"Oh my baby! Give her to me, quickly now." The words fly from my mouth as I'm filled with the need to rush, make haste.
This must be done quickly. I look down at the babe in my arms: even freshly born my head is a mass of bright red curls. The baby me, in my mother's arms—Jesus this is confusing—lets out a wail loud enough to make me want to cover my ears as it’s ripped from my arms, and placed in the arms of a beast of a man.
"Arrgh, the gods are punishing me! I ... argh!" bursts from me as roll after roll of white-hot pain slices through my bulbous stomach.
"My lady, there is ... it's ... push!"
What? Push? I just did all the pushing I could. My hands reach out and grab the backs of my knees, bringing them higher. I scream and curse as I feel another babe stretches and tears its way out of me. A small cry pierces the air and I fall back onto the bed.
The vision goes black and when I open my eyes again, I'm looking into my mother's eyes.
"What? Wait, two babies? What the ...?" I manage between panting breaths. I can still feel the slippery skin of that second child on my hands.
"That is right daughter, you have a brother. A twin."
Chapter Sixteen
LEYLAND
As I walk across the sand I can't help but want to turn around and sit next to my girl. Her mother's unannounced visit cannot be for any good reason. But my eyes are drawn to a dark figure, on the path across the road from the beach. Dressed all in black, the figure is slumped on the floor. A drunk, maybe? Perhaps a homeless man in need of some food and drink. I stand on the path opposite the figure and look around, peering into the shadows, checking for any looming danger. I see nothing, so I cross the road to inspect this person. When I reach the ball of black cloth I soon realise that it's not a vagrant.
"William?" I shake him by the hoodie he wasn't wearing when we saw him not long ago. "Shit." He's bleeding. Blue blood trails from a wound on his head; the joggers covering his legs are torn and dirty. Bending down to pick him up, I notice his arm is strangely floppy against his body. I'll take him back to Everly and their mother. Just as I reach for him, I'm hit from behind. And the world tilts, my wings half emerge from my back, in an attempt to knock away my assailant, but I'm out cold before they fully extend.
LIGHT FADES IN AND out; my eyes open and shut. I can't seem to regain control of them enough to fully open them. Fragments of conversations filter into my foggy mind. Nothing solid enough for me to grasp. I rock back and forth, in and out of oblivion for what seems like an age. The times I am conscious, the pain in my head makes me glad for when the darkness comes again.
"You hit him too fucking hard, you dimwitted idiot!" A male yells, his words echoing off the walls.
"You said knock his ass out, tadaa." The unmistakable sound of a slap rends the air.
"Bitch, I will cut you a new one! Go get Elmer—he needs to heal this one before he dies." The first voice growls.
I listen as footsteps race away from wherever it is that I am.
"I know you're awake. Open your eyes before I stab this knife into one of them." A masculine voice orders from beside me. Finally I peel my eyes open, and immediately shut them again. The bright fluorescent lights above me scorch my retinas. "I said open them!" The voice says again, and I feel the cold steel of a knife poke my left eyelid.
At first, I can't quite place the face in front of me. My head wound is worse than I thought because I can't seem to remember my own name, let alone that of the person in front of me.
"Who are you?" I ask. Not sure if he will answer, but it's worth a try.
"Shut up. Here, clean the fuck up. You pissed yourself," the unknown man says as he throws a wet towel at my face. My arm sweeps up from the bed and snatches it midair. Huh, nice reflexes, whoever you are. I can't remember who I am, or how I got here. But I get a feeling the person standing beside me, pointing a wicked-looking blade at my face, will not be inclined to tell me.
Using the wet rag, I try to clean my body as best I can. They have strapped something to my back, which makes it hard to maneuver. When I am done, the door opens to my left and a beautiful woman walks through it. With her, she brings an otherworldly aura. Her purple eyes, pointed ears and floor-length pink hair all make her seem like an alien to me.
"Ah, you're awake. Why is he naked?" the gorgeous woman asks the man.
"He pissed off Drake," he answers while shrugging his shoulders.
The ethereal woman shoots an arm out, catching the taller, bulkier man by the throat. And lifts him off the ground.
"You will treat my future King with more respect than that minion, or I will rip you to shreds and feed you to the pixies. Got it?" She seethes at him. For a small woman, she sure is strong.
I look down at the sound of trickling water—the beefy man has wet himself.
"I-I-I’m sorry, my Queen. Please, I beg your forgiveness." The little idiot begs for his life. The look on the woman's face tells me she is bored. She lets go of his neck and he crumples to the floor. Turning, she walks to me. Her skin is white, almost translucent with a tinge of blue to it. Beautiful.
"You're more handsome than I thought you'd be. Especially for one born of pure blood," she says as she takes her sharp fingernails up the inside of my bare leg, sending shivers over my skin. "Hmm impressive." she murmurs as she takes hold of my manhood, her long fingers wrapped around its girth. "I will so enjoy using this to make heirs, my king."
Heirs? My king? Who am I?
Garrot
I make my way back to Everly and Amphitrite, the sand driving me crazy as it twirls in the wind. My shoes and socks squelch as I walk, making my insides quiver with disgust. I hate having wet feet, but it was worth it. The two women stand face to face, the moonlight shining off their hair. Everly's looks alive with flame, and her mother's hair looks like it's made from pure gold.
"Brother? What the fuck do you mean, I have a twin?" Everly throws at the woman in front of her.
"Be calm, child, this shouldn't be news to you. Did William not tell you about Gordon?" Her mother's confused expression turns to anger
Who the fuck is Gordon?
"No, he did not. William!" Everly screams at the top of her lungs. Pretty sure if Will was in Canada right now, he would have heard that. Ever takes her phone from my back pocket, and dials his number. I can hear it ring and ring from where I stand at her shoulder. When the line goes dead my head whips to Karl.
"He's not answering!" Everly panics. He always answers. "Something is wrong, I feel it," Everly whispers just as Vic walks out of the sea. He's completely naked and torn to shreds. Blue blood drips from big gaping wounds around his torso. On a gasp Everly shouts "Vic! Oh my God! What the.."
She runs into the water, wrapping her arms around the giant's body. Both Karl and I join her. We help the big guy to the beach where he drops to the floor.
"What happened?"
"Who did this?" Everly and Karl say at the same time. I turn my head to talk to Amph, but she's gone.
"Dolphins," is all Victor manages before slumping face-first into the sand. It takes both Karl and I to turn him over, while Everly rings Leyland.
"He's not answering, guys." She's panting, I can tell she's a hair's breadth away from a panic attack, so I wrap her in my arms.
Kissing the top of her head, I say, "It's ok babe, Leyland is a big boy, he can take care of himself." Everly grabs the discarded dress she had on earlier and presses it to the biggest wound on Vic's chest.
"Can you heal him, Karl?" Ever asks.
"Yes. But not fully, not without Le." He drops to his knees beside Vic and reaches his hand to Everly. Taking hold of it, she sinks down beside him and takes my hand in her other. Lights bounce off of the waves now lapping at Victor's body, as our inner lights spill from our skin. Mine from my hands, Everly’s from her whole body, Karl's from his feet, and pour into Victor's body.
Our lights soak into his skin. As we watch in awe, the vicious bites knit together in front of our eyes. Karl
grunts from the effort as our lights flow into him, and then out of his hand into Vic. After only a few minutes, his blue blood stops flowing from his many wounds, but they do not close fully.
"I can't anymore, the rest we can do when Le gets here," Karl says through panting breaths.
I take my shirt off and wrap it around Everly's exposed breasts, which are now covered in Victor's blood. Despite being gruesome, the sight makes my dick twitch.
Chapter Seventeen
VICTOR
Swimming through the water I know so well is easy. Despite my large frame, I have adapted to the harsh pull of the current, which allows me to move freely and nimbly through the inky depths. Being able to see in the darkness of the ocean means my part of keeping the women safe is easy. I can see for miles, where many others would only see the complete blackness suffocating them from every which way.
I let my mind wander to thoughts of Everly and her sweet heart. How I long to be the type of man that she could love, and to be the kind of man that could love her wholly. My heart seems too small in my chest as I search for the love that I want to give her. Finding nothing, I let a small whimper leave my throat, sending bubbles to the surface. I've been watching the other three, taking note of how they all interact with each other and with her.
Her heart is so big, loving three men so fully as she does. I can't help but want a piece of her heart, too. A woman like her could never love someone like me. I am too broken, too jaded. I picture her body in my mind, her soft flesh and how it molds against mine, the image makes my cock twitch.
When something grabs my leg, however, I am startled and it causes me to take in lungfuls of the salty water. Turning my body around, I'm met with the eyes of a dozen dolphins. Shit. Bending down, I try to pry the dolphin’s jaws from my calf. Wrapping my hands around its top and bottom jaws, I pull. Finally, my leg slips free and I push my arms through the water in a desperate bid to reach the surface for air.
Just as I break free, my body instinctively drags in gulps of air into my burning lungs. Oh sweet relief! White spots float in my vision as I turn towards the land. Just ten feet behind me I see the unmistakable purple, pink, and blue waves of a protective dome. I must have swum through the barrier and not noticed it. Foolish!
And now I'm surrounded by eleven creatures who would love nothing more than to tear me to pieces. Just as my heart begins to slow, a long jaw filled with razor-sharp teeth clamps around my waist, biting down. The ocean around me turns blue with my blood. I can almost see my new family on the shore, but if I cry out, Everly is sure to come straight into what is obviously a death trap. No. I will not shout for their help. If I am to die today, I will be the only one going down.
I twist my body, dragging the dolphin with me, and dive back under the surface. Punching and kicking, I manage to take out several more creatures. But not before they tear slices of my skin away. If only I could get back to shore and see my Everly one last time. One beast has my entire arm in its beak. He's trying to sever it, dragging its teeth back and forth like a saw. The pain barely registers because as I turn my head, I realise I'm mere feet from the barrier now.
Pushing my free hand out, I attempt to pry open the monster’s jaws, my strength greatly reduced now that I no longer have a form. Arching my arms out, then pulling them into my body, I manage to move just a few inches. The dolphin’s body on my arm makes it extremely difficult to swim. I bring it to my chest and with my other arm I pin its slippery blue body to mine. I desperately need a breath—my lungs are filled with fire and I don't know how much longer I can stop the instinct to open my mouth and drag in gulps of the salt water.
Instead, I pummel my fist into the side of the beast over and over. Bone cracks under my knuckles, and it finally withdraws its teeth from my flesh. Using the last of my strength, I swim through the barrier. As I pass the shimmering beauty, I turn to see several creatures follow, only to hit the force field and bounce off. Thank the gods.
Making my way back to land, my body being drained of its life force, takes what feels like an eternity. Am I to die this weak? After surviving the torturous life I had been forced to live for the last two centuries? This is how it ends? And what about amica mea? Am I not to have her, despite facing my trials and tribulations without fear or weakness? Ab dis, at least let me see my Queen one last time.
My legs kick furiously behind me; I use one arm to pull me through the now-blue waters. I must reach her, I have to warn her. Mortem awaits any who enter the sea.
Everly
Tears stream down my face as the cold wind bites my cheeks. I stare down at Victor's huge body on the bed. His frame is barely contained on the mattress. More patches of gauze cover him than his own flesh. While we managed to heal most of the smaller wounds, the biggest ones remain deep and oozing blue blood. Without Leyland here to add to our combined powers, we are unable to fully heal Vic. I slip my small hand into Victor's plate-sized one and kneel on the floor next to him. Where the fuck is Leyland?
We've all tried to call him in the last two hours, but it just rings and rings. Garrot is out there now, looking for him. Before Vic emerged from the sea my mother had disappeared into thin air. Like fog rolling out to sea. Bitch just left us!
I shift and plant my arse on the floor; my knees have been screaming at me for some time now. Closing my eyes, I try to feel Leyland. When we consummated our pairing, his virginity oath and seal were broken, making me his fated consort, and it turns out, he is mine too. As the Queen of the Sea, it turns out that it's expected that I have consorts of my own. Leyland gave me half of his soul, literally. I love them all equally, but Leyland? Well, I have this strong connection with him, one that will link us for eternity.
I search the darkness for his light. My breathing slows down and I concentrate on nothing but Leyland. I think of his smile, his bow-shaped lips turned up at the corners, the twinkle in his eyes when he looks at me. The way he touches me constantly whenever we are together, like he can't get enough. The way he calls me sweetheart, how hearing it makes my heart skip a beat. I think about when we make love, his eyes lock with mine, never breaking the connection as our bodies, hearts, and souls become one. I see nothing. Feel nothing. Not even a speck of his soft, pink light. The darkness is complete and all-consuming. My heart speeds up: what if he is dead and that's why I can't see his light? I drop Victor's hand as I start to panic. My Le. Where are you? I weep into my hands. My sobs echo around the space.
We set up a bed for Victor to recover on, in the last spare bedroom of my Grandmother's house. The walls, ceiling and floor are all bare. No furnishings. A soft knock sounds and I bite my tongue in an attempt to stop my tears.
"Come in." I attempt to sound normal. Karl walks into the room, his head hung low.
"Baby ... I'm so sorry," he starts. Oh my God, it's bad news!
"Oh no, please don't tell me ..." I begin, my bottom lip trembling.
"No, my love. Shit. No." He stammers, I jump to my feet and swat him on the arm.
"Don't do that to me! I thought you'd ..." I thought he'd found Leyland`s body. The tears I tried desperately to stop flow down my cheeks unchecked. Karl wraps his arms around me, and I snuggle into his chest.
"I'm sorry for not protecting Leyland ... I—I failed him." I push against his chest and look up into his eyes, which glisten with tears.
"Don't be crazy, Karl, you can't protect us all the time. This isn't your fault!" I push his curls back from his brow, planting a soft kiss to the soft squishy bit between his eyebrows. "This isn't your fault, Karl. Understand me?" I say with as much dominance as I can muster right now. He nods and looks to the floor. My poor, sweet guy. He must feel such guilt, but we all know this isn't his fault. Stroking my hand down his cheek, I pinch his chin with my thumb and forefinger, bringing his eyes up to meet mine. "I love you, Karl.” He sucks in a breath and the tears finally fall from his eyes, tearing my heart to pieces. I wrap my arms around his shoulders. He crashes his body into mine, his arms tight aroun
d my waist. We stand like that, taking comfort in each other’s arms for a long time.
Until Victor sits up and says, "Fucking over my unconscious body, huh?" Karl and I leap apart from each other, startled at the sound of Vic's voice. "At least let me join in, my Queen."
I pounce on him—completely forgetting his many wounds, I launch myself into the air and land on top of his hard body.
"Oh thank goodness, you're ok!" I cry.
"It'll take more than a few dolphins to dispatch me, pretty girl." He replies gruffly, as I wrap myself around him.
"Never, ever do that to me again." I mildly scold him as I pull away to look at him. He chuckles and plants a kiss to my cheek. I thought he was going to die, he lost so much blood. I had no idea if he could survive that. Straddling his hips, I push myself up so that I'm seated on his crotch. His eyes go wide as I wiggle just slightly. Grabbing my hips, he thrusts up and I actually bounce. My arse cheeks for real rise off him and then slam back down onto his very large length. Oh, fuck me. That will rip me in two.
"Don't start something you do not intend to finish, my Q- Everly." he warns. I swallow audibly and my cheeks heat. Giggling like a schoolgirl, I wiggle again. Only this time, I add a little roll of my hips. I rub along the length of him and a groan leaves his mouth just as Karl clears his throat. I turn to look at him, my eyes trailing down his gorgeous body as if compelled to do so.
"I've texted Garrot. He's on his way back. So if you want me to ... I can go ..." Karl begins, sounding more unsure of himself than I’ve ever heard from him.
"No ..." I say as I climb off Victor's lap. Pulling myself back to what is happening, Victor almost died and Le seems to be missing, "Are you hungry, Vic? I'll make some sarnies. Could you check his wounds, please?" I speed out of the door and down the stairs. What the fuck am I doing? Le is missing and I'm grinding myself on Victor’s huge cock? Bloody hell, Ever.
The Everly Davis chronicles Page 29