Chosen One (Forever Evermore #6)(76)
Elder Merrick—the one I had only glanced at once, dressed in a black thermal long sleeved shirt, outlining every damn line of his gorgeous torso, and black cargos, which hugged his thighs and ass like a loving glove, and black boots, flicked his finger to Sin, asking me, “You’ve already given him the protection?”
“This morning in bed,” Sin answered for me, resting his hands behind his head and leaning back like a well sated man. “And it was…delicious.”
King Collins choked a few times, glancing to me, but I only sighed heavily, rolling my eyes at Sin’s theatrics…ignoring how Elder Merrick’s lids dipped, hiding whatever he was thinking…and peered back to the two gentlemen in question I needed to tend to. “Well, you heard it. It’s delicious, but not,” I inhaled heavily, “this first part.” My Core flared and two stars flew from my mouth to theirs, both their eyes widening a bit, never having seen my powers. “I know you’re new to a spirits gifts, but try to keep those expressions off your face when you’re at the Temple. Act as if this is all old hat for you.” I waved a hand at their closed mouths, walking toward them. “Accept it, then,” my lips twitched, “I’ll make it all better.”
King Zeller laughed outright, shaking his head at me, then gazing to them. “Do as she says, and you’ll be very…pleased.”
They scowled at the stars in front of their faces, but opened their mouths, swallowing, and choking it down. Elder Bridges groaned, “Dear God,” he shook his head hard, “that’s…”
“Awful, I know.” I reached down where he sat on a chair, lifting his chin up, letting my Core open, glowing. “Now, open up.”
He stared wide-eyed for a moment, then quickly blanked his expression, asking on a hoarse voice, “This is better than that?”
Across the table, Elder Farrar muttered, “Definitely.”
Appearing ill and pensive, he slowly opened his mouth, and I inhaled heavily, calling on my own unique brand of protection, then tilted my head, pressing my opened mouth to his, and began blowing slowly, and thoroughly, into his mouth. Almost instantaneously, his power flared in the room, hot and seductive and heady, so damn powerful I froze. And squeaked when my head span, suddenly on his lap, his arms wrapped around me tight as I continued my protection, not about to have to start this again with him. His Vampire growled loudly, shaking me a bit, and I felt his fangs lengthen, one fucking nipping my lip, cutting me the barest bit…and I firmly ignored the touch of his tongue dabbing over it before it healed as I blew the last bit of air from myself to him, quickly pulling my head back, muttering, “Don’t you dare bite me.”
He shook his head hard, staring down at my face, the room silent as a graveyard, and he slurred, “Fucking,” another shake of his head, his lips lifting on one side, showcasing those amazingly frightening fangs, “Christ.”
“Yep.” I patted his arm. “Let me up.”
Brann had to give me a hand when Elder Bridges just blinked.
I readjusted my shirt and inhaled a bit shakily, really happy Elder Bridges was on my side with that power show, and moved to Elder Samson, who eyed me apprehensively, even though he was still slunk on his seat, his gaze darting to Elder Bridges, then back to me. “Is this really necessary?”
“If you want to go to the Temple?” I nodded once. “Yes.”
“It’s good,” Elder Bridges muttered on a slur, head on the table. “Really fucking good.”
Sin was chuckling quietly now at the other end of the table, but I ignored him, staring down to Elder Samson, flicking a finger around the room. “You want to do this?”
Instant. “Yes.”
“Then open your mouth.”
He glared for a moment, and I knew he had all kinds of reservations, but he did as I said.
I inhaled heavily, and bent…and couldn’t help winking at him…then pressed my lips to his, blowing slowly my protection. His eyes instantly flared and his skin glowed unpretentiously, then his lids dipped as his hands…Christ…touched my face very gently, cupping my cheeks softly, a quiet, masculine groan emitting from him. I hadn’t pictured him a gentle lover, but apparently, he might just be because his touch stayed utterly soft until the last of my protection flew into him, and I pulled my head back, and stopped glowing.
He blinked slowly. “Huh.” His glowing hands dropped from my face, and he quietly put his head on the table in the crook of his arm while he continued to glow.
My brows lifted as I stared down at him for a long moment, utterly surprised. Tugging on my shirt after a moment, I turned on my heal and headed back down to the end of the table, hearing a few clearings of masculine throats, apparently, I, not the only one surprised by that softer side of him. “Alright,” I fixed my shirt again, “now that the formalities are done,” and firmly ignoring Elder Samson’s glow, I asked, “Elder Bridges, Elder Samson, are you able to listen?” I got a Vampiric grunt and a flicked glowing finger in response from their prone positions, leaning on the table. “I’ll take that as a yes, so on to an important issue. Listen and learn our Laws. If you are charged while you are at the Temple, it won’t matter if you didn’t know you had done something wrong. The Law will stand. And you won’t like those consequences, and I won’t either, because I’ll probably be the one extracting the punishment.” I stared pointedly at those in the room. “Understand?”