Evans, Gabrielle - The Hunger [Fatefully Yours 7] (Siren Publishing LoveXtreme Forever ManLove)

by Gabrielle Evans

  “You swear too much,” Echo chided as he walked into the room with Onyx close on his heels.

  Myst eyed them both carefully, but couldn’t find anything amiss. Sighing in relief, he turned his head up to meet Echo’s lips when his mate bent to kiss him. “I’m fine,” Echo whispered. “You worry too much, love.” He rubbed their noses together before continuing around the table to greet each of the warriors. He went to Fiero last and tapped the end of the demon’s nose with his index finger. “Don’t curse so much. It makes you sound like a douche bag.”

  “Newsflash,” Fiero said with a smirk. “I am a douche bag.”

  “Mmm”—Echo purred—“but such a handsome one.”

  Myst snorted and rolled his eyes. “Don’t encourage him.” He glanced over at Onyx, finding the man leaning against the kitchen doorway and grinning like a fool. Did he look like such a lovesick idiot when he looked at Echo? Probably.

  Echo huffed when he couldn’t find an available chair and settled into Eyce’s lap. Eyce looked like he’d won the lottery, grinning cockily at them all. Myst rolled his eyes again. Some warriors they were. They might as well be baking cupcakes and singing to the woodland creatures when Echo came around.

  Somehow, he couldn’t find it in himself to care, though.

  “Are Jinx and Syn okay?” Echo asked. He held up his hand when Craze turned an angry stare on him. “I’m not asking where you’ve been, or why you felt the need to skip out in the middle of the night. I just want to know if my friends are okay.”

  Craze deflated instantly. He slumped in his chair and rubbed both hands over his face. “I didn’t tell anyone because there wasn’t time. I woke up in the middle of the night and my mates were gone. I went after them, as any one of you would do.”

  Myst nodded his agreement. If he’d awoken to find Echo missing, he’d have destroyed everything in his path to find the man. “Did you find them?”

  “Yes,” Craze said through gritted teeth. “They’ve gotten it in their heads that everyone hates them because they bit Echo. I tried to talk some sense into them, but they think they need to make amends.”

  “So, where are they? Why did you come back without them?”

  “Staying with them would only put them in more danger.” All heat had left Craze’s voice, and he just sounded like a scared little boy.

  Myst had never heard that particular tone from Craze before, and it made his chest tighten. “Where are they?”

  “I guess you know that Jet and Pax are with Lorcan?”

  Everyone nodded.

  “Jinx and Syn went with them. By the time I’d caught up to them, the coyotes had already let it slip about the freakin’ bloodsuckers that are causing mayhem in town.”

  Myst snapped his attention to Echo, waiting for the little brat to admonish Craze for calling the vampires bloodsuckers. Echo smirked and shook his head. “It’s okay to call bad vampires that, just not my friends.”

  “Stupid double standards,” Myst mumbled under his breath.

  “What do the new vamps have to do with your mates?” Eyce asked.

  “Jinx and Syn have watched one too many spy movies.” Craze growled for a minute before he shook his head and continued. “They’re going to infiltrate the enemy’s camp and gather information for us. Their words, not mine.”

  “And you just let them?” Echo’s eyes widened in shock. “Are you nuts?”

  “I didn’t track them down until just before sunrise this morning. They’d already met with the leader about joining the coven.”

  “So?” Echo tilted his head to the side.

  Syx sighed and reached over to squeeze Echo’s thigh. “When vampires are initiated into a coven, they exchange blood with the coven leader. Once ingested, the leader will always be able to feel them, know where they are at all times.”

  “What if they want to leave and join a different coven?”

  Syx shook his head. “There is no exit clause. Unless the coven leader dies, his underlings will always be connected to him.”

  “So, a coven will have the same leader forever unless he dies?”

  “Yes.” Eyce took up the explanation. “A member of the coven, or even an outsider, can challenge the leader for the right to rule. The fight is to the death.”

  Echo’s mouth dropped open, and he looked back at Craze. “Go get them!”

  “Baby, he can’t. None of us can.” Eyce caressed Echo’s back. “We haven’t figured it out yet, but there’s a reason these vampires are here now, and it’s not a good one. If Jinx and Syn have already been accepted into the coven, then we’ll only put them in danger by going after them.”

  “You are demon fucking warriors!”

  “You curse too much.” Fiero lifted both eyebrows and held his hands up in surrender when Echo growled at him. “Never mind.”

  “We can keep them safe,” Echo said firmly. “They need to come home.”

  “The coven will kill them before we could even reach them,” Craze said sadly. “Apart from being able to know where his members are, a coven leader can also feel their emotions and read their thoughts.”

  “So, we don’t tell them. We just go in, snatch them, and get the hell out.”

  “Maybe they can get some information,” Hex said slowly.

  Myst thought Echo was going to come over the table after the alpha. He probably would have if Eyce’s arm hadn’t wound around his chest to hold him in place. “You are not serious! If you won’t help me, I’ll go myself. Whether they mean anything to you or not, they’re my friends. I’m not just going to leave them!”

  Echo cast pleading eyes around the table, looking at Craze last. “Please. They’re your mates. Even if you don’t love them, you have to feel something for them. Help me.”

  Craze looked away, unable or unwilling to meet the plea in Echo’s eyes. Myst looked down at the table as well. While he wanted take the sadness from his mate’s face, there wasn’t much they could do without risking the little bloodsuckers’ lives.

  “I want them back,” Craze said quietly. “We need a fail-proof plan before we go in, though. I won’t have them hurt because we fuck this up.”

  “Okay, everyone calm down.” Hex groaned and massaged his temples with his fingertips. “They’re not in danger right now as long as we keep our distance. I hope,” he added under his breath, and Myst thought he might have been the only one to hear it. “Let’s focus on finding Gage and Sony. Then we’ll figure out how to get Craze’s mates out of the mess they got themselves into.”

  “There are ten of us at this table,” Echo said indignantly. “I don’t see why we can’t do both.”

  Myst loved the little shit, but sometimes he just wanted to strangle him. Instead of starting another argument, he rose from his seat and stretched his arms over his head. “It’s late. Everyone is tired. Let’s get some sleep, and we’ll figure this out in the morning.”

  Hex shot him a grateful look. “That sounds like a good idea. We’ll be able to think better after we’ve all had some sleep.”

  Echo wasn’t appeased, though. He threw his hands in the air and jumped up from Eyce’s lap. “Whatever,” he growled. “I can’t believe you guys.” He pointed a finger in Craze’s face. “Especially you! I’m going to bed.” Then he stomped out of the kitchen, grumbling under his breath the entire way. “Alone!” he shouted once he’d disappeared into the living room.

  “Do you think he meant that?” Myst looked around the table for confirmation. Why the hell was Echo so pissed off anyway?

  “I don’t know,” Fiero answered, pushing to his feet and stretching as well. “I’m not going to his room, though. I like my balls right where they are.”

  Myst reached down to cover his groin and dipped his head. “Good point.”

  * * * *

  Echo paced his room. He sat down on the bed. He paced some more. Finally, he wandered into the bathroom and showered. Then he returned to his room to pace again.

  He was pissed, but more to the
point, he was disappointed. When he’d gone missing, everyone in the house had come together to search for him. It didn’t matter that he wasn’t mated to Gage, or Craze, or any of the rest. They’d dropped everything and torn the forest apart to find him. Now that Jinx and Syn needed their help, everyone hesitated.

  A soft knock on his door froze him mid-step, and he growled. “I meant what I said. I am sleeping alone!”

  “Echo?” Mac’s quiet voice drifted through the heavy wood, and Echo rushed over to unlock the door.

  “Sorry. I thought you were one of the guys.”

  Mac waved away his apology. “I understand. I don’t want to bother you, but well…I can’t sleep by myself.” He looked down at the floor, and his face flushed to the tips of his ears. “I’m really worried about them, Echo.”

  Echo rested his hand on Mac’s shoulder and sighed. “I know. I am, too. You still can’t reach Gage?”

  “I found his cell phone under the bed,” Mac whispered. “I don’t think they’re coming back.”

  “Stop it.” Echo squeezed his friend’s shoulder. “You know they’re coming back. Mac, that letter that Gage left for you, did he specifically say that Sony was with him?” Echo didn’t want to worry Mac any more than he already was, but he needed to know.

  “No,” Mac answered slowly. His eyebrows drew together and his lips pursed. “He just said that he would be back and not to tell anyone. Why, do you think Sony is in trouble?”

  Mac was way more perceptive than anyone gave him credit for, including Echo. “I think it’s possible. If something happened to Sony, I can see Gage going after him. He’d want you to be safe, though.” He wasn’t just trying to blow smoke up the guy’s ass, either. Something told him that was exactly what had happened.

  “Do you think Sony left by himself?”

  “I can’t answer that. I think Gage did what he thought he needed to do in order to protect you both. They’re coming back to you, Mac. Just have a little faith in your mates.”

  “Yeah, I guess you’re right. Do you think Jinx and Syn are going to be okay?”

  “I intend to make sure of it.” Echo shoved his fingers through his long hair and growled. “I don’t know why Craze didn’t just drag them back here. We’re strong. So what if they have some weird bond with this psycho coven leader? We can protect them.”

  “What if they can find out something useful? I know you’re mad at Hex, but he’s just thinking like a leader. Now, Craze, I don’t get that guy at all. He gives me the creeps.” Mac gave an exaggerated shudder.

  “I don’t like Craze very much, but that’s just plain old jealousy. Maybe I’m missing something, or just not getting it, but I don’t know why he left his mates if they’re in so much danger. You’d think he would have at least stuck around close enough to keep an eye on them in case there’s trouble.”

  “If Jinx and Syn had already been accepted into this coven…” Mac trailed off, and his thumb went to his mouth where he began chewing on the nail.

  “Go on.” Echo definitely wanted to hear where this was going.

  “How did he talk to them? They said we couldn’t get near them without the leader knowing. So, how did Craze get to them?”

  “I don’t know.” Echo grabbed Mac’s wrist and dragged him to the door. “We’re going to talk to Hex.”

  Chapter Six

  “You have been deceived, Warrior.”

  Onyx looked out over the grassy field and smiled. So this was what Elysium looked like. He wouldn’t mind spending eternity in the place. The warm sun, the distant roar of waves crashing against the shore, the gentle breeze that brought the intoxicating scents of endless spring—he wanted it all.

  “There seems to be a lot of that going around,” he finally said. The Oracle no longer hid behind her long blond hair or willowy white gown. The goddess, Athena, stood before him, dressed for battle. “You have done quite a bit of deceiving yourself.”

  “I did what I could to help you. Would you have trusted me as I am now, knowing who I am, who my brother is?”

  “Probably not,” Onyx conceded. “So, why am I here?”

  “I will not abandon you just because you now know my identity. I cannot give you all the answers, but I can guide you.”

  “So, who’s lying?”

  “Everyone.”

  “That’s not really helpful. Can you be more specific?”

  “Everything you have learned this past night has been lies. Ares seeks to destroy your army.”

  Onyx didn’t know what to say for a minute. He hadn’t really expected a more forthright answer. “So, the shifters aren’t with Lorcan? Jinx and Syn have not joined forces with the evil vampire clan? Craze is a lying bastard?”

  “The last is merely a fact. Not a lie.” The goddess smirked at him.

  “Why would Lorcan lie to us?”

  “You ask the wrong questions, Warrior. Find the right questions, and the answers will be clear.” Then she simply vanished.

  What the fuck was that supposed to mean? Gods on Olympus, Athena, the Oracle, whoever she was, had to be the most infuriatingly unhelpful person who’d ever existed.

  It was time to pay a visit to Syx’s question board.

  Onyx peered up at the stunning blue sky and sighed. Why couldn’t things ever be easy?

  * * * *

  Loud pounding on the door jerked Onyx out of his fitful sleep. “Get your ass up,” Fiero called. “Craze is gone.”

  Swinging his feet over the side of the bed, Onyx sat up and rubbed his stinging eyes. Blinking at the alarm clock, he realized he’d been asleep for no more than an hour. He was exhausted, confused, and downright irritable. “Coming,” he called back grudgingly.

  His eyes felt gritty, his brain disoriented, and he really didn’t want to deal with this shit. Pushing off the mattress with a grunt, he grabbed a pair of sleep pants from his dresser and donned them quickly. With any luck, he’d find out what was going on and get his ass back in bed pronto.

  Fiero stood just outside his door, his face red, and his lips pressed together in a thin line. “Craze has pissed me off for the last time. When I find him, I’m going to beat that asshole until he bleeds out on the carpet.”

  Just at the moment, Onyx agreed wholeheartedly. Still, maybe he should find out what was going on before he started beating people into submission. “What happened?”

  “The fuck if I know. Echo and Mac come running into Hex’s room, spouting off questions about how did Craze talk to the little bloodsuckers if it’s so dangerous to go after them. They wouldn’t shut up until we agreed to talk to Craze, but when we went to find him he was gone. Now Hex is pissed, Echo’s screeching like a goddamn vulture, and I just want to crawl into a hole and sleep for the next year.”

  “Then I guess you don’t want to hear about the dream I had?”

  “No.” Fiero shook his head. “I don’t.”

  Onyx sighed and rubbed his palm over his short, dark hair. “Okay, let’s get this meeting over with so we can get back to bed.”

  Once down the stairs, they marched side by side to the kitchen and took their places around the table without a word. When Onyx was seated, he waved a hand at Hex and blinked sleepily at him. “Athena says we’re being deceived, and Craze is a rat bastard. She also said we’re asking the wrong questions. There’s my two cents, so what’s going on?”

  “I told you!” Echo yelled as he paced back and forth between the kitchen counter and the center island. “Don’t you find it just a little too coincidental that Lorcan called when he did? Why didn’t he call as soon as Jet and Pax arrived? And Craze is a lying sack of shit!”

  “Don’t hold back, babe.” Fiero chuckled under his breath. “Tell us how you really feel.”

  “I feel like you better start taking this seriously, or I’m going to cram my fist up your ass and make your mouth work like a puppet.”

  Fiero continued to laugh. “Duly noted.”

  “I think we’re looking at this all wrong.” Sy
x frowned down at the glossy wood of the tabletop. “We’ve completed every task laid before us so far. Ares has to be getting desperate. What if this is just to distract us from the next test? If we’re concentrating on finding all our missing houseguests, we’re not focusing on preparing for what’s coming.”

  “I can see that,” Echo said slowly. “It doesn’t matter, though. We can’t just leave them.”

  “What if they’re not really missing?”

  Onyx snorted. “Are you listening to yourself?” He waved his hand around the kitchen. “Do you see them anywhere? They’re not here. We don’t know where they are. In my book, that’s the epitome of missing.”

  “That’s not what I meant, and your shitty attitude isn’t helping.”

  “Stop,” Echo said quietly. “This is exactly what Ares wants. Us fighting each other and running around chasing our asses. Let’s just take one thing at a time and go from there.”

  Onyx sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly. Echo was right. “Come here.” The relief was instant when Echo hurried across the room and crawled up in his lap. Onyx wrapped his arms around the man and kissed the top of his head, allowing the scent of his mate calm and soothe him. “I’m sorry.”

  Echo patted his chest and nuzzled against his throat for a moment before sitting up straight to address everyone in the room. “Okay, so let’s start over. We know that seven members of this house are missing. We know that there are bad-guy vampires in town running amok.”

  “Amok, huh?” Vapre smiled brightly, his eyes shining with amusement.

  Echo growled at him, and Onyx had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing. “Go on, Echo.”

  “Well, that’s really all we know. We assume Jinx and Syn are with these vampires because of what Craze said, but his story had a lot of holes in it.”

  “We know that Jet and Pax are with Lorcan,” Myst offered.

  Echo shook his head slowly. “Don’t you find it odd that Lorcan called right at the exact time that we were going to call him?”

  “You’re saying Lorcan is lying?” Hex frowned and rubbed more insistently at his temples.