Chapter Ten
Tor
“A home theater system?”
I turned to see Ty standing in the room’s entryway. I’d been standing in the middle of it, picturing how I wanted the stuff I’d bought today set up once it was delivered.
“Of course,” I replied. “Why?”
Ty just shrugged. “No real reason, I guess. So, when are you going to, you know, start looking for her?”
“Soon,” I growled. “It has to be fucking soon.”
Ty’s eyebrows shot up. “Everything okay?”
“No, everything is not okay,” I ranted, glad for someone to unload on who could properly chastise me for my stupidity.
“Uh, okay. What did I miss?” Ty entered the room, crossing his arms.
“I kissed her,” I growled, closing my hand tight around the ball of electricity that started sparking as my temper flared. “The human.”
I felt guilty for not saying her name.
“Oh.”
“Yeah,” I growled, clenching my hand tight, extinguishing the lightning as my fingers dug into my palm. “I have to focus on my mate. She’s out there, Ty, and soon, I’ll find her. That is what I should be concerned about. Not some sexy little side piece.”
Ty made agreeing noises.
“What?”
“She is quite attractive,” he pointed out.
I snarled and took a step toward him as pure jealousy filled my system. The room dimmed as I inadvertently sucked in power from the lights.
Ty’s face widened in surprise, and he dropped his arms, the hands closed into fists, ready to defend himself.
“What the fuck was that?” he asked as the lights returned to normal.
“That’s my problem,” I said, slowly regaining control. “I’m losing my damn mind over Mia. Over this human. I can’t do anything without thinking about fucking her. Every little way she moves makes me want to take her.”
And I could take her. I knew that. Though she was doing her best to resist, I knew she lusted after me as well. I’d smelled it on more than one occasion. If I wanted to, I could make her mine. But that would be a betrayal to my future mate. So I had to refrain. To control myself.
“You need to start looking,” Ty said.
“I need to start fucking looking,” I agreed, feeling like I was wound tighter than a spring. “And soon. When is Tempest supposed to get here again?”
“You didn’t know the last time I talked to you,” Ty said. “Do you want me to go back through and try to get him here faster?”
“No, no,” I said, waving his offer off. “They have their orders. Once they’re ready to leave, they’ll come. Not before. I don’t want to rush that. I have to do this right. What I should have done is brought the mirror with me. That’s what I should have done.”
“You had your reasons not to.”
“Yeah,” I said, wondering if my plan to wait was actually as good as I’d first thought. I was starting to question if perhaps I’d made a mistake.
The real mistake was hiring Mia to come out here. You should have just gotten an agency to send a team of people out. Then you wouldn’t have had the distraction that is her sweet body.
Without being asked, the image of Mia filled my mind. She was dressed up in a sexy French maid outfit while bent over cleaning the baseboards. Her ass was almost fully exposed, and she had on the tiniest piece of string that would generously be called underwear. She was presenting herself to me.
I growled, and the lights flickered again.
“Control yourself, Tor.”
“I’m trying,” I said. “That’s why I’m down here, away from her. Trying to figure out how the hell a human is driving me this wild. Though, there’s one fun aspect to all this.”
“What’s that?”
I grinned. “If this is how a random like Mia makes me feel, just imagine what it will be like when I find my Eternal Mate.”
“So, you’re going to be even more unbearable to be around?” Ty teased.
“Ha. Ha.” I slugged him on the shoulder playfully.
“I’m serious. I’m really looking forward to this now.
I can see why Ember was so happy. Not that he really outright said it, but you could see how he looked at her.
I would never have pegged the Fire Prince to be the first to admit he loved a human, let alone tolerated one, but you should have seen him with his princess, Ty. That was happiness. I want that.”
“I’m sure you will find it,” Ty said, with a bit of wistfulness.
I abruptly felt bad. Ty had no mate either, and there I was, going on about how I would soon be extremely happy with my woman. That had to sting, and I was rubbing it in.
“Sorry,” I said, mentally reminding myself to be more cognizant of others. That applied not just to Ty but also the rest of my realm after I passed the Test with my mate and was sitting on the throne. I had to look out for their interests.
“It’s fine,” Ty said, shrugging it off. “But I have to ask if you’ve given it any further thought.”
“Given what? My mate?” I frowned. “I’ve given that lots of thought.”
“Not that. I mean, with opening up the Manerium, inviting others to come to settle permanently, all that. You’re attracting a lot of attention.”
I grunted. “You’re talking about Rica.”
Ty shrugged. “Yes, I am. She was exiled for a good reason, Tor. Very good reason. Who knows what she’s been up to since we left. What I do know, though, is that she’s highly likely to hold a grudge.”
“My father should have killed her when he had the chance,” I said, gritting my teeth together. “That would have made this all so much easier.”
“Well, he didn’t, and now, we’re back on Earth. Where she’s had almost two decades to get comfortable. I highly doubt she didn’t do any preparation in advance of the day we returned. Do you?”
“Honestly, I was stunned she hadn’t burned this place to the ground or at least trashed it,” I admitted. “When I came through, I expected to be trapped in a room underground with the house melted around me. Imagine my surprise when it was still fully intact, untouched for all these years.”
“Yes, but ask yourself this, Tor. If she didn’t take out her anger on the house, what has she been doing with it?”
“I don’t know,” I admitted. “Yet another reason we should never have left Earth.”
“What other reasons?”
“We’ve fallen behind the other clans here,” I said. “They have significant business presences in town. They’re making money without trying now. We have a lot of catching up to do.”
“You’re intending to stay here, then?” he asked.
“Yes, why wouldn’t I?”
“Your sister …”
“I’m not a young teen anymore,” I said. “She doesn’t scare me.”
Ty gave me a look. “Nobody ever said she scared you. Just what she did, Tor. Remember, a lot of people died because of what she called a ‘prank’ on you.”
I shivered. “I know,” I said. “She almost killed me with it, too. If it weren’t for my father’s timely arrival, she would have. But I’m a full dragon now. My powers are as his were then. I no longer fear what she unleashed.”
“Maybe not,” Ty said. “But those of us not of noble blood still have to worry.”
Fuck. There I went again, not thinking of anyone other than myself. Yes, I could stand up to the threat my twin had unleashed. But those around me could not. Not Ty and definitely not Mia.
“If it comes to it,” I promised, staring at him, “I will deal with her the way my father should have.”
“I hope so,” Ty said. “‘Cause I really don’t feel like dying.”
I nodded. I’d promised him, and I would have to follow through. Somehow.
I wished yet again that my father had killed her instead of exiling her. But now, I did so because if he had, I wouldn’t have to. Because I wasn’t sure that I could kill family. No matter how evil she was.