Hyde, an Urban Fantasy (19 page)

Sadly, that wasn’t the case. He struggled for a moment and ended up speaking through his teeth. “Is all of this
his
fault? Is he doing something to you?”

“Of course not.” She laughed at the idea of Mitch with crazy mad-scientist hair, sitting in a lab, brewing up some kind of potion like the doctor in Jekyll and Hyde. “What could he be doing to me?”

He held her eyes, his own sad and filled with regret. “I don’t know.” Then he shrugged and went into the kitchen. “Tell me about the sleepover,” he called out over the sound of a beer being opened.

“Did I mention that you’re invited?” Why wasn’t she telling him? Being honest about everything? Because it would hurt him? Or because it would hurt them both?

Wednesdays were normally Eden’s get-comfy-on-the-couch-and-catch-up-on-trashy-television night, not her sit-stiffly-on-the-couch-with-two-men-and-being-the-main-event evening. But there she sat, across from Mitch and next to Carter, her back sunk deeply into the cushions of the green second-hand piece of junk Carter had bought a few years ago.

The memory flashed through her mind—Carter waiting for her to say she hated his first attempt at making a home for both of them, looking at her anxiously. Kind of like he was looking at her right now. Except back then, he’d also had an apologetic expression, as if what he’d bought wasn’t good enough for her.

And just look at us now.
Another pair of peepers had been added to the mix—Mitch’s bright hazel ones. Two sets of eyes staring at her, waiting for . . . She had no idea what they were waiting for.  She broke the awkward silence. “So? What now?”

Mitch was the only one of them who appeared half-way relaxed, leaning on one arm of the blue and green, worn side-chair. “You sure you want him to be here?” he asked, flicking his head toward Carter.

 “I’m not leaving you alone with her,” Carter said.

Eden was so tired of their territorial squabbles. “I don’t even know what’s supposed to happen.”

“You need to sleep,” Mitch told her.

Eden sighed. “Yeah, like I can sleep with you two staring at me.”

Standing up, Carter said, “Maybe you should take a sleeping pill or something.”

“No. She can’t. She can’t be sedated.”

“Why not?” Eden asked. He didn’t answer. Not surprising.

Carter flopped back on the couch grumpily. “What the hell are we doing here?”

Mitch didn’t look at him. “You’ll see.”

“This is beyond insane.”

“You got any board games?” Mitch asked.

Eden and Carter glared at him.

He shrugged. “What? They’re called
board
games for a reason.”

She refused to go to her room—the idea of them staring at her lying on her bed was even less appealing than this.

After what seemed like hours of trading glances, shifting positions, and grumbling about the uselessness of the evening, they were all showing signs of fatigue. Eden yawned. The men popped to attention, waking her up more than a fistful of No-Doz would have.

Mitch stood and wandered around the apartment, stretching. “Did you get the books?”

Eden sighed inwardly, risking only a sideways glance to Carter. “Yes,” she whispered, feeling extremely ridiculous.
As if I’m hiding anything from anyone.

“Did you read one of them?”

“Yes.” She knew he’d assume it was the dumbed-down one. Which it wasn’t. She had some pride, after all. Especially when someone was silently challenging her. Of course, she hoped he didn’t ask which one she’d read because then she’d have to tell him the truth and risk upsetting Carter even more. Although Carter would never guess that by choosing to read the original story, and staying up until the early hours of this morning to do so, Eden had imagined herself closer to Mitch somehow. No, it was better to let Mitch assume she took the easy way out.

“What’d you think?”

She blinked, ignoring Carter’s stare. “Of what?”

Mitch’s eyes narrowed. “Of the book.”

“Good versus evil. Crazy doctor with a monster inside of him that keeps popping out whenever it wants to. Good story. Read it in high school, I think. Sad ending.”

Truth was, the story had given her chills. Why had Mitch given it to her? She wasn’t being doped. Sure, after reading the book, she’d vowed to never again drink anything green. But being short, hairy and evil? No. Her other personality wasn’t evil, just horny. And creepy. Not evil. Eden hoped. And there was a reason Jekyll and Hyde was found in the fiction section of a bookstore. It was fiction. But it had given her chills nonetheless.

Both men looked at her, but said nothing. Which was really the biggest favor she could’ve asked.

Another uncomfortable hour passed. Then a few more.

§          §          §

After Carter slumped further down the high-back of the sofa and nodded off, Mitch watched Eden struggle to keep her eyes open. He wanted to tell her to stop fighting the sleep, but knew it was only a matter of time. Fifteen minutes later, she gave in. He watched the subtle lifting and lowering of her chest as her breathing slowed.

Then her body started to move in a totally different way. She arched her back, untucking her ankles from under her ass, rubbing her hands down her thighs.

After a moment of indecision, Mitch nudged Carter awake. She wanted the boy scout in on this, so if he freaked out, that was
her
problem. “You won’t wanna miss this.”

“Go to hell.” Carter barely opened his eyes, readjusting himself. Then he caught sight of Eden’s flowing form and was wide awake.

Her body squirmed, shifted, arched. She let out a long moan as Chastity broke free and came out to play.

“Fuck, that’s hot,” Mitch muttered.

“Shut the hell up. She’s just dreaming.” Carter scooted away from her, perching himself on the arm of the couch. “Why are we even—?”

She tugged her shirt over her head, tossing it to the floor and ran her hand over her bra, unclipping the front-closure. Tight, full breasts bounced out, freed.

Mitch shook his head. “And you slept through that?”

“Holy hell! What is she doing?”

Her hair lengthened before their bulging eyes, changing from its normal dark brunette into deep scarlet curls. She slid her shorts down her hips, taking her panties along for the ride.

Completely naked, Chastity opened her eyes—now a pale, pale blue—and looked at them both, a wicked smile showing off her pearly whites.

“Take your clothes off, boys.”

Carter looked like he was about to bolt. “What the—”

“Hello, Chastity.”

“Hi, Mitch. Can I have you now? Both of you?”

Carter’s breath came out in gasps. “Oh, fuck.”

“Yes, please.” Her voice resumed the lower pitch Mitch recognized from their previous encounters.

“Chastity?” Mitch walked around the small, wooden coffee table and reached into the bag he’d brought with him.

“Yes, Mitch.”

“I’m going to tie you up.”

“Okay.”

Carter jumped off the couch. “No frigging way.”

“Chastity wants me to”—Mitch shot a look of warning at Carter, but kept his tone calm as if speaking to a child—“don’t you?”

“Yes.” She offered up her wrists, grinning.

Mitch pulled out a pair of metal handcuffs. He scanned the room, looking for something strong enough to hold her. “Let’s go into the bedroom.”

Carter pushed Mitchell away from her. “Get the hell out of here, you bastard!”

“Listen, you little prick. You wanted to be here.” He didn’t have time to play nicey-nicey with the guy. Chastity was too unpredictable at this point. “Now you go along or you leave.”

“I’m not going to let you do anything to her.”

Chastity focused all her attention onto Mitch, apparently unhappy with Carter’s attitude. “Can we fuck now?” She followed him into the bedroom, squeezing his ass as she ran past him, and jumped up on the bed, stretching her arms above her toward the scrolled, wrought-iron headboard.

Carter followed in a daze.  “Eden doesn’t cuss.”

Mitch closed one side of the cuffs onto Chastity’s thin wrist, wrapped them around the thickest piece of iron and carefully clamped the other side onto her. “She’s not Eden. Are you?”

“Hell no.” Her brow furrowed as she watched Mitch step back to where Carter stood by the door. “Mitch?”

“I’m going to be right over here, watching you, babe.”

“Don’t call me babe.”

He held out his hands, as if talking someone down off the edge of a building. “Okay.”

“Call me bitch.” Chastity giggled and tossed her head back. Her dark red hair spread out on the pillow.

Mitch thought she looked like an angel might—if the angel had fallen very hard into a very naughty position.
Focus. She’s not just one of the hottest things you’ve ever laid eyes on. She’s cursed.

Just like you.

Carter stumbled back, hitting the doorjamb. “This is what’s wrong with her. When she doesn’t get—”

“Get what?” Mitch snapped.

“Rest. When she doesn’t sleep.”

That made no sense. Mitch studied the guy. “Are you in shock?”

“I can’t touch myself.” She writhed on the bed, flipping over and sticking her ass in the air. Then she tugged against her shackles.

Mitch blew out a breath, hoping it would force his lungs to refill. “And you fucking slept through this.”

“Touch me.” She pulled against the straps, getting increasingly angrier. “Fuck me! Hurt me! Do something!”

Mitch knew it would happen, knew she’d be upset at being trapped, caged. He’d felt it himself. “How do you feel, Chastity? Are you in pain?”

“I want to be. Please!” she cried.

Mitch held Carter back from rushing over to free her. “Did you hurt anyone, Chastity?”

“Yes.”

His grip on Carter’s arm tightened, no longer to keep Carter back, but to steady himself.
What if—
“Who did you hurt?”

“You.”

He sighed. “Did you hurt anyone who didn’t want to be hurt?”

Carter turned, wide-eyed, toward him. Mitch just shrugged.

She yanked back from the headboard. The metal creaked, but held. “Why are you talking? I don’t want to talk. I want to fuck.” Her voice came out as a screech.

“We will . . .” The word—one that he’d never called anyone, yet had no more meaning than any of the others he’d used countless times without thinking—felt so wrong suddenly. He knew he wasn’t talking to Eden, but still had to force it from his mouth. “Bitch.”

 “Like hell,” Carter growled.

Mitchell elbowed him hard. “But not yet. First we talk.”

“I don’t want to talk anymore,” she whined.

“It’s turning Carter on though. He wants to hear more. Don’t you, Carter?”

 “No! What’s wrong with her? Is this her other personality? She said—”

“Afraid not. She’s something else entirely.”

“I think— I need to breathe.” Carter put a hand across his mouth, turned, and ran out of the room. “Don’t you— Don’t you touch her, goddamn it!”

Mitch heard Carter cursing to himself in the living room, his words cut off by what Mitch could only assume was dry-heaving. But Mitch stayed focused on the woman—
No, the Hyde
—in front of him. “Chastity. Tell me. Tell me who you hurt . . . besides me.”

“You liked it, didn’t you?” she purred.