King Hall (Forever Evermore, #1)(32)
I threw a dirty glance his way, but still took the offered chips. “It’s not like that. When they’re all touchy-feely it’s because they’re upset.” I did shiver. “Needing comfort.” Another shiver, and then a thought. “Hey, can the four of us share a tent?” Please, please, please, please! “It’ll at least keep them away from me at night.” Please!
Pearl shrugged. “Gideon has to fly back to London during the trip, so I don’t mind sharing.” Actually, she looked like she would prefer it. She probably would, since her mate would be gone a few days.
Jack grinned. “I’m game. Any other activities I can take care of beforehand.” His grin increased. “It’ll give me an excuse, so they don’t stay around afterward.”
I laughed, shaking my head. Those poor Elementals.
Ezra pointed at Jack. “That’s good.” He nodded thoughtfully. “I’ll find a tent big enough for the four of us.” A slow chuckle. “It’ll be the first time I’ve slept with two beautiful women without the worry of sneaking out later.” Those poor Vampires.
Chapter Eight
“Try that pole.” I pointed with my mittened finger to the pile of poles. “That one looks like what this,” a shake of the instructions, “stupid thing says.”
“I’ve already tried that one,” Jack grumbled. His eyes narrowed and he pulled his knit cap down further on his head. “Is it possible that we’ve got the thing backward?”
Ezra jerked his head to the front of what should have been our constructed tent by now. “There’s the zipper for the entrance. It’s right.”
Pearl threw down her section of the tent she had been trying to figure out. “This is hopeless.” She pointed a gloved, accusatory finger at Ezra. “You had to buy the most complicated one, didn’t you?”
Glancing at all of our subjects, who were easily putting their tents together, I couldn’t disagree. Some of them were even through, now working on building a fire in the pit. We had been at this an hour already, and all we had to show for it was one pole in place. That pole had been obvious, since it was the longest one. All the others just appeared the same.
“The guy at the sporting goods store said it wasn’t difficult,” Ezra muttered, staring at his section, which he gripped like he wanted to rip it apart. He turned that glare on Pearl. “Can’t you use your power to,” his nose crinkled and he shook the section he held, “put it together? Just wave your hands, and ta-da, it’s done?”
“No,” she huffed, bending in her huge, down jacket to grab her section again, “I have to know what I want to make it happen.” As if that explained a whole lot.
A thought. “Oh!” I exclaimed, “I have an idea!”
“What?” Jack eyed me warily.
“The last time she had an idea we ended up locked in a utility room,” Pearl muttered.
“Hey,” I complained, “we got out of there quick enough.” At least, once the janitor had found us. Unknowingly to us, the door had been magically warded against thieves. Lure and capture. None of our powers had worked on the stupid thing. “Besides, that’s where the supplies were to accomplish his,” a mittened finger-point at Ezra, “grand plan.”
One of many recent plans, and not wholly instigated by Ezra. All four of us had been drowning in mischief after that first defying day two weeks ago at the Mexican restaurant. That little incident had earned us, well, a grounding, for lack of a better word, courtesy of the Kings. Even with the small punishment, the initial defiant act had tasted of freedom, which we rarely experienced anymore. So now, when one of us designed a new scheme for rebellious entertainment, the rest of us seized upon it with vigor.
A crestfallen expression crossed Ezra’s features. “It would have been so perfect. Mrs. Jonas would have flipped if all the ceilings were painted with porn.”
“We can still do it.” Jack shrugged, eyes beginning to gleam. “We only need to make sure the door doesn’t shut on us again.”
I sighed, waving my arms, the instructions crinkling. “Hello! Idea, remember?”
They glanced to me. Turned their heads to glare at the tent in their hands. Finally, back to me. Cautious.
I snickered. “Oh, ye of little faith.” I crossed my arms. “Just wait. It’ll be up in fifteen minutes.” Again, they gave suspicious looks, but I smiled sweetly, and pivoted on the snow pile I was standing on, hollering, “Brock! Felix! Can you come here for a second?”
They were part of the group getting the fire started and, from the looks of it, their tents were perfectly constructed. When in need of assistance, ask the professionals. Or, just have them do it for you. Brock (falcon Shifter) and Felix (panther Shifter) dropped the wood they had been carrying and hustled over. The Prodigy Shifter calls, you come.
“Yes?” Brock asked, brushing snow off his pants.
“We need help. With our tent.” A look from under my eyelashes with an added pout. “Think you two can help us?” I could have ordered them, but that just seemed mean. Best to ask sweetly and innocently when we were screwed.
“Sure.” Brock nodded, instantly lifting the pole I had been pointing to earlier.
Speechless, the other three Prodigies and I watched as Brock stuck the pole in the right hole on his first attempt.