Emblazed (12 page)

“All you need to worry about is resting for right now. Let everyone else rest, too.
We can start training in a few days.”

“I can’t afford to rest. Now I have even more things to worry about on top of stopping
the apocalypse. I don’t think Hades is just going to sit around and let me relax,”
she replied before blowing out a breath of frustration.

“Well, you don’t want to be exhausted if Hades or Hermes comes to fight you, either.”

“That’s true. I guess a few days of rest can’t hurt. Maybe we should take everyone
out as a thank you for their help with the rescue.”

“That would be nice. The night before the trial was fun,” I winked.

“Ugh, don’t remind me. Damn Hurricanes,” she muttered. “It was a fun night, though.”

I chuckled, “You girls were so drunk. Maybe we should just do dinner this time.”

“No! If we are going out, we are going all out. Dinner, drinks, and dancing.”

“You want to go back to The Landing? They have food there, right?” I inquired.

“They do, but I don’t want to go back there. I want to go somewhere in Long Beach.”

“What? You know you’re not protected off the island, Brie,” I reminded.

“I know that, but it might be good practice if we’re attacked.”

I sat in stunned silence for a few moments before replying, “Do you want us to get
attacked?”

“No, Jace. I don’t want us to get attacked, but I don’t want to hide anymore, either.
If these few months might be our last, I want to enjoy them. Live them to the fullest.”

“Don’t talk like that. We have eternity ahead of us, not a few months,” I said as
I rubbed my thumb softly over her bottom lip.

“Still, I don’t want to sit here and wait for Hades, Hermes, or who knows what to
come and find us. Everyone who is out to get us knows I’m stuck on this island. They
use everyone I love against me since they can’t get to me. I feel like I’m trapped
here.”

“I know, baby, and I’m sorry, but I don’t think this is a good idea. I don’t want
anything to happen to you.”

She looked defeated as she stared at her hands in her lap. I lifted her chin to look
at me, and her hazel eyes glistening back at mine started chipping at my resolve.
“I just want some control back. Since everything happened down there …” she trailed
off as she choked back a sob.

“
Mi amante
, don’t cry,” I said as I hugged her closer to me.

Her shock started to wear off, and everything that had happened to her in the short
time she was in the Underworld began to sink in. She wiped her eyes before taking
a deep breath, something she did when she was forcing herself to be strong.

“Baby, you don’t always have to be strong. You can let it out, I’m here for you.”

Brielle shook her head, “No, I have to be strong. I can’t let this break me.”

“If you bottle it up inside, you’re going to break eventually. And when you do, it’ll
be worse than if you let it out now. We can’t afford for you to have a complete mental
breakdown.”

“I don’t want to talk about it now, Jace. Please don’t make me,” she pleaded.

“Then when, Brie? Remember that I’m affected by your emotions. If you have a breakdown,
I will too. I’ll feel everything.”

She looked conflicted as she decided what she should do. I felt her emotions roiling,
a dangerous combination of fear, rage, sadness, and shame that was an emotional bomb
in the making.

“Tomorrow. Can we talk about it tomorrow?”

I nodded as I twirled a lock of her hair around my finger. I wanted to take all the
horrible emotions she felt away, and the only way I knew how was temporary, but it
was better than nothing.

I cupped her face in my hands and tenderly pressed a kiss on her lips. I lingered
there, letting the sensations of our bond take over, filling the both of us with our
love. The tingle of electricity was a welcome distraction, blocking out everything
else as I sat with my forehead pressed to Brielle’s and our lips barely touching.

Her arms wrapped around my waist and up my back to clutch my shoulders. She repositioned
herself so that she was straddling me and pulled my body to hers. She held tightly
to me, and I hoped that I was providing the comfort and security she needed to overcome
her obstacles.

I don’t know how long we sat there before Kiera called up to us that Kimber and Zane
were downstairs. Brielle brought our lips together again before whispering, “Thank
you, baby.”

I brushed her cheeks with my thumbs as I replied, “I love you. I’ll always be here
for you.”

Pressing her lips against mine again, Brielle kissed me. Our tongues tangled as we
slowly, yet passionately kissed, causing our connection to vamp up. The electricity
increased in intensity the longer our mouths savored each other.

Raking her nails down my back, Brielle pressed her naked body to mine while softly
moaning into my mouth. She lifted off my lap and grabbed my dick, which was already
fully erect and ready for her. Positioning me at her entrance, her slick warmth grazed
my head as she readied to take me in her pussy.

Brielle slowly sank down, to the point where I was halfway inside her when Kimber
yelled, “Brielle Adara De Luca! Don’t make me come up there! I know what you’re doing.
I can hear you!”

Frozen with my length half inside her, Brielle’s face reddened with embarrassment.
“Don’t you fucking dare, Kimber!” she yelled back before fully sinking down and moaning
loudly. Grinning widely, she began to ride me as the sound of footsteps pounded up
the stairs.

Brielle’s hand shot forward and the sound of Kimber cursing shortly followed. “Take
this barrier down!”

Brielle threw her head back as she rocked against me. My hands traveled up to her
breasts and she gripped my shoulders for support.

“You fucking whore!” Kimber playfully taunted before the sound of her footsteps receded
back down the stairs.

I heard Zane laughing before he shouted his approval, “Get it, bro!”

Brielle pushed me down on the bed, focusing her attention on me and ignoring the teasing
from downstairs. She slowly rolled her hips as I pulled her against me and took one
of her nipples in my mouth.

I tugged gently with my teeth before swirling my tongue around the hardened nub and
sucking it into my mouth. Gods, I missed her taste and sweet silkiness flooding all
of my senses, eliminating everything around us.

Brielle continued to thrust on my cock, which was drenched with her arousal. Her pace
increased as I continued to savor her full breasts, nibbling and sucking each one
before moving up her neck. Our bodies were pressed together, flush against one another
as Brielle shuddered with her climax and called out my name.

Her pussy throbbed around my shaft as I turned us on our sides. I thrust into her
as I gripped her ass, pushing myself deeper and deeper inside her core. Clutching
her to me, I found my release as I buried my face in her neck and filled her center.

“We’re going to get so much shit for that,” I chuckled.

“Yeah, but it was so worth it,” Brielle replied as I pulled myself out of her warmth.

We both dressed and went downstairs, where Kimber, Kiera, and Zane sat watching T.V.
Kimber glanced up as we entered, and with a teasing smirk on her face, she quipped,
“Whore.”

Brielle laughed and gave Kimber the finger as she plopped down next to her on the
couch.

Zane fist bumped me with a huge grin on his face as I sat down next to Brielle. She
leaned against me, and I wrapped my arm around her shoulder, tracing my fingers on
her upper arm.

“I’m so glad you finally decided to grace us with your presence,” Kimber joked.

“It’s not my fault you came over at a bad time,” Brielle retorted back before giggling.

“Whatever, slut. My world does not revolve around your sex life.”

The laugh I had been holding in escaped in a snort, which caused everyone else to
start laughing. The whole situation was ridiculous, but it was nice to let loose.

When she had composed herself, Brielle asked, “Why did you come over, Kimber? Not
that I mind or anything, but I figured you would be resting.”

“We came to check on you, but it sounded like you were fine,” Kimber teased. She turned
to Kiera and asked, “Do you have to deal with
that
, all the time?”

Kiera laughed, “Yeah, I had to get ear plugs.”

“Shut up! We’re not that bad!” Brielle exclaimed as she tossed a throw pillow at her
sister.

“Whatever,” Kiera said as she rolled her eyes, throwing the pillow back.

“Okay, enough talk about our amazing sex life. We wanted to talk to you guys about
something,” Brielle stated.

Kimber suddenly turned serious, no doubt expecting the worst, since we always dropped
bad news in their laps. “What’s up, Brie?”

“Jeez, don’t look so on edge. We wanted to take everyone on a night out to thank you
for helping rescue me.”

Kimber let out a breath of relief, “Oh my Gods, I thought you were going to tell us
something bad, like always.”

I chuckled, “Not this time, for once. We all deserve some fun after that adventure.”

“It sounded like you already had your fun,” Kimber joked.

“Kimber!” Brielle squealed with a mortified look on her face.

“What? It did,” she replied as Brielle glared at her.

Zane and I both laughed at their exchange before I continued, “We thought we could
all go out for dinner and drinks.” When Brielle cleared her throat and turned her
glare to me, I added, “And dancing.”

“Where did you have in mind? The Landing again?” Zane asked.

“Brielle wants to go to Long Beach.”

“Brie, we can’t go to Long Beach! Remember what happened the last time?” Kimber queried.

“I remember, but I feel trapped here. I don’t want to sit around and wait for whoever
comes to find me next. I’m tired of basing my life around this apocalypse and those
involved in it. If there’s a possibility that the world as we know it is going to
end, I want to enjoy my last few months with the people I love.”

Kimber reached out and grabbed Brielle’s hand. “Brie, don’t talk like that. We’re
going to kick Uranus’ ass, and then we have our whole lives ahead of us, not just
a few months.”

Brielle halfheartedly smiledback. “You’re right, I’m just stressed. Everything will
be fine.”

I knew her well enough to know that she didn’t believe a damn word she said. Kimber
gave her a look of disbelief, but didn’t press her anymore. Maybe she knew that Brielle
was on the verge of breaking, and didn’t want to push her over the edge. I’d get to
the bottom of that later.

“Where did you want to go?” Kiera asked.

“I want to go back to where Jace and I first met,” Brielle answered before looking
at me.

Damn, how could I say no to that?
I’d be a complete ass if I didn’t want to go back to where we first met. It would
be a complete slap in the face, not only to Brielle, but to Fate, as well.

“Brie, it’s twenty-one and up there, remember? The two of us can’t get in,” Kimber
reminded.

“Oh, yeah, I forgot. Damn,” Brielle said sadly.

“Thursdays are college nights. Eighteen and up can get in,” I informed.

Brielle’s eyes lit up. “Really? Can we go?”

“I can’t say no to you. It’s really not fair,” I teased.

Brielle squealed in delight, throwing her arms around me and repeatedly kissing me
as she said thank you in between each kiss. Once she had finished, she asked enthusiastically,
“So, this Thursday? And where are we going to go to dinner before?”

“Sevilla actually has a great restaurant connected to the club. We could eat there,
and then head over to the club side when we’re finished. We could go this Thursday
if that works for everyone else,” I replied.

“Works for us,” Zane replied.

“Me too,” Kiera added.

“Thursday it is,” I stated.

Brielle chattered happily with Kimber and Kiera about going shopping for new outfits
to wear. Zane gave me a knowing look and turned his attention toward the TV, attempting
to drown out the talk of shoes, dresses and accessories. Even though Brielle was excited,
I couldn’t shake the dread building in my gut.

Thursday finally arrived! I was ready to have a fun night out after dealing with the
anxiety plaguing me almost relentlessly since I was rescued. Nightmares kept me up
most nights, and the paranoia that Hades or Hermes would come for me or the others
was on the verge of driving me insane. The girls and I got ready in my bathroom while
the guys sat downstairs and watched TV. We had gone shopping earlier, much to the
guys’ dismay, but I think they secretly enjoyed watching us try on different dresses.
I slipped into the black halter dress with a low, plunging back that I had bought
as Kimber curled her hair.

Kiera wore a sleek, red one-shoulder dress and Kimber donned a strapless purple number
with the sides cut out. “Girl, you look hot,” Kimber told Kiera as she finished putting
on her eyeshadow. “Someone’s gonna get some tonight.”