Chosen Fool (Forever Evermore #5) (9 page)

I shouted on a croak as Roselle pulled an extra-long piece of glass from my heel. I did manage to growl at Queen Cooper, “Your point being?”

“You’ve also been highly emotional.” She stared emphatically.

I shrugged a shoulder. “PMS.”

Her jaw clenched, her fingers tapping on her—fake—slim hips. “So you haven’t missed your period?”

I stared, and then my gaze darted to King Collins. “Don’t you tell her anything?”

His blue eyebrows rose slightly while he rested with his back against the wall. “I happen to agree with her line of questioning.” His brown eyes flicked over my head, his gaze darting in Leric’s direction—he scowled—then back down to mine. “I don’t know if you’re on birth control. You never stated if you were. I only guessed at the theory, and then you went mute.”

Predictably, every spirit in the room went quiet, none of us saying a thing to the credibility of his theory.

King Zeller cleared his throat, his jaw seesawing back and forth for a moment, and then he quickly coughed. “I overheard her say she was on it. I don’t think there’s anything to worry about.”

Queen Ruckler blinked. “When did you hear her say that? Who would she have been talking to when she can’t speak—” Her eyes widened as she cut herself off. She quickly studied her black boots, murmuring under her breath, “
Ah, shit.”

There was a beat of silence, then Leric growled, “You’re fucking kidding me, right?” And—Lord have mercy—he did not sound happy, so I was pretty content I wasn’t looking at him. The room shuddered from his anger, a definite freakishly frightening crown of the galaxies sitting atop his head right now with that tone. “You fucking listened in on us? You couldn’t have walked the hell away from your eavesdropping when it became obvious what the fuck we were doing?”

“Yeah.” King Zeller spread his legs to steady himself, while others gripped the shaking walls or bed or chair. “Sorry about that.” A black arched brow lifted. “You had to have known someone was listening in. It did go silent in there before you got too far along. You enacted some type of privacy spell.”

Leric muttered so quietly I barely heard him, “
And apparently common decency is fucking gone
.” The room shook again. “Just keep your fucking mouth shut about our intimate moments, and I won’t have to do anything extreme. Like gladly rip your fangs from your mouth.”

King Zeller was quiet then. But appearing unbidden, his lips twitched the barest bit. He quickly cleared his throat and peered up to the ceiling as he mumbled, “My lips are sealed about anything private I’ve heard on any nights, wherever you’ve chosen to sleep, including intimate actions, personal conversations, intrusive uninvited guests, amusing phone calls, or even interesting nicknames.”

My eyes closed in the overly long beat of silence.

Leric, sounding sickened, muttered progressively, “Fucking hell, you have got to be kidding me. You goddamn Vampire jackass with fucking ears I would just love to—” I cleared my throat heavily since he wasn’t helping, and he stuttered to a stop behind me. But a second later he continued. “Just don’t forget, I know what your supposed masculine Vampire adores to be called.”

His wide lips curved as his spring green eyes flashed downward from their stare at the ceiling. He rumbled on an intimate purr, “I have no shame.” And I swear, King Zeller was seriously enjoying himself as he watched Leric over my head.

“Just fuck off before I decide to kill your intrusive ass for the damn fun of it.”

King Zeller’s shoulders shook gently as he laughed silently and he covered his mouth with his fist. He glanced at King Collins, pointing a finger. “Anyway, she said she was on birth control.”

“Good to know.” King Collins’s eyes were a bit squinty, but he spoke steadily as his gaze came back to me. “Just to clarify, there’s no possible way you could be pregnant?”

I would love to know what book he was reading to get all of his information. If a spirit Elemental fluctuated the use of their powers, which I had done, it could cause the birth control not to work. I was thankful my period had come after my night with Leric.

“No, I’m not pregnant. Jesus, that would be too much…wig-the-fuck-out much.” I flinched when Roselle quickly discarded the last glass sliver. She wiped my feet, cleaning away any lingering blood. “I really need to brush my teeth before we discuss why the hell you’re all in here.” I scooted off the bed, having to zigzag around everyone to the bathroom.

When my teeth cleaning business was done, I stepped out of the bathroom. My breath was minty fresh. “Well, I imagine Reese blabbed about what he saw.” Hopefully not all of it, just the important part. I walked to the bar fridge and glared at the complimentary bottles of water. I could really use a stiff drink. “Just what I wanted for this talk: a fine, refreshing water.”

Roselle cleared her throat, stating kindly, “It will sit better in your stomach than alcohol, since you did just throw up.”

I blinked at her. “Thank you for the recap.”

Her lips lifted charmingly. “You’re welcome.”

I turned my back on the fucking spirit Elementals in the room, grudgingly opened the bottle of boring water, and took a swig. I glanced at King Collins still standing against the wall. He was busy rubbing at his temples, shooting deathly glares at Leric’s back. My lips twitched, actually enjoying the fact King Collins was just as upset at Leric as I was for his actions tonight at dinner. I moved forward, patting his arm. My mouth opened to say something, but I stopped when a knock sounded at my door.

Everyone in the room turned from pensive-quiet to violent-quiet. All eyes in the room—some instantly glowing—swung to the door. Hell, Queen Ruckler even had a gun aimed at the damn wooden barrier. I waved a hand at everyone, whispering, “Seriously people, a real threat doesn’t knock. It’s probably room service with the wrong room.” I moved toward the door, rolling my eyes. I called loudly, “Who’s there?”

A deep rumble from outside. “It’s Brann.”

I tripped, banging my head against the door. “Shit.”

There was instant concern from outside. “Felon?”

“I’m fine, I’m fine.” I opened it just a crack to peek outside, the occupants of my room utterly silent. “Now is not a great time.”

He rested a shoulder against the doorframe. “Come on. I brought beer.”

“Not now.” But it was sweet of him that he was really trying to be a friend.

I saw it in his eyes when his ‘sniffer’ got a load of the scents in my room.

He quickly pushed off the doorframe and took a step back from my door.

I glanced down at the beer. “Can I keep that?” It was alcohol, after all.

He handed it over easily enough. A black eyebrow lifted as he began walking backward, away from my full room. “I hope it makes your evening a little better.”

“Doubtful,” I mumbled. I quickly shut the door. Setting the beer down on the table next to my opened water, the glass bottles clanked noisily in the God-awful silence. Running a hand through my hair, I glanced absently to the left, my gaze landing on Queen Ruckler. She was now sitting on my bed, a leg hitched up and elbow on her knee, with her hand covering her mouth. “We’re just friends. I swear.” I cracked open a cold one. I was in definite need.

A few beats of silence, and…fuck me…another knock shook my door.

My eyes widened even further because the last visitor hadn’t exactly gone over too well—even if it had been harmless. I took a large swig of the beer, not moving. The person would go away.

King Collins garbled, “Don’t you want to get that, Caro?”

I took another sip of my beer. “Not especially.” But when the pounding only continued, and everyone stared at the door, I sighed and set my beer down. I leaned toward the door. “Who’s there?”

The knocking stopped instantly.

“Oh.” A surprised feminine voice from outside. “Do we have the wrong room?”

“I don’t know. I’m pretty sure this was the number he said,” a different feminine voice stated. “Maybe he has another girl with him.” A pause. “I wouldn’t mind, if you wouldn’t. He totally proved he could handle more than one woman.”

The first giggled. “He definitely wore us out.”

Sighing, I didn’t even bother to open the door. I rubbed my forehead. I had a possible headache about to attack from the absurdity of the two flakes outside. “Sin’s not here.”

There was a stretched pause, then the second flake said, “We don’t believe you.”

“I don’t really give a shit.”

They must not have heard me because there was more banging on the door.

The first hissed, “We know you’re lying.” More banging. “You’re keeping him to yourself. Open the door!” A pause. “Darn it! I broke a nail.”

I stared at the door a moment, watching it vibrate with the pounding outside. I glanced back at the room. “If you have a weapon, please raise it.”

Their entirely-too-amused expressions quickly altered to blank appearances, and everyone—minus Leric and his parents—raised a gun, aiming it at the door.

I nodded with satisfaction.

Unlocked the door.

Opened it wide.

The air and fire Elemental screamed like they were in a horror movie.

While racing away.

It was
spectacular
.

I flicked the door shut, a bitty, evil smile gracing my features as I stared at the door.

But my humor disappeared a few beats later when another—goddamn are you shitting me?—fucking knock sounded. Grabbing my beer, I turned toward the bed. I stated with gravity, “I’m not answering it this time, so you can all fuck off.”

Chapter Ten

“It’s Elder Farrar!” The Mage called from outside, stopping me in my tracks. “I’m here to offer my services.” A pause as he choked. “And I’m not referring to sex!”

“I’ll get it,” Queen Ruckler muttered, standing and motioning at my bed as she strode across the room. “Sit down, Caro.”

Not really caring about giving in easily to the order, I sighed as I sat on the bed, rolling the tension from my shoulders. I placed my back against the headboard but quickly jerked up straight when my shoulder intimately brushed Leric’s muscled one. I was nowhere near content with the man—my acceptance of his apology was a long way off.

“Sprite…” he purred softly, while Queen Ruckler let Elder Farrar inside.

“Get off my bed,” I groused, not glancing at him. “You’re no longer invited.”

He didn’t comment, but I heard him growl quietly under his breath. Instead of doing as I said, he kicked his feet up, getting more comfortable. He even placed one of his arms on the bed, curving it directly behind my hips—not touching, but damn close.

Nostrils flaring at his persistence, I rotated my attention to him and stared directly into his amazing silver eyes. “I will hurt you.”

His lips curved slowly. “Yes, I believe we’ve already spelled that out.” Proof positive would be the dried blood still on his cheek, but more than likely he was still talking about the gun I had pulled on him what seemed like ages ago. A white eyebrow raised a smidgen, and he whispered intimately, “Besides…a little hurt can be enjoyable.”

I stared, thoughts swirling madly.

Elder Farrar was asking me something, but I couldn’t hear him through the buzz in my ears. I placed my hand on Leric’s lean hip, his eyes widening at the soft touch. I let my power—only a bit—flow down my palm in a livid rush. A minor pulse wave erupted between us, blowing my hair back.

Like a beautiful dream, he grunted in pain before his body sailed off my bed, taking the bedside lamp with him. He hit the wall with a resounding crash directly under the windows.

Sadly, the remaining beer bottles shattered against the wall, leaving huge stains, the glass and Leric both falling to the ground.

He disappeared, only the glass hitting the carpet.

I jumped when my hair ruffled from the soft purr against the back of my ear, “That wasn’t exactly what I was talking about.”

Snapping my head around to where he had reappeared, I came nose to nose with him. I tried catching my breath as my eyes narrowed, and I decently managed, “I’m so sorry. I guess I misunderstood.” I moved my head closer, the tips of our noses barely brushing, and I was pretty sure I saw amusement—again—and irritation in his mesmerizing gaze. “Stay the fuck off my bed before I really misunderstand.”

I lifted my hand—to which he didn’t flinch one bit—and slowly began tracing one finger over his gorgeous face, down his cheek, dragging it over his jaw. I said even more quietly, “Because you see, Leric, even though you are more powerful than me, my patience for revenge is marvelous to witness. I’ve snuck into your bedchambers before and I can do it again. Possibly when you’re sleeping and unaware. Right when you’ve begun to forget about me.” I tilted my head, rubbing my nose on his. “I believe your imagination can take it from there.” And yes, I meant it. I was letting him see the cruel, heartless bitch I could very much be, staring at him with cold, dead eyes.

I didn’t get the reaction I had expected. I readied myself for an attack, but instead of malicious power thrown at me…I received charm. His red lips curved, his gaze running over my face as he whispered, “God, you are so fucking adorable when you get all testy and furious,” his eyebrows lifted arrogantly, “and try to threaten me.” He chuckled quietly while I sat frozen, blinking at him in shock. He raised his hand and tapped my nose lightly, staring at it. “Your nose even crinkles a little.”

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.”