Marcellus clenches his jaw, anger flashing in his eyes. It’s so weird seeing a copy of the same man standing before each other. Thank Fates, Marcus shortened his name so I have something I can call them to differentiate. “I could ask the same thing of you! Are you one of Silas’ followers who took some kind of spell to look like me? Where do you get off acting like an imposter with my mate?” Marcellus shoves Marcus in the shoulder, making him take a step back.
Oh, this isn’t good. They’re both at a boiling point. I should put a stop to this before we gain unwanted attention. Sure, there’s a soundproof bubble up with the added bonus of invisibility, but I’m not sure how big I can make it stretch. Klaus is already pulling me away from the guys in anticipation of a fight, causing me to expand the protection I’m trying to hold over us. I try to wiggle from his hold, to what purpose I’m not sure, seeing how I would still need to get past Derrick and Alex. None of my guys are going to just let me get in the middle of the scuffle, anyway.
I peer back at Klaus, and give him my best pleading eyes. “We need to stop this. Nothing will be accomplished if they fight. We need answers, not black eyes that will just heal in minutes once they exhaust themselves.”
He gives me a wry smile. “Yeah, but they’ll be more willing to listen once all the fight is out.” He shrugs his shoulders like there isn’t much he can do. More like nothing he’s willing to do. Thanks a lot, Klaus, you’re supposed to be the one who knows what I need and stands by my side. I roll my eyes and try to come up with another plan to stop them.
My mind keeps replaying his first words to me. Wait... he remembers me! How is this possible? The spell was supposed to keep anyone from remembering who I am. And speaking of spells, how was he able to see through our cloaking spell and hear us? Ok, enough of this shit. I want answers and their dick measuring can happenafterI get what I want.
Reaching deep inside, I pull out my Alpha command voice. Something I’ve only used a few other times now that I’m Queen. With the seriousness of this situation, I slide the icy mask from my youth into place. “Enough!” All five of them stop what they’re doing, and look at me. Now that I have their attention, I continue on, “I need answers and I don’t appreciate how you guys just pulled me away from getting them. Now let’s step inside and discuss things like civilized people before we get caught down here.”
They follow my request and enter the cell, although this might’ve been a mistake because there isn’t much room at all. “You”—my finger points to Marcellus—“How do you remember me?”
“Well, hello to you too, Darling. I know you’ve spent the last five centuries talking to yourself, but I thought you would’ve kept some of your manners.” Is he for real right now? Manners in a time like this? And how does he know I talked to myself? This man is so infuriating!
“Marcellus,” I growl out, leaving no room for him to mistake my meaning. Fuck, it’s times like this where I just want to walk away and be alone.
He lets out a deep breath and his whole demeanor deflates. Now I notice the dark bags under his eyes and how drained he looks. “Cecily... please can I just... I... I just need to hold you for a moment and then I’ll tell you everything you want to know. Please. It’s been a hundred and fifty terrifying years since I’ve been able to see you, and it physically hurts.” He rubs his chest as if he’s trying to rub away the pain.
At the same time, Marcus roars out, “Over my dead body.” He tries to step in front of me again, but I hold my arm out to stop him.
I want to go to Marcellus. As soon as he said it was painful being apart for so long, I started to sense it myself. Our bond is in distress. My skin actually itches with how much need is buzzing within me to be wrapped in his arms. I can’t listen to it. At least not yet, not before I know if he wanted to do the things Silas told him to do.
“Why did you do it?” My voice wobbles, much like my legs want to do. The rest of my mates fade away, and it’s just the two of us.
His eyes fill with pain. “You didn’t get the memory dream I sent you? I thought I had the spell right. You were finally close enough for it to work; I could’ve sworn it would make it right.” He stops talking to think through what he did for his spell, and where it could have gone wrong.
My heart lifts as if the block of ice around it has started to melt and it isn’t quite so heavy anymore. He sent me the dream Marcus and I had? That’s why I knew I was dreaming and why it was from his perspective. He sent me his memory of what happened, much like how I shared all of my memories with him once. I can’t help but confirm with him, “The dream was your memory? He really had you under his control?”
Relief causes Marcellus’ eyes to brighten. “Yeah, Darlin’. It gutted me to be trapped inside myself, and to know you thought I betrayed you by not being able to stop myself. I failed you, but everything I’ve done since then has been steps in trying to make up for it. I love you, Cecily. I wish I had chosen to say it as my last words to you instead of saying you should’ve left me. I have so much to share with you, but I needed those words to be the first thing you heard.”
Each word is a soothing balm to my soul. It feels like he’s taking superglue to my broken heart and is meticulously mending it back together. I can’t just forget the traumatic event, but we went through it together, and maybe we’ll only be able to get past it together too. My feet have a mind of their own as I make my way across the small cell into his arms before I even think about moving.
Marcus lunges after me to stop my progress, but this time Klaus has my back and stops him. Marcellus wraps his arms around me, and we both break down in sobs, dropping to the floor. My itching skin is relieved with his touch, and the pain in my chest becomes less sharp. As we went to the floor, he pulled me into his lap, and I snuggle into him harder than I ever have before.
“Aww, good. I was worried she wouldn’t believe him. Gosh, such a sad story, isn’t it?” The voice is bright and cheery. Way too full of energy for this early in the morning. I’ve only known one person who’s like that first thing...
My head perks up, tears smeared all over my face, and I sniffle some snot back while looking for the owner of the voice. Holy shit! It really is Thea!
“Hey there, girl! It’s been way too long. I’ve really missed you. Oh, and I totally forgive you for not bringing me with you to meet your mate. I feel like I really lucked out on missing all that drama.” A laugh bursts out of me. Leave it up to Thea to twist a nightmare into a favor for her.
“What are you doing here?” I ask, confused as to why she’s in Silas’ dungeon. I know all about her powers, and there’s no way she could have been captured and held against her will.
She rolls her eyes before answering and cocks her hip out, with her hand resting on it, in an exaggerated sassy pose. “Came to find you, obviously! Then I stuck around to help your kicked puppy here.” I can’t stop the deep belly laughs at the picture of Marcellus being puppy-like. She hasn’t had the chance to get to know Alex, or she’d never compare Marcellus as the one who’s like a dog. “Great. Come to save your best friend, and all she does is laugh at you! See what I have to put up with!”
I can’t trust my legs to hold me up right now, so I just wipe the tears of laughter from my face. I hold my arms out to her, and beckon with my fingers for her to come in for a hug. She lets out an excited squeal and comes right in, wrapping her arms around me. “I missed you too, Thea. I’m really happy you’re here; a break from all the testosterone sounds perfect.”
“Psh, thanks, Angel,” Alex scoffs, but I can tell he’s just joking around. It’s clear to me he’s vulnerable right now, having competition for being the cause of my laughter.
Klaus is still holding Marcus back, who hasn’t given up his quest of pulling me away from Marcellus. We really need to give one of them a nickname at the very least. Calling them M1 and M2 won’t work. I rub my forehead where an incoming headache is twisting my nerves, with my overthinking about everything we need to figure out, along with all of the emotions I’ve been bitch-slapped with. “We have so much to figure out,” I say on a sigh.
“Yeah, I should say! For starters, I’d like to know why he’s wearing my face, and why you’re snuggled up on his lap. Babe, you’re killing me here!” Marcus is red in the face, and Alex has joined Klaus in holding him back. The muscles in their arms bulge with the combined effort.
Fuck, he needs my reassurance right now, but I’m not sure I can physically handle not touching Marcellus. It’s similar to my desire to touch the guys when I first rejoined my body and had to replenish my magic. Although now, it’s the bond needing to be replenished instead of magic. I’ve been so busy listening to the desires of my bonds concerning the others, I didn’t even realize the ache I had been dealing with, when it came to my bond with Marcellus. Ever since he mentioned it though, it’s all I can think about or feel.
Once again, I’m questioning how I’m supposed to manage having so many mates. Now seeing Marcellus again and remembering all the details of his childhood, paired with looking through Marcus’ memories, it’s obvious to me they’re brothers. I can also sense their bonds with me are tangled up, as if the strings are twisted around each other.
“Remember how strained our bond was when you felt like I was rejecting you?” I ask him with hopes this will help him understand what I’m experiencing right now.
