Chosen Fool (Forever Evermore #5) (3 page)

I stood frozen in place, barely able to breathe. I fought for well-honed control of my emotions, staring blindly at nothing. Until I realized it wasn’t
nothing
I was staring at. I blinked slowly as Leric came into focus at the end of a dark row of treats on wooden shelves.

He was speaking with a water Elemental, one of the clerks of the store, who stared at him wide-eyed even as she—somewhat adorably—tried to hide it. More than likely, this was her first time meeting a spirit Elemental. My brows puckered and I wasn’t entirely sure what I felt as he touched her arm lightly, his tan fingers lingering a few moments too long and making the attractive woman blush and stumble over her words, before she led him to another aisle.

I jerked my attention back to the choices of fudge.

But my action ended with me grunting and eyeing a woman directly next to me.

I hadn’t even heard her sneak up.

She leaned with a shoulder against the shelf.

Merely staring at me.

She wore a black hooded robe, her gorgeous red curls spilling from underneath it.

She was a Com.

With no shoes on her bare feet.

I ogled the cracked woman—who appeared my age. “May I help you?”

“No.” She just…stared. “I’m Julia.”

I raised a white brow. I could tell she knew who I was. “Are you looking for an autograph, Julia? Or a selfie to plaster over social media?”

Her lips twitched. “No.”

All right. This was weird. “First spirit you’ve met?”

“No.”

Weirder yet. “Then why are you gawking?”

“I don’t
gawk
. I merely like to keep an eye on my property from time to time.”

I glanced behind me, evaluating the fudge. “I’m not going to steal any, if that’s what—”

“Who are you talking to?” Sin asked, interrupting me.

I jerked my attention around. Sin now stood where the Com had been. I glanced left then right, but the woman was nowhere in sight. “That was creepy.”

“What’s more frightening than you talking to yourself?”

I sighed deeply and trained my attention back to the fudge I had been staring at for fifteen minutes now. “Never mind. It was just a freaky-ass employee. Or the owner.”

“Are you going to get anything?” Sin asked, rolling with my explanation. He shifted his stance on the wood flooring that was scarred with age but still gleamed from loving care. He now stood so close his heat radiated to my left arm. Warmth that I knew and cherished.

With my emotions still a tumbling mess of shit—if I was honest with myself—I flicked a finger at the selection. “What do you want?” I was proud my voice was steady.

He hummed gently, his eyes darting over the variety. “Our normal?”

My breath left in a shaky exhale. “What if we tried something different?”

That fucking advice.

“Dark chocolate with nuts? Or really go all out and attempt black cherry?”

Air choked in my throat, years of fear hammering my heart.

I stalled.

And I couldn’t push past it, the thought of my heart shattering even more than it already would in the future. When he found his mate. “I’m not hungry.” I pushed away from him, quickly storming down the aisle, unable to pretend right now. “Get whatever you want.”

My chest heaved and my jaw clenched as I blinked back the old tears that wanted to escape. On my way to the exit, I muttered to King Collins, “I’m leaving.” The cute shop’s door banged open with a crash as I charged onto the sunlit sidewalk, getting the fuck out of there.

Chapter Four

Hearing footsteps halt, I barely lifted my head from the pillow. The movement was just enough so my voice wasn’t muffled when I stated quietly, “I didn’t knock.”

Leric’s deep voice rumbled, “I can see that.”

Oops. I had broken into his room.

After
I had skipped lunch then dinner.

“I’m fully clothed under the blanket, so don’t freak out. I remember you kicking me to the curb. I’m not here with sexual intent.” I lowered my head to the pillow, my right arm snug over Tristan’s side, his body and fur comforting and warm. “I just wanted to rest.”

To get away from Sin’s hanging silence. I needed to think—not that I was exactly having any lightbulb moments. My thoughts were just as muddled as before. “I can leave if you want me to.” I wasn’t sure where I would go, but this was his room.

There was a silent pause, then I heard his footsteps again behind me as he moved to the bathroom, flicking on the light. “No, you’re fine. As long as you don’t mind me turning on the bedside light while I review documents.” I heard a rustling sound, then a body-warmed, white silk shirt landed directly on top of my head. “But you’ll change into that if you’re lying in my bed.” His tone turned to a quiet mutter. “I hate that black shit you wear.”

Lifting my hand from Tristan, I grabbed the shirt and whispered, “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” he groused, closing the bathroom door behind him.

I quickly sat up, stretching, and did as ordered, stripping to put on his shirt. It wasn’t a strict rule for being allowed to hide out here. The long-sleeved shirt was enormous and thin on my frame, but Tristan heated me before Leric even came out of the bathroom.

I heard Leric rummaging around in the dresser, then more rustling as he changed his clothing behind me. A minute later, he flicked off the light to the bathroom before clicking on the bedside lamp. There was a slight breeze against my backside as he lifted the comforter. The feather-soft bed dipped as he got in it.

All done without a comment made.

This was what I needed.

Leric was sitting in bed comfortably with his back against the headboard. He twisted a moment before settling back, his side rubbing against mine. Every so often I heard the crinkling of a piece of paper being flipped as he, apparently, reviewed whatever documents he needed to—the ones I had noticed, but not snooped through, earlier on the table.

Leric did silence very well.

So much so, I went back to my own troubled ponderings, warmed between him and Tristan. I absently stroked under Tristan’s furry chin as I had been doing all evening, earning his adorable huffing purr, which tended to calm me.

After an undeterminable time, in a soft voice, almost hating to interrupt the peaceful quiet, I murmured, “Elder Zeller said something to me today.”

His hum was patient. “What was that?”

“He said, fear can’t stop the soul.” I ran my fingers through Tristan’s fur, feeling the strength in his jaws. “Do you believe that?”

Simple, quiet words as a page flipped. “I do.”

I huffed softly. “Not even fear that could shatter you?”

“Where the soul of the living is concerned, it’s too strong a force to be contained.”

“Huh.” I stared where my fingers now ran over Tristan’s diamond collar. “That’s what Elder Zeller believes.”

More minutes of quiet passed.

More troubled musings inside my mind thrummed.

More flipping of pages from Leric followed.

I finally interrupted him again, asking distractedly, “Did the water Elemental from the fudge shop give you her phone number?”

There was a broken silence.

“Do you mean the clerk?”

My hand stalled on the collar. “Was there another?”

“The cashier was also a water Elemental.”

And…he didn’t really answer the question. “So?”

“So what?”

“Phone numbers?”

“Ah.” A slow turn of his page. “Yes, they both slipped me their numbers, along with one fire and one air Elemental at the glass shop. It also occurred with a fire Elemental at lunch, and one water and one air Elemental at dinner.” He paused and made a thumping sound on his papers. “Oh yes, and another air Elemental when I was coming up to my room.”

I stared sightlessly at Tristan’s collar. “Oh.” I wasn’t sure what the point to my question was, but I now knew I wasn’t real receptive to the answer. My tone wasn’t as censored as it should have been. I snapped, “They should keep you busy for a while.”

A quiet hum was his reply.

I squirmed in irritation, burrowing closer to Tristan’s warmth.

A warm palm slapped my hip, gripping it tightly. Leric ordered, “Be still. You’re disrupting my order.”

“Fine,” I muttered. It was a chore to lie still.

He removed his hand from my side, and another flip of a sheet resonated.

I tapped lightly on Tristan’s collar and griped, “I may fall asleep in here.”

“Was that a question? Because it didn’t especially sound like one.”

More crabby words. “It was a question.”

Another flipping of a page. “Then, yes, you may stay.”

My words were grudgingly muttered. “Thanks.”

“Sprite, your gratitude is overwhelming.”

Reaching blindly with a groan, I smacked where I heard a phone ringing. The room was pitch-black so I fumbled with the receiver until I had it to my ear. “What?”

My ear was attacked with pronounced breathing over the line.

You have got to be fucking kidding me.

“Look, you perverted heavy-breathing-mother-fucker, it’s not even light out. Save your goddamn pranks for the waking hours.”

A feminine throat cleared before a prim voice asked, “
With whom am I speaking?
”

I was too tired for this shit, finally remembering what room I was in. “If Leric gave you his number, you can fuck off. He’s not interested. He’s busy with his hand on my ass.”

“Sprite, who the hell are you talking to?” Leric grumbled against my head, his voice gravelly with sleep. Our positions had somewhat changed, since I was damn near lying on top of him.

And his hand
was
actually on my ass.

The woman’s voice remained clipped as she specified leisurely, “
Leric, the man I just heard in the background, the one with his hand on your ass—and who is also my son—I would very much like to speak with him.
”

My head shot off Leric’s bare chest, a tiny squeak emitting from my throat as I stared wide-eyed at him. I rambled into the receiver, “I’m so sorry, Mrs Damon. Here’s Leric, your son, the man…uh, here he is.” I thrust the phone against the pillow, groaning at the sleepy eyes staring up at me. “Don’t you dare tell her my name.” That wasn’t a great first impression.

Leric blinked, and I really hoped he heard me in his drowsy state. I lifted the phone and he raised a hand—not the one on my ass—to take it. He yawned wide, flashing white teeth at me before placing the phone to his ear, mumbling tiredly, “Hello, Mom.”

My head thumped back on his chest as I heard her instantly grilling him.

Her exact words were stifled, but her tone was universal for ‘pissed off mother’.

“No, I’d rather not say her name right now. You woke us, so if she did say that, it was because she thought you were prank calling. Besides, did you say anything when she answered?” A long pause, then a heavy sigh. “Yes, I know her first and last name.” Another pause. “No, she’s not drunk. Nor am I.” Pause. “Yes, I’ve known her for longer than a night.” Pause. “They’re blue, Mom.” Pause. “Yes, she’s on birth control.” Pause. “Yes, she’s a spirit.” Pause. “I honestly have no clue.” Wasn’t going to ask. “Really, I don’t know.” Pause. “That’s probably not a great idea…seriously, no…Mom?
Mom?
”

He set the phone aside, his eyes enormous in an expression I had never seen on him before—mortified horror. “Shit.”

A flash of white lit the room, originating from my left.

I screamed, my heart pounding as I grabbed Leric’s bare shoulders. My nails dug into his flesh, and I was literally blinded by the sudden glow in the dark room.

“Calm down,” Leric coaxed in a soothing purr. His hands were instantly on my back, rubbing comfortingly as I blinked furiously, trying to see. All thoughts evacuated my brain when he griped, “It’s only my mom.”

My jaw dropped.

No. No.

And hell no.

The glow disappeared just as quickly as it had appeared, and suddenly the lamp on the bedside table was flicked on—not by either one of us—dimly illuminating the room.

I stared down at Leric, watching an actual flush stain his tanned cheeks.

He mumbled, “I’m sorry in advance for this. She can be a bit overbearing.”

I stared at his blush—the One’s blush—a moment longer before swallowing and gradually tilting my head to the left. To where his damn mom had just flashed in—a parent’s link to their child in the ether is direct—while I lay on top of her son. I hurriedly scooted off him, landing hard in the middle of the bed and yanking the cover up over the large neckline of Leric’s silk shirt that showed too much of my small cleavage.

“I prefer ‘tenacious’,” his mom specified, her hands clasped primly.

Mrs Damon appeared to be forty in Com years, her white spirit’s haircut razor straight at chin level with short bangs, her skin tone the same as her son’s—a beautiful golden brown. Her eyes were brown, instead of his silver, and her features were sharply striking, with full lips just as red as Leric’s. She stood at about six feet in height, her strapless white gown simple yet elegant with two long slits up to her tone thighs, as most spirit women wore at the Temple. Tanned feet peeked beneath the hem of the silk gown.

Simply put, she was exotic.

But she was intimidating as hell as she scanned her surroundings with a trained eye. Her regard didn’t miss one item inside the suite before her brown eyes zeroed in on me.

I stayed perfectly still as her attention started at my hair, slowly working its way down.

“Your popping in during the middle of the night, while I have a guest in my room, is positively overbearing,” Leric muttered, rubbing his hands over his face in quick jerks, the action expressing his irritation but also an attempt to wake himself. “Not to mention, extremely fucking embarrassing.”

His mom shrugged a graceful shoulder. “You’re my son. I can keep track of you however I wish.” She bent, lifting one of my black boots and my black bra off the floor.

An instant bloom of rouge stole over my cheeks.

She eyed each item with clear distaste, her gaze flicking to my hair in disbelief, then back to my garments. “Which you will understand when you have children of your own.” She dropped my clothes on the floor, brushing her hands off as if dirtied. “I keep telling you this, but I fear you’ll only understand once you’re a father.” The woman actually picked up the edge of the comforter and peeked under the covers.