Chapter Eight: Reunion

Copyright © Lynnifer Ice - October 2021 All Rights Reserved.

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I have never felt so refreshed after a good night's sleep as this one!

Before I even opened my eyes, I could hear snoring from more than two other people. I suddenly felt perplexed, but I also felt overwhelmingly sore. I also noticed that my body no longer felt ablaze, but I still felt something, almost like a smoldering ember in my core. It felt strange, to say the least. Curious about whom the snores belonged to, I blinked my eyes open, groaning in protest from the morning sun's rays.

Oh... My... Goddess... What the actual fuck???

I raised my head, looking around the bed to find not two but seven other nude bodies in bed with me. Our limbs were completely entangled. I honestly felt like screaming, desperately wanting to deny the reality in front of me. A random thought then popped into my head.

If I theoretically just had sexual intercourse with seven men, which one of them took my virginity? Wait, that's not even the real issue here!!!

I could feel my cheeks burning up as I took in the fact that I had just had sex with all seven of my friends as a virgin on the same night. Not to mention that I am not in a relationship with any of them. How fucked up is that? I felt sullied as if I had been covered from head to toe in soot. I wanted to take a shower, and I wanted it NOW. When I went to move my legs, I stopped suddenly when I could feel something very sticky between my thighs.

EW!!!!!! That is SO gross! That better not be what I think it is!

Now, I desperately wanted to get out of bed, and I was ever so grateful that I did not meet any resistance this time from any limbs draped over the top of me. I successfully managed to slither away toward the foot of the bed. I let my legs dangle over the edge as I sat up, staring at the polished walnut hardwood floor. I, for some reason, had a bad feeling, and I soon found out why. As soon as I tried to get off the bed and stand up, my legs refused to work, and I fell straight to the floor with a small yelp. I immediately slapped a hand over my mouth, afraid I had woken someone up. I turned my head up toward the bed and saw no movement.

Well, that fucking hurt... Need to get up, though! Good thing they seem to be heavy sleepers.

I got my arms in a push-up position and gritted my teeth as I hoisted myself up and back onto my knees, my rear resting against the heels of my feet. I facepalmed myself, angry that I had fallen in the first place, but my legs had felt so wobbly, almost like overcooked noodles. I huffed through my nose as I put my palms flat against the floor, bracing myself for the next step.

Is it normal for women to fall over the following day?

I leaned forward, supporting my weight with my arms as I pushed up with my legs with all my might. I was gritting my teeth, doing my best to not yell at the way my limbs ached. It took me a few minutes, but when I successfully had stood up, I gripped the edge of the bed for support. I looked around the room, hoping I would see the t-shirt I had been given to wear yesterday, but there were too many clothes thrown around the room to tell. I bit the inside of my cheek in annoyance.

Of course, I can't find that blasted shirt! Never mind the shirt, though, what about my panties?!

No sooner had I thought of my undergarment than I saw it just a few feet away...torn in half. I could feel the anger grow inside me at an exponential rate; I was ready to burst!

You have GOT to be kidding me... HOW DID THAT EVEN HAPPEN?! Great! I have no clothes to put on! I don't even know where my other clothes are!

I turned my attention to the door, which happened to be left wide-open. I was at least thankful that I did not have to open a door. I took in a deep breath before putting one foot in front of the other, using the edge of the bed as a guide. When I reached the last inch of the bed, there were still at least eight feet between me and the door. I rolled my eyes as I got ready to take another step. However, as soon as I took another step and let go of the bed, I fell again with a loud thump. I cursed under my breath, angrier at my legs for not working than the one who caused me to not be able to walk correctly.

AGHHH!!! Damn legs!

I heard someone groan, but I paid them no mind. I hoisted myself up onto my hands and knees and proceeded to crawl out of the room like a toddler. It was definitely embarrassing, but I refused to ask for help. I got myself into this mess, and I was determined to get myself out. Although, I had no idea how I was going to do that. I continued to crawl out into the hallway and then tried to remember my way to the bathroom. After a few wrong turns, I had finally made it. As much as it grossed me out to crawl on the bathroom floor, I did not have much of a choice. I made my way into the bathroom, and when I got to the bathroom counter, I sat up and reached for the edge.

Okay, here we go!

With a small grunt and shaky muscles, I gradually hoisted myself up until I was standing. I looked down at the sink, panting from the mini-workout I had just given myself. Then, I looked up to see my horrifying reflection in the mirror. I felt the blood drain from my face as I stared at myself. Without thinking, I screamed at my own reflection. I started panting heavily as I leaned in closer to the mirror, reaching a hand out to touch my reflection and then bringing it back to my face, just below my eyes.

No way... No, no, no... This can't be happening! I have to be dreaming!!!

I was having trouble breathing as tears welled up in my eyes. I could hear someone jogging toward the bathroom, but I ignored it. Tears streamed down my cheeks as I stared at my eyes. My eyes were no longer colored amber. My gaze traveled down my body, taking in every love bite across my skin. I put my hand over my mouth, choking back on my tears. I had read about the permanent changing color of the eyes in mutants in one of the files I got from the Librarian. When that person's eyes permanently change from their natural color to another, it means they have been marked and mated by their fated life-long partner.

"Shiro? What's wrong," I heard Howard call out as he started to round the door, "I heard you scream-..." He stopped in his tracks in the doorway, taking in my appearance before taking two giant steps toward me and putting his arms around me. "Why are you crying...?" He asked me as he tried to wipe my tears away with his thumb.

"My- My eyes...," I blubbered, not caring at all for once that I was nude in front of him; I had much bigger problems on my hands. My hands were curled into fists against my chest as I turned my body into his chest. I felt devastated.

"What about your eyes? They're beautiful, Shiro," Howard told me softly as he caressed my cheek. "You're beautiful," he added. He kissed my forehead and rocked me back and forth in his arms in an attempt to calm me down, "Please, don't cry anymore."

He felt so warm against me, and I felt thankful that he did not care that I looked like a mess. Butterflies swarmed in my stomach, and a pleasant feeling soared through my veins. It was amazing how quickly I was able to calm down in record time, might I add. I felt a sense of security and adoration. I rested my head against his chest, feeling happy at that moment even though I could not figure out why my mood changed so quickly.

Am I going through PMS right now? I mean, it would explain some of my sudden emotional changes, but then again... That stupid thing called 'heat' is probably the cause of all of this! I need to contact the Librarian somehow... She should be able to make sense of all this... At least, I hope she can.

"My eyes are hazel-colored. They were amber before...," I quietly said, turning my head so that my cheek rested against his chest.

"I know," he softly confirmed. I couldn't see his face, but I could feel him smile.

Huh? What the hell is he talking about? How could he possibly fucking know? That should be impossible!

"What do you mean, you know?" I looked up at him, slightly alarmed, hiding my suspicion.

"Don't worry about that right now. I bet you'd like to clean up, right? How about I run you a hot bath?" He continued to warmly smile down at me.

Did he just brush off what I asked like it was nothing? Why is he avoiding my question? How could he possibly know already that my eyes had changed colors when he's only just seen them this morning? There has to be something he's not telling me...

"I- I do, but-," I tried to say before he hushed me with a peck to the lips.

Oh, HELL NO! You did not just-!

"Never mind that. We can discuss it later," Howard replied as he went to scoop an arm under my knees. He then carried me over to the tub, setting me down along the edge with my legs dangling inside the currently empty tub. He turned the water, bringing it to a comfortable temperature before he began filling the tub.

Discuss it later, my ass! I WANT ANSWERS!

"Howie," I pouted, staring down at the rising water.

"Yes?" He hummed happily, scooting back over to me. He traced the pads of his fingers along my shoulders and down my arms. When I shivered under his touch, he brought his hands back up to my shoulders and massaged them.

"Oh.~ That feels good," I purred in delight, letting myself relax. I heard footsteps from down the hall, getting a little louder as they neared the bathroom. It was strange how I felt comfortable despite sitting there in all my glory for everyone to see. I could only wonder if it was an aftereffect of last night.

"So, this is where you're hiding~," Tayden cheerfully spoke up from behind us, presumably in the doorway. He entered the bathroom, making his way to the left side of me. "Good morning, my little minx," he greeted with a kiss on my cheek. "I see someone is already taking care of you. Did you sleep well?"

What did he just call me...? Not that I'm complaining about receiving attention and affection, but do they seem a little TOO attentive? I'm guessing neither of them is wearing anything either. I'm also reasonably sure that Howard feels like he is getting a boner. I haven't seen Tayden's front yet, though. Although, why do I get the suspicion that this isn't going to be an ordinary bath session? I would be lying if I said I didn't still feel aroused. My heat lasted two weeks the first time I had it. I was fine while I was by myself a bit earlier, but now that two of them are in here with me, I feel hot, like uncomfortably hot. I also feel an ache as if in anticipation of something? I don't remember ever feeling this before. What is it...? It's making me feel weird again...

"I slept pretty well, actually. I woke up really sore, though," I admitted a bit shyly. I felt Howard stop massaging my shoulders; instead, he leaned forward and softly kissed the side of my neck, down to my shoulder.

"Tay," Howard called his name in a rather deep voice. Then he softly nibbled on my ear lobe.

"Yeah, I know," Tayden replied just as deeply. Then, I heard him shut the bathroom door behind us. He came back over to the tub, stepping in it this time, sloshing the water around. Then he kneeled down in front of me. He curled two fingers under my chin, "Let me see your eyes, Shiro." He smiled, clearly satisfied with what he saw. "Silver.~ Just like last night."

Excuse me? What did he just say? SILVER eyes? They were hazel when I just looked at them before, and wait- LAST NIGHT?! My eyes changed silver then too?! None of this makes any sense!!!

"What...?" I looked at Tayden, completely lost, "What do you mean my eyes are silver?" For some reason, my eyes followed down the path of Tayden's torso, only to find his partner ready to go. When my eyes flicked back up to Tayden's eyes, I could have sworn his eyes were a smokey crimson, but when I blinked and looked again, they looked normal. Tayden did, however, smirk knowingly at me, and for a moment, I felt like a kid whose hand had just been caught in the cookie jar.

Did- Did his eyes just- No, couldn't be. It must have been my imagination...

"Oh? You weren't aware?" Howard curiously asked as his hands slid down to under my arms. He gingerly lifted me, letting me slide into Tayden's waiting arms as my body effortlessly glided into the warm bathwater.

"No," I replied, "I- I wasn't. That... That didn't freak you out?" I was baffled by how calmly they were acting around me, borderline suspicious. I hissed when my ladyparts hit the water; I was overwhelmingly sensitive and not exactly in a good way.

"Of course not," Tayden responded, gently pulling me closer to him as he backed up in the tub, sitting down. He was gentle with how he handled me, which I appreciated. When he stopped tugging on my body this way and that, I was naturally straddling his lap.

Well... This is awkward. Very awkward, like I want the ground to swallow me whole awkward.

I was close enough to Tayden's waist that I could feel his erection laying against me. For a reason I did not yet understand, it sent what felt like tiny sparks of electricity through me. I visibly shuddered, having to brace myself by holding onto Tayden's shoulders. I was just thankful that this time, I was in control of my body....so far, at least. The little burst of shock had me panting; I had to lean forward a bit to rest my forehead against Tayden's right shoulder on top of my hand. Tayden kept his hands loosely on my waist, being very patient with me. I felt the water slosh around and then heard Howard turn off the faucet. The tub itself was pretty deep, so the water level was just three inches below my shoulders, not to mention that the tub could hold at least a dozen people. I felt another ache down toward my core, but this time I whimpered, my muscles tensing. The ache this time was more than just uncomfortable; it physically hurt. Then, when I felt Howard's lips against the back of my shoulder, another agonizing shock ripped through me, leaving me breathless; I had to bite my lip to keep from screaming. I felt boiling hot, as if I had a high fever.

Oh, fuck... Is this the effect of the heat again? No, make it go far away!

"You're burning up, Shiro," Howard spoke sympathetically.

"It hurts...," I winced.

"I know," Howard whispered, trailing gentle kisses along my backside. "We'll make it better. Won't we, Tay?"

What the hell do you mean that you know...?

"Mhm," Tayden hummed in agreement as he nudged my head with his. "Hey, look at me, Shiro...," he whispered before removing a hand from my waist, guiding it lightly against my left cheek. He slowly brought my face up to see me clearly; I probably looked a bit pathetic because his features softened as he gazed upon me. "Tell me where it hurts?"

I barely shook my head, the heat making me pant as if I were in a desert. "I- I don't know. It just hurts... It hurts everywhere, and my skin feels like it was set on fire. Please, make it stop... I don't like this; I don't like it one bit."

Well, I sound absolutely pathetic, and for some reason, I don't even care. All I want is someone to take care of me. That... That is the complete opposite of how I usually am. Note to self... Heat makes me a weak-hearted bitch. ....Fanfuckingtastic...

"Howard," Tayden called quietly over my shoulder.

"Yeah, I know," Howard replied as his hands slowly slid down my back. "Shiro, lean back."

Lean back? What on Earth for???

"Wha- I-," I stuttered, unable to get the right words out. My hands squeezed Tayden's shoulders. Being on my back in the water was one thing that scared me; I was always afraid that I'd sink and drown.

"Just trust me," Howard spoke softly, placing another kiss on my shoulder. "Let go of Tay and lean back. I got you; I won't let you sink."

Tayden smiled at me with a nod. I bit the inside of my bottom lip, swallowing the small lump in my throat. I loosened my grip on Tayden's shoulders until I could let go. I started to lean back in the water, and as promised, Howard supported my back with his hands. My hair got wet, but my face stayed above water. I could feel Tayden's hands sliding down along my legs the further I moved back. When the top of my head bumped into Howard's chest, he chuckled with a smile. I found it hard to smile because the ache I felt just kept growing, and their touch felt electric. Tayden's hands were on the back of my shins, just supporting me, but then I felt him move a bit closer until the back of my shins were across his shoulders. My hands reached back, desperately trying to grab ahold of Howard because I did not like feeling weightless in the water. In response, he moved forward just a little until the back of my head was comfortably resting against his chest at an angle, just under the crook of his neck. He kept one hand under my back and smoothed the other across my abdomen in a comforting motion. He moved his hand down just below my belly button, but above my hips, in the area where the band of panties usually laid.

"It hurts about here, right?" Howard asked me patiently.

"Y-Yes," I stumbled over my answer as the ache grew sharper, causing me to grit my teeth and my abdomen muscles to tense. This time when I reached my hands back over my head, I successfully draped them over Howard's shoulders, the pads of my fingers pressed lightly against the back of his neck. "So, please... Please, make it stop hurting. Y-You said you would make it better," I whined as the pain intensified, barely keeping my eyes open.

Howard looked over at Tayden, who nodded and received a nod in return. Then Tayden looked down at me, rubbing his hands over my shins to try to calm me. He had a serious look in his eye as he held onto a warm smile.

"Shiro, I want you to listen to me carefully. We'll make the pain go away, okay? You'll feel better soon, and when you do, we'll all get cleaned up and go have breakfast. We need your permission to do this, though, alright?" Tayden spoke slowly so that I could catch every word. "It's going to be very similar to last night, but with just the three of us. The warm water should help your muscles relax. You won't need to do anything; we'll take care of everything. Do we have your consent to proceed?"

I don't really know what happened last night, and I wasn't in control so, I only remember bits and pieces. However, I don't give a fuck about any of that right now except getting rid of ridiculously agonizing pain; it's becoming unbearable!

"Yes, yes, you do! That's fine- I don't care what you do, just PLEASE, please-," I quickly agreed as I pleaded, just wanting the pain to stop.

When did I start voluntarily saying such uncanny things out loud like some trollop?

"Shh shh shhh," Howard hushed me, "Just close your eyes..."

~***~

I hummed in appreciation as Howard dried me with a large fluffy towel. Tayden had to help hold me up so that I would not fall over. By this point, my legs felt like soggy breadsticks, way too fragile to hold form. However, I was now squeaky clean and pain-free! For now, anyway... Although, that smoldering ember within me still remained. I frowned, thinking about how it would most likely stay there for the next two weeks like last time. I shuddered at the thought of what was to come.

"Thank you," I quietly replied, just above a whisper. I could feel my cheeks burning up from embarrassment, thinking of what had just occurred only minutes ago.

At least this time, my legs aren't sticky. Although they are still wet, however, that is just from the bathwater. Thank the goddess for that.

"Hmm? For what, Shiro?" Tayden asked as he nuzzled his nose against mine, drawing out a smile from me.

"Tayden, you know exactly what," Howard scolded him as he continued to dry me off, working his way down to my legs.

"I know. I just like teasing our little ma-," Tayden trailed off abruptly before quickly changing the word he was only halfway through with, "minx."

I raised an eyebrow, staring at Tayden's grinning face with skepticism, "Tay?"

"Yes, princess?" He innocently replied.

Princess? What am I, five?

"Why do you keep calling me that?" I asked, wanting an honest answer. Howard stilled with the towel wrapped around my left thigh. Tayden's hold on my hips tensed a bit as his smile faltered.

"Call you what?" Tayden asked, trying to sound innocent.

Tch. Don't play coy with me, Tayden Brumal.

"You know exactly what," I narrowed my eyes as I gripped his forearms, staring him down. When he tried to avoid eye contact, I tightened my grip.

"He was just-," Howard tried butting in.

"I asked Tayden," I quickly shut him up. "Tay, if I didn't know any better, I'd think that by calling me a minx, you were calling me a whor-."

"No, no, no!" Tayden was quick to cut me off with panic-stricken eyes. "No, I would never call you that. None of us would, I promise! I'm sorry if I offended you. Really, I am. You know I love you, don't you?"

Here we go again with the love speech...

I stiffened with his last sentence. I was not used to someone telling me that. "You...," I tried to relax, but my muscles refused, "you've told me before." I continued as I looked off to the side, not knowing fully how someone was supposed to react to such a declaration.

"I do too," Howard replied, standing up and back hugging me. "Why do you sound like you don't believe us?"

"I do... I just," I trailed off, still avoiding eye contact. "I'm just still new to this... Hearing that word, I mean. I've told you about my past before, haven't I?"

"Not all of it," Howard said softly, a hint of sadness in his voice.

"Shiro, I called you a minx because," Tayden began to admit, "I wasn't aware that you had such experience in the bedroom. I mean, I thought you were a virgin and didn't have that extensive knowledge about-..."

"I didn't," I interrupted, "I was a virgin until last night."

This is going to get complicated real fast...

"What do you mean you didn't," Howard asked me, confused, turning me around to face him with Tay's help. "You acted like a complete pro last night... How could you not-."

"It's hard to explain, and you might not even believe me if I told you," I cut him off.

"Try me," Howard dared as he brought my chin up so that I had no choice but to look him in the eyes.

"It wasn't me...," I whispered, wanting to look away from his intense stare.

"Huh? How could it not be you? I mean, the proof is all over you, Shiro," Tayden pointed out, obviously not convinced.

I knew they wouldn't believe me...

"Tayden," Howard started without breaking eye contact with me, "Go get Justin."

"Huh? Why me," Tayden protested.

"I told you to, and because I'm older," Howard snapped back.

Tayden groaned before pecking my cheek and letting go of my waist. Howard supported me by wrapping his free arm tightly around my waist, holding my body against his. Tayden grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his waist before opening the door and leaving the bathroom, closing the door halfway. Howard studied my features as if trying to find any kind of evidence that would support if I was telling him the truth or not. Moments later, the bathroom door opened with a singsong voice to follow.

"You summoned me?" Justin asked in a carefree way before making his way over and pecking me on the cheek, "-and good morning to you, Gorgeous."

I wonder if Justin is covered or if he's walking around with nothing on too. I can't check, though, if Howard doesn't let go of my chin.

"Yes, I need your ability," Howard commented, still not taking his eyes off me.

Ability? What ability? They're human, aren't they? It's not like they can have superpowers like me. That Tom person I met was the first individual I had met that was remotely similar to me. So- Oh, wow, you are getting really close, Justin-.

My thoughts were interrupted when Justin's face appeared just centimeters in front of mine. I had not realized Howard had said something to him while I was in my own little world. I figured that had been the case when Justin grabbed me by my biceps, firmly holding me upright. Howard was now standing off to the side with his arms crossed. His eyes looked serious. I noticed that when I went to look at Howard, Justin just got in my face again, so I turned my head back toward him, oblivious to what they were curious about.

"Shiro, look me directly in the eyes, and don't look away," Justin commanded in a neutral tone that I rarely heard him use. I found myself doing exactly as he said, which is weird considering how stubborn I can be in awkward situations. "Howard caught me up to speed so, I need to confirm something. Don't lie to me either; I'll know."

Hah...Hah...Shit. Oh, so THAT'S what this is about. They probably want to know what I meant about it not being me last night. How the hell am I supposed to explain that in simple terms? I can't stall, can I?

"Can I sit down first, please?" I politely asked, "My legs feel like jelly." Justin rolled his eyes as if annoyed, but nonetheless, he moved me over to the bathroom counter and lifted me up until I was comfortably seated with my legs dangling over with my heels resting against the cupboard doors below. He moved in-between my legs so that he was as close as possible, resting his hands lightly against my thighs. His hands felt like fire, which only sent my heat into another frenzy. I had to shut my eyes when a graze of pain soared through me. I took a deep breath before opening my eyes, only to be met with a much softer gaze on Justin.

"You okay?" Justin asked, concerned. I just forced a smile and nodded. He dug his fingers into my thighs, causing me to wince. "I told you not to lie to me, Shiro. So, strike one. Why don't you try again?"

How can you possibly know I was lying!? Are you psychic or something!?

"It's nothing; don't worry about it. It'll subside in a minute," I quietly admitted, holding back another whimper as another shock rolled through me. I felt like crying because I could not remember my last heat being this painful, and one might mistake me for having horrible menstrual cramps instead.

"What will?" Justin cocked his head to the side with a look of suspicion. I saw Howard tense out of the corner of my eye, and then Justin tensed when he leaned a little closer. I could have sworn that his eyes flashed to black, but when I blinked, they looked normal. Justin inhaled deeply before focusing back on me, "Oh, I see now. Nevermind that. Now, onto the main event."

Main event? I thought we were playing twenty questions? ...-and what the hell was that inhale about? Were you smelling me or something because... That is beyond weird.

"Shiro, you told Howard and Tayden that you weren't yourself last night. True or False?" Justin asked as he solely focused on my eyes, his nose millimeters away from mine.

"That... That's true," I answered truthfully.

"Explain," Justin narrowed his eyes.

"It's complicated to explain without telling you everything. I was there, yes, but I wasn't in control of my body. It was like something in me just took over and pushed me back to only watch through their eyes. It wasn't me, honest. You know I would never say those things in my right mind, let alone act like some sex-starved strumpet!" I hadn't realized that I had gotten so worked up to the point where tears were falling down my cheeks until I felt and saw them both swiping their thumbs across my cheeks.

"Hey, hey... You don't need to get so upset," Howard coaxed, grabbing a tissue to dab my eyes. I saw Justin turn his head to Howard with a somber look in his eyes.

"Howard, she's telling the truth. We fucked up, big this time. There's no undoing this one," Justin trailed off before looking back at me with regret. "I'm sorry, Shiro... I shouldn't have let things escalate last night. I don't expect you to forgive us-."

Fucked up? Uhm... That's pretty vague.

My heart hurt hearing him apologize, and before I knew it, I had pulled him by the back of the neck before I cut him off with a kiss. I wanted to hear anything but him apologizing to me about last night. I did not wish for the previous night to be considered a mistake because then I would feel more sullied than I already felt. Maybe I had not wanted to admit it before, but I loved them as more than just friends. They confessed to me first, but I kept telling myself that I only loved them as friends to protect myself. I had been scared to open my heart to anyone ever again after what happened to my best friend all those years ago. I felt Justin loosely wrap his arms around me, kissing me back with a fiery passion that erupted within me. My body felt like it was on fire again, and I knew my heat was to blame this time. Justin broke the kiss before my body wanted him to; a soft whimper passed my lips in protest. He rested his forehead against mine, trying to get his breathing under control.

"Shiro, remember the conversation we had about when I explained to you how a man thinks differently than a woman? You can't just kiss a man and expect it not to affect him, and it is taking everything in me not to fuck you on this counter right this instant," Justin explained, his voice raspy and his body feeling just as hot as mine did.

"Sorry...," I whispered as I let my hands slide away. Justin pulled back, moving one of his hands to caress my left cheek.

"Don't be... You have nothing to apologize for, I promise," Justin replied with sympathy.

"It's us who should apologize, Shiro," Howard spoke up, kissing my temple. "Your first time should have been special, and we... I'm really sorry; we should have known better and restrained ourselves."

Known better? What is it that you know? Why am I the one being left in the dark?

"Let's get you dressed," Justin added, giving me a quick peck on the lips before picking me up as a parent would with a toddler. I wanted to protest, but I was thankful for not having to walk.

I'm not a fucking child...

Justin carried me out of the bathroom, with Howard following closely behind. He took me into a room with light-gray painted walls. He set me down on the edge of the bed. Then I noticed a second bed in the room, and I began to wonder if they shared the space. Justin left to his dresser, pulling out a pair of boxers and a pair of socks. Howard went to the closet, pulling out a pair of drawstring sweatpants and a hoodie. Justin came over to me first, kneeling down as he slid the socks on my feet. I felt like a little kid as they dressed me, but I decided not to quarrel with them about it.

"Lay back for me," Justin casually said as he placed his palm flat against my stomach. The moment his palm touched my stomach, it was like the winds of the arctic soared through my core, dousing the fire within.

Well, that was interesting.

I let him gently push me back until my back softly collided with the bed. I was unsure what to do with my arms, so I just comfortably laid them by my head. I heard Howard swear under his breath before climbing on the bed with the hoodie in hand. He started to put my arms through the sleeves as Justin shimmied the boxers up my legs until they covered my lady parts. He helped sit me up as Howard slipped the hoodie over my head and pulled it down. Then, Justin grabbed the sweatpants that Howard had laid on the bed. He smiled at me before shuffling my legs into each pant leg. When he got them up to my thighs, he paused.

"Put your hands on my shoulders and hold on tight. Howard is going to help lift you off the bed so that you can slip into the sweats the rest of the way. I want you to use me to support yourself so that you don't fall, okay, Shiro?" Justin rattled off.

"Uh... Okay," was all I could say before Howard put his hands under my arms and began to lift me off the bed as I slid into the waiting sweatpants. I held onto Justin's shoulders for dear life as he tugged the sweatpants up over my bottom and tied them at my waist since they were so long. Then Justin pulled the hem of the hoodie over the sweatpants. Howard had moved off the bed to stand by Justin with his hands on his hips as he observed me.

"You look good in our clothes," Howard commented before offering me an arm, and Justin did the same. "Just hold onto us, and we'll guide you to the kitchen."

"Huh?" I stared at them wide-eyed. I knew Justin had boxers on, but Howard was still stark-naked. "Aren't you two going to get dressed first? You know, at least put some pants on?"

As if on cue, they both smiled sheepishly. Howard rubbed the back of his neck like he always did when he was embarrassed before silently nodding and turning toward his closet. Justin wrapped his arms around my waist, holding me steady while Howard slipped on boxers and a pair of sweatpants. Then he came over and replaced Justin, holding me against him. Justin slipped on a pair of sweatpants and socks before coming back over with a smile. Although I wished they had put shirts on because their bare chests were distracting, I did not feel like arguing with their outfit choices. Once again, they both offered their arms, and I gratefully took hold of each of them, happy for the opportunity to walk. Then very carefully, they led me to the kitchen.

Each man I saw there was either in only his boxers or had sweatpants on. I wanted to shake my head, but a part of me was happy to see them all after such a long time. Although, that feeling did not last long. The moment their eyes landed on me, a shock of pain ripped through my core. My body felt like it was being engulfed in molten lava as a silent scream passed my lips. My eyes rolled to the back of my head, and my limbs went limp. My ears were ringing as I heard muffled shouting and arms catching me from my fall. Instead of my vision going black, everything was washed over in a gray-greenish hue.

What...the...actual...fuck? If this is something to do with my heat, I want to be rid of it. I don't want anything to do with this anymore! Is it even normal to feel this much excruciating pain? My first heat just felt like terrible cramps and like I had a high fever all the time, but this... This is nothing compared to last time!

When the ringing in my ears ceased, I could hear shouting, and I could also feel a lot of pressure on my back and stomach. I then noticed that just like the night before, I was not in control of my body. Panic soared through my mind, and the more I tried to fight it, the more it hurt.

Great... Just fucking great! The whore is back in action... THAT IS THE LAST THING I NEED RIGHT NOW! Hold on a minute... Did I just see Justin stuff something in my mouth? Wait- Ewwww, this tastes like some kind of dirty old sock!!! Oh, goddess, I think I'm going to be sick...

"Hold her down!" Justin grunted as one of my hands involuntarily reached out to grab him.

"When the hell did she get so strong?!" Yuvin shouted against my back, struggling to keep me pinned as I bucked up like a wild horse. "Fucking hell! Noam, hold her other shoulder down!"

"Yow!" Gin cried as my left foot made contact, "I'm hit! I'm hit! My balls... hurt... so... much...!"

I'm sorry, Gin! This is insane- Give me back my body! Give it back, you psychotic whore!

'No. I'm in control now, little girl. You will never be rid of me - I'm part of you.'

My mind froze when I actually got a verbal response, even if it only was in my mind. At first, I thought I might have gone insane, but her voice had sounded deep and almost song-like. A thread of fear clung to me when I came to a scary conclusion. I knew I had not finished going over the last file the librarian had given me, but after that Tom guy mentioned something about a siren, I had to look into it. Could this siren gene be connected with my heat? I knew I had to find out, but with dead parents that most likely held the answers to all my questions, I had to find a way to get the information I sought.

"How do we calm her down?! What the hell happened to her? Howard, what did you do!?" Tayden snapped before I saw him move in front of my face, placing his shaky hands on the sides of my head. "Oh shit... We got trouble, boys!"

"I didn't do anything out of the ordinary, and what the fuck do you mean by trouble?! What do you see, Tayden?!" Howard roared from my left side, holding down my left arm with inhuman strength.

"Her eyes-...!" Tayden shrieked, pulling his hands away as I snarled like a rabid animal.

What's wrong with my eyes this time?!

"What are you-," Jibben started to nag until he came into view where I could see him clearly. His eyes widened as he froze, "Tay's right. We have a problem. Howard, Justin, if what you two said is true, then this is not Shiro right now. Her eyes are silver, but there are sea-green streaks in them too. What the fuck is wrong with her?"

"Anyone else sense it?" Noam asked the room, possibly the only one that sounded remotely calm.

Sense? Sense what? Do you have a sixth sense or some shit I don't know about?! Someone explain what's happening to me!

'You don't need to know, little girl. I'm in charge, and I'll get what I want.'

You again!!! Who the fuck do you think you are?!

'I told you. I am you, and you are me. Now, sit back and enjoy the ride. Your so-called friends have no idea what they have unleashed. I've waited over two decades to get out! I'm not leaving anytime soon.'

"Yeah, what's your point, Noam?" Howard huffed out.

"I'm saying until we can figure out what's causing this, she's a danger to not only us, but to herself as well. We need to subdue her," Noam continued, now gazing into my wild eyes, or rather 'our' wild eyes.

"How do you suppose we do that, genius?" Yuvin snapped, "In case you haven't noticed, she isn't even responding to our touch! Besides that, when did her teeth become razor sharp?!"

My teeth are what now? Sharp? HUH?! Impossible! My teeth have never been sharp- Nevermind that, DEFINE subdue! You lot better not be thinking of drugging me or anything!

"Justin," Noam addressed him while keeping his concentrated gaze on mine.

"Yeah?" Justin answered in a slight panic as my body continued to struggle against their hold.

"You marked her first, didn't you?" Noam asked him.

Justin was first? Well, that answers my question from earlier.

"I- I did, but-," Justin admitted before Noam cut him off, but not before Tayden interrupted.

"Holy shit, scales are crawling up her neck!!!" Tayden shouted in horror, grabbing the attention of everyone else in the room.

SAY WHAT?! SCALES?!!?!? HOW?!

'Foolish girl. Don't you know you have siren blood that runs through your veins? That gene has been dormant all these years, but now-...'

"Then you need to do it again! Nobody is going to be as effective as the first," Noam shouted as he grabbed my head, holding it in place against what I thought was the kitchen table. He forcibly moved my head onto its side so that my cheek was pressed against the hard surface beneath it. It amazed me how I couldn't control my body, but Noam was able to with ease, at least strength-wise.

"Are you insane, Noam?! I can't do that without her permission!" Justin angrily shouted back.

I agree! Let's not do whatever you're suggesting!

"Does it look like she is in any position to give anything but an animalistic response, Justin!?" Yuvin hollered against me, "Just do it before she breaks free! We can't keep this up!"

"Damnit!" Justin shouted before I felt his hand pull back the neck of the hoodie to expose the crook of my neck. With one hand on my hoodie and the other on my shoulder, he looked into my eyes. To him, it was probably like looking at a wild animal, but I could see the conflict in his eyes. "I hope you can forgive me for this, Shiro..."

The moment I saw Justin's head disappear from view, I heard a shrill banshee scream in my head. It was like my muscles were being pulled by a puppeteer as my body broke free from the men surrounding me. I heard the cracking of bones with pained screams to accompany them. When my body turned around and my eyes scanned the room, I found all seven men scattered on the kitchen floor, and two of them crashed into the cupboards directly behind me - Yuvin and Howard. The bitch controlling my every move lunged for Noam that was just off to the side, struggling to regain his bearings.

Run, Noam!

My right hand extended like claws as she grabbed ahold of Noam's neck. His hands gripped her arm, trying to pry her...well, me... off. As I tried to fight for control, she remained in power, spitting out the sock that had been in our mouth. She raised Noam off the ground by his neck, lifting him against the wall until his feet were no longer touching the ground. He began to struggle to breathe as she tightened her grip as she snarled, snapping our teeth in front of his face.

"Fool," she...I...we?... hissed, trying to crush his neck.

Stop it!!! You're hurting him!!! LET HIM GO!

She ignored me as I made futile attempts to regain control of my body. I heard groaning and grunting on both sides of us. I wished I could drag her away from Noam, but there was nothing for me to physically grab. Just then, I felt someone seize our/my legs tightly. She looked down and tried to kick away a desperate Jibben. While she was preoccupied with Jibben, Gin grabbed her free arm, but in response, she quickly turned the tables on him, grabbing him by the throat too. She slammed him up against the wall next to Noam.

"J-Justin! NOW!" Gin shouted as she clenched our hands tighter around their throats.

Before we/I could process what was happening, a sharp wave of pain sunk down into our left shoulder as an arm wrapped itself around our throat. She let Noam and Gin go as she tried to go for Justin, but the pain in our...my.... shoulder only grew more. I could hear Noam and Gin coughing as they struggled to breathe again. Just as my right arm reached to grab Justin, a sudden sharp wave sunk down on my right shoulder. I could feel myself slowly regaining control as my grey-greenish vision gradually changed back to normal. With that normalcy came a much stronger sense of the pain in my shoulders. As the bitch was pushed back, my body fell to its knees, and I could physically feel my teeth shift and the nauseous feeling of scales retracting.

My teeth really changed??? Fucking hell, are they BITING me?!

A heart-wrenching scream was ripped from my lungs once I had total control. With that complete control came a fully-realized too realistic overload of pain. I never realized that while I was not in control, my sense of touch was only halved. The sharp pain disappeared as soon as my tears fell. Not only was I in physical pain, but I was also in mental distress. I hated that I had hurt my best friends; even if I was not the one in control, I still caused their pain. I felt my body naturally curling in on me, but I also felt a tongue against each of my shoulders with arms holding me much more tenderly than before. The pain faded bit by bit, as did my tears until my muscles relaxed to the point that they felt weightless.

"We're sorry, Shiro," Yuvin whispered against my right shoulder before placing a kiss on my temple. He pulled me against him so that my weight fully leaned against him. The feeling of his warm and slightly hairy chest against my right cheek felt euphoric.

Justin came into view with a tissue as he silently wiped the drying tears away from my cheeks and chin. A strong sense of guilt filled his eyes. Even though I wanted him to look at me, he refused to meet my eyes. It then occurred to me that Yuvin looked like he never had an injury in the first place despite me hearing bones cracking only minutes ago. The others slowly got up one by one and came over to us - Noam was first.

"Welcome back, baby girl," Noam smiled before pecking my forehead and then moving out of the way. The others followed suit, each leaving a tingling peck against my forehead.

Everyone but Justin went to put the kitchen back in order. I watched Justin leave the kitchen without a word. Yuvin lifted me off the ground and set me down in one of the kitchen chairs with armrests so that he would not have to worry about me falling off the chair. He placed a lingering peck against my forehead before pecking my lips.

"I'll go get him, okay?" Yuvin said to me with a small smile. I could only nod silently, still in a daze, before he left the kitchen to go after Justin.

I had so many questions for the guys, but I could not help but feel guilty after what had just happened. I stared down at my lap, unable to look anyone else in the eyes. I felt ashamed and was having a hard time facing reality. Ever since I had gotten my second heat, I had turned into some kind of monster that I could not recognize as myself. It was the first time she had spoken to me, and her voice haunted me. She was me, and I was her, and I hated it; I hated myself.

"Are you hungry, Shiro?" Gin gently asked me from the stove. I could feel his eyes on me, but I could not muster up the courage to respond to him, let alone look at any of them. When I remained silent, I heard Gin sigh before he shifted toward me. "Hey…," Gin softly stated as he leaned down in front of me. He gently grabbed my chin, bringing it up so that I would look at him. "It's okay," he said before he pecked my lips, "Nobody blames you."

"I do…," I whispered sadly, more to myself than him.

"Shiro, please," Gin cautioned as he kneeled in front of me, taking one of my hands in his. "Please don't blame yourself. If it's anyone's fault, then it's ours. The rest of us have already been caught up to speed. After we have breakfast, we'll all talk to sort out the little details. Alright?" He kissed the back of my hand before standing up, "Now, are you hungry?"

How could you all already be briefed so quickly? Can you read each other's minds or something?

"A bit…," I muttered as my stomach then growled in agreement.

"That's my girl," Gin chuckled before pecking my lips and then left to go back to the stove.

Your girl? Since when am I yours?

I continued to sit there in silence as the guys moved around the kitchen. At some point, I had started staring up at the ceiling; I was not aware of how long I had been staring at it until Yuvin popped into my line of view with a delighted smirk plastered to his face.

"Daydreaming again, kitten?" Yuvin asked me before planting his lips on mine as he leaned over me. It was definitely a bit awkward to be kissing in an upside-down position, but it was still a pleasant kiss, nonetheless. When he pulled back, we were both breathing a little heavier than before. "Are you awake now?"

Kitten? Really...? Another weird nickname?

"Mhm," I purred before sitting up as a light blush painted across my cheeks. I was met by six other jealous stares. The person on my right looked extremely jealous before he leaned over and claimed my lips with his own – Justin. His sudden mood change surprised me; I could only surmise that Yuvin must have had a heart-to-heart chat with him because he was kissing me like it was the last day on Earth. My face was thoroughly flushed when he pulled back.

"I can't let Yuvin have all the spotlight, now can I?" Justin asked against my lips before pecking them and pulling away completely.

"Eh-hem," Jibben cleared his throat, "If you two are done tongue-fucking her, can we all enjoy breakfast together, please? I'm hungry."

At that point, my entire face burned with embarrassment. I did not say anything more, and I did not object when Tayden and Noam wanted to feed me. I just sat there and behaved, ignoring the burning sensation I had inside of me. I was reasonably sure what was causing it, but I refused to acknowledge it. I had been fed a delicious brown-sugar oatmeal with fresh berries, along with a few breakfast sausage links. Gin had made me a mocha cappuccino and insisted on giving it to me personally. I did not object to any of the pamperings that morning because I knew it was their way of saying sorry. I wanted to tell them that I was sorry, but they had insisted that nothing that had happened was my fault.

Once breakfast was over, Noam was the one who decided to carry me into the living room, bridal-style, before setting me down on his lap in the loveseat of the sofa set. After the table had been cleared, the others made their way into the room, only to find Noam erotically kissing me. I was the first to pull back when I had noticed there were eyes on us. He pouted at first before pecking my cheek. He helped to turn me around so that I could comfortably look at the others. He had situated me in between his legs as I leaned back against his chest; he then lazily wrapped his arms around my waist. My face was ready to burst into flame.

I probably look like a porcelain doll right now with the way I'm situated, minus the old-fashioned dress and tomato-red face.

"So," Howard began with his elbows resting against his knees as his gaze lingered on me, "Would you like to explain what you have been hiding from us, Shiro?"

Definitely, no getting out of this one. Well, here goes everything…

"I know you all deserve an explanation for what's happened over the past six years, and I've been reluctant to tell you because I was scared it would turn you away. I don't even know where to start anymore…." I sighed, dreading how the conversation would go.

"Just try," Noam coaxed as he rubbed his thumb against my stomach, "Start from anywhere."

"Alright. Here goes…," I sighed before taking in a deep breath, "I'm not completely human."

The room was filled with silence as I waited for the badgering that never came. Everyone was just looking at me as if I had just said the most normal thing ever. I was not sure if the guys were just taking a minute to process the information or-.

"We know," Howard replied with a straight face.

Come again?

"Excuse you? How the fuck could you know?" I snapped, feeling anger build up inside me as the pressure in the room began to increase.

Nobody except two people in this town knew about my secret. Unless they can read minds, someone must have told them! So, who betrayed my trust?

"Shiro, calm down," Noam tensed against me.

"Don't tell me to calm down," I whipped my head around before glaring daggers at a nervous-looking Howard. "Tell me how you know," I growled, my hair standing on end as lightbulbs began to burst, "I waited for SIX years to tell you my secret. So, HOW could you fucking know?! WHO TOLD YOU?!"

-End of Chapter Eight-