15. Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Fifteen

Slate

I get the pieces of the journal and put them together before sliding it under the couch cushion in a safe hiding spot. It isn't the best, but it'll have to be good enough for now. This house has no good hiding spots.

I leave the handbook on the table but take the stacks of copies out on the patio and drop them into the giant pot I brought out a few minutes ago. I get to work setting fire to them, making sure they burn to ash and not even an inch of paper is left. This isn't something that needs to get out.

I sit on the lounge chair, watching the fire in the pot as it dies down.

I'm distressed. Unsure of what to do.

If the shadows don't get the journal, they will kill Lexia's father. If I tell any of them what is going on, I'm not sure what they will do. I don't know them well enough to tell. I don't want to hand over the journal to the shadows because they can't know what it says. But how soon will they crack the code? Do they even know how to crack the code? In the grand scheme of things, it didn't take us long to figure it out when we worked on it together.

They likely have shadows prepared to do this and could figure it out in minutes. On the other hand, maybe they don't figure it out at all. Giving it to them could be smart. I give them the journal; they give me Lexia's father. By the time they crack the code, we're already done with what we have to do. It's possible, but it's risky. I can't do it.

I believe telling my mates about this will cause a fight. I've waited too long already. The shadow will never trust me if I prove him right. Meaning, he can never know about this—ever.

It will stop us from moving forward, since I have not mated with Lexia yet. She won't want to after she finds out I've been lying to them, and I can't have that happen. I need her to mate with me so we can make the tetrad and complete this prophecy. It's imperative that we do.

So I guess that leaves me with only one option. Handing over the journal. Getting Lexia's father back. It's simple. I just have to plan this right before we leave. Mate first. Hand the journal over. Leave for the underworld. Hades will tell us where to go, then we go. They'll never know. All will be well.

When the fire has burned off, I consider going in but decide to stay outside to soak up some sun. It's quiet. Peaceful. Hot as hell—literally, I've been. But it's relaxing. I prefer the heat over the cold any day. This weather is preferred over that temperature on the mountain we were on before.

I stay on the patio until night falls, and that's when I head inside, figuring I should prepare something to eat for us all. I'm not the best cook, but I can manage something. They'll be starving when they wake.

With the ingredients I find, the best I manage is a lazy chicken parmesan. I layer everything in a glass dish—noodles, sauce, chicken, sauce, cheese—and pop it into the oven.

When it's done, I leave it on the countertop to cool, wondering if I should wake them up or let them sleep. It's close to nine now, and I'm sure they wouldn't want to fall into a routine of sleeping all day and staying up all night. Plus, we have things to do.

Glancing at the food, and then at where the bedroom is, I decide to wake them.

The door is open an inch or two, and I raise my hand to push it open when I hear something that has me pausing. I wait until I hear it again, needing to be sure. A soft moan. Feminine. My cock twitches. I shift to look inside the room through the small gap and what a sight I see.

The shadow has his face buried in Lexia's cunt, lapping at her like a cat would milk. Lumen is beside her, leaning against the headboard, lazily stroking his thick cock as he watches.

Christ, I hate how attractive that man is.

Vesperon's hips move as he pleasures his mate, thrusting against the bed. It's erotic and has me wanting to do the same. It has been a long time since I've felt the warmth of another body.

Lumen slides onto his back, lying flat on the bed.

"Bring your cock here, shadow," he says.

Vesperon hesitantly pulls away from Lexia and straddles Lumen's thighs, lining his slick cock up against the radiants. Shadows always leak so much fluid. They make such a damn mess. Lumen uses one hand to squeeze their cocks together and stroke.

"Sit on my face, darling," Lumen says, and she moves right away.

I hadn't expected him to be the one in charge in the bedroom. Seems it would be the shadow being, but it's an exciting thought. Typically I am the one in charge, but I am not opposed to giving up that power to the radiant. It could be fun.

Once Lexia is on Lumen's face, she reaches for the shadow, pulling him in for a kiss.

Fucking hell, I wish I had a camera. My dick is achingly hard. The urge to go in there and join them is difficult to ignore, but I don't want to ruin this for them. I am not one of them yet. They do not trust me. I am only here because I have to be, not because they want me to be.

But I do have to become their mate. This would be the perfect opportunity to do that. Yet it feels wrong. As wrong as standing here and watching them is. But watching doesn't alert them of my presence. Won't make them stop. Meaning, I can enjoy the show. I have always enjoyed watching.

Vesperon pulls back from kissing Lexia and whispers something that I can't hear over the pounding of my heart. He moves off Lumen and Lexia takes his place, sinking onto Lumen's cock. His head rolls against the pillows as his fingers dig into her thighs. He groans so loudly I hear it perfectly.

Vesperon moves behind her and I watch as his cock shifts to something thinner before he eases his way inside her. From here, I can't tell which hole he has entered. Whichever it is, she's loving it. I bite my lip and turn away to rest my back against the wall.

My heart is aching something fierce. Watching them has me wild with need. But deep down, there is something more there. I think it's the mate bond.