Embrace the Dark

8

Parin was ten years older than me, and he'd always treated me like a little sister. He'd been my first crush growing up—the incredibly handsome older brother of my best friend with rich, dark skin, even darker coarse hair, and warm eyes that missed nothing.

"Welcome back," I said.

"Thank you." He glanced at his brother with something like worry on his face, then turned back to me. "I need to speak with you. Alone."

My eyebrows darted up. "Is something wrong?"

"Not exactly." "What's this about?" Erroh asked.

"It's not something I care to discuss in front of you. I'm sorry, brother."

"It's fine." I didn’t want the two of them to fight, but I was very curious as to what this was about. "Let's go inside so we can speak privately."

Parin and I went into the palace and to one of the receiving rooms, this one decorated in soft gold tones, while Erroh waited outside.

"What did you want to speak with me about?" I asked, once we were alone. I looked up at his handsome face and swallowed. I'd rarely been alone with him before and he made me nervous in a way no one else did. All of a sudden I felt like a little kid again, with a big, embarrassing crush on an older man I could never have.

"Sora, I must tell you something." He reached out and took my hand, but with hesitation. "I am one of your mates."

My jaw fell open and I yanked my hand back, more in shock than anything else. "That's not possible."

"I assure you, it is. The Earth God came to me a few nights ago and gave me my new purpose.” He paused, searching my eyes. “I do apologize for missing your birthday festivities."

"But...but..." I had so many questions and suddenly my mouth didn't seem to work right. How could all four of my mates be men I already knew? Why would they choose Erroh’s brother—wouldn’t that complicate things? And who was the man haunting me at night if not my fourth mate? "But my dream…"

"Your dream?" Parin asked, his brow pinching together in concern.

I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts. "Are you sure you’re my mate? I don’t mean to be rude, but I’m having a hard time believing this is possible.”

“I can prove it, of course.” He raised a hand and the stone table beside us lifted off the ground. His control was already good, much better than the others had been at first.

It was true, then. Parin was my fourth mate.

I took a few steps backward, completely overwhelmed, and the back of my knees hit a gilded red armchair. I collapsed into it and pressed a hand to my forehead. Parin was my fourth mate. I could barely wrap my head around that as it was, but it also meant my dreams weren’t leading me to him. Did this mean I had a fifth mate? No, that couldn’t be possible. None of the archives had spoken of more than four mates. The dreams had to be related to something else. Something from the Death Goddess.

Something bad.

“Are you all right?” Parin asked.

I looked up at him with a weak smile. “Yes. Sorry. Just feeling a bit overwhelmed by all this.”

He offered me his hand. “Understandable.”

I slide my hand into his and felt a little tremor of desire as we touched. “Are you comfortable with this new role? With…being my mate?”

He shifted on his feet and looked away. “It will take some adjustment, but yes. Though I will no longer be a diplomat in the usual sense, being a Dragon will allow me to do much of my previous duties but with even more authority.”

“I see….” It sounded like he was more excited about his new job than being my mate. Would he ever see me as more than a little girl?

“We must speak of Erroh.” Parin's face became pained. “I realize this will be difficult for him. You may not know this, but he’s always loved you. I’m not sure how to break this to him, although he must have met your other mates by now.”

“He is one of my mates. They chose both of you. And Zain and Carth too.”

He blinked in surprise. “How is that possible?”

I spread my hands, still finding it hard to believe myself. “No one knows. It seems the Gods have decided the four of you are the best mates for me.”

He stroked his chin. “I suppose having Erroh as one of your mates makes this easier in some ways, and harder in others.”

Definitely harder now that Parin was one of my mates too. How would I handle having two brothers as my lovers? Oddly, the idea didn’t bother me, but only excited me more. I took a deep breath. “I understand things might be confusing and strange at first, but the Gods must have done this for a reason.”

“Indeed.” He gave a firm nod. “I suppose we must inform the others.”

I swallowed. “I suppose we must.”

Parin opened the door for me, but as soon as he did, we spotted Erroh right on the other side, staring at us with his face ashen.

“You heard?” I asked. “Auric taught me how to carry sound on the wind,” Erroh said absently while staring at his brother. “How could you?”

Parin held up his hands. “I did not ask for this. I’m sorry, brother.”

Erroh’s gaze swung to me. “Are you all right with this?” Two gorgeous brothers I’d secretly wanted all my life were now mine. It was hard to complain, but I could tell he felt betrayed. “The Gods have chosen, and we have to trust they know what’s best for us.”