by Melissa Haag
“That smells amazing,” I said, inhaling.
“I’ll let you have some if you sit on the couch and watch a movie with me.”
“You had me at ‘I’ll let you have some.’”
He chuckled and set a huge slice on a plate for me. The tip of the wedge hung off the edge. I sat on the couch and dug in while he started the movie.
I ate three slices the size of my head before I pushed my plate away with a groan.
“Best pizza ever.”
“Feel better?” he asked.
“I do. Thank you.”
He wrapped an arm around my shoulders, pulled me close, and pressed his lips against the top of my temple. I leaned into his side and exhaled contentedly, only partially focused on the movie. My mind continued to dwell on the troll deaths and Eliana’s mom. It would devastate Eliana if her mom was responsible for them. Eliana already hated what she was and feared what she’d become.
That kind of fear was something with which I could empathize. As much as I’d pushed aside what I learned in the Book of Fury, I dreaded what gaining my full powers would mean for me. Without a doubt, Eliana and I were in the same boat, and I couldn’t help but wonder what the future would hold for both of us.
Oanen’s hand smoothed over my arm.
“That was a big sigh for an action movie,” he said.
“Sorry. I didn’t realize I sighed. I was just thinking about the future.”
He paused the movie.
“You didn’t need to do that. I’ll stop talking.”
“I paused it so you would keep talking. The future…our future…is something that very much interests me.”
The low rumble of his voice and the way the flecks of gold in his blue eyes multiplied as I watched sent up warning flags. Our conversation from earlier, or rather, what he’d declared earlier, came back to me in a rush. He loved me and wanted forever.
I swallowed hard, wondering what I should say. I didn’t want to talk relationship. Not now. Not this close to bedtime.
“What are you thinking that’s making you blush?” he asked.
He leaned in slowly, and my pulse picked up speed. His lips quirked at the corners just before his mouth touched mine. The taste of him set off a storm, and fire and lightning exploded inside of me.
My head spun, and I gripped the front of his shirt tightly, anchoring myself and holding him in place. He leaned in further, causing me to slowly slide down into the cushions. The weight of him warmed me. The feel of his chest against mine made it hard to breathe as want consumed me. I wanted to feel all of him pressed against all of me. My body ached for that much contact.
I tore my mouth from his, struggling to remember why we needed to stop. Why I couldn’t wrap a leg around his waist and pull him closer.
It wasn’t easy to think clearly when his mouth was trailing kisses down my throat. Images of us tangled in sheets, his hands sliding over my bare skin, filled my mind and left me breathless.
I wanted him so much it hurt. My fingers itched to inch their way up his shirt. To remove his clothing. To make the images in my mind a reality.
The stroke of his tongue against the edge of my ear sent me flying off the couch. With that touch, the reason we shouldn’t pushed its way forward.
He chuckled, his golden eyes pinning me.
“Not your thing?”
I stared at him for a moment, debating what to say. He caught my hesitation and grew serious.
“Talk to me,” he said softly.
I let out a slow breath.
“When we kiss like that, it’s hard to remember why I need to say no.”
“Why do you need to say no?”
“We’re eighteen. I don’t want to start a family at eighteen. I’m not even sure I’ll want to start a family at fifty. I mean, I’m barely holding my own shit together. There’s no way I want the responsibility of caring for someone else.”
He watched me for a moment, really considering my words.
“Sex doesn’t need to mean kids. I’m not saying that to try to talk you into something you’re not ready for. I’m saying it to let you know I’m okay with waiting for kids.”
He stood and closed the distance between us.
“And, I’m okay waiting for you.”
Even though he said the thing that should have soothed me, I was stuck on one word.
“Kids? Plural? Shoot me now.”
He chuckled and pulled me close, kissing me gently.
“Baby griffons are adorable,” he said, holding me. “Picture a chicken-sized griffon.”
I groaned.
“I’m never going to look at you the same way, again,” I said.
“What? You said you liked my beak.”
“You should stop now.”
“I’m hoping if I keep talking, you’ll get desperate enough to kiss me like we both want.”
“Remember you asked for this, bird boy,” I said a moment before I lifted my head and claimed his lips. It was his turn to groan. He clutched me close as my tongue teased his. As my hands slipped under his shirt. As I stood on my toes and pressed my hips against his.
A moment later, he had me in his arms and was walking toward the bedroom.
“Wait,” I said, breaking the kiss.
“Now who’s the chicken?” he said. “We’re just going to bed.”
“While kissing. I’m not stupid.”
“No sex tonight, Megan. I want to feel your lips against mine until we both pass out. I want it to be the last thing I remember before closing my eyes, and the first thing I think of when I open them again. I know you’re not ready for more; just like I know you’ll let me know when you are ready.”
I looked up at him, tangling my fingers in his hair.
“Just a hella lot of kissing then?” I asked.
“And maybe some petting. I hear birds like that.”
I grinned at his deadpan delivery.
“I think I can handle that,” I said before kissing him again.
* * * *
Anger flooded me with a suffocating fullness. I woke, breathing slowly and deeply. The smell of warm cotton tickled my nose, and I carefully slid from Oanen’s arms, our heavy make out session barely a thought.
An invisible line pulled me from the bedroom. Barefoot, I padded across the living room toward the sunroom and balcony. Someone very wicked moved out there.
I smiled in anticipation and opened the door.
“Come to confess?” I asked the creature that straightened from the shadows.
His humorless black eyes found mine as I closed the distance between us. He reeked of blood, booze, and fear. I inhaled deeply and didn’t stop walking until we stood toe to toe with his back against the metal and glass rail.
Even though I could smell his fear, it didn’t reflect in his gaze or his words.
“Not in this life, little girl. You need to leave town. Now.”
Lightning fast, I grabbed his throat and lifted him high.
“I’m not the one leaving town. You are. Hell’s waiting for you.”
“Hell’s for humans, bitch,” he rasped.
“We’ll see about that. Elwood Rumlar, confess.” The word brought him to his knees like all the others. He shook, and anger filled his gaze as he spoke of his crimes. He’d killed. Eaten human flesh. Broken the laws of humans and non-humans, alike.
The rage inside of me roared to life and fire danced up my arm.
“Elwood Rumlar, you’ve earned your place in hell.”
I embraced my fury power as I reached for his throat. Before I touched him, pain exploded inside of me from head to toe like I was being ripped in two.
I opened my mouth to scream, but no sound emerged as blackness consumed me.
* * * *
My pulse thumped in my head. Opening my eyes, I blearily stared at the snow-dusted surface before me. The patio floor. I’d fallen. Again.
I tried to sit up and hissed at the pain searing my chest. I looked down at another b
urn mark.
“Fuck.”
Oanen was going to notice this one.
Getting to my feet, I looked for the thing that had drawn me outside. I was alone. However the creature had gotten out there, it seemed it had left the same way.
Pre-dawn light reflected off the sunroom glass. I looked over my shoulder in surprise. How much time had passed since I'd gone outside? Obviously half the night. Suppressing a shiver, I used my cold, stiff fingers to open the door.
I went straight for the shower. Oanen would definitely notice how cold I was if I tried crawling into bed with him. The hot water felt good on everything but the burn. I gritted my teeth through washing and drying and put the same cream on the new burn as Oanen had put on the old one. When I finished, I wrapped the towel around my torso and crept out of the bathroom to grab myself some clean clothes. Escaping to the living room to dress, I noted the sun was just clearing the horizon.
“So much for going back to bed,” I muttered to myself.
Despite having been passed out for hours, I was exhausted. I pulled on my clothes, careful of the new injury. Dressed and slowly toweling my hair, I stared out at the patio.
Other than wicked and not human, I didn’t know what that thing had been or why it had come here in the first place.
I thought back to everything he'd said. He’d wanted me to leave town. Why? Was he trying to warn me away from the troll deaths? Were we getting close to finding the killer?
“You're up early,” Oanen said from behind me, causing me to startle.
I looked back at him. He wore a pair of shorts, leaving his gloriously golden chest bare for my enjoyment. If only my head wasn’t pounding.
“You’re up early, too.”
“It's not as fun sleeping late without you beside me. Your spot was cold. How long have you been up?”
“Not long,” I said. It was the truth, but not what he meant.
I tossed my towel onto the couch and walked toward him, knowing I needed to distract him from his current line of questioning. There was no way I was going to admit I passed out on the patio for the past several hours.
“I thought the first thing you wanted to think about in the morning was a kiss.”
His lips curved in a sexy half-smile, and he met me in the middle of the room.
“You would be correct.” He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me close.
I almost winced at the sting from the heat of his chest on my burn.
“Do I detect a hint of minty freshness?” I asked instead.
“I heard you in the shower,” he said.
“And you missed your chance to join me?”
Gold pooled in Oanen’s eyes.
“Don't tease me, Fury.”
Chapter Seven
Grinning, I stood on my toes to kiss Oanen lightly and pulled back before he could take things further.
“We’re in food-central, and I’m starving. Something just isn’t right about this.”
He sighed and brushed his fingers along my jaw.
“I know you’re nervous,” he said.
My pulse jumped, and I reached up to the neckline of my shirt. There was no way he could see it, could he?
“I meant what I said. I’ll wait for as long as it takes. Just don’t stop kissing me.”
Relief coursed through me. He’d meant sex, not the burns. I found it ironic that I found sex a safe topic this morning.
“If you want more kisses, feed me.”
My stomach let out a growl.
He grinned, kissed my forehead, then left me so he could shower.
Less than twenty minutes later, we were seated in a familiar diner.
“Is one of everything an option?” I asked, studying the choices and seeing too many things I’d want to try if my head didn’t hurt so much.
“Are you sure you’re feeling okay?”
“Hey, no judging a girl with a healthy appetite.”
“Not that. You can get whatever you want. You just look a little pale today.”
“I’m fine, Oanen.” But, I was starting to think I wasn’t. This was twice now that I’d been burned trying to use my powers. Once in the parking lot and now on the patio. Both times I tried to send someone to hell. Obviously, I was doing something wrong. But, the Book of Fury didn’t exactly outline the steps to a successful trip to hell.
After the waitress took our order, he reached across the table and played with my fingers.
“I know we’re not supposed to talk about this, but you’re different. I think something’s wrong.”
I opened my mouth to say I was fine again, but he lifted his hand.
“Hear me out. Before the lake, you ran hot. Now, you get cold. You threw up. You’re not sensing the wicked like you used to. And you have a burn that’s not healing as quickly as it should. I’m worried.”
His phone rang, but he didn’t move to answer it.
“Adira, Mom, and Dad are worried too.”
“You told them?”
He took his phone out of his pocket and met my gaze.
“There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for you. Including risk your temper to keep you safe. I’ll be right back.”
He stood and strode toward the exit while my mouth was still hanging open. He would flip his shit if he found out I had another burn. My gaze tracked him as he walked outside and stood on the sidewalk to answer his phone.
Across from me, someone sat in his place.
I turned, and my jaw almost dropped for a second time.
“You’re wasting time,” Mom said.
She looked exactly the same. I struggled between wanting to hug her and wanting to punch her in the face because of ditching me. I surprised us both by partially standing and hugging her. She set her cheek against my head and stroked a hand down my hair. Too quickly, she pulled away.
“You need to get to your Grandma Irene.”
“Why?” I asked, trying not to let my frustration show.
“I told you. You can’t deliver the wicked to hell without your wings because without them, you’re not a fury, and your power will consume you.”
The straight forward answer stunned me. She took advantage of my silence to continue.
“Ditch the unnecessary baggage and get to St. Louis.”
“Baggage?” I asked, confused.
Mom’s gaze flicked to Oanen, who had his back to us.
“Oanen isn’t baggage. He’s my boyfriend.”
A wave of heat came from across the table.
“Have you slept with him?” she demanded.
“We’re staying at his parent’s apartment. There’s only one bed.”
“Stop being thick. Have you had sex?”
I didn’t like her tone or the anger in her expression.
“You ditched me, remember? I think that means my sex life is none of your business.”
“Of course it is. Didn’t you learn anything in that shit town? Griffins only have sons. Furies only have daughters. It will never work. You will destroy each other.”
“It’s a little late for that warning. We’re already bonded.”
Her expression changed, becoming more earnest.
“Learn from your succubus friend. The boy can love you, but you don’t need to love him.”
There was so much wrong in what she just said. How did she know about Eliana? And was her attitude the reason for the revolving door of her love life?
“You should have listened to the messenger. It’s dangerous for us to keep meeting. I’m guessing you already have your first burn or you wouldn’t be this calm.”
“Hold up,” I said. “Messenger? You mean you sent that guy last night?”
She exhaled slowly, a look of annoyance crossing her features before she suppressed it.
“You need to focus, Megan. Your power is free, uncontrolled and unpredictable, and it will burn you out if you don’t get your ass to your great-grandma’s place in St. Louis and kill her so you can claim your power as a fury
in full. Do you understand? I didn’t bring you into this world just to watch you die before your time.”
A waitress walked over with my chocolate milk.
“Get it done,” Mom said, sliding out of her seat.
“Wait.”
She left without a backward glance. As much as I wanted to push the waitress out of the way and chase her down, I stayed in my seat.
“Your food will be out in a minute,” the waitress said before walking away again.
I barely heard her. The gas station. The man on the balcony. If Mom was being honest, things were worse than I’d thought. And, they’d keep going downhill from here.
Heart sinking, I glanced out the window at Oanen. I couldn’t tell him what Mom had said. He’d made the priority of my well-being pretty plain. And I couldn’t—no, I wouldn’t—kill my great-grandma just to save myself. There had to be another way. If it was my power burning me up because I was trying to send people to hell, then I’d stop trying to send them. How hard could it be?
Oanen pocketed his phone and headed for the door. I took a drink of chocolate milk and focused on trying to calm down. By the time he strode in, I was able to arch a brow at him.
“And what was so important that you needed to run away before I could unleash my anger?”
His lips twitched a little as he sat down.
“Your anger has never concerned me.”
“Oh, you’re begging for it now.”
“I thought I’ve been begging for it since the moment we met,” he said.
I frowned at the gold creeping into his gaze.
“We’re not talking about the same thing anymore, are we?”
A small grin tugged at his lips before disappearing. He was breathtaking when mischievous and amused.
“That was Adira,” he said, answering my original question.
The waitress interrupted with the delivery of our food. I dug into my pancakes and waited for Oanen to continue.
“The Council believes that Eliana’s mom is tied to the murders.”
“Why?”
“All the victims are males. The smiles in death. And the fact that pregnant succubi are ravenous enough to easily be one of the most dangerous creatures out there. The Council wants us to investigate Nicolette further.”
