Page 17 of Hell Gate

End me. Take my soul. Those are not euphemisms.

This is definitely not a mean joke to haze me. They’re serious. Who the hell are they?

“I know how this works, Vale. Shut up.”

“Then stop stalling.”

They argue as if I’m not here and the topic isn’ttake Lily’s miserable soul. I guess it doesn’t matter if I hear.

“My vote is hell fucking no,” I screech. “Get off me!”

Matthias closes his fingers around my throat and croons to me like I’m a frightened animal. It’s not as soothing as he thinks because I’m still riding high on terror and adrenaline.

I gulp as he buries his face in my neck and inhales. “Mm, toasted cinnamon. Double shot of fear.” He licks, the sensation of his tongue being split back, just like that night. “Delicious.”

Releasing a shrill yell, I aim a shot at his groin with my knee. He deflects it with a low chuckle, pinning me to the wall with his body so I can’t move. My heart beats so fast my head swims. I gulp for air, mind racing for a way out of this.

Valerian bats Matthias’ hand away, replacing it with his own. He wrenches my face to look at him. Out of the corner of my eye, the ink covering his skin moves of its own volition along his forearm, slinking beneath his pushed up sleeves. Freaked out and sure my brain has broken, I try to look at his tattoos. Both of them hold me in place, pinned between the wall, Matthias’ body plastered against mine, and Valerian towering at my side to block my view of the alley.

“I told you, darling.” His dangerous rasp fans over my lips, those haunting blue eyes dipping to my mouth. Transfixed, he drags his thumb along it. “There’s no escape. Be a good girl and die for me.”

His command sends a shiver through me, my fear sliced through by the shot of arousal ignited by his crisp, domineering order. Twisting free of his grasp, I spit. Saliva splatters his face, hitting him across his mouth and chin.

He stills. Trapping me in his penetrating gaze, he licks his lips, tasting my saliva. I gulp at how wrongly attractive it is when he does it. He lets go of me and swipes the rest away. The veins on his hand stand out prominently against his tattoos.

“Slit her throat,” Valerian orders.

“I have a better idea.” Matthias’ teeth scrape my neck, making me jolt at how sharp they are. His words take on a musical quality that echoes around me as if I’m in a dream world. My rapid pulse slows from a frantic rush, my fear overtaken. His voice sounds so nice, it makes me want to do anything he says. “What if I fuck her to death? You can watch.”

The arousal intensifies at his suggestion, spilling through me. My mind short-circuits and a strained gasp tears past my lips. I hate them, but—

“Look at you, pretty thing. You like that idea? Your cheeks turned such a delicious shade of pink.” Matthias’ eyes are so bright, the gleaming gold ensnaring me so I can’t look away. I need to fight him off, but I can’t remember why. All I’m aware of is how much I want is his devious mouth on every inch of me. “Which part? Vale watching? Riding my cock until your very last breath?”

With each lilting, oddly echoey question, he brushes a kiss lower and lower down my throat until he reaches the crook of my neck. A dizzying inferno of desire builds inside me. Yes.Yes. I want to do what he suggested. He swipes his tongue out to taste my flushed skin, then brings his lips to my ear to release a rough, filthy groan of pleasure that makes me shudder.

“You taste so good,” he murmurs.

This is insane. I need to get away. Scream. Run. Anything.

My limbs don’t obey. Why can’t I move? Why am I so into this? Do I have a death wish after all?

Darting a look at Valerian, the corners of his mouth twist with a sinister smirk like he can read every thought flitting through my head. The press of his gaze has me burning up while Matthias drags his hands down to my hips and grinds the hard ridge of his dick against my stomach.

Matthias buries his face in my neck again, lips brushing my sensitive skin. “Fuck, I want to split your pussy apart with my cock, lost girl. Split you in pieces.”

My core throbs. I smother the cry that tries to escape me, arching into him. His sinful, smoky words have the opposite effect on me than I expect when I’m not sure if he’s talking in the literal sense or not. They ignite an inexplicable need in my veins stronger than I’ve ever known, one as strange as that purring noise I made in the graveyard when the three of them circled me. It comes on hot and fast, intensifying when he chuckles in approval. Hooking a hand beneath my thigh, he wraps it around his body and angles his hard bulge between my legs, right against my center.

Stars explode and my head tips back against the brick at the divine friction. What he’s doing to me feels amazing. My hips move, my throbbing clit seeking more as my insides wind into a tight knot.

“Oh god,” I choke hoarsely.

“No gods here, darling,” Valerian says. “Only demons.”

He’s transfixed on my exposed neck. He brushes his tattooed knuckles down my overheated skin, eliciting another embarrassing, needy whimper from me while Matthias slides a hand beneath my cropped hoodie. He licks his lips with measured precision and I swear the tip of his tongue is forked like a snake. Matthias latches his mouth onto one side of my neck and Valerian dips his head, hot breath coasting over my thrumming pulse. He pauses before his lips connect with my skin and my body is hyperaware of the small distance he keeps between us.

For the first time ever, I’m burning up without being afraid of the explosion, without being afraid of whatever freakish thing will happen. I don’t care, all I need is more of this. The world around me can burn to ash if I can have more of this.

Lifting his head, Valerian catches my chin and watches the shift of pleasure across my features, the parting of my lips and fluttering of my eyelashes as Matthias torrents my neck.

---