by Katie Reus
No response, but the female nodded and gave her a half-smile as she continued eating.
Bo and Ian were in the corner near the entrance talking in tones so low she couldn’t hear them, but it was clear Ian was annoyed. Maybe about where Rory had gone?
When one of the heavy stones blocking the entrance starting moving inward, both Ian and Bo tensed, their talons sliding out as they faced off with the intruder.
Nyx started to channel her energy when Rory’s muffled voice filtered through the opening. “Some help with this thing?”
The two males tugged it toward them, letting Rory in. Daylight trickled inside. A burst of hope bloomed inside Nyx. They’d be going home soon. Even if she didn’t technically have a home, they wouldn’t be in this hell anymore. Sure she was staying at Bo’s, but…she wasn’t even sure what was going on with them at this point.
Rory crawled through and stood—completely naked, covered in healing nicks and bruises and a little blood. She didn’t think it was his though. He nodded at the female, his expression fierce. “All the Koighans are dead. Every single one.”
The woman didn’t respond as Rory dressed, but surprise and relief flickered in her dark gaze.
Nyx stood, picked up her backpack, but Bo was faster, plucking it from her. “Hopefully we won’t need these pretty soon.”
“No kidding.”
Moving slowly, Bo reached out and cupped her cheek. He gently rubbed his thumb against her skin, his gaze unreadable. The effect of him touching her, even in this hell, was potent. He didn’t say anything, just gave her an intense look that said he wanted to strip her naked and do wicked, wicked things to her, before he turned to face his brothers. “Let’s get the fuck out of here.”
She swallowed hard, trying to keep focused but it was hard when her thoughts were all over the place thanks to Bo. Nyx wondered if the other two males were coming with them through the exit. They’d never actually said, but from the way they’d been acting since leaving that camp, she thought they might be. Especially considering the possessive looks Rory had been giving the rescued female.
By the time they’d trekked to the exit point, slower this morning, since they had a human with them and she’d walked part of the way, it had taken two hours.
But they were here, on the outskirts of the forest in front of a lagoon.
Nyx wanted to do freaking cartwheels.
“So where’s the exit?” Nyx asked, looking out at the crystal clear lavender lagoon from the shoreline.
The whole place was too peaceful. Too…weird. The lagoon area was surrounded by a high, sharp-faced mountainside to the west and a jungle on the other side of it. But there wasn’t much noise and no wind. The shoreline was rocky instead of sandy.
“It’s at the bottom of the pool. We’ll have to swim hard to reach it,” Rory murmured, dropping his backpack. “Leave everything unless you absolutely need it. We can’t have anything weighing us down. Once the door opens, it’ll suck us in fast.”
“I can’t swim,” the blonde rasped out, raw terror in her voice as she stared at them.
It took Nyx a moment to realize the woman thought they would leave her behind.
Before she could reassure her that they wouldn’t, Bo said, “We’re not going to leave you behind.” The way he said it was matter-of-fact.
“You can hold onto my back,” Rory said, almost simultaneously while Ian simply nodded. “Will you be able to hold your breath?”
The female nodded.
“Any creatures we need to be aware of lurking in the water?” Bo asked, stripping off his tunic.
Nyx forced herself not to stare at the ripped lines and ridges of his muscular chest and abs. Definitely not appropriate timing. Still…her gaze trailed down, down, down, to the band of his pants before she felt herself flushing. Oh yeah, no matter what happened when they got back, she was going to take all he had to offer. No doubt about it.
“Nope. Not that we know of anyway.” Rory glanced out at the still water. “But the swim is strenuous, and the matter of finding the exit can be difficult. We’ve done it multiple times though. The only problem is…it doesn’t always spit you out in the same place every time.”
“So we could end up in freaking Antarctica?” Nyx asked, taking her tunic off. It was too heavy to swim in. Her flimsy top beneath it was dingy but it would have to do.
“Pretty much.” His voice was wry.
That sucked, but it was still okay. She’d be able to transport them wherever they wanted to go once they were in the human realm. Once they were free.
Nyx noticed that the blonde wasn’t taking off her tunic. The material was thick, way too heavy for a hard swim. Nyx looked at the three males. “Turn around.”
To her surprise they all faced the water. She stripped off her top and handed it to the female. “Wear this instead.” Nyx had a bra on and didn’t relish the thought of wearing only it in front of everyone but this woman deserved to get back a sense of control over her life.
“You’re sure?” she spoke, surprising Nyx.
She nodded. “Yeah. That tunic is way too heavy for the water. Oh, hold on…” She dug her ripped jeans out of the backpack and went to stand in front of Bo while the woman changed into her top. “Will you cut these into shorts with your talons?” It would take him seconds.
He growled at the sight of her in just her bra, but she pressed a finger to his lips. He nipped at her finger, taking her off guard. Heat pooled low in her belly as he gently bit the tip, then sucked the finger into his mouth.
“Bo,” she murmured. Now was so not the time.
He let out a frustrated grumble but took the jeans and made quick work of them.
“They might be a little loose,” Nyx said as she handed them to the blonde.
“I don’t care. Thank you.” The woman stepped into them and sure enough they were a little too big, but they would do for the trip.
Unfortunately Nyx was going to have to strip her harem-style pants off for the swim too because there was no way she could swim with them slowing her pace. Bo would just have to deal with her lack of clothing.
Once they were all ready to go, the males naked, the blonde in ripped, dirty clothing and Nyx in her bra and underwear, she inwardly cringed at the sight they made. If they ended up in a populated area when they exited this realm, some strangers were in for an eyeful.
“We’re going to swim out to the middle of the lagoon,” Rory said, stepping close to the blonde. “The dive down is about three hundred feet.”
“The longest free dive is something like seven hundred feet,” Nyx said. And that was for trained professionals. She wasn’t worried about dying, but she didn’t know if the human could hold her breath that long.
Bo lifted an eyebrow. “How do you even know that?”
“Victoria told me.”
“Ah.” He nodded, apparently having received all the explanation he needed. Victoria was the queen of dropping random, obscure facts for absolutely no reason. It was one of the things Nyx adored about the female.
“Yes, so it’s far,” Rory continued. “We’ll have to stay close together because like I said, once the door opens it’ll pull us in fast. No one wants to get left behind. If you miss this opening, it’ll take another entire day to open again. It’s triggered by our bodies.”
Nyx wanted to ask what would happen if someone had already used it this morning, but kept quiet. She figured they’d already thought of that. And if someone had recently opened it, then they’d just have to try again tomorrow. Unfortunately she didn’t think the blonde female could hold her breath long enough for the return trip up if it ended up being necessary. Worried, Nyx started to say something when the blonde shook her head.
“I’ll risk it,” she said, clearly having the same thought as Nyx. “I’m not staying here another night. If I die, I’m dying free.”
Okay then. As they waded into the crisp, cool water, Bo gently touched her arm. “I’m a strong swimmer.”
&nb
sp; Not to mention he would have much longer strokes. “Do you want me on your back?”
He nodded and she realized he was trying to give her the option, not order her.
“Once we reach the middle of the lagoon I will. Thank you,” she murmured. She didn’t want to slow the group down, not when they’d only get one chance at this.
Perched on his back, the blonde hooked her arms around Rory’s neck as soon as it got deep enough, but Nyx swam through the cool, still water until Rory and Ian stopped.
Nyx moved behind Bo, sliding her arms and legs around him as he treaded water. He hadn’t been kidding, he was a very strong swimmer. He didn’t seem the least bit winded from their swim and she guessed it to be about fifty yards. She knew she shouldn’t have been paying attention to him, but her surroundings instead. But seeing the way his body cut through the water with such fluid precision was breathtaking and hard to ignore.
“I’m going to miss seeing you in this form,” she murmured close to his ear as she pressed her mostly naked body against his bare back.
He jerked slightly, sending out a ripple in the water.
“Ready?” Ian asked, looking at them.
Nyx nodded as Bo said, “Yes.”
She took a deep breath right before they went under the surface. Burying her face against the back of his neck she held on tight as he went deeper and deeper. Her lungs started to burn after a while.
She opened her eyes and even though the water was clear it had gotten much darker. The urge to draw in a breath was becoming more and more urgent but she knew they’d be there soon. Or she really hoped they would—
A flash of light nearly blinded her as the water parted all around them, throwing them into the vortex. She sucked in a burst of air as water whipped around them like a cocoon, but didn’t touch them any longer. They were spinning out of control, a kaleidoscope of colors bursting from every direction, bathing them in a rainbow of sensations.
“Ugh,” she grunted as her back came in contact with something solid. She found herself looking up at a sky filled with a billion stars. At least the transport had dried her. Groaning, she shoved up to see the others doing the same thing.
Bo was lying next to her, looking slightly dazed as he moved to a sitting position. They were in a grassy field with no discernable man-made lights and it was pretty cold.
“Anyone know where we are?” Rory asked and she got her first good look at both him and his brother in human form.
They looked similar, both white, unlike Bo, but like Bo they were pretty big all over. And they had espresso-colored hair. “I didn’t picture you with a beard,” she said, eyeing Rory. The truth was, she hadn’t really pictured them at all.
He just laughed before looking over at the woman, concern in his eyes. She was sitting up, looking around in wonder.
“You’ve got to tell us your name,” Nyx said, taking the hand Bo extended to her to pull her to her feet. The air was crisp and fresh with a hint of…manure? Gah, they must be in some sort of animal pasture if the baying sounds nearby were any indication.
“Liberty,” she murmured, wiping her hands off against her cut-off shorts.
“It shouldn’t be too hard to find transportation, but first we’ve gotta find clothes,” Ian said, looking around the wide open field.
Nyx purposefully avoided looking at everyone’s junk. Besides Bo, she was tired of seeing all these naked body parts. “That won’t be a problem. I can just transport us to Bo’s place.” She glanced at him then, eyebrows raised. “Unless—”
“My house is perfect.”
That meant he trusted his brothers, something that made her inordinately happy. She trusted them too.
“Uh, transport?” Ian asked, running a hand through his close-cropped, dark hair.
“Yeah. You all just need to touch me. My arms or wherever. Then we can go.” She looked at Liberty. “And if you want to go somewhere else, I’ll take you wherever you want once we’ve gotten back to Biloxi.”
“You’re from Biloxi?” Her eyes widened slightly.
“I live there.” For now.
“I’m from… I know the city.”
When it was clear she didn’t plan to say more, Nyx looked at everyone. “Unless you guys like the smell of cow poop, I’m ready to go.” And to get into some real clothes.
Bo moved behind her, holding onto her hips in a very possessive way while the others just touched her forearms. She loved the feel of him holding her like this, wanted to sink into it.
“Hold on,” she murmured, focusing on a memory of Bo’s kitchen. It was big enough to hold all of them and she already knew Bo could put everything she broke back together.
When they landed in his kitchen she was surprised that only a few of the glass front cabinets shattered. Thankfully he put them back together before any of the shards blasted over them.
“What are you people?” Liberty asked, eyes wide as she wrapped her arms around herself as she leaned against the center island.
Bo cleared his throat and looked at his brothers. “Half-demon, half-human,” he said. He knew what Rory was, but he hadn’t figured out what Ian was yet. Some sort of shifter for certain though.
“Half-demon, half-wolf shifter,” Rory said.
“Half-demon too,” Ian said, evading answering what else he was.
Bo wasn’t going to push though. Because they had too many damn things to take care of first. And he didn’t want Nyx to answer. It didn’t appear that she planned to but still, he said, “Everyone needs clothes, and Liberty, I think maybe…” He looked at Nyx for help. It was clear the human had been abused but he didn’t want to overwhelm her with too much at once.
“Oh, um, we’re friends with a wolf pack in this territory and they have a healer. If you’d like to talk to her before calling your family or…” Nyx looked just as lost as he felt.
The female cleared her throat. “Is a healer like a doctor, I’m assuming?”
Nyx nodded. “Yes.”
“I’d like to talk to her and I don’t really have any family.” She looked so damn lost and broken, the exhaustion on her face more prominent now. The grip she had around herself was tight and though it was subtle, she was trembling.
“You have us,” Rory blurted, then flushed, looking incredibly uncomfortable when Liberty gave him a surprised look.
“You can stay here as long as you’d like,” Bo said, something urging him to make the offer. He valued his privacy and space, but this woman needed the shelter. When Nyx looked over at him as if he’d just hung the moon, well, yeah, it felt fucking good.
“Really?” Liberty asked.
“Yeah, you all can,” he added, looking at his brothers. They still had a lot to discuss but for now, they could all rest.
And he needed to call his sister and he knew Nyx would want to contact Finn and the Stavros pack regardless of calling their healer. Once all that was figured out, he and Nyx were talking.
More than talking. She was his. He was going to just lay it all on the line, tell her what he wanted. He needed to man up and do it. He just hoped she’d still have him.
* * *
“Thurman seems okay,” Drake said, glancing around the small café with the eyes of a predator.
After spending over a thousand years in Hell he viewed every situation as a potential threat. Most shifters tended to size up rooms and people as a general rule, but Victoria’s mate was vigilant in a way she only saw in certain types of shifters. Alphas. And hers was one to the bone. “I’m glad you think so. He really is a kind man.” It was clear Thurman felt guilt over the theft of the spell. Not that he could have prevented it, not against someone powerful enough to erase his memories.
“He should be here by now though.” Drake frowned, leaned back in the chair that was a little too small for his huge frame as he glanced out the open window next to their table.
Live music from a band playing on the sidewalk a block down filtered in from outside, mixing with the soft jazz m
usic of the restaurant. The city was loud and boisterous and tonight was no different.
“He’s only five minutes late. That means nothing.” Especially not in the South. Something Drake knew by now. People took their sweet time.
He just grunted, linked his fingers through hers and practically growled at the approaching waitress. Which was definitely not like him. Normally he was all politeness mixed with awkwardness.
“Two café au laits,” Victoria said to her with a smile. “All right, what’s going on?” she murmured to her mate once they were alone again. Well, alone as they’d ever be in a restaurant packed to capacity.
“I don’t like these seats.” He looked out the long, floor to ceiling windows right next to their table.
A couple with a bulldog wearing a pink sweater strolled past, caught up in their conversation. She knew he didn’t care about their actual seating, just that they weren’t in the best tactical position. Sitting in a restaurant right off Chartres Street, they were at a table with wide open windows with easy access for anyone to attack. When people walked by, all Victoria and Drake would have to do was reach out a hand and they’d be able to touch them. “I can call Thurman and tell him we’ll meet him somewhere else.” Because if her mate was feeling edgy, she didn’t want to ignore that instinct.
“No.” He pushed out a breath, giving her one of those sheepish smiles that made her belly flip-flop. “It’s just…been over a year since I got out.”
Of Hell, he meant. She swallowed hard at the mention, hated that he’d lost so many years of his very long life in the worst place imaginable. And yet he’d somehow retained his goodness. She squeezed his hand, cupped his cheek. “Do you want to leave?”
“No, no, I just meant, I don’t know. Some days I think I’ll wake up and find out this is a dream. That you’re a dream.”
Her throat tightened as she looked into the stormy gray eyes of her mate. Victoria was vaguely aware of their server leaving their drinks, thankfully not interrupting as she left them alone. “It’s not a dream, baby. You know how you should know?”
