First And Last (3 page)

I laughed, patted the bed for her to sit with me. “Okay, take a deep breath, and let me tell you what happened.”

By the end, Haven sat with her mouth wide open. Finn looked equally shocked.

“You’re the Ruler of the Underworld?” Haven whispered, disbelief clear in her tone.

I nodded. It was all I could do; worried she wouldn’t be pleased with the news.

Haven blinked twice, then burst out laughing, as did Finn. Kyden and I joined in.

“Just when I think it can’t get any worse, something always proves me wrong.” I sighed and wiped tears from my eyes.

Haven wiped her own and took a deep breath to gather herself. “It’s not so bad. You said it yourself—you don’t really have to do anything.”

“I guess.” I shrugged a little. “It’s just so bizarre. I never thought I would be grateful to a bunch of demons.”

Haven giggled. “Me neither.” Suddenly, a curious look came upon her face. “Are you feeling okay?”

“Yeah, I feel fine. Why?”

“Then we have somewhere to go.” She smiled.

“I’m not going anywhere. I only just got back.” I jumped off the bed and moved next to Kyden. He wrapped an arm around my shoulder and lightly ran his fingers across my skin.

Haven stomped her foot, her lips pursed in a pout. “But I have something planned for you.”

“How have you had time to plan anything?”

“Well…” She smiled sneakily. “It was something I planned a week ago and since all is well now, we should continue on with the plans, don’t ya think?”

“Plans for what?” I asked, hesitantly. I’d become suspicious, who can really blame me? Haven had a knack for doing the unexpected.

Kyden leaned down and whispered in my ear. “Have you forgotten what tomorrow night is?”

I met his eyes, trying to think.
Tomorrow.
What was happening tomorrow? Then, it hit me like a smack in the face. “Our bonding ceremony?”

He smiled, brushed his fingers across my cheek. “I’m glad you haven’t forgotten.”

Haven watched me impatiently to give her the acknowledgement she sought. As much as I wanted to stay with Kyden and never leave his side again, we had agreed that this wouldn’t rule us. This situation was over and I needed to treat it as such.

As the acceptance settled in, I noticed the mischievous look in Haven’s gaze. “What have you planned?”

She wriggled her brows. “You’ll see.”

Oh for Christ Sakes! This was going to be bad.

“This is amazing,” I exhaled as I leaned back into a giant hot tub filled with rose petals. Of course, Haven sat next to me. She’d pulled together a whole group of us—Zia, Misa, Briar, Sabi, and a few other Witches to join in the relaxing splendor at the
Juvenex Spa
in New York City.

I was a bit sad that Rynn, Briggs’ mate, was unable to make it, but she was busy with wolf business. Boy oh boy, was she missing out.

We’d already distressed and detoxed in the
Jade Igloo Sauna
, sweated in the
Diamond Herbal Steam
Sauna, then had an invigorating
Cold Rainforest Shower
. Now, Haven and I soaked in a private tub that resembled a hot natural spring, more than an actual tub. It was serenity with a splash of bliss.

After about an hour soak, we met up with the others. All seated in pedicure chairs that massaged my back brilliantly while a poor woman got to work on my feet. It’d been a while since I had a pedicure. Life had been crazy, so sue me for enjoying it fully.

The poor little Asian woman worked up a sweat while she went to town using her foot file paddle.

“My lover will enjoy this silky new body of mine,” Briar commented.

Briar, a Witch who, on the outside, looked about as pretty as they come. With coiled red hair, amazing aqua eyes—it all made her soft looking. Her mouth was entirely something different though. She sputtered profane and naughty comments constantly that had me holding back laughter.

I cracked an eye open and glanced at Haven. We both burst out laughing.

“Something funny, dears?” Briar asked.

“This tickles,” I said, gave a wiggle of my toes in an attempt to save the moment.

After that we joked, laughed, gossiped—did everything girls should do at a spa. But now, it was onto the body treatment, the dreaded hair removal.

Haven stayed with me, while one of the beauticians began waxing my brows. After she placed the gooey hot stuff on my brow, placed the cotton covering over it and pulled it off, I shouted, “Ow.”

“Stop being such a baby,” Haven retorted. “I went first and survived it.”

So, I could handle vampires, big bad witches, but all this ripping out my hair, plucking at my skin—I could live without.

When the woman finally finished assaulting my brows, she moved southbound. I shot straight up and held the fluffy robe tightly closed. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

“A Brazilian wax.” The beautician glanced at Haven. “That is what you ordered for her?”

“You did what?” I gasped.

“It’s not for you.” Haven giggled. “It’s for Kyden. Now, lie back.”

Resolving that it was better to just get this over with than spend the next twenty minutes arguing with Haven, only to have her win, I lay back down, grabbed onto the edge of the bed I was on and gripped it madly. “Oh, dear God.” Haven always won, dammit.

The beautician opened my legs and raised them so my feet rested on the sheets. She raised my robe up so it freed the part of my body I definitely did not want her to see and nudged at my legs to open them. “Just relax your legs.”

Yeah, right.

As she was about to get to business, I glanced up at her as she stood at the end of the bed looking down at my most private of places. “Not all of it. Don’t you dare leave me looking like a girl in a training bra!”

Haven chuckled. “I would never do that. It’ll be pretty.” She kept her gaze on my face which only made me happy. We were close and all, but if she had her eyes anywhere else, I’d throw a serious Nexi-fit.

I almost responded to her until the hot wax came across my skin. Instead, I closed my eyes and gritted my teeth. Oh, this was not going to be fun.

By the time it was over, my throat burned from all the screaming I did. Haven’s cheeks glittered with tears of laughter that flowed rapidly as she watched my pain.
Jerk.

Good thing I had the healing ability or I’d walk funny. I had to give it to Haven, it did look pretty. It’s not like I was a woman from the 1800’s, but I never went to this extent to keep things neat and tidy. This might become a ritual.

After I got dressed, I returned to the room to find Haven nearly bouncing with excitement. “This was only phase one of our fun night.”

“Wonderful,” I said sarcastically. “I can hardly wait to find out what’s in store for me next.” I had a real bad feeling about this.

When we got to our next venue, I couldn’t have been more on the mark. “Please tell me this is a joke?” A flashing sign that read
Manhattan Men
glowed in the night.

“You lived as a human once.” Haven giggled. “And this is what they do before they get married.” She took my hand, dragged me along. “Come on. It’ll be fun.”

Fun?

Haven paid our admission and as we stepped through, we were instantly hit with sounds of womens screams everywhere.

“God help me,” I groaned.

“Yum,” Misa purred from beside me and gave a sultry smile. “This is going to make my duty to the Underworld all too fun.”

“Huh?” was my only response.

“I’m a Sincubus.” When I stared blankly at her, she laughed and continued. “I steal souls by…gettin’ it on.”

“You do not?” I snapped, stunned.

She nodded, a very sexy move. “Sure do.” She glanced around at the near naked men dancing at the individual tables. “Look at them, all manly, and delicious.”

“Remember the rules, Misa.” I reminded her. “No one innocent.”

She laughed and waved away my concern. “We’re talking about strippers here. I bet one of them has done something, abused a girl or committed a crime. Don’t you worry yourself with that, I’ll find one.” Then, her look became one of determination. “By the way, we need to work on that. Your lack of knowledge of our world is…”

I stopped her next words by raising my hand. “I get it. You don’t need to go on.”

“We can go through everything after the bonding,” Misa replied, even though, she didn’t look at me any longer. Her focus locked on one of the men dancing to our left.

“Gross.” I tore my eyes from her and moved over to Haven, who was in discussion with the bartender. He looked from her to me, then gave huge smile.
Oh God!

Zia took my hand, dragged me over to a table, where the rest of our party had sat down. “I have never been to a place like this before,” her gaze followed one of the dancers as he walked by. “I see the appeal.”

I laughed too, unable to help it. Good lord, these men were practically perfect. The
Manhattan Men’s Club
knew how to put on a show. Every man was model-fit with perfect physiques, rugged handsome faces, and smiles that led the mind to a naughty nature.

“Mmm, these humans are scrumptious,” Briar purred.

Double gross!

Finally, Haven came over to the table with a hunky waiter in tow. She smiled as she sat next to me. The waiter handed us each a chocolate Martini and then two tequila shots. I grabbed the shots and downed them in two point two seconds. I needed to be drunk to survive this. Everyone laughed as I cringed from the gross effects of the shots. Tequila did one thing, got you drunk and that was about it. Yuck!

After everyone else knocked back their shots, Zia said, “Let’s get this party started. Haven, hand me a bill.” I could only stare at her in shock. She was so not going to do what I thought she was. “Let’s not tell Talon this part, but wow, look at them.”

I continued to stare in complete bafflement as she waved the bill in her hand. A dancer caught the gesture and sauntered on over. “Oh, dear God.” That was all my brain could comprehend.

The dancer spun Zia’s chair around and she gasped a little. Her eyes widened as he began to dance himself all over her. Haven bounced up and down screaming, as were the others. I just wanted to bury myself in the ground and die.

Three Martinis later, another two shots, I was a little more comfortable and found myself giggling right along with them. My hands and legs were covered in oil, since the men seemed to be smothered in it. Haven had taken it upon herself to continually hold bills over my head to keep the entertainment coming.

I was enjoying myself a bit. That was until a deep male voice said, “Ladies, you’re in for a treat tonight. Welcome to
Manhattan Men
! Soldiers, bring up the bride for her last night of freedom.”

Oh God. Oh God. Oh my fucking God!

Suddenly, four delicious looking hunky gods grabbed my chair, raised me up off the ground, and wisped me toward the stage. “I’m going to kill you,” I shouted at Haven on the way.

She was having a glorious ole time as she screamed and hollered along with the rest of our group. I, on the other hand, was mortified. It was one thing to be surrounded by others in this place, but to be put in the spotlight. Lord, help me.

I was planted right in the centre of the stage as the four men in sailor uniforms got right down to business. They danced around me as if I was some Queen and they were my servants. My face was as red as a tomato, I was sure of that. I tried to keep my eyes off them, but having their willies flapping around in front of me, I couldn’t look away.

Haven laughed hysterically. I scowled at her, which only made her laugh harder. By the end of it, I’d been flipped around, held upside down, humped, groped, and basically slapped with penises.

Thankfully, they released me, kissed my cheeks, and allowed me to get the hell off the stage. When I got back to the table, Haven’s tears streaked her face. Misa looked jealous. Briar and Zia just looked drunk.

“Please tell me that is it.” I hoped, pleaded, begged.

Haven nodded. “That was enough, let me tell you. Your face was priceless.”

Without another word said, I exited the strip club as fast as I could and practically ran back to the alleyway where we came into New York City.