6. Seggs

  (Zeyna)

  Sera unbraided her hair, giggling to herself in the standing mirror about Satan knew what. She’d been on an energy high since we’d gotten back from the grocery store, and now she was tipsy on top of it.

  She looked too cute in her baby pink cotton pajamas; I could just eat her up. I called to her from where I lounged on the bedroom sofa and threw a marshmallow. It bounced off her chin, but her hand launched for it—five second rule.

  The door clicked closed, and Lina moved past me to grab her bag, stuffing her toiletries back inside. Pushing my feet aside, she fell onto the sofa.

  “Lady Luna, let me sleep—I’m so tired!”

  I offered her the cinnibun chips, and the bag crinkled from my fingertips. She crunched and munched away.

  “Save me some!” Sera whined.

  “Calm down, it’s a family-size bag.”

  “And you’re a family-sized girl—sorry, sounded less savage in my head.”

  “Yeah… I’m sure. Hurry up, they’re waiting.”

  “Let them,” she said.

  It certainly was an option. Zeph could wait forever for Sera. What was a few more minutes, hours even? I, on the other hand, didn’t need to wait, so I pushed off the sofa.

  “I’m heading down.” I pointed to Lina. “Don’t you dare fall asleep up here.”

  She hummed a non-committal noise, her mouth full.

  I skipped down the steps and then hopped over the sofa. Upon grabbing my magi-tab off the coffee table, it hummed to life but only greeted me with a notification from the Mafia, which I barely skimmed. Zeph seemed to be answering, so I didn’t bother to invest myself yet. I settled deeper into the sofa and flinched when he jostled me.

  Zeph rounded into the living room, transporting drinks and snacks to the coffee table. “You do realize that Lina and Kayo are probably going to fall asleep during the movie.”

  I shrugged. “It’s fine, we’ve seen it before already—Kayo, though?” I grabbed a handful of popcorn.

  “He’s like dead on the bed upstairs.”

  “Go wake him up.”

  “You go.”

  “Go wake him up,” I insisted and held my tablet up to him, highlighting the time—12:06 AM.

  He clicked his tongue and stalked off, and I sighed melodiously. I was going to enjoy this.

  The glass vibrated in my fingertips, and I flipped it, shoving the rest of the popcorn in my mouth and wiping my hand on my flowy maroon pants.

  Private | Zai’len Vash’ta

  Zai’len Vash’ta: You wanna know what I’m thinking?

  Zeyna: About me? ;)

  Zai’len Vash’ta: Yeah…

  Zai’len Vash’ta: And how damn right you were about strawberry milk and mini fudgsters

  I gasped, having totally forgotten about my Mini Fudgsters. Rushing to the kitchen, I tugged the fridge open and transferred the strawberry milk into a glass perfect for dipping.

  “I’m here, see,” Lina said, following Sera into the living room.

  They fell onto the perpendicular sofa—the longer of the two—in front of the magi-graph above the fireplace. I returned to my empty sofa, giddy with glee. My heart danced as I pried back the wrapping and dunked a cookie. Letting it sit for a dozen seconds, I shoved it into my mouth and swayed. So damn right—so damn good. I sighed happily and Kayo eyed me, crossing to the chair on the far side of the room.

  Zeph flicked off the lights and took up a spot on the floor between me and Sera. He grabbed for a snack, and I stretched to flick his head.

  “Start it.”

  He hummed and grabbed the remote, ripping at a gummy.

  Just as the movie finished its long beginning credits, finally starting, Lina’s soft voice said, “Can you get me a blanket, Zeph? I’m kinda cold.”

  He clicked his tongue again with a huff, and she smiled sweetly as he stalked off.

  With my snacks balanced precariously in front of me, I got comfortable, nestling into a pillow and wrapping a wing around me. “Get me one too!” I yelled to Zeph.

  He returned and threw the fuzzy gray blanket at me, and I cussed him out for nearly knocking over my milk. Then I silently snickered to myself about how childish it sounded. I flipped him a middle finger when he turned from spreading Lina’s blanket over her and Sera so compassionately. I questioned whether he was even a Demon. Our mother might’ve been sickened by the sight alone.

  “You only won the game because of Sera and Lina,” he whispered to me, “so what do you expect?” He turned back to the movie.

  “You wanna fight, bitch boy,” I hissed back, but he ignored me. I huffed and grabbed my tablet, and double tapped the message I’d forgotten to reply to.

  Private | Zai’len Vash’ta

  Zai’len Vash’ta: By the way did you steal my beer???

  Zeyna: What??? No… I’d never dare

  Zeyna: *sips an Orlon 465 pale ale*

  Zai’len Vash’ta: Thief! I knew it! Beers don’t just get up and walk off on their own

  Zeyna: This one did… I don’t know how it got in my part of the cart

  Zeyna: Didn’t even realize until we got home

  Zai’len Vash’ta: And where is this home because I want them back

  Zeyna: Oh… you sure you don’t want to drive forty minutes to get another pack?

  Zai’len Vash’ta: Mmmm no, I don’t think so…

  Zeyna: What if I told you four of them got up and walked off on their own?

  Zeyna: Or maybe they drank themselves

  Zai’len Vash’ta: Hahah, well in that case, I hoped they enjoyed themselves

  Zai’len Vash’ta: And I’ll just suffer :’)

  Zeyna: Aw no! We Demons have already suffered enough!

  Zai’len Vash’ta: Exactly, the last thing we need is our beers drinking themselves

  “Zeyna, turn your tab off! The light is distracting,” Sera hissed, and I glowered at her in the dark. I tapped through the settings and lowered the screen brightness, tucking the glass deeper under the blanket. The glass buzzed in my hands and I didn’t bother to look up at the movie.

  Zai’len Vash’ta: What are you doing?

  Zai’len Vash’ta: Strawberry milk and fudgsters at this time sounds like you’ll be up forever

  Zeyna: Longer

  Zai’len Vash’ta: Longer than forever? :’D

  Zeyna: Yep, watching a movie

  Zai’len Vash’ta: Oh! You should’ve said so, I’ll stop distracting you.

  Zeyna: It’s fine, I’ve seen it before

  Zai’len Vash’ta: Well in that case…

  Zeyna: In that case, what are you doing?

  Zai’len Vash’ta: Well, you see, I went to go have a beer and…

  Zeyna: And they’d walked off, gotcha… the struggle

  Zai’len Vash’ta: Indeed, nearly as bad as getting blood on your Villencini

  Zeyna: Almost but not quite but I can make up for it

  Zai’len Vash’ta: Oh?

  Zeyna: When you come over for our bbq tomorrow

  Zai’len Vash’ta: Oh?

  Zeyna: Yep, not like you have anything better going on right?

  Zeyna: I’ll keep the last two beers that decided to stay for you

  Zai’len Vash’ta: Holding my beer hostage now?

  Zai’len Vash’ta: That’s low, Zeyna, that’s low

  Zeyna: I do what I have to

  Zai’len Vash’ta: Sadly I can’t get out of my plans

  Zai’len Vash’ta: But what time do you leave?

  Zeyna: Monday afternoon

  Zai’len Vash’ta: Pick any time after saturday and I’m yours

  Zeyna: I like the sound of that :3

  Zeyna: How about Saturday night? What time are your plans over?

  Zai’len Vash’ta: How about now?

  Zeyna: I don’t know if I can get away

  Zai’len Vash’ta: Oh, so that’s a valid excuse for you but not me?

  Zai’len Vash’ta: I see how it is

  Zeyna: Well… the movie did just start, I think I might have a couple hours

  Zeyna: Where do you want to meet?

  Zai’len Vash’ta: 3650 Symbiosis, come alone

  Zeyna: I planned on it

  Zai’len Vash’ta: Don’t come alone, bring my beers

  Zeyna: You’re making my job a whole lot harder

  I checked for glazed eyes around the room and found Kayo already knocked out on the chair, his neck stretched back, mouth hanging open, and Lina snoozing on Sera’s shoulder. Slowly, I finished my milk and eased out of the blanket, slipping from the couch casually as if I were simply going to the washroom.

  Carefully swiping the beer from the counter, I tiptoed up the steps back to the bedroom. After changing quickly and quietly—I didn’t dare meet a man in my pajamas—I exited onto the balcony and took off into the night sky. The cool breeze made for the perfect temperature as I flew over rooftop after rooftop.

  A fifteen-minute fly away, I eased to a stop, smirking. He hovered in the air, a dark form, his hands glowing. My tablet buzzed in my back pocket, and I checked it on my way over to him: Guess who?

  Zai’len met me halfway, floating past me. “Long time no see,” he said, and I turned, my wings flapping furiously to stay upright.

  “So long I forgot what you look like, more handsome than I remember.”

  “The night can do that to a man.”

  He floated closer, his face inches away from mine as he grabbed for the beer. I pulled my hand away.

  “Excuse me, sir, these are my hostages.” I smirked at him, flapping back, my chest expanding.

  “Oh?” he purred, just as I’d imagined it from his texts. “And what do I have to do to get them back?”

  “That’s a very good question.” I lowered in the sky, slowing my wing beats. “We’ll have to find out, won’t we?”

  A crooked grin crossed his face, and he hovered beneath me so that I’d fall into his arms. Then he lowered us to the roof. He took me by the hand and led me down the stairs to a balcony with a jacuzzi. Pushing open the sliding doors, he gestured me through and I took in the bedroom.

  “A couple hours isn’t very much time, Zeyna,” he said, clicking on a lamp and falling onto the sofa at the end of the bed.

  “No, not at all. There’s not much you can do in a couple of hours these days.” I pulled one of the bottles from the cardboard and tossed it to him, cracking the other open with my teeth. “So, I guess you should tell me what you were really thinking before our time’s up.” I swirled the bottle and raised it to my lips, letting it funnel into my throat seamlessly.

  “Wow…” He eyed me as I put the empty bottle on the dresser—suppressing my burp—and stalked over to him.

  “We have to save time somewhere.”

  Taking the bottle from his fingers and cracking it open for him, I climbed on his lap, swirling the bottle. I pushed the rim to his lips, and he tilted his head back, guzzling the beer. I licked away the beer dripping down his chin and then toss the bottle aside.

  He breathed, “Zeyna.”

  “Yes?” I said before parting his lips and slipping my tongue into his mouth.

  Zai’len dragged me closer to him, his hands lingering on my hips. His lips pushed into mine, claiming them. There was little I loved more than kissing, and if it were an option, I’d taste everyone’s lips at least once. His were… patient—almost observant, in a way.

  Soft kisses tickled down my neck, until I pushed him back against the leather, slipped my hands beneath his shirt and pulled it up over his head. My nails grazed his pale chest, his skin smooth and soft under my fingertips.

  His arms wrapped around me and his fingers climbed my spine, found my bra and unhooked it with ease. Plump and heavy, my boobs eased into comfort once I pulled my shirt off and threw it and the bra across the room.

  My tab buzzed against my butt and his thigh—once, twice, thrice. Impatiently, he pulled it from my pocket and tossed it across the sofa. I peeked at the screen. Sera.

  “It seems they’re on to me,” I breathed across his lips, my arms wrapped around his neck.

  “Then it seems you have more than a couple of hours. There’s so much more I can do to you now.”

  Zai’len unbuttoned my shorts, and I eased up as he pulled them down and off, my lace thong the only thing left. He smiled, his fingers pulling at the strings. They flung off, and he pushed out of his pants and boxers before beckoning me back onto his lap. My boobs squished into his chest, and he pulled me even closer to savor the feeling.

  Tickling my stomach, his hand made its way lower to… A muted moan came out as his fingers slid between the lips of my pussy. I released my breath. “Mmmh.”

  My own hand drifted down to his growing cock, and I massaged him softly—lost in the motions of what it was going to be like to fuck him. He stiffened, squeezing my thigh.

  “Don’t stop,” escaped his mouth as he rubbed me more aggressively.

  My thumb rubbed over the head of his penis, teasing, and he moaned, slipping his middle finger into me, flexing his hand to rub my clit and penetrate. I gasped against his neck, wanting to bite. I licked instead, sucking.

  He grabbed my jaw. “If you’re going to do that, do it to my mouth.”

  He brought my lips to his, mouth parted and our tongues danced and ground. I pushed myself down on his hand, my body writhing for more. A whimpering moan echoed out, and he smiled.

  My hand met his, enticing him to use more fingers. He added another two, but it still wasn’t enough. I wanted a whole fist inside me.

  “More,” I rasped out.

  “More won’t fit, beautiful.”

  I looked down at his rock-hard cock and angled it, shoving it inside me. “Oh, okay,” he said amusedly, trying to keep up with me. I shuddered as I lowered and ground our pelvises together.

  “Mmm. Mhm,” I hummed my pleasure, and he gave me a little smirk.

  His fingers lifted to my lips, and I opened my mouth, sucking the juices off. A pop echoed when he pulled them free. So gently, he caressed my skin, roving along the lines of my full figure while I rode him. Hard. It had been too long.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

  He pressed his face to my bouncing boobs, breathing in my scent before falling back in ecstasy, his head pressing into the bed. He didn’t bother to tell me “faster.” Strong hands landed on my butt to gain some control, to keep up with now, and to allow his dick to shove deeper into me.

  “Fuck, Zeyna, never stop.”

  “Don’t worry, I don’t cum easily.”

  Or ever, for that matter… I’d go raw well before then.

  My hand slid from his neck down to his peck as I rocked my hips back and forth.

  Zai’len lifted his head, his eyes amused. “I’ll make you cum.”

  Ah, the male ego. We’ll see about that.

  He swallowed, jaw tense, while he held back his pleasure. But he wouldn’t outlast me. No one ever had. I always remained on the verge and never further.

  If he wanted a challenge, he got one.

  My ass pounded against his thighs, collecting endless moans until finally he shot his load into me, his cock twitching within. We settled, and I waited—a little to coherently—while he came back to his senses. What did such relief feel like?

  Stiffly, I lifted myself off him, his dick easing in contentment, but he grabbed my hand and said, “Where do you think you’re going?”

  Arms wrapped around my waist, he picked me up and threw me onto the bed. I squealed, my wings curling forward to brace for impact.

  Zai’len landed beside me. “You might need to stay here all night, Zeyna; I won’t let you leave until you cum.”

  His hand slid down my body to my clit, his muscles flexing with the pressure. I suppressed my moan, and he eyed me.

  “What dark fantasies do you have hiding in there?”

  “Wouldn’t you like to know?” I grinned, rolling into him.

  When sex never seemed to be the reward, I let the cuddling make up for it. It was all I could take satisfaction in. That, and whatever convoluted pride I got from getting a guy off, for him to moan like that because of me. I never would’ve claimed to be a collector, but I collected the memories of each of their satisfied endings. When it was over, those were the only things that got me through the disappointment that I never got to feel what they felt.

  He let me have my way. I didn’t catch what he murmured aside from “Next time…” His hand ran along my butt to my shoulder and he pulled me onto him.

  With his arm around my waist, he grazed his fingers up and down the length of my arm. Next time… I sighed with a smile.

  ***

  With the sheer amount of alcohol I had consumed, I fell into a dead sleep, and when I woke, I only half-remembered where the fuck I was or who the hell I was with. Especially when his soft, warm hand smoothed over my bare hip, down my butt and across my thigh.

  “I want to make you cum,” he whispered, oh so close to my lips.

  There were no greater words to draw you back to awareness. The room cleared. But naked, relaxed and pressed to a man’s body, the haze of lust remained.

  My attention shifted over my surroundings as Zai’len’s face eased closer, lips teasing my neck.

  The room was simple, smaller than I remembered, slightly more clinical in the daylight. White walls and dark textiles and furnishings. No pictures. Hardly lived in, aside from the fact that we were tangled together in his bed.

  Rich temporaries, he’d called us. And with the intoxication cleared from my bloodstream, I didn’t exactly know how to feel about that. Temporary.

  I wasn’t stupid. A couple days from now I’d be back home, and I’d never speak to him again. Did I really want to get involved with that? Did I really want to go the rest of my vacation staring at my tablet, waiting for him to tell me he wanted me back in his bed?

  He said he’d be busy today. So when exactly did he plan to cast me away?

  That was as far as my awareness went before that haze forced its way back in.

  His tongue grazed my shoulder, traveling down to my breasts, and my fingers laced through his soft hair, a hot breath seeping free. And when he looked up…

  Demon. His deep blue eyes shimmered with silver glitter, reminiscent of midnight on New Year’s. Just as mine, of sky blue, shifted with floating clouds. I couldn’t look away. Nor could he… Demons…

  I let my head fall back to the pillows, sighing. “Fuck me…”

  I didn’t mean it as a command, but as an acknowledgment of the predicament I was in… There was a reason I didn’t date Demons, and it wasn’t because I couldn’t handle them. It was because of the bond… I liked to avoid it.

  His face pressed to my stomach, and I felt the smirk spread against my skin before he lowered down beneath the blanket. Gentle hands worshiped my hips, and my heart skipped as his tongue met my clit, hot and rough. A soft kiss pressed to me. I closed my eyes, relaxing, but my fist tightened around the covers as he began sucking.

  I tried to hold back my moans. I tried. Until, so slowly, his palms moved down my pelvis and a strong grip tightened around my thigh. I couldn’t control the cry that came out. Nor the one that escaped when he slipped his tongue into me for a split second.

  My body didn’t know what it wanted to do; it didn’t know if it wanted to flee the subtle torture of that tongue or if it wanted more, more, more. I practically bucked in his grasp, and a heavy breath blew against me.

  Then… then he gave me no mercy. I won’t let you leave until you cum, his words teased me mentally as he went down on me physically. I whimpered, and I was sure I heard his amusement from beneath the covers. He spoke, but I didn’t hear it. I only felt the shallow vibrations against my pussy.

  As his grasp slid down my leg, he lifted my thigh over his shoulder, his hold heavy as he went deeper and his tongue slipped past my entrance.

  “Fuck,” I gasped, my fingers finding their way to his hair. Throat gravelly, I swallowed—but my throat was so dry. I wish I would just cum for him, just so I could get a drink of water.

  I didn’t think that would be anytime soon.

  The haze began to pull back as I stared up at the ceiling, panting uncomfortably. “Zai,” I rasped, but he didn’t hear me. “Zai’len,” I spoke up.

  He heard me then, his hold tightening further. He didn’t stop. And then, as quickly as the feeling had built, a wonderful aching, it has stopped.

  The climb plateaued.

  Really… I just wanted to get him off so we could move on from this moment.

  I didn’t know how many guys had taken on this challenge. It was my mistake. I shouldn’t have even mentioned it. They never could move on. They all thought they’d be the one, the one to finally get Zeyna Kazix’sa to cum for them.

  Part of me was curious, myself. What would it take? Which guy? What sexual act?

  What dark fantasies do you have hiding in there? That was the question. I thought maybe… being with a Demon, he’d be able to figure it out. But now, considering it, I didn’t think he was full Demon. Last night he’d been floating, a right reserved by Deities.

  When I thought he might suffocate under the blankets, I let out a shallow sigh, pushed the covers down and watched his head of messy blue-black hair between my thighs. Enticing him closer, I brushed his bangs back and tilted his face up to me.

  “Enough,” I whispered.

  His arms flexed as he leaned in. My lips feathered over his, coaxingly. Tasting how wet I had been on his lips, I scrubbed a thumb across them.

  “I need to go. My friends are worried about me.” Without a doubt.

  Sera would’ve had a fit last night. Lina, she’d be cool, calm and collected while trying to reassure Sera. It didn’t help that I hadn’t let her in on the details of Zai’len. Even if I left now, I wouldn’t hear the end of it—the guilt trip of how this was all for my birthday. Lina would be more pissed about the fact that I hadn’t let her go to bed last night when she wanted to. Yeah, it wasn’t going to be pretty. I could only imagine the spam of messages that would come in when I picked up my magi-tab.

  This time, when Zai’len’s caress touched me, I was set on not letting it sway me. I had gotten what I came here for. But he didn’t care for my soft kiss, deepening it as he hovered above me, his hand stroking up my smooth legs before making its way back to my pussy.

  “I was being serious,” he claimed, voice low. “You’re not allowed to leave until you cum.”

  That was what they always said. I eased my head back, face neutral. “Is that so?” I droned.

  At the tone, his face softened to a calm certainty. His shoulders relaxed as he watched me. “Yes,” floated out of him, “because it is unfair for an amazing girl like you, beautiful and sexy and powerful, to go another day without knowing what brings her true pleasure.” I swallowed as those eyes of falling silver pinned me to the pillows. “So, tell me, Zeyna, what are your darkest fantasies? I will have no trouble making them come true. I am a purveyor of both Heaven and Hell.”

  The lump stuck in my throat became increasingly uncomfortable as the silence thickened between us. When I couldn’t clear it, I eked out, “Pretty words,” and pushed him off me.

  He landed on the pillows, but when I tried to get up from the bed, he got hold of my wrist. I looked back, eyes challenging.

  He promised, “This won’t be the last you see of me.”

  I smirked to myself but didn’t say anything as I got up. He let me slip away. Unashamed, I plucked up all my belongings, my stare unbreakable, even as my tablet buzzed incessantly. He didn’t say anything. I didn’t say anything.

  There was a confident—but not cocky—assurance to him as he lounged on the mattress, watching. Equally so, there was a confidence to me when I walked out the balcony door naked.

  I would’ve dressed—there wasn’t anything more awkward than bumping into someone while flying naked—but I didn’t. When he came to the window, leaning on the frame, face serious, I spread my wings to their full expanse and took off.

  It was a short flight back to the house, and I had been able to get my bra snapped on and my panties slid on by the time I landed on our balcony. A conversation echoed down the hall as I entered, returning to our room unnoticed. It was just past 11:00, and knowing Lina, she was in the kitchen cooking breakfast.

  She had always been an early riser, and though she didn’t enjoy eating, often skipping as many meals as she possibly could, she loved cooking or even picking up food for others.

  Even though last night it was her utmost goal to have her tempeh, any other time she would’ve taken everyone else’s preferences into consideration. That may have been what I loved about our group most. We were considerate of each other’s lifestyles. We’d been together for so long, knew each other that well, that we could act on each other’s behalf.

  Sera would have her meat at tonight’s barbecue; we wouldn’t push Lina past her stomach’s limits, and I’d could be confident in the fact that they do their best to reduce their environmental impact, even if I wasn’t around.

  Zephyr was no different either, other than for the fact that he was hyper-aware of Sera’s wants and needs. As his sister, sometimes it was a battle to get the same treatment from him, but as his twin, I knew our bond went deeper than any of us would ever know.

  Sera and Lina weren’t blood, but they were still family, and Zephyr… Zephyr was more than even blood.

  I held on to that fact as I re-dressed—a kernel of concern tangled up in my gut—then made my way downstairs.

  Lina was the first to catch my eye from where she stood packing away leftovers at the kitchen island. All I got was a shake of her head. The leftovers were left, and she tossed a fork onto the marble for me.

  Another reason I loved my friends so much was because… they made me feel guilty. If we hadn’t met, I was sure I would’ve gone through life a little too Demon for anyone’s liking. That wasn’t to say Demons were “bad” as everyone liked to believe. Some were, of course, but these days… ever since the continent, Xa’hazi’nori, had been razed, those Demons were few and far between—here in Liberty. Hedonistic, that was all Demons could really be labeled as anymore.

  But the humans and Deities had razed our continent well before my time, so I had never met those Demons, the ones with the richest heritage. But I always wondered what they were like. I could only base my judgments on what my parents had expressed. Still, I always wondered what our home and our people were really like.

  Living in Liberty, I didn’t think any of us really got to understand the real extent of our culture. Not Sera as Fairy. Not Lina as Deity. We lived in a melting pot, far from our true homes. But that wasn’t such a bad thing. Liberty was what brought us together in the end.

  My cheek bled as I continued to chew it on my way down the stairs. Finally, I took a peek at my tablet, the gold screen listing all the notifications I’d missed.

  Private | Zai’len Vash’ta: What’s your address? I’ll pick you up tonight

  Private | Sera: Where the fuck did you go?! +16 new messages!

  Private | Zephyr: Zey, message Sera so she knows you’re okay… +3 new messages!

  Private | Lina: You’re with that guy, aren’t you?? Be safe Zey…

  Private | Daddio: We need to talk when you get home… :S

  Dark Arts Mafia | Szahshi’dzivy: What time are we meeting? +52 new messages!

  It was one thing for Zeph to get worried—even though he seemed more worried for Sera’s sanity than my safety—but for my dad to hear about it? That would be fun to deal with once I got home, because it was likely he told Mom. Dad I could pass things off with a few good quips, but she wasn’t so easy.

  Sighing, I shoved the magi-tab back in my pocket, not wanting to deal with Zai’len or my father at the moment, or the others…

  I pulled out one of the wire bar stools in silence. Sound exploded.

  “Zeyna!” Sera was in my face a second later. Zephyr eyed me from the living room, but he didn’t get up.

  “Where’s Kayo?” I asked, looking around the space.

  “He went for a run,” Lina said. She leaned across the marble, her head braced in her palms as she stared at me. Under her breath, so Zeph wouldn’t hear, she said, “You have the post-sex disappointment.”

  There was no extent to how much they knew me. It was unnerving. That wasn’t the first time she’d said that to me. Now, even I was recognizing the pattern. Worse, being the only sexually active one in our group, I didn’t have anyone to really share in the experience with.

  A cute little frown pressed to Sera’s lips, and she grabbed my arm, pulling me out of the stool. I whined, “I wanted that food!” She huffed and grabbed it for me, shoving it in my hands before dragging me upstairs. Lina quietly followed after us.

  Back in our room, Sera threw me down on the sofa, eyes either… determined or livid. I wasn’t sure which.

  “Now you absolutely need to tell me what’s going on.” She took a seat on the made bed.

  By the look of it, it had hardly been slept in. Only one of the pillows appeared to be touched from yesterday. My skepticism passed between them, but I tabled my curiosity for later. I was the one in the hot seat at the moment.

  “What is there to tell?” I shrugged.

  Lina rolled her eyes as she curled up on the opposite end of the leather sofa.

  “I accepted a booty call with a fine ass Demon.”

  “And you couldn’t tell us that before you just up and left! Or at least texted one of us!” Her hand swished between herself and Lina.

  I almost smiled. I didn’t expect such a reaction. She wasn’t exactly mad. Worried. Relieved now, but still worried.

  It was a fair response. When it came to my relatively common one-night stands, I had almost always been sure to inform one of them. Or at the very least, I would tell them I wouldn’t be making it home for the night.

  They were only worried because they were my family. Anyone who knew me knew that, despite my shit scores at Sol Magia Hall, I was actually well beyond capable when it came to any sort of fight. I had gone most of my life accepting any challenge that would come my way. Whether physical or situational.

  Either of them, or anyone really, came to me if they needed to manipulate anyone into anything. I had a reputation, and it was hard to ignore the fact. Would I say I minded? No. I liked to believe I was one step closer to who I really was meant to be: a full-blooded Demon.

  Nonetheless, I apologized. “My bad, one thing led to another; I didn’t get much time to text you between flying to his house and fucking him.”

  Sera rolled her eyes this time. She likely knew she wouldn’t get much more of an apology out of me than that. With a huff, she rolled onto the bed, resting on her stomach. Her hands tucked beneath her chin. A messy bun flopped as she tilted her head.

  “So, what happened?” The tone was solemn but interested.

  I sighed, taking a second to really think about it. I knew anything I’d say would be preaching to the wrong choir or barking up the wrong tree. Sera, though occasionally attracted to some guys, had never been heavily swayed by any of them. Having Zephyr breathing down her neck didn’t give her much opportunity, either. Even with him… I still didn’t know what the fuck was going on with them two.

  I liked the idea—loved it, in fact—but after knowing each other since middle school, I wasn’t holding my breath for them to get together. It would’ve been nice, solely so I wouldn’t have to deal with their sometimes overwhelming sexual tension. It was weird, but what I wouldn’t give to have Sera—or even Zeph—come tell me that they fucked each other. I’d jump with joy, to say the least.

  That day still hadn’t come. But… had I missed something yesterday? I’d find out one way or another.

  And Lina… I felt like she was even more of a lost cause than Sera when it came to finding a boyfriend. I hadn’t heard her ever express interest in anyone. If anything, Sera was her soulmate. If I really dug deep, I wondered if she had a thing for Kayo. As of yet, she hadn’t said anything about it, either because of my interest or because she was just that private about her feelings, or simply because she didn’t like him as more than anything but a friend—or even an acquaintance.

  When it came to telling them both about my love life, it felt awkward expressing the extensive details, but I also knew part of them lived vicariously. So I said, “It isn’t every day you go to a grocery store and run into a major hottie. Actually, he ran into me literally—with his cart.”

  Sera’s brows rose, and a small smile poked at the corners of her lips. I took that as my cue to continue, getting comfortable and slowly picking at my brunch. I told them about what happened at the grocery store and all the things we talked about during our short time together.

  When I mentioned how he was flirting with me at the end, Sera cut in. “Yeah, I would’ve thought that was sexual too.”

  “You should’ve seen them when they got to the cash,” Lina said with a smirk. “She was practically grinning ear to ear.”

  I scoffed and rolled my eyes, that same grin returning to my face.

  “See? Just like that.” Lina pointed at me. “The chemistry was palpable.”

  “It was, wasn’t it? I felt awkward with Kayo being there.”

  Kayo and I weren’t anything but friends. New friends at that. He happened to be Zephyr’s gym buddy turned roommate, so he naturally was introduced into our little gang. I may or may not have developed some interest in him, but until yesterday, I hadn’t really felt any returned interest.

  Considering it, I asked, “Do you think Kayo noticed? He seemed unfazed at the store, but during the game last night, he was hardcore flirting with me, wasn’t he?”

  “He was definitely shit talking,” Sera muttered into the back of her hands. “Whether that was flirting—” She shrugged.

  “Sexual shit talking,” Lina laughed, shaking her head in disbelief.

  Sera lifted up slightly. “Was that why you were checking your magi-tab every two minutes last night?”

  I nodded reluctantly, then explained how Zai’len I got texting.

  “Sexting?”

  “No, just said I should come over to see him since he’d be busy today.”

  “For sex?” she clarified.

  “Eh… Not expressly. It was more, y’know… I got there and I was Zeyna.”

  She hummed her understanding. “How was it?”

  I looked between them, hesitant. They both stared.

  “Well?”

  “I don’t know!”

  I shot up from the sofa and stalked to the wall-length window. Their attention followed, pinned to me when I looked back over my shoulder.

  “It was how it always is.”

  I threw my hand up in the air and rested my head against the window. The sun had come out, and it looked like it would be a nice day to go to the beach.

  When I looked back, they didn’t have anything to say. They were no strangers to my certain sexual issues. It was a newer topic to our friendship, though. A new concern to me overall. I hadn’t thought my inability to climax had been an issue when I first started having sex. I was just a kid, really. Sixteen the first time. Now, at twenty-one, it was starting to become worrisome, especially when I had been with more than enough experienced guys. Shouldn’t I have climaxed once with at least one of them?

  I padded a few steps closer to them. They waited with frowns for me to continue, say something. “Maybe you can give me a checkup, Lina,” I joked. “It might be a medical thing.”

  “I don’t think so.” The answer was too quick for my liking, but she continued, “Everyone is different, Zey. Sexuality isn’t a one size fits all thing. It takes time to figure out what you like and who you like it with.” She let go a heavy breath. “Not that you need me telling you that.”

  “No, I know. You’re right.”

  Even though she’d only had sex once, I still respected her opinion.

  Sera remained quiet, and in hopes of moving past it, I said, “It doesn’t matter. He’s just one of the many, and it’s not like I’ll see him again.”

  Sera’s mouth parted slightly. “But the chemistry was palpable,” she murmured. “That’s more than you can say about you and Kayo…”

  We all looked at each other. I couldn’t exactly disagree.

  Taking a peek at my tablet, I looked back over to them. “He did say he’d pick me up tonight…”

  I judged their expressions. Sera, of course, was intrigued, perking up on the bed. Lina remained neutral. Not neutral in the way of disappointment but neutral in the way she didn’t care either way. Regardless, she’d be around for the stories afterward.

  “Pick you up to go where?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “I thought you said he was busy,” Lina chimed in.

  “Yeah, that was what he told me.”

  “If he’s not busy, tell him to come to our barbecue for a bit.”

  I had already insisted twice before, but I could manipulate my way into getting what I wanted. Sera and Lena’s opinions of him would be intriguing, at the very least. I just wasn’t sure if I wanted him around Kayo. I said just that to the girls.

  “I’ll keep Kayo busy,” Sera offered. Lina gave her a disbelieving look. “What?”

  “I’ll keep him busy,” Lina insisted.

  That made more sense. Sera and Kayo put up with each other. I wasn’t even sure if Kayo approved of Zeph’s mega crush on her. Hard to say. To be fair, Kayo had seen nearly all Sera’s bad sides upfront, all within the first few months of meeting her. It was hard for all the good sides to make up for that now.

  “Are we sure this is a good idea?” I questioned them, considering all that could go wrong. “Bringing my one-night stand over the following night to meet my brother, my best friends and the next guy I have in line seems like it would be beyond awkward.”

  “It sounds right up your alley to me,” Lina claimed. I laughed and Sera smiled. “I never thought you’d turn down the opportunity to make some poor guy incredibly uncomfortable.”

  “You’re absolutely correct, Lina.” I took my tablet back out and pulled up Zai’len’s messages.

  Private | Zai’len Vash’ta

  Zai’len Vash’ta: What’s your address? I’ll pick you up tonight

  Zeyna: Sorry, I’m busy tonight. I won’t be able to get out of my plans

  Phase one: complete.

  I dropped the glass back into my baggy pockets just as a knock sounded at the door. Zephyr poked his head in, eyes closed.

  “Is everyone decent? I definitely don’t want to see Sera’s boobs again.”

  A pillow flew across the room, slamming into the door, and he laughed, closing it again. He gave a couple more seconds before he poked back in, eyes open this time.

  “We’re going down to the lake. Should we wait for you?”

  Sera and Lina both awaited my response, a common occurrence. I sighed. I didn’t know why it was up to me when they both wouldn’t want to be rushed.

  “No,” I told him. “We’ll meet you there.”

  “Okay. We’ll be past the country club.” He slipped away.

  “Close the fucking door, Hellion!” Sera shouted, and we flinched.

  He reappeared, no doubt giving her his shit eater’s grin, before closing the door fully.

  With my issues settled, at least for now, they both got up and sorted through their bags. But there were still some matters to discuss.

  “So, what happened while I was gone?”