by K. D. Penn
Good. They’d just start worrying about me again.
Both of my twin brothers’ feet dug into my thighs, but at least they hadn’t wet the bed. My green-haired dog Turtle lounged on my other pillow, farting with every third snore. He has such a hard life. I scooted to the edge of my bed and realized one of the twins had in fact pissed in the bed. A wet yellow stain slicked against my calf. The twin closest to the stain was Andy.
I yanked my leg away and shook Andy’s small frame. “Get up. You wet the bed. Clean it up.”
“Turtle did that.” Andy sank into a pile of blankets and covered his head.
“Still your responsibility. You wanted the dog.” I shoved him off the bed. He dropped to the floor with a bang and shrieked. Black curls hung all over his head in disarray. He stomped off and mumbled something, but made sure it was just low enough that I couldn’t hear him and get enraged.
I stretched my arms and brushed green strands off my chest. Turtle must be shedding again. I’ll have to shave it off. I don’t have time to groom him every week.
“Just one morning I’d like to wake up to a bed full of naked women.”
“Ones that don’t piss in the bed, right?” Toy rolled over at the end of the bed and yawned. His moppy red hair splayed out across the pillow. His long legs hung over the edge and his feet touched the floor.
“Why are you in here?”
“Because you put that sexy trek in my room.” He nudged a sleeping Randy to the side and positioned his body more onto the bed. Nix’s face flashed in my mind.
“She’s not a trek.” I rose. “And I thought you were sleeping in Shade’s room.”
“Shade’s got two chicks in there and refused to share.” He propped a pillow over his face. “And he wouldn’t let me watch either.”
“Then why didn’t you sleep on the couch?”
“Your brothers built a fort there last night and the cats have been sliding down it all morning.”
“My brothers, huh?”
“Clearly, I’m adopted. I’m the only civilized one of the bunch. How’s your arm?”
I removed the metal bandage. A scar blossomed on the skin, hard and blood red, but nothing else. The pain had decreased into an ache that would leave as soon as I snorted some quake. “My arm is fine. It’ll be brand new in a few days.”
He propped a pillow over his face. “Good. Now let me sleep, man. I’ve got work at the diner tonight.”
“My bad. I’m just talking in my room.”
He groaned. I laughed but tried not to make too much noise as I got up. Tiptoeing, I arrived at my dresser and slid my top drawer open. A small tube, barely three inches long and full of quake, lay under my folded boxer briefs. The drug sang to me and promised to cloud out my bad dreams. Sighing, I dug my hand into the drawer, searched, and found it. The slick glass of the tube chilled my fingertips. Quake was cold because it was harvested within special craters found on Mars, a planet coated in ice. I gripped the tube. My nose itched in anticipation.
“You okay, man?” Toy watched me from the bed and let his focus go to my hand.
Does he know what’s in it? I hope not.
“Go back to sleep.”
“You want to talk about what type of dream would make you scream?”
“Yeah. Right after I take a dump in your mouth.”
He blew out a long breath and rolled over. “Yep. I’m definitely adopted.”
“Epic!” My sisters banged against my door in unison. The wood rattled underneath their knocking.
“May the Duchess choke in light. What!” I slipped the tube into my pajamas’ pocket.
Can I just get a few minutes to myself?
All five of my sisters burst through my door, arguing with each other. Their voices rose high in the air and surely woke up the family living in the apartment above us.
“Mimi put us on punishment!” The triplets yelled and pointed their brown fingers up at her. I never knew how the triplets did it, but most of the time they spoke in unison as if their birthday wasn’t the only connection between them. They spouted off more blame against Mimi, their auburn curls bobbing with the movements.
Frowning, Mimi carried my sleeping baby sister in her arms as she stepped closer to me. At fourteen, she possessed hips and other developed things that I’d prayed to the Duchess she would never have, but she got them anyway.
Which proves the Duchess of Light is no mystical goddess that has arisen from the dead. She’s just a human that rules all the planets. Although I would never say that out loud. It was an offence to talk bad about the Duchess on any planet.
“Did you punish them, Mimi?” I slid my thumb against the tube of quake in my pocket.
“I took away their dessert and gave them extra chores.” Mimi nodded. Her long blond hair hung to her hips. Like me, she had Dad’s hair and Mom’s golden-tan skin.
“She’s not the boss,” the triplets declared. “Tell her, Epic. She’s not the boss!”
I rubbed my eyes and turned to Mimi. “Why did you punish them?”
“They painted your prisoner red and green.”
I snapped my face to them. “Did you paint her?”
The triplets beamed. Each was missing two teeth in the top front row of their mouth. “We made her pretty.”
“Your prisoner looks like a bloody Christmas tree,” Mimi said.
I gritted my teeth. “She’s not my prisoner.”
“I’m sorry.” Mimi sucked her teeth. “They painted your new girlfriend that’s chained in Toy’s room with tape around her mouth, red and green.”
“She likes it,” the triplets declared.
Ignoring Mimi, I directed my attention to the triplets. “Mimi is right. All three of you are on punishment. No dessert tonight and you clean the kitchen after dinner.”
“What?” they began to protest.
“We don’t paint people.” I stepped forward. Their mouths closed. Although they were only six, they’d lived hard lives. They knew when to fight and when to shut up and deal with it.
“Go get towels, soap, and water for my . . . guest.” I caressed the tube inside my pocket with my fingers.
“Guest?” Mimi smirked as the triplets marched away with frowns plastered on their faces. “Do you think this is the proper thing for us to see?”
“You all aren’t supposed to be in my room,” Toy growled from under the pillow.
“Who is she?” Mimi rolled her eyes. “Did you all kidnap her? Why would you put her in chains and wrap her mouth with tape?”
So she wouldn’t kill and rob us all.
Mimi spotted Nix and saw an olive-skinned beauty with haunting green eyes and the appearance of a delicate manner. She didn’t understand that Nix was danger wrapped in a tight dress.
“Mind your business,” Toy yelled.
“I live here too.” Mimi pouted.
“Both of you be quiet. And, Mimi, we’re taking care of this,” I said. “Don’t worry about it. She’ll be gone by the afternoon.”
Mimi shook her head. “It’s not proper. The girls will think it’s okay for their boyfriends to chain them up—”
“No one’s having a boyfriend!” I targeted her with my eyes. “Let’s make that clear right now.”
“We’re not talking about boyfriends. We’re talking about chaining women.”
“Still,” I growled, “no one’s having a boyfriend.”
“And if one of us already has one?” She tilted her head to the side.
“If I see a guy near you, I’m loading him with siphons.”
“I hate you!” She pouted and stomped off like everyone else.
I’ll have to visit her school. Surprise this idiot guy during lunch. Maybe bring Shade along so the kid can wet his pants in the cafeteria in front of everyone. I laughed at the thought and then frowned a
t how upset Mimi would be if we did it. I’ll have to do something else. Something that will keep the kid away from her, but not point to me being responsible.
“This is a record,” Toy said from the bed. “You’ve managed to piss off five of our brothers and sisters in only fifteen minutes of being awake.”
“Shut up and go back to sleep.”
The tube of quake vibrated in my hand, but I couldn’t attend to it at that moment. I had a date with a Christmas tree. The triplets claimed Nix loved her new look. I doubted it. Besides, it was time to tell her why we’d dragged her back to our place. Nix would be a vital component in our last hit. I’d explained that to my brothers last night when I rationalized why we were taking her. I planned on giving her the opportunity to join. If she said no, then I’d drop her off wherever she wanted.
She won’t say no.
She had nothing. I knew breeds of roaches that would’ve cringed at crawling in that motel she slept in. My heart broke to see it. She deserved better—silk sheets caressing her skin, diamonds draped around her neck, and chocolate delicacies between those slender fingers. My dick clenched with hunger at the thought of those soft hands. I paused in the doorway and shut my eyes tight.
She’s a possible partner on a job, not a bedmate. Concentrate.
I stepped into the hallway. The triplets stood on my right, shivering behind Mimi with gaping mouths.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
Mimi pointed to my left. I turned that way and gazed into the barrel of a gun that was held by red-and-green fingers.
“Playtime’s over. Give me a reason why I shouldn’t shoot you . . . again,” Nix hissed.
I swallowed. “It’ll traumatize my sisters.”
“You mean the little cretins who decided I was full of Christmas cheer?”
“How did you get out of the chains?”
“Me and chains had an intimate relationship once. We broke up, now we’re just friends.” A murky gloom shined over her eyes for a second. It quickly disappeared, but my artificial eyes caught her pain. Someone hurt her. I hoped I could meet the person who harmed her. They would be dead in seconds.
I tilted my head out of the barrel’s view. “I got a job for you. It’ll be lots of money.”
“I don’t need a job now that I have my money back.” She gestured with the tip of the gun to her feet. The bag from last night’s hit sat by her toes. She’d kept the bandage I put on her arm from when Shade shot her. It didn’t seem like it hurt much.
Shade crept up behind her wielding two guns. She had no idea. He made no sound and unfortunately wore no clothes. God, we’re shitty parents. If this altercation between Nix and me doesn’t scare the girls, Shade’s nudity surely will. He’d just got penal beading last week. Thirty beads pushed up against the skin of his erect cock. The big thing resembled something diseased and bumpy, but the ladies loved it. At least that’s what he claimed.
“Give me a chance to explain the job to you.”
“I’ve got plans of my own, so no, I’m not interested in working with you.” Nix shrugged, still not realizing Shade was behind her.
“No one’s watching your back.” I shook my head. “You think you can survive by yourself?”
“No one’s ever not alone. The only person you can ever really count on is yourself.”
“You’ll be dead in a year. You need someone at that sexy rear, making sure it’s safe.”
“I don’t need you or anyone else to watch it.”
Shade placed the guns on her back. “You sure about that?”
CHAPTER 4
Phoenix
I ignored the voice from behind me and kept my gaze locked on Epic. An already familiar smile tipped up the corners of his mouth, making me want to claw it right off. He was so full of himself, and it rankled me. I was still pissed that he and his gang had gotten the drop on me in my motel room last night. And to add insult to injury, I was now covered in red-and-green paint.
Imagine my shock that morning when I opened my eyes to three identical redhead little monsters painting my face. They giggled as they lathered my skin with cold paint. The thick liquid made me shiver. I tried to talk through the tape stuck to my mouth. They held single fingers to their mouths, told me to shush, and then returned to painting me as they sang Christmas songs. While the evil cretins had fun, I studied the room serving as my prison. Posters of famous actresses stuck to the walls. Most of the women wore tight, form-fitting clothes. I figured it was a guy’s room and wondered if it were Epic’s.
Once the teenage girl entered the room and spotted the triplets painting me, she rushed them out. Her gaze went to my chains. I struggled to say something. She shrieked and left me alone in the room, which was perfect. I could get out of chains in no time when left to my own devices.
Twin boys with black curly hair stepped out into the hallway. They couldn’t have been more than eight or nine. A shaggy green-haired dog trotted out with them.
Are all these kids his and his brothers’? Clearly they don’t know how to keep it in their pants.
“You and your crew ever hear of birth control?” I narrowed my eyes at Epic. The teenage girl laughed behind him.
“What?” His jaw dropped open in surprise. “You think the kids are ours?”
I raised my eyebrows at him and quirked my head. “Yeah, that’s what I implied by my question. You’re not very smart, are you?” It was a shame too, because he really was a magnificent specimen of a man. It was the first time I’d seen his long blond hair loose and not pulled back out of his face. My red-and-green fingers itched to run through the luscious locks to see if it would feel as soft as I imagined it would.
“Siblings, not my kids! They’re my siblings,” Epic snapped. “And I’m not stupid.”
I grunted in response, because I’d just been wondering that. “This doesn’t need to get ugly. I’m just going to walk out of here and forget I ever laid eyes on you.”
“Not with our money.” The voice came from behind me again.
“I stole it fair and square. Deal with it,” I stated to everyone present.
“And we stole the money and you last night. Does that mean you belong to me now?” Epic had the nerve to smile at me again. I ground my teeth together.
“Nobody owns me.” My nostrils flared against my will. My temperature rose to boiling. Teddy had tried to own me, and I’d made him pay for that mistake with his life.
Cold metal pressed up against the back of my neck. “Drop it, or I’ll drop you, sweet lady.”
“Tell your brother to take his gun from my back.”
“Shade does what he wants.” Epic crossed his arms over his chest.
It was time to fall back on the age-old trick used by many women everywhere. Cry. I wasn’t above using it if the tears helped me out of a tight spot. I forced myself to think about something really sad. Dying puppies. Think about dying puppies and people clubbing baby seals. Yep, that did the trick every time. My lower lip trembled. My vision blurred.
“Please,” I whimpered. Huge, fat tears escaped from the corners of my eyes and tracked down my cheeks, dripping to my shirt. “I really need the money. Just let me have it and you’ll never see me again.”
“You don’t expect me to buy that, do you? I have sisters.” Epic laughed and shook his head.
Time to turn up the heat.
I hated thinking about him, but at least I got something out of our twisted relationship—a way to give myself an instant panic attack. I pictured Teddy, the way his dark eyes glittered at me when he had been torturing me—branding me for his, the sharp tip of his knife, the sting of his teeth when he bit into my flesh, the sound of his lighter when he flicked it on and off, taunting me with the possibility of fire. My breaths began to come in short little spasms, my heart pounding so loud I couldn’t hear anything else. Images of him wielding
a long flame flashed in my head. I gritted my teeth. Sweat streamed down my face. I knew what I must’ve looked like—pathetic, scared, and lost. But the emotions were authentic and therefore Epic wouldn’t be able to deny them as the truth.
“Let’s go in the back,” the teenaged girl carrying the baby said as she guided three young little redheads down the hall and away from the scene.
“But she’s so sad,” the girls said in unison.
“Epic will make her feel better.” The teen shoved them along.
“Shade, lower the gun.” Epic motioned with his hands.
“You’re going to let her go? With our money?” It was Shade’s turn to sound incredulous. I kept my attention directed to the floor and battled with myself to not smile.
“Does she look like she’s in any shape to go anywhere?” Epic asked.
“You have a point, but that doesn’t mean she can take my money,” Shade argued.
“Move the gun, man.”
The cold metal of the gun disappeared from my skin. It took me only a moment to push the memories back down into their locked box so I had control of myself again. Once my breathing evened out, I whirled around to point my gun at—a completely naked Shade. Why is it my eyes always seem to go to the one place I wish they wouldn’t? My eyes widened as I stared in complete shock at Shade’s disgusting-looking dick.
“Wha-what the hell is wrong with your dick?” I stammered. Bumps covered it, and the bumps were huge. He had a big one, I had to admit, but that didn’t stop his dick from looking like it had some kind of weird disease.
Shade tried to wrench the gun out of my hand, but my grip was tight and held fast. Epic grabbed me. It felt like two large bands of steel wrapped around my body, pinning my arms down to the sides.
“Nothing is wrong with my cock. I got beaded enhancements under the skin.” Shade glided forward and pried the gun from my hand.
“Why would you do that?” I scrunched my face in horror. There was no need to stress about being found out for faking. They already had my gun. And Epic’s hold on me was unyielding. I’d need super strength to break out of his arms.