by Layla Frost
“Correct.”
“And I’m betting your siblings are equally as powerful.” At my nod, she continued. “Then how did you end up The Invisible Man? And why were you stuck here? Did your siblings ditch you, or are they lurking close? Because I’m taken, but I have a single cousin who’d owe me her prized cheesecake recipe if I hooked her up.”
“Uh—”
She shook her mostly empty glass, the ice cubes clinking. “Ignore the last part.”
Thank the gods.
“My siblings and I were able to take out Absolve’s leader, but it came at a price. Our combined power and energy destroyed him—eviscerating him into nothingness—but then something went wrong. Cursing us.”
“Then how are you back?” Denny whispered.
Curving my hand around her throat, I tipped her face up. I watched, mesmerized, as her pale blue eyes dilated, her tongue sweeping across her full lips.
This is why it’s all worth it.
“How?” I repeated, my voice a low rumble.
She nodded, her lips parting as her breath came out in a sexy sigh.
“Because of you.”
Chapter Twenty
Balancing Laser-Equipped Sharks
Denny
MY THOUGHTS RACED, AND yet I felt blank. Numb. Even after everything I’d experienced, the onslaught of new information had been heavier than I’d anticipated.
Heaven, hell, and everything in between.
Missing souls and siblings.
Witches, the prematurely expired, and hex bags.
And Nate.
Death.
Tender and rough. Sexy and sweet. Scary, but in the best way.
Loving.
Logic and reality warred in me again, shaking the foundation of my life. It would be laughable had it not hurt, churning my stomach and making my head throb.
Only a quarter of the wedding favors actually got done before Chase had picked up Lula. We’d made plans for me to go to her place the following weekend to finish them, unless something else major happened.
Some new ghosts.
A family reunion of Horsemen.
A tornado filled with laser-equipped sharks.
It all seemed likely.
“I think that glass is clean,” Nate said right in my ear.
Startled, I dropped the cup. I braced for the sound of it shattering, and instinctively jerked away to avoid the flying shards. But nothing happened. When I opened my eyes, the glass was safe in Nate’s palm.
He set it in the drying tray and placed his hands on the counter, his arms boxing me in. “Tell me you still feel the same.”
“What?”
“Tell me you feel the same as before,” he ordered. “That you’re not going to run from me.” His hands moved to span my waist, sliding up until his thumbs were under my arms and his long fingers rested beneath my tits.
There was a desperate vulnerability in his tone and a harshness in his order.
He’s bracing for me to pull away, but he’s ready to force me to stay.
“Should I run?” I asked, leaning back against him.
“You can, but I’ll fucking chase you to the ends of this life and the next.” His fingers stretched to stroke across my nipples through the thin fabric of my mismatched PJ top.
I put my hand between us, starting at his thigh and working up. I stopped right below his cock, and his impatient grunt traveled through my ear and straight to my clit. “Should I be scared?”
“Never. I’d die before hurting you.”
“What if I want you to?”
Releasing his hold on me, Nate spun me around. I raised my arms to wrap them around his shoulders, but he gripped my hips and lifted me onto the edge of the counter. “Is that what you want?” he asked, his face in mine. His eyes were wild, the blackness swirling. “Want me to fuck you so hard it hurts?”
“Yes,” I whispered hoarsely.
He kissed me, his hands working between us to free himself.
Shifting away, I wheezed, “Condom.”
“I can’t carry disease or reproduce.”
Not giving me time respond—or even let his statements sink in—he rubbed my clit through my shorts and took my mouth.
Brutally.
I clutched at him, my tongue battling with his. When he pushed my shorts aside and slammed into me, taking my ass off the counter and nearly into the sink, my hands left his shoulders to catch myself.
But he didn’t let me fall.
His hold was tight as he held me exactly where he wanted me. Each time he filled me, his thick cock stroked just the right spot inside me, and his pelvis ground against my clit.
I tried to shift away from the overwhelming sensation, but his grip stayed firm.
I tore my mouth from his, ready to beg him to stop. To slow. To switch positions.
“Don’t ever fucking stop,” I ordered instead on a moan.
The power in his thrusts increased as he fucked me relentlessly. His harsh grunts echoed around us.
My head swam, my heart thundered, and my body tightened.
I was about to swan dive over the cliff, falling in more ways than one.
And I didn’t have to hope Nate would catch me.
I knew he would.
Nate fucked me brutally. Beautifully. I’d never been stretched so much, filled so completely. My pussy pulled him in, greedy for more. I would never get enough.
Ever.
His fingers dug into my ass, likely leaving marks. His head lowered to bite and lick at my neck, his beard rough and tickling.
My head dropped back, my body tense and trembling. I exploded with the kind of wild abandonment that came from feeling content and safe.
Nate’s grunts filled my ear, echoing in my head as my orgasm stretched. He used his hold to work me up and down his length as he exploded, too. Without the condom, his come filled me, causing an aftershock of pleasure to ripple through my body.
We stayed like that for a moment before Nate shifted. I wrapped my arms around his torso, resting my head on his chest. “Just a minute more.”
Pressing a kiss to my head, his own arms went around me.
I listened to his heart pounding, his chest hair rough on my cheek.
Somehow, Nate knew when I was ready. He moved away, brushing his lips against mine before setting me on my feet.
“I’m sorry,” I said, my cheeks heating.
“For?”
“The space thing. I don’t really know why I do it.”
He tucked himself back in, though he didn’t fasten his pants. “There’s nothing to apologize for.”
“It’s not anything against you, you know. You heard what Seth said, I—”
In one step, Nate was against me. One more, and my body was pressed between his and the counter again. “I don’t want to hear the rest of that sentence.” His voice wasn’t angry, but it was raw and harsh, all the same. “I’m glad to hear it’s nothing personal when you push me away, but I don’t want to hear a comparison between me and him because there’s nothing to compare. He’s a fucking idiot who lost you, and I’m willing to bet all the money I have that he never had you the way I do. Did he?”
“What?”
“Did he have you like I do?” he gritted out between clenched teeth.
“No, I never loved him.”
Nate’s entire body went rigid. “Are you…” He shook his head, his thumb trailing across my lips. His tone softened, though his body didn’t relax. “Never mind. I don’t want you saying something you’ll take back once you’re sober… Or after we talk.”
“What?” I asked, confused at the intensity in his gaze. “I’m not drunk. Tipsy, but not drunk.”
He brushed a kiss against my lips. “I’m going to check outside and then lock up for the night. Go sit, I’ll be right back.”
My mind tried to come up with any and all possibilities of what else Nate needed to tell me. After all we’d talked about, I didn’t know what could be so much worse
that it’d cause the wrinkles on his forehead and his lips to press together.
I curled my feet under me as I sat on the couch, waiting.
And then I fell asleep.
Nate
“What in the ever-loving fish is going on?” I roared. My brows lowered. “Fish. Fudge. Fuddruckers.” I looked around the office. “This is bullship. Send me back to my funky-beat home now.”
Surrounded by a lot of beige, I saw miles of cubicles. Each were filled with a bland being who wore bland clothing with a bland look on their face. Their fingers were a blur as they typed away.
The last time I’d been there, they’d been using a quill and ink. I was sure the large computers were a welcome upgrade.
Not that they’d show it.
“Hey jam-bananas,” I said, my attempt at calling them jerk-butts being censored, too, “why am I here?”
No one answered. No one even looked at me.
Closing my eyes, I tried to transport myself home, but I was stuck.
And pissed.
I paced the reception area, contemplating throwing one of the chairs into a row of cubicles.
Maybe they’ll collapse like dominos.
“Do you welcome that kind of chaos, Thanatos?” I heard from behind me.
I turned to see a man in a tailored three-piece suit. His dark hair was trimmed short on the sides and the longer top was pushed back in a professional style. His blue eyes were sharp as he smirked at the glaring angels.
He looked the same as he always had—like a really expensive lawyer.
“Maybe you’re more like me than I thought.” He dabbed at his eyes, dramatically sniffling. “Makes me proud.”
I grinned. “Levi. How’s hello?” Throwing my arms out, I shouted, “Really? Hello is in the frankfurter Bible!”
“Well,” Levi said, returning my grin, “more interesting than up here, that’s for sure.”
Being so far from Denny didn’t sit well with me. Her house was safe, but even still, worry sat heavy on my chest.
Lowering my voice, I said, “I need someone protected—”
“There’re already demons and minions positioned nearby.”
“Thank you. But why are we here?”
“I was just on my way to find out. This place gives me the creeps.” With a grimace, Levi disappeared.
Heaven. Well, their headquarters. Actual heaven was more enjoyable, though even that didn’t compare to the heaven I’d been ripped away from. I’d gone to sleep, wrapped tightly around Denny before suddenly finding myself surrounded by beige.
Time passed differently in heaven. Faster. Hell, however, was slower, each hour feeling like years.
I had no clue how long I’d been gone, but Denny had likely noticed. Closing my eyes, I tried again to transport home. When that failed, I focused on my connection to her. I could feel her, but I knew she wouldn’t be able to hear me.
An idea hit, and I reached out again.
“Juno,” I thought.
“Who the hell is there?” Her voice echoed in my head.
“It’s Nate—”
“This is not a good time.”
“Too bad, I—”
“Stop it!” she ordered. “Wait, no not you. You keep going.”
“I’m trying to but you keep interrupting.”
“I’m not talking to you,” she hissed before raising her voice. “No, I’m talking to you. Come back, I’ll get him to shut up. Give me three minutes.”
My frustration and confusion grew. “What the hell are you talking about?”
I thought I’d lost the connection when she was silent for long moments. Her huff of a sigh swirled through my head when I was about to give up.
“I hope you’re happy,” she grumbled. “I wasn’t alone, and me yelling at myself was apparently enough of a turn off for him to leave.”
Scowling, I got to the point. “I need you to get a message to Denny.”
“I mean, what kind of warlock is freaked by the supernatural. His loss, right?”
“Juno…”
“Yeah, yeah. Message to Denny. Got it. Why don’t you just call her?”
My eyes scanned the beige. “I’m somewhere with no reception.”
“Okay. Hit me with it.”
“Tell her I was pulled away and will be back as soon as I can.”
“Anything else?”
“Yeah, and I’m fucking pissed.”
At least I could swear in my own head.
“I’ll text her right now,” she said, her voice muffling as though she were moving. “Everything okay?”
Again, I scanned the room. This time my eyes landed on a door which hadn’t been there moments before. “I’ll get back to you on that.”
Denny
He was gone.
No note. No goodbye.
Gone.
I’d woken up that morning to an empty bed. At first, I’d been worried something had happened to him when he’d gone outside. But since I’d fallen asleep on the couch and had no memory of walking upstairs, he must’ve come back and carried me up.
Standing in front of my door, I glared at it while I sipped my coffee. The lock and deadbolt were both in place. My back door was blocked by boxes, but I’d checked anyway, finding it the same.
Of course, he could’ve used his powers to lock it from the outside, but something niggled at the back of my mind.
I grabbed my cell and sat at the bay window.
Thank God I didn’t let him fuck me here. If he’s pulling a disappearing act, I’d hate for that to be what I thought about every time I sat here.
Of course, with the kitchen sex last night, I can never do dishes again.
What a hardship.
Rolling my eyes at my dramatic thoughts, I sighed. I trusted Nate, but my own issues and self-doubt reared their ugly heads when faced with an empty house and no clue as to where he was.
My phone vibrated. I saw a few work emails and social media notifications, but it was the waiting text from Juno that took priority.
Juno: Nate got pulled away. Not his fault and not reachable by non-magic methods. He’ll explain when he gets back. But he said he’s fine, just pissed.
Me: He reached out to you?
Juno: Right as I was about to hook up with this warlock who was a Dwayne Johnson look-alike. Scared the shit out of me to hear his voice thundering in my head. Instant lady-boner killer.
Me: I’m sorry you were clam jammed.
Juno: I’m using that. And it’s okay. With all the volcanoes, it’s probably best I didn’t do any erupting of my own.
“Volcanoes?” I whispered to myself.
Me: Where are you?
Juno: Hawaii. Magic convention. Well, they call it a convention, but really, everyone just hooks up and shows off. They want to see who has the biggest wand.
Me: Still sounds fun. Good luck with The Rock.
Juno: Ah, the moment of insanity has passed. I’ll keep my eyes out for Jason Momoa—look-alike or not. Yum. And I’ll be in touch if Nate makes contact again.
Me: Thanks.
Juno: I’m back Thursday. It’ll be a few days before I feel human again, but come see me Saturday around noon. We need to catch up.
Me: And I need cotton candy. See you then.
I leaned back and drank my coffee with a small smile on my face.
He was fine.
We were fine.
Every time something came up, my first instinct was to assume he’d left me. A lifetime of being told no one wanted me tended to do lasting damage like that.
None of that was Nate’s doing. I had to stop expecting the worst, and not just because he didn’t deserve it.
But because I didn’t deserve it.
I was allowed to enjoy my happiness, too, dammit.
Grabbing my planner, pens, and stickers, I spent a couple hours in my window seat, drinking coffee and setting my schedule. I accepted new clients, jotting down ideas that came to me. I added my plans with Juno, gigglin
g to myself as I used black cat, witch hat, and broom washi tape.
She’d hate it.
But then probably love that she hated it.
After making a new cup of coffee, I sat and turned on my computer, flicking through my schedule to see where I needed to start. I worried I’d be distracted by Nate and his mysterious whereabouts, but I got pulled right in. I lost myself for hours as I obsessed over font choices and line placement.
It was a bit of normalcy during a distinctly abnormal few weeks.
I still missed Nate, but it was good to get back in the rhythm of things.
Nate
Stalking over to the door, I lifted my fist to pound, but before I could take out any of my anger, it swung open.
“Come in, Thanatos.”
Shit.
Angels.
“Michael,” I greeted, dipping my chin.
Underling angels stood motionless against the walls. The archangel was seated behind a massive desk.
Someone’s compensating for something.
His eyes narrowed, reminding me that thoughts were easily read in heaven.
I blanked my mind of everything but the subject at hand. “Why am I here?”
“Your minion told us you were back,” Michael said, leaning forward. “What happened?”
Wanting to get back to Denny, I made my recap as fast as possible.
“I was stuck in a basement for a few centuries. Not physically there, but still there.”
“Like a different plane?” Michael asked.
“Something like that.”
He gave a short whistle, and one of the mindless rule followers jumped forward. “Go where he was,” Michael ordered. “Search for his siblings.”
I stayed silent until he prompted me to continue. Even then, I gave the bare minimum and left out anything to do with Denny.
She needed to hear the truth from me, not find out after being suddenly summoned to heaven by an uptight archangel.
When I finished, Michael leaned forward. “Since you’ve been gone, things have changed.”
“So I’ve noticed.”
“It’s more than just missing souls. There’s evil walking the earth. Whispers of change and destruction have been travelling up.”
“And down,” Levi added from his spot on the couch in the corner of the room. His feet were kicked up onto the coffee table in front of him, leaving dirt and scuffs each time he repositioned them.
