by Eve Newton
I debate with myself whether to say anything. I don’t know Shax at all. I know of him, as he seems to know about me, but I risk it and call out softly, “Don’t be gone long. She will worry until you get back.”
He stops and turns to regard me closely. “It’s your job now to make sure she doesn’t,” he states and then he is gone.
I feel a slight chill at his ominous words. He made it sound like he wasn’t going to come back. There is no way that I can tell that to Annabelle. In fact, I’m going to keep this entire encounter to myself.
I quietly creep back into her bedroom to see her still flat out and surrounded by her males. I smile, glad that I’m one of them, but knowing at the same time that it is going to be difficult with her sometimes.
Not that it matters. I’m here now and that is all that matters.
I make myself comfortable in the huge armchair and close my eyes. I let myself fall asleep for in a few hours time, I will be on duty for a really long time.
It is going to be a trying day and I have a feeling that it is going to get worse before it gets better.
40
Shax
I try not to think about leaving Annabelle and my family. I’ve said my goodbyes to my parents and now it’s time for me to go in case I change my mind.
I round the corner that leads to the stairs and then stop.
“Shax,” Shadow says quietly. She is standing uncertainly next to an open door that leads to a cleaning closet, dressed in her usual jeans and long-sleeved tee.
“What do you want?” I say with a sigh. I can’t deal with any more emotional bullshit right now. Then I frown. “How did you even get in here? I heard all winged creatures had been clipped.”
“Bannister heard it was coming and warned us,” she says, mentioning the Head Griffin by name which further pisses me off. “I slipped out before the lockdown went into place.”
“Why?” I ask her, lowering my bag to the floor.
“I feel terrible about how we left things,” she says, coming a bit closer. She has her own bag, held in her hand behind her back.
My heart thumps.
“I realized after our conversation that I was taking advantage of you,” she ventures.
I frown harder before the penny drops, hopefully right side up. “You mean taking for granted?” I ask quietly.
“Yes,” she says with a soft smile. “I knew you would always be there when I wanted you to be. I took you for granted and I’m sorry. After you shouted at me and asked me to leave before, I was hurt. I didn’t like it.”
“No one does,” I say lightly.
“I want to come with you on your travels,” she states, holding up her bag. “I have no possessions except for these clothes, but maybe we can fill this bag together?”
I stare into her beautiful yellow eyes and swallow.
“Do you mean it?”
“Yes. As long as you promise I can shift when I need to.”
“I will find us a place where we can fly together,” I tell her and go to her, crushing her between the wood paneled wall and me. My mouth finds hers as my hands disappear up her tee. She hates underwear, says she has no need for it, so I find her tits bare, her nipples peaked and ready for me to pinch.
She moans into my mouth and kisses me back fervently. I rapidly undo the button and zipper on her jeans and shove them down a bit before getting my own pants open and my dick out. It is quick, hot and just what I needed as I thrust up into her tight pussy, her legs unable to part much for me due to the denim restraint.
“Yes, Shax,” she pants, running her hands into my hair. “I’m sorry I was horrible to you.”
“It’s okay, baby,” I rasp as I already feel myself coming. “It’s okay. I love you. Oh, fuck, yeeees!” My soft cry is muffled in her waves of light brown hair. I feel her shudder at the same time that I flood her and feel a sense of satisfaction that I got it done for her even when I was focused solely on me.
I withdraw and do us both up quickly. I grab our bags and then her hand. “Let’s go.”
She grins at me excitedly and my heart soars. She really wants to do this. I wasn’t sure if it was because she felt bad about before, but I know now that it’s not. She wants to be with me.
I flap my wings, transporting us to the Wastelands first, and then suddenly we are standing on top of the mountain, having left Hell behind us.
Shadow gasps at the sunlight and the snow under her feet. She walks away from me, shivering but in absolute delight as her footsteps make a crunching noise.
I smile at her as I see her delight. She throws her arms out and spins around laughing, then she pauses and makes a noise that sounds like pure lust as she takes in the view.
“Can we fly here?” she asks me, not taking her eyes from the expanse of sky and crisp white mountaintops.
I nod at her, wanting to give her everything her heart desires. I see her shiver again and I click my fingers, bringing a warm coat to my hands. I help her into it, and she looks up at me in wonder, seeing, feeling and experiencing all of these new things.
I curl her hair behind her ear with a smile and bend down to kiss her lightly.
I turn when I hear a noise behind me, pushing Shadow back, protecting her.
“Shax,” Vazna says. “I’m glad you came back.”
“I didn’t come for you,” I tell him, annoyed that he has interrupted us.
Shadow peers out from behind me to stare at the Angel. She lets out a little gasp as she sees his white wings and gives me a fearful look.
“Come with me, somewhere we can talk,” Vazna says, holding out his hand for me.
I debate with myself on whether I should. But didn’t I come here because it was neutral, and so that I could decide for myself? However, if I don’t have all the facts, on the other side, how can I truly decide?
I look down at Shadow, her eyes wide and then cut my gaze back to Vazna. “Can she come?” I ask, indicating Shadow with my head.
Vazna takes her in. I don’t know if he is aware of what she is, but he gives her a friendly smile and says, “Of course.”
Shadow and I exchange a glance. She reaches out and grips my hand tightly, showing me that she is ready and prepared to do whatever I decide. Even though all of this is so foreign to her and her natural instinct is to go on the offensive, her complete faith in me makes me choke back a sob of happiness.
I take a step forward with her clinging to me, and I reach for Vazna’s hand.
“This doesn’t mean anything,” I say, needing to get that on the record.
“Of course not,” he replies with that same friendly smile on his face.
We clasp hands and thunder rumbles up ahead, the mountain shakes underneath our feet and then everything is shrouded in a fine mist.
“Where are we?” Shadow whispers fearfully, gripping me even tighter.
I look around with narrowed eyes. “Good fucking question,” I reply.
41
Annabelle
“Shax?” I call out, but there is no reply, no sounds, nothing except my own beating heart.
I’m surrounded by mist, it’s bright and warm.
I feel a hand slide into mine.
“Shax?”
“Sorry, no,” Sid says with disappointment etched on his face.
“Sid!” I exclaim. “Oh, look at you.” I take him in. He is completely whole, even in this weird dreamscape that I’m in. I know it isn’t real.
He looks down shyly. “It didn’t take long. Razor is terrified.”
“Good,” I comment stiffly. “About that…I don’t want you to take him.”
He gives me a searching look and then looks away. “I understand why. I just thought…”
“I don’t want to look at him when I can look at you,” I finish my thought quickly.
He brings his eyes back to mine. “Perhaps he was the wrong choice. I will find someone else.”
“No, Sid! I don’t need you to possess someone else. I just want you
to be you.” I add softly.
“I wish I understood why,” he sighs. “But your wish is my command.”
I choose not to use this moment to reiterate that I care about him. Instead, I ask, “What is all of this?”
“I don’t know,” he says slowly. “This is coming from your brother.”
I give him a confused look as a large trunk appears at our feet. I look down at it, knowing exactly what it is. I reach for it, but my hand goes straight through it. “How?”
“I’m connected to him now. I don’t really understand it as I am out of his head. I still have a feel for him.”
“Oh,” I say, wondering what to make of that.
“You need to wake up, Annabelle. Things are going terribly wrong,” he says suddenly and disappears before I can ask about the box at my feet.
“Wait! Sid!”
I moan and stir on the bed, opening my eyes quickly and locking them with Sid’s. He is sitting on the dresser stool, pulled up close to me. He drags his eyes from mine to evaluate the situation, which is me surrounded by naked sleeping males. I don’t bother to hide my own nudity. In fact, I want him to see my body.
I crawl over Elijah carefully so as not to wake him and slip off the bed.
Sid stands up so that his face isn’t inches from my pussy, which makes me smile. He is so nervous, so shy. It’s sweet and it makes me care even more for him. I step forward and take him in my arms, pressing my body against his. He doesn’t move a muscle.
“Hold me,” I murmur to him.
He carefully wraps his arms around me, and we just stand there for a few moments.
“I’m glad you’re back.”
“Me too,” he whispers into my hair.
“Don’t jump to conclusions about what you see here,” I tell him, stepping back slightly. “I haven’t given up on you.”
He blinks slowly. “I…”
“Don’t say anything,” I say, putting my fingers to his lips. “You asked me if I could ever love you. The answer is yes. But you have to give me a chance. I’m learning and if you want me to love you, then you have to let me in.”
“Annabelle,” he whimpers but then shakes his head. “There is no time for this. Please, chaos is descending. You need to fix it. Fix it now!”
His desperation snaps me out of the mellow mood I had going. “What do you mean?” I ask urgently, wondering if this has to do with Lucifer and the box I saw in my dream. “The box?”
“See for yourself!”
I snap my fingers and clothe myself in black leather pants and a tight black tee. If I have to fight until the shift takes me over, then better to look kickass than naked.
I don’t waste any time in flaming out beyond the residence walls.
“Unholy shit!” I exclaim, as I take in the scene with wide eyes.
It is deserted, there is no one out here, but Sid was right. Chaos doesn’t even cover it.
I shiver from actual cold and snap my chilly fingers. I huddle further into the warm black coat, pulling the fur collar further up around my neck.
I turn around, utterly dumbfounded.
“Oh, Shax, what have you done?” I mutter.
I squint my eyes against the blinding light of the changed landscape. The snowflakes fall lightly to rest on my eyelashes, the cold breeze flicks my hair around me.
Hell has literally frozen over, and I’m fucked if I know how to fix it.
The End
The 2nd Demon Queen Series Book: Pandora’s Box is available for pre-order for delivery September 24th, 2020, exclusive to Amazon.
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About the Author
Eve is a British novelist with a specialty for paranormal romance, with strong female leads, causing her to develop a Reverse Harem Fantasy series, several years ago: The Forever Series.
She lives in the UK, with her husband and four kids, so finding the time to write is short, but definitely sweet. She currently has two on-going series, with a number of spin-offs in the making. Eve hopes to release some new and exciting projects in the next couple of years, so stay tuned!
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Also by Eve Newton
The Forever Series:
Forever & The Power of One: Double Edition
Revelations
Choices
The Ties That Bind
Trials
Switch & The Other Switch
Secrets
Betrayal
Sacrifice
Conflict & Obsession: Double Edition
Wrath
Revenge
Changes & Forever After: Double Edition
Arathia
Constantine
The Dragon Heiress (Delinda's Story)
The Dark Fae Princess (Savannah's Story)
The Dragon Realms Series:
The Dragon Heiress
Claiming the Throne
A Baby Dragon for Christmas
The Dark Fae Kingdom Series:
The Dark Fae Princess
Dark Fae's Desires
Dark Fae's Secrets
Enchained Hearts Series:
Lives Entwined
Lives Entangled
Lives Endangered
The Bound Series:
Demon Bound
Demon Freed
Demon Returned
Demon Queen Series:
Hell's Belle
Pandora’s Box
Circle of Darkness:
Wild Hearts: Book One
Savage Love: Book Two
Tainted Blood: Book Three
Dark Hearts - A Prequel
Darkest Desires: Book Four
The Early Years Series:
Aefre & Constantine 1 & 2