Dark Signs

14

I saw him before Navien could even open the door. He was so tall, and his hair so bright. Caz stood on my doorstep.

Once Navien had opened the door, Caz looked at me from the doorstep with what looked like relief but there was venom in that stare, before turning his attention to Navien who was standing in my doorway in nothing but a towel, Caz’s eyebrow flicked up in question and amusement.

“Gods, poppet.” Caz sighed as he looked back to me and took in my cut up cheek, bruised shoulder and grazed elbows.

“I’m okay.” I said through a small smile.

“Darling, would you like to invite Cairn inside for me?”

“Oh. Um, okay, yes.” I said softly. “Cairn, won’t you please come in?” These boys were well into their formalities and full names tonight.

Caz, Cairn, took my hand then and placed a light kiss to my knuckles. “I would love nothing more, poppet.”

Navien led us back through my apartment and into the living room. He fluffed up some pillows for me and motioned for me to sit on my plush couch. I did as he asked and flopped myself down into the cushions a little uncomfortably, restricted by only the towel that I wore.

Cairn found a throw blanket and draped it across my lap.

I pulled it up and snuggled in.

“Would you like a drink, little one?” Navien asked. “ Alcohol, or no?”

“No, thank you. Tea?”

“Coming up.” and with that, Navien left with a flourish to my kitchen to make me tea.

Cairn settled in at the other end of my couch and pulled my feet into his lap. His long legs looked cramped in my tiny space of a living room. He started massaging the bottoms of my aching feet.

I heard cupboards and draws being opened from the other room, as Navien searched for utensils.

“Are you certain you’re okay, poppet?” Cairn's fingers and thumbs dug into my aching muscles, working out all of the tension.

“I am now.” I said with a yawn and settled down lower into the couch, I pulled the blanket up under my chin. “That feels really nice.”

My eyes slipped closed as I melted into the feel of Cairn’s touch and the muffled sounds of Navien at home, making me tea in my kitchen.

∞∞∞

I woke the next day surrounded by warmth, the smell of my bedsheets surrounded me, along with vanilla and sandalwood. I stretched my aching limbs out, the memory of the previous night had faded only slightly, but the ache deep down remained as a vivid reminder.

Navien and Cairn.

I had fallen asleep with them still in my house.

I had fallen asleep in a towel.

I was now naked.

Oh, fuck.

I tried to roll over and sit up, but was met with an iron grip around my waist, pulling me back to the bed. What the fuck?

“Not awake yet. Darling. It’s too early. The sun is still up. Back to sleep.” Navien drawled sleepily .

His sleeping form wrapped itself snugly along my side, embracing me in his warmth. Behind him, cuddling in close was Cairn. One arm under Navien’s head and the other draped across this stomach. His long legs were tangled with mine and entwined through Naviens. We were a pile of limbs and tattooed flesh.

I rolled in Navien’s embrace to look at him. One of his eyes peeled open, it was rimmed with red as he looked at me sceptically.

“Can I help you?” He said through a yawn.

“Just looking… Why are you still here? And in my bed no less.”

From behind Navien, Cairn growled low and deep in warning.

“He’s not a morning person.” Navien remarked, rolling his eyes.

“It’s far from morning.” I retorted, looking over Navien’s shoulder to where the last rays of sun were trying to seep sideways through the small slits in my curtains.

“Shhh!” Cairn hissed.

“Now you’ve done it, darling.” Navien whispered against my cheek as he snuggled in closer, melting his very naked chest and body into mine.

“Done what?” I whispered back, our lips gently caressing with each word.”

“Sleep, poppet!” Cairn groaned again before he rolled over Navien and came to a rest on top of us both. Embracing us in his long limbs, pinning us both beneath him.

His head nudged and snuggled against my own, his breath skating over my cheek as he breathed in deeply enveloping me in his warm sandalwood scent.

“Done that,” Navien replied through gritted teeth as he bore the weight of Cairn.

Cairn released the tiniest of snores as he drifted heavily back into sleep.

I huffed out a sigh when I realised that Cairn had indeed fallen back to sleep, trapping me in bed beneath him for a few more hours.

“Just rest a little longer, darling.” Navien said softly, closing his eyes.

Resigned, I did as he said and closed mine too. The added weight of Cairn was oddly comforting, and the scents of both men surrounded me, lulled me into another restful sleep.

∞∞∞

The next time I awoke, I was alone. My bedroom was empty, and I was tucked carefully under my blankets. The sun was no longer leaking through my curtains. The day had come and gone, and now darkness had fallen.

I rolled over and actually stretched, my grazed knees aching with protest. Gods, I was sore everywhere, and it wasn’t a pleasant soreness either. Not like the last time I had spent the night with Navien and Cairn.

Fuck, I had been so stupid.

I was just lucky Navien had found me before something worse had happened. I rose and sat on the edge of the bed, bringing my blanket with me, which I draped around my shoulders and held it closed tightly. My feet hit the cold timber flooring as

I stiffly shuffled my way to the bathroom.

Navien’s pile of wet clothes had vanished, and the shower had been cleaned.

I made use of the bathroom, washed my face and cleaned my teeth before my stomach growled in hunger. I didn’t even dare to look in the mirror. I knew how banged up I looked just by judging by how badly my cheek hurt and my lip stung. My right eye also felt a little puffy now, too. That's not even mentioning how Navien and Cairn had reacted to seeing me.

I looked to the sideboard where I knew I had left the polaroids, each one of them had been stacked into a neat pile. The photo of me with TOY written across my face was on top.

Fuck, they knew.

I slowly and guiltily trudged down the stairs to my kitchen to scrounge through my cupboards and refrigerator to find something to eat, when I heard them speaking in hushed tones from below. I turned the corner into the kitchen to find Cairn seated on top of my island bench, legs swinging back and forth as he watched Navien, who was still shirtless and wearing nothing but my pink frilly apron and his undershorts, hunched over a pile of chopped tomatoes and onion, currently cutting up what seemed like feta cheese.

I didn’t know I had those ingredients in my kitchen, but okay.

Cairn’s spine straightened as I entered, and he inhaled deeply as he swung his head to look at me. “Good morning, poppet. Sleep well?” He asked around a mouthful of what looked like sourdough bread. I noticed a fresh pot of tea was steeping on the benchtop, swirls of steam lazily wafting from the spout.

“Would have slept better if I didn’t have a heavy big mountain laying on top of me, but what can you do?” I smirked. “What time is it?” I asked as I stretched again.

Navien chuckled under his breath as he looked up at me from his task. “A little after ten, darling. Hungry?” He asked.

I had indeed slept a long while. It was no wonder I was hungry. My stomach decided that was the perfect time to groan in protest. I walked deeper into the kitchen to see what Navien was cooking, but didn’t get far as Cairn caught me around the waist from his perch upon my countertop and pulled me into a tight embrace. He inhaled deeply and I snuggled into the hug. Surrounding myself with him.

“I’ll take that as a yes, then.” Navien said, his voice muffled by Caz’s big arms. I wound my blanket wrapped arms around Cairn in return. He sighed long and deep against the crown of my head before he let me go.

Navien had plated up the tomato, onion and feta on slices of avocado smeared sourdough toast, sprinkled with baby spinach and then topped with a healthy amount of lemon juice, pepper and balsamic vinegar. It looked delicious.

“We will get you something more substantial when we head out, darling. This is just breakfast, something to tide you over until later. ”

“It looks amazing.” I said as I breathed in deeply. “But isn’t it a bit late for breakfast?”

“It’s never too late for breakfast.” Cairn replied with a grin.

I huffed a laugh. He had such a boyish, chaotic charm to him.

Cairn climbed down from his perch atop my island bench, and stole a slice of toast from the plate Navien had outstretched for me, and quickly shoved it into his mouth. Crunching loudly on the sourdough as Navien scowled back at him.

I took a moment to appreciate the sight of Navien and his expanse of ink covered flesh in all different shades of black and grey.

Cairn was dressed much like the night prior. Dark trousers, black button down, black, silver-tipped dress boots and mountains of silver adorning his neck, wrists and fingers. I swore I could even see the glint of silver shining from one of his canine teeth as he smiled impishly at me.

“I hope you don’t mind, darling. I had to use your clothes drier.” Navien said sheepishly as he gestured to his almost nakedness.

“It’s not a problem.” I said with a smile as I appreciated the view. “Pink looks good on you.” I gestured to my apron that so prettily adorned his hips.

“She’s right, you do look delicious, Nav.” Cairn winked and said through a mouthful of food.

“Fuck you both.” Nav said with a smile. “Pink is absolutely my colour.”

“I never said it wasn't.” Cairn replied.

“Caz, would you stop stealing the darlings food? For fucksake.” Nav cursed.

Caz huffed a laugh.

An easy silence enveloped the room as I stared at my feet.

“Thank you.” I said seriously then. “For everything.” I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply.

Who knows where I would be right now if he hadn’t found me. Certainly not eating avocado sourdough toast with two tattooed men in my kitchen, that's for sure.

Nav nodded and passed me the plate of food, I breathed in, the citrus and vinegar and pepper tickled my nose, it smelled delicious, my mouth started to water.

“Come poppet, sit and eat. Kill will be here soon to pick us up.” Caz stated around another mouthful of food he had just stolen off my plate.

I sat at the island bench, my space looking all too small with these two men taking up most of it. I dug into my food as Nav poured me a cup of steaming hot tea which filled the room with a pleasant headiness of the floral scented leaves.

“Yes, please.” Caz spoke with his mouth full and waved towards my cup.

Nav just rolled his eyes and moved to the cupboard which housed the teacups. He set one down before Caz and poured before pouring one for himself, too.

“Thank you, love.” Caz said with a nod and an air-kiss to Nav.

“Uh-huh.” Nav responded with a sip of his tea.

Watching Nav navigate my kitchen was so normal, like he belonged there. I smiled coyly into my cup before taking a healthy sip. The liquid was warm and flavourful as I gulped it down, a lot more thirsty than I thought I was.

Nav sat down his cup and took a moment to untie the ties of the apron he wore, and placed it over the oven door rail. He leaned against the opposite bench and watched me with an intensity that was unmatched. He crossed his arms which flexed his muscles and crossed his legs at the ankles.

The bulge at the front of his undershorts, although flaccid, strained the seams.

I swallowed thickly as I looked smugly up and down his body. When I reached his face, one of his eyebrows was raised in question and a sheepish smile graced one side of his lips.

“Stop staring, poppet. You’ll give him an inflated ego.” Caz said from beside me, licking his fingers clean, also taking in the view Nav was displaying.

I snorted, a very unlady-like sound leaving my lips. My cheeks turned warm as my embarrassment flooded my veins.

“I’ll have you know, my ego is fine and well. Thank you very much.” Nav said with a nod. But the growing bulge of his undershorts could not deny how he truly felt about having our eyes on him.

I focused on my meal then, leaving them to throw jabs at one another, digging in heartily.

Satisfied I was eating, Nav turned and started cleaning, the muscles of his thighs and ass rippling with each movement.

A ding sounded in the laundry room, signalling Nav’s clothes being dried. He walked past me, bending to kiss the top of my head before he disappeared down the hall.

“How do you feel today, little one?” Caz asked as he too started tidying his plate and utensils. Placing them into the dishwasher.

“I’m sore, but otherwise okay. I’m grateful Nav found me.”

Caz growled low and long, a menacing sound that reverberated throughout the room.

“None of that now,” Nav said as he reentered the room pulling his shirt over his torso. His jeans were already on and zipped up accentuating his thicker form. His ass was immaculate in jeans.

I couldn’t lie, the growl that ripped from Caz's throat made my insides light up like millions of tiny stars. It was all consuming and so damn dangerous. But I knew I was safe when he made that sound.

“Come love, finish eating. We need to get you dressed before Kill gets here.” Nav spoke softly, noticing I hadn’t yet finished the meal he had prepared for me.

“Almost done,” I said as I gulped down the rest of the tea and shoved the last of the bread into my mouth.

I stood and made to pack away my cup and plate, but Caz pulled me short and took them from me.

“Thank you.”

“I like looking after our little poppet.” He replied with a wink.

We all came to a stop when a loud and angry knock sounded on the door that echoed through my entire apartment.

“He’s early.” Caz said, glancing toward Nav.

When they didn’t move to let Kill in, I asked, “Should I answer that? ”

“Yes, darling. If you could, please.” Said Nav.

I gripped the blanket around my shoulders tighter. I wasn’t wearing anything else under this thing, but they didn’t need to know that.

I turned the knob and opened the door. Kill was indeed standing proudly on my doorstep. He was shorter than Caz and Nav, but he filled the doorway with his larger than life presence.

Kill's eyes were especially luminous tonight, they glowed with an internal fire as they took me in.

“Good evening, little dove.” His voice dripped with sex and menace.

“Hello, Kill.” I said shyly. His aura and intensity completely overwhelmed me, and I was lost for words.

I hadn’t heard Caz sneak up behind me, but he bent and whispered against the shell of my ear, “Killian, poppet.”

Right, again with the full names.

“Would you like to come in, Killian?” I motioned behind me. “Navien is in the kitchen.” I stumbled out the words for something to say.

“I’m not here for Navien, dove.”

“Oh…” I gulped and stepped aside to let Killian enter.

He walked past me with an air of grace and wickedness and a quick kiss to my forehead. “And you should also be very careful of who you invite into your home.” He said as he withdrew his lips from my skin and stalked inside, leaving a wake of the scent of smoke, musk and cedar behind him.

I let his strange warning slide as the feeling of his light, yet powerful kiss sent shivers up my spine. Caz turned me from the doorway with his hand upon my lower back, and led me back inside, closing the door behind us. The warmth of my home enveloping us in its sweet embrace after the bitter onslaught of the chilly night air that

Killian had brought with him.

“Why is she… Why are you not dressed, dove?” Killian asked of no one in particular with his back turned to us. “We have places to be, and Vaylen will not want to be kept waiting.”

“It doesn’t help when you’re early, Kill.” Caz said casually. He was leaning against the kitchen counter cleaning under his nails with a knife he had produced from his pocket. “Besides, she was hungry, Nav made her food.”

“It’s true, and I was about to start getting ready.” I spoke defensively. I didn’t want anyone to get in Killian’s bad books, especially me… Or did I?

Gods, what was wrong with me?

“We don’t have all night, little one.” Killian spoke over his shoulder when I didn’t move. His eyes blazing into mine with an icy fire.

“Right, yes.” I mumbled, twisting the fabric of the blanket around in my hands nervously. With all three of them in my home, I was completely overwhelmed.

Killian growled low and deep as he lunged for me from across the hall, grabbed me by the waist and flung me over his shoulder with absolute ease. The blanket I wore slipped up and over my bottom half until my bare ass was on display to the whole room.

Killian took that opportunity to slap it as hard as possible while he stalked from the living area and up the stairs to my bedroom.

I squealed lightly at the unexpected sting, but Killian soothed back over my skin lightly, which made it not feel so bad.

“Just be careful with her, Kill. She’s pretty banged up.” Navien called up to us from the kitchen.

I heard a muffled, “Someone’s in a cranky mood,” from Caz behind me as he watched us go. Completely at the mercy of Killian.

Killian growled again with a low “Fuck. Sorry, dove.” Slowing his pace, his hands became a lot more gentle than before.

My head bobbled along his back as he walked us up the stairs, not missing a beat.

“It’s okay, it doesn’t even feel like it all happened last night. It feels like weeks ago.” I said truthfully.

“Not to me it doesn’t.” He growled back deeply. “My temper got the best of me just now, I'm sorry.”

I just smiled softly against his back .

“Did the big scary Killian just apologise?” I said in jest.

“Watch it, dove. My sympathy will only go so far.” He warned.

We reached the landing, and Killian turned us toward my bedroom where he deposited me down to my feet, and held me steady until I got my footing, my blanket shield falling back into place around me.

“I didn’t hurt you, did I?” Killian said, regret lacing his voice.

“It was just a sting, I’m okay.”

“Show me.” It wasn't a question.

I struggled with my insecurity to let go of my blanket, the weight of his gaze and heady menace was thick upon the air.

“May I?” Killian asked, a lot more gently this time, as he held onto my shoulders. His thumb tracing across my collarbone with a soft caress.

I nodded and breathed in deeply.

Slowly, Killian peeled the blanket from around me. Inch by inch until I was exposed to him completely in the soft amber light that was emanating from my bedside lamp.

Once the blanket was removed and placed in a pile at the end of my bed, Killian stepped back and looked me over.

From my head to my toes, he scrutinised every part of me.

Every scratch, every scar, every graze, every bruise.

And as he counted each one, his eyes turned icier and icier.

“Seventy-Six.” His voice was grave.

“Seventy-Six what?” I breathed.

“Times he will suffer.” His eyes met mine, and they were terrifying.

“Who.”

“Seventy-Six.” Killian reiterated with a snarl on his lips, ignoring my question.

“Killian?” I asked softly, walking slowly toward him. Terrified if I moved too quickly I may spook him. “Killian, I’m okay. Navien got to me in time.”

“Dove, I think you underestimate the lengths that I will go to, that we will go to, to make sure that he never touches you again. Do you understand that?”

I swallowed thickly and backed away, clearly not getting anywhere with this conversation.

“Vaylen is not going to be happy.” Killian spoke almost too softly for me to hear. I turned to ask if Killian meant Val, the mysterious one I was yet to meet, but Killian just turned and stalked to my closet.

He found my simple and comfortable outfits, trackpants, sweatshirts, loose pants, warm tops.

Killian picked out a pair of loose black pants with a drawstring waist and a black turtleneck shirt and handed them to me while I rummaged through my bedside table for a bra, underwear and a pair of socks.

I shimmied into the clothes under Killian’s watchful eye and once I was done, he turned and went into my bathroom, returning with my trusty paddle brush and a hair tie.

“Turn and sit.” Killian demanded.

I did as he asked, seating myself upon the end of my bed. He stood behind me and started running the brush through the lengths of my hair. Working slowly and softly to untangle any knots. The gentleness he showed was so at odds with what I knew of him, he was being so kind and caring, and not at all the big bad persona that he usually puts forward.

When he was happy that my hair was completely knot free, he started to braid.

His fingers worked my hair in and out, down the entire length until it was all plaited into his intricate design. He tied it off with the hair tie and kissed the top of my head.

“Perfect.” He whispered against my hair. “Are you going to be warm enough?”

“That depends on where we are going?” I pried.

“I’ll grab you a jacket.”

“Will I ever get a proper answer to any of my questions?” I asked, resigned.

“Yes.”

“Was that one of those times?”

“Also yes.” Killian responded with a smirk.

I rolled my eyes and went to my dresser. I didn't get too far, as Killian grabbed me by the wrist, albeit gentler than he would have any other time, and pulled me back to him .

“Did you just roll your eyes at me, dove? He gripped my chin and brought my gaze to his.

“Did I?” I responded with a tilt to my head.

“Oh… You’re such a brat.”

“Only for you.”

“Just wait until you’re healed, little dove. Then we will see if you dare roll your eyes at me again.”

“We will see.” Was all I said in response.

Kill caught my lips in a crashing kiss of teeth and tongues. His sweet musky scent washed over me, the taste of tobacco upon his tongue as it entered me was maddening.

“Can’t wait,” Kill panted as he pulled away from me, grabbed a jacket from my closet, and stalked from the room, leaving me dazed, confused and completely turned on.