Grave Decisions (Hellgate Guardians Book 3)

by Ivy Asher

  Still unsure, I decide to play it safe, and I push out of Flint’s hold. He lets me go without complaint, though a flash of disappointment crosses his eyes. Pullin’ down my tight skirt that had ridden up, I move to the other side of the couch and sit down on the buttery soft material. Damn, what is this made out of? Baby unicorns?

  I shove that thought aside and look over at Alder and Flint. They’re both starin’ at me like they’re waitin’ for me to start off our talk and set the pace. Nervousness bubbles up in my stomach, but I realize I’m not shaky or muddled anymore.

  Looks like The Tears of My Enemies worked, and it worked damn fast.

  “So...what happened?” I finally ask as I settle in for what I’m sure will be a long conversation.

  “You met the Legion tonight, and as we suspected might happen, a demon tried to attack you,” Alder provides.

  “I would like more detail about the Legion, followed up by why the hell anythin’ would want to attack me,” I say, and a smile ticks at the corner of Alder’s pillowy lips. You’d think a lavender man covered in blossom tattoos wouldn’t be masculine and sexy, but you’d be dead wrong.

  “The Legion is Heaven’s army of angels. Hell has an army too, but we don’t have a fancy little nickname,” he says, clear derision in his tone that lets me know exactly what he thinks about angels. “Both armies do the same thing more or less: guard their realm, maintain the balance, and hunt those that break the Accords.”

  “So those angels were lookin’ for that Morax guy?” I ask, and Alder nods.

  “Seems like it,” Flint confirms.

  “Why?”

  Alder and Flint both shrug.

  “He must have broken an Accord of some sort. We usually police our own, but if the Legion is involved, then he must’ve done something big,” Flint supplies.

  “What are the Accords?” I ask.

  “We’d be here all night if you want me to list them line by line, but more or less, anything that affects the careful balance between Heaven and Hell, or messes with a soul’s free will, is against our laws,” Alder explains.

  “We all got our part to play, but if we don’t follow the agreements made between Heaven and Hell about the mortal souls we’ve all sworn to watch over, then there are serious consequences,” Flint adds, and there’s a sadness to his voice as he explains this, as though he knows firsthand what those consequences are.

  “Wait,” I interrupt. “Hell is supposed to watch over souls too? I thought the Devil wanted to burn everythin’ to the ground because he’s all jealous and mad because God liked us better?”

  Flint and Alder both just blink at me for a second before they snort out some laughs.

  “My grandfather was guarding Avarice back when those rumors first started,” Flint declares, lookin’ at Alder. “He said they laughed and thought for sure no soul would believe such a ridiculous story about our origins. Then, next thing you know, the mortals are writing books about it like it’s fact. He said the Morning Star couldn’t decide if he was annoyed or impressed at how well Heaven’s propaganda worked. They’ve been winning misguided souls ever since.”

  Alder laughs. “I believe it. My ancestors were always impressed with the way Heaven sowed mistrust so that their job was easier. They clearly didn’t know that Hell is always up for a good challenge. How else did we end up on different sides of this issue?”

  “True story, brother. True story,” Flint agrees on a chuckle.

  “Yeah, you lost me,” I insert as I watch their exchange of amusement.

  “You take this one; I haven’t had to explain it in a while, and I’m rusty,” Flint tells Alder, who just rolls his eyes.

  He fixes his stunnin’ butterscotch colored irises on me and studies my face for a beat before divin’ in. “God was given this world and all the souls in it to watch over. The Morning Star and God did have different ideas about how to nurture the souls and help them progress, but it didn’t divide Heaven, because both ideas worked. Demons weren’t cast out like naughty children there was no hope for, we volunteered for our role.”

  “You did?” I ask, surprised. No gospel teacher I’ve ever heard said anythin’ like this.

  Alder dips his chin down. “We knew sacrifices needed to be made in order to sow souls worthy of Godhood themselves, and so we agreed to take up the mantle, and Hell was born,” he explains.

  I blink at him, tryin’ to see if this information helps. “Nope. Still lost,” I confess.

  Flint chuckles. “The entire purpose of a soul is to learn and do better. The religions got that much correct. But the end goal isn’t just Heaven. A soul should progress so far through their lives that eventually they become a God themselves and are given their own world to watch over one day. We’re here to help that happen. We tempt, and coerce, coax and lure, not because we want a soul’s destruction, but so they can learn and grow from it. Eventually, a soul won’t be influenced by us at all, and then they’re ready for the tiers of Heaven and beyond.”

  I gape at Flint.

  Alder makes a disgruntled noise in his throat. “You went too big, too fast. Mortal minds can’t handle the whole I’m supposed to become a God thing or the thought that there are more worlds out there like theirs,” Alder tells him, as if he should’ve known.

  “But she asked. Besides, not all the others use the same system we do here,” Flint counters.

  “Trust me. See that blank stare she’s doing?” They both look over at me before turnin’ back at each other. “...She’s not ready to hear that either.”

  I rub my temples. “I feel like I’m halfway through an episode of the Twilight Zone and I don’t have any idea what’s goin’ on, but I could use a beer.”

  Flint looks at me with amusement. “We just picked you up from a club not two hours ago,” he points out.

  “Yeah, and I couldn’t get a buzz, even though I practically drank myself under the table,” I tell him.

  “Demon thing,” Flint replies. “It’s why we don’t drink much of the human stuff.”

  I get to my feet and run my fingers through my tangled hair. I feel jittery and on edge, and even if it wouldn’t help settle my nerves, an ice-cold beer seems like a good distraction.

  “Well, don’t just sit there,” I admonish. “What’s a girl gotta do around here to get a drink so she can emotionally dive into the ins and outs of demonism?”

  The edges of Flint’s mouth curve up into a gorgeous smile, until his pearly whites are shinin’, and his grin makes my stomach jump like a pack of jackrabbits. “Pardon us, darlin’. Right this way.”

  I follow behind him while Alder takes up the rear, and my back tingles in the way that it only does when you know someone’s eyes are trailin’ over you. I peek a look over my shoulder, and sure enough, Alder is checkin’ me out.

  And I like it.

  Turnin’ back around with my bottom lip between my teeth, I follow Flint as we head down a hallway. The floor is all slate-gray, and the walls are white with accents of silver light fixtures. From our quick pace, my neck turns to rubber as I lean and spin every which way I can to peek into the rooms we pass.

  I catch a glimpse of a white and stainless steel kitchen with a huge eat-in bar area, and a home gym in the room past that. Everythin’ else is closed up tight, and Flint takes us to the black front door, which he swings open and gestures for me to go through first.

  I step out into the night air, wonderin’ how late it is. Automatically, my hand goes to my butt, where I feel for my phone, but it ain’t there.

  I turn, seein’ Flint closin’ the door after Alder comes out. “Y’all got my phone?”

  “Here,” Flint says, diggin’ in the front pocket of his faded jeans before pullin’ it out and handin’ it to me.

  I look at him with suspicion, and he smirks. “Don’t go looking at me like that, darlin’. I didn’t snoop, I swear.”

  I hear Alder snort beside me, and my head swings around. “He’s lyin’, ain’t he?” I ask the yellow
-haired demon.

  “He absolutely is,” he says with a grin. “Flint hacked into that thing before we even got out of the car.”

  “Is that right?” I ask. Before he can anticipate the move, I turn and clomp my heel right down on Flint’s toes.

  He lets out a surprised holler that nearly makes me grin, but I hold it back and maintain my scowl. “Ow!” he screeches as he bounces his injured foot. “Damn woman, you had to do that with boots on?”

  I shrug, not at all remorseful. “You reached into my back pocket and touched my ass to get my phone, and then you proceeded to hack into it and look at my private things, so you deserve it. I won’t feel sorry for you.”

  He has the good sense to look sheepish. “Well, if ya didn’t want people to snoop, you should really change your password from one-two-three-four. And while we’re on the subject, who’s Bob Grace?”

  My mouth pops open and I blink, taken aback. “What?”

  “He texted about two dozen times,” Flint tells me with a smirk. “You should really tell the man you’re not interested.”

  My cheeks burn with a blush. “Maybe I am interested,” I lie. I can’t believe the man is textin’ me. I know I was friendly when I quit, but damn, I wasn’t that friendly.

  Flint narrows his eyes on me. “That so?”

  I cross my arms with a smirk, because there’s a glint of challenge in his gaze that my inner flirt immediately recognizes, and a thrill shoots through me. Based on both of their expressions right now, I’d wager a guess that they don’t like thinkin’ about some faceless man textin’ me. The implications of that both excite me and turn me on.

  “Yeah, that’s so,” I retort saucily.

  Alder’s eyes darken, while Flint takes a step closer and leans in slowly until his lips nearly touch my ear, makin’ me frozen and breathless on the spot. “Well then, we’ll just have to change your mind about Bob fucking Grace,” he rumbles before pullin’ back, leavin’ me reelin’.

  Good God Almighty, that was the sexiest damn move ever. I swear, I think my heart is poundin’ in time with my clit right now. Alder and Flint share a smirk.

  I clear my throat, tryin’ to dispense the heat that’s gathered between my thighs. “Oh. Uh… Hmm,” I say, real eloquent-like.

  Flint grins at me, flashin’ those pearly whites. “Until then, you’ll have to go into your settings. I blocked him for ya,” he tells me with a wink, humor dancin’ in his expression.

  I shake my head to clear the lust cloud pollutin’ me, and I narrow my eyes at his brazenness. Just to mess with him, because he looks entirely too smug, I jerk my knee up like I’m gonna stomp on his foot again. Flint jumps back like the good Lord just threatened to rain down lightnin’ right over his head.

  This time, I don’t even try to suppress my laughter that comes bubblin’ out of me. “Damn, I didn’t know demons could jump that high.”

  Flint shakes his head with a rueful smile before lookin’ over at Alder and pointin’ to my boots. “Watch her. Those snake skins have a bite to them.”

  Alder rolls his eyes. “Don’t provoke her and she won’t stomp on your foot.

  “Yeah,” I agree. “I don’t care if we are demons, you’ll treat me like a lady, and that includes no snoopin’, we clear?” I say to him sternly.

  He blinks his dark eyes at me before lookin’ over at Alder with a whistle. “Well, I’ll be damned. Listen to that mouth. She making you as hard as she’s making me?” he asks.

  I nearly choke on my own tongue. Did he really just say that?

  “Shut up,” Alder snaps, but he doesn’t deny it, and I feel my face grow hot.

  Don’t look down to their crotches, Medley. It ain’t ladylike to check for boners.

  To avoid the temptation of doin’ just that, I drop my gaze to my phone instead so that I can see if I have any messages other than Bob Grace, but it’s all clear. It’s also nearly two in the mornin’, so I’m sure Kiara and AnnaMae have found guys to go home with for the night by now, and Mama and Daddy will be fast asleep.

  Lockin’ my phone and tellin’ myself I’ll deal with Bob Grace later, I stick it back in my pocket where it fits snugly at the curve of my ass. I feel a little exposed in my clubbin’ outfit, but if their open perusal is any indication, these two demons like what they see. The question is, should I like that they like it?

  “So, uh...any girlfriend demons I should worry about bein’ pissed that I’m here with you?” I blurt.

  Well, that was about as smooth as a pockmarked dirt road.

  I try not to cringe at my obvious question or figure out which one of them I’m even askin’.

  Alder and Flint both chuckle and exchange a look that seems to have a fair amount of anticipation and warnin’ in it.

  “No, neither of us have taken a mate,” Flint tells me, and there’s somethin’ in his tone that flits away too fast for me to catch it and look at it too hard.

  “Mate? Is that an Australian thing?” I ask, findin’ that word choice odd.

  “No, it’s a demon thing; what we call the person we choose for life,” Alder explains.

  “But you’re new to all this, so don’t fret about all that complicated stuff just yet. Especially when you won’t have to worry about any of it,” Flint quickly interjects.

  His words leave me puzzled. Why wouldn’t I have to worry about a mate?

  Flint must sense my bewilderment. “Now, now, Peaches, I can see you’ve already started to fret. All of this will make sense with time, so just lie back and let Alder and me take care of you,” he says with charm, his lips stretchin’ into a lopsided grin.

  “Peaches?” I balk. “What happened to darlin’?”

  His eyes light up with heat. “I decided Peaches suited you better.”

  “Why, because we’re in Georgia?” I tease, ready to bust his balls about lackin’ originality.

  “No, because you’re just ripe for the pickin’,” Flint answers instead, and I swallow my initial retort.

  He is layin’ it on thick. Desire swims in Flint’s eyes and pools low in my stomach. I clear my throat to try and dispel the sexual tension that’s brewin’ in my belly, but I’m findin’ out that every minute spent with these two is a rollercoaster for my libido.

  “So,” I say, needin’ to change the subject before I do somethin’ impulsive like grab one of them by the hair and drag their lips to mine. “I asked for a drink, and you made me leave the house. Should I be offended?” I say with a dry chuckle as I motion around the dark, grassy yard. All I can see in this lightin’ is a wall of trimmed hedges down a slight slope, but other than that, all I can see is a neatly kept lawn.

  “We don’t have alcohol in the house,” Alder explains as he starts leadin’ the way. I fall into pace beside him.

  “Okay...so where we goin’?”

  “Our bar,” he replies. “It’s just a short walk from here.”

  “Y’all live next door to your bar?”

  “Yep,” Flint says, comin’ up to walk on the other side of me. “Well...technically, we live next door to the Hellgate,” he corrects, and I look over at him with my brow furrowed.

  “Y’all live next door to a gate that leads to Hell?” I ask nervously.

  It’s clear they’re amused by my horrified tone. “We wouldn’t be very good Gate Guardians if we didn’t.”

  Well, shit.

  I made Alder promise that I wouldn’t wake up in Hell, but I’m technically awake now, so does that mean all bets are off? Are they trickin’ me?

  For the love of peaches, please don’t tell me that the drink I’m hopin’ for is in actual Hell and not the bar, because that would be just my luck.

  Heaven knows I can’t handle that right now. Or maybe it doesn’t, since I don’t exactly bat for that team, but still. I really don’t wanna go to Hell in a jean mini, my clubbin’ makeup, snakeskin cowgirl boots, and a head missin’ lots of information.

  Nothin’ good can come from an impromptu trip to Hell, I’m sure of it
.

  12

  Nervousness is suddenly crawlin’ all through my chest. I wish it wasn’t so dark out here so I could see their faces better. Surely I’d be able to tell if they’re bein’ sneaky?

  But maybe not. Maybe all this flirtatiousness and attraction between us is just them trickin’ me? Bringin’ me into a false sense of trust so they can lure me to Hell?

  Lord help me, I hope that’s not what’s goin’ on.

  “Um, look, I’m not ready for Hell, if that’s where you’re really takin’ me,” I declare, my boots sinkin’ into the trimmed lawn as we make our way to the hedges and slip out through the archway. Ahead, I can see a slightly slopin’ hill and a ton of trees and wayward weeds.

  “No, that’s not on the agenda for tonight. Promise,” Alder reassures me with an open smile.

  I discreetly release a relieved sigh and a whole lot of tension as the three of us start headin’ past trees on a small, windin’ trail that leads further down the hillside.

  “Good,” I say with a nervous laugh.

  “But...it will be at some point,” Alder goes on, and I dart a look at him. “We want to be up-front about that, Medley, because it’s our job to guard the Hellgate. And...we think it could very well be your purpose too.”

  I trip over the grass, more from his words than any divot in the ground. His blossomed arm comes shootin’ out to catch me around my waist before I can stumble. “Thanks,” I say shakily.

  He lets go, albeit slowly, his fingers draggin’ over my waist, and even through the layer of my top, my skin prickles at the contact. “You’re welcome,” he says quietly before we start walkin’ again.

  “What was that you said?” I ask nervously.