Page 56 of Pleasantly Undead in Dark River

Nico cleared his throat, and it was then that I noticed Lucius in the corner. They were still a little banged up, which was a testament to how hard their fight had been. “As interesting as X’s sexploits are, I think we need to talk about what to do about ‘The Collector’.” He made air quotes with his fingers.

“You don’t think it was Kevin?”

Nico shrugged, but Lucius scoffed. “Please? Kevin was a bleeding damn heart. No way he was collecting anything, even a bit crazy.”

Walker pulled me closer to his body. “All we can do is prepare for The Collector to be a completely new threat, and hope that it was actually Kevin and it's been dealt with.” He looked down at me, his face softening. “That means going nowhere alone until we figure this out okay. Even if it isn’t The Collector, there's an uncomfortable amount of crazy vampires out there waiting to take a bite out of you. We need a way to keep you safe in a more permanent way.”

“What do we know about this guy?”

Nico shrugged. “Not a lot. He’s a bit of an urban legend among the Convocation. Whenever a shifter goes missing, we always blame The Collector. That siren that disappeared a few years ago?” he looked at Judge and X. “They believe that was The Collector. He is the Boogeyman; he takes what he wants and none of the authorities have been able to determine who he even is, let alone find him and bring him to justice. The vampires haven’t had much incentive though. He hasn’t been stealing vampires and we have always been a bit… lax in our views on forced cohabitation.”

X snorted. “We like to take things without permission as well, higher powers be damned.”

There was silence around the room, and then Nico looked at Lucius. “Hmm, I’ve got an idea.”

Lucius raised his eyebrows, like they were having some kind of silent conversation. But that wasn’t possible, right? Surely not.

They both turned to me, their expressions eerily similar. I’d noticed it more and more, with Lucius’ insanity being kept at bay by my weird love drug, that their similarities were more than skin deep. Their mannerisms, their laughter, their scary face, were all the same. Still, their personalities were as different as night and day, Nico’s maintaining a humanity that Lucius had lost a long time ago.

Judge snorted. “Well, don’t keep us in suspense?”

Nico shook his head, walking toward me, his dark eyes burning intensely. “I don’t know if it will work. It will be a surefire way to keep her safe, and if this unfolds how I would like, I will share the whole plan.” He stepped between Walker’s long legs too, leaning forward to kiss me softly. “I will have to leave town for a few days, but I’ll return, hopefully with a solution. Please be safe.”

He still smelled of the body wash from my bath. “You’re taking Lucius?” He nodded, and I clenched my jaw. “No more fighting?”

Lucius chuckled from behind Nico’s back, and a small smile curled Nico’s lips. “We will try.”

I pouted and leaned around his shoulders, eyeing Lucius. “No fighting. Or I swear, I’ll become a nun and buy an iron chastity belt.”

X actually gasped in horror. Lucius solemnly crossed his heart. “You have my word I will return my twin in the condition he is in now.”

I narrowed my eyes at him and he grinned back. Nico grabbed my chin. “I believe we’ve begun to heal our differences. It will be fine.” He stepped back and then Lucius was in his place, still between Walker’s knees. Walker tensed, less comfortable with the proximity of our former enemy. But Lucius just kissed me, sliding his tongue into my mouth and pressing me back into Walker’s body until I moaned. “Be good, Raine Baxter.”

Both Nico and Lucius disappeared between one blink and the next.

The house was too quiet. I hadn’t realized how much noise five living people in a house made. Not just the general noise the kids made, but the collective sounds of their heartbeats, their breaths, the low rumbling of Tex and Brody’s voices. They’d only been gone a day and I missed them already. The Mate bond tugged, letting me know they were there, but I wanted to be wrapped in a pile of limbs with them.

Judge came over, standing between Walker’s knees as well. Walker had long, muscular legs that were made for shorts. Hell, he was made to stand around naked and look like a Greek statue. He huffed when Judge brushed against his thighs, but my sexy Drifter just grinned. “You know, you can always let her go and I can hug my girlfriend over there on the couch instead.”

Walker growled low and held me tighter to the apex of his thighs.

Judge rolled his eyes, and leaned closer, uncaring that he was all up in Walker’s personal space. “We haven’t been to the diner in a while, Rainey Day. How about we go and fill you with carbs and cholesterol, top it off with cheesecake, and then come home and watch a movie?”

It had been awhile since I’d had Bert’s cheese fries. I nodded, tilting my face up for a kiss that Judge happily supplied. With tongue.

Even Walker groaned as I was pressed against his crotch, and I could feel the hardening cock beneath his tan uniform. Flicking his tongue along my bottom lip, Judge sucked it between his own and bit down gently.

I could hear X’s groan from behind Judge. “How about we just stay home and have a threeway?” He cleared his throat. “Hell, maybe a four way? I’ve been dying to see what the good Sheriff can do with that night stick.”

Walker slapped at Judge’s hands, until he stepped out of his personal space. “Let’s have dinner first before I violate anybody with an illegal cavity search.”

I stepped back and we both stared. Judge leaned closer. “Did Walker just make a risqué joke?” he stage-whispered. I nodded, but I wasn’t so sure it was a joke? My straight laced sheriff was a lot more x-rated than I’d given him credit for.

Walker just cocked an eyebrow and strode toward the door. I trailed after him like a horny house cat, and I made no apologies about it.

Chapter Thirty-One

Two days into my self-imposed isolation, I hated the four walls of my house. I missed my guys. Missed The Immortal Cupcake. Missed being able to walk out my front door without worrying if I was going to be snatched by some ancient douche. Missed being a non-whiney bitch.

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