Leaving Eden

by Kelly A Walker et al.

  “I have no choice! Kosandra forbid—” Her lips slammed together, and she let out a low growl of annoyance at her forced silence.

  Corbin held up his hands. “Andreas, please, listen to me. I think there might be a way…” He looked back at Charmaine, whose eyes were wide with anger and apprehension. “She’s unable to tell me the specific nature of what’s plaguing her, but from what I’ve gathered, she needs to find her soulmates, connect with them at a...carnal level, to be freed.”

  Enzo’s eyebrows shot up, but he betrayed no other hint of emotion.

  I choked out a laugh. “So, that’s what you were doing? Connecting on a ‘carnal level’”?

  “It worked,” he said quietly. “I—we—felt it.”

  My nostrils flared as I tried to force images of them from my mind, force the memory of her touch, of her away so I could focus on reason and logic.

  Soulmates. It was laughable. None—outside certain species of fae—had fated mates. Finding a true soulmate among humans was unheard of, yet here was my brother, claiming Charmaine—our Charmaine—had more than one.

  Ignoring the fact that I’d just thought of her as ours, I arched a brow. “What are you trying to say, Corbin?”

  He flicked a glance at Enzo, who still wore a face of curious boredom, then looked back to me. “I think…I think it might be the three of us.” Before I could issue a retort, he pressed forward. “Don’t tell me the thought didn’t cross your mind the moment I said the word. Don’t pretend not to love her, not to want her.”

  Ignoring the flush of embarrassment that flared on Charmaine’s face, I glared between my two brothers, then nodded. “Alright.” I jerked my chin at Enzo. “Go on, baby brother. Go fuck our little Charmaine, see if you feel whatever ‘it’ is.”

  Charmaine’s mouth dropped open in outrage, and Corbin let out a quiet growl.

  “Andreas,” Enzo murmured, letting his hands fall to his sides in shock.

  Slowly, I backed away. “At least if you’re doing that, I can go and unravel whatever mess she’s set in motion. Get her out of here, now.” Turning away, I stormed down the hall toward the ballroom, trying not to think about what I had just told Enzo to do.

  What he would no doubt be doing as soon as he was given the chance.

  Pausing outside the doors, I adjusted the lapels on my jacket, then entered the ornate and cavernous room.

  I scanned the crowd, seeking out the women who had been eyeing the King earlier. My gaze landed on a small group of men seated at a table not far from the rear wall. I took in their faces, their hungry, envious expressions as they murmured to one another, then narrowed my eyes. When I followed their gazes, I found myself looking at the Queen.

  My brow drew down as I watched how they observed her. It would appear Charmaine had put a redundancy plan in place, in case the simpering women didn’t manage to keep the King occupied.

  Kosandra was in a back corner, watching the crowd, her eyes flicking between the King and Queen and the partygoers who were vying for their attention.

  It was a struggle not to approach her, demand she lift whatever curse it was she’d placed on Charmaine, but it would be fruitless if I tried. So, keeping one eye on her, I turned my attention back to the rest of the crowd.

  The King had allowed his attention to be diverted toward the red-haired woman he’d been speaking to earlier, leaving Helena to stand quietly at his side, watching the crowd, playing the part of docile queen perfectly.

  A movement out of the corner of my eye snagged my attention. I turned and saw Prince Gregory slowly working his way through the crowd, stopping to chat here and there with the other guests. As the only representative Lindoroth had sent to Vind, he was out of place in his appearance, with his slightly pointed ears and traditional fae attire.

  As I watched silently from the edge of the dance floor, I saw his gaze drift toward Helena several times. The tight set of her features made me wonder if she was struggling to avoid looking in his direction.

  It appeared Charmaine was correct in their attraction for one another, yet her plan to give them their happy ending was as dangerous as it was impossible.

  Before giving myself a second to question the decision, I made my way toward the prince.

  7

  CHARMAINE

  Andreas had barely made it back to the end of the hall before Enzo grabbed me by the arm and started pulling me back toward the courtyard. I struggled against him, both to avoid being taken and because a twinge of pain shot through me when I was pulled from Corbin. When Corbin laid a hand on the small of my back, a calming touch, I stilled, melting into him slightly. Seeing I wasn’t going to fight, Enzo dropped my arm and allowed Corbin to lead me the rest of the way.

  Instead of stopping when we reached the courtyard, Corbin continued to urge me forward, following Enzo as he ducked through the archway that led to the apple orchards beyond.

  “I need to check—”

  “Andreas will take care of her,” Corbin murmured, his hand tightening on my waist. I slid my hand over his, grateful for the touch. “We need to get you away from here so we can get this sorted.”

  “Despite what you may think of him, if he truly believes Helena to be in danger, he won’t let her stay in that place,” Enzo said, glancing up and down the rows of leafy trees, ensuring no one else might be wandering here.

  Narrowing my eyes in annoyance, I contemplated using my power to incite an argument between the two brothers, allowing myself time to escape back to the ball. If what Corbin said was true, and Enzo truly cared for me…yes, I could get them to argue over me.

  I let out a quiet snort at just how self-centered and snobbish the idea sounded.

  You think quite highly of yourself, don’t you, Charmaine?

  And yet…I wanted to know. I wanted to know if Corbin was right about his brothers being the keys to unlocking this curse I bore so heavily. I touched the snake at my wrist and set my jaw. If he was right, then I might be able to break this curse tonight.

  That thought made me falter, though. Despite the despicable nature of Kosandra’s command, it was not one I was opposed to. I would happily see the King slaughtered if it meant saving my niece from his clutches. He was a horrible, hateful human who didn’t deserve to be in the same world as her, much less in the same bed. I would hold tight to this curse for all of eternity if it meant keeping her safe when I had foolishly done the opposite for her mother.

  It was no use fighting against them, though. Corbin and Enzo would bring me wherever it was they wanted to bring me and keep me there until the night was over. No, my best hope was to go with them, praying the plan I’d already set in motion hadn’t yet been ruined by Andreas’ meddling. I would still fulfill my duty to Kosandra, so long as I was the catalyst for King Horace’s death. I’d set the spark, which was all that mattered.

  I lifted my skirts from the ground and followed as Enzo strode through the rows of trees, his gleaming leather boots making a quiet squelching sound as he deftly avoided puddles left from the previous night’s storm. Apples of green, red, and gold, the crop Vind was most known for, hung heavy on the branches, waiting to be plucked. Ten years ago, the four of us might’ve sat in the shade of those trees on one of the many visits my family had taken to their nearby estate, sneaking low-hanging fruit to nibble on as we hid in the seemingly-endless field.

  “Where are we going?” I asked, sending a furtive glance back toward the castle, torn now between the pull of Kosandra’s command—“Tonight, you will kill the King”—and a painful need to stay with the man I had just bonded to. The thought of running from him was nearly abhorrent now, but I could only shrink away from her orders so much. Eventually they, and she, would find me.

  “To lock you away someplace you can’t get out of to cause more trouble,” Enzo replied, his tone that infuriating calm he’d mastered in his youth. “She might be able to command you to do things, Charmaine, but we’re going to ensure you can’t follow through on your plans.”<
br />
  I didn’t dare tell him the amount of pain that might leave me in. He might care, might want to prevent seeing me in pain…or he might not. The thought of it being the latter had me swallowing the words.

  Corbin and I picked up our paces to match Enzo’s hurried steps, veering in the direction of his family estate, only another half-mile away. “And if she follows us?” I asked.

  He shrugged. “Then we’ll deal with her.”

  Deal with her. As though either of them could take on someone like her. A witch, older than time, or so it seemed, compared to our human lifespans. She was centuries old. Millennia, maybe, with the immortal strength and power of the fae. No, dealing with her was not an option.

  Quietly, we continued the trek toward their estate, stopping only so I could remove my slippers, my bare feet allowing me to move more quickly on the mud-slicked path.

  We came to their estate from the rear, walking quickly through the gardens that extended from the back of the castle, ending at the border of the apple orchards. I stopped at one of the fishpond fountains to rinse off my muddied feet, then slipped my slippers back on before continuing onward.

  Enzo and Corbin gave quick nods to the guards who stood at the top of the granite steps, flanking the ornate rear terrace, watching the grounds for any sign of intrusion, then we entered the blue and white marble hall that encircled the interior of the home.

  Turning left, we made our way toward Enzo’s room, the furthest from the private quarters of the others who dwelled here—their mother Lucinda and Grandmother Eden, along with several dozen servants.

  Once we were inside his candle and torch and candle-lit chambers, the heavy oak door shut and locked behind us, Enzo faced us, hands on his hips.

  “Now that we can speak more freely, explain,” he demanded, looking at Corbin and ignoring me.

  As succinctly as possible, Corbin, once again, explained my predicament as best as he could without the details only I could provide, if not for the curse.

  When he’d finished, Enzo glanced back and forth between us, his shrewd eyes examining me, then his brother. “You both truly believe that we—” he gestured between himself and his brother “—are the ones who can break this curse?”

  I simply looked at Corbin. His fingers, twined through mine, tightened as he looked back at Enzo. “Yes, I do.”

  “Based on a feeling you had after you took her against a wall for the first time in nearly half a year?” Enzo arched a brow skeptically, the corners of his mouth twitching upward in a smirk. “I would imagine you’d have quite a number of feelings after that.”

  My face flushed at the memory. Never had I done something so brazen as I had with Corbin. The knowledge that we could have been caught at any moment both thrilled and terrified me. I bit my lip, wondering if it would be wise to respond and confirm what Corbin was saying, or to just allow him to continue to do the talking.

  “It wasn’t like that,” Corbin whispered fervently. “It was as though I’d acquired some new knowledge, as if something had just…fallen into place.”

  Enzo gave us an amused look, then sat down on the end of the bed, leaning back and bracing his hands against the mattress. “Alright, then. Explain this. Why wouldn’t this thing, whatever it was, have already happened months ago? You two have been shagging one another for ages. There should not have been anything left to fall into place.”

  Corbin frowned, considering what was, indeed, a conundrum.

  “My guess,” Corbin said slowly, “would be that Kosandra did something when she placed this curse on Charmaine. It’s possible we were always soulmates, but we haven’t had…relations since before the witch sent that fae magic running through Charmaine’s body. The fae take mates, but humans do not. It’s the only possibility that makes sense.”

  Enzo nodded slowly. “And why do you think Andreas and I are the other pieces to this puzzle?”

  “A hunch,” was Corbin’s only response.

  “And we’re to share her, then, from here forward?” Laughter danced in Enzo’s eyes. “When have any of us seemed the type to share a woman?”

  Share. Gods above, they were discussing sharing me, like some prized mare they could divvy time between. I wanted to snap at him, to tell him to stop speaking of me as a possession, but I reined in my temper, not wanting to drag his focus from Corbin.

  “Would that be the worst thing?” Corbin asked quietly, running his hand down my spine. “You’ve loved her for years, just as Andreas and I have.”

  I snorted quietly at the idea that Andreas might still hold any hint of the flame he once did.

  Enzo’s eyes shifted to me, dragging up and down my body as though assessing me, my appearance, and my very presence in his room. “Andreas isn’t the sharing type, even if you and I might be…amenable.”

  Finally finding my voice, I shot him a glare. “Would either of you like to hear my thoughts on this plan?”

  Enzo’s eyebrows lifted in amusement. “She speaks.” He held out a hand, beckoning me to continue. “By all means.”

  I struggled with how to say what needed to be said while also getting around being unable to speak of the curse directly. Taking a deep breath, I looked between them. Facts and statements would have to do.

  “There are some fae species who often have more than one mate. They see it as an essential aspect of ensuring stronger, well-protected offspring. Fae magic, when put into—” My jaw snapped shut, and I let out a growl of annoyance. Alright, another tactic, then. “Fae magic can do strange things when—” I huffed when my lips again closed of their own accord.

  Enzo’s lips quirked at the corner, as though he were trying to hold back a laugh at my expense. “Are you trying to say, ‘fae magic, when put into a non-fae, can cause that creature to exhibit certain fae characteristics?’”

  I managed no more than a frown and a small nod.

  “Then it would stand to reason that a female with fae magic in her blood would not be inherently opposed to having multiple mates?”

  Another nod.

  “And if these soulmates were not fae and did not possess fae magic, if they did have an inherent opposition to sharing the woman they loved, what would that female then do with them?”

  I lifted my chin a fraction, feeling a bit emboldened now that he was speaking of this so freely. “Then I suppose all parties involved would have a choice to make.”

  Enzo stared at me for a few silent moments, his eyes betraying nothing, a mask of impassivity.

  “Alright.” Angling his head back toward Corbin, his expression unchanged, he said, “Are you staying or going, brother?”

  8

  CHARMAINE

  Gods above. He was serious.

  Enzo, who had never once expressed any bit of romantic interest in me, was looking at me as though he were seeing me for the first time, his eyes dragging down my body as though he wanted to tear the laces from my dress and take me right here. The heat in his eyes had something sparking, quivering inside me.

  “Charmaine?” Corbin asked quietly, running a hand down my bare arm, leaving a trail of molten heat in its wake. “What would you prefer?”

  How in the world could I answer that? Yes, Corbin, it’s quite alright for your brother to ravage me, much like you did not long ago. You’re quite welcome to stay and watch.

  I was torn between being desperate—and curious—enough to see if this worked and wanting to flee to whatever corner of the world Kosandra would never find me. Fleetingly, I wondered if the fae would be able to protect me from her.

  Likely not, knowing how they were with their wretched deals and bargains.

  “I’m not sure I know how to answer that, Corbin,” I murmured, feeling a blush spread across my cheeks as I turned to face him. “I’ve never—”

  “Neither have I,” he said, brushing a strand of hair from my face. “I’m willing to try if you are, though. I will share you until the day I die if that’s what you need, but if you’d prefer to run, try to esc
ape the witch, I would be willing to do that, too.”

  “No, I won’t subject you to that. Any of you,” I added, looking back down at Enzo. “There’s no guarantee—”

  Not breaking my gaze, Enzo stood and stalked forward, watching me as a predator watches its prey. I tensed as he stopped right in front of me but took comfort in Corbin’s apparent ease, despite how near his mate stood to another man.

  Enzo took my chin between his thumb and forefinger, tilting my face upward toward his. “Then, I suppose we’ll have to give it our best effort.”

  My eyes widened a fraction of a second before his soft lips touched mine. When I didn’t immediately flinch away, he slid a hand around my waist and pulled me closer as Corbin began tugging at the strings of my corset.

  My eyes fluttered closed as Enzo kissed me, his tongue swirling against mine in sure strokes as his brother slowly undressed me.

  “Tell me,” Enzo murmured against my mouth. “Is it just release you need?”

  “I—I don’t know,” I breathed, my head falling back against Corbin’s chest as Enzo dragged his teeth along my neck. Corbin’s sure fingers continued to untie the laces until they were fully loosened and nothing more than friction kept my dress from slipping to the floor.

  “So, we’ll go with what we know works, then.” Slowly, languidly, Enzo slid the dress down my body, leaving me bare before them, my gown a puddle of red silk against white marble. Corbin’s hands slid around my sides and to my stomach, pulling me against him as he kissed my naked shoulder.

  I forced back a shiver as Enzo’s hands joined Corbin’s, slowly running across my body. Enzo saw the conflict in my eyes, then chuckled when he slid a hand between my legs and felt my arousal, just as Corbin’s calloused hand brushed over my breast. When Enzo closed his mouth around the other, flicking and massaging with his tongue, I let out a quiet whimper, my eyes closing of their own accord as my knees threatened to give out.