Sofia.
I felt a pair of arms wrap around me and I sobbed harder clinging to the person not even caring that it was one of the trio.
Burying my face in his chest inhaling his calming earthy and minty scent making my waterfall of tears stop to gather my willpower.
I knew that I was hugging one of the monsters that decided to cage me again. But I didn't care enough to push him away knowing that I'd use any type of comforting.
I was a touchy sensitive person and hugs always made me feel good. They pulled me to earth and brought me a sense of calmness but this wasn't the case this time.
Feeling my tears and sobs subsiding to small sniffles. I hurriedly pushed his hands away standing up stiffly to lock gazes with his pretty hazel guilt-filled eyes.
Nikolai.
If he felt guilty, so why not just let me go?
And why did I feel safe in his arms despite my growing resentment for him and his brothers?
Shaking my head out of the intrusive thoughts, I peeped at the other two giants, halfheartedly mumbling. "What- what if I don't want to? W-what will you do?" The heels of my palms pressed against my temples hoping to soothe some of my pain.
The emotional and mental one.
I heard a dark chuckle making my head snap towards its owner. Green eyes that reminded me of a tourmaline crystal met my light blue ones. Nadei laughed as if this was some sort of a joke and it made me seethe, burn and twist with anger.
My nails left crescent moons on my palms at the force of me fisting my hands. The sting following made my shoulder pull taut and square. Form tense as I glared but listened to whatever bullshit he was going to spew.
"Let's not go there, Little one, threatening you wouldn't be much of use but If I had to guess, I'd say that you fear for Carter Ian James ' life. Let's not resort to such passive and mild litigations and be civil about this."
He so effectively and quite directly emphasized Carter's name with that same threatening aura around him. He was fucking threatening me. His voice laced with contempt, taking steady steps towards my frozen form.
I would never forgive myself if anything happened to Carter. He was the one that gave me a bit of normalcy after I escaped that hellhole, and even after knowing him for only two years, I would never be able to pay him back.
He helped me heal. He was there when I needed him the most. He gave me a job and a roof over my head. A real friend, my first best friend.
I looked up at Nadei's towering form making a shudder run down my back.
I knew not to defy them. They seemed to be ruthless and unmerciful but I couldn't help but think that they'd keep their word. No matter how wrong it was of them to do. They didn't give out empty threats.
I took a step back scared of his next words.
"Y-you wouldn't," I whispered.
"Try us, baby girl. We dare you," Nikolai added, menacingly. Dark hazel orbs softened slightly when I locked gazes with them.
How can they act so cooly as if they weren't threatening to kill an innocent being that did nothing but help me?
I looked over at Nadei, my pleading and tearful eyes hoping for any sort of comfort and assurance.
"Please, don't hurt h-him, he's my only family," I sobbed, pathetically. The tears that I held back finally cascaded from my eyes onto my cheeks, those distant but living memories. No, nightmares I had lived caught up to me.
Weakling,
Pitiful,
Worthless,
Powerless.
I shook my head not wanting to hear his voice in my thoughts reminding me of how hopeless and unfortunate I was then and now. I was never safe.
The false confidence and hope of getting rid of my past and left a soaring pain in my heart. A burning hole of disruptive, hopeless and broken wishes.
My life was never my own. Someone or something had to ruin it at its peak. Ruin my temporary happiness.
Nadei cleared his throat. His voice came out deeper and more domineering. "You should just accept the fact that you're ours, little girl. You've been ours and us, yours, the moment I laid my eyes on you."
This couldn't be happening.
I fell to my knees holding my head in my hands, shaking like a frail leaf in the cold. The time passed slow, torturing and agonizing. "Why me? Why m-me? Oh, Gods why me?" I whimpered, choking on my words.
I cried for my past and lost future.
A warm hand touch my shoulder compelling me to flinch from it, cowering and start crying harder. "J-just please d-don't hurt m-me" I croaked out, my voice laced with terror and defeat.
"No, love. We'd never hurt you. Just listen to us, sweetheart, all we ask of you is for you to cooperate." He sighed, ruefully.
"We can make this work just give us a chance and submit to us. We want nothing more," Nial's now familiar voice rang in my ears, softly.
His velvety gruff voice softened. Yet differing with his words creating mayhem in my head from their intensity and yet, soft pleading nature.
I was so lost in the midst of this.
Wobbling like a newborn. I got up on my feet craning my neck to look at every one of them settling on the eldest
"J-just p-promise me n-not to h-hurt C-carter or anyone because of me," I couldn't stop the desperation and somberness from leaking into my voice.
They shared a glance then nodded.
Nikolai determinedly and somewhat truthful, muttered, "We're a lot of things. Love, but we'd never break our word. Submit yourself to us wholeheartedly and no one will ever need to get hurt."
Should I believe them?
Probably not.
I could only hope that they wouldn't hurt anyone until I figured out a way to escape them. I couldn't stay like this. I internally refused to be their obedient little puppy.
I won't be. Not for too long at least.
I would leave the first time I got a promising chance. No mistakes were to be made and nothing was to deter me from regaining control of my fate.
Shakily, I uttered the words that would seal my fate and effectively trade my soul to the devil or in this case extremely attractive devils.
"I-I accept."
Clicking his tongue Nadei reverted the conversation elsewhere.
"Perfect, now we need to talk about a few things. To set up some rules for when we go back to our home. This isn't our only manor, we'd like for you to get settled in our main one."
This place wouldn't be in the middle of anywhere. Maybe just maybe I'll be able to strategize a more practical and constructive plan to escape-
Cutting my hopeful thoughts as if he'd known what I've been speculating about. My face was yet to disappoint me again as I let the glimpse of hope show.
Nial shook his head, disappointingly. His brown orbs shone with malicious intent seemingly irritated with the sanguine look on my face. "Don't get your hopes up, Darling. You won't ever leave us. Even if you tried."
And that broke a piece of me.
I didn't have any more tears to shed. I had cried enough. I escaped once from different monsters and now I'll have to do that again just with different ones.
I would bestow them with enough power to believe that they had the upper hand and then swivel the things around in my favor.
My strength was yet to show once more and save me from my doom. Save me anything that was to stand of my way of being free and happy.
I would survive.
That was what I had been taught to do after all.
A survivor's will never broke and mine sure as hell won't.