CHAPTER 14
RueWith the sound of the others on the porch, Kathan heads down the hall and slams the door to the bathroom behind him. Rhys and Caylix barrel through the exposed cabin door a split second after, the latter in wolf form, his snout to the ground trying to catch a whiff of the not-so-feral’s scent. His gorgeous gray fur is raised along the ridges and his teeth pull into a snarl when he gets to the area where the vampire landed on the table.
Rhys’ gaze surveys the damage in the cabin, which is surprisingly minimal for what happened but it’s almost like that’s not what he’s searching for. When his molten yellow eyes land on me, his muscular legs eat up the distance between us in three long strides. “Are you okay?” he asks, but it comes out jumbled because his teeth are sharper and almost too big for his mouth.
“Yeah, thanks to Kathan,” I admit, rubbing my hands up and down my arms. It’s not exactly chilly per se, but this is the second time in less than a week my life has been in imminent danger. I should feel scared, terrified really, and I do. But I also feel a deep sense of foreboding that my life has been irrevocably changed. There’s no going back to the Rue I was a week ago, and strangely, I’m okay with that.
Rhys envelopes me in his arms, and I inhale his sugary scent. His hands cradle me to his chest, and he lowers his nose to my hair, sniffing like he can’t get enough either. Which should be a strange sensation for a witch since we don’t do scent marking like shifters, but somehow, it’s not. Being in his arms makes some of the tightness that’s been simmering in my chest since they left dissipate.
He pulls away slightly. “Speaking of which, where is grumpy pants?”
His nickname for Kathan has me smirking and Rhys tilts his head, appraising me. He raises an eyebrow causing my smirk to turn into a full-blown grin. “He, uh, just hopped in to take a nice cold shower right now.” I don’t elaborate further than that because he can make his own connections.
It doesn’t take him long to puzzle it out and he chuckles, extending me at arm’s length so he can do a once over of my outfit. I sway toward Rhys and almost lose my balance but thankfully, I right myself at the last second, cursing my body for wanting to melt into him. Bad body. We’re still angry. They tried to have your memories erased, remember?
“I can see why,” Rhys replies, eyes banked with heat. They’ve been yellow instead of his normal blue since he walked in the door, but right now they have so much motion, it’s like they’re swirling, the yellow melting into a gold speckled with a navy blue, making me think of a splatter painting I recently did. I mixed different shades of blue with gold and it turned out beautiful. “The poor fucker is probably in there yanking it while growling about doing so.”
His words cause the mental image of Kathan with his hand around his cock, a pained expression on his face, to pop into my mind, and I flush all over.
I wonder if I can beg them to get me some drawing paper and pencils... because that’s something else I’d like to commit to paper. The hard slash of his jaw, the angles of his hair, what I imagine his cock looks like…
Rhys’ attention swivels to Caylix in wolf form as he trails out the door and stops, tilting his ears in confusion. He sniffs the ground in a few spots but eventually shakes his head in a wolfish version of no.
“Caylix says the vampire’s scent stops at the threshold,” Rhys translates, and it hits me that as a bonded pack they can probably mind speak. Freaky, but super cool. There have been instances with powerful psychic witches who have the ability, but it’s nothing like what I’ve heard happens with wolves.
The thought is troublesome though. How does a feral vampire disappear without a scent trail? I make a mental note to ask about it later once the gang’s all assembled.
“He wants me to go grab him some clothes. I’ll be right back, vixen.” Rhys kisses my cheek and takes off down the hallway. I totally don’t stare at his delicious, toned ass until he disappears either. Rue Delacroix is all innocence.
I turn back to Caylix, only to get a delicious eye full of muscular abs leading a very large dick. A human dick. It’s not even hard and it’s—it’s, oh my, wow. Great Divines, this shifter is packing. I bite my tongue to keep the mewl from escaping my mouth and wipe the corners for drool.
Caylix clears his throat, and with my cheeks absolutely blazing, I snap my gaze to his. His dark brown hair is untamed, and his stubble is a little longer today. “See something you like, little witch?” he drawls.
“Umm… Yes?” I respond, except it comes out as more of a question than an answer.
He chuckles and closes the distance between us, gaze sweeping me over like he’s searching for any injuries. I’m definitely not memorizing his very tight abs or the little sprinkle of hair leading toward his... Nope, totally keeping my eyes above the belt.
Ha, I’m such a terrible liar. I lick my suddenly dry lips and almost miss what Caylix says.
“I’m glad Kathan managed to keep you safe, little witch. I’d hate to have to kick the grumpy bastard’s ass for letting even a single hair on your head be harmed.”
Yep. That right there did it. My vagina is never going to recover. I cough to cover up my lust, but his sharp intake of breath tells me he doesn’t miss it. Caylix grins and I take a step sideways, thinking he wants to go through the door. Oh no, he turns with me, caging me against the doorframe with his arms, his eyes alight with mischief. “You heard Rhys is getting you clothes, right?” I croak.
Smooth Rue, super smooth.
“Yeah, I heard him, but I wouldn’t get to see your adorable self fumble around my nudeness if I waited, would I? Shifters are so used to it we don’t even bat an eye, but you—” He strokes a finger down the side of my cheek. “You’re not, and I find it rather… bewitching.”
“Caylix,” I breathe. Sort of. I’m still trying to jog my memory on how to do that properly because this man is making my brain misfire on so many levels. When it finally catches up, I manage a weak, “I’m still mad at you.”
He glances away from me, like he’s angry with himself for going along with what Kathan suggested. “I know,” he responds. “You should be, but I need to be close to you right now. The scent of that feral being in my space with my—you,” he corrects. “Made my wolf a little territorial. He wants to mark and protect, and I’m holding him back.”
I gulp. “He wants to mark me?” My chest continues to rise and fall rapidly with the need to breathe. Hexes, these wolves will be the death of me. Any moment now and I’ll spontaneously combust into a cloud of lust. I’m not sure if that’s possible but it seems pretty plausible with the all-consuming need inside of me battering at my walls, demanding to be let out since meeting these men. It’s like a succubus took hold of my body at some point and I can’t think about anything besides riding these shifters’ cocks.
And holy moly, what a ride it’ll be if Caylix’s size is any sign.
Caylix’s molten eyes turn hooded as he leans in, his teeth scraping across the sensitive skin of my neck. “No, he wants to claim you,” he murmurs against my throat.
“Hey, I’ve got your clothes,” Rhys calls out, rounding the corner of the hallway. “I grabbed the—” He comes to a halt mid-sentence, his blue eyes morph yellow, and promptly bank with heat.
I extract myself from Caylix’s hold carefully so I don’t accidentally nudge his impressive member, albeit begrudgingly, and plop down on their comfy couch, trying to cool the hexin’ lust demon inside me that’s calling out to latch on to both shifters and yank them into Kathan’s bedroom. And not only because I’ve claimed that one as mine, but because it might get a response from the grumpy one himself, and I like seeing the fire in his eyes. Almost as much as I like seeing it in Slade—nope, not going there.
Kathan opens the door to the bathroom and steps into the hallway, distracting me. Our gazes lock and he stares at me with a clenched jaw. I stand and waltz over to him. His mouth pulls into a small frown while he waits to see what I’ll do. The first thing that pops into my mind is to pinch his cheeks. Why? I have no idea. I’m asking myself that too as I lift my fingers and squeeze. Not that there’s really anything there to squeeze so it doesn’t do anything other than make his chest rumble in protest. “What are you doing?”
I clear my throat and drop my hands. “Keeping you on your toes,” I respond and spin on mine, walking away with a sway in my hips. It’s better to keep him guessing right?
Totally is.
I don’t look over my shoulder as I take a seat at their little island and wait for them to follow.
Kathan yanks open the door to the fridge and grabs the last beer, popping it open with his bare hands. Sheesh, I wish he’d pop me open like that.
Too far, Rue. Too far. Focus!
Caylix saunters into the room with a smug grin on his face. Much to my disappointment he’s dressed in a tight black T-shirt, much like my own, and a worn pair of jeans. Or perhaps it’s for the best. I can’t focus with his muscles on display, and I’m not only talking about the ones decorating his core.
I need to change the subject before I give in to my lusty urges. “We need to talk about feral vampires more,” I rush out, blurting the first thing that comes to mind. Though it’s certainly valid. “Like, why are they suddenly becoming such an issue?”
Caylix comes up behind me, using his calloused hands to rub my shoulders, and I melt underneath his touch. It’s over far too quickly for my liking as he takes the stool next to me, still needing to be close. “They’ve been turning at a more rapid rate than usual,” he explains. “One that’s faster than we can keep up with. There’s only so much time in the day to track and dispose of them.”
“Yeah, a year ago we were hunting them down in the shadows, taking them out one by one if they got too close. Now there have been casualties left and right,” Rhys adds.
His admission makes my gut churn with anxiety. “So, what exactly makes a vampire turn feral? Is it like a disease?”
Kathan’s assessing green eyes flick over me. “We don’t really know. Some vampires say you can give into the beast, others think the change is forced. There haven’t really been any we could ask, considering they’re brainless after they turn.”
“Okay, and where do I fit into all of this?” I ask while playing with a stray strand hanging off Kathan’s shirt that I’m wearing. Who knew men’s shirts are so much comfier than women’s? I mean, there’s probably not much of a difference, but his feel overly soft, something that can only be achieved through wear. It’s like getting a hug from the big, bristly bastard. I didn’t realize it was his when I pulled it out of the closet either, but his response was so worth the surprise.
“That... we’re not exactly sure of, vixen,” Rhys responds, taking the free seat beside me. His hand instantly finds my thigh, and I enjoy the comforting touch.
Caylix’s lands on the other and now I have two scorching shifters touching me. It’s so distracting, I almost miss what he says next. “But we intend to get to the bottom of what’s going on. Something isn’t right.”
“Perfect, I’m a mystery. I love those.” The sarcasm in my tone is strong, causing Rhys to crack a smile.
“Mysteries are solvable,” Kathan chimes in.
Hmm. He’s not wrong. Too bad it seems like none of us have any idea where to start.
The silence drags on between us and as we’re all in our own little worlds thinking about everything that’s happened. It’s not an awkward silence either, more like an assessing one. Where do we go from here?
Kathan lets out a growl and it’s almost as if he shocks himself because he quickly masks it with a scowl. “I’m still trying to figure out how the fucker got inside in the first place.”
A spike of hurt shoots through my chest when I remember vampires have to be invited in, and each breath in feels like I’m inhaling glass shards.
Did one of them allow that monster in here?
To keep myself from spiraling I dig my fingers into the skin of my knees, bracing myself for the question I need to ask, shoring the defenses around my heart in case I need to leave. So far, I’ve been extremely accommodating with them wanting me to stay here, but their answer could potentially shatter everything.
I blow out a breath and let it flow from my lips. “Right. I thought they had to be invited in. Does that mean—” I hate the way my voice wobbles on the last word, and I trail off, letting it hang out in the open. If Kathan wasn’t the one to save me... I’d suspect it was him and I hate that. And surely, Rhys and Caylix wouldn’t do that to me would they?
Not that Kathan would either, I don’t think, but—
“Rue, hey, look at me.” Kathan’s gruff voice is the only thing to finally break through the fog of my thoughts. So much for not spiraling. Curses, anxiety attacks always come at the worst times, don’t they? “Are you listening?” he asks, and I watch his lips move, realizing he’s a hex of a lot closer than he was seconds ago. Why do I want to know what that harsh mouth feels like against mine so badly?
I nod my head, remembering he’s waiting on a response from me.
“They do have to be invited in,” he confirms, and I open my mouth—to say what, I’m not sure. How do you respond to that? There are three possible people who could give permission and they’re all sitting in this room, worming their way into my heart. He cuts me off before I can say anything. “Under normal circumstances. I can promise you none of us gave that fanged fucker permission, Rue.”
“We’ve never met the man before in our lives,” Rhys adds.
“But we’ll find out how and what’s going on,” Caylix tells me vehemently, and for some reason, I believe him. I believe all of them. I mean, my blood did magically cure a feral, and that’s never been done before, so this is all uncharted territory. Who’s to say what the rules are for the newly unferal.
“Okay, I believe you,” I whisper, and the three of them seem to take a collective deep breath.
Kathan isn’t the only one who’s gotten closer without my noticing. They’re all crowded in my space, and I don’t mind it. It eases a lot of the tension in my chest and makes my skin prickle with awareness.
It’s a heady thing to have the attention of these stunning men.