He stared at me intently. “I think that would be best.”
So I did. “I’ve been dead inside for what feels like forever, but since I met you a week ago, I’ve been overloaded with emotions and it’s freaking me out a bit.” I shook my head, closing my eyes again, and they stayed closed. “If we had sex right now, I’m not sure I could handle it. I need some time to cope with everything I’m feeling.”
He hummed softly, and I felt his heat intensify before his forehead touched mine gently, his breath spanning my lips and cheeks as he spoke quietly, “The feeling’s mutual, so I won’t push right now.”
“Thank you,” I whispered, and I found myself lifting to his warmth and had to stop myself, yawning long and hard. “God, you’re so hot. You’re like a furnace.” I allowed myself to lift my hands to his wrists and grip them as I burrowed my fingers under his robe and sleeves, trapping them between his clothing and skin. “And you have better sheets than me.” I felt King Zeller begin to vibrate over me, and I blinked my eyes open into green, seeing him silently chuckling. “Random, I know, but I’m dead tired,” my wolf growled softly at him, “so deal with it.”
He only shook harder over me, his laughter still silent. “So…you’re grumpy at night-time.”
My wolf growled again. “Only when I’m tired.” My legs wrapped around his, practically of their own accord, greedy for his heat. “So warm…” I yawned again, mumbling, “You’d better go before I make you stay to be a,” another yawn, “warm brick.”
This time I heard his deep chuckle. “A what?”
“Oh, you know,” I wiggled, getting more comfortable, “back in the old days, Coms would put warm bricks at the foot of their bed under the covers to warm up their bed.”
He snorted a few times, his hard chest actually brushing mine with the movement. “Well now, I wouldn’t want to be a brick.”
I grinned sloppily, poorly singingBrick houseby the Commodores.
King Zeller shook hard above me and choked, singing with me in a deep baritone.
Lazily, I grinned. “Not bad, King Zeller.”
He was silent for a long moment. “That’s the first time you have said King Zeller where I didn’t get the impression there was something after it.”
I chuckled this time. “I said you were a quick one that first night, and I was right.”
“Do I want to know?”
“Probably not.”
“Well,” a long pause, “I guess that’s a step in the right direction if you’ve stopped.” A shorter pause. “But you can call me Ezra when we’re alone.”
My lips lifted evilly. “And you can still call me Queen Ruckler.” His Vampire growled quietly, and I blinked open blurry eyes to him. “Now who’s the grump?” When he only stayed silent, his forehead still on mine, I sighed and stated, “Fine, you can call me Lily in private if you leave and let me sleep right now. You see, tomorrow I have my first official day here in the land of King Shadow, and I hear the current boss, King Zeller, is a real ruthless Vampire dick to work with, so I need my shut-eye to deal with him.”
“Funny, I heard the same thing about the badass wolf bitch, Queen Ruckler,” King Zeller, Ezra, rumbled quietly.
My lips curled. “I am a badass bitch.”
“And I am a ruthless dick, so we’re both right.” He pressed his lush lips against mine, and I sighed — there was no way to contain it — and joined his caresses, stroking his soft mouth with mine. Our mouths meshed in a gentle tug of war, not a real battle because I was too tired and he didn’t push, but just enough to quickly satisfy before he lifted his head. “Good night, Lily.”
“Good night, Ezra.” I did manage to stop the whimper that wanted to escape as he lifted to untangle himself from my hands and legs, his warmth receding quickly as he moved to Isa’s now sleeping form to stare down at her for a few moments. I yanked my blanket back and waited until he left my bedroom — without a backward glance — to pull my cell phone from my back pocket, happy for the privacy spell on my bedroom, and dialed.
Waiting until the person picked up, I stated, “Felix, I’m going to need you or Aros to watch King Zeller’s tent. I want an update twice a day on the comings and goings of everyone who enters. Be discreet, I don’t want anyone knowing about this. And tomorrow morning, do me a favor and give me a ring the second he sets foot outside his tent.” I hung up at my elite’s confirmation and set my alarm clock. “Hidden — unpermit Ezra Zeller.” I saw a flash of gold, this time inside the tent’s walls, and I smiled as I snuggled into my chilly bed, loving that Antonio hadn’t said all my room was spelled for.
Just because the man was my husband, and we had a few decent moments, it didn’t mean he earned my instant trust, because I was smart enough to know…he was just like me.
Chapter Eight
“He just left in a hurry,” Aros stated over the line the next morning.
“Thank you,” I murmured, and I hung up my cell phone, glancing at John. “Time for you to go. And I might suggest you leave King Shadow as soon as possible.”
He stared at me for all of a heartbeat, then he nodded once, grabbed the pad of paper and pen he had been using, and stood up from the couch, stuffing them in his leather satchel. “I’ll call when I have news.”
“I know,” I stated, pointing at the front flap to my tent. “Seriously, I’m about to have a visitor and you need to leave posthaste.”
His eyes scanned my face. “Do you need me to stay?”
