Evans, Gabrielle - Firestorm [Fatefully Yours 3] (Siren Publishing LoveXtreme Forever ManLove) (12 page)

Gasping softly, Echo’s eyes rolled back in his head, and his fingers dug into Fiero’s shoulders. His climax raced up his cock, spraying from the slit, and painting the space between them. Fiero’s chest vibrated as he groaned and filled Echo’s channel with his seed until it began leaking out, dribbling down Echo’s crease.

Sated, content, and completely exhausted, Echo slumped back to the pillow with a happy sigh, and was asleep almost instantly.

* * * *

Vapre watched as Fiero pulled from Echo’s body, then rolled off the bed, heading in the direction of the bathroom. “I like sleeping in Echo’s room,” he called over his shoulder. “It sucks when you have to parade naked down the hall with cum dripping out of your ass.”

Chuckling, Vapre rolled to his back and crossed his arms behind his head. Glancing at Echo out the corner of his eye, he felt his smile slip. “Do you think three times was too much? I’ve never seen anyone just pass out like that before.”

Myst sighed, curling closer to Echo’s side and draping an arm over their mate’s stomach. “He’s fine. I’m sure he’ll be awake soon.”

Fiero came back with three damp cloths, tossing one at Vapre, and one to Myst. Then he knelt on the bed and began cleaning Echo lovingly. Vapre had never seen that particular look of Fiero’s face before. Hell, he didn’t think any of them had ever worn an expression like that. The demon looked more than happy. He looked peaceful, blissful even.

Looking back at Echo’s angel face, Vapre felt the sappy grin spread over his lips. Then he moved his focus to Myst, then finally up to Fiero once more, and felt the smile grow even wider.

Okay, he got it. It was the look of someone hopelessly in love. He’d never seen any of them wear that look before, because they’d been missing something vital in their relationship. And that missing piece was snoring softly beside him in the bed. Vapre knew the seven of them had always cared for one another, but until Echo showed up, they’d never acknowledge it was anything more.

The thought of being in love with one man, letting one man become the center of his universe, scared the hell out of him. Being in love with seven men? That outright terrified him. If he was being honest, he’d always loved his warriors, though. It had just taken Echo to open his eyes and face those feelings. Did the others feel the same? He had no way of knowing without laying his heart on his sleeve, so maybe he’d just keep this new discovery to himself for a bit longer.

When everyone was clean, Fiero lifted Echo into his arms and settled in between Vapre and Myst, letting Echo sprawl over his chest. He kissed Myst as the demon snuggled up against him, then turned his head to offer the same to Vapre.

Vapre took the kiss willingly, pouring everything he couldn’t say into it. Then he curled into Fiero’s other side and placed his hand on the back of Echo’s thigh. Burying his face in Fiero’s neck, he closed his eyes and sighed. He’d have to tell them soon. No way could anyone hold that much emotion inside for long. Already, his heart felt full to bursting.

Closing his eyes, he kissed the side of Fiero’s throat, and settled down to sleep, surrounded by the men he loved.

Chapter Eleven

The remainder of the week passed without further incident, and Echo had almost forgotten about what was coming with the dawning of the new moon. With his men keeping him occupied in the most succulent ways, it was so easy to forget that anything existed beyond the doors to their home.

The weather had turned bitterly cold, and very little of the snow had melted after the storm. The wind remained harsh, roaring and howling as it swept in from the north. They kept logs burning in the fireplace around the clock, and Echo found it peaceful to sit in front of the hearth and watch the flames dancing merrily in the fireplace.

Still, it reminded him of the task set before them. A task they had done little to prepare for since Syn and Jinx had arrived. And though no one spoke of the coming danger, Echo could feel the tension, read the worry in the lines of every man’s face as he passed them in the halls or watched them around the kitchen table.

When his warriors weren’t distracting him in a number of inventive and delicious ways, Echo spent his time with Syn, working with the vampire and trying to help him hone his skill. He hadn’t made the connection yet, but Echo felt sure that Syn’s ability would be very useful when the war finally came. But if the man hoped to aid them in their fight, he needed to know how to control his powers.

“Okay, take a deep breath and close your eyes.” Echo walked around Syn where he stood, tense and waiting, his feet frozen the concrete floor of the basement.

“It’s cold down here.” Echo frowned as he shivered once again. “How do you stand it?”

“It’s not so bad,” Syn mumbled, but Echo could see the vampire shivering as well.

Reaching out, he ran his hand down Syn’s arm and shuddered. “You’re freezing! Why didn’t you say anything?”

“I’m only grateful for a place to sleep. After the things I’ve done, I see no right to complain.”

Echo smacked him in the back of the head. “Oh, just can it. We’ve already discussed this, and everyone knows you didn’t do it to cause problems. You and Jinx should have said something about how cold it is down here.” He crossed his arms over his chest, standing directly in front of Syn and frowning. “I’ll talk to Hex about it as soon as we’re finished.” His tone brooked no argument, and Syn smiled at him shyly.

“Thank you,” he whispered.

“Okay, well I’m freezing my balls off down here, so we’re going to take this little party upstairs.” Echo grabbed Syn around the wrist and tugged him up the stairs, sighing in relief when he stepped through the door and the warmth of the kitchen surrounded him. “Much better.”

“Echo!” Enthusiastic greetings went up around the room, and each of his men stood to their feet.

Echo just rolled his eyes. Sometimes he felt like freaking royalty when they did things like that. Waving his hand, he sent them his cheeriest smile. “Sit down, you big goofs. You act like you haven’t seen me in weeks.”

“You were gone when we woke up.” Myst crossed his arms over his chest and pouted. Gods, he was so cute when he did that. Echo just wanted crawl up in his lap and kiss the petulance right out of him. “We missed you.”

“Aww, you do care.” Echo winked at the warrior as he laughed. Then the smile dropped off his face, and his tone became serious as he addressed Hex. “It’s freezing down there.”

Hex looked at him blankly. “So? Don’t go down there.”

Echo’s mouth dropped open, and his eyes rounded in shock. “You insensitive asshole,” he murmured.

Hex looked genuinely confused. “What? If you’re cold, then don’t go down there. It makes perfect sense to me. Why the hell are you looking at me like that?”

“Syn and Jinx sleep down there,” Syx interjected quietly to their leader.

“Oh!” Hex’s eyes widened, and he hurried forward to drop a quick kiss on Echo’s forehead. “Shit, I didn’t even think of that, baby. I swear I wasn’t being a dick. We’ll find a way to get some heat down there before the morning.”

Smiling up at his lover, Echo felt his anger drain away, and he sighed happily. “I knew you would. Thank you, big guy.”

Hex kissed him again, then turned to Syn as his brow creased. “Why didn’t you just say something? You’ve been staying down there for almost a week.”

Syn shrugged, but continued to look down at his feet. “It’s not so bad.”

Echo rolled his eyes, grasped Syn’s wrist, and jerked his arm straight out in front of him. “Feel his skin.”

Hex looked confused again, but did as Echo asked, running to fingers along the soft skin on Syn’s forearm. “Fuck,” he breathed. “You’re like an ice cube. I don’t know much about vampires, but are you always this temperature?”

Syn shrugged, and Echo wanted to smack him again. “No,” he growled. “I’ve touched him before, and he’s never been this cold.” Releasing Syn’s arm, Echo faced the vampire and fisted his hands on his hips. “Why are you acting this way?”

“What’s going on?” Jinx asked as he entered the kitchen from the opposite side of the room.

Echo rounded on him, pointing a finger in the man’s face. “You!”

Jinx stumbled back a step, his mouth forming a little
O
. “Me? What did I do?”

“Why didn’t you tell us it’s so damn cold down there?”

“Oh.” Jinx bit his lip and stared down at the floor, mirroring Syn’s pose. “It’s a soft bed and roof over our head. Who are we to complain?”

Another thought occurred to Echo, and he whirled around to look at Syx. “You never got the blood did you?”

Syx winced and shook his head. “The storm blew in, and we couldn’t get to town. They didn’t clear the roads out this far until just yesterday, and by then, I’d honestly forgotten about it.”

“When’s the last time you fed?” Echo asked the vampire without removing his narrowed gaze from Syx.

“We’re fine,” Jinx replied immediately.

“When is the last time you fed?” Echo asked again, his voice as hard as cold steel.

“The night we arrived,” Syn said with a sigh. “It’s not so bad, though.”

Echo studied the vampires, really looked at them, and felt his heart constrict inside his chest. They looked sallow and pinched, their faces drawn and hollow. Dark circles marred the skin under their eyes, and even their lips had lost color. As much as he wanted to be mad at Syx and Vapre and blame this entire mess on them, he knew he was just as at fault as anyone.

“Out,” he ordered.

Jinx and Syn turned to leave, and Echo huffed. “Not you two. Everyone else, get out.”

“What are you doing?” Fiero asked dangerously. Judging by the look on his face, he already knew the answer.

“I’m going to feed them.”

“Over my dead body,” Hex growled. “Look, I don’t have a problem with them, and they’re more than welcome here. I’m not about to let them snack on you, though.”

“Do you have a better idea?” Echo snapped. “They look like they’re about to fall over dead…re-dead…whatever.” He had no idea about vampire physiology. He’d heard the legends of the undead, but Syn and Jinx looked as alive as anyone. “Are you dead?”

Syn snorted, and Jinx rolled his eyes. “No, we’re not dead. Our hearts beat, we breathe, and we need food to eat. We’re very much alive, just different from you.”

“Okay.” Echo shrugged. Well, at least that answered one of his questions. “Now, you know I adore you all, but get the fuck out.”

“I’m not leaving.” Fiero crossed his arms over his massive chest, looking mutinous.

“Why do we have to leave?” Myst asked. Echo guessed it was supposed to come out as casual, but the slight growl in his lover’s voice kind of ruined it.

“Because I don’t want you to hurt them.” The
duh
was implied. “They need to feed. I’m not just going to let them fucking starve, but I don’t want you guys freaking out.”

“Then let one of us do it,” Syx suggested. “We are…” He trailed off, his brow furrowing as he searched for the right word.

“Bigger? Stronger? Possess too much machismo for your own good?” Echo lifted both eyebrows and smirked. “Jinx,” he said casually, “whose blood would give you the most strength?”

“Hex,” Jinx whispered.

Echo’s chin nearly hit the floor. “How?” He’d assumed that as a human, his blood would be the most alluring, the most powerful to a vampire. He didn’t know why he’d thought that, but now, he guessed it made sense that another preternatural’s blood would sustain them longer.

“He is a healer, yes?”

Echo nodded and smacked himself in the forehead. Wow, he was batting a thousand in the dumbass department. “That makes sense.” He looked up at Hex pleadingly. Though the idea of watching other men lick and bite at his lover made his stomach churn, he understood the need. “Please, help them.”