Page 19 of The Erion Triad

The straight line of his mouth broke with a smile and her breath caught. He was exceedingly handsome, but when he smiled, he was stunning.

“If I say you do, then you do. Do not question me. I only speak the truth, and as for ensuring your safety, it will be our absolute privilege. We expect no repayment, other than seeing your beautiful face, so please, hold it up high so we can find pleasure in looking at you.”

Juliran stepped towards her, as did Zaen. Familiar emotions washed through her as the three of them came close enough she was wrapped in body heat and mouth-watering, masculine scents. There was an urge to step into their arms just as strong as an urge to run. Something dark and sinister lashed at the edge of her mind, pulling her back. A warning. A note of danger. Not for her, but for them. A line she wasn’t going to cross.

“Well then… thank you. My boyfriend once said I was pleasant to look upon.”

A look passed between them and as a cohesive unit, all three speared their eyes at her with a look of such intense possession that her heart leaped in her chest.

“You have a boyfriend?” Zaen spoke. He slid a gaze to Kyel. “She never said anything about a boyfriend.”

“It is true, but remember this is a construct of her mind. It may or may not be true,” Kyel murmured before turning back to gaze down at her.

“Wait. What? A construct of my mind? Am I somehow imagining all three of you here?” Any warm thoughts she harbored shattered like brittle glass. They were nice—more than nice, actually—but they were also unstable.

It all made sense now. Why else would three virile men such as them be out of work and want to find it in a family diner of all things? Why would they offer to walk her home when Grant hadn’t thought twice about it, and he was meant to care about her the most? Why else would Kyel tell her was beautiful, if not for a mental condition? A possibly severe mental condition.

Why? Why? Why? She could find no other reason because therewasn’tone. She had nothing to give them. Nothing to offer. Why else would men like them even be around a woman like her? Things likethatdidn’t happen. Men like Grant happened to her. It was her place in the world and she’d long ago given up looking for anything better.

Juliran smiled. It was sad. “We are here. We are real. We are here for you. You have to believe us, Lucie.”

She hugged herself and stepped away from them. Her elbows dug into her palms. Cool, fresh air filled her lungs and made them clench with cold. “I know you’re real. What else could you be? Just… do me a favor and don’t walk me home again. Don’t tell me I’m beautiful. And don’t make me feel…” Her throat clenched and she couldn’t speak.

She looked up, surprised that she was in front of her apartment building. Safety was within reach. She dug out her pass-key and swiped the lock. The door click was welcome.

With trembling hands, she pushed open the door. “Just pretend we didn’t have this conversation. If you’re going to, turn up at work tomorrow and treat me like anyone else. I don’t think… I just can’t…”

She couldn’t finish the words, and instead disappeared into the foyer. She wanted to tell them not to make her feel special. Not to look at her like she was the center of their universe. Not to set her up for disappointment and a fall she might never come back from.

She didn’t look back when she stepped into the lift, trying to ignore the hole that opened on her chest.

Because she didn’t want to feel anything. It was a full-time job protecting her heart and if she let even a slither of hope inside, she didn’t think she would have the energy to want to keep going. It was easy with Grant. She never had to worry about protecting her heart at all. Maybe that was the reason why she was with him, but she didn’t stop to analyze that thought. Basically, she didn’t want to be lonely, and anyone was better than no one.

It never paid to pin your emotions of your heart on anyone. She’d done that before and it had always ended in heartache. No, she had to stop whatever was happening before anything could develop.

She ignored the fact that it was so hard to turn away from them. For some curious reason, she felt compelled to them on a level she never knew existed, but she shoved the ridiculous notion aside. She’d made a promise to herself years ago.

She’d never be that fool again.

Chapter Eight

Juliran

“Does she really livehere?”

Juliran looked at the building and surroundings. It was dirty, ill-repaired, and smelled like dank rubbish that had never been collected. The door frame was chipped and needed a good coat of paint in the least, and a full replacement at the most. Dead bushes lined the ill-paved path leading up to the front doors. The entire building spoke of oppression. He had to hold himself back from kicking the door down and taking her out of this place.

“She is poor.” He was surprised. He’d had no idea of her past. She’d never spoken about it, and, he belatedly realized, he’d never asked. He rubbed his chest, knowing that he should have, had needed to do that, but he’d been so happy at finding their mate, that he had done none of those things. “Did she ever say anything to you two about how she lived on Earth?”

Zaen shook his head. “I was intent on making her feel safe and protected in our care.”

“She never said a word,” Kyel said.

Juliran knew that look on his brother’s face. The one that said he blamed himself for everything. “It’s not just your fault. I never asked her either.”

He wanted to punch something. Preferably the brick wall of the building, but when he launched his fist into the surface, it went right through. More carefully, he punched it again, and his hand sunk right through the wall as though it had no substance again. “What is this?”

“A construct of her mind. It seems when she is near, everything is solid. Her mind forms objects as she requires it, but when she is not around, then it returns to a thought state without any substance,” Zaen said.

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