Page 28 of Crossing Between

"Stop pushing and just focus." Quilith flicked my forehead.

"Ow." I rubbed my head as I glared at my friend. "I am focusing!"

We'd been sitting on the ground with our legs crossed and knees touching as we faced each other for about two hours.

Quilith wanted me to meditate and pull my full power out, to feel it blossom like a lotus blooming, but I didn't feel anything different from my normal power that I usually kept locked down.

It felt strange allowing it out to surround me, but my magic pulsed around both of us like a blanket with joy, but I didn't feel it any differently than usual.

It was eager to reach out to anything dead, to any souls that were around, but there weren't any around.

"You're thinking too much. You want to let your power just become its own. Right now, you want to control it, like you always have, but this type of magic is sentient on its own. You are its conductor." Quilith opened one eye to glare at me. "Stop trying to hold it back and let it just be ."

"I don't understand what you mean." I threw my hands up and stood up after grunting a little. I was not a teen anymore; that took effort. "How can my magic be alive? How can I be a 'conductor'?"

I knew my power was different than others. That much was obvious since I raised my mother from the dead when I was a kid. I didn't understand how magic could be alive. I started to pace and chewed on my thumbnail.

"Why don't we take a break?" Kenji popped up in front of me, grabbed my shoulders to stop me from running into him, and glanced at Quilith. "I think our Zoey girl is still overwhelmed from the past 24 hours. I think a little fun is in order."

I looked up at the big oni with curiosity. "Fun? I could go for some fun."

Kenji's fangs grew slightly with his grin, making him look wickedly handsome in the light.

His eyes were full of devilry that made goosebumps pop up on my arms. I felt warmth in my chest as his scent hit me because he was so close.

I wonder if anyone would notice if I leaned upward and licked his neck. I bet he tasted fantastic.

"How about some paintball?" Kenji looked at all the others.

I shook my head as I tried to focus on the question. "Paintball?"

"That sounds interesting. Teams?" Varon stepped up closer to us. "I'll be on Zoey's team."

I let out a squawk when he gripped my waist and pulled me away from Kenji.

"Hey! That's not fair," Kenji gave a low growl. "I was going to be on her team."

"If she's on your team, she'll lose immediately" Varon grinned mockingly at Kenji in a challenge. "Speed is needed in this game. Not strength."

"Come on, partner. We got this." Elias stood next to Kenji with a soft laugh. "Varon might be fast, but we've worked with each other and know the other's moves. They don't."

"What about Quilith?" I glanced over at the dragon.

They looked offended and clutched their hand over their heart.

"Me? Getting shot at with paint? Hell to the no-no, my dear girl.

I shall supervise." They sauntered over to an area with comfortable-looking chairs.

"Ah. State-of-the-art massage chairs? You amazing man.

Varon, I could kiss you! I am not supervising. I am taking a nap. Go away. Shoo."

I couldn't help but laugh at my friend as the others joined in. Varon just shook his head with a smile, making my heart skip a beat. He was being so much freer in his expressions with us, it made me happy.

"Where are we having this rousing game of shooting each other with brightly colored paint?" I put my hands on my hips. "Don't underestimate Varon and me. We'll kick your asses to the curb."

"We can have it here." Varon wrapped his arm around my shoulder, moving it from my waist with a smirk. "The gun range can be changed into an obstacle course that we can use as the playing field."

"Oh, got even fancier on us, huh, vamp?" Kenji cracked his knuckles as he stretched his neck left and right. "Let's do this."

I shook my head as they moved around, setting up the field. It didn't take long before I was outfitted in protective clothing, a mask, goggles, and a paintball gun. It was a little heavy, but it was easy to hold after Elias showed me how to properly hold it and shoot it.

On one side of the field, Varon and I were clad in matching camouflage outfits. Our paintball guns were loaded and we were ready to kick butts. Across the field from us, Kenji and Elias stood ready, their faces covered in their equipment, but Kenji was visibly shaking in excitement.

"Should I be worried about Kenji?" My question was a joke, but I was also serious because he could squash me like a bug if he sneezed wrong.

A blare of noise signaled the start of the match, and we all scattered. I ended up crouched behind a wooden crate as my eyes darted around, searching for any sign of movement. Varon huddled close to me, not even looking like he was out of breath, like I felt.

"Okay, Zoey, you take the left flank, and I'll cover the right. Let's catch them off guard," Varon grinned. He wore the bare minimum of protection equipment since he was a vampire; he'd probably just move a step and dodge all the paintballs that were aimed at him.

Nodding, I started to feel the adrenaline surge through me. The past few weeks had been so shadowed with death, a little fun was just what the doctor ordered. I snuck a look around the barrel we hid behind, and Varon yanked me back immediately.

Suddenly, a barrage of colorful paintballs whizzed past where I'd just been.

Kenji and Elias had spotted us, and the battlefield erupted into chaos as they screamed their war cries.

Varon pulled me with him as we dove for cover, narrowly avoiding the onslaught of paint.

This had to be a paintball match on steroids because I barely saw us move before we were in a new place.

"Varon, we can't just keep hiding! I'm going in!" I shouted, determined to get a few hits in, but Varon picked me up bridal style,

"I'm going to get us behind them. Once we're there, I want you to shoot indiscriminately. Deal?" He winked at me and we were off. "Now!"

His shout spurred me into action. As soon as he stopped, I pointed the gun and held down the trigger. I laughed maniacally as Kenji and Elias' shouts echoed through the space. Paintballs exploded like fireworks, leaving vibrant splatters everywhere.

As the blare signaled the end of the match, I high-fived Varon as I laughed. He pressed his lips to mine roughly before pulling back and setting me on my feet. The kiss left me dazed and my lips tingled.

"Varon, you're a fucking cheat!" Kenji walked over to us, slapping Varon on the back. "That was brilliant, but cheap of you." The two of them smirked at each other.

"You did great, Zoey." Elias smiled at me as he pulled off his mask. "Can the losers still get in on this?"

My face flushed at the question, knowing that he meant the kiss that Varon gave me. I nodded without hesitation, though.

His tentacles materialized like liquid silk, coiling possessively around my waist with deliberate pressure, each suction point igniting nerve endings I didn't know existed.

He yanked me against his solid frame with urgent need, the distance between us evaporating.

His mouth claimed mine, not just a kiss but a devastating conquest that erased every coherent thought.

Electric sensation cascaded through me, my side burning white-hot with exquisite pleasure where his skin met mine.

His tongue swept against mine, demanding and skillful, making me whimper against his lips as another tentacle cradled the nape of my neck, fingers tangling in my hair to angle my head exactly how he wanted it.

The firm pressure kept me locked against him, helpless to do anything but surrender as I felt the impressive length of his cock swell and harden against my stomach, separated only by the frustrating barrier of our clothing.

My hands clawed at his shoulders, desperate for more contact as liquid heat pooled between my thighs.

I couldn't remember wanting anything with such feral intensity, I needed to tear every scrap of fabric from our bodies, needed to feel the delicious stretch of him pushing deep inside me, filling the emptiness that ached for him alone. Not later, not soon. Right fucking now.

A throat cleared next to us and Elias pulled his mouth from mine slowly. His eyes had shifted and seemed to glow against the light. We looked over to Varon and Kenji looking at us. Their expressions made my thigh clench.

Oh boy.

If we didn't go back upstairs soon, and they kept looking at me like that, I was not going to be held accountable for my actions. Like my clothes combusting because of the heat I was feeling from the looks these men were giving me.

"My turn." Kenji pulled me from Elias' arms, having to tug a sucker off from one of the tentacles that didn't want to let go.

Elias just shrugged at him. "I've been feeling left out, Zoey.

" He towered over me as his arms wrapped around my back.

It felt like the world faded away as I gazed up at him. "Honestly, I'm jealous."

"Oh no. Not jealous." The teasing came out before I could help it. "Whatever can I do to help you not be jealous?" My hands ran up his chest, enjoying how hard his muscles were.

My tongue came out to lick my upper lip as I burned under his gaze. What would it feel like to have this oni just ruin me? His grin turned feral as his right hand came up to cup my cheek and his lips met mine in a surprisingly gentle and simple kiss.

It was beautiful. Sweet.

I wanted more than that.

My arms snaked around his neck as I kissed him with a furious, demanding passion that he matched instantly, a low, primal growl rumbling through his chest and vibrating against my lips.

Our tongues clashed rather than caressed at first, hot and slick, fighting for dominance in a way that made my core clench with need.

The rigid length of him swelled against my stomach, his arousal unmistakable and thrilling.

I gasped out a surprised squeak when his large hands moved decisively to my ass, gripping the flesh possessively before I found myself effortlessly lifted.

My legs instinctively wrapped around his waist, thighs clenching against his sides as I tightened my hold on him, fingers digging into his broad shoulders for purchase.

The world beyond us dissolved into meaningless background noise, there was only his mouth, his hands, his body against mine.

His fingers kneaded my ass through my clothes, the heat of his touch searing through the fabric like brands marking me as his.

I arched against him, frustrated by the barriers between us, wanting, no, needing , him to just tear everything off of me