Page 83 of Dead End

“We didn’t hurt you, did we?” asked Michael, like he couldn’t help himself.

I smiled up at him. “I’m not as fragile as you think.”

His eyes rolled, but he smirked down at my upturned face and said, “Oh, right, I forgot you were the master of death now, goth girl.”

Jason reached around, grabbed a bottle of soap, and began lathering it in his palms before smoothing it over my skin.

“Let us take care of you, October. Don’t think about anything; just feel good.” Jason kissed my temple, lingering for a second as he breathed me in and I breathed him out.

I groaned again, this time in relaxed bliss, as Michael grabbed the shampoo. He washed my hair while Jason lathered my body, and I thought for a moment that this must’ve been Heaven and not Hell after all. Maybe I really did die in that bus crash, and this was all just some sort of twisted hallucination in the afterlife.

Eventually, the water ran cold, and I knew it was time to get out before I got all wrinkled. I toweled off and dressed, wearing a pair of black leather pants, a dark green crop top, and my tall combat boots. I let my hair air dry as I swiped some black lipstick and liner on, all the while the guys dressed and watched me, making it obvious that they were studying closely.

“So what’s this big evil plan you have for Ichabod?” Michael asked, his eyes turning a dark midnight blue at just the mention of his name. I really loved that about him—his protective instincts that made me feel safe.

“Please tell me we get to kill him a little bit,” Jason added, his yellow gaze switching back and forth to steel gray. The pleased, creepy smile that spread across his wide lips said plenty. They were plotting.

“A little bit?” I laughed, brushing my hair out slowly as I debated what to do.

Death? Death sounded good. Death it was. Plotting was fun when it was reserved for the wicked. On second thought, death might’ve been too easy an out for the warlock.

“You can just bring him back, and we’ll kill him again.” Michael and Jason fist bumped, totally on board with that idea.

“You guys are sadistic.” Shaking my head, I couldn’t help but grin.

“Yeah, but that’s a part of our irresistible charm, right? That’s why you love us so much,” said Michael.

I paused, setting down my brush, and faced them both, the smile dropping from my face as my eyes flitted between them. “Nothing’s changed, right? After what I did out there, I’d understand it if—”

“You’re fucking insane if you think super cool necromancy powers are enough to make us run away, October,” Jason assured me.

Michael nodded. “It was pretty sexy, actually, the way your eyes went all white... I never knew I had an X-men fetish.” His eyes looked dazed as a smile blossomed on his face, accompanying sinister thoughts.

God, I loved them and their fuckery.

I smacked him on the arm. “Shut up! My eyes weren’t really white, were they?”

They glanced at each other before nodding in tandem.

“Holy shit, I really am a freak.” A hysterical laugh fell from my lips before I could reign it in. “Fuck, I wish my dad was here to teach me about all this. Don’t witches in movies get like a family grimoire or something? Like a how-to guide? Necromancy 101: For Dummies isn’t going to cut it if I have to deal with people like the mayor in the future.”

“I think you’re getting ahead of yourself,” Jason said, taking my shoulders in his strong grip. "Let’s just worry about getting rid of one psychowarlock before we go on a witch hunt.”

“I resent that,” Michael mumbled, but he was grinning.

“I’m glad I have one of you in my corner.”

There was a knock on the bathroom door, and when Michael opened it, both Norman and Freddy were on the other side. They let themselves in through the steam.

“It looks like a party in here,” Freddy said with a pout. I hated when he gave me those puppy eyes, because I. Would. Give. Him. Anything.

I rolled my eyes, but Norman took me in his arms for a comforting hug that was slightly cold as he whispered, “You good?”

I nodded into his hard chest. “I am now.” I breathed in his familiar scent and felt all my muscles relax. Pulling back, I looked at the four of them and said, “Why are we all crammed in my tiny bathroom?”

Freddy grinned. “I don’t know, I kind of like the intimacy we’ve established in this room right now.” He wiggled his eyebrows like the weirdo he is.

My cheeks flamed because I suddenly realized both Freddy and Norman had super-smelling abilities and were probably scenting all the shower hanky-panky we just had.

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