by ZL Morris
Zadimus’s voice starts out hesitant but becomes stronger as he speaks. “We’ll be having some visitors stay with us for a few days. We don’t want you to worry, and I want you to know that this is your home. We’ll look after you, but please be assured they’re not a threat.”
Do they not know that telling someone not to worry is exactly the wrong thing to say? I decide not to say anything though because his last statement leaves me confused. Dreading whatever he’s about to say, I ask, “I-I-I don’t understand. Who are they?”
My panic spikes when their expressions remain serious. Alarm bells ring in my head when I realise I won’t like the answer they’re about to give me.
“The Argent pack.” Idris’s hold on my hand tightens, and the hesitation in his voice matches his brother’s.
“P-p-pack… w-w-wolves?” Abruptly, I stand and try to pull my hands from them, but they don’t allow me.
Their thumbs continue to smooth over the backs of my hands, but the panic takes over. My breathing becomes choppy, and I wheeze in a desperate attempt to catch my breath. My lungs feel as though ice fills them. The need to get away claws at me. I can’t be here! They can’t be here with me! How are they going to protect me against wolves? I won’t be captured again. I refuse to go through that again!
“Willow!” Lazarus barks in an attempt to grab my attention.
My eyes lock onto his, and I allow him to see the thoughts running through my head.
He grabs my face and pulls me towards his. He places a harsh kiss on my lips and demands severely, “Breathe! They’re not like the Blood Moon pack. They’re our friends. They will not hurt you! We, as your mates, will protect you!”
My breath harshly stutters out, and black dots appear in my vision. My hands somehow find themselves desperately grabbing their shirts to keep myself upright. I’m barely able to register the noise as one of them bellows for Cassius. My legs give way, and I stumble awkwardly when I try to regain my balance. The guys are forced to hold me because my legs no longer can.
A new set of hands grabs hold of my face, and I flinch at the cold, unfamiliar touch. My arms are grasped above my elbows, assisting whoever it is to force my face to look at theirs. My eyes lock with light purple ones. Years of knowledge shines through them, and the crow’s feet at the corners show a lifetime of laughter. The soft, soothing voice registers, and I try to calm my heart rate enough to listen.
“Come on, Miss Willow. Breathe with me, honey. It’s okay.” Cassius grasps my now-free hand and places it on his chest. His eyes briefly flicker to the guys around me when three growls sound out, but he quickly turns his attention back to me and ignores them.
The expensive material of his shirt shifts under my palm as his chest rises and falls with his breaths. But even through my panic, I realise I don’t feel a heartbeat. It takes me a moment, but I finally grasp what he wants and match the way his chest moves in and out. My panic slowly recedes. The black dots in my vision dissipate, and I take note of my surroundings. Humiliation burns hot through me when I notice Lilith and Tobias standing off to the side, witnessing my meltdown.
Then my eyes stay focused on the floor to avoid looking at the guys. Summoning courage I don’t feel, I glance at them only to realise their eyes are light purple. My heart breaks, knowing they’re upset because of me.
“I-I-I’m… sorry,” I croak out.
They jump into action and gently pick me up to place me on the centre island countertop, all three immediately surrounding me. The coldness of their skin seeps through my sweat-soaked PJs and feels glorious against my hot, sticky skin. I rest my head on Lazarus’s shoulder as three different hands run soothingly up and down my back.
My body relaxes under their touch, and I briefly forget about the others in the room with us. I sit upright when a voice speaks up from behind me.
“You did well, dear. Who knew imitating breathing could stop a panic attack?” Lilith remarks, pride clear in her voice.
My eyes open impossibly wide. It takes a moment too long for her words to register, and I use the fleece material of my PJs to spin around on the counter to stare at Lilith and Cassius in shock. “Y-y-you what?”
“Honey, Cassius hasn’t filled his lungs with oxygen for over fifty years,” Lilith calmly explains.
Shocked by her explanation, a laugh bursts from me before I’m able to stop it. Who knew I’d suffer a panic attack in a house full of vampires, and a vampire who can’t even breathe would help me through it? I’m half tempted to pinch myself to see if I’ve somehow landed in a different universe.
I manage to slow my laughing before I end up completely losing the plot. With no idea how to explain what I find so funny, I hiccup and bury my face in Lazarus’s neck, so I can greedily take in his scent. It’s similar to Zadimus’s musky smell, but with something else I can only imagine is all him. The smell calms my heart further. I finally relax and settle into him.
Lazarus’s hands have a slight tremor when he gently picks me up, and I glance up in surprise when he walks towards the door in silence. My eyes briefly turn to Cassius, and I nod my thanks. He smiles softly and offers his own nod before it’s cut off by the kitchen door closing behind me.
Lazarus takes us into a room I haven’t seen before, and I’m shocked by the number of oversized sofas and chairs. Eight of them have been placed strategically around the room. At first glance, it looks as if they’re placed randomly, but they’re all slightly angled so whoever sits in them has a clear view of the doorway and window.
He gently lowers himself onto a sofa while keeping me in his lap. Zadimus and Idris sit down on either side of us. I curl up, still a little embarrassed they witnessed my meltdown. God! I must’ve really freaked them out.
Feeling the need to put the situation right, I mumble in Lazarus’s chest, “I’m sorry I didn’t mean to scare you all.”
Zadimus’s hand comes to rest on my knee. He gives it a squeeze but doesn’t bother to remove his hand. “No need to be sorry, Callidora. I want you to be comfortable here. I can contact the Argent pack and suggest they not come if it makes you uncomfortable or feel unsafe.”
I barely miss whacking Lazarus in the chin with the top of my head as it shoots up in shock. I look at him first to apologise, but he plants a quick kiss on my lips in reassurance. Unsure of the other guys’ reactions to such a blatant display, I turn to Zadimus first. I’m relieved to see he’s not upset by the kiss. I glance over my shoulder, and Idris offers me a smile.
“Why are they coming?” My heartbeat picks up speed, and I force myself to breathe to try to regain some control. I can’t let myself panic at this. I need to face it head-on. I’m sure that once I know all the facts, I won’t feel completely trapped.
“They’re friends, and we need to discuss the wolves who captured you. Blood Moon set out to take the Argent pack’s new Luna. Her name is Tallulah. She’s slightly younger than you, but I’m sure you’ll like her once you know them better.”
“Them? Who’s them?” I question.
“Them are three brothers. The future Alpha and the oldest is Theo. The twins are Quimby and Kenji. Tallulah is their mate, like you are ours.”
Flabbergasted, I respond, “Oh.” I didn’t stop to think there would be other people out there with multiple mates. I guess I thought it would be limited to vampires.
“I promise they won’t hurt you. The guys are protective of Tallulah, like we are with you, but they’re a friendly bunch,” Idris explains.
“You promise they aren’t going to hurt me?” I ask again for reassurance even though I already know the answer.
“We promise,” they chorus together.
Recognising that I can trust their words, I relax and snuggle down between all three of them to enjoy a few quiet moments with them. Zadimus pulls my feet into his lap, which makes me slouch back into Idris. My backside must move in an awkward way because Lazarus groans.
My eyes catch his, and I find myself caught in Lazarus’s blue gaze. A
hardness presses persistently against my hip. He leans forward and rests his forehead against mine, his dark eyes gazing longingly into mine. I jump at the sound of the ridiculously loud doorbell coming from the hallway.
We listen quietly as the door squeaks open. My ears strain to try to pick up the voices from the hallway. I recognise Cassius’s voice, but I can’t hear his words or whatever the reply is from the unknown person.
My curiosity is answered when Cassius enters the room with a small army of people. My gaze drifts over the different people. A logo on the breast pocket of the man behind Cassius catches my attention. It reads Sal’s Catering Service.
I attempt to move off Lazarus’s lap, but all three tighten their hold on me, not allowing me to move. My cheeks heat when I notice some of the newcomers curiously staring at us. Two guys towards the back of the group blatantly leer at me. Decidedly uncomfortable, I turn my attention away from them before they realise I noticed them. My eyes lock onto Lazarus’s, and his eyes change to onyx with anger. I realise too late he read my thoughts.
Cassius clears his throat to gain everyone’s attention. “I’ll show them where the kitchen is. Would you like me to write a list of the food preferences our guests will need?” He looks at me and quickly adds, “And whatever Miss Willow would like, of course.”
A mumble at the back of the group is drowned out by a barking cough. Involuntarily, my gaze moves to the two guys who were leering at me. One has his hand over his mouth, and the other shoots daggers at the floor.
Idris growls and gently moves me off him and over to Zadimus so he can stand. He stalks towards the two men at the back of the group and stops directly in front of them. “Care to repeat what you said for the rest of us to hear?”
The steel in his voice sends shivers down my spine, and I don’t need to see his eyes to know he’s livid.
“I-I-I didn’t say anything, sir,” the one says nervously while shifting from one foot to the other.
Idris turns his attention to the other one, and I recognise the look of defiance on his face. I really hope he doesn’t say something stupid. The last thing Idris needs is to kill a human in front of other humans.
Hell, I’ve no clue if these humans even know vampires exist. But this definitely won’t end well. My eyes close, and my head drops when I see the guy open his mouth.
“I said I’d be surprised if she’s the type to be picky with her food.” He sneers in my direction. “With the way she’s all over the three of you, I doubt she’d be picky about what goes in her mouth seeing as she’s hardly picky about what goes in her gash.”
A voice speaks up from the left of the two guys. “Shut up, asshole! You’re only pissed because Jessy ditched your ass. I’m sorry, he’s not usually this disrespectful, he’s angry over a recent breakup. He’ll keep his mouth shut.”
My eyes snap open in time to see Cassius step in front of Idris. Cassius’s tone is sharper than I’ve ever heard it as he tells the man, “I don’t think we’ll be needing your service at this time.” He extends his arm towards the door. “If you’d like to leave the same way you entered, I’ll make sure you find your way off the property… safely, of course.”
His face turns an angry shade of red, and I wince when his voice breaks into a squeak. “B-but my boss said—”
Cassius leads him back towards the door, and the guy splutters his protests out into the hallway.
Cassius abruptly cuts him off. “I don’t think it matters what your boss said, young man. I doubt he’d like to hear how disrespectful you are to his paying clients.”
Lilith magically appears in the doorway and escorts the rest of the catering company towards the kitchen. When the last one leaves the room, I release the breath I didn’t know I held. Zadimus and Lazarus rub circles on my hands. It soothes the sting of the man’s words, but I know his words will rattle around in my head for a long while.
I’m not sure what the time is, but we’ve lounged around in the huge sofa room for most of the morning. I disappeared briefly to take a quick shower and to change out of my sweaty PJs.
Some of the other vampires periodically enter the room, but they don’t stick around for long. The smell of food steadily fills the house for the past hour, and my stomach finally loses the battle to the wonderful aroma by growling.
“They should be arriving shortly. Then, we can feed the monster in your stomach,” Idris lazily mumbles into my ear.
We cuddle on one sofa after Zadimus and Lazarus moved to sit on another to give Idris more room to stretch out. In an attempt to hide my thoughts from them, I keep my head tucked against his chest. The words that guy spoke earlier play on a constant loop in my head. He was being a dick, but the thought of everyone thinking the same as him makes my heart ache. Is everyone going to think I can’t possibly pick between them, so instead, I’ll be a whore to three because I’m greedy? I have only just met the triplets, and already, I feel some sort of stupid attachment to them. I should put some distance between us, so I’d have a clearer head to think more rationally.
Idris shifts, and his voice comes out soft as his chest vibrates with his words. “What’s the matter, Callidora? You’ve been tense since the moment you came to lie with me.”
My body stiffens further. I should’ve known he’d pick up on something being wrong, even if the others didn’t. I quickly give up on the idea of not telling him the truth. I’ve never been any good at lying, and if he decides to lift my face, he’ll know what’s wrong anyway.
Huffing, I explain, “The way that guy spoke earlier. It hit a nerve, I guess.”
“The catering company guy?” Idris asks.
His voice sounds tight, but his body remains relaxed. I get the feeling I’m treading on thin ice. The last thing I wanted was to upset him.
“I… um… I’m being silly. I should pay no mind to his words. It’s fine, I’m fine.”
Any attempt to backtrack is pointless because Idris lifts my face, and his eyes lock onto my own. His pupils turn onyx in barely a blink, and I know he sees the lie. “Don’t lie to me, Callidora. You’re not any of those things he called you. You’re beautiful, smart, and you’re ours.”
My head reels back in shock. I barely know them, and already I’m considered theirs? I don’t know whether I want to kiss him or kick him.
A predatory expression settles on his face before he offers up a fang-toothed smirk. “I’d rather you kiss me than kick me.”
My mouth opens with a smart-ass retort, but the words die on my tongue when the obnoxiously loud doorbell chimes with a new arrival.
Oh hell, the wolves are here.
Chapter Thirteen
The nerves tying my stomach in knots dispel my hunger. The last time I was in the company of wolves, a too-tight collar was wrapped around my neck, and they were offering me up to vampires as food.
I sit up and away from Idris as a shudder goes through me at the thought. He must sense my change in mood because he stands and pulls me up with him, his arm drapes over my shoulders. Knowing the wolves won’t be able to hurt me while my guys are here settles my nerves only slightly.
My guys… when did that become a thing in my head?
Lazarus and Zadimus rise from their seats and move closer to Idris and me.
Lazarus takes my hand. “They won’t hurt you. I promise.”
I give his hand a squeeze to let him know I heard him, but I don’t bother responding. I’m too focused on the door and our new arrivals escorted in by Cassius. Voices echo through the hallway. My shoulders curl forward, and I fight the urge to turn tail and run.
I’m unable to stop a gulp when three huge figures come through the doorway. It’s not until they line up in front of us that I realise a woman stands between them. Two of the guys appear identical, but they don’t hold my attention for long.
My eyes hesitantly move back to the girl. She’s naturally beautiful, and her looks complement the men she stands next to. I’m glad I had the common sense to change into normal
clothes. There’s no way I’d want to be in their presence while still clad in my sweaty pyjamas.
Her smile brightens when her eyes land on me, and she steps forward. My natural reaction is to flinch away, but an arm snakes around my back and prevents my escape. I snap my head to the right to cut a murderous glare at the person holding me. Zadimus has the nerve to smile innocently. I convey with my thoughts I want to kick him, and he simply chuckles.
“You must be Willow,” a voice says from directly in front of me, and I yelp in surprise.
Reluctantly, I turn my attention away from wanting to kick Zadimus to the woman now directly in front of me. We’re about the same height, but that’s where the similarities end. While she’s slim, toned, and beautiful, I’m too skinny, bony, and generally bleh.
“I-I-I am.” I curse myself for allowing her to see how nervous being in their presence makes me.
Not put off by my stuttering, she holds out her hand and smiles. “I’m Tallulah. It’s nice to meet the girl who’s caught their attention.”
With a bravery I don’t feel, I slowly extend my hand to shake hers. I’m surprised when she offers me a strong handshake, but there’s no power-play. She doesn’t use her strength to force me into submission like I’d come to expect from Blood Moon.
“It’s nice to meet you, too.” My words aren’t spoken from the heart. I know I could’ve put more conviction into them, but my father instilled in me that good manners mean being polite even if I’m not feeling it.
I shouldn’t tarnish Tallulah or her mates with the same brush as the wolves who held me. The bastards who kept me shouldn’t have enough hold on me to make me wary of everyone, and I guess I need to learn to trust again… but not yet. I will, but it’s going to take time.
“Hello, Luna. Congratulations on the title,” Lazarus says from beside me, and he gives my hand a squeeze in reassurance.
“Thanks.” Tallulah moves to stand once more next to her mates. “It’s been a little bumpy, but we’re making ground.”
