Handlers of Dragons (Children of Ankh Book 4) Read online

  Orin was talking to Melody but she wasn’t paying attention. She was watching Thorne as he sat down with his clan. When Orin was sidetracked with another conversation, she addressed Mel, “I’m sorry I wasn’t there when you had to shake hands with Thorne at the door.”

  “It would have been just as awkward with you standing beside me,” Mel assured as she took a drink from her glass.

  Astrid’s voice piped in from across the table, “So, you’ve obviously made up.”

  Nice. It sure didn’t take long for the rumor mill to run its course. Kayn opted out of an explanation and grinned as she took another sip of her wine. Markus, Amar and Frost hadn’t come back to the hall. They were probably talking about Samid. She’d promised Amar she wouldn’t do anything to sway their decision but she was feeling incredibly guilty. She liked Dean and she had been hoping they’d find a way to get Molly back. She didn’t know the other new guy yet.

  Astrid responded to Kayn’s thoughts by casually whispering, “I made no promise to hold my tongue.”

  As Zach scooted back into his seat, he piped in, “I’ve already put in my two cents but I feel like we have the time to assimilate him to our lifestyle. We have a couple of years until our continent’s Testing. I told Markus I was all for him coming with us but if Triad steals him, he’s their’s. We just won’t go out of our way to get him back. At least this way we can give them all a chance. As it stands they have no chance at all.”

  Zach had the best heart. She understood what he was saying. The group they’d been training stood no chance if Samid went into the Testing with them. Kayn kept peering up at the entrance. She wanted to find out what Kevin had to say but Frost was being overly sensitive. She glanced over at Triad’s table and their eyes met. He motioned her over and she nudged Zach, “Kevin has something he needs to talk to me about. Come with me?”

  He chuckled, “You are totally using me as a buffer so your boyfriend doesn’t get all jealous when he walks in and finds you talking to your ex.”

  That’s exactly what she was doing. She stood up grabbed Zach’s arm and towed him to his feet, “Come on. You know you want to go over there.” They maneuvered their way around the tables until they reached Triad’s seating. Kevin got up and motioned for her to follow him. Zach remained behind chatting with Patrick and Stephanie as she followed Kevin out onto the balcony. Kayn grinned, knowing she hadn’t succeeded in buffering anything. Frost was going to come back and she was going to be gone...with Kevin. Oh, well. He was going to have to learn to trust her. She leaned over the side of the balcony to view the garden below.

  Kevin also peered over as he said, “You guys were late. Trouble in paradise?”

  She decided to be honest as she confessed, “I accidentally thought about you at an inopportune time.”

  He grinned and teased, “How inopportune are we talking about here?”

  She wasn’t going there with him. Kayn impatiently urged, “You had something you needed to say?”

  Fully aware she was dodging his flirtation, he whispered, “Try being a little more discreet.”

  With Frost? He didn’t have any right to address her inappropriate behaviour...not anymore.

  “I’m speaking as your friend. Until you know how to use your new abilities keep a lid on the, ‘I’m part Guardian’ speeches,” he asserted as his eyes met hers.

  A waiter carrying a tray of wine wandered out onto the balcony and offered them a drink. They each took a glass and placed it on the railing.

  “Is your psychic ability a secret or does Tiberius know?” she countered, effectively switching the subject.

  “Let’s just say I haven’t been entirely honest with my clan about the strength of my abilities for obvious reasons,” Kevin explained. He leaned closer as he whispered, “Your relationship with Zach won’t be strong enough to give him any real pull once you figure out how to operate your abilities. They’ll need to find a way to control you. They’re going to separate you from Frost so be prepared for an extended period away from each other while they try to foster your relationship with your Handler. If you or Zach ever need to get a hold of me, for any reason, send a message to my old email address. I’m the original choice for your Handler. I’m sure you’ve already figured that out. We didn’t end up in the same clan but I may have pull when push comes to shove where Zach doesn’t.”

  This could be a trap. His way of getting back at her for playing him in Alaska.

  Kevin took something out of his pocket and urged, “Open your hand.” He placed a rough looking purple clover in her palm. She stared at it, lost in the sentiment. He lovingly closed her fingers around it as he whispered, “It’s good to see you happy.”

  He walked away and left her there. Lost in the confusing sentimental emotions the small crushed purple clover had dredged up. For a while, Kayn continued to stare at the dark endless sand beyond the walls of the compound as visions of her childhood flickered through her mind. He’d offered his services as Zach’s back up when she inevitably went off the rails. That had to be against the rules. She’d known they would try to keep the reigns on her relationship with Frost. That wasn’t a surprise. It probably hadn’t helped their cause when they’d shown up late for the banquet tonight. He’d missed the receiving line. She needed to go back inside. She thought about tossing the flower over the balcony but as she made the action she couldn’t bring herself to let it go. How much did he remember? As she looked at the clover, she knew the answer. He’d remembered everything. Somewhere under all the Triad bravado, he was still the boy that gave her purple clovers. Kayn didn’t have any pockets so she tucked the flower into her bra. She’d find somewhere to put it later. She placed her hand over the secret clover and swallowed the emotion that was threatening to surface. It didn’t matter. He was her enemy. It didn’t matter what he remembered now. She’d moved on. She was happy. Kayn grabbed her glass of wine and downed it as she wandered back into the banquet hall, taking her seat at their table just as the meals were being served. She was relieved to see that Frost wasn’t already there. She needed a second to rid her mind of him. Kayn peered up as a waiter came by with another tray of wine and took one. Her eyes were drawn to Triad’s table. She took a sip while not so inconspicuously watching Kevin’s relaxed interactions with his clan.

  Zach nudged her and asked, “Are you alright? What did he have to say?”

  She answered honestly, “That we need to spend more time working on our bond. Remind me to give you an email address later.”

  Her Handler teased, “I could have told you that much and whose email address? You weren’t out there conspiring to hook me up with anyone, were you?”

  Kayn grinned and sparred, “Yes. How did you know?” She smiled as a roast beef dinner was placed in front of her. She’d been craving something spicy. It was more than that, her body required something with a kick to it now. It would probably be quite offensive to the chef if she asked for hot sauce.

  “Yes, it would,” Zach commented on her inner dialogue. “Come on, you can go one meal without slathering it in that stuff. They’ve obviously gone out of their way to appease us.”

  She was starving after her extracurricular activities that afternoon. Their table chatted as they ate through the speeches until crazy loud music and strobe lights turned on. Lexy was sitting too far down the table to talk to her without yelling so she spent her time joking around with Astrid, Haley, Mel and Zach. They were having a great time. Her earlier predicament had become inconsequential. She barely noticed as her empty glass was taken away and a full one was placed before her.

  “Where are Frost and Markus?” Astrid questioned as their plates were gathered up and taken away.

  “I’m assuming they’re still with Amar discussing creative ways to save his son,” Zach answered.

  Kevin’s words resurfaced in her wine giddy mind. They weren’t really going to separate them already, were they? They’d never get the opportunity to feel secure with each other if they were never g
iven the time they needed to get there.

  Chapter 3

  Inconvenient Emotions

  KAYN EXCUSED HERSELF from the table and maneuvered her way through the crowded insanely rowdy dance floor through the rising smoke. There was even a smoke machine. This continent was serious about their partying. She bumped into her seriously inebriated Uncle Frey. He was jumping up and down with both arms in the air like a prepubescent kid in a mosh pit.

  “You’re here!” he flamboyantly sang while excitedly clutching her arms, making her leap up and down with him.

  She had to laugh because he’d greeted her rather nonchalantly every other time they’d crossed paths. He’d been happy she’d made it out of the Testing but still quite disinterested. She’d only ever been in his presence on two prior occasions. The first time had been at their continent’s banquet before she’d gone into her Testing and he’d only been interested in where her birthmark was.

  “How have you been?” he yelled over the music.

  She hollered back, “Good! And you?”

  “Good!” he bellowed back as a handsome guy butted in and stole him away.

  Kayn was giggling as she fought her way through the strobe-lit smoke show of writhing bodies. She felt like dancing but first, she needed to find Frost and touch base. As she wandered out into the foyer, she saw them sitting at a side table eating. Oh, shoot. She didn’t want to interrupt anything.

  Frost peered up from his meal and addressed her, “We won’t be much longer. We’re just working out the details.”

  “I was just looking for the bathroom,” she explained. Markus directed her by pointing down the hall. Kayn waved politely as she made her way there and ducked into one of the washrooms. There were only three doors and none of them were opened. Was anyone else in here? She didn’t see any legs under the stalls. She gave one of the doors a gentle shove and the door swung open but there was something blocking it.

  Kevin’s voice exclaimed, “This one is taken!”

  Oh, I’m such an idiot. She dove out of the washroom and tried to dash into the one next door but it was locked. Come on! She could hear him washing his hands. She had nowhere to go! Damn it! She knocked on the door and just as Kevin stepped out into the hallway, someone opened the door. Utterly relieved, she dove inside. Her savior was her favourite Triad.

  Patrick teased, “You do know you’re in the men’s washroom.”

  “They can’t all be men’s washrooms?” Kayn dramatically sighed.

  He was still giggling as he suggested, “Look at the outside of the door.”

  “I can’t... I’m hiding,” she explained. Kayn sat on the counter.

  “Well, now I’m intrigued,” Patrick teased as he joined her. Once perched beside her, he questioned, “You’re not trying to avoid Kevin, are you?”

  Something about Patrick had always made her feel relatively safe confiding in him, so she did, “We were late. Frost missed the receiving line. I wanted to make sure he was still here because they’re always separating us. I told them I was looking for the bathroom because I didn’t want to seem all needy. I shoved on the door to one of the stalls and it was Kevin. All of the doors were locked so I couldn’t escape.”

  Patrick chuckled, “You’re adorable when you’re drunk and just so you know, Kevin was the one in the wrong bathroom.” They sat there in rather humorous silence for a minute before Patrick enquired, “How have you been since the Testing?”

  “Honestly...I’m not sure I came back out,” she answered.

  “I understand. I didn’t come back out either...none of us did,” he admitted.

  For some reason, tears swelled in her eyes and she had to look away. He touched her shoulder and reassured, “You know he’s never stopped caring about you.”

  She knew that...She felt the same way. She couldn’t admit it though. It wasn’t right to admit it when she was in a relationship with somebody else.

  “How’s Frost?” Patrick questioned, “That boy is inhumanly sexy.”

  Kayn smiled at the endearing Triad as she replied, “It’s complicated.”

  He playfully nudged her and teased, “Don’t you dare use that cliché as an answer. You’re better than that.”

  With a warm smile, she asked, “How did you end up in Triad? It’s just never made sense to me, you are far too nice”

  Patrick whispered, “I think Tiberius was trying to make sure Kevin would mesh with his group and survive the Testing. I’ve always been quite certain it had nothing to do with me.”

  There was a knock on the door. Kayn called, “We’ll be right out!”

  Frost’s voice answered, “You know you’re in the men’s washroom, right?”

  Patrick winked as he animatedly whispered, “Speak of the devil.”

  Kayn gave Patrick’s shoulder an uncoordinated friendly pat. She slid off the counter. Her legs were a bit unsteady and she nearly toppled over into one of the stalls but Patrick caught her. Kayn steadied herself as she declared, “I’m good. I’ve got this.”

  He whispered, “Slow your roll, my wasted friend. You do not have this. Never binge drink around an ex. I don’t have a shitload of life experience but that I know.” Patrick opened the door. He maneuvered past Frost while coyly commenting, “Your sexiness.”

  Frost playfully shoved Kayn back into the bathroom. He locked the door and asserted, “It’s confession time.”

  Shit...Really? Oh no. “There are too many things to confess, you’re going to have to be more specific,” she sparred as he backed her against the counter.

  “You were there for their training. Tell me about Amar’s son. Did we just make a mistake by taking him?”

  Intuition was a funny thing. She responded, “If you had to ask, you already have your answer. I promised Amar I’d keep my mouth shut and let the choice be yours.”

  “Off the record,” Frost flirtatiously probed as he seductively lowered her strap and tenderly kissed her shoulder.

  She was too smart to be played. Kayn urged his chin up with a finger. His eyes connected with hers. She moved in and aggressively kissed him until he forgot what he was trying to get out of her. She reached for his zipper and he swatted her away.

  “Trust me sweetheart, there’s nothing in this world I want more than to take you right here, but this is not the place,” he whispered against her lips.

  “Why? The doors locked and I’m not wearing any underwear,” she innocently teased.

  He smirked as he stepped away and roguishly promised, “When I get you back to our room you are in so much trouble.”

  She slid off the counter, willing her tipsy self just one cool moment. She strutted by him and baited, “Promises...promises.”

  He chased her out of the room, catching her before she made it to the banquet hall. Frost scolded, “I should throw you over my shoulder and carry you back to our room right now!”

  Kayn laced her fingers behind his neck and pressed her body against his as they began swaying to the music. She changed the subject, “Have you eaten anything?”

  Frost quietly replied, “We were served while debating young Samid’s future.”

  “He is coming with us then?” Kayn enquired.

  “We owe Amar’s son a chance at survival even if he is a pompous little shit,” Frost confirmed. “Did you get the chance to find out what Kevin wanted?”

  “I did, he basically told me to watch my ego. He also said I wasn’t attached enough to Zach and that they were going to separate us.”

  “He’s hit the nail on the head there. We have a week apart coming up while I attend the Summit with this group, then we have two weeks together before a good month-long stint apart,” Frost confirmed. “Your group has to stay here for a few days. We need the other clans to be long gone before you come back through the crypt with Samid into Mexico. Dean is with Arianna and Jenna, that’s why they’re not here. We’ll all be meeting up after the Summit.”

  The smoke had drifted out into the hall creating a mystically sen
sual ambiance. This smoke show was going to hide a lot of sins this evening...she could feel it. Frost tenderly kissed her. As they parted, curiosity won the battle being waged within her as she enquired, “Where are you guys off too for a month?”

  “We’re heading into South America to clean up a bit of a mess,” Frost explained.

  Kayn stared into his eyes as she confessed, “A month apart is going to be rough.”

  We can discuss this tomorrow. It’s time to cut loose and have some fun,” he proclaimed.

  That sounded like an excellent idea.

  Frost twirled her in a circle and then tugged her against him. He ran his fingers through her curls and she thought he was about to say something deep and meaningful as he tossed a verbal curve ball, “Your sexiness. What was that about?”

  Patrick had said that as he walked away. She laughed and prodded, “Like people don’t say stuff like that to you all of the time.”

  “They do, but it was the random timing of it that threw me off. You were in there talking about me, weren’t you?” he baited as he led her to the dance floor.

  “Maybe,” she teased as they began gyrating to the club beats under the privacy enhancing veil of smoke. Before they had a chance to get carried away, they were joined by the rest of their clan and like the stinker that he was, drunk Grey stole her away. Over Grey’s shoulder she saw Frost. He was dancing with Astrid, Haley and Zach. It was cute. Right now, it felt like he was just a guy on the dance floor and she was just a girl. They were strangers in a club amidst the strobe lights and smoke. It made her wish they’d had the opportunity to meet this way.

  Grey snapped his fingers a few inches from her face and loudly said, “Earth to Kayn!”

  She scowled as she fought the urge to drop kick him in the balls. Who snaps their fingers to get someone’s attention?

  “Zach’s turn!” Grey announced as he grabbed her immortal babysitter and shoved him at her.