by May Dawson
"That's just how Hunters are," she said. "They have to be cocky. They have to be proud of themselves for swinging those swords and making it look easy—"
"They don't need to be dicks about it," I interrupted.
"I grew up with it!" she said. "I don't care. Until you make it embarrassing."
"I'm sorry," I said. "I was just trying to help."
She finally turned to me, her amber eyes blazing with anger. "Look around, Ellis. You aren't helping. You're making everything around you worse."
She turned on her heel and strode out.
"Fine," I said, which was a terrible comeback. It didn't even make sense.
The front door slammed shut. I went to the window, curious to see if she would actually take the car and drive off like I'd suggested. Like her brothers deserved.
But Olivia climbed into the back seat and waited for them. Her one little rebellion was slamming the car door shut before she sat there in the overheated darkness of a Virginia summer night.
"Ugh," I said out loud. "Olivia, how come I'm the one who isn't pushing you around, and I'm the only one you'll tell off?"
That would have made a better comeback. Too bad it was two minutes too late.
3
After dinner, I checked in on Ash and then went up to take a shower. I felt exhausted from the day, and I was still sore and bruised from being shackled in a demon's case. I'd healed the worst of Jacob's wounds, but I had asked him not to touch mine, because I didn't want to steal away any of the energy he so desperately needed. Purple-black bruises circled my wrists and ankles.
I leaned against the shower wall, letting hot water cascade through my hair. I wished Jacob or Levi or hell, Ryker, would push aside the shower curtain and join me. But I'd told them I wanted time to myself, and damn it, they weren't mind-readers. I decided to soak to try and ease the tension in my shoulders. I plugged in the stopper and turned the water to a bath, as hot as I could stand it.
When I was soaking in the tub, there was a quick tap at the bathroom door. I jumped, losing my footing on the slick floor of the tub, and went under the water for a second. I sat up abruptly, spitting water out, and I leaned out of the tub with my eyes squeezed shut. "Yeah?"
"It's me," Levi said through the door. "Just... checking on you."
I grinned despite my sore mood. "You're just checking on me while I'm...in the bath."
"From the sound of splashing and thrashing in there, my instincts might not be wrong." His voice was low and rich and sexy.
"Come in here." I floated the washcloth to discreetly cover certain parts of me and crossed my arms to cover the rest. Then, lamely, I added, "I can barely hear you through the door."
Smooth, Ellis. Smooth.
There was a second's hesitation, and then I heard the knob turn. I waited expectantly as Levi leaned in the bathroom door, his blond hair swinging across his broad shoulders. His flannel shirt clung over his shoulders and pecs and the width of his powerful biceps, and then hung loose over his narrow waist. His dark wash jeans fit his leanly muscled thighs, hanging low on his narrow hips. He looked a little bit like a cowboy, in his current plaid flannel. Like the sexiest damn cowboy I'd ever seen.
His eyes widened slightly at the sight of me, his lips curling up as he took me in. He leaned against the bathroom counter, crossing his arms over his chest. "Your hair's all wet."
"I'm going to wash it."
"Oh, I see." He nodded. "It's not wet because you almost drowned in the tub or anything."
I started to sit up indignantly, and one bare foot slipped on the slick bottom of the tub again. I caught myself with my chin just above the edge of the water, my hands reaching out to slap the sides of the tub. I frowned as his lips arched up involuntarily, his chest heaving with suppressed laughter.
"This tub is exceptionally slick," I said. "You need some of those grippy rubber-ducky things or something."
"I'll add it to the shopping list on the fridge," he promised.
I thought of the teasing breakfast conversations that would lead to. "It's all right. I'll buy you some."
"I don't usually take baths," he said. "I wouldn't have known that bathtub was such a drowning hazard."
"You should try it. It's very relaxing."
His eyes fell on my breasts, since damn it, I'd lost all cover while trying to save myself, and then he glanced away. "I'll see if there's bubble bath."
"That was my one complaint. No bubble bath."
Actually, my one complaint had been a lack of handsome company, but now that Levi was in the bathroom with me, I had no idea how to get him into the tub. I just felt lonely and tired, and I wanted the comfort of his body. I knew if I could tell Levi that, he would happily oblige me—Levi seemed like he would do almost anything for me—but I felt silly.
He rifled through the linen closet to one side of the sink. I watched the way his body moved, the way his jeans fit his muscular ass. I let my head fall back on the side of the tub, trying to look relaxed, when my heart was racing.
I wanted to play it cool around Levi right now, but I was distinctly lacking in the play-it-cool department.
Levi knelt next to the tub and turned the water back on. The rush of hot water filled my ears as he poured bubble bath into the tub. Fluffy white bubbles began to build up around my toes. Toe-bubbles didn't do much for my modesty, though.
He began to turn up the sleeves of his shirt, revealing muscular forearms.
"Thank you," I said primly. Even though I knew I hardly looked prim now.
He nodded and leaned forward, putting his hand in the tub. My breath caught in my throat. His fingers brushed over my calves, but all he was doing was pushing the bubbles up to the top of the tub. I scooped some bubbles up to cover my breasts.
He grinned slightly. "It doesn't make you less distracting. I know they're there."
"You're very gallant."
He was making a truly valiant effort not to stare, even though I had felt the appreciation in his dark blue eyes when they briefly swept over my body.
"I try to be a gentleman."
"Don't be too much of one." As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I bit down on my lip. Saucy, Ellis. A step too fucking far, probably.
He grinned. "Do you want me to wash your hair?"
Desperately. I nodded.
He turned his sleeves up one more turn, up over his elbows. God, he was so sexy.
"I wouldn't want you to drown trying," he said matter-of-factly, squirting citrus-scented shampoo from the bottle into his palm.
Sexy. And still an Alexander brother. So kind of a jackass.
He ran his fingers through my hair, running slick shampoo over all the strands. His gentle tugs at my scalp traveled straight down my spine. I shivered with desire as his fingers began to massage my scalp.
"Lean forward," he said, resting his hand on the back of my naked neck. "I need to rinse your hair out."
His fingers swept down my spine, sending tingles through my body, as I sat forward. Then warm water ran through my hair, followed by his gentle fingers stroking over my scalp.
"I just soaked the bathmat," he said. "It's hard from this angle."
I crooked an eye at the bathmat, which looked awfully dry. "Maybe you should get in the tub."
"It would be the most practical thing." He stood, unbuttoning his shirt slowly.
I stared at him. Forget play-it-cool. I didn't want to miss this.
He wore a t-shirt under his button-down, and I sighed out loud with disappointment.
He grinned, pulling his t-shirt slowly over his head, exposing the narrow hips that I longed to hook my fingers around and pull toward me. His hard-muscled abs gave way to broad pecs. He slung his t-shirt onto the floor. I was desperate to get this man into the tub with me, but I didn't want to leave the warmth of the water, so I watched as he undid his belt, unbuttoned his jeans, and stepped out of his jeans and boxers. His cock rose, long and hard, bobbing in front of his rock-hard abs.
; "You are distracted," I noted.
He shook his head, before stepping into the tub behind me, and I scooted forward so there was space for him. "I'm one hundred percent focused. On the only thing that matters."
"Oh yeah?" I leaned back into his arms, my head pillowed on his hard shoulder, as he wrapped his arms around me. "What's that? Hunting demons?"
"You," he said simply. He swept my wet hair up on top of my head, making it into a messy bun, and pressed a kiss to the side of my throat.
My head fell to one side, welcoming his lips as they traced their way down my neck and shoulder. "I still have to condition my hair."
"My brothers would point out that I know all about maintaining girl-hair," he said.
"I like your hair." I looked back at him, reaching out to run my fingers through his long blond strands. "Ignore the haters."
One of his arms slid around my waist, his hand resting possessively on my lower abs. I shivered again with longing for him, wishing his fingers would slide lower.
Instead, he reached up and caught my wrist in his, as if he'd just noticed the bruises. He drew my wrist in front of his eyes. I felt his troubled gaze and twisted to meet his eyes. His big jaw worked once, as if he were furious someone had hurt me, but his dark-lashed blue eyes were tender.
"Let me heal you," he said.
"I don't want to take too much of your energy."
"You can always have anything I have to give." He pressed a kiss to my bruises, which sent the faintest tingle of pleasure-pain down to my core. "You don't have to stay hurting, sweet girl. That's why you have us."
"I know," I said. But it rang hollow, even in my ears, when I was fighting with Ryker because we couldn't find a way to work together. But I shook those thoughts away. Right now, all I wanted was to lose myself in him.
He shifted, holding my waist against his with that hard-muscled arm. I could feel his cock press against my ass for a second, sending another urgent thrum of desire through my body. He pushed me gently away. I rolled over to lean against the opposite side of the tub.
Levi leaned over me, taking my wrists in his. His thumbs stroked over the tender bruises and sent warmth and lust coursing through my body.
His chiseled waist leaned between my parted thighs, his powerful arms braced on either side of the tub so that his body hovered above mine without touching me.
His lips met mine. His kiss was sure, nothing tentative about it, and I kissed him back hard. My breasts arched against his pecs in desire.
He took my wrists in one hand and held them pinned above my head on the cool edge of the bathtub. He kissed my naked chest, the side of my breast, the edge of my nipple. My legs tightened around him, holding him there against my body.
His lips against my breast made me long for him to take my nipple into his mouth, but he kissed his way back up my breasts. I felt his mouth on my throat, kissing me, drawing my skin into his mouth. His breath against my damp skin made me writhe against his touch, wanting him desperately. I grinned at the combined tingle of pleasure and pain as his mouth worked against my throat.
"Levi Alexander," I said. "Are you giving me a hickey?"
He nipped my neck playfully, and then sat back slightly, examining his handiwork with a self-satisfied expression. "Mine."
"And now everyone will know it." I shook my head at him, mock-disapprovingly, and tried to pull my hands away to feel the faint bruise. But he was still holding my wrists above my head. I let my head fall back, my hair skimming the bubbles, to look pointedly at my pinioned hands. "You take away one set of bruises to add more? Doesn't seem very practical."
"Some bruises are better than others," he said.
His shoulder was near mine, thick with muscle and faintly freckled and entirely delicious-looking. I kissed his shoulder before I nipped him teasingly, my teeth scraping over his tanned skin.
He ran the fingers of his free hand over my waist, then between my thighs. I gasped, letting go of his shoulder. I could feel his grin as he turned his face into my neck, kissing me gently again, as his fingers delved between my thighs. His thumb slid over my core, and then settled against my clit, moving in sure, firm circles. My back arched, pushing my breasts against him.
His hand moved rhythmically, bringing me to the verge of orgasm, a building pressure for him. I needed all of him. I rocked my hips up, searching for more. But he was merciless, continuing his mission as my body flushed hot. The bath was suddenly far too steamy-hot. My muscles tightened around him, my back arching, my muscles all tightening as my pleasure grew so strong it bordered unbearable. My toes curled against the slick bottom of the tub. Then his thumb brushed over my clit one final time. I shattered, gasping, my body trembling under his touch.
His hand withdrew, and he kissed me tenderly, his lips on the corner of my mouth as I breathed heavily, trying to catch my breath, my chest fluttering under his.
"Don't you want...?" I asked when I could breathe.
"Of course I do." He kissed my cheek, his touch tender. "But I also want to give you what you want. What you need. Not everything needs to be a swap, Ellis. That's not how it works when people love each other."
I fell back against the edge of the tub, raising an eyebrow at this boy who still held my wrists possessively in one hand. This was a new side of Levi, this gently dominant man who held me down as he pleasured me.
"Did you really just give me a mind-blowing orgasm and a life-lesson all rolled into one?" I asked tartly.
"Well, if you have to deliver a sermon, I guess." He pressed his lips to my shoulder again, then sat back, finally releasing my hands. I sat up, feeling cool with the expanse of air between us.
"You should be a preacher," I said fervently.
He grinned in surprise. I moved toward him, straddling his hips, pushing the bubbles out of my way.
"I have a message, too," I said, taking his cock in my hand.
4
In the end, I couldn't stand the idea of sleeping and leaving my sister unguarded down on the first floor. I'd lost her for so long already. There were still people out there who would tear her away to force me into serving them.
I took Ash's thin hand in mine, examining her pale arms. It still seemed strange to me that my sister's arms were muscular and tattooed in the Far; she looked every bit the Hunter there. But here, there was no mark of who she had become in spirit. Her arms were slender, without muscle or much fat at all; she had wasted away in the Company's care, kept alive but a shell.
A shell. I wanted to believe she was a shell waiting for her spirit to return.
The door creaked open, and Jacob hesitated in the doorway. "Zane's going to stay the night to monitor her."
"Okay." I felt weird having Zane help us, help me in such an intimate way, but I also needed someone to help Ash. I would have to live with the weird.
Jacob carried in the pajamas I'd picked up during my shopping trip with Levi and hadn't even managed to wear yet. I quirked an eyebrow at him. "Why do you have my PJs?"
"For one thing," he said, shaking out the purple-striped sleep pants, "These aren't nearly cute enough for you to wear to bed."
"They’re adorable. Look, they say I make my own magic. They’re perfect for me."
"Magic's been around since the dawn of time," he said. "It's not something Ellis Landon discovered on her own."
"You're doing that flat-angel-fortune-cookie thing."
"If you must wear clothes to bed, I was thinking something less substantial and more lacy. Anyway, Nash was dragging Olivia out the door, and she told me that she was supposed to help you with something. So I said I would."
Had Olivia told a crowd that I wanted my sister dressed in something beside a hospital gown? Or had she tugged Jacob's wrist so he would bend forward, his lips close to her neck, so she could whisper in his ear?
Either way, I felt a spark of irritation.
"Do you mind if I help?" Jacob asked.
"No, of course not," I said. "I don't know how to do this.
"
"We can unscrew her IV from the hep-lock," Jacob told me.
"How do you know this?"
"I do a lot of first-aiding for those idiot brothers of mine," he said. "Wouldn't be the first IV I've connected. Part of our life."
He helped me ease Ash up so I could untie the strings to her hospital gown. He knelt on the bed beside her, his movements slow and gentle, unlike his usual brusque nature.
"I don't know what to make of your friends," I said.
"They're not really my friends," he said. He half-shrugged. "I haven't known them very long. I've been focused on getting to know Ryker and Levi. They're a close-knit group and it's..."
"Overwhelming?" I suggested, thinking of the banter and ruckus of dinner.
"Annoying, I was going to say. But maybe yeah, overwhelming, too."
I tugged her shirt down in back to cover her knobby spine. He settled her gently into the pillows. Without discussing it, we moved to the foot of the bed together, each taking a leg to ease her pants over her narrow ankles. I would never have expected him to take on this humble task without comment. I bit down on my lip. I wanted to say thank you, but I knew he wouldn't want my gratitude.
"I didn't think you'd want to discuss the demon's case over brats and Michelob."
The tiniest hint of a smile played around his lips. "How insightful of you, Princess."
"At dinner," I clarified, since I wanted to know how he was doing now that we were loose.
With Ash dressed, I pulled the quilt back over her legs, tucking her in. She looked more like herself now, dressed in normal clothes, even though her cheekbones still stood out sharply. I brushed her hair back from her face with my hand, trying to make sure she was comfortable, and stepped back.
"Ever," he said firmly.
I pulled a face. I intended to ignore that edict as soon as he issued it. "How are you doing?"
"Good. I thought the chicken was a little dry, but I'm still in a good mood."
"You know what I mean."
"And you know exactly what I mean, Ellis."
I pursed my lips at him.
