Page 24 of These Dangerous Fates

“Any news on the first challenge or anything to do with the contest?” I ask.

Both guys shake their heads, and I realize Sterling isn’t here.

“Rumor is the email will go out around 10:00 tonight,” Malakai says.

When I look at him, I fall away. Time seems to stop while we stare at each other. His black hair is long on top and styled in messy perfection. Red still rims his pupils, just the barest tint encroaching on the gray. In the window seat, with the moonlight shining down on his pale skin, he looks like he’s carved from marble. My heart flutters in my chest and my breath catches at the sensation. Or rather, it catches because of the reason my heart reacted that way: the sexy vampire currently giving me bedroom eyes.

Malakai’s eyelids lower and he smiles at me. It’s not a sweet smile like one of Cade’s. It’s dark, silken, and bears the promise of pleasure edged with the slightest bit of pain. Oh shit. I forgot. He’s an empath and can totally read what I’m feeling right now.

A slight flutter of wings in my belly makes me look away. What am I doing? I kissed Cade the other night. And I’m not interested in any kind of relationship, especially not with one of these three guys.

Cade takes my hand and rubs circles on the inside of my wrist with his thumb. Goosebumps spread across my arms at the sensation. A sensation that doesn’t make me nervous. I marvel at the lack of fear. In fact, I kind of want more. And that is terrifying. What is going on with me? Why am I not crawling out of my skin? How can I possibly want more when the very thought usually makes me want to puke up my guts?

“Kai and I were just talking about the best way to keep you safe during the challenges,” Cade says, oblivious to my inner turmoil. “One of us will stay with Kai while he does the challenge, and the other will stay here with you. We will keep our phones on us, and we have a system in place that I created where we can immediately let the others know if we’re in danger. We’ll be using that as well.”

I nod, relieved I’ll be able to stay here and not have to see Sam. And it’s a relief to know I won’t be alone. I wouldn’t put it past Sam to use the opportunity to abduct me.

The door to Kai’s room opens and Sterling walks in with his hair loose around his head in a silver tangle. He’s shirtless, and his pants hang indecently low around his waist. All that tan muscle is like a magnet for my eyes. I latch onto the sight and my gaze travels south to that deliciously deep V pointing the way to what I know he’s hiding behind those sweats.

The bed dips as Cade leans closer to me. He runs his thumb under my lower lip and whispers in my ear, “You’re drooling again, love.”

I snap my gaze away from Sterling, who is now smirking, his ego getting an extra boost I’m sure it doesn’t need. Without thinking, my eyes land on Malakai. I swallow roughly when I see his hooded stare on me. Heat creeps up my chest and neck, and I look down at my lap, only to realize one of my hands is still clasped in Cade’s grasp. I take a shuddering breath and try to force away all thoughts from the three gorgeous guys in the room, but I’m having a hard time ignoring the mix of masculine scents and the testosterone in the air.

What the hell is happening? The soft throbbing in my core is not something I’ve felt in a very long time. But, I can’t be turned on. I don’t think my body even knows what that means anymore. The idea of a man touching me, in any way, only brings me fear. So where is that fear now? Why am I suddenly feeling the desire to squeeze my legs together to ease the growing ache between them? I’m saved from my confusing mix of emotions when Malakai’s phone beeps.

“Email,” he says. “Looks like it was sent out early.” His eyes move side to side as he reads the details of the first challenge. A frown forms and a crease appears between his brows. “Fuck. Didn’t plan on that.”

“What’s up?” Sterling asks, sitting in one of the black chairs, legs spread and looking entirely too inviting.

“The first challenge is an extreme obstacle course taking place the entire length of the city, complete with assassins.” He looks up at the guys with a wicked grin. “No big deal. However, it says Ellis is to be present for each challenge. In order to prove a worthy husband, the contestants must, and I quote, ‘maintain their possession of her’ while completing the challenges. If you can’t do both, you are not worthy of her.” He snorts at that last bit.

The blood drains from my face. I won’t be able to stay safe here. Instead, I’ll be front and center where anyone can grab me. Where Sam can grab me. I don’t think I can handle seeing him without having a full-blown panic attack. Just thinking about it makes my heart pound and my breath come faster.

Cade’s hand tightens on mine. “This is still okay,” he says, his violet eyes pinning me to the spot. “It’s not ideal, but we can still make it work. Kai is the only one who has to compete in the challenge. Sterling and I can stay with you on the sidelines. We’ll keep you safe, Ellis. This changes nothing.”

“He’s right,” Sterling says, rubbing a hand down his face. “Having two sets of eyes on you is better than one. Obviously, I would feel better if you weren’t there, but we don’t have a choice. We’ll adjust our plans accordingly.”

I nod my head. There is nothing else to do. We don’t get a choice in this matter, so I just have to roll with it. I have to trust that these guys will keep me safe. Can I do that? Can I let myself trust them?

“Do you have any weapons I could borrow?” I ask, looking at each guy in turn.

All three of them look at me with wide eyes. Malakai’s grin spreads displaying the tips of his fangs, Sterling pulls his lower lip between his teeth, and Cade’s gaze is pure desire as it roams over my face.

“What weapons are you good with, love?” Cade asks, his voice low and gravelly. “We already know you can throw a punch.”

Sterling grunts, and I feel an ounce of shame for that punch. “Any, really,” I reply. “Guns and knives. I’ve trained with a lot of weapons at the gym.”

At first, silence meets my answer, then Sterling groans a barely audible, “Fuuck, that’s hot.”

Malakai laughs and says, “Then guns and knives you will get.”

“When does this challenge take place?” Cade asks.

Malakai looks at his phone and curses. “Tomorrow morning, 10:00.”

“Well, that sucks,” Cade says. “But you’ve trained for this. You can handle the sun long enough to complete this challenge.”

Malakai agrees. “Okay. We have some time to rest and prepare. Sterling, my dad requested a meeting with us.”

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