King Hall Read online

  Glaring down at my snowsuit, I sighed, unsnapping the bulky thing. I mean, I had just put it back on. “How was your time, Ezra?”

  Ezra nodded, lying on top of his sleeping bag and resting back on his elbows. “Enjoyable.” His head cocked, watching me. “Although, from the look of it, not as enjoyable as yours.”

  Sitting, I pulled the snowsuit over my feet, ignoring the comment.

  Pearl grumbled, “All I did was sit in this damn tent, waiting for you guys.”

  Jack tugged on her golden hair lightly. “Now you know how it is when we have to wait for you and Gideon to pull away from each other.” Wasn’t that the truth?

  She huffed, but a small smile lifted her lips as I dug through my bag, trying to find light pajamas to wear, but I was pretty sure I hadn’t packed anything like that for going into the glacial wilderness. Pearl scanned the tent and, from the corner of my eye, I saw her eyes glow golden, and I felt for a second a rush of her power, spells and time. I stilled, glancing at the tent. There was a golden glow shimmering on our tent’s fabric. Her hand fluttered as she said mildly, “We can talk without being overheard now.”

  Instant privacy. “That’s handy.” I stared at the golden sparkles against the blue fabric.

  “We’ll have to remember you can do that in the future,” Ezra muttered, eyeing it.

  Jack nodded, eyes scrutinizing the magic. “We could definitely use this.” A glance to Ezra, then back to the tent. “You know Vamps and their hearing. This could be really useful.”

  Pearl shrugged, but I could tell she was pleased.

  “Can I borrow a t-shirt from someone?” I asked, zipping up my bag. There was nothing in there for this heat. “I didn’t bring anything thin.”

  “You’re a Shifter.” Jack blinked, his blue brows puckered. “Just take your clothes off.”

  Ah. They didn’t know I wasn’t all about getting naked in front of everyone. Only some of the Shifters knew. Those Shifters seemed embarrassed by it, so they kept quiet about my modesty.

  “I wouldn’t give you the satisfaction,” I retorted sweetly. I wasn’t baring all in front of them unless I had to. They were my closest friends, not bed partners. Even if I would, essentially, be sharing a sleeping space with them. “Really, does anyone have a spare shirt?”

  All three blinked when they realized I was serious.

  I merely waited.

  As they eyeballed me peculiarly — I didn’t blame them, knowing how often Shifters stripped — Ezra cleared his throat, rumbling, “I think I’ve got an extra shirt.” Twisting to dig in his bag, he tossed one to me.

  “Thanks.” I caught it, and turned my back to them before pulling my sweater over my head. I had a bra on underneath, so it wasn’t a big deal since they had seen me in my training attire. I hesitated with my jeans, and decided to put on Ezra’s shirt before removing them, instead of standing there in my bra and panties.

  Behind me, Jack whistled low as I started putting my arms through the armholes of Ezra’s shirt. “Get a little rough tonight?”

  Arms raised, I stilled. Ah, shit. I had forgotten about the bruises, and scrapes, that had to be nearly healed by now on my back. Felix hadn’t held much back. Not to mention, he had a few on his own body, undoubtedly, which would still be fading. Coming out of my frozen state, I mumbled, “Strong Shifter, remember?”

  “Is that a bite mark on her shoulder?” Ezra asked, sounding curious.

  Quickly, I yanked his shirt over my head, blushing furiously.

  “There was definitely one on her side.” Pearl reached to lift my shirt for another look.

  I swatted her hand away. “Do any of you want me to bring up your sex life?” Jeans off, I turned around, crossing my arms over my chest. “We’re all different Mysticals, and I’m sure there’s freaky shit you guys do in the sack you don’t want aired.”

  Beautifully, they went mute.

  I smirked.

  Jack cleared his throat and rolled — showing his bare back muscles with the movement — to pull four bottles of booze from his bag while changing the subject. “What do we want to play?”

  I sat as he handed tequila to each of us, and was left staring at the huge bottle in front of me. Did he really expect us to drink all this?

  When no response came, he offered, “Up and Down the River?”

  Ezra opened his bottle, shrugged a powerful shoulder, and took a swig. “Works for me.”

  “What’s that?” Pearl and I asked as one.

  Jack grinned, plucking cards out of his bag. “You’ll see.”

  My forehead banged against Pearl’s as I whispered, “Think…I’m drunk.” Oh, yes siree, we had most definitely played Up and Down the River. An hour later, and half my bottle downed by my lonesome, we were trying to figure out another game to play.

  Pearl burped, giggling. “So’my.” She pointed with her own half-empty bottle to Jack and Ezra, neither of them seeming quite as fazed. “What’s it with men and holdin’ their liquor better?”

  I shook my head and rocked the other way, right to Ezra’s face. I blinked, trying to study his features up close. Perhaps, I needed to get my eyes checked when we returned to town, since he looked a tad blurry.

  He chuckled, returning my regard, letting me look my fill.

  When my eyes finally focused, I examined him long enough to realize he wasn’t near as drunk as me, so I demanded with a slur, “Let me see your bottle.”

  A black, arched brow rose in time to his bottle. Half gone. Same as ours.

  I grunted, rocking to sit firmly on my butt. “Dunno,” I told Pearl. A blink. “Hey! We were supposed to do a game!”

  She thumped her forehead with her palm. “Damn, I forgot.” She hummed a tune I didn’t recognize, swaying back and forth to the beat, while observing the men, their lips twitching. She and I glared at them, and then, she smirked. “Truth or Dare. Mys style.”

  Both men’s eyes were immediately guarded, so I jumped on her suggestion, confirming, “Oh, yeah. That’s good.” As I took another swig from my bottle, a thought occurred. “Mys style?”

  Pearl’s eyes flashed gold, and she snapped her fingers, her power surrounding us again. I couldn’t see it, but I could feel it. She explained, “Means you can’t lie.” A burp. “And you have to do the dare.”

  Uh-oh. Lowering my bottle, I wore the same air as Ezra and Jack now. I had the secret that would get me killed. But then again, I knew Truth or Dare. I didn’t have to pick Truth. I could stick with Dare. That was a little frightening with this group, since we always seemed to be in some sort of trouble with our defiant ideas, but no dare was impossible.

  I straightened my shoulders. Yeah, I could do this. And it wasn’t really up for debate. The men had picked the last game. This one was ours, and it was decided by her words and mine.

  “I’ll go first, since the guys bamboozled us,” Pearl slurred, burping again. She pointed at Jack. “T or D?”

  Jack’s lips pursed, then he stalled by taking another drink. “Truth.” He dove right in.

  Pearl grinned. “Have you ever fooled around with someone not Elemental?”

  Instant. “No.” He glanced around the group, his eyes landing on me. “T or D?”

  After some thought, I decided to be brave. Plus, if the questions weren’t too bad at first, answering them would appear like I wasn’t trying to hide something. “Truth.”

  Crossing his legs, Jack asked, “Have you ever fooled around with someone not Shifter?”

  Straightaway, I felt a pull on my vocal chords. I tried to fight it, but the liquor made me slow, and my response popped out. “Yes. A Com.”

  Silence.

  Oddly, they kept their mouths shut. It was probably because of the spell Pearl had created. No one wanted to speak unless they had to, but their faces said it all. Eyes enormous and unblinking, they gawked. Mys routinely stuck with Mys, but Mys and Com were unable to produce offspring together, so they were acceptable bed partners, even if sniffed at. Swaying, I shru
gged, and mumbled, “It was before I met Dominic.” Obviously, truth. I had kissed a Com at my old school.

  Silence.

  “Okay,” I muttered, breaking this awkward moment, placing my bottle away from me to rub my eyes. My attention swung to Ezra. “T or D?”

  His jaw clenched. “Dare.”

  “Hmm.” I thought about what would be good. Came up with a little revenge for the reaction I had received from the last question. “I dare you to kiss each Mys faction that’s not Vampire.” An evil grin lifted my lips.

  Jack and Pearl chuckled, but Pearl stopped when Ezra was unexpectedly on his hands and knees in front of her. Lips on hers. He was so fast I hadn’t been able to track him moving. He swiftly kissed her, then moved like lightening, his lips on a startled Jack’s.

  I hooted, snorting a few times, seeing Ezra’s face scrunch up at the action, but I hastily shut my trap when he was abruptly in front of me.

  He glared, eye-to-eye with me, muttering, “Quit laughing, sweetheart.” The next second, his lips were on mine. His mouth was wide, his lips full and warm. Both our eyes were open, his scowling, mine wide in shock. He jerked back, opened his mouth to speak, but quickly shut it and returned to lie on his sleeping bag.

  I smirked, not the only one of us now to have kissed someone not of their faction.

  Pearl snickered right along with Jack.

  Ezra didn’t appear so amused. He was still glowering at me, but asked, “Pearl, T or D?”

  “Truth.”

  His eyes met hers. “Do you want to be Queen?”

  “No.” Her mouth snapped shut. Well, well. Guess Antonio had been right. No one really wanted to be Ruler. She cleared her throat and took a drink, asking me, “T or D?”

  I picked up my bottle, teetering while taking a large swill. I wasn’t sure how this round of questions would go, so I had to be safe. “Dare.”

  “I’ve wanted to see this for a while.” She leaned forward, almost falling over. “I dare you to shift.”

  I sucked air, and felt the pull of magic. “Shit,” I mumbled, knowing I couldn’t fight it in my inebriated state as I hurriedly put my bottle down. Like a robot, unable to do anything else, I yanked my shirt over my head. Sitting there in my bra and panties with hands that weren’t being pulled by my own strings and were going to my bra, not able to stop my actions, I requested desperately, “I’m shy, alright. Everyone, close your eyes. Please!” Panic was etched in my tone, but my bra was still unclipped by fingers that worked without my ordering them to. “Please!”

  They sat stunned, but my face must have clearly shown how humiliated I was because they quickly shut their eyes when I began yanking my bra straps down my arms.

  As my panties went, I mumbled, “Thank you.” I shifted.

  Wobbling drunkenly, I sat on my haunches so I didn’t fall, and woofed to tell them they could open their eyes. They did. Peering up at them, I saw their astonished expressions.

  Yeah. I was tiny. Bright red, too.

  Pearl murmured in a high-pitched girly voice, “Oh, she’s cute!”

  I growled a little.

  She didn’t care, petting the top of my head while steadying herself with her other hand.

  I couldn’t help leaning into the touch. It felt so good.

  “You’re miniature,” Jack breathed, tilting forward to touch me. He was gentle, his contact very light down my back. “And so adorable.”

  I growled, which sounded all lazy-slurred being stroked as I was.

  “He was right,” Ezra whispered ever so softly, gradually lifting his hand. “You’re just as beautiful in your shifted form.” He scratched behind my ear.

  Ah, my favorite. Teetering a bit, I stepped onto Ezra’s lap and cocked my head, my other ear not to be forgotten.

  He laughed softly, resituating himself when I squirmed, trying to get comfortable on his legs. He ended up lying on his back completely, gently placing me on his chest while he scratched behind my ears and under my chin.

  Content, I rolled onto my side, letting Ezra’s warmth sink past my fur, heating me.

  Jack laughed outright. “I’m thinking she’s out of the game.”

  I nodded, then lifted my chin so Ezra could scratch lower, earning a chuckle from them.

  Jack yawned. “I’m out, too. I’m tired.” Truth, the spell still activated.

  “Fine.” Pearl snapped her fingers, and the spell was gone, the air lighter. “I’m tired, too.” She tilted, and fell on her side, golden hair spread every which way, snoring not even ten seconds later.

  Jack chuckled and covered her with her sleeping bag before rolling his large frame, haphazardly tossing his sleeping bag over himself.

  I snuggled further against Ezra’s warmth and, a few minutes later, he sputtered a laugh when I whimpered as his fingers quit scratching.

  “You’re awfully demanding in your wolf form,” he whispered, being quiet since Jack’s light snore had joined Pearl’s. I whimpered again, and he yawned wide, showing me his white molars before mumbling, “Fine, but only a few more minutes. I’m beat.”

  I woofed softly, and rested my head on his chest, listening to his heart beat gently, as he pulled his sleeping bag over us, continuing to pet me. Ah, the simple life as a wolf.

  “Time to get up!” A masculine timbre called, invading my haze of dreamland and flittering at the edge of consciousness. I was pretty sure I knew that voice. “I’m coming in!”

  Drifting back into my dreams, I snuggled against strength, and warmth, the air frosty, chillingly cold. Heated, muscled arms squeezed me tight, the large palms on my ass pulling me flusher against a gigantic erection. The sensual action felt magnificent, and I ground against it, lightly shuddering. A quiet, deep masculine moan vibrated against my head as the scorching muscles around me flexed, keeping me close.

  A feminine sound from my direct left.

  Wait. I blinked open my eyes at the same time the man under me jerked.

  We froze.

  A disturbance of a zipper being pulled resonated, and an arctic breeze, which made the air even colder than it already was, rushed over the back of my head and bare shoulders as Antonio’s voice announced cheerfully, “Good morning, future Kings and Queens! Time to rise and shine.”

  I choked, breath catching and realization dawning as I woke fully. I knew where I was. I knew who was under me, gripping my ass. I knew from how cold I was that I was butt naked.

  Pearl squealed, and my head snapped in her direction.

  Oh, oh my.

  The heat spell must have worn off sometime in the middle of the night because it had already been frigid before Antonio let in the bitter cold wind and, during the night, Pearl and Jack had somehow made their way to each other. More than likely, for body warmth: having been lying next to each other, now Pearl was lying on top of Jack like how I was lying on top of Ezra. Right next to us. Both of their expressions shocked as they woke at the same time.

  Jack shot his hands out from under the sleeping bag, holding them above his head.

  This wasn’t a great situation all around.

  Not glancing at the man I was lying on top of, I cleared my throat while tilting my head up to where Antonio was watching us. His features were calm. At least he wasn’t making a big deal of catching us like this, as any other Mys would. Quietly, I said, “It might be a good idea to give us a few minutes.” A scan of the tent showed there were no longer any golden sparkles, so I asked, “Can you do a privacy spell before going, though?” I didn’t think Pearl could handle that right now, hearing how fast her heart was pumping.

  “Sure thing, kiddo,” Antonio said, and promptly, we had golden, protective sparkles on the tent’s fabric. “Five minutes, though. Everyone’s starting to get up.” Golden eyes traveled to the man under me.

  Oh, no. That wasn’t awkward. Thoroughly embarrassed, I mumbled, “Thanks.”

  He pulled his head out of the tent without another word, zipping it up.

  “My God,” Pearl whispered, �
�your hand was down my underwear.”

  My mouth shut. Yeah, the privacy spell had been needed.

  “I thought I was dreaming,” Jack sputtered, sounding frantic.

  I would let them work that one out, my gaze altering to the man under me.

  His carefully blank face turned toward me, spring green, sleepy eyes meeting mine.

  We stared at one another.

  “Um,” I licked my dry lips, “I must have shifted sometime during the night. Sorry.”

  One arched brow marginally rose; his hands deliberately moved from my ass to my hips. Long fingers spreading, his grip tightened, lifting and settling me lower so my sensitive lower area wasn’t pressed to his. Unfortunately, the action made my bare breasts rub down his equally bare chest, and I gasped even as his eyes hooded.

  Uncomfortable didn’t even begin to describe this. We were really good friends, and only friends. Both of our nostrils were flared; it meant he was scenting my desire waking like this, and even if the physical evidence wasn’t pressed against my stomach, I was scenting his morning arousal. We could even smell that Jack was turned on, but not Pearl, who was magically unable to be without her mate.

  Ezra inhaled again, his eyes hooding even further.

  I did the same.

  Along with our turned on scents, I could smell stress pouring off of all four of us. I had never been able to smell emotions, my Vampire power level too weak. I only scented as a Shifter does. Facts based on our body reactions, unlike Ezra, who would scent anxiety.

  Ezra cleared his throat, and his wide lips curved slightly as he said softly, “It could be worse.”

  He got the “special” look that comment deserved. “How?”

  His head tilted toward our friends, who scrambled away from each other. “We could be them.”

  My chuckle was sluggish. That was definitely true, but I froze when Ezra jerked, giving me his own “special” look because I had bumped him. I swiftly mumbled, “Sorry.”

  He glared, sucking in a weighty breath.

  “What about them?” Jack shouted, gaining our attention as he defended himself against something Pearl had said. “She’s naked,” a glance at Ezra, “and he looks naked! We didn’t do anything wrong in comparison!”