5. Rue

Rue

There'd been a lot of little things I remembered, but seeing the flower pet come to life and then talking about the Day of Shambala and practically confirming that my family was deeply involved with Silence… not was. Is. They were currently deeply involved.

Yeah, it distracted me from remembering all the things I'd mentally made notes of in the few days since I'd signed the marriage contract and arrived here. I shouldn't have eaten that sandwich. My stomach was a twisted mess, all sour and threatening to overturn if I made too sudden a movement.

"I'll see if we can somehow find the countdown," Koa said, pulling his phone out.

Calix grabbed his arm. "No. You'll delegate someone else to find it."

"Calix—"

"You're taking the night off. I understand how important this is. We all do. But your mental and physical health are more important than you taking on every tiny task."

"This isn't tiny," Koa argued.

When Calix took the phone from his hand, I was surprised when Koa didn't try to stop him. He just watched as Calix used his phone to dial. They held each other's stare—Koa tense and stressed, Calix not giving him an inch.

"Look for a countdown within Silence's system. Any countdown at all." Pause. "Yes. Thank you."

Calix didn't give Koa back his phone, but slipped it into his pocket. I could practically see Koa's stress increase. Calix pulled him close, kissing his jaw. "You're a dangerous monster to keep carrying this much stress. There are a lot of people here we love that would get hurt if you don't keep it under control."

Koa took a deep breath and nodded. He didn't speak or argue.

"Do you know what will happen at the end of the countdown?" Maryn asked. "What the first step is?"

I'd learned some names as they'd talked regularly. But there were a whole lot of people I simply didn't remember their names, though I was sure they were introduced when we walked in.

I shook my head. "No. If we're using the scripture as reference, first the new king will eliminate the evil in the world. It's a necessary first step to usher in the new golden age."

"Meaning, mass murders," Bastian said. "Of all species they consider… impure? Is that the problem?"

"They're making genetically stitched together monsters," Ady interjected, lifting Alien's leash. "How pure can this possibly be?"

"You remember what the guy said," a storm answered—their single female, if I remembered correctly. "They can control these monsters."

"I'd truly like to see them control Alien," Ady muttered, glaring at the puppy, and I tried not to grin.

"Hadley's right," a very strong witch said—I could feel his magic dancing through the air. "They're creating things they can control and destroy later. Which will leave them with exactly what they're looking to achieve."

"I'm confused about who's actually running the show," Ellis said. "I mean, shades are on the hit list, aren't they?" Several people nodded, including me. "Then… why are they also running Silence? They're killing their own species while also breeding more of that species." He looked at me. "You are a shade, right? I don't just smell multiple spirits on you as a weird anomaly?"

I smiled. "I am. And you're right. It doesn't make sense. Let's say they succeed and kill everyone they want to. Every species. They're still breeding shades, at the very least."

"My guess is that it's not just shades at the top, either," Iker said. "Though I'm just as perplexed by this as Ellis."

"We're one of the few families left," I admitted. "Of shades, I mean."

"I feel like there's something here," Maryn mused. "We're just on the cusp of something."

"It makes sense, if you think about it," Bastian said. "We've all been under the impression it was some no-balls monster with no real power, getting angry and wanting revenge for being treated as someone who's not a threat. We've all commented over the years at how remarkable it is that someone like that could not only control mass legions of monsters, but also have the power and reach to kill the true apex monsters. We haven't understood how it could have happened because that's not what's happening."

"But why would you kill your own species?" I asked. "My mother used to be so indignant that she was the last one alive in her bloodline. Actually, two of my fathers are the last ones alive in their bloodline, too."

"Are they the ones you suspect are part of Silence?" Javan asked.

My heart stopped. "No."

"Curious."

"What does that mean?" I asked. "Did they kill our own ancestors? Why would they spare one? I don't understand this."

"When I tell you we do a lot of talking and speculating, I mean it," Ady admitted with a smile. "And we are no closer to having answers, never mind understanding why they're doing what they're doing."

"This can be seen in the human world, too," one of the human women said. "Think about all the wars that didn't have to do with territory. They have one thing in common—the superior race/religion. They want to exterminate those who look differently or believe differently."

"No, she's right," a human man said. "This can be recognized in a lot of things. Anyone who looks different is always marginalized. They're treated as second class with fewer rights and less resources. Anyone who lives differently—in my specific circumstances, if you're a man who doesn't like women—you're treated as if you need to be fixed. There's a huge hypocritical double standard at play there where I was not only made perfectly because HE doesn't make mistakes, but then again, I'm living a mortal sin." He rolled his eyes. "And then you have the holy wars that still take place on other continents, demanding that anyone who believes differently should be dead."

"There's an eerie parallel, but I'm still not seeing the true connection," Iker said. "If we use that outline, the pattern definitely emerges. Except one glaring difference. Using just Rue's family as an example, the people in charge are literally killing off their own species. Their own families. This is the complete opposite of what the humans do to each other."

I nodded.

"Okay, that's enough for now," Javan said, pushing off the wall he'd been leaning on. "We could, and have done this for hours and still get nowhere."

"Not true," Maryn countered. "I think we do make progress because we're constantly realizing something new. Such as this holy war parallel. It's not necessarily helpful in stopping them, but we don't know what will be."

Javan inclined his head. "Be that as it may, I have an exhausted husband and we have a new wife to take home. We can pick this up in a couple days after Rue's had time to relax. "

"Yes, we'll call it relax." A djinn snickered.

Javan didn't respond as he offered me his hand. Taro, who I'd forgotten had been led into the room with us, was standing in the doorway with a frown and unmistakable concern lines in his forehead.

"You lived close to the office," he said when we joined him, and he followed us out the door.

"I did," I agree. "I'll give you the address. I think it's wise that you lock the doors."

Taro sighed. "And I thought this would be a peaceful job."

"It is," Bryn said. "They don't generally attack the happily ever after offices. I'm not sure if they don't understand that all offices are connected, or if there's a different reason."

"I think it's for a different reason," I said. "They met through The Harem Project. That's how they were matched. It's something my family has done for generations."

My husbands exchange looks and I think I just threw another wrench in their ability to understand what is driving Silence.

"Just one more question for now," Javan said. "Your parents' families. Did they die before or after they were matched?"

A cold swept through my body. "After," I said. "Ohmygod!"

He sighed. Bryn wrapped his arm around my shoulders and held me close as we stepped into another room. Taro continued through another door.

"We'll come back to that. I'm sorry we asked right now," Bryn said.

"I just… They literally killed our own family. Our blood!"

"We don't know that for certain," Javan soothed.

"Yes, I do. And if I list all the members still alive in my family—and there isn't a lot in comparison to all those who've died—I would wager anything that they're part of Silence. They exterminated those who wouldn't get on board." Tears stung my eyes. "Was I next? When would they decide I wasn't going to go along with their agenda? They already knew I hated Silence. I have spent a lot of time ranting about what they're doing to the world!"

I couldn't catch my breath. How close was I to being murdered?

"Shh," Bryn said. "Take a breath."

When Taro returned with a second individual holding a packet of paper, I was forced to bring myself back to this moment right here. I was getting married today. I was about to have four husbands. This was a happy day.

"Would you like to discuss anything else concerning your contract?" Taro asked.

There wasn't anything left to discuss. We'd done that over the few days prior to my arrival. I shook my head. "No. It's perfect as is."

All four men smiled at me, and my heart fluttered. We all signed the paper, then exchanged rings and vows. I could feel the magic in the rings, in the words, circle me like a ribbon. It was done. My being was tied to theirs permanently.

"Let's go home," Javan said, kissing my temple. "No more of this today."

Taking a deep breath, I nodded, though I was unsure how I was going to stop thinking about this.

The third walk through the walled city calmed me. It began to look familiar already. We cooked dinner together, cuddled up on the large couch in the den together as we watched a movie and ate hot fudge sundaes. Koa hovered somewhere between Little and Middle. I thought he wanted to be Big, but the weight of the world he carried on his shoulders was far too heavy.

Besides that, I was new. He was probably still nervous.

By the time we headed upstairs to bed, I was wiped. Koa hovered in the bedroom door, now completely adult as he stared between us.

Calix kissed my forehead. "I'm going to get Koa settled for the night. I'll be back in a bit."

I looked at Koa, giving him a smile. "Sweet dreams, Koa. "

He sighed. "You too, wife."

Calix squeezed my shoulders and turned to the door. "Get your jammies on. Let's go read a bedtime story."

We watched them walk down the hall until they disappeared into a bedroom, the door shutting quietly behind them.

"So," Bryn said, dropping a kiss to my shoulder from behind me as he spoke. "How about we climb into bed."

It wasn't framed as a question. I nodded my agreement anyway and Bryn stripped us both on the way. Javan moved more slowly, watching us with dark eyes. As soon as we were naked, Bryn's hands ran over my body, exploring every inch as he kissed me. His hands trailed down, smoothing over my hips and breasts and belly—over my whole body as he kissed along my skin.

He guided me backward, until my ass hit the edge of the bed and he lifted me up, setting me on the mattress. His hands trailed my thighs, spreading my legs. I touched a hand down his chest, feeling his soft skin, until I found his dick, enjoying the way it jumped against my hand.

Bryn bit my lip, making me laugh. I'd only been barely touching the head of his cock, just enough to make him push his hips up so his head would brush my fingers more.

He smiled, his lips pressed softly to my mouth, sucking on my lip before releasing it. His lips against mine, he trailed a hand up my stomach until he cupped my breast. "Wanna let me fuck these?" he murmured.

"Oh." I flushed, my cheeks burning. I didn't think I'd done that before. "Okay."

He chuckled against my cheek as he continued to cover me in kisses. "If you don't like it, we can do something else."

I nodded, a thrill of excitement moving through me. With his hands on my hips, he urged me back onto the bed, following after. Bryn continued to trace kisses down my chest, moving between my breasts as if he didn't want one to be left out. Then he put his face between them and licked me until I was slick.

Bryn shifted me, bringing a pillow behind my back to prop me up a little. He pulled my hands around and had me press my boobs together for the ultimate cleavage shot.

Bryn was thick and long. I wasn't sure my boobs were big enough to give him what he was looking for, but I couldn't deny that I was totally into this.

"Just hold us together," he instructed, dropping a kiss to my lips before moving up my body. He knelt over me, his knees under my shoulders. He pressed the head of his shaft against the meeting point of my underboobs before slowly pushing it up and between them.

I squeezed myself together, his cock disappeared. He slowly pushed through until the head of his dick hit my chin. Bryn grinned. "Mmm."

Keeping his slow pace, he pulled it back down. He brought his cock against the center of my cleavage and held it there, letting my twin pillows squeeze him before he pushed himself back up between them.

Honestly, I hadn't been sure how I'd like this. But it was a strangely erotic movement I definitely didn't hate. I moaned softly, surprised by how I enjoyed it. It was surprisingly fucking hot. I watched my breasts sandwiched around him, transfixed. I pressed my breasts tighter around his shaft and he groaned softly, while my lips parted.

Bryn hadn't been moving particularly fast, but he slowed more, drawing out each stroke. He pulled back until his head was just pressed against the bottom of my breasts. Then pushed back through, easing every inch between us until his balls pressed against my sternum and his crown was at my chin. I tilted my face down and wrapped my lips around the head of his cock, flicking my tongue.

"Jesus," he swore, releasing a hot breath.

He held himself still for a moment, appreciating the wet heat of my mouth. Then he forced himself back. He watched my lips part, and my tongue trace my lips, as his cock pulled free of me.

He drew back, bringing his dick down between my breasts. It didn't take long for the sight of my breasts hugging his cock to be replaced by the sight of my lips wrapped around his head. I only ever got the head.

It became an erotic game. He thrust between my boobs as I held us tightly together. And on every upward thrust, I tried to take his head in my mouth and give a quick suck before he pulled back down. Whenever I succeeded, his hips jerked further, and he grunted.

We were so deep into our play that neither of us felt the bed move until Javan was climbing behind Bryn. Now he was naked and I was momentarily distracted as my eyes trailed over his sexy, inky body.

Bryn glanced back before smirking down at me, then he continued our game.

As he moved his dick toward my mouth, Javan's hands were on my legs, pushing them apart, bending my knees. As Bryn's dick met my lips again, Javan's legs wedged under mine, and he pressed his cock to my pussy.

Bryn moved backward and Javan moved the head of his cockhead along my pussy. At the brush of it against my clit, my whole body jerked as I took Bryn's head in my mouth. Bryn went back as Javan's crown rested at the entrance to my heat.

He matched Bryn's thrust. As Bryn brought his dick back up between my breasts, Javan pushed his inside me. My whole body wriggled and writhed beneath them. As Bryn bottomed out, his balls pressed deeply between my tits, the head of his cock in my mouth, Javan was balls deep inside me, stretching me wide to accommodate his girth.

I whimpered, eyes rolling.

"Oh my fuck," Bryn groaned, his fingers brushing my hair from my forehead.

My hips rocked, shifted, tried to adjust. I wasn't doing so consciously, but my body seemed to know what it wanted and how to get there. Javan remained still, his hands on my hips as I took him. Riding his dick as best I could from this position .

"You're so damn tight," Javan hissed, his fingers digging into me.

Bryn pulled his cock back. The wet pop when his head was freed from my mouth made me laugh. I stopped laughing when Javan followed Bryn in his thrusts. I trembled under them, everything in me turning to liquid heat. My skin felt like it was on fire. As if I were burning alive.

Their thrusts picked up. Bryn leaned over me, his hands resting against the headboard as he watched while fucking my boobs. I still tried to catch his dick with my mouth with every upward thrust. Failing that, I made sure my tongue was out to stroke the bottom of it.

With their thrusts deep and invading, my body shook. There was a constant stream of groans and moans as I writhed beneath them.

Bryn bit his lip a second before he spurted over my face, pulling his cock down again, dragging his cum between my breasts. He milked himself with my body, his chest heaving. I giggled at feeling the gooey stuff all over.

He grinned, stilling for a second before climbing off. "There's something hot about your face being covered in my juice," he said as he urged me to sit up, which wasn't easy since Javan was still buried inside me.

Javan let us move, his hands firmly on my hips so he remained inside me. And as I got my knees under me, my body somehow levitating awkwardly between them with Javan hooking one of my legs over his hip so he could stay as fully seated inside me, Javan licked my face.

I laughed until I realized he was licking off Bryn's cum. My laugh turned to a moan as my hips rocked in response.

"Fuck, that's hot," Bryn said, pulling my body free of Javan. I was surprised Javan didn't argue. Bryn brought my knees back onto the bed, pushing my legs wide as he pushed me forward. Javan followed, lapping up more of Bryn's cum, kissing me everywhere in the process .

Bryn thrust his dick into me from behind, my body now mostly upright between the two of them. My hands pinwheeled until I found Javan's shoulders as I cried out. He wasn't slow this time. Not as he thrust into me hard and quick.

But after a dozen lunges, he pulled himself free. I protested, but only until we shifted my body so Javan could take me. And then he was pushing inside with the same hard, quick drives as Bryn.

The bed shifted again as Calix climbed on. "Who's moving?" he asked.

Javan fucked me breathless for a minute longer before slowly pulling out and backing away as Bryn shoved back inside. He didn't fuck for long; just until Calix got into place. Then he let Calix take me.

Long, deep strokes gave way to the same quick, hard thrusts as Calix took over kissing me and licking my face, cleaning off every remaining drop of Bryn's cum. When he pulled out only for Bryn to replace him, I knew they were going to keep this up. They were going to share me, taking turns, until I was nothing but a withering mess of sated nerves between them. They strived to make me cry out, say their names, tell them what I wanted.

But all I could say was ‘yes.' Sometimes I managed a name—usually, when they'd found the right rhythm to bring me to orgasm.

As I fell asleep, the troubles of the world were forgotten. Just for a minute.