Evans, Gabrielle - Reckoning [Fatefully Yours 9] (Siren Publishing LoveXtreme Forever ManLove) (9 page)

“Someone should probably say something.”
Onyx shifted uncomfortably where he knelt on the floor beside the bed.
“He’s looking at us funny. I wonder if he can hear what I’m thinking.”

On and on the thoughts pushed at him, each of his men questioning his sanity and his ability to hold up under the strain. One night of drinking, and he was suddenly labeled as a liability. Good to know.

“Dude, he’s creeping me out. Why does he keep looking at us like that? It’s not like we don’t have valid concerns.”
Myst opened his mouth to speak aloud, but Syx cut him off by doing exactly what they expected.

He exploded.

“Shut up! All of you, just shut the fuck up! I am not crazy, and I don’t need your sympathy or your concern. If you think you can do this without me, then be my fucking guest!”

“Syx,” Echo said softly.

“No!” Syx backed toward the doorway. “I’m sorry that I interrupted what must have been a great laugh at my expense.”

“It’s not like that.” Echo started to climb down from the bed, but Fiero’s arm wound around him and held him in place.

That hurt. The idea that Fiero honestly believed that Syx would do something to hurt any of them, especially the smallest of them, stabbed him right in the heart. “Fuck you,” he whispered, then spun around and marched out of the room.

If they thought he was capable of harming Echo, they obviously didn’t know him at all—or had a very low opinion of him. He’d destroyed his sanity, lost sleep, literally made himself sick, and for what? Not a damn one of them appreciated the time and effort he put into finding answers to ensure they were all safe.

No, now he was the crazy one—a danger to all of them. Well, they could just go screw themselves. He didn’t need them. He didn’t need anyone. They all viewed him as weak because he was the “sensitive” one. Well, not any more. He was a warrior, a demon, and born for battle. He could be just as cold and ruthless as anyone.

Echo came running out of Hex’s room, shouting Syx’s name. “Will you just calm down and talk to me?”

Stopping just before he entered his room, Syx turned slowly and crossed his arms over his chest. “I’m calm. There’s nothing to say, though. Apparently, one screwup, and I’ve been tried and convicted without a word in my defense.” He held his hand up when Echo opened his mouth to argue. “I’m calm,” he repeated.

“Syx, it wasn’t like that. We’re just worried about you.”

Syx snorted. “I got drunk, Echo. It’s not like I set the house on fire, stripped naked, and danced around it.”

“It’s not like you, though.”

“And what exactly am I like? Sensitive, understanding, the guy who lets everyone walk all over him because he doesn’t have the balls to stand up for himself?” Syx shook his head. “I’m done being that guy.” He was also done with the conversation. Entering his room, he closed and locked the door right in Echo’s protesting face.

“Syx!” Echo pounded on the door. “Open this damn door. I’m not finished talking to you.”

Stripping out of his clothes, Syx crawled into bed and closed his eyes. It only took a few minutes for someone to come and lead Echo away. The blissful quiet settled over him, and Syx sighed in relief. Maybe if everyone was pissed at him, they’d keep their distance, and he’d finally be able to find a moment’s peace.

Chapter Eight

By the time the sun went down, Echo had worked himself up to the point of nausea. He locked himself in his room, refused to eat, and wouldn’t talk to anyone. Syx hadn’t emerged from his room, either. No one could get him to say a word, not even Vapre.

The silent treatment was beginning to gnaw at Eyce’s nerves. He could understand why the men were upset, but they were acting like a couple of women. Not that Eyce knew much about women, but they seemed more emotional and prone to tantrums—which is exactly what Syx and Echo were doing. They’d had their feelings hurt, overreacted, and were having themselves a good little pity party.

“Still nothing?”

Eyce looked over his shoulder at Fiero. He hadn’t even realized he was standing in front of Syx’s door, just staring at the wood. Okay, maybe he wasn’t as immune to the situation as he’d like to believe. It killed him that his men were hurting, and he didn’t know how to fix it.

They were still being immature assholes, though.

“No, nothing. Should we just kick the door down and drag him out?”

Fiero snorted and shook his head. “Yeah, I see that going over well. Maybe we should just leave him alone until he’s calmed down and pulled his head out of his ass.”

Though stubbornness played a major factor, Eyce suspected there was more to Syx’s meltdown than they knew. The screaming fit the warrior had when none of them had uttered a word out loud was one clue as to Syx’s state of mind. Eyce wasn’t sure what happened after that.

Syx had gone quiet and seemed angrier than ever. He’d also looked hurt before walking out of Hex’s bedroom. The fact that he wouldn’t even allow Echo to talk to him spoke volumes. No one could resist Echo no matter how upset they were.

“If you’re going to think so loudly would you please do it somewhere else?” Syx yelled through the door, causing Eyce to jump.

“Or you could just open the door so I can say it out loud and to your face,” he countered.

“Go away.”

“You’re acting like a child. Stop feeling sorry for yourself and just talk to us,” Fiero yelled right back.

Eyce closed his eyes and groaned. That wasn’t the way to get through to Syx. The harder they pushed, the more the demon retreated into himself. Putting demands on him and calling him names was not the way to get the response they wanted.

“I’m not feeling sorry for myself.” Good grief, Syx even sounded whiney. “And I’m not whining!”

Eyce couldn’t help but chuckle. He was a little ashamed to admit it, but Syx’s behavior was something he expected from Echo. That didn’t mean he thought Echo was a child or less of a man, but his mate was young, impulsive, and overemotional at times. It was to be expected. A three-thousand-year-old warrior pouting in his room was beyond hilarious.

“Syx, just open the door.”

Eyce jumped again at Vapre’s softly spoken request. People really needed to stop popping up on him. Couldn’t a man worry in peace?

“Not in this house they can’t,” Syx called.

“Huh?” Vapre’s eyebrows drew together, and he tilted his head to the side.

“I think he was commenting to my thoughts, not your verbal request.” Eyce rolled his eyes and pounded on the door. “Just open up, damn it!”

To his astonishment, the door swung open almost immediately. Syx stood in the doorway, wearing nothing but a frown. Even pissed off and disheveled, he looked good enough to eat. Eyce swallowed hard and tried to ignore the swelling of his cock.

“Don’t think you can sway me with sexual favors,” Syx said haughtily. He turned his nose up and sniffed. “I will not be wooed by hard muscles and throbbing erections.”

Eyce grabbed his lover by the hips and jerked him forward, mashing their groins together and grinding against him. “Are you sure about that?”

Syx sighed and rested his forehead on Eyce’s shoulder. “Just tell me what you want and go away.”

“We want to talk.” Vapre moved around Syx and molded himself to the man’s back. “We’re just worried about you.”

“You mean worried that I’ve gone off the deep end and will hurt someone.”

“What?” Eyce jerked back and lifted Syx’s face with both hands. “What are you talking about? No one thinks that.”

Syx glanced past him to Fiero. “Are you sure about that?” he repeated Eyce’s words from seconds before.

“Huh?” Fiero stepped closer and scowled. It appeared Eyce wasn’t the only one confused by the statement.

“You held Echo back when he tried to come to me, like you were protecting him. I don’t know what I did to make you think I’d ever lay a finger on him in anger, but I assure you, I wouldn’t.”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake.” Fiero growled and threw his hands up in the air.

It wasn’t the reaction Eyce had expected. He saw this rendezvous going south in a hurry, and opened his mouth to intervene, but Fiero beat him to it.

“Is that why you’ve been sulking in your room? Dude, you really need to get over yourself. I held Echo back because you didn’t look exactly welcome to contact. It had nothing to do with you hurting him. I was trying to protect
you
, dumbass!”

“You…me…I…” Syx stammered.

“You, me, uh, uh,” Fiero mocked. “Yes, you! If you’d bothered to use some of those communication skills you’re so fond of spouting off about, maybe you’d have saved everyone a lot of worry. For a genius, you’re damn thick sometimes.”

Syx launched himself at Fiero and attacked his mouth like a starving man. Eyce watched, rubbing the back of his neck and shaking his head. No one was reacting the way he thought they would or should. They were confusing the shit out of him.

“Thank you,” Syx panted long seconds later. “I love you.”

“Uh, okay,” Fiero mumbled, looking completely debauched. “Love you, too.”

Syx just laughed and kissed him again. “Now, where’s Echo?”

“Hiding in his room,” Vapre answered immediately. “He hasn’t come out since you two argued.”

“Great.” Syx sighed as he pushed back into his room and began dressing. “Now I feel like an even bigger asshole. I’ll talk to him.”

“I’m thinking you’re the only one he’d listen to right now,” Eyce admitted.

“Yep, and it’s my mess. I’ll fix it.” Syx finished buttoning his jeans and pulled a black T-shirt over his head. “Let me talk to Echo, and then we can all have a little powwow where I grovel and beg for forgiveness.”

Eyce didn’t know where the sudden attitude shift had come from, but he wasn’t going to question it. As long as Syx was back, Eyce was happy. “So, we’re good now, right?”

Syx grabbed Eyce around the back of the neck and crushed their mouths together. “We’re good. I was a dickhead, and I can admit that. Some things are going to have to change, but we’ll talk about it later.” He started to walk away, but paused and looked up toward the ceiling. “I need to apologize to Craze, too.” Then he shook his head and hurried down the hall to Echo’s bedroom.

“Should we follow him?” Fiero asked. It was obvious the demon wanted to, but he was deferring to Eyce’s judgment.

“Let’s give them a minute.” Eyce jerked his thumb in the opposite direction. “Let’s round everyone up and get dinner started.” He looked down the hall and smiled indulgently when he saw Syx slip into Echo’s room. “They’re fine.”

Fiero shrugged, but he did look toward Echo’s room in longing. “Then let’s eat. I’m starving.”

As Eyce led the way to the staircase, he couldn’t help but wonder which one of them would be the next to crack under the stress.

* * * *

“You’ve been saying that for weeks now!” Mac shouted. “I have friends in that damn compound. They don’t deserve what’s happening to them. I can feel it. I dream about it. Why won’t you help them?”

The post-makeup-sex smile slid from Echo’s lips as he entered the kitchen with Syx in tow. There hadn’t been many words spoken, but then again, he figured they didn’t need them. They’d both said and done things that they didn’t mean, and there was no reason to drag bad memories to the surface.

It seemed that Mac didn’t share his sentiments, though. His friend had a lot to say, and he was saying it very loudly, much to the displeasure of Echo’s mates if the frowns on their faces were any indication. Unfortunately, Mac was right. Even more unfortunate was the fact that Echo was going to have to tell his men that.

“He’s right.”

All heads snapped toward him, and Echo actually flinched. He wasn’t afraid, but they’d just made up, and he really didn’t want to cause another argument. No matter if the residents were part of this war or not, they needed to rescue them.

“Can I ask you a question?” Syx spoke softly, without judgment, but Echo had a feeling he wasn’t going to like what the warrior had to say.

“I suppose.”

“Why is it so important to you that we save these guys?”

Echo sighed and rubbed his eyes. “Like Mac said, they’re our friends. If they’re being hurt, it’s most likely because of me. I wouldn’t feel right if we didn’t try to help them.”

“What about your first lover?” Vapre asked. “You sent him back to the lab without a backward glance. So, why do you suddenly have a conscience now?”

Echo bit his lip as the guilt swamped him. He’d second-guessed his decision from the moment he made it.

“C’mere, baby.” Hex scooted back from the table and held his arms open.

Echo hesitated for only a moment before climbing up in his mate’s lap and resting his head on Hex’s shoulder. “You think I’m being selfish.”

“No.” Hex kissed the top of his head and sighed. “I know he betrayed you and hurt you, but what choice did he have? They’d hurt him, baby. I didn’t get the impression that he’s very strong.”

“Hex, you do remember that he tried to kill you in a filthy alley, right?” Echo wanted to growl in frustration.