Chapter Thirteen
After somewhat calming one male, my favorite one, who was utterly torn in two between wanting to kill Leric just for being what he was to me and, I was pretty sure, half thankful I still had a choice—as I was, I had to go and deal with another male, the one I was bonded to…my One. A few things were learned in that discussion. Being the Chosen was just the feminine form of the One. And, also, the staid, and lazy demeanor Leric normally exuded…was a complete fa?ade which disappeared when upset. The man had a pair of lungs on him that literally shook the whole damn manor, all of the Elders and Rulers running into the spelled privacy room we were in, holding on to walls or furniture to stay upright. His crown had been showing at that particular moment in time, those who hadn’t seen it before stared avidly, but after damn near pushing them back out of the room, explaining to them we were having a discussion about “boundaries”, they had eventually left us to shout and holler at one another, my own calm fa?ade diminishing when he demanded I—at least—start sleeping in a room of my own, instead of sleeping with Sin every night…so then, the room and surrounding areas of the manor started shaking even more with my heated argument, the Rulers and Elders, all rushing back inside the room—Elder Farrar had appeared particularly amused from the back of the group—and glowing and pissed as hell, I had turned on my heel, pushing through the half hostile/half worried Royals, shouting to Leric, “You can suck my fucking cock, my One.”
“Real fucking mature, my Chosen,” he yelled, the room continuing to shake, then there was a lengthy pause as I shoved through King Zeller and Elder Jacobs. “And if you suck anyone’s fucking cock but my own, I will fucking annihilate him in a damn heartbeat.”
“I’m bi, if you’ve already forgotten. I suck clits, not just cocks.”
Elder Fergus choked in front of me, putting a fist in front of his mouth, and quickly made room for me when I glowered.
“Goddammit, Caro!” Leric shouted, the chandelier of the room rattling with the shaking. “I’m about to lose my fucking patience with you.”
“Already there, buddy,” Elder Kincaid muttered under his breath, also quickly moving out of my way, his gaze apt over my head, probably staring at Leric’s damn crown.
Leric bellowed, “Separate bedrooms, Caro! Make. It. Happen.” A pause. “Or I swear I will bring fucking Lissa here to stay in my room with me.”
I stopped abruptly in my tracks, my glowing gaze stuck on Elder Farrar’s face, and a fury boiled inside me, hotter and faster than I could imagine, and Elder Farrar, still grinning slightly, muttered, “Tick, tick…boom.”
I whirled on my heel, fury fueling my veins unlike any I had ever known before as potent jealousy erupted like a scalding geyser…and my feet were moving at a sprint straight at him before I even realized what I was doing. My fist slammed into his jaw in a beautiful upper cut, and I watched his head fly back for only a moment before I twirled, kicking out my leg, smashing it into the back of his knees, a diamond blade already materializing in my hand before I pounced, flying on top of his chest as he fell predictably backward. Hitting the ground, it seemed like the whole earth shook from our combined fury, my teeth and bones jarring with the motion, but I held the now glowing knife to his throat, the tiger inside me growling furiously, and I hissed down into silver eyes, “You bring her here and I will gut her, and you, so fucking fast you won’t even see it before your entrails are hanging from your bodies, then I will slice off your fucking heads and mount them on my goddamn postered bed, so I can sleep soundly every night knowing you’re both dead.” I growled again. “Got me?”
Then, I inhaled, reality returning for a heartbeat.
My eyes widened enormously.
And…his lips actually lifted, and with my blade still to his throat, he stated calmly, “Understand now?”
“Fuck,” I muttered breathlessly, quickly stashing my knife back in my treasure trove as I sat up on him, my eyes just as huge on my face as I was freaked the fuck out. My voice was shrill as I started beating on his chest. “You said I had a damn choice!” More pounding, the room shaking with each furious blow. “This doesn’t feel like a goddamn choice, Leric!”
“Caro…” He tried grabbing at my hands. “Kitten, calm down.” More attempted grabbing, and hurried words, “It is a choice. It is. Just with slight ramifications, and adjustments, if we choose not to be together.”
I slammed my fist on his chest forcefully with each word. “I. Want. A. Choice!” I shook my head. “Shit!” I rolled off him, running a hand through my hair before jumping to my feet, pointing an accusing finger down to him where he didn’t bother to rise from. “Choice, my ass, Leric. I would kill anyone you’re with just as I’m sure you’d do the same.” I slashed a hand through the air. “That is not a choice.”
He placed his glowing hands behind his head, once again appearing lazy as hell in front of everyone. “It can happen since I’ve managed not to kill the other individual you’re attracted to…so far.” His brows lifted as I froze, my mouth slamming shut. “I let my wall down for a little while.” One brow arched. “Without the wall up…”
I didn’t know what to say. I had thought he couldn’t feel or sense me with my wall up, but apparently, he had felt and heard my thoughts without me having to push them, probably because of that damn tether between us. In other words, he had spied in my damn head. And…being the caring individual I was…my boot swiftly connected with his thigh. “That was cheap.”
He didn’t have the grace to wince. “I never said I play fair,” he drawled, but his gaze narrowed. “Stay out of that individual’s bed, too, please.” Nicely put, if he didn’t have a merciless gleam in his gaze.
Lord. Elder Merrick had two threats on him. Sin and Leric. If I were him, I would be fucking running. Yanking on my hair, I only grunted, pivoting to move back through the Elders, staying far away from Elder Merrick on the right hand side. “No worries there.”
“Let’s hope not,” Leric purred.
“Whatever,” I muttered, rubbing my forehead.
“And, Caro, remember…separate bedrooms.”
Elder Farrar held his hands up in front of me, blocking the doorway, smile broad on his face. “Happy mating…or connecting…or whatever it is!” My teeth bared, but he only leaned down whispering merrily as I passed him, “And I’ll be happy to be your Lajak.”
Lord…help…me.
Separate bedrooms, my ass.