I snorted, the sound a bit more normal. “Even he doesn’t…believe that, Elder Zeller.” And I could breathe easier when Antonio placed his hands over my rib cage. “And besides, I know a cunning, heartless ass**le when I finally see past the marijuana smoke.”
I ignored both Antonio’s and Elder Zeller’s glances and tilted my head — I was now able to thanks to Antonio’s healing — to place my nose against King Zeller’s heated skin. I inhaled heavily, scenting him on many different levels, memorizing his body’s distinct perfume. My wolf growled quietly even through the tranquility he was giving me.
Spice. He smelled like heady, potent spice. Powerful.
My eyes lifted as I inhaled heavily again.
He had gone predatory still when I had turned my head against his chest. Dead green eyes met my equally dead blue gaze, and I whispered, “I really wish you would have kept torturing me…just a bit longer.” My wolf growled again, my eyes flashing. “I was so looking forward to killing you.”
His eyes narrowed slightly, and he slowly bent his head, bringing his face closer to mine. “I easily beat you once. I could do it again, Queen Ruckler.” His head tilted toward his dad. “And you’re right not to believe Elder Zeller. I have no redeeming qualities. I am the cunning, heartless ass**le you named me. And I wouldn’t have given a shit if I had killed you, so don’t ever try to threaten me, or even raise the subject, or I will kill you no matter your station.”
Suddenly, there was nothing under me. No large, warm arms holding me up. No Vampire power giving me peace.
I sucked in harshly as pain arced through my body, not even caring I was falling to the ground. I hit hard and grunted, my vision blurry again even as I glared at King Zeller from the ground…but I still managed to bare my teeth at him as Antonio and Elder Zeller both started cursing, dropping to their knees to help me. I whispered in King Zeller’s direction where he stared down at me with his arms crossed, “I know my reason for being damned…but what’s yours?” I loved that I saw him flinch. Even if I couldn’t really move, I could still hurt him. “Your pain must be soul-deep for all the drugs you have.” My lips puckered in fake sympathy. “Ah, poor King Zeller. He has all the beauty, power, and prestige he could ever need to charm anyone, but instead, he sits alone in his room, getting stoned to block out the agony in his mind.” His nostrils flared and his jaw clenched, and I didn’t need to be a Vampire to know I had broken through his shell and he was pissed. “Whatever did poor King Zeller do…what ghosts of the past haunt him?”
I paused, gauging him. “Sin?”
No reaction, though I hadn’t expected one.
“Stealing?”
Nothing.
“Love?”
The barest flinch…and my grin was purely malicious because I was about to be a huge bitch. “If you’re still upset about losing your mate, it may be time to get over it.” His file stated his mate had died years ago, and compared to his age…wait…there was no reaction on his part. “Oh…not your mate.” When every muscle in his body appeared to go taut, the corner of my lips tilted up at the edges. “Interesting.” My chuckle was pure menace, with no humor to really be found in it. “The supposed badass King Zeller mopes in his bedroom, drowning his sorrows in drugs, all over…pathetic, useless love.” My icy glare met his. “Now, King Zeller,” asshole, “did you really beat me?” My public words were a hundred times worse than what he had done.
Antonio and Elder Zeller had gone mute some time ago, even if Antonio was still working on me while Elder Zeller gripped one of my ankles, sending me serenity to take away my pain. But I wasn’t paying them a bit of interest, my attention wholly focused on the furious Vampire standing over me like the devil’s own.
Silently, rigidly, he deliberately lowered until he was squatting, staring down directly into my face, his eyes glowing a smidge, he was so angry. “Nicely played, even if you’re incorrect.”
“Easy target.” My lips lifted when he stared daggers.
His head cocked, and he lifted his hand slowly, still glowering, and ran a single finger gently across my cheek. “I believe having you here at camp will be,” he hummed quietly, pulling his finger back, “interesting.”
My lips were pinched; I was hating that I hadn’t been strong enough right now to jerk away from his touch, and it was slowly dawning on me that I was still half-naked lying on this floor. “I want my clothes.” An afterthought. “And my phone and weapons.”
A single eyebrow raised as he placed his elbows on bent knees. If I wasn’t feeling the peace his dad was giving me, I would have been pissed when his eyes flittered down my body, pausing at all of my private bits. “You’re a Shifter,” he murmured quietly, talking to himself as he continued his perusal. “Why would this bother you?”
My eyes snapped to Antonio. “Give me your shirt.”
“Just a sec, Lil. I’m almost done.” Antonio didn’t even glance at me.
And f**king King Zeller was still staring at my body, doing it on purpose, obviously trying to figure out my reasoning.
“There,” Antonio muttered, taking his hands away.
So did Elder Zeller.
I wasn’t quick enough, the lingering pain disturbing my effectiveness to work the ice back into my veins. Embarrassment at being viewed as I was flooded my system in a heady tide. “Shirt,” I stated harshly, feeling my cheeks flood with color. “Now, Antonio.”
King Zeller’s nostrils were flared, and he had an elbow crooked on his knee, his hand over his mouth as he stared down at me. Bizarrely, even though he was definitely scenting, and seeing, my emotions, he made not one comment as Antonio stripped his shirt off and gently pulled it over my head, dressing me, the material covering me to mid-thigh. Instead, King Zeller stood, stating, “I’ll get Queen Ruckler’s things.”
Elder Zeller stared at his son. “After that, you and I are going to talk.”
King Zeller snorted, turning his back to his dad, moving toward the opened tent flap. “Are we? Somehow, Elder Zeller, I doubt that.” I knew that tone well. He didn’t like his dad much.
Damned, meet damned.
Chapter Five
“We’re late,” Antonio growled, his narrowed, irritated eyes flicking to me, then back to the tents of King Shadow. “Do you know how rude it is—”