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8

ARCHER

I can’t tear my eyes away from the paper in my hand, struggling to make sense of how they were able to infiltrate the security once more.

Since Kai had an unexpected visitor during the night two days ago, I inspected all of our security systems to ensure everything was in order.

And it was.

I meticulously tightened the security settings on each camera, one by one.

Elijah didn’t mention getting anything yesterday, so why the hell do I have a ripped paper in my hand that looks just like what Kai got?

I found it beneath my pillow, along with a Polaroid of me sleeping.

A good photo if you ask me. They truly excelled at capturing the essence of the moment.

I’m not entirely pissed off. The fact that they came unnoticed twice already is quite impressive to me. I’ve always been a light sleeper, easily awakened by the faintest of disturbances, so what they did is… fascinating.

The guys have been gone all day and haven’t made it home yet, so I haven’t had the time to speak about it with them.

They’re going to be pissed. Like really pissed.

Someone had requested The Order’s services, but Kai could handle it on his own. As for Eli, he’s probably still searching for any details about the girl who disappeared.

Which is odd.

Elijah’s expertise in searching for people is unmatched, so it’s surprising that it’s taking him this long to gather information. It’s been two days already, and I’m still unsure what the delay is.

Now that I think about it, I realise his behaviour has been odd ever since Logan sent us on this mission.

I could ask him, but it’s not worth his grumpy mood.

I take a quick look at my vibrating phone on the desk but reject the call.

The phone buzzes again… and again… I decline the call each time, but she keeps calling.

Bloody hell.

“Melanie, I’m quite busy right now,” I pinch the bridge of my nose as I put the speaker on.

“Archer, baby,” she coos. “I miss you.”

For fuck’s sake. It’s time to end things with her. Our agreement does not involve those types of calls.

“I tried to call Elijah, but he didn’t pick up,” she whines.

I bet she did. Elijah would be the last person she would want on the phone. Although I’m the nicest one, the peacemaker, to some extent, Elijah is the complete opposite—he prefers someone who doesn’t give in easily or is overly clingy. None of us do. But he enjoys a good challenge, and Melanie doesn’t provide any of that. While we had some fun with her, she would probably cry if she saw the darkness lurking behind our playful facade.

“He’s busy,” I reply, carefully laying the piece of paper down on the desk. “It’s late, Melanie. You should get some sleep. I have things to do.”

What am I missing? I’ve analysed this paper four times.

It’s a different book page, but the pattern is still the same. Words are highlighted, just like the ones Kai received.

I

Am

Coming

For

You

No name, no author, just a page number.

4.

Wait. What was the page number of what Kai received?

I reach into my desk drawer for the paper Kai had in his bedroom.

There!

“Do you have another girl at home?” Her voice echoes through the room. I completely forgot she was still there.

I sigh. “Melanie, I’ll say this as nicely as possible. Whether or not we have another woman in our home is not your concern. Same as if you have someone else in your bed. None of our business. We’re not connected at the hip, so what you do during your personal time is, as the name implies, personal.” I’m so done with this bullshit. “Now, I really need to go.”

“But—”

“Byyyeeee.” I hang up before she has the time to say anything else.

This shit needs to stop. She’s lucky Elijah didn’t answer her call.

Where was I? Yes, the number. How the hell did I miss that before?

“Who was on the phone?”

I turn my head and see Eli leaning against my door. His joggers hang loosely on his hips, and his bare chest glistens with sweat. The tattoo of The Order mixes with the others on his chest, shimmering in the light.

We all have the same one. The tattoo is understated yet captivating—a perfect circle with a serpent gracefully winding through its centre.

Eli proudly displays it on his chest while Kai carries it on his back. My tattoo is intricately placed on my ribs, and Theo has his hidden behind his calf.

You don’t really see it as it seamlessly blends with the countless tattoos adorning our bodies, but it is there.

Glancing again, I notice the beads of sweat dripping from his face, showing that he had probably been working out in our basement gym.

People call me the pretty face of our quartet, but Eli, Kai, and Theo are like sweet treats that would vanish effortlessly in my mouth. They are all the opposite, but fuck me. Although Elijah is slightly taller than me, measuring above 6’6” with his striking hazel eyes, dark hair, and tattoos that adorn his torso and back, the scar above his top lip tempts me to run my tongue along his golden skin.

Kai’s stunning green eyes are like emeralds, shining brightly against his dark-coloured skin. At 6’4”, he is smaller than me. His body is a canvas of complex tattoos that tell a story, elegantly concealing any scars. His overall beauty is undeniable, leaving a lasting impression on all who encounter him.

Theo, with his captivating golden brown hair and mesmerising grey eyes, strikingly combines Eli and Kai. At 6’5" tall, his presence is impossible to ignore, and his chiselled abs leave me in awe.

Yeah, they’re all beautiful.

“Are you done checking me out?” He lifts his brow.

“Never,” I wink at him. “It seems like God had a specific purpose in mind when he positioned you at the entrance of my bedroom.”

“It’s unlikely that God had a hand in this; rather, it was my own feet that led me here.”

“Smartass.”

“So?” He takes a few steps closer to me. “Who was on the phone?”

“Dear Melanie.”

While closing his eyes, a guttural sound escapes him, echoing through the room.

“She tried to call you,” I add.

“I know. The time has come for us to part ways with her. It’s getting ridiculous.”

“Agreed.”

“What do you have here?” He steps closer, peering over my shoulder at the paper on my desk.

“They struck again.” I tilt my head to look at him. “Did you receive something?”

His face remains calm, but his body briefly tenses.

“Are you telling me that someone broke in? Again?”

“Yup.”

“Why are you smiling?”

“Am I?” A chuckle escapes me. “What? You have to agree, they’re good. Even with the upgraded camera system and heightened alarm, they could still breach the house. That’s impressive.”

“Shit! What did they leave and where?”

I point at the page. “They left this beneath my pillow.” I show him the Polaroid that was with it. “And this.”

“And you didn’t wake up?” He raises his brow. “They came into your bedroom and left that beneath your pillow. Beneath your head, and you didn’t wake up?”

“No?”

“Are you telling me or asking me? Christ.” He takes the paper and reads the highlighted word, his eyes lingering on the bolded letters before he reaches for the Polaroid. “You were asleep, they came in, and you didn’t wake up?”

Why does he keep repeating this?

“That’s what happened. Why do you keep asking? What’s your point?”

He inhales and locks eyes with me. “Arch, you didn’t wake up.”

Yeah, I didn’t, which is… odd. I always wake up.

“They couldn’t, right?” Right?

“Afraid they did.” His eyes flicker with various emotions as he tries to understand.

“How? What the fuck.”

“What did you get?”

“Just the water from the fridge.”

Before I can process what’s happening, he swiftly moves ahead, the sound of his echoing footsteps reverberating through the hallways as I trail behind him towards the kitchen.

Oh fuck.

Kai is standing there, with the bottle placed on the counter, as he raises a glass filled with water to his lips.

“Don’t,” I say, my words reverberating through the kitchen as Eli’s hand collided with the glass, causing water to splatter everywhere and Kai to let out a curse.

“What the fuck is it with you?” Kai spits out, his T-shirt covered with water.

“They drugged the water,” I point out, glancing at him.

“They what now?”

“Drugged the water,” I repeat.

“They came again last night,” Eli explains, “In Arch’s bedroom. He slept through it all, completely unaware.”

“Fuck!”

Apparently, Kai grasps things faster than I do.

A loud, uncontrollable laugh burst from my mouth, causing both of them to stare at me as if I had gone insane. Which is possibly true.

“Please, isn’t it funny? Infiltrating a murderer’s house, drugging them, and menacing them; it’s outrageously hilarious.”

“Has he lost his mind?” Kai asks Elijah. “There’s nothing funny.”

“They’re testing the water. From what they left in Archer’s bedroom, they will be back. Now we just need to know when.”

“I can answer this question,” I say, brushing past them as I make my way back to my bedroom.

“If they drugged all the food, what are we going to eat?” Kai asks Elijah as they follow me.

“Not sure they did. We’ll need to be careful.”

Stepping into my room, I walk towards my desk and retrieve the two crumpled papers. “See here? This is what Kai had in his room.” I point at the page number. “It was two days ago, right? The number is six. And there,” I point at the paper I found today. “The page number is four, exactly two days after. I think the number of the page is their countdown.”

“It doesn’t make sense,” says Kai.

“It does,” adds Eli. “Kai, your message was the first one we received. They claimed they were coming for us. It’s not a countdown to their return but a ticking clock until they try to kill us.”

“Yup.”

“You’re way too chill about it,” Kai tells me.

“Good job,” says Eli. “Still nothing on the cameras?”

I’ve been closely observing our cameras and checked all of them for any default. Especially since Kai believes Iris is involved, which is quite comical. I also checked every room of the house for anything that the intruder would have left behind.

I found nothing, not even a fingerprint.

The cameras that I placed inside Iris' place showed nothing to worry about, but to give him peace of mind, I’ll personally verify their functionality at her place.

“Nothing. They’re really good,” I shrug.

“Do we have more information on Raven?” asks Kai.

“Still working on it.” Eli looks at the window. What did he see? “I have some information, but nothing worth sharing for now.”

“And the mission Logan sent us? About Lily Adams?” Kai continues with his question.

Elijah ignores the question and walks to the window. Oh, he did see something. His body tenses, causing Kai and I to exchange a quick glance before following him and peering over his shoulder.

“What the?” starts Kai.

The darkness makes it difficult to see, but I can discern a figure outside. Through the woods, I can’t see if it’s a woman or a man. All I can make out is a person wearing a mask. The mask shimmers under the moonlight, and its red LED accentuates the crossing of its eyes and mouth.

The person tilts their head, their mocking gesture amplified by the four fingers lifted in the air.

I subtly hide my smile by placing my hand over my mouth. They have balls.

“A little hunt?” I ask, which earns me a smirk from Eli.

We move from our spot, and the guys dash off to their bedroom to gather their supplies.

None of us will bother to grab our guns—it’s too effortless, and we’re all in the mood for some fun tonight.

I make sure my mask is on and my hood is up before heading downstairs to meet up with the guys, ready to step outside.

We are all dressed identically, wearing black hoodies and masks, each armed with our chosen weapon. I carry my bat, Kai wields a Nieto Semper knife, and Elijah relies entirely on his metal-filled gloves.

My intuition tells me that the person outside is still there, waiting for us, without a doubt.

At 11 p.m., the freezing cold and thick fog engulfs the outside as we silently make our way through the woods, alert to even the faintest noise.

I saw one person, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t others around. If it’s Raven, the chances of anyone else being here are unlikely.

“You won’t hide for long,” shouts Eli, his voice booming through the silence of the night. “Three against you alone is a lost cause.”

As soon as the words escape his lips, an arrow whizzes through the air and embeds itself in the tree just inches behind him. Moments later, another arrow narrowly misses Kai, while a third grazes my ear. I reach my lobe, feeling the warm stickiness of the blood as I wipe it away, then bring my finger to my mouth.

“Who the fuck are you?” rages Kai. “Fucking Robin Hood?”

“That’s an intriguing weapon, you have to admit.” I chuckle. “This is way more fun than I expected.” As I twirl my bat around, a rush of excitement fills me, and I shout, “Run, little prey, I’m coming for you!”

As one, we start to run towards them, the wind rushing past us and the adrenaline pumping through our veins. We are familiar with these woods as if we had grown up here. I choose to go left, while Kai opts for the right, and Elijah heads straight forward.

“Where are you?” I sing as I keep running. “You poked the bear, you know that, right?” A gust of wind rushes past me as they speed by, causing the tree leaves to sway. “You’re fast. But that’s not really nice to come without presenting yourself. Drugging me was a smart move, though.” I move my head to see them from a distance. I’m still clueless about their gender. The oversized black outfit is hiding their silhouette.

“You’re a smart boy.” Their voice is altered by a machine, resulting in a strong, almost robotic sound. “Very few would understand the meaning of the page number.”

“Does that mean you won’t try to kill us?” The guys would be furious with me for choosing to talk instead of taking action, but I can’t help but find the situation incredibly intriguing.

We keep circling each other, the tension thick in the air, anticipating the next strike.

Their devious laugh escapes from them, piercing the silence of the dark wood.

“Afraid it won’t happen.”

“Who are you?” The distant sound of the guys running towards us reaches my ears, growing closer with each passing second. I guess they went to check out the graveyard and the mausoleum.

“You know who I am, just as I know precisely who you are, Strike.” Reacting quickly, I sidestep just in time to see them grab another arrow and hurl it in my direction. The arrow whizzes past me, lodging itself firmly in the tree behind me.

“Hey, that’s the second time you’ve done that,” I accuse. This time, I’m faster and run towards them, feeling the wind rush past me as I narrowly dodge the arrow grazing my arm. “Run, little prey.”

Their laughter echoes through the air once more, filling the surroundings as they start to run, sliding between the trees.

Every step I take fills me with a rush of adrenaline, urging me to go deeper into the woods until they disappear from sight. Fuck, they’re fast.

Did I give 100% of my capacity? No, I did not. I don’t know why. There’s something about the situation that intrigues me.

I’m standing in the middle of the darkness when the guys arrive behind me.

“Where the fuck are they?” groans Kai.

“Did you see them?” asks Eli.

I turn my head to look at them. “They vanished without a trace, and no, I haven’t caught sight of them. They used a voice transformer.”

“What did they say?” Eli gazes at me behind his mask.

“That they’re coming for us. And they didn’t deny it when I mentioned the drugs.”

“Fuck!” shouts Kai.

“On the contrary. I think we’re going to have a lot of fun.” I pause for a second, trying to recall the exact words spoken during our conversation. I didn’t ask about the method they used to breach our security, which is a shame because I’d have loved to know. “Oh, and when I asked who they were, their answer was, ‘You know who I am, just as I know precisely who you are, Strike.’”

“Raven,” Eli whispers.

“Sounds like it,” I shrug.

“Are you going to check her cameras?” asks Kai.

Seriously, he needs to let it go. Iris has no involvement, but I still say, “Sure, I’ll go now. She’s at work, so it won’t be an issue.”

They both nod as we make our way towards the house.

I guess I need to hurry. She won’t be back home for at least two hours, but my curiosity is getting the best of me, and I want to see what’s inside her place.

I didn’t bother changing and went to Iris’s flat right away. It’s past midnight, and the street is deserted, with only the sound of the wind howling through the empty buildings.

Keeping my head low, I cautiously approach her building and disable the security system before entering. It’s a breeze for me, but strangely enough, I feel a sense of relief knowing that the access is guarded with minimal security.

I make my way up the stairs to the first floor and traverse the long, dimly lit corridor to finally arrive at her door. It’s not the first time I’m coming here, and it won’t be the last.

Using a lock pick set, I deftly open the lock of the door and step inside, making sure to lock it silently. I navigate directly to the cameras I strategically placed in her living room.

It’s tucked away in a corner of the wall, so tiny that it would go unnoticed by anyone who doesn’t know it’s there.

Everything looks normal.

As I open the camera app on my phone, I catch a glimpse of my own reflection on the screen.

Yeah, everything is normal. Kai’s reaction is exaggerated and disproportionate.

Moving into the kitchen, I notice my reflection appearing flawlessly on the screen without any glitches.

I do the same with the camera in the corridor and notice that everything is functioning perfectly.

I could add one in her bathroom, couldn’t I?

Luckily, I’m prepared with a stack of replacement cameras in case those were not working properly.

I retrieve one from my pocket and meticulously survey the bathroom, seeking the perfect spot to place it.

There.

I carefully take the mirror off the wall and examine it. As expected, there is a little opening on the side, just like most of them. With precision, I place the small camera inside and immediately test its functionality on my phone.

Perfect.

Placing the mirror back where it belongs, I make sure to give it a thorough wipe-down, erasing any fingerprints or marks and ensuring that I leave no sign of my presence before entering her bedroom.

The room is immaculate, with everything in its proper place. The only illumination coming from the soft, ethereal glow of the moon.

I placed two cameras in her bedroom. I needed to observe her from different angles.

The first one hangs high above her bed frame, while the other one is strategically placed at the entrance of her bedroom, allowing for a clear view of her sleeping form.

And what a view when she’s sleeping.

I check once more on my phone app and everything works properly.

Good .

Knowing I have a bit of time left before her shift ends, I sneak a peek into her drawer and can’t resist running my fingers along the silky texture of her underwear, leaving my mark behind. I grab one and bring it to my nose, inhaling deeply, savouring her intoxicating scent.

I can vividly picture her on her knees, with Bellatrix wrapped around her, as she takes Kai and me in her mouth at the same time while Eli watches us. I know she could take both Kai and me on at the same time. After all, she managed to fit the ice lolly and my cock in her mouth, even though we’re thicker than that.

Fuck it.

I quickly snatch her underwear, quietly shut the drawer, and enter her dressing room.

Black and purple dominate her wardrobe, which is filled with an interesting mix of Doc Martens and daringly short clothing.

As I continue to sneak around, the sound of her main door creaks open, followed by the click of the lock behind her.

Shit.

I bury myself deep in her dressing room, enveloped by the scent of her perfume, leaving only a small space open to peek inside her bedroom.

“No, I just finished my shift,” she says, her voice weak and raspy as if she had been shouting. She throws her bag on her bed, the soft thud resonating through the room as she cracks her neck. “If you don’t want me to use my voice, then don’t call me. You’re the one to blame.” She puts her phone on speaker, placing it on her bed, before removing her top.

I’m mesmerised by how her boobs bounce and her tits perk.

Beautiful.

“True. But I’d do it again.” This voice.

“Wolf,” she sighs. “You broke my vocal cords.”

“The chains did. Next time don’t put force on it when I’m fucking you.”

Fuuck. The bastard tightened the chains around her throat, mirroring the way I had used the rope to restrain her. I’m getting hard just thinking about it.

“Why would I do that? Getting fucked while having your oxygen restricted is a must. Anyone saying otherwise has no idea what they’re talking about.”

Wolf laughs on the other side, but I can’t help staring at her nipples. The perfect shade of pink.

“Alright, Starling. Go get some sleep. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Byyye.”

She lets out a sigh before shedding her shorts and fishnet tights, leaving her completely naked in the darkness of her bedroom.

I keep my eyes on her as she finds a comfortable position beneath her duvet, a content sigh escaping her lips.

It doesn’t take her long before falling asleep, and soon, the peaceful sounds of her breathing fill the room.

I bide my time, waiting for the perfect moment to emerge from my hiding place. After what feels like an eternity, I finally leave the dressing room and quietly approach her bed. Her face is partially hidden as her cascading purple hair falls over it, revealing only glimpses of the beauty spots on her face and body.

I’ve been hard since the moment she undressed, and I feel the need for her to taste me on her tongue.

Pulling down my zipper and boxers, I grab her underwear that was in my pocket and start to stroke my cock with it.

Fuck, her mouth forms the perfect ‘O’; she would be so pretty with my cock in it.

My hand glides down my shaft, increasing in speed, as I lower the cover, revealing her captivating breast in all its glory. I suppress a groan, attempting to remain completely silent, but it requires every ounce of my strength. Iris turns her head to the side, her lips hovering inches from my dick, her gentle breath sending caressing it.

She did mention that she would let me fuck her if she was passed out.

Fuck it.

Leaning in, I bring just the tip to the entrance of her mouth, taking advantage of her slight opening to allow my cock to enter partially.

Shit. I’m going to come just like that.

The sensation of her mouth gently sucking on my dick is like heaven, as if it was a dummy? 1 meant solely for her pleasure.

I don’t dare to move, fearing any slight movement might disturb her slumber, yet I’m on the verge of forcefully thrusting my cock deeper into her mouth.

I savour that precise moment when her tongue swirls around my shaft, sending me into a blissful explosion.

There’s no time for me to pull out, and I shoot my load in her mouth, my buttocks clenching with each release as she continues to suck, her eyes shut and showing no reaction.

Fuck. I can feel the sticky sweat trickling down my back and beading on my temple.

It takes me a few seconds to catch my breath before fully pulling out, leaving a trail of my cum dripping from her mouth.

I swiftly zip up my jeans, then bring my finger to her mouth to collect my release, which she eagerly accepts, making me moan with pleasure as she sucks on it.

Fuck me, this girl will be the death of me.

I lean slightly, kissing the top of her head. “Thank you for that. You can count on me to make it up to you next time.”

With a final look, I exit her room and leave her flat behind.

1 ? British words for “pacifier”