VEE

Ewan pulls into the pub car park on his bike; I sit behind him, clinging on in fear.

Nope. Still not a fan.

As soon as he spotted my nerves, Ewan cut short the ride he was about to take me on, which my trembling body is grateful for. After the powerful sex I just had, I don’t need anymore dangerous thrills. Ewan wasn’t the only one scared I’d see another vision or fill with pain again. In the back of my mind, I worry what the connection is. With the others, I have Heath’s intense light from his magic; Xander’s crazy energy breaking things; and Joss’s heightened empathy. But Ewan? Is he infecting me with something?

I shake away the thought this could be negative. Not negative, I tell myself. He gave what I needed to take the powers and allow them to grow inside me.

"You okay?" asks Ewan.

There’s something about this guy when his hair’s messed up and he’s wearing his leather jacket. Secret fantasy about rough biker guys covered in tattoos who know how to make a girl scream? I guess that pales against the fantasy I’m living in now. But, hell, this guy just held me against the wall and did wicked things that won’t leave my mind right now.

I’m half-disappointed we left the house.

I hand my bike helmet to Ewan. "We weren't as long as Joss thought we would be."

Ewan bites his lip with a smile. "Is that a problem? Not long enough?"

"You know it wasn't." I tug him by the jacket towards me and place my lips on his mouth.

"At least you didn't run screaming this time," he says against my ear and nips the lobe.

Relieved he's dropped some of his intensity, I take his hand and squeeze his fingers. "You know you weren’t the reason why."

"Yes," he replies softly and kisses the side of my head. "I know any screaming from now on will be good."

I slap his ass and we walk into the pub, hands still held. The other guys sit at the same table as last time I walked in here, when I was accompanied by Heath instead of Ewan. This time, unlike the last, Xander is here, sitting in the seat I took the first time. My stomach flips at how much has changed in my life despite the surroundings being the same.

Ewan takes his seat beside Joss, and I perch on a spare stool beside him. This time around I don't avoid his touch as he places a hand on my leg. Joss throws us a knowing smile but says nothing.

"Vee, tell me what happened the first time you met these guys. I'm curious." Xander drinks from his bottle.

"I thought I was on a weird date with Heath."

Ewan stares. "You did? A date with the weirdo who stalked you?"

"I did not stalk her," Heath retorts.

"You just happened to lurk outside my house, huh?" I say and poke him affectionately.

Xander glares at Heath. "What? You could've freaked her out. Following Vee was a dumb move."

"Says you, who'd buggered off fuck knows where, without telling us," snaps Heath. "Not exactly helpful."

The conversation stops dead. I need to talk to Heath about the tension he’s carrying around—I haven’t had a chance since our world shifted planes again.

"Did you know Vee hit Heath with her car?" Joss puts in.

Xander splutters his drink and wipes his mouth. "She deliberately hit you? What did you do to annoy her?"

"Nothing, she's just a bad driver."

I scowl at him. "It was raining and you appeared from nowhere."

"Okay. Fine. I walked in front of your car."

"I knew it!" exclaims Ewan. "I told you, didn't I, Vee?"

I stare at Heath in disbelief. "You did? That was horrible! At first, I thought I'd killed somebody."

"Sorry. We suspected someone else was following you and had to get to you first."

"You could’ve spoken to me at work. It would’ve been less painful."

"I tried getting your attention at work and failed. I smiled at you once and after that you never looked at me again. Well, apart from my ass."

I bite down on my lip to prevent a retort as Joss snickers. "She’s always staring at your ass, Heath."

"What did you think that night I met you all?" I ask Joss, with a glare.

"Wasn't it obvious? I was pretty stunned to finally see you. Almost literally. I could feel your presence before you walked through the door."

"Then why weren’t you the one looking for me instead of Heath?" I ask.

Joss lowers his voice. "Because Heath can kill quicker, if needed. Like you saw."

I shift in my seat at the memory. The shocking evening he killed two people, before I realised they were a fae and demon. Two people trying to abduct or kill me. "I remember."

"Anyway, we'd agreed nobody was going to touch you, which I was okay with until I saw you," Joss continues. "Right at that moment I knew you'd be trouble."

"Same," says Ewan.

"I know, you obviously didn't like me when we met," I tell Ewan.

"I was jealous." I blink at his words. "Because you were with Heath and were close to him; I thought he’d gone against our agreement."

"Are you still jealous?" asks Xander with curiosity.

"No. Are you?" retorts Ewan.

"No."

I scratch my cheek. "Do we need a conversation about our relationships? Y’know, sometime after we stop the apocalypse, maybe."

"I think we're all beyond that now, aren't we?" says Joss. "This is a little bit more than five guys in a pub with a girl."

"Yeah, thanks for the reality check, Joss," mutters Heath.

The group lapses into silence and the evening sinks into drinking and the odd joke. I run my finger around my glass’s rim. This was supposed to be a night off from stress, but Ewan's checking his phone every five minutes and Xander's constantly scanning the room as if a demon horde might invade at any moment.

The King’s Arms was my local, or as much of a local as antisocial Vee had on her nights out with Anna. My stomach twists uncomfortably. I haven't contacted her since I moved into my new world, at first terrified she might not exist, and later I deleted all my contacts around the time I decided not to be human anymore. I could locate her if I wanted, but that world seems distant now.

Anna, who I played pool with in this pub, and whose world I now have to save. Oh, how life changes.

"Vee? Are you okay?" I look at a concerned Heath. "You look sad."

"Do you play pool?" I ask.

He grins. "Yeah, and I always win."

"Sure you do, dude," says Ewan.

"Cool. I'll beat you all," I say and stand. Four pairs of eyes regard me with amusement. "What? I will. Who wants to go first?"

"Heath did last time, apparently," Joss says with a sly smile and I smack him lightly across the back of the head. "Or was it Ewan?"

Ewan glowers at him. "Not cool, Joss."

"Bloody hell, I’m joking around!" He huffs. "Sorry if I offended you, Vee."

"I’m amused, not offended." The pool table at the opposite end of the pub is empty with no players around. I indicate the bar. "I’ll get the cues."

I head across the pub, honestly amused by Joss’s inappropriate comment. Sometimes, he can’t help himself and his attempts to lighten situations fail. That could’ve been one awkward conversation.

The barman, Gary, greets me and I wait for him to remark how long it's been since he saw me. But it hasn't been long. All the crazy shit that's happened recently has been in the space of weeks, when it feels like months.

"Hey, sweetheart."

I turn to the voice on my left as Gary hands me the pool cues. A man with sandy blond hair and drunk eyes, a few years older than me, grins back.

I hate being called sweetheart. Or honey. Or love. In fact, any pet name at all pisses me off. Heath once tried to call me baby, and I told him if he didn't stop I'd slap him. He laughed, until realising I was serious. Did he pass this nugget of information onto the others? Because nobody calls me anything but Vee.

"Hello." I take the cues the barman holds out.

"Do you want a drink?" the guy asks and gestures at the bar.

"No. I have one. I'm with my friends." I indicate the four guys, all in conversation except Xander, who's now looking in my direction.

The man twists his head to look. "Ah. Those four. I’ve seen them with a few girls in here. " He rubs his nose. "You don't look like their usual type. "

"I guess their taste changed." I swallow down the rising jealousy from earlier. They've hinted they'd pick up girls in the past; of course they did. Look at them, and I've firsthand experience they know what they're doing in the sex department.

"Yeah. Guess they have." After taking a too-lingering look at my breasts swelling above my black top, he leans in and whispers, "Sometimes girls disappear around here, and I've seen some of them with those guys. Careful you're not the next to disappear."

"I know them well. Thanks for your concern."

He takes his glass of whiskey and drains the contents. "If you need help, just holler."

I give him a tight smile. Early on, this would've worried me, but now I presume the girls were demons. Although I have to be honest with myself and admit some would’ve been hook-ups.

"Thanks for your concern."

I edge past the man who stinks of cigarettes, gripping the cues, and then back to the table. Xander nods towards the bar. "Who was that?"

"Random guy. Who's playing?" I point at the pool table.

"Hitting on you?" continues Xander, staring back across the pub.

"Don't go alpha on her," says Joss with a sigh. "Vee’s an attractive girl, of course guys will hit on her."

"When she walked away, the sleaze watched Vee as if he wanted to eat her alive," Xander snaps.

"Oh, maybe a demon, then?" I ask in a light tone.

"Ha bloody ha." Xander crosses his arms and stares at the guy. I glance over and the man’s returning the aggressive look.

"Bloody hell, Xan." Joss pushes his stool back and stands. "Vee."

"Yes?" I look around just as Joss's mouth meets mine. I make a noise of surprise as he rests his lips on mine for a few moments and curls one arm around my waist to hold me closer. Thankfully an affectionate, gentle touch and not full on, because this is directly in front of the other guys.

He withdraws and winks at me. "I guess she's with me, Xander. You gonna stare me down too?"

Xander breaks his gaze at the guy and drinks. "Nope."

I look back at the man, who's turned away. Did Joss's kiss satisfy him I'm taken and not worth hitting on?

"Thanks, Joss," I say. "The last thing we need is you going over the top, Xander."

Xander looks at us impassively. "Yeah. Whatever."

"Any time," says Joss with a laugh. "Hope you didn't mind, Vee."

I shake my head. "All good."

"Food." Ewan interrupts and holds up a menu. "Who's eating?" Xander takes it from him.

"Heath? Playing?" I ask.

"Sure."

I take my cue and head to the pool table. As I place the coloured balls into the triangle, I watch the guys. This situation is ordinary and sharpens into focus how extraordinary they are. A couple of girls who watched us curiously before now seem satisfied I'm with Joss and are attempting to catch the other threes’ attention. One of them follows Ewan to the bar when he heads over to order food. Subtle. Not. Unsurprisingly, Ewan barely pays her any attention, but I don't miss his aggressive proximity to the guy who hit on me. Oh great, he'd better not be following Xander's example.

Heath approaches and rests against the table then chalks his cue, focusing on the action. A smile plays on his lips as he watches me set up the game.

"You really think you're going to win, don't you?" I ask.

"Yep."

I stand against the nearby wall as Heath takes the first shot, watching as his hair flops into his eyes, and the pursed-lipped concentration. What would’ve happened if we’d been on a date before he introduced me to the others? Was he ever tempted? For the first time in weeks, I’m reminded of the strange night our lives collided the way my car did with his body.

Recently, Heath’s distanced himself and until now, I never noticed. Not deliberately, the way Ewan has, but as if he’s further from me since my unknown power increased.

Heath shifts around the table to take a shot in front of me, giving me a great view of the ass that I’m supposedly always staring at. Which of course means I have to again, because why break the habit? His T-shirt rides up, revealing a smooth, muscled lower back.

Hell, I’m a lucky girl.

I’m ashamed to admit that I sometimes thank whoever stuck me in this situation. What if they’d been a bunch of unattractive guys with manners that made Xander look like he could teach etiquette in his spare time?

But then why put us in a situation where I didn’t have any desire to "connect" with each and every one of the Horsemen?

Heath misses his latest shot and swears. Straightening, he turns to me and gestures at the table. "Show me what you’re made of. I’ve already potted five."

"Go you," I line up my shot, but can’t shake the need to speak to Heath. "How are you coping, Heath?"

"I should ask you that question."

The yellow ball clicks another of mine, spinning it into a pocket. "You’re all supporting me, but I’ve noticed you’re quieter than usual."

Heath shrugs. "You know me, ‘emo Heath.’"

"Heath..." I warn him; he’s well aware that Xander’s nickname for him is unfair.

"I’m lost, Vee. That’s all. I know we’re all struggling to cope, but every time someone new comes on the scene, or Xander agrees to ally with people we don’t trust, I get nervous." He steps forward and traces his finger along the edge of the table. "Mostly I worry about letting you all down."

"How?"

"Take your shot, Vee."

I do as he suggests, but I refuse to leave this. Deftly, I pot most of my balls, smug when I see his surprised expression.

"How so ‘let us down’?"

"Not fulfilling my role. Y’know. Not fixing things if they go permanently wrong for one of you." I’m confused by why he’s using euphemisms until I notice two guys in ear shot.

"We’ll be okay," I say, wishing I was as confident as I sound.

"Maybe, but until we get the stone—"

I interrupt by putting my finger on his lips. "No. We’re not talking about that. We’re relaxing and playing pool."

Heath pulls his mouth into a rueful smile. "True."

"And I’m winning."

"Huh." He sweeps me closer and bends to place his mouth on mine. "I bet I can distract you."

"I’m sure you can." His hard chest presses against mine and when he kisses me, his longer hair tickles my cheek. Ewan’s does too but isn’t as long. Heath has more to hold onto—and the thought reminds me how distant we are. "It’s been a while since I spent the night with you. I’m sorry I didn’t notice you felt alone."

He shakes his head. "I wasn’t. Just watching from the sidelines mostly."

"It’s not because you’re worried about what I am?"

"I hear you say that all the time Vee, and it stabs my heart because there’s nothing ‘wrong’ about you. I mean, if you decided to start tearing your way through British institutions and destroying any demons who are disguised, yeah, then we might worry. But you have yourself under control."

I share his laugh. "Okay. True."

"And you know what, Vee? When this is all over, I’m stepping back. Taking time out. You know how I feel about wanting to be more human. I’m gonna do that."

I chew on a nail as I watch him, hearing the determination in his voice. Ewan says not to worry about the future, but Heath’s firmly focused there. "Do you know what I love about what you just said?"

He takes the cue, readying himself to continue. "That I don’t think you’re hellbent on killing?"

"No. That you said ‘when this is all over’. That you believe this will end well."

Heath pushes hair from his face, bright green eyes shining as he studies me. "I meant Chaos. Once he’s gone, the world will change, one way or the other."

"But we won’t," I whisper. "We’ll always be us."

Heath chalks his cue and nods. "I hope so."

I close my eyes and drag myself away from his seriousness. The click of pocketed balls brings me back to the game and I’m shocked to see Heath’s almost won.

Edging closer, I wait until he’s about to take the shot and slide my hand across his ass before pushing my hand into his pocket. Missing the shot, Heath snaps his head around. "Vee... that’s cheating!"

I smirk. "And I can always distract you."