“King Zeller…” Elder Zeller sighed, the tone half-exasperated and half-warning.
The air vibrated around me, and I instantly pushed more power down my arm, countering the influx he threw at me. His grip turned bruising in an effort to hold on, even though I could have told him that if either one of us popped the explosion…well, my grip was tight enough that his hand would be coming with me and not with him…Lawfully. Which, I believe, he was just starting to figure out as his glowing gaze stared down at our hands.
And for the second time in so long, I chuckled, the sound just as gravelly as before. “I would suggest you relent, King Zeller,” asshole, “unless you would enjoy a surgery to reattach your hand.” Shifter strength did come in…handy.
Again the air vibrated, and I grinned evilly, my curling lips matching his as I threw even more power down my palm just in time to meet his assault. We both grunted, our bodies beginning to tremble while our predators growled intermittently.
Antonio bent, pressing his lips to my ear and whispering softly, “Lil, there’s no shame in yielding first,” my wolf growled at him, “because you’re not thinking clearly.” He paused, barely breathing loud enough for me to even hear, meaning no one else could either — even the Vamps. “Isa.”
I stilled and, instantly, overpowering fear crippled me. I had thought Antonio would protect her if an explosion occurred, and I still knew he would, but his pseudo threat was enough for all thoughts to hone in completely on my daughter. My power abruptly cut off, and I was consumed by King Zeller’s power. My knees buckled and air escaped me, and all I saw was a mist of spring green, a direct contrast to the dark, seductive power bombarding me.
Abruptly as it hit, the power attack ended.
I blinked, shaking my head hard past the fuzziness. “Goddammit, Antonio.” And I stilled, realizing King Zeller must have caught me instead of letting me drop to my knees in front of him, since I was wrapped in his arms against his heated, hard muscles, his scent engulfed in his warmth. I shoved at his chest, throwing myself out of his strong embrace, wobbling only for a moment. I met his hard green gaze. “Why?”
Why hadn’t he taken the victory?
King Zeller’s head tilted as he brushed back his floor-length, dark silver robe to place his hands in the pockets of his designer holey jeans, his gaze not leaving mine for a second as he slowly and quietly drawled, “Queen Ruckler, when you do,” a cruel, sensual curve of his lips, “fall to your knees before me, it will be because you can’t stop yourself, not because you tripped at a distraction.”
A few ticks of silence went by as our unforgiving gazes held.
“Well,” my eyes lowered to his crotch, then up to his icy gaze, “if that impossible day ever happens, King Zeller,” asshole, “just remember you’re not the only one with sharp teeth.” I mimicked his deliberately forbidding carnal smile.
If anything, that cruel smile of his only increased as he cocked his head the other way. “Yes, I do believe having you here will be interesting.” Gradually, his gaze touched my hair, my face, my throat, slowly moving down my body from head to toe, scrutinizing me. “I never would have guessed you to be the Queen of the Shifters.” Green eyes lifted to mine. “You’re fortunate you told me when you did last week, otherwise…well, you know where you would still be hanging.” My nostrils flared in angered irritation, and he smirked at my expression before his gaze traveled to Isa. “And I never would have imagined a Ruler to adopt a child of another faction, especially with this war we’re in.”
Protective instincts flared, stealing my breath I felt so consumed by them, as King Zeller just as slowly analyzed my daughter as he had done me. Before I knew it, I was standing directly in front of her, practically smashed between Antonio holding her and King Zeller, my wolf growling quietly and my eyes glowing brightly as I glared up at him. Wolf riding my voice harshly, I growled, “Mine.”