Three Trials (The Dark Side Book 2)(41)

“I’m assuming that was Jude?” I ask, and he nods once.

“Good. While we’re waiting on him to come remove the last bit of pain plaguing me, I have something very important to tell you.”

They all step in closer. I found it so sweet when I first found all those beautiful roses with no thorns. I didn’t have all the details then.

“I died saving you assholes, and you repay me by putting me in a hole that far away from you?!” I snap, watching as their eyes widen and their grins curve up. “Seriously? That’s all you could come up with on my headstone? And for a solid month, the only thing you lazy asses brought me was roses?”

They all dart a gaze behind me, just as I hear Jude’s familiar voice wash over me with surprise and awe.

“It’s her.”





Chapter 13


I whirl around, tempted to go to him, but not emotionally capable of dealing with rejection at this very trying moment.

“Yes,” I say with a bitter smile. “Apparently I’m too stubborn for Death to deal with properly.”

I give him a pointed look, hoping he gets the little pun.

I expect a snappy comeback or some hostile suspicion. What I don’t expect is for him to be across the room in a blur of motion.

His lips crash against mine for the first time, and it’s like a storm pulses in my body. All the pain is gone at last, and warmth travels up through me, as though he finally just sealed the last piece of something into place and made me truly whole.

I moan into his mouth as he grips me closer, his hands moving all over me like he doesn’t know what he wants to touch the most.

I’m beyond drugged and unable to pull back, as I clutch him closer, kissing him so hard that my lips start to hurt. I knew it’d be violent with him. Just as it is with all of them.

It makes the times they’re soft so much more special.

When he breaks the kiss, he’s panting, his entire body shaking against me as his breaths rattle in his chest.

“Now that is how you welcome a girl back from the dead,” I say on a shuddering breath. “Congratulations. You’re finally my favorite again.”

They all look torn between laughing and murdering someone.

Jude forces himself to release me and take a few steps back, his body visibly straining with the effort it takes. I’m a little lightheaded, if I’m being honest.

It really does feel like the final piece has clicked into place. I feel so much stronger now.

I go phantom with ease and zap around the house several times before landing back in front of them with a grin on my lips.

“Much better. Apparently the four of you still make me stronger.”

They don’t look quite as amused as I do.

“Great,” I groan. “What now? What have I missed in the month I’ve been dead that has put all of you in such a terrible mood?” I ask on an exasperated sigh.

Given the condition of the house, I’ve missed a lot.

“Not much,” Ezekiel says, clearing his throat. “No one has tried to kill us since Jude killed Lake. Only the Devil’s highest appointed generals should have been able to kill an escort. It seemed to send a message.”

I look around the house, seeing all of it torn to pieces. Hell, even the chandeliers look like they’re warped.

“Then why does it look like a war raged on in here?” I ask, bringing my gaze back down.

“You were fucking dead,” Gage says again, coming closer as though he has to touch me after saying those words. “We broke laws, hijacked royal escorts, and broke into hell numerous times to find out what happened to you. Not recycled. Not in hell’s throat. Simply fucking dead.”

His hand moves to my cheek, cupping it.

Kai moves forward, reaching his hand out for me. I take it and let him pull me away from Gage and into his arms.

“But what happened to the house?” I ask him, since Gage didn’t answer.

“You fucking died,” Kai says, and this time…I get it.

With a more educated eye, I look around again, seeing the distress and anger that went into destroying this room. Beyond us is the kitchen in the same disarray, but I notice the dents in the walls and pans, the fury that went into all that destruction.

This wasn’t a struggle to survive. This was a grieving tantrum.

They grieved me?

“Oh,” I say on a quiet breath. “Didn’t realize you four liked me quite that much,” I add even quieter, rather shocked, really.

Kai’s finger slips under my chin as he glares down at me. Leave it to Kai to act like it’s my fault they buried me so far away.

“I might have healed faster if you’d left me in my damn room instead of tossing me out like yesterday’s virgin girlfriend,” I state primly.

He grips my shoulders as his eyes harden. I don’t tell him it actually kind of hurts. My entire body is actually a little achy, if I’m being honest.

One type of soul-burning pain has been replaced with an achy, uncomfortable, and certainly untimely sort of pain.

“You. Were. Fucking. Dead,” he says, punctuating each word very unnecessarily loud.

I’m not sure why he’s insisting on saying that. I said I get it.

“That doesn’t explain why you buried me instead of leaving me in my room,” I point out, ignoring the growing ache spreading out from my stomach. “It’s not like any of you ever used my room before I took it, so it’s not putting you out.”