by Erin R Flynn
“But no one did,” Owen told me. “The prince was pleased but wanted more of what he could never have. He vowed to take it and her, ruining her for any other man if he could never have her as his. He promised to see her that night after she was declared a woman and own her, body and soul.”
“Poor girl,” I whispered, guessing things didn’t turn out well.
“Maybe once she deserved your pity and sympathy,” Evan muttered, his tone a bit hostile. I almost tripped over my feet when it sunk in what was going on and why he was telling me. “The night of a coming of age is to be spent alone in quite solitude and reflection of the adult one wants to become as they are an adult as of midnight.
“She begged her ladies to not leave her, the guards to stand close, and none listened, thinking it was her fear of becoming an adult and the marriage she will have one day that made her act in such a way. So they kept with tradition and ignored her and her valid worries that too many unknown guests were in the castle to be unguarded or left alone. Shortly after midnight, the prince found a way to sneak into her rooms and took what he wanted.”
“Don’t skim over it because she’s a lady,” Owen chuckled darkly. “He raped her. He raped her over and over again in every way and every hole and using her in ways no woman should be used.”
I flinched, thinking that was a bit specific of details for them to know. “Were you told the story in that way?”
“Oh no, we know exactly how and the order and which he liked best,” Evan told me as his hands fisted. “And how her ladies found her the next morning. Most importantly, how they covered it up. They were afraid for their heads if the king and queen should ever learn they ignored her worries and their daughter was taken by what they assumed was a party of men from the state they found her in.
“And so it was covered up, a healer called to help her, and everyone else tried to forget it. But fate and life would never forget such a horrid event and decided to scar the princess even further by his vile seed making life in her womb. She begged her ladies to help her abort the pregnancy, but none would as no matter what was born, it was of royal blood and the punishment for harming those of royal blood was severe.
“Instead, they figured a plan to send her abroad to their families and work out a way to make the whole thing a show of the king and queen’s kindness that they would send their beloved daughter to spend time with their people now that she was an adult. It worked and they watched her like a hawk, promising they would hide the babe once it was born and she would never have to think about any of it again and marry who she should.”
“But then she gave birth to abominations,” Owen took over when Evan seemed to need a moment. “Twins, one light and one dark elf who clearly told of her shame and who had broken the most sacred laws to have her. That law was more important than the rape of the dark elf princess, and they all feared death if anyone found out, even the princess. She tried to kill the babes in a fit of rage and agony, but the others interceded.
“They reminded her that no matter what was born, the gods would never forgive a mother who killed her children and it would curse all dark elves forever. After some debate it was decided that a priestess would take the babes and hide among humans to raise them. No matter what they were, abominations or not, the gods would never agree to killing children.
“She convinced the princess of this and that maybe one day, she could use the babes to get revenge, as it was not her that committed the crime but the soon to be king of the light elves. That was the moment true darkness filled the princess’s heart, and the priestess swore she saw it happen. She left with the babes, given a proper home and whatever she needed to raise them as they were of royal blood.”
We reached the halfway point, and Evan waved for me to hold up and we stretched while he took over the story.
“Their mother came once a year to visit them, but not on the date of their birth, but their conception as they were proof of the sin and the night that ruined her forever. She would tell them all of this before they were even old enough to understand. Both boys were terrified of the woman who was their mother, not knowing anything about the world of elves besides the evil story she told them each time.
“And they had seen many boys who were brothers and had different colored hair as they did. So they suffered in silence through her visits, and after, life returned to normal. They were educated and loved the priestess who was always good to them. They were thirteen when everything changed.
“A long trusted oracle of the light elves’ royal family had a vision of twins, one light and one dark uniting the kingdoms. It was as the gods always wanted, and the vision was one of great happiness.” Evan rolled his eyes when Owen snorted. “Yeah, for the people, but if the kingdoms combined—”
“There would only be one royal family ruling over all, and a lot of people would lose their status and shit,” I filled in, shaking my head. I saw the others coming and started back down the trail, sticking my tongue out at Greg when we passed him. “So what happened?”
“We ran,” Owen sighed. “The priestess betrayed the princess, took us, and ran. If the oracle had received a prophecy from the gods, then it was what was meant to be. The light elves assumed since they received the prophecy that it meant the prince and princess should marry and if we were ever found, that would be what happened and he would be king while she would be queen and not queen ruler but consort.”
“We watched our mother murder the woman who raised us when she found her,” Evan whispered. “We had been running an errand for her, and when we came back, she was already caught, beaten, and near death. She saw us and feared we would intercede and spat at Mother, calling her a disgrace to all elves, light and dark, and that she had already delivered us to the oracle and light royal family where we were safe.
“Mother screamed and took a sword off the hip of a guard and sliced her throat right there. All she had done for the children that weren’t even hers, and our mother murdered her for protecting us. We ran, and after they got word of someone traveling with children and went after them in hopes of finding us, we buried the priestess in the way of elves, and took off. She’d long ago filled us in, and we knew we had to live our lives hidden.”
I let that settle a few minutes. “I don’t know that much about elves and their government, as most live in other countries now, but the kingdoms never combined, right?”
Owen shook his head. “No, and many still believe it’s what the gods want, that the now queen should have married the now king but instead, darkness befell both kingdoms and humans took huge chunks of their realms. People gave up in them and migrated to new kingdoms and lands. They believe the royal families failed them by not doing what the gods wanted, but the truth was much worse.”
“It always is,” I whispered, wiping sweat off my forehead with the back of my hand. “You shouldn’t ever tell that story. Not ever. You don’t know me.”
“We’ve never told it before,” Evan admitted. He caught me when I tripped over my feet, holding me gently as I righted myself. “You’re not just anyone, Acadia.”
I yanked my arm away. “Great sex doesn’t make someone special. I have great sex all the fucking time. Don’t romanticize it.”
“It was better than great, and you felt the connection,” he challenged, moving closer. His eyes darkened when I didn’t respond. “And it was more than that.” He cupped my cheek and didn’t let me pull away. “What did you dream of the night after you left us?”
“Nothing,” I lied, backing away but bumping into Owen.
“You didn’t have a nightmare? I saw a woman who looked younger, and I knew it was you even if the features were different. I saw her finding out the man she thought was helping her learn to feed was communicating with people to sell her.”
“No,” I whispered.
“I saw when you learned there were more than demons of the seven deadly sins and that you might be more than a lust demon,” Owen added. “That you knew something was
wrong after you—”
“No, shut up,” I rasped. I took off at full speed for my car. I didn’t care if the humans saw me or anything else besides getting away. They didn’t just know I was different, but they knew how dangerous I was.
That I was a weapon.
I was almost to my car when Evan grabbed me, hugging me to him as we lost our footing and turning us so he landed on the ground instead of me. “Stop, we’re not going to hurt you.”
“I’m not a weapon,” I argued, elbowing him, but he didn’t let go. “You can’t use me for whatever you’re planning.”
“Love, we’re not planning a bloody thing,” Owen promised as he knelt next to us. “We’re not going to use you as a weapon. We’re telling you how we know this is more than sex or even chemistry reaction. The connection is real. We saw into your dreams. Do you know how rare that is?”
“I’ve never heard of it,” I admitted. “I didn’t know that was something elves can do.”
“Most can’t,” Evan said as he sat up. “It’s rare.”
“What did you do to me?”
“Nothing,” they said together, but Owen continued. “Not a damn thing, love. You did it to us. You opened something inside of us and showed us we were meant to be in each others’ lives.”
“No. Stop. Just leave me alone,” I whispered, fighting to get away from Evan. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“We’re just telling you the truth,” Evan promised as he kissed my neck. “You feel it too, Acadia.”
“Acadia isn’t even my real name,” I snapped, elbowing him harder so he let me go. I could pound them both, but I didn’t want to hurt them. I couldn’t be trapped for this conversation though. “Just stop. I’ve already got a stalker who thinks I’m the only one—whatever. I’ve got problems with other stuff and—you have no idea how dangerous I am. Now you’re talking like I’m the mate of the bastard elf royal families. I’m going to explode.”
“Don’t, don’t do that, love,” Owen murmured, getting I was overloaded and they’d just dropped a big fat fucking cherry on top. “And we didn’t say mate. Just in each others’ lives. And who knows what that means. You said it was just sex, and we’re saying it’s not.”
I bobbed my head as I paced. Then I shook my head, about ready to lose my shit. It wasn’t that simple, and the list of people who were finding out I wasn’t just a lust demon was growing. In my defense, this time it really wasn’t my fault.
Like really wasn’t. How the fuck could I have known they’d invade my dreams?
“Hey, you okay?” Tomas asked as they joined us. “We saw you take off, and now you look pale.”
I blinked at him and the others, feeling Owen and Evan’s worry. “Um, yeah, sorry. Made a joke about making them chase me and realized that was stupid when I’ve not eaten since way before work last night. I just felt lightheaded and got lost in my mind.”
“Let’s get some juice on the way to the gym,” Owen offered as he hit the fob on my keys. I blinked at them, and he shrugged. “You dropped them. I’ll drive. Evan can follow in our car.”
I found myself nodding, not wanting to draw my attention to the humans and feeling like the top of my head was going to pop off any moment. I’d just met angels, and O’Malley was still stalking me, things with Dylan had landed on their head, and I’d had hope for a split second, which I knew better than to do.
“Love, do you want coffee or juice?” Owen asked, his tone worried.
I blinked at him and realized we were already in my car and we’d been driving a bit. I scrubbed my hands over my face. “Coffee please.” I waited a few moments until he turned off and pulled into Starbucks. “You lied to me. You are the owner. That complicates my life.”
He sighed. “Sorry. You instantly shut down when you heard that, and I thought you had an issue with guys with money. I just deflected like I always do, and I wasn’t thinking about how I was lying then.”
“I do that too,” I forgave, knowing it was like a knee jerk reaction after so many years of doing it and he was much older than me. “I won’t stick around Denver. I can’t get into it all but—getting attached is a mistake.”
“How about we just have some fun today and go from there?”
“You know it’s not that simple.”
He snorted. “It never is, love. We broke our own rules on treating and pressuring employees to make Greg tell us anything on how to find you.”
“Is this revenge for feeding so much and leaving you like that?” I checked, glancing at him as we moved up in line. “I really won’t tell you’re a light elf. I just wanted to warn you so you were safe.”
“I know. And no, no revenge.” He shot me a brilliant smile that made my heart flutter. “We actually woke all wrapped around each other like total duffers. It was hysterical, and we totally deserved it. I never bring anyone home, and it never crossed my mind to warn you about Evan, as he never poaches. He said one look at you and he forgot his own name and—”
“This isn’t how I really look, Owen,” I reminded him, glancing out the window. “You saw that or whatever.”
“You’re still you, Acadia. The name, the hair, the eyes—none of it changing matters. My hair isn’t mine either. Does that really matter?”
“No,” I sighed. “It’s complicated, Owen.”
He snickered, and it built into a huge laugh that took him a moment to settle from. “Love, we’re the illegitimate heirs of both elf kingdoms. Yeah, we understand complicated.” He reached over and rubbed my leg. “It’s why we needed to talk to you. You’re not alone. We can help even. We’ve been doing it so long that we know how hard it is.”
I opened my mouth to tell him I wasn’t alone and I had help, but I couldn’t. There was still too much up in the air with taking over the club, and there were the murders that were getting worse and… Fuck.
He asked me what I wanted and ordered for us, paying when we reached the window. He handed me my drink and muffin before heading to the gym. “Did you not enjoy being with us? Or me? Did I not—did I not satisfy you?”
“No, you were—it was great. It—you—I tingled all night from it,” I muttered, my face heating, but I wasn’t able to let him think I hadn’t enjoyed it.
“Me too,” he whispered. “It was more than sex.”
“Please don’t push me,” I begged him. “There’s so much more going on that you don’t know. Please, I’m trying to protect you both as much as I am myself. Please believe that.”
“I do, I absolutely do,” he assured me as he pulled into the parking lot of the gym. “I also know that I would regret it forever if I didn’t chase after you. I knew it the moment I realized you were gone. I’ve never chased after a dove before, but I knew I had to chase after you or I would regret it. We just want to get to know you. Let us work out with you this week. That’s it. If you don’t have fun with us, then we’ll leave you be.”
“You’re buying everyone lunch if you’re bringing my drama to my new friends,” I grumbled as he parked. I got out as he did, staring over the top of the car at him. “And you’re not going to go snooping all into my life. You found me through Greg and want to work out. That’s it. Don’t get all creepy and like you want to own me.”
He gave a slow nod. “Can we have dinner then?”
“No.”
“Can I steal a kiss then?” Evan purred from behind me. He turned me around, snagging my coffee so it was safe, and kissing me deeply. “Sorry, I needed a recharge. You wore me out with that jog, love.”
“You said friends,” I growled, shoving him away and taking my coffee back before getting my bag from the backseat. “Stop acting like boyfriends or I don’t care if you buy lunch forever, I’ll stop coming to the workout group if you stalk me.”
“Friends it is,” Evan agreed, holding up his hands in surrender. “Wait, friends stare at hot friends and imagine them naked, right?”
Tomas snorted as he joined us. “If not, I’m in trouble.”
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Owen locked my car and tossed the keys to me as we went inside and swiped in. I tucked my stuff in a locker and hurried to join the others, realizing I was going to see Jade and she should be smiling after last night.
Assuming Greg didn’t mess that up too.
“Who are the hot additions?” one of the other dancers asked, eyeing over Owen and Evan like her next meal.
“You told them how to find her?” Jade asked Greg, her frown speaking volumes. “Where is your loyalty?”
I waved it off. “He’s known them longer, and they sign his paychecks. I told him not to be in the middle of their stalking.” I stuck my tongue out at Greg. “A heads up would have been nice.”
“I didn’t have your number,” he admitted. “I figured Tomas would have beaten me if I told him why I needed it.”
“I would have,” he confirmed.
I decided to change the topic and flow, smirking at Jade. “Anyone hungry for sushi?”
“Bitch,” she hissed, grabbing my arm and pulling me to the first station we were doing. The others gave us questioning looks as everyone broke off into pairs. “I couldn’t do it.”
“And?” I checked as I stretched out some more.
“And he sort of took it as a sign I didn’t want to let him see me naked when I let other men… It spun out, but then I just went over to his place because text message was making things worse.” She blew out a harsh breath as she started her reps. “He wasn’t going to invite me in, so I started taking off my clothes. It was so stupid and—but I couldn’t let him think it was that.”
“How did that go?”
“He dragged me inside and finished undressing me,” she admitted, blushing all the way up to her ears. “He was—it was—yeah, totally worth the wait and chase.”
“And next?” I asked as we switched.