I hit the floor with a startled yelp, pain shooting up my side. Panic. What’s going on? Why did—
Someone’s in front of me, and I scramble backward, gasping in air, choking on it. There’s yelling, nails digging into my skin, and I let out a wordless cry, curling into myself. I’m going to be hit, and I can already feel my ribs cracking under a boot, my arms snapping, my jaw dislocating.
Sobbing, I try to break free, but I know it’ll only make my punishment worse.
“I’m sorry!” I manage, voice strangled and high. “Please, I’m sorry!” I hide my face as much as possible, praying he’s satisfied with just breaking my leg. “I didn’t mean—”
“What the hell is wrong with you?”
I flinch and stiffen, but when nothing happens, I warily look up. The eyes that meet mine are not the ones I was expecting. “N-Neve?” I feel lightheaded.
“Where are your clothes?” he demands, looking angry and…uncomfortable.
“I…” My mouth closes and uselessly opens again. Taking deep, steadying breaths, I look around and realise that I’m in a bedroom—Neve’s bedroom. I took refuge in Neve’s closet. “I-I didn’t know…”
Growling in annoyance, Neve abruptly releases me and stands up. “Get out.”
I try to get up, but I’m shaking too hard. “My clothes…” but it comes out more like a plea, and why the hell do I care if I’m naked? It’s never mattered before.
Neve gives me a look of disgust. “I don’t know what you did with them.” Without another word, he spins around and storms out of the bedroom, leaving me curled up and trembling on the floor. With shaking hands, I rub at my cheeks, since at some point, I started crying. A few more tries, and my legs are under me, hands wrapped around the closet’s doorframe. I manage to haul myself up, and I close my eyes against the wave of dizziness. I feel sick.
It’s a long time before I can let go of the wall, and even then, my legs are shaking. After a quick search, I see that Neve wasn’t lying about my clothes. Normally, I’d just walk out like this, but I feel too vulnerable—exposed.
I eye his closet. I know I shouldn’t, but… Before I can change my mind, I grab the first things I find. His clothes fit better than expected, and as soon as I’ve finished doing up the tight black pants, I hurry out of the room, and then down to the second floor. But even as I get further away from Neve’s room, I can’t get away from what brought me there. All night, I was plagued by dreams about what I did to Felix, until our roles switched, his face changed, and—
Guilt makes me choke, and I practically run down the hall until I get to the next flight of stairs. I need to get outside, get some air, figure out what the fuck I’m gonna do. Neve didn’t try to kill me, so I guess Felix hasn’t told them yet. But why not?
I abruptly pause and listen for the others, hand wrapped around the smooth wood of the banister and the other slapped over my mouth to stifle my harsh breathing. The TV’s playing, something with explosions and music, and I can hear low voices and dishes being washed. No one’s yelling. Everything sounds so…calm.
That alone just shows me how out of place I am.
I creep down the stairs and pause again at the bottom, waiting for someone to notice me. But nothing changes, and I hurry to the door to fumble the locks open. Suddenly, I hear footsteps on the stairs, the creaking wood sending a shock through me, and without looking back, I leap outside and sprint down the garden path. I just need some time away to think and figure this out, because this is my only chance…
Dogs bark and nannies guard their charges as I run down the sidewalk, the adrenaline building my panic more and more until I barely notice anything around me. The concrete stings my feet, but the burn is soothed when I veer into a sprawling park filled with trees.
I finally slow down when I realise there’s no one nearby, eventually collapsing under a tree with a groan. The back of my head hits the trunk, and I take a deep, steadying breath. I’m hot and sweaty, but the shade and a stiff breeze cools me down. The grass is freshly cut and prickly, but scent of the trimmings is soothing. I listen to cars drive by and birds singing, and after a few minutes of resting with my eyes shut, I can start to think again.
I’ll fix this thing with Felix. I’ll give Felix his revenge, or whatever he wants. I don’t know what I’ll do if he tells the rest of them, but…I’m sure I can make everything okay.
The sudden quacking of ducks startles me, and I open my eyes to look around. How did I miss the pond?
And the man standing next to it?
I tense when I realise that his eyes are fixed on me. His expression is unreadable, but something’s…off.
Slowly, carefully, I stand up and back away. He continues watching me, but doesn’t make any move to follow—he continues tossing bread to the ducks.
Teeth clenched, I whirl around and sprint across the park, nostrils flaring to pick up the scent of my trail. I want to look back, even as I dodge dog-walkers and joggers, but I force myself to just concentrate on getting back to the house.
Finally, finally, I’m heading back up the path, and at the top of the stairs, I look over shoulder—and collide with another body. Startled, I yelp and stumble back, but a hand grabs my elbow and pulls me back.
“Shit! Kit? What are you doing?”
My eyes fly up to meet Felix’s, and as the fear is replaced by dread, I feel like I’m about to throw up. The stranger no longer matters. “Nothing,” I whisper, but Felix doesn’t look convinced.
“Is someone following you?”
I don’t know, but I shake my head, because why does he sound concerned? He should hate me.
Felix frowns, still looking around the street, and then wraps an arm around my shoulders and leads me inside. I stiffen, his scent just bringing up memories of last night, and shake him off as soon as we’re in the foyer. I can’t hear the TV anymore, so when Felix closes the door, I blurt out, “I’m sorry about last night,” although sorry doesn’t even begin to cover how I feel. Horrified? Devastated?
With a sigh, Felix looks at me. “Why?”
My eyes widen. “‘Why’?” I repeat. “Because…because of what I did!”
Felix rubs his eyes and shakes his head. “Kit, all we did was fuck, okay? That’s pretty standard behaviour for married people.”
“Even if they’re unwilling?”
Crossing his arms, Felix levels me with an annoyed scowl. “Why the hell would you think I was unwilling? Far as I remember, it was the exact opposite.”
“Because I was the one in control!”
“So you’re saying you made me like it?” Felix drawls. “Do you have mind powers?”
My mouth opens and closes a few times. “Well, no, but…” I bite my lip, squinting at him. “I just…threw you down…”
“So?” Felix steps closer and cups my face, his bright green eyes boring into mine. “If I didn’t like it, Kit, I would’ve stopped you, okay?”
“But you couldn’t—”
“Yes, I could.” The look he’s giving me dares me to argue, but I keep my mouth shut. He stares at me a moment longer, before sighing and stepping back. “Sage wants to talk to you. He’s in the backyard.” Without another word, he heads for the stairs and quickly disappears, leaving me feeling lost.
After standing there for a bit longer, wondering if he’ll come back, I slowly turn and trail down the hall. The patio doors are in the kitchen—the empty kitchen, I notice—which I found yesterday. I grasp the handle, but hesitate, looking out. Faolan’s stretched out on a lounge chair, mouth slightly open, and I spot Sage hunched over on the far side of the yard.
Steeling myself, I slide open the door and step outside.
The yard is big and full of gardens. The bottom garden is dedicated to vegetables, although only the late season ones are growing, while the rest are full of flowers and plants. I’m sure there’s some sort of pattern, but I don’t see it.
Faolan snorts in his sleep, and I climb down the steps and cross the tidy lawn (everything is this neighbourhood is so tidy). I stop a few feet away from him, wary.
Sage doesn’t look up from pruning a rosebush. “Good morning, Kit. You can come closer.”
He seems calm, but I know not to trust appearances. I take a couple steps forward, but stop just out of arm’s reach. Sage finally looks up at me, but he just gives me a small smile before returning his attention to the plants.
“You don’t need to look so scared.” Snip. He absently pats the ground next to him. “Sit down.”
I warily lower myself to the ground, eyes never leaving his face. “Felix said you wanted to talk to me…”
Sage hums. “Yes.” Snip. “Do you want to be married to Felix?”
Caught off-guard by the question, I stare at him, before finally saying, “Yeah.” So what if it’s purely for self-preservation?
Sage hums again, the sound giving me no indication of his reaction to my response. “And the rest of us? You didn’t know Felix was a polygamist, correct?”
“No, I didn’t.” I shift uncomfortably and glance over my shoulder. Faolan is still asleep. “But I, um…I don’t mind.” I know what I have to do, but after last night’s failure with Sei, should I really try again?
Sage looks somewhat surprised. “Really?” He pauses, then adds, “You don’t have to lie. A divorce might be better—”
“I’m not lying,” I insist, hoping he mistakes my growing desperation for earnestness. “Really. I…” I glance over my shoulder again, but no one else has come out. Faolan doesn’t move. I look back at Sage, lick my lips, and lean forward. “I like it better this way,” I finish, voice low and husky.
A small frown touches Sage’s lips as his eyes search mine. Taking advantage of his confusion, I crawl forward and rest a hand on his knee. When he doesn’t move, I reach up and drag my fingers along his jaw, then rise to my knees to press a kiss against his mouth. I’m shocked when he parts his lips, allowing me to deepen the kiss, but that shock quickly turns to relief. I tilt my head and slide my hand up his thigh, breath stuttering when his arms slip around me, holding me. He draws my lip between his teeth, fingers stroking my spine, and I groan softly and shuffle forward until I’m straddling his legs. He smells like grass and dirt and sweat, and something about that makes my pulse race. I wouldn’t mind having sex with him—I really wouldn’t.
But then he pulls back and shakes his head. “I think a divorce really would be best.”
My stomach drops. “But why? I thought…I thought you…”
Sage’s lips twist. “I’m too old to fall for tricks like that.”
Shame rushes through me, making my face burn. Rejected twice, hated, and only Felix seems to want to keep me here. I don’t know what to do now.
“What’s going on?” The voice is quiet and rough, and I grimace after I twist around to look at Faolan.
“N-nothing.” I quickly get to my feet and look away.
“Faolan, would you mind bringing everyone to the sitting room?” Sage asks casually. From the corner of my eye, I watch Sage stand up and wipe the dirt from his shorts. “I think it’s time to get this all sorted out.”
I stiffen, panic threatening to rise again, and stare up at Faolan. He silently studies me for a moment, before turning and striding toward the house.
“There’s no need to panic,” Sage remarks, touching my hand briefly. I glance at him. “No one’s going to hurt you.” And still, that same complacent smile, as though I didn’t just try to get into his pants.
Whistling, Sage walks toward the house, and I slowly follow, pausing to watch a fat bumblebee after it nearly runs into my face. Sage waits for me at the patio doors, a flicker of amusement in his blue eyes.
“We get a lot of bees here.”
I duck my head and step into the kitchen.
By the time we arrive in the sitting room, everyone’s already there. The air is tense.
“Just sit next to me,” Sage murmurs, and it’s a relief to not have everyone against me. I follow him to the loveseat, surprised when he rests a hand over mine. It’s…comforting.
After settling in his seat, Sage says, “We need to get this sorted out.” He still sounds relaxed, even faced with the tension in the room. “Neither Felix nor Kit appear to want a divorce.”
“Well, I do,” Neve snaps, his eyes narrowed to slits. “I’m not going to be married to some stranger you picked up at a bar.” The last is shot at Felix, who’s sitting next to him on the couch. “I mean, why the hell do you want him so badly? Are you tired of us now?”
“Neve, that’s not what this is,” Felix says wearily.
“Then what is it? What is so important about him?”
I wince.
“Neve, stop it.” To my surprise, it’s Faolan who said it. Neve stares at him, looking like he’ll argue, but then looks away.
Nodding, Sage looks at me with a gentle smile and warm eyes. “Why don’t you tell us about yourself?”
I blink at him and shift uncomfortably. “Like…what?”
Sage waves his hand lazily, wrapping his other around mine. “Age, family, job, hometown…that sort of thing.”
My mouth thins, because I do not like talking about myself, but if I want to stay, I’ll have to compromise. “I’m twenty-three, I don’t have a family, I don’t have a job, and I was born here.” One lie out of four is pretty good for me.
“Where do you live?” Sage asks pleasantly.
I look at him carefully. “Motels, mostly.” If I can afford them.
“Without a job?”
“I get by.” I look at Felix, hoping he doesn’t say anything about the thieving. He looks back at me, then away, but keeps his mouth shut.
“And why don’t you have a job?” Neve demands, challenging. Then he frowns, eyes sweeping over my borrowed (stolen?) outfit, but I glare back at him and open my mouth before he can say anything else.
“Because it’s kind of hard to get a job when you’re in my position.”
“I’d say you’re doing pretty well,” says Sei, arms loosely crossed. “You managed to trick Felix.”
“For fuck’s sake, he didn’t trick me into anything,” Felix snaps. He sounds exasperated, like they’ve been arguing this point for awhile.
“That just makes it worse!” Neve cuts in. He leans toward Felix, anger and hurt twisting his face. “It’s one thing if a whore tricks you—”
My temper suddenly flares, because I am fucking sick of being called that. “If you call me that again, I will rip out your fucking throat,” I snarl, eyes fixed on Neve, who looks momentarily surprised.
“Neve, would you stop it?” exclaims Felix, but I notice Faolan stiffen from the corner of my eye, and when I glance at him, his eyes are narrowed and fixed on me. My breath hitches, primal fear running through me. I quickly push it down, my lips pulling back from my teeth in warning. A low growl suddenly stabs through the air, making my eyes widen, a defensive growl of my own answering it.
Faolan’s eyes flash amber, his bared teeth elongating. The fear wells up again, and I vainly try to push it down. My growl abruptly dies in my throat, and my eyes drop to the floor. Fuck.
Faolan stops growling a moment later, his body relaxing, although I can feel his eyes still fixed on me. I refuse to look up. Everything’s quiet, and I suddenly realise what I just did. My heart beats faster, dread filling me, and the longer the silence lasts, the more I realise just how much I fucked up.
Then Sage sighs, and says, “Faolan, you’re getting mad at the wrong person.”
“I don’t like threats,” but Faolan doesn’t sound upset. I glance up at him, and although he’s still watching me, he looks more curious than anything else. “You’re were?”
Swallowing, I stare back at him, and then slowly nod.
“No pack?”
I shake my head.
“Hm.” He pushes himself off the chesterfield, sliding his hands into the pockets of his jeans. “How about Kit stays for now, under probationary terms?”
My eyes flick to Felix, then back to Faolan. “Proba…”
“Give everyone a chance to calm down and see if you can fit in.”
My hand is squeezed, drawing my attention to Sage, who says, “That sounds fair.” He looks around the room, and asks, “Can everyone live with that?” This question is mostly aimed at Neve and Sei.
Neve taps his fingers against the arm of the couch and stares down at the thick area rug beneath our feet. My eyes flick to each face, mouth dry—Neve’s annoyed groan startles me.
“Fine.” Standing up, Neve scowls up at Faolan and opens his mouth—then closes it again with a rough shake of his head. He leaves the sitting room without another word.
I look at Sei warily, shrinking back when his dark eyes meet mine. They’re just as cold as they were last night, when I— “Just stay away from my room.” He stands up and storms out through the other doorway.
I look around uncomfortably, before realising that I’ve gripping Sage’s hand. I quickly let go, embarrassed, and mutter, “Sorry.”
Sage smiles, but looks past me. Turning, I watch Sei come into view in the foyer, a piece of paper clutched in his hand. Felix glances at me, before pushing away from the couch and walking out to join him.
“Grocery shopping?”
Sei yanks on a pair of scuffed black boots. “Yeah.”
Felix grabs a set of car keys and holds them up with a bright grin. Sei straightens and stares at them for a long moment, before abruptly nodding. I didn’t realise how tense Felix was until I see his shoulders relax and he glances back to smile at me. Caught off-guard by the warmth in his eyes, I can only watch blankly as he follows Sei out the door.
As soon as it shuts behind them, Sage lets out a long sigh and sinks back against the cushions. “I hate family meetings.”
I quickly shift away when Faolan strides over to the loveseat, leaning over to run a hand over Sage’s hair. Sage turns his head to press a kiss against Faolan’s palm (I flush at the intimacy), and then grabs Faolan’s arm to haul himself up.
“Well, I need to get back to gardening.” He stretches and yawns, joints audibly cracking, and then adds with a glance at me, “Faolan will take care of you.”
Before I can ask what he means, he saunters out of the room, leaving me alone with Faolan. My hands curl against my lap, my toes curl against the patterned rug, and I avoid meeting Faolan’s eyes. Not that he seems to mind.
“Come on.”
I peek up at him through my hair, studying his full lips. “You aren’t bothered by this?”
But he just shrugs and turns, leaving me no choice but to follow. He ends up leading me upstairs, but we don’t stop on the second floor. As soon as he starts up the next flight of stairs, I stop.
“Why are we going up there?”
Faolan looks back at me, one hand resting on the railing, and raises an eyebrow. “That’s where the spare room is.”
That’s where Neve is, and—fuck, I said that out loud, because Faolan looks like he might be hiding a smile, as he says, “He won’t do anything to you.”
Embarrassed, I give up and reluctantly climb the stairs behind him. Well, Neve did agree to me staying, so maybe it won’t be so bad. I’ll just be careful to not hide in his closet again.
Neve’s door is firmly shut when we get to the third floor, but I don’t hear anything from his room. My attention shifts when Faolan opens the second door, revealing a blandly decorated, but huge room. I shouldn’t be surprised, considering the rest of the house, but…
“I can stay in here?”
“Where else would you stay?” Faolan replies. He steps back out into the hall. “Do you need anything else?”
I shake my head, still…overwhelmed. I thought that maybe at most I’d be sharing Sage’s bed again, or Felix’s, or back on the couch. But an entire room…?
“Thanks,” I mumble, but he just nods and heads back down the stairs. After he’s gone, I stare at the room for awhile longer, before finally stepping inside. Hardwood floor, like the rest of the house, and covered by a beige rug. The walls are beige, the bedding’s beige—but it’s clean and only smells of disuse, rather than the mildew and mould I’ve gotten used to.
My bare feet slide against the soft carpet, fingers reaching out to trace the embroidery on the duvet. The bed is just as big as everything else…but I know I won’t be able to sleep in it. Instead, I venture to the closet and pull open the doors to peer inside. Roomy, but better.
Licking my dry lips, I hurry back to the door and shut it, before yanking the duvet off the bed and stuffing it into the closet. There are a lot of pillows, but I grab them all and shove them in after the duvet. Everything’s hitting me at once—and I’m suddenly exhausted. Crawling into the closet, I shut the doors behind me and burrow into the crumpled bedding.
Burying my face against the pillows, I suddenly laugh, the sound edging on hysterical.
How the fuck did things turn out like this?
***
It’s the smell of meat that rouses me from my nap. I lie in my nest for a few minutes, sniffing the air, before finally giving in. I can’t afford to eat meat very often, so the smell of it’s enough to lure me out of the closet. Yawning and rubbing my eyes, I warily peer out of my room, but the hallway’s empty. I relax—no Neve. But it smells like—oh, someone put a vase of pink roses on the table against the wall. Sage, probably. I go over to sniff them, touching the soft petals. Then I look up at the large mirror hanging above the table and grimace. I look like hell.
I turn away and walk to the stairs, quietly climbing down the stairs to the first landing. Another table, more flowers, and a small stained glass window sending rainbows across the floor. It reminds me of…
Jerking back, I spin around to hurry down the second set of stairs to the main floor. Just as quiet as the third floor, so everyone’s probably downstairs. My teeth dig into my lip as reluctance fills me again. I really don’t want to see anyone, but—another whiff of cooked meat, and I’m heading down to the foyer with a growling stomach. I can handle this.
“Hey, Kit.” Felix walks out of the kitchen with a warm smile. “I was just coming to get you. Supper’s almost ready.”
I study him for a moment, remembering our last conversation—but the way he’s looking at me, it’s like nothing happened.
If I didn’t like it, Kit, I would’ve stopped you, okay?
I offer a small smile and walk over to him, trailing my fingers across his waist. He looks surprised, but his smile widens. Too easy. I still feel a bit guilty about before, but if he said it was okay, then I guess I have to believe him.
And this just makes it easier to keep him on my side.
“Anything I can do to help?” I ask softly. I’m referring to supper, but I let my fingers imply something else, touching warm skin.
Felix stares down at me, lips parted, but suddenly pulls back. “Nah, it’s almost ready. You can go wait in the living room, if you want.”
I shake my head and walk past him, spotting Faolan through the patio doors. “I can at least help carry stuff, right?”
“Yeah, sure.” Felix follows me and points to a drawer. “Cutlery’s in there.” He pulls plates from a cupboard, while I retrieve the forks and knives, bringing them over to him. He smiles, and asks, “Feel like plating the salad?”
The patio door opens while I’m scooping big portions of some sort of green salad onto the plates, and I look up, eyes fixing on the plate of steaks in Faolan’s hands. My mouth waters.
“Have a good nap?” The words draw my attention to Sage, who walks around Faolan to get to the fridge. He offers me a bright smile, which at the same time as warming me, makes me wary. Yes, he seems nice, and I think he might want me here…
“Uh, yeah,” I finally reply, turning back to the salad. “It’s…it’s a really nice room. Thank you.” Last two plates, and then I set the empty bowl in the sink. Faolan appears my side, so I step back, although my eyes remain fixed on the steaks. When was the last time I even had one?
“I cooked yours rare,” Faolan says without looking up. “Is that alright?”
I quickly nod, even though he can’t see it, and hastily say, “Yeah, whatever’s fine.” My stomach growls again.
“Have you seen Neve?” Sage asks as he pulls glasses from the cupboard. He glances at Felix, who shakes his head.
“I haven’t seen him for a few hours. Want me to go find him?”
Seeing an opportunity to be useful, I blurt, “I’ll find him,” even though I instantly question my offer. Neve hates me, after all. But Sage is already nodding, and saying, “That’s a good idea. He’s probably in his room.”
Felix looks doubtful, but I force a smile. “Okay, I’ll go check.” I leave the kitchen before I can change my mind, because I have a feeling talking alone to Neve right now is a really stupid idea.
But it might make me look better to Sage and Faolan.
It’s still quiet on the third floor. I stop in front of Neve’s door and bite my lip, listening, but there’s…nothing. Taking a deep breath, I knock, wondering if there will actually be an answer. There is none. I try again, but after the seconds slip by in silence, I finally just open the door and step inside.
It’s dark, thick curtains covering the windows, but after looking around the room, I spot a lump under the bedcovers. I hesitate. I’m going to get yelled at if he sees me in here, but I did say I’d go get him…
Steeling myself, I cross the room and stop next to Neve’s low bed, carefully leaning over to nudge the lump. When there’s no response or movement, I grasp what I think is his shoulder and give him a bit of a shake.
Suddenly, an ice cold hand is wrapped around my wrist and yanking me onto the bed. I gasp and freeze when I find myself pinned on my back with Neve looming above me. Fear pounds through me as we stare at each other, but I manage to force myself to relax and part my lips, pliant. Even if I’m scared, I have to be the perfect husband.
“What the hell are you doing in here?” Neve demands, voice hoarse from sleep.
“I came to get you for supper,” I reply, impressed with how steady my voice is. Shifting slightly, I offer him a little smile as my shirt rides up.
Neve’s lip curls, eyes sweeping up and down my body. “Why are you wearing my clothes?”
I lose eye contact, clearing my throat. “Ah, I…had nothing else.” His grip tightens on my wrists, making my wince. “I’m sorry, I just…”
“Whatever,” he mutters, and suddenly he’s off me and straightening his clothes. I slowly sit up, but he doesn’t spare me a second glance before crossing the room and heading out the door. After staring after him for a moment, I swing my legs off the bed and follow. Well, at least he didn’t hit me.
I catch up to him on the second floor, but he ignores me as we descend the stairs together. Which is fine, because I’m bad at talking, the only other option at the moment. When we arrive at the kitchen, Felix looks surprised, probably at seeing us together, but he doesn’t comment. He just hands over a plate full of food and points down the hall to the right.
“We’re eating in the living room.”
Stomach grumbling again, I shuffle down the hallway, the wooden floor creaking beneath the hall runner. Although I already explored down here, I look around as I walk at the family photos hanging on the walls. I hear a TV playing and turn right at the end of the hall to step into the living room. It’s just as well-decorated as the rest of the house, but messier. Faolan and Sage are sitting together on the couch in front of the TV, so I walk over and carefully sink into the chair next to it.
Sage looks away from the news, fork halfway to his mouth, and asks, “Did you find him?”
“Yeah, he’s with Felix.” I balance the plate on my knees and slowly cut a piece out of my steak. It practically melts on my tongue, shocking a groan out of me.
“You okay?”
Embarrassed, I glance up at Faolan, and then look down at my plate again. “Uh…yeah. Just…haven’t had steak in awhile…” I hunch over my plate, but glance at the doorway when I hear footsteps. Felix has his arm wrapped around Neve, so I guess they’ve made up or something. Neve still looks angry, however, but I’m starting to think he always looks like that.
The TV proves a good distraction while they sit down—sunny skies tomorrow, a car fire on the highway, threat of a teacher strike. I slowly chew another mouthful of steak, watching one overly made-up newscaster be replaced by another, delivering gruesome stories with thinly-veiled cheer.
“Trouble at the parliamentary office today, as protestors gather after Prime Minister Evans announces her intentions to maintain the current laws regarding the ownership of slaves. Currently, it is legal to own slaves, but not to buy, trade, or sell them within the country.”
A well-dressed woman, who I vaguely recognise as the prime minister, appears onto the screen at some sort of press conference. Her curly black hair has been left loose in a cloud around her head, and a pair of frameless glasses sits on her wide nose. Attractive, but severe enough to make me uncomfortable. I poke at my salad without looking away from the TV as she speaks into the array of microphones.
“I see no issues with the current system. Demons are more…dangerous than other races, more unpredictable, and I feel like ownership is a good step in taming them. Yes, there are those demons who have shown that they can function in, um, civilised society, but only with strict laws that restrict any, ah, potentially dangerous behaviours.”
The newscaster reappears, a solemn expression on his face that doesn’t reach his sparkling eyes. “Protestors, however, are questioning Evans’ decision on this matter.” Lettuce crunches between my teeth, tongue slipping out to catch a drip of dressing.
A man around my age comes onto the screen, sporting a scowl. “What she’s supporting is inhumane. Demons are, they’re not any more dangerous than anybody else, y’know? But these laws treat free slaves like criminals, and the ones that aren’t free are abused for their whole lives.”
An older woman, holding some sort of sign. “It’s an outrage! It’s time for us to change, to be brought into the future! The way demons are treated is appalling—” The channel suddenly changes, and I snap my head around to look at Sage, who’s scowling at the talk show that’s appeared.
“I can’t stand that woman,” he says, handing the clicker to Felix. “We’re better than Dellare, but the fact that we’re still allowed to own slaves…” He shakes his head and takes a long drink of water.
“Demons are dangerous, though,” Neve says, glancing at Sage. “They wouldn’t be slaves if they weren’t.”
Felix, who’s sitting next to Neve on the loveseat, snorts and stabs at his steak. “That’s a load of bullshit. A couple cases of going berserk isn’t enough to enslave an entire race. Anyone who hasn’t learned to control their powers is just as likely.”
“But how often does that happen?” Neve asks, playing with his fork. “I hear more incidents about demons than any other race.”
Sage opens his mouth to say something, but Felix beats him to it. “That’s because the news doesn’t cover other cases. It’s propaganda to keep people scared of demons. Slavery’s a profitable industry, so governments aren’t gonna easily abolish it.”
“They abolished it here,” I comment, toes curling over the edge of my seat. “That’s something, at least.”
“But that was the last administration,” Felix replies, shaking his head in visible frustration. “The laws have to change, treat demons like everyone else.” He’s somehow finished eating during this, and he replaces his plate with a bottle of beer.
Sage smirks at him, stretching out his legs. “I forgot how incensed you get about this.”
“Yeah, well.” Felix slouches in his seat with a glower, looking at the TV. I guess the conversation’s done.
Cutting off another bite of steak, I turn my attention back to the TV and settle in.
***
I creep down the stairs to the second floor and pad down the hall to Felix’s room. The door’s open a crack, so I carefully push it open and slip inside. It’s late, so he’s sprawled across his bed, asleep—but I know how to wake him up.
Steps quiet, I carefully climb onto the bed and slip under the covers, fingers trailing up his legs as I position myself between them. Conveniently, he’s sleeping naked. I lean in and nuzzle his thigh, sliding my nails across his lean belly. He shifts, and I hear him breathe in sharply, and then I drag my tongue across his limp cock, feeling it twitch.
Felix shifts again with a low groan, and I tangle my fingers in the soft mat of pubes above his slowly hardening cock. I nip at his thigh, feeling the comforter slide above me. Suddenly, it’s thrown back, and I look up to see Felix staring back, blinking sleepily.
“Kit? What are you doing?”
“Just relax,” I murmur, lowering my head again, but my chin is abruptly grabbed.
“Stop it.” Felix sounds more awake, and he shifts his grip to my arm, tugging. “C’mon, get up here.”
Suddenly nervous, I slowly crawl up his body, letting him roll me over onto to the bed next to him. He lets out a long sigh, falling back against the pillows. I watch him warily—what did I do wrong? No one’s ever stopped me before…
“Kit, why were you doing that?”
Fuck. I shrug awkwardly and look away. It’s amazing how messy it is in here. “Just…thought it would make you happy.”
Felix turns his head to stare at me, and the looks he’s giving me can only be described as baffled. I flush and look away, wondering if I can just…escape back upstairs. This family seems to have a serious aversion to sex.
“This have anything to do with you coming on to Sei?”
The memory floods my mind and makes me flush in shame. “He told you about that?” Now I really want to run. How much did Sei tell him? How much did Sei realise?
“Of course he did.”
I can feel him looking at me, and I squirm, making the bed creak. He wants an explanation, but I thought it was obvious. “Just…doing what married people do…” I shrug, jaw clenched. “I mean, I’m supposed to be fitting in.”
Felix sighs—a short, frustrated sound. “Fitting in doesn’t mean seducing everyone. Marriage isn’t all about sex.” He sits up, twisting to look at me. I reluctantly meet his eyes, my nails digging into the sheets. Why couldn’t he just let me blow him?
“Okay, I don’t know what made you change your mind about living here, but if you want to, then you have to stop fucking everyone.”
“Well, then what the hell am I supposed to do?” I exclaim, frustration making my voice louder than I meant. “Why else would you want me around here?”
He grimaces, rubbing his face. “Fuck, Kit. Just…talk to everyone, okay? Try to get to know us, let us get to know you. No one’s expecting you to have sex with them. Okay?”
I stare at him, not quite following his thinking. No one wants me around for talking.
Felix gives me a slow smile, wrapping an arm around me and pulling me close. “Seriously, believe me. This isn’t about sexual favours.” He suddenly grins, nose bumping against mine. “Not that I don’t appreciate the effort. But you don’t always have to be the one giving, y’know.”
He’s so warm, his body heat so soothing, that I can’t help but lean into him. I thought he was a manipulate asshole at first, but…I think I’m starting to like him. “S’only thing I’m good at,” I argue, although there isn’t much strength to my words.
Felix snuggles closer, and mumbles, “Don’t think that’s true,” before pressing a kiss to my cheek. He settles his head next to mine on the pillow and lets out a wide yawn. “You’ll be fine.” His eyes slide shut, and within seconds, he’s asleep. I study his sleeping face for awhile, before giving a short, dry laugh and tucking my head under his chin. I guess this is fine for now.