A voice emerges from the kitchen.
It’s Gage—I know that husky laugh, that guttural moan as he shows his discontent. I miss the way his baritone would rumble through my body as he held me tight, the way it sounded in my hair.
“Skyla.” He comes upon me quick, making me wonder if he teleported to spare the seconds he would be without me, but I know that’s wishful thinking—the quicker to kill me, perhaps.
The sound of bowling pins being thrust off their base lights up the facility like a heartbeat. But the cacophony of sounds, the steady roll of the ball, the whir of the machines, and the techno music blaring from the arcade all seems to dissipate as Gage presses forward.
Gage bows into me and takes in the scent from my neck with a long draw. The look of ecstasy explodes over his face, as though he had just sampled the most exotic flower. Palpable angst corrupts the air as his breathing grows erratic, his hunger, his wanting skyrocket into the stratosphere.
“You look beautiful,” he pants the words out. He sweeps over me with a serious gaze. “You glow, you know that?”
“I do?” I hold his gaze without wavering. There’s something sobering about being this close to him—with his attention strictly focused on my person. “That’s because I went out on a date last night—had some real fun.” I shake out my hair like it was no big deal.
Gage twists his lips holding back a grin as if he knew better. “Where’d you go?” He tilts his head in anticipation of an answer that he already knows.
“None of your business where Logan and I go.”
“Have you talked to him this morning? He didn’t come home last night.”
Crap. “Is his truck there?” I know for a fact he was home and sleeping in his bed.
“Still there.” Gage takes me in almost disinterested in our chit-chat—his eyes, his soul, are having another conversation entirely.
“He spent the night at my house.” I shrug, trying to act like this is the new norm in my life. “He slept with me.” Technically it’s not a lie. “You know, as in together.” God, I sound like an idiot.
Gage lets a smile slip, then retracts as if he didn’t mean for it to show. He knows damn well I slept alone last night because he was probably popping in and out of my room at regular intervals.
“So,” he says, with a single soft whisper, that lustful gleam in his eye elongates, sharp as an arrow, “you don’t have any idea where he might be?”
“Nope.” Ezrina flashes through my mind. Shit!
Gage leans in, pulling me in close with his heavy magnetic stare. His breath falls over my face, soft as feathers. He tilts his head before coming in for the kill. I can feel the heat from his neck touching me before he does.
I don’t want to do it. I refuse to do it. I will hate myself if I do this. Down girl. But my lips draw up and ache for his with nothing but a breath between us.
“Ms. Messenger.” Marshall flashes a look of dismay from the black hole of the arcade.
“Marshall,” I gasp. I don’t put a lot of thought into what my body does next. I run at him a million miles an hour, jump up on his waist and ravage him with a kiss so wild he can hardly stand as I writhe over him. Marshall backs us into a wall and sits me down on an animatronic pony. I know just the one—it wears a colorful fiesta hat and a sarcastic toothy smile, and to my surprise, the machine comes to life beneath me. Before I know it, my hips are forcefully grinding into his, and it most likely looks as though I’m doing my math teacher right here in front of the entire junior population of Paragon.
I needed this kiss. I was going to explode if I didn’t kiss Gage—splatter over all four corners of the island if I didn’t jam my tongue down his throat just to satisfy my parched affections for him.
It’s me, Skyla. Do try to focus on the suitor at hand, Marshall suggests while pleasuring me with a kiss I won’t soon forget.
So this is what it would be like to love Marshall—his bold affection—the intense wave of pleasure emanating from his being. It’s heaven like this with him. I could more than forget my troubles if only for a little while. Maybe what I really need is to spend a few good hours under Marshall’s lustful supervision, maybe that’s how I’ll repair my shattered heart. Marshall would never refute my efforts and make me wait until the end of the faction war like Logan. Marshall would take me right now on this vibrating donkey, if I let him.
A vision appears, a blinding pain surges throughout my body, and I bear down hard.
“You can do this,” a voice calls from behind. “Push, Skyla—push.”
I turn ever so slightly and see the face of the man rooting me on—it’s Marshall panting out the beginnings of a smile as he looks down over me and the vision fades to black.
I jump off him as though he were on fire.
Dear God. I am going to get knocked up by my math teacher.
“Did you see that?” Marshall braces me by the shoulders. “We’re going to have a baby, Skyla.” His eyes dance around my person at a million miles per hour. “Not only will you be my wife, but you’ll bear me a child. This is beyond my expectations.”
I’d hate to be the bearer of bad vision interpretations, but I highly doubt things will pan out the way we see them. Now that I know things aren’t always what they seem, it’s very possible the child I’ll be bearing will be Logan’s. Marshall will probably just be in the vicinity. I’ll probably have my baby in the parking lot at prom just like Brielle.
A surge of heat spikes through me as I try to do the math to figure out when Logan and I will most likely do the deed.
“You are aware that I’m touching you.” He sneers down at my bare arm.
“Oh, right.” I give a dry smile and step away. “Thanks for listening. By the way—I’ve decided to call in sick. You think I can come over for a while? Maybe we can toss Nev into Demetri’s mirror of horror and find out where it leads?” I think Nev totally owes me after that stunt he pulled a few months back when he almost robbed me of my virginity.
“No can do. I have a pressing meeting in less than five minutes. I came to pick up the prints.”
“Oh, right. They’re in the Mustang on the passenger’s seat. It’s unlocked, and I think the window is rolled down. Just reach in and grab it.”
“My how safe and secure you must feel living on this floating rock.” His jaw clenches as he mocks me.
“I know, right? It’s so different than L.A. It’s almost paradise.” Gage catches my attention. He gives a disapproving look in our direction before pecking at the register. “Anyway, I guess this is more of a fool’s paradise.” And I’m the fool. “So where’s your meeting? Are you coming back with that reverse tan? Maybe I’ll come by later and check out your celestial glow.”
“Whether or not the Master shows is not up to me. Delphinius will be there. He’s going over the bullet points of what he’ll be discussing at the faction meeting. I presume you’ll be forced into attendance. Does all this special attention please you?”
Ellis’s words come back to me.
“Attention isn’t necessarily a good thing,” I say, knowing full well none of the attention I’ve received thus far has been good. “The Counts are up in arms over the fact I’ve got a treble. Why the hell would they care?”
“They have ethics, Skyla—although misguided, they do try to adhere to the rules of their nefarious game. In the event you’re not aware, you, my love, are breaking just about every canon they’ve ever bothered to instate.”
“Correction, Demetri is breaking them. You’re right, his lust for my mother is a powerhouse to contend with.” I stop shy of mentioning Demetri was kind enough to return the third disc to me after he so unkindly had pints of my blood removed from my body in his sadistic tower of terror—not that it matters now. I’m sure forfeiting another region, whether by accident or not was all a part of his plan.
“I must leave. Shall I grace you with my lips once again?” Marshall glides into an easy grin. “I believe Jock Strap is witnessing this encou
nter with great interest. Oddly, he’s replaying our resplendent exchange of passion, casting himself as the lead in a rather pornographic display of affection. I doubt we were so crude, and in this, a public establishment.”
I glance back over at Gage. Just the thought of him reenacting that kiss I shared with Marshall makes my heart beat faster.
“Oh, for sure you can have another.” I hike up on the balls of my feet and accept a quick kiss full on the lips that says I’ve got more where that came from, even if I don’t.
He gives a causal wave to Gage before speeding out the door.
Well, I guess there’s that. I’d better feign monster cramps, so I can get out of working shoulder to dysfunctional shoulder with the ex-love of my life.
I head in his direction. He’s just standing there going over the books with a studious expression on his face, and my stomach bottoms out. Gage is obviously aware of the super powers he holds when it comes to his looks. God knows he’s completely abused their ability to seduce me. It’s so not fair. Instead of offering some lame ass excuse as to why I’m about to leave, I want to kick him in the balls.
“You OK?” he asks, counting out the dollar bills before placing them in the register.
“Why wouldn’t I be?” I can feel Gage luring me into quicksand.
“Because he was trying to resuscitate you.” He presses out a bleak smile. “The next time he decides to perform CPR, would you kindly take it outside? You were scaring the kids.” His affect flattens to the point of vexation.
“Is that what has you up in arms? A couple of frightened children?” Unexpected tears blur my vision and I blink them away. “Screw you, Gage Oliver,” I hiss. “Unlike your fake ass, I actually had feelings for you. And, by the way, rumor has it that Chloe’s vagina is the equivalent of a Chinese finger trap—once you’re in, you can’t get out. That would serve you right, being conjoined to that monster for the rest of your natural lives. And the next time you decide to leave a psychotic letter in my bedroom, I hope you spontaneously combust. I never want you in my room again!”
“I meant every word.” It stamps out of him harsh and aggressive. His brows sharpen like Nev with his wings in flight, hovering over twin beryl globes.
“That’s what makes you a good liar—even you tend to believe them. Just like you lied when you said Chloe didn’t pay you. So how much did you get? A grand like Brielle? Did you get a bonus? I bet she does all kinds of nasty favors—”
He holds up his hand in defeat. “Skyla”—he gives a long blink—“let’s go in the office,” he pleads. “We can go anywhere. I’ll take you to the moon, just let me speak to you for a minute.”
My entire person wants to cave. He could take me to the morgue, the cemetery. I’d listen to every word. I could sit spellbound for hours just listening to his hypnotic voice.
A surge of anger takes hold of my heart for sympathizing with the devil.
“I think I’d better go.” I struggle to get the words out as a baseball size lump settles in my throat.
“Looks like Rockaway is getting invaded tomorrow.” He glances down as if replaying a memory. “You going?”
That’s right—Paragon’s firework spectacular is converging on our love nest. I hope the hut he built for two meets with an unfortunate demise by way of an ember. I might arrange for that little mishap myself.
“Yeah, I’ll be there,” I whisper.
Unfortunately, his girlfriend will be there, too.
Gage steps in close, pins me between the counter and his rock-hard chest. His lids lower as he rakes his hot breath across my neck. Volcanic levels of heat radiate from his body. I want to press myself against it, warm myself against the fire that is Gage, but he’s already burned me once, and playing in the flames is never a good idea.
“You really did it, Gage?” I mean for it to sound accusatory, but it comes out childlike. “This thing with Chloe?” I can’t bring myself to call him out on being the well-placed anything.
He locks his gaze over mine and takes in my hair, my eyes, and lips before flexing his dimples, no smile.
“Yes, Skyla. I did.”
My heart bottoms out and I run like hell all the way to the Mustang.
Chapter 31
Cellar Door
Demetri Edinger’s palatial estate was supposedly handed down from his dead Fem of a grandfather. Although I seriously doubt that particular acquisition of real estate ever took place, it doesn’t change the fact I need to fulfill some serious community service hours. I made the error of trying to procure some of Ellis’s magically replenishing, albeit very illegal, weed—not for me of course, for Emerson Kragger.
The sky boils thick as mud over Paragon as I take in the oversized McMansion. It’s an exact replica of the one in the Transfer, and this unnerves me to no end.
It’s not until I come upon the stairs do I note the minivan tucked in an alcove just off the driveway. Figures. Mom must be rummaging through his grandfather’s belongings herself, and I bet the belonging she’s fondling just happens to be Demetri. Honestly, I don’t get the appeal. Sure he’s rich, handsome in a maniacal way, and he treats her like a queen, but still. Can’t she see through all the trickery?
I freeze midflight on the stairs.
God—he’s just like Gage. Gage was in every way the perfect boyfriend, too perfect. His perfection alone should have set off a dozen different sirens embedded in my stomach. Obviously said sirens are in need of recalibration. Everything about my internal warning system seems to be defunct. After all, I’m the one responsible for reanimating Chloe.
I head up to the door and give a gentle knock before letting myself in.
“Hello?” My voice echo’s reminiscent of Ezrina.
“Skyla!” Demetri’s voice booms with great cheer from the sitting room. I tread over and find my mother planted next to him with her skirt cut above the knee and her legs neatly crossed at the ankles. She looks attractive, far too attractive to be cradling a teacup with her pinkie out, having a tete-a-tete with the head of all demons.
“So, I was just swinging by to help. I still have some hours to kill.” I say the word hours as faint as a whisper and over annunciate the word kill for kicks.
“I thought you had a shift at the bowling alley,” my mother protests.
I’m not sure if she’s fearing for my employment or simply highlighting the fact I’ve interrupted her precious one-on-one time with her toxic suitor.
“I, uh…left.” I sweep my gaze over the ornately gilded furniture, the garish gold-framed mirror carved meticulously with a pattern of grapes enwreathing the glass.
“Was Gage there?” Mom asks softly as if she understands how difficult it must be for me.
“Was there a falling out?” Demetri feigns surprise. “Say it isn’t so. I’ve never met a young couple so well paired.”
“I know.” My mother taps him on the wrist. “They’re like Romeo and Juliet.”
I’d hate to interrupt my mother’s warped fantasy, but if I remember correctly, Romeo and Juliet ended in a double suicide. I doubt we go down that path anytime soon. Besides, Gage has already killed me on the inside.
“We’ll have to make an effort to bring the lovebirds back together,” Demetri whispers loud enough for me to hear before reverting his attention. “Back in the day, your mother and I used to set up mutual friends on blind dates.”
“We had an impressive track record.” Mom nods into him.
“Sounds like you should’ve opened a dating service.” I try not to lay on the sarcasm too thick. Really, all I want is to vacate the premises. Obviously coming here was a big mistake. “Anyway, I hear Chloe is roaming around. Does she have instructions on what to do?”
“She’s your boss.” Demetri winks at me from over his teacup as he takes a sip. “Follow the narrow hall to the left, there’s a door that leads to the cellar.”
I turn to leave.
“And, Skyla?” Demetri calls out. “Don’t hesitate to explore. Some of t
hose passageways lead to a whole new world.”
I bet they do.
***
I follow the narrow hall down for what feels like miles. The heavy carpet cushions the sound of my mother’s laughter until I’m left with a welcomed silence. The last thing in the world I want to hear is my mother chortling herself into a giggle-gasm with the prince of darkness.
At the end of the hall, a mahogany door appears in lieu of a tunnel of light, and I dash the rest of the way over to it. It’s unlocked, and a light emanates from the bottom of a rather steep staircase. I descend slowly, in the event Chloe is positioned with a hatchet ready to take me down Ezrina style.
Once I hit the bottom, I find a carnivorous room that breaks off into halls and a series of doorways that expand like a well-orchestrated maze. Stone floors, creamy walls, and garish, larger-than-life statues pepper the vicinity. Probably soul-stealing Fems he keeps on hand should the need arise to terrorize the residents of Paragon, so I try not to inspect them too closely.
Chloe has her back slumped over a box in the not-too-far distance.
“What’s going on?” I twitch my head to the side as I pop up beside her.
Chloe jumps and gapes at me for a second before scrambling to hide whatever’s in that plastic bin she’s plowing through.
I so caught her red-handed. I can tell by the stupid look on her face I managed to scare the shit out of her in the process.
“Nothing.” She swallows hard. “What are you doing here? Wasn’t Gage at the bowling alley?”
“Yes.” I bite the word as I say it. “You know damn well he was there. He made me so sick I had to leave.” Not really, but in the event they’re reporting to one another, it might make for a good jab.
Chloe springs to her feet and threads her arm through mine. “So what happened?” She begins escorting me in the other direction with a counterfeit curiosity.
“Let’s see,” I start, “I almost kissed Gage. Then, in a bigger fit of insanity I did kiss Marshall, and now for the grand finale, I’m confiding in you,” I say, plucking free from her grasp and heading back to the box she was secretively pawing through.
Toxic Part One (Celestra Series Book 7) Page 17