Chapter 57 – Wave
Nerves tried to rise again while they waited, but every time her heartbeat sped up, Jarred was there to soothe her. The house was pristine, the wards crackled with power, and mouthwatering smells wafted from the kitchen.
A minute before their guests should arrive, Hellion oozed down the stairs wearing a pair of slacks and a black shirt emblazoned with Hell’s crest. He flicked his eyes at Wave and raised a brow, like he was trying to get a reaction out of her.
Wave scoffed. If the prince wanted to dress like a common server, then he bloody well could. She wouldn’t waste a drop of her precious energy fighting with him. The flash in Irishen’s eyes told her that her mate didn’t necessarily agree, but he stuck silently at her side.
Precisely at six, Wave opened the front door and stepped outside. A second later, power surged and a portal opened in front of the house. Heat rippled out as the Hell’s High Guard stepped through and took position around the portal.
A second portal formed and brought with it a scent of upturned earth and torn roots. More guards, this time wearing the Stormbringer and elemental courts’ crests stepped through. Their front yard was getting full, but Wave noted that none of the guards bore weapons openly.
“They were cleared for five guards each,” Xuan muttered softly behind her.
“What did you expect? Father dearest likes to make a statement,” Hellion replied, not trying to keep his tone discreet in the slightest.
Right then, Esserieh stepped through and five of the Hell’s guard shifted to circle him. Wave would have chuckled, but her throat constricted, too worried about who her grandfather was bringing along to justify the extra guards.
Her eyes glued into the second portal, and no matter how much Jarred squeezed her hand, her heart refused to calm down. No one spoke. Or if they did, she didn’t hear them.
A soft ripple later, a stunning woman stood on their front lawn, wearing a blood red evening gown.
Her soft gray hair was in a chignon held up by a bejeweled comb and diamonds fell down her neck like a waterfall.
Her aura rolled over them all like punch, hard enough that Wave was sure beings on the next street felt her presence.
Well, Grandmother had always known how to make an entrance.
Her eyes bored into Wave, who refused to move a muscle and held her own aura in a vicious grip. That was until the two lords stepped through the portals at the same time, their own auras rolling freely.
The males around her stiffened. Somewhere, an alarm blared, probably triggered by the sudden massive fluctuation in power levels in the area.
A tiny whimper—so small that she only felt it in their bond—tore free from Jarred’s throat and his hold on her hand slackened.
Wave’s temper flared. They were threatening her Claimed. Hers! The blinding rage that rose from her was so swift, it swelled over all the bonds before she had time to think of the repercussions.
She didn’t just let her own aura unfold; she pulled it out and slammed it against the three rolling over and around them. Tearing at the well inside of her, she pulled, and then she pushed.
Hard.
Lucifer hummed and tucked his aura around himself immediately. Esserieh had kept his tight this whole time, not offering an insult or threat to her. It was her grandmother staggering back half a step that brought a grim smile to Wave’s lips.
She didn’t like to play these games, but she would protect her mates.
Ire flared in her grandmother’s eyes, but she gathered herself quickly and reined in her aura, leaving Wave to face off with Grandfather. The High Lord of Stormbringers didn’t bat an eye and his aura kept pushing against Wave’s.
It was a test. She knew it. He wanted to gauge where her levels lay and he wouldn’t back down until he was satisfied. She should let go and back down. Let him win, but that tiny whimper still resonated in her soul.
He wouldn’t step a foot inside their home unless Wave was absolutely sure she could shield the others. He might be testing her, but she was testing him right back.
Lucifer’s voice suddenly broke the silence. “I think we might spend the next year here, seeing this unfold, so why won’t we invoke the rules of parlay and get on with the dinner?”
The push of her grandfather’s aura increased when he sensed his chance slipping away. Wave responded in kind, silent. She wasn’t backing down.
“Parameters?” Hellion called out. Something in his voice made Wave want to turn and look at him, but she refused to even blink.
“No hostile action can be taken within the Powerhouse walls. No harm done by intent by accident,” Lucifer replied and Wave couldn’t help but snort. “Anything to add, Lady Stormwell?”
“You expect me to get through a formal dinner with my grandparents without harm. Did Hell freeze over by any chance?”
“Wayla Michelli Stormwell! That is beyond rude,” Grandmother reprimanded her.
Wave tilted her head slightly. “So is you coming out with your aura blaring out like a hussy’s pussy, Angestilica Amaret Stormwell, but here we are,” she replied, being crass on purpose. Nothing riled up Grandmother like insolence and crassness.
“That is enough,” Grandfather rumbled softly.
Usually, that tone would have made Wave back off faster than the speed of light, but not today.
Not as long as he was pushing his aura at her mate, Claimed, and bonded.
Her siren rebelled in its cage and that made Wave grit her teeth and push even more stormbringer power into her aura, to make sure not a whisper escaped.
“For fuck’s sake,” Lucifer cursed. “All I wanted was a nice family dinner to sort out a little poisoning. Can you two save this posturing for another time?” He sounded exasperated, but Wave heard the true anger vibrating beneath it all.
Slowly, she moved her eyes from her grandfather to Lucifer, and to her shock, found him glaring at the High Lord and not her. Esserieh’s gaze flickered to Hellion, then back to her, and it took a moment for Wave to realize that she was shielding all the Powerhouses. Not just her mates.
“Fine,” her grandfather said, and as quickly as it had begun, his aura retracted to polite levels. Wave didn’t let her relief show, but pulled back her own aura almost completely and then pushed a polite smile on her face.
“Lord Henney Stormwell, Lady Angestilica Stormwell, what a pleasure to have you to visit. Lord Lucifer, Lord Brokenstar, truly a delight, as always. Please, come in. I believe the food is almost ready.” She waved toward the front door and inclined her head respectfully.
“Fucking scary,” someone muttered.
Grandmother responded to her manners like Wave knew she would.
She plastered a genuine-looking fake smile on her lips and glided over to clasp Wave’s hands.
“Granddaughter. It’s been too long!” They exchanged air kisses over both cheeks before Grandmother looked down at her dress.
“You must tell me who designed this beautiful dress.”
“And that takes care of the introductions,” Lucifer said. “Let’s get inside. I need a stiff drink before round two.”
By some miracle, they managed to keep things civil until the main course.
“What do you mean, a teacher attacked you in class, Wayla? You can’t afford to show weakness like that! I expected better of you,” Grandfather said.
“Really, Wayla. People must be thinking a stormbringer heir is acting like a weakling,” Grandmother added, disappointment clear in her tone.
From the corner of her eye, she saw Marc open his mouth to argue something.
“I think they respect the woman who stood up for the neutral ground and risked injury defending against the assailants,” Irishen said smoothly, knowing exactly how to mollify her grandparents.
She was going to suck his cock until he fell unconscious for that.
They shared a glance and Wave wondered how much of her resolve and plans he could infer from the bond. Certainly, the flare of lust.
“Well, yes. That was well done, Wayla,” Grandfather agreed, sipping his wine. It seemed their glasses never ran empty and Wave was afraid to even touch her own. She couldn’t risk losing even a tiniest bit of her control over her powers now.
“So.” Wave cleared her throat. “As you can see. I am well taken care of. The house is warded and I have everything I need here—”
“You were poisoned, Granddaughter,” Grandmother cut her off.
“But it wasn’t in this house. I’ve taken precautions to—”
“You live with twelve males and call that proper?” Grandmother lifted one impeccable eyebrow at her.
“Thirteen,” Wave corrected gleefully. “And I’m not fucking all of them, if that’s got you worried.”
“You know very well that—”
“Ladies!” Lucifer broke in. “Please.”
“We need to take the poisoning attempt seriously, Wayla. You are the recognized heir apparent now and such a blatant attack on our authority can’t go unanswered.” Grandfather glared at her.
“And surrounding me with guards is the show of strength you want to display? Make me look scared and too weak to go anywhere without an armed escort?” Wave kept her tone mild and forked some of the steak in her mouth.
She had no idea what animal or the realm it was from, since she couldn’t taste a thing.
“Wayla is taking shielding lessons from me,” Marc cut in. “And she’s starting combat lessons with Grant next week. I would think making her stronger is a better option than a bunch of guards who can be bought and paid for.”
Not as smooth as Irishen, but her bonded was smart and evoking their pride and hunger for an even stronger heir might work in Wave’s favor.
“Yes, I agree,” Lucifer said. “I was about to suggest that Esserieh take up training Wayla again. He did make good progress with her before, and I can spare him for an hour or two every now and then.”