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Chapter Five

Khaos

“ T hat was a little harsh, don’t you think?” Than asks, shrugging off his cloak.

Than has always been the weakest one, letting his heart lead rather than his head. Me, on the other hand, I follow the darkness that fogs my mind. There is no heart inside my chest, not since that day years ago. A day I do not speak of to anyone.

“Apparently not harsh enough.” I growl, sitting down with the guys at the table.

“Dude, you’re so fucked up.” Hypnos shakes his head.

“Not as fucked up as that one out there.” I mutter.

“How can you say that?” his voice climbs eight octaves higher in shock.

“She liked it.” I tell them.

They all stare at me like I’m crazy, but I’m not.

“I’m serious.” I lick my lips beneath the cloth. “When we were out there in the woods, she was wet. Like sexually turned on. ”

“Fuck off, man!” Kokytos shoves me from my left, nearly knocking me off the booth.

“Jesus! So... what? You kidnap her, scare the living shit out of her, bang her up pretty good, and then fucked her?” Hypnos growls in anger.

“No! I didn’t fuck her! I hardly even touched her.” I argue back.

“You better not have; we can lose everything. One claim of sexual assault and we’re done with. You do understand that right?” He questions, trying to knock some sense into me.

“I’m not an idiot. I told you I hardly touched her.” I reassured them.

“Key word: hardly.” Than mutters under his breath.

I drag my palms down my face. “Look, she was the one turned on by this whole situation. Not me. I just wanted to scare her. You guys know she’s only here to out us and you’re just okay with that?”

“What’s the worst thing that could happen if we’re outed?” Kokytos asks.

I can’t even bring myself to entertain his question.

They know I have a complicated past, one that could ruin everything we’ve worked for if it’s brought up to the public.

I’ve never been able to share the details, to share what it is exactly that I’ve escaped.

If my identity, the demon that I've shoved so deep into the depths of my subconscious gets out, I’m fucked.

Before I can say anything else, the bus door slams open. All eyes find a sopping wet girl, arms crossed over her chest, shivering. Red streaks coat her blonde hair, streams running down her body. A brown puddle mixed with red pools at her feet on the linoleum bus floor.

Than stands up, grabbing a towel from the linen closet and hands it to her. She takes it without a word, her eyes glaring .

“Shower’s free.” He tells her, pointing toward the back of the bus.

She nods, passing us without so much as another glance and heads straight for the shower closet. I don’t bother looking her way, but Than does. He watches as she shuts herself in and the sound of the water fills the silence.

“She looks pissed.” He says to us.

“I would be.” Hypnos says.

“Good.” Is the only response I can come up with.

She’s in there for what seems like a half hour, using up all the water we have in the tank.

Probably doing it on purpose. We’re quiet again when we no longer hear the shower running.

Out comes Ash in a towel, barely big enough to wrap around her entire body, leaving a slit from her thigh to her hip.

I watch her as she rushes from the guest bathroom to the bedroom, only for her to come stomping out to the kitchen.

“Where are my bags?” She screeches in a high pitch whine.

My eyes soak her in, despite my every effort not to look.

Without all the makeup on, her naked blue eyes pop against her pale skin.

Her blonde hair a shade darker from being wet sticks like glue down her neck and back.

Her cheeks are hollowed out like she spends too much time fretting over stupid things and forgets to eat, but her body is still carved with a healthy amount of curves.

My gaze finds her heart-shaped lips before taking in the fresh scrapes against her collarbone and shoulders.

A part of me is mortified that I’ve stooped low enough to hurt her, but the other part finds it thrilling.

It feels cathartic to blemish something so perfect in a world that is anything but.

I shrug, “Must have left them at the barn.”

“Are you kidding me?” She screams, her eyes wide.

“You have to earn them back.” I tell her, turning this into a game .

Her eyes frantically search everyone else’s trying to determine if I’m joking or not, but they all look awkward and sorry for her. It pisses me off.

“This is so wrong.” She whispers, shaking her head at me. “Someone tell me where my bags are! I need my computer!”

“Is that all you need?” I laugh.

“Oh my God!” She barrels out between her teeth. She’s seething and I’m loving it.

“Your bags are safe, but you’ll need to earn them back. No computer until I say so.”

“And what do I need to do to earn them back?” she finally asks.

A slow smile cuts across my covered face, “You’ll sit out here with us until the morning.”

Her shoulders drop and her eyebrows scrunch in confusion. “Seriously?”

I nod, “You need to earn our trust. You can ask your questions tonight and we’ll answer.”

“But I need my computer to take notes.” She argues.

“No, no notes. Just conversation.” I offer.

She bites her pink lip, causing something to stir inside of me. I like that she’s uncomfortable. I like that she’s just as pissed off as I am. I like that she hates me because God, do I hate her.

She plops on the couch that sits opposite of the table, trying her best to keep herself covered.

“Can I at least borrow a shirt?” She asks.

“No.” I clip.

My answer doesn’t keep Than from shrugging off his cloak as if he’s going to be her savior. I pin him with a murderous glare, but he starts to scoot out from the booth anyway. Than has never been one to entertain my mood swings .

“What do you think you’re doing?” I demand through clenched teeth.

“Dude, for real?” He looks at me like I’m deranged.

I stand in front of him, blocking him from Ash. We battle silently with looks aimed to kill until one of us finally gives in. For some reason, I didn’t think it would be me.

Before I can think any further on it, I shrug my own cloak off, handing it to Ash without even looking at her. I don’t need her to think it means anything other than human decency.

Slowly, she takes it from my hands and slides it on, tugging the front tightly closed before she lets the towel drop to the floor.

My heart pounds beneath my sternum and I can only chalk it up to be from the anger at losing this battle.

Definitely not from the mere thought of Ash’s naked body just beneath my cloak.

“Just ask your questions.” I bite out.

She blinks at me with slight confusion, her lips parting on unspoken words, then shaking her head as if ridding her of her thoughts.

Good because I didn’t want to hear them.

She sits back down on the leather couch, putting much needed space between me and her, taking a minute to consider what she wants to ask.

“What’s with the stage names?”

“Not a fan of Greek Mythology?” I raise a brow.

She shrugs, “Never got into it, but from what I looked up, Hypnos is the God of Sleep, Thanatos is the God of Death, Kokytos is the God of the Underworld River of Tears, and Khaos is... the creator of the universe?”

I watch her scrunch her nose in distaste and mockery. I can see what she thinks of our band already just by the look in her eyes.

“Khaos was the first entity to exist after the creation of the universe. The God is known to be the guardian of the abyss before time came to be. The bridge between heaven and hell. The absolute beginning.”

She scoffs, “You guys all think so highly of yourselves, but it’s funny... None of you seem to be even remotely as powerful as your names.”

“It’s more fitting than you care to imagine.” My eyes narrow.

“They’re just stage names, Ash. We don’t think of ourselves as Gods because we adopted the names, we don’t claim to be anything other than men. I think what Khaos is trying to say is that he started the band, hence the creator.” Than jumps in.

“Just men indeed.” She mutters, crossing her legs and leaning forward. “Rumor has it, you guys worship the devil. Fact or fiction?”

“Gods don’t worship, they are worshiped.” I smirk.

She snorts, rolling her eyes, sticking a finger down her throat and pretends to gag. “Can I get some wine with that cheese?”

I fight the chuckle that wants to let loose.

“Then what was all that earlier?” She finally asks.

“That was just Khaos’ version of a prank.” Than grumbles.

“A prank?!” Her brows quirk up in disbelief.

“A fucked up one, but yeah.” Than shrugs as I throw another dangerous glare at him.

“Definitely messed up.” She grumbles. “Who is Eris?”

I smile to myself, looking her dead in the eyes, “Ah my favorite. The most hated Goddess. There to cause trouble with a thirst for bloodshed.”

“Seriously?” She’s on her feet in a matter of seconds, stalking toward me, arms crossed, and face pinched.

“I find it kind of fitting.” I taunt her, watching as I dig right under that perfect skin of hers.

“How? You don’t even know me? What trouble have I caused you? As far as I see it, you’re the only one causing trouble!” She barks, inching closer to where I sit at the edge of the booth.

She’s within arms reach of me now, expecting an answer.

“I promise, you’re just as bad.” Without thinking, I grab onto the front of my cloak that’s wrapped around her and yank, pulling her between my thighs.

Her eyebrows, a few shades darker than her hair, raise up her forehead in shock.

Her palms instantly land against my pecs to stop herself from clashing into me.

Her head tilts away, the idea of being so close to my face frightening her, allowing my covered mouth to graze her ear.

“Not only are you trouble, but you’re the least liked on this bus. ”