1 October 2025
Cindy
I had been searching for my parents for many months. I wanted to spend time with them before they died. Since we could go back and forth, Soren and I had been scouring the whole of En-gannim. There was nothing left for me on Earth, and I didn't want to be there. Juliet had been busy, and she was a stop away if I wanted to see her. Liam willingly stayed, and we split up for the first time in centuries. He was on granddaughter duty. Ahasuerus must have hidden them so well because not even Marcus could find them when he was away that first year.
The day after Ahasuerus had thrown that stone at Juliet, I traveled to The Tower, and Soren was there to meet me. Nahrima had changed so much. There were more buildings, and it stretched further than I could remember. He handed me my own glass plate. I was welcome in Ahasuerus's home. We were no longer criminals, and I could go where I wanted, and I didn't need to wear a veil.
First, we teleported to my old Island. It wasn't far from Soren's parents. Like I thought there was no one, the ground was empty. I wanted to fix it up. I was going to rebuild what we once had. Immediately, I started making arrangements. If we had to go through everything… Having my home back was my prize, seeing my parents and living a quiet life… It's all I ever wanted. Until I met Liam. Soren and I walked around for a bit. The only thing standing was the community hall and the teleporter. It was a start, and it was where I met him… In the beginning… I really didn't like Liam… He could never sit still. But what could I do… It was my grandfather's decision to try and take over.
***
That morning, Soren met me in Marcus's study. I did feel guilty. Juliet had been absent from her duties for months, and it left Soren and some other clerks to take over the day-to-day running of the place. But I had been searching every day, and when he asked me to meet him, I was hopeful, "Have you found them, Soren?"
He nodded. "They are in some small jail… I had not even considered it. It is actually very close…They have been there since you left."
It made me so angry. We were so stupid back then. It was so long ago. "I tried to get them out… But without Juliet, there isn't much I can do."
"Let me go to the island quickly and see how far they are progressing. I'll meet you at the prison. And you ask Juliet to come here…"
Soren didn't argue. I knew it would be hard for him, but he did it anyway.
***
Soren
Since Juliet saved my sister, I had been standing back, putting my impatience behind me. I had to have hope… that it would work out in my favor eventually.
When I teleported to Washington and saw Kubra, he greeted me with a smile on his face. It wasn't that I was unwanted… He was happy to see me. We had known each other for a long time, and for the last few years, we had been working together in some capacity. I was just on a mission anyway, relaying a message.
"I need to see Juliet." Kubra nodded. It didn't seem that it might be a problem. He walked me down, and he went with me into another cubicle. We ended up somewhere on a lawn. It was well-kept, and the house was beautiful. Kubra left again, shaking my hand. I walked up to the door. Not so much a coward anymore. After witnessing the fight… Juliet in that sand. It had changed me. I wanted to be by her side and help and not be another problem. I knocked, and Marcus opened the door. I asked for Juliet outright.
"No! What do you want?"
"Cindy wants her freaking parents out of jail. Are you coming with me to do it, or should I ask the Queen herself?"
He regarded me. "Juliet would want to meet her grandparents."
"Yeah, I kinda figured."
Marcus smiled. My eyes shot up to his face. Marcus happy was a new one.
"Juliet, your boyfriend is here," Marcus yelled out into an intercom box mounted on the wall.
A door opened that led down into a basement. Louis and Michael surfaced, and a second later, Juliet came out. They had yet to open the security gate for me. Louis pushed past Marcus, shaking his head. He opened and pulled me into an embrace. We man-hugged. He slapped my shoulder. One guy liked me… "Soren… You've met Michael… Juliet's first husband." Louis said it with such a tone that it felt awkward. There was confusion on my face. I thought he was the boss?
"Hmmm, it's a long story…." Louis answered my thoughts… "From now on… If you want something. He's your man." Louis turned around and stomped away down the stairs. Michael shook my hand regardless. A cigarette in his other. The two of us never officially met. Juliet eyed the floor with curiosity, taking account and listening. They all had lab coats on. I smiled… It wasn't really necessary, but I figured it was Juliet's idea.
When she finally met my eyes, I forced her to hold my gaze. "You know, if you moved this party to En-gannim, we could actually help. You've been hiding here for months. People want you there." She smiled at me, and I almost lost all my courage… I missed her so much. I shook myself… Not scared anymore… But that was not why I was there… "Your mom wants you. They want to get your grandparents out of jail. No one wants to budge. The court is still running the day-to-day. But without a higher-up, we can do nothing of significance."
Juliet cussed, walked, and cussed some more. "You know you send written orders, and nothing gets done. Where the hell is Jessy."
"He doesn't have the general's emblem. Louis still has it… There are small things that can't wait anymore… Julie." Her wide eyes shot to mine, and she shook her head. Marcus growled at me…. "Get another freaking nickname. That's mine." Marcus turned and stomped off after Louis. "If you call her Julie again, I'll chase you away."
Michael stood off to the side, a cold gaze fixed on me, resting against the wall… "Let's pack up. It's come to that." She ordered. "Thanks, Soren. Sorry, you had to come all the way. We didn't want any interruptions."
I couldn't look at her again. But I wasn't leaving. She noticed that I was standing around.
"What are you waiting for?" Michael asked.
"I want to talk to her."
Michael didn't move. Juliet had to push him down the stairs. His eyes were on her, but she would only meet the floor.
"Here it comes. The dumping. It doesn't seem anyone likes me." I said.
Her eyes came up at my remark. She walked over, took my face in her hands, and dragged me closer. She hovered over my lips. What was she doing? I stood up straighter, my eyes on her lips. She stared at mine for a while and came back up and gazed into my eyes. "I miss you too. You are not small…." I pulled her into a hug and held her. "Can you wait some more?" She asked softly. I nodded. We heard someone come up the stairs, and she stepped away from me. Marcus passed us and went outside through the front door, carrying boxes.
"I'm sorry." She felt guilty. "But I can't say I regret it."
"No, me neither." I tugged at the waistband of her pants and pulled her closer, running my finger up over her stomach.
She swatted me away. "Do you want to die?"
Marcus came through the door again. He did not like the proximity. He walked over, picked her up, and threw her over his shoulder. "You know the punishment for going out of schedule… Oh! There is no schedule. We just do what we want to."
"You're so boring, Marcus."
"I think I should get out the bondages! I won't be so boring then."
Juliet wrapped her legs around him and held him close, burying her face in his shoulder. "No! Please, I'm sorry. I won't do it again. Really, I won't."
Marcus stopped… "Do you want to tell him, or should I."
Her head came up, and she waved at me, resting her chin on his shoulder. "You got to go…."
I smiled and turned to leave, walking out the door. It was more than I had hoped for.
***
It wasn't long before they greeted Cindy in Marcus's study. Liam had joined us. There wasn't much more to do on Earth. Agatha had moved back a while ago. She didn't mind living there. She could travel where she wanted, still with four guards at her side. I couldn't keep my eyes off Juliet. She was so happy, greeting everyone and being home. I was glad I would be able to see her again. Help them… Get into the family.
***
We traveled to the prison. It wasn't only Jessy and me that time. When Juliet and Marcus came into the picture, it was funny that everyone fell to the floor. I had not thought that the vampire world would allow Juliet to play Queen… But it seemed that it didn't matter. Things changed so quickly that I wasn't going to complain. The guards scrambled into the jail when Juliet told them who they should release.
Cindy recognized her father immediately. She ran to him, but he was a little wonky, trying to get to her. They shared a loving embrace. The woman next to him, it seemed, wasn't so old. Her gate was more steady. Cindy turned to her, took off her mother's veil, and broke down crying, throwing her arms around her neck. Cindy's mother was beautiful. It ran in the family. She had kind features and was tolerating everything happening. How shocked they must have been to be released and met by a daughter they never thought they would see again.
"What is going on. Why are we being released?" Her father asked Liam. They went into some discussion.
I glanced at Juliet. It was weird. Not one of her husbands was standing close to her or holding her hand. All of them stood separated from the other. It seemed like she wanted to cry, and the awkwardness at the house was continuing. She didn't know what to do or what to say. No one was comforting her or encouraging her. I walked over and put my arms around her middle from behind, resting my chin on her shoulder. Her hand reached around, and she desperately clung to me. She shifted and held my hands around her middle when Cindy brought the two older people forward to introduce them. "Daddy, this is Juliet, my daughter."
His face lit up, and the mother stepped forward. I let go, but she took my hand in hers, not knowing what to do. Her grandfather noticed her reluctance and opened his arms. I was glad to see he was a soft man… He kissed Juliet's cheek. He held out a hand to me… "Are you her husband?"
Marcus and Michael snorted at the same time. Louis was quiet. I shook my head.
He swatted our hands. "Then get off her."
Juliet smiled at me as I moved away. Michael stepped forward and held out his hand. Cindy's grandfather was surprised… "It's nice to meet you, Michael." He stood aside, and Marcus came forward.
Juliet's grandfather's face turned stone cold, and he stepped back, steadying himself. "You're the spitting image of your grandfather…." His gaze drifted to Cindy, and she nodded. "Marcus Ahmed, daddy." Marcus held out a hand, and reluctantly, he shook it.
Louis stepped forward for his turn. "This is Louis Ahmed, grandfather. Bassam's son." Juliet's voice drolled out… Louis rolled his eyes.
He was even more shocked. "Two Ahmeds, and you have three husbands? I think we should go back into the jail, wife."
I wished she would have looked at me.
"One is missing," Cindy said finally.
Her grandfather lifted four fingers into the air.
"It's a long story. Let's get you out of here." Cindy prompted us to move along.
"We can't leave. The whole prison is full of people that are in there because of us… Where is Samuel?" Cindy's father said.
"Babysitting." Marcus stepped forward. "There is a lot we will tell you, but they will all be released. I will stay and make sure of it… Cindy has already started rebuilding your houses on the island. It won't be long before you can go home. All of you."
"I will stay, too. From today, we all live in The Tower anyway." Juliet said. She took Marcus's hand and pulled him into the prison. When he was next to her… His eyes fell on her face. I kinda liked that Marcus better. "We will see them settled for the night," Juliet said and glanced over her shoulder. Jessy knew where he had to be and followed close on their heels.
"Is that the Royal emblem hanging around her neck?"
We all nodded. I helped Liam with Cindy's mother. She was reticent to take my arm. Cindy was arm in arm with her father, chatting away like they hadn't seen each other in over two hundred years.
***
Juliet
I was sitting on my bed later that night. Ahasuerus's bed. It didn't even bother me. We were finally back, and I was taking it all in. I walked around the room. It had such a fantastic view. It was the ruler of the planet's quarters… And it was mine. But I was alone… I had been for months. Not having anyone to share it with that night was a low point. The men and everyone else were a floor down. Even Sammy had a room with Warden close by.
I sat down on a chair outside, gazing out over the city. It had been such a great day, but I wasn't happy… There was just not enough time for everything. I rubbed my upper arm. My beautiful, intricate green tattoo was gone… I was willing myself not to have another spell. There had been no breaks. No drinking or having fun with Charlene and Carl. No Louis for months… Marcus pushed in because he was… Marcus… But there was no talking about feelings. I missed Chris so much at that stage; it was almost the only thing fueling me to continue with our grueling schedule.
Since the day Michael and I had slept together. And it happened without the chains… Michael had not touched me again. It was like he and Louis were in a war… Seeing who could give me the most space… Or each other the most respect… For the family unit, I supposed. Usually, and some days, I messed up, and I would say, " Screw it!" And give it all to Marcus as I did with Chris before he went away… But it was wrong. I was older. I knew better. So it had happened only a few desperate times at Rodrigo's house.
So I was alone… Again… I hated being alone… There was no time for a f-ing schedule. I had not created one. Louis didn't want to be included anyway. So I left it… We were in the lab nonstop. We had shifts to keep going and not lose momentum.
Louis had decided that day what we were going to do. He and Michael had started, and by the time Marcus and I joined, he didn't seem so irate anymore, although he ignored me for some time… I didn't want to fight with him.
I don't know how long I had sat out there. I didn't want to go down for dinner with the new grandparents that I didn't know… We had hundreds of years to get to know them. The breeze so high up was my only consolation. My knees tucked up against my chest. A cigarette in my hand.
I had missed En-gannim. Being there gave me peace and soothed me. I wondered if it had something to do with who ruled… I hoped so. I wanted a claim on the place. Something only I felt… I needed to make it better… Change it… But who was I kidding… I couldn't even sort out my feelings… I chastised myself… Sleeping with Soren was a complication… A heartfelt one. It had only made things more difficult. But Michael… He was never supposed to be in the picture, was he? I didn't even know he loved me… Our marriage was just paper… a gesture... More a goodbye for being my watcher…Or maybe I'll see you around… I had owed Michael so much in my life, and Brylee's words kept going around in my head. It was only loyalty and guilt. Our feelings were different… It was hard to understand, and even if he did do it, I didn't know if it would work. After everything that we went through… It had become so real that I found it hard to juggle my feelings for all of them. They all had a claim on my heart… I loved all of them. I felt that I could handle more when I was younger. When it was simple. I snorted… It had only been two years. I was only twenty-one, and I felt old.
Louis chuckled behind me. My head jerked up. He wasn't in my mind anymore, knowing that he had heard some of what I was feeling. That teasing smirk on his face. Tears instantly fell down my cheeks. I broke down, sobbing uncontrollably. It was inevitable that when I wanted to be most vulnerable, I couldn't be. He didn't come closer, staring at me until I calmed down. I heard his footsteps moving out of the room. "Chris would have stayed and made me sort it out."
He flung around. His face was so contorted that a burst of laughter escaped my mouth. I snickered behind my hand. It felt so good that he was showing some emotions. That I haven't lost him completely. He picked something up and tossed it at the wall. "Look at you acting like a child," I mocked, pushing him.
He wasn't budging… "You will soon have your… fifth husband. I will make f-ing sure of that. Then, we'll see how well you manage to keep him happy. Because I can tell you… When Chris steps into this mess… I don't want to be you."
"F- You!" I yelled at him. "At least Chris doesn't withhold intimacy because his feelings are hurt."
He strutted up to me. Louis was intense. Intimidating. His teeth were clenched, shoulders up. I retreated back against the wall. My gaze darted down to the ground like that first night in the alley. He had dominance over me… He fisted my shirt on my chest. "You're f-ing right. My feelings are hurt. He pulled it down at the collar. "I'm not there anymore." He poked at my chest and pressed his finger into my flesh where my heart was. His finger slid to the space where his chains used to hang… "With no explanation… Who does that? You took them off and slept with Michael."
I pushed him off me and past him. He flung me around, gripping my upper arms, eyes burning into mine. Those eyes that were always so happy with me… Beautiful blue became watery.
"Kiss me, you coward."
He did. I gasped into his mouth and fisted his hair. His tongue in my mouth gave me a pulsing moment of release. "Thank You," I whispered against him. I threw my head to the side so he would kiss and lick my neck. He did. Everything I wanted, he did. It didn't stop until his head was between my legs. After I willed him to come inside of me. He did… gently and full of passion. No anger. No resentment. Like I wanted. I wanted all of him… And he gave it to me… He didn't even run away after… He stayed on top of me, kissing me gently. "Can I get off?" He asked. I nodded. He pulled out slowly and slipped off me. He went to the bathroom and brought me a rag. He sat down close to me with a strangled expression. "Have a cigarette with me outside."
I walked with him, and we sat there. After he stubbed out his bud, he turned to me… "I call a truce for the time being."
My head turned to him to see if he was serious… I swiped the tears off my cheeks. "Seems like we switched roles."
He smiled. "You're not talking, and I'm not letting you touch me."
I rested my cheek on my knee that was pulled up to my chest. I stared at him.
"How do you do it, baby?" He asked.
"It's difficult… I tend to avoid you most of the time. Different shifts. It takes a lot of concentration."
"You went against our promise… You revoked that privilege when the last time was such a mess… Are you not scared it will blow up again? Me not reading you?"
"I'm not scared of anything anymore… Maybe Chris and Caleb dying like Mateo's wife and daughter… But you… not loving me… I'm not scared of that anymore…There is no fear in love, Louis… Yes, it hurts like hell. I'm constantly thinking about you, trying not to think about you."
"Should I do it for you?" He whispered.
I didn't want to, but my eyes were pleading. My head nodded. It would mean a world of difference. If I could sort out my feelings for all of them without worrying about him. He snorted and turned away from me, looking out over all we fought so hard to get to. Louis stood up and held out his hand to me… We walked back into the room… "Fine… No reading."
He turned suddenly. The dark, solemn eyes bothered me… His lips were inches from mine. "Just tell me one thing…." Louis's eyes closed, and his head swayed slowly. He couldn't even meet my eye. "Is it because you're tired of me in your head."
"Oh baby, no!" I kissed him and pulled him closer. "Can you do me another favor?"
"What?" He stood back. He was naked, and I glanced down and made my way up his body.
"Can you be nice to Michael again?"
He flipped and yelled in French. I followed what he said and closed one eye, flinching as he rambled, pulling up his pants and walking out. He wanted to come back for his shirt, but I grabbed it before he could. He frowned, letting his hand drop.
"I don't like sleeping alone anymore…."
His eyes went from mine to the shirt to the bed. "Is it me you want? Or anyone, baby. Or is it because… no one is sleeping with you anymore."
"Would you believe me if I said it was you…"
He didn't.
"Louis, do we have any relationship if you can't read me? It's like you just have to make sure? Is my ass not proof enough? Do you really need the chains that much? Is it about the fact that everyone sees them? Or that I'm wearing them?"
His arm lifted quickly with a flat hand pointed at me, but it lowered again. There really wasn't anything he could say… He rubbed his forehead, walking out. I clutched his shirt and buried my face in it. When I looked up, he was back in the room regarding me. My face slowly came up off the material. He walked over to the bed, laid down, and opened his arm.