“Let me clarify,” I growl down at her. “None of us want you. You are just our owner, and we aren’t here willingly. If you try to force us kindly or otherwise to service you, I will rip your cunt apart.”
She belts me across the face. “And let me be clear. You are just unwanted guests in my home. I want you gone. If you even think about touching me, I’ll rip your cock off and give it to the birds.”
We stare at each other, both of us breathing hard, and then she backs off and disappears into her bedroom. I stare after her, wondering what the ever-loving fuck just happened.
My mother would kick my ass. She would be so ashamed of my talking to a woman like that. But she hasn’t seen what I’ve seen or done what I’ve done. She’s been dead far too long, and the world isn’t the wonderland she said it was.
“Well, that went well. She’s definitely not going to want any of us now.” Riot snorts and gives me a disgusted look. “You could have waited until after we’d eaten.”
I turn around and catch a glimpse of Angel disappearing out the front door. Hazard stands up, scoops a few more spoonfuls into his mouth, and follows.
“You know, I kind of think she was just being nice. I don’t think she actually is interested in us at all,” Wrath says in quiet contemplation. “Perhaps she is a good person.”
“Can we afford to wait to find out?” I ask back coldly.
He shrugs and puts his feet down off the coffee table.
I growl at him.
He hands me his bowl and walks down the dark hallway before entering the bedroom we claimed and closing the door.
I’ve cleaned the lounge and the kitchen and put everything away, and I’m just wiping my hands on a tea towel when she comes out again. She freezes for a moment before walking over to the cupboard and getting a glass.
“I think perhaps we got off on the wrong foot,” I say quietly.
She glowers at me. “And whose fault is that?”
I growl and bite it back. “Look, you don’t know what it’s like; you’re our thirteenth owner.”
She opens her mouth, but nothing comes out, but I feel her horror to my soul. Disgust pulls at me, and I turn away from her.
I’d never been truly ashamed of myself until I was cursed into this bracelet, now there is much about myself I hate.
“They wanted it. Some of them,” I say so softly she has to lean in closer to hear. “There were no choices. You’re going to find out sooner or later, but we have to do what you want us to do. But if you start using those commands, I will rip out your tongue.”
She sets the glass down with a click. I groan, frustrated that I can’t explain myself eloquently like Riot or Wrath.
“They wanted people to work for free. Some of them didn’t know we were shifters, and so we had to stay in wolf form. Some made us sleep outside in the snow.” I slam shut the lid on the memories that want to surface. “Some figured we were magic, so we didn’t need to eat. Some of those owners…they liked to see us hurting.”
Her hand trembles as she fills up the glass before absently putting it back down. “How do we end it?”
“Pass it on-”
“That’s not an option. I’m not leaving you five stuck like this.”
“You don’t know us.”
“No one deserves to be treated like that. I can help.”
She sounds sincere. Dare I trust her? Do I have a choice?
The first real flicker of hope I’ve had in years ignites in my chest. “We need to get you what you need.” I try to keep the hope out of my voice. “The terms the curse sets are that we must meet your needs.”
“Need? I don’t need anything.”
“You must need something. If we can figure it out and give it to you, then we can be free.”
She takes a sip of the water. “Is Angel okay?”
