Chapter 4

 

“Arius, can you suggest anything?”

A smaller one, and I mean he was less than seven feet tall smaller, stepped forward. “I’ve been trying, it’s not working.”

I frowned. “Trying what?” I watched Arius as he moved forward and stood in front of me. Had I thought smaller? He was just as big as Quinton was and perhaps his shoulders were even wider. He smiled at me and I couldn’t help but think that was a definite player in front of me. Flipping back his long black hair he glanced around at the others.

“Pick one and tell me what you want him to do.”

It took several seconds before it sunk in. “You can make them do whatever you want?”

“Yes.” Another playboy grin flashed at me.

I hoped it was true. I looked around the room and then zeroed in on the one with the white hair that still stood there and glared at me with disdain. Even without his eyes all bright green he still bugged me. “If I can’t slice him a new life style, maybe he could be shown a little humility.”

“Troy,” The white haired one growled at me.

“Welsley, I will allow it.” Troy uttered with that voice of authority again.

Sighing, Welsley moved around to stand a few feet away from Arius. “Don’t think this gives you free reign to do this whenever the mood strikes.”

“I only do what I am commanded to do.” Arius stated drily and then turned to me. “What do you request?”

Studying the way Welsley sneered at me for a moment, I moved over and reached up to whisper my request so only Arius could hear me.

He straightened and looked down at me, a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth. “Not what I expected, but more than doable.”

Crossing my arms, I stood there beside Quinton and watched Arius stand in front of Welsley. Welsley’s eyes were locked onto Arius’s as he stood there silently. I could tell when the suggestion, with his mind, had been made because Welsley’s spine stiffened and even though I watched I wasn’t sure if this was going to actually happen. With ridged movements, as if he was being pushed against his will, Welsley came over and stood in front of me. Dropping down to one knee, he looked up at me and I’m sure if he had the ability to kill with a look I would have fallen dead to the floor in that second. With his teeth clenched his eyes moved to Quinton.

“I—apologize for my rude behavior, Q-uinton.” He clenched his jaw as if fighting what was happening. “I will…” he closed his eyes, “not call you Quapple again.”

I hadn’t known the end part, Arius must have added that little bit in for himself, but I still liked it.

Welsley stood up and glared down at me before moving to the other side of the room.

Quinton turned and looked at me. He didn’t need to say it, I could see the surprise and look of thanks in his deep brown eyes.

I smiled and then turned to look at Troy. “Okay, so this could be fun.” I shrugged. “What’s next? You’ve got me on the fence. I just need to pick a side.”

Everyone turned and looked at Troy with a mix of fear and excitement on their face. He pushed his chair back and stood up. “I don’t have a witch handy or we’d try some magic and see if you can reflect it like Arius’ suggestion.”

I mentally checked to make sure my tongue wasn’t hanging out as he stepped around the desk. My first thought of how he’d looked had been a slightly underestimated. He was huge, in size from height to well-toned width and leather pants had never looked so fine on a body before.

“I can’t precisely prove that I have the ability to read one’s thoughts…” he looked to Quinton. “Perhaps you could vouch for me?”

Quinton nodded and leaned closer to me. “He used to pick all those embarrassing thoughts you thought were your own and blurt them out when he was a young brat.”

Troy raised an eyebrow at him and then looked down at me. “I’ve matured greatly since then.” He glanced up and down me and I fought the little flutters that took flight in my entire system from his eyes moving over me. “May I?” He looked innocent enough in his gesture. “Sometimes if I’m closer I can pick up things from those that are more resistant to me.”

My brain was thinking there was no one out there that would be able to resist him, I was struggling with it right now. Then I realized he meant to see if he could figure out what I was thinking, which might prove embarrassing on my side. “Give it your best shot.” I wanted to cry uncle as he stepped close enough that I could feel the heat coming off his tall well-built body. I found out that he was not the one with the offensive smell, because he smelled of pure fantasy and sin.

He looked into my eyes as he rested one large warm hand against my neck. I knew I was holding my breath, but I was afraid to breathe and tried to focus on clearing the naughty thoughts out of my head, just in case I wasn’t impervious to his skill. He didn’t need to know what I was thinking that involved his body and mine—naked. I couldn’t do it one second longer. “Look, handsome—as much as the vibes from you rock me, if you get any closer I’m going to have to ask for some privacy…”

Hazel eyes moved over my mouth and then he looked back to my eyes. The look he gave me said he knew how I was feeling, but that he had not necessarily needed to look inside my mind to find that out. Dropping his hand, he stepped back giving me some air to suck back into my lungs.

“Mmm, not a thought to be had.” Turning he looked around at the others and then moved back over and sat on the edge of his desk.