Chapter 7 #2
Before the Otherworld and Earth came together, fae doors had still been here in specific places.
They were more easily accessible on days like Samhain, when the layers between worlds were thinnest. But when the two worlds merged, it caused thousands of slits in the atmosphere, creating doors everywhere.
I had yet to see one, but we lost people to them all the time.
They were invisible to human eyes and easy to step in by accident, the person never to be seen again, lost in the endless maze.
They were said to be like black holes, and even fae vanished into them.
“Don’t worry, Mom.” Ash nudged Warwick’s shoulder.
“I’ll be fine. Be a fast trip. And you know it’s worth a shot.
” Ash lifted his shoulder. “Actually, be better without you. You’re like a giant neon sign.
” We all knew Ash was full of shit. Though Warwick was a beast, he was fast, deadly, and was intimidating enough for gangs to question attacking him.
“It’s not like I haven’t saved your ass a time or two. ”
Warwick tipped his head to the side.
“Come on, there had to be at least once.” Ash huffed, already backing away from us. “Plus, man, you are kind of stuck here for the moment.” He winked at us. “Maybe a good time to work your shit out.”
“Ash . . .” Warwick warned, starting to step toward him, dragging me with him.
Ash grinned wider, giving us a salute before jogging up the dozen steps and out the church door, disappearing into the night.
“Ash!” Warwick bellowed, but only silence responded until we heard the firing of a motorcycle engine, the sound of it rumbling away. “Stupid asshole!”
He ran his free hand through his hair. It was down and hung loosely around his face. His aqua eyes rose until they met mine.
The air shifted in the room with the realization we were alone, with no buffer and no immediate threat to deal with.
Just us.
Every wall slammed up between us, pushing us the farthest we could be from each other and still be touching.
Resentment. Anger. Hatred. Desire.
And an unwanted connection.
I had so much to say, but nothing would leave my mouth. I would not ask for his help dealing with the ghosts. I wouldn’t ask him for anything.
A growl reverberated from Warwick’s throat. He pulled me in, his jaw clenching.
“What?” I snapped.
“You were supposed to stay in the fucking house with Ash.” He gritted through his teeth. “Was that so fucking hard?”
“Excuse me?” My shoulders rose, moving away.
“You heard me.” He took back the space between us, using his height to loom over me. “But even that you couldn’t seem to do.”
“Because I don’t take orders from you.” I sneered back. “Don’t you dare treat me like I’m some helpless woman who will bend to your will, bat my lashes, and swoon. If that’s what you want, you’re looking at the wrong girl, you misogynistic asshole.”
“Fucking hell, woman.” He pinched his nose, a snarl rolling underneath. “This has nothing to do with the fact you are a woman. Fae don’t think women are less; fae women are brutal warriors. We think of humans as less.”
“Coming from a guy who’s half human.”
He grunted, annoyance rolling his head back. “I’d ask anyone who was being hunted by various groups to stay fucking indoors.”
“Not sure why you give a shit.” I hated how bitterness and jealousy sprouted in my tone. “You looked perfectly content. She’s beautiful . . . and he looks just like you, by the way. Thought you were against marriage?”
“Who said I was married?”
“Ahhh . . . so she’s a woman you got pregnant and abandoned, so you can be free to fuck everything else?”
Warwick’s jaw rolled, anger rolling over him so intensely, then he stilled. Any normal person would be terrified, but I continued to needle him.
“Are they why you turned me over to Killian?” I tried to keep my voice steady. Unaffected. “For your child and . . . what would you call her?” I didn’t know what she was to him, except she stared at him like he was her whole world.
He yanked me into him, our bodies fully lining up, the jolt of adrenaline zinging down my veins.
“You have no fucking clue what you’re talking about,” he growled, fury firing in his features. “So, for once, do what I say, and shut the hell up.”
My lids lowered at his demand. A dark smile hinted on my lips as I went up on my toes, my lips brushing the shell of his ear. I could feel him inhale, his fingers pressing harder into my arm.
I nipped at his skin, my breath heavy in his ear. I felt his desire curling around me, making my lips twitch.
My breath raked down his neck. “No.” I stepped back, my phantom self was punching a fist into his abdomen with all the force I could muster, using his as well.
His back curved, his lungs sucking in at the sudden assault, fingers dropping away from me.
Freeing me.
“Good night.” The spirits came for me instantly, so I didn’t hesitate. Turning around, my legs wobbled, my head pounding, but I shoved through, hurrying back down the stairs, slipping into the bunker and away from Warwick and the ghosts of the Bone Church.
I made it all the way back to my room. The giddiness of getting away from him tripped me through my door and into the tiny quiet room, and I locked the door behind me.
Opie and Bitzy were nowhere to be found, which worried me. I hoped they wouldn’t get into mischief here; I was already walking a thin line.
For one moment, I believed I was safe.
Stupid.
The lock snapped like it was plastic, and the thin metal door swung open, slamming into the wall with a boom, my heart leaping into my lungs as I spun around. Warwick’s corded physique barreled toward me; his rolled forward, fury bristling off him.
Shit! Standing my ground, I felt my own anger rise, my defenses stacking up my vertebrae.
“What the fuck, Kovacs?” He growled, not stopping, shoving me back into the wall.
“What?” I held my chin up, glaring back at him. “I said good night, didn’t I?”
His jaw ground as he slammed his palm next to my head. “You can shove your good night up your ass.”
“What the fuck is your problem?”
“You want to know what my problem is?” He growled, leaning into me.
“You fuckin’ disappear on me. Ash and I thought you were kidnapped .
. . being tortured. You cut me off, Kovacs.
I couldn’t reach you,” he spat. “And when I do, you are being attacked by a hundred soldiers with guns in a train station with your new boyfriend.”
“He’s cute, huh?” I sneered back. He didn’t need to know Luk would rather sleep with him than me.
He snorted derisively, his other hand pinning me against the wall, locking me in.
“I couldn’t give a shit who you fuck, princess.” He leaned in until his mouth was barely an inch from mine. “How many times do I have to tell you? You do nothing for me.”
“Really?” I lifted an eyebrow, my hands staying at my sides as my phantom ones glided down his chest under his clothes, tracing down his insanely ripped abs until I reached his deep V-line. His muscles flexed and tightened under my touch, his dick pushing against the fabric of his pants.
“Yeah, seems like I disgust you.”
“Stop.” He growled, anger bursting off him.
“Make me,” I challenged, my imaginary thumb skimming over the head of his cock, able to feel the pre-cum, warm on my fingertips.
I sucked in, feeling the heat throbbing from him, the softness of his skin.
The pad of my finger traced up the pulsing vein along his cock, causing it to twitch and grow harder.
Desire flooded through me, hitching my breath, the game flipping on me.
I was supposed to be toying with him, but need hardened my nipples and strummed between my legs like a heartbeat.
He inhaled sharply. “Kovacs.” He rumbled under his breath, full of warning, but he didn’t make one move or block my touch. “I. Said. Stop.”
“And I said make me.” Without moving, my invisible hands wrapped around him, a groan heaving from his chest. My mind kept reminding me he had a family, to do the right thing, but I couldn’t seem to care.
My spine pinned to the wall, I stared defiantly at him while I reached through our link.
He jerked as my phantom tongue traced up his dick, following the vein, feeling it pulse. A low growl rose in his chest as I tasted the top of him, saltiness exploding on my actual tongue.
“Fuucck.” His hands rolled into fists by my head, his voice gravelly.
“Why are you here? Why come all this way to find me?” I asked while the other me licked up the other side of his cock, playing with him. “Why bother? You feel nothing for me, right?”
He snarled, his shoulders rolling, his muscles trying to lock down and not respond to what I was doing.
Inside my head, I dug my nails into his ass, pulling him in, my lips sliding over him, taking him into my mouth.
“Fuuuuuuucck.” A huff pulled from his nose, his chest heaving for air, his teeth grinding together. “Ko-vacs.”
“I saw you with them.” While I spoke, I could still feel him in my mouth, feel every pulse of his massive size. Wetness seeped from me, need crashing through every nerve, spinning my head. Which only pissed me off. I was supposed to be in control.
“You have a family—a son,” I sneered, anger climbing into my bones. “So why do you care what happens to me or come all this way to find me? I don’t take anyone’s seconds.”
“Coming from the girl whose mouth is wrapped around my cock right now.” His hand dug into the back of my head, yanking it back roughly, spiking pain and pleasure, his other hand squeezing around my throat.
“I’m not doing a thing,” I taunted, using the excuse he used on me while I sucked him harder, a guttural noise coming up his throat. “I’m just standing here.”