Evans, Gabrielle - Hell's Tempest [Fatefully Yours 4] (Siren Publishing LoveXtreme Forever ManLove) (3 page)

“I don’t want him to, but I think it’s for the best.”

They stood there for a long time, neither saying a word. Vapre felt torn between the man he’d loved for centuries, and the little sprite that had blown into their lives and insinuated himself in Vapre’s heart in a matter of weeks. How was he supposed to choose between two people he loved more than anything?

“I can’t live without him,” Vapre finally whispered. Closing his eyes, he rested his forehead against Syx’s temple. “Don’t ask me to do that.”

“Something bad is coming.” Syx’s voice was tense, strained, and sounded nothing like its usual mellowness. “And it’s coming for Echo. I don’t want him to leave either.” He pressed more firmly against Vapre’s chest. “Gods, it hurts to even think about him not being here, but I would die if anything happened to him.”

“What’s coming, Syx? Talk to me.”

“We have to get him out of here,” Syx continued, ignoring Vapre’s pleas for more information. “It won’t be forever. Just until after the war. They can’t have him. I won’t let them take him!” He growled the last part, vicious and animalistic, and Vapre jerked his head up to stare at his lover.

“Who’s going to take him?”

“No one!” Syx shouted.

Whoa!
Someone had woken up on the crazy side of the bed that morning. A soft noise behind him drew his attention, and Vapre looked over his shoulder to find Syn and Jinx standing near the door that led down into the basement. Jinx looked embarrassed at having walked in on what he took to be a private moment.

Syn, on the other hand, looked pissed.

Vapre patted the side of Syx’s neck and turned around slowly. “Syn, calm down,” he said gently. “Take deep breaths.”

The vampire’s face had turned a mottled red, the vein at his temple pulsed, and his fangs elongated to protrude over his bottom lips as he snarled.

Oh, this is bad.
Vapre didn’t know what had happened to sour the normally cheery vampire, but if the look on Syn’s face was any indication, he was working himself up to an all-out rage. “Syn.” Vapre still spoke calmly, soothingly. The last time Syn had gotten himself worked up the entire house had erupted in pandemonium. “Look at me.”

Syn wasn’t looking at him, though. His eyes were trained just beyond Vapre, locked on Syx, and there was menace in his gaze. “Why?” Syn growled heatedly. “He loves you. I’ve never seen anyone more in love in my life. He’d do anything for you, and you don’t bloody want him?”

That’s when Vapre realized that Echo was suspiciously absent from the room. Darting his eyes from side to side, he scanned everywhere for his mate as though Echo might be hiding in the corner of the kitchen somewhere. “Where is he?” he asked finally.

“He left.” Some of the anger seemed to deflate from the vampire, and his eyes held a sadness that hurt to witness. “Just like you wanted.”

“What?” Syx jumped forward to stand beside Vapre. “I didn’t want him to leave. Didn’t you hear anything I said? I just want him to be safe. It’s not safe for him here!”

Syn’s eyebrows drew together, and he tilted his head to the side. “Truly?”

“You were standing right there!” Syx bellowed.

His eyes downcast, Syn chewed on his lip as his face flushed. “I, um, well, see, the thing is, I got a bit perturbed when Echo stormed out of here. He’s been good to me, and I could see he was right upset. I didn’t much like that, ya know?” He wrinkled his nose, looking contrite and embarrassed. “I may have tuned you out after that,” he mumbled.

Hoping to avoid another blowup, Vapre pushed Syx behind him with a hand to the center of his chest. “Where did he go?”

Jinx just pointed to the back door.

Vapre sighed and a pushed a hand through his shoulder-length hair. He’d been so focused on Syx that he hadn’t even heard the other men enter the room, let alone heard when Echo departed into the backyard. “I’ll get him.”

“No.” Syx pulled on Vapre’s shoulder until he turned around to face him. “I did this. I’ll find him and make it right.”

“I know this is none of my business,” Jinx said quietly, “but I really think Vapre should go. I don’t think Echo is going to be too keen on talking to you until he’s had a bit to calm himself.”

Syx looked disappointed, but he nodded and took a step back. “Go find him,” he whispered. “It’s dark, cold, and too dangerous for him to be alone.”

Kissing his lover’s lips lightly, Vapre lingered for just a moment, then dipped his head curtly. “I’ll be back soon. He just needs to hear the whole story and have time to cool down. Don’t worry over this.”

Syx made a horrible attempt at a smile before giving up the pretense completely. “Just hurry.”

There was nothing left to say to make this better, so Vapre spun on his heels and jogged for the back door. Wrenching it open, he stopped, his mouth dropping open in shock when he found Echo sitting on the porch steps, staring up at the night sky.

Trying to school his features, he eased the door closed behind him and moved across the porch to sit down beside his mate. He didn’t speak, figuring Echo would say his piece when he was ready.

It didn’t take long. “He didn’t mean that, did he? Does he really wish I hadn’t come here?”

“No and no,” Vapre answered quietly. “Syx is just having a hard time dealing with all the changes right now. I guess he caught something from Fiero’s mind that’s been worrying him. He just wants you to be safe.”

“I can’t think of anywhere safer than with seven demons, a werewolf, and two vampires,” Echo countered, still not looking at him.

“Syx doesn’t think that way. He sees the danger coming, and believes the best possible place for you is as far away from it as possible.”

“But I can help.” Echo finally turned to look at him, and Vapre almost wished he hadn’t.

The tear tracks on his mate’s creamy cheeks made his chest tighten and his throat burn. “I know. I think there’s something more, something he’s not telling us.”

“Why is he upset with Fiero?” Apparently, Echo was done with the current line of conversation.

Switching gears, Vapre thought over what Syx had told him in the kitchen. “He said that Fiero is in love with Eyce.” Surprisingly, the knowledge didn’t tweak any kind of jealousy or possessiveness from Vapre.

“Yes, he is.” Echo smiled fondly, his face practically glowing with satisfaction. “There’s more to the story, though. Just wait for it,” he said mysteriously.

Vapre had an inkling what Echo meant by that, but he’d keep it to himself for the time being. The runt had a point. He’d just wait for it. “So, are we good now? You’re not going to skip out in the middle of the night, are you?”

Echo laughed softly and bumped his shoulder against Vapre’s arm. “Naw. I’m not that stupid. I gotta pretty sweet setup here. Besides, where would I go?”

“Nowhere. You belong here.”

“Yep, that’s kind of how I see it. You guys need me. You were kind of a mess before I got here.”

“You have no idea,” Vapre said emphatically. And they had been. They just hadn’t known it. “So, what do we do about Syx?”

“Nothing.”

Vapre opened his mouth to say something, then snapped his lips closed. That wasn’t exactly the answer he’d been expecting. Echo always seemed to have a plan, especially when it came to cheering one of them up. This sit-back-and-wait approach was completely out of character for him. “Uh…”
Wow, that was brilliant.

Echo seemed to read his thoughts because he chuckled softly and rolled his eyes. “Syx will come around when he’s ready. We’re not going to accomplish anything by pushing him. He’ll shut down, and it will just take that much longer for him to spill it.”

“You’re right, of course.” Vapre sighed and pushed to his feet. “Let’s go in. Syx is about to have a coronary wondering where you are.” Vapre eyed his mate apprehensively. Though Syx may deserve it, he was hurting, and Vapre didn’t want to see Echo tear into the man. “Exactly how pissed off are you?”

Echo stood as well and gave him a ghost of a smile as he led the way inside. “You’re about to find out.”

Chapter Three

Syx paced the living room, jerking on the ends of his blond hair as he mumbled angrily under his breath. Why had he said those stupid things in the kitchen? Oh, right, because he was an idiot. He’d let his emotions get the better of him and blubbered on like a lovesick teenager on some corny daytime drama.

It wasn’t like he felt jealous of Fiero’s love for Eyce and Echo. He’d meant it when he said he was happy for the demon. Things had just gotten a little muddled in his brain, and he’d become lost trying to figure out where he fit. Okay, so maybe he was feeling a tad bit sorry for himself. It was a new and unwelcome emotion that he’d be just as happy to never feel again. Self-pity was a complete waste of time.

“Syx!” Echo called from the kitchen, and he didn’t sound happy.

Sighing in relief that his mate was unhurt, Syx hurried across the room, meeting Echo in the threshold of the kitchen entryway. “You’re back.” He spoke calmly, his face impassive, but inside he wanted to scoop the man into his arms and never let go.

“I never actually left.” Echo put his hands on his hips and lifted both eyebrows. “Or is that the problem?”

“No.” Syx decided short and simple answers were the least likely to get him into any more trouble than he was already facing.

“Do you want me to leave?”

“No.”

“Do you think you’re better off without me?”

“No.”

“Do you wish I’d never come here?” Echo fired off questions at a fast clip, giving Syx little time to think through his answers.

“No.” Gods, he was starting to sound like a broken record.

“Are you finished being an asshole?”

“No…uh.” Syx shook his head and frowned. “I mean, yes.”

Echo winked, and his lips curved into a crooked smile. “Okay.” He turned around and headed over to the kitchen table. “I’m hungry.”

Syx stood frozen in place, staring at the spot where his mate had just been in front of him. “That’s it? Just like that? No questions, no ass chewing, you’re just going to let me off the hook?” No way could it be that easy. Echo always had something to say when one of them fucked up, and he said it pretty damn loudly. This easy acceptance seemed suspicious, to say the least.

Echo huffed. “We had a misunderstanding. You said things you didn’t mean, and I overreacted. Shit happens. I don’t see any reason to get all dramatic about it.”

Syx walked dazedly over to the stove and began preparing Echo a plate. Something didn’t fit, didn’t feel right. Most of the arguments and disagreements in the house since Echo’s arrival had been
misunderstandings
, but Echo had still lit into the offender like a hellcat. What did that mean? Did his feelings not run as deep for Syx? Maybe he felt Syx wasn’t important enough for him to get his feathers ruffled.

Letting down his guard, he slipped into his lovers’ heads, trying to find something to dismiss his concerns. Rude perhaps, and he didn’t usually listen in on his men purposely, but he needed to know.

“He looks so sad. I wish he’d just tell me what’s going on. How can I help him if he won’t talk to me?”
That came from Vapre. Syx felt pleasantly surprised at the man’s worry for him. He’d examine that later, though. Right now he needed to know what his mate was thinking.

“How can I make him see what’s right in front of his face? I hate seeing him like this. My mate is hurting, and I can’t do anything about it. How useless am I?”

Syx closed his eyes briefly as Echo’s thoughts played through his own mind. A warm liquid feeling started in his stomach, spreading out to his limbs and making his skin tingle.

“Echo says to let him be, and he’ll come around in his own time,”
Vapre thought.
“I don’t know how long I can take it, though. I’ll give him a few more days, but I can’t stand to watch him hurting.”

And just like that, Syx’s warm feeling was replaced by a cold that seeped right down to his bones. His lovers were distressed because of him, because they knew he was hiding something from them.

Plastering a wide smile on his face that he hoped didn’t look as fake as it felt, Syx carried plates to Echo and Vapre. Not for the first time, he was very glad that his own thoughts were safe from prying minds.

* * * *

“It’s been five days,” Echo said quietly as he snuggled between Vapre and Syx on the sofa. “They should have been back by now.”

He loved this time he had alone with Vapre and Syx, but he missed the rest of his men. They should have been home two days ago, safe, sound, and exactly where they were supposed to be. What the hell was taking so long? And why hadn’t anyone called to check in with them?

“There’s a good chance that they don’t have reception where they’re at,” Syx answered as he nuzzled the top of Echo’s head with his cheek. “Someone would have sent word if there was anything to worry about. Maybe it’s just farther than Mac had originally thought.”

Echo appreciated his lover trying to reassure him, but his mind still whirled with images of terrible things happening to his warriors. “Can we try to call? Just once more?” They’d tried several times in the last two days, but each call had gone straight to voice mail.