He took a bottle of clear liqueur with golden flecks floating around, untwisted the cap, and passed it to me. I got a whiff of cinnamon as I brought it to my mouth and tipped back my head, chugging the thick, hot, sweet syrup. I blew out a long breath. Kaidan was ready with the next bottle. I could physically feel where the alcohol touched the inside of my body. It was on fire, down to my empty stomach.
I quickly drank the next bottle of liqueur he offered. It was too sweet. Kaidan’s eyebrows were crinkled together as he looked at me. I was feeling nice and warm, even a tiny bit more relaxed. I tapped my wrist to see how much time we had. He made a three and a zero, thirty seconds. I was expecting to feel something more from two bottles. Alcohol usually hit me fast.
He tried to hand me the amaretto, but I shook my head and reached over his lap. No more sweet stuff. I grabbed the bottle of golden tequila, screwing off the top and draining it fast.
What if the bond was still visible? I was so nervous. What would Pharzuph do to us if Astaroth saw something? He wouldn’t kill me because they needed me for the summit. Kaidan was a different story.
Fear struck and I stuck out my hand for another bottle, just to be on the safe side. He passed me the vodka and I made a face. I hated vodka, but I tilted my head back, slapping the carpet as the vodka burned its way down my throat. I held out my hand for another.
I stared at his hands as he signed, Are you sure?
It took me a second to comprehend what he’d said, and I nodded. He passed me the rum and I downed it, hardly feeling the burn this time.
I moved to adjust the way I was sitting, and swayed. Out of nowhere a giggle escaped me, and Kaidan’s eyes widened. Whoa, that was weird. I looked to the row of bottles, already wondering which I could have next, and he made a slashing movement of his hand across his throat to say I was cut off. A moment of panic overtook me. I realized, too late, that I’d had more than I probably needed. The alcohol was strong inside me, awakening and taunting the beast I worked so hard to keep tame.
Kaidan’s head turned to the door five seconds before the knock came. He looked at me, pleading with his eyes, bringing a finger to his lips before he got up to let them in. I was feeling at ease, not nearly as nervous as I thought I’d be when they got here. I would sit like a good girl and be quiet until they were gone. That was my big, brilliant plan.
I sat there in front of the open fridge while they walked down into the living room area toward me. Pharzuph and Kaidan stood side by side, feet apart, arms crossed. I covered my mouth and looked up at Astaroth.
He was as rugged as ever with his romance-novel-cover long golden hair and face made of jutting angles. He looked between me and Kaidan, his eyes landing on me with a severe frown.
“This one’s piss-drunk. I can’t get a reading.”
“A reading on what?” Kaidan asked in a hard voice. Nobody answered him.
I realized then that I should probably stand in the presence of the Dukes, but when I lifted myself from the floor, the alcohol hit me full force. Holy Moses! My balance was completely gone, and I tumbled into the arm of the couch, which was absolutely hilarious, and I couldn’t hold back the laughter.
“You don’t waste any time,” Pharzuph said to me.
“There’s more, see?” I pointed to the open fridge. “I didn’t drink it all. Want some?” It couldn’t hurt to be nice. Patti would be so proud of me.
“I’ll pass,” Pharzuph said, “but I think you should have another.” He smiled.
I smiled back because, well, that was awfully kind of him, and I agreed that another sounded like a wonderful idea.
I dropped to the floor in front of the mini fridge. I picked out two bottles, looking them over and finding the letters all sort of jumbled, so it took me a second to read them. I turned to the three men who were watching me. I wondered why Kaidan, my beautiful Kai, looked so friggin’ mad. I smiled up at them.
“If you don’t need me for anything else, I’ll just be on my way,” Astaroth said.
“Nothing more,” Pharzuph told him. “Maybe later. Thank you, Brother.”
Astaroth left the room.
“They need more tequila in these minibar fridge thingamajigs,” I said, settling on the gin.
Pharzuph laughed and looked at Kaidan, who was now leaning against the entertainment center with his arms crossed.
“I told you,” Kaidan said to his father. “She’s a lush. An idiot. I can’t believe you’d think there’d be a bond between us.”
Pharzuph chuckled at his son’s anger, and his smile was handsome. “Eh, you can’t really blame me for wondering when you wouldn’t even bang the stewardess today. You’re usually all about the cougars.”
“Eww!” I squealed. I wanted to claw those words from my ear canals.
“See,” Kaidan said. “Completely immature.”
I felt suddenly upset, though I couldn’t place why. I unscrewed the bottle of gin.
“You’re trashed,” Kaidan said. “You don’t need any more.”
“Oh, shut up.”
He tried to swipe my drink, but I yanked it back and took a glug.