by Winter Rose
Now, it felt as though I was being reunited with an old friend. Warmth spread into my heart, and I resisted the urge to greet the statue.
Welcome, child. A voice filled my head as I touched the statue’s marble hand. I pulled back in shock, holding in a cry. Gods, I must be so tired if I’m hearing imaginary voices from statue. I turned around to see if the men saw my reaction. Both Eros and Vulcan were ten paces away from where I stood, their gazes unwavering. I waited for either of them to say something, hoping they didn’t see what had happened and think I was batshit crazy. Say something!
“I’m sorry, the statue is beautiful. I just wanted to take a closer look.” Pull it together, Luna, don’t lose your shit now.
The men took a step forward.
“Never apologize for spending time with the goddesses, Luna, for they will be your guides,” Vulcan whispered. Eros’ eyes widened as he looked from Vulcan back to me. It seemed like the prince’s words just gave him a worlds-shattering epiphany. He was looking at me like I had just grown another head. Shit, I was definitely imagining things.
I placed the rose at the foot of the statue, unable to help the smile that formed on my face when a wave of warmth swept over me. I gave the goddess another stroke before I returned to the men.
“I’m sorry, please continue. I shouldn’t have walked away.” Eros looked over to Vulcan with a pained expression. Vulcan shook his head before he spun back around and headed to a door in the corner of the square. Eros gave me one last conflicted glance before he followed Vulcan. Great, they think I’m a loon.
We stepped through a smaller door, manned by another set of guards, into a long hallway. Gray stone arched over our heads engraved with knots and skulls. A brightly-colored tile mosaic covered the floor, the intricate details worlds away from the stark Estate I grew up in. Wrought iron, circular chandeliers filled with candles lit the way, their light dancing across the magnificent architecture.
Eros, once again, with his hand lightly against the bottom of my spine, led me further down the hallway. I didn’t hesitate as I followed his lead, completely transfixed by the castle’s romantic beauty. A woman dressed in a pale grey smock with a white pinafore and matching bonnet scurried down the hallway, falling into a deep curtsey when she saw us.
“Could you please send female dressers to the royal wing?” Eros said to the curtseying woman.
“Yes, Sire, right away.”
We continued down the hallway until it opened into a large room with a grand staircase. The staircase was so wide ten people could easily stand side by side across it. Or maybe two Vulcans. Eros led me up the stone stairs, and I brushed my hand over the smooth balustrade intricately carved with knots and ropes. Surrounded by so much luxury, it was hard to imagine that this was a secret military base.
As we reached the top, another hallway appeared. This one had large mahogany wooden doors that must have been the entrance to living quarters.
“This will be where you’ll be staying for now. Your maids should be here shortly to show you around your room.”
We stopped at the door close to the end of the corridor. Eros bowed his head slightly, indicating that I should open the door when I hesitated. I was suddenly aware that I had been so overwhelmed by the castle that I had let my guard down and didn’t make a mental map of the way out. Unaware of my inner turmoil, Eros opened the door and stepped into the room. I cursed myself for not paying better attention to the path that we took.
“Are you coming inside, or what?” Eros quipped, his head poking out of the door.
I shook myself mentally, “Yeah, coming.”
The room was fit for a princess, and nothing at all like my room back at The Estate, which could probably fit in here six times over. I ran my hands over the cream wall decorated with small golden flowers; the same pattern covered the deep purple sheets that draped over the large four-poster bed in the center of the room. I stood stiff in the corner.
“Do you not like it?” Eros asked, his voice laced with concern. “The bed is super comfortable.” He sat on the corner of it and bounced a few times.
I was utterly overwhelmed; I felt almost numb.
“It’s just all a bit much,” I took another step into the room and tried to relax my shoulders. It was like my mind had closed, unable to catch up with everything that had happened in the last couple of hours; everything had changed.
“Luna? Is she okay?” Eros had obviously said my name more than once; concern shone in those turquoise eyes.
“A lot has happened,” Vulcan’s deep voice feathered against the back of my neck.
“Why, what happened?” Eros’ face hardened, all traces of his light-hearted nature evaporated.
“Later,” Vulcan grunted in response.
The day’s events pressed down on me: I was no longer part of the Koray. I would never see my friends again. My carefully thought-out future was suddenly no longer an option, and I had never been more fearful. A hand lightly stroked the top of my neck, and my skin prickled in response. I felt Vulcan take a step closer.
“Don’t worry, Luna,” his words caressed my ear. “You are one of us now, and you have nothing to fear here.” I found myself wanting to press my back against his solid chest, wanting to seek comfort from a complete stranger. The thing was, he didn’t feel strange at all. In this moment surrounded by his scent and his heat, I had never felt more at home.
I realized I had closed my eyes at some point, and I opened them instantly. Eros was laying across the bed supported by his forearm. The shirt he wore hung open further, revealing the start of his abdominal muscles. He looked like a painting of a golden god spread out before me. I could feel the hard planes of Vulcan’s muscles pressed against my back.
Everything stopped. My stomach fluttered, my breath quickened, and I realized that I was alone with both of these men. Eros’ mouth lifted in a half smile, and by the way his eyes twinkled, he knew exactly what I was thinking.
A knock at the door shocked me out of my heated moment, thank the gods. Three women stepped into the room, each dropping into a low curtsey. They wore smocks and aprons like the lady in the hallway. Their dresses, however, were black.
“Excellent. Ladies, the Princess here doesn’t have a gown for this evening. She will need to be ready for her escort in three hours.”
“What could possibly take three hours?” I asked, my head reeling, but none of them replied. All three women circled me with a critical eye, and I wanted the floor to swallow me whole.
“Come, Eros,” Vulcan commanded. “Let us leave Luna in more experienced hands.” Eros stepped off the bed, unfurling his long frame, and walked toward us, taking my hand as he bowed.
“I do believe, Vulcan.” He kissed the back of my hand as he gazed into my eyes. “That Miss Moon would be hard-pushed to find hands more experienced than mine.” With those parting words, he straightened, winked, and left the room.
Chapter Ten
When I dreamed of joining the League as a child, I understood that my life would not be glamorous, and that suited me fine. My idea of dressing up was adding fewer blades to a military-grade outfit. So, you could imagine my horror at the pile of colorful gowns that draped over the canopied bed.
I couldn’t even remember a time when I had worn a dress, nor did I have any desire to do so. The material was heavy and the shape far too restrictive to fight in. I was entirely pissed off that the two men had rendered me incapable of thinking. I was embarrassed that I didn’t even protest, or attempt to fight my way out of this situation. I was definitely not the type of girl to follow orders from men, prince or not.
The eldest of the three women stepped toward me with an emerald green silk garment draped over her arms.
“Would you care to bathe, Your Grace?” She was blond and couldn’t have been much older than me. Her hair was tied back into a bun, making her look like a pretty ballerina. I couldn’t quite make out her species. How do I say, oh Underworld no, without offending her? Wait, d
id she just say Your Grace? I tried not to snort at the thought of me being remotely royal.
“Please, call me Luna,” I attempted with a friendly smile which she returned with a horrified expression.
“I … oh ...Yo-erm, Luna, would you care to bathe?” I let out frustrated breath not used to people being so formal around me.
“What is your name?” I asked her.
She dipped her head as if she was being chastised. “May, Your-err … Luna, my name is May.” The poor girl looked as though she was about to have a seizure.
“May, I don’t need help getting ready. I have managed to dress myself for twenty years, and I am most certainly not a lady.”
May looked at me with panicked eyes.
“Prince Vulcan has ordered us to dress you … Yo-Luna, you are a royal guest.” I genuinely thought that May was about to break down in tears. I’m no good with crying women. Realizing that I was getting nowhere, I blew out a sigh.
“You do realize that I am a soldier, right? Do you dress all of the Elite’s Warriors?” May just stood there, her brown eyes filling with tears. “Fine, but let’s lose the curtseying and the bobbing of heads and just treat me like any average person you just happen to dress.”
I could have sworn she nearly smiled when she replied, “Of course, Luna.” For the love of the gods, what have I got myself into?
The other two girls came back into the room from another door and announced that the bath was ready. I followed the one who looked to be the eldest of the two, while the other deeply curtseyed as I passed by.
“May?” I asked.
“Yes, err-Luna?”
I smiled; she nearly said my whole name without throwing up. Go May!
“Let’s explain to this one about the curtseying rule,” I pointed at the smallest of the three, whose head was still bowed. This time May grinned and her face transformed from pretty to stunning.
“Luna has asked that we refrain from curtseying and that we call her by her name only.” The two other maids eyed May like she had gone batshit.
“What is your name?” I asked the older of the two who stepped forward.
“Edith, Your Grace, I mean, Luna. Sorry, this will take some getting used to.” Edith slammed her hand over her mouth, making me chuckle.
“I’m Lily,” the last of the three said. Lily had dainty features; come to think of it, she looked suspiciously like Edith.
“Are you two sisters?” I asked the pair.
“We all are, Luna,” May said with a tight smile. Now that she said it, I was able to spot similarities between the three. The way they looked, even the way they held themselves was eerily similar. They each had brown eyes and sandy hair. It was as though they were designed by the gods to melt easily into a crowd. They had no obvious energy signal either … They must be Hybrids.
“Now, let’s begin, we only have two and a half hours; and we still have to pick out a dress.”
“That’s alright, I will wear this,” I moved my hands up and down the side of my body, highlighting what I was wearing. The mirrored horror between the three sisters had me in stitches. It was worth a try. I shrugged. “Lead the way.”
I followed the three sisters through a door at the back of the room that led into a stone bathhouse similar to the one I saw just days ago—minus the hot guy.
“Okay, I’m good from here.” The girls looked from one another, then to me with panic in their eyes, I was seriously concerned for their nerves.
“You’re going to wash me, aren’t you?” I sighed. The question was rhetorical because I already knew what the answer would be. Gods save me.
“Traditionally yes, Luna; do your maids not help you bathe back home? I’m sorry forgive my boldness, if you are uncomfortable, we could just hand you what you needed?” I looked over at May, grateful for her statement because I was a grown-ass woman who can wash her own bits perfectly fine.
I quickly came to terms with the fact that they were going nowhere, and I started to undress. The three girls busied themselves with pulling out bottles of oils and soaps and adding some to the water. The smell of roses washed over me. Did she just say my maids back home? What in Zeus’s name?
I took my knives out of their holders and placed them carefully at the water’s edge, not yet trusting in my surroundings. If the three sisters were as crazy as they seemed, I wanted to keep them close.
My underwear was the last garment left, and a wave of embarrassment washed over me. I soon realized how ridiculous that was. I am a soldier, and they have the same lady bits. I snapped out of feeling embarrassed and grew a pair—of ovaries because let’s face it, they are tougher than balls.
I stepped into the water, hissing at the sudden temperature change. Once it was at chest height, I submerged myself fully so that I could wet my hair. Gods above, I groaned. I had never had a bath before this night, and it took everything in me not to just melt into the warm, scented waters.
The moonlight had begun to filter in through the domed ceiling, the floral oils and candles just added to the luxury of it all. If this was how everyone got ready for a ball, it might not be the worst thing in the worlds.
“For your body.” May passed me a bar of soap that smelled like a blend of rose and lavender—it was incredible. I began lathering my body with its delicate smell.
“So, what’s the name of the supe in charge of the Elites anyway?” I tried and probably failed at being nonchalant. It had just dawned on me how little I knew of my new home. Sure, I broke into it on assignment, but all I was given were obscure instructions with the location and a drawing of the medallion.
The three sisters’ gazes were locked in a silent battle, May shifted, obviously uncomfortable.
“This is the Elites’ headquarters, but it is the ancestral home of the Dracar clan,” May began. “King Magnar Dragar is both the Vampire King and the Elites chieftain.” I tried not to let my surprise show on my face; May had just named the most famed warlord. Magnar Dracar.
I had no idea he was a part of the Elites, but it made sense; why I hadn’t come to this conclusion before now was beyond me. When you think of the greatest Warrior in the worlds, he’s up there with the best of them. Now I was in his home. The reality of the situation I was in was dawning on me. I was in the Elites headquarters.
“May I wash your hair, Luna?” Edith asked me.
“Why?” I asked, lifting a brow and eyeing her suspiciously.
Edith started to go a shade of pink, “I-er…”
“It’s what we do. Edith is the best with hair. If she washes it now, it will make it much easier for her to put it up later.” I really wanted to run away screaming Underworld, no! Unfortunately, the sight of Edith nearly having a meltdown was enough to make me give in.
“If you must,” I grumbled before cursing every man alive for not having to do any of this shit.
“If you just lay back Your … Luna,” Edit stumbled over her words, and I decided to reign in the bitch face. Deep inside I was plotting dress genocide.
I lay back against the ledge that I was perched on, which allowed Edith full access to my hair. My fingers stroked the cool metal of my blade that I had instinctively reached for. Its cool bite made my vulnerable position seem a bit more bearable. The familiarity was easing my inner turmoil.
More delicious smells filled the room as Edith started to work something into my hair. A soft, traitorous sigh escaped my lips as her hands worked their magic on my scalp, and at that moment, all my thoughts evaporated. I decided that I liked baths.
After she finished washing my hair, Edith began to comb it through with sweet-smelling oils. The heat of the bath and the pressure of Edith’s fingers made me melt into the seat. I don’t think I have ever been so relaxed in my whole life. Maybe getting dressed by the three sisters wouldn’t be too bad after all.
I sat at a dressing table in a thin, emerald green dressing gown, which I tied around myself twice. My hands twitched for my blades that I had placed in front of
me. May had just finished putting makeup on my face, much to my dismay. We both apparently came to a compromise; that she could line my eyes with glittering coal and stain my lips. The brushes that I felt on my eyelashes and cheeks were not part of that agreement. May was more cunning than I originally thought.
The face staring back at me was a familiar stranger. My dark lashes brought out the silver in my eyes, more than I would have liked. My eyes had always been an insecurity of mine due to the attention they brought. They just reminded the Koray daily that I was not one of them.
The flicks of coal around them gave me a feline look. The red that stained my lips made them look even poutier if that was possible. My face glowed in the candlelight. I looked far too pretty to be a soldier, and it pissed me off.
“I will be doing your hair, Luna. Do you have any style in mind?” Edith began to run her hands through my loose curls.
“What’s wrong with my hair?” I asked, defensive of my best asset. Well, that and my chest.
Edith’s eyes began to water, and I caved like a bitch,
“Just do whatever you want.” I was utterly miserable with how this day was turning out. Edith’s mouth instantly flickered into a smile, and I became extremely suspicious of her frightened servant act. I could practically see the cogs turning in her head. I don’t recall having ever been that frightened in my whole life.
She began piling my hair on top of my head, letting some loose curls free to frame my face. After about ten minutes of sitting, the tie on the dressing gown began to dig into my ribs. I untied the knot and loosened the belt so that I could breathe again.
The shoulders of the gown slid down my arms, leaving the top of my back and chest exposed. Edith let out a startled cry, and I turned my head to see what caused it, pulling the gown back up.
A sharp intake of breath, followed by an exclamation in a language unfamiliar to me left May as she stopped the gown from being pulled up any further. Her fingers lightly brushed the spot in-between my shoulder blades as her eyes began to water. I could see Edith and Lily with matching awe-filled expressions as the three looked at the same spot.
