The Fire Inside: A Heated Bad Boy Romance

by Alice Ashes

  Mason stopped pacing and took a step towards us. Ethan raised his hand and looked at Mason with anger and sadness fighting for dominance in his eyes. "No. You've done enough." Mason stopped as if he'd been struck. Ethan looked down at me again, still cradling me on the kitchen floor. "You want to help, Mason? Go summon our brothers and tell them what you did. I need help and apparently, so do you."

  Mason's face was full of grief and self-loathing as he turned and left the room. He had to trust Ethan to keep her safe for now, had to figure out what the hell had just happened. He had never, in his life, used fear enthrallment. He didn't even know what it felt like. And the only person he used it on, even if he didn't know he was using it, was the person he wanted to protect the most. He closed his eyes and summoned his brothers.

  Chapter 14: Smoldering Remains

  "What the hell have you done?!?!?" Benjamin lunged for Mason, furious and confused by the state Olivia was in. Mason stared at his feet and made no move to defend himself. Benjamin's fist slammed into his solar plexus, knocking Mason backwards, before Eric and Daniel pulled him off his older brother.

  "She hasn't been this bad since the Abysmal Plains! How could you do this to her?!?!"

  Daniel looked to Eric. "I need you to take Benjamin and go help Ethan."

  Eric and Benjamin both protested, drowning each other out.

  "No way! This is too..."

  "Daniel, no! You need someone to..."

  Daniel shook his head and held his hand up. "If you love Olivia and Mason, do as I say. I need you to do this."

  Eric looked at Daniel, his eyes betraying his anger and hurt. Benjamin began to protest again, but without a word, Eric tossed his brother over his shoulder and turned towards the dining room. Benjamin's angry cries could be heard all the way to the kitchen, where they stopped immediately, not wanting to risk making anything worse for Olivia.

  Neither brother said anything for awhile before Daniel sighed and sat on the floor against the wall. Mason paused, then did the Same, albeit with a lot of distance between them.

  Daniel looked at his brother. "Mason, I know this isn't what you want to hear right now, but...this isn't your fault."

  Mason's head shot up, and he glared at Daniel. "Did you see her? She isn't talking. She isn't moving. I fucking did that. I lost my temper, and I did that."

  When they're eyes met, Daniel gave a small, sad smile. "I did see her, and I understand. Better than anyone else." He ran his hand through his air and took a breath, staring at the ceiling. "I can remember the first time I used fear enthrallment. It wasn't accidental, I was prodded into it, our father wanted me trained and ready. It never occurred to me that one of you could be pushed to that place unintentionally. And especially with you, having more brute demon than the rest of us...I should have prepared for that and I'm sorry."

  Mason just shook his head, fingers clenching and unclenching. When he realized Mason wasn't going to say anything, he continued.

  "Fear enthrallment isn't something we are born already being able to do, like the incubus powers. In order to develop fear enthrallment, you have to be very afraid many times, or very afraid for a long time. It's cumulative, each experience building on the other. But for every demon, the threshold of how much fear they can experience before developing the ability is different."

  He sighed again, staring at his hands. "I used to watch Ethan for signs it was developing, so I could help him if it did. With all the things he's been through, it would seem likely. But I think maybe his ability to read minds makes him too empathic for that." The Same sad smile ghosted across Daniel' face. "You and I do not have that protection."

  Mason drew his knees up and stared at the ground. "How the hell did that happen, Daniel? How did I hurt her, what was that?"

  "Well," Daniel began, slowly, "I think that you must have just reached your personal threshold. I think that everything with Olivia has often left you drowning in fear. You love her, so much. I didn't realize, but you really do, don't you?"

  Mason nodded, fretting with a loose string on his jacket.

  "And I think that Olivia has been through so much and each time she has been in danger, you have been suffocated with fear. You push it down, do what you need to, but it's still there. It simmers below the rage. So when you saw her talking to Raphael, you imagined all the things he could do to her. And you were angry, because she didn't call you and you believe she should have."

  Daniel took a deep breath. "And unfortunately Mason, fear enthrallment isn't new to Olivia. Our father surely used it on her when he had her bound in the castle." Gently, he looked to Mason. "It's not your fault that it happened when it did, and with the worst possible person for that to happen to. But that doesn't invalidate Olivia's experience. Her body turned on an automatic defense mechanism in response to what her subconscious considered a threat. Now, we have to figure out how to pull her out of it."

  Mason's voice shook as he quietly asked, "What if we can't pull her out? What if she doesn't come back this time?"

  Daniel smiled and shook his head. "Mason, she has you to come back to. She loves you. Give her mind time to settle and heal a little bit. She will come back."

  ---

  She was running. Glancing behind her, she saw no one. But she FELT something there, knew it was there. Fog crowded her on all sides, blinding her, but still she ran. Her dark hair flew behind her, untamed, and her over-sized t-shirt whipped around her body. She knew it was dangerous, because she could run into anything, off of anything, but she propelled her body forward. The fear pounding in her veins wouldn't allow her to slow down. Vaguely, she became aware of pain in her feet. It started out as a dull throbbing, but it was quickly increasing to sharp pains. Glancing down, she realized she was running on a path made entirely of broken glass.

  In an attempt to stop the pain and damage, she began to veer to the right, hoping she could find less treacherous ground. As soon as she moved however, a large growl filled the air joined by more and more. She could just make out the swipe of an animal with large claws ghost along the area she had been standing in moments before. She sprang back to the middle of the path with a groan. The pain had become agony and she felt herself gasp for air as she neared her limit. Whether from exertion or blood loss, she was beginning to lose consciousness, so she made an attempt towards the left instead. She was met with the Same.

  She cried out against the pain and in frustration, knowing she must keep moving and knowing she was quickly losing the ability to do so. Her cry was met with the sound of another voice, not her own, calling her name. "Olivia?"

  She yelled again, hoping he could hear her. The voice was familiar, she thought, but she wasn't sure. Everything was fuzzy in this place. Suddenly a man with copper pink hair and a slight build ran into the path, out of the fog. Without enough time to stop, she barreled into him, knocking them both to the ground. He wrapped his arms around her, rolling with her before settling her on his chest, letting the glass cut into his back. His eyes glowed golden for a moment as he drew symbols in the air, creating what looked like a shimmering translucent blanket around them. She screamed as she heard thunder and shrieking, looking over to see the stampede of animals that would quickly overtake them. The man pulled her head to his chest and was making cooing noises, as the first animal reached where they lay, helpless on the ground. As she heard the animals running over them but felt no pain, she looked up above her and gasped. The blanket seemed to have real and concrete matter, the animals unable to break through it as their hooves slammed uselessly against the shield.

  "Olivia?" the man under her whispered. "Can you hear me, princess?"

  She nodded slowly. "Yes, Eric. I can. Where are we?"

  Eric pulled her close and kissed the top of her head. "We are inside your dreaming mind, sweetheart. And you need to come back to yourself. It's time to wake up."

  "This isn't real?"

  "No princess, this is in your head."

  She let him wrap his arms around
her and rested her head on his chest again. "But I don't know how to get out..."

  He chuckled and gave her a little squeeze. "That's what I'm here for."

  Slowly, time went by and the animals running the path became less and less. Neither Olivia nor Eric spoke, her because she was exhausted, and he because he didn't know what to say. Finally, he waved his arm and the shield shattered. He helped her up, but seeing the state of her feet, he quickly kneeled and pulled her onto his back. He hauled her up and walked off into the fog.

  ---

  Slowly, I felt myself begin to register the things around me. I was in a bed, my bed judging by the sheets. My head ached and felt as if it was splitting in two. I stirred, slowly opening my eyes, to be met with arms around me and my face pressed against a pink vest.

  "Ahhhh!?!?"

  I scrambled off the bed, falling on my butt as I fought to put distance between myself and the man that was sleeping beside me. I kicked my feet out scooting to the wall and standing against it, panting heavily. Looking around the room, terror gave way to confusion. "Eric?"

  Eric was in my bed, hair sticking out in weird angles and shirt wrinkled. He didn't move, just lifted his arms in the universal signal for surrender and stared at me, wide eyed. The door flew open and Benjamin jumped into the room, wearing only his pajama pants and still bleary eyed. Mason was not far behind him, wearing the Same clothes he had on yesterday. Large circles under his eyes told me he hadn't slept. They both assumed a battle stance before looking around and relaxing.

  Mason's eyes caught mine and he took a step towards me, hand outstretched. I flinched back, and he stopped moving. I saw pain flicker across his face and I hated it. But my fear was winning out. Mason shoved his hands in his pockets and sighed. I barely heard him whisper "Gerard." Ethan appeared, sweeping the room until he saw me. He studied my face and took a step forward, then another. Mason took a final look at me, agony rumbling below his eyes. I couldn't speak. I thought about how much I loved him, and how I didn't understand. Mason looked away from me and signaled Eric and Benjamin to come with him, out of the room. As the door shut behind them, I took a running leap at Ethan, wrapping my arms and legs around him and sobbing into his shoulder. He took a few steps backwards before sitting on the bed. He rubbed my back while I wept.

  Chapter 15: Thrown in the Incinerator

  Slowly, my tears dried up and Ethan asked me if I was ready to talk about what happened. When I nodded, he told me everything.

  He told me that Mason had used fear enthrallment on me, but that he had not had any idea he was nor even that he had the ability. He told me about how fear enthrallment develops, that you aren't born with it. How anxious Mason was, how afraid. How he thought I'd never forgive him. Ethan told me about the disassociation and how when they couldn't bring me out of it, they lay me down with Eric. How they hoped my state would be close enough to a dream that Eric could find me. I asked a few clarifying questions and he answered all of them. He asked if I wanted him to stay with me and I told him I didn't. I asked him to tell his other brothers they should leave as well, go get some rest. The last thing I asked was where Mason was. Ethan smiled at me gently as he told me Mason was on the roof.

  I walked towards the open window and sat on the window sill, holding the upper half of my body out and placing my hands on the roof. "Mason? Help me up please." I heard the roof groan and his hands grabbed my forearms, hauling me up. He held onto me long enough to get me seated, before he let go sat down a little further away than he normally would. We sat in silence for awhile, just letting our emotions settle and watching the stars. I had thought to let him talk first, but honestly, I was never the most patient person. I reached out and grabbed his hand to ensure I wouldn't fall. He looked at me curiously and let out a surprised "oof" as I rolled myself on top of him, straddling his hips. His body was rigid and he seemed unsure, so I took both of his hands and placed them on my hips. I brushed my lips against his and he relaxed slightly below me, studying my face. He ran a hand down my cheek.

  "Do you remember when you came up here with me after training and you asked if I needed energy?"

  I smiled wistfully at the memory. "I do. I was so nervous, I remember."

  Mason reached up and kissed my jaw, before settling back down. "That was before all the shit, you know? Before Malix, before Jacob was something, before Diana, and the demon war. I wonder how things would be different if I had told you then how I felt about you."

  I looked at him, and nodded thoughtfully. "I don't know. That seems like a different world, honestly."

  He sighed. "Yeah, I know."

  He moved his hands to cradle my face and I leaned into his palm. His face held so much anguish and it broke my heart. "I am so fucking sorry, Doofus. I am, I didn't mean to do that. I have no idea what happened! I can't stand it, I can't handle that I hurt you and I am...just so sorry."

  One tear slid down his face and I kissed it. "Mason, it's okay. No really, it is. You were just as much a victim of this as I was, okay? You didn't know you were doing it or even that you could, but we'll figure it out together, like everything else."

  I took a big breath before continuing. "And speaking about things we have to figure out, I have something we need to talk about. I wish it could wait but, it's the whole reason Raphael was here and I have to give him an answer in the morning."

  Mason looked up to my face. "Tell me."

  I sighed and closed my eyes. "He told me that from the mutants perspective, husband and wife are bound to each other and responsible for each other's debts. I told him that humans say till death do us part, but he said by demon standards, by angelic standards, we were still bound. That they hold a human marriage to be a continual binding, unless one of the parties does an actual soul binding, but that we don't have enough magic to do that here anyway."

  I could feel Mason's hands shaking, but I kept my eyes shut and kept going. I refused to let what happened earlier make me afraid. It wasn't his fault and I had to put a stop to any reaction like that immediately. Not to would be far too cruel and I loved him way too much for that.

  "I told him that they hadn't made good on their half of the deal and now Jacob was dead so...but he told me 'he still has enough body to use and they can make sure there is just enough life to get his seed to take root.' So basically, they will make good on the deal to get whatever Jacob promised them."

  "That's not going to fucking happen, I'll tell you that," he said through clenched teeth.

  "Oh trust me, I'm with you on that. Which is why Raphael wants to take me to see his boss and negotiate a new price. He says it's different for everyone, but basically if I pay up whatever it is his boss wants, then the deal Jacob made will get scrapped."

  Finally, I opened one eye and risked a glance at Mason. His face was red and he looked like he might explode at any minute. "Mason?"

  He looked away to the side and I could hear him panting. "Mason, what are you doing?!?!" He was shaking, fists clenched, rage almost coming through the pores on his skin. Then it hit me. (He doesn't want to show how angry he is because he doesn't want to scare me again.)

  But at this rate, he was going to have a heart attack, if demons even could have heart attacks, and I needed him to stop trying to shove it down.

  "Mason, it's okay!...Mason, I'm not scared!...Mason...Aw, fuck it."

  I turned his head and smashed my lips against his, grinding down on his lap. I heard a gasp of surprise beneath me, but I kept going, kissing him feverishly, pushing myself against him, pulling all that energy from rage into sex.

  For a short few seconds, he kept his hands clenched, body rigid, and his lips didn't move. Then he let out a moan that sounded like pain and flipped me onto my back. Suddenly his hands were everywhere, on my cheeks, on my breasts, down my sides. He cupped my ass, rubbed me against the hardness in his pants. He chased every moan and sigh, took them higher, demanded more. With a loud rip my jeans came off and he was between my legs. Licking, sucking, biting-oh my god
the biting- and he slowed down long enough the slide two fingers inside me.

  He licked at my clit, and I wondered briefly in my stupor of pleasure if he was moving faster than a human could. He drug screams from me, and there was no slow build up. My first orgasm ripped through me with enough force to arch my back off the roof. He groaned, growled, but he never gave me a moment to come down and after the fourth there was no time in between them and I was whimpering and begging. Neither of us could tell what I was begging for. When he finally kissed back up my body, grinning like a cat in a sunspot, the only thing I could manage was panting and the most pathetic, even to my ears, "please...please..."

  I was hardly a solid being at the moment, ever limb felt like liquid, but I managed to let out another "...please..." while reaching towards the button on his pants. Not that I had the dexterity to unbutton them, but he got the idea. It was only when he was seated at my entrance, ready to push in, that he started an enthrallment. Vaguely, in the back of my brain, I was thankful he waited, because if he did what he was doing a moment ago with enthrallment, I doubt I would have survived it.

  As he slid into me, I groaned deep in my chest and everything was on fire in all of the best ways and he fucked me slow. His thrusts were steady, drawing this part out, kissing me languidly, hands caressing every part of me. He told me he loved me over and over, while I made incomprehensible needy sounds and gripped him to me, needing him deeper, wanting more of him inside me than would ever be possible. When he finally came, I was so relaxed I actually thought he might fuck me into unconsciousness. His moan as he hit his climax brought me the slightest bit back to reality and he kissed me sweetly and I managed to kiss him back for a moment. Then I fell asleep on the roof, with him still inside me, and the heavens looking down on us.

  Chapter 16: Only Ashes Remain

  He wished that morning would never come, but it came all the Same. Mason had not slept, carrying Olivia to her bed and simply watching her sleep. After what happened, after the fear enthrallment, he hadn't dare to hope he'd ever get to touch her again, kiss her again, or even be near her. Watching her while she dreamed felt like an unbelievable privilege and gift.