by Becca Van
“Holy shit! What the hell is going on? Who are you? Are you even human?” Lavinia’s voice became more strident with each word she spoke and she’d shifted into the corner of the sofa.
“Don’t be scared of us, little one. We won’t ever hurt you.”
Lavinia’s eyes widened when En came racing toward the sofa and although she didn’t look as scared as before, Men could see nervousness and bewilderment in her gaze.
“Here.” En held the towel-wrapped bag of ice out to Lavinia and when she took it he stepped back.
Lavinia fumbled with the ice pack since she didn’t take her gaze away from either of them, but she finally managed to get it on her ankle.
Men moved to one of the armchairs across from the sofa and En sat in the one next to him. Lavinia stared from him to En and back again before crossing her arms beneath her breasts. He bit back a groan of desire when her lush breasts plumped up and if she hadn’t been watching him he would have licked his lips, but instead he quickly moved his gaze to lock with hers.
“The shadows you saw tonight are evil demons controlled by the snake god, Apep. The demonic target the innocent and try to steal their souls.”
Lavinia’s face paled and Men knew she was remembering her encounter with the shadow demons, but he was thankful she remained silent. He wasn’t sure if he could get everything said if she interrupted him. He was having a hard enough time concentrating without getting distracted by her light yet surprisingly husky, sexy voice as it was. Just being in the same room as her was doing his head in. Her intoxicating scent was making his hard dick throb and all he wanted to do was kiss and touch her until she begged for more.
“The demonic gain strength by stealing the souls from innocents. If they steal enough human spirits they become strong enough to possess a human being.”
“What…” Lavinia paused and licked her lips before swallowing audibly. “Why?”
“Apep’s ultimate aim is the have his shadow demons rule the world,” En said.
“How is any of this possible?” Lavinia whispered before meeting each of their gazes. “You killed them?”
“We did.” Men nodded.
“So what does that make you?”
“We are Ra’s soul sentinels.”
Lavinia opened and closed her mouth a few times, but nothing came out.
“Our job is to eliminate the shadow demons. We have done so for thousands of years.”
Lavinia’s eyes widened even farther and although she kept her gaze on En, she shook her head back and forth in denial. “Ra’s just a myth.”
“Is he?” En shifted so that his elbows were resting on his knees. “How do you know that?”
“Ra was spoken about in the Egyptian history books. There’s no proof that he was real and even if he was, how is it possible you’re both working for him? That was thousands of years ago. There is no way you’re that old.”
“Ra is a god. You don’t think he has the power to change a human’s DNA or to make him more than just human?” Men asked.
Lavinia shook her head again but stopped and frowned at him and En. “Why would these shadows target me? I’m no one.”
“Yes you are, but we’ll come back to that,” En said before rising to his feet. He began pacing and Men could feel his friend’s frustration. He was just as frustrated as En was over how little their mate thought of herself, but they would deal with that later.
“We were slaves back when the pyramids were being built. Another elderly slave was being whipped by an overseer until his back was flayed open. We were so sick and tired of being beaten, subjugated, and doing nothing.” Men drew a deep breath and tried to quell the anger rising in his gut. Even after millennia he still got angry over the way he, his friends, and the other slaves had been treated. “We couldn’t just let the bastard kill him in front of us so we stepped in to help save the other man from being beaten to death. Of course that made us targets of the pharaoh and his overseers. The eight of us were tied to posts and about to be whipped to death, but Ra stepped in.”
“He saved our lives,” En said. “He made us demigods and sent us here. We’ve been fighting to keep humanity safe from the leader of the underworld and the demonic ever since.”
“Why here?” Lavinia glanced about as if she could see through the walls of the base.
“We aren’t sure why, but the demonic are very active in this area. Of course we go wherever we need to so we can destroy them.” En ran his hands through his hair and turned to face Lavinia again.
“How do you… How did you bring me…here?” She swept her hand out.
“We have the ability to teleport. We just think of where we want to be and poof, we’re there.” Men shifted in his seat, trying to ease the constriction his jeans had on his hard cock.
Lavinia shivered, and when Men saw goose bumps form over her arms, he rose, walked around the sofa, and grabbed the throw from the top before draping it over her.
“Thank you.” Lavinia nibbled on her lower lip before she glanced at him over her shoulder. He moved back over to his seat so she wouldn’t have to crick her neck. “How is it that no one knows about you?”
“We don’t go around advertising who we are or what we can do.” En smiled.
Lavinia drew in an audible breath and shifted on the sofa. When Men inhaled, a low rumbling groan formed in his chest, but he quickly swallowed it back down. The sweet smell of her desire was inebriating, making him want to breathe her in again and again, but he knew that would never be enough to satisfy the ache in his cock or his heart and soul. The only way to quench the hunger roiling in his gut was to claim his mate.
“I didn’t think you did, but surely someone’s seen you fighting those…shadows?”
“Probably, but most of the time we take them out before the demonic can steal a soul. They usually attack while a human is asleep.” En began pacing again. Men wished his friend would stop, but he understood his restlessness. He was so antsy he was barely holding it together, but he needed to so that Lavinia would understand. He just hoped she didn’t think they were crazy or full of shit.
“There are billions of humans on this planet.” Lavinia frowned. “How come we’re not overrun with evil already? The world’s population would be like a feast to those demons if what you’ve said is true.”
“As we said earlier, the demonic only steal the souls of innocents,” En explained. Men heard his friend draw a deep breath before exhaling slowly and then he resumed his seat.
“Wouldn’t that mean that all the children on the earth are in danger?”
“No,” Men answered. “The gods would never allow an innocent child to be taken by the demonic. We think the deities have some way to shield and protect children from evil. Or maybe it’s because a child loves unconditionally.”
“So why would I be a target for these demons? I’m not innocent like a child.”
“But you are, baby,” En replied softly.
“You don’t know that. You don’t even know me.” Lavinia clutched at the throw rug, drawing the blanket up over her chest as if she was trying to shield herself from them.
“Yes, we do,” Men stated softly but firmly. “We can see the glow around your body. The light is so white it’s almost blinding. Only the innocent of heart and mind have such a pure aura.”
“This is just… I don’t…” Lavinia shook her head and startled when a knock sounded on the door.
With a sigh of frustrated resignation, Men headed over to open the door. He knew before he’d even opened it that Zara and Nina were on the other side and probably the rest of their friends. He loved them all but he didn’t know if the other two women butting in would help Lavinia. She was independent and feisty but also very vulnerable. He’d seen the way she’d looked at the other two women earlier and had been comparing herself with them.
Men didn’t understand her lack of self-esteem but hoped he got to the bottom of it and could bolster her confidence the more time he and En spent in he
r company. He and his friend still knew hardly anything about their mate, yet he’d felt like he’d known her for years. He wanted to ask her everything but knew now wasn’t the right time. She probably already felt like her mind was spinning out of control after learning the little she had about the demonic and the sentinels.
“Hi.” Zara grinned up at him the moment the door opened. “Can we come in?”
Men was about to refuse but stepped back when Lavinia called her name.
“Zara!”
She sounded relieved to see the other woman and although he wanted time alone with just her and En, if she needed the others around her to feel more comfortable, then that’s what she’d have.
He just hoped she didn’t ask to leave. Men wasn’t sure he could handle that, but not only because he was worried about the demonic targeting her. He didn’t want her leaving because he wasn’t sure he could cope not having her around now that he and En had found their mate.
Chapter Three
Lavinia had never been so relieved to see another woman in her life. She had no idea what to think about what En and Men had told her, but that wasn’t the only reason for her worry. The two men had barely taken their eyes off of her. Her body was hot and antsy but not because she was a little uncomfortable in their presence. Although she was that, too. It was the fact that she was very attracted to the two men.
She’d never reacted the way she was now around any other man in her life and she’d seen a lot of handsome men. None of them had piqued her interest or got her libido revving like these two demigods did.
That was something else she wasn’t sure about. How was she supposed to believe what they’d told her? It was so far-fetched it was almost laughable, yet with each word they’d spoken she’d heard the conviction in their voices. Either they were delusional or they believed everything they’d told her.
She’d wanted to laugh or scream, she wasn’t sure which when they’d told her what those shadows were and about the sun god, Ra, but Lavinia had a horrible feeling they were telling the truth. How could she refute what she’d seen and experienced so far? She couldn’t no matter how much she tried to convince herself they were crazy. She just knew deep down in her heart that they hadn’t told her a single lie.
She’d even felt sick after Men had teleported her from out in the middle of nowhere to their home. There was no way in hell they could have walked or run to this building within the blink of an eye.
“How are you feeling?” Zara asked as she plopped down onto the cushion near her feet.
“O–okay?” She mentally cursed when her answer came out sounding like a question but gave a mental shrug. She couldn’t help the way she was feeling. This sort of thing only existed in dreams, movies, and books. It wasn’t her fault if she was having trouble dealing with the reality of it all.
“Do you need some painkillers?” Nina asked as she came and sat on the end of the coffee table.
Lavinia wished she’d sat her ass in the middle of the sofa. Then she wouldn’t be able to see the men because Nina would have been blocking her view. Each time she glanced toward En and Men she locked eyes with one of the other since they continued to stare at her. She lowered her gaze as heat suffused her cheeks and hoped her skin wasn’t as flushed as it felt. She was thankful for once that her long blonde hair was loose and she was able to use the strands to hide behind.
“Yes please,” she whispered.
“En, can you get Lavinia some water?” Nina asked before digging into the pocket of her black jeans. “I came prepared.”
“Thanks.” Lavinia took the foil and plastic blister pack of pills from Nina and turned them over to see what the medicine was, glad to find a common pain tablet on the label.
“I’m sorry, pixie. We should have thought to get you something.” En handed her the glass of water.
If her ankle hadn’t been throbbing so badly she would have taken him to task at calling her pixie. She took the pills and swallowed them down with the water, but as she did so she realized she liked being called something special by him. By both of them. Men called her little one, and she liked that, too, which was an enigma because if anyone else had deigned to call her either of those names she would have put a stop to that right quick.
“Are you hungry?” Zara asked, but before Lavinia could answer the other woman looked at Nina.
“I am,” Nina said and then smiled. “Paser do you think you could make us some sandwiches and coffee?”
“I would do anything for you, sweetheart.” Paser walked over to Nina, bent down, and kissed her on the lips before winking at her and heading out.
“Pen, why don’t you help Paser?” Nina suggested.
“Sure thing, baby.” Pen practically rushed at Nina before scooping her up off the coffee table and into his arms. He kissed her deeply before placing her back on her seat and sauntering away.
Lavinia’s face felt as if it was on fire after witnessing such a passionate scene and she turned toward Zara. Zara had her lips locked with another of the handsome men.
“I’ll go make sure those two stay out of trouble.”
“Wait! I haven’t introduced you to Lavinia.” Zara turned to face her. “This is Set and Sab.” She pointed to each man as she spoke their names. “They’re my mates.”
Lavinia didn’t know how she stopped her mouth from gaping open at that statement, but she managed to. She cleared her throat. “Hi.”
“Hi yourself, Lavinia.” Sab grinned at her and then he and Set turned and left the room.
“Pen and Paser are my mates,” Nina said as if she were making a casual comment about the weather.
“Those two are Mitry and Weni.” Zara pointed to where the two men were leaning against the wall as if they didn’t have a care in the world, but she could tell they were watching everything.
“Hi.”
“Hey, gorgeous.” Mitry smiled and wiggled his eyebrows.
Lavinia couldn’t help but smile back at his playful flirtatiousness.
“Hi, Lavinia,” Weni said in a deep husky voice she somehow just knew was a put-on.
A low rumbling growl had her spinning back to where Men and En were sitting. The moment she saw their faces, terror raced through her body. Her heart beat so hard against her ribs it hurt and although she’d started panting she couldn’t seem to draw enough air into her lungs.
Both men were glaringly angry and even though she had no idea why, that wasn’t the reason for her fear. It was the long fang-like teeth protruding from the upper jaws that scared the crap out of her.
She didn’t even know she was going to move until she was halfway across the room. Her right ankle sent shards of pain into her foot and up the side of her calf, but she wasn’t about to sit around and become a meal to a vampire.
“Lavinia, don’t be scared,” Nina said.
Lavinia knew she hadn’t blinked, but Nina had somehow managed to get in front of her before she could reach the open doorway. She whimpered when she put too much weight on her right leg and said leg began to give way. Without thinking about what she was doing she reached out and gripped Nina’s arm before she fell to the floor.
“We aren’t vampires,” Nina said in a calm voice as she steadied Lavinia. “I promise that no one here will hurt you.”
“You can’t know that!”
“Actually I do.” Nina stared into Lavinia’s eyes.
The sincerity in the depths of the other woman’s gaze had the fear and tension dissipating. A relived breath whooshed out before she could stop it.
“Will you let me help you back to the sofa?” Nina asked.
Lavinia nodded. She hoped the pain medication kicked in soon because now her ankle was hurting worse than ever.
A squeak of alarm and amazement left her lips when Nina lifted her up into her arms with ease. The woman wasn’t that much taller than Lavinia was, but she didn’t appear to have any trouble carrying her weight.
She didn’t realize her mouth was gaping open unt
il after Nina had lowered her back to the couch and pushed her chin up with a finger. She smiled and then burst out laughing. The light sound of humor she made was contagious and before she knew it, she was laughing along with her and Zara.
The moment she looked over at Men and En though, her humor dispelled.
“Did Men and En tell you what they are?” Zara asked as she glared at the two men.
“Y–yes.”
“So you know they’re demigods?” Nina asked.
“You are, too, baby,” Set said as he entered the room carrying mugs in one hand and the biggest pot of coffee she’d ever seen in the other.
“Yeah, I sometimes forget that part.”
“We’ll remind you later, love,” Sab said. He was carrying a huge plate of sandwiches.
Paser and Pen came in carrying more food and drink. It looked like they’d made enough food to feed an army, but Lavinia supposed eight brawny men were an army in themselves since they were supposedly demigods. If they fought demons each and every night of the week they would probably need to eat a shitload of food. They had to burn a lot of calories.
After Pen and Paser handed out the food and drink and everyone had eaten their fill, the men began clearing the dishes away. Nina and Zara moved over to the armchairs En and Men had vacated and chatted about a shopping spree they wanted to go on. They included Lavinia in their conversation, but she’d never been much of a fashion plate or a shopper. The meager pay she worked for at the Price Supermarket hadn’t allowed her to splurge on much of anything.
When Lavinia heard the door close she glanced about and sighed with relief. All the men were gone.
“Okay, here’s the lowdown.” Zara’s voice drew her gaze and she watched the woman take a deep breath as if she was trying to fortify herself. “All the men here are soul sentinels. They work for the sun god, Ra. They have been fighting Apep’s demons for millennia, never questioning the reason for the need for their existence nor complaining about their loneliness.”
“They’re lonely?” Lavinia asked and then mentally berated herself. If they had lived for as long as they said they had with no one but one another to talk to of course they would be lonely. “How long have you been…mated?”