Kyla

The tension in the room is so thick you could cut it with a knife. Hearing a whimper, I look towards Satine; the poor girl is physically shaking. I jump off Diedrek's lap and run to her. I wrap her in my arms, letting her rest her head on my shoulder. "It is going to be okay." I whisper low enough for her ears alone.

Truth be told I'm not certain anything will be okay. Not knowing who is behind that door has my heart rate speeding up. It's beating so fast I'm afraid it is going to pound out of my chest and land on the floor. The way Darius looks at Diedrek, I can only guess he told him to open the door. I see my brothers' shoulders fall as he does as ask.

Standing there is an impressionable young man. From where I stand, I cannot see his face. The way he is standing there, legs spread out, hands held behind his back, and his head held down. All I can see is a head full of black hair.

Suddenly, his head shoots up, and my breath hitches in my throat. This man must be Diedrek's younger brother. They look so much alike it's uncanny. A sardonic smile forms on the strangers' lips, as his right eyebrow lifts. "Well, well, well look what we have here. All the little troublemakers in one wing." He lets out an evil laugh below his breath. "You make this shit too easy."

His hands make their way to the front of his body, as he leans against the door frame. He sighs as though he is bored with our presence already. "Father is going to be here in a matter of hours. He wanted me to let you know to prepare for his arrival."

He must have not seen me at first because his eyes go from giving Diedrek a cold stare to looking directly at me. His eyes widen in surprise before he looks at everyone in the room. A loud booming laugh leaves his mouth as his body shakes with delight. It takes him a moment to collect himself, the rest of us looking at him as though he has lost his mind.

Wiping a tear from the corner of his eye, he stands to his full height. He pushes past Darius, hitting his shoulder along the way. He's almost reached me when a blur of color passes before me. Leaving Diedrek standing before Satine and me. "Don't even think about it Rowland." He growls at his brother.

The two brothers have a stare down for what feels like forever. Before Rowland finally steps back, he looks over Diedrek's shoulder in my direction.

"Interesting." He says below his breath.

For some reason, his head tilts to the side. His eyes close like he is deep in feeling. Moments later, he begins to laugh yet again. The sound chills me to the bone, making my body shiver with just an ounce of real fear.

His eyes pop open, looking directly at me. "Very intriguing indeed." His head straightens, his eyes looking towards Satine. The poor girl is so frightened she has plastered her body so tightly against mine, it looks as though I have a second skin.

"Hello their cousin." Rowland licks his lips; his eyes fill with hate and hunger. "Oh, what I would love to do with the two of you together."

"I don't fucking think so!" Darius and Diedrek say at the same time. "Get those slimy, evil, no-good thoughts out of your head you piece of shit." Comes out of Darius's mouth a second after.

There's a flurry as Rowland makes his way towards him so fast, I feel dizzy. He grabs Darius by his throat and slams him back against the wall. Satine buries her head into my chest, a whimper falls from my mouth. I hold her tighter against me. Wishing for this to already stop.

If this is only the beginning of the monsters return, what will it be like once all of them are here in the castle together? I want to go to him, but my gut is telling me to stay standing where I am, to let Diedrek and Darius handle this.

Sure, enough I see Diedrek fly towards his brother. He latches onto his brothers back, grabbing a hold of his brother's head with both hands. Causing Rowland to drop Darius to the floor.

Rowland turns his body around, taking his arms he flips Diedrek over his shoulder to the floor. Neither Darius nor Diedrek stay down there for long. They both shoot up and fly at Rowland. Before they get to him, he has somehow moved behind Satine and I. Causing Diedrek and Darius to freeze mid step.

I can feel the ice cold from Rowland's body as he inches closer to my back. "Tsk, tsk brother. You both may want to play nice with me." He tells them as his arm shoots out to wrap around my shoulder and neck. To an outsider it may look like he's only hugging me close to his body, but this is meant as a threat. A warning that if the two men come closer, he will counter the only way he can. Through Satine and me.

"Ah, that got your attention, didn't it?" I feel Rowland smile against the skin of my neck, causing goosebumps to form along my skin.

"Good." I cannot see his face but judging by the scowl on both of Diedrek and Darius's faces he must be smiling a sardonic smile. Thinking he has won this little game he started. It pisses me off.

Do it.

I hear in my mind. My eyes make their way to where Satine is standing with me. She has stopped shaking beside me.

I know what you're capable of. I can see what you're thinking about doing. I say do it.

I take a moment to think about it. Looking from her to my brother and my mate, seeing the looks on their faces, real fear in their eyes, my decision is made. I give her a slight nod and her own evil smile forms along her face.

I count inside my head, hoping she can hear me. She must, when I reach three, she pushes away from my body. Having her out of the way, I do just what he did to my mate. I elbow him in the ribs, causing him to loosen his hold around my neck. I swing my other arm on the back of his neck and with my newfound vampire strength I swing his entire body up and over my shoulder. The sound of his body hitting the floor has such an impact the walls shake.

Darius and Diedrek both stand there stunned for a long time. Just looking at Rowland on the floor moaning, eyes wide and mouths agape. Before, their eyes make their way to me, and smiles grow on both of their faces. Within seconds we are all laughing at what I had just done.

Diedrek makes his way to me, without a word he latches his hands on my face and drags me to him. Kissing me with such passion my entire vision explodes. Pulling back, we look at each other, out of breath and me weak in the knees.

"Now that was awesome." Darius says from beside me.

"Way to go little sister." I look at him and see the pride in his eyes with just that look.

I give him a smile in return. "Awe, isn't this cozy."

The room grows incredibly still. The only sound is Satine's deep intake of breath. Darius and Diedrek quickly place us behind them. Their stance one of waiting for a fight. I cannot see who the newcomer is. Only parts of his body from here.

I see he is leaning against the door frame, with a leg bent against the wall. I see two large arms crossed over a wide chest. I stand on my tip toes for a better view but Darius and Diedrek stand closer together causing me to lose sight completely.

"About fucking time, you get up here." I hear Rowland sputter his poison. I hear him groan as I can only imagine him standing up, and I can hear his footsteps as he walks across the floor to the newcomer.

The new man doesn't say a word for what feels like forever.

"So, you're back as well." The menace in Damien's voice has me stepping back.

I have never heard his voice like this before. "What no hug for your own father their son?" His words hit my ears just as my body hits the floor.