Three Trials Read online

  They all look torn between laughing and murdering someone.

  Jude forces himself to release me and take a few steps back, his body visibly straining with the effort it takes. I’m a little lightheaded, if I’m being honest.

  It really does feel like the final piece has clicked into place. I feel so much stronger now.

  I go phantom with ease and zap around the house several times before landing back in front of them with a grin on my lips.

  “Much better. Apparently the four of you still make me stronger.”

  They don’t look quite as amused as I do.

  “Great,” I groan. “What now? What have I missed in the month I’ve been dead that has put all of you in such a terrible mood?” I ask on an exasperated sigh.

  Given the condition of the house, I’ve missed a lot.

  “Not much,” Ezekiel says, clearing his throat. “No one has tried to kill us since Jude killed Lake. Only the Devil’s highest appointed generals should have been able to kill an escort. It seemed to send a message.”

  I look around the house, seeing all of it torn to pieces. Hell, even the chandeliers look like they’re warped.

  “Then why does it look like a war raged on in here?” I ask, bringing my gaze back down.

  “You were fucking dead,” Gage says again, coming closer as though he has to touch me after saying those words. “We broke laws, hijacked royal escorts, and broke into hell numerous times to find out what happened to you. Not recycled. Not in hell’s throat. Simply fucking dead.”

  His hand moves to my cheek, cupping it.

  Kai moves forward, reaching his hand out for me. I take it and let him pull me away from Gage and into his arms.

  “But what happened to the house?” I ask him, since Gage didn’t answer.

  “You fucking died,” Kai says, and this time…I get it.

  With a more educated eye, I look around again, seeing the distress and anger that went into destroying this room. Beyond us is the kitchen in the same disarray, but I notice the dents in the walls and pans, the fury that went into all that destruction.

  This wasn’t a struggle to survive. This was a grieving tantrum.

  They grieved me?

  “Oh,” I say on a quiet breath. “Didn’t realize you four liked me quite that much,” I add even quieter, rather shocked, really.

  Kai’s finger slips under my chin as he glares down at me. Leave it to Kai to act like it’s my fault they buried me so far away.

  “I might have healed faster if you’d left me in my damn room instead of tossing me out like yesterday’s virgin girlfriend,” I state primly.

  He grips my shoulders as his eyes harden. I don’t tell him it actually kind of hurts. My entire body is actually a little achy, if I’m being honest.

  One type of soul-burning pain has been replaced with an achy, uncomfortable, and certainly untimely sort of pain.

  “You. Were. Fucking. Dead,” he says, punctuating each word very unnecessarily loud.

  I’m not sure why he’s insisting on saying that. I said I get it.

  “That doesn’t explain why you buried me instead of leaving me in my room,” I point out, ignoring the growing ache spreading out from my stomach. “It’s not like any of you ever used my room before I took it, so it’s not putting you out.”

  Kai gives me the neck-wringing look before his lips are on mine again, almost punishing me for trying to make sense of their rambles.

  As much as I want to keep kissing him, I can’t. My head drops to stare at the subtly expanding bruise on my waist, and I slightly curse. I might finally get my virginity taken if I wasn’t in too much physical duress to do it.

  “Shit,” Kai says, almost as though he’s just noticing the fact the stab wound isn’t there, but it’s still leaving a mark.

  In the next breath, he’s lifting me and cradling me to him, and I give him an incredulous look. “I’m not quite that helpless. I can still stand. Just maybe don’t grip me so hard,” I tell him, expecting a grimace and an apology. Not an exasperated eye roll. Which is what I get.

  He sits down, still holding me like I’m glass, and cradles me to him like I’m precious. To be honest, it’s freaking me out.

  “Who are you and where is Kai?” I ask him, moving my hand up his chest a little hesitantly.

  The really angry glare he gives me can’t be duplicated by anyone other than Jude. So I realize it’s actually him. And he’s being nice. It’s still freaking me out.

  “I can’t be satisfied,” I say on a sigh, annoyed with my own self.

  Nobody even bothers to ask what that means. It’s as though they know it’s a private conversation with myself. It’s like they get me. Finally.

  Sort of.

  They’re still completely disregarding my list of expectancies.

  Ezekiel crouches in front of me, his finger tracing over the bruise, and I wince while painfully swallowing back the weak little cry I almost give up from such a little touch that shouldn’t hurt so badly.

  “Lucifer’s poison did this to you,” Ezekiel says while grinding his jaw. “Lake was armed with it either by him, or by her father. She was part of a group preparing to overthrow hell, though the facts on that are still murky,” he adds.

  “But she was also a royal escort—”

  “No, royal escorts wear bags over their heads. I’ve seen what they look like without them,” I point out, then smile bitterly. “She definitely didn’t have to wear a bag.”

  “In hell, she’s hideous. Topside…you saw. The balance was grotesque in one place, exquisite in another,” Gage goes on, cracking his neck.

  “Wait, you mean those scarred, charred, and half human guards…she looked like one of them? They made them bag their heads because the Devil thought they were too stomach-curdling for him to have to see so often.”

  Frowning, I try to remember exactly how I know that last part. Did Lucifer say something about it?

  “The point is,” Gage goes on, drawing me out of my reverie, “she worked for both. She might have done it for the rebellion because Lucifer needs us. She might have done it for Lucifer to spare herself from the culling going on. So we don’t know which one wants us dead, and which one wants us on their side. But in the past month since Jude killed her, everyone has gone silent. Not even Harold has called me until today. We’ve not even been charged with bringing in souls.”

  “But why would—” My words cut off when I feel something coming, and I go phantom in the next instant.

  I also put on the first outfit that comes to mind, like I’m shielding my naked form before someone sees me and pisses off the guys. They like me, so that means they’ll be jealous, right?

  Seems important they be jealous, though I’m not sure why.

  I shake my head, blaming the fact I’m still a little poisoned for my even more random-than-usual thought process. I feel so clean now at least.

  “She’s back, isn’t she?” a familiar voice asks from behind me somewhere.

  Kai leaps up, and I end up on the chair alone as he passes through me and turns around, taking a defensive stance.

  I poke my head through the chair, seeing Lamar standing there and looking overly excited. Jude swirls a sword in his hand, coming to stand a little in front of my head like he’s protecting me.

  “I thought so,” Lamar says as he takes them in. “We heard of a botched attack on one of you in New Orleans last month. Then I lost the feel of her,” he goes on, stepping closer. “Then I felt her again, and knew this time without a doubt it was her. She feels weakened, though.”

  Jude takes a step toward him, and Lamar frowns at him like he’s offended for some reason.

  “I’m not sure what’s going on right now,” he says, sounding genuinely frustrated. “I understand she somehow resurrected you as mortals and gifted you a chance to live with a balance that defies all laws. She never was much of one for the rules, and she broke them quite frequently. But why keep up the charade now that you’ve clearl
y been outed?”

  “Is he talking about me? I think he’s confused,” I tell the guys, moving closer to Kai, even though the wound is starting to drain me now that the adrenaline is wearing off.

  “She’ll heal faster in hell,” Lamar goes on. “You know it. They’ll never know I gave you passage, and you can continue to keep your secret. I won’t tell them, if she really doesn’t want them to know. But why keep it a secret from me?” Lamar asks, actually sounding a little hurt. “Especially when she’s spent over a month healing from whatever it is she could have healed immediately from with my help.”

  “Anyone have a clue why he sounds betrayed?” I stage-whisper.

  “No,” Kai says from beside me, confusion written all over his face.

  Lamar looks between the four of them, who are all staring at him like he’s just tipped over the edge of the weirdo cliff.

  Lamar has a moment of confusion cross his features when he sees it written all over theirs. I’m not sure if he’s mimicking subconsciously, or if he’s genuinely confused by their confusion.

  It’s all really confusing, if you want my opinion.

  Then his eyes widen as though he’s just realized something as he takes a shaky step back.

  “You truly have no fucking clue who I am, do you?”

  “Yes…” Gage’s drawl is exaggerated, as though he’s talking to a crazy person. “Your Manella’s boyfriend.”

  “Only because the royals don’t believe in marriage of any kind,” he feels the need to defend. “But at least you said boyfriend instead of lover,” he goes on.

  Noted.

  “That’s all you know me as? You’re not just playing some game?” Lamar asks as though this is a very crucial question.

  The quad exchanges a look of confusion, and Lamar takes a step back. “Son of a bitch. How the hell did she do that?”

  “He’s not making a damn bit of sense,” Ezekiel points out.

  “Thank you,” I groan. “I was worried that I’m just stupid.”

  “Is that how you have a balance now?” Lamar says as though he just thought of something that makes him a genius.

  “I’m about to go whole and shake him down for answers that make sense if someone else doesn’t do it for me,” I say on a sigh.

  Ezekiel is grabbing Lamar in the next instant, but Lamar simply winks, and we’re suddenly in a windowless room full of elegant décor.

  “And we’re in hell,” I say on a sigh. “Again.”

  But the pain vanishes, and I make the phantom shirt disappear to reveal the bruise is finally gone.

  “She’s better, isn’t she?” Lamar asks, and I quickly make my shirt reappear and dart a gaze up at him.

  He’s not looking at me. Whew. Thought he could see me.

  His eyes are on the four guys who are all slowly looking away as though they were studying the healed injury as well.

  “Feeling much, much better,” I tell them. “Don’t kill him yet,” I add to Ezekiel, whose lips twitch as he takes a step back and releases Lamar.

  “She just told you not to kill me yet, didn’t she?” Lamar asks with an excited grin.

  “You heard her?” Jude growls, as though Lamar has committed a grave offense.

  In the next instant, Kai is behind him, a sword pressed to the base of his neck.

  “Either you’re being very cruel right now, Paca, or they’re not the only ones who lost their memories. Which means everything I just think I figured out will be null and void, and you might very damn well let them kill me. Which means I’m an idiot for bringing you all here without alerting anyone.”

  He clears his throat.

  “A big, dumb idiot,” he says nervously as he looks around, waiting for someone to crack a grin and tell him we’re all kidding.

  No grins are cracked.

  “I can’t hear her. I just know that’s something she’d say if she was toying with me. But I’m starting to think she genuinely has no clue who I am. But why would she save me in that damn prison if she didn’t know me? She knows my role with spirits and—”

  “She doesn’t know your role with spirits, but I’m really intrigued, because I’d also like to know,” Jude tells him, smiling wickedly as Kai steps a little closer with that sword, bearing in a bit, just barely not breaking the skin.

  “You should sharpen your blades some time,” I tell him. “Apparently you’ve all gotten volatile and lazy this past month when I wasn’t around to make you awesome.”

  Ezekiel blows out a harsh breath, as though he’s silently imploring me to shut the hell up.

  “I think it’s time I explain a little better,” Lamar says a little less confidently, keeping his hands raised to show he’s no threat. But I’ve seen a lot of power roll out of him.

  He could easily knock them away long enough to disappear. Or possibly kill one.

  That has me on high alert as I cross my arms over my chest and pay attention to his every movement. Lake taught me to never be caught off guard again.

  No wonder the guys are so paranoid. Now I finally get it. You just can’t trust people associated with hell. Who knew?

  I never trusted her, of course, but they spent centuries trusting her—even caring for her.

  I’m so glad she’s dead.

  “You see, we worked really hard to keep you out of the trials, because—”

  “It was you?” Kai growls, at the same time I say, “That’s a terribly stupid way for him to start this explanation.”

  Jude snorts, then looks really angry when he has to fight a grin while he’s trying to be really pissed off. It results in him glaring at me as he finally straightens his face.

  “For a reason!” Lamar shouts.

  Kai barely eases back.

  “For a reason,” Lamar says again, swallowing thickly.

  Then he disappears, and we whirl around as he lands on his desk, sitting comfortably.

  “I’m afraid I’ll need some distance from you four until Paca remembers me.”

  “Paca is so not the badass name I was looking for,” I tell them. “I’m a Xena, or Phoenix…something like that.”

  Kai groans as he glares over at me.

  “She’s consistently saying inappropriate things at the worst possible times, which debunks the very serious nature of the situations around. Am I right?” Lamar asks them. “Is she the same?”

  “I think he can hear her,” Ezekiel decides.

  “No!” Lamar shouts when they start to advance on him. He holds his hands up defensively, then adds, “I can kill you, since you’re lacking a lot of information about your power, it seems, but you can’t kill me. However, I can swear I won’t touch you at all. She’d kill me if I did.”

  “That last part actually made sense to me, so that’s improvement,” I tell them.

  “She loves hard,” he goes on. “Very hard,” he adds, smiling like he’s proud of that. “She’s the most jealous person you’ll ever find.”

  That makes a few of them smirk.

  “I’m not that bad,” I remind them.

  “She’ll go to the ends of the earth to save you four. And she’ll always be serious when it counts. Because while she distracts you from the intensity of the situation, she’s cataloguing each new piece of information, filing it away, recording it for later, then she puts it all together with the most reasonable way to approach a situation. Though to us, we often find it maddening or just crazy. But we don’t have the same ability to reason as she does.”

  “He was doing good until the end,” I say, convinced he’s kissing my ass because he thinks I’m running this show. It’s rather empowering, if I do say so myself.

  “Let him live. I’m healed, so take me home and give me many orgasms,” I state like I’m the queen and they must do my bidding.

  Kai snorts, reminding me that’s not really the way this relationship works.

  Lamar groans, probably because he has no idea what their seemingly random facial tics and amused or disgruntled sounds are
in response to.

  “The point is, I know her. She’s actually my best friend,” Lamar adds.

  I perk right up at that confession. I’ve never been someone’s best friend before. The novelty of it is quite intriguing in itself.

  The others aren’t quite as impressed as I am.

  “Fine, let’s start with the basics. You four don’t even know who you are, do you?” Lamar asks.

  “The Four Horsemen,” I state automatically, acting as though I’ll win a prize if I say it first, even though I can’t be heard by him.

  “No,” Ezekiel says, rolling his eyes at me.

  Kai presses himself against my back, giving me those tingles I can feel again now that all the pain is gone.

  “I figured it’d be obvious by now, but you’re the Four Horsemen,” Lamar tells them.

  I fist pump the air, and my outfit turns into the sexy Devil Halloween costume just to bring some rather insensitive humor to the moment, as I start pointing at them one by one.

  “See? I knew it! And I was right. It’s actually a little anticlimactic because of how glaringly obvious it’s been all this time,” I say, feeling a little deflated by the end.

  The quick burst of adrenaline burns out from the lack of suspense that led into it.

  “But they died during a collision of the two kingdoms or something,” Gage states as though he’s reminding him of that.

  “Of course they died,” Lamar agrees. “But I’m not cleared for the true details as to how you were killed.”

  “They couldn’t be recycled because they were too imbalanced or something,” Gage goes on, dealing with the partial bits of information they’ve collected about hell over the years.

  “Recycling doesn’t work this way. We would have been spit out into hell’s throat again for a new form. Not reborn topside,” Ezekiel is quick to add.

  “They were imbalanced, and it made sense to believe that death was permanent. Recycling certainly does not end up with a new birth. Yet here you are,” Lamar goes on, gesturing at them. “New bodies. New faces. No doubt hand-selected by her. I’m almost positive that’s why you’re built with bodies and faces that perfect.”