Cold Mark (33 page)

Killeg tilted his head to them while holding eye contact with me. "I think you get the point."

Bit by hesitant bit, my attention returned to my Vaq. My words were quiet and steady, unlike my nerves. "Will you give me a moment with them? They have done a lot for me, and I wish to thank them privately before we leave."

Malik instantly pointed to the kitchen. "We'll be in there. We're not going outside."

I nodded in agreement. "That's fine." My actions could always be reversed ... if I was wrong. I watched as my Vaq sauntered into the kitchen, brushing past Stiller and Jax with more swagger to their step. Inhaling the largest breath I could muster, I made my feet move to stand in front of Phila and Kireg. The men with the power to free me. And possibly be the men in my life.

With my gaze, I told them my wishes.

My Vaq could not run from this.

Phila cracked his neck, asking on the barest breath, "Right now."

I nodded once.

"You're sure?"

I mouthed the words clearly. "I don't want them to remember me as their Soul."

Killeg lifted his hand and stroked my cheek with the back of his bloody knuckles.

My eyes narrowed, even as warmth rushed down my spine. "I'm not completely decided yet."

His lips twitched. "Yes. You are, Braita. You just haven't spoken the words yet."

Licking my dry lips, I didn't respond.

But I did step back to allow them access to my Vaq.

Phila rolled his shoulders as they moved forward, winking at me over his shoulders. "It's a good thing we already convinced the litigators and their guards you're not their Soul. Otherwise, I would be too dead tired to do what we plan with you in the coming days."

I snorted. Presumptuous—and cocky—bastards.

As they grabbed hands, I wrapped my arms around my stomach against the frigid cold that whooshed throughout my apartment, their hybrid power detonating.

I seriously hoped I was making the right choice.

In the pre-dawn light, I rubbed Jax's back. He was still in mute astonishment—and shock—of what he had witnessed. His eyes were now wide open to what Phila and Killeg really were. It had taken so much power for my Vaq to be convinced I was not their Soul, that they had not met their Soul yet, and they didn't care—my last minute add—if they ever met her.

With Malik and Phila now out of my apartment, back to their own penthouse, I stifled a yawn behind a fist. "It's bedtime for me."

Killeg and Phila swayed on their feet, ready to drop, their faces pale and sweat beading their foreheads. Immediately, they turned on their heel and stumbled in the direction of the bedroom I had claimed as mine.

I cleared my throat and tilted my head. "The other bedroom, gentlemen." Not that I thought they would try anything tonight, dead tired as they were ... but I needed to know I could sleep by myself. Malik and Leo had been gracing my bed every day in prison and my meds were now out of my system, the doctor finished weening me off them. I had to know how my days would be without warm bodies keeping me safe and protected.

I was still
me
.

Killeg grumbled, glaring. But they altered their course and stepped into the guest bedroom. The door remained open. I was fine with that. I did have a tendency now to scream in my sleep, and I would much rather them not break a door down in their haste to make sure I was fine. My apartment was already wrecked enough.

Jax's head tipped down to me in a sharp snap. "You knew."

"I did."

"How?"

My nose crinkled, and I shook my head. "I'd rather not say."

His gray eyes studied mine before he nodded. "Okay." He pointed a finger to my bedroom. "Do you want me to stay until you're asleep?"

Stiller's eyes shot wide. "What? Have
you
lost your damned mind?"

Jax waved him off. "It's not like that." He knew my troubles.

"No." I shook my head. "Sweet Pea will be company enough."

He brushed his lips against my forehead. "If you need me, I'm just across the hall."

I shoved him—and Stiller—toward my front door, herding them out. "Just be here at sunset to help me fix the mess they made." And it occurred to me ... I could do whatever the hell I wanted to tomorrow night. "And let's plan on going shopping. Sweet Pea will need some toys to play with and I need a new hov-coffee table."

Stiller raised a purple brow. "How do you plan to pay for your purchases?"

"I'm sure the Plumas wouldn't mind giving me a loan." Hell, they were paying for my place.

He snickered smugly, a knowing flicker in his shining eyes. "But how do you plan to pay them back?"
For all they have done for you
, he didn't say, but it was obvious.

I shut the door in their faces.

"How many toys does one dog need?" Phila complained, his arms loaded with fluffy puppy toys. I added another one to the growing pile, shoving it under his chin so it wouldn't fall. He wiggled his nose as if he had an itch. He wouldn't be able to scratch it with his hands full as they were. "Really, Braita, I think this is enough."

I snorted, glancing from one of his hands to one of Killeg's, eyeing the rings on their fingers.
For their Harem.
"And just how many women do you two need?" I had never met the three women, but if I chose to have a relationship with these men ... well, those women would be taking a long walk away from them. And never return.

Killeg stopped jostling the enormous bag of dog food in his arms.

Phila's shoulders tensed and his nose stopped twitching.

I lifted a brow at their closed-off expressions. "Please tell me you knew this about me."

Jax chuckled but hurried to peer away when they glared at him.

Phila glanced back to me, growling, "Yes, we knew it. We just haven't gotten around to them yet." His white brows furrowed, a sheepish smile lifting his plush lips. "If you met them, you would understand."

Evaluating their slightly blushing cheeks, I scrunched up my features. "That bad, huh?"

Killeg hissed under his breath, "Hell, yes."

Stiller walked by, twirling a circular chew toy around his pointed finger, mumbling absently as he went down another small aisle, "My Plumas haven't visited their Harem house in over two years." He turned and stifled a laugh at their frowns. "I never understood what you saw in them ... after the initial fuck, that is."

"Enough, Stiller," Phila ordered sharply. A swift glance at me, evaluating my resulting scowl, then back to his best friend. "Don't be an ass."

Stiller just shrugged a shoulder. "I'm only stating the truth. Those women may have bodies made for sex, but they are the most egotistical and materialistic individuals I have ever met." I watched as his back retreated and disappeared to another aisle to the right.

"Braita ... " Phila murmured in a tender tone.

I threw a hand up. "Save it." I shoved another random toy into Phila's pile. "You're not saints. I know that." Another toy shoved into the pile, possibly punching Phila in the stomach. "Just know that if we're together, you two won't know the meaning of Harem any longer. Just like you won't have testicles any longer if you forget that fact."

Killeg lowered the dog food bag in front of said testicles. "You're jealous." His head cocked into my line of sight. "When are you going to admit you want us and only us?"

I held up a medium sized dog treat in the shape of a stick.

With great flourish, I snapped it in half. And glared. "It won't be just your testicles."

I was running out of excuses. If Phila and Killeg ever got me alone for too long, they would demand to know the truth. My knowledge. I wasn't ready to give up that information yet. It could possibly put me into another possessive situation I didn't want to be in.

So, three nights after 'freedom day', right after sunset, I knocked on Jax and Stiller's door. The Plumas were sleeping in my guest bedroom, not awake yet. I always managed to slip out before them now, not taking any chances. When Stiller opened their apartment door, I yanked the bag over my shoulder in a more comfortable position and held tight to Sweet Pea's leash. I asked quietly, "Can I borrow a hov-craft?"

His blink was sleepy ... and annoyed. "Are you kidding me?"

"No, I have something I want to do." I tapped my foot in impatience. "It's not dangerous."

Okay, that was a massive lie. My plans were very dangerous. But I still wanted to do it.

He snorted, rolled his eyes ... and shut their door in my face.

I sighed heavily and lifted my right hand. Knocked again.

The door whipped open. "Ms. Valorn, not only do you not take a hint, you are a terrible liar."

"I can handle it. I promise." I hoped.

"Ask the Plumas to go with you."

"I don't want them to know—"

"You don't want us to know what?" Killeg interrupted behind me.

I groaned and turned sideways so I could see Stiller and
them
. They would both be there.

They were, lots of muscled flesh showing too, both only wearing pajama pants.

Stiller yawned and scratched his head. "She wants a hov-craft to go somewhere she shouldn't."

"Hey!" I grumbled. Tattle-tale.

"I'm not a cow."

I crossed my arms in irritation. I had been doing so much better with their language, too. "I just want to go somewhere ... and retrieve my items."

Instant. Phila growled, "You're going to take on a damn Lavano? By
yourself
?"

Really. Their intelligence could be annoying at times. "What if I am?" I tilted my chin up and stared down my nose at them. "I am free to do as I wish."

"That is a death wish, Braita," Killeg growled.

Stiller grunted, leaning a shoulder against his doorframe.

"I slept with that damn thing for a week. I know his schedule. I can get in and out quickly when he's not even there."

Phila ran his fingers through his long, disheveled bed hair. "We're coming with you."

Dammit. "I can go by myself."

Killeg shook his head gently. "We'll come, stay back, and let you lead. We'll be there just in case you need us. It's the smartest option. You know that."

Sweet Pea
woofed
. Damned traitor dog.

I growled. It wasn't quiet. "I wanted to go by myself."

"And we wanted to sleep in bed with you last night. But you had," his brows rose, "a headache."

Yes, my excuses were wearing thin. "Fine." I pointed a finger in Stiller's direction. "But they're going with us."

Phila chuckled quietly. "You really are afraid to be alone with us, aren't you?"

"Shut up," I grumbled. I patted my bag resting against my hip. "Go get ready. All of you. I'll be downstairs waiting in the restaurant." My stomach rumbled. "I'm hungry."

"At least you're hungry for something," Killeg muttered, staring deliberately.

I quickly turned with Sweet Pea walking beside me. I didn't want them to see the blush staining my cheeks ... because I was hungry for more than just food. "You've got an hour. Be ready, or I'm leaving without you. And we'll need to be quick or my Vaq will know something's off—because of our bond."

Behind me, Phila murmured mildly, "We may have taken care of that issue yesterday."