Jack and Pearl saw it, and I could hear them laughing from all the way over where they sat. At least Gideon and Nikki weren’t busting up, too.
Apology on the tip of my tongue, my attention swung to the occupants of the table, and the words stalled inside my throat, my mouth slightly parted. Sweet baby Jesus. Did this seriously have to happen right now? Out of all the tables on the lawn, I had rammed into King Venclaire, Ezra’s parents, Antonio, King Kincaid, and Fi’s table.
Flustered, I chuckled, unfortunately sounding damn guilty as I tugged my fingers out of my hair — getting that last fucking tangle out, of course, right when they saw it — and pointed to the food across the way. “Sorry about that. I’m just going to get lunch at the…” I jabbed my finger again at the…what the hell was the word?
“Buffet?” Antonio’s golden brows rose as he leaned to rest a crooked arm on top of the table, his chin on his palm with a balled-up napkin covering his mouth.
“Yep,” I snapped, swinging my pointed finger at him. “That’s it.” I started walking backward…and my ass slammed against another table that was, like, a foot away. I didn’t even look at that one, for fear of who might be sitting there. Why the hell did they put them so close? “Food. Yeah, at the…” I pointed once more. Shit.
“Buffet,” Antonio offered again, his napkin still covering his mouth suspiciously.
“Honey, are you alright?” Concern clouded Fi’s expression. “Your face is flushed.”
Oh, Lord, have mercy.
I squeaked, “I’m good.” A point to the food. “I’m going to the…” Shit. “Over there.”
King Kincaid stared. “Come and eat with us when you’re done at the buffet.”
Instantly, I hitched a thumb over my shoulder. “I was going to sit with—”
“I would prefer it,” he clarified, interrupting me.
Oh, God, no.
Out of the corner of my eye…I glanced that way, and saw Felix and Aros storming toward me, all types of pissed. Uh-oh. No time to argue. “Okay.” I looked back at the table, their heads swinging toward me, following my head movements. “Be back in a minute.” My feet pedaled as fast as they could without the appearance of running until I got to an area where there were no tables — I watched where I was going this time — and went a few feet more, then stopped and waited.
“Where the hell did you go?” Felix loomed over me.
“Won’t happen again.” I paused. “Sorry to worry you.”
Aros growled, “We can’t protect you if you run off like that.”
“And with a fucking Vampire,” Felix hissed on a mere breath.
“We were just running up the hill,” I muttered. “We both needed to get away from all these people for a few minutes.” Truth to all.
Both inhaled heavily, then shut their mouths, cognizant of when to push and when not to.
Good elite guards. I was the boss. End of story.
Still, I apologized once more, “I’m truly sorry for worrying you both.”
They nodded slowly, and stepped back, giving me space, so I moved on to the buffet.
Ezra was already there, on the other side of the table farther up the line, giving me a raised eyebrow once-over, most definitely having heard the conversation with his gifted ears, and even seen it, since there hadn’t been any trees in the direction I’d had to run.
I rolled my eyes.
His lips twitched as he lifted a brownie in question.
My mouth watered, and I peered at the table. Last one. Damn. He needed it, since I had just taken his blood. I shook my head, and he placed it on his plate as he progressed down the line. Filling my own plate, I moved to each dish and couldn’t help but be envious, since he was going to sit with Pearl and Jack instead of…
“Ezra!” Cahal barked loudly. “Come sit with us!”
I didn’t have to glance back. I knew Ezra had been walking toward our friends’ table, and now, he wouldn’t be. I wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. Both of us sitting at that table…on second thought, probably not so good. Finished loading my plate, I actually debated skipping orders and going to sit with my friends, but King Kincaid was watching, so I made my way through the tables and sat beside him.
Fi sat on his other side, and she leaned forward, peering around him, asking, “Are you sure you’re alright? Your face is still rosy.”
I waved a hand, trying for calm. “I’m really okay.” I stuffed my mouth full of pasta.
Antonio’s lips pursed and he jerked his head toward where Felix and Aros were standing. “What was that about?”
I had an answer for that one. The truth. “They lost me there for a minute in the crowd and were worried.”
“They’re your elite,” Antonio stated. “Don’t let them lose you.” A command.