Tempting Darkness

My entire body ached when I woke up the following day. Every part of me hurt, and I felt like I'd been run over by a truck. It took all my strength to roll off the couch and onto the floor. It took some serious willpower to get to my feet and stagger into the bathroom. My legs couldn't even hold me upright in the shower; the best I could do was sit on the floor. Though the warmth helped loosen up my aching muscles.

When I was finished, I forced myself up and grabbed a towel, only to groan when I recognized my mistake. I had forgotten to bring clothes in with me. I looked at my now damp walked-on pajamas on the bathroom floor, picked them up, tossed them in the hamper, and headed for the bedroom door.

Poking my head out the door, Tobias was nowhere to be seen and probably setting up for the early morning class he had since today was only a half-day. Lycus was not in the room, and I figured he must have gone for a run. However, Darius was still in bed next to Kalen.

Tiptoeing out, I tried not to wake them as I rummaged through the drawers for some clothes. Usually, my clothes were waiting on the end of the couch, so I had no idea where they kept them. No such luck this morning. Whoever usually got them out hadn't this morning, but it was pretty early still, looking at the clock. Movement on the bed made me look over my shoulder to find Darius spooning Kalen.

They looked kind of cute snuggled together. My stomach twisted painfully, and I turned my gaze away when Kalen rolled into Darius, both moving and rearranging in the bed. Darius groaned lewdly when Kalen kissed him in his sleep. Moving to the closet, I was about to give up and ask where they kept my clothes since they miraculously disappeared and reappeared when I felt warmth rush across my back.

Without even turning, I knew someone was behind me. I swallowed when Lycus's arm reached past me to the shelf overhead. He pulled some tights and a tank top down before handing them to me.

"You're up early," he whispered.

I nodded, feeling very caged in with him standing so close while also in the confines of the closet. I clutched them before turning around. I took a step back, bumping into the clothes hung up in there, when I noticed he was entirely naked. Stark naked, not a scrap of cloth covered him. Lycus stood there, watching me, and I tried to squeeze past him, but he stepped into my path.

"Excuse me," I whispered, not liking how he was backing me into a corner, a literal corner, and a coat hanger dug into my shoulder. I gasped. What the heck did he want? It was too early in the morning for their little games.

"You might want to get changed in here," Lycus smirked, and I raised an eyebrow at him.

Like hell was I getting changed in here with him while he was naked. With a roll of my eyes, I shoved past him, and I heard him chuckle. Walking out, I stopped dead in my tracks. Darius and Kalen were in bed, and Kalen had his mouth wrapped around Darius. A shriek nearly left my lips out of shock. I had been here for weeks, and I had never witnessed them doing anything. A hand clamped over my lips, and Lycus pulled me back against his naked body.

"Next time, you might listen," Lycus whispered with a soft laugh, and my heartbeat was like a drum when I felt him dip his face into my neck, skimming his nose from the back of my ear and down my neck and shoulder, his erection pressing against my lower back. His grip was tight, yet I couldn't tear my eyes from Darius and Kalen on the bed. Like I was stuck in some trance.

"You feel his power," Lycus murmured against my skin. Goosebumps rose all over my skin. He was right. Darius's power oozed out, and Kalen was taking it. Darius groaned, his hand in Kalen's hair while he took Darius in his mouth.

"Darius may let you join him, but he would need something in return," Lycus purred.

It was like someone chucked ice water over me. I bumped backward into Lycus as I tried to get away, stomping on his foot. Darius's eyes opened and settled on me. He had one arm tucked behind his head, and he quirked an eyebrow at me before smiling. Lycus's hand moved from across my mouth, and I turned in Lycus's hold, wanting to dart back into the closet, only I smacked into his chest instead because the wall of a man refused to move and was blocking the door.

"What's wrong, Aleera?" Lycus chuckled.

I barged past him, and he laughed while I became all hot and flustered. That stupid song, It's Raining Men, suddenly came to mind. Naked men, raining naked men, with penises, everywhere.

"I take it she doesn't want to join," Lycus chuckled, and I glared at his back as he walked away.

Darius laughed at my embarrassment. I dressed quickly, even managed to put my shirt on inside out, and I was sure Lycus handed it to me in the right way. Flustered and wanting to escape the room, I yanked it off, pulled it back, and then rushed out. My eyes automatically went to the bed. How couldn't they? The bed was in the middle of the room, and I had to rush past it, and there they were in all naked s*x-god glory.

I gripped the door handle and twisted. The power in the room was making it harder to breathe, yet the door would not open. I knew who was behind it, who was preventing me from leaving.

"Darius, please open it," I whined, not wanting to turn back to face the bed.

Lycus growled behind me, and I knew he was in bed with them now, too.