Styx (The Four Book 1)

by Layla Frost

  “My little hellion,” he said, sitting on the floor behind me and pulling me onto his lap. Grabbing my wrists, he made me touch his face. “It does not have the same effect on me.” His voice lowered so only I could hear. “Now, never threaten to take away your touch again, or I’ll take that to mean you aren’t as addicted to me as I am to you. I’ll be forced to keep you in bed until we fix that.”

  His words gave my raised adrenaline a new outlet. My nipples tightened, and I grew inappropriately wet at his appealing threat. I wiggled my ass in his lap, smiling when I was rewarded with a low groan. “Yup, I don’t know it. I think we need to fix that.”

  “Temptress.”

  My laughter died when I looked back at the dust. “I killed them.”

  “They were already dead,” he told me. “Not in body, but in soul. That’s why you dusted them.”

  “I’ll grab the broom,” Lula said, heading into the kitchen.

  Standing, I brushed myself off. My eyes landed on the other body. “I’m guessing I should do the same with him?”

  “I’ll dig a grave, my love,” Nate said, trying to turn me to face him.

  “Does he have a soul?”

  He paused for a second before shaking his head.

  “Then it doesn’t matter.” I crouched and touched the man’s arm. Just a gentle graze, barely making contact.

  But that was all it took.

  Ashes to ashes, piss me off and I’ll turn you to dust.

  Once it was done, I stood and looked at Lula. “I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t be. I’m a better sweeper than you.”

  “Yeah, but we know I’m better at loading the dishwasher.”

  We’d had the same back and forth a million times as roommates in college. It never failed to make me smile, and then was no exception.

  Unfortunately, since my worries were more significant than cramming for finals or analyzing the flirty glances from the hottie in my digital photography class, my smile didn’t last long.

  “I’m sorry I dragged you into this,” I said again.

  “I’m not in it from their point of view.” Lula hooked a thumb over her shoulder toward the door. “You saw that guy, he couldn’t care less about me. I’m in it by choice. With you.”

  “And now you’re in danger.”

  Ever the mature one, she made a fart noise.

  “You shouldn’t go home, just in case,” Nate said to her, wrapping an arm around my waist.

  “Here’s not exactly safe, either,” I pointed out.

  “I’m fine here,” Lula insisted.

  Nate lifted his chin. “Do you have somewhere else to stay?”

  Lula looked ready to argue, but instead nodded. “I’ll text Chase, have him come get me. We’ll go to my parents.”

  I looked at the clock, expecting it to be the middle of the night.

  Nine.

  Shit. I’m fucking wiped, and it’s barely nine at night.

  Excuse me while I watch Matlock and have a hard candy, before yelling at kids to get off my lawn.

  “Sit,” Nate whispered.

  Too drained to argue, I watched from my desk as they finished sweeping and mopping my mess. I wondered if I’d be finding bits of Steve in the corner for weeks.

  Chase showed a little while later, his expression grim. I expected a glare, if not outright threats to stay away from Lula. She was the love of his life, and if something happened to her because of me, I knew he’d never forgive me.

  I’d never forgive me.

  After hearing the gist of the story and holding Lula to ascertain she was okay, he came to where I sat.

  I braced, but it did no good.

  He pulled me up to my feet, wrapping me in a tight hug. “Fuck, Clyde. You can’t catch a break.”

  Clyde.

  My heart squeezed.

  I was the Clyde to Lula’s Bonnie, a pair who were as inseparable as we were chaotic. Where others had been scared away, Chase had embraced the pandemonium we’d brought to his life.

  “I’m sorry,” I whispered.

  “You got this,” he whispered back. “And you got us. We’d never let you fight alone, you know that.”

  I pulled away from the hug, wiping at my face. The magnitude of what I’d done hit me hard, guilt settling on my shoulders. I did my best to hide it, but Lula knew.

  She hugged me goodbye, whispering, “He wasn’t right. Don’t let him win.”

  I gave a noncommittal head bob, but didn’t say anything.

  I wanted them gone. Away from me and danger.

  Her eyes narrowed, but she pressed her lips into a thin line, holding back whatever argument she had.

  I watched as they walked to Chase’s car, his arm around her and their heads close as they talked.

  To be a fly on the wall during that conversation.

  “Let’s get you to bed,” Nate said.

  Going upstairs, I did my nighttime routine before heading into my room, not bothering with any pajamas.

  Nate was sitting in bed, his back against the headboard. The blanket was up to his waist, but his chest was bare. His head was bent as he used his index finger to stab at my cell. He looked up, doing a double take before tossing the phone back where it’d been on the table.

  “Why won’t two become one?” I asked.

  “Who wasn’t right?” he shot back.

  I sighed, leaning in the doorway. “I asked first.”

  “Yes, but I’ve shared more.”

  “My dad, who you know about. Now—”

  “I know about him from things I’ve overheard. From things Eve said. But not from you. I want to hear it from you.”

  Inhaling deeply, I tried to disconnect as I launched in. “My mother died when I was born. During childbirth. My dad, who was already a religious zealot, took that to mean I was a murderer. The antichrist. Instead of baths, he doused me in holy water. Instead of lullabies, I had hymns. Scriptures as bedtime stories. And not the positive ones that taught of God’s love or the kid-friendly fable versions. Only the scary ones. Revelations. Tales of fire and brimstone.”

  “Fuck.”

  “Yup. Most kids had parents who were overprotective, wanting to protect them. My dad kept me away from others because he worried I’d corrupt them. Hurt them and damn their souls. He told me in kindergarten that he wasn’t sending me to a private school because he feared for the fathers and nuns.”

  “My love, come here.”

  I didn’t move, though. Once I began sharing, I couldn’t seem to stop. “He hated me. I was an unredeemable murderer. A danger to everyone. I was made by the devil.” I snorted. “He wasn’t so crazy after all.”

  “That’s not how it is,” he tried.

  “I put Lula in harm’s way tonight. It’s exactly what he predicted. He told me, and then Lula, and then Lula’s parents that I’d be the death of her. He wanted them to help keep us apart. But they didn’t. They plotted with us, making sure we saw each other. Lula’s parents offered me love and tenderness, taking the parental role.” Tears welled in my eyes, my throat closing. “And I thanked them by dragging Lula into all this.”

  “My little hellion, those men had no interest in her.”

  “But to get to me—”

  “If it’s Absolve, they won’t waste their time or manpower.”

  Knowing he wouldn’t lie to me, I nodded, but fear and guilt still swirled in my stomach.

  “We’ll make sure of it,” he added. His words cut away at my hopelessness, and only then did my fear recede.

  I offered him a weak smile, wiping at my face. “We’ll use Krav Maga.”

  “Exactly. Now, get your sexy ass over here.”

  “Fine,” I drawled on a deep sigh, as though it was a hardship to climb into bed with him. Once I was under the covers, he rolled so his body covered mine, his hips falling between my spread thighs.

  His cock was hard, pressing between us, but I stopped him.

  “Why won’t two become one?” I asked again
.

  Deep, heart crushing pain burned in his eyes before he closed them, clenching his jaw. When his eyes opened, they were filled with guilt. And longing. “When I was cursed, they stole my soul.”

  I pressed my hand to his chest and whispered, “Baby.”

  “The Four were told that, when the time was right, we’d meet our other half and our powers would strengthen. Eventually, our souls would fuse, and our connection would be absolute. As Death and Hades, I thought we’d be paired together from the start, but I was wrong.”

  “Why weren’t we?”

  He shrugged. “Because that’s not the balance the universe demanded. I worked alone for hundreds of years, waiting for you. Wanting you. Now that I’ve found you, I don’t have the other half to complete our soul. I’m sorry I can’t offer you that.”

  Try as I might, I couldn’t help but laugh. “I’m sorry,” I gasped, my laughter quickly devolving into hysterics. “Hold on.”

  “I don’t see what’s so funny, my little hellion,” Nate muttered, though his lips twitched.

  “I know. Makes it funnier.”

  With a wicked smirk, he shifted back and slammed his cock into me.

  My laughter stopped immediately, replaced by a moan.

  “Good to know that works,” he said.

  “Feel free to use that method again.” I raised my hips, but he put more weight on me, preventing any movement.

  “What was so funny?”

  “That you’d think I’d be upset because we don’t get some paranormal mumbo-jumbo. I don’t care about all that. I care about having you. Don’t get me wrong, the powers will come in handy for kicking some Absolve ass, but beyond that, I don’t care. I’m not a magicks groupie.”

  He chuckled, the feeling travelling through me in a way that made me need to move.

  “I’ll still put out like one, though,” I whispered, finally able to shift beneath him.

  Feet flat to the mattress, I used the leverage to rock my hips.

  With his back bowed, Nate kept his pelvis still so I could fuck myself on his cock. His mouth trailed down my neck and across my chest, pausing to bite and suck. When I needed more, wrapping my legs around his thighs in a not-so-subtle invitation, he took over.

  His lips and beard tickled along my collarbone as he rocked his hips in shallow thrusts. Teasing his tongue up my neck, he lifted to press his lips to my mouth in a soft kiss.

  Then another.

  Then another.

  When he did it again, I sucked his lower lip into my mouth, dragging my teeth as I slowly released it.

  His wild eyes met mine as he growled, the sound sending a wave of pleasure through me. His hand went under my head to fist my hair, tugging until I gasped. Taking the opening, he devoured my mouth. Owning it.

  Owning me.

  Pulling almost all the way out, he slammed in with enough force to push me up the bed

  Like it was torture, he violently tore his mouth from the kiss, leaving us both gasping for air. Our moans and grunts were an erotically wicked melody, harmonizing with the rhythm of our bodies moving together.

  His hand left my hair to shove under my ass. Gripping a cheek, he tilted it up and I lost my breath at the intensity of the angle.

  The coarse hair on his pelvis scrapped roughly against my clit. My body tensed, and a light sweat covered my skin. Closing my eyes, I turned my head to the side.

  “Open your eyes,” he ordered on a growl, his other hand wrapping around my throat to tilt my head so I was facing him.

  Gentle pressure against the sides of my neck had me fighting against my orgasm, not ready for it to be over. But it was like trying to stop a rocket with a house fan.

  Forcing my eyes open, I met his gaze and lost myself in their velvety blackness.

  He slammed into me hard enough to take my ass completely off the bed, and I clung to him, taking it all.

  Every thick inch.

  Every brutal thrust.

  Every bizarre truth.

  Every single amazing thing that made Nate who he was.

  Happily—no, greedily—I took it all.

  Moving his hand up to hold my jaw, he stared down at me with that look. The one I always wanted him to have. “I love you.”

  Before I could respond, his mouth crashed down, stealing my words with his wicked kiss. Our tongues fought for dominance. I dropped my legs and tried to roll us, but he moved his hands to grip my inner thighs, holding them spread wide. His movements were rough and erratic.

  No holds barred and savage.

  Harsh and wild.

  Considerate and attentive.

  Loving.

  I wasn’t powerless.

  I was powerful.

  Equal.

  I took all he had to give and gave everything I had back.

  His other half would have to be strong to stand up to him.

  “Hell,” I moaned, overwhelmed. I was lost, floating in nothingness, yet aware of everything. Every change, twinge, stretch, and clench.

  And then it was gone as I exploded, shattering into a million pieces. The only thoughts I had were of Nate and the incredible pleasure he created in my body, mind, and soul.

  “I love you, too,” I panted when I could speak again. I pried my eyes open to meet his gaze.

  It was worth the effort to be able to see, up close and intimate, how they blazed at my words.

  “Say it again,” he ordered.

  “I love you.”

  As soon as the words left my mouth, his eyes changed again, but not to blaze with intensity or go hooded with desire.

  Like shooting stars in a black night’s sky, bursts of silvery-white swirled across his irises.

  I gasped and lifted my hands to hold his head so I could get a better look, but I didn’t get the chance. His thrusts went wild and frenzied, and I had to clutch his shoulders to stay in place. He dropped his body close to mine and ground into me with each long, brutal stroke. His grunt rumbled in my ear as he came.

  Just for me.

  His grunt, his cock, his come, his love.

  All of him was just for me.

  When he began to push off me, I wrapped my legs back around his and held his face. “Your eyes…” I whispered in awe.

  “What about them?”

  “There’s silver in them. Well, like an iridescent mother of pearl white with hints of light blue.” At his blank expression, I smiled. “Silver.”

  He brushed a kiss across my lips. “Changes.”

  “Hmm,” I hummed, releasing my hold and stretching. “Some aren’t so bad.”

  “No, my little hellion, they’re not.”

  Walking from the room, Nate returned a minute later and turned off the overhead light on his way back to bed. He climbed in and positioned me so my front was pressed to his side before covering us. I took it one further, throwing a leg over his thighs and an arm across his chest.

  Absentmindedly, I scraped my fingernails through his chest hair, the sound of his heartbeat steady and soothing in my ear.

  “Keep that up, my little hellion,” he said, his words muffled as his lips grazed my forehead, “and we won’t be going to sleep anytime soon.”

  I looked down to see the bulge in the sheet bounce.

  “I’m okay with that.” Slowly, I skimmed my nails down his hard abs, but his hand covered mine, thwarting my progress.

  This is a good spot to set up basecamp until the morning.

  “Get some rest, my love.”

  I yawned, nodding. “That’s probably a good idea. We’re supposed to visit Juno tomorrow, and who knows what else will happen. My money’s on mole people.”

  “We’re seeing the witch?”

  “Yeah, sorry, I set it up when you were gone. I can go alone if you’re busy.”

  “Never. I think a visit is long overdue. What time?”

  “Noon. Well, if she ever catches a flight.”

  “A flight?” he asked.

  “Airplane ride. Flying metal bird in
the sky.”

  He tickled me quickly, making me yelp. “I know what a plane is, smartass. I’m asking where she was.”

  “Hawaii. Or Jason Momoa’s bed. One of the two.”

  He made an indiscernible noise but said nothing further.

  “Could you have turned off the light with magicks?” I asked.

  The lights in the room and hallway came to life, shining so bright they hurt my eyes. The entire house illuminated before going dark.

  “I’m out of practice,” he murmured.

  “Maybe it’s only riding things that no one forgets.”

  With his arm around me and his laughter in my ears, I fell asleep.

  And even after everything that’d happened that night, I did it with a smile on my face.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Lando Loves Gummy Bears

  Denny

  HELL.

  Slipping my shoes on, I shoved my arms through the sleeves of my coat and bounced around, searching my desk.

  I was uncharacteristically late.

  With no alarm, Nate and I had overslept, giving me nearly twelve hours of uninterrupted—and long overdue—sleep. After practically running to the bathroom when my bladder had demanded I get my lazy ass up, my brain had functioned long enough to remind me we had plans.

  I’d rushed to shower and get ready, doing both in record time.

  Bending, I looked under my desk. “Have you seen my planner?”

  “It’s not fused to your hand?” Nate called from the kitchen.

  “No, that’s considered an elective surgery, so insurance won’t cover it.”

  “Shame. No, I haven’t seen it. Do you need it right now?”

  “I’d jotted down some questions, so I wouldn’t forget them when I inevitably got distracted by books and cotton candy.” I walked to the door and smacked my forehead. “I forgot my purse at Lula’s.” I looked out the small window. “And my car.”

  “It may take some time, but I can teach you how to transport there,” he said, coming into the entryway with a travel mug.

  “No. No way. I’ll blast myself to Timbuktu.”

  “Then I’ll take us both.”

  “And come out some meshed together hybrid because I breathed at the wrong time? No thanks.” Squeezing past him to get into the kitchen, I rummaged around the junk drawer before pulling out a set of keys. “Lula left her car here, so we’ll take that.”