The Everly Davis chronicles

by Amelia K Oliver

  There are several built-in gun and blade cabinets behind the rails in the walk-in wardrobe. It’s my happy place, that small, hidden room behind my clothes. I put a small Army cot in there, and it's where I sleep while I watch the cameras at Alan’s house to make sure they don't get attacked. There's a bookcase in the corner, but the space is so small, I have to swap those out regularly with books I haven’t read. The door to my sanctuary opens by an app on my phone. Fingerprint recognition and a twelve digit password with letters are required to gain entry. There’s also a hidden panel behind my ties. Yea, paranoid much? It's also a panic room, in case a human is caught here if Selkie or other enemies attack.

  We've learnt nowhere is safe when Poseidon himself is looking for whatever it is he wants and sends his fucked-up creatures after you and your brothers without warning. I built this place to keep those I loved safe, but it has become my own personal hell without them here. My prison. I sit next to our girl and look into her eyes. She opens her red lips as if to speak.

  “Everly, wait.” I lift a finger and push it gently against her soft lips. My jaw drops in surprise when she sucks my finger into her mouth and swirls her tongue around the tip. My dick is instantly hard. I shift my position so it's not crushed by my jeans. She lets my finger go with the sexiest sound and a gentle bite to the tip. Oh, fuck me.

  "Nope. Don't start, Karl. I don't want to go around in circles with this. I'm over it." Her words sound final.

  "I wasn't mad because you had sex with Leyland!" I blurt out louder than I wanted to. The look of absolute shock on her face almost makes me want to laugh. Instead I, continue before she interrupts me again, "I was mad because anyone could have walked into you house and hurt you, hurt my brother. He knows better, but you don't. I let my temper get away from me, I'm really sorry.” It all comes rushing out of me like water from a broken tap. I look to Garrot for support. He clears his throat and shifts uncomfortably on the floor.

  “Karl, I spent four years with an arsehole who had a temper, I don't take well to that kind of behaviour anymore,” she says before Garrot can say anything.

  Shit, hearing that breaks my heart. I'll fucking eviscerate the guy who laid his hands on her. I need to find this guy and crush his soul before decimating his body. I slip to the floor to sit with my brothers. She crosses her legs but not before we all get a flash of red lace. Oh, Jesus. My dick is so hard it actually hurts. My balls are so blue it's like the Smurfs moved in and set up camp.

  "He's right, Ever, we do know better. And please believe me when I say not one of us would ever hurt you, in any way, ever. Yes, it's your house, but we know the dangers out there, you don't. And that's on us, not you. We should’ve told you this before now, but we are shit scared of you doing a runner. We just didn't have the balls to tell you, I’m so sorry. We all are.” Garrot interrupts my naughty thoughts. And so it begins.

  Everly

  I'm officially freaked out now. The guys have been dropping hints something is up since we met and maybe it would scare me off. Jesus, just tell me already! I know in my heart they would never hurt me as Peter had. Not that I would let them. After I escaped Peter's grasp I took self-defence classes. I lost two stone doing it too, so extra points to me! If another man tries to lay hands on me without my permission again, he’ll find himself eating his own dick. Sideways.

  "Get on with it lads, I'm tired of being kept in the dark,” I tell them sternly. All three of them are sitting on the floor in front of me. I feel like a teacher and these are my cute - not so little students. I giggle at the thought. I pull the skirt over my knees and cross my legs; this is not the time to give them a view of my undercrackers. Garrot is the first to talk, his excitement showing in those beautiful eyes of his.

  "Another drink, Ever?" I look down at my empty glass.

  Are they trying to get me drunk? Fuck it, I've got a feeling I'll need a drink to calm me down. Are they married? Have girlfriends? Oh, are the three of them in a sexual relationship with each other? I had noticed they were more than just close, acting more familiar with each other than normal best friends. Hmm, I'm totally fine with that, lads. So long as you let me join in.

  "Yes, please. Now spill or I'm leaving.” They share a look between them, an unspoken conversation happening with their eyes. A full glass appears at the corner of my eye line. I'm about to say thanks and grab the glass, but that's when I realize no one is holding it. All three guys are still on the rug in front of me. I freeze. I guess the normal reaction would be to lose my shit at the sight of the glass hanging there, midair, but I sit there and just stare at it. What the fuck did they put in my drink?

  "Ever, Garrot is doing that with his mind. Take the drink,” Leyland says softly. Like he thinks if he talks quietly, I won't spook and run out the door screaming and waving my hands around like a crazy bitch who's being chased by bees.

  You see me running? You better run too, because the only reason you'll see me run is if something or someone horrific is chasing me. Am I high right now? I must be high, I’m tripping. That's what this is. I'm flying through the clouds on a magic carpet while singing ‘Because I got high’, and any minute now I'll come crashing down to earth. But I don't feel high. I once got high in college with a bunch of mates, and I was sick as shit from it. This doesn't feel like that at all. Nope, not high.

  I turn my gaze to each of the guys. Nobody's smiling or laughing, their faces are more serious than I've ever seen them. Garrot is floating about a foot off the floor, Mother. Fucking. Floating. Garrot has an electric blue glow around him. Magic then? No one is holding a fishing rod; I don't see wires coming from above Gar. How'd he make that glass and himself float? I swipe my hand in the air above the glass, ninja style, thinking my hand will hit the wires. Nothing. I look to Garrot who is now back on the floor, no longer floating. There’s a brown glow around Karl, and Leyland has a white bow in his hands. There’s a baby pink light shining through his shirt over his chest. Fucking hell. Real? Not real? My breathing speeds up, the world tilts on an angle. My hands fist the fabric of my skirt. What. The. Fuck?!

  "Everly, I can move things with my mind. I'm telekinetic, please let me..." Garrot whispers.

  Oh, hell no. What the fuck is this shit? That's when I freak out. See ya! I jump to my feet and run as fast as my short, fat legs can take me. I narrowly escape falling when my trainers slip. I slide across the room, in a move that Michael J. Fox would be proud of.

  Shit, shit, fuck, fuck. Get the fuck out of here, Everly. I barrel into the front door and I fumble with the fucking secret lock thing. Got to get out. I can hear their pounding footsteps behind me. I finally manage to open the door and dash out. I run like my arse is on fire and I need to put it out by running as fast as I can. I run like bees are chasing me and I have a severe allergic reaction to their stingers. I run like a bat out of hell, and I don't even stumble once.

  I don't look behind me. My goal is to get the fuck away from those... those Harry Potter mother fuckers! Jesus, Garrot moved that glass with his mind. Who the fuck does that? Who is he? Phoenix from the X-Men? Is Leyland freaking Bullseye? Oh, my days, is Karl Professor X? Move, bitch, run! No, Karl would be The Beast. He's definitely built like him, minus the blue skin. After what feels like hours, but definitely wasn't, because I can't run for that long, I stop and slide behind a tree. I place my hands on my knees, trying to catch my breath. Holy fuck! What are they? Oh man, I had sex with Leyland! Unprotected sex, dirty girl! Am I now infected? Will I grow fucking wings or something? It's at that point I burst into tears.

  The last time I cried was when my mother passed away. The time before that was when my pet dog, Gumgum, died when I was ten. I never cry, not even when my ex, Peter, would beat me almost daily. I never let him see how hurt, both physically and mentally, I was. Except for when I'm on my period, then everything makes me cry. Even adverts on telly have me blubbering. But right now, I curl up on the forest floor, crying like the girl I am. It’s not even shark week. I don't know if I have a
right to feel betrayed or not. I don't exactly understand why I’m so freaked out. I guess I feel like they lied to me this whole time, but they’ve never really lied. They just didn’t tell me about this side of themselves. I lived my whole life coveting the “powers” of my favourite superheroes, but never believing there could be people in this world who actually could do this sort of thing. It’s cool and freaky all at the same time. The geek in me is fucking thrilled, but the normal human being in me is freaked the fuck out.

  I felt like I knew them or was getting to know them. I’ve developed feelings for Leyland and Garrot, and I know I could end up feeling things for Karl too, given enough time. I feel betrayed. I'm also scared, because I don't know what to expect next. I mean, this isn't a film or a comic, this is real world shit. If a floating guy doesn't freak you out, then you've got issues, my friend. I’d find you one of those jackets that make you hug yourself and call the men in white. The only person on this planet who wouldn't lose their shit over this would be Stan Lee. Leyland makes out like he’s falling in love with me when we’re together. We slept together! And he didn't tell me. Garrot had plenty of chances too. They’ve each had plenty of opportunities to show me their... powers? Is Garrot the only one who can make things move with his mind, or can the others do that too? Why was he glowing bright blue? What was that cool-looking bow in Leyland’s hands for and the pink glow on his chest? Why do Karl’s feet glow brown? And most importantly why on God's green earth didn't they just tell me from the start? Would I have believed them?

  Hell no, I'm not crazy. I would never believe someone if they just came out and said, “You're sexy. Oh, by the way, I can manipulate the atoms in the air and move shit with just a thought. Let's fuck!” I'd think they were crazy as a bag full of cats. But if they had shown me what they are, what they can do, then I wouldn't have been able to deny it. I would’ve been freaked out, but who wouldn't be? Being that I'm a geek at heart, I would’ve been so into it. What a big, confusing mess we've gotten ourselves into.

  They’ve been saying they had something to tell me, that it was something I needed to know, but never in a million years did I expect this. I feel like I'm in an episode of ‘The Gifted’. Where is that sexy Blair Redford? Is he going to join this party too?

  Hmm, yes please. Shit. Don't be adding more guys into the mix, Ever. As tempting as that may sound, it wouldn't feel right to add a stranger to my guys. Heaving sobs wrack my body and snot forms in my nose. I'm an ugly crier, so sue me. My blubbering slows and then stops as I calm the fuck down. I left my bag at the guys’ house so I can't blow my nose. I sniff heavily and wipe away my tears with my hands. I don’t have my phone either.

  Shit, I bet they’re out here somewhere looking for me. Hopefully, I’ll bump into one of them and he’ll take me home. My initial instinct was to run. After a little time and thought, I realize that was wrong,

  Shit, Ever, real smooth going. I blow a heavy breath out and realize it’s really cold. My skirt has ridden up and my legs are exposed, allowing a breeze to hit my arse, and I can't feel my arms anymore. My nipples are so hard, they hurt. It's the middle of summer, it shouldn't be this co... I hear leaves rustle in the space behind me, so I sit up to look over my shoulder.

  Fuck, it's dark. How long have I been lying here crying into the grass? Something lands in the grass in front of me and I whirl around, just as a strong hand covers my mouth from behind, followed by something heavy hitting my head. Then it's lights out.

  Chapter Eleven

  LEYLAND

  Karl places a comforting hand on my shoulder. "She won't get far, Leyland, this place is in the middle of nowhere. I'll get the lights, you start looking.” I can't believe she ran like that. I expected her to be freaked out, sure. But to actually run from the house like we had done something terrible? That, I had not expected. My heart feels like it’s breaking in two.

  My consort has left me; my love ran from me. She owns half my soul, and she ran so fast... I swear my heart actually stopped beating. Unshed tears sting my eyes. I rub the heel of my hand against my heart in hopes it will stop the ache that’s settled there. I, at least, expected her to listen to our stories first before saying she didn’t want anything to do with us. What if she's fallen and is injured? She hasn't got her phone with her; she can’t ring for help. Shit! I can't wait for Karl any longer. I sprint into the trees and hope I don't run face first into one of them.

  "Everly!" I shout at the top of my lungs. Where is she? This was such a bad idea! We should’ve just told her instead of showing her. Everly, my love, come back to me. I love you. A branch whips my face as I run headlong into the trees that surround Karl’s house, but I barely notice the pain. All I can think about is how much I need my girl back. I waited so long for her; I can't lose her now. I should never have agreed to this. She hasn't even heard the rest of our stories yet. Maybe I should’ve gone first?

  Oh yeah, me disappearing and shooting her with a desire arrow would’ve gone so fucking smoothly. Idiot, Leyland!

  Maybe I should’ve talked to her alone, told her about me, one chapter at a time. “Everly!” Where are you, my love? Please come back to me. It’s freezing out here, despite it being the middle of summer. The breeze is colder than it is in winter. It’s strange. A scary thought enters my mind. I pull out my phone and call Garrot. “Gar, it's cold, isn't it? It’s unusual to be like this in the middle of summer, you don’t think...” My words are cut off because Garrot is right behind me, crashing through the forest.

  He stops in front of me, and when he sees the tears pouring from my eyes, he reaches out and grabs my forearms. I hold his too, and for a moment we just look at each other in the darkness, our overgrown hair fluttering in the breeze. His, with blonde highlights from being outdoors. Mine's so dark it's almost black. Neither of us shaved these last two days, so we now have stubble on our faces. Everly said it was adorable and kept running her hands over it.

  Our foreheads meet, taking calming breaths. Karl stalks through the pitch-black night like a man on a mission. His torches light not just the area around us, but his determination as well. I let go of Gar and take my bow and arrows from him. I check my quiver to make sure it's full; it is. This one isn't my cupid bow, no, this one is obsidian black and quite deadly. The edges are razor sharp to slice through bone easily. Garrot takes his blue broadsword, and Karl has his usual Glock.

  “You think weapons are necessary, K? She ran away from us because we freaked her out. I don't think turning up with our weapons in our hands will help her feel safe with us,” I ask him. He sniffs the air like a bloodhound, ignoring my protests.

  “I smell Selkie in the air, brothers. We have to find our girl, and fast.” Karl says.

  Shit, shit, shit. Selkies are shapeshifters. On land they’re ugly, disfigured humanoids, in the sea they’re seals. In both forms, they’re vicious fuckers and like to rip their victims apart, one slice at a time. We've seen far too many of the bodies they leave behind. Well, at least what they won’t eat, that is, which isn't much.

  “We have to find Everly, right now!” Urgency makes my voice rise an octave. Our torches turned on, we spread out. Karl can see in the dark, but Garrot and I can't. I run as fast as my powerful legs can take me. The ground uneven and threatening to trip me over, but I don’t slow down. I need to find our girl before the Selkies do. If they kill her, my soul will be lost, making me a soulless demon. When Cupids bond with their consort and break the seal, they give them part of their souls. If their consort should die then that part of the Cupid's soul will die too. Without that other half in the world, the Cupid becomes broken, turning them into Demons. The Fallen.

  Once the Cupid becomes a Demon, all the connections made by them are wiped out, causing chaos and broken hearts around the world. Here was me thinking that if she ran, it would be because we came on too hard or too fast. Instead, she runs from us because of a floating glass. Fuck me, what a mess! What she doesn't know, but we would’ve told her about tonight, is Karl
’s been dreaming about her for the last seven months. He called it dream sharing. If he was asleep at the same time as her, he was transported into her dream. If he was awake at the time, he would lose consciousness. He didn't give many details when he told us about it, but he did say they were disturbing and creepy. Her dreams were always the same, until recently.

  They changed a whole lot, and something inside him changed too. He’s become quick to anger and lost weight. Since Everly wasn’t talking to him after he barrelled into her bedroom, he couldn't cope with not being around her to protect her. I just hope we find her before a Selkie does. A cold breeze hits my face. It's then that I realize tears are still streaming down my cheeks in abandon.

  Garrot

  Bent over at the waist with my hands on my knees, I try to catch my breath. Why do I feel so out of shape? Sure, I haven’t been to the gym in a few weeks, but shit, man, I couldn’t have gotten this weak in that short space of time. All I can think about is finding my sweet girl. Sure, I haven’t known her for very long, but my culture is not like that of humans. We bonded by heartbeat, which means we’re fated.

  Then it clicks in my head; I feel like I can't breathe because I haven’t found Everly yet. My heart is pounding in my chest which makes me think about when my heartbeat changed its rhythm to match hers. Grabbing my phone from my jeans, I dial Leyland. “Le, you took Ever as your consort, right?” He takes longer than necessary to answer.

  “Yes, I did.” Fuck, I can hear he's been crying, his voice is quiet and husky.