Evans, Gabrielle - Upon Crimson Waters [Fatefully Yours 2] (Siren Publishing LoveXtreme Forever ManLove) by Gabrielle Evans Page A

conversation stopped the minute the demons set eyes on him. The room went unnaturally quiet, and everyone seemed to find different points of the wall extremely interesting all of the sudden.
    “I thought you were going to get Eyce,” Hex said tightly.
    “And I thought we were supposed to be a team? Or am I just the cute and loveable mascot?” Echo glared at each of the men around the table before returning his attention to Hex. “Oh, poor Echo just can’t deal. Let’s not tell him anything that might not be rainbows and ice cream. We wouldn’t want to upset his fragile sensibilities.”
    “You’re being childish,” Hex growled. “Why don’t you run along and let the big boys take care of this.”
    Echo jerked back as if he’d been slapped. The words stung for just a moment, and then he got pissed. Narrowing his eyes, he sauntered over to Fiero and held out his hand. Judging by the look on his lover’s face, Hex’s words didn’t sit well with him either. He reached out and took Echo’s hand immediately while he pulled his lighter from his pocket with the other.
    “Echo,” Hex snarled in warning. “Don’t even think about it.”
    Fiero flicked the lighter and lifted the flame in front of Echo. “Don’t hurt him too much. We still kind of like him.”
    “Echo!” Hex took a step back, his eyes rounding when Echo just smirked and waved his hand over the flickering flame, catching it in his palm. He tried to retreat further, but froze mid-step, his eyes darting to Myst.
    “Sorry, dude, but that was uncalled for. You’re being a fucking douche.” Myst’s voice held none of its usual jovialness, and he looked spitting mad. His face mottled a dark red as he rose from his seat and stalked around the table to stand beside Echo.
    Vapre rose as well, coming to stand beside Fiero, while Onyx took up ranks on Myst’s other side, presenting a united front to their leader. Syx was the last to stand, and though usually the mediator of the group, even he came to stand beside Onyx, crossing his arms over his chest and looking menacingly at Hex.
    Echo still held one of Fiero’s hands while he left the flames leap and dance over his other. “I may be smaller than you,” he told Hex. “I may not be as strong physically, or lived as many years as you.” He held his hand up in front of his face, blowing softly at the fire until it shot out in a stream, stopping just inches from Hex’s chest. Then he sucked in a deep breath, calling the flames back.
    “I may not have seen the things you have, or fought against swarms of enemies. I didn’t live a thousand years in the depths of Hades, but I have survived my own personal hell.” He swirled his hand around until the fire rolled into a ball, then flicked his wrist to make it bounce into the air. It rose until it almost brushed against the ceiling, then made a graceful arc to fall back into Echo’s waiting palm.
    “I’ve lived my entire life with people who tell me what to do, when to do it, and bitching about how I did it wrong.” He pushed his hand toward Hex, sending the fireball rushing toward him, then pulled it back like a yo-yo on some invisible string. “Just because I let you stroke and pet me, cradle me on your lap, and snuggle with me at night…” He stopped speaking and tilted his head to the side, considering his still unmoving lover. “You only wish you had the power I do.”
    He squeezed his hand into a fist, extinguishing the flames with just a thought. “I accepted all of you—this entire fucked up world of demons, warriors, gods, oracles, prophecies, and supernatural wars. I let you claim me as yours—as your mate. Never once did I ask for anything in return, so now I’m telling.”
    Echo released Fiero’s hand and walked forward until he stood toe-to-toe with Hex. “You may see me as weak and naïve, fragile and delicate, but I assure you…I’m not. You will respect me.” He snapped his fingers, smirking at his lovers’ gasp of