Page 35 of Darkness Colliding
Chapter Nineteen
The Virgin
Cameron
Exhaustion tears at her every step of the way back.
“You guys know your way now. Just do your particle magic and get out of here. I’ll meet you on the surface.” My palm trails down the inside of her arm. We’re just past the bizarre Underworld village. The last house is just up ahead and then we have at least a two-day walk to make it back where we started.
“We’re not leaving you in the Underworld. Stop suggesting it, Warlock.” Nollix doesn’t look at me as he saunters ahead.
Well, fuck my little heart, it’s almost like he cares too much to leave me behind. A smirk curves my lips, and when I look down into her tired amber eyes, she’s smiling as well.
“Let’s stay the night here. If we can find a Carcass Creature in the morning, it’ll take less than a day to get back.” Link nods to the building; the one with the shattered front window and unhinged door.
What an ominous little abode.
Nollix pulls his blade and heads toward the shack. The hole burnt into his shirt is still flaking off pieces of ash, but he walks around as if he wasn’t just nearly unconscious hours ago. Linkin follows after him, his blade flashing pale colors of light along the ground as he goes. My fingers slip into hers as we walk up the crumbling front steps. My arm tenses against hers, my spine stiffening as I start to wonder if the house is truly empty.
Tantra could still be waiting to eat me slowly for all I know.
I shove the door closed the best I can, and the two of us stand there staring at the empty room. It’s smaller than the other house. A sink and refrigerator line one side of the room while a bathtub rests in the corner of the other, and I guess somewhere in between is supposed to be the living room, but there isn’t one single piece of furniture. Link walks through the door directly across from us and Nollix follows after him.
“There’s a hole in the floor where it looks like the toilet once was if anyone is interested.”
I cock a brow him. This is it? This is where we’re staying the night; in a one room, toiletless shack?
Nice.
My gaze skims across the dusty boards. The broken boards. The missing boards. There’s enough space for the four of us. Really, she needs her rest. Anything is better than nothing.
“I’ll take first watch.” My hand’s still held in hers, and my gaze shifts between Nollix and Link. They pass each other a skeptical look, and I hate how much anticipation is swarming through my chest right now. Like I want their acceptance in some way.
Link takes a single step closer to me, and he pauses there, letting me wait it out for whatever it is he’s about to say. But he doesn’t say anything. He raises his hand until the hilt of his special little Wild Hunt sword is extended to me. The lighting of the blade illuminates the darkness between us, and I can’t help but hesitates for a moment before taking it from his hand.
This is what a peace offering feels like, huh?
Shit, it took them long enough.
***
The crimson sky runs on for miles and miles until it bleeds right into the dark clay. I’ve stared out the window near the door for so long I can’t really make out what’s earth and what’s sky now. I peer back at the three of them. Link sleeps with his arm propped under his blonde hair, and Vi curls around him, using his shoulder like a pillow as they try to find comfort on the hard floors. Nollix lies in the claw foot tub. He only fell asleep about twenty minutes ago while the other two have been out for hours. He tried to stay up, his eyes seemingly refusing to close on this dangerous world.
And now peace and quiet are all I have while I stare out at the Underworld for what I hope is the last time I ever see this place. This had better be the last day.
Unless I keep fucking my life up, and, then, you know, I might find myself here again someday. My attention shifts back to Vi’s pretty face. I trail along the soft curve of her cheek, the long, dark lashes that flutter against her perfect golden complexion.
Fuck, I better get my life together.
I want her. I want a future. With. Her.
And I’ll do whatever it takes to make her happy.
As if she can hear my pathetic thoughts, her eyelids part. Shining eyes lock onto mine the moment they open. Silence presses between us, and it takes her a moment to slip away from Link. The boards separating her from me make sure to announce her every step, giving a cry every few seconds that might wake the other two men.
I’m okay with how things are between the four of us. She loves them. She loved them first. But fuck, she loves me too.
And that’s all that seems to register in my mind.
