Page 23

We are nemeses, which I need to remember.

Instead, I slide my hand into my pants. Closing my eyes, I focus on that feeling as my callused hand slips into my panties, covering my wet cunt.

I widen my legs, sliding my fingers through my folds then pressing them inside my core, wishing they were bigger. For a moment, I see a flash of Bram’s glowing eyes as they darken and I moan out loud. The sound echoes as I speed my fingers up before pulling them free and circling my clit. Pleasure zaps through me as I lift my shirt and bite it to muffle my sounds. I grind into my hand, pretending they are touching me as my pleasure grows. I lose myself in the feeling until a noise has my eyes snapping open.

It was a twig, and it was too close.

I see cold, dead eyes watching me in the darkness, and the sight sends me over the edge, a muffled yell leaving my lips as I come. When I blink my eyes open and slump into the tree, they are gone as if they were never here, but I saw them.

Emrys was watching me.

Pulling my fingers free, I suck them clean and think about what that means. From what I’ve gathered, it means all of them saw me come too. They’ll probably think I was being cruel again, trying to entice them to break this mate bond. Oh well. I got what I needed, and my desire is slowly ebbing, leaving a need that has grown since I first kissed Kitt and realised what it meant. I’m good at hiding my lust, but it is getting worse—a constant, deep burn within me I choose to ignore.

I’m distracted from those thoughts, however, when something tickles my leg. Frowning, I crouch down and pick up the little creature clinging to my calf, then I lift it.

It’s a scorpion.

It stares at me as I stare back, and I wonder what it means. It’s a wild creature and definitely not from around here. Is it here because of Bram? I wonder if it will sting me. I watch it and wait, but it rubs against my palm before scurrying up my arm and resting on my shoulder under my hair. Unsure what to do, I just leave it there. Honestly, I’ve had worse things to deal with than a scorpion deciding I’m its new nest. Taking a deep breath, I collect myself and put my mask back into place, then I walk to the road.

The van is still here, and they are lingering around it. When I appear, they stop moving, their eyes locked on me. Their expressions are hostile, maybe more so than before, but I also see shock.

They know I could have run while they were weak, but I didn’t.

“Well, are we going?” Ignoring their dirty looks, I slip past them and into the van, reclaiming my back seat. I need some space from them, but I also made a mistake because it smells like them back here. Nervously, I reach up to tug on my hair, hoping the pain will bring me out of my lust, but instead, I touch something alive. I forgot. I pet the little creature as the van rocks when they get in, and then we are back on the road. They are silent and stiff, just like when we first met.

Brilliant.

All I can do is let my mind wander, and since I’m back here, it automatically returns to that kiss. I push away the pulse of desire, but I remember their reactions. All of them.

“You can’t block the bond between you, can you? You can feel everything the others do?”

No one speaks, but Kitt’s shoulders tense, giving me the answer I need. I’m right. I file that away to use against them somehow because Kitt, more than ever, seems determined to kill me now that he knows the power I hold over them. The bitter truth is, though, that the blade cuts two ways.

“Can we at least have some music?” I ask, already sick of the silence. Silence was all I had in Gehenna, especially for the last few years, after I pulled away from everything. Only Spike dared visit me, and even then it wasn’t often. I was alone for years with only the sound of my voice. If I can’t hear them despite how much I hate them, then I need something. I’m desperate for sound. It’s a kindness I’m asking for, but it seems it’s one I cannot afford or ask for since they ignore me.

Bram glances back to me like he can’t help himself, but then his eyes widen. “Where did you find him?”

I look down at the scorpion on my shoulder and then to Bram. “Is he yours?” I go to offer him the creature, but he holds up his hand.

“You’ll offend him.” Bram focuses on the scorpion then me. “Interesting. He chose you, little beastie.”

I look from the little creature and back to Bram, my eyebrows tugging down in a frown. “What does that mean?”

He turns away, and I glance at the scorpion. “Men are all the same,” I mutter as I pet it. “Looks like I’m keeping you for now. Don’t sting me while I sleep, okay? It’s rude, and I won’t die anyway, and when I come back, I’ll crush you.”

Its tail waves in warning before it settles down, so I take that as us coming to an agreement—or at least I hope.

I close my eyes to block the guys out as much as I can, like they are stoically ignoring me. Before I know it, a memory drags me into its depths. The image has a hazy quality to it, but I know it’s a dream. Happiness fills me. I haven’t been this happy in a long time, and I remember this moment. I was so goddamn happy it hurt, thinking nothing could touch me and that I finally found my place, only for it to be snatched away just like before.

My eyes land on a familiar dark head sprawled across my body, his big hands anchoring me to him.

“I love you, Oriana,” he whispers as he looks up at me from between my thighs. Smiling, he slides up and kisses my rounded belly then over my heart before pressing his lips to mine. “We’ll make this place a home. We will.”

“Aren’t you scared? I’m terrified,” I admit as I drape my arms around his shoulders. “This is no place for a child⁠—”

He kisses me, silencing me before stroking my face and speaking. “I’m terrified, but I’ve also never been so happy. A child is a great thing. We’ll be a family, and we’ll never be alone again, even down here, and one day, we’ll find our way out.” He smiles before stealing a kiss. “I can’t wait to see if our baby looks like you or me. Gods, I hope it looks like you. Seeing two of you running around might kill me.”

I laugh and cuddle into his arms, content as I cover my swelling belly and feel a kick. “What do you think it will be like?”