average human’s Reviews > Visions > Status Update

“I know what I’d like as a surprise,” he mumbles under his breath, but I hear him.
“Found it!” I open the phone and dial Sabina, who picks up on the third ring.
“Are you dying?” I can hear Sabina chewing over the line, making it crackle, and I turn it to speakerphone.
“Death by arousal is a terrible way to die.”
“Is that even possible?”
“Haven’t you ever been so aroused that it hurts?” I know I was last night.
“Like when my mates don’t allow me to orgasm? Yeah, I hate that shit.” Sabina squeals over the phone as one of her mates grumbles in the background.
“Yes, just like that.”
“So you’re dying of arousal? Nes, I love you, but not enough to flick your bean.” She laughs to herself, no doubt referring to herself as Bean. She’s strange, and I love her for it.
“I’m offended.” I’m not at all. “In my time of need, you wouldn’t get me off?” I throw as much horror into that thought as I can and listen as she stops chewing. Greyson hides his laughter behind a hand, and the whole bed shakes with his amusement.
“You need me to flick your bean?” I hear her dust off her hands. “All right, where are you? But we are clearly calling this experimental, and Christian wants to watch.”
That is friendship right there.
“Aw, you love me.”
“Of course I love you.” She pauses. “You aren’t dying of arousal, are you?”
“No, not at all.”
“Who did you kill?” Why is that everyone’s first thought when they speak to me?
“Why do you believe I killed someone?” This time, Greyson doesn’t bother to hide his laughter.
“Of all of us, it would be you, and I’m not counting Kendall because that bitch is crazy.” She isn’t wrong.
“I didn’t kill anyone.” Yet.
“Then why the fuck are you calling me?”
“Language,” I chastise. “I have a surprise for Liam.”
That makes Greyson pause, and his jaw drops.
“Prince Charming!” Sabina shouts over the line, making me wince as it crackles. “What’s the surprise?”
“How good are you at tracking me?”
“I can find you,” she scoffs.
“Happy hunting.” I hang up with a giggle and throw my feet into my clothing from yesterday.
“What the hell just happened?” Greyson shoves himself to the edge of the bed and grabs his jeans, stuffing his legs in the thick denim. It’s such a shame to hide that thick cock of his, especially when I want to taste him.
Priorities, Vanessa. I rush around, sliding my feet into a pair of sandals just as the door to the tiny house rattles. Of course she’d try to bash the door down instead of knocking.
“That is your bestie!” Should I have gone from one to a hundred in thirty seconds or less? Probably not. But this will prove if Granger is trustworthy, because I trust Liam. Liam has to be the one Granger spoke of. I could be wrong, but in my bones, I feel that I’m right.
I dart down the hallway to the front door and swing it open to see Liam standing there, his blond hair gleaming in the sunlight and his sapphire blue eyes holding trepidation.
“Afraid I’ll hurt you?”
“You are a wild card, Nes, so yes. I have no idea what this is about, and my mate forgot her doughnuts and coffee.” Liam steps in just as Greyson walks out from the back, his jeans slung low on his hips. He looks insanely delicious.
I almost regret speeding up this reunion.
Greyson’s eyes glaze over, and I wonder if he’s remembering Liam. My neck cracks as I look to Liam, who stands there with…
“You’re leaking,” I whisper just as Sabina pops in with coffee and doughnuts in her hands.
“I left you with him for two minutes, Nes, and you made him cry. I’m torn because you hurt my mate, but I can’t hurt my sister. The hell am I supposed to do about this?” Her words go unheard as Liam takes two steps forward and engulfs Greyson. “I missed something. What did you do?”
Ignoring her, I stare at the two men, at the hesitancy in Greyson before he finally embraces Liam, hugging him back.
“I know you,” he rasps. “I remember you.”
Liam pulls back, tears flowing from his eyes and trailing across his quivering lips.
“There is just something about a man crying.” Sabina sighs. “Have my babies.”
Still, she goes ignored as Greyson and Liam hug once more.
“What? Where? How?” Liam runs his hands through his hair, unsure what to do with them. “Where have you been, Silas?”
Greyson’s expression shutters, and I can see him wanting to cut the name out of his existence, but the truth is, that’s who he was. He can never fully cut that out.
“I’ve been Greyson for five long years.” His jaw grinds as insecurity glints in his gaze.
“Sure looks like Liam knows you as Silas.” Sabina points a doughnut at him.
Once more, she goes ignored, which amuses me greatly.
“Okay, Greyson.” Liam doesn’t skip a beat. “Let’s go for a walk, because you look like my best friend and almost smell like him, but there is something other about you that wasn’t there before.”
“What do you smell?” Greyson reaches toward Liam, his hand landing on his shoulder.
Liam’s eyes light up at the gesture, but I think it’s less comfort and more curiosity on Greyson’s behalf.
Sabina smacks a doughnut against my chest and marches up to Greyson, who backs into the wall, his eyes wide and confused.
No way to explain the weird that my best friend radiates, and she calls me the strange one. She closes the distance and shoves her nose right into his armpit without an ounce of shame.
“Smells like teen spirit.” She backs away with a shrug to Liam, who’s looking at her like she lost her mind. You’d think he’d be used to it by now, but nope.
“Sabina.” Liam groans. “Si—Greyson and I, we’ve been through everything together.” Liam turns back to Greyson, and I realize in that moment as he looks at him with love and compassion that Liam missed him more than he can put into words. I don’t feel bad about calling Sabina. “We’ve walked through hell together, even if he can’t remember it.”
“I can remember how I felt about you, but I don’t remember the specifics. Just the way you made me feel.” Greyson chuckles to himself. “A part of me recognizes how much I’ve missed you.”
“I’m going to puke.” Sabina throws the doughnut down. “It’s like Prince Charming squared. You are clones of each other.” She points at me. “How’s it feel to fuck my mate?”
“Are you up for a wet dick contest?” I swear she brings out the worst in me.
“Wet dick, huh?” She taps her chin, then winces at the film of glaze stuck to her fingertips. “Oil?”
“And a baby pool.”
Both guys shout, “No!” cutting off that line of thought. For now.
“Someone had to make up for Granger being the playboy.” Liam’s lips tip up before he slaps Greyson across the chest. “The three of us back together.”
“It doesn’t bother you that I can’t remember you?”
“That’s where you’re wrong, Greyson, you remember me. You just said so yourself. You remember how I made you feel. We are brothers in every sense of the word. Now let’s go find Granger and play catch up.”
Before he can feel bad about running off, I skip to him and give him a peck on the cheek. “Sabina’s going to pop me over to the diner. Take Bruce and enjoy yourself.”
He wraps his arms around my waist, tugging me toward him for a bruising kiss that ends far too fast. “Thank you,” he whispers against my lips, “for bringing me my family.”
“Any time.” I mean it. Greyson weaseled his way into my heart and soul, making me his just as much as I’ve claimed him as mine.
I’ve learned that chosen family is more sacred than any riches this world can offer. They are the ones who don’t have to love you, but they want to. Liam loves Greyson, he chose to love him, and that is a gift everyone deserves.

89%

Though he exudes power, there is something about it that makes me want to curl up in his lap.
Apollo’s lips tip up at the edges, his smile full of cunning and lust.
“I’m so sorry, sir, but no shoes, no service. You’re going to have to find sandals that are befitting of an arrogant god. There’s a costume store down the street.”
“Vanessa!” Tate shouts.
Spinning on a heel, I skip back to Tate, giving Greyson a wink, though he vibrates with tension. His head dips, and his lips peel back.
I should grab the oil. I hope this devolves.
“Yes, chef?” I blink at him with all the innocence left inside me.
“There is a god in my diner.”
I hum in response because there is, in fact, a god in his diner.
“Why is Apollo in my diner eyeing you up like you are his lunch order?”
“He just hasn’t had a milkshake yet.” I bustle around the kitchen and make him a vanilla milkshake. “He will eat tortured potatoes.”
“Why can’t you just call them fries like a normal girl?”
“I’m not normal.”
“I don’t like this. And there’s a storm coming.” Tate peers out the blinds.
I don’t think he sees me looking, but I catch the smile of pleasure on his face before it drops. The man has a serious hard-on for storms.
“Don’t think our shifter talk is over.” I finish the milkshake as he tosses fries in a basket.
“Is he one of yours, Vanessa?” There’s something hard and unreadable in his stare. He doesn’t like Apollo, but I can’t figure out why.
Okay, that’s a lie. Apollo isn’t a very likable god.
Tate holds out the tray for me, but he hangs on instead of letting go. “Be careful with him.”
“Why, Tate?”
He grunts and releases the basket, leaving me to stare at him in silence. Resigned I may never get through to Tate, I head back into the dining room toward Apollo and…
“For fuck’s sake, what the hell is this?” I toss the fries on the table along with Apollo’s milkshake, finding Pim and Greyson now sitting around the booth. Pim’s hand is curled around Apollo, and Greyson stares right at him with a heated glare.
Noted. Apollo can gift Pim enough energy to hold a physical body.
“Told you she curses.” Pim’s smirk isn’t full of his usual mirth.
“How the hell are you…” I take a step back. Another of my illusions falls down around me. “How are you here, Pim?”
“About that, we need to talk.” Pim lowers his voice, but I’m sure no one noticed the dead guy magically appearing out of nowhere.
“Are you going to tell her who you are?” Apollo takes a tentative sip of his milkshake, and then another. He tries to school his expression, but I don’t miss the look of pure bliss that crosses his features. Dammit, why is he so sexy like this? He’s a toddler experiencing the pleasures of life for the first time.
That’s when his words catch up to me. “What?”
“Yes, Cupcake. I believe the dead speak.” From sexy to weird in two seconds flat. That’s probably why I’m so attracted to him.
“Vanessa, Hades and I believe you are in grave danger. Someone is trying to kill you.” His statement is only loud enough for us to hear. At my feet, Elliot wiggles over to us.
“What?”
“Vanessa.” Greyson tugs me down into the booth. “Hear him out.”
“I’d like to hear this too.” Apollo pushes his milkshake away before thinking better of it and damn near sipping the whole thing in one go. With a whine, he presses his palms into his eyes.
Huh, look at that. Gods get brain freeze. Who knew?
“I want to know how you two are in this town?” I steal a fry, earning a glower from Apollo.
“I broke the wards.” Apollo flutters his hands like it’s no big deal—it is. He broke my safety net.
“I followed when they broke.” Pim leans forward. “Listen to me, Vanessa. I went by your apartment to check out the fire. That was no normal fire.”
Yeah, I came to that conclusion as well.
“I studied the rubble also.” Apollo swallows. “The power signature is yours.”
“I didn’t burn down my apartment,” I hiss, hoping my moms aren’t listening in on this. They’d never let me live it down.
“I didn’t say you did.” Pim’s hold on Apollo tightens. “But someone like you did.”
Like me. My eyes dart to the kitchen. Tate said we were alike. “No.”
“Dragon fire.” The flippancy of his tone sets me on edge. “There’s residual energy of it in the desert as well. That explains why you couldn’t breathe.”
“Dragon.” My chest aches, but it doesn’t ease when I rub the area. “They aren’t real.”
“I believe the creature at your feet would say otherwise.” Apollo raises a cruel brow. “Tell me, Vanessa, did you not say something about a volcano?”
“I fell onto a ledge.” My voice sounds faraway. “Did he say someone is trying to kill me?”
“There are few beings that can enter and exit the Underworld. Those who can are far older than all of us combined. One of them has their sights set on you. That’s why the guardian came to you. It felt another of its kind stalking and tormenting an innocent.” Each of Apollo’s words sends a spike of adrenaline through my heart.
“A dragon is stalking me? Do you have any idea how absurd that sounds?”
“Your ignorance is no longer charming.” Apollo moves to stand, his thumb hooking at the approaching storm. “Dragons hold the ability to control the elements, Cupcake. One tested you with fire, earth, and look…air and water.”
“Apollo…” Greyson’s voice is the only steady one here, but the rest of his words die as wind whistles all around us.
“That is no natural storm, Vanessa. Do you wish to wait this one out and watch everyone here die?”
My chest aches. I can’t reply because something else tugs at my consciousness.
A pain unlike any other in this world or the next rips through me.
Hades’ anguish.