Her Devils

by Mae Doyle

  That’s it. As soon as his name is out of her mouth, I see it. She looks just like her son. They have the same kind eyes, the same color hair, and the same chin, and I wonder how I didn’t see it right away when I laid eyes on her.

  “Let me go get them, okay? Can I bring you anything first?” Her voice is loaded with concern and I almost burst into tears just because she’s being so nice, but I manage to shake my head and she leaves me alone in the room.

  This gives me a chance to really look around without feeling like she’s watching me. The room is huge, much bigger than my dorm at Meyer’s Grove, and although there aren’t a lot of decorations, it looks like home.

  The bed I’m in is next to a huge window, and out of it I can see sprawling gardens and a yard. There’s a bedside table next to me with bottles of medication on it, and I assume that they’re mine. All of my luggage is piled up in the corner of the room, but I grin when I see that one of my devils has pulled a family picture of mine out of my suitcase and set it up where I can see it.

  Struggling to push myself up, I brace my hands on the mattress and force myself into a sitting position. I don’t want to look weak and half-dead with my devils come in to see me. The last thing I want is pity from anyone, especially them.

  And I need to know exactly what happened after I passed out and Asher caught me. I shiver as I realize that he saved my life and that if the police hadn’t come at just the right them then I’d most certainly be dead.

  “You cold?” Caspian’s voice pulls me from my thoughts and I turn to him, grinning. Without waiting for me to answer, he grabs a blanket on the foot of the bed and throws it around me, bundling me up while still being careful not to touch my cuts.

  “I think so,” I tell him. “Thanks.”

  He smiles at me and the rest of the devils file in. They all look tired but happy, and my heart leaps to see them. As much as I want to get out of this bed and hug each of them, I don’t think that I’m going to be doing any of that for a while.

  “You guys are all okay!” Even though I’m exhausted, I can’t keep the joy out of my voice. I need my devils, more than I ever thought I would, and I can’t handle the thought that something might hurt them. “And you,” I say, lifting my hand to point at Asher, “are you okay?”

  He nods and sits down nest to me, leaning over to give me a kiss on my cheek. “I’m good,” he promises. “The cut wasn’t nearly as deep or as bad as it looked, but she just managed to hit a ton of blood vessels, so we had a hell of time getting the bleeding to slow. But I was honestly just more worried about you.”

  He reaches out and traces his fingers along the bandage on my neck.

  “I’m okay,” I manage, turning my head to look at all of my devils in return. “But I wouldn’t be if it weren’t for you. Care to tell me exactly how you got in touch with the police and saved the day?”

  “It wasn’t us. It was Sophia.” Luca’s standing by the door still, but he uncrosses his arms and walks closer to my bed as he talks. “After she warned us what was going on she apparently had a really bad feeling and actually broke into Decker’s office to call the cops.” He has a huge smile on his face, and I can’t help but match it.

  “Sophia did that? Really? Her parents are going to kill her! And so is Decker!” My good mood starts to lift as soon as the words are out of my mouth. I don’t want to think about any of the people from Meyer’s Grove, and I certainly don’t want to spend any of my time or energy thinking about the woman who was all too happy to let me die on that stage.

  “No, Decker can’t touch her.” Parker leans down and plants a kiss on my forehead. I immediately lift my face and he kisses me again, this time his lips pressing and molding to mind. “She’s in jail. They’re all arrested, Kiera. There’s no way that she can ever touch you again, okay?”

  Arrested? It sounds way too good to be true, but I can’t help but let myself get a little excited. “She’s really in jail? What about Madison? What about the other students who were there to hold us on the stage while she killed us?”

  I want this to be true. I know that my devils wouldn’t willingly lie to me, but I can’t really believe that this is happening.

  “It’s all true.” Asher locks eyes with me and reaches out to take my hand. “They’re in jail. Madison, Decker, even Ms. Taylor, for her part in building some secret weapons under the school.” He grins at me and then continues, “in fact, the future of Meyer’s Grove is looking a little uncertain right now, as is the future of some of the parents. It appears that the contracts that Decker had parents sign varied from family to family.”

  “What does that mean?” Meyer’s Grove is an institution around here and I sincerely doubt that any of the families who have students go there will be willing to let the school fall apart.

  Hell, I remember all too well the lessons I’ve received from my friends and my devils about the importance of the school and what it means for the future of the wealthy and powerful.

  Even if Decker is charged for what she did there, I have no doubt in my mind that someone else will step up and take over the school so that it can keep on churning out the connections that rich families need to succeed.

  It makes me sick.

  Parker laughs. “It’s closed down, Kiera. We’re all kinda in limbo right now, and the police are investigating the different types of contracts that Decker gave different families. Looks like they were dependent on how much money and clout the family had.”

  “So my contract basically said that they could kill me, huh? What about yours?” My head is feeling a little fuzzy, which is probably due to the pain pills I’m on, and I really need them to break it down for me so that it’s as easy to understand as possible.

  “Mine said that I could be removed if another family paid the price.” Asher’s face was dark. “That’s what happened to my cousin, but it’s also why they couldn’t kill me like they could with you. There wasn’t any way that my parents were going to agree to that.”

  I nod at him, and then Luca’s voice draws my attention.

  “Mine was the same as Asher’s. We’re in the same boat that we can be outbid but that nobody was supposed to harm us. I think that Madison crossed the line with you,” he says, looking at Asher, who nods.

  “Yeah, but that didn’t stop her. We weren’t on her list to hurt, but I think that by then she was just crazy.” Asher sounds sad and I want to pull him to me in a hug.

  Hell, I want to hug all of them, but it’s probably best that I just sit still and try to rest. My energy is coming back, but I’m still exhausted.

  “And you two?” I look at Parker and Caspian.

  They glance at each other, and it’s Parker who finally answers. “Our contracts are the same as each other’s. Nobody can touch us. Nobody can hurt us. Our families come with the influence and the money that Decker craved, so it wouldn’t make any sense for her to let another student come along and take our place, you know?”

  I don’t know, not really, but I think that I’m beginning to understand, and I nod. There were more things at play at Meyer’s Grove than I knew even existed – more power plays and struggles, and it’s definitely not a place that I ever want to go back to.

  “But then how did I end up here? I mean, I’m sure that my aunt and uncle don’t care where I go, but I’m also a little surprised that they’re cool with me being here.” Serafina and Levi are evil people. That’s for sure, and something that I’m realizing more and more, so it doesn’t really make sense that they would be willing to let me just walk out of their lives.

  “They didn’t really have a choice.” Caspian runs his hand over the back of his neck and shrugs. I can tell that he’s a little embarrassed, and I feel bad about that, but I also don’t want him to clam up. I need to know what’s going on and how his parents managed to get me here.

  “What happened?” My back hurts from sitting up in bed, but there’s no way that I’m going to say anything about that now. I don’t want to take
attention from Caspian and what he’s about to say.

  He sighs. “My parents gave them an offer that they couldn’t refuse as soon as the information about the differences in student contracts went public. Your aunt and uncle were all too happy to take the money, although I’m sure that they’re going to be pretty pissed about it soon.”

  “Why?” I’ve had a taste of what it’s like for my aunt and uncle to be upset, and I’m not sure that I want to see it again. “What happened?”

  “They’ve been cut out.” Brett’s face is hard. “All of the parents knew about different levels of contracts, but nobody knew that there was one where the student could be killed if they wouldn’t leave, but now that that’s out, they’re going to lose all of the contacts and business that they made by paying for you to go there. Parents thought that students could be driven out, but not that Meyer’s Grove would turn to murder to get what they wanted.”

  Whoa. I feel dizzy and I reach out for balance. Caspian grabs my arm and holds onto it until my vision clears again. “They’re going to kill me,” I whisper. “They’re going to think that this was something that I did and then they’re going to come for me.” I feel a cold sweat break out on my body.

  I know what I have to do even though it’s terrible. Forcing myself to suck in a breath and grit my teeth, I swing my legs over the side of the bed.

  The four devils immediately crowd around me.

  “What do you think you’re doing, darling?” Luca asks, his voice dripping with concern. “You’re not nearly strong enough to go anywhere right now, and we’ll get you anything that you need.”

  “I can’t stay here.” I’m desperate, and slightly horrified to find that my desperation makes its way into my voice. “All I’m doing is putting the four of you and your families in danger, and I can’t do that. Levi and Serafina are evil and I know that they’re not going to rest until they get me back.”

  My feet find the floor, but that’s as far as I go, because Parker bends down and grabs my legs, flipping me neatly and easily back onto the bed.

  I’d forgotten for a moment just now strong the four of them really are. They stand around the bed, all four of them staring at me with hungry eyes.

  The panic I felt a moment ago is replaced by a sudden need, and I squeeze my legs shut to try to calm the feeling.

  It doesn’t work.

  “You’ll stay here and you’ll let us take care of you,” Caspian says, his voice strong. “Our parents are already looking into another school for the five of us, and when we find it, you’re coming, too. This won’t ever happen again to you, Kiera, but you have to trust us.”

  “I do,” I argue, “but – ”

  Asher cuts me off. “There’s no arguing with it, Kiera. You have nowhere to go except with us, and we’re not letting you out of our sight again.

  Chapter 23

  And they haven’t. We’ve been at Caspian’s house for two weeks now, long enough for me to heal and for their parents to all find us a good school to finish out high school. Uncle Levi and Aunt Serafina have made it very clear that they have no interest in paying for the rest of my education, but the families of my devils stepped in.

  I don’t know how to thank them all. There’s no way that I’d be getting an education, or even alive, if it weren’t for these four families and the kindness that they’re showing me.

  I can now walk around and do everything normally without getting tired and short of breath, and the devils keep telling me that the scar on my neck looks cool. It doesn’t.

  It looks like someone tried to kill me. It looks like, for a while, I completely lost control of my life and was almost murdered. I hate it, and I’m hoping that as I get older it will start to fade and won’t be so red and angry looking.

  “Are you guys sure that you have everything for school?” Caspian’s mom peeks in on us where we’re in the movie room. The devils have been bickering for a while over what movie to watch, and I’m curled up in a seat with a book.

  We’re all over at Caspian’s again, which is where I live, and Parker, Asher, and Luca all want to spend all of their free time.

  “I think we’re good, Mrs. Weston,” I tell her with a grin. “Thanks, though. Once they finally pick a movie then I’ll get up and make some snacks, if that’s okay.”

  She smiles at me. “My kitchen is open to you, Kiera. You’ve been a delight to have here. Now, don’t forget, I’m going to be gone all afternoon, and his dad is at work, so if you need anything, feel free to call for help, okay?”

  Even though their house is huge, I love the fact that the Westons don’t keep staff here all the time. Sure, there are cleaners and drivers, but they only come in when needed, which means that as soon as she leaves, I’m actually going to be able to enjoy some alone time with my devils.

  Some much-needed alone time.

  “Don’t you worry about a thing,” I tell her. “I’ll take care of anything that comes up, and then in just a few days, we’ll be out of your hair.”

  She laughs and turns to go. “You’re always welcome here, Kiera. I can see how happy you make the boys.”

  I flush, but she’s already walking out of the room. If she only knew just how happy I made the devils, then I’m not sure that she’d be so willing to leave us all here right now.

  The devils are still arguing over a movie, but I put my book down and listen carefully for the garage door to shut. As soon as it does and I know for a fact that we’re finally alone, I clear my throat.

  They all stop arguing and turn to me. I have to admit, it’s been really nice having four gorgeous guys willing and ready to do anything that I need while we’ve been here. I may have gotten a bit spoiled.

  But except for some quick stolen kisses and the one time that Caspian managed to sneak into my room, I’ve been missing my devils. I haven’t gotten enough attention from them, and I need them.

  “Do you four really want to watch a movie? Or can you possibly think of something else that you’d rather be doing right now?”

  Heat flushes through me as I look at them and watch their faces change as they slowly realize what I mean. My core is soaking wet just from the thought of being with them, and I don’t know if I can handle waiting much longer.

  Everything in the room seems to slow down as the devils look at me. It takes them all a minute to realize what I’m saying – what I’m asking for.

  I need them, and there’s no way that I can last another day without getting what I can from them.

  Without having them all.

  I need, not just one of them, but for all of them to come together and love me. I have to feel them on me, in me, taking what they want.

  It’s the best way for me to be able to show them how much I care about them and just how much they mean about me, and now that I have the opportunity to do just that, I don’t want to stop.

  “Kiera.” Caspian’s voice is low. He cuts across the room towards me, his eyes locked on my face. “Is this what you want?”

  My skin is buzzing with anticipation and I feel like I might explode if I have to wait much longer to have my devils. I nod, trying to speak, but I can’t.

  It’s like my body has taken over. I’ve lost control of what I want to say and what I should say to them, and all I want to do is take them for my own.

  Parker and Luca walk over to me. They know what it’s like to be with me together, and I can see the longing in their eyes. They have no qualms about sharing, but there’s one devil I’m not totally sure about.

  Asher.

  He hasn’t moved. He’s still standing where he was before when they were arguing over movies, but he’s kept his eyes on me the whole time.

  “Asher?” My voice seems to pull him back to reality and he shakes his head a little like he’s trying to clear it. I feel my stomach drop, and I wonder if I’ve totally misread the situation.

  If maybe he doesn’t want me like that. If maybe he can’t share.

  He glances around the
room at the other devils and I don’t even realize I’m holding my breath until he nods and I exhale.

  “I’d love that.” His voice is quiet, like he can’t quite believe like he’s saying. “I’d really like that, you guys. If you are all game.”

  I don’t need to have them answer that. I know what they want – it’s obvious in their eyes as we all wait to hear what Asher is going to say. Asher was the only one I was afraid of not wanting this. Not wanting all of us.

  But he does.

  Laughing, I grab Caspian’s hand. “I bet that I can beat you guys to your bedroom,” I taunt, turning to run out the door.

  But I don’t make it across the media room. Before I’ve even hit the door, Asher is on me, his strong arms scooping me up and pulling me to his chest. He leans down so that his mouth is right by my ear, his breath making me squirm in his arms.

  “You think that you can get away from us, Kiera? You’re wrong, and now you’re going to see just how badly each of us want you.”

  I squirm in his arms and tilt my head back to kiss him. His lips are warm and soft, and he smells delicious, like caramel and spice, and I feel myself melting in his arms. He holds me tight as he walks me down the hall, and when I peek over his shoulder, I see the other devils coming after me.

  There was a time when this would have scared me. When I would have thought for sure that they were going to kill me, but now it’s the best damn thing I’ve seen in a long time.

  We make it to Caspian’s room and Asher throws me onto the bed. He’s breathing hard, like he’s not sure that he’s going to be able to control himself.

  I know the feeling. My entire body is humming, and I can’t seem to catch my breath, no matter how hard I try. It’s like I’m underwater, my body aching and throbbing for their touch and for the release that I know they can give me.

  They know how to use my body, how to make me cum with a gentle touch, and I can’t wait to have their hands on me.

  In me.

  Caspian shuts the door behind him and walks towards me, stripping out of his clothes as he comes. I’m frozen to the spot on the bed, my eyes wide as I lock them on him. He reaches me but doesn’t slow down, climbing onto the bed with me, pushing me back so that I’m flat.