Elora
Ghen my alarm went off the following day, I felt like a rock.
Mornings were usually easy for me, but I really didn’t want to get out of bed for some reason. My lids felt heavy and stiff, and they wanted to stay shut every time I closed them.
I didn’t even stay up that late, forcing myself to go to bed when all I wanted to do was overthink my almost kiss with Duke.
After leaving the library, he acted like nothing had happened between us. At dinner, he barely looked at me. In all honesty, it made me sad, so it was probably best that I didn’t think about it too much. I guess he just didn’t want to kiss me as much as I wanted to kiss him.
With great effort, I crawled out of bed to get ready for the day. My outfit of choice was a cute, mid-thigh white dress with purple flowers. I paired it with a matching cropped cardigan (to keep my arms warm) and purple sandals to complete the sweet yet modest look. My hair was left down in unmanageable waves with a few strands pinned back, making it look like I was put together even if I felt like the walking dead.
I wasn’t usually this groggy, and I really didn’t want to go to school today. Obviously, I was going; my OCPD couldn’t handle skipping a day for illness, let alone missing one for laziness or being tired. I could already tell it would be a tiresome, drawn-out day.
My footsteps shuffled, and my head lolled as my body moped down the long halls and stairs until I stood outside the kitchen door.
From beyond the threshold, I heard a woman laugh. “Eugene, you’re so bad!” She squealed. Um, what the heck? She wasn’t done speaking. “I’ll have those reports done by Wednesday.”
Okay, nope. Who was this woman? What was she doing in my house?
And why was she talking to my Eugene, all flirty and gross?
“I’m serious, Jennifer,” Eugene’s stern voice replied. “You’ve missed the past four deadlines. I’ve been lenient for the past few months. This is your last opportunity to show me you can do this job.”
Opening the door, I saw all my guys standing around the counter with some stupidly pretty brunette. There were papers spread all over the counter that they seemed to be looking at. I guess she worked for them?
Jennifer was tall with short and tidy hair. Her skirt was short and tight, showcasing her shapely backside; I silently commended her for the work she surely put in at the gym to achieve it. Her white button-down shirt had the first two buttons undone, revealing a significant amount of cleavage. I couldn’t help except be weary of her.
“Good morning,” Theo greeted me with a smile. “Bit of a late start for you, isn’t it?” He teased.
I shrugged, still in a sour mood.
The woman noticed me and smiled while toying with a lock of her hair. “Oh, you must be Lorie–”
“Elora,” Felix corrected, giving Jennifer a scary glare. I smirked. Know your place, Barbie.
“Easy, Kitten.” I flinched at Lucifer’s voice in my head. I’d forgotten that he could get into my mind whenever he wanted to now.
Locking eyes with him, I saw him watching me, appearing amused.
The woman looked caught off guard by Felix’s harsh tone. “Oh, right. How silly of me. I’d better get going–it was nice meeting you,” she replied and shot me a quick smile before exiting the house in a hurry.
I watched her leave, and I snapped my head back to them when the door closed. “Who was that?”
As soon as I heard my accusing tone, I paused. I was… jealous… of a woman who was like ten years older than me, whose only crime was being around them. Since when was I the jealous type?
Theo smirked in my direction. “Jennifer. She’s Eugene’s assistant,” he explained. “She’s been slacking. That’s why you haven’t seen her.”
Walking around the counter, I stood beside him and served myself bacon from a plate. Eugene didn’t need an assistant. It wasn’t like he needed to sleep or rest–no, he could do all his work himself. “You should fire her,” I suggested, showing my bitterness.
Eugene chuckled. “Because she pronounced your name wrong?”
“Because she doesn’t know how to button her shirt, has a pitchy laugh, is apparently bad at her job, and she said my name wrong,” I corrected while smiling sweetly. I really didn’t like her.
Theo laughed as he draped his arms around my shoulders, slightly swaying me from side to side. “Damn, you’re grumpy this morning,” he quipped.
My phone buzzed before I could respond, and I instantly checked the message.
Mrs. K:
Good morning Elora! We have two new students starting today. Would you mind showing them around campus this morning? You’ll be excused from your first two classes.
I sighed. I wasn’t in the mood to talk to strangers and be bubbly, but as Student Body Vice President, showing new students around was one of my duties.
Still, I texted back, agreeing with her request.
“You text your teachers?” Theo cocked an eyebrow at me. “No, my teachers text me.” There was a big difference.
“Ready to go?” He loosened his arms around me and gestured toward the door.
My reply was a simple nod as I followed him out of the kitchen. Eugene’s faint voice caught my attention as we walked out of the house,
and I did my best to eavesdrop. “Jennifer, you’re fired… Yes… Please clear your desk by tomorrow…”
Victory! I smiled while getting into Theo’s car. Bye-bye, brunette Barbie!
Theo shook his head at me before switching gears and driving away from the house. “Possessive today, aren’t we?”
I widened my eyes at him, “No, of course not. She was… icky. And she was bad at her job!” I tried to justify myself.
“Whatever you say, Princess,” he chuckled.
 |
By the time we reached the school, I felt much better and much more awake. Maybe it was Eugene’s firing of ‘Jennifer’ that helped my mood; perhaps it was the calm, peaceful drive with Theo. Whatever it was, I welcomed it.
Walking up to the office, I noticed two tall boys standing around. I didn’t recognize them, so I assumed they were the new students.
Approaching them, I smiled warmly. “Hi, I’m Elora. I’m going to show you two around for a couple hours this morning,” I greeted.
They both looked down at me, returning kind smiles. “I’m Elliot, and this is Jonas,” the brunet shook my hand. Jonas had orange hair that complimented his freckles nicely.
“Welcome! If you have any questions as we go or anytime, I’m your girl,” I offered. I noticed schedules in their hands. “It looks like you’re all checked in here; are you ready to start the tour?”
“Lead the way,” Jonas responded, gesturing toward the door.
First, I showed them the library–which the one in my home put to shame, but at least the school one was alphabetized–followed by the cafeteria and the auditorium. “So, where did you move from?” I attempted to make small talk.
From the corner of my eye, I saw Elliot give Jonas a side glance before answering. “We travel a lot. We’re actually here paying a visit to some… old friends.”
“Well, I hope you enjoy the town while you’re here,” I replied with a nod. “There’s not much to do, but it’s home.”
“What about you?” Jonas asked suddenly.
Finding his question odd, I furrowed my brows before shrugging. “I was born and raised here.”
“And you live with your family?” He questioned further.
Gently biting my lip, I nodded. Of course, I did, but I didn’t consider them ‘family’ the same way others did with theirs. We turned down a hall,
and I took the opportunity to switch the subject. “Um, this is C Hall. The music room is down there, along with several science labs–”
“Are you close with them?” Jonas inquired again.
Turning to look at him, I felt a growing discomfort with his line of questioning. He hadn’t even known me for an hour!
He must have noticed my concern because he gave me a sheepish smile, “Sorry, just trying to make friends,” he explained, putting his hands up in surrender.
I nodded; I guess that made sense. “No worries,” I dismissed. “Speaking of friends,” Elliot started, “We want to join the football team.
Would you mind showing us the field?” He smiled.
“Sure! I’m sure you two will have no problem making the team. You’re both really tall. Did you play at your old school?” I tried to sound as supportive as possible. As the Student Council’s Vice President, I was a big supporter of people joining clubs and school teams.
“Yes, we did,” Jonas answered.
In no time, I was leading them through the doors and toward the football field. We only stopped when I saw Elliott’s neck just about snap as he turned to look at something. Following his gaze, I saw that something was actually a someone.
Red flags waved everywhere in my mind, not because the man looked like a threat but, because he was trespassing on school grounds. The man had no distinguishable features–especially not from far away. Dark hair, jeans, and a button-up were all my eyes could make-out.
“Oh, jeez,” I sighed before waving his way. “Hi! Unless you’re here to pick up a student, you shouldn’t be lingering on school grounds!” I called from across the parking lot. Truth be told–if he left on his own, I wouldn’t have to bother the administrator when I went back in.
Elliot, Jonas, and I watched as the man gave a slight nod and a wave before he made his way off campus.
“Sorry about that–the staff usually deals with people who wander,” I explained.
The both of them shrugged but said nothing more.
The air between us seemed to fill with awkward silence, so I gestured to the football field with a big smile. “This is it! Most days, the football team and track team will practice at the same time.”
Elliot’s eyes scanned the area. “And what’s behind those trees?” He asked.
“The whole school is pretty secluded,” I answered coolly, unsure of what he was asking. “The surrounding area is basically miles of woods. Sometimes the coaches take us on runs through them.”
Jonas stepped forward next. “Can you show us?” He questioned, though his tone implied he was more demanding we go rather than asking.
I suddenly felt uncomfortable again and almost defensively crossed an arm over my body. “That’s not really part of the tour… you can go look around the woods on your own time, though,” I suggested and glanced back at the school, “Okay, we should get back inside and finish the tour–”
“Walk,” Jonas commanded lowly as he stepped closer, his entire demeanor changing in the blink of an eye.
My breathing quickened, knowing I was in a bad situation. I looked between them. “N-no,” I stammered and swallowed hard. They stalked closer to me, forcing me to stumble back–closer to the woods. “I’m not going into the woods…” I tried to be firm, but my voice was trembling.
Something was not right about this…
Elliot grabbed my upper arm, and I panicked as he harshly led me into the woods. I pulled and screamed, trying to get away from him. “Let me go, now! This is not okay–”
“Your bloodsuckers took everything from us. We’re only returning the favor,” my captor snarled down at me.
Warm blood ran cold as my heartbeat hammered against my ears. My bloodsuckers…
He held my arm so tightly I was sure it was about to break off from force alone. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I tried to lie.
“There were rumors of them taking in a human pet,” Jonas smirked down at me. “We thought it would take longer to get to you. Just our luck that you’re the one the school chose to show us around,” he chuckled sardonically.
I felt tears well in my eyes as I tried to think of a way out of this. “Who are you?” I asked.
They leered at each other. “That doesn’t matter. What matters is that you’re going to die,” Elliot retorted, only halting our trek once we were far from campus and deep in the woods. “And I can’t wait for them to find your lifeless body.”
A sob escaped my lips as I cried, beyond terrified of them and what they were planning. Quin always said that nothing bad would happen to me, that none of their enemies would ever even cross the state line. I sucked in a breath, trying to pull myself together as best I could. “If you hurt me, they’ll come after you,” I threatened.
Jonas leaned down so his hazel eyes were level with mine. “Stupid girl, they don’t even know we’re here. They practically handed you to us. By the time they find out, it’ll be too late.”
Realizing dawned on me that these guys would kill me if I didn’t get help. I quickly pulled out my phone to text or call any of my guys. Even if it only rang once, they would know something was wrong.
As soon as my screen turned on, my ginger abductor grabbed the phone out of my hand and crumbled it like it was nothing. It may as well have been a clump of dirt in his hand with how easily he crushed it–not a sturdy phone at all. Jonas shook his head at me. “Tsk tsk tsk, you shouldn’t have done that…” he said darkly.
I trembled, knowing that they were going to hurt me. I feared Elliot and Jonas were right if anything happened to me. My guys needed me as much as I needed them, and if they killed me, they would break down.
Breathing became difficult; every inhale and exhale required double the effort as my chest began to ache. I glanced in the direction of the school, slowly backing away from them. “Leave me alone,” I ordered, trying to sound as threatening as possible. It was impossible, with tears running down my face.
“Don’t make this more difficult than it has to be,” Elliot challenged, rolling his eyes.
As soon as the words left his mouth, I turned around and darted for the school, running as fast as my legs could take me. I passed by several trees, but everything blurred together. It may have been the adrenaline, the tears, or the possible panic attack, but everything was a hazy blur.
It wasn’t long before I was suddenly tackled to the ground, my back hitting the dirt hard enough to knock the wind out of me. I coughed, squeezing my eyes shut and clutching my chest.
Mt attacker had come out of nowhere. The only time I’d seen anyone move that fast was my guys.
Realization dawned on me as I stared up at Jonas. Earlier, I asked the wrong question. It was not who they were. “What are you?” I asked, my
voice shaken and rasped.
Ignoring my question, Elliot yanked me up by my hair, making me shriek in pain. “Help!” I screamed as loud as I could.
“No one can hear you!” He shouted while grabbing my face roughly, making my attempts seem futile.
I thrashed in his arms, but his hold on me was so tight that any movement caused pain. They were not human–that much I knew. I also knew I couldn’t win against them and had no way of calling for help.
Sobbing, I wondered what I’d done to deserve this. I wanted my guys, and I needed them. “Please, I won’t tell anyone; just let me go,” I bargained, or at least attempted to.
Jonas snarled at me, and it didn’t sound like any noise I’d heard a human or a vampire make before. It sounded feral and threatening. “If you say one more word, I’ll rip out your tongue.”
My shoulders shook as I cried harder, my silent sobs bordering on wails.
I was going to die, and I didn’t even say goodbye to them this morning. Shit, I’d left in a bad mood. Lucifer had even heard my mean thoughts about Jennifer, and he would probably think poorly of how I acted in his last memories of me.
Lucifer. My eyes widened.
Silently, I focused on that little sliver in the back of my mind. I didn’t know if this would work, but it was my last chance–my only chance. I just hoped he would hear me and decide to pop into my head.
Lucifer, I need help. Lucifer? I thought.
My chest tightened again, doubt setting in that this was a lost cause.
After all, why would he randomly look into my mind?
Lucifer, I’m in trouble–
“Where are you?” His voice was stern in my mind, unlike the soft, quiet tone he typically spoke in.
I relaxed a little, my eyes watching Jonas circle me as he spoke (though I couldn’t focus on any of the words he was saying).
In the woods, they said they’re going to kill me–I’m terrified–I don’t know where I am… My thoughts jumbled together, but I hoped he could make sense of them.
The sliver he usually occupied felt like it got more prominent, and I somehow knew he could see everything I saw.
“We’re on the way. It’ll be okay,” his voice was still austere, but I trusted him with my entire being.
They would get here in time.
Elliot pulled my hair again. “Why so quiet all of a sudden?” He taunted. “They’re almost here,” I threatened as I glared up at him with tear-
stained cheeks.
He laughed at my words. “Nice try, but you’re not going to delay this.”
Jonas suddenly turned and stared off into the woods. “Elliot, do you smell that?” He asked, his tone changing from confident to worried.
Elliot’s face also dropped, and he glowered in my direction. “That’s impossible,” he snapped. He grabbed my throat and squeezed, his nails puncturing my neck.
I screamed, but no sound came out. In an attempt to break free, I scratched him and flailed my dangling legs. My head pounded as he stopped my blood flow and ability to breathe.
As quickly as Elliot’s hand was around my throat, it was gone. A gust of wind swooshed past us, and I fell to the ground, coughing and clutching my throat.
Despite everything being blurry, I saw Elliot turn into a massive wolf; an image I would have nightmares about for years to come. Just as the transformation happened, Quin was in front of him, grabbing each of his jaws and pulling them apart.
The wolf–or Elliot–was torn in half in a second. His blood splattered everywhere; it shot out onto me and the ground around me.
It drenched my hands as I stared at them, watching as they shook. I don’t want this on me–I don’t want to be here.
Quin killed Elliot like he was nothing. I’ve never seen him or any of my guys like this before. His lack of hesitation and ease of his actions were almost more terrifying than Elliot and Jonas.
I blinked up, feeling the blood on my face as well. It really was everywhere. My vision pulsed as everything around me slowed down. I hadn’t liked blood as a child and still didn’t like it.
Nearby, I saw Jonas being held against a tree by his throat. Felix was shouting something at him with Eugene and Lucifer at his sides, holding the teen’s arms.
Everything slowed, and I saw Lucifer and Eugene tear his arms off like they were made of paper. Jonas opened his mouth like he was screaming in pain, but I couldn’t hear anything.
My body shook violently as I watched them. Jonas and Elliot were evil people, but I didn’t know my guys were capable of such horrible things. I mean, I knew, but I’d never seen it myself.
My eyes returned to my crimson-covered hands. I shakily tried to wipe them off on my dress, only to realize it was also drenched in Elliot’s blood.
Someone’s hands covered my own, and my eyes snapped up to meet Duke’s. He looked worried, more worried than I’d ever seen him before. Suddenly, I could hear again, but a high-pitched buzzing muffled everything except his voice.
“Don’t look at it, Baby,” he consoled, grabbing my chin and making me look away from the carnage that soaked me. “You’re okay. They’re not going to hurt you.” He slid his arms under my knees and around my back as he spoke, lifting me into his arms.
My chest heaved, and all I could think about was the blood all over me, “I–it’s all over me…” I muttered but was unable to hear my own words.
I felt a cold gust against my face, and the trees around us blurred more than before. Duke was running. “I know; I’m going to get it off, okay?” He promised.
I didn’t feel good. There was intense pain in my neck, thanks to Elliott’s claws that punctured my flesh and how hard he’d squeezed it.
Seconds later, we were outside of our house. Theo stood in the doorway, his face twisted into a livid scowl. “How the fuck did we let this happen?” He snapped.
Duke pushed past him, quickly carrying me up the stairs. “Not now, Theo. She’s in shock, be quiet,” Duke silenced him.
My eyes wandered back down to my hands. It was disgusting. Quin tore Elliott in half like a piece of paper. Elliot was dead, and his blood was all over me. I was smothered in it.
I couldn’t help the sobs that overtook me. The only thing I was able to think about was the blood that covered me. I despised it, and I wanted it off. “Get it off…” I cried. “Please get it off. I can’t have this on me! I don’t like it,” my voice got louder as I rambled.
My head felt weird like none of this was actually happening. The only emotion I could feel was panic.
Warm water fell on my shoulders. Looking around, I recognized my shower. I sobbed, watching the water run red down the drain. “Shh, it’s okay. I’ll make it okay,” Duke stood me on my feet but supported my weight. “Look, it’s washing away, Baby,” he whispered.
Still panicked, I started removing my cardigan and dress. I just needed it all to go away. I needed to scrub everything.
I didn’t care that Duke was in the shower with me; I just needed to be clean. He didn’t seem phased by my bareness either, and he just kept his gaze on or above my head.
I stripped down to just my underwear, thankful that they didn’t have any blood on them.
My hands shook as I grabbed my shampoo, making it slip out of my hands.
Duke quickly caught the bottle before it hit the ground, “Let me help, okay?” He squirted some product into his hand, and soon after, he washed my hair.
With my body wash and a loofah in hand, I began scrubbing. I scrubbed my skin raw, making it appear bright red like a fresh sunburn. It still wasn’t clean enough; I could still feel the blood all over me.
I sobbed, lathering more soap and scrubbing myself harder. Duke washed and rinsed my hair twice, but I still felt gross.
I reached for more body wash, but Duke’s hand on mine stopped me, “You’re clean, Elora. It’s all gone, I promise,” he said.
Looking down at the ground, I watched the water drain clear. My breathing slowed, but I couldn’t stop crying. I’d never felt this way before and never wanted to feel like it again.
My eyes caught a glimpse of something red on my shoulder. More blood was trickling down my arm, causing another wave of panic. I widened my eyes, “No. No no no–”
“Shh,” Duke hugged my naked chest to his clothed one, soothing me as he ran his hand down my wet hair. “That’s your blood, Baby. Dane will take care of you.”
I wrapped my arms around his waist, hugging him as tight as my shaky arms could. “I don’t want to get out,” I cried.
His hands ran down my back, and I felt my body begin to relax. “I’m so sorry, Baby. I’ll never let anything bad happen to you ever again,” he pulled me impossibly closer to him.
What felt like hours later, I was finally feeling like myself again. However, I was still very out of it. I’d heard about shock before but never expected it to be like that. It was worse than any panic attack I’d ever had.
Duke turned the water off and grabbed a towel, quickly bundling me up. My gaze fell to the ground, my memory was spotty, but I couldn’t stop replaying what happened.
I should have known something was off when Jonas kept asking about them. I could have prevented this, and I should have trusted my gut.
Duke set me on the counter, still enveloped in a warm, fluffy towel. He was soaking wet, his clothes dripping onto the tile. He ran his thumb under my eye, “Elora, look at me,” he whispered.
I slowly lifted my eyes and gazed at him.
“You’re okay. No one will ever hurt you again, do you understand?” He asked.
I nodded, wincing at a pain in my neck. The adrenaline was wearing off, along with the numbness that dulled the pain.
Dane walked in, carrying a first aid kit. His eyes roamed over me quickly before I was wrapped in his arms, “Are you hurt anywhere else?” He asked quickly.
I tried to feel my body, but everything just felt so numb. “I–I don’t know,” I answered.
Dane pulled away and nodded, a heartbroken look on his face. He glanced at Duke, “Is she?”
“No. Her back is bruised, and her knee is scraped, but the worst is on her neck,” he answered.
Dane started touching my neck, putting bandages and suture tape over the four small holes the rogue’s nails made in my skin.
The room was so eerily quiet; my thoughts took over, and I felt my lip wobble.
Dane pulled away and finished putting the bandages on my neck. He pushed my wet hair behind my ear, “Please don’t cry,” he sounded pained.
I dropped my head in my hands, “I’m so stupid. I should have known.
They kept asking about you…” I tried to explain.
“Elora,” I snapped my head up and looked at Felix. He was walking through the large bathroom straight for me. I widened my eyes as he picked me up, carrying me out of the room. “This is not your fault, do you
understand? It’s mine… they followed me back here, and I didn’t notice. I am so sorry,” he apologized.
I’d never heard him apologize before. I’d never heard him with emotion–aside from anger–in his tone. I buried my head in his neck and felt my body relax from his scent. In his arms, in any of their arms, I knew I was safe.
He walked into his room and closed the door behind us. I looked around at the dark walls and textiles. I’d never been allowed in his bedroom before.
Felix sat on a sofa, keeping me locked tightly in his arms. “You’re not stupid; I don’t want to hear you say that ever again,” he sternly requested.
I nodded.
I pulled my head away from his neck and looked up at him, “Don’t leave again, okay?” I thought out loud. I was done with them leaving. If any of them left for a mission, it would be as hard as when Duke left.
Felix’s eyes roamed my face before he slowly nodded, “Never again,” he agreed, pulling me tighter against him like he was frightened I’d disappear if he let me go.
“I’m so proud of you, you know that, right?” He kissed the top of my head.
I let out a long breath, exhaustion hitting me. I rested my head against his chest and closed my eyes. My body went limp as I fell into a deep sleep.
Duke
“I’m going to kill every last one of them,” Eugene seethed. He paced the living room, his eyes glowing red with anger. “I’ll hunt every last rogue down and tear them to pieces myself. No one lays a hand on her,” he spat.
None of us saw the attack coming. Our carelessness made everything that happened our fault. Elora’s trauma, her pain, and the terror she must have felt were because we were negligent.
We knew better than that. We’d just spent five years slaughtering rogues in an attempt to eradicate them. We should have seen it coming.
Granted, this was the first time anyone ever tried to stand against us.
Those two young rogues went for the kill. Her. She was our weak spot.
My world stopped spinning when Lucifer said we needed to ‘go now.’ If we had been seconds late, it would have been too late.
Seeing her on the ground, covered in some mutts’ blood, with bruises and puncture wounds on her neck made me want to kill. I’d always been more civil than my clan mates. I believed in talking through conflicts, not fighting. Yet, at that moment, I couldn’t help but agree with Eugene.
I could have compelled her to forget–I should have. Doing so would have been selfish of me. Years ago, we’d agreed not to compel her. I’d only done it when she panicked and stopped breathing. Even then, I felt manipulative and guilty. Just like Lucifer had his gift, I had a relatively insignificant one of my own. Vampires can compel humans after many years of practice. As long as a vampire or werewolf is weak-willed, I could compel them. It wasn’t a skill I used often, but I’d always had a perfect success rate at compelling.
The way she looked at Quin, Eugene, and Lucifer also had me worried. She looked terrified, witnessing them kill those rogues. I knew that Elora didn’t understand what happened (and likely wouldn’t for some time), and watching the men who raised her tear off the top portion of a werewolf’s skull would wholly haunt her.
“As far as I can tell, it was just the two boys,” Theo announced as he and Lucifer entered the house. They’d run the state line, checking for any trace of other werewolves.
Elora had been asleep for a few hours, safe in Felix’s arms. Felix had gotten all the answers out of the one rogue before he killed him.
The two boys followed Felix home and targeted Elora, knowing we were attached to her. It was a surprisingly intelligent strategy… for rogues.
“For now,” I added. “They could have used their mind-link to let others know. They know her name, what school she goes to, and where we live,” I said.
“I agree. Our clan has been at the top of the food chain for thousands of years. Now that we have a known weakness, other vampire clans and werewolves will use that to their advantage,” Lucifer sat in the chair across from me.
“It doesn’t matter. We can easily win against anyone who challenges us,’” Quin dismissed.
“Unless they get to her again. Who’s to say this won’t happen again. If Lucifer wasn’t able to read her mind, she would have been killed. We got very lucky,” Dane commented quietly, his last words fading into a whisper.
Eugene glared at Dane, “I say. I don’t care if she never gets to leave the house again; over my dead body will I let anyone even close to hurting her,” he spat.
Dane stood up, “That’s your solution? Locking her up here?” He asked. “If that’s what it takes to keep her safe,” Eugene matched Dane’s stance. “No one is locking her up. We let our guard down and know not to
make that mistake again. We’re all on the same page. Our goal is to stop this from happening again,” I tried to reason.
I heard movement upstairs, and soon after, Felix joined us in the living room. “If another vampire or werewolf enters the state, we will monitor them. I agree with Dane. This was too close. We need to be more cautious. She doesn’t know of the threats that could come her way,” he intervened. “We should consider ourselves lucky that it was only two little ones.”
I nodded, hoping the situation wouldn’t escalate. We could defend ourselves easily. Quin said it best; no one stood a chance against us. Elora, however, was fragile, as fragile as humans can come. She was too kind and trusted people too easily.
Several minutes passed as we all pondered what had happened. We almost lost her. I didn’t know how to exist in a world without her. I’d always hated seeing her cry, and my goal had always been to make her smile as much as possible. Today took a piece of her that she’d never get back.
Quin stood up, walking to the kitchen. “Do you think she’ll wake up for dinner?” He asked.
“No,” Dane responded. “Her life was threatened, she saw the rogues get torn to spreads, and she’s a borderline germaphobe who got drenched in blood. That kind of trauma knocks people out,” he explained like it was conspicuous.
Quin stopped by the door before turning back around. “She’s not going to school for the rest of the week, not until we’re absolutely sure she won’t be in danger,” he decided.
“Good luck telling her that,” Theo scoffed.
I cocked my eyebrow. I knew she was particular about her schedule, but I doubted she’d want to return so soon anyway.
I glanced at Lucifer, feeling envious of him. He was able to hear her thoughts and interpret her feelings. I wish I’d known how she felt about yesterday. My recklessness caused me to almost kiss her. She just looked so beautiful–it was impossible not to.
Maybe it was just my selfish mind playing tricks on me, but I thought she looked disappointed when I left the library. “Lucifer,” I started, not knowing how to phrase my question. I didn’t want to seem like a creep.
His eyes drifted across the room as he looked at me.
“You can read her thoughts,” I paused. “What does she think?” I asked vaguely.
Lucifer stood up. “The sparks we all get when we touch her,” he didn’t answer my question, but he captured my interest.
We all felt the tingles? I watched him with wide eyes as he began to walk up the steps. Felix, Dane, Eugene, Theo, and Quin also listened intently. It looked like Lucifer was the only one who’d figured something out. I would never say anything about how she made me feel–or the tingles.
None of us knew about the others; that was clear from the surprised look we all shared.
Lucifer smirked over his shoulder. “She gets them too.”
Elora
The sunlight blinded me as I blinked my eyes open. I squinted, looking around my room, realizing that Felix must have put me to bed after I fell asleep. That explained why I was still in a towel…
My back hurt, but it was nothing too horrible, and my neck felt the same. I rubbed my eyes as yesterday’s events flashed through my mind.
Everything happened so fast, but I remembered how scared I felt. Elliot, a werewolf, was torn in half. I’ve never seen something so vulgar in my life. There was not a doubt in my mind that Jonas was also dead.
I didn’t pity them; they tried to kill me, after all. But I wish I’d never seen my guys act that way. Years ago, when Quin licked the knife with my blood on it, I thought he was scary. After seeing him grab a massive wolf’s upper and lower jaws and rip it in two like it was nothing, I knew they’d severely sheltered me from what they were truly capable of.
Same with Lucifer and Eugene–they removed Jonas’s arms from his body like they were toothpicks.
When push came to shove, I was just glad they came to save me. I wouldn’t be here if Lucifer had never heard me.
I sat up, noticing that it was already mid-morning. I sucked in a breath, realizing I was insanely late for school. I’d slept for so long!
I quickly padded my way into the bathroom, scrubbing myself again. The memory of being covered in blood still burned into my brain. I was glad Duke was there to help me; I didn’t think I would have been able to clean myself properly. I was so shaken up.
With limited time, I left my hair slightly damp. I put on a burnt orange skirt and black crop top before heading down the stairs.
I’d only been late once before, a few years ago, and Dane had woken me up then. Why didn’t he or Eugene wake me? They were usually stern when it came to school and understood my need to maintain my regular routine.
When I reached the bottom of the steps, I realized I wasn’t going to school. One of them would have woken me up if I had somewhere to be.
I guessed this was best, as much as I may not have liked it. I wasn’t feeling up for school anyway, not after being targeted and brutally attacked
by two students I was supposed to be giving tours to and witnessing murders in real-time. A few days away will be a good thing.
Eugene was waiting for me at the bottom of the stairs, dressed in dark jeans and a gray button-down shirt. His eyes watched me closely, and I wanted to make a joke about still being alive, but it was too soon.
I stood on the last step, making me almost the same height as him. I pressed my lips together. “I’m not going to school today, am I?”
He shook his head. “No. Not for a few days,” he spoke softly.
He looked worried, watching me like I would crumble any second. “I’m okay, Eugene,” I promised with a tilt of my head.
He let out a breath and carefully wrapped his arms around me, pulling me into his chest, “I’m not going to let anyone hurt you ever again,” his voice was more stern now. I felt his hands tangle into my hair as he gripped me impossibly closer to him.
I wrapped my arms around his neck, letting his campfire-like touch warm my whole body. “I know you won’t,” I pulled away to look into his unusually bright red eyes. “Where is everyone?” I asked, taking note of how quiet it was.
“Dane went to get your school work for the next week, Duke went to get you a new phone, and the others are out trying to figure out if anyone else knows about you,” he informed.
My shoulders slumped as guilt settled in the pit of my stomach. I crossed an arm over my torso. “I didn’t mean to cause you all so much trouble,” I sighed. Felix, Lucifer, and Duke just got back, and that shouldn’t be how they spent their time.
Eugene wrapped a strong arm around my thighs, picking me up by them, and walked to the kitchen. I practically sat on his arm, allowing my fingers to play with his hair. I liked being carried; I always have.
He sat me on the counter. “This isn’t your fault. We’re doing this because we have to. It’s our job. And the thought of something happening to you–”
“You won’t let anything happen to me. None of you will,” I stopped him from stressing. Since the attack, everyone had been reassuring me that they wouldn’t let anything happen to me again.
He rested both hands on either side of me, caging me between his arms. Vampire’s eyes changed to a bright red whenever they were angry or craving blood. I guess Eugene was still furious.
Biting my lip, I watched his handsome face soften. “Elora, I have to ask you something,” he whispered.
“Ask,” I matched his tone. I got nervous at his closeness, but his warmth pulled me in. He was a flame–no–a bonfire, and I was a moth ready to burn. (A sanitary, non-creepy-crawly moth, of course).
His eyes didn’t look away from mine as I felt his fingertips brush over my bare knee. My eyes shifted down, watching his hand move closer to my thigh, stopping where my skirt ended. Continuing to draw small patterns on my leg, his fingertips shot small flames that traveled up my thigh.
“What do you feel… right now?” He questioned as his glimmering red eyes studied me closely.
My eyes rounded, feeling caught. Was he talking about the tingles?
How could he have possibly known that? I hadn’t told anyone… Lucifer.
Nervously swinging my feet, I looked at his large hand that covered most of my thigh. “I don’t know…” I mumbled. It was embarrassing to admit the sensation. To be fair, it was kind of the truth because I really didn’t know what the tingling was.
Eugene grabbed my chin firmly, making me meet his bright eyes, “I’ve taught you everything you know. That’s why you don’t know how to lie,” he detected. “Tell me.”
With a sigh, I grabbed his arm, softly running my fingertips up and down his forearm, hopefully tickling him. “It’s like that, only everywhere,” I admitted.
He nodded slowly, watching my hand. “When do you feel it?”
I blinked up and stared at him for a few seconds. I didn’t want to talk about the tingles or how much I liked how they felt. “When I touch you… any of you,” I answered.
“When did it start?”
Thinking back to the night Lucifer returned, I’d noticed it first when he hugged me. That was when the tingles started. “When they came back home,” I realized. A sudden panic washed over me. Why was he asking these questions? Have I been sick?! Was that why I kept getting the tingles? What if I felt them when I touched everyone? Obviously, I wouldn’t have known because I didn’t like touching other people besides them. Germs.
I widened my eyes, “Is there something wrong with me? Do I have a disease?” I thought out loud.
Eugene chuckled, “No, nothing is wrong with you–”
“We should have Dane look, what if I’m dying?” I concluded. Dane has called me a hypochondriac before, but I didn’t think that was true. I was just very health conscious.
With a pointed look, he shut me up quickly. Grabbing my hand, he held it in front of me. “You can’t be sick because whatever the feeling is, we all have it, too,” he admitted, studying me for a reaction.
The tingles crept up my arm at his touch. They could feel them too? Why didn’t they say anything? Thinking that made me a hypocrite, but it would have made me feel much more normal if they’d said something. I shifted my gaze to him. “You can feel them?” I repeated softly.
He nodded before letting go of my hand and caged me in again, “Elora, if you ignore the tingles, how do you feel about us?” He hesitantly questioned.
I pouted. “That’s a stupid question. I love you,” I rolled my eyes.
He chuckled, “I know, Sweetheart.” His eyes wandered my face as if he was struggling to find the right words, “There are different kinds of love–”
“All of them,” I said in a duh tone. I made it very clear that I love love love them. Eugene needed to pay more attention, or I needed to love more aggressively. I liked the second option better.
His eyes turned darker, shaking his head as he laughed. He stepped away, walking toward the pantry, “Sorry for questioning you,” he joked, seemingly happy.
I faintly heard the front door open as another question about the tingles came to mind. “Eugene?” I started.
He glanced at me, a small amused smile still on his lips. “Yes, love?”
I pushed my eyebrows together, not knowing how to describe it. “Sometimes when the tingling happens, I can feel it in my privates,” I continued swinging my feet as I spoke. “Like I have to use the bathroom, but I don’t actually,” I explained. Meeting his gaze, I found his eyes wide and mouth open. “What is that?”
The kitchen door opened with a loud thud, “Elora…” Theo smirked at me, slowly entering the kitchen. “Naughty, naughty…”
I pouted, “Is it naughty, Theo?” I didn’t want to be naughty; when I was a kid, Duke always told me to be a good girl, and I listened. If the feeling in my girly parts was bad, I was afraid I didn’t know how to stop it. It just happened.
Theo and Eugene shared a knowing look before approaching me, where I sat on the counter. Theo tilted his head, still smirking, “Very naughty, Princess,” he teased.
I widened my eyes, feeling guilty. I didn’t want to be naughty… My gaze wandered everywhere, trying to think of a way to control it. Honestly, I liked how it felt when the tingles traveled down there, although it could get frustrating. However, if it was bad–
Theo’s hand grabbed my thigh, and I blinked at him, feeling the tingles start to travel–No! Don’t think about it.
His demeanor was completely different than it usually was. He had always been playful and liked to joke around, but something about him seemed… dark. Even the way he looked at me was intense.
“Don’t look so heinous; there’s nothing wrong with being turned on,” Theo assured.
“Turned on?” I asked quietly.
Eugene stood on my other side; his hand settled on my knee. “Yes, that’s what the sensation is between your legs,” he explained lowly, his eyes a bright red again.
Still confused, I knitted my eyebrows. “Does everyone feel turned on?”
Theo smirked, “Most do.” His hand moved an inch up my thigh, and I sucked in a breath. Don’t think about it. His face inched closer to mine, and I felt his minty breath on my collarbone. “Being turned on means your little pussy wants attention, Princess,” he husked, his eyes as molten as Eugene’s. A deep lush stained my cheeks pink. “O–oh,” I stuttered, feeling overwhelmed by both of their hands on me. The tone of Theo’s voice was making it worse. “How do I make it stop?” I asked, noticing a heartbeat
between my thighs.
Eugene pushed my hair behind my ear, “We can help you,” he insisted, his face moving closer to my neck. I turned to the side, granting him access to my skin.
Theo moved his hand under my skirt, and my heart hammered in my chest. “Do you want us to help you, Princess?” Theo asked softly.
Eugene’s lips were pressed against my skin, lightly kissing the sensitive area where my shoulder and neck met. I gasped as wetness pooled in my underwear. I widened my eyes. Did I just pee my pants?!
“No. Let them take care of you, Kitten,” Lucifer demanded in my mind.
I blushed harder, not realizing he was ‘listening.’ If he says so…
I softly nodded. “Uh-huh,” I agreed. It was almost painful now, and I wanted the feeling to fade.
Eugene pulled my knee, spreading my legs apart. His other hand wrapped around my back, keeping me in place. “You smell so good,” he breathed into my ear as he continued his teasing kisses.
Theo watched me closely with clouded red eyes. His hand slipped higher beneath my skirt until I felt his fingertips brush my inner thigh, right next to where I wanted him to touch me. “Have you ever touched yourself here, Princess?” He asked gently.
I shook my head. Until now, I didn’t have a reason to–I didn’t know I was supposed to. All I wanted was for the ache to go away.
Theo quickly glanced at Eugene, his eyes landing back on me with a slight grin. “Fuck, we’re going to ruin you,” he groaned.
I held back a whimper, the ache worsening with each second. Eugene’s attack on my neck became more desperate, and I was struggling to remember how to breathe. By we, I didn’t think he meant just Eugene and himself.
I gasped as Theo’s finger lightly ran down the outside of my underwear, right over my center. Instinctively, I grabbed his wrist, holding onto his arm. My thighs tried to close, but Eugene’s hand was solid, and I couldn’t budge.
Theo watched my face closely and strummed his finger again, making another wave of juices flow out of me. He pressed the pad of his thumb onto my clit, and I moaned, my eyes closing shut. Oh, my goodness.
Eugene smirked against my neck, “Good girl.”
Theo kept the pressure on me and slowly rubbed his thumb in small circles. My nails dug into his wrist, never wanting this to stop, but feeling overwhelmed simultaneously.
“Theo, Eugene!” My eyes shot open, following the voice to the kitchen door where Duke was standing, looking horrified at the sight of Theo between my legs and Eugene at my throat.
A million shades of red covered my body as I locked eyes with Duke.
His eyes kept changing from bright red to his usual dark red.
Eugene pulled his head away from my neck before he gave Duke an annoyed look, “Yes?” He challenged.
Theo slowly retracted his hand, much to my dismay. He never once looked at Duke; he just kept his eyes locked on me.
“A word, now,” Duke hissed at them, walking out of the kitchen. I zoned my eyes on something strained against his thigh in his pants. Maybe he’d brought me home a big candy bar? He used to do that sometimes. Although, judging from the disapproval on his face, I doubt I would get it now.
Eugene rolled his eyes, softly squeezing my knee before following Duke out.
I locked eyes with Theo, and he didn’t seem like he had a care in the world. I bit my lip; if I felt guilty before, I really did now. “Are we in trouble?” I whispered.
He smirked, grabbing me by the waist and lifting me off the counter, onto my wobbly feet. Woah. He fixed my skirt, positioning it back how it was before the touching started. “No. He’s just jealous it wasn’t his hand under your skirt,” he boasted.
My lips parted in surprise. Surely, that was not what was on Duke’s mind. I mean, I hoped he felt that way about me. If that was true, why did he stop us instead of joining us?
Theo sighed, “We’ll continue later, okay?”
I swallowed, nervously twiddling with my hair. “We will?” I asked.
He chuckled, “You couldn’t keep me away if you tried, Princess,” he eyed me lustfully for a few seconds before reluctantly leaving the kitchen.
I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding, repeating what had just happened. Their hands on me felt so right. I could still feel Eugene’s warm, wet kisses on my neck, and I wanted more.
The ache between my legs was still there and was much worse than before. Why couldn’t Duke have walked in a few minutes later? Why did he stop them, they were making me feel good, and he ruined it.
I just wanted more.
|
I fidgeted with my hands under the table as anxiety built in me. Everyone was home now; we were all spread around the kitchen. Quin was
almost done preparing dinner, and it couldn’t come soon enough.
Duke, Eugene, and Theo have been quiet about what happened earlier. None of the three of them had said a word about it after they had left me alone in the kitchen, and that was what made me nervous. I knew it was coming, that the rest of my guys were bound to figure out what happened. Goodness, what would they think of me? Duke could barely look at me, and Theo and Eugene kept smirking at me.
I had to avert my eyes every time I caught them staring, or I would get wet down there again.
Luckily, Dane came home with my homework shortly after they left the kitchen, and I busied myself vigorously, finishing it all.
I was between Lucifer and Felix, with whom I also avoided eye contact. Lucifer knew what had happened too, but I knew he wouldn’t say anything. It was not in his personality to comment on it, but the fact that he knew was enough to make my blood run cold.
I couldn’t help but feel like Felix would scold me a lot if he knew. I didn’t want him to be mad at me. Same with Quin and Dane; they’d probably think less of me, too. I just wanted everyone to be happy, and the unknown was killing me.
I felt Lucifer hold my hand under the table, his thumb rubbing small circles around my hand, silently telling me ‘it’ll be okay.’
Quin’s gaze scanned the kitchen and dining room, narrowing his eyes at everyone. “Look, I know yesterday was scary, but what the hell is with everyone?” He broke the silence.
I tensed, my eyes widening at his accusation. This wasn’t good…
Duke glanced at me quickly before looking away again. I blushed, looking at the table, my heart hammering.
“Elora?” Felix’s voice was filled with concern as he looked down at me. Blinking up at him, I felt a wave of panic wash over me. Even as he intimidatingly towered over me, I couldn’t help but think he was stupidly handsome.
I cringed internally, thinking if I could hear my loud heartbeat, so could they. Goodness, I reeked of guilt, and I was a horrible liar.
I knew it was wrong of me to be like that with Eugene and Theo… but it wasn’t. I didn’t know how I knew; I just did. I wanted to be like that with all of them, and I just didn’t know how to tell them that.
Lucifer softly squeezed my hand, and I widened my eyes, knowing he knew how I felt. I could see why everyone was so against me allowing him in now. I was just lucky he was being nice about my drastic change of emotion towards them. I knew I’d been having a lot of weird thoughts since they returned.
Feeling attraction was new to me in general. I’d always been focused on school and never had time to think about boys. I’d always known my guys were attractive, more than anyone else I’d ever seen, but that was the extent of it. Maybe I was losing my mind, but something in me changed when they returned.
Felix looked around at everyone, noting how strangely awkward the air was. “You all have five seconds to tell me what’s going on,” he ordered, but his gaze stayed locked on me, probably knowing I would crack before the rest of them did.
Oh no.
Seconds went by as I panicked. I couldn’t let Theo and Eugene take the blame. Although, they both looked like they weren’t affected by Felix’s powerful and scary tone. If I was being honest, they probably weren’t. On the other hand, I was crumbling by the second in my chair.
Maybe if I just came clean, it wouldn’t be so bad. What would I even say? I didn’t know what it was called–or if it had a name. There was no kissing, but there was most certainly touching.
Quin set a plate before me, and I stuffed my mouth.
“Elora?” Felix demanded lowly, giving me a stern look.
Nope. I took another big bite, stopping myself from speaking. I pointed to my mouth and shrugged, hinting that I couldn’t talk.
Dane nervously chuckled, “What’s so bad that you can’t say?” He gave me a funny look.
Oh goodness, if only he knew.
“Tell them,” Lucifer insisted. I looked up at him in horror. Was he crazy? I couldn’t.
I tried to take another bite, but Felix quickly pushed my plate away. “Hey,” I pouted at him, actually a bit upset that he’d taken my food away.
“Spill,” he ordered.
Not looking away from his intense eyes, I shook my head no.
He raised his eyebrows, clearly taking my denial as a challenge. “No?” He repeated.
Reluctantly, I nodded. I didn’t want to defy him; I really didn’t. In fact, every single fiber of my being was screaming at me to listen to him. I couldn’t tell him; I didn’t want him to be angry with me. I’d done something really naughty.
Felix narrowed his eyes at me, challenging me to deny him again. “Last chance,” he warned, standing up from his chair.
My eyes were rounded as I watched him. I squeezed Lucifer’s hand under the table, getting all the comfort I could from the contact. Lucifer seemed intrigued by everything.
When Felix saw I wasn’t going to answer, he grabbed my arm firmly but didn’t hurt me. “Let’s go,” he pulled me behind him.
Fear filled me. “Where?” I asked.
“When I ask you a question, you answer. You’ve chosen to learn that the hard way,” he scolded.
My eyes rounded. He was going to scold me; I knew it. He had only given me a spanking one time, and I hated it.
“Felix,” Duke said firmly, grabbing my other hand and halting us before we walked out the door. “That’s not necessary.”
Felix looked down at me, “Then she better start telling the truth,” he deadpanned.
I glanced at Theo and Eugene, sending them pleading looks. I needed help. I couldn’t handle the pressure of explaining what had happened. It wasn’t an accident, and I’d do it again if I could, but they might not understand that it was okay, and I was perfectly fine with what happened.
