corner of the ballroom, where refreshments were served, and looked out for her men. She found it odd how easily she claimed the men as hers, yet she had only been with them once.
She couldn’t have been the only one who felt a connection beyond the physical in their interaction and experienced a bond that even surpassed magic. No matter what, she wouldn’t give up searching for them as long as the ball went on.
It didn’t take long for her to finally spot one of the men she was looking for. Even with his mask on, she knew who he was. The immaculate black suit Jai wore reminded her of the all-black outfit he wore the night she met him.
Sherri moved through the crowd to make her way over to him, but she paused when another masked man snuck up behind him, one she didn’t recognize.
Jai backed up instead of moving farther into the ballroom, and she knew something was wrong.
Sherri didn’t want to create a panic, so she moved towards the entrance casually. It took everything she had not to run after them. When she finally got outside of the ballroom, she saw the back of the man who had the knife. Jai faced her. Although he didn’t acknowledge her presence, she knew he was aware of her.
“Do you remember me, vampire?” the man with the knife said.
“Of course I do,” Jai said. “You are the inhospitable warlock who likes taking on young shifters who can’t defend themselves.”
“You’re going to pay, bloodsucker,”
Jai laughed. “I wouldn’t be too sure of that.”
“You’re going to regret causing trouble for Warlocks of the Flame.”
Sherri’s magic boiled beneath her skin. No one threatened her vampire and got away with it. What pissed her off more was the word “bloodsucker.” He said it with distaste and a hatred that was so raw, it left a bitter taste in her mouth. If he wanted something to suck, she’d give him something all right. A wooden broomstick he could choke on.
She could sense he was an earth warlock by his green aura, and she was grateful for her new connection to the Elemental Board that helped her to see it.
She wanted none of his kind within her coven. Her spirit element coursed through her veins.
The imbecile still couldn’t see her, which gave her the element of surprise. She created a small ball of energy, twirled it around in her hand, and shot it out at the man who held her mate hostage.
The man tripped on his side, dropping the knife in time for Jai to tackle him to the ground.
With the threat eliminated, she had the chance to appreciate her vampire, but another aura’s power surrounded her and hit her right as an arm hooked around her neck, cutting off her airflow.
She hadn’t noticed anyone else around them, and that had been a catastrophic mistake.
There were no regrets moving inside her head. Only the missed opportunities of not being with her men one last time, and she wasn’t going to let an asshole take that away from her.
Sherri took her elbow and used her spirit element to back her arm as she jabbed it into the idiot’s stomach. He flew back and hit the wall as she gulped air, trying to breathe again. He lay there, unmoving, but his red aura from his fire element showed he still lived.
Someone moved so quickly that his image blurred. The air sizzled, and she knew it was Duke. He pulled her into his arms and held her close, as if she would slip away from him easily.
She couldn’t blame him one bit. It felt good to finally be near him again. It was as if they had never been separated. She wanted to hold Jai, too, but he was busy holding down the first attacker.
It didn’t take long for the guards to come and apprehend both warlocks, and a small crowd had trickled out of the ballroom from all the commotion.
As they were escorted out, she realized that those warlocks could have been who she ended up with. She asked for a rare earth warlock and a fire warlock, and they were both. Her life could have ended up so differently, and that idea freaked her out. The warmth of Duke comforted her, and soon Jai was there to hold her too.
“Thank the goddess,” she said. “You’re both okay. I was worried you weren’t going to show up tonight.”