I bit my lip, considering it, and eventually said, “I’ll think about it.” It had been really nice between us, and if he was telling the truth, then there wouldn’t be any reason for us not to be bed partners.
He grinned before I turned and walked away. I could feel his eyes. I glanced back, and yep, his heated gaze was on my butt. He hadn’t known I was going to look back, which proved that he thought me attractive. That was definitely a plus for him.
Slinging my book bag over my arm, I raced out of the locker room to where Jack and Pearl stood. They didn’t say anything, but Pearl put her cell away, which she’d had to her ear, and they turned and started running, so I followed. It had been three full months since Jack had found his sweet mate and, coincidentally, since I had told them about my hybrid nature. The time had flown by. Luckily, the Kings had stopped the babysitting gig a month ago for our study’s sake — our finals had been this week — and we had pretty much been together non-stop as, fortunately, our continual “grounding” didn’t restrict us from being with each other at the Kings’ houses.
We raced clear to the administrative building before we stopped, and Jack immediately filled me in. “Ezra’s in trouble. Big trouble. We aren’t sure why, but one of my classmates was gossiping about how they heard Mrs. Jonas yelling at him through her office door. Expulsion and jail time were mentioned.”
Pearl nodded, fixing her windblown hair. “Gideon just called and said he saw King Kincaid and King Venclaire’s cars stop in the parking lot from his classroom window.”
I took a steadying breath. This wasn’t good, whatever it was, if jail time was being threatened to a Prodigy. Pearl and Jack didn’t know anything else, so there was nothing really to ask, and we stalked into the receptionist’s area, giving the look to said receptionist, who shut her mouth real fast but, as soon as we were past her, we saw her get on the phone.
We picked up the pace.
The door to Mrs. Jonas’s office was locked, and we could definitely hear her yelling inside, so I — oopsy — vandalized school property by turning the knob and pushing so violently it broke the lock. And some of the doorframe. Everyone in the room turned to look at us as we continued to stalk inside.
Mrs. Jonas was there, red-faced. A Shifter named Rebecca was there. A Vampire named Viper — yeah, she thought she was hot stuff — was there. Ezra stood against a row of bookcases wearing a pair of silver-laced handcuffs on his wrists and his ankles, barely visible beneath his jeans.
We stopped dead in our tracks seeing that.
Spring green eyes on us, he showed no emotion, but those handcuffs had to hurt.
My wolf growled quietly.
Pearl’s skin started to glow.
“Why is he cuffed?” Jack asked, his voice very quiet. Not really a good sign.
King Kincaid and King Venclaire stormed into the room, almost slamming into us since we had stopped right inside the doorway, but managed to swing around us.
King Venclaire immediately went to Ezra, cupping his face, his blue eyes glowing as he stared at my silent best friend, then his Vampire growled as he swung around, appearing ready to rip Mrs. Jonas’s throat out.
I wouldn’t have stopped him, but King Kincaid stepped in front of my biological dad, asking what Jack had only a minute before, “Why is he cuffed?”
“They need to leave.” Mrs. Jonas jerked her head at us. “This is none of their affair.”
“The hell it’s not,” I said with a definite bite to my tone, thinking quick. “We know you’re threatening expulsion. If that happens, our vessel training will be shot to hell. Come Awakening time, not only will we, and the Kings, be embarrassed if we can’t pull it off, the school will also be for its mediocre training.” A direct hit. “We’re staying to see our fate.” And get Ezra the hell out of this.
Mrs. Jonas’s face had blanked and I knew I had her, so I slammed the door shut and twisted the knob so hard it made the wood groan as I embedded it back together. I smiled, halfway enjoying her face paling at my show of strength.
King Kincaid gave me a covert glance, but spoke to Mrs. Jonas, “They’re staying. Now, what is the issue that caused you to silver him?”
King Venclaire’s Vampire hadn’t stopped its quiet, menacing growl, which would scare just about anyone.
It didn’t appear Mrs. Jonas was any different. She tried for posturing, but failed miserably as the sweat beaded on her forehead. Her voice croaked until she cleared it, saying, “Mr. Zeller was caught drinking illegally.”
My friends and I didn’t even bother glancing at Ezra. The charge was serious. It was expulsion worthy, not to mention that it would include jail time, but we didn’t believe it. He had so many donors more than willing at King Hall that the charge was ludicrous. Nevertheless, even if he had done it, we wouldn’t give a flying monkey’s ass.
King Venclaire appeared cross-eyed for a moment, the charge was so stupid.
King Kincaid had to clear his throat, covering a chuckle.
Everyone in the room knew it was bogus. So, why didn’t Mrs. Jonas?