“Move,” Zee bellows before his bulky body comes barreling into the room. He skids to a halt and drinks me in from my head to my toes. I stand stone still, allowing him to assess me for who I am and praying to the gods he recognizes me.
I smile at him, his spring green eyes widening in surprise. He wraps me up in his muscly arms, squeezing me like his life depends on it. I envelop him in a hug, bury my face against his shoulder and allow the tears to fall. My heart constricts, then fills with the love I feel coming from him. Someone sucks in a breath, and I glance over his shoulder, meeting the chocolate brown eyes of my best friend. He runs a hand through his wavy hair. It bounces back in protest. “Let me down,” I mumble to Zee, patting his back.
“Don’t think for a second we won’t be having a discussion about your stupid decisions later, but for now, just know my prayers have been answered,” Zee whispers.
He draws his arms and warmth away and steps back. Duncan swallows as he looks me up and down before glancing at Lucifer. “You’re sure?”
Anger rushes through me. Not mild irritation, but full blown anger. “Hey, asshole, you’ve known me the longest.” I point at Duncan. “You’ve seen me at my best and worst moments. You were there when I got swept into this other world. You held my hand as they dug out the bullet. You taught me to recognize my strengths, both inside and out; yet you question if it’s actually me standing before you?” I sweep a hand down my side. “There is no imitating this awesomeness.”
The frown on his face falls, and he takes a step back. “I’m furious with you,” he says. “When we lost you, I couldn’t breathe. It felt like someone had stolen the oxygen from the world.”
He sucks in a deep breath as if to make his point. I sweep the back of my hand across my cheeks, removing the hot tears, only for them to be replaced with more. “I’m here now, and I’m not going anywhere.”
“I can’t do it again,” he mutters as his eyes bore into mine. “Do you hear me? You cannot run off and make stupid mistakes again. Talk shit through with me. If you can’t promise that, then I can’t put myself through being your friend again.”
I take a step towards him as a wash of new tears fall down my face. “I promise.”
“Us,” Aaden intones as he walks through the door and stands next to Duncan.
I nod. “Of course.”
Then I’m surrounded by Duncan’s cinnamon and fresh linen scent as engulfs me in his arms. Aaden puts an arm around my shoulders. Zee steps closer to my back. My three guys surround me with their love and strength. I suck in a few breaths as they accept me.
“Where is she?” Archan’s voice growls down the hallway and spills into the room. The power shifts in the room as he enters. I bury myself deeper into my guys, soaking in their strength before I face my biggest challenge. I pat Duncan’s chest, letting him know I’m ready. They step away from me and stand at my back, an immovable force and reassuring presence.
Archan stands between Jed and Zac, looking like a tall delicious drink of sin in his all black combat pants and sweater. Gone is the suited and booted god ready for seduction; he’s ready for battle, and I’m the one he needs to conquer.
Jed fists his hands at his sides. “It’s really you?” he asks.
I nod as a nervous tremor runs down my spine. Persuading everyone is proving to be much harder than I expected. Should have figured a bunch of psycho ancient gods would be a tad paranoid. “What’s special about a spring roll?” Jed asks.
I chuckle. “A spring roll can be emptied and refilled with your own personal concoction. I’m partial to a chicken chow mein spring roll myself.”
He strides towards me, lifts me into the air, swings me around one eighty and slaps a kiss on my lips. I chuckle just as a growl rolls around the room. The unnatural sound lifts the hairs on my arms. “I missed you so fucking much,” Jed mutters.
“Me too, Smoothie, now I just have to convince him.”
He snorts a laugh as he drops me to the floor. “Go easy on him, Natia, he’s been to hell and back.” I swallow the lump in my throat. Did I expect the mighty Archan Reinheart to be in pieces because of little old me? No. But then again, the thought of losing him nearly ended me; I should start expecting more from him. He still needs to apologize. Jed steps behind me. Zac leans against the wall like he’s settled in for the show and I’m left facing Archan. His jaw ticks as he takes me in.
“I’m so mad at you, I don’t know if I can be in the same room and not want to strangle you.”
“Didn’t stop you before.” I plant my hands on my hips. “You need to beg me very fucking sweetly before you put your hands on me again.”
He opens his mouth. I lift my hand to silence him. “Whatever bullshit excuse you have for stabbing me, strangling me, kissing me, and not believing in me, save it.”
He sweeps forward and captures my outstretched hand. I try to teleport away, but his hold on me is absolute. Our molecules disintegrate and spin through the universe before we come to a stop in a room suspended in space. Literally. The walls are glass, giving an uninterrupted view of the stars as they launch themselves around us. The only furniture in the room is a huge wrought iron bed with black silk sheets spilling onto the floor and hundreds of lit cream candles floating in the air.
My stomach plummets as my body senses the lack of oxygen which I’m aware I don’t need, but try telling my mind that. Archan’s heady scent saturates the air. I run my hands over the cool glass and swallow the panic bubbling up my throat. I spin on my heel, the blue marble I call home nowhere in sight. Just how far had he taken us? “Where are we?” I whisper.
“Somewhere we can talk without interruption. Also, if you weren’t who you claim to be, your body would have exploded.”
I grit my teeth and fold my arms over my chest. “Another test?”
He moves towards the bed and sits on the edge. He might seem relaxed and non-threatening to anyone else, but his tightly coiled muscles and predatory eyes give away his intentions. This man wants to make me pay. “Come here.”
“Not in this universe, asshole.”
“Natia, get your ass over here. Don’t make me come and get you.”
