-Theirs- A Reverse Harem -Book One-

Chapter 21: Discovery

Celene

      "I was just about to call you. What are you doing here?" I ask as I walk closer.

      "You did call us Celene. We heard your voice... in our heads," says Damien.

      His eyes fall on the book in my hand.

      "I see you found the book. I'm guessing you found the other as well," he says and goes behind the island, pulling out a bottle of whiskey and five glasses.

I eye the fifth glass and feel a panic well up in my chest. I turn toward the door and look out the window. I see Owen leaning up against the tree out front.

      "No no no. He's-He's- Why is he here?" I ask as my chest grows tight and I start to hyperventilate.

Leo wraps his arms around me.

      "Calm down."

      I breathe heavily as my chest heaves from fear. I pull away from him and snatch the bottle of whiskey from Damien's hand. I gulp some down and try to slow my breathing.

      "That's one way to do it," says Leo.

      "Okay," I say with a gasp.

      "I'm calm. I'm calm."

I take a deep breath and look at the door.

      "Let him in."

      "Are you sure?" asks Marcus.

      "No, but it doesn't look like I have a choice," I say and I take another drink.

Damien takes the bottle from my hand.

      "Well you need to be sober for this, so that's all you get."

      I glare at him and cross my arms over my chest. Marcus opens the door and Owen steps inside.

      "Hey Celene," he says.

Lightning fills my eyes and I glare at him.

      "You're only here because you have to be. That doesn't mean that I want you anywhere near me," I seethe.

      "Fair enough," he says with his hands up and leans against the wall opposite me.

The lightning in my eyes dissipates and I turn to look at Damien.

      "Who wants to go first?" I ask as I look around the room.

      "When did you hear my voice in your heads?"

Damien fills the glasses and passes them around, skipping me entirely. Owen waves Damien away, refusing the glass.

      "I was in the middle of cutting a board when I heard you. My hand slipped and I'm lucky that I just nicked my thumb. That was about ten minutes ago," he says as he leans up against the island.

      Marcus shuffles as he stands.

      "I was looking through patient files when I heard you, so I left immediately because it sounded urgent."

I wait for Owen to speak, but he doesn't. I glare at him and Leo elbows him in the ribs.

      "Dude."

      "I was surfing when I heard you and I fell off my board," he says softly with his hands in his pockets.

      "Ten minutes ago I was on the floor in Marcus's room, holding the book. The symbol on my back burned as I screamed," I say as I toss it on the coffee table in front of me.