Chapter 43

FORTY-THREE

The crack of lightning wakes me up, and I jerk upright in Ana’s darkened room. There’s a quilt over me, some water next to the bed, and clothes laid out. My guys were here, but they left me alone like I wanted, and I feel bad for a moment before my gaze moves to the window to see the rain coming down hard, the night sky lighting up with sparks of lightning as rumbles of thunder rock the house.

A storm.

Annie.

I jump up and walk out of the bedroom door, intent on getting to her.

I slip on some shoes at the front door and head outside without hesitating. Stilling as the rain lashes me, I feel it chill me to the bone as it causes the oversized shirt and shorts to stick to my body. Ignoring it, I hurry to the graves below the tree.

The cold makes me shiver, but I don’t stop until I drop to my knees before her grave. The wet mud gives slightly, chilling me through.

Ana.

“Hey, Annie,” I call softly, wiping the rain from my face as lightning arcs through the sky, lighting up the darkness like she always did for me. “I know you hate storms, so I’ll sit with you, okay?” I whisper, the wind catching my words and taking them to her.

Pain bubbles in my throat until I choke on it and a sob breaks free. “I woke up and you weren’t there. For a moment, I forgot you were dead,” I admit, my voice cracking. Pain builds inside of me, and I have to let it out. “It’s not fair.” I slam my hand into the mud. “It’s not fucking fair.”

Tipping my head back, I release my pain in a scream.

The storm catches it, wrapping my pain and fury up in its depths and using it.

“I miss you so much,” I whisper, crawling closer, shivering from the cold rain.

Sliding under the tree and the protection it offers, I lean against the trunk, watching the night sky for a while as pain swallows me. “I always loved storms. They reminded me of you and the times you would sneak into my bed and let me hold you through them, no matter how old you got. Whenever I see lightning, I smile,” I admit, even as tears drip down my face, a smile curling my lips. “It reminds me that no matter what happens, love doesn’t stop. It just changes. The lightning is my reminder you existed, Ana, and that you loved me and I loved you. Isn’t that the most beautiful thing you have ever heard?” Looking down at her grave, I let my tears fall steadily, blending with the rain.

“Storms are my favourite thing now because of you. Every time it storms, I will be right here with you until the end, Annie, until the day they have to wheel me out here. Then, I’ll be in the ground right next to you.”

My head falls back to the wood, and I watch the sky light up with it, knowing she’s right here with me. My hand curls around air where hers would be, my shoulder almost heavy from her head. I can feel her with me, and for the first time since I lost her, I breathe without pain.

I know it’s going to be okay.

The storm tells me that.

She might be gone, but there will always be the memories and love I have of her. I close my eyes, letting the tears fall even as a smile curls my lips. She’s right here with me as I say goodbye.

As I let her go and hold her heart with my own.

When my eyes open, I freeze.

My men stand before me, half asleep but concerned.

“She hated to be alone during storms,” I tell them, shivering in the cold. “I couldn’t let her be alone.”

I worry what they will do, but I shouldn’t have.

They don’t complain or speak. They wrap me in a coat and blanket before sitting next to me under the canopy, keeping me warm with their bodies, and that’s when I know they aren’t going anywhere.

No matter what happens, we are family.

Forever.

They take my hand and settle at my sides, until we sit shoulder to shoulder under the canopy, protecting my sister through the storm. I break apart with the lightning and put myself back together again with their help.

Hours pass this way until my shaking gets to be too much, and then I stand, looking at them. “She will be okay now. The worst of the storm has passed, I think.” I hold out my hand. “Take me inside.”

Louis is the first to stand, covered head to toe in rainwater, but he never once complained. His hand is muddy like my own as he takes it. “Are you sure?”

Looking back at her grave, I nod with a smile. “I’m sure. She is going to be okay. It’s going to be okay. I’m going to be okay,” I reply, looking at him with a sad smile. “Take me to bed.”

As he searches my gaze, I see lightning flash across his eyes, but I shudder again and he quickly herds me inside, the others following closely. The door shuts with a bang the thunder covers swiftly. Shivering, I kick off the wet shoes and drop the blanket and coat to the floor, watching them plop them into a puddle.

I run to the stairs and hurry up to my room, knowing they are following. Once inside, I turn to face them as they cross the threshold and shut the door behind them.

Sliding my wet clothes away, I drop them to the floor, shivering as they stare at me. “Nova,” Isaac starts, but I shake my head and step back.

“Warm me up,” I order.

“Let us get towels, and we can go back to sleep,” Louis offers.

“No, I’ve slept enough. I need you to remind me I’m alive,” I say. “I need to be held and touched. I need to be loved. I need you to remind me that you aren’t going anywhere. I need you all so much. Please.”

Nico is the first to move, following me to bed.

I lie back, shivering. “Warm me up,” I call, and Nico crawls up the mattress, covering me with his body as his lips find mine in the dark. His kiss is soft, gentle, and loving. His hands slide across my naked body, infusing me with his heat and strong touch, offering me his comfort and love.

Other hands join his, gliding over my body, and I realise they have towels. They are drying and warming every inch of me until Nico pulls away and gets to his knees. “Up, baby,” he orders. I kneel, and Louis slides behind me, drying my neck and face with soft, sure strokes before drying my hair as best as he can. All the while, Nico’s eyes hold me prisoner, and when Louis reaches down with the towel and cups my breasts, I groan. Louis tweaks my nipples as pleasure sweeps through me.

Crawling to me, Nico runs his tongue along my thigh and up, chasing some water before stroking across my pussy. “Lie back, baby.” Swallowing, I do as he says, lying back on Louis. He’s naked and hard behind me, his hands still playing with my breasts, tweaking my nipples until they are hard and pointed, waiting for their touches and mouths.

There’s a noise beside me, and I look over to see Jonas crawling up the bed on my right, his eyes on me as he lies by my side, wrapping his lips around my nipple. I gasp as he sucks. Another head joins his and I jerk, turning left to see Isaac doing the same on my other side as Nico traces my pussy with teasing licks, chasing water.

Dimitri is watching and waiting patiently for his turn, so I keep my eyes on him as they tease me and bring me back to life. “I need you all,” I admit.

“You’ve got us, so just relax, baby, and let us look after you,” Nico murmurs.

My eyes slide closed in bliss as they weave a spell around me. Pleasure mounts when Nico’s tongue slides over my clit, and I almost come off the bed. He holds me down, and Dimitri slides in alongside him. My mouth parts on a moan as Nico moves farther down, leaving room for Dimitri as his tongue joins in, curling around my clit as Nico’s thrusts into me.

I cry out, trying to pull away, but they don’t let me. They up their assault until I moan beneath them, grinding back into Louis’s hard cock.

“Please,” I whimper.

With each of their touches, I come back to life, and when Jonas and Isaac bite my nipples, Nico thrusts into me with his tongue, and Dimitri bites my clit, I fly over the edge, screaming into the night.

“That’s it, Nova. Give us everything. Let that big brain rest. I just want you to feel. Feel our love for you. Let us guide you. Let us love you,” Louis murmurs in my ear. “Look at them, look at how much they love you and how much they want you.”

My eyes open as I pant, seeing them spread around me.

“We are all yours, the best killers in the world, and you brought us to our knees. You made us obsessed with you. You made us wild with it and so crazed, we would kill anyone who took you from us. Let us love you as much as we can, let the storm feel it.”

Oh fuck.

I can’t even put into words how much I love them. I was dead before them. They aren’t just bringing me back to life tonight, but every day since I met them.

I hear them murmuring, but I remain reclined, trusting them like they asked. When I’m turned, I open my eyes and peer down at Dimitri, who’s below me as he smirks. Hands grip my hips and lift me, then they slide me down his cock, making us both groan. I fall forward, kissing him as she slowly fills me. Hands slide over my ass and lift me, then another cock is at my entrance, and my eyes widen as it pushes in, stretching me. They rock into me as I catch my breath and push back, and they work in tandem, thrusting into me. When I glance over my shoulder, I find Isaac there with love blazing in his eyes. Panting, I rock into their touches as a finger presses against my chin and turns my head. I roll my eyes up to Jonas, who smiles softly and kisses me before kneeling once more, holding his cock in his hand. I open my mouth, wanting to taste, and he obliges.

He slowly slides his length into my mouth. I suck, sliding up and down as they fuck me. Hands slide over my body, Louis and Nico no doubt, and I cry out around Jonas’s cock. Dimitri groans, running his lips along my chest and neck. Others kiss my back and sides as we make slow, unhurried love.

Dimitri is the first to fall, groaning into my chest as I feel him come, taking me with him. Isaac groans as he and Dimitri pull out of me, then I’m turned. Isaac kneels before me, cock in hand, and when he slides back into me as I’m wrapped in Dimitri’s arms, I cry out.

Jonas grips my mouth once more and fills it, my head turned.

“That’s it. Good girl, Nova. Just feel,” Louis whispers in my ear. “Just feel their love, feel the pleasure winding through you. Let it carry you away and trust us to be here to catch you.”

Whimpering, I do just that, lifting my hips to take Isaac as he makes love to me, all while sucking Jonas’s big cock as he speeds up, unable to resist. He takes my mouth hard and fast until he jerks, thrusting deeply as he explodes down my throat, and I have no choice but to swallow.

Panting, I become dizzy when I’m turned once more. Isaac is still in my pussy as Nico slides beneath me and working with Isaac, he slides across my pussy. When Isaac pulls out, Nico thrusts in, and then they are both fucking me.

“Louis,” I beg.

“I’m here, my love. I’m right here. We all are, look.”

Lightning arcs beyond the window, illuminating the room. The sight makes me cry out. My head falls forward, but I lift it when I sense Louis. He waits, but I’m ready for him, and he comes gladly. His leaking length slides across my lips, staining them and my soul with his need and love.

“Beautiful,” he murmurs as thunder rocks the house. “Wild and unpredictable, but a goddamn beauty of nature, just like this storm.”

I suck him into my mouth, needing to show him how I feel because no words will do it justice. I slide him across my tongue, hollowing my cheeks as he fills my mouth, working with Nico and Isaac to keep me filled while building pleasure once more.

There is nothing but love and need inside me.

I feel so alive, it almost hurts, as if electricity from the storm flows through me, guided by their touch and bringing me back to life.

Jonas and Dimitri wrap their lips around my nipples and suck as every single one of them touches me, loving me.

I can’t do anything but fall once more.

I cry out my release, and just like always, they follow me.

Isaac and Nico groan, and Isaac splashes his cum inside me as Nico pulls out and sprays it across my legs and pussy. Louis grips my chin and takes my mouth hard and fast as I shake, trapped by the force, and with an audible bellow that matches the thunder, he fills my mouth.

Tears slide down my cheeks. I’m happy.

I collapse in their midst, my strings cut, but for the first time in a long time, I know tomorrow will bring nothing but joy.

How could it not with them surrounding me? They heal my soul with each touch.

Lightning fills the sky as I close my eyes once more, surrounded by my loves, my heart beginning to heal along with my body.