by Helen Scott
All my efforts to help our new judge avoid the sight of his own blood seemed to be for nothing, though, as he fainted the moment after he opened his eyes. It was good that he had already been belted in to his seat, because it became a simple matter of rearranging his appendages so that he would be more comfortable when he woke.
“So, what do we do?” I asked as we all sat in silence while I wrapped my hand.
Hunter jumped in. “Do you have any idea what the date was when this might happen?”
I shook my head. “I literally just saw the inside of an abandoned store.”
“Can I try something?” Nolan looked around and received nods from everyone, even a reluctant one from Hunter. When he looked back at me, I wanted to lose myself in the rich hazel of his eyes and the dimples that popped out when he smiled. “Poppy, close your eyes and think about the vision.”
I did as he asked, pulling up every detail I could remember.
“Instead of thinking of the events, I want you to focus on the sensations, on what you felt. Got it?”
I nodded.
“Okay, so you’re in front of the door before you go in. What do you feel?”
I think, trying not to focus solely on the door like I want to. “I feel the pull; I know the judge I’m looking for is inside. The sun is reflecting off the window, and I can’t read the last digit of the phone number. My back is warm where my shirt is, but a breeze is blowing, keeping me from getting too hot. The door handle is warm to the touch.”
“Good,” Nolan said in a hushed tone. His voice was a deep rumble next to me, and it made me want to climb in his lap and just listen to him talk. “Now, can you tell what you are wearing?”
“Perv,” I said quietly before I refocused. “Jeans, boots, and a T-shirt with a coat of some kind, maybe Knox’s leather jacket.”
“Okay, so I’m thinking spring is when the vision happened? You mentioned a breeze, but warm sun, and you were wearing a jacket and boots. It had to be chilly but not cold.”
“So, we need to get to Derek first? Right? If Shadow is safe until the end of the school year?” I asked, eager to get moving again.
The guys nodded, and Emmett pulled out of the parking lot and got back onto the road. Cass roused a moment later, discretely trying to wipe the drool from his mouth. I smiled and squeezed his shoulder. The man was nothing like the hounds, and that made me appreciate him all the more.
We were on the road for two days, stopping at various motels, and by the time I knew we were close to the area Derek must be, the guys and I had worked out a system for sleeping arrangements. One night was Knox and Emmett, and then the next was Nolan and Cass, with Hunter choosing to refrain. The cuddles just made me all the more determined to have a giant bed when we finally got to the Underworld.
The journey had brought us far south enough that the weather was actually warmer and there wasn’t a single snowflake in sight. I mentally reached inside myself, looking for the pull that we had been following to Derek, but there was nothing there. Not even a tingle that told me we were heading in the right direction. It was as if the whole thing had just stopped working, and since I didn’t know how it worked in the first place, it wasn’t as if I knew how to fix it.
“Uh, guys? We might have a problem,” I said as I looked deeper within myself.
“What’s wrong, angel?” Knox asked.
“I can’t sense him anymore. It’s as if Derek is just completely gone.”
“Gone?” Hunter turned around as we sat at the stoplight.
“The pulling sensation I’ve been feeling, first for Cass and then for Derek, well, it’s just not there anymore.” I took a deep breath and voiced my fear. “What if we’re too late? What if he’s already dead?”
A look passed between Knox, Emmett, and Hunter.
“What?” I asked, staring at the three of them, although mainly Hunter. It was fairly easy since Cass and Nolan had rotated to the back seat. I sat next to Knox in the middle row with Hunter driving and Emmett in the front passenger seat. “What are you guys holding back?” I asked louder than necessary.
“Easy there, sparky,” Hunter said, “we just didn’t want to upset you is all. If a hellhound or a judge dies while a queen is on her way to the throne, then they will be replaced once the fates find a suitable candidate.”
“So what, we just shrug off the fact that someone died because the fates decided to tie him to me? And what happens once I take the throne?”
“Well, after you’ve claimed the throne, we all basically become immortal. The bond ties us all together, and unless you step down or are somehow killed, we serve for as long as we want.”
My frustration bubbled over, and my words came out sharper than intended as I asked, “How the hell am I supposed to do this? And for that matter, how the hell are our enemies finding them, or me?”
“Angel, you need to breathe. We are all doing the best we can.”
“But how are they two steps ahead of us?” I asked, my tone dipping from frustration to despair.
“The magic that has been sparked in the judges resonates out of them. Think of it like hearing a radio station through static. That same pulling sensation that is guiding you can be felt by other types of supernatural beings to a lesser extent if they are on the same station,” Emmett said.
I didn’t know what to do. There was so much I didn’t know, and so much that I was learning, but I still felt as if I couldn’t protect everybody. I wanted to be surprised when the car pulled into a hotel parking lot, but I wasn’t. There was no point driving around if I couldn’t direct them where to go, and that was pretty much the last thing I would have been able to do at that point. My instinct was to yell and scream, grit my teeth, and fight my way to what I wanted, but there was no way for me to accomplish that. The only people I could scream at were the guys I cared about, some of whom, like Knox and Emmett, I was pretty sure I’d already fallen for, and I was well on my way with Nolan and Cass, too.
Each of them gave me something different, fulfilled a part of me I didn’t realize I had, let alone that it wanted attention. Emmett hopped out of the car and went in to see if they had any rooms available. I saw him give a thumbs-up through the glass doors, and Hunter pulled away to park. The sinking feeling in my stomach wouldn’t go away, though. I desperately wanted to find the next judge, to save as many lives as possible, but I couldn’t help but feel as if one had already been taken on my watch.
Knox’s hand landed on my knee, startling me out of my thoughts. “It’s all going to work out, angel. You’ll see. For now, let’s get some food and some rest so when we get on the road tomorrow, we’ll be ready for anything.”
I nodded but continued to chew on my lower lip. Could we track the building down through the realtor’s phone number? I couldn’t see why not. After all, aren’t real estate agents always looking for a sale? I felt pretty confident that I could find what I was looking for somewhere on the Internet. Once we were all settled in our rooms—we had to have two connecting since there was no way everyone could sleep in the same place anymore—I pulled out my phone and began trying to track down any information I could.
Chapter Eleven
Poppy
I had been working at it for almost an hour when I finally found the building my dream-vision thingy had taken place in. The idea of showing the guys and then being wrong made me hesitate in revealing what I had found. I checked and double checked until I was sure that it matched. The only problem was that it wasn’t even close to where we were now.
“Hey, Nolan?” I called out as I looked up from my phone. The pinch in my neck let me know that I’d been frozen in place while I tracked down the building, which wasn’t good considering I’d already been stuck in a car for the last few days. I was getting seriously stir crazy.
When no answer came from anywhere, I stood and looked around. I was in the room alone. It was the first time I remembered the guys willingly leaving me alone, other than spending time in the bathroom,
since this whole thing started. Before I got too excited, I peeked through the two open doors that connected the rooms. The other side was empty as well.
I hadn’t even heard them leave. No one had said goodbye. They were all gone, though. I flopped down on the nearest bed and spread out. While I loved cuddling with the guys, fitting three people to a bed was more than a little challenging with a standard queen or king. Maybe a California king would be big enough, but even then, I was skeptical. I was just about to flip the TV on when I noticed the note on the table. After a moment’s deliberation, I got up and retrieved the piece of folded paper.
Angel,
You’re so focused that we don’t want to disturb you, but when you’re ready, we would love for you to join us in the pool. And before you protest, you have a swimsuit. It’s packed in the side pocket of your suitcase. I know because I put it there myself.
Yours,
K
I sighed. A pool? They really had splurged this time. There was nothing I loved more than swimming or going to the beach on a hot summer day, and even if it wasn’t summer, I’d still take a pool over lying in bed with the TV on.
Before I could second-guess myself and let my insecurities in, I changed, wrapped a hotel robe around me, and walked out, snagging the last keycard as I left. I was more than a little grateful that the elevator had the level with the pool marked by the buttons. As much as I wanted to join the guys, I did not want to traipse around half naked looking for the damn thing.
A few people got on and off the elevator as I made my way there. And, yes, I did get some interesting looks, but nothing too questioning, and nothing that raised my internal alarm. I had almost lost hope and decided that all the signs were wrong when the faint scent of chlorine drifted toward me. I followed it like a bloodhound. The smell brought back lots of childhood memories—almost drowning when I jumped in without my floaties for the first time, almost knocking myself out when I decided to ignore the warnings and dive into the no-diving section, and, of course, the hours and hours of swim lessons in summer. I could never get enough of being in the water.
When I saw the wall had turned into windows, I slowed down and peered through, trying to make sure the guys were in there before I strolled in and stripped down. Knox, Emmett, Nolan, and Cass were all in the hot tub, while Hunter was busy doing lengths of the tiny pool. Part of me wanted to giggle at the sight of my tall, auburn-haired man working so seriously in such a small space. Most people wouldn’t take something like that and think they could get a decent workout in, but not Hunter. Oh no, he knew that if he worked at it long enough, he could all but will it to do what he wanted. Some days, I would swear that if the world could be altered by sheer force of will, it would be Hunter’s heaven, because he definitely had the willpower to make it happen.
A clinking noise drew my attention back to the hot tub. The guys were laughing, beers in hand, and if I hadn’t known them, I would have guessed they were all best friends. The scene forced a smile out of me even though I was positive they were breaking the rules by drinking in the hot tub. They didn’t seem to care, though. My gaze drifted back to Hunter. The man had some serious work ethic.
“You planning on standing there all night, beautiful?” Cass’s voice called to me from the hot tub.
When I looked over, I saw them all watching me. My smile grew wider, and I pushed the door open, letting the warm air scented with chlorine hit me in the face. “I just wanted to make sure I wasn’t interrupting.” I laughed. “I know how important guy time is.” I walked around to the end of the pool where the hot tub was positioned.
“It’s so much better with you here, though. Now we have someone to show off for,” Nolan said as he stood up from the tub and came over to me.
My mouth went dry at the sight of him. Rivulets of water ran down his tall, lean frame. His swim shorts clung to his powerful legs and did nothing to hide the action in his groin. As much as I hated it, I could feel the blush move up my neck and into my cheeks.
“Here, let me help you with that,” he said as his hands came to the knot in the front of my robe.
“I can do it,” I said hastily as I pushed his hands away.
“Trust me, princess, no one is doubting your ability to undress yourself, but I thought it was time we started treating you like the queen you are. Queens have staff who dress and undress them, and I am more than happy to volunteer for the job.” The last part was a growl in my ear that had my nipples hard and my heart thumping in my chest.
When Nolan’s hands returned to the fluffy belt, I let him undo it. He slipped his elegant fingers between the layers of the robe and parted it before sliding them up my body, skating over my nipples in a way that could only be intentional. His hands continued up to my shoulders, where he pushed the robe off and let it fall onto the lounger behind me. As his hand moved to cup my jaw, I tilted my face up to him and was treated to a short but sensual kiss.
A wolf whistle sounded from the tub as he stepped away.
“You look stunning, my queen,” Emmett said with his normal formality. It broke from time to time, and I relished when it did, but I felt as if he were trying to show the others how he expected me to be treated. Each of them seemed to have a different idea about what to do with a queen, and since I couldn’t even claim the title yet, I found it sweet but annoying.
I gestured to my bikini. “What? This old thing? I don’t even remember where it came from,” I joked. “No, really, which one of you got it for me?”
I looked each of them in the face, assessing. Knox’s grin could only mean that this was his doing. The black swimsuit material hugged me tightly. The two cups of the bra section were held together by a gold ring, while three spaghetti straps went up and formed a halter neck. The bottoms were more of a traditional style, with three spaghetti straps linking the front and back on each side. It managed to look sexy and sultry without looking slutty, which was impressive, especially when I considered how amazing it made my boobs look.
“Thank you,” I said to Knox as I followed Nolan over to the tub and climbed in.
“Don’t thank me. It was purely selfish,” he said, letting his eyes drift down my body before it became submerged in water.
“Either way.” I paused and let out a groan, and my eyes drifted closed as the hot water bubbled over my shoulders. My eyes popped open again when my butt landed on someone’s thighs instead of the slick plastic bench I’d expected. There were three sets of lust-filled eyes staring back at me and one set of hands holding my hips. I knew I was on Knox’s lap just because he was the only one out of my line of sight. I cleared my throat, turned slightly so I could see him, and began again. “Either way, thank you,” I said, and planted a quick kiss on his cheek.
Before I could pull away, his hand came up to my cheek and held me there while he kissed me. His lips crushed against my own while his teeth gently tugged on my bottom lip. Without hesitation, I opened for him, and his tongue swept in, swirling and dancing with my own. A small moan escaped me as his hands dipped from my hips to my ass, squeezing me and pulling me back against him all at the same time. I could feel his erection rubbing against the small of my back, and my desire flared within me, a white-hot heat that spread through my whole body.
“No hogging the queen,” Emmett’s voice said as his hands came around and pulled me off Knox’s lap and onto his own. My core rested against his erection as his hands splayed across my back, pressing me against him while his lips caressed their way up my neck. I had let my head fall back and could feel my hair trailing in the water behind me while Emmett worked his way up to my mouth. When I brought my head back down, our lips collided in a writhing tangle of need.
Eventually I pulled away, breathing heavily, and painfully aware of each of the men in the tub with me, and suddenly of the lack of splashing sounds coming from the pool. I looked over, unable to stop my curiosity, and found Hunter had disappeared.
“He’s gone to check on Charon and the gates. He’ll be
back soon, don’t worry, angel,” Knox answered, knowing exactly who I was looking for.
Part of me craved Hunter in a way I couldn’t explain. I would never push, but if he ever changed his mind about the situation, I would jump him in a heartbeat, unless he was being an ass, in which case I might wait a couple heartbeats.
“May I kiss you, Poppy?” Cass asked next to me. His hesitant question all but broke my heart.
“If you would like to.” I smiled at him.
He’d pulled his rich dark locks up into a bun on top of his head. As my eyes drank him in, I saw a dusting of hair over his chest and around his nipples. A tattoo with the words: “By the ticket. Take the ride.” covered the left side of his ribcage. I couldn’t help but grin at the sentiment.
“I bet you didn’t think the ride would get this crazy when you got the tattoo,” I said quietly as I floated over to him.
“Not so much, no, but I don’t regret it.” His eyes sparkled in the bright lights reflecting off the water.
He met me in the middle of the hot tub, and his arms slipped around my waist as if it were the most natural thing in the world. The golden-brown skin of his hands and arms looked even richer when compared with my own. As I looked up at him, the dark amber of his eyes captivated me, drawing me closer. My eyes closed as our noses brushed against one another, and I breathed in the spicy scent of his skin as his lips found my own. His soft, warm skin made me think of summer and long hot nights. My hands reached up to his head and became tangled in his hair as I pulled him even closer to me, wrapping my legs around his hips as his hands came down and cupped my ass, supporting me even though the water made me feel weightless.
The fire in my body blazed even hotter, and my core throbbed with need. When I pulled away, it was just in time, as a family of four walked in. Cass and I sat back in the hot tub, and he tugged me into his lap. The hard shaft of his desire let me know exactly what he thought of that kiss, and it made my body ache for him even more. As I looked across at the guys, my heart fluttered in my chest. They were all smiling as if they were happy to see Cass and I getting closer.