“Yeah. Some very interesting things.” I straightened in my seat, glaring at the wall. “But I’ll tell everyone together after we find out what we can from that stuff they’re working on.” She peered at me, her interest piqued. “Keep an eye on him. I’m going to get some shut eye.”
I wandered over to the couch, my eyes surveying the room. No one noticed I was about to claim the couch. Score! I plopped down, curling to my side with a blanket. The constant pound of Dax typing a foot from my head coaxed me into a deep sleep.
I was back at Jada’s party with Jace dancing in front of me. Only this time, he was completely naked and no one else was there except the two of us. That was until another guy showed up. The asshole from the bike shop! What was he doing here? He shoved Jace to the side and started stripping. Oh yeah, momma likes what she sees. They grunted at each other like a couple of cavemen, until I stood commanding their attention in all my naked glory. “Boys, there’s enough of me to go around. I can handle both of you.”
I tossed and turned until Dax’s voice pierced through my erotic dream. My eyes tore open, silently cursing his very existence. If I had another hole puncher it would be hitting him right about now. I sat up, wiping the still damp drool that had collected in the corner of my mouth with the sleeve of my shirt.
Lyric sat in a chair close to me, staring with an idiotic smile plastered across his face. “Good dream?”
“Huh?”
“I haven’t heard moaning like that since I caught some of my bothers watching seventies porn. I never knew women were so hairy … you know, down there.” He pointed to my crotch, making my cheeks burn.
“Not all women are that hairy,” I mumbled, unsure on why I was defending my baby smooth vag to him.
“Is it true what the humans say. Does the carpet really match the drapes?” he asked, wracking his eyes across Masey like a lion wanting to attack. “I love those redheads.”
I fought the urge to hurl everywhere. Unable to stop the gags, I turned from him and faced Dax.
“What did you find out?” I stumbled up, catching myself on the arm of the couch before crashing into Dax and shoving him from his chair.
“Geez! I could’ve told you from over there.” Leaning forward, I stared at the screen. It looked like a bunch of charts and useless information. My brain instantly got bored and drifted back to the dream. “Do you even know what you’re looking at? Because I’m pretty sure there’s nothing there that can justify that horny ass look on your face.”
I raised my chin, shaking my raging hormones off and back to their dormant position. This was the longest I had been without some dick and it was beginning to show. I couldn’t help it that a good lay helped clear my head. My eyes flinted up Dax’s body. Nah. Not just nah. Hell nah. He wouldn’t do. I liked my men more built, cocky, rugged, and able to throw me against a wall.
“This doesn’t look like anything.” I stood, letting him have his seat back. “You could’ve let me finish my dream instead of hollering for no reason.”
A smirk crossed his lips. “I don’t think anyone wanted to see you hump the couch.”
“You want me to shove this computer up your ass?” I asked, not taking my eyes off him.
He threw his hands up. “There it is. Shayla finally let an ass comment fly.”
“Shut up.” Although it did feel good. I couldn’t help it. It was my thing if I wasn’t hitting or threatening someone. “So, if you found somethin’, what was it?”
“They’ve been measuring energy levels,” he said triumphantly, pointing at the screen. “That’s what all these charts are. It wasn’t easy to break through all the passwords, but I did it.” His eyes met mine. His expression clearly thinking he deserved a cookie for his accomplishments.
“Why energy levels?” Masey said, taking a break and coming over to look at the computer. Lyric sauntered up behind her, draping his arm over her back, and resting it on the back of the chair.
“Do you know anything about this?” I asked him.
“No. Most everything they were working on was kept confidential. We only got information when they needed us to carry out orders.”
“Like trying to kill us?” Masey asked, her lips pulling back in a sneer. He cowered back, dropping his arm. If looks could kill, he would have just melted into a creamy puddle on the floor for us to stomp through. Creamy? Why did I think creamy? Oh yeah, the dream. I smiled to myself. Dax gave me a weird look, causing it to dissipate just as quickly as it formed.
I cleared my throat. “So what about it? These energy levels, what do you think it means?”
“I’m not sure, but whatever it is, they seemed to have found it. The highest peak is at Devil’s Den. It demolishes all the other areas they tested.”
“Devil’s Den?” I twitched as the gory details of my last visit there flooded my thoughts. All the blood. Those dead girls, their bodies being torn apart and eaten. I glanced at Lyric. He wasn’t there that night, but he was still one of them. I felt bad for judging him like I would any of them, but I couldn’t help it. I didn’t have anywhere else for that energy to go.
“So, I take it a trip to Devil’s Den is necessary?” Lance asked. Fear and confusion preyed on me as I dropped my eyes to the floor. There was no way I could go back there. It would be too hard.
“How do you know the Depot Demons won’t be there? That’s where they attacked Shayla,” Savannah said, eyeing me with concern.
“They abandoned that place after that night,” Lyric said. “Varcies said with everything that happened people might start to poke around there too much so no one was allowed to go back.” Well, at least I wouldn’t have to worry about running into a group of them. What was I saying? How could I trust him? He could just be feeding us lies to get us there so his group could kill us.
“Obviously, someone was going back. It might not have been Snake Demons, but it was someone,” Dax said, eyeing the chart. “We need to see what they were looking for.”
“We still have a few hours until morning. I think it’s best to go then,” Lance said.
“Agreed,” Savannah said. “Let’s get some sleep, everyone. Masey, keep an eye on our guest.” She nodded, giving Lyric a once over.
I went back to the couch, while everyone started to turn in around me. Everyone except Masey, who went back to her workstation. I turned toward the back of the couch, facing away from everyone. There was no way I could go back to sleep now, knowing in the morning I would go back to a place where I almost died. I shuddered as I wrapped my arms around my midsection. A cold sweat ran down my back. Somehow my fingers found the necklace draped around my neck and gripped the pendant hanging from it. The necklace Jace gave me. The necklace that saved my life.
I wasn’t the type of person who thrived on living for the moment. No matter how fearless I tried to act, this shit scared me. I loved living. I mean, I was far too hot to die at such an early age. Like most of us, I was roped into this. The glamour of learning how to whoop ass was enough to blind all of us from the harsh reality of how dangerous this all was. I don’t think any of us realized it until Liam had died.
That night changed everything. It made us wearier about things. He was so young. Swallowing tonight’s supper pooling at the back of my throat, I tried to forget. Forget the way his body lay a disheveled pile of human flesh and bone. His smile, witty comments, and warm heart were gone. It could have been any of us. Steele proved that months later. What chance did we have? He was better than us, and yet he fell to their wrath.
The sickening truth propelled into my chest, making it constrict. I was having a panic attack! I blinked my eyes, hot tears in the corners. I rolled over on my back, violent tremors slamming against the cavity of my body.
“Shayla,” Masey frantically whispered my name. Her hands felt hot against my cold, clammy skin. Nails dug into my shoulder as she pushed me back and forth in a haste to bring me back from the place my fears were taking me. “Shayla, you’re scaring me,” she said a little
louder this time.
“What’s wrong?” a voice said. Lyric, I think.
“I don’t know. She was breathing all weird. I thought she was asleep until she rolled over. She won’t answer me,” Masey told him. My head raised as a hand cupped the nape of my neck. “Get me a cool cloth,” he instructed her. “Breathe. Calm down. Just close your eyes, clear your mind, and breathe.” I pinched my eyes closed as he pressed the damp cloth against my forehead. I thought of nothing. Freeing all my troubled thoughts with each exhale, letting the vile depressing worries go.
I bolted up, sucking in a lung full of air as the world around me came crashing back at once. Beside me, Lyric and Masey crouched next to the couch each releasing a relieved sigh. “That’s never happened to me before,” I said, my voice low, careful not to wake the others sleeping around us.
“Maybe you shouldn’t go with them tomorrow,” Masey said. My shoulders drooped, catching the cloth as it fell from my forehead. It was hot now, like someone had ran it under scalding water. From the moment we started having missions to go on, I was always front and center. Along with Reese. If she was there, I knew we could take on anything. Things were different now. I was trying to run a show with no partner. “They can handle it,” Masey continued, urging me to tell her she was right. I didn’t need to go, but I was. Now was not the time to be scared. Lyric’s warning told me that. If we stopped, our world would crumble.
“I have to.” She shook her head, blinking thoughtfully before jumping to her feet and darting outside to the porch.
“She’s just worried,” I told Lyric who was still gazing after her. “You should go. This will give you an opportunity to talk to her.”
He smiled. “Are you sure you’re good?” I nodded, pushing his arm to give him a gesture of confidence. He disappeared outside, shutting the door soundlessly behind him. I still didn’t trust him entirely, but Masey would handle the situation if needed.
I lay awake, staring at the cracked sheet rock, counting the minutes as they ticked by. Hell, at least I was able to have a few hours of sleep that included a hump-tastic dream. There was no way I could go back to sleep knowing where I was going tomorrow.
An alarm pierced the early morning hour. Lance grumbled under his breath, slapping at it a few times before actually hitting the thing. I blinked the burning from my eyes, attempting to gain a hint of lubrication to soothe them before I rolled off the couch, melting to a puddle on the floor. Somehow I mustered the strength to make it on my hands and knees.
Devil’s Den, here I come.
Chapter Fourteen
Reese
Once we hit the ground, I literally thought I would drop to my knees and kiss every square inch of its filthy surface. Somehow I maintained my composure and dropped against a rock, moving some dirt with my foot, silently welcoming it back into my life. We were still in pitch black; the only light came from Harley’s headlamp. I squeezed my eyes, trying to focus on what might lay beyond just the few feet I could see. We had dropped deep in the ground. How would I have ever found this place alone? A cool draft swept across the back of my neck, causing me to shiver. I pulled my legs in, wrapping my arms around them.
Harley glanced over to me, his honey colored eyes sending another shiver down my spine. “It’s getting near dark.” He dropped his bag, rummaging through it until he pulled out all my clothes. “You need to get dressed or you’ll freeze.” He tossed everything over to me and pulled out his own stuff. I quickly dressed, anxious for my body heat to kick in under the cloak. “This way.” He waved his finger through the air and led the way through the dark. It was hard to keep up with him. Every one step of his was two of mine.
“Why are we in such a hurry?” I asked. My chest burned as the air came out in short little gasps. The muscles in my legs begged for me to stop as we climbed over rocks in our path, never slowing. Despite the cooling temperatures, sweat beaded at my hairline and ran down my back.
He stopped and stared at me. “You know as well as I do, this place becomes more deadly at night. Just because we’re down here, doesn’t mean it’s any different. We need to make it to the camp as fast as we can.” Before I could answer, he trotted off a good ten feet ahead of me. Despite wanting to sit down and take a break, I forced my body to keep going.
Something hit my shoulder and fell to the ground. Thinking nothing of it, I kept walking. Two more hit my arm and the top of my head. Suddenly it felt as though I was being pelted by bits of hail from the ceiling. “Harley!” I screamed. I couldn’t see what it was, but I could feel them crawling. It felt as though millions of little legs were inching their way over my body. His light whipped around, bouncing as he ran back to me. Long, red centipedes were all over me. When the light bathed over them they curled into a fetal position and dropped to the ground, sluggishly moving together. To my horror, they began to change into one giant centipede as their bodies mangled together. It stood on its back legs, rising up at least ten feet, and let out a thunderous screech that blew my hair back.
I reached for my blade, unable to pull it out due to my hand shaking so violently. It lashed out toward me. I closed my eyes, waiting for the blow. Her voice screamed at the back of my mind. Move! My feet were locked into place. Maybe it was better this way. I couldn’t be the person to save the world. There was something evil in me that fought tooth and nail to break me down. Something hit my chest, knocking the air from my lungs, and sending me back into a wall. The impact cracked the wall as I slid down, my hair catching on a sharp, jagged rock, ripping a few strands out. Harley was in front of it with two small blades, leaping in and out of the thing’s attacks. Kill it! She pounded against my insides as I fought her. If you won’t, then I will. My eyes rolled back as I slipped into the darkness.
I rolled my shoulders around, the blade itching for me to take it. I pushed against the wall, standing to my feet, and snatched it from the holder. I jumped over a large rock blocking my path, my vision becoming a blur with the exception of the threat. Harley jumped back, just missing a strike. I used the distraction to hoist myself onto its side, barely missing its hooks as they lashed toward me. I skirted up the body segments, holding as best as I could as it reeled back, trying to throw me off. Harley went in for another strike, giving me time to reach the head. I slammed the blade into its head repeatedly until it fell to the ground, sending dust everywhere. The adrenaline rush that jetted through my veins like pumps from a water gun started to dwindle.
“Reese?” Harley called. I looked up to find him standing over me. His mouth dropped as he stared down at me. She stirred, thinking I was going to attack him. I let out a laugh and rolled off the beast to the ground. I closed my eyes, taking deep, slow breaths, letting her take back over. I needed to see what was at the place they were leading her to. “Can you hear me, Reese?”
Harley sounded frantic, yet far away, like he was at the end of an empty hallway, and his voice was bouncing off the walls. Pressure built on my chest and turned to a burning agony in my lungs. I tried to open my eyes, but couldn’t. A gurgling sound escaped my lips. The copper taste of blood was fresh on my lips. “Hold on to my voice.” I fought to hear him, concentrating everything I had on it. “One of the pinchers broke off in your side. I’m working …” His voice trailed off like a gust of wind carried it away.
“She’ll be okay. I just checked on her. Her breathing and heart rate have regained normality. Shouldn’t be long and she’ll wake up. Probably just sleeping off the rest of the poison,” I heard someone say. I was laying on something soft. A cozy blanket was pulled up to my chin that I nuzzled farther into without opening my eyes.
“That’s not really what I’m worried about, Freeman,” Harley said. I pictured the one with the piercings sitting across from him. He was the only one I didn’t have a name for yet.
“Well, what is it?”
“Hey, I’m just glad she showed. I was beginning to doubt Fuzz was ever going to send us someone. And we got a break from Jackson … I’m finally star
ting to lose that hillbilly slang I picked up there,” Hollywood’s voice interrupted. “But, you can go ahead, Harley.”
“When she rolled off that thing … her eyes,” he paused for a minute. “They were the eyes of someone that had been possessed by darkness. Crazed … lethal.” There was dead silence with the exception of a crackle and pop every few seconds. “I just don’t understand.” I wanted to sink into the earth and have it swallow me whole. I could hear the let down in his voice as he spoke his confusion. They were expecting something else and instead they got me. I rolled over on my side, not wanting to hear anymore. I felt bad enough as it was. Grogginess made it hard to stay alert. Whatever poison they referred to was obviously still working its magic. I drifted off, away from their voices.
The next morning, a golden stream of light burned against my lids causing me to stir. My head was on something warm, moving up and down. I opened my eyes to find myself staring at Harley’s midsection. His arm was wrapped around my back, a hand resting on my hip. My leg was out from under the cover, draped over his legs. We were tangled in each other, like we spent the night together. I gently pulled away, trying not to disturb him. As I sat up, away from him on my elbows, I glanced around. I was surrounded. He was on one side while the other three guys slept on the other side.
“Morning,” he said. I jumped from the nearness of his voice. He sat up, resting his head on his hand.
“Ummm, hey,” I said, finally finding my voice. It was hard to talk to him like everything was normal. He basically knew I was a freak now, and to top it off we were just on top of each other cuddling. I needed to put distance between us. Yeah, I thought he was super hot, but that was as far as this could go. I had to figure out what was going on with me first. That was the plan when all this started, and it shouldn’t deviate from that. I pushed the covers back, a pain shot through my midsection, causing an involuntary wince.
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