Princess Ninja Warrior (House of Garner Book 4) Read online

  There was probably some meaning to that—I would ask later.

  “The first point is the entrance, receiving, and security,” he explained, clicking on the mouse and taking us inside. It was like some trippy video game virtual reality experiences I’d heard people talk of. The other towers were just as well thought out—guests, knights, nobles, and then my tower stood above the others.

  “What am I ever going to do with a whole tower?” I whispered, completely floored he’d seriously put all this thought into the design. I realized that he might have mentioned the entrance diamond first, but mine was the star. It was the biggest diamond, and clearly the shining glory of the castle. “You’re crazy!”

  “I am,” he chuckled, moving his left around me while I started eating. “One floor will be your room with the bed and everything you could need. The floor above will be a 360-degree terrace for you to look upon your coven, all that’s yours. And in the center is the meditation room that I will make sure is built with the right materials.”

  To protect me from ghosts if I needed it. He was so awesome. That level could have also been anything from my private library to… Whatever. It was frigging cool. My room had the dais with the bed I’d dreamt of and a magical bathroom I hadn’t dreamt of.

  And it all got better from there. My whole tower was just everything to spoil me. There was a floor of all windows, and I realized it was my private greenhouse for seeds I’d been collecting. Granted, lots couldn’t be kept there, but I’d get to raise the babies.

  Which there was also a place for. There was a floor left for later, labeled nursery and kid rooms.

  He cleared his throat when I shot him a look. “It’s better to plan for the very far future than not take them into consideration and have to admit that later, like shit parents.”

  Fair enough, but no one pushed it. Fine, my awesome tower could have a floor for when I was ready for babies and kids.

  The towers were taller than the rest of the castle, but that was still four tall stories. The whole thing was insane for sure. I noted that it all had roof access, and I realized he was taking castle defense seriously as well.

  “In case we’re ever attacked and they breach the wall, we’ll build and not like a shit border wall to keep out immigrants like an idiot wanted,” he explained. “This will be like the stronghold and keep walls that castles and cities used to have. It will be wide, have patrols, hold our weapons, and more. Plus, we’ll have the river.”

  “But castles are built to hold the whole coven or town should an attack happen,” Kristof said gently. “It’s why he added basements and sub floors. The design is astounding, Darius. It’s earthquake and just about any natural disaster proof.”

  “Thanks, that was something I studied heavily after it became a field,” he said, clearing his throat. “And it will be rebar and concrete, but we’re going to make it awesome with black oxide and press it to look like stones. I know how, and we’re going to start leveling areas to build the huge pieces we’ll put together.”

  “I think it’s awesome,” I told him, and kissed his cheek. “You don’t have to hard sell me. This was way more than I ever dreamed of. You are too cool.”

  He shrugged. “I wanted to help as much as Kristof gathering gold and gems for the vaults. Cerdic’s helping you with tai chi and Jaxon is plotting more and more raiding. This is what I could do to help, so I did.” He leaned in and brushed his lips over mine. “I wanted to build a home worthy of my princess. Do you really like it?”

  “Yeah, it’s amazing,” I whispered as looked up at him. “So are you.”

  He beamed at me before going back to the design. There was a huge dining hall and ballroom and even a theater and indoor pool and library and just everything. And then he asked me what I might add.

  “There are lots of rooms I’ve not assigned purpose to yet, and that can come later for sure.”

  I nodded. “Can you put in some sort of sunroom for the lazy cats? I know they’ll have their jungle biome outside the coven, but watching them in the sun since we’ve arrived… They need a place to just laze about.”

  “You are so damn sweet,” he teased me.

  He showed me the plans for the vault and the armory. I’d have my own pub, because of course a castle needed that. It would have a lounge for events and fun.

  Sure, that made sense with the theater and ballroom already, but whatever, they wanted to do it. And everyone was so excited that I wanted it too.

  Even if it was seriously excessive.

  “I love it,” I told him when he was done. “I can’t think of a single thing to change or add, I swear. The kitchen is massive and with tons of storage. There’s every fun thing imaginable, and lots I would never have thought of. You’ve covered everything.”

  “You have,” Jaxon praised. “It’s everything I would have said from seeing other coven castles or manors.”

  “Yeah, that’s where I got it all from,” he admitted. “Somewhere in me, I knew I would build a place for my princess one day, and I was always checking out what worked for covens or what was needed when I visited. Even my family coven.” He leaned in and nuzzled my neck. “I’ve been collecting data and plans for what works for you for over two centuries, my love. This is my wedding present to you.”

  “I only got you a ring,” I chuckled nervously. “Not exactly a fair deal.”

  “You’ve given me everything. A castle is the least I can give you.”

  I really, really didn’t think that was the reality, but I appreciated he felt that way. And everyone was super excited once I approved the designs. They were already going when I woke for dinner after another nap. The protective barrier was up around the tree and when they showed me how large the courtyard would be with the flags already placed out, I realized the computer plans wouldn’t do the place justice.

  It was going to be fucking massive.

  Cool.

  Kristof was moving dirt better than construction equipment, and everyone agreed that it was time to start getting trailers brought down and materials to us. We had plans. I loved plans.

  It was going to be a lot of work, but we could do it. For the first time, I felt like we really could.

  3

  A week later I was in Seattle, back to helping and stronger than ever even. Pushing myself like that had brought me leaps and bounds forward in my power, which was good, but also too fast. I hadn’t had all that much control to start, so it wasn’t the best. Well, I didn’t have much control. My power had a lot of fail-safes and idiotproofness, which probably wasn’t a thing except for me.

  I couldn’t fry electronics. The ability had that built in to spread as needed. I didn’t blow up power plants or nuclear reactors, which was always a perk if I was going to get stuck being in charge of all of that. But I had trouble just letting out some on my own. So that was the plan for the day.

  Cerdic seemed to know what I was plotting, and I didn’t want the eyes to watch me probably fail, so he was giving me a wide berth. A lot of the train tracks were in good shape or minor adjustments, but I was hoping to upgrade them or return them to new. If I could make electric semis, there had to be a way to do that. I could also help Darius, since he was burning the candle on both ends to get my castle built.

  Everyone else was north of me, working on raiding and clearing Everett so Kristof and I could get started on the river we would be making to reach the coven. Nora had sent a shit ton of everything back on the merchant ship to get fixed—and Sebastian had told me she was willing to pay for us to do it, and pay well, so what did we want?

  We wanted them to raid Everett and Seattle so we could get a huge jump on our plans. Jaxon even threw in the islands for them to raid, as long as they weren’t stores we would want. Done and done, and they had been busting their asses. Nora sent a bunch of people for a few weeks, and they were all staying at a hotel we were getting back up and running. They even got the wildlife on those islands.

  Awesome. It was nice when i
t all worked.

  Plus, we had two clans who were going to keep it going for us when we were done. One wanted the Portland area, but for now, were going to help us in Seattle. Their clan head was sworn to me, making eight new clans, including Thomas. Scary, but also awesome to help. We now had clans in Juneau and Anchorage that were taking over, so James’s people weren’t so spread out and could starting getting everything to the coven.

  Because they were all really, really excited we had a coven now and were building a future.

  “Fuck,” I growled when I messed up again. I couldn’t rebuild the track the way it was. If I had to guess, it was the pounding or securing of the track I was messing up on, which made me really glad I was practicing at the end of the rail lines by what looked like a graveyard of old trains and cars.

  I blew it again and lost my temper, giving a wordless shout and just letting it all out… And leveling a city block.

  “Mother fucker,” I sighed, squatting down and covering my head. “Idiot, we didn’t raid that yet. Fuck, fuck, fuck.” I growled and said a few other choice curse words before standing again.

  I swallowed a flinch when I realized I wasn’t alone. Flipping my hair out of the way before retrieving my katanas, I spun around and had them on either side of the person’s throat in a flash. She didn’t even flinch as one twitch and I could slice her neck.

  I felt something I never had before and it hit me hard. “So, this is what they feel, and how they know I’m a princess. We really can sense each other.”

  Her expression flashed shock, but she simply gave the slightest nod. It drew me to her eyes though, and I recognized them, curling up my lip and wanting to cut her for sure.

  “You have a lot of fucking nerve showing your face here after the way you treated Cerdic, Olivia,” I seethed. “Come to piss me off some more, or receive that bitch slap I promised you?”

  Her eyes filled with anger and amusement, which I found an odd combination. “Right family, wrong princess,” she answered. “You are as intriguing as Jacob has told me. Definitely you deserve the ‘Princess Ninja Warrior’ title, as he’s heard some of your shifters refer to you. Nice hair flip out of the way.”

  “I don’t dislike that. And I learned to do it after cutting a few ponytails and one unfortunate bun incident when I opened a bad door with a pack of corrupted on the other side,” I admitted, easing back slightly, but not moving the katanas away, as I was all alone with her.

  But we weren’t actually and that worried me.

  Cerdic appeared along with Kristof and I felt better then. “Inez, it’s my mother.”

  “I know, but she’s not alone,” I muttered, studying her.

  “I’m not the only one here, but they didn’t come with me,” she corrected. “I have a feeling they’re here for the same reason I am.” She glanced over to the city block I’d just leveled. “Impressive.”

  “Fuck,” I groaned. I shrugged at Kristof and Cerdic. “It wasn’t working and I got annoyed. I couldn’t sense her until it was over.”

  “I couldn’t sense any of them,” Kristof muttered. “Who is cloaking them?”

  “I don’t think it’s one of us,” Matilda chuckled. “My daughter is ill.”

  I flinched, lowering the katanas slightly. “I sure as fuck didn’t do it. I wouldn’t even know how.”

  “That’s why the makeup,” Kristof sighed. “I saw it and forgot to ask. I wanted to return to Inez.”

  Matilda gave a nod and glanced at the katanas, as if to say they weren’t needed.

  Yeah, maybe not, but I didn’t know who else was all around, and I felt better with them in my hands. I moved them away from her though and stepped closer to Kristof and Cerdic.

  “She started feeling sick about the time Dennis pushed over the first domino in their plan to have you swear to Olivia and take over all of what is yours.”

  I blinked at her a moment, trying to swallow that huge fucking pill. Then I glanced at Kristof. “I wonder what happened to whoever sent the guy to poison me?”

  “I would guess there’s one less princess among us,” a musical voice said from behind me, her accent thicker than Jaxon’s.

  “Princess Nora, good to see you again,” Cerdic greeted… As he bowed.

  I put my katanas away and stormed over to him, shoving him hard. “Did you just fucking bow to another princess? Another woman?” I shoved him again, not moving him in the slightest. “Are you going to try and give her a ring? Offer to be with her or are you with me?” I held up his ring on my necklace. “Why give me this then?”

  “Wait, Inez, that—” he whispered, reaching for me.

  I smacked his hand away. “No, you’re grounded.”

  “If you’re engaged, you no longer bow to other princesses, my son,” Matilda said with a chuckle.

  Cerdic winced. “I forgot.”

  “You forgot?” I growled, not even knowing that was a rule. “Two weeks.”

  “Inez, come on, love, I’ve done it that way—”

  “Three,” I growled. “You bowed to another woman with me standing right here.”

  He swallowed loudly. “I think I deserve at least a month for that, my love.”

  “You do,” I muttered, letting him touch me then. He slid his arm around me and kissed my cheek. “Idiot. Don’t make me jealous like that and blow up shit. She’s my mother-in-law and your mom will be too soon if you behave.”

  “Yes, My Princess,” he purred, giving me a quick kiss. “You are merciful in only grounding me a month. I will never bow to another woman again but you, as often as you let me.”

  “Mm-hm.” I rolled my eyes when he just gave me an innocent smile. He was so hard to get mad at. I turned to look at Nora, blinking at the beauty that I about needed sunglasses for. “Well damn, I think I owe those guys less of a spanking, as you are seriously way prettier than me, like they said. Wow, that must be some really good air in Ireland.” I leaned in slightly. “My skin could never look like that.”

  She threw back her head and burst out laughing. “You are as delightful as Sebastian and Jaxon have said.” She smiled brightly at me. “Have you really accepted my son?”

  “Yes, I love him,” I whispered, clearing my throat and showing the wedding band I wore. “I accepted Darius and Jaxon.” I frowned. “Do I call you Mom like I’ve heard in-laws do?”

  “Nora is fine,” she told me before glancing past me. “How bad is Olivia?”

  “Bad enough that I took back control of the coven for the foreseeable future,” Matilda answered, bringing us back to business. She focused on me. “And as head of the coven, I planned on sending a formal apology, but I had a dream and a desperate need to be here and now.”

  “Well that’s annoying,” I sighed, knowing how that went well.

  “I had the same, and I would gather the dozen or so other princesses,” Nora added, glancing around.

  I swallowed loudly as one by one I could start seeing and feeling them. “Fuck me dead.”

  “Of course that part of Jaxon rubbed off on you,” Nora sighed.

  I glanced at Kristof as if to ask what the fuck we did now. I yelped when a guy appeared in front of me. He was a noble, and radiated power worse than Kristof. His dark eyes assessed me. I did the same, noting he was Asian, but I wasn’t sure what mix… Or if he was what other ethnicities evolved from, since he was powerful like Kristof, he had to be really fucking old.

  Crap. What now?

  “Princess, I am Tian of the house Liu, and I submit a formal request—”

  “Wait, hold up, time out, too much crazy going on,” I cut in, remembering what came next from what I met Cerdic.

  His eyes filled with anger, the scary kind that made my knees shake he was so old. “You would deny me?”

  And then I got pissed. “Nope, no, no more asshole and scary nobles.” I went over to him and slapped my hand against his chest, letting out all that charge and energy that I didn’t when I’d been attacked. I had been so, so upset I hadn’t th
ought of that. Yes, they had gotten my weapons away from me and fast, they had been stronger, and while I fought I didn’t do it effectively or best as I could.

  I would never make that mistake again.

  His eyes went wide as I knew it hurt from the little I’d accidentally let out on Darius and Jaxon—which was why I kept it so locked down. But now I would use it, because I was a baby vampire and I was done with letting anyone fuck with me.

  I stopped when he dropped, his heart no longer beating. I stared down at him with a smirk, even if he wasn’t seeing it, since he was dead and all of that. “I’m not getting pushed around anymore or letting nobles treat me like shit because I’m a baby or a princess or whatever else is all up your asses.” I flinched when Kristof cleared his throat. “I didn’t mean you.”

  “Thank you for clarifying and I’m glad to hear it, but I was going to ask if you plan to revive him. I know Tian and thought him dead. He might be the oldest of us.”

  I winced. Fine, I couldn’t be the one to kill the oldest living vampire. “He better not be an asshole to me, or I’ll do it again.” I squatted down, fairly impressed with myself that it had worked that way, but anger and trauma was apparently a good focus. I moved my hand over his heart and sent out a quick pulse, picturing when I’d seen someone use a defibrillator years ago, when they still functioned.

  His body jerked and I worried it hadn’t worked, or I couldn’t revive him. I’d been too upset to really think through what I’d done. I was focusing to do it again when a hand was suddenly under mine.

  His eyes were open, and he was staring at me with some mix of pain, admiration, and maybe fear. “Please, don’t do that again.”

  “Don’t bully me again and I won’t,” I told him, pulling my hand away when he wrapped his fingers around it. I wanted to groan when I saw two other nobles on top of all the princesses. Great, just, great. I glanced up at the sky, and bit my tongue instead of snarking about being a mouse in someone’s maze again.

  “Dear Goddess who protects us all, you’re Aether’s champion,” Matilda whispered.