Текст книги "Sweet Reckoning"
Автор книги: Wendy Higgins
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Текущая страница: 12 (всего у книги 17 страниц)
Kaidan wouldn’t look at me. Everything about him screamed regret.
“She had a group of mates in her old town who always partied at a lake house. I thought perhaps she’d fall back on them, and I was right.”
Pharzuph experienced another bout of creepy, proud laughter before getting ahold of himself. “Where are you now?”
“Our old house.”
“Excellent. I’ll call an immediate emergency summit in Vegas. It’s our most secure location, and we’re always looking for an excuse to visit Sin City, right?”
Kaidan let out a dry laugh and rolled his eyes. Weren’t they just in Vegas? What could be so great about one city?
“All right,” Pharzuph said. “Meet me at the airport in two hours.”
Kaidan and I exchanged surprised, alarmed looks.
“Er, it’s not necessary for you to fly down here, Father. I’ll book our flights and deliver her to the summit.”
“Oh, it’s definitely necessary. I want to be the one to escort her into the summit tonight.” I could hear the smile in his voice, and I realized this was about bragging rights for capturing me and bringing me in. “See you at the jet.”
Three and a half hours on a plane with Pharzuph? I scratched my arms, which felt like they were crawling with spiders.
“We’ll be there,” Kaidan said, hanging up. He looked at me. “We’re not going.”
“Kaidan!”
He threw his phone on the bed and shoved his hands roughly through his hair. “What have I done?”
I bent down to my book bag and took out my cell, then texted our planned emergency code to each of our allies to let them know the prophecy was starting. My hand trembled and I fumbled a little from the awkwardness of the handcuffs. I couldn’t believe this was finally happening. Kaidan was freaking out enough for the both of us, so I had to keep my cool. Immediately I deleted the messages and tucked the phone in my pocket.
He turned to me, desperate. “Anna—”
“Stop!” I pinned him with a serious look. “No more. Get it out of your head, Kai! We are not running. This is happening whether you like it or not. It’s time to get your game face on and get ready to kick some ass.”
He stared at me, mouth open. I was kind of shocked myself. My dad would probably have beat his chest with pride if he’d heard me say all that.
I waited for Kai to argue again, but instead he swallowed and gave me a single nod.
“You’re right.” He stood there a moment longer, still a little stunned. Then he came forward, took me by the handcuffs, and led me into the bathroom, closing us in.
“It’s more believable if I keep you in my sight,” he explained. Then he began to take off his clothes as he headed to the shower and turned it on.
I backed myself against the cool sink and watched as every piece of cloth shed from his body to the floor. I should have looked away, or pretended not to be interested, but I couldn’t. Kaidan was just . . . wow.
“You’re testing my self-control, luv.” He must have noticed my staring.
I looked away, but said, “You’re passing with flying colors.”
He growled low in his throat, and my body tightened.
“You should really get in the shower,” I said.
At that, he finally slipped in, closing the cloudy glass door. I let out a breath and relaxed against the sink. A text came through to my cell, rocketing my body into high alert, but I relaxed when I saw Veronica’s name. On my way to Spain!!! And check out my view. . . . She took a selfie pic and got the two guys next to her in the background—dark haired Spaniards, easy on the eyes. Hence her devious smile. I grinned, feeling emotional, and wrote back: I hope Spain is ready for you. <3 Big hugs, xoxo.
Delete.
I kept my eyes averted when Kai got out of the shower and dried off, though I could feel his gaze on me. I stayed in the bathroom while he went into the room and dressed, then I joined him.
He looked gorgeous in a pair of black trousers and a crisp button-up shirt, a pale shade of blue that brightened his eyes. The top two buttons were undone, and his hair was still damp.
“You look nice,” I said, which was an understatement, but I was trying to take it easy.
He didn’t respond or look at me as he busied himself tucking his wallet into his back pocket. His anxious, stiff demeanor gave him an angry-looking edge, which would hopefully work in his favor in front of Pharzuph.
Kaidan’s gaze suddenly shot up, above my head, and I spun. Two gaunt, hideous whisperers had flown in. When they saw how close they were to me, they both hissed and moved toward Kai. A look of annoyed disgust crossed his face at their nearness.
“We’re leaving now. I don’t need any damned escorts.”
Orders are orders, one of the spirits gurgled to us telepathically, giving me a suspicious glare.
Kaidan grumbled loudly and stuffed my book bag inside of his duffel bag along with a few travel things of his own. Then he grasped my upper arm and pulled me from the room. I knew I needed to play it up in front of the whisperers. I tried to shrug away from Kai.
“Let me go,” I said.
He yanked me closer and pushed me forward in front of him. The two spirits circled us, watching me warily and seeming to enjoy the fact that I was cuffed and subdued by someone they believed was on their side.
“Seriously. Where are you taking me?”
“Shut it,” Kai said. “Don’t make me gag you.”
I made a show of struggling now and then, glaring at Kaidan, who never looked at me.
The whisperers stayed with us until the doors were sealed shut on Pharzuph’s personal jet, which was smaller than Blake’s, but still over-the-top luxurious. The leather furniture was crimson colored, offset by amber-shaded wood paneling and tables. Two oversized chairs faced the front of the plane, and in the back was a horseshoe-shaped couch with a table in the middle. Pharzuph sat on the couch with his arms spread wide and his feet up on the table. He was dressed similarly to Kaidan, but he wore tan slacks and a white dress shirt, also unbuttoned at the top. He seemed older today in this setting and in that outfit—maybe a year or two older than Kai—not like the young college guy I’d first encountered.
Pharzuph’s eyes flashed bright red when he saw me. He stood, never taking those freaky eyes off me.
“I had to leave the cuffs in the car,” Kaidan explained. He obviously couldn’t escort a handcuffed girl through the airport without getting questioned.
“That won’t do,” Pharzuph said coolly. He lifted a panel in the table and pulled out a thin rope, coming forward. “Hold her arms while I pat her down.”
I hoped Pharzuph couldn’t sense Kaidan’s slight hesitation.
“I took care of that . . . Father.” Yeah, it must’ve been weird for him to call this kid “Father.”
“I said, hold her arms.”
“I don’t have anything—,” I began, but Pharzuph cut me off in a low, deadly voice.
“Do not speak again. And don’t you dare make a move.”
Kai came up behind me and took my forearms in his hands while Pharzuph frisked me, touching me everywhere, though thank God it was only through my clothes. Kaidan’s grip got harder and harder as his father touched me. I prayed he could hold himself together as I gritted my teeth and averted my eyes from Pharzuph’s hate-filled eyes. Finally he stepped back, wiping his hands down his sides as if I were grotesque.
“Tie her up,” he ordered.
Kaidan pointed to the closest seat and told me to sit.
With a slight huff I sank into the leather. Pharzuph leaned over the back of my chair, nuzzling his mouth against my hair. I could feel his hot breath, and it took all my willpower not to pull away.
“I know who you are,” he whispered, his voice deceptively sweet. “And I know what you’re up to. But it won’t work. You’ll never win.”
I tried to keep my voice steady as I lied. “I have no idea what you’re talking about or what’s going on. Why are you doing this?”
Pharzuph chuckled. “We’ll see.” To Kaidan he said again, “Tie her up.”
As Kai knelt in front of me, I saw movement behind him in the front of the cabin. A beautiful woman in a flight attendant uniform came out of the galley with a glass of champagne in her hand. My eyes locked on the bubbling drink.
Champagne would be really great right about now. I took a deep breath to settle the grabby-handed longing inside me.
The woman stopped, seeming surprised at the sight of Kaidan preparing to tie me up, and her aura went from happy to nervous. Pharzuph chuckled from his seat behind us.
“Don’t worry about them,” he told her. “They’re just having fun.” He shot me a warning look.
The woman regarded me questioningly.
I gave her a little smile and held out my wrists to Kaidan. He began to tie them, never letting his eyes veer up to my face.
The flight attendant’s nervousness lightened as she passed us to deliver Pharzuph’s drink. She returned to the galley to finish her preflight prep. When Kaidan was done, Pharzuph sauntered up and tossed back the last of his drink. He ran his eyes over me like I was a pest about to be exterminated.
The plane’s engines fired up, gently rumbling the cabin and surrounding us in white noise.
Pharzuph walked to the front to chat with the pilot in the cockpit. Then he stopped by the galley to return his glass to the flight attendant. I couldn’t see her, but I had a perfect view of him inching closer, giving her a flirtatious smile as he said something that made her laugh. He reached out, maybe at her waist level, and his smile disappeared, his expression changing to a heated look of lust. When he spoke again, a blast of swirling red aura filled the space between them, coming from the woman. I dropped my eyes, feeling ill. Apparently the flight attendant wasn’t just there to serve us drinks. The horror of it washed over me in sickening waves. Pharzuph was going to work right here in this small cabin space. Right in front of Kaidan and me.
A revolting thought occurred to me. Would he expect Kaidan to work? There were no other women in sight. No, this woman was for Pharzuph’s pleasure only. She had to be.
The pilot announced it was time for everyone to take their seats. Pharzuph grinned and left the galley. As he made his way to the back of the plane, he stopped next to Kaidan and said, “You can have her after me. Or you could join us if you like.”
Oh. My. Gosh.
Kaidan gave no reaction except a nod. “Thank you. Perhaps after you. I didn’t sleep last night, so I might rest a bit first.”
It could have been my imagination, but I swore Pharzuph stiffened at little at Kaidan’s lack of interest. Then his lips rose in a quick grin and he patted Kai’s shoulder. “Rest up then. The Neph girl shouldn’t be any trouble.” He gave me a warning glance, and I dropped my eyes again.
My body was working against me. I felt light-headed and nauseous. What if Pharzuph pushed Kaidan to be with that woman? Kai would refuse. Our plan would be ruined.
And then I relaxed. Because just above Kaidan in the overhead compartment was my bag inside his bag with the Sword of Righteousness. Pharzuph had no idea it was on this plane. I would kill him if he pushed Kaidan to work. I might even enjoy it.
Of course then we’d have a dead body and a freaked-out flight attendant on our hands when we landed, but we could deal with that. I leaned back and closed my eyes.
Kaidan came over and buckled me. I kind of hoped he’d squeeze my hand, but he kept up the act, seeming repulsed by me. I felt sicker by the minute.
The flight attendant exited the galley and pulled down a jump seat next to the door across from me. She sat and buckled, a shimmer of red still present at the base of her aura. The entire takeoff process was uncomfortable with the woman staring between the seats at Pharzuph behind us. He had to be making eyes at her or something because she lit up like a red Christmas tree and rubbed her knees together, biting her bottom lip.
Please, God, let this flight go by quickly.
When we leveled out and the flight attendant stood to return to the galley, Kaidan got up and opened a wall panel, pushing buttons until a movie screen came down from the ceiling panel between us. I watched as he pulled out a pair of headphones from the armrest of his seat. He shot me a very quick glance. I angled myself enough to open my armrest and take out the headphones. It was difficult, but I got them unraveled, plugged in, and on my ears just as the woman was coming down the aisle.
Her flurry of lust disappeared when she approached me, looking at my bound hands.
“Anything to drink or eat, miss? We have turkey paninis and—”
“Nothing for her,” Pharzuph said, sounding too close.
The woman looked up, surprised, then back down at me. “No beverage?”
The Dukes thought I was a lush, so I needed to act the part. “Rum and Coke?”
“She’s underage,” Pharzuph said from his lounging position behind me.
“Oh.” She looked at me with a touch of exasperation. “How about a soda?”
I shook my head. “Nothing for me, thank you.”
“Okay, sweetie.” She definitely didn’t know what to think about me and my predicament. I wondered how old she was. Younger than Patti. Maybe thirty.
She served Kaidan and Pharzuph their meal. Kaidan ate fast and looked as sick as I felt. He stood and pulled a small pillow from the overhead bin and sat again. The movie credits began just as a peal of feminine laughter sounded from behind us, followed by flirty bantering . . . a minute later, a quiet moan. With as much discretion as possible I reached over and turned up the volume in my headphones as high as it would go.
I dared a glance at Kaidan, who was leaning against the window with his pillow. I knew he was pretending to sleep because his mouth was closed. His lips always parted the tiniest bit when he slept.
I stared at the movie in a tense daze, not daring to turn my head. The skin at my wrists burned. Time passed too slowly. When I finally felt our descent, I let my muscles slightly relax for the first time. Kaidan hadn’t moved the entire trip. The flight attendant took her jump seat, staring blankly ahead and looking pale, her aura a blend of residual lust and fuzzy dark grays. I didn’t want to pick apart her emotions.
Kaidan stared out his window as we hit the pavement in Vegas. The flight attendant rushed from the plane the moment the door opened.
I remained sitting as Kai stood and pulled out his bag. Pharzuph walked up from the back with his hands casually in his pockets, a neutral expression on his face.
“A car should be waiting for us,” Pharzuph said to Kaidan. “Cover the girl.”
Kaidan took a navy blanket from the overhead bin and put it around my shoulders, wrapping me enough to hide my hands. Then he put an arm around me and forcefully led me from the plane, down the stairs, into the waiting car and the sweltering dry heat of a Vegas evening.
UNCORRECTED E-PROOF—NOT FOR SALE
HarperCollins Publishers
..................................................................
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
SIN CITY
It was six p.m. when I got my first glimpse of the infamous Vegas Strip. Tall buildings and hotels crammed together in a tight cluster amid the arid landscape. I ignored my cravings at the sight of people walking the streets openly with alcohol, some carrying full cases of beer. I kept myself numb to the barrage of signs that advertised women for sale. Pharzuph chuckled from the driver’s seat.
“It never gets old.”
As we pulled up to The Venetian Hotel, Pharzuph turned to Kai, who sat next to me in the backseat. “Untie her, but hold her hand and don’t let her out of your sight until you get to the room.”
“Yes, sir.”
Kaidan untied me, and I rubbed my wrists. He pulled me from the car, taking my hand securely in his while he held his duffel bag in the other. A valet took the black sedan, and the three of us made our way inside the hotel. Though Kaidan came across as cold, his hand was warm and I was glad to be touching him.
Pharzuph bypassed a long line of people waiting to check in at the giant, fancy lobby. He smiled warmly, and nobody complained. It was amazing to watch his willful influence in action. The check-in clerk was blushing and laughing as she placed the key cards in his waiting hand.
He strolled handsomely back to us, winking at the tallest, slimmest woman I’d ever seen. She wore a silver, slinky dress, and was on the arm of another man, who didn’t notice as she turned and stared brazenly at her tempter. He was much younger than some of the women checking him out, but that only added to his allure—young, confident, handsome, built, and rich.
“I love this city,” Pharzuph said to himself. He handed a key card to Kaidan. “Keep to your room. I’ll send someone for you when it’s time for the summit. It’s likely to be late in the night before everyone gets here. We’re planning for the witching hour—demon hour if we must.” Pharzuph looked me up and down, a sneer on his lips. “She can’t get into the club dressed in that. Find something more appropriate.”
“Yes, Father.”
Without another word, Pharzuph strode away. My back relaxed as distance was put between us, but I stretched my hearing to him, determined to listen to where he was going and what he was planning. I knew Kai would be listening, but I wanted to hear for myself.
“Come on,” Kaidan said, tugging my hand.
It was a relief to be out of Pharzuph’s presence. I was quickly taken in by the hotel’s ambience. It was like a hotel, high-end mall, and entertainment gallery combined. We walked down a wide corridor full of the diversity of humanity and the army of guardian-angel soldiers, who focused with total devotion on their jobs. I wondered if all of these angels knew the dangers that were in store for their humans’ souls tonight. I still tried to keep tabs on Pharzuph, placing a bubble of my hearing around him, but I had to shift it every time he moved, and it took great concentration to focus on his voice and footsteps, especially with all the sensory distractions.
The Venetian was home to an indoor waterway that replicated a canal in Venice, Italy. There were gondola boats and singing “Italians” in red-and-white-striped shirts. The rounded ceilings were painted to look like a summer sky above the Piazza San Marco, as vivid as the real thing, if only the sounds didn’t echo off the storefronts lining the walkways.
Kaidan tried to lead me into a boutique dress shop, but I noticed the window display in the next store and stopped.
Leather.
I bit my lip, and pulled him in that direction. He made a face, confused, but took my lead and let us walk in. One look at the badass female mannequin in front of me, and I knew. I was not wearing a dress tonight. Kaidan raised his eyebrows, but didn’t stop me as I approached the racks and made my purchases, hoping the clothes were true to size.
Back in the hall we had to squeeze through a ton of people to get a better look at the waterway and sky scene. It was so crowded that we were well hidden from anyone who might be trying to get a look at us. I pulled my hand from his and signed a question to Kaidan, keeping my hands low: What are the witching hour and demon hour?
Witching hour is midnight. Demon hour is three a.m., he signed back. He again entwined his fingers through mine without looking at me. We could only stand there for a moment, pretending to be a normal couple, before it was time to get back to our room.
Knowing what would go down that night, it seemed like everything around us took on a strange distortion. The happy faces surrounding us were like mocking carnival masks. We shuffled quietly through the crowds, then elevators, and the long halls. The hotel felt like a maze, but Kaidan seemed to make sense of it.
I could still hear Pharzuph, his loud footsteps, and his occasional words. I was proud of myself for keeping up with him while we were on the move in such a busy, large place.
I listened as Pharzuph walked two floors above us down a quiet hall on the other side of the hotel. He had been silent for some time now, so I had to focus on the sound of his footsteps against the carpets. He stopped. Now I heard him knocking and the sound of a door opening.
Kaidan and I turned down our hall.
“Brother Pharzuph. Didn’t I just see you on the slopes in Switzerland?” The man laughed, and I recognized the rough English accent as belonging to the Duke of Adultery. My stomach dropped. Kaidan’s hand squeezed mine.
What was Astaroth doing in Vegas already? Coming from London would have taken at least ten hours. He must’ve been closer for some reason. Then it dawned on me—he probably headed to the U.S. when he heard about the Sword of Righteousness, knowing that if they caught me there’d be a summit.
“Ha,” Pharzuph said. “Yeah, well, this summit’s going to be much more enjoyable. Let me in.”
Astaroth chuckled low as he let Pharzuph in and closed the door. “Do you have the sword?”
“No. She’s hidden it. That’s not why I’m here. I need a favor,” Pharzuph said to him. Kaidan and I slowed our pace to listen better. “It will only take a moment. I’m curious about a possible bond between two people, though there’s probably nothing there. I’ve just got a nagging feeling and I want to rule it out.”
“Ah. A possible conquest?” Astaroth asked, sounding interested.
Pharzuph paused, and when he spoke again it was in fluent Russian.
Chill bumps flew across my skin.
Kaidan and I stopped where we were in the long hall and looked at each other, both listening to the foreign conversation taking place between the two Dukes now. I didn’t know Russian, and I was guessing by Kai’s wide eyes that he didn’t either. Pharzuph had chosen to speak in a language he knew we wouldn’t understand. There was only one reason he would’ve done that.
He didn’t want us to know he was bringing Astaroth to our room to check for a bond between us.
We forced ourselves not to run the short distance down the hall to our room, keeping our steps as light, but quick, as possible. Pharzuph would be listening, and our sudden rushing would only rouse his suspicion further. I followed Kaidan’s lead until we were at the room, sliding through the door. What were we going to do? I felt caught, caged, one breath away from flipping out.
Kaidan strode fast past the bed, jumping over the three steps down into a sunken living room area, and tore open the small refrigerator on the floor. Yes! Alcohol would blur the bond between us! I rushed down and squatted next to him. He signed, One of us has to stay sober to listen.
I pointed to him. He was better at the listening. Even now, I’d lost Pharzuph in my panic and had no idea how close they were. But that would mean I had to drink. My heart thumped and my hands shook. I looked at the row of small bottles. I hadn’t drunk in a long while. I wasn’t sure how high or low my tolerance was now. I had to drink enough to hide the bond, taking into account the fact that my Nephilim blood would burn off the alcohol at a fast rate. But I couldn’t drink so much that I might lose control and say something stupid. We couldn’t afford a slipup. I would drink the absolute minimum amount to hide our bond, then they would leave and I could sober up quickly. I could handle that, couldn’t I? I had to be stronger than the alcohol, and Kaidan would be there to make sure I didn’t get out of hand.
He took a bottle of clear liqueur with golden flecks floating around, untwisted the cap, and passed it to me. I got a whiff of cinnamon as I brought it to my mouth and tipped back my head, chugging the thick, hot, sweet syrup. I blew out a long breath. Kaidan was ready with the next bottle. I could physically feel where the alcohol touched the inside of my body. It was on fire, down to my empty stomach.
I quickly drank the next bottle of liqueur he offered. It was too sweet. Kaidan’s eyebrows were crinkled together as he looked at me. I was feeling nice and warm, even a tiny bit more relaxed. I tapped my wrist to see how much time we had. He made a three and a zero, thirty seconds. I was expecting to feel something more from two bottles. Alcohol usually hit me fast.
He tried to hand me the amaretto, but I shook my head and reached over his lap. No more sweet stuff. I grabbed the bottle of golden tequila, screwing off the top and draining it fast.
What if the bond was still visible? I was so nervous. What would Pharzuph do to us if Astaroth saw something? He wouldn’t kill me because they needed me for the summit. Kaidan was a different story.
Fear struck and I stuck out my hand for another bottle, just to be on the safe side. He passed me the vodka and I made a face. I hated vodka, but I tilted my head back, slapping the carpet as the vodka burned its way down my throat. I held out my hand for another.
I stared at his hands as he signed, Are you sure?
It took me a second to comprehend what he’d said, and I nodded. He passed me the rum and I downed it, hardly feeling the burn this time.
I moved to adjust the way I was sitting, and swayed. Out of nowhere a giggle escaped me, and Kaidan’s eyes widened. Whoa, that was weird. I looked to the row of bottles, already wondering which I could have next, and he made a slashing movement of his hand across his throat to say I was cut off. A moment of panic overtook me. I realized, too late, that I’d had more than I probably needed. The alcohol was strong inside me, awakening and taunting the beast I worked so hard to keep tame.
Kaidan’s head turned to the door five seconds before the knock came. He looked at me, pleading with his eyes, bringing a finger to his lips before he got up to let them in. I was feeling at ease, not nearly as nervous as I thought I’d be when they got here. I would sit like a good girl and be quiet until they were gone. That was my big, brilliant plan.
I sat there in front of the open fridge while they walked down into the living room area toward me. Pharzuph and Kaidan stood side by side, feet apart, arms crossed. I covered my mouth and looked up at Astaroth.
He was as rugged as ever with his romance-novel-cover long golden hair and face made of jutting angles. He looked between me and Kaidan, his eyes landing on me with a severe frown.
“This one’s piss-drunk. I can’t get a reading.”
“A reading on what?” Kaidan asked in a hard voice. Nobody answered him.
I realized then that I should probably stand in the presence of the Dukes, but when I lifted myself from the floor, the alcohol hit me full force. Holy Moses! My balance was completely gone, and I tumbled into the arm of the couch, which was absolutely hilarious, and I couldn’t hold back the laughter.
“You don’t waste any time,” Pharzuph said to me.
“There’s more, see?” I pointed to the open fridge. “I didn’t drink it all. Want some?” It couldn’t hurt to be nice. Patti would be so proud of me.
“I’ll pass,” Pharzuph said, “but I think you should have another.” He smiled.
I smiled back because, well, that was awfully kind of him, and I agreed that another sounded like a wonderful idea.
I dropped to the floor in front of the mini fridge. I picked out two bottles, looking them over and finding the letters all sort of jumbled, so it took me a second to read them. I turned to the three men who were watching me. I wondered why Kaidan, my beautiful Kai, looked so friggin’ mad. I smiled up at them.
“If you don’t need me for anything else, I’ll just be on my way,” Astaroth said.
“Nothing more,” Pharzuph told him. “Maybe later. Thank you, Brother.”
Astaroth left the room.
“They need more tequila in these minibar fridge thingamajigs,” I said, settling on the gin.
Pharzuph laughed and looked at Kaidan, who was now leaning against the entertainment center with his arms crossed.
“I told you,” Kaidan said to his father. “She’s a lush. An idiot. I can’t believe you’d think there’d be a bond between us.”
Pharzuph chuckled at his son’s anger, and his smile was handsome. “Eh, you can’t really blame me for wondering when you wouldn’t even bang the stewardess today. You’re usually all about the cougars.”
“Eww!” I squealed. I wanted to claw those words from my ear canals.
“See,” Kaidan said. “Completely immature.”
I felt suddenly upset, though I couldn’t place why. I unscrewed the bottle of gin.
“You’re trashed,” Kaidan said. “You don’t need any more.”
“Oh, shut up.”
He tried to swipe my drink, but I yanked it back and took a glug.
“No touchie the drinkie. That’s bad, bad, bad.” I waggled a finger at him. “Why’re you being so grumpy, anyways? We’re in Vegas, baby!”
I stood up, grabbing the top of the fridge when I almost fell. A laugh erupted from my throat and I felt hyper. I wanted to jump on the bed and run down the halls!
“You are being obnoxious,” Kaidan said through clenched teeth. “It’s bad enough I have to babysit. I’m not holding your bloody hair if you puke.”
He looked severely angry, which made me laugh again because I was pretty sure we were playing a game.
My words dragged out when I tried to talk. “It’s funny to annoy you.” I poked a finger into his chest, which was yummily hard. I leaned into him, even though I was trying to stand straight. “You’re, like, sooo hot when you get mad.”
“I’d watch it, if I were you,” Pharzuph purred into my ear from behind. I jumped because I’d forgotten that he was still here—the guy who made me feel gross. I felt his hands on my waist and his mouth at my ear. “He can get pretty rough when he’s upset.”
Something inside me screamed that I was supposed to be careful and scared, but for the life of me I couldn’t remember why. I pulled away from Pharzuph’s embrace. Both of the guys were giving me menacing stares. I tipped back the rest of the gin and threw the empty bottle on the floor. These guys were getting annoying. I wanted to have fun.
“Whur’s the music?” I spun, looking for a radio, and everything blurred.
Pharzuph stepped close, grabbing my arms and getting in my face. “Where’s the sword?”
For some reason an image of the sword in the stone came to mind.
“I ain’t got a swoooord, crazy ass.” I laughed.
“Don’t talk to him like that,” Kaidan warned, moving toward us.
Pharzuph chuckled, but he didn’t look happy. “We’ll see, little girl.”
“Yeah, we will!” I said, laughing gleefully and throwing myself onto the couch. I clutched my stomach as an onslaught of giggles overcame me. “What the heck are we even talkin’ ’bout? I thought we were gonna dance.” I rolled off the couch and crawled to the fridge. I needed another drink. And maybe I could make drinks for the guys since they weren’t happy.
