I shrug, trying to play it off even though my heart is racing. "I know who you guys are. It doesn't bother me." I pause, swallowing hard. "Besides, I'm dead, right? Or whatever this is."
Duske's gaze doesn't waver, his dark eyes studying me like he's trying to see past the surface. "It's called a transition state," he explains. "Where you exist in between two planes. You're not fully alive, but you're not fully dead either."
Milo scoots a bit closer, watching my reaction as he slowly leans forward to place his head in my lap. I’ve never seen this version of him, this puppy-like attachment but I think I like it. I reach down, running my fingers through Milo's hair. He purrs happily, the sound vibrating against my palm, and I can't help but smile. "It's because I drank the coffee?" I ask, my gaze shifting back to Duske.
He nods. "The coffee was a conduit. It gave you something tangible from this plane, something that anchored you here temporarily."
"So I'm not really coming back?" The words come out quieter than I intended, the hope in my chest deflating like a balloon.
Duske shakes his head, and my stomach sinks. “There's a way to get you back into your body, but it breaks a lot of fucking rules."
Milo sits up slightly, his gaze darting between the three of us. "But we're doing it, right?"
Duske's lips curve into a small smile, the first real one I've seen from him since I died. "Absolutely. I would face the wrath of heaven and earth if it meant that we got to bring Esme back." He pauses for a moment, the shadows in the corners thickening just a little. "Liora, though…"
I snort, the sound full of disdain. "Fuck that woman. Not only did she kill me, but she doesn't even care. She's throwing away Mom's china." Like that’s the most important thing here.
Milo gasps, his hand flying to his chest like I just told him the worst news in the world. "No! Your mom loved that china. She used to make us tea in those cups every time we came over." Hisshoulders shake with laughter as he plops his head back into my lap, easing the tension of the moment.
But the issue still stands. Liora doesn’t give a shit about anything that mattered to me or my parents. She wanted me out of the way so fucking bad and is now stealing my best friends to be her pack against their will.
Not that they would succumb to her wishes or anything.
I deflate in Vesper’s arms, relishing the few moments I have left to feel him. I don’t even know what the next steps are. I just know that I don’t want to go back to flitting around through my own house while no one can see me. “Duske, what now? You said there’s a way to fix this.”
My stomach chooses that moment to grumble, everyone in the room now painfully aware that this transition state includes all of the human needs and cravings.Lovely.
Milo shoots up, back onto his knees, his hands fisted on his thighs, his quirky smile returning as he starts talking a mile a minute. "There's so many things we need to do! We need to feed you and get you changed and go shopping. How much time do we have until dinner?"
Duske frowns, his brows pulling together. "Dinner?"
Milo nods enthusiastically, pulling his phone out of his pocket. "Liora sent me a text that she reserved that little pasta place a few streets over. I know we aren't really planning on going, but that's how long we have until she gets mad." My stomach grumbles again, embarrassment flooding my cheeks. The worst part is when my scent responds accordingly, showcasing my emotions. Milo's eyes go impossibly wider before he starts laughing. "See? She's hungry!"
I laugh, pressing a hand to my stomach. "This is bullshit. Why am I hungry?"
Duske chuckles as he pushes to his feet, the man stretching before he starts speaking again. "For the same reason, you'regoing into heat. Fate decided they wanted to fuck around with Mother Nature. We'll figure this out. Right now, food. What do you have a taste for?"
A wicked grin slips onto my face as I let my gaze drift over Vesper and Milo. The heat in my body picks up a little, a low hum under my skin that makes me want to pull them back down and lose myself in their touch. Duske just sighs as he drags a hand down his face. "As much as I'd love to watch Vesper and Milo work you over, I think we need to have a conversation."
"A conversation about what?" I ask, my voice hesitant. There's a knot forming in my stomach, a worry that maybe Duske doesn't want me the way Vesper and Milo do. Maybe he's regretting bringing me back, even temporarily.
Duske's gaze shifts, and I follow it to Vesper's tail, which is currently swishing behind him before curling around one of my thighs like before. It's strangely comforting, like an extra arm holding me close.
"I like it," I say quickly, my words tumbling out before I can stop them.
A flicker of caution and worry races through his expression as he crosses his arms over his chest. "That's what I'm worried about. You accepted us as men with darkness, but wearedarkness, Esme. I guide souls to the afterlife. I should be helping you pass over, not bringing you back."
Panic flares in my chest and my breath hitches, my hands fisting in the blanket over me as I stare up at him. "You're not going to help me pass over, are you?" My voice cracks on the words, and I hate how small I sound.
Duske leans in, his hand cupping my cheek as he places a soft kiss to my forehead. The gesture is tender, so at odds with the darkness that clings to him. "No, you’re going to be all ours.”
"You promise?" I ask, my eyes searching his face for any sign of doubt.
His lips brush over mine in a feather-light kiss, the touch sending a shiver down my spine. "Yes," he murmurs against my lips. "I promise."
He pulls back, his hand slipping from my cheek as he turns and heads toward the door. I watch him walk out, my gaze following the way his shoulders carry the weight of his power with ease. The moment he's gone, the room lights up a little bit, the oppressive darkness lifting just enough for me to breathe easier.
I have no idea what it truly means for these men to be demons and Death, itself. It never mattered to me before but I’m wondering how much it will change things. After all, Duske just said he’s about to break every rule in the book to get me back.
