Page 22

Audrey

“H e did what?” Brenden launches to his feet, stalking over to look at my arm. He growls when he sees the bruises already forming. “Who the fuck does he think he is?”

Donovan made good on his promise to occupy me until the sun came up, making me come over and over again—on his fingers, on his tongue, and on his cock. It helped me forget everything that happened for a few hours, and it meant the world to me.

Unfortunately, as soon as everyone started waking up, he called for all my mates and my sister to join us. I wouldn’t have minded a little longer before explaining everything to them, but Donovan thought ripping off the bandage and getting it over with was the best idea. I was too tired to argue with him.

I reach up, cupping his cheek. “I’m okay, Brenden.”

He shakes his head, still snarling. “No, you’re not. He put his hands on you. I’m going to kill him.”

Donovan chuckles. “I told him that’s how you’d respond.”

“How else would I?” he asks, staring at the bruises. “I don’t understand why he would do this. I’ve been making headway with him—“

“Have you?” Wraith asks gently. “Can you truthfully say you’ve been getting through to him about accepting his mate bond with Audrey? Or has he just been warming up to you?”

Brenden blinks at Wraith, his anger falling away. “I…I don’t know.”

Taking his hand, I lead him back to the couch. I push him to sit beside Donovan before climbing on his lap. He needs me right now.

I might be hurting, but it’s buried beneath so much anger and resentment that I can ignore it. I’m really afraid of what this realization will do to my vampire mate. I expressed my concerns to Wren not that long ago, and I hoped it wouldn’t come to this, but here we are.

“Is it possible he was using you to put more distance between him and Audrey?” Wren asks quietly, sympathy written all over her face.

“I don’t know,” Brenden admits again. “Was I deluding myself into thinking he cared about me?”

I shake my head, hating the desolation in his voice. “I don’t think so. I think he feels something for you, just like he does for me. The problem is that he doesn’t think he deserves us. It’s possible he was planning to use you to hurt both of us, but we won’t know the answer to that question unless we speak to him—which I have no intention of ever doing again.”

“So that’s it?” Cassian asks. “You’re truly done with him? Not to be a selfish bastard, but where does that leave us?”

I shrug. “I have no idea. I’m not giving you up, Cassian. I will fight for you, but the Fates were clear when they spoke to me. It’s either three or five—no in between. Maybe that just means we’ll never be able to bond.”

I hate the idea of not being able to share with him what I share with my other three mates, but if it keeps him in my life, who am I to complain?

“If it’s as simple as that, I can live with it. You’re it for me, little mate. I’m never giving you up.” Cassian says it with such devotion. Like he’ll move heaven and earth or raze it to the ground if that’s what it takes to keep me, and I love it.

We all fall silent, lost in our thoughts when Wren speaks up again.

“Does this change anything?”

I glance at my sister with a frown. “What do you mean?”

“Does this change anything with me being here at the school and becoming a reaper? Does it change us dealing with Michael? Where does this leave you?” Wren has tears at the corner of her eyes as they flash with indignation on my behalf. “How can you be expected to work with him? I don’t know how I’ll be able to look at him after knowing the shit he pulled.”

“Oh! Donovan had an idea about one part of that.” I sit up so I can see Wraith better. “I don’t want to work at the academy anymore. I don’t want to see him or deal with him. I want to start reaping.”

Wraith cocks an eyebrow as he considers me. “Oh, do you, trouble? And this was my pet’s idea? Of course it was.”

“Don’t be like that, Wraith.” Donovan snuggles further into his lover’s side. “You know it’s a good idea. I think Audrey is going to love reaping—you know, when it’s not her sister’s soul that she’s reaping. Yes, it means she’ll be away from us sporadically, but I also don’t want her anywhere near Nex.”

“You do make some good points.” Wraith rubs his hand against his chin. “Okay, Audrey. I’ll get your name added to the roster so you can begin reaping.”

Then his attention turns to Wren. “As far as the rest of your questions. This changes nothing about your schooling—except I’ll have you reassigned to one of Brenden’s classes if you’re not comfortable remaining in Nex’s. It also changes nothing about our plan with Michael. He might have been here for the planning stage, but we were never counting on him to participate. After he left, we adjusted it to only be the six of us. Though it can be adjusted to just five if need be.”

His and Cassian’s gazes clash as my fallen angel shakes his head. “I’m not backing out of this, Wraith. I’m in this, and I’m not going anywhere—no matter how much you want me to.”

“Until it gets too hard or too real. After that, who knows if we’ll be able to count on you then.” Wraith sneers. “Your track record hasn’t proven you to be someone we can count on.”

“Well, if you’d just let me fucking explain.” Cassian jumps to his feet, stepping toward Wraith, and I feel like my heart is being ripped from my chest.

Why do they have to keep fighting?

“NO!” I yell, yanking myself from Brenden’s grasp to stand up. “We are not fucking doing this. I’m not dealing with the two of you fighting on top of the bullshit Nex just pulled—“

I cut off with a frown, a realization hitting me out of nowhere. I think back on to the fights between Wraith and Cassian, checking the timing, and sure as fuck, they coincide with the confrontations with Nex.

“What’s wrong, Ree?” Wren’s at my side, squeezing my hand.

“Holy shit,” I murmur, trying to wrap my head around all of it.

Wren nudges me. “Audrey, you need to share with the class. You’re kind of freaking us out.”

I shake my head, glancing around at the others. “I want all of you to think back on the fights Wraith and Cassian have had.”

“I’d rather not,” Wraith grumbles, and I glare at him. He just holds up his hands in surrender.

“What about them?” Cassian is trying to be patient, but he doesn’t understand. None of them do.

I sigh, running a hand through my mussed hair. I really should’ve brushed it before meeting with everyone.

Hell, I probably should’ve showered first. It’s too late now.

“Every fight—except maybe the first one—was preceded by some confrontation between me and Nex. Another time, he rejected me or told me he didn’t want me. When he was an asshole or we fought.” I shake my head, hating that I hadn’t seen it sooner. “This is what they were talking about. Something is influencing the two of you every time Nex pulls away and causes you to fight with each other.”

“That can’t be true,” Wraith says with a frown, but I can already see his brain working through it.

Cassian has collapsed back in his seat, face filled with disbelief.

Wren is shaking her head—not because she doesn’t believe me but because she does.

Donovan and Brenden are both silent on the couch, their eyes never leaving me—although Donovan grasps one of Wraith’s hands.

“Damn it.” Still seated, Wraith grabs the lamp on the side table and launches it across the room, where it hits the wall and shatters.

Wren and I both jump at the sound, turning to stare at my mate, who’s buried his face in his hands.

“If this is true,” Cassian begins, “which I think it is—I can see the pattern just as clearly as you can, little mate—how do we combat that? How do we literally fight the Fates? I can’t believe my mom and her sisters are doing this to me. Why are they doing this, and how? They’re sleeping with the other gods.”

Wren hums. “Just because they’re sleeping doesn’t mean their powers aren’t active. If they were awake and coherent, maybe they’d be able to do something about it. But they can’t while they’re sleeping. Or at least, that’s what makes the most sense.”

“I think you’re onto something there, Wren,” Wraith says as he pushes to his feet. “As for how we combat it? I think it’ll be easier now that we know it’s happening. We’re conscious of something altering how we respond to the situation. We might not be able to stop it, even if we know it’s happening, but that doesn’t mean we have to give up.”

I tense when he goes to sit on the coffee table in front of Cassian. I really don’t think I can deal with them fighting right now.

“Okay,” Cassian agrees. “We won’t give up. But what do we do?”

Wraith makes a face before shaking his head. “Yeah, we’re definitely not going to be able to stop it from happening, but we can try to mitigate the damage we cause one another. I think the first step is going to be for me to hear you out finally.”

“Seriously?” Donovan snorts. “You think now is the time to have him come clean? You’re already clenching your fists. You’re never going to be able to listen to what he has to say.”

Frustration rolls through me. Wraith is making a concerted effort with Cassian right now, but is it enough? Or is Donovan right? Will Cassian spill the story just for Wraith to lose his shit on him?

Wraith nods. “Yes, I am clenching my fists because it’s helping me stay grounded. There’s so much anger boiling inside of me right now, but now I know it isn’t of my own making. Yes, I’ve been angry for a long time, but if our lives weren’t being meddled with, would I have already listened and forgiven Cassian?”

Cassian is already nodding along with him. “I can feel the frustration, too. It’s so out of proportion to how I’m feeling. I think Wraith’s onto something here.”

“It’s not going to be just that simple,” Brenden admits. “The two of you can’t be left alone. If one of you snaps, it’ll likely set the other off.”

“This is such bullshit.” I grind my teeth as Wren pulls me into her arms, hugging me close.

She giggles, nuzzling her cheek against mine. “Don’t you remember what Mom always says? Nothing easy is worth having.”

“I always hated that saying,” I grumble with a smile. “She did always say that, didn’t she? So fucking annoying.”

“You said you’d fight for your mates, pretty girl.” Donovan offers me a ruthless smile. “It looks like you’re going to have to do just that.”

Pulling away from Wren, I walk over to where Cassian and Wraith are staring at one another, a plan forming in my head. “I might have an idea of how you can both get through this conversation without losing your shit on each other.”

Wraith turns his head, meeting my eyes. “Are you going to share with the class?”

“What we need is for both of you to be distracted—not too distracted that you can’t speak or listen to one another—as a way to keep from fighting,” I tell them slowly.

Cassian’s eyes narrow. “And you have an idea for that?”

Now, I grin. “I sure do. I think we need to fuck while you explain.”

“Seriously, Audrey?” Wren groans behind me, and I laugh. “I didn’t need to hear that.”

“Group sex?” Brenden perks up as he grins at me.

“Pretty much.” My eyes find Wraith and Cassian once more. “It’s something we can stop if we need to, but it’ll definitely distract you from getting too angry. Or if you do get angry, you can take it out on me. Or Donovan. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind either.”

Cassian runs a hand over his head, shaking it. “This is insane. You realize that, don’t you?”

I nod. “One hundred percent, but can you think of anything else that would distract either of you enough for this to work? Because I can’t.”

“I’m assuming you’re not talking about me and Cassian fucking, because that could very easily turn into a fistfight.” Wraith keeps his eyes locked on me, but I can already see his cock pressing against his pants.

“No. That’s what me and Donovan are for.” I glance at Brenden, who’s shaking his head. “Brenden will just have to play with me or something because he’s not interested in either of you.”

Cassian snorts. “I feel like I should be offended.”

“Don’t be. You should be glad you’re not one of his obsessions,” Wraith says dryly.

“Stop it, Wraith.” I glance around the room. “So, are we doing this?”

“You know what? I’m taking this as my cue to leave.” Wren snickers, already heading for the door. “Have fun…l guess?”

I giggle. “Love you, Wren!”

“I love you, too, you little shit.” With that, she hurries from the room.

“So?” I ask again.

Wraith nods as he climbs to his feet, glancing at Cassian. “Yeah, let’s do this.”

My eyes find Cassian, and he gives me a sharp nod.

Hell yes. Looks like group sex is on the agenda tonight.

Yes, there’s also the bit about getting Wraith to hear Cassian out, but it all just sounds like a win-win situation to me.