by Helen Scott
When Knox moved away, Nolan approached.
“Hey, Poppy,” he said awkwardly, shoving his hands in the pockets of the jeans he was wearing. I had no idea where they had come from, but I was glad the guy was in real clothes. If he'd been in sweatpants, I might not have been able to resist the impulse to take him to bed, but I knew less about him than I did the other guys, and I promised myself that I would get to know him before I claimed him.
“Hey,” I said, my voice a little raspy, as though my lust needed an outlet even now.
“Can I give you a good-morning kiss, too?”
I was surprised by his question and his acceptance of everything, but I nodded. He leaned down and gently, almost reverently, pressed his lips to mine. Fire crackled through me, but something was different. It was almost like a spicy heat instead of a temperature one. Either way, I had no doubt I was just as attracted to him as the others. When he pulled away, a small, secretive smile curled the corners of his lips. Something about it made me smile back, as if the two of us had a shared secret, even though I had no idea what it was.
Nolan stepped away, and for a moment, I saw Hunter watching, lust and envy as plain as day on his face. He wanted what I had with the others, but he was scared to let himself feel anything for me, to let go of the last potential queen and the memory of what she was to him. I understood that, and I respected it, but I didn't want to see him suffer, either. If that meant I had to keep the PDAs to a minimum around him, then that was what I would do.
“I think this is ready,” Knox called over to Emmett and Hunter, who were sipping coffee at the end of the kitchen counter.
They both went over to have a look. When they poured the liquid from the pot into a big glass, my nerves rattled within me. It was thick and dark with an oily sheen to it. I prayed to anyone who would listen that they weren’t going to ask me to drink it, because just looking at it made me want to gag. My palms became clammy and my chest tight. Hunter brought it over, and to my surprise, Nolan set paintbrushes next to the glass. I couldn’t help the wave of relief that passed through me. I was fairly certain at the sight of the brushes that I wouldn’t be drinking any of it, although what they were planning on painting was still a mystery to me.
“Before we can shield you, you need to bond with Nolan,” Hunter said, feigning disinterest.
My shock must have shown on my face, because Emmett said, “It can be a blood bond for now, and it will strengthen if you guys decide to have a more physical and emotional bond.”
I took a deep breath and nodded, unwrapping the hand I had cut the night before.
“I'm afraid it will have to be the other one, angel. Has to be fresh,” Knox said with an apologetic look on his face.
I sighed. Of course it did. After wrapping the already injured hand back up, I took the knife Emmett had just set on the counter and sliced it across my palm. Nolan did the same and clasped our hands together. The sudden rush I felt was unlike any of the other bondings. I felt as if I had a fever, but also as if I were about to go skydiving or something. My adrenaline was pumping so hard that my calm breaths turned into a gasping pant.
The darkness surrounded me once more, and my flame, the one that was now swirling with colors, looked beautiful. I knew immediately which one Nolan’s was, since the green hadn't been there before. When I looked at Nolan's flame, I saw the multiple levels of green that burned within it, and I could feel his energy, his peace, and his lust, the last of which roared like an inferno within him. I gasped and dropped his hand, severing the connection and banishing the darkness. The bond had still formed, but I couldn't handle his level of sexual desire; at least, not when I was surrounded by two men who had given me the best orgasm of my life and two others I wanted to claim as my own.
Nolan watched me, and I walked forward and wrapped him in a hug before pulling him down for a quick kiss. He was mine now, and I would only strengthen that bond with time. A strange tugging sensation took place within my gut. I felt as if I had somewhere I needed to be, an appointment I was late for, and it took more focus than it should have to bring myself back to the present.
“Do you mind stripping down for us?” Emmett asked.
“Um . . . not that I'm a prude, but a reason would be nice,” I said, placing my hands on my hips as I waited for his answer.
“The shielding is kind of like a magical spell that we paint on your body. Think of it like putting baking soda in the fridge to absorb the bad odors. The spell will absorb the trace of your magic, making it all but impossible to track you,” Hunter said. The brushes made sense now, as did the weirdly thick consistency of what was in the glass.
“So my magic is stinky? Is that what you're saying?”
He laughed before adding, “No, I just couldn't come up with a decent analogy.” In a quieter voice, he added, “Your magic is beautiful.”
That little bit of warmth and kindness squeezed my heart, and I wanted to go to him, but I held my ground and offered him a smile, instead. We had established the boundaries or ground rules or whatever he wanted to call them, and I wasn't going to break that agreement the first chance I got. How would I earn his trust, then? After a second of forgetting what I was supposed to be doing, I stripped down to my panties. I hadn't put a bra on earlier when I'd thought something was dying, so they got a free show.
Hunter coughed and looked away, while Emmett and Knox just grinned at me as if they were the cat who got the cream. Nolan, on the other hand, stared hungrily at me, and it made my skin prickle with anticipation.
“Okay, so you each know which part you are painting. We all need to start together and finish together. Otherwise, it won't work as well,” Hunter said, sounding like a teacher.
The other guys nodded, and each picked up a brush before dipping it in the weird paint mixture on the counter. As soon as the brushes touched my skin, warmth spread through me, each brushstroke reminding me of their fingers on my skin as they swirled the brushes around and drew lines that I didn't stand a chance of seeing until they were all done.
I could feel shapes forming, different pieces connecting as they each painted a limb. Nolan and Emmett were painting my legs, while Knox and Hunter had my arms. If I had been lying down or had a mud mask on or something, then I could almost have convinced myself I was at the spa. It would have been the sexiest damn spa in the world.
Once they were done with my appendages, they moved on to my core. Nolan was basically right in front of my pussy, while Emmett took my butt, surprise, surprise. Knox had my chest, while Hunter was safe working on my back. I desperately wanted their hands on my skin instead of the brushes, and as the fire of the paint covered me even more, my need for them increased exponentially.
“Easy, angel,” Knox said as I trembled under their touch. “I promise I'll ravish you later. Just relax now. Think about something else, like your roommate or your job.”
As soon as the thoughts entered my head, it was as if someone had thrown two buckets of ice water over me. I knew I needed to message Rox back, and I needed to figure out what to do about my job, not that I probably had one anymore. I could at least go in and pick up my last paycheck, though.
Finally, all four brushes seemed to be converging on my chest, although one of them was slightly behind the others. My whole body felt as if it were being consumed by flames, and I had to bite my lips to prevent myself from screaming. The metallic taste of blood filled my mouth as I knew my teeth had gone into my lips.
Just when I thought I would explode, it felt as if someone punched me in the chest right over my heart. It was too much, and the scream escaped me. All I wanted was for the pain to stop, for the fire in my skin to ease, but it wasn't; it was just getting more intense. What was worse was the way it seemed to be coalescing around my heart like a wall, the only problem being that it felt as if it had to break every bone and tear every muscle to get there.
Voices, followed by angry shouts, called out in the background, but I couldn't understand what they we
re saying. It was only when hands began holding me down that I realized I was on the floor. I writhed underneath them and begged them to make it stop. Their grips tightened painfully around my wrists and ankles to the point that I wanted to scream at them as much as I wanted to scream about the pain.
The last thing I remembered was a great splash of thick liquid falling on my skin.
Chapter Eighteen
Hunter
The pain Poppy had experienced during the shielding was not only unusual but down right terrifying. Just the idea that we had caused the future queen of the Underworld pain was anathema to everything we held dear as hellhounds. I couldn’t figure out what had caused it. That kind of reaction wasn’t supposed to happen and hadn’t been recorded in any of the books I had studied over the years. I had to believe it was part of the fates’ plan, that there was something to be gained from putting her through that experience.
Poppy might have been mortal for now, but once she took her throne, she could live forever if she so chose, which basically made her like a goddess to us. She would have everything she could ever need, at least in theory, and we had to keep her safe to help maintain the balance between realms. We hadn’t done a stellar job of keeping her safe so far, though, and it made me worried about what was to come while we looked for her judges, and even more so for when we actually went down into the Underworld.
When I had thrown the rest of the paint over her, I thought it would help, but the screech she let out right before she passed out was a sound I'd never forget. Without a doubt, it was the worst sound I’d ever heard, and I hated that I'd been the one to cause it. Things were strained between us as it was. I didn't want her to fear me as well. The night before, when she had come to me and asked me to bond with her, she’d showed a grace and strength of character I hadn't expected her to have. It made me proud to call her my queen, even though part of me felt as if I were betraying Katherine by thinking of her that way.
Ever since we had felt the necklace activate, I'd been convinced that whoever it was couldn't be as good as my love, but if I really looked at them side by side, not only were Katherine and Poppy similar in size, as all future queens were, but their dispositions were similar as well. They were both strong, confident, yet empathetic women, and I had no doubt that Poppy would care for the Underworld just as Katherine would have.
I glanced over at where Poppy was lying on the couch, before looking away. Knox and Emmett looked more than a little worried. I could sense it too. Our connection had faded, which I had thought was only something that happened when the queen was dying. When Katherine died, I’d felt a searing pain as the bond was severed. Just the memory of it had me rubbing my chest, and I didn't want to see my battle brothers go through the same thing.
When a sharp female gasp reached my ears, my head whipped around, and I saw Poppy's eyes blinking open. A wide-eyed stare met each of us as her face paled for a moment before color rushed back. Her cheeks were pink, and her eyes sparkled. A lush shine came back to her hair, and I hadn't realized until the connection hit me once more exactly how much it had faded and how close to death she had been. I hadn’t expected the joy I felt at seeing her wake once more. I cared for her, yes, even found her attractive, but the swell of emotion I experienced as she made eye contact with me rocked me to my very core.
Both Emmett and Knox were muttering words of endearment to her, as well as peppering her with questions. It would be too much for her; they should know that. So I got up and fetched a glass of water. As I came back over, her eyes found mine, and I was astonished by the now red ring I saw around her green irises. It seemed to have almost replaced the brown completely. She had been beautiful before, but now she looked exotic. Something about her was captivating.
As I knelt beside her with the glass of water, I felt more as if I were paying her tribute than helping a sick woman. I carefully lifted her head and tipped the glass so just a trickle of water fell between her rose-colored lips. The water seemed to help her feel more awake or normal. As she blinked at me, I sensed a bashfulness that hadn’t been there before. I knew it was partially to do with our conversation the night before, and I hated that even though some barriers had been torn down, others had been erected. All I wanted was to be her friend and to help her transition from her human life into the one that she had never expected—being the queen of the Underworld.
We all had different attitudes, and mine was partially the determination to be helpful. I might not want to sleep with her, but I certainly wanted her to have a full life and to avoid as much of the struggle that Katherine went through as I could. As much as I didn't even want to admit that I had some kind of romantic feelings for Poppy, I would gladly admit that I wanted to help her.
“Hunter,” she breathed, sending a flash of desire through me. “Thank you.”
“You're welcome,” was all I said before I got up and moved away. Being her man servant was not my job, but I was happy to help in times of need. I just didn’t want to be that close to her any more than necessary. If she needed comfort, then Emmett and Knox would gladly provide it, that much I was sure of.
I kept a close watch on the others to make sure they weren't taxing her too much, but they had backed off significantly after I butted in. When she pushed herself into a sitting position, both Emmett and Knox were by her side, making sure she wasn't hurt.
“How are you feeling?” Knox asked as he sat back, giving her a little more space.
“Like I got hit by a 747,” she croaked.
“Do you remember anything?”
“Just pain, so much pain.” She shuddered. “Then darkness for a while, followed by sparks of your flames. Each of you,” she said, looking around the room. When she was done speaking, we all sat in silence, unsure what to say or do now that she was awake.
I stood up a moment later and walked over to her, seemingly unable to keep the distance I so craved. “Can I see your hands?” I asked quietly as I perched on the edge of the coffee table, thankful it was solid wood and not likely to break under my weight.
She nodded and handed her water to Knox before offering me her delicate fingers. I gently took them in my own, marveling at how soft her skin was and how elegant her fingers looked. She should have been an artist or a piano player or something. When I turned her hands over, my suspicions were confirmed.
“Look,” I said, gesturing to her palms. “Your cuts are healed as though they were never there at all.”
Her eyes widened as she took her hands back from me. Knox, Emmett, and Nolan all peered over our shoulders as well.
“I think you were so close to death that your body sapped some of our life force through the bonds to heal you.”
Poppy looked at me with terrified eyes.
Before she could ask the question I saw on her lips, I added, “It didn't hurt us. We didn't even realize that it had happened. Besides, even if we had known, we would have freely given it to keep you alive. You are our queen; we are here to serve you and keep you safe. If that means you need some of our life force every once in a while, then so be it. If that means we have to lay down our lives while protecting you from agents of Hel, or any other threat, then so be it.”
She had scowled at me at first, but then she found her voice, and even though she sounded much older than she was, she asked, “But what does that mean for you?”
“Nothing.” I shrugged. “We'll make it back up over time. It's not a finite resource. Think of it more like an emotion. Can you run out of love? Happiness? Grief? It’s unlikely.”
Her whole body sagged with relief, and I put my hand on her knee. The flakes of dried paint that clung to her skin simply served as a reminder of what I had put her through. “When you're up to it, take a shower and wash this stuff off. Then we can do whatever you want to make you feel better, within reason, of course.”
“Of course,” she said, grinning at me.
I truly did want her to feel better, but as I stood and walked to my room, I couldn't h
elp but be overcome by a wave of guilt. What would Katherine think of Poppy? When I walked in, I was more than a little surprised to see a misty form coalescing in the corner. As the shape became clear, I realized that this must be the woman Poppy had seen in the kitchen. The ghost was standing in front of me as her form solidified. Her dress was fairly generic, just as Poppy had said, and though I tried, I couldn’t seem to place an era to her dress. It looked more like a uniform than anything else, and it made me wonder if she had been a servant in this house back when it was considered a grand estate.
“There you are!” she said with a wide smile, which actually made me want to smile back at her, even though I was in a dismal mood.
“And what can I help you with?” I asked, trying not to be rude, but I just wanted to be alone. Seeing Poppy so close to death had brought up too many memories from the depths of my mind. I couldn't stand to see her die before she even got to the Underworld, just like Katherine had.
“I've been asked to pass on a message to you. Forgive and forget. Trust Poppy and let go of the past,” she said, spreading her hands wide as though she were taking the advice herself.
“And what the hell is that supposed to mean? Who gave you the message?”
“Another ghost, and it means exactly what I said.” The woman faded away once more, but before she was gone, I caught the exhaustion on her face. She must have been dead a lot longer than we had initially thought if staying visible in the human realm was taking so much work.
Who in the name of the gods would send me a message like that? And through a ghost, no less? The only person I knew who was dead and might still give a shit about anything was Katherine. Did she give the ghost the message? Why couldn't she just give it to me herself? Did she know how much I missed her? How she was never far from my thoughts? The questions spun around me like a tornado, and all I wanted was peace. I opened the cabinet under where the TV was hidden away and pulled out a bottle of amber liquid. If I knew Knox and Emmett at all, and I liked to think after a few hundred years together, I knew them pretty well, this was going to be a long night as they showed Poppy exactly how happy they were to have her back. It wasn't that I'd begrudge them their pleasures, but with the bond, it meant I felt an echo of it, and even an echo was a million times more than I had felt in decades. I didn't want to feel the pull, didn't want to risk betraying Katherine's memory, especially if her soul might still exist somewhere.