by Mary Martel
Did that sound alright with me? Was he crazy? Don’t answer that, I knew he was. I nodded my head. That sounded like the perfect way to spend our night after the day we’d had.
I helped Tyson make a comfortable pile of his giant pillows. He pulled the shiny black sheet off of his bed and carefully laid it on top of the pillows. He then brought over his burgundy comforter and spread it out on top of everything. He brought over the pillows from his bed last. Those he piled up at the head of what Tyson had called our nest.
He lifted the corner of his comforter, invitingly.
“Climb in,” he told me. “You settle in while I start up the show.”
I did as he bid and crawled under the blanket. It made me lazy and selfish, but I liked that he always took care of me. No one before him had ever tried.
I propped myself up against the pile of pillows from his bed and settled in under the blanket. The massive pillows were surprisingly comfortable to lay on.
Tyson brought up the show on Netflix and climbed under the blanket with me.
We had settled beside each other comfortably and he was going to hit play when there was a knock on the door Julian entered the room before Tyson could call out a greeting. Julian walked into the room carrying a tray covered in food. My stomach rumbled in appreciation at the sight of the food.
What was Julian, some type of man servant of Quinton’s? As far as I knew, Julian didn’t even live here. Now he was serving us our meals. What the hell?
Tyson patted the comforter over his lap and smiled back at Julian. “You can put it down right here, buddy,” he said. There was nothing but kindness in his voice.
Julian came forward, placed the tray on Tyson’s lap and winked at me.
“Enjoy your food, honey,” he told me with a small smile on his face. “I heard you did good today and need to keep up your strength.”
I gave him a small smile back in return and he left.
Tyson and I ate the sandwiches and fruit we had been brought while we watched our show.
I fell asleep cradled in his strong arms and that night I dreamed of nothing.
Chapter Twenty-five
“I have a girlfriend,” someone was saying. “She’s pretty, she puts out and she didn’t bitch about me taking off for the summer. It works for me and I’m not ready to give it up for some teenager still in high school. Especially not one I’m going to have to share.”
“And this is my problem now?” I recognized that darkly masculine voice as Quinton’s.
“I agree with Damien.” Said a third male voice. “She’s too young. I’m not ready to give up my social life for a girl I don’t even know and am expected to share.”
“By social life I assume you mean dating and sleeping with random’s you bring home with you?” Julian asked dryly. I easily recognized his voice as well. The fact I didn’t recognize the other two let me know who they were. Damien and Dash.
I knew they were talking about me.
“What? Do you want to tie yourself to a teenage girl you have to share with the rest of us? How’s that fair? Am I just supposed to get in line and wait my turn? She doesn’t even like me.”
“Of course she doesn’t like you, Damien. Maybe you should try something other than being a dick to her.”
“Fuck you, Julian,” Damien growled. I realized Damien had been the first one I heard speaking. The one with a girlfriend.
Well, he could keep his girlfriend for all I cared. Who did he think he was? I certainly didn’t want to date him. And as far as him thinking I didn’t like him? I didn’t get that because I had never even so much as spoken a single word to him. Hell, as far as I could remember I’d only ever been around him the one time, and I had kind of liked him then because he hadn’t been insta friendly towards me, he’d just seemed real. Apparently, he really was a dick. I didn’t like him so much anymore. Go figure.
I thought about those thick, feminine like eyelashes that framed those light, light brown eyes. Those hollowed out, haughty cheekbones. His sun kissed, golden skin. He was a dick, for sure, but a really, really pretty one. Damn shame if you asked me.
I thought about what I remembered about the person behind one of those other voices. Dash. I remembered he had bright red hair, a big, full beard and light grey eyes filled with hideous demons. Other than an exchange of our names we’d never even had a conversation.
So why were they all talking about me like this? Like I wanted, or expected them all to date me. Had I given them the impression that I was interested in them all in some sort of romantic way? I didn’t think I had. At least not with these four. Tyson and the salt and pepper twins however… Now that was an entirely different story. I had no idea what in the hell I was doing with those three, but they didn’t seem to mind the way things were going so I wasn’t even going to try and dissect it for fear if I did it might fall apart inside the mess that is my head. I was learning, if it’s a good thing to simply leave it be.
But this, what these A-hole’s were talking about. I felt like I was missing something here, something important.
I pressed my back against the wall and willed my heart to not beat out of my chest. Eavesdropping wasn’t something I would normally take part in, but this was too good for me to walk away from. It hadn’t been intentional on my part, honest. I had woken up starving with my stomach making angry noises at me so I’d gone in search of something to appease the hunger. And where does one go to find food? The kitchen, of course. Which happened to be where these fools were gathered, talking about me, no less. And keeping me from finding something to eat.
Trust me when I say I wished I had never heard this particular conversation. Which was the thing about eavesdropping, wasn’t it? But for the life of me I couldn’t seem to walk away and maybe I would have been able to if they hadn’t been talking about me.
“You know,” Julian said quietly, “she might be different from the rest and none of this will matter.”
“What are you talking about?” Quinton asked. “We know she has magic, she’s one of us. She’s ours. We’ve finally all agreed on it. We’re keeping her and that’s that.”
“That’s not what I’m talking about.”
“Then what are you talking about?” I heard the anger creeping its way into Quinton’s voice and was once again thankful it wasn’t aimed in my direction.
The anger in his voice reminded me of Tyson whom I hoped didn’t wake up and find me missing then come in search of me. I did not want to get caught listening in on a conversation that had in all likeliness never been intended for me to hear.
“She might not want to be with any of us. Just because that’s how it worked out for the rest of the covens who have women does not mean that’s how it’s going to work out for us. Those other women were raised knowing what they are, and were raised since birth expected to be with multiple men in their covens. Ariel wasn’t raised that way. For all we know she might find the idea of being with more than one person repugnant. What then, Quint? It’s not like we can force her to be with us. No. Stop, Quint. I know what you’re going to say. I’m not saying she’s not staying with us if she wants to. We all shared the same dream right before she showed up here. I know she belongs with us. We all know it, even if some of us are trying to fight it, have been trying to fight it since the dream. All I’m saying is she might not want that for herself and we can’t force it on her, and we need to be prepared for it just in case. That’s all I’m saying.”
There was a long, pregnant pause where I could practically hear them thinking in the other room.
It was Damien who spoke first into the loaded silence. “We can’t let that happen.”
“So quick to change your tune, my friend,” Quinton said smugly.
“There are no guarantees in this life, Quint,” Dash said. I thought he sounded bitter. “You of all people should know that. She might even choose another coven.”
“Annabell was not my fault,” Quinton growled.
Who was thi
s Annabell person, and what the hell did she have to do with me?
A big hand came out of the dark and landed on my shoulder making me jump. Lucky for me I didn’t scream.
I looked at Addison with big, frantic eyes. I put my finger to my lips, silently begging him to keep quiet. I pleaded with my eyes as much as I could in the dark hallway.
“Annabell was-“
Addison’s eyes flashed dangerously when this Annabell’s name was said by Julian. His hand moved from my shoulder to my bicep where he squeezed almost painfully. He pulled on my arm, dragging me down the hallway, away from the kitchen and the conversation I wasn’t supposed to be listening to. We cleared the hallway and he kept on moving with me behind him the whole way. Up the stairs we went. He didn’t hesitate at the top of the stairs, going left towards the room he shared with Abel.
I should have protested being manhandled this way by Addison. Tyson could wake up at any second and wonder where I’d gone off too. I didn’t want to worry him needlessly.
Addison pushed me into his room and shut the door quietly behind us.
“What’s going on?” Abel asked sleepily as he sat up in his white bed. “I thought she was sleeping with that prick Tyson tonight.” He flashed me a flirtatious grin that looked more adorable than anything else because his hair was sticking up around his head every which way. “Not that I’m complaining about you being here now. You’re more than welcome to sleep in here with us anytime you want to.”
He flung his white comforter aside and scooted closer to the wall. He patted the bed in invitation. “Come on, pretty girl. Get in here.”
“I found her downstairs, listening in on the guys talking about that bitch, Annabell.”
“Shit,” Abel hissed.
Now they both looked angry. I wanted to run back to the safety of Tyson’s room and hide out.
“What did you hear?” Abel growled at me as Addison put his hand in my lower back and pushed me forward.
I stumbled forward with the force of it and turned to glare at him. He returned the glare, only his was far fiercer than mine, and it looked better on him than I imagined mine looked on me.
“She fucked Ty all up by trying to put him and Quinton against each other and she tried to tear us apart. If not for Quint being the asshole that he is we wouldn’t still be together today.”
I shook my head. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“So you didn’t hear anything about Annabell?” He sounded like he didn’t believe me.
“All Quinton said is that Annabell wasn’t his fault.” I held my hands up as if to ward him off. I did not like him shoving me in his brother’s direction. I did not like him shoving me at all. “I went downstairs to get something to eat and the only reason I hid and listened is because they were talking about me and I felt I had a right to know what they were saying. You don’t need to be mean to me when I didn’t do anything wrong.”
Okay, admittedly, eavesdropping is wrong, but I wasn’t going to admit it out loud.
“Back off, twin,” Abel said as he moved away from the wall and started to scoot across the bed.
Addison’s fists clenched at his sides and I took an unsteady step back, away from him.
Why, oh why had I not stayed in Tyson’s room where I’d been safe from this madness?
Addison’s chest rose and fell as he blew out a huge breath. He looked down at his hands clenched into tight fists at his sides and frowned.
“I’m sorry, Ariel” he whispered fiercely. “I would never hurt you, I hope you know that.”
I stared at him in silence. I had thought he wasn’t capable of hurting me until he shoved me, now I wasn’t so sure. I had been on the wrong side of someone else’s anger all my life, I didn’t want to take on any more.
I backed up a step, but it did me no good because he stood between me and the door. Backing up put me closer to Abel.
“Now you’ve done it, twin.” Abel told his brother quietly. Then wrapped his arms around me from behind and dragged me back across his soft sheet. The sheet was black and I wondered if Addison’s sheet was white. The salt and pepper twins were a bit of a conundrum, I didn’t think I would ever understand them.
They seemed to like the colors black and white, playing into my nicknames for them. I pictured them sitting in a dark, rustic room at a table before a roaring fire set in a massive fireplace. They sat directly across from each other. Between them was a carefully placed chess board covered in elegant black and white pieces. Addison sat forward in his chair and moved a black piece. Abel did the same with a white piece. I knew without a doubt the game would last for hours and neither would come out the victor, they’d end in a deadlock.
Abel shook me gently and I blinked, leaving thoughts of chess behind.
“Where did you go just now?” he whispered in my ear.
I shook my head and remained silent. There was no way I’d be telling them about any of the weird thoughts floating around in my head on the daily. Not gonna happen.
“Who is Annabell?” I asked bravely as Abel laid down, taking me with him. His front pressed tightly to my back. One arm moved beneath my head so I rested on it like a pillow. He dragged the white comforter up our bodies until it met my chin. Then he slid his arm beneath the blanket, curved it around my hip. Ever so slowly his hand moved up my stomach. I sucked in a sharp breath as his fingers trailed over my belly button and didn’t stop until they made it to my breasts, leaving a trail of heat burning across my middle. The palm of his hand pressed into my skin and he spread his fingers wide, brushing against my breasts.
Addison’s face appeared before me, making me flinch in surprise. I’d forgotten all about him, Abel had made me forget all about his twin with a simple touch of his hand.
“No,” Addison whispered vehemently. “You do not get to be afraid of me. You do not get to flinch because of me. I won’t allow it. I would never, not ever hurt you. If you’re frightened of me then you need to get over it. I can be an ass and I can be harsh, but I’ll never harm you physically.”
I thought that last statement interesting. Did that mean he’d likely harm me emotionally? I didn’t like the sound of that, not in the least bit.
“You keep shoving me-” I started to say when he cut me off.
“But have I hurt you?” he asked quietly.
I thought about his question, really thought about it and shook my head. No, he had never physically harmed me. Surprised me, yes. Shocked me, yes. And he’d certainly frightened me when he’d shoved me into their room and earlier when he’d shoved me down on top of Abel. But I was more so frightened by his anger with me, I didn’t think he’d actually hurt me. And I was upset because I didn’t want him to be angry with me. He wasn’t like my mother.
“Okay,” I whispered, unsure if I was agreeing with him or lying to him. It had been a long day and I didn’t think I could think straight. “I’m tired,” I told him honestly.
And hungry. I was still very hungry, but I’d have to wait to eat. No way was I going back down to the kitchen.
“Do you still want to hear about Annabell?” Addison whispered gently as he ran the back of his hand across my exposed cheek.
I nodded. Yes, yes I did. I was too nosy for my own good and wanted to know everything I possibly could about them. Sleep could wait.
“Move over.”
Abel scooted back, taking me with him. Addison lifted the corner of the white blanket and climbed in. I felt panic for a brief moment at the thought of being stuck between the two of them but it didn’t last. Probably because Addison didn’t try to touch me. He was a lot more reserved with his physical affections than his twin, unless he was shoving me, that is. I appreciated that he withheld his touch, I wasn’t ready for a whole lot more at this point.
Abel snuggled into my back as Addison shoved both his hands behind his head. The muscles in Addison’s arms bulged beneath his t-shirt and I had to force myself to look away. When I was around them like this it was
easy to forget how big they were. Addison’s bulging muscles were a blatant reminder of their sheer size. Abel muttered something under his breath and the lights winked out.
I tensed, finding myself afraid of the dark.
“Look up,” Abel whispered in my ear.
I did and my lips curved up in a small smile. The entire ceiling was covered in the neon light of hundreds of glow in the dark stars. There was no pattern I could make out, no reason to their placement.
“My twin doesn’t like the dark, either,” Addison muttered.
I stiffened and turned my head to glare at him. “I’m not afraid of the dark.”
I so totally was afraid of the dark. Why did they have to keep bringing it up?
“Right,” Abel drawled.
I wanted to smack the both of them.
“Dicks,” I muttered angrily.
Addison coughed hard to cover up his laughter. Abel didn’t bother to hide his.
I sighed heavily and tried to roll away from Abel’s embrace. He squeezed me, not letting me move an inch away from him.
“Sorry, sorry.” Abel said. “We won’t laugh at you anymore, I swear it. And, if you recall, my brother did say I did not care for the dark, either. The stars are up there for me.” I felt him shrug his shoulders. “I’m not ashamed to admit it.”
I rolled my eyes. Good for him. He could admit it all he wanted, he wouldn’t get the same from me.
“Annabell is one of the three. Well, technically it’s four now with you, but no one knows about you besides us so we don’t have to count you in with those other bitches just yet.”
Abel groaned loudly. “Twin.”
“What? They’re bitches and you know it. All three of them are. Annabell is probably the worst of all of them.”
“Twin, seriously,” Abel butted in, “get on with it.”
“Fine, fine,” Addison grumbled. “Annabell is a stuck up, thinks her shit doesn’t stink, vile bitch. See, the thing is, if you’re born with magic and you have a vagina then you’re raised like a princess and given your every heart’s desire. And you’re told you can pick whatever coven of your choosing to join. Well, anyone can pick their own coven but it’s different with the girls. Years ago, I mean way the fuck back in the day, it was decided that the coven the female chose would share her. That way there would be no inner fighting over who gets the girl. It was also the best way to ensure the safety and the happiness of the thing we covet most in life. Every coven dreams of having their own female, but it’s only a dream and no one expects it to ever become a reality.”