Page 36 of Hell's Storm

Ryker shrugs. “The deepest the floors go are twenty-five levels, but it goes deeper.” Ryker spends the next hour pushing me around the boats until the sun finally sets and the vast moon starts to rise. It rises over the mountains, peaking at the kingdom.

Whatever world this is, it’s drop-dead gorgeous. I stare at all the fae people interacting in the stores and study all the tall buildings. I’ve never seen something that has me memorized like this.

Fire lanterns catch my eye, and I stare at them through the front of the store. That is something Fenric has always wanted to do. It is hard to do in Hell with the souls mixing up storms, but he would talk about them before I left for Earth.

We never got to do it together.

I look down, sitting back against the boat’s wall. Ryker watches me but keeps rowing on peacefully. I’ve learned a lot about Ryker during these few hours. Evara left him right after his mother died, probably, as he put it, because she couldn’t handle someone else having feelings for more than her.

I learned that Ryker and his father’s relationship dwindled after that. They barely talked for years until Ryker turned eighteen and went to the Shadow World to be a Soul Reaper. He told me he became the top of his class quite quickly. He graduated early at twenty-one and has been at the Headquarters for two years.

The feeling of someone watching us never leaves, but we both are royals. It’s one of my men or Ryker’s guards, but they keep their distance.

Once the night is over, Ryker takes me back to the castle. It’s late by the time we get back, and Ryker is a bit drunk, passing out in bed as soon as we get back. I rub his hair, feeling the soft curls ring around my fingers.

The curls remind me of Hazen, and my chest squeezes. He’s been gone a lot recently, probably off with some fae girl who isn’t so mean. My finger aches to touch him and his hair. My lips crave his taste.

Slowly, I wiggle myself free from Ryker and creep into the hall. I find Hazen’s room quickly and slip inside into the darkness. I maneuver my way around until I touch the bed and climb into it.

“What the—” Hazen grumbles sleepily.

I slap my palm over his lips. Well, try to, I miss his lips and cup his chin, so I adjust. “Shush, for one second. I’m sorry.”

“Asura—” Hazen tries to speak again after moving my hand.

“I’m an asshole to you, and you don’t deserve it, okay? I’m sorry. Please forgive me.”

He is silent now, and I hate that I can’t see his face and tell what he is thinking. “Are you getting better?” he asks.

I can’t really answer that because there are times when I’m extremely sad, but when I’m distracted, I feel okay. “I don’t know.”

I hear him shuffle. “Come here, baby.”

My hands drop to his chest, and his arms are held for me. Slowly, I lower myself into his arms and press my face into his chest. I can’t remember the last time we cuddled and touched, and Imissedit. “I-I’m so—”

“Shush. No need to cry. I forgive you.”

Cry?I reach up and touch my cheek. Not once in my life have I ever cried over a man. This is new, but I don’t hold back. “You don’t deserve this. You deserve someone better, someone who can cuddle you and give you the love and care you deserve. I don’t know how to do that with anyone that isn’t my family. I- I’m so—”

“Please, don’t get yourself worked up.” He lifts my chin and kisses my lips. How he found my lips in the dark is beyond me.

I shake my head. “It’s hard. All I can think about is you leaving me, and I can’t lose you.” It hurt so much when I saw him leave the castle without even looking at me. My chest would tighten, and I would stare until I couldn’t even see the dark curls on his head.

“Hey,” he whispers, sliding to face me now. His finger caresses my cheek and hair.

“Hazen, I love you. When I told you, I meant it. I don’t want to lose you. I feel like I lost a piece of myself without you. I know I have many men, but you are a part of me. You’re my hellhound, my boyfriend, my love, an-and,” I sob. The words are mushed together, making me believe he might not even be able to know what I’m talking about.

“I love you, Asura. I know you didn’t mean to yell at me. Just hurt.”

Tears flow down my face faster. “I know! I don’t know why I am like this! I felt so alone and like no one could understand. I’m so sorry that you understand. I’m so sorry. I care about how you feel and want to learn about every single part of your life.”

Hazen pulls me close. “It’s okay. I’m right here. I promise you haven’t lost me. I promise I will never leave you, no matter how mean you are to me.”

I let out a choked chuckle. “No, Ledger deserves my meanness, not you.”

He lets out a laugh. “True. Inarian even. Take it out on him. Not me.”

I press my lips against his and finally taste him. His electricity dances across my lips. “Deal.”

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