Evans, Gabrielle - Hell's Tempest [Fatefully Yours 4] (Siren Publishing LoveXtreme Forever ManLove) by Gabrielle Evans Page A

stepped out of the shower. A soft, fluffy towel swiped over his body and hair, Onyx giving him a quick pat down, then Vapre carried him into Hex’s bedroom.
    Echo was asleep before Vapre even laid him on the mattress.

Chapter Six

    “Syx is right, isn’t he?” Vapre ran his hands over the thick grass as he squinted against the sun, looking up at the Oracle where she stood beside him. “The tests aren’t coming in order.”
    “Your tests will come as they should,” she answered cryptically. “You must be prepared for anything.” That was the closest she’d ever come to giving him a straight answer.
    “This storm, it’s not going to be a regular Mother Nature hissy fit, is it?”
    The Oracle smiled down at him, her eyes studying him intently. “The bearer holds many secrets.” Vapre was beginning to understand that if he read between the lines, her answers to his inquiries were a little less vague.
    “Why am I here?” he asked bluntly. “There must be a reason.”
    “To understand.”
    “Understand what?”
    “That is for you to learn.”
    Vapre sighed and pushed to his feet. He’d only had encounters with the Oracle on a handful of occasions, all in dream form such as this, and each time they left his mind exhausted. If what she had to tell them was so damn important, why couldn’t she just spit it out? His lovers might have deemed him the brains, right along with Syx, but he wasn’t good with riddles.
    “You have more knowledge than you realize,” the Oracle said softly as she lifted her face to the sun. It was such a normal gesture that Vapre could only stare at her.
    And why did he feel protective of this woman? She obviously had more power than he and his lovers combined. She was mythical, ethereal, omniscient to the n th degree, yet he felt the need to shield her, to defend her with his life if necessary.
    “You hold the answers, but you hide from them. Why?”
    Vapre didn’t have the slightest clue what she was talking about. “I’m not hiding from anything.”
    “You lie. You hide yourself, your heart, and in this, you will fail. Put away your pride and accept what is freely offered. Second chances are rare, and I fear one does not await you.”
    This was almost babbling for the Oracle. Still, Vapre didn’t understand a word of it. He opened his mouth to ask her to expand, but when he glanced her way, he found only empty space. Well, that was just fucking dandy.
    Dropping back to the grass, Vapre lounged on his back, soaking up the warm rays of the sun as he closed his eyes and drifted into a peaceful sleep.

    * * * *

    “Where are we going?” Echo climbed into the back of the SUV and buckled his seatbelt. “Shouldn’t we be preparing for the new moon?”
    “It’s still three weeks away.” Vapre slipped into the backseat beside him, not bothering with his safety belt. “Besides, one afternoon isn’t going to make a difference. It’s not like we have any idea about what’s coming.”
    Hex situated himself behind the wheel while Syx rode shotgun. “Relax and try to have a good time. Our problems will still be here when we get back,” Hex said as he started the engine and shifted into drive.
    “Fine,” Echo huffed, but he didn’t like it. Even if they didn’t know for sure what was coming, they still needed to be doing something . He should be practicing with his men, honing their powers and increasing their strength, not traipsing into the city to… “What the hell are we doing anyway?”
    “We’re getting you a cell phone for one,” Vapre answered as his hand landed on Echo’s thigh, giving it a light squeeze.
    “What on earth do I need a cell phone for?” Echo rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest as he stared out the window, watching the trees zipping past.
    “Then you can get in touch with us anytime you want. If we ever get separated, it could come in pretty handy.”
    Echo knew Vapre was referring to his constant badgering over the past couple