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Chapter Six

Ashton

A ray of sunlight beams down from the window above me and into my eyes.

My body aches as I try to stretch out on this tiny couch, remembering how my first day on the job went.

Anger, embarrassment, and fear slam into me all at once.

A part of me wondering if it ever happened.

My fingers graze the scrape on my collarbone, it’s still there confirming that last night was real.

The horror, the chase, the hatred. I replay every moment between Khaos and me.

Everything about him grates on my nerves, there is no doubt in my mind that I loathe him deeper than a black hole, but something else lingers there that I try hard to ignore.

Only, I can’t. I feel spelled by him, the same way I felt while watching him in that video on the plane.

He has a way of luring you in, trapping you in his presence, and then wrecking you.

Even when he’s threatening me, tormenting me, humiliating me, I still feel this sick desire to be near him.

It’s a desire I desperately need to keep in check before I embarrass myself further.

As I lay here, my face buried into the back of the couch, I hear the strum of an acoustic guitar and a soft melody. My body freezes, realizing I’m not alone out here, but when a pain filled voice croons out of masked lips, I keep quiet to listen.

“Unworthy was I, kneeling before an Angel

Surrounded by a golden glow,

Your presence always graceful.

I was only human, and you my dear

Were so much more.

Desperate to bare my soul,

I did something I had never done before.

I laid my bloody organ before you,

Gifted at your feet you cried upon it,

Soaking my heart with acid tears you weep.

The heart that pumped inside of me,

Wasn’t mine at all.

Unworthy was I, desperate for love,

Before my Angel I fall.”

Khaos rasps out each word, a poison so potent entwined with each syllable. I quietly get up while the song morphs into a sad melody he hums, the deep vibrations wrapping around my soul. Slowly, I make my way over and slide into the booth to join him.

“Jesus! Say something next time!” He yells, his voice cutting through the melancholy.

I hold both hands up as if to surrender. “I was just admiring your song. You don’t have to stop.”

“It’s not for you to hear.” He snaps.

“Relax, would you? I don’t have my computer or my camcorder. You’re not being filmed.” I reassure him, hoping to start today off on the right foot.

He doesn’t respond as he removes the strap of his guitar and places it next to him.

“Who’s the girl?” I ask, curiously.

He glares at me, his honey eyes filling with pools of darkness. “Don’t.”

“Come on, that’s literally the whole reason I’m here. Let me in. Tell me about your lyrics.” I coax.

“I didn’t ask you to be here.” He quips.

“Do you ever let your guard down for just one second? I’m not out for blood here.” I argue.

“If you can recite a line from just one of my songs, I’ll answer the question.” He offers.

Luckily, I did my homework. You don’t follow a band on tour and not know at least one of their songs.

“Blackened veins, rotting you

From the inside out,

You won’t make it another day.

You scream into the night, but my dear,

The night swallows you alive.

“Drowning , from your first album two years ago.” I quote.

“Damn, Ash knows her stuff!” Hypnos laughs, climbing out of his bunk and joining us in the kitchen.

“Yeah, he’s not ready to explain either of those songs.” Koke mutters, taking the seat next to me.

“Fine, then. What or who is your muse? Where do you find your inspiration?” I decide on something a little easier.

“I wouldn’t call it inspiration. It’s more of a desperation to crack open the darkness inside of me and let it seep out little by little. Song by song.” Khaos explains .

“Have you ever heard of therapy?” I tease.

His eyes harden on me, but our attention is pulled by a knock at the door. Than answers and lets an older man onto the bus, about as old as my dad is.

He passes us without a word and closes himself behind a door that leads to the driver’s seat like a cockpit on a plane.

“Who was that?” I point in the direction of the man.

“Our driver. He doesn’t usually interact with us much. Likes to stay out of our business.” Kokytos answers.

“Are we picking up my bags?” I finally ask.

“Yeah, I guess we are.” Khaos grumbles.

We’re only driving for a few minutes before the bus stops again. Khaos nods his head towards the door, letting me know that we’re back at the barn. I jump out of the booth and climb down from the bus, the wooden hell hole staring at me.

“Well, go on.” Khaos whispers from behind me. “It’s just inside.”

Immediately a red flag goes up and I’m suddenly wary of the situation. I don’t want to play any more games, I just want my clothes.

He follows me inside and the doors close behind him. I see two bags in the center of the barn and relief floods me. I run to them, unzipping the smaller one to make sure my computer and camcorder are still there, and they are.

I grab the handle of both of them while also trying to keep the cloak closed, but Khaos doesn’t move from in front of the doors.

“I think it’s my turn to ask you some questions.” He smirks, crossing his arms over his chest.

“I’m an open book. Ask away.”

He steps closer to me, trying to scare me once again, but this time I don’t budge. I tilt my head, waiting patiently for him to ask his stupid questions .

“How did you get assigned to our band?” His eyes narrow.

I smile, “You’re going to love this one. My boss thinks I don’t take enough risks, so he gave me an easy assignment. When you’re a nobody, there’s a lot more information to uncover.”

His head jerks back as if he’s offended but recovers quickly. “Sounds like your boss doesn’t know anything about us because I promise, Eris, that your time with us will be anything but easy.”

“Yeah, yeah.” I wave him off, pretending like he doesn’t affect me.

“After last night, why did you decide to stay?” He questions, his tone wrapped in a subtle hint of curiosity.

“Again, you don’t know me. You think you can run me off by playing some scary little games? You’re delusional.” I step back as he inches forward, “And just because my boss doesn’t think I’ll take risks, doesn’t mean it’s true. I’m not losing my job, even if this assignment sucks.”

Suddenly, I feel the wooden door of a stall hitting my back, swaying with the contact. I frown, wondering why he’s herding me into this little box. He pushes further until we’re both closed inside, caging me with his hands, my back against the wall.

My heart flutters in my chest at his proximity.

I’ve never had a man this close to me, let alone a man filled with so much rage.

I catch sight of his bare biceps next to my ears, the muscles bulging and slithering with tension.

I’m so flustered by his body nearly flush with mine that it’s causing havoc inside my mind.

He dips his head in the crook of my neck, trailing his covered nose along my skin, nudging his cloak off the cliff of my shoulder. It falls and though I’m slow, I catch it before it slips open. I realize I’m panting, my breath escaping in short, choppy spurts, giving me away.

“What are you doing?” I whisper, afraid to make any sudden movements.

He inhales, smelling me, causing my mouth to pop open in shock. I’ve never had a man smell me before, or really anyone for that matter. It’s... alarming.

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you're a little turned on. Tell me, Eris. Do I turn you on?” He mumbles into my neck.

I shake my head, swallowing, my throat excruciatingly dry.

He chuckles, “I don’t believe you and until you admit it, we’re not leaving this barn.”

One of his hands replaces his face and trails my bare shoulder teasingly. It reminds me of that moment last night in the woods, with his knee between my thighs. The memory instantly forces a groan from my lips, my eyes widening in horror at my own mistake while his light up with amusement.

“Tell me, Eris,” he whispers seductively in my ear, “If I touch you between your legs, would your body betray you and make you a liar?”

I shake my head no again, but he only snickers. “I’d advise against lying to me because I’m going to find out one way or another.”

I growl, his words breaking the sensual intoxication fogging my judgement. “Don’t you dare.”

He takes my threat as a challenge, sliding his hand from my shoulder to my hip, inching down.

Before he gets too close, I’m gripping his wrist and shoving him away.

I can see his eyes glitter with excitement, and it only confuses me.

I don’t understand his games and I’m growing really tired of playing without any rules.

“What about now?” He brings that hand up to my neck, delicately stroking my esophagus with his thumb. “Do I turn you on now?”

I don’t answer because I know he’ll give up. There’s no way he’s going to force me to admit anything. Maybe I am turned on, so what? It doesn’t mean I have to tolerate him and his aggravating mood swings. He’s going to have to live without an answer.

His brows dip as his eyes narrow, still waiting for a response he’s not getting.

Annoyed, his grip tightens on my neck. “Want to know a fun fact?” He doesn’t wait for a response. “When a lion hunts his prey, he plays with her a little before he feasts. Do you know why?”

My mouth drops into a frown, “Why, Khaos?”

He leans in again, close enough to where his face touches my ear, his bandana rubbing against the shell. “So, he can wear her out enough to make the kill that much easier.”

I nod, letting out a small, feminine chuckle, “Now you tell me. Are you the lion, or am I?”

Without letting him answer, I shove his hand away and storm out of the stall, leaving him there. I drag my bags back to the bus ignoring the guys, heading straight for the back room to finally get dressed.

If Khaos thinks he has this power over me, then he’s as delusional as I suspected.