Tempting Darkness

Tobias growled, and I turned my head to look over the back of the couch.

"What the f**k did you do to her?" Tobias whispered before marching over to Darius. He sniffed him before grabbing his hand, and my face flamed red when I saw him sniff Darius's fingers. Tobias growled and shoved him away before turning to look at me. "What the f**k? Did he force you?" Tobias asked me, and I saw Lycus and Kalen stir on the bed as he raised his voice higher.

"Shut up before you wake them. I never hurt her. Quite the opposite, actually," Darius snarled back at him.

"That's not what I asked," Tobias growled at him.

"She is fine. Are you hurt, Aleera, in pain?" Darius asked, and I glared at him before turning away as embarrassment coursed through me.

"That's f****d up even for you. You can't force her to do shit like that."

"Says who?" Darius asked.

"You're unbelievable," Tobias spat, turning to face me. He walked over and reached out to me when Darius spoke.

"Don't feel sorry for her, Tobias. She is the one who tried to break my wards and leave. I was merely demonstrating who had control," Darius said, and Tobias's hand that was reaching toward me to do god knows what stopped.

"You tried to leave?" Tobias asked. I pressed my lips in a line, and tears blurred my vision, so I lay down and rolled on my side. I could tell him the truth, but he or Darius would kill Ryze. That much was certain.

"This will kill Kalen," Tobias hissed angrily.

"He doesn't have to know," Darius said.

"Then how do you plan on explaining her being in our damn room?" Tobias asked, and I sat up to see Darius shrug.

"He asked to sleep in her room. This is giving him what he wants under supervision," Darius said, and I glared at him. I thought the whole point was to make Kalen hate me.

"You keep your hands to yourself. Kalen sees you forcing yourself on her, he will f*****g lose it, and I want no part of this," Tobias said.

"Fine, as long as Aleera keeps her mouth shut, everything will be fine. Isn't that right, Aleera?" Darius asked.

"As long as you keep the f**k away from me," I snapped at him.

"See? Everything is fine," Darius said, looking between Tobias and me. I curled back up on the couch while Darius wandered off into the bathroom. Tobias came over, draped a blanket over me, and handed me a pillow. I took it when suddenly he cupped my cheek with his hand.

"Why would you do that? Don't do it again. I am not saying what he did was right. It wasn't. But you running?" He shook his head. I just stared at him.

Was he seriously defending him? I slapped his hand away. "You're just as bad as him. Get away from me," I told him, rolling to face the back of the small two-seater.

"We told you that you could earn more freedom if you behaved, Aleera. We only just stopped locking your damn door, and you ran the first chance you got. How are we supposed to trust you?" he asked.

"I wasn't running," I whispered.

"What?" Tobias asked, and I shook my head when he gripped my chin and turned my face toward him.

"What did you say?"

"I wasn't-"

The bathroom door opened, and Tobias glanced over at Darius. I pulled my face out of his grip.

"Aleera?"

"Doesn't matter," I told him.

"Come to bed, Tobias," Darius said as I snuggled under my blanket, pulling it over my head. Tobias sighed before I heard him walk off and climb into bed with Darius.

#

The following day I woke to fangs in my wrist as Tobias fed off me.

"Tobias, she isn't even awake," Lycus growled at him, and I yawned, sitting upright while Tobias was still feeding off me. I rubbed my eyes to see Kalen stretching and waking up. Tobias dropped my wrist, and I rubbed it.

"Aleera?" Kalen asked before rubbing his eyes. He looked around at the others, and I saw Darius walk out of the closet half-undressed. He was only wearing pants.

"Surprise. She is staying here from now on," Darius said, and I glared at him.

"Darius said you can't be alone with her, but if you want her close, she stays with us in here," Lycus said, leaning down and kissing Kalen. I could feel Tobias staring at me, but I didn't bother correcting Darius. I knew it would end badly if I did.

"Hurry up and get dressed, Aleera. You have to be down at the mess hall," Darius said before chucking some clothes at me. It was a new pair of jeans and a black button-up top. I looked at him. What were these hush clothes? I shook my head but got up and headed for the bathroom.

"I will take her to breakfast," Lycus said as I reached the door and stopped. How was I supposed to feed Ryze if he was with me?

"She can go by herself," Darius said, and I let out a breath of relief, about to go get changed.

"No, I have something to do anyway."

"Like what?" Darius demanded.

"None of your business," Lycus snapped at him.

"We always have breakfast together," Tobias said, sounding needy, which surprised me.

"I will grab something down there." Lycus shrugged.

I shoved the door open and went to get changed. When I came back out, Lycus was waiting for me. Tobias and Darius didn't look happy about him coming to breakfast with me. Kalen, on the other hand, was pouting.

"Why can't she eat with us?" Kalen asked. Probably because they hate me, I thought but stopped myself from saying it out loud. Not that I wanted to stay in there any longer than needed. I wanted out of this room and as far away as possible from Darius.