Page 20

Rush stares out the window for a minute, and we all watch the landscape go by, unable to do much else right now.

We're stuck in this car, unable to do anything to help Delaney’s other mates, wow it feels strange to count myself among that number, until we get where we're going. Which could take a while I think.

“If you can, you should all try and take a little nap.

Whatever energy you can store up now will only help you.

And Delaney, I know I seem pretty blasé about this, that we all do, but you know it's only because we know what you're capable of, right?

We adore you kid, and we're so damn proud of you.

Whatever that goddess has in store for you when you get there, I know you're gonna kick ass. You're strong like your mom.”

We all feel the stare her dad gives us through the rearview mirror.

“None of you forget that. Protect her, yes, but don't underestimate her strength.

Make sure you don't limit what she's capable of.

And if I may offer a word of advice, you guys are in this together.

The bond you guys have with each other is just as important as the bond you have with her.

You need to know each other well and have each other's backs no matter what . You need to become the best of friends, inseparable, if you really want to flourish. The tighter knit you are, the harder it is for outside sources to fuck with you. So, if you have any shit to get out of your system, I suggest you do it now.”

And with that, both of her dads stop talking. One of them puts on the radio and presses a button that raises a divider between the front and back seats, kind of like you see in really fancy cars or limousines. I'm not sure I want to know the ramifications of why that exists in their car.

“Your family is royalty, Delaney. Why don't you guys have bodyguards?”

She scoffs at me. “Are you kidding me? I have 11 dads. They are their own bodyguards.” Her head falls back onto the headrest while Rush gets twitchy.

I get the feeling he's amping himself up to try something. I don't want to close my eyes because I don't want to miss it. Whatever it is.

I've never been up close to other people kissing, other than the few times I've been around Delaney and her mates. Since she told me I'm hers, I’ve been pretty withdrawn, spending time in my own dorm, trying to get my head wrapped around everything.

I've seen them with her a time or two of course, but even then, I never felt like I could really watch because I never felt like I belonged there. I was so embarrassed about what was happening that I closed my eyes and tried to block out the sounds. Then promptly fled as fast as possible without being rude or drawing attention to myself. But I can just tell by the intensity in Rush’s eyes when he turns to Delaney that I'm about to get an up-close demonstration.

“I'm only going to say this once, Delaney, because contrary to popular belief, I'm not a masochist. I don't particularly enjoy being rejected, and you may not believe it, but I do respect you. You and Leo are my whole world. Even if neither of you know it.” He picks up her hand carefully, places it on top of his, and starts to stroke the back of it.

From the sound of it, her dad is doing some steering wheel drumming from the front seat, singing his heart out while the one in the passenger seat grumbles about his lack of musical talent. I don't think it escaped anybody's notice that they’ve given us privacy.

“Of course I know how your magic works. I know you're still angry with me for my role in the deception, and I know you feel like I tricked you into sleeping with me before so that I could secure this engagement my dad set up, but the truth is, I was obsessed with you the second I laid eyes on you.” With that he gathers his thoughts, all the while keeping his voice low and even, soothing.

“I actually had this big dramatic plan to woo you once we started hanging out.

I figured you weren't ready for anything heavy and serious because you were still in school, and the version of me you met then wasn't capable of sustaining myself for very long.

“But if my father would have allowed it, if he wouldn't have forced me back home, I never would have left you.

I never would have played out that whole farce of me moving away, because being apart from you has been misery.

Every day I've been miserable. Replaying those days with you in my head, every touch, every laugh, every smile. And the way it felt when you gave in to me...” and he shudders before another deep breath.

“It meant something to me. That was the first time for that version of me as well.

And maybe it makes me possessive or selfish or whatever, but I'm smug as hell knowing I got to be your first. Nobody can take that from me.”

Delaney just sits there speechless, but I can't tell if it's because she's moved or she's gassy.

She's staring at Rush now, waiting for him to look up at her. When he finally does, I think all of us are done pretending that we're not completely eavesdropping our way into this conversation.

When he's too nervous to meet her eyes again, she breaks the silence. “What are you getting at?”

He finally looks up, his face resolute. “I'm saying I can feed you.” And he grabs her by the throat and kisses her.

Delaney doesn't react right away, doesn't respond to him.

She doesn't stop it though, either. She kisses him back, but I can tell the second she decides to open up to him; the second she realizes he does have strong feelings for her and that she can in fact feed off of him, because her eyes fly open, she lets out a loud gasp, and then she's kissing him like she's every bit as starving as she is.

Like she's trying to drain his soul through his mouth.

For a second, I'm almost worried that she's going to start stripping right here in the back of the car even with her fathers’ presence so close to us all. But that would be crazy. Nobody would do that.

Until, that is, I'm reminded that her mother is also a sex goddess, and sex is just regular to them.

It's just another need, a normal part of life.

They're not awkward or embarrassed about what Delaney needs to survive, and that's why they raised the divider. They don’t like to see their daughter in any sort of discomfort, and I'm willing to bet they knew exactly what would happen when they closed that.

And what’s more, they don’t care. I'm sure they’re not wonderfully comfortable with it, but I can tell Delaney has a good relationship with all of her parents and the two taking us to the portal see this as a basic need of life, because it is. To her, anyway.

I get now what Ash was trying to tell me. Me holding back is only hurting her. I may have been raised differently, where you stay pure until mating, but that doesn't work if you're fated to a bodysmith.

They're rare, and they don't usually mate for life; unless they're the even rarer combination that Delaney and her mother are, being conduits as well. I decide right then and there to start taking care of Delaney the way she needs. First chance I’m given, I’m kissing the snot out of her.

As it stands, she's unbuckling herself and her hand is disappearing into Rush’s lap as he lifts his hips from the seat to pull down his pants.

Spencer is whistling to himself and looking out the window, Saladriel is trying very hard to cover up his lap, but Delaney only has eyes for Rush.

Whatever she senses from him has quelled her fears.

She's gaining some trust for him. And he's going to take care of her. As it should be.

There's really no room in this car with this many people to be doing what they're doing, but they do it anyway.

She turns around so she's sitting on his lap, her back to his chest and she's, well, riding him.

The sounds. Oh gods the sounds, muffled as they are.

She's got her head thrown back and I tentatively reach forward to clear her hair from her face. She smiles at the gesture but doesn't falter in her movements.

I can no longer see Rush’s expressions, but he's whispering endearments into her ear, praising her, encouraging her, promising strange things that must mean something different in Hell.

I thought mating was supposed to take longer, but then again, she was starving.

When they both stiffen and start whimpering, it's pretty obvious what's going on.

They stop moving, both a little sweaty as he tries to kiss her neck more, and it smells like straight up sex in here, the smell I'm starting to associate with Delaney.

Could I do that? Could I allow myself to be free enough to make love to Delaney? In a place such as this? As of now, I don't think I could.

At least one of us is capable of caring for her this way, but I need to learn how to be what she needs.

By the time Delaney is safely buckled again and everybody's clothes are back on properly, she's snoring quietly with her head tipped onto Rush’s shoulder, and he's looking down at her with so much tenderness I almost forget he's a demon.

It's a little bit heartwarming. And the lust that was pumping through all of us has dissipated, so for now, she’s satisfied.

It's anybody's guess though how long it will last. Especially once we get to a new land that features a goddess that seems to have it out for her.

Oh gods, what even am I getting myself into?