King Cave (Forever Evermore, #2)(2)
Spring green eyes disappeared, only to reappear gradually, in a slow blink. “I can’t believe you did that.”
I sighed heavily. “I had to. You were about to commit suicide.” I shook his head inside my hold when he continued to lay there blinking. “Antonio said we’re surrounded. That there are two more,” I paused when Antonio fired again and killed another Com attempting to enter through the window, “waves of Coms,” my breath rushed past my lips as Ezra flipped us to press my back once more to the unforgiving floor and lay on top of me to hold me down, but I kept on, “about to surge. It’s time to run. Trust me on this. Trust Antonio. He wouldn’t tell us to do something if it wasn’t in our best interest.”
Fangs still extended, Ezra lowered his head so that his features were an inch from mine. “There are things out there I need to kill.”
“You killed all there are here today,” Antonio shouted, clearly past compromising. “Quit rolling around on the damn floor and get up.”
Ezra’s lips thinned as his gaze darted to Antonio. “They’re all dead?”
“Yes,” Antonio muttered through his teeth. “Listen to me when I say that you four need to leave. Lily’s right. You might not understand, but you will,” his eyes instantly glowed golden, “obey me or you will face punishment. I am your damn Elder, with years more experience than you.” His lips lifted into a smile that wasn’t pleasant. “Your choice, Ezra.”
His jaw clenching, the threat clear, Ezra slowly nodded. “As long as they’re all dead, I’ll do as you say.”
Antonio chuckled derisively and fired at another Com. “You’re definitely your father’s son.” It didn’t sound like a compliment.
Ezra ignored Antonio’s razzing, his eyes darting down to mine and deliberately running over my features. “Your distraction was effective,” his monstrous, blood-tainted face lowered further as he placed his warm lips against my ear, “but you’re so getting payback, sweetheart.”
I imagined he would try. You never messed with a Vampire’s fangs. My own, even if small because of my hidden hybrid nature, were extremely sensitive. Ezra knew I understood. Retribution was definitely in my foreseeable future as long as we lived through this.
“Ezra, dear, I agree with Elder Farrar,” Vivian — Ezra’s mom — murmured from her hidden space under the desk, her voice dry. “You should quit rolling on the floor with a Shifter.”
Ezra stilled on top of me, just as I froze under him.
We had forgotten about her. It wasn’t the first time we had done that. Ezra’s mom was just too quiet. She watched, then spoke only when her mood suited. Her mood obviously suited now, since Mysticals of different factions didn’t ‘roll on the floor’ together.
“Right,” Ezra stated loudly, his carefully blank face lifting in her direction. His fangs retracted, leaving perfectly white, straight teeth showing between his partially opened red, wide lips. “I was only telling her—”
“Ezra,” Vivian interjected, “just get off her.”
“Of course,” he mumbled, rising and yanking me to my feet, only to quickly tug me away from the window.
Ezra and I stared at our other besties, the Mage and water Elemental, Pearl Cooper and Jack Collins, who were lying on the floor where we had gently and safely placed them after they had passed out when their mates, Gideon and Nikki, had died. Ezra and I glanced at each other, and it was obvious neither of us wanted to wake them. When they awoke…
I shook my head and turned my attention to Antonio. “They won’t be able to focus. All they’ll think of is Gideon or Nikki.” Their sorrow was going to be unquestionably horrendous when they roused. “They’ll get themselves killed.”
Antonio nodded. “That’s why I’m going spell them.” He brushed a strand of golden hair, which had escaped his hair tie, behind his ear as his eyes darted to Vivian. “Do you have lipstick or lip gloss that I may use?”
Vivian didn’t even bat an eye at the odd request while another round of gunfire echoed outside. She rummaged through her purse and tossed a black cylinder to him, not moving from the security of being underneath the desk.
Catching it deftly, Antonio handed my gun to me. “Just keep shooting while I handle what needs to be done.” I aimed the gun at the window, listening to him move toward Pearl and Jack. “This will make them forget. When you get to your destination, all you have to do is finish the ‘X’, and they’ll remember. Their memories will be fully restored.”
From the corner of my eye I saw Ezra grab Antonio’s forearm. “This won’t harm them?”
Antonio shook his head. “No. I’ll make it so they remember everything except any memory of their deceased mates until the spell is completed.” He paused, rolling his shoulders. “They will be in pain when they remember, but not from anything I’ve done.”
Ezra released him, nodding.
I knew this. Ezra knew this. Both of our mates had died. Pearl and Jack would need us more than they ever had until their lives untwisted from the ache of loss. The feeling of loss for my late mate had never really diminished until I had opened myself to their friendship.
Antonio squatted over them and began to murmur his spell.
Ezra watched for a moment before he stepped over Mrs Jonas’s corpse on the floor, not even giving her body a second glance, and maneuvered to the bags Antonio had brought.