by Sadie Waters
“And you’re sure….”
She didn’t get to finish asking the question. “Jesus, Em. I know this is hard to believe, but do you honestly think I can’t tell the difference between a human and a Scale? For crying out loud, if I can’t you gotta think Lane can, right?”
“Sorry.” Ember ran her hand down her face. It was all a lot to take in, but of course there was no question what they’d seen was a Scale. Both Lane and Ruby had been around enough times to know a demon when they saw one. Her hand raked through her blonde hair and she bit back a sigh that threatened to radiate out of her mouth. “Did Zach say he saw him? That is, it wasn’t just the pair of you flying up on him that scared the shit out of him?”
“No, because we didn’t approach from the same direction as the Scale. We were coming around the block to cut him off. He didn’t know we were on him. Not until we all ended up at the same place at the same time, and Zach about pissed his pants. He saw him. I know you can’t understand it. I couldn’t either. I still can’t! Look, Em, you’re gonna have to trust me on this one. I know it’s impossible--but that human man-child in your chair saw a Scale tonight. While he was fully awake. And not on any mind-altering drugs.”
“You sure about that last one?” Ember meant it as a joke, but Ruby just rolled her eyes. “Okay--but....Ruby, that’s not possible.”
“And yet is has transpired.”
Ember shifted her stance. “Can you just tell me exactly what you came up on? What did Zach say? What did the Scale do when he realized you were there--or that he was spotted?”
“The Scale didn’t seem to give two shits that Zach could see him. I don’t know why. Like I said, I don’t know the guy. He had his claws out, his teeth bared, and was ready to pounce, despite being visible to passing traffic. They might not have seen him per se, but people in those cars would’ve seen something crazy going on with Zach if the Scale would’ve reached his target. It was like the bastard thought he could just claim him or jump him right there on the street corner with no worries. He probably could have, too, if Zach hadn’t seen him or we hadn’t come up on the scene. But Zach heard him approach, turned around, saw him, screamed like a little girl, his hands flailing. The Scale kept coming, and then we closed in. As soon as he saw us, he took off. Lane followed him but told me to stay with Zach.”
“But you don’t think Lane caught him?”
“I know he didn’t. He messaged me that the jackass got away.”
Ember shook her head. “Maybe it was something different about the Scale… not Zach.”
“I have no idea. Maybe. But I don’t think so.” Ruby dropped down onto the balcony floor, clearly done with the conversation. “Lane thought maybe you could take him to your professor friend tomorrow, see what he thinks.”
Her eyebrows shooting up in shock at the statement, Ember didn’t back away from her friend as Ruby stepped forward, headed for the door to go back inside. “Dr. Ford? Why would he know? Hell, why would anyone know?”
“I don’t know. Lane hoped you or genius boy in there would figure it out. But the fact that your battery needs charged must have him thinking with the wrong head.” Ruby skirted around her, leaving Ember’s eyes wide and her mouth ajar. It wasn’t like Ruby to be so brazen unless she was also running low on energy, not that anyone could recharge her the same way that Ryan would recharge Ember in a few minutes--if she could get through this enigma at least thoroughly enough that the rest of the puzzle could wait until tomorrow.
Ruby’s hand was on the door handle. “Maybe you should go take care of that, clear his mind a little, and see what he can come up with. Or maybe you can solve it yourself. Maybe that’s your problem, too--not thinking with your noggin.” Ruby winked at her, a smirk on her face, and Ember tried to decide whether to snicker or slug her.
Instead, she followed her friend back inside, hoping maybe Ruby was right. None of this was making any sense, but the wide-eyed “man-child” in her recliner was going to need someplace to sleep tonight, away from the boogeymen, and a lot of sorting out tomorrow. Otherwise, he probably didn’t have long to live.
Chapter Four
It was clear from the conversation the men were having that Zach was flustered, and Carson had that amused look about him that let her know he was the culprit, not that Ryan or Jake would even try to agitate a guest in their home. Narrowing her eyes at Carson but not speaking directly to him, Ember stopped in front of Zach’s chair. “Hey, there, Zach. Feeling any better?” It was evident by the way his hand was shaking against the armrest and the perspiration still beading his upper lip that he was not.
“I’m fine,” he said, not at all convincingly. “I’d just like to go home now, if that’s possible. I’ve had a long day, and I have to be at work tomorrow morning at 9:00. So….”
“So… I’m afraid that’s not possible, not tonight anyway,” Ember said, reluctantly. Not only did she hate to break the bad news to him, she really wanted him out of the apartment. Tonight was not going as planned.
Zach’s forehead wrinkled. “What do you mean? That crazy guy wasn’t at my apartment.”
“No, but it’s possible he could come there looking for you.” Ember folded her arms, thinking aloud as she spoke. If somehow what Ruby was reporting had really happened, and Zach did see a Scale, assuming that Scale got away, he could potentially come looking for Zach--and bring reinforcements. Especially if the Scale noticed Zach’s unusual reaction to him. And as stupid as Scales could be, she doubted any of them would miss something like what both Zach and Ruby had described.
Surveying the sea of faces around him, Zach groped for a response. “But… I mean… I have work. And class tomorrow night.”
“Sorry, man,” Jake offered, leaning forward in his seat. “Ember’s right. We don’t know who that guy was yet, but we can see if we can figure it out. In the meantime, you’ll be a lot safer here. This guy could be bad news.”
Ember caught Jake’s eyes, glad to have his chill explanation, even though she knew that he was aware that the circumstances were even more dire than his word choice and tone conveyed. Turning her attention back to Zach, she asked, “Where do you work?”
“Coffee shop over by school.” He ran a hand through his hair. “I guess I could call in sick. I just hate to leave them hanging. We’re usually busy on Fridays. Why can’t I go to work?”
Squeezing the bridge of her nose with her thumb and forefinger, Ember considered the question. She really didn’t see any reason why he couldn’t. She doubted a Scale would come after him in broad daylight. She could always go get him after work, or send one of the guys.
She didn’t get a chance to respond, though. Ruby sounded exasperated. “I already told you. It’s dangerous. Dude, you don’t know what you don’t know. Besides, Ember has a friend you might need to go see tomorrow.”
“A friend?” Zach asked, his eyebrows a unibrow as he stared at Ember, looking for answers.
“What friend?” Carson sounded even more curious than Zach somehow.
Ember addressed him first, shaking her head slowly as if to say, “Not now.” Then, to Zach, she said, “Hopefully, that won’t be necessary, but I have a friend who… might be able to help us figure out what--who--you saw.” She was stammering now. Her overall energy was low, and with her flying power drained almost to the core, she was struggling in other areas, too--like formulating complete sentences. “Tell you what, let’s get some sleep, and we’ll reassess in the morning, okay? Your boss is probably in bed by now if he or she has to be at work before you, so maybe text them first thing in the morning, let them know you might not make it in? And then we’ll see what we can manage before you have to be at work.”
She could tell by the way he nodded his head that he didn’t like it, but Zach mumbled, “‘Kay,” and let out a sigh before he added, “I don’t have any of my stuff.”
Inhaling deeply, Ember looked around. Of course, she’d realized that before, and it had even crossed her mind she’d have to
figure out what to do with him when she and Ruby were talking, but now that she was making decisions, some problem solving would need to be done.
“You seem like you’re about my size. I have some pajamas you can borrow,” Jake offered.
“The guest room is full of shit,” Carson chimed in before Zach could even reply to Jake’s statement. “He can’t sleep in there.”
“He can sleep in my room.” Ryan vacated the chair behind her and stepped around the coffee table so he was at her shoulder, where he was most of the time. “I just changed the sheets this morning.”
“You change the sheets every morning,” Carson snickered.
“Better than once every six months,” Ryan shot back, and Ember thumped him in the shoulder, reminding him that Carson was trying to draw him in.
Jake got up, too, and Zach continued to flick his eyes from one of them to the next, like he didn’t even know who to look at, despite the fact that everyone was moving in human mode. “We have extra toothbrushes in the half bath. Come on, I’ll get you situated.”
“But… I don’t want to impose.” Zach pushed down on the armrests like he might stand but didn’t.
“You’re not,” Ember assured him, forcing a smile onto her face. “It’s fine. We’re happy to have you.”
With one eyebrow cocked, Zach surveyed her for a moment, staring into her eyes as if he were giving her a lie detector test. Somehow, Ember managed to hang on and avoid blinking, even though if she’d been any deeper into the lie, her pants would’ve been on fire.
“Doesn’t Ryan need his bed?” Zach wanted to know, finally breaking his stare to look at Ryan.
“Not tonight.” Carson’s grumble was muffled by the fact that he was pulling his large frame up off of the couch, and Ember realized his crankiness had more to do with that than anything else, despite the fact that she’d been giving him plenty of attention lately. Carson always wanted more.
Zach seemed to be trying to sort the situation out and must’ve finally come to the conclusion that Ryan would be spending the night with Ember as a sheepish grin pulled up one corner of his mouth. “Oh, okay. Well, I mean… if you guys are sure you don’t mind.”
“We don’t mind,” Jake said, standing a few feet to Zach’s left in the walkway that led back to where the three guys’ bedrooms were. “Come on, man.”
Instead of going along, Zach seemed to want everyone else’s approval. Ryan smiled, letting him know he was cool, and Ember did the same. Ruby, who was standing nearer the hall that led to the exit now, as if she couldn’t wait to get out of there, said, “I told you they wouldn’t mind, Zach. It’ll be fine. I’ll check in on you tomorrow.”
“Don’t matter what I think.” Once again, Carson’s voice was a low rumble as he headed the other direction, toward the kitchen.
Rolling her eyes, Ember stepped forward ready to be done with this. She pulled Zach up by the shoulder and moved with him toward Jake. “It’ll be fine, Zach. I promise. Go ahead and go with Jake, and he’ll get you sorted out for the night. We’ll ensure you’re safe, and then tomorrow, we’ll see what we can find out. Okay?” Again, she forced a smile, ready to pick the guy up and launch him to the other side of the apartment.
“Okay,” Zach echoed, noting the tone in her voice. “Thanks.”
It was really a thanks-for-nothing, Ember realized, seeing as though he didn’t want to be there any more than the rest of them wanted him there, but she nodded and saw him off to Jake who she was sure could make him feel more comfortable than anyone else.
As soon as they were out of sight, Ember wheeled around on Ruby. Folding her arms, she said, “You tell Lane he owes me.”
Ruby’s eyes sparkled, and a grin split her pretty face. “Thanks, Em. We’ll talk tomorrow.” She was already walking backward toward the exit. But before she turned to go, she paused to run her eyes over Ryan’s entire body, from top to bottom. Her grin morphed into a lustful smirk. “Have fun.”
Narrowing her eyes at her mischievous friend, Ember assured her, “We will,” and watched her disappear around the corner. A few seconds later the door opened and closed, and Ember breathed a sigh of relief. At least one uninvited guest was gone. The other was going to be a much bigger problem. But that could wait until tomorrow.
The sound of Carson clanking around in the kitchen, just out of her sight, let her know he was still upset. But that was something else that would have to wait. She turned her attention to Ryan, and the gleam in his blue eyes let her know they were on the same wavelength. Extending his hand, he moved toward her, and Ember pushed every other thought out of her mind entirely.
Chapter Five
Without superhuman speed, they probably wouldn’t have made it to the bedroom door before Ember’s mouth was on Ryan’s, but flying was his birthright, hers because she was a receptor, so, though she could not move as quickly on her own, as long as she had some energy left from her last charge, the speed was there. By the time Ryan’s back hit the bedroom door, Ember charging into his chest, her tongue twisted around his, she was almost out of power completely. But that wouldn’t be the case for long.
One hand tangled in her long blonde hair, the other fumbled for the doorknob. Impatient again, she knocked his hand aside and grabbed it herself, twisting and pushing at the same time, and Ryan stumbled backward with the sudden movement, her weight sending him off balance. He recovered easily enough, and Ember didn’t even slow in her pursuit.
She kicked the door closed behind them, the wall shaking slightly from the force, and then continued to back him to the bed until he ran into the footboard. “Someone’s a bit ravenous tonight,” he whispered before she shifted her mouth away from his lips and found his tongue.
She pulled back and smiled at him then sunk her teeth into his earlobe, illustrating his point. “This whole situation is fucked up,” she said. “And I don’t want to think about it.” She worked her fingers into the waistband of his pants and found the hem of his shirt, pulling it up slightly as her hands worked beneath. Rock hard abs narrowed to a chiseled waist, and Ember could feel the fire burning inside of her. All of her men were tasty in their own way, but Ryan’s body turned her on the most, and she was anxious to see it--all of it.
He peeled her black leather jacket off and tossed it aside, her holster along with it, and then the feel of his fingers caressing the bare skin of her back beneath her shirt had her groaning into his neck. She slid her left hand up to cup his jaw and drew his mouth to hers. The feel of his tongue running the length of hers, devouring her mouth had the ache in her pussy spreading up her belly. There wouldn’t be much time for playing around tonight. She needed him inside her now.
Amused at her haste, Ryan asked, “Do you want me to use my superpowers to undress you, babe, or shall we continue at regular, rushed human speed?”
The question didn’t really deserve an answer, so the only one he got was the quick tug of his shirt off over his head and then her hands on his belt buckle. He was laughing as he brushed her hair back over her shoulders, slowing down on purpose to aggravate her. Ember made short work of his belt and then sped through the buttons on his fly, her mouth working along his collarbone. She knew as soon as she managed to get his pants down, Ryan’s attempt at stalling would be all but over. Once her hand slipped down inside of his boxer briefs, she got her wish, and her clothes began to come off as quickly as his had, her hand working over his thick cock as the urgency in his kissing of her neck became almost as hasty as the way he’d flown after the Scale they’d been chasing earlier that night.
Once they were free of their clothing, Ember moved him around to the side of the bed and slammed him down on the mattress hard enough to get his attention. Ryan’s blue eyes caught hers, his perfectly sculpted, yet masculine, eyebrows only questioning her for a moment before she straddled him, letting her know she was in control of this situation now, and he didn’t protest. Sometimes, she liked the slow teasing pace he had attempted to set earlier. But tonight, her mind
kept wanting to wander elsewhere, and Ember needed him hard and fast.
She slid down on top of him, taking his thick shaft inside of her, the dampness his kisses had erupted enough to allow her to take him all the way in. Ember sucked in a deep breath, the feel of him filling her, stretching her, enough to make her body begin to tingle all over. Not only was the sensation of his flesh on hers enough to make her heartbeat quicken, the transfer of power began to pulsate through her veins as well. She could feel her battery recharging, and it was almost as electrifying as the shockwaves Ryan sent through her when he took hold of her hips and began to move his hips up and down in time with hers.
Ember moaned slowly, but her body was telling her to go faster, harder. She rocked back and forth as Ryan sat up to caress her breasts, his fingers wrapping around her tits, twisting and pulling as his thick dick worked even deeper inside of her. He slid one hand down between her folds, finding her clit and rubbing it hard as Ember continued to grind her hips against him. Her body spasmed, her toes curling, but she wasn’t ready for this to be over yet, not even when the pulses of electricity slowed and then stopped, letting her know the transfer of power was over and her Flying capabilities were completely renewed. No, she still had some aggression to take out, and she brought her hips down even harder, her eyes closed as she breathed in sweat, Ryan’s aftershave, and that sweet smell that was their love.
Unable to hold off anymore, Ember gave in to the quaking, let it shake it to her core as a guttural moan escaped her trembling lips. How Ryan had managed to wait for her, she wasn’t sure, but he let go as well, his release coming with little more than a loud sigh and a rush of power that filled her as completely as any woman could be drenched in her lover’s anointment.