Damaris Rana
It took Vincent exactly 47 minutes to find us according to Max. He burst through the door of the random entertainment room Max had dragged us into. His face was red and I could practically see steam coming out of his ears. He was mad.
"What. The. Fuck," he gritted out through his teeth. I could feel the waves of rage coming off of him.
I sunk into the corner of the sofa we sat on. Fear spiked at the anger in his expression. It didn't help that Max was also inching towards me, putting more distance between him and vincent.
"I have been putting up with your shit for years, but this? This crosses the fucking line," he seethed, stepping towards us, or more specifically, Max. "This isn't a fucking game. The kings will kill me if anything happens to her."
"She's fine," Max said, rolling his eyes. The tightening of his hold on my arm told me that everything was not fine.
Vincent was in front of max in a fraction of a second. He grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and got in his face. "What if she wasn't," he hissed before shoving him back into the couch, hard. "You claim to want me as a mate, but never listen and do things that would get me killed."
"They wouldn't kill you-"
"Yes, they would. Not everything is sunshine and rainbows like you like to believe. You may have protection from them because of your mom, but I don't! Why can't you-"
Vincent was cut off by his ringing phone. He pulled it out of his pocket and cursed before answering it. "Yes, Alpha King."
"Yes, she's with me and Max," he said sending a glare his way. "We'll head right over." He hung up and faced me. I shrunk into my shoulders under his gaze. "King Alec and King Luca have returned. They want to see you, come," he said before waiting to the door with his arms crossed.
Instead of jumping up and taking the lead like usual, Max remained seated, stiff. His hold on my arm tightened when vincent turned his glare towards him again. I guess this was the time where I helped Max instead of the other way around. I slowly got up, sliding Max's hand down until I could hold it in my own. With a squeeze and a smile, I pulled him to stand.
Taking a fortifying breath, I mustered every ounce of courage that had managed to survive everything with me and turned to face Vincent with a glare of my own. I was glad that I had time away from the three brothers. It helped bring back a bit of the courage that they took away.
"Lead the way," I said in a cold tone, squeezing Max's hand.
Vincent looked at our joined hands and frowned. Something flashed through his eyes, but when he looked up into mine again, it was gone. He nodded and turned, leading the way.
I started following him, pulling Max along with me. I scratched my upper arm with my free hand. I had a barely noticeable itch that wouldn't go away, making it more irritating than it should have been. A mimicked squeeze of my hand drew my attention to Max. He looked down at me with appreciation in his eyes and a smile on his lips. He didn't say anything, but never let go of my hand until we reached the secure double doors leading to the three brothers wing that I had been staying in.
We entered following Vincent. Max released my hand before we crossed the threshold, but stayed near. When Vincent stepped aside, my eyes landed on Alec who was lounging on the couch in black sweats and a black long sleeve shit. It was the most casually dressed that I had seen him. Luca walked down the stairs, wearing only a pair of grey sweats, his chiselled chest bare.
Blood rushed to my cheeks and heat blossomed between my legs as the sight of his half-naked body brought to mind the explicit dreams that I had been having each night since they left. Most of them featured Luca in his birthday suit doing unspeakable things to me, but there were ones with Alec and Jace along with some that featured them in pairs or the one where all three of them had played with my body at the same time. My cheeks burned so hotly that there was no doubt that my face was red as a tomato.
I looked away when they noticed me. Absently scratching my upper arm, I walked further into the room. I could feel swirls of fear enter my mind the closer I got to Alec, but I pushed them back. I had a week of rest from the blinding fear. I wasn't going to let it control me again now that I had experienced life without it again. Max had consistently been reassuring me that they wouldn't hurt me again. I had been reluctant to believe his words, and still am, but I can't deny that they haven't physically hurt me since they promised they wouldn't. After Simon was free, I would test the waters. See how far I could push them before they break. With Simon safe and free, I wouldn't have to worry about them hurting him in retaliation to my actions.
"What's wrong with your arm?" Alec asked, amusement in his tone.
I looked towards him, dropping my arm. "Just an itch."
"Hmm," he hummed, a satisfied smile stretching across his lips. "Come here," he said holding his hand out as Luca reached the last step, drying his wet hair with a towel.
I hesitantly stepped towards him. Just for today. I just need to do what they say for today. Once Simon was safe I could tell them to go fuck themselves.
The thought and the feeling that followed shocked me. I had previously had inner musing of killing, torturing and talking back to three, but they were always followed by fear of being punished. Not this time. It wasn't even glee that I wouldn't have to put up with their shit mush longer without a fight. I actually felt a thrill of excitement go through me at the thought of how they would react to me pushing them. It went against every survival instinct I had acquired over my lifetime. You don't poke the beast, you lie down and play dead until it got bored and left.
I could only blame it on the dreams. They turned Alec's threats of spanking me into something that caused heat to rush between my thighs rather than fear to course through my veins. I didn't like the effects that they were having on my survival instincts. I couldn't let this single week of relief, lack of fear, and wet dreams let me forget how dangerous they were. Alec was more likely to bruise my ass black and blue than the flaming red he had achieved in my dreamscape.
I squeezed my legs as I came to a stop in front of Alec. That dream was the first time that I felt his domineering voice send a shiver other than that of fear down my spine. Now, all I could hear in his voice was the seductive, husky timbre that ordered me over his lap as he caressed my bare skin. Not the dangerous rage that I know.
I didn't even know that I'd be into spanking. Nor did I ever expect distance and dreams to chance my bodily reaction to them so drastically.
I was yanked from my inner musings by Alec. Literally. He had grabbed my wrist and pulled me until I was on his lap, straddling him.
When did my encounters with him start ending up with me on his lap straddling him so often?
An audible moan left my lips when his fingers grazed the skin just under the hem of my shirt at my waist. The sparks erupted across my skin with a violent velocity. They attacked each nerve ending until all I could do was drop my head to his shoulder and shiver as pleasure and a sense of relief, comfort, and safety enveloped my very being. Things that are not associated with Alec King. Taking a deep breath, his unique scent of smoke, like that from a campfire, and leather filled my senses.
I could feel my body drape against his, leaving no space between us, as my muscles relaxed. My mind blanked and all I could focus on was the sensation of his skin on mine and the soft pressure of his fingers rubbing the side of my neck as his hand held me by the back of my neck against him. He pressed a kiss to my head. My arms were limp by my side as a soft purr like sensation rumbled through his chest and only served to make me an even greater puddle of peaceful bliss.
The rumbling sensation stuttered moments after it began, the disturbance was enough to knock me back to my senses. With great difficulty, I lifted my arms and pushed against his chest, pushing myself in a seated position.
What I found once the room came back into focus caused me to shrink in on myself. Everyone's eyes were focused on the sight of both of us, wide and shocked. Even Alec himself held a look of disbelief and bafflement on his face as he looked at me.
"Did... did you just...purr?" Luca questioned, equally baffled.
Alec's face transformed into a scowl. "I'm not a damn cat, I don't purr," he said with a growl, not a purr, to Luca who was standing just over his shoulder.
"Holy. Shit," Max said, drawing our attention.
"What?" Alec bit out. He seems to be offended by the accusation that he was purring.
"You are so fucking whipped."
Alec growled in response. I tried pulling away at the sound, but his arm around my waist tightened, keeping me in place.
"Unlike your old asses," Max started, sounding more like himself now that Vincent wasn't the most suffocating presence in the room. "I experienced a more advanced education that taught an updated curriculum compared to your ancient scriptures that were all about strength and might. We were educated more about mate bonds while your generations considered them as more of an obligation necessary to reproduce and continue your bloodline."
It seemed like what Max said struck a chord. Alec's face twisted in anger and even Luca was starting to display displeasure at his words. Vincent was outright shooting daggers at him.
"Where are you going with this?" Luca asked.
"Besides hinting very blatantly that you should stop treating your mate like they were put on this earth solely to bear your children?" he asked, raising a brow and looking at Alec before briefly glancing at Vincent. He released a sigh. "We learned about your Alpha purr. A small portion of Alphas are able to emit a growl at a frequency similar to a cat's purr to soothe their mates. You're probably able to do it now because you can finally feel her need for the bond for the first time. Probably because it's the first time she's been separated from you all for so long after having you as a part of her daily life."
"We would have heard of such a thing," Alec said skeptically.
Max rolled his eyes. "Of course you wouldn't have. Do you really think egotistical and arrogant Alpha's would go around telling people that they purr like little pussy cats for their mates?" He scoffed. "I'm pretty sure they would have rather cut off their own arm and claim it was a badge of victory from a battle than let others know they actually cared for their mates to such an extent. You old farts sure used to preach about how important mates are, yet did everything you could to hide how much you cared for them."
All three men scowled at Max. He wasn't fazed though. He gave them a saccharine smile that announced his victory this round.
Alec narrowed his eyes at him. "Vincent," he called, not taking his eyes off Max. "Take the pup with you on your way out."
"Yes, Alpha King," he answered. He turned and grabbed Max by his upper arm, dragging him out the door with him.
"Purr, kitty, purr!" Max's voice could be heard calling out before being muffled.
Yeah, I didn't have to worry about them hurting him. They would have by now if they wanted to.
"How did you do that?" I looked over to find that Luca had moved. He now stood beside us in front of the couch, his eyes on Alec.
Alec shrugged. "It just happened. It was like an instinct, as easy as breathing." He smirked at Luca. "Don't worry brother, maybe you just weren't meant to be the one to comfort her."
Luca growled. "If a bastard like you can do it, there's no way I won't be able to."
Before I could process his movements, I found myself cradled in Luca's lap. Alec sat beside us, his hands still raised like he was holding me. He narrowed his eyes at Luca as he lowered his hands.
Sparks more intense than before hit my system like a truck. Luca had managed to wrap his arm around my waist, under my shirt. The larger area of skin contact almost made my eyes roll into the back of my head. I wrapped my arms around his neck and held him tight as I nuzzled into his neck, needing to get closer. The scent of winter and fresh snowfall surrounded me despite it being a few months away.
I felt his fingers weave through my hair and grasp it near the scalp. He pulled my head back and look at me with eyes that swirled black. My lips parted in awe at the sight. My widened eyes shut unconsciously when I felt his lips crash against mine. I moaned against his mouth when he nipped at my bottom lip. Tightening his hold in my hair, he ran his tongue over my lip to soothe the sting of his bite before shifting my head to deepen the kiss.
His arm around my waist tightened, pulling me up against him. I gasped as another set of hands grabbed hold of my hips. Luca took advantage of the moment and slipped his tongue past my lips to explore every inch of my mouth.
Alec moved my hair over one shoulder. His lips placed a branding kiss against my heated skin. I squirmed as an uncomfortable sensation swirled in my lower belly. I had just eaten not even an hour ago, but I felt so empty.
The gentle click of the door opening caught Alec and Luca's attention. Suddenly their lips were no longer on my skin and I found myself sitting on the couch in my dishevelled shape locking up at the backs of the two men who had just been surrounding and overwhelming all my senses. Including my common sense.
Since there was no more skin contact, the high caused by their touch started to fade, being replaced by disbelief and self-depreciation. My plans for today did not include bringing those dreams that overtook my sleep to life. That was never the plan. Not with them.
Self-loathing filled the emptiness that I felt when their hands and lips were on me. Me and Max had a plan. I was supposed to be play nice, give them a little false hope so it's easier to manipulate them with puppy dog eyes. The plan wasn't to be a whore.
The voice of my self-deprecating thoughts slowly blurred into that of my father.
Whore.
Slut.
Bitch.
The funny thing is, that I didn't even know what those words meant when he first called me them. I guess he truly was capable of predicting my future. That's what I've become. The whore who will lie on her back for the men who tortured her. First I jumped on Jace and now I was like putty in Alec and Luca's hands because of a few touches and kisses. What made it even worse was the wetness I felt between my thighs.
I wanted it.
An unfamiliar voice drew me from my downwards spiral. I couldn't let the realization of what I was becoming distract me from the plan. I wouldn't allow the self-hatred for what I did throw away the upper hand that it could give me. I dug my nails into my legging covered scarred skin left behind from Jace's whip. A reminder of what they are capable of.
The unfamiliar man at the door dressed in all black glanced at me. Alec and Luca noticed. I ducked my head like I was blushing and embarrassed. The angle hid the tears that were threatening to spill from my eyes.
Luca saw the red coating my skin and ducked his head while running a hand through his hair, a more visible shade of red crept up his paler skin. Alec on the other hand had a wide grin plastered on his face, not at all embarrassed at the fact we were caught red-handed.
"How can we help you, Lenny?" Alec asked, crossing his arms. His tone made it clear he did not like the interruption.
"Mrs. Kim asked me to let you know you need to get try on your suits for tonight to make sure they fit right," he said, his head bowed.
I discreetly wiped my eyes and got my emotions and breathing under control.
Alec grunted in displeasure. "Alright, well be there in a few."
"Yes, Alpha King," he said bowing his head again before leaving.
Once the door closed, Alec pulled out his phone. "I'll let Vincent know he can return."
I cleared my throat. "A-actually, can I just have a friends night with just me, Max, and Lola?" I asked looking up at them through my lashes with hope.
"No," Alec responded immediately. My heart plummeted.
I widened my eyes slightly and pouted my lips, letting the slightest quiver show. "B-but we'll stay locked in here! The whole wing is secure."
"I will not comprise on your safety," Alec stated in a voice that left no room for argument. But that didn't stop me from trying again.
"Please," I begged. "I just want one night with my friends. I can't enjoy their company with people I'm not comfortable with around. Everyone will be busy with the party, so no one will bother us. I'll even message you every hour off Max's phone to let you know everything's fine!"
Anger started to show on Alec's face, making me sink into the couch. "No-"
"Okay."
Both our heads whipped towards Luca. My eyes were wide with surprise while Alec's anger only intensified.
"What?" he snapped.
"Give it a rest, Alec. This is the first time she's asked us for anything that we can give. We dealt with the threat. She's in a secure wing and will check in regularly. We can let her have a few hours with her friends." Luca turned and walked back to me. Placing his hand on the back of my head, he leaned over and placed a chaste kiss on my lips.
My stomach twisted, pleasure and self-loathing battling. As reluctant as I was to admit it, I enjoyed Luca's touch. I've enjoyed it ever since he held me against the wall and showed me the pleasure the barest brush of his fingers brought forth. I enjoyed his touch. I enjoyed his lips. And I hated myself for it.
I knew since I had experienced an abusive childhood that the likelihood that I would stay in an abusive relationship was greater. I always thought the only possibility as to why would be because of fear of what he would do to me if I tried to leave him, although my attempted suicide made it clear that my death wouldn't stop me. I believed that I would never want anything to do with someone who abused me. I never thought in a million years that I would want my abuser. Then again, I never thought I would need to stay with him for the sake of my friend's life and wellbeing.
Moving his hand, he placed it on my cheek and tilted my head up. "We'll have someone stationed at the end of the hall to keep you safe. Only you, Max, and Lola will be in here. The party will go late, but we'll be back as soon as it's over." He kissed the top of my head before letting me go.
He stepped aside to reveal Alec standing with crossed arms. He glowered at Luca. "If anything happens, it's on you."
"Nothing going to happened."
"It better not."
Alec approached me while Luca stepped away and called Max, telling him to return. He grabbed my waist and dipped his head to meet my lips, but before he could, I turned my head to the side. His lips met my cheek and his hands on my waist tensed. He pulled away, pain at being rejected flashing through his eyes. He quickly covered it and stepped back.
"Maybe you should try being a nicer person," Luca said as he walked back, interrupting the growing awkwardness.
"Shut up, talk to me why you learn how to purr for our mate" Alec replied in anger. He grabbed his phone off the couch and strode out of the door without looking at either of us. Luca seemed irritated by his comment.
Luca came and sat on the couch, pulling me onto his lap. He kept a hand on my back under my shirt like he couldn't bear to not be consistently touching me. He talked about where they went and all the sights they saw, promising to show me one day. A few times, I nearly gave away that Jace was gone also, but I caught myself before it was too late.
When Max entered, Vincent followed.
"Vincent," Luca said, placing me on the sofa before standing up. "You have the night off."
The words seemed to catch him off guard. "But, sir-"
Luca shook his head. "Max and Lola are going to be with Damaris during the party tonight. We will get another guard to keep watch at the end of the hall. You're free to do as you wish tonight, you deserve a day off."
"Yes, Alpha King." He bowed his head and turned to leave. He paused at the door and looked back at Max. He seemed to be pondering something. He shook his head and left.
"Max." Luca's stern voice drew my attention. "Behave. If anything happens, your mother won't be able to save you this time."
"Yes, sir, Luca, sir!" he said with a wide grin, standing to attention and saluting like a solider.
Luca's lip twitched. "I'm serious."
"Don't worry yourself, big guy. I doubt there are many ways to get into trouble watching movies and stuffing our faces."
"I would say the same if you weren't involved," Luca drawled in a dry tone.
"You lot never have any faith in me."
"I'm putting it in you right now. Don't disappoint me," he said, dropping a hand on his shoulder.
"Sir, yes, sir," Max said, saluting again.
Luca shook his head. He placed a kiss on my cheek before he left, closing the door behind him.
Max looked at the door for a few moments, listening intently for any sounds. When he heard nothing, he turned to face me with a Cheshire grin.
"Operation treason is underway."
Their Thief: Book 1 is complete and available on Patreon.
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