Page 16

Chapter

Sixteen

Mom hovered over my shoulder as I continued fixing the spreadsheet she had destroyed the formulas for.

“You should really save these to the cloud so you have versions to allow you to restore a previous one to avoid this.” I'd learned my lesson while at college after losing a ten-page essay and having to restart from scratch. I would never make that mistake again. I now anally hit save while working on important documents. This one included.

“I usually do, but the internet was down when I started it so I couldn't upload to the server.”

“Well, lucky for you, I did several courses on electronic spreadsheets, including learning advanced coding.” And as nerdy as that made me sound, I loved creating and editing spreadsheets. “Now after you enter the value here, when you hit enter, it will auto update on the other three tabs.”

“You mean I don't have to enter it three separate times?” she asked, eyes wide.

I leaned back in the chair and nodded while smiling at her. “Exactly.”

She threw her arms around me. “You are amazing! I'm so lucky you're my daughter. This will save me so much time!”

Laughing at her excitement, I patted her back. “I'm glad I could help.” When I'd come into her office and found her sniffling, I had feared something awful had happened.

Riddick walked in with a binder in his hands. “How's it going?”

“She not only fixed it, but improved it!” Mom shouted.

Ge smiled proudly at me. “Wonderful! I know that spreadsheet has been annoying you the last month.” He pressed a kiss to the top of her head and handed her the binder. “Quarterly report for the mana stone store. There's something interesting on it.”

I double saved the spreadsheet to her desktop as well as the cloud, then got out of her chair so she could sit and review the report.

My eyes widened when I looked over her shoulder at the report. “A one hundred percent increase in sales? Why are so many people buying mana stones suddenly?”

“It increases as the demon portals increase,” she explained. “People stocking up as a defense.” Her brows furrowed as she looked at other pages of the report. “Who is the buyer that keeps purchasing the large quantities?”

“What?” Riddick asked.

I pointed to the row she mentioned where one person had purchased twenty mana stones once a week the entire quarter. “That’s really suspicious. What could you possibly need that many for and that frequently?”

“You could power wards large enough for the city for a year with that,” Mom whispered. “But not even this city has wards.”

“I’ll ask them for more information on the buyer,” Riddick said and pulled out his phone to send a message.

“What are the dates of pickup?” I asked. “Maybe a stakeout would be better.”

“You sound like Caleb,” Mom muttered.

“And what’s wrong with her sounding like me? Her father and king?” Dad asked as he walked inside. He wore a dark blue suit with a white shirt and matching blue tie.

“Whoa, you look like a businessman,” I said. Dad preferred jeans to slacks.

“Had a TV interview today,” he explained as he loosened his tie.

“There’s a suspicious purchaser of the mana stones. Lily wants to do a stakeout.”

His eyes sparkled as he smiled. “Oh, a stakeout, huh? I approve, as long as you take Kayden with you. Mason is too hotheaded for a non-confrontational stakeout.”

“Why can’t I go alone?” I asked with a scowl.

“I wouldn’t let your mom go alone,” he said quickly. “No way will I let you.”

Mom stuck her tongue out at him. “Overprotective.”

“What are we investigating anyway?” he asked and stepped up behind Mom to look at the report.

Riddick filled him in and Dad’s face darkened.

“I don’t like this at all,” he whispered. “I’m going to call Nana Kara and see if she can think of any reason someone might need so many.”

“The next pickup should be this evening,” Riddick said as he read an email.

“Lily, I want you and Kayden to watch, scope the buyer out, but don’t engage. Just find out who it is,” Dad ordered me.

I pulled out my phone and dialed Kayden. “Okay,” I agreed.

“What’s up?” Kayden asked as he answered.

“I need you for a stakeout this evening. Can you meet me at the mana store at four o’clock? I’ll fill you in then.”

“Understood,” he replied.

Ever the obedient soldier.

“You sure we should send Lily?” Mom whispered to Dad and Riddick.

“We are shorthanded and she’s got a lot of free time,” Dad said.

“And she volunteered,” Riddick added.

“She came home to help the clan. This is one way for her to do that,” Dad reminded Mom. “Plus, she’s one of the best at suppressing her presence, so she’s ideal for surveillance and recon.”

“Even if her animal form is large,” Riddick added, making them all snicker.

I lowered my phone and turned to glare at them. “I can hear you.”

Dad and Riddick smiled, obviously aware.

“Well, since you have some time until your job tonight, how about you work on these other spreadsheets for me?” Mom said and opened three others on her computer. She stood and stretched. “I’m going to go buy lunch.”

“I’ll come with you,” Riddick offered, linked hands with her, and opened the door.

Dad sat on the edge of the desk as I sat in the chair to get to work. “How is courting going? Did the trio provide a suitable explanation to you?”

I looked up at him and said, “Don’t act like Ezio hasn’t already filled you in.”

He smirked. “He has, but he doesn’t know how you feel about it and that’s the most important piece. So, how do you feel, Lily?”

“Honestly, I’m a bit conflicted. Yes, their explanation makes sense and how it was a misunderstanding on my part. However, they could have come to see me. I know they were worried about finding me dating someone, but that feels like an excuse. I may have acted childish by trying to ignore them, but it felt like they ignored me for four years. I can’t deny my attraction to them, they were my best friends, and when I’m with them it feels so …”

“Effortless,” Dad offered.

I nodded. “It feels like no time has passed, like we were never apart, and yet, my heart remembers the separation. Just once, if they had visited me just once, things would have been so different.”

My hair glowed brighter the longer I spoke, but I wanted to get all the words out. Needed to.

“I can understand your feelings. You were with them most of your life and to suddenly lose them when you were also so far from home made it harder. However, you know the past can’t be changed. You need to stop looking behind you and look at here and now and the future. Do you want to spend the next four years apart from them again? Could you handle seeing them mated to someone else?”

I hissed without thinking and quickly ducked my head.

Dad laughed and patted my head. “Pretty sure you’ve answered the question.”

“So, accept them and move on? Just like that?” I asked and looked back up at him.

He shook his head. “No, make them grovel and show you how they really feel. Everyone who hurts their mate needs to grovel a bit. However, be honest with yourself about your feelings for them. Once they’ve groveled enough to please you, then accept their apology. Those boys could be knocked down a peg or two with little repercussions to their egos. But it might be enough for them to grow and become the type of mates you need. Don’t tell them, but I’ve been secretly rooting for them since you were teens.”

“It’s really hard to stay mad at them when they’re telling me sweet things like ‘I’m the only one for them’ and ‘I’m what gets them through demon battles,’” I muttered and spun to face the computer again.

He laughed. “Well, they did grow up watching and listening to me and your other fathers apologizing and flirting with Ember a lot. Plus, Ezio made quite a few mistakes after Kayden was born.”

“Ezio did?” I didn’t remember them having issues.

“Mostly him not taking her feelings into consideration before doing things like taking on dangerous missions. He was so used to doing things on his own. Kayden, Mason, and Trey were surrounded by smooth-talking alphas who adore their mates. If they didn’t pick up a few things, I’d be disappointed. I tried to beat a decent amount of respect for the women in our lives into them.”

“So, you don’t think it’s an issue if they were basically groomed to wanting me as a mate?”

He rolled his eyes. “You are so like your mom. So self-deprecating. Those three have spent the last four years traveling around the world. They have met thousands of women. Had hundreds throw themselves at them and been forced on blind dates. They had ample time and other women at their call to decide you weren’t the one for them. You know what happened instead? They realized you are their sun and no matter how hard those women tried to steer them off course, they came back to you because they love you. Because you are beautiful, kind, strong, sassy, and exactly what they want. Now, it’s up to you to determine if the same is true for you. If you don’t want them, end the courting now.”

“Thanks, Dad.”

He growled and ruffled my hair. “You’re welcome.”

I had just finished meditating when I sensed Kayden enter the store. He greeted the staff as he headed to the office where I waited.

His footsteps halted at the door and after a moment of hesitation, he opened it.

He wore black sweatpants and a black tank top, showing off his muscular arms. My eyes moved to his upper bicep where a snake tattoo wrapped around, red eyes bright on the otherwise white snake.

He had gotten my snake form tattooed on him, too?

Noticing my stare he said, “I got it just after you left for college.”

“So, right before the incident?”

He lowered himself into the chair across the desk from me. “Yes.”

“Regret it?” I asked.

“Yes, I regret not thinking how my words would be taken by you.”

“I meant the tattoo.”

He smirked, telling me he knew what I’d meant. “So, why are we staking out the store?”

I explained the reason and his brow furrowed.

“That is worrying. So, we’re going to see who they are and report back to Caleb?”

I nodded. “They’ve been paying cash, so there’s no name recorded.”

“How do you want to do this? I can hide in fox form under a table. You’re too large for that, no offense.”

“I’m going to hide on top of the shelves.”

The top of the shelves were over twelve feet high so I could lie on top of them in snake form without being spotted.

“I tested it earlier,” I said quickly when his mouth popped open.

He closed his mouth and nodded. “Okay.”

I stood and walked around the desk.

He stood and before I could open the door, he wrapped his arms around my waist and pressed his nose against my hair, inhaling deeply. “Did you have fun on our date last night?”

Turning around so I could look up at him, I smiled wide and nodded. “Thank you for taking me somewhere fun.”

“Want to get some dinner after this?”

“I don’t have any courting dates tonight, so that should be fine,” I said and nodded.

“Now you do,” he said, kissed me on the lips quickly, and opened the door.

One kiss and my body was on fire. I needed a cold shower.

Recomposing myself, I climbed the shelves, shifted, and got into position. I had my head in a perfect spot to see people as they approached the register, but without them able to see me.

Kayden triple checked that I was hidden before he shifted and hid under the table.

Emily, the one working today, would give us the signal when the person entered.

Thankfully, we only had to wait for an hour.

My scales warmed just below my jaw, making me worry that a demon portal had opened, but I didn’t have time to check.

The door to the shop opened, the bell over it jingling in welcome.

“Good evening, sir. Are you here for your normal order?” Emily asked, the question our signal.

Peering over, I looked at the man walking up to the counter.

He was very unassuming, brown hair, brown eyes, no alpha aura, nothing remarkable about him. Yet, there was something, a feeling, that he was a hybrid or someone I should know. Something … familiar about him.

After getting his order, paying in cash again, he turned and headed out the door. For a split second, I thought he’d looked up at me, but his steps never faltered. His lip did quirk up as he pulled open the door.

Kayden suddenly rushed outside in fox form, just before the door closed.

I shifted as I slid off the shelves, landing on human feet.

Hurrying outside, I had to dodge people that were running away, down the sidewalk and lost his trail.

Worry made my heart race as I continued down the street, head on swivel as I tried to find Kayden and the source of all the people’s fear.

The necklace warmed on my chest and I gripped it in one hand, following the pull into the next alley.

Kayden, still in fennec fox form, struggled in the grip of a huge boar-headed demon covered in shaggy gray fur. The demon was riddled with wounds and panting heavily.

Jumping forward, I drove my clenched fists down onto the bend of the demon’s inner elbow, forcing him to release Kayden.

Kayden fell on human knees, sucking in a deep breath.

With a hard side kick, I sent the demon flying back through the portal right before it closed.

“Well, that was embarrassing,” Kayden said after shifting into his human form.

“Are you okay?” I asked as I turned to face him.

He nodded. “I was following the man and saw him come down this alley, but then the portal and demon were here. I don’t know where the man went, if he went into one of the doors in the alley or through the portal.”

My eyes widened. “You think he was a demon? He felt like a hybrid to me.”

Kayden shrugged and dusted himself off. “He didn’t look like a demon or feel like they do, but he was definitely suspicious. I’ll call Caleb and update him while we head over to the restaurant.”

“Oh, which restaurant?” I asked, shocked he still wanted to go to dinner.

“You choose, but I know you love the pasta place two blocks over.” He pulled out his phone and we headed out of the alleyway.

“Princess, are you alright?” a male werewolf asked as we walked out.

I smiled at him. “Yes, thank you for your concern. I was able to force the demons back just as the portal closed.”

He exhaled in relief. “Thank goodness you and Kayden were here. It makes me feel more at ease knowing you are focused on the demon problem.”

I patted his shoulder as we walked by. “Just call in any portals or demons you see and we’ll rush over.”

He nodded vigorously.

Kayden filled in Dad about what had happened as we walked and I let my mind wander.

Could the demons be using the stones? If so, what for? It seemed odd for them to need them, but then again, we knew nothing about their world. There were a lot of uses for mana stones, not just for wards, but also to augment an individual’s powers. Maybe that man was conducting experiments and needed the extra magic? Or maybe he was part of the demon problem and had used a spell to hide his identity? There were too many variables and questions without answers.

Dad said he’d have others do more stakeouts and try to find out who the mystery man was and told us to enjoy the rest of our night.

Kayden opened the restaurant’s door for me and poked the middle of my forehead. “You keep scowling like that and you’ll develop permanent wrinkles.”

I rubbed the spot and stuck my tongue out at him. “Maybe I want wrinkles, then you’d forget all about our promise.”

He slid his arm around my shoulders and squeezed me against his side. “I don’t care if you’re covered in wrinkles, scars, or whatever else. You’re the only woman for me. You just need to accept that so you can stop these courting dates with men unworthy of you.”

“Pretty conceited to think you’re worthy,” I whispered, though I didn’t mean it.

“I know we aren’t worthy of you either, but I’m too selfish and possessive to care.”

And somehow those words made my heart flutter.

“Good evening, Your Highness. Allow me to escort you to the private room,” the concierge greeted us with a warm smile.

“We can take a regular table,” I said quickly.

“Nonsense, no one has reserved it anyway. Follow me,” he said and hurried through the restaurant.

“She really is courting the demon trio,” a man whispered as Kayden and I walked by.

“Lucky,” a woman nearby muttered.

Kayden smirked down at me and I rolled my eyes at him.

We walked into the private room, an area sectioned off with walls to allow for conversations not to be overheard.

Once seated and drinks ordered, Kayden relaxed back against his seat and stared at me. “Your darkness seems to act up more frequently these days. Is it because of us? Do we agitate the darkness in you?”

I hadn’t realized my hair was glowing until he said that. Embarrassed, I ducked my head and tried to calm myself. “It’s just been an … eventful time.”

“I think part of the problem is you haven’t had enough events to cool your needs,” he said and sipped on his water.

I choked on the water I’d been drinking, nearly spitting it out across the table.

Kayden just smiled wider.

“Was that an offer?” I asked back as I wiped my mouth, trying to regain some composure.

His eyes darkened and he leaned across the table to whisper, “Yes.”

The door opened as our waiter returned with our drinks and I was glad for the interruption. My face, and body, were on fire as that one word made me squirm with need.

We ate mostly in silence, but the heat in my body would not dissipate. Kayden scowled and kept looking up at me, but didn’t speak.

As we walked through the restaurant, he took a warrior shift of his wolf form.

“What?” I asked, looking around.

Everyone watched us, but of course they did when he shifted like that.

He put his arm around my shoulders and made me walk faster. “Let’s head home,” he said calmly in a gravely voice since he had shifted.

We stepped outside and I took a big breath of the cool night air. It still wasn’t enough. I was still too hot. This had never happened before. Did I have a fever? Hybrids didn’t usually get sick. Should I call Mom or Great Nana Kara?

I followed Kayden silently to his SUV that he’d parked near the mana stone store. I tried to open the passenger door, but he opened the back door instead.

I frowned in confusion, but climbed into the back, sliding onto the bench seat. The cool seat felt good against my hot skin.

Adding to my confusion, he climbed in with me. After locking the doors, he reached over and cupped my face with one hand. “There’s absolutely no way I can drive like this. Not until I take care of you.”

“What?” I asked, triply confused now.

He bent forward and licked the side of my neck, making me gasp and arch towards him. “You’re practically choking me with your need. Had I been a weaker male, I’m certain I would have had to fight off several other males who smelled you as well. You are practically a beacon for males right now.”

“I-I don’t understand.”

He slid a hand up my thigh and between my legs. “I’ve thought about hundreds of different ways of pleasuring you, about how our first time was going to be, but now, I’m going to have to forego my plans.” Guiding me so I lay on my back on the seat, he pulled off my pants and immediately buried his face between my legs.

I moaned and gripped his hair.

Licking and sucking, he brought me to orgasm so quickly that I screamed and thrashed.

He held me down, forcing me to ride the orgasm out.

Leaning back, he pushed his sweatpants down, freeing his erection, and thrust into me, dropping one hand next to my head.

“This was not in my plan for tonight, but I think if I don’t deal with your arousal now, I’m going to have to fight off a horde of alphas.” He bent forward and nipped my ear, making me gasp and clutch at his shirt.

“So … hot,” I panted. “My body’s … on … fire.”

He nodded. “Your skin is practically burning mine. I’ve heard this happened to Jolie once. Don’t worry, I’ve got you, Lily.”

I matched his thrusts, fingers digging into his shoulder as the pressure built in my core. He was right, this wasn’t normal for me.

I was glad he was with me though and that it was him, even if this was not how I expected our first time to go.

He peppered my face with gentle kisses, so at odds with his hard thrusts that I felt dizzy. Or, perhaps that was just this fever.

Sliding my fingers up his arms, I reveled at the muscles.

“You are so beautiful,” he whispered as he continued to kiss me. “So perfect.”

The darkness in my aura grew, my hair glowing with it, and I watched in shock as more of my darkness bled into Kayden’s aura. I was too dizzy with need to draw back, though, or try to remove it.

Leaning back, he smiled at me and said, “Scream my name, Lily.”

He shifted back, drawing my lower body up, and moving at a different angle that completely shattered me. I screamed his name as I came and just before he finished, he pulled out and came on the floor.

“Let’s detour by the car wash before we go home,” he said. “I need to clean that out as well as the scent evidence of what we’ve just done. Dad is supposed to use this SUV tomorrow and I don’t think either of us wants to explain to him what happened.”

I flushed, embarrassed. “No thank you.”

He chuckled and dropped his face down, burying his nose against my neck. “Are you okay? It feels like your skin has cooled?”

I nodded. “Thank you.”

He sat back and winked. “Anytime.”