by J. C. Diem
I watched in numb dread as they spread through the city, demolishing buildings and eating every living soul. The others joined us a couple of minutes later. Flynn had carried Mark over his shoulder and set him on his feet. Together, we watched the destruction. By the time the army of hell spawn were done, only a few buildings were intact, including the one we were standing on.
Sweeping my gaze across the desolation, I realized this was the future that I’d seen in the dream that Fate had sent me. I’d seen exactly this type of death and destruction in the cities behind the floating door.
With their job now done, the hell pits opened and the imps reluctantly returned to their fiery dwelling.
“There’s too many of them,” Kala said dazedly. “How are we supposed to win this war when they just keep coming back each time we kill them?”
“I don’t know,” Mark replied in a subdued tone. “But I’m not ready to concede defeat yet. It’s the full moon tomorrow night and Lexi will be at the height of her power. I’m hoping she and Reece will be able to wrest control of the shifters back from Jorgen.”
Even if we could, we wouldn’t be able to fight that many demons. Kurt would also no doubt bring his golems back into play again.
Filled with dread from the destruction that I’d just witnessed, I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the ruins. There was something familiar about the new monstrously sized demons, but I couldn’t quite place it.
“There’s nothing more we can do here,” my father said. “We should head back to our base and brainstorm.”
₪₪₪
Chapter Thirty-Three
I knew what we’d find when we returned to Cole’s house. As I’d suspected, the mansion and grounds were empty. After kidnapping all of the captives that we’d freed, Kurt had detoured here to snap up the lionesses who had been left behind.
My zombies stayed outside to keep watch while the rest of us entered the mansion. Mark switched on the TV to see a news bulletin of what was left of D.C. It looked like a warzone that had been bombed repeatedly. Tens of thousands of bodies littered the dark streets. A lone news crew had been brave enough to enter the city. All of the monsters and their minions were gone and it was eerily silent. There was no sign of the dead demons. Their bodies had broken down completely and even the sludge had disappeared.
“There can be no doubt now that this is indeed the end of the world,” the reporter said. He had tears in his eyes and his voice was shaky. “It’s only a matter of time before the hell spawn destroys every city in the United States. Our only hope is to pray for a miracle.”
“We’re going to need one,” Kala said sourly. She looked around the too quiet house. “I don’t know about you guys, but I’d prefer to sleep in a familiar bed tonight.”
“I suppose there’s no point in staying here,” Mark agreed.
We gathered our belongings then took some supplies from the kitchen and headed to Colorado. The moment we emerged next to the base, some of my tension eased. It was good to be back home. Even Zeus was happy to return to the base near Denver. Kala let us in and he ambled over to the living room. He flopped down on the thick black rug with a contented sound. Kendricks and his men would remain outside to keep watch again. I trusted them to let me know if danger appeared.
Still shell shocked, we dispersed and I headed upstairs to my bedroom. I stripped down and stepped into the shower, leaving my bedroom door unlocked. As I’d known he would, Reece soon joined me. His hands wrapped around me from behind and he pulled me back against him. “You think we’re going to lose,” he said, voicing the fear that was inside me.
I turned to look up at him. With his golden eyes, high cheekbones and full lips, he was so handsome that my heart ached. I had to force my eyes away from his mouth so I could think. “I don’t see how we can win against an army that can keep regenerating. Even if I had a million zombies and ghosts to call on, Kurt’s demons and golems will just keep coming back. He’s bound to find another necromancer soon and zombies will be added to the mix again.”
“We need to find a way to eliminate him. It’s the only way we’re going to be able to put an end to this war.”
“How?” I said in frustration. “How do you kill an immortal being?” Natalie Pierce, my counterpart from another dimension, was immortal and nothing had been able to kill her. She’d even been beheaded and had somehow managed to survive.
Reece was silent for a long moment and I read the answer from his mind. It was impossible. The very fact that he was immortal meant that he couldn’t be killed. I could see our future stretching out ahead. The faery would wipe out humankind then enter the fae realms and kill his kin. Only our small group would remain in an otherwise empty world.
His eyes dropped to my breasts and his expression changed from being worried to being full of desire in a heartbeat. His hands slid down to my lower back. “Why don’t we worry about all this in the morning?”
“Good idea,” I replied as he backed me against the wall. For just a few hours, we would take a break from the horrors and just live in the moment.
Putting his hands on my waist, he lifted me up. I wrapped my legs around him as his mouth came down on mine. Our kiss was hungry and we devoured each other as if this was our last night on earth.
Boosting me higher, he took my breast into his mouth and heat flared inside us both. He used his hands, mouth and tongue to drive me into a frenzy of need. Unable to take it anymore, I grasped him by his short hair and pulled him away from my aching breasts. Sliding back down his body, I rubbed myself against him. His breathing sped up as I kissed him deeply and guided him inside me.
Bracing himself with his palms against the wall, he began to thrust. A moan escaped from me as my body accepted him. Holding on tightly, I was already nearing the edge and we’d only just started. He sank his fangs into my shoulder and the small pain mingled with my increasing ecstasy at being joined with the man I loved. Sucking hard, he increased his rhythm and pressure built inside me.
I bit into his shoulder and he shuddered in pleasure. I drank down his blood and it washed away all traces of my fatigue. We drank from each other as his hips continued to move rapidly. My legs tightened around him to the point where it was almost crushing his bones, but it only spurred him to thrust harder and faster.
Retracting his fangs, Reece tilted my head back so he could stare into my eyes. Blood dribbled down his chin. The sight was so erotic that my body clenched in pre-orgasm. “You’re mine,” he said without slowing the movement of his hips. “Say it.”
“You’re mine,” I repeated then smirked when he narrowed his eyes.
“It looks like I have to remind you who is the boss in the bedroom,” he said in a mock growl.
Shutting the shower off, he carried us into the bedroom. Still dripping wet, he tossed me onto the bed. I had time to bounce once and then he was on me. Pinning my hands above my head, he straddled me and raked his eyes down my body. I pulsed in need, desperate for him to finish what he’d started. I was so close that it wouldn’t take much to fulfil my need.
“Do you remember the first time we had sex?” he asked. His voice was rough with the same desire that I felt.
“I’ll never forget it.” It was the first time I’d been with anyone.
“I was mindless with the need to take you, but some part of me knew I had to be careful. You were so beautiful, so young and so human.” The psychic known as Lust had bamboozled him and had forced him to have sex with the person he wanted the most; me. “I didn’t mean to turn you into a monster like me, but when I had you beneath me and I was buried deep inside your body, I couldn’t resist.”
Staring up into his eyes, I saw deep into his memories. Lust hadn’t been the only presence in his mind that night, Fate had been lurking there as well. She had been the one to plant the idea for him to bite me, yet he still felt guilty for introducing me into this life. “This was meant to be,” I said. “If given a choice between having a normal life, or having you, I’
d choose you every time.” His eyes turned molten at my admission and I said the words that he needed to hear. “I’m yours, Reece. Always and forever.”
Nina Carter had scarred him deeply when she’d abused and then later abandoned him. Fierce joy swelled inside him as the last lingering traces of his doubt that I could really love him evaporated. I was his and he was mine until the end of time.
His mouth came down on mine and I opened my heart and my body to him completely. He slid into me and the heat that had never really died down flared again. Instead of the fast pace that I’d expected, he moved slowly and deliberately. Releasing my hands, he cupped my face and kissed me. He was so exquisitely gentle that it brought tears to my eyes.
I clutched his shoulders as his hands glided over me, touching me with feather-light strokes. This slow, gentle sex was different from anything I’d experienced before. It wasn’t about dominance or conquering, it was about displaying his love for me.
Looking into my eyes, he said the words that I needed to hear just as much as he had. “I’m yours, Lexi. Always and forever.”
My breath caught in my throat as my love for him flooded through us both. Our passion swelled and he could no longer sustain the slow, measured pace. Our hands slid, stroked and squeezed as he became frenzied. My legs were wrapped around his, urging him on as he drove us both towards the edge. I let out a scream as pleasure burst through me. Reece moaned as he joined me in ecstasy, sending me over the edge again as I felt his orgasm rock him to the core.
Unfortunately, our pleasure had unintended consequences. Kala was in the room right next to us and our link was strong enough to affect her.
Rolling onto his side, Reece sent me a look that was full of amusement. I was horribly embarrassed that our friend had felt our joy, but it didn’t bother him at all. “Uh oh,” I said as she paced inside her room. We could both sense her sexual frustration. “This can’t be good.”
I realized what she intended to do as she left her room and strode down the hall. Our rooms were soundproofed, but I watched through her eyes and listened through her ears as she pounded on my father’s door. With their bond, he knew full well what she was thinking. His expression was wary when he opened the door. Curiosity, my old nemesis, was too strong for me to pull away from her mind as I should have.
“I know I’ll never measure up to Katrina,” she said. “But we’re bonded whether we like it or not.”
Crossing his arms, he leaned against the door and stared down at her. His expression was neutral, but she had full access to his mind. She knew he was fighting against temptation. “What do you propose we do about it?” he asked.
“I suggest we strip naked and have sex before we both explode.” His eyes flared at her blunt response and his will crumbled. I yanked myself out of her mind when he reached out and pulled her into his arms.
“Argh! Tell me this isn’t happening,” I pleaded.
Reece laughed and nuzzled my neck. “Don’t you want them to be happy?”
“Yeah, but I don’t want to see or feel what they’re doing to each other!” I winced when Kala accidentally sent me an image of my father’s hands on her breasts. “Eww! I’ll never be able to un-see that!” It was burned into my memory forever.
“I guess I’ll just have to keep you occupied until they’re done then,” Reece said and kissed me. I threw myself into the kiss until all other distractions faded and he was the only thing I was aware of. As distractions went, it proved to be very effective.
In the morning, we found Kala and my father sitting together at the dining table. They were holding hands and she blushed bright red when she saw us descending the stairs. I kept my expression as inscrutable as possible until I was sitting across from them. My father watched me with trepidation. I had to force myself not to flush at the snippets I’d caught of what they’d been up to all night. “I have one question for you,” I said sternly. Kala could barely bring herself to meet my eyes. “Do I have to call you ‘Mom’ now?”
She broke into a grin and I couldn’t contain my snigger. The look my dad gave her was filled with heat that I’d never seen in him before. I hated to admit it, but they were perfect for each other. He needed someone playful in his life and she needed someone who was stable and grounded.
“Congratulations, Major Levine,” Reece said and extended his hand. “We’re both glad that you and Kala are more comfortable with being bonded now.”
Kala’s grin was wicked as the pair shook hands. “Oh, we’re far more than just comfortable with it.”
“So I saw,” I said and rolled my eyes. “You really need to learn how to shield your thoughts.”
“You might as well call me Philip now,” my dad said to Reece and sent Kala a reproving look for her smugness at their sexual antics.
She batted her eyelashes at him flirtatiously and they exchanged a silent conversation. Red crept up his cheeks. I caught some of what she was thinking and cleared my throat. “Get a room,” I said mockingly.
She scowled at the jibe that she’d given Reece and me more than once. “Okay, I had that coming. I had no idea what it was like to be bonded to the man I love. I know now and I promise I’ll never make fun of you two again.”
She leaned against my father and he kissed her on the forehead. It was going to take some time to get used to seeing them together, but I was glad they were both happy. I just hoped we’d all learn to block each other out when we were in the bedroom. Some things needed to be kept private.
Mark and Flynn joined us a few minutes later. Flynn was even quieter than usual when they sat down to eat breakfast. Both of them were drawn and weary and I doubted that they’d had much sleep. “We’ll get Sabine and Ava back,” I promised them. “I’m not going to let either of you spend eternity alone.”
Mark smiled faintly and Flynn looked relieved. I hoped I could come good on that promise. I suspected our partners were our rewards, but only if we succeeded in our task. If we failed and humanity was lost, our happiness would also be taken away.
₪₪₪
Chapter Thirty-Four
I waited until we’d all finished eating and were drinking our second cups of coffee before I brought up the topic that we’d all been avoiding. “Have you come up with a strategy?” I asked Mark and my father.
They exchanged a guarded look, which didn’t fill me with confidence. Mark shook his head. “Not really. All I can suggest is that you wait until the moon gains ascendency and try to link with the alphas again. They might be able to give you enough power to break the shifters free from Jorgen’s mind trap again.” It wasn’t much of a plan, but I didn’t have a better one, so I couldn’t complain.
We had the entire day to kill and I didn’t want to spend it cooped up inside. “Let’s go for a walk,” I said to Reece.
Washing our dishes out of habit, he opened the door for me and we stepped outside. Stationed near the entrance, Cortez nodded imperceptibly and I nodded in return. The O Squad and Containment Squad had kept watch all night. They would continue to do so until our war was over. They were tireless soldiers who would only falter if I did. As long as I stayed strong, so would they.
As we ambled towards the back of our compound, Zeus appeared beside me with a stick in his mouth. “What do you want me to do with that?” I teased. His stump of a tail wagged madly. “I can’t believe you still want to play fetch now that you’re undead.” His big brown eyes implored me silently. With a mock sigh, I took the stick and threw it as hard as I could.
Zeus winked out of existence, appeared in the distance beside the stick. He snatched it up then reappeared beside me. “Hey! That’s cheating!” I scolded him.
With a miffed look, he shoved the stick into Reece’s hand instead. Reece was laughing so hard that he could barely aim, but he threw the stick anyway. “He loves that game so much that even death can’t cure him of it,” he said with a grin.
We played with Zeus for a few hours, enjoying our brief moment of peace before heading ins
ide for lunch. The others had already eaten. Kala and Flynn were sparring in the boxing ring with my father refereeing their bout. Scoffing down sandwiches that had been left on a plate in the fridge, we headed up to the coms room for a status report.
Mark sat at the computer table, watching the news on the monitors. “It’s been quiet,” he told us. “No reports of any new attacks anywhere so far.”
“Kurt must be biding his time until tonight,” I said with a grimace. “Do you have any idea where he’ll hit next?”
“I imagine it will be somewhere with a substantial population.” He mused about it and brought up a map of the US. “Destroying D.C. was enough to dishearten our government and troops. He’ll most likely aim for a well-known city next. This will emphasize to the rest of the world just how vulnerable we all are. I imagine he’ll attack either New York or Los Angeles.”
“He’ll target L.A.,” I said with certainty.
“Why do you think that?” Mark asked.
“Just for the sheer irony of it. He’s going to use his demons to demolish the ‘City of Angels’.”
He nodded thoughtfully. “That does sound like something Kurt would find amusing.”
Finishing their training session, the others filed upstairs to join us. All three had overheard our conversation. “We should head to L.A. and prepare for the battle ahead,” my father suggested. “Our first task should be to visit the cemeteries. We can use Viktor’s trick of preparing the graves in advance so you can raise the zombies whenever they’re needed.” That would take blood and lots of it. Thankfully, I wouldn’t have to use just my own. My friends would no doubt be willing to lend me theirs.