Daughter Trilogy Bundle (106 page)

I just hang up without saying anything else.  I
’m choking on my own emotion, and I need something to calm me down.

I dial Camara, and I try to suck back the tears that are refusing to stop.  Her voicemail switches on after it rings for too long.

I cry harder as I go to gorge on the pounds and pounds of ice cream Jace brought in.  She’s probably in the room with him right now.  She never answers when he’s around because he might hear me.

My phone buzzes, and I still sniffle when I answer.

“Thank you for calling back.  I’m so sorry, but I have to hear his voice right now,” I sob out.

“
Adisia?”

My heart almost stops, and I feel sick as the room starts to spin.  Devin
’s voice shouldn’t be on the other end of the line, and I’m worried I’ve reached the point of hallucinating. 

“
You’re calling Camara to hear my voice, but you won’t speak to me,” he grumbles.  “I want to hear your voice too.”

“
I’m sorry.  I shouldn’t have… I need to go,” I sob harder.

“
Please don’t hang up.  Tell me why you’re crying.  Did Jace do something?” he growls, contempt and protectiveness etched in his undertones.

“
No,” I whimper.  “I’m hanging up now.”

“
Please don’t.  I’m begging you.  Just talk to me,” he urges.

I can
’t.  I love you, and I can’t.

“
Bye, Devin,” I murmur, and then I put the phone back on the counter and stare at it like I’m worried he’s going to find a way to jump through it.

It starts buzzing instantly, but it
’s his number this time.  I almost feel my hand betraying me as it tries to answer, but I fight it.

Now he knows my number, and he won
’t stop.  I’ll send Jace for a new one when he gets a chance.  For now, I’ll just have to deal with it.

Chapter 7

Pushed into Reality

The breakfast ice cream and pickled herring are just sad as they stare at me with their gross, mixed appeal.

I walk over to pull some tuna from the cabinet and slide my nails over it to lift the can top.  If I wasn’t already crazy, I’d assume I was getting there pretty damn quick.

My phone buzzes, and I cringe when I lift it to look at the number.  Devin called all night long, and it just made me spend the night in tears.

I exhale in relief when I see it’s Hale.

“
Hey,” I murmur softly.

“
Hey to you too.  What are you doing this fine morning?” he asks too cheerfully.

“
I’m sitting on a stool eating… breakfast,” I say uncertainly as I stare at the putrid disaster in a bowl.

I
’m the grossest seductress in the world.

“
Well, I’m calling because we need your help,” he announces.

“
With what?” I ask warily.

“
With our harpie and hellhound fiasco,” he explains… sort of.

“
Hellhounds?”

“
Vicious four legged beasts with a taste for blood.  Some have confused them to be the Chupacabra in the past.  Some have mistaken it for a rabid wolf… bottom line, this is one mean beast, and there’re more than we can handle alone,” he continues.

“
Why do you need me?” I muse.

“
Hellhounds form when too much violence has entered the world.  With all the fighting we’ve been doing, I’m surprised there aren’t more.  There’s a guy in Miami who can call them to us, but we need you to get the guy to help us.  He’s a bit of an ass, and he’s not too big on helping out.  Not to mention, we need your zap.”

“
So you want me to force him to oblige?” I ask.

“
Exactly.”

“
I suppose I can, but Devin’s not going to be there is he?” I ask with concern.

I look down to see I
’ve dropped ice cream on my pajama bottoms, and I strip them away to rush them into the washing machine.  My black, lacy, short-style underwear doesn’t seem too improper to sport around in since Jace never came back last night.

“
Yes, he is.  We’ve got harpies to deal with too.”

“
I can’t see him, Hale.  It’s too hard,” I groan. 

“
Man up, and take one for the team.  I wouldn’t be asking if we didn’t really need you.  The hounds suffer under the touch of lightning as well,” he adds.  “That’s what I meant by needing your zap.”

“
Fine.  Jace should come too since he’s an electrically charged entity as well.  I’ll send you my address,” I mumble reluctantly.

“
No need,” Hale snickers, and suddenly my front door opens to reveal them all.

“
A little presumptuous?” I grumble while hanging up my phone.

“
Perhaps.  Camara tracked your cell a long time ago in case you ever needed our help,” he explains.

“
And no one bothered to tell me where she was,” Devin’s voice dryly inserts, and my heart almost crumbles to pieces when I see him. 

My hair is all over the place, my face is still streaked with the mounds of tears I spent the night crying, and here I am eating this disgusting pile of nonsense.  I slam the lid on the ice before anyone sees my loathsome taste and toss it back into the freezer.

“Holy lacy goddess,” Kry laughs out.

“
Oh damn,” I gasp while staring down at my nearly bare lower half, and then I flash up the stairs to change into some pants. 

“
I don’t know how Jace is refraining, considering your aphrodisiac scent and teasing morning shows.  Tell him to hurry up,” Hale jokes.

When I start back down the stairs, Devin
’s jaw is about to dislocate when he bites down too hard, and I try not to enjoy the fact he’s feeling jealous.  I pick the phone back up and dial Jace.

“
What’s up rainmaker?” he jokes.

“
Hey, we’ve got some guests, and they need our help with hellhounds.  Do you feel like flying to Miami?” I ask quietly.

“
Yeah, I’ll help.  I’m assuming Devin’s there judging by your whispered tone.  Are you going to be okay?” he worries.

“
We’ll see.  Hurry up,” I prompt.

“
Give me about twenty minutes,” he murmurs, and then I put the phone back down.

“
He’s not here?” Camara asks quizzically.

“
No.  He went to a girl’s house last night,” I say with a smirk, and everyone’s face stifles a grin as Devin’s jaw finally resumes a more natural stance.

“
I can imagine why.  It’s potent in here, and why does it smell like vanilla fish?” Kry muses.

Crap.

“Long story.  Jace said he’d be here in twenty.  I’ll go grab my bags, and I need to fix my hair and stuff.”

I rush up the stairs, and I shake my hands to try and expel the nervous rattle in my body.  I flash into my clothes, and then my hands rapidly smooth my hair into a more feasible style.

Suddenly, Devin’s in my room just as I finish up with my makeup, and his eyes burning against me as I become trapped under his hypnotic gaze.

“
You shouldn’t be staying alone,” he gripes.  “It’s not safe.”

“
I’m perfectly fine by myself.  There hasn’t been the first sign of trouble since we’ve been here.  Jace can’t stay cooped up with me given my apparent unruly scent, and I don’t blame him for wanting a breath of air that isn’t tainted.  Persia and Kahl couldn’t even handle it.  I know that’s the real reason they had to leave.  I won’t even discuss how gross that is,” I grumble.

He almost smirks but quickly covers it before flashing over to cup my face with his hands.

“Let me help you,” he murmurs, and his lips try to reach mine.

“
I won’t go if you start this,” I warn.  “You can’t do this to me.”

“
Adisia, you’re calling Camara to hear my voice at midnight.  It’s obvious you miss me as badly as I miss you.  Please, just let me hold you.  I’m dying without you,” he pleads.

“
Then call Nina,” I snark, and then I flash back downstairs before he can counter with anything.

I hear the car pulling up through the window that has been freshly opened, and I look down curiously at my watch.

“I had to open a window.  I’m not sure why Jace doesn’t keep every one of them raised at all times,” Ther says while fanning himself.

I blush a little, and then Camara pulls out a vial from her purse.

“I gathered you something to help.  I’ve got more too for when it starts to wear off.  It should help,” she offers kindly.

“
Thanks,” I murmur, and then she walks over to the cabinets in search of a blender.

Devin
’s eyes catch mine briefly as he comes back into the room, and I promptly look away. 
“Did you get a cat?” Camara asks in bewilderment.

“
No.  Why?” I muse.

“
Because you have like a hundred cans of tuna and pickled herring in here.  I swear there’s every type of jarred or canned fish one can buy,” she says in disgust.

“
She’s been a bit of a fish fanatic lately,” Jace’s Aussie accent chirps, and then he walks over to give me kiss on top of my head.

Again, Devin
’s jaw clenches, and I look away. 

“
Is there anything besides fish here?” Camara exasperates.  “I need to mix this with something.”

“
We’ve got ice cream,” Jace adds, and she flashes to the fridge.

My eyes widen when I think of the disgusting mess I made of the ice cream, and I rip the vial from her hand to guzzle the disgusting, putrid liquid without dilution. 

Everyone snarls in disgust with me, and I rush over to grab a glass of water.

“
Oh damn.  The brandy.  Get the brandy,” I prompt when the water only makes it worse, and Jace grabs the brandy from the cabinet as he chuckles.

“
I suppose you’re breaking your no drinking rule after that,” he teases.

I turn it up, and it tastes almost as disgusting.  I finally swallow down enough to drown out the skunk, and I sigh as everyone
’s eyes stare at me, befuddled by my bizarre behavior.

“
What the hell?” Camara gasps.  “I could have mixed it with ice cream and made it a milkshake or something.”

Jace starts heaving his laughter, and I shove him for his understanding taunt while my eyes threaten him to keep his mouth shut.

“She apparently ruined the new tub of ice cream I bought, and she didn’t want anyone to see her new treat of choice,” he snickers out.

“
Huh?” Deacon muses and Devin’s eyes narrow at the closeness I’m sharing with Jace.

“
Shut up,” I growl.

He only laughs harder, and then he gives me a playful wink before dashing up the stairs.

Kry walks over to the freezer to answer the riddle, and I flash between him and the vaulted secret I wish to keep.

“
What the hell?  I have to know what’s going on now,” he prompts.

“
Please don’t.  It’s so embarrassing,” I grumble, and he throws me over his shoulder despite my kicking and screaming.

Hale chuckles as he pulls out the ice cream to reveal the gross secret, and everyone gags at the concoction.

I bury my head in my hands, and Devin arches an eyebrow.

“
Why fish and ice cream?” he says with a grimace.

“
I don’t know,” I lie.

“
Isn’t it obvious?” Jace chuckles as he strolls down the stairs.  “She loves ice cream and the sea.  She’s subconsciously combining the two in her time of despair,” he adds with a morbid touch of humor.

Devin
’s eyes soften, and I worry he’s about to do something foolish.  I roll my eyes, and my fingertips zap Jace as he walks by my upside down hang.

Kry chuckles as he puts me back down, and then I stalk toward the living area to avoid all the prying and pitying eyes.

“That hurt,” Jace plays.

“
It wasn’t supposed to feel good,” I growl, and he jogs up beside me to jump into the driver’s seat of his new car.

“
We have enough room in our SUV,” Camara inserts.

“
We’ll just drive separate so you don’t have to drop us off after we’re done,” I say to ensure everyone I’m not folding to Devin while on this mission.

Devin looks pained, but he climbs in the front seat as Kry jumps into the driver
’s seat.

His eyes catch mine as Jace speeds away in the BMW.  I lean back in the seat, and he giggles a little for his betraying scene.

“You’re supposed to be on my side,” I gripe.

“
Oh, lighten up.  It made you smile a little, and to be honest, I was finding it hard to not try to finish what we started last night when I saw you this morning.  The disgusting ice cream aided me in my deterrence.”

I laugh and cover my face, and he reaches over to take my hand in his. 

“I think it’ll be good for you to get out of the house for a while, and I know you need someone in your corner.  That’s why I decided to come.  I’m sure Devin wishes I had stayed behind,” he says too smugly.

“
I was in my underwear when they showed up, and everyone got the wrong idea, especially Devin.”

“
Damn it.  I should have come home sooner,” he jokes.

I laugh a little harder, and the landing strip they used comes into view just in time to bring my laughter to a halt.

I’m about to be stuck on a jet with Devin, and I can barely keep it together when I’m miles and miles away.

“
It’s going to be okay,” Jace encourages.

He skids to a halt, and then he hops out to flash over and open my door for me.  I smile when he grabs my bag, and Devin is shaking his head when he climbs out of the SUV.

Camara sprints over to whisper too low for anyone else to hear.

“
Devin thinks you and Jace are on the verge of forming something more than a friendship.”

“
Why?”

“
Because you two are very comfortable with each other, and it’s killing him.”

“
I’ve been married to Devin for five months, and I’ve lived with Jace for four of them.  I’ve been a grieving, cheated on wife in need of a shoulder to cry on.  Jace has been that shoulder.  It tends to make you a little closer than the average set of friends.  It doesn’t mean anything else is going to happen, even though I wish could do such a thing,” I grumble.  “I still love Devin, and until I don’t, I’m stuck in limbo.”