Page 36 of A Kiss From Death
I sit and watch Ray practice her throwing for the next hour, giving her tips along the way. Alliances are just as important as training in this game, so I don’t mind using my time in the Bubble to strengthen them.
“Helping out our competition, Vagrant?” a deep rumble crawls its way up my neck. Goosebumps follow at the seductive tone, and I squirm under my skin at his closeness. I’m starting to think he’s a moth and I’m the light he just can’t seem to stop chasing.
“Just evening out the playing field and building alliances is all,” I purr over my shoulder to him. I feel him inch a little closer until his chest is pressed against my slick, sweaty back. My heart rate picks up as I feel his warmth seep through my shirt, searing my skin.
A sharp sting zaps my ear. “Such a greedy girl. Was one alliance not enough for you?” His voice has dropped an octave, rumbling from his chest right next to my face.
My brain short circuits as I nervously try to gather my wits. “D-did you just…bite my ear?” I sputter in shock, my voice wobbly. Ray is so wrapped up in her newflower bladethrowing skills, she hasn’t even noticed our duo has now turned into a trio.
“I’m a famished man, Nyxi. You taste absolutely divine, by the way.” He smirks down at me, and I think I have fully gone into shock now. “Just making sure everyone knows what’sminein this competition.” He leans in closer, whispering the words slowly in my ear.
A commotion draws my attention to the other side of the Bubble, where I find a seething, furious Hade staring directly at us.
I was so wrapped up in working with Ray, I had no idea Hade was even in here. He’s a glistening, beautiful beast slicked with sweat, the depiction of a life altering deity if they were to live among us. My breath hitches as I greedily drink in his shirtless, chiseled torso. The tattoos on his arm wrap over his shoulder and down the side of his chest, making my mouth dry up. I’m suddenly parched and wouldn’t mind drinking a tall glass of Hade to quench my thirst.
Have a little self-control, Nyxi… Maybe just half a glass.
Aeron turns with that shit-eating grin on his face and gives Hade a small, taunting wave. It clicks then, the performance he was putting on. Aeron knew exactly what he was doing and that we had a certain audience watching us. He was making a show of it, ofus, ruffling featherslike always.
I lean in closer to Aeron, making our bodies flush. “I belong to no one. The dirt under my nails holds more interest to me than the two brain cells rolling around in that head of yours.” I tap his shoulder like a mother would to console her child.
A wolfish grin takes over Aeron’s face as the ground around us practically trembles. “You know what that fiery little mouth of yours does to me. Don’t start something you aren’t willing to finish for me…or with me, if you want.” He winks, and flames lick at my reddening cheeks.
The ground trembles even closer to us now as heavy breathing floods the air. My focus remains on Aeron as I cock my arm back quickly and slam my fist into the side of his face, his head flying sideways with a loud crack from my knuckles.
Fuck me, that hurt.
Aeron shuffles backwards, his lip now sporting a bloody cut. His face remains smug as he chuckles at me. “A little rougher foreplay than I’m used to, but if you’re into that sort of thing, I could oblige.”
Narrowing my eyes at him, I cock my arm back in threat, making him raise his hands in surrender. “Maybe next time, you’ll learn not to open your mouth so I don’t have to shut it for you. If you needed help learning social cues, you just had to ask.” Now I’m the one with the smug smile as I track a dribble of blood from his lip down to his shirt.
“Making me bleed twice in one week. One would start to assume you might have a kink.” The ground vibrates so hard, I wobble, getting ready to teach Aeron another lesson, but someone beats me to it.
Aeron is violently ripped off his feet by the collar of his shirt, which starts to split down the front. Hade pulls Aeron’s face within inches of his, baring his teeth in a fierce scowl. He’s seething for Empress knows why this time. He’s growling again, except this one actually sounds like an animal foaming at the mouth. I feel itdeep in my stomach as little flutters float down my center. All the while, Aeron continues to smile back at Hade, not a single ounce of fear showing.
“Are you blind? It seems to me like you have the wrong culprit here. I’m the one sporting a bloody lip from that spicy little demon over there.” Aeron flicks his pointer finger at me, drawing Hade’s attention.
“Say the word, and I’ll turn him into nothing, Nyxi.” Hade’s threat spears me right in my ice cold heart, shattering a thin layer.
“Uhhh…” My mind is mush, no words coming out, and I feel like I’m back in school, learning how to form complete sentences. I feel like an owl, my head spinning in a dizzying commotion over these men. Or more accurately,thisman. What is he getting at here? Why does he care?
What is going on in that pretty little head of yours, Hade?
Aeron crosses his arms, the perfect picture of nonchalant, as he hangs in the air by his shirt, which is still slowly ripping down the front.
“Again, why would you need to do anything to me at all? She’s the one who ruined my pretty face.” Aeron pathetically pouts now, pointing to his gushing cut.
Hade drops Aeron back on his feet and takes a large step back, acting disgusted to be standing near someone so below him. “I have no doubt it was well deserved. I’m just here to finish the job.”
Holy shit.
Aeron scoffs, taking a step forward and breaking into Hade’s personal bubble, a single finger on his chest. “I don’t see you finishing any other competitors’ jobs for them, hmmm?”
This is Hade’s tipping point. He takes a step forward, pressing his chest to Aeron’s, looking down at him. “My job is to protecteverycompetitor here so the Crucible is a fair playing field. She is notspecialto me; she is just a part of my job. If you’d quit eye fuckingher and touching her without her permission, then I wouldn’t have to wastemyvaluable time puttingyouin your place.”
Not special. Ouch.
I let out a long sigh. “Are you two idiots done insulting me yet, or do you need to fight it out?” I say it as a joke, but when both their eyes light up, I groan internally. I see their wheels turning. “That was hypothetical. I wasn’t actually suggesting you two fight.”
