Chapter 7 Meet the Brothers - Livvy's POV

I wanted to believe him. He looked at me with so much sincerity that I found myself drowning in his eyes. I felt a sharp tug in my chest that made my knees almost buckle.

Dorian was there, instantly putting his arms around me to help me stand straighter.

“That was—” My words trailed off, because I didn’t know what it was. “Nothing. Okay, so you say you don’t want to harm me.”

“I don’t,” he said softly. “None of us do.”

“Then why did you kidnap me? That’s a crime,” I argued.

His gaze softened as he stared at me, then his arms slowly slipped from around me. “Kidnapped is such a strong word for what I’ve done. I’ve saved you from those who wish to end you or do worse.”

I nodded. “And why would they want to do that? I’m no one.”

“You’re—”

“Brother!” A man’s voice filled the air.

We both whirled to face him. My eyes widened as I took him in. He was tall and a bit slimmer than Dorian, but there was no mistaking his features. The dark eyes and‌ smile instantly gave him away, even if he hadn’t just called him brother.

“Rhys,” Dorian whispered. “What are you doing here? I thought you would have settled in for the day.”

“I heard some noise and thought I would come to see what you dragged in,” he murmured, stopping a few feet away from us. His gaze dragged over me slowly. “So, you brought home a woman.”

Dorian pulled me to his side, jerking so hard that I almost fell. I collapsed against him, though I didn’t want to. That’s when his scent filled my nose. It was heady and intoxicating.

“Oh, Dorian,” Rhys chided. “I think you need to be more careful or you’ll have the human crawling all over you.”

Dorian’s gaze snapped to the side, studying me. “Sh—”

“Now brother. Don’t use foul language around her,” Rhys said teasingly. “We don’t want to scare the poor thing away or make her think we are uncivilized beasts.”

“What?” I asked, panting for breath. “What is happening?”

My skin was too hot, especially where I was touching Dorian’s shirt. That wasn’t including the frantic rhythm of my heart. 

“Are you okay?” Dorian asked, his voice softening.

I opened my mouth to answer, but no words came out. My throat felt raw, dry, and entirely too tight.

“Turn your thrall off,” Rhys said.

“Thrall?” My brow furrowed in confusion.

Dorian growled low in his chest, which rumbled against me. After a moment, the overwhelming feeling passed, and I was able to peel myself away from him.

“What was that?”

Rhys chuckled. “That’s a thrall. It makes humans very compliant while we feed. Dorian is hungry and well, because he is the—”

“Don’t,” Dorian snapped. 

“Don’t what? He was explaining things to me,” I shot back. “It’s more than you’re doing.”

Dorian’s gaze swept the hallway. His body tensed, his muscles coiled like a spring, as if he were waiting for something.

“Listen, some things you don’t need to know right now,” he said, keeping his voice low. “I’m here to keep you safe.”

“But from who? Or what?” My voice came out smaller than I intended.

He looked at me then, his gaze hardening almost in warning. “You saw what I saved you from, so why are you still questioning this?”

“She’s human,” Rhys added. “You know their minds take a while to grasp all the changes. She will be fine in a few weeks.”

I took a step back, my legs unsteady beneath me. My mind went back to the man he called a demon. I saw the hunger in his gaze and remembered his blackened teeth. My gaze snapped up to meet Dorian’s ‌gaze before slowly going to Rhys.

“And he’s your brother.”

“There are five of us,” Rhys said softly, as if he was being that way only for me. “We’re nice. Most of the time.”

“Go away, Rhys.”

That got a laugh from him. “Why? Afraid I might call our other brothers here to see the human?”

“She’s not ready for that, so please go.”

Rhys took one long look at me, then dropped his gaze. “Fine, but you can’t keep her away from everyone for long. They’ll come find her, just like last time.”

I remembered the man standing in the doorway when I woke up in an unfamiliar bed, but I thought that was a dream. 

A chill crept over my skin. “So I wasn’t dreaming.”

Rhys winced. Dorian shot him a look that would have frozen even the hottest of things. 

“You talk way too much.”

"I've been told that," Rhys replied with a shrug. "Usually by you."

"What does he mean?" I pressed.

Neither of them answered. I let out a disbelieving laugh.

"Seriously? Is this just how you all communicate? One says something horrifying, the other refuses to explain it, and then everyone expects me to move on?"

Rhys chuckled. "I like her. She has fire that we need.”

"I wasn't trying to be likable,” I snapped. “I just want the truth and neither of you are giving it to me.”

"I know,” Dorian whispered.

I looked back at Dorian. "The man standing in the doorway and the strange bed were real.”

His words from before came rushing back. He had said that he took me to his home and spent the day here, but I was so distracted by the fact he said he had let me come home that I glazed over it.

Dorian rubbed a hand over the back of his neck. “I told you I took you home.”

“I remember now,” I whispered. 

Rhys snorted. “So, now that we are past that, can we move on? What do you want me to tell our brothers?”

“Keep them away, at least for a day,” Dorian said firmly.

I looked between the two of them as everything bubbled to the surface. Fury so hot burned through me. “You know what? I miss my old problems.”

They both turned to look at me.

“What? Your rent?” Rhys offered.

“I miss my double shifts. Working at Club Cyclone was a little rough, but I loved The Crazy Blooming Cafe during the day,” I murmured. “Even the broken espresso machine is easier than this.”

A smile tugged at Rhys’s mouth as he fought a laugh. Dorian was looking at me in horror.

"I'd trade all of this for a clogged beer tap at Club Cyclone,” I said proudly. “Or even that stinky new beer my boss got in.”

Dorian rolled his eyes. “That’s what you miss?”

Rhys lost it and laughed loudly. 

“At least you think it’s funny.”

“Humans,” he said, reaching up to wipe his face. “Oh, that’s a good one.”

Dorian shot him a look. “Weren’t you leaving?”

“I want to hear more about her human life,” he laughed. “This is too good.”

“What’s too good?”

Dorian’s shoulders dropped as he sputtered. “No, Cassian. Leave.”

Two more came in behind him, and Dorian was already moving to block me from view.

“Kieran. Lucien,” Dorian growled. “Leave now.”

“No, I don’t think we will,” one laughed. “You brought her home? Without telling us?”

I sighed. “So, these are your brothers?”

Dorian glanced at me over his shoulders, his eyes looking wilder than what I had seen. “Stay behind me.”

“We’re not a threat,” Rhys said firmly. “Chill out.”

“Yeah, brother,” the blonde haired one added. “We are just curious.”

I watched his mouth around Dorian’s arm as his tongue darted out and traced over fangs. Blood drained from my face as I realized what they were.

The speed. The strength. All of it came rushing back.

Why didn’t I see it before?

“Vampires.”