Page 19 of Moist!

chapter eight

“She saw something in the water, Atlas. We don't have a choice anymore. We have to tell her.” Saxon's voice floats past the covering of his bedroom.

I wince at Atlas's growl and drop onto the bed.

Maybe I can hide here until he storms out again.

Then I won't have to face him and his wrath, and everything will be fine.

As fine as it can be while I'm trapped in a cave with three gargoyles.

I suppose things could be worse. I could be stuck down here with a dragon who thinks I'm trying to steal their hoard.

“We don't know what she saw. I don't think she was down there long, anyway. Just…figure out what she knows,” Atlas says, exhaustion heavy in his words.

“Oh no, you're not getting out of this. You need to apologize for yelling at her.”

“You yelled at her?” Ronan chimes in, and I wince again.

“She was practically sobbing while he got all butthurt over shit she doesn't remember,” Saxon says, cutting off Atlas's strangled protest.

Rage bubbles within me, and I jump to my feet.

They're talking about me as if I can't fucking hear them.

As if I don't have a say in things. I shove aside the thin leather and it rips from its clips.

The material flutters to the ground as three sets of eyes swing my way.

In any other circumstance, their expressions would be comical.

Deer in headlights, I believe the saying is.

“I don't need a fucking apology,” I snarl at Saxon, then swing to Atlas.

“And I wasn't crying because you were bellowing at me about shit from your past. Therapy might be good for you. Help you deal with all the projection.” I glare next at Ronan, who holds up his hands in surrender.

“You didn't do anything wrong except for abandoning me earlier. Which was shitty.”

Saxon starts forward. “Hazel?—”

I hold up my hand and he stops. Atlas has the good sense to look ashamed, at least. I pull in a deep, calming breath and bring my hand to my forehead. There's a sharp pain developing behind my eyes. The last thing I want is to be stuck down here with a migraine.

Atlas grabs my hand and a strangled cry leaves me. He shoves my sleeve to my elbow.

“No,” I breathe. “No. This isn't…that's wrong. I didn't do anything. It isn't me.”

Saxon steps up next to him and gazes at the fresh mark forming on my wrist. “Well, that answers the question of what she saw while in the pool.”

“This isn't supposed to happen this quickly. We were supposed to bring her back,” Atlas growls, dropping his hold on me.

“Sorry I fell through a cut in the earth, Mr. Asshole,” I mutter, and Ronan's lips twitch.

“Not like I had a choice. Maybe if I didn't go skiing.

Maybe if I didn't go to the grocery store that day.

Maybe if I didn't pick up the phone when my mother called.

A million fucking decisions and if I'd changed just one, I wouldn't be here. Except none of this is actually my fault. So, stop blaming me for shit I have no control over.”

“Do you even know what this means? Of course you don't.” Atlas spins around and his wings snap out.

“I saw…” I swallow hard and close my eyes.

Memories of what I saw flash through my mind, and my stomach flips.

It's too soon, yet I want more answers. Ones I already suspect.

“It was a slide show. Snapshots of different scenes. Different times. Different women. Same gargoyles. Same tattoo…same feelings.” I peek from beneath my lashes to see their reactions.

They could be stone, they're standing so still.

Sighing, I continue. “Then I saw their deaths. Dozens of women. Dozens of ways. Dozens of deaths. They were just…gone.”

Saxon reaches out and I lean away. If he touches me right now, I'll shatter. “We didn't ki?—”

“I know. It was pretty clear from the pictures.”

“No, you really don't know,” Atlas says, then glances at the other two. “They're all you. Every woman, every lifetime, they're all you. The tattoo shows up after you…meet us.”

“If that was the case, I would've had this earlier.” I hold up my arm. “Why don't you stop sugarcoating things and just get it over with?”

Exhaustion weighs me down and makes my head swim. All I want to do is fall into bed and sleep until I wake up from this dream. I'm convinced that's all this is, even though I feel deep in my bones they're right.

The kinship I felt to the women was something I've never experienced before. They were part of me intrinsically. At this point, I'm in denial, unable to admit these gargoyles are part of my past, my present, and my future.

“Atlas, she's right,” Ronan murmurs. “The lotus only shows up when you receive all your memories from your pasts. I don't know why it showed up early. Usually, we have more time to…”

“Make me fall for you?” The question comes out bitterly and I don't expect an answer. Their sheepish expressions are enough.

“It sounds worse than it is,” Saxon murmurs. “Sometimes you're already aware of everything and you still choose us.”

I shake my head and sigh. “Can I just…have some food? And a nap. Do you have showers down here? No, I suppose that'd be weird. I just need to be alone. ”

Surprisingly, Atlas steps closer and leads me back into Saxon's room. “We'll get you some food and leave you be.”

I drop onto the bed once more, then collapse back.

It's all too much and my brain can't handle any more.

Hopefully some sleep will help me sort things out and settle my emotions.

If not, I'll be in a world of trouble. I didn't think I'd be figuring out my future on this trip, but here I am. After a nap, everything will be okay.