23. Hellena

23

HELLENA

F og settles over the picturesque valley like the haze blanketing my mind.

Maybe it's shock.

Or the comfort of the two firm shoulders book-ending me on the drive up into the mountains. My rock. My energy. It feels incomplete without the third, but it's so much more than I could have dreamed up only a few days ago.

But nothing feels real.

The events of the wedding play over and over through my head.

And I just can't reconcile what I learned. What I saw.

Marco. He's dead. Truly gone.

I'm free.

Yet in his place, a woman who I thought at worst was manipulative, but still my family, still on my side, turned out to be our enemy. Possibly the enemy we have been fighting against and being toyed with since I first met Evan.

Too many puzzle pieces, and it feels like they're from different boxes.

The haze starts to drag me into a drowsy lull.

I would welcome sleep at this point.

But the truck slows, grinding to a halt. I step out, blinking, stretching, to find myself in the mountains. Beautiful, stunning.

Pure.

And I feel some of the anxiety wash away.

The hike down the hill proves even more refreshing, even after such an ordeal. Minus the wrecked heels of my shoes.

It's hard to stay focused on that when I see the town spread out before me.

A new sanctuary for the survivors of our city, tucked neatly in a valley.

Crossing the center of the town square, I only have a moment to take in my surroundings before I'm tackled by a ball of screaming hair and crushing arms.

"HELL!" Ora whips me back and forth like a sheep dog with a squeaky toy.

Well, as much as the tiny woman can, being three-quarters my size.

"Ora. I've missed you so much."

"Fuck you!"

"Yes. definitely fuck me. I am so sorry."

"Water under the… Oof. Too soon. But you get it."

Two strong hands rest on my shoulders, unique in the way they caress my skin. The warmth of those supportive grips is as redeeming as it gets.

Because I am free.

"This is happening, right? Like we really just had a brawl with maniac killers and escaped?"

"Not only that, but Marco is gone."

"Dead as dirt," Alaya snaps, clapping me on the back as she walks by.

Ugh. She still makes my blood boil sometimes. But she's growing on me.

"Nice dress, by the way." She snorts, heading inside.

Never mind. Back to hating her stupid face.

"She's not wrong. You looked amazing."

"Aside from, you know, the pretend mind control and the forced marriage scenario," Tell finishes, rubbing the back of his neck.

"There were a few things about the affair that I would change if I could redo it," I muse, putting on a matter-of-fact tone.

"Such as?" Ora hooks my arm, drawing me away from the guys for a moment, into the main building.

"First of all, the red, black, and white? So reality TV."

"Marco had dick for imagination."

"Huge surprise. Coming from a huge dick."

"I'll give him credit for throwing such a huge shindig together last-minute, though." Staying glib about it helps keep me from breaking down in a sobbing mess of aftershock.

"I'm just pissed I didn't get any crab cakes. I fucking love crab cakes!"

"My condolences. I saw that thug shoot the plate out of your hand."

"He's no longer among the people who have balls in this world anymore. Look, there's even an imprint of his tacklebox on the top of my boot!" She points down, raising one foot.

"Remind me to never interrupt your dinner again."

"Remind me to never get married to my mafia-ex-stepfather."

"I don't recommend it."

"I don't recommend playing ‘major-life-events-bingo' against Hellena." Tell snickers, close on our heels.

"Who has ‘all-out battle with psychotic drug-addicted zealots'?"

"I do!" All of us shout at the same time.

"Who's got booze and a celebration to welcome our friend and fearless leader home?" Ora hip bumps me.

"Yes! I think it's time for a party."

"As long as I can change out of this fucking dress first."

"I've got a better idea." Ora winks.

Thanks to an amazing amount of planning and community, the camp at night is fully lit. Running water. I can't believe what they accomplished up here.

And how much of the city is safety tucked away, out of sight and harm's way here in the mountains.

"Thank Grandpa," Ora scoffs, kicking back another shot of whiskey.

Music thumps along in the background, drawing out more and more people to the town center, the huge, open, covered court where they laid out a feast for everyone who returned today.

All because of me.

"I mean, yeah, but Ora, you're…"

"Just waiting for you to come back."

‘I wouldn't have known how to do any of this."

"Bullshit. You would have found the right people to do the right jobs like you always have. We are still figuring out how to solve stupid problems on a daily basis."

"Maybe. But you and the Block are the real heroes of Sanctum."

"That's not what most people are saying. From what I hear, Hellena Michaels used every resource at her disposal, including the man who kidnapped her and his army, to dig channels for drainage. Drove out dozens of Ghosts back toward the docks, clearing out entire neighborhoods."

"I've seen them looking at me, Ora. Not everyone is happy I'm back."

"So what? If they're mad, at least they can't say you aren't trying to fix what got broken in the first place."

"It wouldn't be broken if it weren't for us."

"You are not responsible for Vice or Aunt Rachelle's actions."

"When did you get so damned wise?"

"I must have inherited it. I swear it wasn't there before." she laughs, and we hug.

It feels amazing to be home.

Or whatever you want to call this place.

Another song kicks on, and Ora's eyes light up.

"Oh, shit! It's our sooooong!" Before I can protest, she's dragging me onto the dancefloor, bopping to the beat. And of course, shoving another drink into my hand.

And fuck it if I don't give in and let loose, giggling as she grinds up against me, dropping it low and back up.

She knows just how to get me laughing, to get me out of my head.

Just like the first time we really hung out after meeting in a jail cell.

And just like the outfit she rigged out of my dress with a pair of scissors and some safety pins.

"Damn, Hella! That is a dress," Tell exclaims, sauntering up with a bottle of beer in one hand. Gavin is close behind, both of them looking more than mouthwatering in short-sleeved button-downs and jeans that I am dying to peel off them later.

"I turned her funeral shroud into a celebration of life!"

"More like a celebration of that ass." Tell tilts his head.

"Are you two going to just stand there, or are you going to come celebrate it, then?" I bit my lip, rolling my hips to the beat.

"Don't have to tell me twice."

He swoops in between Ora and me, slipping a hand along my waist and claiming my lips in a deep, passionate kiss. It zaps right to my brain, along with the vodka, making my whole world light up with sparks.

Pulling away, I glance to the side, catching Gavin watching us with a little half-grin. And more than a little heat in his eyes.

"If you feel left out, you have to come join us!" I shout, joy spreading through my body like a heatwave.

"I'm happy to watch."

"Horseshit!" Ora yells, rushing the massive man, shoving into his back with both hands. He caves, stumbling forward and right up behind me, swaying into our groove.

"That's more like it!" Alaya whoops, snatching Ora's hand and pulling her into a twirl. She's looking annoyingly stunning as always, wearing a crop top and torn up jeans, her hair tousled like she just stepped out of an 80s music video.

But she's earned her right to be here. And saved my ass too many times.

It's frustrating as hell.

But nothing can ruin tonight for me.

Movement and nothing but good feelings take over as the night rolls on, song after song, dancing with the loves of my life, and generally just forgetting that the world exists outside of the twinkling lights hung up inside the court, the stars in the clear sky, and a moon that's near full to add to the magic.

Sometime around midnight, I'm nestled in Gavin's chest, my hands folded in front of me as we sway to something much more romantic than they should be playing. Not that I requested it. Nope.

Tell's close by, talking softly with Grizz and Tomlin, probably comparing notes on some tech nonsense or other. Those three are cut from the same cloth.

Even so, Tell's eyes never leave me, that soft, loving gaze that stole my heart months ago at a frat party. I like to pretend I can see the green in them, even in the dark of the fading party.

Glancing around casually, I spot Ora and Alaya in a corner, sipping their drinks and clearly flirting with one another.

It doesn't bother me that they're close.

I get it.

And I get how useful, helpful, and badass Alaya is. But it still irks me. Especially when they share some private joke and burst out laughing.

I am not jealous.

Just…

Alaya is still who she was to me in so many ways.

Not that I can talk.

Then Alaya steals a kiss from my best friend, and I desperately need a distraction. Tilting my head up toward Gavin, I nudge his perfectly sculpted jaw with my nose and his attention is instantly on my mouth.

He could make my legs give out with just a look.

But the kiss he lays on me has me quaking with need. How does he do that?

And of course, it only gets more deliciously distracting when Tell appears at my back, kissing my neck and massaging my shoulders.

"Ooh, that, right there," I sigh, sagging back into him.

It's only then that I realize how much my body hurts, from head to toe. That deep ache of stress, overexertion, and the insane ordeal we just went through.

"Right where?" Tell sings into my ear, sending shivers down my spine.

"Right… there ," I moan so softly to both of them as I slide one hand down Tell's front and into his pants, the other down Gavin's tipped abs beneath his shirt.

It's no surprise, but so satisfying to find them both fully erect to my touch. In the dark with them pressed against me, the few remaining partygoers locked in their own little trysts, no one notices their chests heave with pleased groans as I stroke up the length of both titillating lengths.

A rush of arousal flushes between my legs at the thought of where I plan to put them later, and I squeeze a bit harder, pumping up and down, writhing against them, the song changing to a more enticing beat.

Turning my head back, Tell's tongue finds mine, dancing into my mouth.

Gavin's at my neck in a heartbeat, his teeth grazing along my skin.

Opening my eyes a fraction, I see the contagious sensations spread, couples laughing, kissing, getting more handsy.

The energy heightens, a palpable hum of electricity filling the space.

So many people are going to get laid tonight.

Something I would normally not give a second thought to, but it reminds me so much of Ora, her old life of sexual parties and freedom. What initially drew me into a different way of thinking, a totally different life.

And there she is, smiling as our eyes meet across the dancefloor, a beautiful young man behind her dancing, his hand around her waist, teasing into the band of her pants.

While Alaya sucks on her neck.

Good for her.

But that's my cue to exit stage left…

Because I refuse to let anything get under my skin tonight. Unless it's Gavin or Tell sliding inside me.

One look at both of them says they have the same idea as we hustle off to our cabin.