The regular routine of a ‘girl’s night out’ was something that Simone always looked forward to. It was a strange concept at first, to spend time with other people, but as she started to do it, she realized that she enjoyed the company of Osiria, Mia, Leilah, and to her surprise, even Kalina when she managed to tear herself away from her work. It was on such one of these occasions that they found themselves in Adeluna.

Their routine wasn’t too complicated, but it always started with them dropping all of the kids off with the men. To everyone’s surprise, everyone seemed to shove Lewis, Rex, and Lucas out the door that night for some father and son bonding time. It had been Xeik’s idea, since he knew how hard it was to find time with all of the children always vying for his and Simone’s attention. Hazel had initially, but had been dragged out of the house to go with the women.

“So…” Lewis said, a little unsure of what to do.” He looked around the city of Adeluna. Supposedly, the women were out and about as well, and he’d hate to run across them on their only free night. So, much to his displeasure, he recommended they go drinking. “How about…darts?”

“That’s hardly fair,” Rex replied flatly. “Mr. Expert Ex-Assassin…”

Lewis shrugged, “Could teach you.”

At that though, Lucas smiled. “That’s a great idea! We can learn from a master of the trade.”

“Okay, but when are you ever going to need that, Lucas” Rex asked back. “That makes it sound like you get into some shady things.”

“I just want to learn,” the leviathan replied with a smirk. “Or are you scared I’ll pick it up faster.” That irked Rex, and suddenly he was all on board to go out drinking and playing darts.

“Let’s go, then,” Lewis said with a half smile. Maybe it would be a good night after all.

Simone and the girls were out in force in the shops of Adeluna. They found themselves at a stall full of clothes. It was funny to see Osiria holding up little dresses, “Do you think Rhen would like this on me?”

“You could stuff an apple in your mouth, get naked, lay on the bed, and Rhen would still fuck you,” Kalina peeked up as Leilah was almost looking at some dresses for herself. “But I guess he would like that if he had to be forced to pick.”

Osiria seemed dissatisfied with the answer and looked at Simone who peeked up from the children’s clothes. “I think you would look better in the burnt orange and if Rhenakos didn’t like it his dick shriveled.”

There was a shining smile on Osiria’s face as she picked out the burnt orange dress not too far and got it for herself. “Maybe I should wear it… Surprise him for the end of the night.”

“I think he would be blackout drunk but you might get surprised,” Simone answered and a huff followed.

“Wait, that would be cute on Janus,” Simone went to take the piece of clothing from Mia who pulled it back with a huff.

“Ohhh? Using that for a hint towards Xeik?” All of the women looked at Mia who was blushing and nodding. Simone smirked a bit, “Mia, just get a fertility potion, throw it at him, and show him babies. He’ll get it eventually.”

Mia had been on a kick to reproduce with Xeik for almost an entire year now. She had been good enough to wait for his answer, she wanted him to be ready and be willing to be a father. So whenever Simone got another child she ramped up her effort for a little. Paintings of babies, letters of babies, the word babies… Nothing seemed to work. Simone knew Xeik was being oblivious on purpose. Right now he just felt like he was too busy for it.

Simone and Osiria stepped away from the group leaving their purchases with Leilah, “We’re going to check out the smithy here… The boys might like something there,” Simone waved and the girls nodded.

They decided to first stop by the candy shop. “Ohh, chocolate strawberries!”

“That does sound good Os…” Simone’s mouth watered a bit.

They were staring through the window debating going into the chocolate shop when Simone noticed a figure behind her, “What the fu-” and it went black for her and Osiria.

Lewis was on a winning streak. Of course he was. Why wouldn’t he be? But Lucas was quick on the uptake, and catching up. It did help that Lewis had decided to let Rex and Lucas be on a team against him, with double the amount of moves. Rex wasn’t bad, either, but he wasn’t quite picking up the throwing technique.

It was Lewis’ turn again, the game winning match. He readied he dart, taking aim. Before he threw, though, he felt Simone go dark, and his toss went straight into the backboard.

Rex cheered, “Yes! An opportunity!” But he stopped when he saw Lewis’ face. “Dad?”

“Simone,” he said, slamming a bag of silver on the table. He ran out of the tavern, and immediately to her last location. Lucas was confused, and tried to follow, but he wasn’t fast enough. Rex, however, hit the streets, and shifted down into a full wolf form. On all fours, he was easily able to catch up to Lewis.

“Here!” the ex-assassin said as he burst into the chocolate shop. The moment he barreled in, though, was the moment that he was hit square in the jaw. In his panic, he had lost his cool and calm sense, and with that, he had lost his edge.

Rex skid to a halt. His first instinct was to barrel in behind Lewis, but he hesitated. He had no idea what he was up against. Xeik. And Rhenakos. They’ll know what to do. He backpedaled, and found his way back to the portal that they had all arrived in.

It wasn’t long before everyone was scouring the streets of Adeluna. With the information they had, all they knew was that Osiria, Simone, and Lewis were missing. They had been last seen being dragged off into the side streets of Adeluna.

When Rhenakos heard, he was furious, slamming his fist into a wall. There was anger radiating off of him, and Xeik was almost worried that he might go on a rampage.

“Xeik…” Rhenakos said finally. “I always knew that Lewis was worried…but…” He clenched his fist. “I swear to the gods, I will find them and tear out their fucking throat if they so much as lay a finger on Osiria.”

Xeik nodded, “I…understand…” But they had no leads to go off of. “Hazel…can you take over tracking?” He pulled her aside. “I don’t think Rhenakos can focus on it. Can you do it?”

When Simone came to she was chained up in the center of a room hanging from the ceiling with Osiria to her back. The other phoenix had yet to wake up and Simone’s gray eyes moved to a man chained to the wall, “Lewis?”

“Don’t bother there princess. Your little lover boy can’t hear you right now. We hit him rather good,” that voice that called to her sounded so familiar as her eyes darted over to a familiar set of eyes.

“So, what do I owe the pleasure of your ugly ass coming back?” Simone’s voice was dry as she spoke.

Osiria started to stir and she groaned a bit, “What the fuck is going on?”

“I was just about to ask one of our hosts that. Are you alright Os?”

“My head hurts but other than that I think Rhen fucks harder,” Os cracked a joke as she struggled a bit to lift herself up. “Is this some kind of joke?” Os thrashed around enough she managed to get a look at the person talking to her. “Hey, Simone?”

“Hmm?”

“He looks like you.”

“Yeah, that’s my cousin Felix.”

“Isn’t he dead?”

“Yeah, we sliced him up and burnt him alive. Somehow, I feel like he’s not the only one back,” Simone hung there as Jerome came into the room.

“I see our sleeping beauty woke up,” he walked up to Simone and touched her face. For a split second, Simone hesitated then she kicked him in the face full force. “FUCK.”

“We were told not to get near them or touch them until he was done with them. Don’t need them getting pregnant or anything until after,” Felix went over to Lewis but didn’t get close. “Hey, dickface. Wake up.” Once he had Lewis’s attention Felix smiled, “You can only imagine what we’re going to do to our Simone now right? This time we have a friend of hers too.”

“Stop getting them worked up,” the fey lord walked in. “You don’t know what they are capable of. It’s been five years.”

“Seven,” Simone corrected. “Seven since we put your ass in the ground.” Simone was shaking and Osiria leaned back to give Simone some support. She had heard the stories from Rhenakos.

Lewis groaned as he came to. It had been a long time since he had been knocked out, and as he tried to focus on what was happening, he found himself confused at the mixture of his and Simone’s senses mingling. The first thing he was was Simone and Osiria, hanging about twenty feet in front of him. He wanted to reach out to them, and cut them down, but he was slowly beginning to understand where he was.

“Wall,” he groaned. His arms were chained to the wall on either side of him. His neck was also chained to the wall, but his legs seemed to be free. He tried to kick out, which earned a laugh from Felix.

“You,” Lewis said with utter disdain. “Couldn’t take the hint the first time?” When Felix made the comment about Simone being theirs, Lewis let out a low growl. “Go anywhere near her, and I’ll make your last death seem like a fucking picnic.”

Lewis wasn’t okay, but he was holding it together for the moment. He had a few ideas formulating, but everything left his mind when he saw the fae lord walk in. All reason was lost, and Lewis struggled against his restraints, eyes full of fury. “I will rip you limb from fucking limb Alvraro!”

Magic surged through Lewis, but at the snap of the fae lord’s fingers, magic crackled through the chains, and Lewis felt a cold hard shock to his system. All at once, pain surged through him, and his connection with Simone was ruptured. Everything went white for a moment as lightning surged through his body.

And then it stopped. Lewis groaned, his head rolling to the side.

The fae lord walked up the altar to where Lewis was, seemingly ignoring his own warning, and put his hand under the ex-assassin’s chin. “It would seem that I have a second chance. A chance to make things right. Do be a dear, Lewis, and enjoy the view. Once our…benefactor returns, we’ll have such a fantastic show to put on for you. Your dear Simone…ravaged, and you, oh so helpless…” He slapped Lewis across the face, leaving a large welt. “Pay attention!”

“Fuck….off…” Lewis wheezed.

“Oh. And it won’t be just Simone. This wonderful…specimen we’ve gotten? She’ll be along for the ride.” Alvaro smiled. “Our benefactor is quite persuasive too. I’m sure by the end of it all, they’ll be quite open to the idea of staying with us. And when they give birth to our new weapons…I’ll watch as they tear you to pieces.”

“Can you…shut up?” Lewis replied, his head rolling to the other side. “You’re fucking putting me to sleep…”

The fae lord sneered, and snapped his fingers again, shocking Lewis. “Words mean nothing to you…” He stepped away from the altar, and back down. “Felix! Let’s go. We have a job to do. That woman’s children can keep watch. We have work to do.”

And with that, the three were left alone.

“I’m going…to tip his arm off…and shove it down his throat,” Lewis said after a moment.

“LEWIS,” Simone yelled as she began to struggle. The same treatment was done to Simone as she screamed in pain.

“Leave her alone you fucking ass wipe,” Osiria screamed at the fae lord and he had a grin on his face.

“My, you certainly are a live one just like the benefactor told us. You will be a fun piece of the collection.”

Once they were left alone Osiria struggled more, “When Rhen gets here he’s going to rip them to fucking shreds!”

“No offense but he isn’t that strong,” Simone let herself drop after struggling a bit more.

“So says you. You haven’t ever seen Rhen pissed but they made the mistake of fucking taking me with you two. Rhen is going to come in here like a one-man army… You thought Lewis got pissed when you got taken… You’ve not seen my Rhenakos,” Osiria gave Simone a scary smile and it made Simone shiver.

“We don’t really know the real Rhen at all do we?” Simone sighed a bit as she decided to save her strength.

“I’m not so sure you do. A motivated Rhenakos is a terrifying one. He’ll find us.”

Lewis struggled against the chains again, but there was no luck.

“Rhenakos, huh? I’d put more faith in Xeik, but he’s barely good in a fight. I’ve at least seen Rhenakos take some heavy hits, though.” To hear that Osiria was so confident in Rhenakos, though, meant that he very well may have been the only one capable of breaking in.

“I’m sure between the two of them, though, that we’ll be okay.” But Lewis didn’t sound confident. He was still trying to work a way out of the situation they were in on his own. At worst, he might be able to break his wrist and get out of one chain, but that would have to be a last ditch effort.

“What do they even want?” Lewis asked after a moment. “Osiria is one thing, but…you can’t have babies. We’ve gone over this. Are they really that desperate? I don’t get it.” He sighed. There was barely any point in really asking. Nothing they did made sense. The ex-assassin closed his eyes.

“So…Os. Why is Rhenakos so obsessed with trying to sleep with Simone? And Mia, for that matter?” It was strange for Lewis to try and make small talk, but the chatter between all of them was helping him keep focused. That last shock had done a number on him, and it was becoming harder to stay conscious.

Simone hung there for a few moments in silence, “The fatal miscalculation in all that Lew… Is that he knows exactly where my womb is and how to break the curse on it. He can make me get pregnant. No wonder he was brought back with the others.”

Osiria was quiet as she hung there with her, “Everything will be okay. Guarantee they won’t even be able to touch us.” Rhenakos… Please work fast, it was a silent little prayer from Osiria. She hoped her husband was the one-man army she made him out to be. She had seen it in the past when she got hurt, it was why she didn’t go on jobs.

Finally, Lewis changed the conversation and Simone perked up to hear the answer from Osiria. “At the end of the day… Rhenakos is a lot like you Lew.”

That got a laugh from Simone, “How so?”

“He likes strong women who can take care of themselves. Simone is strong. Mia is strong. Kali is strong. So is Vela.”

“No wonder he liked that thigh move I did so much,” Mone mused.

“Oh yeah, it was all he could talk about until he taught me how to do it. He doesn’t know how to handle when you get emotional though and in a lot of ways it’s a tough area for us too. Comfort is the one thing Rhenakos is sort of bad at. So he makes an ass out of himself more often than not.”

“Yeah, well you don’t ever have to worry about me sleeping with him. I can’t stand him getting in my way,” Mone made a face. “He’s so impulsive.”

“Yeah, both of us are though. It’s also why we can’t work together. The moment I got hurt he just lost focus and charged right for the person attacking me. He went into a straight rampage. Most of the time he’s holding back. When he lets go though… That’s the real Rhen. I’m the same age as Lewis almost,” she chuckled a bit.

“Ahhh, so Rhenakos isn’t into older women.”

“He’s into strong women,” Osiria laughed. “He likes to be bossed around and yelled at though he might fight you on it.”

Simone thought back to the bar, “Why waterfall blue?”

“Because the waterfall was where we first hate fucked,” Osiria said it plain like it was a normal fact. “Just before…” She looked uncomfortable. “Before the feelings started. Rhen woke up from nightmares a lot and I would comfort him. At first, he would hide it from me but slowly it unraveled and we talked about it. He fully opened up just before he killed me. In a way, killing me was how he showed how much he loved me. He didn’t want the demon to have me, so he killed me thinking it was best.”

“You two have such a weird relationship,” Lewis said after a moment of letting everything sink in.

“Oh please, like you have any room to talk,” Osiria shot back with a grin. “You two try to hide it, but I know you and Simone are both bigger freaks than I am.” She wriggled against her restraints. “Those books…they’re based off of a lot more than just fantasy, aren’t they?”

At that, Lewis felt a lot more conscious. “How the hell should I know! I don’t do anything like that!” he shot back.

“Oh, but Alexei…I know so much about those books. It’s one of my favorite series. I even asked Rhenakos to take me like his character did Alexei and Tobias. Let me tell you, it was hot. And there’s absolutely no way you two hadn’t tried anything like that.”

Lewis scoffed, “One day, out of nowhere, I’ve become a complete and total piece of meat for thousands of women, all because of these stupid books.” He was proud that Simone had made a name for herself, but he hated the effect that it had on his own life. It was a miracle that he was able to walk the streets without getting harassed.

Simone smirked. “Well…if we’re passing the time…I could tell you SO many things. That scene in the latest book? The one with the seven men…”

Osiria perked up, “Yeah, what about it?”

“It was real. When Lewis and I were training our resonance I had to deal with the seven sins of Lewis so to speak. Lust was seven Lewis. Seven that all wanted me,” Simone smirked a bit. “That wasn’t all though.” She frowned now. “What my corrupted half did to Lewis… A hundred of me raping him. That wasn’t hot at all but that was before we were what we are now. It most certainly wasn’t me.”

Osiria thought on it, “Sounds like you wanted him to experience what you had been put through.”

“What makes you say that?” Simone was honestly surprised that Osiria caught on so fast.

“You don’t do anything impulsively or just because you can. You always do it with motive. Hell, you planned out the entire shopping trip on a fucking map to save us time. I wouldn’t call it micromanaging us… It was more like a suggestion and a chessboard for you. So, Lewis was shown how vulnerable you were and he was made to hate you like you hated the people who had done it.”

“Huh,” Simone smirked, “you continue to impress me. I didn’t realize you were this smart.”

“I don’t know if I should take it as a compliment or an insult but~ What would I do with seven Rhenakos’s.” Osiria’s eyes lit up.

“Get ripped apart… Rhen… His body,” Simone shivered a bit.

“Heyyy,” Osiria laughed.

“I’m not dead. I can appreciate it but Rhenakos isn’t my type personality wise and all I need is Lewis. Looking at you though… He is almost three times the size of you. There’s no fucking way you would be able to take seven of him.”

“You might be right but one can’t help but to think about it,” Osiria was almost drooling. “You two do some freaky shit… I remember when you stabbed Lewis in the heart!”

“Oh, that,” Simone shrugged, “We stab each other all the time. We do own a sex dungeon you know.”

“See, you two are freaky.”

“The pain is almost as good as the sex for us… Though I think if it was anyone else it wouldn’t be like this.”

“Of course not, you and Lewis are practically perfect.”

“Say Os, if you and Rhenakos are this much in love how come your heart stri–”

“Sucked major ass and was even worse than Xeik and Mia’s? Rhen and I suck at working together as I said. We did a lot of hate fucking when we first got together… Of course it cultivated a bad relationship! When we got pregnant with Izzy we weren’t ready. We were scared shitless. We were forced into something we weren’t ready for and it showed massively. Of course, we loved each other… How could we not? He is everything I want and I am everything he wants. We just go about it differently than you two. Imagine getting pregnant when you and Lewis hated each other.”

Simone looked at Lewis and thought about it, “I guess… you are right.”