Page 74

Sex and Bubbles

M y men and I join the Seekers in searching the camp.

I stay near the house and within two hours a horn sounds to ring the all clear.

My shoulders slump at that, even though I know I have to go back and help sort the bodies.

My mind has been running a mile a minute trying to figure out why this attack doesn’t sit right with me, but I just can’t grasp why.

There were more Seekers who survived than I thought and I give added respect to the sneaky bastards.

Men, woman, and children all came out of hiding and started working together to achieve Dray’s goals.

I watch the way they look at him, with reverence and respect.

The men gather around him asking for advice and showing him things they have found.

Whereas some of the women giggle and blush when he looks at them, some are hardened warriors like the men and don’t even seem to bat an eye at the half naked man candy that is Dray.

I catch one of the female warriors watching Maxen though, and I debate killing her, especially when her eyes drop to his arse and she licks her lips.

“Such a jealous little thing, aren’t you?” Maxen laughs, making me jump and my glare turns away from the woman to his face.

“Fuck yes. You better remember that, and I have violent tendencies and stab first, ask questions later,” I growl out, narrowing my eyes at him. Smug bastard just winks at me.

Growling, I turn back to picking up a torn off arm and adding it to the wheelbarrow we are sharing. Maxen jokes and pokes at me as we work, trying to keep the mood light, and it works.

Three hours later and I am exhausted. My arms ache, my back is killing me, and my head is pounding, but the room is finally cleared of bodies.

I follow the silent parade of Seekers outside to watch them honour their dead.

I’ve only ever seen a normal burial and a Berserker honouring, so I am curious as Dray leaps up onto the hill out back where all the bodies are.

Standing there like some avenging god, he takes in his people.

“Today we lost many. Those animals came onto our land, they broke the peace and shed blood in our home. They will pay, we will ensure that, but first we say goodbye to our fallen. Tonight we lay you to rest, may the next life be kinder to you and welcome you with open arms. To the fallen!” he shouts, thumping his chest.

A chanting starts up as the Seekers stomp their feet.

Singing soon joins in as Dray leaps down and accepts a torch from the man next to him.

Turning, he lets everyone see before tossing it onto the pile of bodies.

It lights with a whoosh, and he steps back and watches the flames dance.

The singing lasts until the last flame dies out, and nothing but char and the smell remains.

It goes quiet, then and a soulful, heart-wrenching voice takes up the song.

Blinking in shock, I look at Dray as he sings about loss and death until his voice tapers off.

Only then do the Seekers start to break up and walk away, each with a look of peace on their face even as the scent of death and decay linger on the air, but I can’t take my eyes away from Dray.

Turning, he walks towards us, his eyes only for me.

“We rest now, today has been long. Pick any rooms on the third floor, they are reserved only for my generals and me. Tomorrow we figure out our plan.” His eyes stay locked on me even as his words are meant for my men.

“Champion, you are with me.” I arch my eyebrow at that, but he walks away, striding towards the mansion’s back door.

“He needs you tonight, angel,” Jax says softly before kissing my lips and walking away. Drax kisses me and offers me a sad smile before running to catch up with his brother. I turn back to Maxen and Thorn.

“He’s right, we will see you in the morning, Mi Alma.

Try not to kill him.” Maxen kisses me softly, setting my tired body alight and steps away to let Thorn move in and hug me.

His arms wrap around me and I snuggle into his heat, wishing I could stay here, but they are right.

I saw the look in Dray’s eyes; this should be interesting.

Thorn steps back and drops a kiss on my forehead before he and Maxen wanders away.

When I look back towards the mansion, I see Dray’s shadow at the window.

Taking a deep breath, I set off to find out what he wants from me.

When I step through the back door, I see his back disappearing around the corner and I jog after him.

I end up chasing him up some wooden back stairs that I didn’t spot before.

When I reach the third floor, I stop and look around, wondering where he went.

The walls on this floor are a deep red, almost blood coloured, and there are six doors.

A black leather couch sits under a window at the end of the corridor and the rest of the floor is bare.

Only one door stands open, at the very end of the corridor and set back from the others.

Rolling my eyes at his dramatics, I stride through it and stop, blinking into the darkness.

The sound of running water has me tilting my head.

Relying on my hearing, I follow the sound through the room, stumbling over furniture every now and again until I see the light peeking out of a door just ahead.

When I push it open, I take in the bathroom before me.

Bigger than my room back at Nan’s and double the size of the one at The Ring, the room screams money.

It was probably some rich bastard banker’s holiday home before everything went to shit.

A tub, square and huge, sits on a raised area at the very back of the room.

Big enough to fit at least three people, it spans the whole end of the bathroom.

A toilet, two sinks and a mirror run down the left-hand side of the room.

A marble table is to the right where Dray stands with his naked back to me, dried blood coating it and highlighting his scars.

Music fills the room and I look back at Dray as he steps away from the table to reveal an old style gramophone.

Some old school jazz fills the room and I watch curiously as Dray strips off, laying his weapons on the table, until he is completely naked before me.

Still not saying a word or looking at me, he climbs into the running bath and slides down the side.

Finally, he tilts his head until his eyes reach me, they look haunted and downright sad, and I automatically take a step forward.

“Stay with me?” he asks, his voice quiet. I don’t even bother to answer as I copy him. I strip off my weapons and lay them next to his before dropping my clothes and slipping into the tub to sit at the opposite end. His head turns again, his eyes tracking me, watching me without speaking.

I drink in the sight of him as we soak peacefully, the water turning red with the blood of his people. Without questioning, I pull the plug and run it again to get rid of the blood. Laying back once more, I watch him.

“Where did you get the scar?” I ask, the jazz music relaxing me and making me ask things I usually wouldn’t. His scars are his business, sands below I have enough myself, but I find myself asking anyway.

“My father.” Just when I think he won’t say any more, he sighs and leans his head back.

“The man was pure evil. He lived to torture my brother and me, his people also. They hated him but were too scared. When I was thirteen, he held a meal. Everyone knew that meant bad news. It was during the main course that he flipped. He just started attacking people, cutting them up. None of the guards knew what to do, they couldn’t stop him––he was their leader.

Blood was flying, and people were dying, and no one was doing anything.

..so I did.” He blows out a breath and closes his eyes as if remembering.

“I jumped in, weaponless and scared as hell, I deflected his blows. Using my body, I took the brunt of his bloodlust and anger, cut after cut until I stumbled and fell, my arms ripped open down to the bones. I couldn’t even lift them to protect myself as he raised his blade once more.

He ripped through my face and stood over me as reason came back to him.

He cleaned his blade and turned his back on me, left me there bleeding to death, screaming as I held my face.

” He opens his eyes again and stares at the ceiling.

“A woman saved me, her name was Maria. Her husband was one of the men I had jumped in to save. She stitched me back together and took care of me, even when I wouldn’t let her. ”

"Why do your men wear one?” I ask, my body relaxing further into the warm water.

“Stories spread at what I had done, I had saved my people from my own father. They remembered that, so when I killed him and my brother, it became a sign of great honour to wear the scar.”

Shrugging, he moves the water, causing it to lap at my skin.

“It started with Maria’s husband, he said it was the only way to honour my sacrifice and it caught on.

” His eyes land on me again. “Does it bother you, the scar?” His voice is vulnerable, and I can tell my response will hit him deep.

For someone so scary and powerful, he sure does have a lot of emotions still, more than I ever imagined.

“No,” I reply honestly. “I love it, it was the first thing I noticed about you. I don’t know why but it made me feel better, I had so many scars and when I saw yours I thought to myself, there is someone who knows suffering and pain like me.

Now every time I look at it, I will remember how brave you are. ”

He stops moving, his eyes locked on me, and he doesn’t even breathe. I jerk back as he bursts into movement, flinging himself across the tub, the water splashing with him, until he stops right in front of me.