Page 40 of Hell Gate

“That’s it. Cream all over my fingers. Give me a good taste.”

Once my body stops shivering, he pulls free, making sure I watch as his forked tongue licks his fingers clean. His wicked gaze ensnares me.Mine. The thought echoes in my head and the corners of his mouth hitches up.

“What about you?” The words slip out before I’m able to stop them.

I duck to hide my blush as I reach for the bulge in his jeans. I came twice and still clench around the emptiness without his fingers inside me.

Am I being too greedy to want more? Too much too soon? I don’t know what I’m supposed to do, only able to follow the thrumming instinct of the bond. Using my palm, I map the thick hardness of his dick and rub him.

“Shit, babe.” He grinds against my touch for a moment, features slack with pleasure.

My brows furrow when he pulls back. “Don’t you want to come?”

He grins, cupping my cheek. I lean into his palm, savoring how good it feels, the affectionate touch filling me with a warm glow.

“I do, baby, so badly. But I can sense the others making their way back, and they’ll be pissed if they find out I’ve stolen you away to ravage you. You should get some rest. Let’s head back and take a nap to recharge before we have to hit the road again.” He winks. “You can use me as a pillow. I can’t promise I won’t feel you up while you sleep, though.”

“Okay.” It comes out through a laugh. I’ve never laughed so much in my life, but with him I feel light and free.

Matthias helps me down from the ride and fixes my skirt before stepping away. My heart gives an unsure, panicky thump at the distance. The worry that he’s done with me rears its ugly head, despite everything he promised.

It calms down when he reaches for my hand. My world feels a little less askew as I take it, quieting the fear that I’ll be discarded.

CHAPTERTHIRTEEN

LILY

After our secret night together, I feel torn in two. The pull I feel with Matthias settles after he claimed me as his fated mate a couple days ago, yet it doesn’t go away around Alder and Valerian. If anything, it’s more intense, stronger without them coming as close. If they look at me, the sensation acts up, begging me to go to them. When Matthias wraps his arms around me and brushes kisses along my neck, the unruly thing within me calms, content in his embrace.

I’m happy with him. I shouldn’t want more, yet…

Can someone have more than one soulmate? I thought it would go away after what happened with Matthias.

The confusion has today’s training session off to a rough start. I have yet to successfully block Alder’s mild ranged attacks and Valerian’s patience is growing thin. The next one catches me off guard and knocks me to the dead pine needles covering the sandy floor of the woods we’re in. They sizzle as I stare up at the tall trees.

It’s been eighteen years since I’ve been back to the Pine Barrens. Jersey Devil territory, where I was found as a baby. If this is where I was, I wonder if there is a gate to Hell near the Leeds house. I prod at my mind, searching for a memory clouded by the magic that trapped my powers until they broke free, but there’s nothing there to tell me how I got from the underworld to here.

“Are you going to daydream the next time a hellhound or warrior attacks as well?” Valerian mutters coolly. “Because you’d be dead by now. Pay attention, or you’ll never learn to defend yourself in combat.”

“I am. This is still weird for me.” Climbing to my feet, I wave my hands. A burst of wild steam rises from them into the trees at my untamed emotions. “I didn’t grow up knowing I could do this. I was terrified every time a fire was blamed on me because it meant I was a freak and I’d be booted from a foster home placement again. It’s hard to tap into this when I haven’t been doing it as long as you all have.”

It’s still a lot to wrap my head around—a demon trapped inside a human body. I don’t even know how I can withstand my powers in this form, unsure if this body is mine or if I’m like the others, able to shift to a true form behind the human appearance. I flex my smoking scarred hands. If I’d known how to control this, maybe I wouldn’t bear the mark of the horrors I’ve been through.

Before I admit more than I want to about my past, I snap my jaw shut. Valerian narrows his eyes, gesturing for me to go again before crossing his arms, his rolled up sleeves straining around his strong forearms inked with tattoos that shift with his moods.

Arms wind around me from behind and Matthias surrounds me with the scent of a campfire shot through with warmed chestnuts and maple. The frustration that consumed me a moment ago melts away at his soothing embrace. I hum, my pleased smile slowly curling the corners of my mouth.

“Hey.”

“I’m attacking you, babe.” His breath tickles. “Fight your way out of my arms. I like it rough, so don’t hold back.”

“Matthias, get the fuck out of here,” Valerian grits out. “You’re distracting her. Go check the wards along our perimeter.”

Alder and Valerian have doubled up on the magical barriers they erect around us when we stop. They believe it will help mask the magnitude of my power and keep us from being tracked. It’s worked so far while we keep moving.

Matthias presses the curve of his smile against my ear. “Turn around, baby.”

That tone is all mischief. I spin to face him, sucking in a breath when he cradles my face and kisses me deeply. I meld against him. It’s over too soon and I already crave the next one.

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