Blood Stained Tranquility (15 page)

And Eve didn’t do futile.

“Come on, then. Teach me how to aim.”

Chapter 11

One week later.

-Enzyria.

“I love this song!”

“Cy, seriously. Don’t start this shit. Shut it.”

Gangnam Style
blasted over the speakers, and Cy took off, straight into the “riding the pony” motion.

“Cy, I’m serious.”

“Don’t be a hater, Ian. Dance this shit with me. This is classic!”

“Someone smack him.”

“Gladly.” Evesse walked right by Cyake and delivered the necessary blow to his head.

“The fuck? The song is playing. I have the right to dance it!” Cy rubbed his head and glared after her. “Oh shit, girl . . .”

Evesse ignored that last part. The place was packed full of gods and beings she didn’t even know. Hell, she didn’t even know that her new friends knew so many beings. Yet here they all were. Thankfully, so was she. She was grateful that she’d managed to wake up right on time for the celebration. Ismini deserved for her to be here. Dyletri did, too, but Eve was still busy pretending she was mad at him.

“Seriously, Eve, that dress is hot.” Lizzisi, Goddess of Light, came up next to Evesse and handed Eve a glass.

Eve thought Liz’s white dress was just as gorgeous.

She looked down at the tight, red strapless piece with the slit up the thigh. Okay, Eve knew her dress was hot. So were the black heels she wore. Both of which she’d picked out on purpose.

He’s not going to be here.

She ignored that thought.

“Your dress is, too.” Eve smiled at Liz and took a sip of whatever had been given her. It was similar to champagne, but with the kick it had, it was definitely more than just fermented grape juice.

“What is this?” she asked, turning to look at Liz.

“
Laussane
,” Liz said, slamming back her glass.

“Huh?” Eve said, surprised with the speed Liz chugged the strong shit.

Liz smiled happily. “It’s our own version of alcohol. Just enjoy it.”

She took another sip. “You trying to get me drunk, Liz?”

Liz laughed, flipping her blond hair over her shoulder. Her eyes sparked whenever she smiled, the lightning in her irises flashing rapidly. Evesse was no longer freaked out by it.

Nah, instead she was freaked the fuck out every time she looked in a mirror now. Swirls of gold, brown, and black dominated her irises, and when she got mad, specks of red flashed up close.

“Don’t tempt me, woman. I might take you up on that. Make Zen regret he was too late,” Liz said, because she was oh so sensitive.

That was the
one
name Evesse really didn’t want to her right then.

“Dude, wasn’t Crius supposed to be here?” Cy stopped next to them with two drinks in his hands. Eve would have condemned him, but Ianthen was right behind him, and he had
three.

Sillizi, Liz’s black-haired twin and Goddess of Darkness, waltzed up to the group looking way too stunning in her midnight blue dress. “I believe I see him coming in now. Oh,
baby
.”

Eve looked toward where she was pointing and nearly died. The big motherfucker walking in the door was the definition of animalism. His arrogant gait matched every other part of him.

“Drink, bitch. Drink. He has that effect on all females,” Liz said under her breath, making another glass of
Lausanne
appear in her hand and chugging.

“Hey, have you seen . . . Oh, holy shit. I think I just came,” Soleria gasped, stopping next to Eve.

Evesse heard a small growl from her left. She didn’t have to look to know it was a certain blue-haired creature—
cough
, Ian,
cough
—who was most likely chugging all three of his drinks at once.

Cyake waved over the black-haired guy who had just walked in. “Yo! Cri! It’s been forever!”

Crius’s silver eyes moved in their direction. The God of the Underworld had no pupils, and it took Eve a moment to process that. She didn’t know why that was odder to her than anything else she’d seen thus far.

Crius took a couple of steps toward them and then stopped, looking startled. The way his big body came to a halt was freaking comical. Especially when Eve saw the reason why.

Over the last week, she’d grown close to the small woman headed their way. Oh, Eve had been hostile to her when she first woke up, sure. But that had lasted less than a day, and since then, there had been enough time for Eve to get close to her.

And boy, had they become close. Eve adored Ismini, but Dimi’s personality was too scandalous not to love.

“Dimi!” Eve cried, deciding to play with the God of the Underworld. “There’s your hot ass! Looking for someone to fling it at tonight?”

Yeah, she was loud enough to call the attention of everyone around her, but that wasn’t so wrong, was it? Nah.

Dimithinia stared at Eve with a confused look. Until she noticed the individual glaring down at her with all the fury of his domain. When she saw it was Crius, Dimi flipped her long hair over her shoulder and literally sashayed toward Eve, the slit of her dress showing off just enough leg and thigh.

As far as displays went, Eve had to admit she fucking loved it.

Take that, asshole
, she thought
. You’re just another male idiot about to suffer for your foolishness.

And there would be more of them before the night was over. There was a reason she’d picked out her dress, after all. Even if he wouldn’t make it, it didn’t hurt to be prepared.

“Fling myself at? Perhaps I am thinking about it. Are there any takers?” Dimithinia asked just as Cy innocently raised his hand.

The laser glare with no pupils turned toward Cy next.

And cue the evil genius laugh in Eve’s head. She smirked at Dimi, who joined the others while Crius made his way toward them. He seemed happy enough to greet Ian, but Cy? Eve took a sip of her drink, hiding her big ass smile.

Wondering where Ismini was, and really hoping she and her
R’mann
hadn’t decided to consecrate another unnecessary place, Evesse left the group to go look for her. She made it a few steps before a wave of heat she was becoming accustomed to ran through her. She had to stop and lean against a doorframe just so she could blink and breathe.

A few breaths. That was what it usually took for the feeling to recede. This time, it wasn’t really going away, and the pain in her veins throbbed harder.

She knew what it meant. Of course she knew what it meant. And it was so fucking unfair. So fucking wrong. How could this be chosen for her against her will?

It was chosen for Ismini.

Yeah, but just because it worked out for her best friend didn’t mean it would work out for Eve. Not with the way her luck usually ran. Afraid that someone would see her in such a state, she stepped further into the hallway and kept going until she reached the opposite wall. She leaned into it, pressing her forehead against the stone.

Eve couldn’t make sense of why it was so intense all of a sudden. Why it was killing her
now
. Maybe it was just getting worse, and soon she would fall face first into the
Fieren,
the unrequited mating turning on her and eating at her from the inside out.

That would be great. Really great. Yeah, okay.

She inhaled shakily again, turning and leaning her back against the wall. She was heaving air in when out of the corner of her eye when she caught sight of . . .

Oh, holy shit.

Her mouth fell open. She couldn’t move. Her heart twisted inside her with fury and need. She couldn’t look away from the giant storming toward her. Evesse was on the verge of hyperventilating. She wanted to smack herself for her obvious reaction.

But she couldn’t stop.

Couldn’t stop
it
.

In all black, he was nearly frightening. His eyes flashed between blue-and-gray and red-and-black, and his cheek bones seemed more prominent than the last time she had seen him. He came closer until he was right in front of her. His hands slammed on either side of her head. Eve gasped, jumping in surprise.

“Why are you wearing that dress?”

“
Huh
?” she asked, eyes locked with his and unable to move.

Zeniel leaned toward her, his face too fucking beautiful and vicious. The sight of his jaw twitching made her clench everywhere, and she was horrified when she felt herself gush. Even more so when she saw his nostrils slightly flare. She knew he could smell it. Knew he could smell what he was doing to her.

Gorgeous bastard.

A growl rumbled out of him. In a flash, he pressed his big body against her. His hand grabbed her jaw. She wanted to continue to lie to herself about what was happening to her, but the moment she felt his touch, the
R’mannev
wailed through her.

“Answer me. They’re all fucking looking at you. I see them. Why are you wearing it? Are you trying to drive me crazy? Or other men?” He leaned in, his eyes turning completely black as red lines appeared across his cheeks and moved higher. The lines merged with the black ones that seemed to leak out of his eyes.

Mavrak.

“Fuck . . . you,” Eve gasped, both furious and so horny she could barely think. He was gone for weeks, and he had the nerve to storm in there and pretend he was jealous?

Two distinct tones rumbled in her ear. “Oh, I plan to.”

“N—”

“
Yes
.” His fingertips ghosted across either side of her jaw.

Soft. So soft. So gentle.

Then, they shot into her hair, latching on with every bit of strength he had. Eve’s lips parted, pain and shock rushing within her. Had she not been as strong as she now was, he would’ve torn her hair off. Her skin. Everything.

And still, his grip tightened, forcing her head back.

“You’re mine.” His tongue snaked out, flicking her ear lobe. His teeth followed, barely nipping.

Oh, God. Oh, God. Oh, God.

Eve fought it, torn between the anger and frustration he’d unleashed in her. “No,” she choked out again, grabbing onto his biceps. “Not fair. You don’t get to—”

“I do. You’re mine.”

She froze, lids peeling back so quick she was afraid she would lose them in the back of her head. He couldn’t know. There was no way. Fuck, if he had fucking known all this time she would kill him.

Her anger took control of her hold, funneling all her strength until her nails had torn through the leather of his jacket.

Through the skin underneath.

“Gods. Yes. Make me bleed.”

A desperate, carnal sound left her, the kind that shocked her almost as much as his request. No he hadn’t. There’s no way he’d just asked her to do what she thought he had.

Two voices groaned, both equally as dangerous and coming out of
his
throat. “That sound . . . I missed you, Eve. Would’ve been here when you awoke had I known. I told them to fucking find me.”

Zen nipped at her jaw; dragged one incisor across it. It was elongated and sharp. So sharp it threatened to slice right through her skin even though it had barely touched her.

No way.
No fucking—

“You will never wear anything like this unless I’m around. Got it, Evesse?”

—way.

“What the fuck did you just say?” she gasped, pushing with all her might.

She actually managed to move him an inch. Which was impressive. She had almost three hundred pounds of muscle, godly power, and apparently, determination pressed against her.

“Unless I’m around to show them who you belong to, you will not dress like this in public. You’re mine.”

Evesse wanted to give that statement the purdy comeback it deserved. She really did. She opened her mouth to do so, too.

“
Uhn
!”

Plump, firm lips and a hot, ruthless tongue cut off any and all capability of speech. Zen echoed her moan with a groan as he angled his head, his body pressing deeper and his hips forcing their way between her legs.