"No, the big red one that practically screams 'Do not touch.' I dare you to," - Kasey Noble
~~~~~~~~~~
"Are these all of yours?" Kei indicated to the expensive expanse of cars in the underground garage, her eyes wide. I couldn't help but let out a chuckle from her cute astonishment before nodding.
"Yes, they are." I shouldered her duffel bag on one shoulder and reached for her hand, our fingers entwining together.
"Why?" she asked inquiringly. "Is this another thing about men that seems unexplainable?"
This time, my chuckle was a full-blown laugh. "I guess you could say that. It may not feel as exhilarating as when we are in our wolf form, but to be able to feel the engine thrum through your body with a roar still gets the adrenaline pumping." My mood was light as I stared down at her, and she gave me a sweet smile.
"Well King, you're going to have to take me for a ride sometime." Her eyes twinkled like two polished jewels, and I couldn't help but momentarily get lost in the depths.
"It would be my pleasure." I hugged her close and kissed the crown of her head before weaving through the assortment of vehicles. Just a few steps behind-like a pimple that never went away-Titus and his companion followed after them.
We were all subdued into silence as I neared a particular SUV that would do the job well.
"This shall do," I murmured, stopping in front of a formidable GMC Yukon, the sleek body black and shining. Kei let out a low whistle appreciatively.
"I may know nothing about cars, but I will say, this is definitely a good first impression to start with." I couldn't stop the slightly cocky smile on my face, reveling in her praise that filled my ego until it was bursting.
I was still a man that loved to impress his woman with his wealth, flaunting it like the feathers of a peacock.
She must have seen the expression on my face because she rolled her eyes and scoffed. "You're such a man."
I simply smirked and wrapped my arms around her waist, pulling her close and nuzzling into her hair.
"Only for you, Lune." She laughed as I grabbed a lock of her hair and began tickling her face with the ends. I stopped when I heard the harsh clearing of a throat, causing me to roll my eyes and stare back at Titus.
His face was impassive but I could still see the hidden annoyance underneath. I smiled smugly before giving Kei a quick peck on the lips just because and pulled away, but still kept my arm around her waist possessively.
"So how are we getting to Apsara?" she asked as we began settling into the vehicle, all things packed in the back.
"We'll take you." Titus poked his head in between them, inching closer to Kei. "But we first need to go to Las Vegas." I didn't give it a second thought as I put my hand over his face and pushed him back into his seat.
"That wasn't the plan if I recall correctly," I say smoothly, ignoring the quiet growl he emitted.
"Plans changed. A message was just sent from his Majesty and it seems we need to pick someone up." He sounded disgruntled, which only made the faint smirk on my face grow. Glancing over, Kei rolled her eyes before saying, "So does that mean we're going on a trip?"
"In a way," Titus said in slight amusement, "so I had bought plane tickets. Even for the dog." This time it was my turn to grit my teeth in annoyance. However, I looked over to see Kei glaring at him and it lifted my spirits seeing her being angry on behalf. So I lifted my hand and patted her head gently to calm her.
She looked up and I smiled at her softly before I turned in my seat to stare at Titus calmly.
"All right. We'll go to Las Vegas. But," my eyes bored into his with a hint of arrogance, "we won't be needing the plane tickets." He frowned at me, uneasy at seeing my expression.
"Are you suggesting we drive all the way there?" he asked snappishly. I simply ignored it and answered, "We're taking my own private jet."
_____
"This is pretty snazzy." Kei plopped on to one of the plush couches while looking around, taking in the dark leather interior and exorbitant décor.
"Do you like it?" I sat beside her while Titus and the other man called Ian filed in after us.
She leaned against me, a radiant smile on her face. "I would be crazy to say no, so the only answer is yes." I laughed at her words and hugged her closer. Without hesitation, she snuggled closer and I felt completely tranquil in that moment.
"So I'm dating a rich man. My mom would be so proud," she laughed, the vibrations from her lithe body transferring into mine deliciously. "Just kidding. But seriously, what do you do to get so much money."
"I own some business here and there," I replied vaguely. She raised an eyebrow at my pitiful explanation but before she could call me out on it, the pilot spoke over the intercom.
"Lady and gentlemen, this is your Captain. We will be taking off shortly so please fasten your seatbelts until the sign turns off. Until then, please stay seated. Thank you and I hope you will find the ride to your personal liking." The intercom shut off with a click and a moment had only passed before it had clicked on again.
"Kei! Come to the cockpit and talk with me. I'm bored," a woman's voice sounded overhead. Kei snapped her head to look at me, her eyes wide.
"What is Kasey doing in the cockpit of the plane?"
"Well, I imagine it would mean that she is one of the pilots," I said in amusement. She bolted upright and made a mad dash up towards the cockpit of the plane. Before she could make another step though, the intercom clicked once again.
"Luna, please ignore this woman's earlier request. Please take a seat until we have lift off." The sound of muffled shouts was heard from the intercom and from the room that Kei was currently heading. I simply sat back and watched amused as she disappeared down the corridor before hearing a door open and the noise died down.
"Help Kei! I'm being held captive by Mr. Bore. Come save me from his fun-draining grasp." Kasey's voice floated down to where we were still sitting and I couldn't help but smile in amusement as I heard Kei answer, "Get back you fun-sucking fiend!"
"Luna please refrain from touching that!" All of the sudden the plane veered sharply off to the right before straightening and stopping.
"Hey cool. What does this button do?" I heard Kei say distinctively before the seatbelt sign flashed on and off. Kasey's cackle could be heard over the alarm that had begun blaring throughout the plane.
"Kei, push the other one," Kasey urged to my dismay.
"What, this one?"
"No, the big red one that practically screams 'Do not touch.' I dare you to." Hearing this, I decided to take action.
"Luna, please just-"
"All right, what are you doing." As Kasey dared my mate to play with very expensive equipment, I managed to sneak up behind Kei and wrapped my arms around her to keep her from pushing anything else. Kasey looked at me with an innocent look from the co-pilot's seat while a man, Jeremy, sat with his head in his hands in the pilot's chair.
"She dared me to," Kei tilted her head back to look at me. "I can't not do it." I gave her a pointed look.
"Kei, I think I can speak on the behalf for most of the people on this plane," I shot one quick amused glance at Kasey who just smiled innocently back, "that we want to arrive in one piece." She pouted, pushing her bottom lip out slightly.
"Come on. You are King Dare, you should know that I can't back away now. I mean for goddess sake you are the king of dares. Do you dare to stop me from completing this dare, Dare?"
"Okay, hold up a minute. Are we still talking about Alpha Dare or the dare that I dared you to do." Kasey piped in, delighting in this whole situation.
"I am talking about both dares," Kei stated. Kasey frowned in thought.
"Maybe we should triple dog dare Alpha Dare to do your dare."
"But I wanted to do the dare," Kei said.
Kasey tapped her chin as if in thought. "Okay, how about you pick a dare for Alpha Dare," she offered.
"You two." Jeremy groaned and shot me an apologetic glance. "I'm sorry Alpha." I shook my head.
"At this point, there is nothing that we can do," I mused out loud.
"See? Even he knows that this conversation is a lost cause," Kasey said.
"And he doesn't dare try to deny it." The two women snickered as they looked at each other. I rolled my eyes and began pulling her out.
"Continue on. I'll keep Kei away from Kasey as long as I can," I say to Jeremy.
Jeremy looked at me gratefully while Kasey pouted in her chair. "Thank you, Alpha." I nodded before I shut the door behind us and we entered back into the main part of the plane.
"Try to not break anything," I gave her a stern look as she plopped back on the couch that she had vacated earlier. She simply grinned and patted the seat next to her to which I complied.
"I just can't say no to a dare." Her eyes twinkled with humor. I smirked and wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her to my chest.
"Funny, you say no to me all the time." She didn't say anything but smirk before lifting her legs on the end of the couch and putting her head on my lap.
"Your Highness, I think it would be best if you put your seatbelt on." Titus stared at Kei from where he was seated on the other couch just across from us, a guarded expression etched on his face. Kei simply responded with a wave of her hand in a dismissive manner.
"I'll be fine Titus," she yawned and got her head to sit comfortably on my lap. "I think it'll take more than a plane crash to kill me. If I do die I can just try to convince Dumpy to revive me or something."
After she had said this, the roar of the engines was slightly muffled from the walls of the plane but the sound became more fierce as the power increased. Soon, I felt the large mechanical beast speed up and I turned my head to look out the window absentmindedly to watch as the runway sped past with increasing velocity. Finally, we began to lift off of the ground with gravity fighting all the way. But with today's current technology, Mother Earths magnet was not strong enough to keep us grounded.
Once we were now miles off of the grassy ground, I turned back to see Kei settling down with her eyes closed and her hair scattered around her head like a silvery crown.
She lied on her back with her hands folded neatly on her stomach. For some unknown reason, my eyes zeroed in where her hands lay.
"I want a lot of them," I murmured without a conscious thought.
"Hmm?" Kei still had her eyes closed but her answer told me she was still awake. I brushed my fingers across her forehead, brushing a few strands away from her face.
"I want a house full of pups," I said again but a little louder. Her next reaction stunned and confused me. I heard her take a sharp intake of breath and her eyes popped open, her mismatched eyes wide and swirling with a torrent of emotions.
"I..." This response made me even more worried. I glanced up to see Titus staring at the both of us, or me to be exact, with simmering anger. Ian-the other fae man that seemed to appear overnight-had sat at the far end of the plane, the top of his silvery head the only thing visible over the seats.
"Titus, give us some privacy." Kei's voice held no room for argument. Still, he glared and opened his mouth but Kei sat up and looked at him.
"Go." Her tone was final and something underneath held a power that was slightly hidden but still felt. Titus shut his mouth and continued to stare at us as if he had swallowed something sour before nodding reluctantly and getting up and joining Ian. I watched Kei as he left.
She sucked in a deep breath slowly before turning to face me. By this point, everything in me was wondering what I had done wrong.
Did she not want kids? Was it too soon? Should have I asked her for marriage first? Granted the last one wasn't common among us, but everything about Kei was as uncommon as they come.
I stayed silent and watched her some more as she opened her mouth to say something but then she hesitated and closed it again.
My nerves were beginning to become worn, a feeling of apprehension filled me as if I had gotten a shot of it, the feeling filling my veins and spreading throughout my body with a numbing paralysis.
"Kei what's wrong," I finally spoke, noticing how she flinched at the sound of my voice. She waited for another beat before she looked down with her hair covering her face, muttering incoherently. I scooted closer to her and moved her hair so I could see her. "Lune, tell me." I noticed how her hands clenched in her lap and the tension radiated off from her body in rolling waves.
"What the hell is going on?" Axel growled deeply from simply having no clue on what to do. Suddenly, Kei grabbed my hand and looked right into my eyes, taking me back at the sight of her eyes wide and glistening with unshed tears.
"We can't."