by Chloe Adler
“Very.” Arch crosses his arms over the enormous bulk of his chest.
“Well, you’re about”—Vasily looks at his wrist, even though he’s not wearing a watch—“five minutes too late.”
My face heats and I turn away from the exchange, pushing myself deeper into Bodhi.
“Take it outside, guys,” Bodhi says. “You’re making Amaya uncomfortable. Plus she’s not up for dibs here. This was entirely her call. Don’t make her regret it.”
My lips curve into a smile pressed into his chest. I’m tempted to peek at Vasily and Arch, but instead I wrap my arms around Bodhi. This man is saying all the right things.
“Fair enough,” says Arch. “As long as I’m here, dinner’s almost ready. Do you all want to clean up and come downstairs?”
Is he kidding? “Now?” I twist to look up at him without removing myself from between my savior’s legs.
“If you’d rather stay here, I can have Candy bring you up a plate.”
“Candy?” The sexbot maid?
“Candy works here, for us. She’s our . . .” he clears his throat, “helper.”
“Helper? You don’t mean that gorgeous, silver-haired goddess I saw the other day, do you?”
His laughter rockets me closer to Bodhi. “Yes, that’s her. She’s worked for us for many years.”
“Doing what?” I know I sound snide but I don’t care right now.
Vasily clears his throat. “Harl— Candy, is the person I told you about who does all of my . . .”
“All of our cooking and cleaning,” Bodhi finishes.
Arch chuckles. “We’ve been bachelors here for a very long time. Candy keeps us in check so we don’t run around naked, trying to arm wrestle each other all day.”
The image is too much not to burst my bubble of discomfort, and I laugh. Bodhi nuzzles my neck, breathing me in, and then he starts to laugh too. Vasily and Arch join in. I’m laughing so hard I get the hiccoughs, and soon everyone lands on the bed, where we flop around together in a heap of hysteria.
“This looks like fun.” Forrest stands in the open doorway. “Is there room for one more?”
We all freeze, as if we’ve been caught red-handed stealing a Stradivarius, and untangle ourselves to sit up.
“I was wondering what was taking Arch so long. Dinner’s ready.” Forrest’s violet eyes twinkle and spark.
Arch gets up and walks to the door, stopping at the threshold to glance back at the three of us.
“We’ll be down in a few minutes.” Vasily waves them away. “Close the door behind you. Please.”
After the two brothers leave, Vasily shifts on the bed. “I know I need to use the bathroom before we go downstairs. Bodhi?”
The warlock nods and gets off the bed, pulling at the crotch of his cotton pants—which is wet. I stifle a smile, glad to know I wasn’t the only one in the room to overheat.
When the bathroom door closes, Vasily turns to me. “Are you all right with what just happened between the three of us?”
I search his face for signs of anger or revulsion, but there’s nothing but concern. I let out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding. If he’s okay with it . . . “More than all right, that was hot.”
The corners of his mouth twitch up into a sexy grin. “I agree wholeheartedly.”
The bathroom door opens and Bodhi stands in the doorway. “Your turn.”
Vasily rises, gives Bodhi a curt nod and exchanges places with him, shutting the bathroom door.
Bodhi sits next to me on the bed. “I want to check in with you, make sure I didn’t overstep any boundaries before.” He juts his chin toward where he was so recently propped against my headboard. Just like Vasily, his expression lacks any hint of jealousy.
“It was great. More than great, it was incredible. I enjoyed every second of it.” I take his hand in mine and he pulls it toward his mouth, kissing the knuckle of each finger delicately.
“Amaya.” The way he says my name. The way he’s kissing me lights up my nerve endings like they’re sparklers. “You’re incredible.” He pushes my hand onto his chest over his heart, then turns to look at me. The depths of his blue eyes are fathomless. “You better change now or I can’t be responsible for my behavior.”
I giggle, get up and move into the walk-in the closet, where my backpack resides, in search of a cleaner outfit. One without torn buttons.
“Can I ask a question?” I ask over my shoulder.
“Of course.”
I rifle through my backpack and start hanging a few things up in the empty closet. Shrugging out of my wet panties and jeans, I don clean pairs of both, then peel off my shirt, re-clip my bra and put on a new one.
I peek my head around the door. “Why are you all living together in this house?”
I turn back and put my panties and jeans into a plastic shopping bag I keep in my backpack, but the shirt I discard on the floor. The green-eyed monster living inside of me wants the sexpot maid to find it, buttons torn and all. What is wrong with me?
“We’re connected. I guess the easiest way to think of it is like a werewolf pack. Vasily is our leader.”
“But you’re warlocks and Vasily is a vampire. Er, vampire hybrid, which I’m still waiting for an explanation about, by the way. I may not know the intricacies of Signum life but it sounds like you’re bullshitting me.”
“It’s complicated and not our intention to keep you in the dark. Hopefully you can give us a little time. There are some rules to work around first, though.”
“Rules? What rules?”
“Well, if I could tell you sweetheart, I would.”
Strangely, I believe him and don’t want to press. “I’ll try to be patient.”
“It’s not easy. We want to tell you everything. We’ll figure out a way. In the meantime, any other questions?”
“Yeah. Did I react the way I did to Vasily’s bite because of whatever kind of hybrid he is? If a vampire bite causes the reaction he caused in me, I can’t imagine that shit even being legal.” And if any other woman, or man, has an orgasm from being his feast, I will scratch their eyes out. I manage to keep that to myself at least.
Bodhi’s belly laugh disarms me. “I suspect that his drinking affected you the way it did because of your particular gift, not because it affects everyone that way.”
I grunt. “I see you’ve been talking to Forrest.” What is this gift they keep talking about? Are they forbidden to tell me? Shouldn’t I know, if it’s my gift? Or maybe they’ve got it wrong and they just think I have some special power, but in actuality, I don’t.
Vasily opens the bathroom door, looking even more ravishing than moments earlier. The jacket is smoothed out and the tight curls in his hair have just enough spring that I want to muss them again with my fingers. And is that a five o’clock shadow? Oh, hell yes. He holds the door open and I duck under his arm, kicking it shut behind me.
Checking myself in the mirror, I’m aghast to see my curls are frizzed, the tiny bit of mascara I was wearing has run down my face, my eyes are bloodshot, and there’s no mistaking my just-fucked look. Maybe I should leave myself the way I am so Candy will know what happened . . . Nah, all the guys know already and that’s enough. I’ve got to show some restraint here.
Yeah, because after that interlude, I’m clearly all about restraint.
Vasily and Bodhi lead me downstairs and into a grand dining room off the side of the atrium. A large brushed-metal table stretches across its center, and for the first time I notice they have very little wooden furniture. Adorned with slate-gray cushions, even the chairs surrounding the palatial table are made of the same brushed metal. The three men seated at the table all rise when we enter the room. Heat crawls up my neck when I catch Arch’s and Forrest’s eyes but they offer me nothing but warm smiles.
There’s also a fifth man I don’t recognize, but he’s clearly a Stetler. His dark hair is cropped short, almost completely shaved off, and his gray eyes hold mine. He cocks his head a
nd offers me a smile that sets his face apart from the others. Like a rainbow after a summer shower. My chest throbs with heat, the bottoms of my feet rooting me to the floor. Vasily places a proprietary hand on the small of my back, but he’s not looking at me. He’s looking at the fourth brother.
“Go sit over there, Amaya, at the head of the table.” Vasily’s voice drips like thick, candied syrup.
As soon as I take my seat, Vasily sits across from me, Bodhi to my left and the rest of the men sit back down. Arch, on my right, motions to the new man on my left.
“Amaya, we’d like you to meet our fourth brother, Cedar.”
Cedar stands again and grasps my hand, holding it still before bringing it up to his lips. The softness of his lips contrasts with the intensity of his gaze and the rough features of his broad face. He may have broken his nose in a fight or two—probably against Arch—but his imperfections make him even more divine. The crooked aristocratic nose, the full eyebrows and the wide mouth. Even the scar branching out from one gray eye is spellbinding.
“Is this all of you?” I say to cover up my obvious discomfort.
Cedar smiles, drops my hand and takes his seat. “It’s overwhelming, I know.”
“Um, yeah. Understatement. So why don’t you all tell me about yourselves? Why are you here? Why don’t your powers work? What, if anything, can I do to help?”
“She cuts straight to the chase,” says Cedar. “I like it.”
He hasn’t stopped staring at me since I entered the dining room. None of the men have.
The silver-haired vixen makes her entrance with a food-laden tray she places in the center of the table, taking great care to bend over and wriggle her ass in front of the warlocks. I look at each of them, expecting them to enjoy the show, but they don’t. They’re actually taking great care not to look. They’re still not looking when she leans across the table and her French maid’s skirt rises up to expose a black lace thong and completely bare butt cheeks. What in the fuck?
Vasily’s fist smacks the table and the woman rights herself immediately, looking away. “That’s fine, Candy. We’ll call you if we need anything.” He dismisses her with a flick of his wrist.
“Yes, master.” She bows and exits, walking backward.
What did she just call him? Still, I like the way he got rid of her. I stifle a giggle, but the woman turns, narrowing her eyes at me before she tosses those perfect tresses over a shoulder and huffs out of the room. I want to ask what’s up with her, but I doubt anyone would tell me and the smell of the food is too good to ignore.
The men reach forward and help themselves, their movements perfectly choreographed. While one scoops mashed potatoes, another is piling his plate full of corn on the cob. Even Vasily takes some food, which surprises me, since vampires don’t eat. From what I’ve heard, if they eat human food, they get fat, since it’s processed the same way humans process junk food. Vasily is anything but fat, so maybe he’s eating in order to make me feel more comfortable. Cedar hands me a serving spoon and juts his chin toward the center of the table.
I fill my plate with salad, mashed potatoes, corn and pasta. It’s only after I’ve started eating the delectable offerings that I realize there’s no meat. “Are you guys all vegetarians?”
They all nod at once and I barely manage not to gasp. What an odd coincidence. I scoop some potatoes into my mouth to keep it busy.
“So here’s what we can tell you,” says Arch. “We’re all warlocks and Vasily is a hybrid vampire. He’s from . . . elsewhere and needs our powers to return home.” He holds his hands out, palms up. “But we have none.”
“And that’s where you come in,” says Bodhi. “Or we hope so anyway.”
“Me? Why? I’m just a human. I have no powers.”
“We think you may be a conduit.” Arch reaches back for another scoop of mashed potatoes. I don’t blame him, they’re fantastic. Crap, I hope Candy’s not the cook here too. She’s made herself irreplaceable. Bitch.
No, that’s wrong. I don’t want to hate the woman just because she’s gorgeous, lives with these five hot dudes—two of whom I’ve had sexual relations with—wears a crazy sexy French maid’s outfit, openly flirts with them and can cook. Sure, sure, what’s to hate?
“You have certain qualities,” says Bodhi from the other side of me. “Vasily suspects you’re a link between—”
Vasily holds up a palm. “A missing link. One that’s needed to help me return home.”
“You can’t just take a plane?”
Cedar snickers. Vasily stares him down, nostrils flaring.
“Sorry, sir.” He looks down at his hands.
Sir? That’s odd. Maybe he’s been knighted. Or maybe Cedar is just being respectful to the master of the house. That would explain Candy’s “master.” And the warlocks. Arch did refer to him as their pack leader, Forrest as one of his vassals. I sure hope I don’t have to start calling him sir too.
Forrest clears his throat. “In order to test our theories, we’d like to try a few things with you.”
I swivel toward him, my brows drawn, and he holds up a hand.
“Nothing painful or weird. We want to try and cast simple spells with you present.”
“If you’re amenable to that,” adds Bodhi.
Amenable to what? I like these guys, a lot. My gut tells me they’re not bad guys and Jules has vouched for them, but this whole “tell ya later” ploy is wearing thin. Are they only into me because of what they think I can do for them? Is the emotional component real? Is the sexual component real? “What if I told you all that I’m not willing to move forward with any of this until you tell me why you think I have so-called powers and what you think these special powers of mine are?”
The men turn to look at Vasily. Their leader.
“All right.” He places his elbows on the table and steeples his fingers over his plate. “You have a connection to the elemental plane, which simply translates to a deep connection with nature.”
“I’m connected to nature?”
“Yes, nature and the five elements governing it. Air, earth, water, metal and fire.”
“And that means?”
“The warlocks are elemental warlocks. They need that connection in order to cast spells. In the past, that particular job fell to me. I was their lifeline, but now my own powers have been stripped, in essence, and they are no longer able to cast spells.”
“Basically rendering us mute, power wise,” says Bodhi. “In a nutshell, Vasily helped us and now we have to help him but we can’t.”
“So Vasily’s hybridization is half vampire, half elemental warlock?”
“Not exactly,” says Forrest, “but . . . close enough.”
Well I got some information out of them at least. Can’t hope for a cadenza during the overture. I spoon some pasta into my mouth and commence chewing.
“You can say no,” says Cedar. “We hope you don’t but we need you to want to help.”
“Cedar is right,” says Arch. “This can’t be something you do out of obligation, guilt or charity.”
“Can I think about it?”
“Of course,” says Vasily.
“And while we’re at it, I want to know why you can’t just tell me everything. Why are there so many secrets? Who made up these rules Bodhi referred to and what happens if you break them?”
Vasily shoots Bodhi an unhappy look, then leans back in his chair. “Yes, we’re operating under some rules here. If we detail them for you, though, I will be banished from my . . .” He looks at Bodhi again.
“Hometown,” Bodhi finishes.
“Yes. My hometown has strict rules and my family lives there, so at some point I will need to go back.”
“Forever?” I peek at him from below my lashes. After our recent intimacy I can’t be expected to think straight. The last thing I want is for Vasily to leave Distant Edge. Maybe the guys and I can go with him? But no, I can’t leave my own family. Well, Jules, anyway. And my parents will event
ually come back, and I want to be here to welcome them home. Yipes, assuming I’ll still have one by then. But my housing situation aside, I just can’t imagine a town that banishes people. At least I know my parents are coming back, but Vasily’s family doesn’t. I’ve heard of no such thing, ever. But just fifty years ago, humans hadn’t heard of Signum either, so anything is possible, and I wouldn’t want Vasily to lose all connection with his loved ones.
“Forever,” he echoes.
“And if I agree to help you and the warlocks, I could keep you from being banished?”
“Well, no but you could help me return.”
Shit, he can’t even go back home right now. That bites. And yet it’s completely my decision whether or not to help them. I had assumed their agenda would override my willingness, but apparently I have the freedom to say no. I inhale deeply and let it out slowly, which is precisely the time Candy reappears.
The woman flounces in holding a pitcher of water and proceeds to walk around the table, filling the men’s glasses. She’s making a show of it again, giggling and rolling her hips. But when she gets to my glass, she’s so busy pursing her lips and fluttering her lashes at Cedar that she’s not paying attention to the pitcher. Ice cold water pours all over me.
I shriek and leap up, brushing the frigid liquid off myself as best as I can.
“Candy,” Vasily’s voice booms, and she freezes in place, her eyes widening, all color draining from her pretty face.
For a minute I actually feel sorry for her.
He points toward the door she entered from. “Kitchen. Now!”
The woman skulks off with Vasily stomping after her. Cedar leaps up, handing me a napkin. Forrest fetches more from the serving table. While I’m patting myself dry, he wipes off my chair, offering me a lopsided grin. “Just another night in the Stetler household.”
“What was that about?” I take my seat and the men return to theirs.
Forrest rolls his eyes.
“I’d say that was jealousy,” Arch answers, raising a brow at me. “Candy’s not used to competition.”
“Is that what I am?”
“You’re a female and she’s been the only one in our household for a while, so yeah, I’d say she definitely sees you as competition.”