Chapter Thirty-Three （Burn）

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE (BURN)

HAZEL

Gonzo was warm and strong. His biceps bulged as he pulled me against his hard chest.

Zero's fingers twirled my long strands of red hair as he stared at us both. He gave a soft smile at us and then looked at the ceiling.

Laying on a bare mattress in a padded room was one of the best moments of my life. Sandwiched between the two men, I considered never getting up again. I'd gotten them back and honestly didn't want to do anything else but bask in that. I had two men who loved me.

It was uncomfortable looking back on my life, knowing how much more it could have offered. Growing up with Uncle Vernon hadn't been strict. It had been cold and cruel. Not being allowed the space to even have an identity had made my life a constant tense moment.

I thought about the worst years when Uncle Vernon's training involved one death after the next. He trained me without mercy, making me fight him until death. I never won, not even now. There were some weeks where I didn't get a single day's rest from dying.

Zero dropped my hair, his hand becoming a tight fist. His nostrils flared as he stared at the ceiling.

"Are you okay?" I asked. His gaze swept to me.

"You and I are alike in many ways, Hazel." I shifted onto my elbow, propping up between them. Zero reached out, cradling my face in his palm.

"I'm also immortal and was also kept by people who wanted to use me for their own ends."

"Did you read my mind?" I asked, dropping my chin to my chest. It was embarrassing he saw me so weak.

"Don't be ashamed. I know the same tortures as you," he said. His fingers brushed my cheek. Gonzo's arms tensed around me, his entire body growing tense.

"And I will achieve your vengeance with the same passion as I've achieved mine," Zero promised. The anger radiating off him was frightening. A smile spread over his face, and his pupils grew large. I wrapped my arms around him and sighed.

"The best thing to do about Vernon is to pretend he doesn't exist. I want to move on. I want to forget it."

"Fuck that," Gonzo growled. "It's even better that he can't die. I can't wait to eviscerate him over and over." An animalistic bark of laughter slipped from Gonzo's lips. I felt sharp canine teeth drag across my shoulder. "I'll eat him while he watches."

"Gonzo," I sighed. Zero lifted my chin.

"Hazel, if you don't want to think of him anymore, then don't," he said. I looked into his perfect brown eyes and relaxed.

"Yeah," I sighed. Gonzo growled behind me. Zero shot an evil smile over my shoulder, and Gonzo relaxed.

"So what do we do now?" I asked. "How do we get out of here?" I looked around for my clothes and crawled from between the two men.

"Out of where?" Zero asked. Then he pointed over at an orange jumpsuit he'd brought for Gonzo.

"Hazel got a fancy bed and a cat. I got a prison jumpsuit," Gonzo teased. Zero frowned. Gonzo's eyes grew tender as he grabbed Zero's hips, drawing him in closer.

"I was only joking," he whispered.

"I got you mates," Zero said.

"That you did." Gonzo chuckled and rolled off the bed, marching over to his clothes. As we all got dressed, the reality outside this room couldn't be ignored anymore.

"How do we get out of Verfallen," I elaborated.

"Verfallen? Supra has a spell to keep me inside," Zero said, tightening the coat straps that ran across his chest.

"They've also locked all the doors and switched off the employee keycards," Gonzo added, finishing the last button of his jumpsuit.

"So… we're fucked?" I asked.

"Do we need to leave Verfallen?" Zero asked. We both shot him disgusted looks.

"The rest of us need food and sunlight to survive," Gonzo explained with an eye roll.

"Oh yes," Zero said. "I forget sometimes."

"Do you never eat?" Gonzo asked him.

"I tried the cafeteria food a few times and decided I was better off not consuming it," he explained. Gonzo made a choking sound.

"That's not food."

"They guaranteed me it was," Zero explained.

"Correction, it's not good food. Tell him, Hazel."

"It's the worst thing I've ever put in my mouth, and I've had an Eldritch monster in my mouth," I said. Gonzo barked out a laugh.

"Hilarious," Zero said, narrowing his eyes.

"Aw, you upset him," Gonzo said. "I'll cook for you, Zero."

"How thoughtful of you to do something I said I'm uninterested in."

"I'll make you interested," he said, his voice dipping an octave. He walked over to Zero, reaching out and swiping his thumb over his lips. Zero stared at him a moment, then looked away bashfully.

"Is Zero blushing?" I asked in shock.

"I'm overwhelmed by the situation I've found myself in. Love is a new thing for me. I'm still… baffled by the perversity of you two," he explained.

"Perversity?" Gonzo asked, bewildered. "You're the one into bondage."

"Yes, but you're in love with an eldritch horror. I think that makes you two the more perverse."

"He's got a point," Gonzo said, swinging to face me. I frowned.

"You know, this is all new to me too." I walked over to them, and Gonzo dragged me close to them, wrapping his arms around both of us.

"What am I going to do with you two," Gonzo said with a soft smile. "Let's get out of here. You both need to finally be free. I'll take care of you both." He flashed us a charming smile and a wink.

"I'd like that," Zero said, shocking us both.

"I'll get us out of here," Gonzo promised. He darted in, grabbed hold of Zero's face, and kissed him deeply. Zero was caught off guard and stumbled while kissing him back. Gonzo leaned back, licking his lips, and then set his sights on me. He lunged for me, pushing me against the nearby padded wall. His hands danced over my body, grabbing possessively. He groaned against my lips.

Then he backed away with a smile, hands in his pockets.

"I've got a plan." He winked at both of us.

" No ," Zero growled.

"What?" I asked. Gonzo barked out a laugh and twisted around, but when he went to run out the door, he suddenly went stiff as a board.

"Tricksters are annoying," Zero purred, walking around Gonzo. Gonzo bared his teeth at Zero.

"I don't think he'll ever be good at teamwork. What do you think, Hazel?" Zero's eyes slid to me. I swallowed thickly.

"Did you paralyze him?" I asked. Zero's face split in a smile.

"Of course. Don't you worry, I only do it to bad boys and girls.

"What was he going to do?" I asked.

"Burn the place down."

"But…" I trailed off. That didn't sound like a bad idea. "Could that work?"

"The walls are reinforced with metal. By the time they lose their structural integrity, everyone will have died. You and I would be the only ones walking out of here. Maybe a couple others."

"Gonzo?"

"Unlikely."

"Baz?"

"Absolutely not."

"What the fuck are you thinking!" I yelled at Gonzo. Zero patted Gonzo's cheek with a smug look before releasing him. Gonzo sagged, finally able to move again.

"Gonzo loves risky behavior. A gamble with a large payoff. He seems to think he can squirm his way out of anything."

"Including a burning building?" I snapped.

"Can I talk for myself now?" Gonzo asked.

"How were you even going to burn this place down?"

"He stole your lighter," Zero said. I patted my pocket in shock. The bastard had pickpocketed me when he kissed me.

"There's no lighter fluid, though," I said in confusion.

"Shit, really?" Gonzo asked, flipping out the lighter. With a deft flick of his thumb, he popped the lid open before he dragged the spark wheel across his thigh. It flicked but produced no flame.

"Teamwork will help your plan," Zero explained to him. Gonzo rolled his eyes, and Zero grabbed him suddenly by the throat and pushed him against the wall.

"You said no more tricks."

"I haven't," Gonzo said, looking into Zero's eyes nervously.

"Pickpocketing? Running off to enact some plan of escape without us?"

"That's not—"

"It's not just you anymore. It's us. All three of us."

"Yes," Gonzo said, looking down. Zero grabbed his chin and jerked it back up.

"Eyes on me," he told him. A shudder rolled over me, remembering him saying that to me all the many times he made me come.

"I'm not used to working with others," Gonzo growled. He fisted Zero's sleeves, gripping the fabric tight as if he didn't want Zero to let him go.

"Don't let me down, Gonzo. There's a reason I picked you to tie myself to." Gonzo's angry face vanished, and he nodded.

"Now, play well with others," Zero joked, dropping his hold and backing up. Gonzo sighed, dragging his hand over his face.

"A fire will be useful to cover traces of ourselves. Not just the evidence of what I am but also the information on both of you. There's gasoline in the forgotten hall," Zero said. Gonzo's eyes flashed to the door as if he was about to bolt. Instead, he wet his lips and stayed where he was.

"If the building burns to the ground, would you be free?" I asked Zero. He looked over at me and smiled.

"Yes. There's a Supra official here. She's managed to block my ability to sense her mind. She's hiding here somewhere. If she knows an emergency exit, I can find it in her head." He turned to look at Gonzo. "You go get the gasoline. It's in the room with the large sea snake."

"Just gallons of gas sitting around?" Gonzo asked. He couldn't quite keep the excitement from his voice.

"It's used to power the air compressor for the water tank. Don't set anything on fire yet."

"Okay," he said, eyes flicking away.

"Weren't you sent here for pyromania?" I asked.

"It's fine," Gonzo brushed off. Wasn't the whole diagnosis about compulsively setting fires?

Zero pulled me in close to him, his lips brushing mine.

"I'll find the Supra official. Go get your brother," he whispered. I swallowed thickly.

"Don't you need my help?" I asked.

"No," he said. "You don't want to see what I'll do."

"Zero," I sighed. I'd made him feel like I hated the creature he was. "It's not like that." We needed to talk about this later. I didn't want him to think I had a problem with what he was. He cradled my face in his palm.

"You'll be free of this place soon. I know you don't want to leave your brother here." His fingers brushed my temple.

"We'll all be free soon," I said with hope, leaning against his chest. Zero smiled and placed a tender kiss against my forehead. Then he pushed me towards the door.

Gonzo walked out with me. He followed me towards the basement stairs even though he had to go the opposite way.

"Going with me?" I asked with a smile. He darted a look over his shoulder and grabbed my arm, pulling me past the basement stairs and further away from Zero.

"He's lying."

"What?" I asked. "Why would he?" Gonzo looked at me with sad eyes and sighed.

"Hazel, how is the world's best assassin so naive?"

"Hey!" I snapped. He pressed a palm to my mouth and looked down the hall. I pulled his hand away.

"He can read our minds," I said.

"Not all the time he doesn't," he said. I furrowed my brows.

"How do you know that?"

"I've paid attention. When he's concentrating on you, he's not listening to me up here." He tapped the side of his head. "His powers are very impressive, but they're still limited. He can't read everyone's mind at the same time."

"Okay. So what's he lying about? And why?"

"He's trapped here, Hazel." His serious eyes dug into me. I shook my head.

"We're all trapped for now, but we're getting out," I said. There was suddenly a thick lump in my throat. I didn't want to see the truth of what Gonzo was saying. My breathing picked up.

"Princess, calm down. We'll get him out."

"I am calm," I said around shallow, quick breaths. His palm pressed to my chest, right over my heart. He stared into my eyes. His scent filled my nose—mahogany and oranges. I felt my breath even out.

"If this place burns, he's still not getting out. We need to figure out how to free him."

"Why wouldn't he just tell us that?" I asked.

"I think he gave up on escaping Verfallen a long time ago. His only aim was to free his mind again. Even if he entertains the hope of walking away, he doesn't want us held back by it."

"He purposely brought me here to trap me with him," I argued.

"He was interested in you, Hazel. But now he's in love with you," he said. I let out a breath and looked down the hall.

"He made me his mate to help him. I'm not leaving until I break him free entirely. Not just mentally, but physically too."

"What do we do?"

"He said it's a spell. We need a powerful witch," Gonzo said.

"Shit I think I killed one," I said. Gonzo made an exasperated noise of disbelief. "Wait! No, I didn't kill her." I pulled out the group therapy list and scanned the names. Coral was still there and hadn't been scratched out yet. Her room number was right there.

"She's the Hex leader. I didn't want to mess with hierarchy so I left her alone."

"Thank god you didn't kill everyone. Get your brother and his crew, then go convince her to help us."

"But…"

"What?"

"I'm not good with my words."

"Then don't use words." He popped a kiss on my lips and then took off. On his finger he swung the key to the forbidden hall that he'd just plucked from my pocket. I rolled my eyes. He could have just asked. Wait, he still had my lighter too. Shit.