by Stacy Lee
“They need to cool. Cash this is Marnie.” She stares at him wide eyed then mutters under her breath just as she did with Fin, only the words are different.
“Uniformed angel with chocolate on his face and a bowl of brownie mix.” I bite my lip to keep from laughing as Cash’s brow rises in question and Fin slaps a hand over his mouth. Was she making up descriptions of them to calm her nerves? I don’t have time to ponder the thought when her mouth moves but no audible sound comes out. Well, not for normal people, we heard her. “Hello Cash.”
“Hello, Marnie. I love brownies. Especially hot brownies. May I?” Oh, thank the fates. If he didn’t acknowledge the brownies I don’t know what she would have done. I didn’t want a repeat of earlier.
“Let me cut them for you.” She looks pleased and nervous as hell as she shakily grabs a knife and turns to cut them. I step closer to Cash and frantically whisper to him.
“She is scared to death of you. She made the brownies especially for you. Make a big deal out of them and lose the mean look. I only bit her to calm her down. Just watch, it will wear off in a minute.” I step back right as she spins, brownie in hand.
Her appearance is shocked as she studies Cash who has visibly changed everything cold about him and is trying to make himself more approachable. She then finds her first obstacle. How to give him the brownie, which is resting in her palm, without touching him. She looks from him to the brownie then back again. She pulls that lip between those teeth and bites. I hope her fangs don’t drop while she’s like that.
Only seconds pass when she folds each side of the paper towel up with her other hand and lifts it by it. She places it in his outstretched palm and backs away. Far away. Damn that didn’t last long. She makes her way to the stool and sits stiffly there. Shutters drop over her eyes and her emotions fade to blank. Here we go again. It took Fin fifteen minutes to get past this.
Cash takes a large bite of the brownie, which is still moist and warm, then rolls his eyes heavenward. When he removes it from his face he has smears of chocolate on both sides of his mouth. A giggle startles me back to her. The blankness was gone, her hand was covering her smile, but she was smiling. Her eyes twinkle with delight. I look to Fin who looks to me, we both shrug.
“May the fates have mercy on my soul. That is one fine brownie.” He proceeds to shove the rest in his mouth and reaches for another, chocolates now smeared across his face. She jumps from her stool and slaps his hand back. My eyes grow wide. What the hell?
“Lunch first then you can have more, angel…I mean Cash.” She blushes and steps back away from him like she didn’t realize what she was doing till she did it. But she doesn’t shut back down and she meets his eyes straight on as he moans and begs like a five year old to his mother.
“Oh, come on! One more? I promise I will eat all my lunch like a good little boy.” In a very un-Cash like action he puckers his bottom lip and pouts. Fin and I lose it. Laughter streaks through the kitchen. She gives in then takes the pan and places it in the microwave to keep warm.
“Okay boys, shoo. I need to warm lunch.” She flicks her hands shooing us out of the kitchen. Cash is still covered in chocolate and she is grinning. When we reach the front room he uses the paper towel to clean his face quickly before he sits in my recliner, a smug smile on his lips. I lower my voice to a level she can’t hear.
“What the hell was that?” I ask dumbfounded.
“I recognized the coping mechanism.” He shrugs as if that explained it. Fin and I stare at him till he sighs. “Emmitt isn’t the only one who reads. I like psychology books. Long story and big words cut short she was using a coping mechanism. You take things you know about the person and draw a mental image from it to help face the fear of them. It doesn’t have to be people, anything works but in this case, it’s us. ‘Uniformed angel with chocolate on his face and a bowl of brownie mix’. Obviously Angie was her informational source, she knows my love of brownies.” Fin and I both nod.
“And the angel? You are not an angel!” Fin scoffs.
“Angie again. She says I sing like an angel. I am a soldier. Soldiers where uniforms. The chocolate on the face was her way of making it funny not scary and of course the bowl of brownie mix. That one’s self-explanatory. What did she say about you Fin? Or am I the only one she was scared of?” He looks between us, an almost hurt look in his eyes. I shake my head.
“No, you were just the main one. Something about not being able to face you during The Choosing. She repeated ‘Monkey in a clown suit with a cake in the shape of a bow’ every time I said Fin’s name then again when he got here.” He laughs.
“Oh!” Fin exclaims. “She said Angie called me a grease monkey and I bet her first sentence was I was a clown or jokester. Then I’m a chef, the cake. It makes since though I’m not sure why it has to be a bow.” He grins. “I wonder what Archer will be?” Cash guffaws loudly.
“You might want to warn them not to react to her comments when made under her breath. If they do we will never hear them all and it might upset her to know we did.” I nod in agreement with Cash and pull out my phone. Before I can type out the text all three enter the room. Fin quickly jumps to inform them to keep any reaction to themselves but doesn’t explain the meaning behind it. I stand to go get Marnie.
“Stay here, I’ll be right back.” Just in case I needed to relax her again I preferred not to have an audience. It was not easy to cover a raging hard-on in tight jeans. Speaking of, I untuck my shirt to let it cover the evidence.
She has her back to me facing the stove and I slip quietly behind her, wrapping my arms around her waist. Immediately her head tips in submission tempting me. I wait to see if it’s needed. “The rest of my brothers are here.” She tenses. Oh hell, she was going to kill me. I was made of control but she was determined to rip it to shreds.
“Okay. I only have one more minute here. Can you pull out the bread from the oven while I toss the salad, then we can get this over with.” She mutters as she drags a pan of noodles to the sink and drains them. I do as she asks then put them on a plate. “Just sit them on the table please. And these too if you don’t mind.” She pushes two bowls towards me, the noodles, sauce and meatballs. I willingly help her set the table then have to chuckle at how comfortable and domesticated it all felt. I glance up at my brothers, obviously they were thinking the same thing, because every one of them were catching flies with their open mouth stares. I shake my head with a grin then return for the salad.
When we both emerge moments later Archer is laying out the dishes he brought in the seventh spot. Marnie stops in her tracks and I practically shove her over with the unexpectancy of it. Archer grins then takes the salad from me with an inconspicuous nod to the dressing in her hand. He didn’t want to chance touching her and wanted me to take hers while he took mine. I comply. She doesn’t put up a fight. She scans the three newcomers with a mix of trepidation and determination.
“Marnie?” I ask pulling her gaze to me. Her body is visibly trembling with fear. I lean down as close to her ear as possible and whisper to her. I knew they could hear me but she didn’t and I wasn’t wanting to embarrass her, just help her. I needed to help her. “Would you like to step back in the kitchen for a minute?” I let one fang descend and run it over her ear lobe. She shutters, only this time it isn’t in fear. When I pull back to look at her she shakes her head.
“Not yet. Let me try this. If I shut down you have my permission and I don’t care who it’s in front of. Just pull me back out of that place.” I nod sharply. It is the first time I even consider she didn’t like to feel or show nothing. She had done it so often it never dawned on me she didn’t do it on purpose, maybe it’s another habit? I turn unblocking her view and motion Archer forward.
“This is Archer. He is the oldest.”
“A gooey hippie with a bow in his outstretched hand.” She mutters closing her eyes for the briefest moments. The three that don’t know what’s happening exchange strange looks, those of
us who do try not to laugh. Her eyes pop open. “Hello Archer.” He nods his head to her.
“Welcome to the family, Soror.” Her eyes widen exponentially then cut to me and back to him.
“Soror means sister in Latin.” I supply for her.
“Thank you.” She responds. She is still there but her voice is slipping. I step behind her and wrap my arms around her waist. She sighs with the contact.
“Archer, Fin, and Cash can go ahead and sit.” They scramble forward and I notice Cash sits next to Marnie’s chair. Huh? Was the cold soldier feeling protective? “Bane.” I call him forward and he also nods his head to her.
“Hello Marnie.”
“China doll playing the piano with the Fibonacci Spiral on the front of his shirt.” She whispers with an accompanying deep breath. I think everyone but Fin’s eyes raise when she mentions the Fibonacci Spiral. It wasn’t something most run of the mill humans knew off the top of their heads. It was also Bane’s favorite. He asked me to paint it on the ceiling of his bedroom because he says it relaxes him. “Hello Bane.” He quickly sees her discomfort and sits before more can be said.
“Last is Emmitt.” He steps forward and I feel her shake against me. Her eyes cut to the table of men then back to Emmitt. Her body tenses, her breathing grows ragged and I lean forward. Her hands tighten on my arms and she shakes her head. I wait, fangs at the ready. I couldn’t stand watching her struggle but if she needed to do it on her own, so be it.
“Turtle sitting on a piece of driftwood on the beach with a blue bow taped to his back.” I bite my lip and mentally curse as my fangs punch threw them. I think I now got Fin’s bow cake. With the mention of the bow with all three of them the memory resurfaces in my mind. A snort is heard and a few coughs telling me I wasn’t the only one who knew what Angie told her but she is oblivious as she builds the courage to talk to the bow toting turtle whose eyes are narrowed on her. “Emmitt.” She breaths out not able to get the hello there but at least she acknowledges him.
“Greetings, Soror.” Then he does something I want to slap him for. He reaches up and tugs her braid then walks away.
Her knees buckle causing me to tighten my arms around her. Her head tilts in submission “Please, Dare.” Barely comes from her lips before my fangs are buried deep in her neck. Turning my back on my brothers, I keep drinking till she plants her feet firmly back on the ground. I stand to my full height and glare at Emmitt over my shoulder. He only shrugs pissing me off more. If it wouldn’t have been for the woman in my arms he would have been dead or at least bruised badly.
Her back straightens before she turns in my grip. I look down into her eyes and see that hazy drugged look has returned and is even more pronounced than before. Also there isn’t any color left in her eyes, they are completely dilated black. She lazily smiles up to me. “It wasn’t Emmitt. I would have fallen if he hadn’t touched me. I was holding my breath.” She wobbles and hiccups like she’s drunk.
“Marnie? You feeling alright?” She bobs her head back and forth fairly slow, letting it drop all the way back then forcing it all the way forward before a giggle erupts from her. “Marnie, look at me.” It is a command her head obeys immediately but her eyes take a moment to focus.
“Yessss?” The word is hideously slurred and stretched out.
“Tell me how you feel.” Another command.
“Happy, very happy. I made brownies.” Her nose crinkles and her brow furrows. “No, I burnt the brownies then I made more. That’s okay because Cash liked them. He isn’t as scary with chocolate on his face. Oh, Emmitt and Finn need to keep their bows to themselves!” She guffaws loudly. No one else moves. She raises her fingers in a peace sign and snorts. “Hey Archer, make love not war. Bane! Bane, I was told you need to play the piano for me, sweetheart.” With a snicker her head drops to my chest. “Oh and you can draw. I didn’t know you could draw. But we haven’t talked much. I think I said more words when you made me surrender than I have said at any point in time.” My body tenses with her words.
“You what?” Archer’s voice demands behind me.
“Not now, Archer.” I growl out. Something wasn’t right here.
“Yes, now! You said she took the blood willingly.” He declares manically.
“She did.” I growl and lift her into my arms.
“You also made her speak it verbally? You did both?” I turn to face him.
“I did.” He leans forward threateningly placing both palms on the table.
“Dammit Dare, please tell me she wasn’t a virgin.” I growl deep in my throat but his glare does not waver. I feel the moment he forces my will without ever speaking a word.
“She was.” Pride swells unbidden in me. I should not be proud of that fact right now when I had no clue what was going on or why he was so pissed about it.
“Do you know what you have done?!” He bellows slamming his fist on the table making dishes bounce.
“Dare’s in trouble!” She sing-songs out like a five year old.
“Marnie, hush.” Her hand flies over her mouth instantly. “I don’t care at the moment what you think I’ve done. I just want to know how to fix this.” I tilt my chin to her.
“How many times have you taken her blood today?” He sighs, sitting back down he drops his chin to his chest in defeat. Defeat was a new look for Archer. I didn’t like it.
“Four? Maybe five?” His head pops up and his eyes widen in shock.
“Today alone?” His reaction didn’t sound promising.
“In the last two hours.” I supply through gritted teeth.
“Oh, hell, Dare! Has she taken any of yours or even ate any food today?” He arches his brow like I should know something here. I have no idea if she ate breakfast or not.
“No. Not that I know of. I wasn’t with her all morning, I was with you and she was asleep when I left.” He rubs his hand over his face.
“Go feed your mate. She’s going to need it because when she comes out of that state she is going to kill you. You thought it was hard getting her to let you touch her without flinching before? Just wait.”
“What are you talking about?” I didn’t like this cryptic crap.
“No. Go take care of her then I’ll tell you after we eat what she cooked. I want to see her reaction.” He smirks. “After she feeds she should be fine and it shouldn’t take too long. Go.”
“Fine.” I turn, strolling into the front room I sit on the couch.
“You might want to take her to your room.” He says with humor.
“If I take her to my room you won’t see us again.” I spit out. I was sure if I was alone with her I wouldn’t be able to control this unbelievable urge to strip her and take her, hard. My blood was thrumming with need for her like it hadn’t had her in years not hours.
“Very well. Your choice.” His tone suggests it is the wrong choice.
I sit her up in my lap but she falls against my chest, limp. I look down to see her still staring at me with those dark hazy eyes and her hands over her mouth. I try to sit her up again with no success. So I spread her legs and swing her around to straddle me. “Sit.” I bite out. She stares at me with questioning eyes her hand still on her mouth but she sits up straight.
“Remove your hand and drink.” Again, she instantly obeys. Her head falls forward to bite my neck greedily, she sucks in long swigs of blood. I clinch my fists before letting my eyes close tightly to try to keep from touching her, watching her. I couldn’t help smelling her sweet vanilla scent, it almost changed my mind about where we were and who was in the other room.
At first it’s as if she is starving, she mewls like she can’t get enough as she bites down hard and drags the blood from my veins in large mouthfuls. After about three minutes she slows to a more leisurely pace, letting her tongue lap at my skin while she draws it in. After another two her hips begin to sway with each pull she takes grinding against my impossibly hard erection. It was bad enough that taking her blood sent me into overdrive, now her drinking
from me has completely blown the engine and set the entire thing on fire. I grab her hips to stop her but she thrusts harder against me ripping a moan from my throat before I can stop it. Chuckles from the dining room have me glancing to see all five watching. Perverts. I glare but they just smile.
“Marnie, Parvulum, you have to stop now, please.” Her head shakes tearing at my neck. My erection jumps painfully. Aw hell. Come on Dare, keep it together, you have an audience. “Marnie.” She drops a hand to caress me through my pants. I hiss in a breath and growl at the laughs. I try to pull her back from my body but her legs wrap around me tightly, too tightly for a still mostly human woman. She shouldn’t be this strong yet. Her left nails dig into my shoulder cutting into the skin painfully. Her right hand slides into my waistband, skin touches skin. I groan loudly trying to ignore the downright howls of laughter. I had to stop this before I completely embarrassed us both and took her right here, right now.
“Do you think he’s had enough?” That’s Archer. Her hand grips tightly. I don’t care if it’s Archer.
“No. I don’t know what you think he’s done but he obviously deserves this.” Bane? I don’t know, I can’t tell in this state of mind. I don’t want to hurt her however my gentle tries to remove her aren’t working.
“Oh, come on. I can’t watch this anymore. Tell him how to stop her.” That was Cash. I knew that one and he was pissed.
“Give her a command. Order her to stop, Dare. I’m sure you know how to do that, don’t you?” Archer’s sarcastic voice drips with disdain. He was also pissed. Her hand tightens and pumps rapidly, I forget about him being pissed. I grab her wrist and pull her hand forcefully away. A deep animalistic growl is ripped straight from her lungs. My eye shoot to Archer’s. His face is grim. Oh, hell, what have I done?
“Marnie stop, now.” I demand. She instantly stops all action and removes her fangs from my neck. Her clear eyes meet mine with a fear that wasn’t there before, this had nothing to do with my brothers and everything to do with me. My gut swirls with tension at the thoughts rapidly running through my head, not one of them giving me an answer to what I had done!