The Almost One Night Stand

Chapter 56

Trigger Warning Content: discussions of child abuse/assault

Silas's POV

When we all gathered in the dining hall, it was filled with food and drink. Nimue came in holding hands with Luke and Gabe. Every one of us watched her - none of us could deny the way she drew us in. I admit I was jealous of my brothers and the time they had spent in her arms. Not because I didn't want them to be with her, but because I wished it were me. I wanted to feel those soft lips against mine again. At that moment, she looked up and smiled at me. I swear she can read our minds.

Letting go of her husbands, she came toward me. My palms felt sweaty and my heart raced. She giggled as she stood on tiptoe and kissed my cheek. "How are you feeling?" she asked me.

I wrapped my arms around her tiny waist. "Better now nýmfi," I said then pressed my mouth over hers. She only hesitated for a second before leaning into the kiss and responding with her entire body. I chuckled softly when our lips parted, "Much better." She blushed and pressed her head against my chest. I grabbed her hand and led her to a chair at the table, then sat next to her, still holding her hand. Trays of food and drink were being brought around to all of us, and we all began talking while we ate.

"So how did all of you end up together?" Nimue asked. "Luke told me how you all met, but not really how you ended up in the Academy." I was mesmerized as she popped grapes into her mouth. The thoughts that filled my mind had me readjusting myself.

Owen cleared his throat, "Well I think, for my team, it begins with Sean and I." He took a drink and grabbed Sean's hand. "I joined the Academy when I was just a boy, um, nine actually. My father," he paused and Sean squeezed his hand. Most of us knew this story, but it was still difficult to hear. I admired him for sharing it with all of us. "You see, my father was abusive. He murdered my mother in front of me in a fit of rage and then tried to kill me. Instead, I killed him."

Her eyes filled with tears as she ran to his chair. She sat in his lap, wrapping her arms around him, "I'm so sorry you went through that, Owen." She kissed him, then told him, "I hope you know that you are so brave and strong. I'm glad you survived, and I'm proud of you." The look on his face was indescribable. It reminded me of a child who had just been praised by a favorite adult. He didn't say a word, just pulled her into his arms and sobbed.

"We are either going to need a lot more alcohol, or a barrel of tissues if these stories continue," Sean quipped. "Oh sugar, are you sure you want to know all of this drama because all of us have a tear-jerker story? The Academy is a band of abused misfits by definition. Hell, I was abandoned in a dumpster just after being born. The people I call my parents were already Academy members. They found me and eventually adopted me."

She gaped at him, then looked around the room, "All of you? All of you experienced so much pain." She grabbed her head and let out a cry.

"Bella, what's wrong," Owen said, holding her up. "Sean, what's happening to her?" She was softly sobbing, cradling her head as he tried to check her pulse, but she pushed his hand away.

"Too much," she whimpered, "It's too much." When she lifted her eyes, they shone a bright silver. I felt her looking at me. "Silas, I'm so sorry about your mother, and I know the road has been hard with your brother, but he's a better man now and you played a huge role in that." I felt the tears burning my eyes as she turned to Luke and North, "Luke told me some about your father, but you two went through so much - things you haven't even shared with each other, but you should. North, he doesn't blame you for taking his father away from him, and Luke, he isn't jealous that you got to know Uncle first."

One by one, she went around the room telling us things she couldn't possibly know. None of us had a dry eye. Nate came and pulled her into a hug when she told him she was proud of him too. She'd told us a story about a night shortly after the break-up with Sang where Nate's father was really drunk. The two had gotten into a fight and Nate almost killed him, but made the choice to have the Academy put his dad in treatment and he left instead. She sagged in his embrace and her eyes returned to their normal color. She let out a sigh as Gabe handed her a tissue, "Well, if one of you is the descendent, then I have no idea which one. Only a few of you can be ruled out completely."

"Which ones are that," Nate asked, holding her in his lap.

She paused as if afraid to say, then finally answered, "If the curse is broken, then the descendent can't have killed their father." She cast a sad glance at Owen and Axel, "That means both Owen and Axel are not possible. Since Sean never knew his father, I highly doubt he is the descendent either. Silas never had troubles with his father, only his brother, so he's also out of the running. Gabriel, North, and Luke's dads are dead, but not by their hand, so they're eliminated."

"So that leaves Corey and me, Raven, Marc, Nate, Victor, and Kota," Brandon said. "But wouldn't the descendent know that it's them?"

She shook her head, "No, not entirely. Just as some of you have learned about one or more of your past lives, the fates have hidden the descendent's true identity, even from himself. In Arthur's time, he didn't really know until he removed the sword from the stone, and even then, he still wasn't entirely sure for a long time."

"Um, you can mark me off the list as well, doe," Marc said, "I didn't kill him, but my so-called father has been dead since I was five." She gave him an understanding look.

"Okay, so that leaves five options, or it could be someone we don't even know," Brandon pointed out. "How will you know, Nimue?"

She frowned, "I'm not really sure, Brandon. My entire family line has trained and prepared for this duty, but none of us have encountered a descendent. My assumption is that fate will reveal him to me at the right time." She gave him a soft smile, then leaned into Nate's chest more, "Can we just eat and have fun for a while? I need to focus on something happy for now, please."

Nate pressed a kiss against her hair, "Of course, let's start with dessert," he gave her a huge grin and handed her a yellow pastry with lemon icing on it.

She giggled and licked the icing off, moaning, "Watch out, Luke, Nate is speaking my love language now!" She giggled again and popped the treat in her mouth, letting out another over-exaggerated moan.

"Wait, I thought that was ice cream," Luke chuckled.

"Sweets, dear husband, my love language is sweets."

We all chuckled as North groaned, "For fucks sake they're just alike! Damned sugar addicts."

She stuck out her bottom lip and pouted at him, pretending to sniffle, "But North," sniffle, sniffle, "I've been a really good girl. Don't I deserve a treat?" Oh hell, that broke all of us as we moaned and shifted in our seats. I thought North's grip on the chair was going to snap it in half.

"Goddess, you keep talking like that, and you'll be getting a hell of a lot more than just sugar," he growled. She squeaked and pushed back into Nate. I saw him grimace and try not to moan as she slid across his lap. Poor guy.

Saved by the attendants - several fairies came carrying fresh drinks for all of us and a glass of clear liquid for Nimue. Nate sipped it for her and nodded. After the kidnapping, I'm not sure she will ever trust another drink in her life, and I can't blame her.  

Author's Notes: SMUT ahead...lots of smut.