The Devil's Pit

by Naomi Martin

I stand and start pacing again, my worry consuming me. I don’t know if I can do it. The fact that I’ve been trying for days now and I’ve only just started to be able to see the threads of energy. Separating them out from one another and using the correct one is an entirely different animal. And the struggle to get it right is maddening beyond belief. And it doesn’t inspire a lot of hope in me that I can get it done. But I know if I don’t, we’re all going to end up like Ken—with our brains blown out, laying in a pool of blood on the ground. Yeah, no pressure.

  “Hey,” Zane says, “stop pacing and come here.”

  I look at him and he holds me with those oddly blue eyes of his. Even though I’m anxious as hell, I climb onto his bed and let him pull me to him. I lay my head on the pillow he moved into his lap and he starts to run his fingers through my hair. We stay like that for several long moments, just enjoying the silence and the connection between us. At least, I am.

  I’ve never felt so close to a man as I do with my boys. Even now, after all we’ve shared together and the things we’ve done, and as close as we’ve grown, I still have trouble with the idea that these three extraordinary men have chosen me. They could have rejected me. They could have not wanted anything to do with me, and they could have ignored the pull.

  But they didn’t. Even despite the fact that our foursome is unconventional as hell, they all have chosen to put their own misgivings about our relationship aside and have embraced it. Have embraced me. People stare, and they laugh at us behind our backs. But never once have any one of them shied away from what we have. From our connection. And I think that’s pretty damn special.

  I know that I feel special. They make me feel that way. No matter how down or upset I get, they never fail to make me laugh. They never fail to lift me up and raise my spirits. And more than that, they all believe in me. They all believe I can do this, that I can save us all. They believe in me even when I don’t—which has been a point of curiosity to me for a while now.

  I raise my head and look into Zane’s eyes. “Why do you believe in me?”

  He laughs softly. “Fishing for compliments has never been your style.”

  I laugh and slap him on the chest. “Shut up. I’m not fishing for compliments. I’m serious,” I say. “I have a hard time believing I can do this. Why do you?”

  He pulls me to a sitting position and turns so I’m facing him. He looks into my eyes, holding my gaze firmly. I can see the earnestness in his face and know that what he’s about to say is true.

  “I believe in you because I see the strength in you. I know you don’t see it, but I do, Raven,” he says. “All you need to do is believe in yourself. You have to stop doubting and second-guessing yourself. You have to stop thinking you have limitations, because you don’t. You can do literally anything you want to. All you have to do is believe it.”

  His words hit me hard and make my heart swell to the point it feels like it might burst. Nobody has ever expressed such a confidence in me. Nobody has ever truly believed in me before. I mean, my parents did, of course. It’s one of the reasons I was brought up to be strong and with a healthy self-esteem, and I loved them for it—still love them for it. But there was always some small part of me that believed they had to do it because they were my folks, so I’ve always craved that sort of validation from somebody outside of my immediately family.

  So to hear Zane express that belief in me means everything. It boosts my spirits higher than they’ve been since my parents were alive. And I know he means what he says, because I can feel it in every word he speaks. But he’s not done, and if his earlier words hit me hard, his next ones knock the wind right out of me.

  “And I believe in you because I love you,” he says softly. “I have fallen deeply in love with you, Raven.”

  My vision blurs and my eyes burn as they well with tears. I feel one race down my cheek and Zane brushes it away, giving me a gentle smile. My heart stutters drunkenly inside of me as my stomach roils. His words carry the impact of a nuclear bomb going off inside of me. And I know, without hesitation and without the shadow of a doubt, that I feel the same way.

  “I love you, too, Zane. I truly do.”

  As I look into his eyes and let his love wash over me, I feel a warmth that’s foreign to me. But it’s one that makes me feel freer and lighter than I ever have. What’s even better is that I know in my heart that I feel the same love for Gray and for Elliot—and that they return the emotion. We haven’t said the words yet, but I know they feel it. Just as I do.

  I lean forward and press my mouth to Zane’s. Our kiss is soft and it’s gentle, but it’s filled with all of the intensity and passion I can muster. I don’t know what the coming days will hold for us. Hell, I don’t know if we’re all going to make it out of this alive. I’m going to fight like hell to make sure that happens, but I can’t say I know what’s really going to become of us. But, right now, enveloped in this bubble of love and feeling, I just want to enjoy the feeling.

  I pull Zane’s shirt up and he raises his arms so I can slide it off him. I toss it away and plant fervent kisses on the soft, smooth skin of his chest. I trail my fingers over the hard angles and planes, down his rippled stomach; then I chase them with my tongue, circling his belly button.

  Sliding down further, I grab the waistband of his pants and pull them down. I grip his staff and stroke it as I lean back up and kiss him. Then I lower my head and circle the tip of my tongue around the tip of his cock, teasing and tasting the salty precum spilling out. I run my tongue down one side of his thick shaft, then up the other, making him gasp. I open my mouth and swallow him down, sliding my mouth as far down as I can before tighten my lips around him. I move my head up and down, relishing the feel of having him in my mouth.

  I grasp the base of his cock and squeeze it tight, moving my hand and head up and down in concert. He moans and moves his hips, sliding himself further into my mouth. The sounds he makes sets me on fire and I feel myself growing slick. But then he pulls himself away and gives me a smile. He makes quick work of my clothes, tossing them across the room.

  He leans forward and kisses me again before he picks me up and turns me around. He positions me so that I’m straddling his face and facing his cock. I take my cue and suck him back into my mouth, working on his shaft with my hand and tongue. My body grows taut and I moan loudly as he slides his tongue along my wet and incredibly sensitive lips before plunging it deep inside of me. The sensation of him licking me is intense and I grind myself against his mouth, doing my best to keep the rhythm of sucking and stroking him at the same time.

  I lick and jerk him, crying out as he nips my clit with his teeth. He laps at my center wildly and I feel my body twitch. And, with one final lick and nip of my bud, it’s all over for me. I cry out as I cum and he plunges his tongue back into me, making me shudder from head to toe as he licks me through my orgasm.

  I put his cock back into my mouth, stifling moans that were growing louder by sucking on him harder, moving my hand and head up and down. Slowly, though, my orgasm subsides and I’m able to breathe and to think again. I roll off of him and see my juices glistening on his face. I press my mouth to his, kissing him deeply, tasting myself upon his lips and tongue, and it somehow turns me on even more—which I did not think possible.

  Zane lays me gently on my back and climbs on top of me. I part my thighs for him and he settles in, using his arms to brace himself above me. And, as our mouths find each other’s once more, he slips inside of me. He rolls his hips and I groan as his shaft slides along my warm, wet walls. Our tongues dash together as he moves inside of me, setting my every nerve ending ablaze.

  I look up into his eyes and see the same love and passion I feel for him reflected back at me. The depth of the love I feel for him simply cannot be measured. It is all consuming and burns bright within my breast.

  Zane gasps and I feel his body grow taut. His movements are slow and steady; he’s in no rush and wants to savor every moment as much as I do. I
run my hands down his well-muscled back then slide them up his arms, enjoying the feel of his tightly corded muscles, the way they ripple beneath his skin as he moves. We are connected, Zane and me. We’re tethered together, mind, body, and soul. I am a part of him, and he is a part of me. It’s the same with all my boys, and I don’t think there is a woman alive who has ever felt so fortunate.

  “You are so beautiful,” he whispers. “I have never met a woman as beautiful as you before.”

  I give him a mischievous grin. “To be fair, you’ve been in here almost your entire life, so your chances of meeting somebody else were pretty slim.”

  He laughs. “Such a smartass.”

  “That’s why you love me.”

  He nods. “It is but one of many reasons.”

  Zane plunges himself into me deeper and I cry out. His pace increases as he glides in and out of my warm, wet core. He drives himself deep and when he holds himself against that sensitive spot so deep inside of me, I feel his cock twitch. It swells and, a moment later, he erupts, shooting fountains of his warm seed into me. I press my head back against the pillow, savoring the sensation of him filling me up until it touches off my own orgasm and I cry out.

  Together, we float along on currents of bliss, sailing upon an ocean of love for one another. Our bond has never been stronger and, all of a sudden, I have never been more afraid. Giving in to love means opening up to the possibility of loss. And with the coming fight, I worry about losing him. I worry about losing any one—or even all—of my boys. It’s a pain I don’t know that I can bear.

  He looks into my eyes and seems to read my fear, as he gives me a gentle smile and a peck on the tip of my nose.

  “Love will always win,” he says. “Believe it, and we will get through this.”

  “I love you,” I whisper.

  “And I love you. With everything in me.”

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Gray

  I sit on the floor with my back to the wall in Raven’s cell, watching her. She sits cross-legged on her bed, her eyes closed, her face etched with frustration. Beads of sweat stand out on her forehead, shimmering in the dim light of her cell. She raises her hands to chest height, palms six inches apart. Her fingers move and she rotates her hands as she tries again to figure out how to separate the threads of her energy.

  I can’t see anything and, truthfully, I don’t understand what it is she’s trying to do. I mean, I get the basic concept, I guess. But not being an elemental myself, I don’t get the intricacies of the process. Which means I’m relegated to the role of observer and cheerleader. I’ve never felt more useless or helpless before in all my life.

  She sighs loudly and drops her hands, looking over at me. I can see the frustration in her eyes and want nothing more than to hold her. Comfort her. Tell her everything is going to be okay. But the truth is, I don’t know if it will be. Not unless she can get this figured out. I’m not going to say that, though—I think she already knows it, and I don’t want to add any pressure to her already overfilled plate.

  Instead, I get up and sit down next to her. I take her hand in mine and raise it, placing a gentle kiss on the back of her knuckles. She gives me a small smile that’s humorless and a bit sad.

  “You okay?” I ask.

  “Not really.”

  Wrapping my arm around her shoulder, I pull her to me and hold her close. I kiss the top of her head as she melts into me. We sit in silence for a moment, the air saturated with thoughts and feelings left unsaid. But I don’t want them to remain unsaid any longer. I turn to her and hold her hands, squeezing them tightly. She looks at me with eyes that are shimmering and red, so I lean forward and plant a chaste kiss on her lips then pull back and give her what I hope is an encouraging smile.

  “Listen to me,” I tell her. “No matter what happens, I want you to know that you are the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

  “You say that like this is the end of things,” she says. “Like you’re giving up.”

  “Far from it,” I assure her. “I still plan on living a long, full life. And for the first time ever, I see that there is somebody I want to spend that long, full life with. I want it to be you.”

  The smile on her face is warmer and I see the emotion in her eyes. “I want to spend my life with you, too, Gray.”

  I look down for a moment then back up again. “I mean, I know I’m sharing your heart with two others. And… well, I didn’t think I’d be cool with that,” I tell her. “But I realize that having some piece of your heart is better than not having any of it.”

  She laughs as a tear spills down her cheek. I reach out and cup her chin, raising her eyes to mine, and brush the tear away with my thumb.

  “And I have to say, the other guys aren’t so bad. I’ve even come to like Zane a bit,” I grin. “If I had to share you with somebody, those two are pretty cool. They love you like I do—with all of their hearts.”

  She swallows hard and I lean forward to give her another kiss, this one gentle but filled with emotion. Eventually, I pull back and look her in the eye.

  “Do you mean that?” she asks, her voice quavering.

  I nod. “I do. I think the four of us, well, it’s still kinda weird in my book, but somehow, it works,” I tell her. “When we get out of this—when, not if—I think we’ll all be great together. I think we can lead a good life. It’s something I’m looking forward to.”

  “You’re just saying that because you’re hoping for another threesome,” she laughs.

  I shrug. “I have to admit, it freaked me out at first, but it turned out to be pretty hot,” I tell her. “And I look forward to indulging every other fantasy you may have in that pretty little head of yours.”

  “Oh, well, I’d better start making a list.”

  “Yes, you should.”

  She bites her bottom lip as we look into each other’s eyes. I can see the hope blossoming there, but I also see the fear—the fear that she won’t be able to do this. I grip her hands harder and give her a smile of encouragement.

  “I love you, Raven McCabe,” I tell her. “I love you to the moon and back.”

  She laughs and raises my hand, planting a soft kiss on my knuckles. “And I love you, Gray,” she tells me. “You have a very special piece of my heart, and you always will.”

  Caught up in the moment, I wasn’t paying attention to his arrival, but now I sense him standing there. I don’t know how long he’s been standing in the doorway. I turn and see Elliot, who’s got a big goofy grin on his face.

  “How long have you been standing there?” I ask.

  “Long enough to say I agree with everything you just said.”

  I roll my eyes and sigh. Raven laughs and slaps me on the arm playfully. “You realize that when we get out of here and build our life together, you’re going to have to let your guard down,” she says. “You’re going to have to let these guys see that beneath that hard, crusty exterior, you’re really a softy.”

  “No, I really don’t.”

  Laughing, Elliot steps into the room and plants a big wet kiss on my cheek. “Oh come on, big guy,” he says. “It’s okay to be yourself around us. So long as you don’t start trying to write poetry or anything.”

  I laugh and push him away. “Shut up.”

  Elliot takes the seat in the chair and faces Raven. As she turns her attention to him, his expression grows serious. He gives her a smile.

  “Shockingly enough, Gray said everything I wanted to say,” he says and shoots me a sly grin. “Perhaps not quite as eloquently, but the sentiment was right.”

  Raven laughs and I shoot him the finger, which prompts him to laugh, as well. It’s not long before I join their laughter and we’re all rolling around like loons. I have to say that it feels nice to break the tension we’ve been living under and enjoy a few minutes of genuine happiness together. If this is a preview of our life to come, sign me up and get us the fuck out of here.

  Slowly, our laughter fades, a
nd Elliot’s expression grows earnest as he looks into Raven’s eyes. She looks back at him and though she looks so delicate and so vulnerable, she also looks fiercely determined. I’ve never seen her look so beautiful.

  “I love you, Raven,” he says. “I love you with all my heart.”

  I’m tempted to insert a dig at Elliot just to get us all laughing again, but with what feels like the Sword of Damocles hanging over our heads, I know that shit is about to get really serious, really quickly. So, I bite back the words and give Elliot this moment with her.

  Raven’s smile is soft and warm. She lays a hand on his cheek and together, they lean forward and share a kiss that’s fiery and intense, but also sweet and sincere. Slowly, they pull back, and she smiles softly.

  “And I love you, too, Elliot,” she says, then turns to me. “I have an embarrassment of riches in love and it’s something I’ll treasure.”

  “In Elliot, you simply have an embarrassment.” I can’t help it. It just slipped out.

  Elliot laughs and gives me the finger as Raven slaps my hand but laughs gently.

  “You guys, your love—both of you, and Zane—it’s something I’ll cherish to my dying breath,” she tells us. “You three have made me more whole than I ever thought I could be.”

  “Well, let’s just make sure your dying breath isn’t anytime soon,” I say.

  “Hear, hear,” Elliot agrees.

  As we sit there, my ears perk up and I raise my head, scenting the air. I smell what’s coming, and it’s not good. My body suddenly tenses and I get to my feet.

  “What is it Gray?” Raven asks.

  I turn to her. “Keep working,” I whisper urgently. “We’re going to need you to do your thing. And quickly. Really quickly.”

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Raven

  The common room bursts into chaos. I hear the sound of heavy boots and shouting voices flooding in. Beyond my door, people are screaming in fear and being shouted down by the commanding voices of Sherman’s men. I look up at Elliot and Gray, who stand between me and the door. And when it’s kicked inward, crashing into the wall behind it with a resounding bang, I nearly jump out of my skin.