Page 11 of Monsters (Vengeance #3)

Next, there was the man sitting on the other side of her who didn’t move his eyes away from her face.

Oh! That was the scary one! His intensity was some shit, man.

I frowned momentarily because his magic felt almost too intense for a human turned mage.

Hell, maybe too intense for even a natural born mage. Fascinating.

Then there was the red-headed blood mage who looked far too happy for this conversation.

I think he might have been broken. Maybe just a bit?

Behind the couch was a man nearly as large as Adyen.

I could fucking feel his animal roaming around under his skin.

I was worried he might randomly shift. He kept staring at Vegas’s necklace every few minutes.

Weird.

A man with long dark choppy hair sat on the floor by Vegas’s feet and would randomly roll the back of his head against her leg as she ran her nails through it like she would a cat.

The long, blonde-haired mage stood off to the side watching the action as if he wanted her to do the same thing to him.

Finally, you had the three near the door.

One was the elemental guy who’d yelled at Edwin and another was a man whose power reminded me of Athens.

Finally, there was Rocket. I did know this guy’s name because he was a necromancer.

That was a dangerous power and, while I trusted Vegas, I didn’t trust her men completely.

I tried to focus back on the conversation.

Commander Edwin was speaking. “Your Majesty, we do actually have some news that we’ve been meaning to tell you.” I kept my eyes on Edwin but noticed Vegas tensed just a bit.

She definitely had something going on.

“Vegas’s stalker,” he continued as instant anger for my friends boiled through me, “has been using a human at the local campus as a puppet to get past any magical barriers we’ve constructed for safety.”

Motherfucker.

I felt my magic rise up under my skin. “How do you know that?”

Vegas spoke. Her words were tired. “On Thursday we were at a party and the man, who we assumed to be a local drug dealer, confronted me. I am not entirely positive how I could tell but it became obvious to me that Gabriel, the human physically in front of me, wasn’t my actual stalker.

There was no way that type of power was consistently contained within his body on a daily basis. ”

Before I could respond, Taylor did. “You could tell that without any interaction?”

My lips pressed together as I thought through the bigger picture of what she was saying. I didn’t discount the importance of Taylor’s words but the fact that some mage, with the ability to possess a human vessel, was targeting her concerned me. Greatly.

“Yes. Only since I received my tattoo,” Vegas explained. “That night, Gabriel spoke to us and announced his true identity and how he had come to find me.”

True identity?

I knew this was going to be bad.

“Who is he?” I let a small growl slip out.

“Victor. Mario’s son. The Heir of the Dark Fae,” Byron spoke, his voice rough.

My anger and fury at Mario freaked out the Earth realm weather. A massive clap of thunder sounded as rain poured onto the house in sheets. I tried to take soothing breaths. My fury wouldn’t solve anything at this moment. My hands found my dark outfit and I adjusted slightly before looking back up.

“You are leaving tomorrow,” I demanded softly. “I am so sorry for bringing this burden on you, Vegas.”

Vegas immediately shook her head. “I think he was watching me long before we met.”

That didn’t change anything really.

Adyen kissed my shoulder directly on our mating bite in order to center me. I breathed in and nodded as our odd connection flared to life.

“Come see me when you arrive,” I commanded.

I pulled Vegas into a hug, hoping that they would make it safely to the Horde. If not, Mario and his fucking son would have hell to pay. Maker. I am so overprotective lately. Could you imagine if I was a mom? I would be a monster.

“Baby girl?” Taylor tried to distract me and it was sweet. “Can we stop in New York and see one of the shows where the humans sing and dance like little puppets?”

I found it hard to believe the bastard didn’t know what a musical was called.

Adyen shook his head in amusement. “It was good to see all of you.”

I summoned my magic and the three of us were swept up into a portal that would take us to Estonia and then back home. I wish I hadn’t been lying about taking a vacation. The six of us and Lunatic needed one desperately.

Yes. I did include my cat.

It was late when we got back. I slipped into the large tiled bathroom before any of the boys could stop me or wake up. I felt tired and shaky. Portaling was exhausting and right now, all I wanted was to stretch out near my boys.

My skin felt gritty. I slowly began to take off my earrings and other jewelry.

My makeup was essentially gone as it was, so I simply washed my face and brushed my teeth.

I smirked as I took a hidden hair tie from the vanity and pulled my long hair above my head into a ponytail.

I braced my hands on the counter and took a deep breath.

We were going to be fine.

Sure, this was stressful but I’d known what I was asking for when I declared war on Mario. I just needed to be a big girl about this and continue to channel my inner badass bitch.

“Baby?” Athens stepped into the bathroom and offered a soft smile.

Athens.

“Hey,” I offered a sleepy grin as he walked over and tucked a piece of stray hair behind my ear. I didn’t hesitate to bury myself in his chest and let out a sigh. His arms felt so right around me and I let out a deep breath I’d been holding.

“Come on.” He motioned to the tub. I hadn’t even realized that it was filled with warm, steaming water and a lavender, milky mixture that kept the small flowers floating on top looking picture perfect. I smiled at Athens as the bastard’s eyes sparkled.

The man didn’t do well with negative emotions. When he was worried about me, he tried to do sweet things like ordering pizza. Or drawing me a bath. More importantly, ordering me pizza. The man knew his way to my heart.

Without even a moment of shyness, I let Athens begin undressing me. A soft look of affection and unabashed heat smoldered in his eyes. I shivered as his massive hands skimmed across my skin and left me standing in just a lace bra and underwear. It felt so fucking good to be out of those clothes.

He paused and looked up at me with a head tilt, asking permission.

I nodded. He offered me one of his beautiful smiles as he stepped forward and took my lips.

I breathed in his coconut scent as he unclipped my bra and let it fall to the floor before sliding the rest of my undergarments off.

I shivered but the sexy bastard pulled back and yanked off his own shirt, one-handed, before tugging me against him.

I never felt shy around Athens. I wasn’t positive why exactly. It was just who he was.

A string of hot desire uncurled within me. I began shaking just slightly. The metal mage lifted me and placed me in the water. I watched as he maintained eye contact and slowly unzipped and kicked off his dark pants. Oh, Maker! I don’t think I’d ever get over how sexy he and Neo were naked. Ever.

“Don’t look at me like that, baby.” He let out a small growl as he stepped into the massive tub.

Instantly, he pulled me on top of him so I was eclipsed by his arms and surrounded by warm water.

I could feel how hard he was beneath me and despite my wiggling, Athens seemed perfectly content with how close we were.

I had to admit I understood the contentment.

It felt intimate to be like this in the late hours of the night with the hot water against our skin and the open windows allowing a cool breeze to shift the white curtains.

Even the lights were lower than normal. I had the distinct impression that Athens was trying to make me as relaxed as possible.

So fucking perfect.

“Stop wiggling,” he chuckled softly. “I’m trying to behave. ”

“I don’t want you to behave,” I complained as his hands began skimming my body in a gentle, shiver-inducing pattern. I rubbed myself along his length slowly. He let out a guttural groan. His hand grasped my ass in a firm grip. I no longer felt tired.

I was wide a-fucking-wake.

“What do you want, baby?” He asked, tilting my chin as he gazed at me with bedroom eyes.

What did I need? I needed him. I was tired and stressed.

I wanted his love to heal me and to take this day away.

To take everything away since the explosion on the night of Thanksgiving.

I mean, shit! It was already early into Sunday and I felt as though only a single, chaotic second had passed.

I hadn’t had any time to enjoy the people around me and I was over it.

Before anything though, I needed to tell Athens how I felt. It was a leap but… fuck it.

“I need you,” I answered shly. “I need the man I love.”

His eyes flashed a shiny metallic silver as he processed my words. A steamy look flashed over his face. With no words, Athens grasped my face and ran a thumb along my lip gently.

“Repeat that, Gray.” His voice was raspy and his eyes tumbled with so many different emotions.

Here we go.

“I love you, Athens.”

I think I broke him.

His lips met mine, hot and molten, and for once our kiss was not playful. It was deep and fulfilling. I felt my heart flutter as he pulled back and I wondered if I’d said the words too soon.

“Gray.” He pressed his forehead against mine as he intertwined our hands gently. “I love you so much, baby. So much more than I could ever express properly.”

Fucker was going to make me cry.

“Really?” I whispered as he nuzzled my nose gently and pulled me closer.

“Yes.” He murmured against my lips. “How could I not? You are the strongest and most unique woman I’ve ever had the pleasure of having in my life.”

All right. Screw self-control.

I couldn’t stop anymore. I yanked him tight against me. His moan against my mouth fueled my inner fire. Excited and passionate lust ignited both of us as my legs pressed together. My hips ground against him as a hot curse fell from his mouth.

“I need you,” I whispered in a soft, imploring voice.

“Are you sure, Gray?” he asked seriously. I nodded fast enough to get whiplash.

Without another word, Athens lifted me. I shivered from the cool air against my heated flesh.

I let out a small whine of need as his massive length began to slide into me.

My body shook as he let out a low, dark sound.

My head fell back as my hair cascaded down my spine into our hot bath.

I gasped at his large length as he seated himself fully inside of me.

For just a moment, everything froze in a pleasure-filled, euphoric silence.

“Fucking shit!” He murmured finally with an exhale. “Baby, you are so tight, it’s almost painful.”

I nodded with a whimper as he began to move, lifting me easily and bringing me back down on his cock with easy slow movements.

The pace was deep and rhythmic causing everything in my body to tense with pleasure at each thrust, again and again.

Each time got deeper and harder until I felt like he was trying to bury himself within my very fucking soul .

Joke’s on him. He was already there.

“Faster,” I begged. His eyes flashed white hot. He tugged me closer by the back of my neck. I tightened my legs around him. The next thing I felt was the cold tile as he laid me out on the edge of the tub. His length pulled out of me and I let out a cry.

“Patience,” he teased, but I could see how hard he was holding back.

When his large hands gripped my thighs and spread them apart, I shivered again.

When he pressed back into me, I felt as though I was going home.

I cried out his name as his movements became a smooth pattern distracting me from his teeth on my breasts.

My legs trembled, but he just kept going.

As his speed increased, so did his name on my lips.

“Athens!” I cried out as he began to slam into me in earnest. My back arched as I gripped the tile edge behind me. His teeth bit down on my flesh.

“Fuck, baby.” He growled. “You feel so fucking good, Gray. I should just stay in you for fucking ever. Would you like that? If I just kept myself buried inside of your tight pussy?”

Oh, sweet gods.

I could barely keep my eyes open as I shouted out an unintelligible “Yes!” Back and forth, back and forth. I cried out loudly as he slammed into me so hard I climaxed on the spot.

Fuck.

Somehow, romantic and slow had turned into hard, deep fucking. I loved it. Everything in me released as he continued to fill me like he had been made to.

“Baby.” His mouth pulled away from my abused nipple. “You are so fucking beautiful. I love you.”

“I love you,” I barely managed to gasp as his thumb pressed against my clit.

My scream was so loud, I was sure my other men had woken up.

A burst of pleasure soared through me as I climaxed around him, wanting him to sink further into me.

I could feel Athens’s release as he cursed and roared out my name in the crook of my neck.

My breathing was rough as I melted into the ground.

Shit.

“I love you,” he murmured against my skin. Again and again, praising my flushed skin with kisses and soft words.

“I love you too,” I whispered as he offered me a blinding smile. He moved both of us back into the tub as I clung to his form, my eyes closed. He began humming softly. I couldn’t help but think how amazing this man was.

A burn on my back had me knowing that another of my marks had filled in. His warm finger began to trace it and I had a feeling that he knew it had changed. I curled myself against his body and the two of us soaked in the sweet smelling hot water.

I have no idea when the metal mage dried me off but before I knew it I was curled between him and Neo. I could feel the other boys nearby, particularly Adyen, who was stretched out across the end of the bed, his breathing deepended. One thought permeated my mind after this long fucking day.

I needed a bigger bed.