I glance over to find Kai casually sipping from the jar of alcohol, eyes riveted, as our gazes lock. He continues sipping his drink, as Ezekiel and Gage own my body in flawless unity.

The next orgasm that hits sets fire to my veins instead of my skin, shooting throughout me, almost making me feel like a second life has just been injected into me.

My nails cut into Ezekiel’s skin, and I quickly release him, even as my entire body quakes, agonized by too much pleasure so quickly, yet desperately seeking even more, like the masochist I must be.

I spot Jude in the corner, idly twirling the scythe in its bo-staff form, as he stares on with barely disguised hunger in his eyes as he tries not to act so interested. His gaze heats when Ezekiel rips open my dress. He wastes no time cupping one of my freshly freed breasts, his thumb toying with my nipple.

I’m forced to look away from Kai and Jude when my next crest happens so abruptly and so powerfully that it forces my eyes shut.

My back bows, my nails dig in again, and I even bite down on Ezekiel’s shoulder, only partially managing to muffle the cry that is torn from my throat.

This one wrings out every ounce of sensation I have left all at once in a jarring, unrelenting wave of what can only be called pleasure/anguish magic.

Gage stills against my back, his body swaying as he finishes inside me. Ezekiel’s hips move faster, getting more aggressive. The second Gage pulls out of me, it’s relief and misery, because I never want to stop, but I also can’t keep going like this.

Ezekiel flips me, coming down on top of me, and his mouth desperately seeks mine as his thrusts get almost punishing.

The embodiment of war wordlessly confessed his love just before ravaging my body like it’s a battlefield. Seems fitting.

This time, the orgasm is fortunately less powerful and intense, but it still curls my toes and puts my entire body through a shiver, as I cling to him, needing as close as possible.

He groans against my lips, abruptly breaking the kiss so he can press his face to my shoulder, as his hips stagger, his rhythm growing erratic. When his hips give one last jerk, and a guttural sound climbs up his throat, he collapses to me, panting heavily, as my eyes roll back in my head and I go completely limp.

Chapter 4

KAI

“You fucking broke her,” I note, staring at Paca as a stupid grin curves her lips even in her sleep.

I hate them for making her feel so damn good that she passed out smiling.

Ezekiel kisses the side of her throat, rolling his hips as he drags out his moment in the spotlight. Fucker will be her favorite like Gage was. Hell, Gage even got to join in.

“This is starting to get unfair,” Jude points out in a dry tone.

Gage smirks as he finishes cleaning himself up, and he tucks himself back into his pants as he comes to take a seat, snatching the liquor from me.

He gets the girl and the booze? Jude’s right, this shit’s unfair.

“All you have to do is seduce her a little, and she’ll be yours. You just choose to play your fucking head games,” Gage states, shooting a cocky look toward Jude. “Keep being an abrasive ass, and it’s only going to feel more and more unfair.”

“I’m apparently Death. Am I supposed to be flowery and romantic?” Jude asks in a sour tone, wrinkling his nose in disgust at the thought.

“He does treat her better than the other girls we’ve actually dated,” I tell Gage, even though my gaze has moved back to Ezekiel, who is still cleaning himself and Paca up.

“If you’re done, then wake her up so I can—”

“Let her fucking rest,” Jude snaps, interrupting me.

Avoiding an argument, since he’s testier than usual, I drop back down to my seat.

“We can’t say the love stuff, and she can’t say it until she feels it from us,” I murmur, running a hand over my mouth.

Lamar told us this, but I didn’t understand it until now. She easily knew what Ezekiel felt.

She has no empathy, but still felt what they couldn’t voice. How?

I’m almost frustrated by the time Ezekiel finally lifts off her, and he gently lifts her limp body, putting her up higher on the bed until she’s settled comfortably in the middle.

“We need to return the Black Heart soon,” Gage says as he lies down next to her, pulling one of her arms across his chest as he gets comfortable.

He touches her like she’s his, and he doesn’t really seem to care anymore where we stand on things. Not that it matters. Clearly we’re all sticking with her. It became obvious after Lake “killed” her that this infuriating little hell-spawn had already woven herself into our lives more thoroughly than we could have imagined.

Jude kicks my foot, and I blink over at him, as he gives me an incredulous look.

“What’s your problem? You’ve been spaced out for fifteen minutes and missed our entire conversation,” he says, brow crinkling as he studies me.

Clearing my throat, I sit up better, cracking my neck to the side.

Gage and Ezekiel are studying me too.

Shit. I don’t even know when Ezekiel sat down so close. I really have been spaced out.

“We’re going to the Black Heart?” I guess.

None of them say anything. They continue to simply stare.

“Sometimes, I have thoughts that go through my fucking mind, and you guys seem less important than myself. Get over it already,” I grind out, not liking how transparent I feel under their scrutiny.

Ezekiel smirks and looks away like he has some sort of secret. I’m already sick of his smug face.

There’s a knock at the door, and Jude goes to open it, as Gage finally gets off the bed.

Lamar is standing in the doorway, a tight smile on his lips.

“Don’t let her out of your sight. Two of Hell’s worst were in here the last time we came back. Can you put a spell on this room or something to keep them out?”

“Locking the door is just as effective. It’s a barrier spell in itself. She’d have had to let them in,” he tells us, not acting like his usual bored or sarcastic self.

“Something happen?” I ask him.

He cuts his eyes toward Paca and then back to us. “I’ve been preparing a show for Hell, per Paca’s orders,” he tells us, clucking his tongue like this is annoying for him.

“What show?” Jude asks as his brow furrows.

“I suppose ‘showdown’ would be a more accurate terminology, considering she plans to take on all of her siblings in battle,” he tells us.

Ezekiel drops the booze he’s holding, and the glass shatters to the ground as the booze quickly evaporates into the steaming air once it’s no longer encased in the magic shield the jar provides.

“What?” Jude asks very loudly, as he waves away the steam caused by the liquor.

“She purposely gave them an imbalance, because she’s a sneaky bitch that way, while setting this up for fun. She’s starting to feel more and more like the Paca I know, minus the power she hasn’t regained. She underestimates her siblings.”

Jude scrubs both hands over his face. “I can’t deal with this right now. I’ll be in the Black Heart. Come and find me when you get done,” he snaps as he stalks out.

Ezekiel looks as though he’s ready to tear some arms and legs off. His jaw tics as he also stands, and he follows Jude out in the same angry fashion.

“There’s nothing we can do about this, is there?” I ask Lamar, as I clench and unclench my fists.

“Nothing but prepare her for the tricks they’ll use. I haven’t ever personally seen the Gemini Twins in combat. However, do you remember those two Purgatory monsters that took all of you to bring them down?” he asks us.

I nod slowly, already hating where he’s going with this.

“They have no problem taking down thirty of those beasts in under ten minutes. They hold the second-place record,” he tells us tightly.

“Who holds first place?” Gage asks him, running a hand over his jaw as his knee bounces with nervous tension I can feel vibrating off him.

“The old Paca who knew every single thing there was to know about her balance and her power,” Lamar states flatly. “That Paca could have turned Rafael to dust. I’ve seen her fight now, and I lived by her side when she fought then. She’ll be left in a broken heap, because Cain, Lilith, nor the twins will hold back. She’ll be lucky to get through Hera and Manella in her shape. They’ve seen her fight Rafael, and they know her weaknesses, her strengths, and her extreme lack of stamina too well.”

Glancing back at Paca, who still has that stupid smile on her face, I exhale harshly. Why would the old Paca go through all of this to send back a weaker replacement of herself?

Was she simply that deranged and willing to gamble on something this bizarre?

“Unlike Rafael, they won’t be so imbalanced and maddened if they fight her without her fighting back. She won’t land her one-punch knockout on them,” he adds with a grim tone. “She’ll just waste the last of her energy with that attack plan, and she’ll become their punching bag until they grow tired or bored with the whole charade.”

He clears his throat again, almost as though he’s apprehensive to continue.

“What else?” Gage grinds out.

“She plans to fight them all in one day, which means she’ll be wounded, out of stamina, and a weak puppet by the time she reaches her most difficult siblings. They surely won’t kill her, but they’ll leave her wishing she was dead. Don’t be fooled by the familial ties. At the end of the day, they’re all ruthless in battle.”