Return to Darkness

by Rebecca Royce

  There was a sound—a whoosh of air—and the world around me spun. But I didn’t. Colton and Thorn stood on either side of me, arms around my waist, embracing each other as they embraced me, and we stood in the eye of the storm.

  Their love was a shield, keeping me from the wind and fire and anything that could hurt me, and then it was over.

  I opened my eyes, and instead of the dreamscape, I was back where we started. Huddled in a group by a swing set. But we were alone. No demon children. No ghosts. No ancient evil.

  Just me and the four men who’d slayed a demon for me.

  It was hard to speak, difficult to even swallow, but I had to say something to mark this. “Thank you.”

  Two words that I hoped they understood meant everything to me.

  I looked around. Where was their father? “Oliver? Aaron? Your dad?”

  Oliver nodded. “I sent him to get a sword. I didn’t think we would need it, but I didn’t want him here right now. So yeah, wild errand to take off Erdirg’s head.”

  Aaron pulled out his phone. “I’ll text him and tell him not to come back.”

  “Can we go home?” I looked between all of them. For the first time in my life, I wanted to be in this small town, where everyone had hated me, and I wanted it because I was here with all of them. Just a decade after we first started here.

  In our version of reality. Just as we were.

  We’d been quiet in the car, and I opted not to pester the guys about what each of them was thinking. This was an end for them, too. Erdirg was gone, taken care of. And this time, they’d gotten to be the ones to end him.

  I’d gotten to face my fear and spoken to the demon that haunted me the long years of my young-ish life. What would the next twenty-eight years be like without the sinking feeling that I had a destiny I hated waiting for me to fulfill?

  Finally, when we’d walked in the house, I turned to Thorn. “How did you guys know that chant you did? When did you learn that?”

  He smiled, running a hand through his hair. “That’s what we did when you were missing. Honestly, we’d started to figure it out ten years ago. But it developed over time until we were pretty sure it would work.”

  “Pretty sure?” I smiled. What would they have done if it hadn’t?

  Answering my unasked question, Oliver opened the fridge while he spoke. “Maybe then we really might have needed Dad’s sword.”

  Aaron threw his head back laughing. “Poor guy. I promised we would all go to dinner there next week. And by all of us, I mean all of us.” He stared at his brother. “All of us.”

  “Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.” Oliver smiled. “I hear you.”

  Colton yawned. “Who wants to get in the hot tub?”

  Aaron raised his hand. “I do. But only under one condition.”

  Thorn put an arm around me. “I can’t wait to hear this. What is the condition?”

  “Lacey gets in naked. Totally and completely in the nude.”

  I started toward the tub, peeling my shirt over my head. I was in for whatever game they were playing. I’d just survived a demon. Naked in a hot tub? Easy.

  There was utter silence behind me until I stopped at the door, undid the button on my pants and pushed them off so I was standing in my bra and underwear.

  “You coming?” I hoped they got the double entendre.

  They stared for a second before they burst into motion. Shirts were ripped off, sneakers and boots flew across the floor. Laughing, I turned my back and strode out to the tub. I didn’t know where this confidence came from, but I loved it.

  I flipped the switch to start the bubbles, and with a quick look around to make sure no one could see me, slid my underwear down my hips and kicked it with one foot toward the house. Then I unhooked my bra and dropped it before climbing into the tub.

  Warmth surrounded me, and I shut my eyes, leaning my head back. Two lips touched mine.

  Colton. I felt him ease into the tub next to me. His strong fingers dug into my hips as he dragged me over his lap and began to roll against my core. He was deliciously naked and already hard.

  Lips touched the back of my neck, and I reached behind me. Oliver dragged his tongue along the curve of my neck, bit my shoulder, and eased his hands around to cup my breasts.

  I let out a moan, and it was answered by three deep groans. Oliver caught my nipple between his fingers, rolling it gently while sliding his hand down my stomach to my clit.

  “Oh, god!” I tore my mouth away from Colton as I tried to suck in air. Oliver kept one hand between my legs, but the other moved to my throat, cupping it. He kept my head tilted back so he could kiss me and thrust his tongue into my mouth. I moved my hands from the back of his neck to Colton’s shoulders to lift myself up.

  He knew exactly what I was doing. I felt his thumb slid along my wet center, testing my readiness, and then he was moving me into position.

  There was a splash next to me, and I opened my eyes. Aaron and Thorn watched us, gazes hooded, muscles in their arms contracting as they jerked themselves under the water.

  I met Thorn’s stare and smiled at him. “Come here.”

  He stood, water sluicing down his muscles. It ran in rivulets down his chest and along his hip bones. Licking my lips, I reached out for him. He came closer, setting one foot on the bench where Colton sat to get into place. I dipped my head to take him into my mouth just as Colton thrust up into me.

  I moaned at the sense of being filled, and Thorn moaned in response. It was hard to coordinate my movements, but Oliver gripped my hips and began to lift and lower me over Colton, helping me keep a rhythm that soon had heat building in my center.

  Thorn gripped my head, gently holding me while thrusting into my mouth.

  Aaron was suddenly right there, pressing his mouth on my neck as he sucked on my skin. It was going to leave a mark, a big one. I didn’t mind in the least. Let him mark me. Let him show the whole world I’d been well loved. Let them wonder how or bathe in jealousy. Yeah… I was feeling adored. It was a heady sensation that flowed through me in an instant while pleasure skyrocketed.

  I cried out. More. Aaron squeezed my breast as Colton came inside of me. He cried out my name, and I smiled as I sucked hard on Thorn’s cock. He was big, thick, and all mine. I loved making him come. It was such a gift to have moments like this.

  Colton pulled out of me, and Aaron replaced him almost immediately. I wasn’t sure I could take more, but then I could. I one hundred percent could, and how I wanted it. I needed him. Yes, I had to have all of them come inside of me.

  Thorn gave in at that moment and emptied in my mouth with a sigh. It was beautiful. I sucked him down like it was the best thing I’d ever tasted—because in that moment, it really was. Thorn finally pulled away, and it was just Aaron and me.

  In and out of me, he pushed and pulled, rubbing my most sensitive spots until I was crying out again. It was almost painful, but it was oh so necessary. Like my heart beating, like air. I needed these guys. Finally, we came together, and Aaron pulled away.

  I hadn’t forgotten Oliver. It had been a long time since he’d been inside of me, and I wouldn’t be complete until he was. I crooked my finger, drawing his attention to come to me. I kissed him as he bent over. “Been a while since you got off.”

  He shook his head. “My fist has been my friend when I think of you.”

  I giggled. I couldn’t help the release of joy. Oliver was hard and ready. I was so lucky. No one had ever been loved as well as I was in that moment. I could feel Oliver so deep inside of me, I wasn’t sure where he began and I ended. But that only lasted moments, or maybe it was hours—I’d learned how little time mattered—before I shattered beneath him. He followed me to oblivion in a blissful happiness I wasn’t sure I could ever replicate. Although I was pretty sure I’d spend eternity trying.

  There was nothing but silence around us. Then sound drifted in. The way they all breathed. The bubbles in the tub. The birds in the air.

  I laughed. It was
just a joyful, wonderful time. We were alive. The demons of my past were where they belonged—hidden away where not even my scent could draw them out.

  Epilogue

  An overwhelming chill raced down my spine, a clear indication that something was here, watching me.

  “Feel that?” Oliver’s breath wafted across my ear lobe, and I shivered again. His hand was warm on the base of my spine, chasing away the chill.

  I straightened, lifted my hand to my forehead to block the sun, and stared into the distance. “Beautiful.”

  We stood on a bluff, overlooking the rocky and green Irish landscape. It was our honeymoon, but blame my fae blood, because all kinds of creatures were making their presence known. Some of it was cool. When hiking along the edges of a lake, the murky water had rippled before a deep gray-skinned selkie had emerged. We’d stared at each other, the creature canting her head to one side before she grinned with sharp teeth and dove back beneath the water, tail slapping and splashing the five of us.

  I didn’t know what it was I was sensing now. Ahead of us, Aaron lowered the camera he’d lifted to his eye and turned to face us. “I think I know.” His voice was almost lost on the wind, but I caught it.

  Over a craggy hill, two forms hiking over the rocks appeared. It was a woman and a man, probably about my age, and they paused when they saw us. My whole body trembled, but all they did was wave and continue in the direction they were going. With the distance growing between us, warmth filled my body again.

  They had appeared as human as us, but maybe I was wrong.

  “Pouque blood,” Colton said. Like Aaron, he held a camera, but on his back was his backpack, and every so often, he would stop and pull out a notebook. He’d turned our honeymoon into something of a work trip. It was fascinating to watch him. Things I’d glance at, he’d stop, grab my hand, and pull me to examine. He’d shown me fairy circles and carved faces in trees.

  Pouque blood. “You think one of those people were pouque?” I asked.

  Next to me, Oliver skimmed his hand along my back until he wrapped an arm around my waist. “Both, I would guess.” He pressed his lips to my temple. “Even I can feel it. Something like a ripple of power wafting off of them.”

  In the years since we’d killed Erdirg, all of us had become more tuned in with our abilities. Ghosts didn’t even have to appear to me for me to sense their presence. I was also getting better at feeling a creature’s intention, though I was nowhere near as skilled as Aaron, who turned out to be a bit of an empath. There was nothing ill-intentioned or malicious coming off this couple.

  Ahead of me, Thorn gave a whoop, knocked his shoulder into Colton, and took off. “I see it! It’s a castle!”

  The other guys chuckled. I loved Ireland. The ancient land was full of hidden treasures, and the cool weather and incessant green was right up my alley. In some ways, it felt like I could breathe here in a way that I’d never been able to my entire life.

  There was something on a cellular level inside of me that knew I was home. I couldn’t really explain it, not even to myself. When Thorn had said he wanted to come here for a honeymoon, it had seemed a great idea.

  We’d all been working really hard lately. The hours could get away from us, and it was possible, even with five people in a house to sometimes not see each other for a whole day. Like ships passing in the night.

  I was, technically, Thorn’s wife. It had made sense as a means to get me the health insurance I needed since I was going to have Oliver’s baby in about seven months. Thorn’s company had the best package. It was funny how real life intruded on our happy fantasy on occasion. Things like health insurance. The good news was it had been easily solved with a piece of paper and a justice of the peace. Had it been odd to the other three there while I married Thorn legally? Yes, it had been. But they’d been good-natured, and as far as I could tell, no one had gotten their feelings hurt.

  The baby had been more of a surprise. None of us had been planning that. But the wrong antibiotic and a little bit too much wine one night, and here we were with an unexpected person joining our unconventional life in a matter of months.

  Sometimes I thought about that other life, the one I sometimes thought I dreamed or made up from the way that it faded from memory. But it was real, it had happened. And in that world, I’d held onto a baby like I’d known what I was doing. Perhaps it meant I wasn’t destined to fail at it.

  Colton had built a crib and Aaron declared it was a boy coming. Everyone was playing a role in this, and I knew that no matter what happened—boy or girl—they’d never know the loneliness that I’d had in childhood. There were four big, tough men who would see to it that the world didn’t hurt this baby.

  The thought brought a tear to my eye, and Oliver nudged me. “Okay?”

  “Oh, you know, the pregnancy hormones.”

  That made all of them turn toward me. Aaron furrowed his brow. “Need a break?”

  I shook my head. “No. I’m good. Just emotional. Grateful. You name it. Sappy.”

  “The sappy private detective. We could rename you, make you a new brand.” Thorn winked at me.

  I needed that like a hole in the head. As it was, they were starting to make noise about me slowing down. It wasn’t safe while I was pregnant to go tearing off down the road after nefarious types who could hurt me. Of course they hadn’t loved it before I was pregnant either.

  They’d had to learn to deal, and they would over this, too. I was never going to be the kind of mother who took it easy, that wasn’t in my nature. But that toughness had seen me through the darkness and led me to the other side. The woman I was now was a combination of every person I’d been throughout my life. Was I perfect? Not even close. But I was happy, and there was a long time where I’d never believed that was in the cards for me.

  The guys slowed and surrounded me, and I swore I could feel their love, pulsing like a wall of energy between me and the rest of the world. Instinctively, my hand went to my stomach, as if I were passing that love onto our baby. I imagined the light of our love overwhelming any darkness that threatened us and snuffing it out like it never existed. I pulled out my phone and snapped a photo of the trees in this moment. I’d send it to Kelly later when we got to the hotel. She wanted to see our vacation. With three children—one of them Robby—keeping her on her toes, she couldn’t take these trips right now. I didn’t think she’d change a thing though. I’d never seen someone as happy as Kelly Chee was. Adored and working her dream job at their vineyard, she wasn’t at all the shell she’d been in the other reality.

  None of us were. And maybe for the first time, I could feel solidly myself, too, as though I was finally who and where I was supposed to be.

  The gray stone castle loomed in front of us, and Thorn and Colton suddenly took off, running like little boys to catch an ice cream truck. The joy of the moment hit me, and I smiled. Yeah, things were going to be good. This love was going to see us through. I had no doubt.

  Afterword

  Thank you so much for following Lacey's journey with us! We hope you loved her as much as we did!

  Love,

  Rebecca & Ripley

  About the Author

  As a teenager, I would hide in my room to read my favorite romance novels when I was supposed to be doing my homework.

  I am the mother of three adorable boys and I am fortunate to be married to my best friend. I live in Austin Texas where I am determined to eat all the barbecue in town.

  I am in love with science fiction, fantasy, and the paranormal and try to use all of these elements in my writing. I've been told I'm a little bloodthirsty so I hope that when you read my work you'll enjoy the action packed ride that always ends in romance. I love to write series because I love to see characters develop over time and it always makes me happy to see my favorite characters make guest appearances in other books.

  In my world anything is possible, anything can happen, and you should suspect that it will.

  I'd lo
ve to hear from you! Please visit my website at www.rebeccaroyce.com to sign up for my newsletter and learn about my books!

  Here’s where you can find me online:

  Rebecca’s Randomness Reading Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/RebeccasRandomness/

  https://www.rebeccaroyce.com

  https://www.facebook.com/authorrebeccaroyce/

  www.twitter.com/rebeccaroyce

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  Cheers!!

  Rebecca

  Other books by Rebecca Royce…

  Wings of Artemis

  Kidnapped By Her Husbands https://amzn.to/2BQdUxy

  Rescued by Their Wife https://amzn.to/2Rr9as4

  Crashing Into Destiny https://amzn.to/2VkyXRL

  Meeting Them https://amzn.to/2BLPaXm

  Reclaiming Their Love https://amzn.to/2GKAw8E

  Loving Them https://amzn.to/2BKDmEK

  Ship Called Malice https://amzn.to/2BNputj

  Saving Them https://amzn.to/2SsrBtH

  Dark Demise https://amzn.to/2VidXv3

  Light Unfolding https://amzn.to/2GO6Yqr

  Still Waters https://amzn.to/2CFePT8

  Rising Tides https://amzn.to/2MCdTlM

  Lost Star https://amzn.to/2X8hcZA

  Pointed Arrow https://amzn.to/3gK9tYH

  Last Hope (completed series)

  Tradition Be Damned

  Past Be Damned

  Destiny Be Damned

  Compassion Be Damned

  Future Be Damned

  Dragon Wars (completed series)

  Forever

  Eternal

  Always

  Evermore

  Endless

  Wards and Wands (completed series)

  Hexed and Vexed

  Curse Reversed

  Meow, Baby (novella, co-written with Ripley Proserpina)