Anger filled me entirely and only grew with each step I took. I knew if I saw Tiren I would have trouble holding back. I know he did something to Akina, and he will pay direly for it.
"Hey!" Crescent shouted, bombarding me in the hall, she threw her arms around my shoulders and hugged me tightly. I wasn't in the mood but I stopped myself from pushing her off of me,
"What do you want?" I asked tersely,
"I heard you were going to be home, so I came to see you and this is how you treat me?" She puffed out her cheeks pouting and I rolled my eyes,
"Who told you?" I questioned. She folded her arms,
"Tiren told me." Of course... he planned to distract me. Now I have to figure out the best way to introduce Crescent to Akina... a girl who has been in love with me for most of my life.
"Well go home, come back tomorrow," I stated palming her face to move her out of the way, She flailed and I tried to walk past her but she grabbed my hand and tearfully asked,
"Are you not happy to see me?? It's been 2 years Serco!" This girl... knows how to make me feel bad.
"I am but I need to talk to my brother right now it's im-"
"You can talk to him later! I'm here!" She shouted. Where does she get so much self-importance? I snatched my hand away.
"I need to talk to him, NOW." She wiped her eyes,
"Okay... I'll wait... I can wait I'm sorry." I then walked away, she's still my best friend... visits me on Earth at least once every 5 years. But that is irrelevant right now. When I found Tiren he was sitting with Lanon and Qtezla our other brothers,
"Tiren... I need to talk to you." I announced,
"Do it here." He stated, knowing with our younger brothers around it would be difficult to speak openly,
"What did you do to Akina?" I asked directly
"If you can't trust your human whore, interrogate her, not me." I quickly imagined myself strangling him, which brought a slight twinge of joy allowing me some relief from anger. My other brothers laughed,
"I trust her, and I did ask, but she doesn't remember anything. Hmmm... I wonder why? I know she is not lying. What about you?" I stated, not hiding the accusation in my voice,
"How the F*@k would I know??" This meeting was supposed to be a calm introduction... so my parents would recognize my chosen partner, and release some of my restraints so I could spend more time with her... I can't turn it into a funeral...
"My mistake," I replied, then I turned to leave,
"That's right, your mistake." He is agitating me on purpose... I will not give in, I hurried back to the room Akina was waiting in, I knocked out of respect and she yelled,
"Come in." So I opened the door, My heart skipped a beat once I laid eyes on her, the dress was long and gold, it did not hide anything of her figure, her cleavage was showing and there was a heart cut into the front just below her breasts, exposing her stomach and a similar hole on the back showing off her back. I almost don't want anyone else to see her like this. "I'm a little embarrassed to be seen in this."
"Don't worry... If anyone does anything to you, I will kill them." I reassured and she smiled, amused, as if I told a joke. I'm completely serious and even though she is so sweet she never seems bothered by my darkness,
"I know you will... I can relax now, thank you." I imagined keeping her in this room and having my way with her in multiple positions but... we have plans and I said I'd wait till she was ready so I pushed those thoughts to the back of my mind and took her hand gently.
"You are beautiful," I commented.
"So are you." She replied, I laughed and kissed her,
"Don't copy me." She laughed too, and then we exited the room together. Waiting outside the room was Crescent, she seemed ready to pounce on me again but paused when she saw Akina and me holding hands.
"Oh you have a new girlfriend, I didn't know... what family are you from?" She inquired, faking politeness,
"... Lofton," Akina replied,
"We gotta go," I interjected leading Akina quickly down the corridor. That's a conversation we can handle later, not now. Things were tense in the dining room when we entered. My father sat at the head of the table, Step-Mother on his right, and two empty seats to his left for me and Akina to sit.
"That dress looks better on you than I imagined it would." Mother commented. Akina blushed and whispered,
"Thank you." Mother's compliment didn't seem forced, that's good. This Afarion is much kinder than the woman who raised me. We sat down and Father smiled while clapping his hands together.
"Bring the food in! It's time for a feast! My son has finally decided to settle down!" Akina jolted behind me and I felt her nervous energy,
"Wh-what?" She stuttered but no one replied to her and I laughed under my breath. While we were eating Striton attacked Akina with multiple questions, basic things about her age and upbringing, she could barely enjoy her food so at the 5th question I cut in and said,
"Let her eat, please... It was a long trip."
"You are right, I'm sorry," Father replied but I could tell he was sulking. My portion was smaller than everyone else's, I'm surprised they were considering me for once. "That's the first time you've said please to me." My father commented. I hated him putting me on the spot and wanted to throw something but I controlled myself.
"I care about Akina," I admitted, and he chuckled. I then started eating as an excuse to stop talking and Father joined in too. Once Akina's plate was cleared Father hit her with another question,
"How do you feel about joining our family?" I could hear her heart racing and feel her temperature rising, which was making it even harder for me to keep my hands to myself... (behave Serco your family is watching).
"I... Would love to!" She shouted then immediately felt embarrassed afterward. My father seemed charmed by her innocence, Mom seemed to find it refreshing as well, thankfully.
"I'm glad, I'd like to have you in it too. You're a good influence on my son. He's mellowed out a lot since meeting you. I had given up all hope of that ever happening." Now I am the one who is getting embarrassed, I wish I could punch something, right now.
"I am glad you see things that way... He's a good influence on me too." She responded while smiling at him. As usual, there was nothing but honesty in her tone her heartbeat didn't waver either, still, her words were hard to believe. Part of me hates that she and my father get along so well but this is good for me... so I won't ruin it. To keep myself from commenting, I chugged down my glass of wine... I wish it wasn't so weak.
"Got anything stronger?" I asked, interrupting the warm sweet conversation they were having.
"Oh... yeah we got 90% alcohol for you in that pitcher." I got up and poured myself a drink. I am incapable of getting drunk, but the fire inside me is happy when I have a lot of alcohol in my stomach. "How has he been a good influence?" My father asked, his curiosity growing,
"I am a naturally timid person, Serco chastises me and pulls me out of that mindset. He helped me to stand up for myself, he is sweet to me and makes me doubt myself a lot less. He has given me the confidence and boldness I needed. I truly wish I met him sooner." I WISH she'd stop talking because I'm having a hard enough time controlling myself as it is. Why did Mother pick out that dress for her? My brothers keep eyeing her, and my thoughts are even more perverse than usual, which I didn't think was possible. "Isn't that right?" Akina stated suddenly turning to me, it was at that moment I realized I hadn't been listening. I was too busy thinking about bending her over the dining table... I suppose it's safe to just agree,
"That's right," I said, looking away from her and getting another drink. After breakfast, Father asked to speak to me alone which was worrisome. As I was walking past my brothers in the hallway, I heard,
"She has a great body, especially for a human," Cital whispered to Qtezla.
"Yeah... but her kind is so frail... I wonder how Serco hasn't broken her yet." I shot a glare at both of them. They immediately stopped whispering, then I left with Father to his bedroom for the talk.