Foolish Mortals

Chapter 13

non-plus

nänˈpləs

verb

surprise and confuse (someone) so much that they are unsure how to react.

synonyms: discountenance, fluster, mystify, astound, baffle, bewilder, astonish

"I was wondering when you'd barge in." Ajax faced Liam, lowering his arms to his sides when he realized the enthusiasm was not reciprocated.

Liam sucked in a heaving breath through his nose, eyes closing. I'd never seen him this upset before. Angry, yes. But this looked like more than just anger. Finally his eyes opened, and his gaze flicked over me, then back to Ajax.

"When I heard my name, I could not resist." His tense stance relaxed marginally, and he mirrored Ajax, pushing his hands into his suit pockets and beginning a slow, prowling pace back and forth.

"What?" I blinked and stared from one to the other. "You heard that? How?"

Ajax pivoted around to face me, and I swallowed hard. I was suddenly and acutely aware of the fact that two giant, gorgeous dudes were standing at the base of my bed, looking very angry, in the middle of the night... and I was still completely naked.

"He was outside your apartment," Ajax said, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "How did you think I found you, young Jack?"

"Oh." I hadn't actually thought about it. "Can you toss me a ... sweatshirt or something? And maybe some pants?" I glanced at Liam with a pleading look.

His mouth was still pressed together grimly, but he reached into my clean clothes pile and pulled out a loose sundress. He threw it towards me and it fluttered onto the bed. They both stared at me expectantly.

"Uh... turn around," I said finally, raising my brows.

I didn't think it was possible, but both of them looked... flustered. Like recalcitrant schoolboys, they shuffled their feet around and presented me with their backs. Swiftly I tugged the dress on over my head, then got up from under the covers.

"Much better," I said. "Okay. Turn back around. Let's handle this like adults. Liam, I thought you left. What were you doing outside my house?"

They both turned to face me, and their eyes performed twin sweeps up and down my body. "You would not blood bond with me," Liam bit out between gritted teeth. "You were not safe."

"Okay. So a creepy stalker thing." I nodded, then folded my arms and stared at Ajax accusingly. "And you knew he was there. You were just doing the whole knife thing to freak him out."

Ajax tilted his head back and laughed aloud. "Yes," he admitted freely, then sighed in satisfaction. "Oh, I have never seen him so worked up. Not for many years, at least."

I groaned and rubbed my head with my palm. "Okay. Short version of this story - neither of you are going to leave me alone until I do this freaky vampire ritual with somebody." I glanced up to see if either of them would deny it.

Liam shifted his stance, looking vaguely embarrassed. "We are not vampires," he muttered under his breath.

"You are correct," Ajax interjected smoothly. "I am afraid I must insist."

I eyed Ajax sharply. Despite his now relaxed stance, I had seen the unearthly glee in his eyes when he'd been approaching me with that knife. He had really wanted to do it. I didn't trust him as far as I could throw him, and given our divergent heights, that was just about nowhere. And Liam. Liam was clearly still fuming under the calm exterior, casting resentful glances at myself and then at Ajax.