Rolling onto her back again, she took a deep breath and got up her nerve. Then, slamming her fists against her blanket, she made a decision.
The blankets tangled around her feet as she stumbled out of bed, but she kicked them aside. There. First challenge overcome.
Without giving herself another second to think about it, she strode into the kitchen and pushed the door open. The kitchen light was so bright, she had to squint. “Guys, I have a question for you.”
When her vision cleared, she made out Horus, Seti, and Ra in various positions of relaxation. Seti had his phone in his hand, while it seemed Ra had commandeered her computer and Horus—holy shit—Horus was frigging adorable as he marked his place in her old paperback copy of The Hunger Games with his finger.
“Are you okay?” Ra asked.
“Yes.” Standing up straight, she placed her hand on her hip, and then, feeling like a little teapot, she dropped it. “I like you.”
“We like you, too,” Seti said slowly while looking at his brothers. “But that’s not a question.”
No. No, it wasn’t. “Okay. Right. So. I’d like to go on a date with you. One at a time or all together. But as more than friends. Because I like you—as more than friends.” She’d fucking regressed. In three sentences she went from independent woman to eighth grader. I like you more than friends? What was wrong with her?
The brothers stared at her.
“I kissed you, so I don’t know why you’re so nervous,” Horus said. “Obviously we’ll go on a date. I sort of thought Target was a date.”
“We didn’t buy her food,” Seti said. “Dates involve food.”
“We bought cereal,” Ra reminded him. “Two kinds.”
“Good point,” Seti replied, smiling. “So we’ve already been on two dates.” He glanced over at her where she’d frozen into a Rose-icle. “Rose. Relax. I wouldn’t have run all the way from New Hampshire for nothing. I think it should be clear that we—”
Ra cleared his throat. “We also like you more than friends. Did I say that right?”
“Really?” She snapped her mouth shut.
“I don’t rip the heads off vampires for just anyone, Rose,” he answered. God. Her name on his beautiful lips. It might have been all in her head, but she felt herself sway toward him.
“So we’re clear then,” Seti replied. “We all…” he indicated everyone in the room by circling his finger, “are dating you now.”
She wanted to smile so badly, but she was fighting it. Why? There was no need. “Next time, I buy the food.”
“Those two ate all the Boo Berry and Count Chocula,” Horus said, opening his book again. “So we’ll go out to breakfast.”
“Okay,” she whispered, a little dumbstruck by how easy that had been. Turning to go back to the bedroom-slash-living room, she said it again, “Okay.” The wall was a lot closer than she’d expected, and she stopped herself from smacking into it at the last second.
One step to the left brought her to the door. She glanced over her shoulder. “Good night, gentlemen,” she said with forced calm.
“Night, Rose,” Seti said.
Horus made a similar remark, but Ra watched her with a heated gaze. “Rose.”
Her knees went weak, and she stumbled a little as she pushed open the door. It swung behind her, and she stood, blinded, in the darkness. With a tiny squeak, she rushed to her bed and jumped in. It was only then, as she stretched under the covers that she realized she’d had the entire conversation standing braless in a shabby t-shirt and booty shorts.
Oh, well.
Rose woke the moment gray morning light pushed against her eyelids. In a flash, she was awake. The apartment was so quiet she wondered if Horus, Seti, and Ra had left, but as she sat up, she met Horus’s gaze from his place on the couch. At some point during the night, he’d finished his book and moved onto the second one.
“Good morning,” he said. “Did you sleep well?”
“Yes,” she answered. Once she’d taken the chance and spoken her mind, sleep had come easily. She cleared her throat. “Are Seti and Ra still here?”
“They went out for a bit,” he replied as he closed his book.
He said it in a way that made her hesitate to ask where they were, so instead she asked, “Do you like that book?”
He glanced down at the cover. “Mostly.”
“What don’t you like?” It had been a while since she’d read the series, but she remembered what had happened. “Was it that there was a second games?”
“No. It was more the secrets and lies. The way characters don’t trust each other.” He shrugged. “Of course, if everyone revealed everything, there would be no story.”
“True,” she replied. “Or it would be a very short one.”
The keys jingled in her lock, and when her door opened, Seti and Ra came in. Both were covered in snow and stomped their boots on the mat she had in front of the door. “It’s snowing,” Seti announced. He held a huge bag and began to unload it. Winter coats, hats, mittens and a pair of winter boots. “So we went shopping.”
She wondered what store was open so early but then decided it didn’t matter. “I’ll get dressed and then we can go.” The brothers exchanged glances that had her pausing from pushing back her blankets. “What? Breakfast and then talk to Dr. Stone, right?”
“Dr. Stone is not at the hospital.” Seti pushed a hand through his hair. The snow had melted, so it stayed slicked back from his face. “And he’s not at home either.”
She pictured his bright red face when he tried to deny Ra’s command. “He’s dead?”
“No,” Seti answered. “He signed refusal for medical treatment and walked away. We just haven’t located him yet—and we don’t know why. Horus is usually much better at finding people than this.”
While Seti had spoken, Horus had glared and shook his head. Something about what Seti said upset Horus. How was it his fault he couldn’t find a man who didn’t want to be found? She was missing something.
Horus grabbed one of the winter coats and began to put it on.
“We’re leaving right now?” Rose hurried out of bed, calling over her shoulder as she ran to the bathroom. “Just give me two minutes!”
“Rose…” Ra called, but she’d already closed the bathroom door.
In minutes she’d brushed her teeth, scraped her hair into a ponytail, and dressed. “I’m ready,” she announced as she opened the door. “Let’s go.” Her new coat was still in the bag and she dragged it out, pulling off tags.
“You can’t come with us,” Horus said.
She paused, fingers wrapped around a length of stiff plastic. “Why?”
Ra sighed. “We’re going to run,” he said. “It’ll be faster than driving. Or taking the T.”
“Oh.” She dropped the jacket on the chair. Right. They’d move faster without her. “I can’t very well climb on your back like a monkey.” Forcing a laugh, she shoved her hands in her pockets and tried not to be so disappointed. It wasn’t personal. She was only human.
“I’m sorry,” Horus said. “We will be as quick as we can, but—”
“It’s okay,” she answered, stopping him before he said anything else. “I get it. It’s no big deal.”
Ra frowned, and when she glanced at Seti, he wore a similar expression.
There was no reason to get her panties in a wad about this or make them feel guilty. She could help in different ways. “I guess… if you need directions or anything…”
Horus tugged the end of her ponytail as he walked by. “Seti programmed his number into your phone. You’ll call if you need us.”
“And you’ll call if you need me?” She smiled but it made her teeth ache because she clenched them so hard.
“Yes,” Ra answered, which surprised her. “We’re sorry we’re not able to keep our date.”
“That’s okay. I’m a little disappointed you’re leaving me with no Count Chocula, but I’ll get over it.”
Seti dug
in the bag and removed a small pastry box. “We got you breakfast,” he said. “Preemptive apology.”
She accepted the bag and opened it to find a croissant inside. “Forgiven.” It crinkled as she rolled it closed. “But will you promise to call if you need me? I don’t know what I can do, but I want to help.”
“I promise.” Ra put his hand over his heart, and it suddenly hit her. When they left, she’d hurt again. She wasn’t sure if they realized it. For as long as they were with her, she forgot about the pain. Ra approached her, glancing toward his brothers quickly before meeting her eyes. He was so tall this close, and she had to tilt her chin to look at him. His dark eyes had lightened to gold as he stared at her. “I’d like to kiss you goodbye.”
The world tunneled, and she forgot about everything. Swallowing hard, she nodded. “Okay.”
He kept his gaze on hers as he dipped his head. At the last moment, when their lips were so close she could feel his heat, he paused. He stared at her lips, steeling himself almost, and then he kissed her.
Rose’s eyes closed, and she was instantly awash in sensations.
Sensations that weren’t only hers.
Ra’s lips were firm as they moved against hers, nipping and teasing. There was a flash, and she felt something else. A softness and give that wasn’t Ra’s.
He gripped her elbows, holding her to him and she melted against him. The flash came again as he absorbed her weight and curves, pulling her even closer.
“What’s happening?” She asked the question of herself, but Ra answered, “I don’t know.”
His entire body jolted like he’d been electrified. Lurching away from her, he ran his hand over his mouth. “What did you do?” he asked.
“Nothing.” That she could explain.
The door opened and Seti peered around the edge. He and Horus had left and she hadn’t even noticed. “Ra?”
Ra let his hand fall to his side. Seti watched him, but Rose didn’t think he caught the way his brother’s hands trembled before he shoved them into his pockets. “Yeah,” he said. “I’m coming.”
Without a backward glance at Rose, he left.
“You okay?” Seti asked.
Sort of? “Yes,” she answered.
Pursing his lips, he watched her like he didn’t believe her. He even opened his mouth a second later to say something, but Horus called, “Let’s go.”
And with a half-smile, he shrugged and closed the door.
What the actual fuck?
35
Rose
It took all of three minutes for the pain to return. Hello, old friend.
A dam burst, and the pain that had been roiling angrily, held back by Horus, Ra, and Seti’s presence flooded her.
Her vision darkened and she went to her knees, not feeling but hearing, the crack her knees made when they hit the floor.
Oh, God. This was going to kill her. There was no way she’d survive this.
Rose stayed down, rolling to her side to curl into a ball. Breathe. If she could concentrate on that, on the very basic things that would keep her alive, then she could make it through this.
Had it ever been this bad before? She couldn’t remember, though it must have been. Was it possible that she’d survived this much pain in the past?
She clenched her teeth to keep from making a sound. Horus, Ra, and Seti could be nearby, and she wouldn’t call them back. She was strong enough to get through this.
In and out.
Her breath whistled through her nose and hitched when she sucked air in through her mouth. She used all her old tricks.
Survive five breaths.
She did.
Survive ten breaths.
She did.
Slowly, incrementally, she got to the point where she could open her eyes and roll onto her back.
The thing with pain was that a minute or an hour could pass by, the time felt the same. But the relief that came from the pain releasing its grip on her, like fingers loosening from a fist, was immeasurable.
Digging her heels into the floor, she pushed until her back came into contact with the couch and she could ease herself into a sitting position. Her phone was on the coffee table, but even just the small act of reaching for it was too much. So she sat, surviving for one breath and then another as the tick-tock kitty clock on her wall kept time.
Her phone pinged and Rose leaned forward. The movement enraged her nerve endings, but she could do this. A chuckle huffed out of her. This wasn’t climbing Mount Everest. She wasn’t clawing to the top of a peak. She was literally reaching maybe four feet for her phone.
The moment her fingers touched the case, she was filled with a ridiculous amount of pride. It’s the little things. The number had a 617 area code, so thinking it could be one of the guys, or even Briar, she answered it.
“Rose, don’t hang up.”
She froze at the soft southern drawl. “Dr. Stone.” Pulling the phone from her cheek, she stared at the number and moved her thumb toward hang up.
“Please Rose, I just need one minute. Let me explain. I owe you that.”
Later on, she’d blame the last statement for why she didn’t hang up immediately. An explanation. An answer to why—and there were infinite why-questions. Why was she the way she was? Why did he hide his work? Why did he lie? Why did he let her believe he’d ruined his professional reputation for her?
“Tell me, then.” She spoke in short, clipped tones.
“Not over the phone,” he said. “I know those men are looking for me. You can bring them along, too. I don’t care.”
She shook her head and was rewarded with a stab of pain that had her sucking in a breath. “Tell me now.”
“You’re in pain,” he said.
“I’m not,” she lied, and he chuckled.
“I’ve been your doctor for a decade, Rose. Don’t you think I know?”
He didn’t know anything about her. Nothing that really mattered, that was. “I’m not coming to you,” she said. “And you’re wasting my time.” She shivered at a sudden wash of cold air. Her apartment was old, but usually pretty tight in the winter. Glancing at the windows, she tried to make out if one was open.
“But you’re not a waste of mine,” he whispered.
She was done with his creepiness. With one sweep of her thumb, she disconnected the call and went into her contacts.
The phone connected and a second later, Seti answered. “Are you okay?”
She was shivering in earnest now, and she pulled a nearby blanket over her legs to ward it off. “Dr. Stone called. He wants to meet.”
“No,” Seti replied. “Not without us.”
“That’s what I told him. He wants to meet with you, too.” Her teeth began to chatter. The uncontrollable movement lit up her nerve endings. She was barely able to hold back a groan.
“Are you okay?” he asked. “What’s going on?”
The answer slipped out. “Pain.”
He sucked in a quick breath. “How could we have— Horus, Ra. We need to go.” In the background, the brothers spoke over each other, voices loud and concerned. “We’re on our way.”
“I’m okay,” she got out before she clenched her teeth. “I think the heat’s broken. It’s so cold in here… makes it worse—” The door behind her cracked, wood splitting. She thought, maybe, the guys had gotten here and being unable to contain their strength, they broke the door open.
But it wasn’t Horus, Ra, or Seti who stood there.
Creatures from her nightmares, different and yet somehow similar, oozed over her threshold. Crawlers pulled themselves closer, propelling themselves toward her. The pain and cold made her slow.
Too slow to protect herself from the glass that flew inward when the living room window shattered.
Too slow to fight off the hands that grabbed and pulled her.
Too slow to hold onto her phone even as she heard Seti yelling for her.
Too slow…
36
Seti
Glass. Screams. Hissing.
Seti had never run so fast in his life. Horus was a blur even he couldn’t track. Ra kept pace, his face shuttered, tight. He hadn’t uttered a word since Rose’s scream blasted through the speaker.
It took them no time at all to arrive at her apartment. Minutes—maybe.
There was a streak of black as Horus leapt from the street to the third floor balcony. But Rose had never had a balcony. His mind processed what he was seeing, tried to make sense of it: broken boards, exposed furniture, curtains caught on nails. The entire front portion of her apartment was gone.
Horus landed in front of them just as Seti bent his knees to follow. “She’s gone. There’s blood. I scent crawlers and vampires.”
“Dr. Stone?” Ra asked.
“The only human was Rose.” Horus’s eyes widened and he corrected himself immediately. “Is. Is Rose.”
“I’ll track them.” Seti leapt with so much force that when he came down, the floor cracked and plaster rained down from the ceiling onto his head. He sucked in a breath, taking each separate scent into his body and memorizing it.
The sheer number confounded him. He counted four separate crawler scents, and two vampires. Why? Why so many?
He spun, ready to drop back to the street when he saw the drops of blood covering the floor and couch. Kneeling slowly, he touched his finger to one and then brought it to his nose. Rose.
She’d been hurt.
The idea terrified him. Today she was vulnerable.
“Seti?” Ra spoke quietly, but he had no trouble hearing him.
One step was all it took for him to drop to his brother’s side. “I’ve got it,” he said.
Ra glanced up at the apartment as if tempted to investigate himself. “Don’t,” Horus told him. He side-eyed Seti, who nodded. There was no reason for him to see. Already his brother was seething. If he had any compassion for those creatures, he’d have balked at the promise of destruction he read on Ra’s face.
Rose Page 19
