Evans, Gabrielle - Firestorm [Fatefully Yours 3] (Siren Publishing LoveXtreme Forever ManLove) (18 page)

Strong jaws locked around his waist, jerking him away from his lover and lifting him into the air as sharp teeth penetrated the flesh on his sides. Fiero roared, the tendons in his neck straining as he fought to free himself from the monster.

Higher and higher they rose until they reached the center of the blazing circle. Fiero had no idea why the ring hadn’t dissolved until he chanced a look at the ground and saw Echo on his feet, his hands in the air, and his eyes locked on the flames.

Some small part of him felt hurt and disappointed that Echo appeared more concerned about the fire than he did Fiero’s safety. The larger, more logical part, however, understood the need to vanquish the beasts and control the fire.

Fire!
If he could, Fiero would have smacked himself in the head. Instead, he reached deep inside, pushing away the agonizing pain, and stoked the remaining embers of his power. His entire body burst into flame, scorching the creature’s mouth and causing it to screech in pain. Its massive jaws opened, releasing Fiero and sending him into free fall as he plummeted toward the pond below.

Squeezing his eyes closed, Fiero tried to work out the best way to hit the water to sustain as little injury as possible. He needn’t have bothered though. He felt his momentum slow before he came to a complete halt, hovering over the lake.

Lifting his head wearily, Fiero sought out Myst and gave him a small smile of gratitude. A gust of wind caught him up, whisking him over the dark waters, and Fiero crumpled to the ground on the bank near Echo.

“You can hurt later,” Echo said, his voice tense and strained. “Right now, I need your help.”

Fiero couldn’t stand, but he rolled to his back, limp and exhausted, and drudged up the last bit of his power. Molding the flames, he drew the ring inward, closing the hole in the middle.

Another gust of wind washed over him, pushing upward, and Fiero watched in amazement as the fire exploded, incinerating everything it touched.

The beasts wailed and screamed, rolling over in the air in a deadly dance. Then they shattered, literally breaking apart and disappearing in puffs of thick, black smoke.

“Let’s put it out,” Echo called. He sound tired and drained, much the same as Fiero felt. He didn’t even think he had the strength left to snuff out of the flames. Still, he concentrated, forcing his blurry eyes to focus as he pictured the fire growing smaller and smaller.

“Vapre, draw back the wind,” Echo continued. “Suck out as much oxygen as you can.”

It seemed to take an ungodly amount of time, but eventually they were able to extinguish the blaze, and Fiero dropped back to the ground in a heap. His vision dimmed, the pain on each flank searing his body. He heard footsteps running toward him, but they sounded distant and muffled.

“Fiero!” Echo’s hands touched his face, stroking over his cheeks and forehead. “Stay with me.”

He wanted to. He wanted to do anything to make his mate smile, but he just didn’t have the energy left. “Sorry,” he whispered, then closed his eyes and fell into the abyss.

* * * *

Echo plodded along by Vapre’s side, his body aching and exhausted. He sucked his bottom lip into his mouth to keep it from trembling as the gathering tears in his eyes spilled over to wash down his sooty cheeks.

“He’s going to be fine,” Vapre said softly. His arm wound around Echo’s shoulders, drawing him close as Vapre dropped a kiss on the top of his head. “He’s had worse, and Hex can heal anything. He just needs a little rest. As drained as I feel, I can only imagine what his body’s going through right now.”

Nodding numbly, Echo let Vapre pull him along through the trees. The trek home passed in a haze, and before Echo knew it, they were climbing the steps that would lead them into the warm sanctuary of the kitchen.

Gage, Sony, Mac, Syn, and Jinx all jumped up from their places at the table as the seven of them entered the room. “Did you do it?” Mac asked immediately.

“What happened?” Syn gasped. He hurried forward, his hand outstretched as though to touch Fiero.

Echo stepped in front of the vampire and grabbed his wrist. “Don’t touch him,” he snarled.

Syn’s eyes widened, and he bobbed his head as he stumbled backward.

His shoulders sagging, Echo rubbed at his eyes and sighed. “I’m sorry,” he mumbled. “I know you’re concerned. I just…I just…” He got no more out before the dam broke, and he began sobbing quietly into his hands.

Slender arms wound around him, pulling him close, and Syn patted his back. Echo leaned into the offered comfort, throwing his arms around the man’s neck and sobbing into his shoulder. “This is all my fault,” he wailed.

“Hush now,” Syn soothed. “Everything is going to be fine.” He gently unwound Echo’s arms from his neck, and turned him, nudging him into Eyce’s waiting arms.

Echo clung to his lover, fisting his hands in the man’s shirt, and holding on as though Eyce would disappear if he didn’t.

The demon’s fingers combed through Echo’s tangled hair, but he didn’t say a word. He stood there, a safe harbor in the storm, and allowed Echo to soak his shirt with his tears.

When Echo was all cried out, and he didn’t think he had another tear to shed, he finally looked up at his mate. “Thank you,” he whispered hoarsely.

Eyce nodded, but still didn’t speak. That’s when Echo noticed the puffiness and redness of his lover’s eyes. His man was hurting. Not physically, but he was just as concerned about Fiero. “He’ll be fine,” Eyce eventually managed, though his throat sounded clogged.

Making their way into the living room, they found Fiero stretched out on the sofa, Hex kneeling over him as he pressed his hands to the warrior’s wounds. Hex stayed that way for a long time, his eyes never leaving Fiero’s face, and Echo’s worry began to claw at him. Why wasn’t it working? It had always worked before. Hex had healed him, and he’d seen him heal the others. It never took this long!

Just as panic began to rear its ugly head, Fiero gave a sharp gasp, his chest heaving and his body shaking as he began to cough. Crying out in relief, Echo rushed to kneel by his lover’s head, stroking the hair back from his face and grinning like a lunatic.

Fiero’s slumped back to the cushions when his coughing fit ended, and his eyes fluttered open. He blinked several times before he finally focused on Echo, and a soft, tired smile ghosted over his lips. “Hey,” he croaked.

Echo felt the tears pool in his eyes again, but he refused to let them fall. “Hush,” he whispered. “Just rest.”

“M’kay,” Fiero slurred as his eyelids drooped. Then he was out again.

Echo didn’t worry this time, though. Fiero needed the rest for his body to continue to heal. As long as he knew his lover would be okay, Echo could breathe easy. Lifting his head, he looked around at the men gathered there and smiled. “We did it.”

“We did,” Vapre agreed. “I admit, I had my doubts there for a minute, but you pulled it off, baby. You were amazing.”

Echo waved away the praise. “I really didn’t do anything besides link the two of you.” He nodded at Vapre, then down to Fiero. “You guys took care of the rest.”

“So, now I guess we get ready for the next test,” Eyce said around a sigh.

“At least we have longer to prepare,” Onyx said. Then he shook his head and frowned. “Though that hasn’t done us much good so far. I’m beginning to think all this research is a waste of time.”

Echo caressed Fiero’s cheek once more, then pushed to his feet. “Maybe, but if we find something that helps, it’ll be worth it. I do think we need to focus more on honing your gifts, though.” He turned to face Vapre full on. “You’re up next, hotshot. We’ll rest tomorrow, but then we need to get started. Four weeks really isn’t such a long time.”

He waited for Vapre to nod, then turned around to face Syx. “You and Eyce are going to be in charge of research while I’m working with Vapre.”

“Bossy brat,” Hex muttered under his breath.

Echo ignored him. “Not only are you looking for things that relate to the prophecy, but we need to find a way to feed these guys without depleting the blood banks.” Echo motioned toward their resident vampires. “Onyx, Myst, you two figure out a way to create a light-tight room here on the main floor. Even with the space heaters, it’s too damn cold down there.”

“You sure are awfully demanding,” Onyx grumbled.

“Fine, then they can have your room, and you can sleep in the basement.” Echo crossed his arms over his chest and raised his eyebrows.

Onyx grimaced and dipped his head. “I’ll get on it first thing in the morning.”

Echo bit the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing. Onyx looked so cute when he pouted. He’d never spill their secrets, but his big tough warriors were nothing more than big teddy bears.

“Only with you,” Syx said quietly. “Don’t forget that.”

Echo stuck his tongue out at the demon. “Stay out of my head.”

Chapter Sixteen

Three days later, Fiero woke to tight heat surrounding his aching cock. His eyes snapped open, immediately settling on the little imp riding his dick.

“Good morning.” Echo smiled at him as he wiggled his ass against Fiero’s groin.

Fiero moaned in reply, going to touch his mate, but his hands didn’t move. Looking toward the headboard, he frowned at the cuffs around his wrists, holding him securely to the slats. “Wanna touch you,” he mumbled.

“Too bad.” Echo’s smile turned to a smirk. “Now that you’re all healed, we decided you needed a reward for accomplishing your task.”

“We?” Fiero choked out as Echo rose over him, then dropped back down on his cock.

The bedroom door opened, and his other lovers filed into the room, wearing beaming smiles and nothing else. No one said a word as the all moved to the bed, converging on Fiero with hands and mouths.

“Oh, gods,” he groaned. Ten seconds into it, and he was already close to blowing his load. Echo’s inner walls squeezed around his pulsing cock in waves as his mate rode him slowly, rising and falling, lifting his hips until only the crown of Fiero’s dick remained inside his heated passage, then lowering to take him to the root.

Myst and Onyx licked and nibbled at his throat, working their way down over his collarbones, until they each latched on to a pebbled nipple. Fiero growled and hissed, the pleasure overwhelming him as his balls drew close to his body.

Hex moved to kneel behind Echo, spreading Fiero’s knees wide and pushing them back toward his chest. A slick finger found his opening without error, circling the quivering muscles twice before the warrior’s thick digit pushed inside roughly.

Dropping his head back to the pillow, Fiero bit his lip to keep from crying out. Fingers gripped his chin, prying his lower lip from between his teeth. “Uh-uh,” Echo mumbled. “Wanna hear you scream.” Then he leaned forward, thrusting his tongue through Fiero’s parted lips and licking inside his mouth. “Wanna hear how good we make you feel.”

A second finger was added to his tight hole, and Fiero grunted, jerking on his restraints as he tried desperately to reach his mate. Gods, he wanted nothing more than to touch the man at that moment.

Myst and Onyx moved to kneel on either side of him, both stroking their thick lengths as they stared down at him with lust blazing in their eyes. To know he affected his men in such a way was a heady feeling, and it pushed Fiero’s own desire to a fever pitch.

Hex inserted another finger, sawing all three in and out of Fiero’s entrance as he caressed the inside of Fiero’s channel. He didn’t know how much more he could take, but he’d gladly accept anything his men wanted to do to him.

As though his leader had read his thoughts, Hex extracted his fingers from Fiero’s needy hole, lined up the head of his cock, and thrust in forcefully. Fiero cried out, his muscles tensing and his inner walls clamping down on the invading length in a vise grip. He loved it. Love that bite of pain, the sting that eventually gave way to the ultimate pleasure.