8. Closet Nymphs
CHAPTER 8
Closet Nymphs
Rez
S hortly after Lynx mentions where he saw the Skellig Rock picture, Lennox calls it a night and promises to give us more information about the Trail in the morning. So, we say our goodnight and shuffle back to our room. Moni and Chester go to their bed in the dome, and once they walk in, the dome turns black, blocking any light. ‘Nice touch,’ I send to JP, who turns and winks before crawling into our massive bed next to Zeke. I pull off my hoodie and move to get into bed, only to find a plethora of bodies in the process of undressing, standing before me, all for my unguilty visual pleasure.
Damn. I am the luckiest woman in Hell right now…or wherever this place is considered.
Knox pulls off his shirt and sends me a flirty wink before flexing his pecs, allowing his nipple rings to glint in the overhead light before slowly crawling into bed. Yum. Levi shocks me most out of everyone; instead of his usual suitjamas, he’s just wearing sleep pants and showing off his upper body. Both Ryker and Lynx do a little strip tease, but while Ryker does it like he’s been a pro all his life, Lynx almost falls on his face when he kicks off his pants, leaving him in his boxer briefs. As all my guys line up along the pillows, staring at me, I find one missing. Glancing over, I spot Knots sprawled out on the lounge, his wings laid out in a beautiful arc as he gives me a lazy smile.
“What, no special show for me?” I tease as I go over to him first.
“Nah. Didn’t want to overexert myself.” His small smirk says anything but.
“Suuure, I believe that,” I tell him, leaning down and giving him a scorching goodnight kiss. I tuck a blanket over him before turning around and take in my guys lined up along the pillows, watching me. A few of them yawn and bury deep into the covers, too tired to have anything turn into something steamy, and I don’t blame them. It’s been a taxing day.
“Well, what are you waiting for, Goddess?” Ryker calls out as he pats the empty spot between him and Lynx. I can’t help the smile on my face as I crawl in. Ryker plays big spoon and chuckles as Lynx and I keep our tradition of whispering what we love about each other as we fall asleep.
The next morning, I wake up to puppy kisses and find Reaper cuddling between me and Lynx. Sitting up, I notice everyone is still sleeping, so I kiss Reaper before climbing out of bed and heading to the bathroom. I quickly brush my teeth, get dressed, and return to the bedroom to find everyone stirring and in different stages of getting dressed. Moni and Chester are swinging through their treehouse in their translucent dome. Peering around, I notice I’m missing someone as I gather Reaper into my arms and pepper him with kisses. “Where’s JP?” I ask, and Levi smiles.
“He got up while you were in the bathroom and said he wanted to help with breakfast.”
“Well then, let’s not disappoint,” Lynx says, leading the charge into the kitchen.
As soon as we walk into the living room, the rich aroma of food hits me, and my stomach answers.
“Did you swallow a monster last night, bestie? Is it trying to claw out of you?” Moni asks, her eyes going wide.
I laugh before setting down Reaper and pulling her into me. “No, but you sound the same when you’re fiending for coffee, so you have no room to talk. Speaking of….”
“I got it right here,” she says, pulling it out of her S.I.N box and smiling up at me.
“You can go ahead and put that away, Moni. I have a fresh brew of Sparks for you,” JP calls, walking out of the dining room to the right.
Moni jerks to a stop as her eyes widen and her bark turns glitterbomb before neon green. Never seen that color before.
“Are you serious? Oh my god! I have a fresh batch? Is it all mine? You promise? I don’t have to share? Did you use the all-purpose room? How much did you make? Is that the heavenly scent that I smell? I think I’ve died and gone to heaven….nope, I forgot I’m in Hell.” She stops and smiles at our group before crashing to the floor with a plink.
“That’s one,” Lynx calls out as his mother screams.
“What? What’s wrong?” Lennox rushes into the room from the medical room and takes in the scene. “Why are you all just?—”
“It’s okay, we got it,” Ryker says as Chester quickly picks up Moni and gently rouses her.
“I guess that’s one,” she says, slightly turning pink.
“Yep, and I saved your cup,” Knots says, holding it up. I didn’t even see him move. He must be feeling better if he’s able to get it that quickly.
Sierra steps closer to our group and looks over Moni. “Does this happen often?” she asks, slightly shaken.
“Oh yeah, I’m holding the record of fainting. Or I would, if they actually counted it as a sport,” Moni says proudly with chin held high, shrinking down to her preferred four-inch self.
Sierra smiles oddly and heads back into the dining room. Lennox gives us a curious look and shakes his head, laughing to himself. “It seems you guys will have no problem entertaining yourself, hmm?”
“Not at all, Dad,” Lynx agrees as we all head to the dining room.
The table is set like I would expect with JP in his element—with a flourish and everyone’s favorite dishes laid out on the table. Fresh fruit, tull? strips, omelets, pancakes, JP’s signature milkshake for Zeke, and even steak. Reaper has a fresh plate of his own steak and something that looks raw, so I try not to look too closely at that.
Tempest is sitting in her highchair and smacking on a pancake with blueberries. I don’t know much about babies or baby shifters for that fact, but I hope she doesn’t choke on them.
As we sit down to eat, Lennox catches us up on what we need to know about the Trail as we start dishing up food and eating.
“First of all, I want to apologize about last night. I wasn’t fully prepared to go over everything with you,” he starts. “Normally, I ward off intruders, or, if they passed the first test, warn them off and then allow them to the Trail. But,” he looks at Lynx with warm eyes and then at us. “Since it’s my son and his family, I needed time to research what my limitations were on what I could tell you.”
“Are there many?” Levi asks, wiping his mouth with a napkin.
“There are, but I found a workaround,” Lennox admits before taking a bite of his food, and Sierra takes over.
“The first thing you should know, if you didn’t already, is that time is calculated differently in Hell,” she says as she gives Tempest a cut-up grape. “The Road of Worth will be guiding you deeper into the depths of Hell, and therefore, you will be passing through different time zones.”
“How big is the time difference?” Levi asks. I can practically see the gears in his head working overtime.
“From our own research, it varies depending on which level you are in and for how long,” Lennox jumps in. “For example, if you spend an hour on level seven, it’s equivalent to at least two days in Purgatory.”
“Oh my goodness,” Moni says before her eyes roll back, but Chester reaches out to grab her.
“And there’s two.” JP chuckles.
“What’s the highest?” Sierra asks, intrigued.
“We normally lose count once we hit into the late teens.” Ryker shrugs, and Zeke nods.
“So you said time works differently between the levels. Is there a way to just cut through them quickly?” Lynx asks, taking a sip of his juice.
“Not that we know of. The Trail is made to test the occupants who decide to use it. It’s not meant as a shortcut.” Lennox shakes his head and gives him a look of pity.
“You have to think, Lynx. Each level is made to test you to see if you’re worthy to move on to the next and reach the goal that you are trying to achieve. Some want riches, others want power, and in your case, it sounds like you’re trying to save Hell. But you’ll still have to go through the tests,” Sierra explains.
I sit back and worry my bottom lip as I think back to what I know. Simple. I know abo-sol-utely nothing.
“Do you know, or can you tell us how the levels will test us?” I ask hopefully.
Sierra purses her lips, and my shoulders drop in defeat, but it’s Lennox who answers.
“Unfortunately, the test constantly changes, but there is a resting building between each level, which is like here. Think of it as a time-out to rest and heal before the next trial begins.” He rubs his chin for a moment before his eyes light up, looking back at us. “I can tell you what each level is if you think that will help,” he offers, and I jump at the information.
“Yes, please.”
Levi pulls out a notebook and pen from inside his—you guessed it—suit, and while we finish breakfast, begins taking notes as Lennox explains what he can and what could be expected. I sit and try to eat, but I have this nervous energy riding me hard.
“As you already know, L.A.M.B. rules Hell, which is fine and dandy for most people, but the princes that fell after them wanted their own piece of the pie, so to speak. So, they were given legions to lord over and their own levels in Hell.” Lennox pauses and furrows his brows as he searches for the right words.
“The princes are required to play along in your trials and the restraints that are fashioned for you, but keep in mind, they are Demons and do not play fair. I suspect they use the Road of Worth to gather more followers under their control since few travelers have completed it successfully, especially an entire group. No one has ever attempted at your age while still in training. To do so is equivalent to betting against a dead horse. But I think you guys have a chance with your strength of powers and Horseman status. Besides, you’ve already had the best trainers this world could have provided. You’re all set.” He rubs his chin for a minute before looking over our group.
No one our age has passed these trials, and we’re the ones heading there? Oh, that’s just peachy! Send our young ass on a quest to save Hell where no one under the age of ancient on this plane has gone with a passing grade, and we’re supposed to do it? What the fuck was L.A.M.B. thinking? If I ever see Lucy again, I’m kicking him in the nads. And I’ll show Bez my own version of Vengeance. I think I need a new accessory—Astaroth’s tail would make an excellent whip to go along with my newly sharpened scythes after I sharpen them on his damn abs. Weapons trainer, my ass. He won’t be much of one once I’m done with him. And Murmur, I’ll shatter his mental shields so bad he’ll be lucky to shit in a diaper and suck his thumb.
UGH! I smack the table, and all eyes focus on me. “Agh. Sorry.” I clear my throat. “Something was stuck in my throat.” I get a few curious looks as I reach for my water and take a sip, but Lennox continues.
“You’ll start on level one and work your way down to level seven. Your safe houses are between each level and will be protected and allow you shelter. I’ve been told there are time limits on how long you are allowed to stay, but I don’t know if it varies depending on the level or need of the group, so I would prepare for anything. You’ll be needing food, heat, ways to mend clothing, medical equipment, and things along that nature if you do not have any already. The all-purpose room will be a good place to grab all of that before you leave.” He pushes back his plate and folds his hands before him with a frown. “I’m sorry I can’t say more. My hands are tied by what information I can share with you, but hopefully, that can give you a starting point. There are more books in the library if you want to do your own research, which I highly suggest.”
“Thanks, I think we will,” Levi says, gesturing for us to get up and help clear the table.
While we work, my thoughts spiral. If we know the princes, we have a better idea of what we will be stepping into. Great! I guess more research is in our immediate future, along with packing for our trip, which sounds like we’re camping. So, we will need matches, shit to mend clothes. Better yet, how about indestructible clothes, bombs to blow up demons, and magical wings to fly right through all of the trials? Since when couldn’t we just magic our way through this shit? Ugh. Why is all of this so irritating?
We all head toward the library when Moni and Chester break off and head to the all-purpose room to make her supply of coffee. “It’s my one chance in Hell to make sure I don’t die of dehydration,” she says before peeling off and taking Chester along with her. As long as she’s caffeinated, I’m happy.
As we pass the gym, Knox explains that his animals are riding him hard, and he needs to get some of the excess energy out. He pulls me to the side and kisses my cheek. “I promise you’ll be feeling better soon,” he says, making a pointed look at my hand I’ve been rubbing up and down against my leg for a while now.
“Is that why I’m feeling slightly on edge?” I ask, bewildered. I’m still trying to get used to this whole feeling-what-my-mate-does and how it’s affecting me.
“Yeah, I’m sorry. This is new for me, too,” he says, feeling my anxiety.
“It’s okay.” I raise up on my toes and give him a kiss before hugging him. “We will learn together, right?” I say, smiling up at him and sending reassurance through our link.
“That’s my Kitten.” He turns and whips off his shirt before going to the treadmill. I admit, I stand there ogling my man a little longer than I should when I feel someone come up behind me.
“You know, you’re just begging to be bent over a sink with all of those fuck me vibes pulsating out of you,” Ryker whispers, and it’s a direct pull to my clit.
Fuck me. Hasn’t this insatiable pussy had enough? In answer, my pussy contracts around nothing, and I find myself weeping. Turning around to face him, Ryker immediately pushes me up against the wall and cages me in with my arms pinned above my head.
Heat radiates off of him as he leans into me, and I see a flash of blue in his eyes before he claims my lips. His tongue tangles with mine, and there’s nothing to do but give in and surrender. Coaxing a whimper from me, he pulls away with a smile.
“Feeling a little needy?” he asks, knowing damn well what he’s doing to me as his lust hits, making my nipples ache without his touch. I bite my lower lip and look up at him from underneath my lashes as I arch my back, trying to get friction where I desperately want it.
He nips at my bottom lip before releasing me from the wall and dragging me back toward our room but stops at a door I didn’t see on our tour.
“What are you doing?” I whisper harshly.
“I’m going to fuck you like I hate you,” he tells me before he slips into the room and pulls me in behind him. I get a brief look at the small closet with built-in shelves that are empty except for a few boxes before the door closes, and Ryker is pressed against me.
His fingers dig into my hair as he tilts my neck and peppers kisses down my throat. My breath hitches as his other hand trails down my belly and into my leggings, finding my slick folds. “I see you’re already wet for me. What a sweet pussy,” Ryker says.
I moan when he leans into me, allowing me to feel his thick cock against my pelvis. With both hands, he grabs my ass and pulls me tighter against him, spreading my legs so he can grind against my clit. I practically start purring from the friction I’ve been dying for.
I grab his shirt collar and try to pull him to me, but he stays put and chuckles. “Greedy Goddess. Always wanting more,” he teases.
“You got me worked up, Ry. If you don’t do something about it, I’ll just go find another one of my mates to take your place,” I threaten.
I smirk, knowing I have the upper hand, except he pulls back suddenly, and I start to question if maybe I’ve crossed a line with my Incubus. That is until Ryker’s hands smack both ass cheeks before wrapping around my inner thighs, and I feel the air across my nether region that wasn’t there a moment ago.
“What the?—”
My complaint is cut off, and I brace myself against the shelves as Ryker lifts me up to shoulder height like I don’t weigh a thing.
“Mmmhmm. Perfection,” he says before placing my legs over his shoulder. It’s not until I feel him tugging between my legs and feel his breath on me that it’s registered that he’s ripped my fucking panties and leggings to get to my pussy.
“You’re dying for my cock, aren’t you?” he asks, as his finger slides through my wet folds and flicks my clit hard, making me yelp. “Answer me!”
“Yes,” I moan. “I want your cock.”
“Show me,” he demands, slowly pulling his finger out of me and guiding his knuckles up my body to my lips. The anticipation is almost too much for me, so once the finger reaches me, I eagerly wrap my tongue around it and suck my juices off. I twirl and lick his digit as if it was his cock gliding around my tongue ring.
I’m so engrossed in proving how much I want his cock that I don’t notice him moving until he pulls my clit into his mouth. The sudden pressure has me melting in his arms and leaning against the shelves, his finger long forgotten. I grab hold of the back of his head with one hand and hold him to me as I grind against his mouth.
Breaking my hold, he chuckles against my inner thigh. “Easy there, Goddess, I’m the one running this show,” he says as he gently glides a finger inside me, and I throw out my arm across one of the shelves to brace myself while I reach up under my shirt to cup my breast, trusting Ryker to hold me. Ryker lightly rolls his tongue around my clit, and my eyes roll back as pleasure racks my body when he starts to finger fuck my tight hole.
“Do you ache? Do you need to come? Tell me what you want, Goddess.” His words wrap around me like molten fire, pushing me closer to igniting with his touch.
“I need to come. Make me come, Ry,” I beg, my words almost sounding foreign to my own ears as I cry out and buck against him.
He grabs a fistful of my ass, pulling me closer. Humming against me, he curls his fingers to hit my spot, and with my ministrations on my peeked nipple, I explode with a muffled cry. Stars burst behind my eyes as I ride out the high and come down to Ryker, lapping at my core. “That’s it, baby, ride it out,” he praises. His eyes are shining an eerie bright blue that, in the darkness, I’m able to see him lick off my release from his fingers. “Mmmm. You taste like sin.”
He slowly lowers me back to my feet and allows me to gain some balance on my legs as he quickly undoes his pants and shoves them down. As they hit the floor, he spins me around, nudges my feet apart, and bends me over, laying me against the wooden shelves. His hands push my shirt up and caress over my lower back before roaming down to my ass and smacking it hard. “Yeah, look at that ass…it’s all mine!”
“I do believe it actually belongs to me,” I tease, wiggling it back and forth.
“Not for long,” he warns. Something cool and hard probes at my entrance, and a spike of adrenaline runs through me as I realize it’s Ryker’s Prince Albert piercing. “Now shut the fuck up and take this dick like the Goddess you are,” he growls before his hands come around my neck and squeeze, and he slams himself home. Desperate, I bite down on my wrist to keep from screaming and announcing what we’re doing. He doesn’t even wait for me to adjust around him before he pulls out of me completely and rams back inside, causing a delicious stretching that makes my eyes water at his thickness.
“Damn, you’re so fucking tight,” he groans.
He grabs my hair with his free hand, pulling my head back and to the side, giving him access to my mouth where he slams his lips down onto mine, letting me taste myself on his lips as his hips pump into me. Our teeth, lips, and tongues fight for dominance. I gladly give up in the end as Ryker rocks me into the shelf with his powerful thrusts. I’m going to have bruises, but it will be so worth it in the end.
“I want my cum dripping out of this sweet pussy, Goddess. That way, everyone will either smell it or see it dripping out of you throughout the day, knowing I’ve fucked you and claimed this pussy as mine this morning,” he says as he swivels his hips and a blast of lust hits me.
All I can do is whimper and throw my hips back, needing more, as his grasp around my throat tightens slightly, causing me to almost black out.
“Ryker,” I gasp, catching a small breath.
Wave after wave of pleasure courses over me as Ryker plays my body like a fine-tuned instrument. He pushes me closer to the edge until I detonate, and he releases his tight hold on my neck. I try to muffle my scream as I careen over the edge.
“Your pussy is strangling my cock so well,” Ryker groans. “I’m going to come.” He grunts, and I feel him filling me up as my pussy chokes his cock. He pulls out, and I can’t help myself. I turn around and reach out for him in the dark.
“Do you feel better now?” I say, mocking him teasingly and patting his cheek. I know each of my guys needs their alone time, and I’ll happily give it. But Ryker and I have a back-and-forth banter that wouldn’t be the same if we didn’t give each other a hard time. “Did my big bad Incubus fill up his jealous meter?” I ask teasingly.
He leans down and nips my bottom lip. “Watch it,” he growls. “That’s our little secret.” My eyes go wide at his confession. I was just joking about that, not expecting it to be something I hit on the head.
“You know I was just joking about the jealousy, right? But if you ever feel that way, all you have to do is tell me and I’m yours.” I pat his chest lovingly.
“That’s good to know, but what about today’s secret?” His lip curls up into a wicked smirk.
“Oh. That’s safe with me.” I chuckle and reach clumsily for the door knob. Cracking it open, I peer out to check the hallway. I need to make a mad dash to the room to change my clothes because, sadly, I don’t have Levi’s magic to just conjure my own shit.
A pair of black leggings appear in front of me, and I jerk back, allowing the door to swing open. On the other side is Knox, with a smug look on his face.
“Need some clothes?”
Ryker strolls past me with a self-satisfied look and pauses briefly. “Don’t forget what I said about your smell for the day,” he reminds me before giving me a wink as he heads to the library.
“Thanks, babe. Some people just can’t control themselves,” I say, taking great satisfaction as Ryker’s steps falter.
“You loved it as much as me,” he calls out, and he’s not wrong.
Knox leans into the closet and flicks the light switch, casting a soft yellow glow in the room.
Well, that would have been helpful.
I step back, allowing Knox in. He sets down my leggings and produces a couple of washcloths.
“Here, thought you might need this,” he offers, handing me a warm, damp cloth.
“Thanks,” I say, feeling the heat creep to my cheeks. Without making eye contact, I step out of my ruined leggings and underwear and clean myself the best I can, but not touching the combined cum from between my thighs. A small part of me debates disobeying him to see what he will do, but I don’t want to push my luck. “How did you know?”
Knox chuckles. It’s a dark and sensual sound that hits me in my core, making me feel safe and dreamy-like, and I slightly sway as he kneels down to help me step into my clothes. “How do you think?”
“Our connection,” I observe.
“Yep. You practically had me sprinting to get over the feeling, but I feel better, as do you,” he admits, smiling up at me. He slowly stands while his hands trace up my outer legs and wrap around my waist, pulling me into him. “You know that might be uncomfortable for you later, right? Not to mention how a whole room of supernatural beings will feel smelling you later once that drips out of you.”
I swallow around the knot in my throat and try to deny what he’s talking about by changing the subject, but my Shifter is too smart for that. “Thank you for being my savior,” I say before leaning in and kissing him deeply.
“Anything for you, Kitten, but changing the subject isn’t going to work that easily on me,” he sweetly scolds. With a sullen huff, I sit back, only to hear a crunch. We pull apart and look down to see a box that I must have knocked down while Ryker was fucking my brains out.
I kneel and pick up the box when a picture inside the box catches my eye.
“Here, let me help you,” Knox says, picking up the contents and shelving them. “What’s that?” He peers over my shoulder and stares at what I found. I’m at a loss for words as I look at the picture in my hand.
It’s a picture of a small family of three posing in front of a stone wall, smiling at whoever is taking the picture. On the right stands a tall, lithe woman with long brunette hair, sepia skin, and striking eyes—one golden and the other gray. Her smile is infectious and framed by beauty marks along her cheeks. Dressed in a long dust jacket that hides his clothes, the white man stands taller than her on the left, with short platinum blond hair and green eyes. On his shoulder is a large brown satchel with some papers poking out of it. Held between the couple is a small child, about the same age as Lynx’s new sister. The toddler has brunette ringlets, light gray eyes, a small pink teddy bear, and is bundled in a silk blanket I’m very familiar with.
“I wonder who’s in this picture.” Knox places his arm around my shoulder, but it does nothing to ward off the chill that seeps into my bones.
“It’s me,” I say, pointing with a shaky finger to the blanket’s monogram that says Nerezza .