Soul Screamers, Volume 1

I opened my mouth for him, drawing him in farther. Deeper. As much as I could take, and still I wanted more. My hands skimmed his chest, traveling boldly over each plane, each ridge, and soon that wasn’t enough, either, so I tugged his shirt up, eager for the feel of his flesh beneath my fingers.

Nash’s free hand found my waist, squeezing. His fingers slid beneath the waistband of my jeans, gripping my hip, scalding me with each touch. I moaned into his mouth when his fingers tightened, and he kissed me harder, teasing me.

My hands wrapped around his waist, traveling up the broad expanse of his back, smooth and hard, and…

“Give it a rest, already,” Tod snapped from somewhere behind his brother. “It already smells like sex in here, and you’re both still dressed. You have no idea how messed up that is.”

Nash stiffened and pulled away from me. Then his forehead fell against my shoulder, and he growled in warning at his brother, as my hands slid down his back and out of his shirt. Nash breathed heavily against my neck as he pulled his fingers slowly from my waistband. He wanted more. Was ready for more.

I could feel his readiness against my hip.

I couldn’t make my heart stop pounding. Couldn’t control my ragged breathing. Couldn’t cool my burning cheeks.

Nash finally stepped away from me, and he was still breathing heavily, too. He shoved his hands into his pockets and collapsed into his chair.

“You’re lucky no one else walked in on you,” Tod continued, snatching a chip from the bag, completely oblivious to our discomfort, as usual. “If I were her dad, you’d be hobbling home with your balls in hand tonight, little brother.”

“Shut up, Tod!” I snapped, tugging my jeans into place below my navel, both delighted and mortified to realize I could still feel the warmth of Nash’s bare hand on my hip. “Or you’re not going to be in any shape to help Addison!”

“Speaking of which…” Tod dipped his chip into the salsa, then crunched as he spoke. “I’d appreciate it if you two could keep your sticky fingers out of my personal life....”

“What life?” Nash mumbled angrily. “Just sit down so we can get this over with. Kaylee’s dad will be home by nine, and we’d like at least a couple of hours alone before then.”

Tod smirked. “You think she’s ready for any more time alone with you?”

“Not your business, Tod. I’ll decide what I’m ready for.” I dropped into the chair across from him. “Your business is finding the hellion who has Addy’s soul, and figuring out how to get it back from him. Did you find her contract?”

Tod scowled in defeat. “No. It took me three hours of digging and snooping this morning just to find out that all copies of demon paperwork are kept in the Netherworld.”

“So, she never really had a shot at enacting her out-clause.” I shoved the bowl of salsa across the table, suddenly too angry to snack. “How did the others do it?”

“They probably actually read their contracts,” Nash snapped.

“Or else they went through Dekker again. I’m guessing he doesn’t care if they renege, so long as they provide a replacement soul.” Tod rocked back and forth on the uneven legs of his folding chair.

“Lovely,” I spat, closing my eyes briefly in disgust. “Any idea how to ID the hellion on our own?”

“No.” The reaper sighed in frustration and grabbed a handful of popcorn. “I’ve never actually met a hellion, and so far as I know, there’s no demon directory to refer to. Not that we have a name to look up.”

“But hellions have specialties, right?” Nash asked. “Like, there’s a demon of pain, and a demon of lust…”

“…and a demon of joy, and a demon of hope, and even a demon of love,” Tod finished, gesturing with a corn chip. “There’s a hellion for every emotion and weakness known to man. More than one. There are hundreds of hellions in the Netherworld. Maybe thousands. Knowing what Addy’s demon specializes in won’t be much help without something more specific.”

“But it’s a starting place, right?” I twisted my can on the table. “It’s more than we knew yesterday.”

Tod nodded slowly. “For what little good it does us.”

“Wait…” My thoughts had stalled on something he’d said, like a thorn caught on a loose thread. “How can there be a hellion of love? Or of hope? I thought hellions fed on pain and suffering. And chaos. How can they possibly feed on emotions that make people happy?”

Nash smiled at me, but it was a sweet, pitying smile, like he was humoring me. As if I were too naive for words. But it was Tod who answered, as usual more than willing to enlighten me on the darker side of life.

“A hellion can wring pain and chaos from any emotion, Kaylee. If you want love, he gives you unrequited love. Pangs of it so torturous you go insane and die. If you ask for hope, he makes it vain hope, hope so fruitless that after grasping at it, clutching it, you eventually go insane and die. And if you beg for faith, you get blind faith. Faith you cling to, and build upon, until the day you discover that it’s unfounded, and you—”