The Dark Paradise Trilogy Box Set

by Heather C. Myers

  “Stop it,” she said between gritted teeth as he managed to catch her arm once again. He pulled her back so hard that the back of her head smacked the brick wall. She could swear he called out to somebody, but she couldn’t be sure.

  Though she wasn’t knocked out, pain shot throughout her body. Her vision had blurred a bit, but she knew if she wanted to get out of this, she would have to focus. After curling her fingers into a tight fist, and punched him in the face with as much force as she possibly could.

  “Not the face!” he exclaimed, grabbing his cheek. “You bitch! Not the fucking face!” He lunged at her, his long fingers coiling tightly around her throat.

  Andie managed to breathe in sharply before his fingers closed around her. She still struggled, but she felt her body weaken against his strength, and before she could help herself, she felt herself slowly black out.

  23

  Reese had just finished zipping up her jumpsuit when her cell phone rang. She strode across the small bedroom and over to the nightstand, glancing at the number before deciding to answer. Her brow furrowed; it was a number she didn’t recognize, but one from the city.

  “Hello?”

  “Hello, Miss Reese Lespoir?” came the other, somewhat familiar voice on the line.

  Reese still had her guard up. “May I ask who’s calling?” she said as politely as she could.

  “Oh yes, I’m sorry,” the voice said, warm and friendly. Reese didn’t want to admit it, but she felt her shoulders slowly start to relax. “My name is Beverly Phillip. I’m Jack’s aunt.”

  “Oh yes, of course!” Reese said, feeling her shoulders ease out of their death-like grip on her. It was only Jack’s aunt.

  No wonder her voice sounded familiar. Reese had only met Beverly at one of Jack’s parties around the first time Reese woke up from her coma. She was beautiful, regardless of her older age, and captivated people simply by walking into a room. She had this uncanny ability to make people feel special, as if they were the only people in the room. Not much was known about Jack’s aunt Beverly except that she lived with him and served as a sort of housekeeper for him. Which was odd, since she came from the same wealth that he did. One wouldn’t expect a glamorous woman like Beverly Phillip to cook and clean and answer the door. Yet, she did it, and as far as Reese was concerned, didn’t seem like the type to complain about it.

  Although, the more Reese thought about it, the more she wondered how Andie took Beverly’s presence at the mansion. Did Andie mind? Or was Jack just being a mama’s boy, but without his actual mom? If a woman cooked, cleaned, and did practically everything for him, and she was biologically related to him, was that different than if Jack had his own maid? Reese didn’t know, but it was something she definitely intended to talk to Andie about the next time she saw her friend. Reese, herself, couldn’t stand mama’s boys, and she wondered if Andie felt the same way – if Jack even counted as a mama’s boy in the first place.

  “How can I help you?” Reese continued, her eyes going to her appearance in the mirror. All she needed to do was put on her mask, some makeup, and her shoes, and she’d be good to go. She especially wanted to highlight her lips since they were the only feature of hers that was actually visible. It would be especially wicked if the media picked up her presence as another one of Onyx’s vigilantes and gave her a cool nickname, like Lipstick or something relating to her hair color or something along those lines.

  “I just wanted to call and let you know that Jack is still out,” Beverly informed her. “I know you guys were planning on meeting tonight. I’m afraid he will be late, if he’s out at all. Once I know something more definitive, I’d be happy to call you and let you know.”

  “Oh.” Reese hoped her voice didn’t sound flat. “Is he okay?”

  “Oh yes, he’s perfectly fine.” Was it Reese’s imagination, or did it sound as though Jack’s aunt was annoyed with him, if only a little. “I guess he had a business meeting that’s running late or lost track of the time. He tends to do that every now and then. I highly doubt he thought to call you, even though he is more than aware that you meet every night at the same time. And if you can do it, and you still wake up early for high school, certainly he can do it too.” Reese imagined the woman shaking her head. “How do you keep up with everything, dear?”

  “I nap,” Reese said, which was the truth. She lived off of five hours of sleep at night, and after coming home from school, managed to squeeze in another two–three, if she was lucky. Ollo would order a healthy dinner from Bacchus as she did any homework and studying she needed to do, and then she would let her stomach settle before getting ready for the night. It was difficult and demanding, but she found she enjoyed it.

  “There’s a smart girl,” Beverly said, and Reese could tell the older woman was smiling. “Like I said, if I hear from him, I’ll be sure to give you a call. Do you still intend to go out there tonight?”

  Reese looked down at her outfit. “Yeah, I need the experience,” she said. “Plus, I’m already dressed for it. I wouldn’t want to waste my makeup.”

  “All right. You make sure you’re careful. If you need anything, anything at all, don’t hesitate to call me, you hear?”

  Reese felt a warm feeling spread through her body. “Thank you, Ms. Phillip, I really appreciate that.”

  “Please, call me Beverly, or Eve, if you like. Call me when you’re home so I know you’re safe, all right? Stay safe.”

  When Reese hung up, she finished getting ready. She didn’t tell Ollo that Jack wasn’t going to be there tonight. She didn’t want to worry him even more. Was that considered a lie? Or just an omission? Or was it both? Was one worse than the other? She shook her head. Regardless of how bad it was, she had made her choice and she needed to focus on the night before her. She couldn’t be distracted, especially not after what happened the other night. It still hurt to breathe every now and then.

  Before she left, she kissed Ollo goodbye–a chaste kiss on the lips that lingered a moment too long but one she felt him return–and promised she’d be back soon. He had taken to sleeping with her every night, as though he needed to feel her by his side to reassure himself that she was all right, that maybe she was banged up and bruised but she was still able to come home to him. It reassured her just the same, and she always fell asleep quickly and deeply when she felt him next to her. His steady breathing reminded her that she was alive, that she was safe, and that she could let her guard down and just relax. There were times when he was up waiting for her, others where he slept through her return, snoring as he did so. Either way, he always seemed to know that she was there with him because he molded his body against hers, as though he planned to never let her go.

  And she hoped he didn’t.

  He was the reason Reese fought so hard to get home. He was what she looked forward to after coming home every night. It was probably the same feeling Jack had for Andie.

  Speaking of which, what was Jack’s deal tonight? Certainly he knew he was supposed to meet up with her tonight. What could keep him? Was Andie all right? Reese was almost positive Beverly would have let her know if something had happened to Andie. If Beverly knew who Reese was, she knew Andie was Reese’s best friend and would have said something. And, considering Beverly sounded annoyed when talking about her nephew’s flightiness, it had to be something solely about Jack. It probably was a business meeting, but… Reese glanced at the clock in her car. It seemed rather late for a business meeting. Granted, she wasn’t familiar with proper protocol concerning professionalism and business, but she knew that eleven o’clock was teetering on the edge between business and pleasure.

  She hoped he didn’t do anything stupid. Andie was the best thing that had happened to him. Surely he was smart enough to know that.

  Reese slid her car into its usual parking spot and headed onto the streets of Onyx. Originally, she had been worried someone would notice her pulling into the structure every night around this time, and if there were security cameras
in the structure, they would see her emerge from the car. They’d be able to trace the license plate back to her and her dream of being Lipstick would be over before it even began. But Jack insisted there were no security cameras set up in that structure; he had checked it out personally when he first started his night watch in Onyx years ago. As such, Reese felt secure in leaving her car here, but always made sure no one was around to see her leave and come back to it.

  Once her bow and arrows were securely strapped to her back, she felt even more confident, and she walked into the Onyx night with her head held high. Her heart hammered in her chest at the prospect of doing this by herself. After what happened last time, she wanted to make sure she wasn’t in a vulnerable position because this time, no one would be able to save her. She could die if she wasn’t smart.

  The night was warm but not humid, and Reese found she was starting to get more fluid with her movements. She managed to stop three muggings in the span of a couple of hours, and she was fast enough to elude bitter criminals who wanted their revenge. She realized she was starting to get a reputation among the thugs of Onyx because they didn’t seem as surprised when she made her appearance. If anything, they focused all of their hostility and anger on her, as though she was the reason they had failed.

  At around one o’clock in the morning, Reese was feeling pretty good about herself. She was slightly out of breath and would definitely invest in some kind of water bottle, but she was actually happy. She was succeeding. It made her feel good. It made her feel as though her purpose in life wasn’t as ominous and impossible as it initially seemed. She could do this. She could be a Seer.

  “Well, well, well, if it isn’t Reese Lespoir.”

  Reese immediately spun on her heel while simultaneously grabbing her bow and arrow and locking the weapon into place. Her eyes narrowed when she saw Gabriel Burr, standing at the entranceway of an ally, his head cocked to the side and an arrogant smirk on his face. He looked as sinfully handsome as ever, with his slicked-back blond hair and crystal clear blue eyes. He was tall, with broad shoulders, dressed in a nice suit. If he wasn’t at the entrance of a dingy alleyway, Reese was almost positive he’d lean against the wall, looking down at the people who passed him by, exuding the arrogance he was known for.

  He chuckled at the sight of her with a bow and arrow, but put his hands up in front of his chest as though he was shielding himself. “I didn’t mean to offend you,” he said through laughter. He didn’t take her seriously, she realized, and her grip on the weapon only tightened. “I guess I shouldn’t sneak up on pretty girls at night, huh?”

  Reese rolled her eyes but didn’t move a muscle. “What are you doing here, Gabriel?” She glanced at her surroundings, trying to place where she was. “Wait, is this the back of Dorsia’s? Did you just eat dinner?” She looked out in front of Gabriel and found a car parked at the curb. It was a sleek, black Jaguar with the back passenger door open and… was that a bag hanging out the front door?

  Reese took a step towards the car but Gabriel immediately blocked her path. His eyes flashed dangerously, and he lost the playful arrogant air that had occupied his presence mere seconds ago. “I can smell him on you, you know,” he said in a low voice. He took another step towards her, towering over her with his broad frame. He was at least a foot taller than she was, even though they were the same age, and clearly, he was stronger than she could ever hope to be. If she wasn’t smart, he could crush her. And, since this was the back lot–a street that really had no traffic because many backs of restaurants occupied them–he would have no problem doing so. “Everyone knows you’re not pure anymore.”

  “What I do with my body is my choice,” Reese said in a voice that was much more confident than she felt. She needed to get to that bag. She needed to see what was in it. It definitely helped that she never liked Gabriel anyway, so she wasn’t intimidated by him.

  “Au contraire, my pretty little blonde,” he said, and his smirk was back in its proper place on his chiseled face. “You aren’t like everyone else. Your sexuality is a huge topic up for discussion. Do you want to know why? You could potentially decide who wins this war with your visions.” He shook his head, a disappointed sigh slipping out of his nose. “I would have taken you to places you’ve never even dreamed of, girlie.”

  “Are you here by yourself?” Reese asked, deciding to change tactics. “Surely your date wouldn’t be too happy with you flirting with me.”

  “Flirting?” Gabriel scoffed. “You’re nothing to me now. Dirty. I wouldn’t touch you with a ten foot pole.” He spat to the side for good measure. “I was called to a business meeting that just wrapped up. I’m waiting for my driver to get out from the restroom. My father left a few moments ago.”

  He was lying. There was no way Gabriel would ever wait on anyone, let alone a driver. He was here by himself. Reese kept her body tight, still holding onto her weapon, pointed at Gabriel’s heart. Not like he had one. She quickly looked at her surroundings, taking in any random passersby, any restaurant staff trying to catch a smoke break. Besides some foot traffic way down the block, they were alone. Which was a good thing. Judging by the way Gabriel’s eyes lit up as he, too, looked around, he felt the same way.

  The moment he lunged for her, Reese stepped out of the way. She nearly lost her balance at the speed of the movement, but managed to hold her ground. Gabriel spun around fast. Luckily, Reese already had her weapons in position. When he lunged again, she aimed her arrow at his thigh and released it without hesitation. Gabriel immediately dropped onto the pavement, letting out a wail of pain before a string of obscenities. Reese didn’t think twice. She lowered her bow and dashed off to the car in order to check out the bag. She hoped her instincts were correct and something significant was in there or else she’d be in a shitload of trouble. One didn’t shoot the district attorney’s son in the thigh without some sort of consequences.

  Her hands pulled the bag down, and for a moment, Reese was paralyzed with shock. There was Andie, dressed beautifully, unconscious. Reese made sure she was breathing and then whipped out her cell phone. She didn’t care what meeting Jack was in, he needed to be here, and he needed to be here now. She would hold off Gabriel until he arrived, and while she waited for him to arrive, she would try and figure out what Andie was doing here with Gabriel, and why Gabriel would want to hurt her.

  24

  Once Seph returned her to her room, Keirah took the time to explore the walk-in closet. Her clothes were pinching her skin, and she had wanted to get out of these shoes since she first arrived in Purgatory. She slid out of them, her feet taking a shock of cold from the pavement, and padded over to the wardrobe. Upon opening the doors, she found multiple outfits for every occasion, and somehow, they were all her size. She wondered if the room was magically programmed to change upon each new occupant.

  Upon her search, she managed to find a nightgown that clung to her body. It was silky and pink–more feminine than she liked, but she wouldn’t complain–and felt cool on her body. Once she had changed she slid into the bed, the sheets were cool and she decided to kick the quilt off the bed completely and closed her eyes. She didn’t know how it happened, but she fell asleep almost instantly.

  A soft moan escaped from her parted lips as she felt something press against the folds of her mound. Was it her finger? She didn’t remember having a dream where she would touch herself in her dream, but she hadn’t had sex in months, and it didn’t feel the same without Noir inflicting his torture on her body. Her sexual frustration was at an all-time high, so she kept her eyes closed to ensure the prolonging of this feeling, in case it was just a dream. She needed some sort of release, and if this was how she got it–somewhere safe in her bed through her subconscious–then, all the better.

  She opened her knees in order to spread her legs even further, and suddenly, something crawled into her; what felt like a long finger. She gasped, but still refused to open her eyes.

  God, yes.

  The lickin
g on her folds–because she recognized the pressure derived from a tongue–started to persist at a much faster rate, and she moaned again, this time louder. Immediately, she reached out and grabbed one of the many pillows that had littered the head of the bed and pressed it against her face. She didn’t want to be too loud; Keirah didn’t know if she had neighbors or if the walls were as thick as they appeared.

  “No, no, no,” a voice rumbled from below, sending pleasurable vibrations against her mound. “That won’t do at all. I uh I want to hear you purr, kitten.”

  Noir.

  But no, it couldn’t be.

  “Are you a dream?” Keirah asked, breathless, after she removed the pillow from her face. She still refused to open her eyes, refused to wake up. She hadn’t even dreamt of Noir in the months that he’d been gone. It was like she had lost all of him, any piece of him she might have still been able to hold onto. She didn’t want this Noir to disappear as well, especially when he sounded so close, so real.

  “It would, uh, seem that way, wouldn’t it?” He began licking her again, this time the way a cat might lick its paw; concise and firm, with a clear purpose in mind. “What do you think?”

  “I don’t care,” she gasped out, her insides tensing as he began to curl his finger in a come-hither motion.