“Mr. Knetter.” King Fergus laughed. “That was priceless. His chair tipped over.”
“And you tell us we’re not following the rules?” I griped, waiting for everyone to get off me since I was at the bottom of the pile.
King Kincaid bent over, staring me in the face. “We might have caused a few issues here and there, like any adolescent, but the four of you together…” He lifted to recline on the seat, shaking his head. “You four are a whole other breed.”
“Thank you,” Ezra stated dryly, grabbing my hand and yanking me up. “We do try to excel at every challenge.” He smiled. There was a little fang in there.
King Venclaire waved an irritated hand, even though his eyes were crinkling in merriment. “Put those away, Ezra.”
Ezra sighed, and they disappeared. “I’m thirsty.”
Jack grabbed his neck, joking, “Don’t even think about it.”
Ezra rolled his eyes. “A water Elemental tastes,” he cracked his neck, “watered-down.” He missed Jack’s jaw dropping as he stared out a window, pointing at tourists walking by. “Think you can let me out here? I’ll catch up at the next light.”
“You’re serious?” King Venclaire asked, and Ezra nodded. “Just because you didn’t drink as you should, you want us to let you out, in Washington, DC, so you can have an illegal Com snack?” He shook his head. “Think again, Prodigy.”
“I didn’t have time with the babysitting,” Ezra ground out, his fangs descending again.
“I think we should let him drink,” Jack stated, now serious, staring at the fangs.
Ezra hardly ever showed them. It didn’t appear like he was in much control of them. A thirsty Vamp — not to mention, one as powerful as him — wasn’t a good example to bring to a meeting with United States officials, much less with the President.
I certainly wasn’t volunteering, not with my blood.
“Christ,” King Nelson muttered, glaring at King Venclaire. “You should’ve known this.”
“Do you keep track of everything Pearl consumes?” King Venclaire spewed.
No response, because that was just ludicrous.
Holding up her wrist, Pearl mumbled, “Here. Bon appétit.”
Silence.
Pearl rolled her eyes, shaking her wrist. “Seriously. You’re not going to be able to find a legal donor in the timeframe we have, and if you go in smiling at the President with fang showing that’s not good PR.” Another shake of her wrist. “Just don’t make it hurt.”
King Nelson’s lips thinned, but he didn’t stop his Prodigy from doing this, her offer within our Laws.
Ezra cleared his throat, saying softly, “I prefer the throat.”
Pearl grumbled, but lowered her wrist and pulled her hair away from her neck.
“Thank you,” Ezra whispered before he blurred, striking so fast I couldn’t track him.
Pearl made a soft sound of surprise, and a moment later her arms fell to her sides, body slack with the pleasant vibes Ezra sent her as he drank from her throat.
I cleared my own throat, turning away from them, and started a mindless conversation on the Washington, DC monuments we were passing with the Kings and Jack, giving Ezra and Pearl a little privacy.
King Nelson still kept an eagle eye on the proceeding.
Not thirty seconds later, I heard Pearl whisper, “That wasn’t so bad. Nice, actually.”
“Here.” Ezra pulled an orange juice out of the mini-fridge and handed it to her. “I didn’t take too much, but this’ll help with the dizziness.”
“Thanks,” she murmured, drinking it as recommended.
Ten minutes later, we pulled up to the White House.
Pearl had finished the orange juice, appearing perky fresh.
Ezra’s mocha skin was slightly flushed, a healthy glow.
Jack was half asleep again.
King Nelson kept glaring at King Venclaire.
King Venclaire only rolled his eyes.
King Kincaid and King Fergus prattled on non-stop, trying to keep the peace.
I, on the other hand, stared out the window in fascination. I had always thought the White House was so cool. I was, embarrassingly, in Com awe right now. It wasn’t just that the house was so impressive, but also what it meant to the Coms in America. It was where the most powerful Com in the world lived, and many before him. That was just extraordinary.
“Close your mouth, honey,” King Kincaid said quietly, and my mouth snapped shut. “Try not to look too impressed.” I nodded, still gaping out a window, and he mumbled softly to someone, “Keep her in the back.”
The driver opened our door, and yes, the Kings ushered me toward the back when we got out, placing me between Ezra and Jack, hiding me, since I was still failing to hide my reaction to the “wow” factor. There were Mys and Coms alike outside the gate, protesting about what had happened to us. They stopped their chant and started cheering and hollering when they saw us.
Without warning, a powered fireball arced through the air, catching a tree on fire.
“Put that out,” King Fergus ordered Jack instantly.
Jack nodded, eyes glowing, and lifted a hand. Blue water streamed from the center of his palm, the water arcing through the air. Jack’s magic always impressed me, and I watched in fascination beside him. Only to catch him right before he hit the ground when he slumped into a dead faint as the water doused the flames. We were instantly swarmed.
Laying him safely on the ground, I screamed his name, breathing heavily, not understanding what was going on. I shook him hard — too hard — in full-fledged distress.
Ezra yanked my hands from him, lifting me to my feet, and held me close.
On his knees, worry stamped across his face, King Fergus tried waking him.
Pearl appeared like she was going to cry, or scream, so I quickly yanked her into Ezra’s and my embrace, and the three of us waited to see what the hell had just happened.
Too long, moments later, Jack groaned, and instant relief flooded me as his eyes opened. Blinking sluggishly, he stammered, “Find who…sent the fire.” Gasping a deep breath he, bizarrely, became frantic, struggling to stand up as he shouted, “Find who sent the damn fire!” His eyes were glowing, and his features were like when we had been about to fight the Commoners on the beach. Scary-fierce determination.
King Fergus watched Jack wobble as they both stood to their feet, and a quiet expression passed over his face. He snapped his fingers at the guards, ordering sternly, “Search the crowd for a fire Elemental in the same state as Jack.”