"I swear to Gaia, Taryk, you don't step on the fucking gas, I'm going to pitch you out of this van and run you over," I snarled at him. The snail's pace we were traveling to the agreed upon address to get Kiema was rubbing against my nerves like sandpaper. "And what if someone else is there waiting? Slow and steady wi - ""Finish that sentence and die."He clamped his mouth shut, swallowed. "Good man." I looked out the side window. Barely any light could be seen down any of these streets. And yet you wanted him to plow down these streets like a maniac? He could hit Kiema. I shrugged off the cooler, calmer me. I'd thank the man later. When I had Kiema back. When she was safe. "What the fuck is that?" Taryk asked as he stepped on the brakes. The van rocked to a gentle stop as the block ahead of us erupted into full daylight. I felt the bottom drop out of my stomach. "That's her. It's going to fucking be her.""Not sitting, Ransom. She's not fucking sitting for a month.
The thing that was Asta held the now eviscerated Ferria by the neck. Ferria's entrails were dangling from the open gash in her belly. At least she wasn't still picking at herself. I felt the push and pull of magic as Ferria's body sack expanded to almost four times its regular size. Asta pulled it on like a sweater. As her head popped through Ferria's neck, I felt my gorge rise.Like she was pulling a snagged thread from a sweater, Asta yanked on Ferria's spine. The length of connected bones rattled in the still air. Asta threw it down to the ground and kicked it aside. Ferria's head tipped back to make room for Asta's head where the neck used to be. With a casual tug, Ferria's legs came off with a pulpy sounding snap. Asta, giggling now, pulled Ferria's legs on like pants. She danced a little jig in the street. At the end, Asta wiggled her fingers in the air. Ferria's hands flapped in the wind like attached mittens. I could feel my stomach trying to escape through my
Of course, my mate is fucking crazy. Why wouldn't she be? I pushed the man who was cradling her to one side. He snarled at me as honest to Gaia smoke filtered from his nose and mouth. I stared in shock. Shook it off. "I can help her. I'm her mate. Give her to me." I reached for her. "I'm her mate, too. And if you try to take her from my arms, I'll rip yours off and beat you to death with them," he said. His eyes flickered from green/gold and vertical to brown and round like watching a coin spin on the table. I'd have to take the risk. Pulling Kiema into my arms, I curled around her. Saying the ancient words, I felt her sputtering spark of magic ignite once more into a steady flame. "I need everyone to touch some piece of her. All of you," I said around clenched teeth. I hadn't expected to need this spell, but I'm glad my father forced me to learn it. "When I say so, everyone needs to dribble some blood on the ground. I don't care how you do it, but it needs to hit the
"Little sister, you have your family concerned," Anda said as she appeared in my spirit landscape. "I know. And it breaks my heart, but I can't get back to them. I don't know how, all my doors are locked." I blew the handful of grass I'd ripped from the earth into the air. An invisible breeze caught the blades and danced them towards the forest. "And you just sit here and give up? You let them grieve you when you are not yet gone?" She sat beside me, her magic looking like a dark purple dress that lay in layers of gossamer fabric around her. "I don't know how to get back to them. It's like I'm trapped in here."Anda scoffed. "Little sister. You just battled Asta and you think your magic traps you? Perhaps you are just afraid because you were losing." She looked around the backyard of my cabin. "This is not your coffin. Rise up, take your rightful place in the universes."I shuddered. "Just the fact that you said universes makes me want to vomit."She laughed, elbowed me
Just as I was giving up hope of ever getting Kiema back, she sprang up into a seated position. Her eyes were flooded with tears as she curled in on herself. "She's gone. She's gone."The dipshit that had stolen Kiema from me the first time thought to reach for her first. An elbow point to his temple had him going to sleep. He would get his turn after Ransom and I had ours. Gathering Kiema into my arms, I curled around her, rocked her. "Who's gone, honey?""A-A-Anda. She gave me her power because I was locked away in the..." the rest of her words trailed off into incoherent sobs. The love of my life shuddered in my arms, breaking my heart with the sorrow pouring off of her. "Gaia's shitballs," the new male said. He must have a crazy hard head to be awake after the blow I dealt him. His deep voice distracted me from Kiema. I snarled at him without turning around. "Where the fuck have you all been hiding?" he asked in a scratchy voice. His voice pulled like rough velvet ov
"Is she going to be okay?" I asked Asher after he'd turned back into his human form. "Kiema?"He turned as he pulled his shirt over his head. "I knew who you meant, Cherry. And yeah, the guys will take care of her.""I feel like I should be with her." I rubbed a hand over my arm. Something felt like it was prickling under my skin. "Doing something for her.""What would you do?" he asked as he joined me on his couch.I shrugged. "I have no idea. I've never been around someone who's lost someone like that."He chuckled. "I'm pretty sure none of us have. Asta was a bitch of the highest order before she started wearing humans as winter coats. One thing I know about my little sister though: give her time. She'll share when she's ready."Another prickle surged under my skin. I nodded. "Okay."We sat there in silence for a while. It was nice to be around someone else, even if just sitting in the quiet. "I don't know if I've said it yet, but I really am sorry for how I acted w
I threw my clothes off like my body was on fire and Cherry was my extinguisher. I was all up in her business the nanosecond I was bare naked. I chuckled. More like bear naked. Our kiss turned from loving to a clash of lips and teeth as a low moan slid from her sexy pink mouth. Her head tipped back as I nibbled my way down her neck. The wavering, pulsing brand on her chest...I traced it with my tongue. One of the points was directing me to her right nipple. I had to follow its demand. Wrapping my tongue around the hard point, I rolled it with my tongue. Taking the sensitive nub between my teeth, I flicked my tongue over the tip as fast as I possibly could. "Switch," Xander called. I almost pouted as I handed her over, but I was so fucking excited she was mine, ours, that I didn't mind. Too much.I helped Cherry climb into Xander's arms. As she got settled, I ran my hands over all of her skin I could touch. It was as smooth as silk and made my mouth water. I leaned forward and
"How many was that, honey? I think you stopped counting," I called to my restrained mate. Her ass was the prettiest shade of pink. Her pussy was dripping her cream all over my sheets. "Of course, I stopped counting. You kept starting over at one, you demon." She wiggled her ass at me. I smacked it again. Her muscles bucked and jumped under my hand. "Fuck that's hot," Kord said from the couch. Hearing his voice had me turning to look over at him. He'd been invited to stay. Kiema hadn't let him participate. I smiled as I remembered what she'd done as we pushed through the door up to my level. I'd smothered a laugh as she'd glared at Kord and said, "You know what you did, you asshat." She pointed to the couch. "Maybe if you aren't a bitch, you'll get to play next time."He'd opened his mouth to argue, shut it when she glared harder at him. He had trudged to the couch, his head hanging low. He'd gotten on the couch and blatantly turned to watch us.I barely knew the man
Three months later"And I'm telling you right now, dad, that if you want to ever see these babies, you'll stop sending my mates to the Underworld for a cooling off' period. That shit is getting old," I said as I waddled into the hospital built for gods and demi-gods. He chuckled beside me. "But, bubbles, they deserved it. Crowing like they built Olympus bare handed. They were getting on your Circle's nerves. I could tell." He said as he lifted me into the bed. "Bring them back, dad. Now." I glared at him. Even though, on the inside, I was smiling like a loon. This was the type of relationship I'd always dreamed of having with a father. He sighed, a smirk still pulling at his mouth. With a snap, my three mates stumbled into the room."Damn it, Apollo," Saint said as he flicked his shirt. "Cerberus almost got me that time."My dad's head tipped back as he laughed and laughed. The babies inside me loved that sound. They kicked at my belly. I rubbed at the spot. "Easy
Six months later"Last time, I'll ask. I swear." Kiema swallowed heavily as she moved around behind me. "You promise you're okay not getting your deer back?" Kiema asked me as flicked the fabric of my dress this way and that to get it to lay perfectly.I waited until she looked up at me. That look of slight hesitation on her face tugged at my heart. "I promise. I was never meant to be a deer. A shifter of any kind."She nodded, sniffled quietly. "You ready for the rest of this then?" Kiema asked me as she adjusted the crown of flowers in my hair. "So much more than ready. I've been waiting for this my entire life." I bit back the tears that wanted to flood my throat. Not today. I wouldn't ruin this day with tears.She smiled as she stepped back. "You look beautiful, little sister." Tears gathered in her eyes. I held up a hand, looked at the ceiling. "Don't do that. I told you I wasn't crying today. You start crying, then I'll start crying. Then we'll have to postpone e
The next night"Wake up, Saint," I said softly in our shared consciousness. I could barely contain myself. I had felt the swell of magic. Had felt it when it took root."Saint," I said again. The man slept like a rock at the bottom of a spring. "Mgmgs," he mumbled.Forcing our arm to move, I slapped our face. He shot up, his teeth bared. "Who's there?" he called out. "It's me, you buffoon," I said.Our head cocked to the side. "Ten? Why are you waking me up? Can't whatever it is wait until morning?" He snuggled back down into the comfortable bed in our new home. "No." I shook our head so he would fully wake up. "Wake up!"He sat up, pulling the blankets with him. "I'm awake. What can't wait until the morning, Ten?""Kiema is pregnant.""WHAT THE FUCK!?"I snickered as everyone in the room burst from the bed, fists and knives raised in defense. "What is it?" Ransom's head turned back and forth quickly, visually sweeping the room. With a grunt at its emp
Two weeks later"Are we finally going to try this? We've been prepping for what feels like forever." I licked my way up Saint's neck. He shivered as his fingers curled into the flesh of my ass. "Maybe we should wait one more day. I don't want to hurt you."I rolled my eyes under the cover of my closed lids. This man. So dominant. So caring. So sure I wasn't ready to take one of them in my ass. I guess I'll just have to show him that I was more than ready.I slid down his body. A wave of magic and all of us were naked as the day we were born. As I sucked his cock into my mouth, Kord came up behind me.Curling around my back, he pinched my nipples with one hand. With his other, he slid a hand down my belly and straight over my clit. With a sharp movement, his fingers were deep inside me. I groaned around Saint's dick as waves of pleasure washed over me. Sprinkled with the counterpoints of pain from Kord getting my nipples ready for the clover clamps. I felt my core cream at
The next day"Torture and then straight back to bed. I don't care that your father is the god of healing. This is ridiculous, Kiema," Atlas said as we stood in the elevator on our way to the basement level."Don't get trapped in the dungeons," Apollo had said as he laid his palm against the electronic plate on the wall of the elevator.Right. Dungeons in a god hospital. Gods were freaking weird.I patted his cheek. "I've got my main medical provider right next to me. I'll be fine. Besides I feel like a million bucks."He huffed a laugh as Mason and Lukas came up beside him. I wiggled my eyebrows at Atlas, looked over his shoulder, back to his face.He chuckled and rolled his eyes. "Yes, little sister. We've decided to try being a thruple."I wrinkled my nose. "What kind of word is thruple?""A three-person couple, luv," Lukas answered. I snorted. "And you guys won't let me make up words? That's a heaping load of Berserker shit right there."We were all laughi
I pushed the other two through the doors. I wasn't waiting another minute to see my girl. I'd felt her die. Felt my spirit try to follow her down that long tunnel. My heart had stopped beating when I saw Heppni literally rip her heart from her chest and crush it. But here we were. Alive. Healing. She was pale against the bright white sheets of the hospital bed. Although it was unlike any hospital I'd ever been in. Apollo said something about it being a place for gods and goddesses. I shook my head. It didn't matter to me what it was as long as it made her better. She looked over as we rushed in. Her eyes searched each one of us before returning to me. Tears flooded her eyes as I pulled her into my arms. We all sat on the bed, curled and huddled together while she got it all out. The guys and I had had some truly brutal boxing matches to deal with our own emotions. I was still achy and sore from a couple of well-placed hits from Kord. The man might be a nerdy librarian, b
My chest hurt. I tried to rub it, but my arms were restrained. "Easy there, bubbles. You'll pull your stitches if you do that," a man said. His voice was soft and melodious. Like listening to angels sing. Angels. Something about that word tickled my brain.Angel. Almost. Almost.Ransom. As soon as I thought his name, his face popped into my brain. I tried to sit up. Made it a couple inches before I was pushed back to the bed beneath me. I opened my eyes. Ignoring the stabbing pain that slid into my eyeballs, I blinked to clear my vision. A bright white room greeted me. The only color in it was the man who had a hand against my chest. I looked down at his hand. Looked up at his face. Raised an eyebrow. "Get the fuck off, perv. My mates will rip you to shreds."He huffed a laugh and removed his hand. "I doubt your mates will be doing much more than breathing for a couple more hours, but I'm glad to see that you're back, bubbles. Have a nice nap?" I leaned ba
Everyone Hellion had made me vow to keep alive fell to the ground as if they were puppets and their strings had been cut. Fuck, fuck, fuck. I hurried to the closest one's side. Pushed two fingers to his neck. Gone. I was so fucking dead. I blasted an oncoming human with a burst of magic. He withered where he stood. I sank to my knees next to the small woman with bright white hair. She was gone as well. The woman with the long brown hair threw her blade into an approaching Direct. It sliced through him like he was air. With wild eyes, she didn't even try to gather the particles of his passing. She pushed me aside as she cradled the smaller woman to her chest. "No no no not my baby no no no please no no," she wailed. Her agonized scream was muffled against the smaller woman's head.The rest of the humans who had interrupted our plans were either dead or falling back the way they'd come. Movement drew my eye. I squinted as I tracked it across the street. It wa
I sent another stream of fiery magic at the Direct who thought to protect my mother. Some pansy-assed gifted asshole wasn't going to stop me from hunting my mother down and killing her. With a wave of my hand, a path cleared. With a curl of my fist, humans fell to the ground, their spines crumbled into dust. "I'm coming for you, Herpes," I screamed at the top of my lungs. She scurried away, down the side street towards the fighting arena I'd created for us to use for practice. I picked up my pace and followed her. "You better be fucking careful, honey," Saint said through my head. He was working with Arasne and Felix at the opening of the street where the humans were still grouped. The Faeries had set up a blockade of sorts, forcing the humans into a bottleneck situation. They were taken down one by one as Ransom had his horde of beasts funneled them through the line of magical warriors. "Always, Saint baby. See you in a bit." I rushed down the street Herpes had