AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Grinning to myself at that thought, I move to stand in front of the mirror as I check my outfit over. Black skinny jeans tucked into my chunky black boots, with a mint-green knit sweater finishing off the look. My hair is pulled into another high ponytail and my face is makeup free. As much as I enjoy doing my hair and makeup most days, today needs my focus more than anything, and that’s what I plan to concentrate on.
Just as I’m about to step away and go in search of the others, one of them appears behind me. In his crisp navy suit and white shirt, he looks as handsome as ever. I stand frozen in place as I watch him pause, his eyes raking over me from head to toe before his gaze finally meets mine in the mirror.
He runs his fingers through his hair as he moves closer to me, his steps slow and deliberate as his gaze drops from mine, only to settle on the necklace that has hung around my neck every day since he gifted it to me.
Alexi clears his throat as he finally comes to a complete stop behind me. He’s not close enough that we’re touching, but I can feel his body heat radiating off him, coating my skin with his presence as I shiver with the close proximity and the memory of yesterday still so fresh in my mind.
“Are you ready to head into the office? We need to figure out what is going on and do some more research, and there are more resources there…” His hand finds my waist as he meets my gaze and the mark on my arm tingles like it knows we’re trying to get rid of it.
“Still nothing from Hades?” I ask, already knowing the answer as his jaw tightens and his mouth forms a thin line. “Then into the office we shall go.” Spinning on the spot, I place my hands on his shoulders as I rise onto my tiptoes to kiss his lips. It’s quick and sweet, not the tantalizing hotness that enthralled us yesterday.
A small smile peeks at the corner of his mouth as he takes a step back and offers me his hand. My fingers lace with his like they’ve done so a million times and I fall into sync with his steps as we head for the door.
“I have to say though, it completely blows my mind that your roles are basically the epitome of gruesome and gory, yet you work casually and inconspicuously out of an office.” A soft chuckle passes my lips as I glance at him. No one would know they literally live to kill those worthy of death from their office. It’s crazy.
The grin he offers in response makes my own spread as he shrugs. “It blows mine too, but you can’t tell me I don’t look good in the suit that comes with it.”
I shake my head as we head up the stairs, another giggle teasing my lips. “You’re right, I could never lie like that. You’re way too hot in this get up, but your ego isn’t going to fit through the door if you carry on,” I reply, pointing ahead with a quirked brow.
With a snap of his fingers, I watch in surprise as the doorframe at the top of the stairs widens, creating a bigger space. My jaw nearly hits the floor before laughter consumes me. I pat his arm in disbelief as I look up at him. “Oh, Alexi woke up with a sense of humor this morning, huh? I like it.”
His fingers tighten around mine as he grins down at me. “Keep that sass coming and I’ll fuck it right out of you,” he breathes, leaning a little closer as we attempt to stay in step.
I’d let any of these men lead me into the dark with them as my only guide. Up a set of stairs, down into the depths of Hell, and everywhere in between. Especially Alexi when he’s in this kind of mood. Who am I kidding? Even if he’s being a total asshole, he’s still my asshole.
My heart swells in my chest as I clench my fingers as tightly around his as he did to me before cocking my head to the side and giving him the cheekiness I know he secretly loves.
“Hmm. Promises, promises.”
The ability to arrive at the office with the snap of our fingers definitely eliminates a lot of the risk factor. There’s no chance of an ambush like last time, that’s for sure. The memory of it threatens to invade my thoughts again, but I shake my head, pushing it back down.
We might have arrived without any issue, but that doesn’t mean we’ve all of a sudden found the answers we need. Far from it. From the conversations we’ve had as a group, our first order of business is to determine how they are even able to create these marks.
Sitting at the same conference table we were at last time, I glance at each of my men, seeing the same hint of frustration in their eyes. The answer isn’t screaming out at us, it’s hidden, wanting us to delve into a huge pursuit to find what we need, but where the fuck do we start? They’ve already been to Hades, who didn’t have the answers they needed. So where do we turn after that?
“Is there a reason you haven’t gone and talked to the Keres directly?” The question slips from my mouth before I even process the realization that I haven’t asked that already. The grim smile I get from Talon sitting across the table from me tells me there is, but it’s Alexi who answers me.
“Because that’s not how it works. That’s never been how it works, H.” His jaw somehow manages to tighten even more than it already has as he taps his fingers on the table.
“Hades is the only contact we’ve ever had,” Malik expands, placing his palm on my knee in comfort as I turn to look at him. “And despite the fact that he’s the only kind of authority we can discuss the situation with, the only person with the chance of having any answers at all, I believe him when he says he doesn’t fully understand what’s going on either.”
I look at the others to see them nodding in agreement as a heavy sigh blows through my lips. This is an entirely new world to me, away from Saints Academy, deeper and darker corners of the supernatural world than I’m used to, and I have no idea where I should be looking.
Pressing my fingers into my temples, I close my eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath before I blink them back open again. We’ve been here for over two hours and the new setting definitely hasn’t aided us in finding the information we need.
“I need coffee,” I mumble, squeezing Malik’s hand on my thigh before rising from my seat.
“Need help?” Talon offers, but I shake my head. Making coffee is mundane as Hell, but it’s a simple task that I can actually achieve right now.
“No, I’m good. You guys keep thinking.” I point at the freshly-scattered papers covering the desk. “Does anyone else want some?”
The three of them decline in sync before I turn on the spot and head for the door. Stepping out into the reception area, I take a second to remember which room is the kitchen before walking around the receptionist's desk to the other side, slipping through the open door.
I fall into a rhythm as I set up the coffee machine, the sound of it whirling into action settling me a little. Reaching for a mug, I grab a random white one, and my moment of calmness is shattered when a sickly sweet perfume hits my nose. Glancing back over my shoulder, I internally roll my eyes when I find the receptionist standing in the doorway.
The tension is instantly palpable, but I still offer a tight smile before turning back to what I’m doing. Maybe if I don’t engage with her she’ll go away, but something tells me I’m just not that lucky.
What did Talon say her name was again? Greta?
