They say nothing, and I mutter, “Good night,” without turning around.
It’s actually day time, but I assume they’ll be crashing for several long hours, considering the events that have happened over the course of the last few days or weeks or however long we’ve been gone.
My room is predictably unchanged, and I lie down on my bed, sighing as I stare up at the ceiling.
The outfit I’m wearing turns into an elegant dress, fully equipped with diamond studded shoes. It’s an odd lounging outfit, but it makes me feel important. Dress for the role you want instead of the role you have, right?
I wonder what it’s like to be a part of something. To feel as though you know your purpose and have your people.
“How did Lucifer know you were there?”
Ezekiel’s voice startles me, and I look at the entryway to see all four of them propped up inside my room, staring at me like they’ve been there for a while.
Jude is drinking another beer, his eyes leisurely raking over me.
“Lamar could sense me, but he couldn’t see me or hear me. Same thing with the devil,” I answer automatically.
They continue to stare at me with no expressions on their unreadable faces.
“It was sort of cute how she stepped in front of us when he advanced on us,” Gage says with a smirk forming.
I bristle. It was badass. Not cute.
“Like she could take down the devil if he saw it fit to end our lives for the trouble he’s dealing with,” Jude adds, the beginnings of a mocking grin toying with the edges of his lips.
Dicks.
“It was even interesting to the devil himself,” Kai adds, a taunting glisten in his arrogant eyes.
Lounging comfortably, I give them all a wry look.
“It’s been a rather tiring experience. If you’re done making a mockery of me, I’ll take some peace and quiet now,” I retort, eyeing my fingernails like they’re far more interesting than the sexy, deviant pricks in my room.
“Why’d you choose the room farthest from ours?” Ezekiel muses, seeming just as entertained as all of them. I suppose he’s out of his feral trance for good, at least for now.
“You’re smart boys. I’m sure you can figure it out,” I tell them, alluding to a lie. But they don’t get to hear the truth.
Their amusement dies, and they all level me with a hard glare.
“Bipolar much? Or do you just prefer to dish it, yet have the inability to receive?” I ask idly, smirking like I’m winning this game of tongue.
Jude’s smirk returns as a dark look passes his face. “We all enjoy receiving, little spirit.”
Admittedly, my temperature rises, but I play it cool, aiming for aloof. How exactly does one achieve aloofness?
Ezekiel looks around my room, stepping away from the wall. It’s a rather large room. If I had any toiletry needs, I’d have my own private bathroom as well.
“Why does a spirt need a bedroom?” he asks. “Especially when she doesn’t sleep?”
“She has never been able to stay away from the lot of you for longer than ten minutes in the past. Now she prefers her space while she tries to figure out how to attach herself to a new quad.”
His eyes darken on me, but Kai just releases a rumble of laughter.
“That threat is getting a little tired, don’t you think?” Gage drawls.
“Not sure exactly how that’s a threat. A threat would be warning you that it’s going to put the damn lotion on you before hacking you to bits and feeding you to ravenous cannibals,” I point out, feeling rather impressed by my creative threat.
They all look amused now.
I give up.
I never know how they’re going to react to any given situation.
“Is that all?” I groan. “I would think you’d all be too tired for this pointless banter.”
Ezekiel picks up the remote, turning on the TV, and my eyes widen. I had no idea that even worked. Hell, when did it even get in here? It didn’t used to be. It looks brand new.
He pulls up a familiar movie, and my heart beats a little faster as he starts Pinocchio a little before the spot I got to when they interrupted me.
I get ghostly tears in my eyes as a smile stretches across my face. He doesn’t meet my gaze as he tugs his shirt over his head, and my smile evaporates.
“What are you doing?” Gage and I both ask him at the same time.
“I’m sleeping in here,” he answers absently, coming and beginning to strip the bed out from under me, pulling off the dusty covers.
The sheets and blankets pass through me, as he moves to a drawer and pulls out some clean replacements.
The other three exchange a look, and I try not to let my attention be divided between the jackasses on TV and the ones in my room.
“I’m not so sure that’s a good idea,” Kai tells him warily.
“I’ve stayed away from her like all of you wanted, and it drove me mad when I couldn’t see her at all. Doesn’t matter what’s going on or what she is, it’s clear I’m already stuck. I’m going to at least get some good fucking sleep while I can,” he answers them as he quickly makes the bed.
I never move from the bed, just allowing the sheets to pass through me. They really have no personal boundaries where I’m concerned and take complete, borderline rude, advantage of my translucent form.
“I didn’t agree to that, and this is my room,” I point out, holding my finger up.
He ignores me, sliding into the bed beside me.
“What happens if she goes whole again?” Gage points out.
Jude smirks as he comes forward. “I’ll stick around and make sure he doesn’t do anything to make his affliction worse.”
Kai rolls his eyes, dragging him back by his shirt.
“Gage will stay to run interference,” Kai argues.
“Why the fuck would I stay?” Gage growls as Jude rolls his eyes and turns to walk out.
“Because you’re the only one who doesn’t want to see what she feels like,” Kai says, clapping Gage on the shoulder.
Nervousness wads in my stomach. What if it does make me whole? That’s such a double-edged sword. On one hand, it’d be a dream come true. On the other, it’s a death sentence with these four.
I’m not convinced they won’t fuck me and then kill me while I’m still stuck in that dopey orgasm haze they leave women in.
“No one is sleeping in here. I don’t want to turn whole just to make my death easier for you,” I gripe. “And I’m not entirely convinced that had anything to do with it.”
Considering I was feeling the overwhelming urge to close my eyes and rest in the cells when they were all touching me, I’m almost positive that’s how I turned whole.
I’ve just been in denial.
Damn Lilith. I still hate her.
Ezekiel’s arm passes through my waist as he gets comfortable, his eyes already closing as he settles down, not even acknowledging my refusal.
Cursing, Gage shoulders by Kai, tearing his shirt over his head on his way toward the bed.