Three Trials (The Dark Side Book 2)(23)

“Not until we all agree,” Gage says, still smirking at Jude.

“I’m the only one who clearly isn’t infected by her,” Jude tells him, then gives me a fuck-you grin that he stole from me.

“I’m positive I’m a virgin, even though I have no scientific evidence. I’d rather not go to a doctor to have him check. I’m not quite certain I want just anyone rooting around in such an intimate place. The point is, I highly doubt I have anything to infect you with.”

“How can I argue with her when she makes no damn sense ninety percent of the time?” Jude snaps, gesturing a little wildly at me like I’ve finally pushed him over that edge.

It’s fascinatingly intriguing, and I go to the kitchen as they continue talking.

“You’re the only one still convinced she’s a threat to our bond. It’s felt stronger over the past three days,” Gage tells him. “We’ve felt stronger.”

“Everything comes at a price,” Jude states as though he’s the reasonable one. “There’s always a balance. We know this. It’s why we agreed not to touch her, and now you’re all giving her orgasms and sleeping with her wrapped around you. She’s in your fucking heads like no one else has ever done before, clambering to be her damn momentary favorite, and none of you are even questioning it!”

Finished with step one of my current task, I press a few buttons on the microwave and go to grab a bowl.

“I’m seriously convinced she’s done something to the three of you. I’m the only one who hasn’t had my mouth on her, and I’m the only one who remembers how it feels when envy starts to rip us apart,” Jude growls.

“Is she making popcorn?” Ezekiel asks incredulously as the telltale pop pop pop starts its rapid-fire phase.

“She is insane. And very fucking distracting for all of us. Tell me you don’t see the fact we’ve just survived the worst third trial in hell’s long history, and instead of discussing the Devil’s true agenda, we’re discussing her,” Jude goes on as I pull the popcorn out and start pouring it into my bowl.

I quickly wash my hands, even though I can’t actually get dirty if I swap from transparent to whole. I’m just magically clean. Lovely little perk.

I don’t mind the guys being dirty. They still smell just as tempting, and now they’re a little battle dirty, which is actually very hot, since I’m insane like that.

“All we can do is speculate where Lucifer is concerned. He’s been called the ‘Mad King’ for quite some time,” Ezekiel drawls. “But we can start processing all we learned about her right now, while the memories are fresh. It’s clear she’s something we’ve been missing. You’re the only one not seeing that.”

Jude looks like he’s about ready for that death punch again when I come walking around, hugging my bowl of popcorn in one arm, while using my other hand to shovel it into my mouth.

I’m so hungry. And this is definitely one of those popcorn moments I finally get to enjoy with popcorn.

They all turn to look at me, not saying a word, blank expressions donning their faces.

“What?” I ask around a mouthful, before packing it full once again.

Ezekiel’s lips twitch.

“See?” Jude asks, gesturing to all of me as though I’ve just proven a very valid point. “Insane!”

He does his usual glare-at-me routine, and I swallow my popcorn while rolling my eyes.

“I’m going to my room. I’ll leave the door open—metaphorically—to anyone who wants to help me figure out my virginal status. I’m still too good for all of you, but now I like you a little more. Well, not you,” I say, directing that last part at Jude.

“You can’t touch me until you stop trying so hard to hate me,” I add.

I deliberately bump into his side on my way by, and shake my ass much more than necessary as I strut up the stairs, still wearing my ruby red slippers that have no tall heel. No, I don’t wear heels in this form. It’s not quite as graceful when gravity is a bitch.

“Don’t even think about it,” I hear Jude saying to someone. “Not until we all agree. Don’t let her strip us of that last bit of power.”

This time, I’m the one to flip him off without looking back. Then I eat more popcorn, because I really am hungry. Ravenous, actually.

“We need a way to settle this, or we’ll stay at an impasse,” Kai tells him.

“Then we’ll find a way to settle it,” Jude says with a chilling calmness that finally provokes me to look back and down at them from the top of the stairs.

He’s smirking at me in a way that makes him look even more dangerous than the Devil himself.

Sometimes I forget he really might kill me one day when he tires of trying to figure me out.





Chapter 8


After devouring two bowls of popcorn, I get naked and decide to enjoy the perks of a body when it meets an incredible shower.

The water racing down me in hurried rivulets is one of the many welcome sensations.

I don’t think about the guys, or hell, or the Devil, or the fact the Devil is still possibly playing a game of death with their lives. In this moment, I’m just a girl enjoying the luxury of sensation I’ve watched so many others take for granted over the years.