by Ava Mason
“No, they came about eight minutes in.”
“It’s a possibility then. Although eight minutes is really fast to put together such a strong force of men. Too fast for a tank.”
“We’ll approach him directly, ask him if he’s involved. It may draw him out.”
“I’ll set it up. But be careful.” He took in a deep breath. “Elizabeth, very few people knew about this mission.”
I thought about that. At this point, there were only a few people I could trust. And one of them was standing next to me. Christian pulled my hair over my ear and I looked up at him. He kissed my forehead.
“I trust you to figure it out, Liam. I’m putting my life in your hands.”
He was silent for a moment, then he responded. “You can count on me. I’ll set up an appointment with you to see Andre in two days. Stay out of sight until then, and I’ll work on my end to figure out what happened. If you leave any earlier, let me know.”
I nodded, even though he couldn’t see me. “Yes, sir.”
“And the artifact? You know how to fix it, right?”
“I think so.”
“Good.” His voice grew light. “You should be able to handle that now, no problem.”
“That’s right. Cuz I’m a badass.”
He laughed. “You are a badass.” I heard another voice in the background and it sounded like he put his hand over the speaker. After a moment, he spoke. “I gotta run. I’ll call you on this number if I need you.” Then the line was dead.
“Well goodbye to you, too.”
Christian chuckled and I slipped the phone into my pocket, then put my arms around his waist and looked up at him.
“What do you think?”
His face grew serious. “I think I’m glad you’re still alive. It was touch and go for a moment.” He stepped forward, pushing me with him, my back against the cabin. “Pinky, what are you doing to me? Why do you torture me so much? Why don’t you just rip the Band-Aid off?” His lips moved over my lips, to my neck, by my collar.
“Christian, I…” My mouth was suddenly dry. I knew I should say something to him, but all I could do was feel the way my nerves tingled every time his lips brushed mine, feel the warmth that traveled up my chest as his fingers inched higher up my side. My heart pounded and I clutched his shirt. Wanting to kiss him, wanting to taste him on my lips. Wanting to feel his naked skin over mine. I didn’t care that I’d just had sex with Easton, or that I wanted to be with all of them, all of the time. They were mine and I wouldn’t accept anything less.
He stopped kissing me to look into my eyes. “What do you want, Pinky?”
The same words that Easton spoke, the words that kept everything either in balance or turned everything upside down.
He gripped my jaw and his lips encased mine. His kiss was harsh. Like he was tired of waiting for me to come to him. Like he couldn’t wait another moment. It was demanding and possessive.
“Because I want you, Pinky. I want to feel your hands over me, touching me in ways that no one has ever touched.” He stepped back and turned me around so that my stomach pressed against the cabin. His mouth went to my ear. “I want to feel your naked body against mine as I make love to you. To feel your silky, soft skin as I run my lips over your breasts, your stomach. Your pussy.”
Shit. I sucked in a breath.
His hands moved my hair over my shoulder and his lips moved over the back of my neck. He bit it gently, sending a thrill through my chest. “I want to fill you up, to make you moan my name over and over.”
Heat ran through my body and every sensation was on fire. “Christian.”
My body was in overdrive, my hormones raging. I wanted this. I wanted everything he offered and more. I wanted all of him, every day.
“I want to make pancakes for you in the morning and sing to you in the shower. To have little Christian babies running around.” His hands cupped me and my mouth parted as his fingers traced the front of my pants. Moaning, I pressed against his hand, smelling the pine and dirt as I took in every sensation. His other hand wrapped around my stomach, holding me close as he tortured me with his touch, tickling me through the material.
Then he yanked me around again, kissing me passionately. I wrapped my hands around his neck, clinging to him tightly. Kissing him, loving him, pressing against him, moaning his name.
“Please, Christian.” I begged him with my words, my lips. Begged him to take me.
He pulled back sharply, staring into my eyes. “What the fuck do you want, Lizzy? Tell me.”
“I want you, Christian. You know that. I want everything you said and more. But you know that I can’t give up the other guys.”
He sucked in a breath and I felt a prickling sensation around my waist, where his hands were. He tried to pull away but I gripped him tighter. “Can’t you see, Christian? I need you. I need all of you.” Biting my lip, I ran my hand over his chest. “Each one of you mean so much to me, I can’t let you go, any of you.”
He didn’t answer, but only stared over my shoulder. Silence settled around us. The only sounds were the small animals in the woods behind us and it killed me that he was suffering. But I couldn’t let him go.
I stood on my tiptoes, brushing my lips across his. “Please, Christian. I don’t want to loose you.”
He sighed and leaned his forehead on the top of my head. “Just give me some time. I need time to think, to accept this. It’s just not what I had planned for my life.”
“What about when you were all with Sophia?”
He frowned. “Things were different with her. We didn’t actually love her. Plus, we all thought we were saving the race.”
I nodded. “Your sense of honor is one reason why I love you all so much. And who’s to say that we can’t have all those things that you want? Just in a different way, with all of us. Together.”
He took my face in his hands, staring at me intently. “This is what you want? You want me?”
I nodded. “Yes. You are part of us. A part of me. I love you, Christian. I need you by my side.”
He pulled me to him. “Okay. Just give me some time then, okay?”
I nodded and held him close, wishing I could be everything to every guy. How could I show him how much he meant to me? I was beginning to feel like I was falling short. Could I really do this? Make every single one of them feel loved? Could I give them enough? Be enough for them?
His hands moved down my side, then they clutched my hands. “Should we go in?”
I nodded. “Sure.”
He took in a deep breath and we stepped up to the screen door.
“How are you going to fix the artifact?”
Grinning, I eyed him. “This badass will think of something.”
The smell of ravioli filled my nose as we came inside the cabin. Avery was at the table and Easton was keeping an eye on the video monitors; they were both eating out of cups. Hunter leaned against the counter, eating out of the pan.
“Your food’s there.” He pointed to two bowls, overflowing with the tomatoed pasta. “Water’s in the fridge.”
My stomach growled and I made a bee-line for the counter, tugging Christian with me.
Christian took his cup of ravioli and looked at the counter. There was only one fork. Shrugging, he left it for me and sat next to Avery at the rickety table. Instead of digging into the food, I opened the fridge and gulped down a bottle of water. Feeling better, I stood next to Hunter.
“No more bowls?” I nodded at the pan.
“Yeah.” He grinned and warmth washed over me. I loved his smile. He leaned down and kissed me. His eyes stared into mine and I couldn’t stop my smile. Then he pinched my cheek softly and began eating again. I grabbed the bowl of pasta and leaned against the counter.
“Everything looks good, but I’ll go out in a minute and take one more look, see if anyone’s around before we sleep.” Easton got up and washed his bowl. After he put it back in the cupboard, he leaned against the counter and guide
d me to stand in between his legs. I leaned against his chest, feeling warm and soft inside.
Avery reached over and speared one of Christian’s ravioli’s. Christian tipped the cup towards Avery who, after shoving the ravioli in his mouth, speared two more.
“Thanks, man,” Avery managed to say in between bites.
Christian nodded then pushed back his chair and, putting his feet up on the table, began to eat. “Lizzy’s going to tell us how to fix the mask without killing us.” All eyes turned towards me, catching me in the middle of a yawn. I gave Christian a look but he just winked at me, eating his ravioli with his fingers.
I put my cup on the table and took in a deep breath. “Sure. But I think we should do it over there.” I pointed to the mattress.
Easton spoke up. “Just let her eat first.”
Hunter put the empty pan on the stove, then wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me in front of him. Easton let me go and I was switched back again from Easton to Hunter, who gave me back my bowl. “Eat first, Princess, then we sleep. Tomorrow, you can work your magic. The mask can wait a day.”
“Thanks.” I really was hungry. I leaned back into him, loving the way he felt. He held me tight and I watched Avery eat. He ignored me. I continued to stare at him, hoping to get a reaction out of him. When he didn’t look over, I threw one of my ravioli’s at him and it landed on his cheek.
He caught it and, still not looking at me, put his hand in his lap. I watched him closely, annoyed that after everything, he was still being an ass. He squeezed the ravioli tight and the mash of tomato sauce and meat slid between his fingers.
I sighed, wondering what the hell I would have to do to get him to act normal again.
After the kitchen was cleaned, Easton left to fly over the woods and we began to settle for the night.
“Pinky.”
I turned towards Christian, yawning again. I was so ready to crash. “What’s up?”
“Which blanket do you want? The pink one with the hole, or the blue one with the hole?” He held up two blue moth-eaten blankets and one pink one. I pointed to the blue ones.
He grinned. “We’ll give Avery the pink one.”
I smiled. “Sounds perfect.” Avery was in the shower. He was the last one and I was pretty sure the cloth I’d used to dry off was soaking wet by now.
“Pick a mattress.”
There were only three mattresses and I picked the one in the middle, wanting to be near all my guys. As soon as I lay down, Christian crawled up in the one next to me. He put our blanket around us and I snuggled into him. The water to Avery’s shower turned off and I considered telling him he could use his blanket to dry off. I yawned again. Nah, then he’d just be wet all night long.
Hunter kicked at the mattress next to mine, pushing it towards me. Then he lay down and pressed into my back. He wrapped his arms around me and I was sandwiched in between the two. Easton was going to take first watch and everyone was going to take turns. I barely heard Avery come out of the bathroom before I passed out.
I woke with the sun in my face; it was well into mid-day and everyone was up except for me. I sat up, realizing that someone forgot to wake me for my turn to take the watch. Grumpily, I got up and stomped off the mattress, kicking the blankets to the floor. I was part of the team damnit, I needed to help out as much as them. I wanted to keep us all safe, too.
We didn’t eat ravioli for breakfast; it was SpaghettiOs instead. The breakfast of champions. It did make me feel better, though. I sat on Christian’s lap at the table, trying to figure out a way to get them back. After we ate, we cleaned up and then the guys all gravitated towards me.
It was show time.
“Easton, will you bring the mask?”
We sat in a circle on the middle mattress, and it reminded me of when we fixed the magic book. Except this time, I had an idea of what I was doing.
“Sit with your knees touching each other.” I chuckled to myself as they shuffled closer together. “Now, hold hands.”
Their eyes went to me.
“Seriously?” Easton looked at Hunter like he had the chicken pox.
“What? You guys are touching each other all the time. And now you can’t hold hands?” I nodded my head towards the mask. “Not to fix the mask? Not to save our bond?”
I was really pushing it but this was fun. Grumbling, they took each other’s hands and I stifled my laugh. “Now, each of you close your eyes and repeat after me.”
I waited and, after a hesitation, they all closed their eyes. A warmth washed over me and suddenly I felt a little bit guilty. They held a lot of trust in me, and here I was, using it to poke fun at them. Shoving my guilt aside, I began.
“I solemnly swear.” I stopped, waiting for them to begin.
“I solemnly swear,” their deep male voices reverberated throughout the room and it made me feel their strength, their power. Easton, who was sitting across from me, peeked through one eye.
“That I’m up to no good.” I was really trying to hold in my laughter now.
“That I’m…” Varying voices repeated after me, each stopping once they realized that I was fucking with them. Hunter, who had watched my face grow red from trying to keep my laugh in, vaulted over the mask, tackling me.
“What the?” Christian’s serious voice sounded so confused as Hunter rolled over into Avery’s lap. Avery shoved us onto the floor and Christian joined Hunter in dog piling me.
“Help! Eastie.” I was on my back, with Christian and Hunter on top of me. I threw my hand out to Easton but he just folded his arms over his chest, doing absolutely nothing to help. “Come on!” I cried out, trying to squirm out from under them. Then Easton joined them, stretching out over my thighs with a grin.
“You think I don’t know a Harry Potter reference when I hear one?”
“But still, you’re supposed to be on my side!” I managed to inch my way towards the edge of the mattress and squealed as they grappled at my legs, holding me still.
I gasped out, trying to catch my breath. “Avery!”
He eyed me warily, looking so serious.
I held my hand out. “Come on, man!”
He leaned forward, his face looming over me. His eyes were serious, so serious, as he stared at me. Then, he clasped my chin and kissed me.
I froze in shock. I was absolutely not expecting that.
His tongue forced my lips open and then his beard was prickling my skin as he poured all of his passion into his kiss. I clasped his face, deepening the kiss. Then he pulled back, his eyes closed, and rubbed my nose with his.
I couldn’t move, I was pinned down by all the guys. I tried to kiss him again. He opened his eyes revealing pain and agony and anger, swirling and twisting in that look. An ache pounded in my chest.
Then he sat back and got to his feet.
“Get off, get off.” I yelled at the guys, trying to make them hurry. Avery was going to bolt, I just knew it.
Avery gracefully jumped over mattresses, pulling his uniform shirt off. He was going to shift as soon as he got to the door and fly away.
I couldn’t let that happen. I had to stop him.
“Avery, wait.”
Easton pushed me up and forward, and I leapt across the room. “Stop!”
Avery’s hand was on the door, his face determined. Fear welled in my chest, pushing upwards through my chest and choking off my air. I was only a second behind him but I was going to be too late. Scales rippled over his arms and he was halfway out the door.
I cried out, desperate. “Why do you hate me so much?” Tears sparked in my eyes and all the emotion and fear I’d been pushing down broke to the surface. It didn’t make sense, he acted like he loved me. He’d risked his life to save mine. But what did he really feel for me, to be able to just walk away from me? From us? He didn’t trust me to tell me the truth. Didn’t that mean that he didn’t love me? Not really?
He froze, halfway in, halfway out the door. He was breathing great puffing bre
aths in and out, still indecisive if he was going to bolt.
“What have I done to you to make you want to run away from me so bad?” I was close to the door now, torn between getting on my knees and begging him to stay or reaching out to grab him to physically force him to stay. Except I couldn’t do that. He had to make the choice now. We’d delayed him long enough.
The rest of the guys had rushed to their feet but now they were still, and you could hear a pin drop in the room.
Avery swiveled towards me, his face a mask of anger. “What the hell makes you think this is about you? Maybe I just don’t want you, Elizabeth.”
His words shot daggers through my heart but I gripped my hands into fists at my side, determined to force him to face the truth. “I don’t believe that. I know you’re lying to me.”
“You are so self-centered, so selfish. You think the whole world revolves around you. Get it through your thick head. I don’t love you. And I can’t stand to be around the team anymore. We’re constantly distracted by you.”
“Avery, enough.” Hunter strode to my side and put his arms around me. “Quit being such as ass.” Hunter pulled me into him, his warmth surrounding me as Avery attacked me again, pointing at me.
“You are the one breaking us up. It’s your fault that we can’t work together anymore. You’re nothing but a self-centered—”
“I’ve had enough of this shit. Quit putting your issues on her. She’s not Mia.”
I sucked in a breath.
Avery stumbled back, taken off guard. He clasped the door frame, breathing heavily. His eyes narrowed at Easton, then he launched himself forward. “Don’t you dare mention her name like that.”
Easton sidestepped out of the way, then pushed Avery forward, launching him across the room. Avery flew to the floor, sliding across it and crashed into the table. Growling, he got to his feet, his nose bleeding. “What the hell, Easton?” He charged again, his wings extending from his back as he launched himself at Easton again.