Strange Fates

Chapter 13: Chosen Family

You were spending a rare day alone in your shop several weeks later when your phone rang. The caller ID said Klaus but when you answered, all three brothers could clearly be heard. They weren't fighting but they were talking over one another. You waited until there was a small break in the chatter before saying "Hello" rather loudly.

Klaus chuckled. "Hello, pretty."

You couldn't help but laugh in response. "What is going on over there?"

"Hold on. I'm going to put you on speaker." A few seconds later all three men called their respective greetings.

"We had a delivery arrive a short time ago. As none of us ordered anything, we had it placed in your room," Elijah said, curiosity coloring his words.

You grinned, you couldn't help yourself. You'd forgotten the bed was arriving today or you would have warned them. "Did they set it up? They were supposed to set it up."

"Yes, darling, they did. Something you'd like to share with the rest of us?" Kol asked.

"Well, of course I want to share with the rest of you. That bed is entirely too large for me to sleep in by myself." You laughed, but not loud enough for them to hear.

"Wherever did you find such a thing? I don't think I've ever seen it's like?" Elijah was clearly amused. As he should be. The bed was enormous and had cost a small fortune for you to have it made.

"I had it made, of course. There should have been some boxes delivered with it. One has sheets in it. If you throw a set in the wash, we can make the bed when I come home." Through all of this you kept your voice perfectly level as if it was the most ordinary thing in the world to have a giant bed delivered without warning your partners it was coming.

"Love, as entertaining as this conversation has been, why did you buy a giant bed that must have cost a bloody fortune?"

"Because I'm tired of rotating between you. This way all of us can sleep together."

"And how do you suppose that will work? There are three of us, and as much as I love my brothers I have no desire to spoon either of them," Klaus said and there were immediate sounds of disgust from his siblings.

You giggled. "We'll figure it out."

The bell over the door rang and you glanced up to see one of your regulars step inside. You gave her a smile and a wave. "Time to go. I have a customer." You hung up without waiting for a response. "Hello, Mrs. Finley. How are you today? Can I make you a cup of tea?"

***

Klaus picked you up and rushed you home. They were impatient to show you that they'd placed the sheets and blankets on the bed and about a thousand pillows so it was ready for all of you. It was even better than you imagined it would be. You rushed across the room and launched yourself onto it, laughing when you bounced. Only a second passed before Klaus laid to your right, Kol to your left and Elijah laid above you and pressed a kiss to your head.

Your face hurt from smiling so much and you closed your eyes to just enjoy being with your men. "See, perfect."

Klaus placed his fingers on your chin and turned your face toward him. After he claimed your lips, he pressed his forehead to yours. "I'll concede the point, but I do wish you had allowed one of us to pay for it."

"Don't worry. I stole the card out of your wallet."

The hybrid laughed. "You could have just asked, love. It's not as if any of us would tell you no."

You hummed in agreement. They really did spoil you far too much. "If I asked it wouldn't have been a surprise." Eventually, you all needed to sit and have a discussion about finances. They continuously acted as though you were some poor maiden even though you'd told them multiple times you had enough money to take care of yourself. The truth was you could have paid for the bed easily on your own, but knew they'd want to once they saw it.

Before you could say anything else, lips pressed against the spot just behind your ear. You closed your eyes with a sigh as Kol traveled down the length of your neck, his teeth nipping softly at the skin. Heat blossomed through you and you arched your back trying to get closer to one of your men.

Klaus's low chuckle sounded in your ear just before he trailed the same path on the other side of your neck. Elijah ran his fingers through your hair. Hands caressed bare skin on your arms and fingers unfastened your jeans. With your eyes closed, everything was just a sea of endless sensation.

It didn't take you long to realize the benefit of your soulmates having 3000 years' experience between them.

***

Gray light of early morning filtered through your curtains. You laid on Kol's chest while his fingers lazily traced your spine. Klaus laid on his back on one side with his hand resting on the back of your thigh. Elijah lay on the other, head propped in his hand as the two of you gazed at one another. Occasionally, he'd trail a finger up the length of your arm. It tickled but you were too satiated to complain.

"I really do think this bed was the best idea," Kol said making all of you laugh.

You hummed in agreement. "Absolutely."

"Oh, love, what's this?" Klaus asked as he did his best to turn your leg. "I nearly forgot about that."

"Whatever are you talking about, Niklaus?" Elijah asked.

"The bonding mark." Once soulmates consummated their relationship, they were marked with another symbol in addition to the triangle that varied from individual to individual.

You pushed yourself up and glanced at Kol beneath you. A line of bright rainbow-colored flames ran in a line across the left side of his chest. You traced it with your finger and smiled. "It's so pretty."

"Yes, it is," he responded with a grin and ran his hand over the same spot on your chest. You glanced down to find a watercolor rainbow swirl interspersed with stars so it appeared to sparkle. "The rainbow must represent magic. But what of the flames?"

You shook your head. "I don't know."

"It's my turn, love. Let me see that lovely thigh of yours." Klaus gripped your waist and pulled you off his brother. His fingers dug into your sides, tickling you as you squealed his name. His arms wrapped around you to hold you in place while you bent your leg to look at your thigh. A watercolor wolf head adorned your skin there.

"However would I have known that was yours without you here to tell me, Klaus?" That naturally caused him to dig his fingers into your sides again. "Damn it, Hybrid. Stop."

He did as you asked, but kept his arms around you. You lifted your left arm to see a crown with a splash of red behind it. "And for the always regal Elijah, a crown. How fitting."

Klaus had bent his leg to rest beside yours so you could see your rainbow flames on his thigh. This meant more to you than the soulmark completing. This was a personalized symbol that showed you had chosen each other. That you loved and cherished one another. That this was your family.