The jinn didn’t answer.
“Exactly what I thought.” David turned to Kronos. “And you, what’s your excuse?”
“I know Eve better than anyone else. She’ll trust me, and without trust, she’ll never open up enough to release her bloodline power.”
“Really? That’s why she sent you out just now? That’s why she left Zone Three in the middle of the night without a word to you? Don’t bother answering. I already know the truth.”
Kronos couldn’t deny David’s logic. He’d run the same questions over and over in his own mind. The truth was clear: Eve didn’t trust him. His gut tightened at the thought.
David continued, “Neither of you understand what is going on, what will happen if we fail. You’re letting your dicks do your thinking. I don’t give a damn what you want. Humanity depends on us to do what is right, no matter what our own desires may be.”
Bradley stood. “Perhaps you have some desires of your own for Brooke that you’re wrestling with.”
“Mind your own business. Did you retrieve The Book of Timu yet or not?”
“No.” Bradley glared at the archangel. “You know the book is in the Ether, which only Micki can open a portal to.”
“And the delay is what, exactly?”
“She has to cross into the Ether for the passage to work. So, Jared and I have made the jump with her six times already. Whenever we sense any threat near us, we leave. Believe me, there are horrific creatures in the Ether that you can’t imagine. Neither Jared nor I will risk her safety.”
“Damn it.” David stopped his pacing abruptly. “Terrok, the demon prince, is still in there. With the book, he could find a way out with one of his underling’s help. We’ve gathered up only three bloodliners that were listed in Eric’s flash drive besides Eve: Leah, Simone and Cash. Only an hour ago in an apartment in New York, Stone’s team found the body of a female bloodliner reduced to a pile of ash by the Dark. Our security guarding Eve must be sufficient. She’s safer bound to the Alliance, and I came to check her progress.”
An hour ago? Kronos’s blood froze. He would never leave Eve’s side. Not again. Not with the Dark’s target on her back.
“Why is the Dark killing bloodliners?” Jared leaned against the wall and folded his arms in front of him. “I thought they wanted some of their own.”
“I don’t know why. Vincorte is Terrok’s number two. He’s no idiot. Whatever his plan, it doesn’t bode well for any bloodliners not in our care. He’ll try to use them, dead or alive, to open the Ether and release his master.”
“Can that really work without a bloodliner bound two immortals?” Jared asked.
“I’ve only known for a few months that bloodliners still exist. It’s anybody’s guess what will work or not.” David’s words gave Kronos cause of alarm for Eve’s safety. “How secure is the Ranch?”
“I’ve assigned several teams to the area, in the air and on the ground. I dare any darklings to try to charge in here.”
Nash took a step toward the archangel. “I’d like a few more soldiers assigned here.”
“Agreed.” David turned to Jared and Bradley. “There are over seventy more bloodliners Eric identified from the book that we can’t find. Plus, there may be more others named in that book. We need it.”
“Back off. We know that.” Jared rose to his feet, his face dark with anger.
“Then why are you here and not looking for it? I understand keeping Micki safe, but you have to keep trying. Jump in, look around, jump out. Keep it up until you succeed. If the Dark gets to it before we do, then all hell will break lose from the Ether.”
Jared grabbed David’s shoulder. “Micki wanted to make sure you weren’t mistreating her cousin or Brooke. We told her about the Ranch and that it was the safest place for Brooke and Eve, but she had to see for herself.”
“Fine. She’s seen them.” The archangel twisted free of Jared’s hold. “When she comes back in here, get back to your mission.”
“What’s with you, David?” Jared leaned against the wall. “You’re behaving like an even bigger prick than usual.”
“Only back for a few weeks from exile and you think you know me.”
“Probably better than most, old buddy.”
“Cut the crap. I don’t need your psychobabble. I need Eve’s power activated—now!”
Bradley asked, “Have you considered, sir, that maybe she doesn’t have any powers?”
“Of course I have, but I can never know until she triples. These two jackasses—” David pointed at Kronos and Jared. “—have kept that from happening.”
“Micki didn’t need to triple to activate her bloodline power.” Jared shrugged. “It shot out the moment Bradley and I saw her. Seemed to be more of a proximity thing. The binding happened later with our tripling.”
Bradley nodded in agreement to Jared’s claim.
Could Eve be powerless? If so, Kronos vowed never to share her. Yes, he’d need energy from a tripling, but that could be done with an immortal buddy and a human other than Eve. The possibility of keeping her all to himself kindled hope inside him.
“She’s been around hundreds of angels and jinn but nothing has happened.” David waved his hands, and his wings disappeared. “Adjacency to immortals doesn’t seem to work for her, but maybe she hasn’t come in contact with the right ones.”
Micki opened the door and stepped between Jared and Bradley hands on her hips. “David, did you try your dream trick on her?”
“Of course. It didn’t work with Eve.”
Jared put his arm around Micki. Bradley took her hand.
“What dream trick?” Nash frowned.
Micki raised a dark eyebrow. “David sent me dreams about Jared and Bradley a few days before I met them. I believe he thought it would be a kind of magical enhancement, hedging his bet.”
David sat down. “It worked didn’t it?”
Micki put her hands on her hips. “No. It had nothing to do with your dreams. Even though I was looking for my brother, I also was unconsciously looking for something for myself.”
The archangel sent her a suspicious glance. “What?”
“Love. Something I don’t believe you will ever understand, David. My cousin may be a bloodliner, but she still has a flesh-and-blood heart. Your experiments didn’t work on Eric, and I doubt they’ll ever work on her.”
Suddenly Brooke entered. Kronos noticed David’s eyes widen. The archangel stood and prowled closer, his expression one of barely-checked hunger.
The woman put her hands on her hips and faced David. “You’ve treated Eve like she’s your property. She isn’t.”
“I don’t understand what you mean, nor do I care.” David glanced around the room, then back at Brooke. “I need any power Eve has to activate, then for her to bind with two Alliance warriors. I gave you time alone with her. Did you two learn anything from her that will help me?”
“Always about you, is it?” Brooke sat, shaking her head at the archangel’s audacity.
“I’m done with talking. Brooke, go back to your room.” David pointed to Micki, Jared, and Bradley. “You three, get back to your mission and recover that book.”
“What about Eve?” Kronos asked, his body taut as he awaited the answer.
“That doesn’t concern you or Nash any longer.”
Brooke stood and approached David, wagging her finger in his face. “You’re so wrong about that.”
“Really? How so?”
Micki chimed in. “Brooke is right. Eve didn’t share much with us, but one thing both Brooke and I noticed is that she responds to Nash and Kronos. I think she cares about them.”
Kronos hated that the women might be right. Eve responds to Nash? Because he tied her up and forced himself on her? Or because, as Micki thinks, Eve actually cares.
David raised a haughty brow. “Eve gave me no indication of that.”
Brooke laughed. “Super angel or not, you’re still male. Of course you’d miss the signs.”
“You want her powered up, then let these two triple with her.” Micki pointed to Kronos and Nash.
“No!” Kronos would never allow Nash near her again, no matter what David commanded. No way!
David nodded. “For the first time today, I agree with him. The answer is no.”
“Give them a week. I have a sense about this… Eve isn’t giving anyone a chance, but she might care enough about them to try.” Brooke’s voice changed to a softer tone. It seemed to have an impact on the archangel.
Kronos brought his sword to the forefront of his mind. If he needed it, he’d call it forth again and get a deathly blow off before the others could stop him. “I won’t let Nash near her, let alone triple with her.”
“Like you could stop me.” Nash already held daggers in his hand. “Besides, what makes you think I would ever consider sharing her with you?”
Kronos brought his sword into focus.
Micki raised her arms and opened a portal. Bloodline magic. Not like any magical passage he’d ever seen or created before, its edges were multi-colored and vibrating. The Ether’s darkness spun in its middle.
“Put your weapons away now, or so help me I’ll kick your butts in there and leave you to rot out eternity.”
Jared and Bradley were next to Micki, their own weapons drawn. David also had his sword out.
Brooke trembled, but kept her cool. “Kronos, Nash, are you two idiots? Aren’t you forgetting about Eve? Stop this jockeying for advantage and start thinking about her needs.”
Nash glared directly at him. “What do you say, angel? Shall we go a round right now?”
If it weren’t for Eve, Kronos would run the guy through—fuck the consequences. Instead, he put away his sword by dematerializing it.
Nash did the same with his daggers.
“Good boys, you both want to live.” Micki waved her hands, and the portal disappeared. “If you kill each other, maybe nothing will happen to Eve. But if Brooke and I are right, Eve will die without you. Is keeping your pride in tact really worth watching her die?”
* * * *
Brooke came home from work, and I kissed her, even though I was filled with incredible guilt for what I did last night at Zone Three. She doesn’t seem to suspect anything. What a fucking good liar I’ve become.
David set me with two immortals. I’d hoped it would work, but I didn’t feel much. So I don’t think it did. What did I do wrong?
Damn it, I must try again, for myself, for Micki—and, yes, even for Brooke. Because I’m still dying, and so is my sister.
Eric’s Flash Drive: day 41—entry 1
* * * *
Eve sat alone in the room. She glanced at the mirror, knowing that more than likely a whole gang of immortals were on the other side of it. Thankfully, the thing remained covered by the blanket. She hoped it prevented whoever sat on the other side of the two-way from peering at her, but she couldn’t be sure. Her head still reeled from all the hocus-pocus. No matter how long she was exposed to it, she doubted that she would ever get used to magic.
She twisted the tie of the robe into a tight knot. She’d given up on the idea of escaping. Leaving would be too dangerous. For all Nash had spanked her, he’d done it with pleasure in mind, not to cause her pain—unlike what Irkon and his pals would’ve unleashed on her.
Eve nibbled on the sweet and juicy grapes David had provided, recalling a past when she knew hunger, not the kind that came when a person missed lunch, but the kind that gnaws at your insides like a rabid rat day after day. She should be thankful to the Alliance for the food, shelter, and protection. But every time things got better with some benefactor for her, the strings attached tightened around her throat suffocating her very soul.
She swallowed the last grape and started in on the cheese.
Like it or not, she was stuck. There’d be more immortals like Quade and Wright coming to her room. Someday, maybe this power they all thought she had would awaken and bind to two immortals.
An image of Kronos and Nash popped into her mind. I need to get a grip. That isn’t ever going to happen.
The door opened, pulling her from her thoughts.
The angel and the jinn she’d been daydreaming about entered the room. Seeing the expressions of love between Micki, Jared and Bradley had spawned a desire inside Eve. If even for one night she, too, could feel adored and cared for by Kronos and Nash, her life would be sweeter.
As much as she hoped, she couldn’t believe they were here to share her. Not possible with the animosity between them.
Instead of looking her way, they glared at each other, walking to opposite sides of the room.
“I swear guys that if you try to do each other in, I’ll—”
“Stop talking and strip,” Nash growled.
A shiver rolled down her spine. “W-What…?”
“Damn it, Nash. Don’t be such as ass!” The blood in Kronos’s face drained away, leaving a white-hot expression.
“Are we here to fuck her or not?”
Kro didn’t answer, but knelt down in front of her, his blue eyes implored her.
“Answer his question, Kro.”
He nodded and, with a tentative smile, took her hands.
Oh God!
Chapter 8
Eve’s gut rolled like a carnival ride at full speed. “Did everyone draw straws, and you guys got the short ones?”
Kronos squeezed her hands gently, giving her warm tingles. “Hardly. Apparently, Micki and Brooke believe that this creep and I are the immortals who will be able to unlock your powers.”
“And David agreed to that?”
“Reluctantly, but yes.” Kro moved next to her on the bed.
Desire for these two crawled up and took a seat inside her, buckling in for the ride. Still, she found it hard to imagine them working together. She melted into Kro’s tenderness, and burned hot against Nash’s discipline. Each reached her completely but in different ways.
“So, I won’t have to face more Wrights and Quades?”
Nash stepped closer, causing quivers along her skin. “Only if this angel and I don’t triple with you and get that red energy inside you opened up.”
She felt Kro’s grip on her hands tighten at Nash’s words. “No need to rush, jinn.”
Clearly the tension between these two hadn’t melted, instead it remained frozen solid like the middle of a glacier.
“You heard David, Kronos. We have been given only seven days with her. No more. Time to get started.”
I get an entire week with them! Not enough, but forever doesn’t really exist for me. It will have to suffice. Feeling flirty, she grinned and blinked slowly. “We could start off by all taking a shower together.”
“We’ve already showered.” Kro touched her cheek.
“I haven’t. Don’t you want me squeaky clean?”
Nash stroked her hair. “Nice try, but I’m not willing to wait. Besides, I like you just the way you are.”
She swallowed hard. The man’s lusty talk sent shivers deep into her gut. “I’m confused at how you two are going to share me when neither of you can’t stand being in the same room with the other?”
“That’s not your worry, little one.” Nash’s commanding tone undid her, detonating hot bombs throughout her body. “Is your tight pussy ready for my dick, sweet girl?”
“Back off, Nash. Give her some space.”
The possibility of having her fantasy with them was evaporating right before her eyes. Clearly, Kro didn’t want to make love to her with Nash…and Nash only wanted to rush in and get her back into a submissive state.
“You actually want me to believe that you two will not end up punching each other or worse before getting me naked between you?”
Kro cupped her chin. “Eve, please. It’s just that—”
“Give it a rest, angel. She’s got a point. Either we set our differences aside for the moment or we’re wasting our time here. Better to send in other immortals that will work togethe
r for her.”
“No!” Kro’s face darkened. “No other immortals.”
“Then you’re stuck with me, like it or not.” Nash slid his hand down her back. “Besides, there’s one thing we do agree on.”
“What’s that?” Kro glared at him.
“We both want her dripping with desire, right?”
Kro turned back to her and shot her a wide, lusty grin. “Definitely.”
Moisture pooled between her legs, and her belly flip-flopped. She looked in their eyes. The anger at each other had been replaced by hunger for her.
“We’ve got seven days and nights.” Nash’s stare never left her. “I’ll try it your way this time, angel.”
“My way?”
“Without paddles, blindfolds, ropes, clamps. Vanilla sex is your style, isn’t it?”
“Your BDSM toys aren’t coming near Eve as long as I’m around.” Kro’s voice went lower and his tone more threatening than she’d ever heard before. “And I plan on always being around. Do you get that, Nash?”
“We don’t have time to play games, soldier. The clock is ticking. Her power needs to be activated and bound ASAP. I’ll use any method available to make sure that happens. Or are you willing to fail her again?”
Kro glared at Nash. “You think you know what she needs? You don’t.” Then he placed his hands on her thighs. “I promise, I will keep you safe. No matter what.”
“Really?” Nash snorted. “Ask her yourself if she liked what I did earlier?”
Eve wrapped her arms tight around her chest. Oh God! Newborn tingles danced inside her. But how could she admit to her angel how she lusted for such wickedness?
Kro snapped back, “Back off, or so help me—”
“Are you afraid of what she will say, soldier? Tell him, Eve. Did you enjoy my methods?”
Kro stared at her, waiting for her answer.
At first, when Nash had tied her up in the shadowed room, she’d been terrified. Now she felt consumed with desire for more. His control over her had released the most powerful orgasm she’d ever experienced. The man’s sexual demands had peeled back the layers inside her, and that scared the hell out of her. But he’d also unchained a longing deep within her that couldn’t be chained again. Could she admit to Kro how much she craved Nash’s type of sex? As insane as it sounded, Eve knew that both men reached her deeply, one with kisses, the other with ropes.
Cook, Kris - Captivation [Eternally Three 2] (Siren Publishing Menage Amour) Page 11