I blinked a few more times. Still shaken at his complete lack of fear, I asked candidly, “Are you crazy?”
His own nose crinkled as he shrugged a shoulder. “People have been known to say that about me.” Another shrug. “Although my actions may, to the close-minded, sometimes dictate that term, I prefer the expression ‘brilliant mastermind’.”
I was done. I fluttered a hand to the left. “Go be brilliant in the corner.”
He choked on a laugh, quickly cutting it off with a fist in front of his mouth when my eyes narrowed on him. His face dimly reflected the blue light from my irked gaze, and he flicked a finger. “I’ll go stand over there, but only because I don’t want you to hurt yourself trying to make me.”
King Collins grabbed my shoulders as I started to lunge at the egotistical man’s retreating back. My King pushed me back onto the mattress, ordering quietly, “That’s enough, Caro. He’s doing as you told him.” Not entirely, but his words sounded good, allowing me to inhale a calming breath and slowly exhale as I kept my focus on the brown eyes staring into mine. “You said you had patience, so start using it where he’s concerned.”
I nodded quickly at the true words. “I don’t feel very tolerant when he pisses me off.”
“Which means it’s probably a good thing he’s more powerful than you, because the ass does a miraculous job of pissing you off.” I blinked in surprise at King Collins, and he sighed, squeezing my shoulders. “I’m just stating the facts, so don’t take it any other way. He’d be dead ten times over with how much he fucks up. After all, I wasn’t saying he’s like,” his head teetered back and forth in thought, “a weakness to you.”
I stared then my jaw clenched. “You can go away, too.”
King Collins’s lips twitched, his eyebrows rising. “Feel better now?”
Slowly my eyebrows puckered as I realized that I did, indeed, not feel so pissed. My thoughts were possibly more muddled, but I wasn’t as angry at the handsome devil talking quietly with Reese and Roselle in a corner of the room. I cocked my head. “You’re good.”
“Thank you.” He smiled, patting my shoulders before releasing them and straightening. He jerked his head at the wall where Queen Cooper was cleaning beer and lamp debris. He waved a hand. “You can blast someone away from you?” His forehead crinkled at the poor description. But his shoulders still bounced a bit in excitement. “It was enjoyable watching him fly across the room.”
“I thought so, too.” I peered past King Collins to Elder Farrar who waited patiently behind him. “Why are you here exactly? What type of service were you talking about?”
Golden eyes watched me carefully. “As I was attempting to explain before you tried scaring someone who cannot be intimidated,” Elder Farrar paused, telling me plainly my effort was futile, “I can pull tonight’s memory from you so we can all see this Jasper individual, rather than only hearing about your encounter through Reese.” He tapped his fingers on the sides of his legs. “Unless there’s one of the many spirit powers we know nothing of that can project the memory for us all to see.”
I rolled my eyes at his attempt to pry information, but I stopped abruptly when Leric started toward us, his long, strong legs quickly eating up the distance.
He slashed a hand through the air, growling at Elder Farrar, “You’re not touching her.”
Elder Farrar instantly held up his hands. “It won’t hurt her. She won’t feel a thing.”
“Leric…” I griped, anger flaring again. I pointed a waving finger at him as I stood on the bed so I would have some height on all these damn tall people. “This is none of your business so back off.”
Not surprisingly he ignored my words, taking the remaining step toward me. Turning so his back was to me, he crossed his arms as he glared at Elder Farrar. “I don’t like it.”
I barely held back whacking him upside his head, instead grabbing a handful of his soft hair and jerking his head none too gently to the side. I stared down into his face. “None. Of. Your. Business. What don’t you understand about that?”
His nostrils flared as he stared into my eyes. He didn’t try to pull away from my hold. In fact, he leaned back a bit, resting against my body and making me dig my feet into the mattress to keep from falling under the added weight. “I don’t like it.” His jaw clenched with a heavy inhalation through his nostrils. “He’s a shit-load more powerful than you, and he could do anything he wanted while touching you.” His biceps bulged from his crossed arms. “You wouldn’t even realize it until it was too late.”
“I won’t do anything malicious to her,” Elder Farrar continued with his calm tone. His smile wasn’t kind. “Unlike someone did at dinner tonight.”
Leric’s shadowed eyes narrowed and his lips pinched at the snub, but I kept a firm grip on his hair and turned an aggravated expression on Elder Farrar, demanding, “Why the hell are you still trying to placate him, instead of me?” I pointed at my face with my free hand. “I am the one you should be trying to talk into this.” I shook Leric’s head. “Not him!”
Elder Farrar took a moment to answer, that seriously annoying quiet again descending on our group. His lips thinned a smidgen before he finally stated, “To be honest, it’s because he’s, as he said about me, a shit-load more powerful than you, and currently he’s standing between us. Thus he’s the one who has to be convinced, not you, since I could easily extract the information from you if he wasn’t standing there.”
I stared at him, my hand slowly releasing Leric’s hair. My stomach twisted as hurt ate away at it—hurt from his comment and the fact no one here seemed to respect me. I swallowed once, lightly shoving at Leric’s weight, and amazingly he leaned away from me a bit. I cleared my throat, running a hand through my hair and murmuring quietly, “Right. I understand.”
I was pretty sure no one saw it coming when I opened my Core, placed my hands gently on Leric’s shoulders, and leaned on him. Over his shoulder I stated to Elder Farrar, “It’s funny. I would think a man of your age would know not to underestimate someone. Especially when you don’t know the full extent of that individual’s powers. And I believe, Elder Farrar, you have done just that.” Puckering my lips, I blew lightly on Elder Farrar’s face. A sprinkling of the stars glittered between us.
His golden eyes completely emptied of intelligence.
I whispered, “Sleep, asshole.”
Elder Farrar’s lids instantly closed, and he started to drop.
Queen Ruckler jumped forward, catching him before he hit the ground. With her wolf riding her tone, she shouted, “What the fuck did you do to him?”
“The young and inexperienced just taught the old and experienced a fucking valuable lesson,” I muttered as my fingers dug into Leric’s shoulders, entirely upset by this evening. “And don’t go all wolf on me, he’s just sleeping.”
Crouching on the ground, Queen Ruckler softly ran a hand over Elder Farrar’s cheek, her glowing eyes flaring with fury. “He’d better be.”
My eyebrows rose. “Or what?” I blinked innocently. “You’ll be sleeping with him?”
Her wolf growled and she started to rise, but King Zeller and King Collins were instantly standing between us, both of them holding their hands out to ward off a pending fight.
King Zeller spoke quietly to Queen Ruckler.
King Collins glared at me, snarling, “I get it, Caro. I do. But think about who he is to her.” He shook his head. “Don’t piss her off too badly, or she’ll be the one sneaking into bedrooms and offing anyone she thinks is a threat to her family.”
My jaw clenched, and trying to control my emotions, I turned my head a bit and put my face into Leric’s soft white rolls of hair. I shoved away from him and turned my back on everyone. “Fine, I understand.” I waved a hand behind me toward the floor. “He’ll wake up shortly.”
I stared into golden eyes again. Leric stood in front of me—the damn man still wouldn’t move—while I listened to Elder Farrar state, “Caro, that was an interesting i
ncident, but I still need to do this.”
“And, again, I don’t fucking like it.” Leric paused, throwing a hand up behind him and covering my mouth when I started to open it. “But, with that being said, I will allow it if you allow me to touch you while you retrieve the memory from her.”
Elder Farrar shrugged a shoulder as I smacked Leric’s hand away, and he stated, “I’m good with that. I already said I’m not doing this with malevolent intent.” Golden eyes found mine. “Are you fine with that deal?”
About damn time someone asked me. “Yes.” Dry words. “Thank you for asking.”
His lips curved cynically. “You’re welcome.” The Mage stepped forward, moving closer to us as he lifted a hand that started glowing golden. “You’re magically protected, so it might take me a moment to retrieve the memory for everyone else to view.”
I took a step forward on the mattress so he could reach me. It put my front flush with Leric’s back, but I nodded.
Then a tiny scream died on my lips as I stared where Leric’s glowing bright white hand was suddenly on Elder Farrar’s throat, who froze at the abrupt contact. My eyes wide, I gaped, but Elder Farrar didn’t turn to ash. Leric was only keeping his hand there. I tapped Leric’s shoulder, unable to take my gaze away from his hand, even though Elder Farrar unfroze—he had given Leric permission—to raise his own glowing hand ever so slowly toward my forehead. I whispered, “Leric, don’t…” I couldn’t finish it in front of everyone.
“I won’t, as long as he behaves.” Leric shrugged a shoulder. “It’s his choice.”
“Not really a fucking choice if he doesn’t understand,” I whispered furiously against his ear, but I turned my head to Elder Farrar’s hand, the heat from his skin nearing.
I froze when he touched me.
Instant concern from Leric. “Sprite?”
“I’m fine,” I groused, shuddering a bit in relief. “I half expected the sandpaper feeling, but it’s not there.”
“Sandpaper feeling?” Elder Farrar asked quietly, his throat being squeezed a bit by Leric’s hand. His eyebrows were puckered in confusion.
“You know, when someone’s testing me for my powers from far away, it feels like sandpaper rubbing against my skin.”
“Ah, now the sandpaper comment makes sense.” Elder Farrar’s eyebrows lifted while his eyes started to glow minutely. “Even spirit Elementals?”
“Yes. It happens with all Mysticals. I think it’s because of the protection surrounding us, since that’s not normal.”
“Us?”
“Yeah, Sin and I. We’ve both got it.”
“Interesting,” he murmured. “But I need to do this, so be quiet for a moment.”
I blinked. “Just the memory from tonight. Don’t take anything else.”
“Afraid of what I’ll see?”
My lips quirked. “Just as you should be. After all, you are touching me willingly.”
His own lips lifted. “A second threat isn’t needed, since I’m fairly positive Mr Damon could end my life before I blinked, judging by the way you reacted a moment ago.”
I snorted. “Just do your thing and quit fishing.”
His lips curved more, but he closed his eyes and glowed a light gold, uttering, “Retrieve.” Not even a second later he completely stopped glowing, his eyes opening and brows puckering. “Well, hell.” A slow blink. “That was easy.” He lowered his hand from my forehead to tap at Leric’s glowing hand, his brows still furrowed. “You can let go now. I’m done.”
“Did he hurt you?” Leric asked, his right hand still tight on Elder Farrar’s throat.
“I didn’t feel a damn thing,” I mumbled, pushing off Leric’s back to sit calmly on the bed. “I didn’t even see the memory he took.” I glared at Elder Farrar. “You didn’t steal anything you weren’t supposed to, did you?”
A golden eyebrow rose. “With my life literally in Mr Damon’s hand?”
I tapped my fingers on my bedspread for a few moments, evaluating him, then I kneed Leric’s leg softly. “Let him go.” I nudged his leg again. “Even if he did take more, I let him willingly touch me. Plus, it’s no different than,” I coughed, “someone stealing a memory from me.”
Leric’s nose scrunched a bit, but he let Elder Farrar go. “I’d like to see what he can do with what he took.”
“Why, thank you.” Elder Farrar rubbed at his neck, though the redness had instantly turned to his normal bronze color. “That’s very kind of you.”
I clapped my hands once. “Now that the preliminaries are done, let’s see what he extracted.” Because what he was ‘supposed’ to take could mean anything to a Mage.
Elder Farrar waved a glowing golden right hand, and suddenly a shimmering golden ‘screen’ appeared across the room. It was four times as large as the television on the dresser.
“That’s well designed,” Leric murmured. He paid no attention to me until he flopped on my bed, lying on his back, and placed his head on my lap. I didn’t think the position would be very comfortable and I wasn’t about to uncross my legs for him. His legs were crooked and spread so he could see the magical screen between them, with his hands under his head and very close to a very private section of my body.
Staring down at him, I growled, “Leric…”
Silver eyes flicked up to mine then back to the screen. “Hush. I think the show’s about to begin.”
“You do understand I don’t forgive people,” I snapped my fingers, “just like that.”
“Yes,” he stated calmly, sounding very reasonable. “I believe I got that when you put my face in the mirror and later blew me across the room.”
My jaw ticked. “You’re starting to piss me off again.”
“Hold that thought.” Silver eyes flicked to mine then to the screen. “It really is starting.”
Someone hit the overhead lights so only the bedside lamps were on as, indeed, a replay started of the night’s events, solely from my perspective and with sound—and a very clear screen. It began with the waitress who brought me the envelope. Everyone got to watch as I blatantly lied to King Collins, then as I caught sight of Jasper before I snuck through the bar and out the side entrance of the building. There were no feelings involved with this memory—only pictures and sound—unlike memories taken by spirits. But during my conversation with Jasper onscreen, a few people cleared their throats, glancing at me when it became obvious I had done something sexual with Jasper, who was a freaking Mage, to top it off.
Watching Jasper silently stare back through the screen for that extended amount of time, Leric muttered gruffly, “Do I want to know?”
“Not really your business, is it?” I cleared my throat, flicking a finger at the screen. “Besides, it was a tactic I used to escape.”
Queen Cooper snorted, looking at me. “It must have been a really virtuous act.” When King Collins glanced at her, she shrugged her shoulder, motioning to the screen. “What? They still aren’t talking, and this Jasper is actually glowing a little from whatever he’s remembering.”
I blinked, then I squinted at the scree…and saw for the first time what she was talking about. Jasper’s skin wasn’t just bronze, it was a bit shiny. I started chuckling nervously, knowing the glow meant he was turned on. “I never said it was a bad tactic.”
“Obviously,” Leric rumbled dryly, even as a few people snickered. “That and the fact you’re not actually killing him.”
I shrugged a shoulder, trying to be nonchalant. “He was always my favorite of the bunch.”
Leric growled a little under his breath but watched silently when Jasper and I started talking. When Jasper said there were people watching me, Elder Farrar’s eyes instantly glowed, and the walls of my room were promptly coated in shimmering gold, a Mage’s privacy protection. The room’s occupants grew even more silent when Jasper’s eyes flashed and he disappeared, a clear indication he was a very powerful Mage. Elder Farrar instantly ran his hands through his hair, a pensive expression on his face. Eve
ryone watched as my onscreen self tripped on Tristan hiding in the snow and shadows—this made Leric grin evilly—and the projected memory continued until I was again sitting at the table. It ended there, and the screen disappeared as someone flicked on the lights overhead.
Chapter Eleven
“So…” I picked at a fingernail, studying it intensely. There was absolutely no way to get out of this. “I imagine you’re all wondering who ‘he’ is.” When no one answered, though I could feel their penetrating eyes on me, I continued working on my nail. I flicked my attention to Elder Farrar then back to my nail. “It would probably be easiest if you just take another memory from me.” I held up the finger I had been working on, lifting my eyes to his golden ones and stating very slowly, “Don’t you dare take one from when I was young.”
He blinked sluggishly. “You are young.”
I exhaled the laugh of the jaded, letting a bit of my true self show. “I was never young, but that’s not the point.” I waved my finger at him. “I’m telling you to extract one from age eighteen and up.” All I could hear was quiet breathing as everyone stared. I sighed, rubbing my hands over my face a few times. I let my head drop…only to have the troubled gaze I was trying to hide be seen in full view by the silver eyes steadily staring up at me from my lap. I grumbled in irritation, “Dammit, can’t you move?”
Calm words. “No.” His gaze traveled over my face unhurriedly, and in a tranquil voice he asked the question no one would. “Why not before age eighteen?”
I rubbed my face again, keeping my head down. I schooled my features behind my hands. When I lowered them, an utterly blank expression was firmly in place. I peered up to everyone and stated bluntly, “From what I’ve seen, everyone in this room cares about, if not adores, children. I’m sure the last thing you want to see is a child,” my lips pinched the barest bit before I could control the action, “not being…loved.”
I flicked my hard gaze to each of the Rulers. “And the last thing I want is for anyone pitying me, so I would much rather Elder Farrar pick something from when I was older and better able to…handle myself.” I ignored everyone else’s carefully neutral regard and turned my gaze to Elder Farrar. “So, if you want to see ‘him’, know ‘him’, that’s my deal. Only memories from age eighteen and above.”
Chosen Fool (Forever Evermore Book 5) Page 8