King Cave (19 page)

“Not funny,” I muttered, smacking my tongue on the top of my mouth.

“Here.” He handed my Coke to me, his chuckle rumbling deep.

After rapidly grabbing it, I started chugging the refreshing liquid, only belatedly realizing it was abnormally quiet around us. Glancing past the rim of my cup, I noticed almost everyone was staring, their jaws gaping. I almost choked on my drink, but I set it down delicately, still feeling mighty peaceful, no one’s staring going to ruin my mood. Turning my attention to Ezra, I wore a mischievous smile. “Maybe we should start a fake fight.”

He sniggered, his eyes darting to the gawkers. He grinned down at his plate before scooting it away, shrugging, and pushing his chair back to put his boots up on the table in an unperturbed position. After grabbing his coffee from the table, he sipped it before peering at me, rumbling, “They’ll get used to it.”

I snorted, my eyes skimming the crowd as I continued eating. There were many Mysticals here. After the news had broken through the masses about hybrids creating Beasts, the Mysticals had become even more separated. After lifting a fry, I munched on it and decided you could cut the room in fourths by Mystical factions. Vampires were to the far back right, Mages to the far back left, Elementals to the direct right, and Shifters to the direct left. Still, even though the situation had only become worse behind the scenes, I knew that if war truly broke out between Com and Mys, none of them would give a flying fuck if they were fighting beside a member of a fellow faction or of another.

In matters of war, Mysticals were only Mysticals. We protected each other.

Survival in its most basic form.

My gaze stalled on a table a few over. It was mixed like ours.

It was also the air Elemental and Shifter I had seen this morning with Antonio, Cahal, and the Kings. Peering at the air Elemental, I saw that his bright yellow hair was a direct contrast against his deep ebony skin. He was striking, with delicate features, his body built on the slimmer side, like a swimmer, and he appeared to be near thirty years old by Com standards, which meant he was probably around eighty years old. The Shifter next to him looked to be approximately the same age, but that was where the similarities ended. He was enormous everywhere the air Elemental was slim, even his facial features more bold and fierce. His spiral-curled black hair complemented his olive-colored complexion, making his blue eyes appear navy.

They were watching us, but their gazes were much more penetrating, not ogling like the others.

I opened my mouth to ask Ezra if he knew who they were, but my question stalled in my throat as I sniffed the air and blinked in confusion. I smelled smoke. Cigarette smoke, in particular. Unfreezing, my gaze snapped to Ezra. He was lounging on his chair, boots still on the table, with his coffee in one hand and a lit cigarette in the other, as he inhaled a prolonged drag. My jaw dropped, and I sputtered, “What are you doing?”

His lips twitched, and he lowered his cigarette and dropped his head back to blow the smoke to the ceiling. “I’m smoking.”

Complete shock. “I can see that.” His lips quirked in a resulting grin as he watched me, his head tilted, obviously enjoying my stunned reaction. “When did you start doing that?”

He ashed on the cave floor and shrugged. “I only smoke every so often now, but I used to smoke these…and other things…on a normal basis before coming to King Hall.” Another shrug as he lifted the cigarette to his curling lips. “This past week, I took it back up.”

My gaze narrowed as I waved a hand in front of my face. “Just those, or
other things
?”

He grunted, taking another drag. “Just these.”

Eyeing him a moment longer, I hummed in my throat and reclined on my chair, trying to ignore the fact that when his lips curled around the cigarette it looked sexy as hell. Not moving my lips, I barely breathed, “You do realize you smoking right now is a little cliché?”

His deep chortle reverberated. “Maybe, but it’s no less enjoyable.” He tilted his head toward me, whispering, “You do know Mysticals don’t grow addicted or get lung cancer, right?”

I snorted. “I’m not a complete idiot.” My eyes met his. “But I could use your,” my words were drier than dirt, “
supreme knowledge
on another issue.” One of his eyebrows quirked in silent question, so I slanted my head toward the left. “Five tables over. Do you know who the air Elemental and Shifter are?”

Lifting the cigarette and taking another drag, his head cocked and his eyes searched where I had indicated. He stilled after a moment, then slowly ashed his cigarette, his eyes lingering on them. Blowing the smoke out of the corner of his mouth — away from me — he murmured, “I’ve seen their pictures before.” His gaze held in their direction, and I glanced that way, seeing both of them watching Ezra. The Shifter’s lips were even curled a bit. Eyes back on Ezra, I saw he was returning the gesture, until he turned his attention to me. “The air Elemental is Elder Jacobs, the Shifter’s Elder Merrick.” When I stilled, he chuckled, relaxing further into his chair, and took another drag. “Yeah, they’re the other half of my dad and Antonio’s posse.”

My regard snapped around, scrutinizing them in a different light. No wonder they seemed…
more
. They were. They had fought alongside Antonio and Cahal. Not only had they experienced war firsthand, they had led the entirety of the Mystical population through it.

The Shifter, Elder Merrick, took that moment to wink at me, lazily sitting back on his chair. I blinked, a bit confused.
What was that about?
It took a slow smile from him for me to realize he was hitting on me from tables away.

I stilled, quickly peering away. Clearing my throat, I grabbed a fry, feeling
strange
at someone flirting with me while Ezra sat right next to me.
After we had just had mind-blowing sex.
Glancing at him, his eyes met mine.

He took a slow sip of his coffee. “I believe someone’s taken an interest in you.”

I tossed the fry into my mouth, sitting back, not really knowing what to say.

Ezra set his coffee cup on the table and lit another cigarette, after smashing the other one out on his plate, saying quietly, “This doesn’t have to be awkward between us.” He inhaled a drag. “The situation is no different than either of us taking another…” He shrugged, not ignorant enough to say ‘lover’ aloud.

After a tick, I nodded and relaxed, letting my head fall back against my chair. “Good.”

We sat in pleasant silence for a few minutes, both of us enjoying the peace.

Up until Ezra muttered, “Shit.”

“Do I want to know?” My eyes were closed, head still back on my chair.

“Well…,” Ezra drawled. “What could ruin our good moods right now?”

I snorted. “The Kings.”

He chuckled, even as I heard him light another cigarette. “And the winner receives a half-hour of listening to the Kings bitch.”

“You’re a chain-smoker. You know that, right?”

“Only when the situation suits,” he purred softly.

I snorted, rubbing my eyes before lowering my head to peer at the crowd. Only to see King Kincaid and King Venclaire heading our way, weaving through the tables. Their expressions were guarded, carefully examining us as if we were bugs under microscopes. “Does this place have a back exit?”

“I didn’t see one.” Of course he would have already looked.

“They were talking about me earlier,” I whispered quietly. “Trouble’s brewing.”

Ezra sipped his coffee again, saying on a mere breath, “They’re looking at me the same way as they are you, so it appears we’re both in trouble.”

“When are we not?”

Ezra snickered quietly and tilted his head as they approached, his position mirroring mine.

The Kings stood in front of our table, both watching us warily.

King Venclaire gestured to the chairs in front of them. “Are these seats taken?”

Ezra and I shook our heads, staying mute. The less we talked meant the faster they left.

Both Kings sat tranquilly on the chairs, even though their eyes darted between us.

King Venclaire murmured, “The rumor mill said you two were here.”

Wonderful. It had gotten so bad others were keeping tabs on us.

We shrugged like it was nothing special.

“More specifically,” King Kincaid’s eyes were watchful, “You were in here not arguing.”

Another time we shrugged.

King Kincaid scented the air. “Are you two drunk?”

I was pretty sure we stared in barely masked surprise until we shook our heads.

King Venclaire’s gaze went to Ezra’s cigarette, then to our eyes. “Stoned?”

This was actually damn funny, but I kept my mouth shut as we shook our heads.

King Kincaid’s eyebrows furrowed. “What’s going on then?”

King Venclaire’s nostrils flared as he relaxed further on his chair, staying silent.

It wouldn’t be advantageous to our goal of them leaving as quickly as possible if we played ignorant, so I stated honestly, “We had a discussion. Worked out our issues.”

“There may have been a little bloodshed, but,” Ezra ashed, “we got it all figured out.”

How I kept an innocent mien was beyond me, both of us holding their gazes guiltlessly.

King Kincaid sniffed the air, his face clearing as he sighed, and muttered, “
Truth
.” He smiled. A happy one, which slowly turned malicious. “As ecstatic as we are that there will be no more outbursts from you two, the other Kings and I have decided the both of you need a form of punishment for your recent childish behavior.”
Ah, here we go
. “Both of you will be working in the day care area.” My jaw clenched, eyes narrowing.
Fucking prick.
“Not together, mind you. We wouldn’t want you having too much fun.” He stood, placing his hands in his pockets, appearing as pleased as Punch. “So every morning one of you will be helping with the,” he snickered, “precious little ones.”

Ezra and I stayed mute, nodding only once and praying he would walk the fuck away before he came up with any other atrocious form of punishment. He did leave, chuckling as he swept through the tables. Way too cheerful for it to be innocent in nature.

King Venclaire continued sitting where he was, gazing at us.

We stared back, just as mute as him.

A few moments into the silence, he asked Ezra, “Can I have a cigarette?” He smiled, and it was crafty and sinful. “I just came from…
talking
…with a friend, and I could really use one.”

Ezra and I flinched the barest bit, just the tiniest smidge.

King Venclaire noticed. His smile widened even as his eyes narrowed, and he leaned forward to place his elbows on the table, speaking in the barest whisper, “I hope you two remember what I stated before.” We stiffened, both of us very much remembering his ‘sex talk’ and not wanting to ever hear a repeat of it. “This isn’t the time, nor will it probably ever be, for anyone to find out what happens behind closed doors.” He held our gazes, not moving from his position, nor appearing like he planned to until we gave him some type of confirmation that we weren’t complete idiots.

Ezra’s chest rose, then he growled, “They won’t.”

King Venclaire’s eyes met mine.

My cheeks flamed bright red under his regard. I couldn’t help it; he was my damn biological dad. He had thought we were having sex when we weren’t, and it had been more of an annoyance, but this time we were most definitely having wild monkey sex. Mortification flooded my system, my gaze swinging to my lap where I stared avidly. Nodding jerkily, I mumbled, “I understand.”

To my surprise, he reached across the table and squeezed one of the hands I had fisted on the table, before standing silently and walking away.

Ezra cleared his throat, asking quietly, “First time being caught?”
By a parent
, he didn’t say aloud. When I nodded, still staring at my lap, trying to collect myself, he chuckled. “I’ll get you some ice-cream.” A pause as he stood. “And maybe a drink?”

“A big one,” I grumbled, rolling my head around on my shoulders. “Of both.”

Flicking his lighter repeatedly as I waited for his return, staring at its flame, my hand shot out across his empty seat. “It’s taken.”

A rumble, deep and gravelly, sounded. “I didn’t think you were paying attention.”

I smiled, flicking the flame again, not removing my hand from the seat. “You smell of your animal, Elder Merrick.”

Elder Jacobs’s merriment was light as it sounded from the front of our table. “Shut down.” He continued snickering. “I bet you thought she would bow down to you.”

Glancing up at them, I saw Elder Merrick bare his teeth at Elder Jacobs, but his eyes found mine quickly. “Ignore the Elemental asshole. He finally got laid, so he’s in rare spirits.” His hand rested on top of mine where I held the chair, even as Elder Jacobs laughed heartily, not arguing and pretty much proving Elder Merrick’s words true. “Are you sure this seat’s taken?”

His gaze didn’t waver. Yes, he was handsome. Extremely so. But I wasn’t disrespectful enough to give another man Ezra’s seat. “Yes, I’m sure.” My eyes darted to his hand over mine, and back to his eyes, which I would normally find captivating if I wasn’t completely sated. “Do you mind?”