Page 18

That night, I did not have a sexy dream. I had another nightmare.

I was back in the hold of a ship sailing from France to America, puking into a bucket that was already full.

Seeing the filth, I steeled myself and pushed the rest of my vomit down.

I needed the nourishment from what was in my belly if I was going to survive.

And I would survive. If for no other reason than to get my revenge on Louis.

I was young and strong. I had that in my favor.

A lot of the other women onboard were older than me.

They were spinsters, widows from the middle class, or criminals from prison.

Women whose best option was a new life. They all eyed me, but there was no room for disdain down there.

We were all literally in the same boat. And that boat was gonna sink if we didn't stick together.

I rubbed the back of Cecile, a woman twice my age who had chosen to travel to the new world after her husband died and his oldest son tossed her out into the street.

“It's all right, Cece,” I cooed. “Just a little further. We're going to make it. You see. I'll lend you my strength.”

Shivering, she leaned against me. I cradled her head on my chest and sang to her.

Someone moved the bucket away. Not that it mattered.

The hold always reeked no matter where you went in it.

We got let up top for twenty minutes a day, and I had the impression that the Captain was being generous.

Women were bad luck on ships. The sailors didn't want to see us—which also happened to be a plus.

Although, to be honest, I might have preferred some naughty time with the sailors than be locked up for most of the day.

Suddenly, my song faltered. I was choking on something. I coughed. Cecelia leaned back. I hacked and spat. The women gasped and pulled away. Blood. That could only mean one thing—tuberculosis. I had caught the sickness.

I coughed up more and more blood. Buckets full.

I coughed and hacked until I retched the stuff.

It filled the hold. Women screamed. They ran for the ladder, but the sailors wouldn't unlock the trap door.

The blood rose higher and higher. I couldn't stop.

There was more blood than a single body could hold.

I drowned in it.

Screaming, I came awake. And, just like the blood, I couldn't stop.

I just kept screaming and screaming, covering my face as I tried to get it through my stupid brain that I had never contracted tuberculosis.

That had never happened. You'd think a brain would be reasonable.

It should have recognized a nightmare and the impossible occurrences in one.

Even if I had come down with the disease, I wouldn't have filled the hold with blood.

But my brain wasn't currently in charge.

“Salina!” Someone got in bed with me. Strong arms wrapped around me. A scent that registered as home invaded my senses, sinking through the terror. “Shh, now, sugah. We're here. We've got you. Nothing's gonna hurt you.”

We. That should have registered. It didn't. I was too grateful to be held. Too grateful to have someone there when I needed them. I didn't care who it was. Just make it stop. Make the crazy go away.

And they did.

They pressed in around me, filling my bed.

One even leaned across my lap and rubbed my belly as if I were a dog.

The other two sandwiched me. The man on my right nuzzled my neck while the guy on the left kissed my forehead.

I was enveloped in adoration. It pulsed and poured into me.

There was no feeling as wondrous as this warm, loving security.

The screaming stopped.

My brain began to work.

Then the identities of those who were giving me the wonderful feelings registered.

“What the fuck?!” I screeched, my whole body convulsing to get them off me. I jumped to my feet on the bed as they tumbled away to lie on the floor like fallen soldiers and gape up at me. “What the actual flying fuckity fuck do you think you're doing?!”

“You screamed,” Cyrus said. “We had to come in.”

Jake grunted.

“You sounded terrified, Sal,” Lex said.

“Sal?” I snarled. “Did you just call me Sal, like I'm a fat old man working the griddle at a greasy spoon?”

Jake chuckled as he stood up.

Lex shot Jake a look.

“He told you not to call her that,” Cyrus said to Lex.

“Hey! Fuckoos?” I jumped off the bed and landed in a sailor's stance. “I don't care! Get out!” I pointed at the door. “Now. Before I kick your asses.”

Jake grunted again.

“What's with you?” I nodded at Jake. “You had so much to say the other night. Now, you're suddenly the Witcher?”

“Oh, good reference,” Lex said.

“He spoke to you?” Cyrus asked. “Like how much?”

“A whole fucking soliloquy.” I threw my hands upward. “Why?”

“Because Jake doesn't talk unless he has something important to say.” Lex looked at Jake.

Jake shrugged.

“Great, I got shackled to two Jays and a Silent Bob.” I rolled my eyes. “How fun. Now, thanks for the assist. I'm still getting used to my past lives affecting my new one. But . . . hold on. How the hell did you hear me scream?”

Cyrus cleared his throat.

Lex winced.

Jake said, “We were outside.”

Cyrus and Lex swiveled to gape at Jake.

He shrugged at them.

“You were outside my house ?” I dropped my voice to a dangerous level. “In the middle of the night?”

Jake nodded.

“Why were you outside my house?”

“Now, sugah, you gotta understand how hard it is for us to stay away from you,” Cyrus said.

“It's like hot coals in our veins,” Lex added. “We had to come. We were just going to watch over you. Stay on the sidewalk. Incognito.”

“Yeah,” Cyrus said. “Staying away would have—”

“We can't,” Jake interrupted, staring at me like a stalker. It was a look I was becoming familiar with.

And no, I wasn't about to tell the Jays and Bob about my stalker. That would justify their neighborhood watch and keep them coming back. Plus, I was hoping the stalker wouldn't return.

“That's so sad,” I said. “You know what would be even sadder? If I changed my mind about mating you. Then you wouldn't have a mate.”

Jake growled.

Lex held a hand out toward Jake, making an ease-down motion.

“Do you understand what that would mean for us, cher?” Cyrus asked. “It would be a death sentence.”

I went still. “What?”

“We need you. Without someone to give meaning to eternity, we will slowly fade away. That's why Hades cast the mate spell.”

“Oh. Yeah, I think I heard about that,” I mumbled. I cleared my throat and rallied. “But the magic would find you a new mate.”

“Maybe,” Lex said. “We've been waiting awhile. We might not make it long enough to meet option two.”

“Right. So it's me or death.” I grimaced. “How romantic. You're really changing my mind.”

Jake made an annoyed sound.

“That's not how it is and you know it.” Lex waved Jake down again. “We will treasure you, Salina. We already do. It's why we had to come in when we heard you scream.”

“What about love?” I crossed my arms.

“That will come.”

“Inevitable,” Jake said.

I glared at Jake. “Haven't you ever heard that women like conversation?”

Jake grunted and waved at the other two.

“He means that we will—” Lex started.

“Yeah, I got it,” I cut him off with another eye roll. “Whatever. Get out. I need to get back to sleep. This body may be brand new and immortal, but it still needs rest.”

That was evidently the magic words.

“Are you all right now?” Cyrus asked as he motioned the other two toward the balcony.

“Yes, I'm fine. Go away. Don't come back. I'll call you. Don't call me.” I shooed him off.

Jake stared at me as he passed by. Words were not needed with a stare that sizzling. I was still trying to catch my breath when they jumped off my balcony.

I wasn't concerned. I knew they'd be fine. “Show-offs.” I climbed back into bed.

Oddly enough, I fell asleep without a problem and slept like a baby through the rest of the night.