Chapter 21

The adrenaline proved slow to leave Adeline. The sight of her brother and lovers writhing in agony had filled Adeline with pulsing anger. Remembering what Charon had told her, she let it consume her and explode.

The chain reaction proved almost comical.

The result? Monroe died. Adeline actually saw the woman's soul leave her body, a yellow and green amorphous shape that soon pulled itself into a more recognizable form.

The sudden darkness in the room distracted her as Charon arrived with his always-moving cloak.

"Hello, Father. You're a tad too late," Adeline stated, proud of herself for having put a stop to the horrible woman.

"Just in time, actually. I see a soul in need of gathering," Charon murmured, which led to Monroe, now fully formed, quivering. Gone was her cocky expression as fear tugged her features.

"Stay away from me," Monroe huffed.

"Now, Felicia, is that any way to greet an old lover?" Charon purred. "How nice to see you again. You left before I could say goodbye the last time."

"I can't be dead." Monroe clutched at her neck, only the amulet she'd worn didn't follow her in death. "This protects my soul from the likes of you and your grim spawn."

"From us directly taking, yes," Charon agreed. "However, accidents are accidents."

"Stay away from me." Monroe backed away, her gaze flitting side to side as she sought escape.

"I can't do that, Felicia. It's my duty to bring your soul to its next incarnation. I'm thinking perhaps an insect, something easily squashed or eaten. Or maybe a rabbit or mouse, always running and hiding from predators."

"No. You can't do this to me. I bested you." Monroe stamped her foot.

"You did, and then my daughter beat you. Ironic, isn't it?" Charon declared. "Enough chatting. Time to go. I've got several souls that need reassignment." At his words, his cloak rippled, and Adeline would have sworn she saw faces pressing through the fabric.

The soul of Dr. Monroe tried to flee, but the scythe, seen in lore, finally emerged. Charon reached with the blade and snared Monroe. He dragged her into his embrace, his cloak enveloping her thoroughly.

Charon's hood faced Adeline for a moment then turned towards the collapsed form of his son. "One more thing to clean up…" He held out his hand, and she saw as the souls clinging to her brother separated from him, flitting to Charon before disappearing. When the flow stopped, Charon reached for Thaddeus, saying, "Your turn."

Adeline threw herself between them. "You can't kill my brother."

"I should. I should remove you both. It is dangerous to leave you alive. Him, especially."

"He only did what they forced him to do. He won't use his powers like that anymore," Adeline swore even as she'd never once spoken to Thaddeus. But surely he deserved a chance?

"He'd better not. You either. Or I will return…" With that grim announcement, Charon disappeared, and as the light returned, Adeline found herself first in one bone-crushing hug then another.

"What happened? Are you okay? What was that you said to the Grim Reaper?" Ambrose exclaimed.

"Yeah, I'm fine." She'd have to explain her grim daddy later. First… she moved to her brother's side. Thaddeus sat up with a wary expression on his face.

"Hi." She dropped to her haunches and held out her hand. "I'm Adeline."

"You said you were my sister."

She nodded. "And that creepy guy you just saw is our dad, Charon."

He grimaced. "About as warm as the doctors in this place."

"I think that actually was for him, or we'd both be dead. You ready to bust out of this joint?"

Thaddeus nodded yes, only to then shake no. "I shouldn't be out in the world. He's right. I'm dangerous."

"Actually, I know of a tea to help with that."

"Tea?"

She grinned. "Made by elves. But I swear it tastes good."

"I have nowhere to go."

"Yes, you do. You have a place with me." She held out her hand. "How do you feel about making sandwiches?"

He appeared confused but took her grip and stood. "I haven't made a sandwich in a long time."

"That's okay. I'll teach you," Adeline offered.

"Can we leave this place? It's giving me the creeps," Orion declared.

"Yes, but first we have to do one more thing."

They freed the prisoners with souls, but unfortunately, nothing could be done for those who had been sundered, which led to Thaddeus weeping. "I had no choice."

"I know," she replied softly. It was too easy to imagine their roles reversed had she been caught. She would have done the same to avoid torture. Besides, she couldn't claim any better, given she'd been accidentally using her power to take souls from the living. Calling them accidents didn't change the fact those people died because of her.

Once they'd cleared the place of captives, they torched the building, a fire being the only way of ensuring everything got destroyed. Everything but the two prizes of the project.

Seamus drove them back to the city, where Ambrose rented a hotel suite with two bedrooms, a living room, and even a small kitchen. The cats took off to explore right away.

Thaddeus stared for a good minute before whispering, "It feels like a dream. I'm afraid I'll wake up."

Adeline put an arm around him and murmured, "You're free now. Have a hot shower. Order some room service. Watch some boob tube."

"A hot shower…" He sighed. "That sounds like heaven."

It did, which was why Adeline headed for the second bedroom, saying, "I need to wash off."

In short order, Orion and Ambrose joined her.

Naked.

She shook a finger at them. "We don't have time for that. Thaddeus probably shouldn't be alone."

"Your brother's gone to bed. I gave him a little something to sleep," Ambrose stated.

"You drugged him?" she exclaimed.

"Magicked him at his wish and with Hekate's help. He said he wanted a chance to rest, but his emotions were making that too difficult. And before you panic about him being alone, the cats are with him."

Her shoulders relaxed. "Sorry if I went all sister bear for a second. I feel bad for him. His life in that place could have easily been mine."

"You going to explain about your brother and that grim reaper who showed up to help?" Orion asked, soaping his hands to run over her body.

She sighed. "So, it turns out I'm not entirely human. Or cryptid. And that grim reaper you saw, that's my daddy, Charon." She explained about the sandwich shop and the experiment, a bomb of shocking information that most people would have needed time to process, maybe even a break to see if they could handle it.

What did Orion say? "Fucking cool."

She blinked wet lashes at him. "Um, not really. My half-blood is the reason why I used to have problems with freak accidents. It was my soul-taking ability manifesting. I'm a killer."

"So am I," Orion scoffed. "Not a big deal."

"It is if I don't want to accidentally kill people."

"You just need to learn how to use it."

"Use it?" she squeaked.

Ambrose was the one to nod. "Yes, use it for good. There's a lot of evil in the world."

"My father warned us against utilizing our ability," she reminded.

"Your father would have killed you if he didn't want you to have it. I know a bit about Charon. He's never been one to care before. But he obviously cared enough to give you a safe space."

Her nose wrinkled. "I guess."

"I'm more worried about us," Orion declared. "Your daddy's the Grim Reaper. What if he decides he doesn't like the dirty things we're about to do to his daughter?"

The statement widened her eyes but also shot tingles through her. "What kind of things?"

Orion grinned. "Ambrose, what do you say we show her?"

They dried off quickly, her hands trembling slightly in anticipation. Was she ready for this? She barely knew these men, and yet she couldn't deny her desire or the feelings she had for them. Feelings she wanted to explore.

Ambrose drew her into his arms for a kiss, while Orion pressed against her back, his lips dragging over the back of her neck. When they whirled her, it was his mouth then claiming hers, while Orion gripped her hips and nibbled her shoulder.

They ended up on the bed, her flat on her back, the men on their hands and knees on either side. There was something visually titillating about the way their faces hovered over her breasts. As if synchronized, they latched onto her erect nipples, their hot mouths tugging, sucking, teasing. It had her gasping and writhing at the dual sensation.

Theirs hands roamed, stroking her flesh, skimming over her curves, leaving her aware of her body in a way that made everything more intense. Someone's fingers, she didn't know whose, teased her between her thighs, the fingertips lightly tickling her nether lips.

"I need a taste," Orion growled.

"Then go ahead," Ambrose offered. "I can wait."

"I have a better idea," Orion slyly stated. "Flip over, sweetheart."

She chose to not ask why and rolled to her stomach then squeaked as hands tugged her onto her hands and knees.

"Give her your cock," a raspy Orion ordered.

"What do you say sweetheart?" Ambrose actually asked, despite the fact his erect dick bobbed mere inches from her lips.

She showed Ambrose by taking his thick cock into her mouth, her mouth gliding over the silky skin. Then almost biting down as Orion blew hotly on her sex.

"Don't you stop sucking," Orion purred against her trembling flesh.

She bobbed her head a few strokes before pausing as Orion began to lick her, his tongue parting her lips, teasing her, making her forget everything but passion.

Ambrose threaded his fingers in her hair and helped guide her, his hips lightly thrusting, and she took it all, grunting and moaning around his cock as Orion flicked her clit. He lay under her, eating her, his fingers slipping in to give her something to clamp.

Ambrose groaned. "Fuck me, this is intense."

Intense didn't begin to describe it.

She inhaled the cock in her mouth harder, and Ambrose replied by pumping his hips faster. Orion matched their frenzied pace, and she tightened, readying to come when he stopped.

"Time to feel you come on my cock," Orion stated.

He positioned himself behind her, and while she sucked, he fucked. Literally. He slid his long cock into her, and she keened. Oh my. Oh…

It was almost too much, getting it from two ends, the cock between her lips thickening, and pulsing, the one in her pussy stretching her.

She lost her rhythm and could only moan.

As Orion fucked, his hand slid under to tease her clit, rubbing it. She couldn't hold on. Her channel clenched and then rippled as her orgasm hit and rolled.

"That's it, sweetheart. Come for me." Orion dug his fingers into her cheeks as he kept thrusting. Pushing deep, drawing out the pleasure.

When he finally slowed, his voice was husky when he said, "Your turn."

Ambrose shook his head. "I'm too close to creaming. It won't be any fun for her."

"That's what you think," Orion murmured. "Ambrose, lie on your back. Sweetheart, I want you to ride him, reverse cowgirl style."

"What?" She blinked, still bemused by her pleasure.

"Like this." Orion's hands guided her so that she straddled Ambrose, but facing away. Ambrose's hands clamped around her waist, and he began to bounce her, drawing gasps from her.

The pleasure reignited, and she moaned as she enjoyed the penetration from another angle.

"Lean back, sweetheart, just a bit," Orion whispered.

She braced her hands and angled as asked, wondering why, until she felt hot breath on her pussy. A glance down showed Orion between her thighs, and Ambrose's. His mouth latched onto her clit, already sensitive and needy.

He lapped and sucked while Ambrose ground into her. The dual sweet spots making her shudder. And to her surprise, a second orgasm struck, fast and hard, her pussy tightening so hard around Ambrose he shouted.

"Fuck me, I'm coming."

They both were. A dual climax that wrung them dry and left them panting.

It was the best sex she'd ever had.

Nestled between their bodies, she sighed. So this was happiness? Definitely better than a book, although she could have done without the reality of cats who chose to meow at her nonstop when dawn crested because they wanted food.

But she forgave them because, turned out, she didn't mind the breakfast sausage she got served.