If I was feeling better tomorrow, I was going to hunt down Finn. I wasn’t about to risk my relationship with Ezra. Our friendship meant too much.
The next day, I found Finn. Spent half the day inside his room where the both of us used up a lot of sexual tension on each other; seemingly, it had been just as long for him since his last bed partner. He knew the score and didn’t ask for anything other than mind-numbing pleasure. Which he did graciously.
Rubbing against his fabulous body once more, I rolled from his bed, it now a mess from our foreplay, and started dressing. I had been in here too long and needed to get back to Pearl and Jack, Ezra having taken duty watching them. This morning Ezra had acted as if nothing was different, so I was praying last night was a one-time occurrence of insanity for the two of us. When he had asked where I was heading I had told the truth, and he hadn’t batted an eye, so hopefully all of the weirdness had dissipated.
“Feel free to hunt me down anytime you like,” Finn murmured, also rising out of bed, blessedly naked, and picking up a towel hanging over a chair. He had used the word hunt, which was pretty much spot-on. I had most definitely been ruthless this morning trying to find him.
Zipping my jeans, I hurried with my bra and picked up my t-shirt, yanking it over my head. “I think I’ll do just that.” Finn had pleased me in bed, and I was sure the feeling was mutual because he grinned, tying the towel around his waist. Staring at his action as I put my boots on, I asked, “Modest?” He definitely hadn’t been for the past few hours.
He chuckled, walking toward his front door. “No. I’m heading to the pools. The other Mysticals seem to frown upon nudity when going to and from there.”
“Ah.” I had passed the pools earlier in my hunt inside King Cave; in certain pools clothing was optional since they resembled spas: heated for relaxing. “Enjoy yourself.”
He chuckled, opening the door for me. “I already did.” He nuzzled my neck as I passed, and I scented his animal — black bear — once more, meaning he had shifted recently, his voice rumbling with said animal’s tone. “Remember, all you have to do is knock.”
Grinning cheekily, I nodded and stepped onto the main walkway. “Not forgetting.”
“Lily!” King Kincaid’s abrupt call broke the moment, his tone pleasantly surprised. He was a few feet to my right, strolling up the walkway with King Venclaire — my biological dad — Antonio, Vivian, and Cahal. His gaze skittered from me to Finn. His dark brows rose in a hurry. Quickly assessing our disheveled state, he lifted his lips into the biggest damn grin.
Ugh. At least he wouldn’t be hounding me to have sex with a Shifter anymore. His mind had been set on thinking Ezra and I were doing the deed, and he wanted our ‘affair’ to end. Sex between different Mys factions was a major taboo, especially in the light of the new information of Beasts coming from hybrids.
King Kincaid stopped next to Finn and me, his dark eyes darting inside the room.
Finn quickly shut the door behind him, thankfully being guarded since his bed was in full view. It still did nothing to help my growing embarrassment as I now saw, with the help of the ceiling’s sunlight, the healing bruises I had put on him…and maybe a few bite marks…which the entire group was now staring at, since Finn wore the towel only around his waist. I had a few of my own: a large bite on my neck, which by now probably appeared more like a hickey, and the rest covered by my clothing. To the Vampires, who were careful to keep a blank face, it probably seemed a bit harsh, but it was the way of a Shifter pair’s first mating.
My damn King was still grinning like it was his birthday, while holding out his hand in greeting. “I’m King Kincaid. And you are?”
Finn met King Kincaid’s eyes, showing his alpha, and shook hands. “Finn Galvani.”
King Kincaid did as I had done many times before: he didn’t look away from anyone’s dominant gaze, the battle of alpha wills on. “You’ve met Lily, then.” Not really a question, but stated as he took his hand back, letting them dangle relaxed at his sides, even as his nostrils flared. His grin was now brighter than the sun above us.
Finn’s lips tilted just a bit. “Yes.” He didn’t elaborate.
Feeling all kinds of uncomfortable, I rolled my shoulders, trying to ignore how my biological dad, Ezra’s dad, Ezra’s mom, and my real dad kept glancing between Finn and me. In a rush to end this, I interrupted Finn and King Kincaid’s staring match, asking, “Weren’t you going to the pools?” They both turned from one another, the perfect opportunity given to end the battle. I jerked my head down the ramp, giving Finn an out. “You said you were heading there.”
Finn grinned fully at my obvious antics. “I believe I was.” Taking the offer, he dipped his head respectfully to the Kings and Elders before moving down the walkway, saying over his shoulder to King Kincaid, “It was a pleasure meeting you.”
“Indeed.” King Kincaid nodded, his hands now on his hips. His gaze swung to me as I began creeping away in the opposite direction. “Lily, would you like to eat with us?”
I stopped, peering at him over my shoulder. “I was going to check on Pearl and Jack. See how they’re doing.” Truth.
“Ah, very kind of you.” He started moving toward me up the incline, the rest of the group now following quietly. “I’ll walk with you until your exit.”
Barely withholding my sigh, I nodded, and then walked with them.
“Black bear, huh?” King Kincaid had made it a full minute before interrupting the beautiful silence. Still grinning. “He’s probably the strongest alpha I’ve seen yet, outside the Rulers.” He smacked my back. “Nice pick.”
Again, I barely withheld my sigh. He wasn’t exactly talking quietly, which meant anyone within earshot could hear him, not to mention the Vampires behind us, who were speaking quietly with Antonio even though I could feel their gazes hot on my back. “I do my best.”
King Kincaid chuckled. “Are you going to see him again?”
My lips pursed, frustration beginning to mount. “Yes.” A quick glance at him through narrowed eyes. “Would you also like to know how large his c**k is?”
He waved a hand, and, in true King fashion, his retort was meant to gain the upper hand after my coarseness. “That’s not necessary, Prodigy. Black bears are notoriously large from what I understand.”