Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 91002 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 455(@200wpm)___ 364(@250wpm)___ 303(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91002 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 455(@200wpm)___ 364(@250wpm)___ 303(@300wpm)
“Not to mention, if something kicks off, you won’t have to get up from your chair.” Tristan laughed. “Jessie will freeze the room or just blast them all to hell.”
Austin smirked. “There is that. It can’t hurt to show the trust I have in my mate’s dangerousness.”
The rest of our group waited out front. Every alpha was allowed ten people with whom to show their team’s strength and power. We were exceptions. There were a lot of rumors about the convocation, and these packs wanted some assurances. Or maybe they were just curious. Regardless, we’d show up with a larger force, bringing shifters, gargoyles, and my whole crew.
Broken Sue stepped to his position in front of the line of shifters, a row to the right and waiting next to the railing on the walkway. Tristan sauntered to his spot in front of the gargoyles. Both lines were crisp, stoic, and polished.
And then there was the Ivy House delegation.
“What…” I put out my hands in utter bewilderment.
They were all over the place. Dave was standing down the walkway next to the wall, Indigo and Edgar leaned way over the railing to see the flowers below, Niamh was waiting by a maid’s cart and clearly thinking about taking something… Only Hollace was where he should be, pushed out from the other lines, my crew partially in front of the others. His hands filled his pockets in his stylish cream suit, not the color we’d agreed upon.
“Did we not practice this?” I ground out, not supposed to show emotion but unable to help it. “Get in line!”
“Edgar, hurry, it’s starting!” Indigo twisted to look at me, shoving the vampire as she did so.
“Whoa!” Edgar’s feet swung into the sky as he tipped over the railing. He tried to hold on, but he was falling before he could get purchase. His nails scratched against metal, and then he dropped into the bushes and flowers below with an oomph.
“Oh, no. Shoot!” Indigo scrabbled over the railing after him.
“No, Indigo, save yourself!” Edgar shouted.
“Don’t go after—” I began, but stopped as Indigo leapt from the second-floor walkway and into the bushes.
“It’s okay, I heal fast!” she called up.
I sagged, not daring to look or even allow myself to feel Austin right then. What a mess he’d shackled himself to.
“Right. Great.” I shook my head, at a loss.
“At least we get to be in the gargoyle line,” Ulric said out of the side of his mouth to Jasper, who nodded. Tristan’s fierce gaze darted that way, silencing the two.
“Okay—let’s…” I waved my hands, trying to bring everyone in. “Come on. Get in line. Niamh, put that back. You don’t need any more toothpaste.”
“They’re the best size for traveling, sure,” she protested. “I could just call the front desk. This saves everyone the hassle.”
“Steal on your own time.” At least she hadn’t brought that dirty old cooler. “Come on, get in line. Let’s go.” I kept waving them on, noticing the variously colored suits. The shifters and gargoyles all wore black to match Austin, with the shifters sporting blue pocket squares and gargoyles choosing purple. Perfect. My team, like in Elliot Graves’s caves, were also supposed to wear black with colored pocket squares to match their magical type. Mr. Tom matched the gargoyles, like Ulric and Jasper, but they were the only ones who fit in. Hollace had his cream, Niamh was in brown, Edgar and Indigo wore different shades of green—
“Where is Cyra?” I demanded, checking my really cute, chic watch. “Come on, you guys, hurry up!” My magic blasted everyone present. “We’re going to make Austin late!”
“I’m here!” Cyra ran around the corner without a stitch of clothing on her but carrying a somewhat burned red suit under her arm.
Dave fell in with his pink kilt. Bringing up the rear, not actually having been invited, came Fred. She wore a pastel-yellow pantsuit with red trim. The pants stopped at her shins, and her boots had half-inch spikes sticking out of them.
“Sorry, Jessie!” Cyra shoved Niamh out of her place, jostling Hollace. “Sorry! I thought I saw a gnome, blasted fire without thinking, and accidentally scorched part of my suit. I was trying to DIY a solution, but…”
She spread it out to show me the jacket. Holes were burned into the chest area, and I had a sneaking suspicion it would be the tips of her breasts. She didn’t have an undershirt with her. The pants had been scorched down the thighs, and half a pant leg was burned clean away.
Edgar and Indigo, having righted themselves and taken the stairs back to the second floor, jogged in, each with a limp. Their limps didn’t match, as they’d hurt opposite feet. Their suits were ripped in several places and stained in many more.
My eyes stung with unshed tears. Austin was always so perfect when I needed him. He was patient, put me first, and handled his end without a hitch. Yet after practicing with my team for months, I showed up like this?