Images flashed through my mind of that Vegas stint almost fifteen years ago. Crowds thrilled by Nitro’s knives, Fallon’s archery, and Asher’s fire breathing. Then there was me and Xander coming up with some bullshit trick because the venue wasn’t fit for bikes. We’d figured it out though, rigging the illusion box with fake blood that sprayed out into the audience. It had been easy money back then, before the real fame and big money.
I was halfway across the yard, sweat trickling down my face despite the chilly air. My breath came in hitched gasps, and Ithought about pausing, but I knew if I stopped, I wouldn’t start again.
The damn prop swayed as I dragged it across the yard. Twenty feet. Fifteen. Ten. I lifted my right foot onto the front riser of the porch. I’d gotten this thing out of its burial spot. I’d managed to move it all the way to the house. I could get the fucker inside. Second riser. Third riser. With a final grunt, I hoisted the prop onto the porch, my body protesting at the effort.
“Shit.” I leaned against the thick, wood post, feeling like my chest might crack.
“Need help?”
I blinked up, finding Xander in the doorway.
“No,” I grunted stubbornly.
Forcing myself into action again, I gripped the prop and fought inch by inch to get it into the house, to move it down the foyer, into the living room. I’d succeeded, though I didn’t even know where to put the damn thing. The place was already a house of horrors and sin. I decided to set it on the floor next to the sofa for now. I took two more steps, feeling triumphant.
And then I felt my fucking foot hit something hard and round. It rolled. I lost my balance, boot slipping forward and upward. The room tilted. I slammed to the ground, impact rattling the room. The heavy box fell against my stomach.
Someone chuckled. Probably our pack’s world-class asshole: Nitro.
“Fuck this all to fucking hell!” I snarled, punching the prop. From the impact of my knuckles, hairline fractures fingered out across the wood. “Son of a bitch,” I cursed again. I’d busted ass getting it, and now I’d broken it.
But was that any surprise?I was the guy who broke things now.
34
LUCY
I should feel scared, right?
And I shouldn’t want to be here?
What I should be raced through my mind. A sane person wouldn’t have this sensation in their belly, like building warmness waiting to be released. These Alphas were supposedly anything but tender, yet I couldn’t quit imagining a thrilling life with them by my side.
The transport van shuddered to a stop in the driveway. The gate was sliding closed behind us. Trapped. I laughed quietly, the irony of it all crashing down. I’d traded a cage to die in with a cage to live in, and I wondered if it would be worth it.
“Hang tight for a minute, Lucy.” The driver—the same medical tech from the plane—said, cutting the engine and sliding out of the vehicle. The nurse, also from the flight, shot a smile over her shoulder and disembarked too.
It was hard to sit still as I waited for this next chapter in my life to start. Myreallife. I buzzed with nervous energy by the time the double back doors of the van opened. The tech and nurse stood just outside, one gripping a tablet and a red medicalbag, the other holding a second environmental suit and helmet. Did that mean I’d have to stay in the protective gear longer? I hoped not. Behind them, I saw the suitcase from Eros, handle pulled up, wheels ready to roll towards DemonX’s home. I’d half expected it to disappear on the way. The clothes inside were so soft and wonderful. I didn’t feel like I deserved to keep them. I frowned, then my eyes flicked back to the spare TEPU suit.
“Why do I need two?” I asked slowly, waiting for the kind of news I was oh-so-used-to.You’re not doing as well as we thought, Lucy. It’s just a hiccup, don’t worry. The medicine will work soon. We re-ran the tests and they’re concerning.
“It’s purely a precaution in case the one you’re wearing malfunctions before you’re acclimated.” The nurse beamed at me. “Don’t worry.”
She said it like it was the easiest thing in the world—not to worry. Just forget two plus decades of doing exactly that every day of every year. All I could do was nod at her. Healthy people never did understand, not really.
They helped me out, both taking one of my gloved hands. After a quick check that my suit was working normally, we began walking. They left the suitcase by the van. Did they do that in case the men didn’t allow me to stay here? A chill seeped in through the thin neoprene, but it was nothing compared to Seattle.
The Eros tech and nurse stayed by my side, matching my pace. The house was industrial and unwelcoming, a fortress rather than a home. Sleek gray siding. Thick wood columns framing the slate steps which led up to an oppressive door, bars over its rectangular window. I could see no movement inside. No flutter of curtains or separation of blinds as someone stared outward.
Were the Alphas even here? Had they purposefully left, knowing I was coming?If so, it was a shitty start.
The hairs on the back of my neck stood up then, and somehow, I knew someone was watching, regardless of the evidence otherwise.
Closer. Closer. Step after step. The suit felt tighter each time my suit-hidden shoes hit gravel.
If they were here, why hadn’t they come out by now?
I willed the door to open.
