King Tomb (Forever Evermore) (27 page)

Ezra was suddenly standing on the other side of me, bringing a breeze with him, his eyes glued to where mine were. Sounding muddled, he rumbled, “What. The. Fuck?”

“How the hell did I get put in this position?” Elder Merrick muttered to himself, then, sighing heavily and sounding amused and exasperated while we stared in dumbstruck shock at our dads, he explained patiently, “Farrar is into men. I’ve never actually seen him with a female, but I’m still not sure if he’s into them. His mate’s name was Lindsey, a man. Zeller is bisexual. His mate’s name was Vivian, a woman, but his partners before her were both females and males.”

Both Ezra and I made gurgling sounds in our throats.

Elder Merrick stated, “You two know we live very long lives. Mysticals enjoying the same sex shouldn’t be a surprise to you.”

Again, we gurgled.

They were our dads. Antonio had sure as fuck never given any indication he was possibly only into men, and I was guessing by Ezra’s shock that Elder Zeller hadn’t mentioned his bisexuality. We were both being told by watching them grind against each other.

What a way to fucking tell us.

Finally, comprehension dawned, and I whispered, “He tricked me.”

Elder Merrick chuckled, patting my shoulder. “Yes, he did.” He left Ezra and me alone.

My nostrils flared, and I glanced at Ezra, whose jaw was still gaping. “Would you like to dance?” Antonio was sure as fuck not going to pick my partner after duping me. Though I was pretty sure he would have picked Ezra anyway.

Ezra’s jaw moved up and down, still staring at them.

Growling quietly, I moved in front of him, trying to grab his attention. “King Zeller, would you care to dance?” And yes, I would have much preferred to dance with him over anyone else.

His eyes darted down to me, started to lift back to our dads, but then slammed back to me. He went predatory still as his green eyes instantly hooded while they roved my body. Long moments passed in silence as he looked his fill, then in a voice deeper than normal he ordered, “Tell me you just asked me to dance, Queen Ruckler.” His eyes hadn’t even lifted to mine yet, still slowly painting my flesh with his heating gaze. “If you didn’t, you don’t have a choice. You are going to dance with me.”

My eyebrows rose, and I placed my hands on my hips…maybe pushing my chest out a little, finding myself enjoying his appreciative gaze. “I didn’t realize you were making my choices for me.” I glanced to the left, pointing vaguely. “Perhaps, I’ll dance with—”

“No, you won’t,” he whispered on a mere breath, bending directly to my level and staring me in the eyes. “Not in that outfit. Not tonight.” His Vampire growled softly, the barest noise, but it was enough to make me shiver at his dominance, the pure fortitude in his gaze, his imposing presence. “No, in that outfit, tonight, you’ll be dancing only with me.”

Nostrils flaring as I breathed in heavily, scenting him, I managed a decent scowl. “I actually did ask you first, so I’ll dance with you.”

Ezra’s lips lifted into the ultimate of confident smiles. “You would have anyway.”

No words. I had no words as I followed him into the dancing fray. And I did follow him.

I followed until my body was pressed against his, the silk of his black shirt gliding across my flesh. I pressed harder, his heat making me tremble. The waist-high slit of my black satin skirt allowed our legs to intertwine, his warmed thigh muscle pressing between my legs, his other thigh like protection against my leg that was bared. Breath hitching, I swallowed hard, tilting my head back to stare into his gaze that fanned the flame inside me just as much as his body did.

And we began to move.

It felt like coming home.

Ezra and I were uncannily in sync as the carnal melody directed our movements, instructed us to feel one another. Our bodies slid against one another as if they had known each other forever, a natural, soul-churning extension of the other. Biting the side of my bottom lip, I dared touch him with my hands, unable to stop the action, wanting, needing to feel him. Placing them hesitantly on his hard stomach, I watched as I ran them up his abdomen, over his ribs, up the strong curves of his pecs, feeling his muscles quiver and tighten from the strokes until I rested them against the curve of his nape. Breathing hard once, I held tight and peered up into his eyes, shivering as his hands landed on my hips, his fingers spreading wide to encompass more of me, his eyes taking the rest.

And we danced.

Free to touch each other under the moon and stars, firelight slipping over us. Allured by our passions and unhindered by our society to do as we wished.

We danced.

My soul actually felt…warm.

After hours — many hours — of dancing with Ezra, he had walked me to my tent, but when he had come inside he clearly read it on my face after he asked to stay the night. I hadn’t been ready to have another night with him yet. Although, I had explained to him when a look of barely banked frustration had passed over his features, I only wanted to think about it for the evening, think it through rationally and not make the decision when my hormones were raging. Because they had been. Practically howling for me to wrench the sexy-as-hell Vampire into my bedroom and let both of us ravish one another, do as we plainly wanted. Our eyes were damn near glowing with need. Ezra had stood frozen for a good minute after my explanation then, with the barest of nods, left my tent without having to be asked.

Now in the early morning light, my soul was warmed. That was not normal. No, I was in no way ‘normal’, but I had found a semblance of peace. My husband was making me…happy.

And I wasn’t going to let a bogus Law keep me from happiness. I wasn’t going to live in fear of it anymore. This time, I would do it right. Even if I was sticking my middle finger up at the Law, I wasn’t going to be clumsy enough to be caught again. So extreme secrecy, utter discretion as Ezra had stated, would be a must. I truly believed both of us to be jaded enough individuals to pull it off, no one better suited to do so.

Pouring two cups of coffee in to-go cups, I actually felt their warmth against my palms as I exited the red tent and headed toward Antonio’s. In fact, I felt the cool breeze whipping through my coat, reminding me that winter wasn’t too far off, although the wind didn’t currently bother me, Mysticals able to handle colder climates better than Coms. Hell, I even noticed the Mysticals around me rather than being completely oblivious to them when I knew no danger lurked close by.

A breeze brushed my hair forward, instead of backward as it had been doing on my trek, so I murmured, “Good morning, King Zeller.” Nostrils flaring, I grinned. “Are you stoned again, or is that the remnants of a bender?”

“Good morning to you, too, Queen Ruckler.” Ezra stepped up beside me, his dark silver robe billowing out behind him, his black and red hair spiked to perfection as he smoked a cigarette, attention forward to where we walked. “As for my sobriety, there was this most sensual woman I danced with all evening that teased and taunted me until she had me so worked up, it was either get stoned, have sex with someone else, or beat the living shit out of someone when she turned me down.” His lips quirked around his cigarette, taking a drag. “So, to answer your question, what you’re scenting is from last night since I chose option A, and I’m now sober.” He blew the smoke high above our heads as he paused for a long moment. “Now that I have answered your question, will you be so kind as to answer mine from last night?”

I stated simply, “The answer’s yes.”

He stilled for a moment, and I kept walking.

A few beats later, he was walking by my side again. “Of course it is.”

I chuckled quietly. “Your arrogance is astounding.”

He shrugged a shoulder, taking another drag. “If you had said no, I would have found a way to make you say yes.” His smoke blew up and away. “And you know it.”

Possibly, but I wasn’t going to tell him that. “The girls must have been falling all over themselves for you growing up. I bet all you had to say was,” I deepened my voice, “
You, girl! Yes, you. Please me.
” I grunted. “
Now!
” I paused. “
Ahh, that’s nice. Now, be gone with you!
”

Ezra choked on his inhale, coughing hard, then his laughter boomed loud and clear.

I watched him from the corner of my eye, a tiny smile gracing my features. “It’s a sad day when you know you’re right.”

Ezra continued chuckling, his eyes squinting at the corners as he peered down at me. “It was a bit longer than ‘
ahh, that’s nice
’.” He grinned. “I believe they said that a few times before I did.” He tilted his head back toward the sky, staring at it, quiet. “Life isn’t shit right now.”

“No, it’s not,” I said softly, my soul warmed.

He sighed and glanced to where we were walking. “Where are we going?”

“Antonio’s,” I murmured. I lifted the coffee cups in my hands. “I’m going bearing gifts, so when I yell at him for keeping me in the dark for so long, he won’t be grumpy.”

“Ah,” Ezra chuckled, “coffee, so you can bawl him out and he’ll stay silent.” His head tilted back and forth. “Nice tactic.”

“Thank you.” I pointed at Antonio’s tent. “That’s my stop.”

Ezra flicked his cigarette. “Do you mind if I go with you? I have a few questions about my dad I’d like to ask him.”

My lips trembled, and I couldn’t stop the grin. “Too afraid to ask Daddy Zeller?”

Ezra rubbed the back of his neck, but he didn’t flinch from my gaze. “I figured I could have some background information before I actually speak with him.”

My grin didn’t die. Men will be men. “Sure. You can come with me.”

Ezra nodded, looking only vaguely uncomfortable. “Thank you.”

I snorted, trekking the final steps to Antonio’s tent. “Don’t thank me. Thank him — if he rats out your dad.” I glanced at Ezra then at the tent flap I opened. “Good luck on that front.”

The structure to Antonio’s tent was exactly like mine: the same placing of furniture, and the same privacy spells, too. But that’s where the similarity ended. The entire inside was golden, except for a few streaks of black on the edges of his couch, chairs, and rugs. It was like walking into a solid gold bar. I heard Ezra groan in revulsion behind me, but it was like any other Mage ‘home’. I felt halfway comfortable in here as long as I stayed away from anything that seemed to waver or float in the gold. I figured it was safer not to touch if I didn’t know what it was.

Ezra opened the second flap for me, and we walked into the bedroom — also gold.

We both stopped in our tracks.

Staring, our eyes wide, the shock emanated from our statue-like forms.

Air puffed past my lips and my jaw bobbed. “Maybe we should have called first.”

The head of short, black and red hair of the man closest to us popped up from a golden pillow where the man lay on his stomach, his face turned away, his bulging arm lying over Antonio’s muscled chest and crooked at the elbow so his fingers threaded through Antonio’s golden hair. His skin was dark, even compared to Antonio’s bronzed skin, the golden sheet barely covering the two men where they needed to be covered since both were obviously naked, one leg of the man of the darker complexion dangling halfway off the bed.

It was Elder Zeller, Ezra’s dad.

Lying in bed with Antonio, my dad.

Their clothes littered the floor.

Ezra made a choked sound.

Elder Zeller’s head snapped in our direction, his dark eyes blinking sleepily. He woke fully, seeing us standing there. He stilled, not moving a damn muscle, nor breathing, an utterly blank expression on his face.

A half-hysterical chuckle escaped me, and I waved one of the coffee cups. “Good morning.”

Ezra made that noise again.

Lord, just shoot me now, because that was when Antonio stirred. I watched wide-eyed as he stretched, groaning quietly, blinking his eyes open to Cahal. His lips lifted in a sated, tired smile before he ran his hand over Cahal’s arm that lay on his chest, over his shoulder to the side of Cahal’s face, cupping his cheek. “Good morning.” Damn his eyes were sparkling as lovingly as his smile was.

Cahal finally breathed, his chest heaving, still with that blank expression, but ever so gradually he turned his face down to Antonio’s, staring, before rumbling, “Morning.” When Antonio’s hand slid to the back of his head, he bent his head down and flat out kissed Antonio’s lips very softly, a gentle touch — honestly, a bit reverently.

Ezra wobbled next to me.

I called loudly, “That’s what I said.”

I got to watch — for the first time ever — Antonio surprised and flustered.

At the sound of my voice, he jerked, banging his head against Cahal’s — earning a grunt as their faces completely smashed together —then he made it worse by elbowing Cahal’s head down into the pillow in an effort to sit up in bed, fumbling hastily with the sheet to cover Cahal. Then he took his own pillow and shoved it down on top of Cahal’s already blanket-covered head.

Hilarity bubbled, my chest shaking, as Antonio finally peered in our direction, his chest heaving, his cheeks rosy red. His jaw moved…but no sound emitted. I pointed around one of the coffee cups. “You missed his leg.” I waggled my finger. “It’s hanging over the bed.”

Ezra gurgled, turning to the side, his fist to his mouth and his eyes sparkling on me.

“Tony,” Cahal rumbled from under the pillow, the sound muffled, his Vampire growling, “How fucking old are we? Did you seriously just hide me under a damn sheet and pillow?”

Ezra lost it then, slapping a hand on my shoulder, deep, hard chuckles filling the air.

Antonio raised a hand in my direction, cheeks still pink and his chest still heaving. “But…it’s Lil.”

Ezra and I watched the sheet thrash as Cahal tossed the pillow off his head and pulled the sheet down to his waist, rising onto an elbow, his back to us. “And my son!” He waved his hand in agitation. “Last night you said the room was spelled for only Lily, Isa, and me.”

Antonio blinked, and peered over our heads at the tent flap. He stared. His lips twitched before he chuckled softly, shaking his head as he rubbed his forehead. “I gave access to the name Zeller.” He glanced at Cahal, throwing an arm our way. “How the hell was I supposed to know your son was going to come back here?”