Chapter Twenty-Six: Embers Burning

Holly woke up and shivered. A cover was wrapped around her instantly and she looked up to see Quix's bruised face but his warm eyes. "You didn't look like it was a good rest. Are you okay?"

Holly nodded. "I'm fine."

"You're not," Quix observed. "Something is wrong. Krim is gone, for now, you can talk to me."

"How can you be so relaxed?" Holly demanded. "Ruby and Lachesis are missing!"

"From what I heard Famine went to go get them," Quix replied. "You don't know the brothers as we do. If one says they're going to do something, they will. If you were the one in danger, it would be far more dangerous. Death isn't about to use too much security for hostages, not when he's not sure it will work out. He's lazy if there's a chance of failure."

"He's been gone for hours," Holly whispered. "It's been too long. Something had to have happened."

Quix crawled into the bed with her and held her. Eros looked up from his corner but didn't move. "Trust me then, okay? They're going to be okay. If anything serious had happened to her, I'd know. We're all connected."

"Does that mean you're connected with Krim too?"

Quix nodded but didn't loosen his hold on her. "That traitor is still alive. But Rubes isn't in any pain."

Holly knew the unspoken words. The words he didn't say lest she freak out even more. Ruby wasn't in any pain, yet.

"Instead of worrying about that, maybe you should rest some more. I'll hold you if it helps."

The cabbit glared from his position at the foot of the bed but instead of bothering the couple it turned around and plopped down with its back facing them.

"I can't sleep," Holly whispered as she held the covers to her chest. Her heart accelerated at the thought of seeing Him again. No, it would be safer to stay away from sleep. "I want to go outside."

Quix's grip tightened. "I can't allow that. It's too dangerous."

"I just want some fresh air," Holly whispered. It was a selfish request, she knew that. But being around everyone else was stifling.

Try as she might, she couldn't push the thought away that this could all be a setup. Maybe they really were trying to prolong her suffering. Would it hurt to talk to the guy and ask if there really was a way to escape? Everything she had known in the world had been fake already anyway. How easy would it be to continue tricking her?

"I hate to say this, but I'm not in the shape to be there for you if anything happens. If you really insist, I can ask someone else." Quix sighed. "For the record, I don't want to ask anyone else. I want to keep you to myself for a while. I got beat up out there, you could at least nurse me back to health."

Holly winced. "I'm sorry, Quix. You went out there to keep him away, and you're hurt because of me. It's all my fault."

"I didn't tell you that for you to beat yourself up," Quix sighed and pulled her to him for a hug. "It's not really a date, but I'll settle for being treated as special by you for a bit."

Holly looked at the batted Quix and the doorway. How could she deny him for something as stupid as wanting fresh air? Even if it was all a manipulation, the injuries were real, and so was her worry about him. She swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded. "I can't heal you though."

"Just your touch will be enough for me," he mumbled as he got comfortable in bed and used her shoulder as a pillow.

Holly's coloring turned red again and she traced a nasty purple bruise over Quix's eyebrow. "You have to stop putting yourself at risk for me."

He grabbed her hands as he winced. "Ow, aren't nursemaids supposed to be more gentle?" he grinned up at her a crooked smile. "Kiss it and make it better," he challenged.

Holly didn't hesitate, she was tired of fighting her swirling emotions. She leaned forward and kissed Quix's bruise on his eye, and then to his nose, and then she kissed him.

When their lips touched Quix's restraint vanished. He pulled her onto his lap as he hugged her tight against his body and worshiped her with soft kisses all over her face and lips. "This is going to sound crazy," he whispered.

"What is?" Holly's voice was rough as she struggled to retain composure.

"I don't want to be without you. I know we've barely been together but not being at your side kills me. I don't know if someone like me can love. I'm just an agent of Death." he sighed. "But I also know I want to be with you, Holly."

Eros hopped off the bed and shifted in one motion and left the two alone with a firm thump of the door.

Holly's cheeks were scarlet by this time. "I hurt him, didn't I?"

Quix struggled to smile for her. "Do you need to go to him?"

Holly stared at the door for a long moment. If she went now she'd just give Eros false hopes. No matter what feelings fluttered to life inside her, she couldn't be like those others. Her affection could only be for one person. "I'm going to stay with you," she whispered.

Quix's smile was one of relief and it almost broke Holly's heart. "Come here." Quix opened his arms and Holly didn't hesitate as she sunk into their warmth. He kissed her again soft and sweetly as if she was priceless. "I won't go any further than this," he promised. with a kiss to her brow.

Just this? The blood inside Holly wouldn't allow that to happen. She needed him. She didn't care that it had only been a matter of days since she had come to know him. She wanted him, and she wanted him now. She'd trust him that Ruby and Lachesis were being saved. She'd even put the King of Hell out of her mind.

All she wanted, all she needed was Quix.

Holly took control. She climbed onto his lap careful of his injuries and kissed the side of his neck, sucking the skin into her mouth. Quix tensed beneath her. "Holly?" his whisper was husky.

That was good.

"Shouldn't we lock the door?" he whispered as that familiar red stripe appeared on his nose again. "Anyone could come in-"

"I don't care at this point," Holly whispered. And she didn't. Nothing mattered to her in this moment than connecting with this reaper. This man that had chased her for so long and was now a prisoner beneath her.

"I do," Quix ground out. He kissed Holly hard and put his hands on her hips to adjust her position. He winced and let go. "I can't even move you right now. Whatever you're starting isn't going to be very fun."

Holly's smile twitched. "Am I starting something?" she questioned innocently as she ground against Quix's lower body. He might be too weak to move her, but other body parts were working perfectly fine.

Quix growled low in his throat. "If you really want this, I'm going to have to ask you to lock the door." he shook his head with a soft chuckle. "Contrary to how I act, I don't like sharing. I really don't think this is a good idea, we should stop while we can."

Holly slid out of the bed and walked over to the door. She clicked the lock and smiled over her shoulder at hi. "Too late. I don't want to stop. I want to keep going."

Quix let out a pent up breath. "It won't be my best," he whispered. His lip twitched as he forced a smile. "But hey, at least you don't have to worry about birth control. A benefit to not really being alive."

"You're alive," Holly countered as she made her way back to the bed. She stood with her eyes locked on his as she unbuttoned her blouse. "You're bruised just like any other, your heart is pumping," she let her eyes dip down. "And there's that."

Quix swallowed as she approached. With each step, she lost an article of clothing until she stood in front of him. "Are you positive you want to do this with someone like me?" he whispered as he stared up at her.

Holly brushed his silver bangs out of his eyes. The bravado that had been so evident before had faded. The man that looked up at her was hesitant and worried. "It's exactly because it's someone like you," she whispered as she slipped under the covers with him.

Quix's clothes fell prey to her nimble fingers and in no time they were bare against each other's skins. Quix's breath caught in his throat as Holly smiled at him once more. "Please," he whispered not really knowing what he was begging for.

Holly smiled as she pulled him close for a kiss.
Fate's Pawn: Four Horsemen
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