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As we got closer to the rest of the men, it was like the air shifted. I could feel their eyes on me long before I opened my own. This worsened when Cassian sat me down in the corner of what I assumed to be a couch.

“I swear to fucking God , if any of you rush her,” he warned, resulting in a chorus of unsatisfied groans.

I cracked an eye and looked around me. Once again, I was stuck somewhere surprisingly modern. Green walls, a flat screen TV, and leather couches decorated the area, and the men had scattered themselves around the room.

Ronan stood next to a window, arms crossed, staring me down. The weight of his gaze caused me to shift, and I looked to Solomon, who was curled at the other end of the couch, dark sunglasses on, reading a book.

I couldn’t remember much of his file, but I knew his eyes had been enhanced. And, I wondered how terrible that felt on a sunny day. My stomach twisted, and I didn’t want to think about that.

Which left me to look at Seth, who was walking directly toward me.

My heart skipped a few much-needed beats, and I instinctively tried to claw my way back into Cassian’s arms. But, it was no use. Seth had me.

His arms wrapped around mine and my body went uncomfortably rigid as I prepared for him to finish me off… except, he didn’t .

Seth just held me with a shaky grasp, breathing me in.

“I’m so sorry,” he whispered, lips brushing the shell of my ear.

His words were so soft they were barely audible over the thudding of my heart, but as he pulled away and lowered me onto the couch, he looked genuine .

More than that, he looked tired. Dark circles hung from his eyes, making me wonder if he’d slept since our game. He fell onto the couch as if intentionally inserting himself between Solomon and I. Cassian perched himself on the arm of the chair, earning a dirty look from Seth.

A heavy silence fell on the room, and I wondered just how many of those I’d face today.

“Look,” Ronan started, walking closer and settling into an armchair. “If we’re all done being weird, Little Light has a choice to make.”

… I do?

Seth sighed, reaching out and resting his palm on my thigh. Once again, I tensed. Then, his thumb ran up and down the material of my jammies, and my body involuntarily melted, even if just slightly.

I must’ve had the worst survival instincts in the world.

“So, as you know, you were promised a lump sum of money if you survived… which you did,” Seth said, suddenly sounding a little unsure.

“But, since you went poking around in his shit–” Cassian gestured toward Seth–“you know we want a bride.”

“That means you can stay.” Ronan shifted, causing the chair under him to groan.

“But, only if you want to.” Solomon didn’t look up from his book.

This whole thing felt disturbingly calm, and I wasn’t sure I trusted it. I bit my tongue to prevent myself from saying as such.

“You said it yourself… you don’t think we’re monsters,” Seth added, looking away from me but keeping his hand in place.

“Yeah, but why would I stay?”

Ronan leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “Because you want to?”

He sounded far too hopeful for my liking, but, as much as I didn’t want to admit it… he was right.

I should want to run for the hills and never look back. The money they promised me was more than enough to make a comfortable life. But, despite all of the terror still lingering from that night, the fucked up part of my brain thought it was fun .

“So… not saying Iam , but! If I did stay, you guys wouldn’t hunt me again, right?” Not that I was totally opposed to the idea, but it would be nice knowing they wouldn’t actively try to kill me once a month.

“Never again,” Seth whispered. “We’ve been talking about it a lot, and we have a plan to keep you safe, even if one of us were to get a craving .”

And by craving, he probably meant the urge to drain the life from any living creature that looks at them the wrong way . But, again, it seemed like he meant it.

Taking a deep breath, I looked around the room, at the men who’d endured more than one person ever should. They’d found a family in each other, one that they were willing to open to me.

It was a fucked up family, to say the least. But, it was theirs. And in some bizarre way, I wanted it to be mine too.

As strange as it sounded, I had a feeling these men would keep me safe. I wouldn’t have to worry, I wouldn’t have to want, I wouldn’t have to keep working until the point I broke. Plus, I didn’t think they could be any worse than the family I’d come from.

Plus, the sex was phenomenal .

“Fine,” I murmured, my voice coming out surprisingly steady. “I’ll stay .”

Seth looked back at me as his shoulders slumped in relief. Without his mask, I was free to see the slight smile dancing across his lips. The one that showed the start of his fangs.

“Little Light, I promise, from now until forever, we will work to give you everything you deserve.”

“Fuck that noise–We’ve got a bride!” Cassian cheered, pulling me to his chest and crowding me, exactly like he’d told everyone else not to do.

I compared this moment to the night of horror I’d faced, and that alone made it impossible not to laugh. The decision I’d made probably wasn’t a smart one, but I knew deep down, I needed to see where this led.