“How long are you planning to sleep for?”

I mentally groaned. Why couldn’t I sleep forever? Sleep was a beautiful state to be in. When I’m asleep, I have no splitting headaches, aching muscles, hunger pains and those haunting nightmares would cease to torment me! I always enjoyed this moment of bliss. I felt my consciousness start to drift, reminiscing about the events that occurred in my dream.

My dream began like all the others, with my usual routine: waking up and dragging myself to eat breakfast, which I would most certainly vomit out later. Then I was forced to participate in multiple combat simulations, followed by getting my ass kicked when exhaustion took over.  Lunch time would arrive and I would proceed to experimental testing. If I was still conscious after those series of events, dinner.

However, today my dream was different. I woke up and got dragged by the guard…actually, he let me walk on my own today. He even showed some level of compassion, so that was different, and then the facility I lived in all my life, suddenly was infiltrated. Mr. Ugly decided he should be the one to provide me with my first sexual experience before we both perish. How sweet of him. But what happened next, was quite remarkable.

Four knights in black military clothing, come to my rescue! They even got rid of Mr. Ugly, whom I personally despised for the last six solace rotations. To think the Starlight gods listened to my request for divine assistance and it was granted! I felt content, to finally be recognized, to be heard, to have my dark wish granted…even if it was just a dream.

Those four men with their bright, striking coloured eyes, to their sensational appearances, and the glorious amount of power emitting from their bodies when they appeared to rescue me. It was not like I had much to compare them too, but they truly were the most breathtaking pack of shifters I’d ever seen, even with the various rotations of shifters that entered the facility.

Sapphire eyes that matched an ecstatic man. Immaculate golden eyes to match a man whose voice was filled with serenity and harmony. Luminous emerald eyes so cold in nature, but reflected a hint of wisdom matched to an unpleasant attitude and finally, those familiar Tyrian purple eyes. I didn’t know why, but those eyes held more affection and passion than I could possibly comprehend. How could I feel like I know a man that I know I’ve never met?

As much as I wanted to continue reflecting about those forsaken, should be banned to exist, hot looking saviors, it was only a matter of time before I would have no choice but to wake up and face reality.

Fairy tales weren’t real. As much as I sincerely hoped for my dark wish to be true…that I could be free from the Owner’s clutches, such hope was abandoned long ago. I wouldn’t take my chances now.

I rolled over, grabbing onto a soft object. Hmm, a pillow? When was the last time I had a pillow…so soft? I wrapped my arms around it, pressing it against me. It smelled magnificent. A hint of cinnamon, roses and something else? Are pillows allowed to smell this good?

Now I was curious as to where this immaculate pillow descended from. Did the Starlight gods feel pity for little old me and my unrealistic dream and leave me a pillow?

“Maybe, if you woke up sleeping beauty, you would figure that out, wouldn’t you? Honestly, I feel like an adult baby sitter.” Rose exclaimed.

“Ugh, shut up.” I moaned, pushing her out of my head. I continued to cuddle the luscious pillow, taking a moment to enjoy its fluffiness.

“Is she awake?” The voice was soft and melodic and for a moment the sound of music whispered through my mind.

“Maybe she’s talking to herself again?” The words sounded unsure as the voice, a light tenor spoke, answering the first.

“I think it’s kind of cute.” The deep appealing voice admitted, quietly.

“She’s weird.” The flat sounding voice pointed out, giving off a cold bored impression.

For Starlight’s sakes! I forced my heavy eyelids open to stare straight into a pair of golden eyes. His face was inches away from mine as I continued to stare at him, distracted by his handsome features. Hello, gorgeous.

I swear, this guy had to be an angel. I’d take a first-class ticket to hell if I’m wrong. I heard Hope snicker, the others sighing in defeat.

“Hello to you too miss. I didn’t think I would be called gorgeous in this lifetime, but you’ve proven my theory wrong, haven’t you?” He said softly, a smile forming on his lips. Shit, I really have to work on that inside-outside thought thing.

I analyzed his dirty blonde locks, his hair passing his shoulders.  It reminded me of those surfers in magazines I found in the facility library a few weeks ago; long blonde hair, a fit body, relaxed expression. His hair was much neater, every strand flowing smoothly down his back, so perfect that one strand swaying the wrong way would probably commit a sin. His skin was pale, smooth and flawless, a dimple clearly visible on his left cheek when he smiled. He simply looked like a work of art – a master piece created with time and care, with the intentions of delivering perfection.

He was smaller than the rest of the males, but he was just as fit. He wore a pure white golf shirt, the pocket having a gold symbol on it and mustard coloured, slim fit khakis. His rimless round, black, framed glasses complimented his oval face. I watched him pull away from me, standing at his full height, looking around five-eight. He seemed to be the shortest one in the group. I didn’t know angels had bad vision. Aren’t they created to be, you know, perfect?

“You ask a lot of questions, don’t you?” He replied. Oops, I did it again.

“I have the tendency to talk out loud sometimes…but I’m working on it.” I explained, proudly.

“That explains a lot.” The stoic voice replied.

I turned my head to glare at him. Mr. Rude was tall, looking around five-nine. He was relaxing against the window sill, his arms crossed over his broad chest. He wasn’t buff, but you could clearly see his muscles poking out of the dark green T-shirt he was wearing. He wore simple black jeans and his short, ash, blonde hair was styled in a low fade cut, the long tips messy from what looked like a few rounds of hand combing. He was attractive for sure, his emerald eyes only contributing to his appeal. His personality on the other hand, seemed to be rough around the edges. I wonder if there’s something more than his grouchy persona. 

“Hey! Don’t judge me. I’m not crazy…just, uh, unique! Yes, unique.” I was completely turned off by his sour attitude.

I sat up in the comfy bed, swinging my legs over the edge. Being five-five had its advantages, for example; your feet not touching the ground. I could dangle my feet as much as I wanted. Oh, the little joys in life.

I noticed my change in clothes. My ragged dress had been replaced with a set of purple pajamas; the T-shirt loosely hung over my chest, only revealing a small amount of cleavage at the V-neck.  Better than that one-piece, breast exposing outfit I was stuck wearing for who knows how long.

“Which one of you changed my clothes?” I questioned, tugging at the oversized shirt. This must be one of their pajama sets, unless they had female shifter clothing lying around in this place.

“Karen did. She’s our um…she’s one of the healers here. We called her over to check if your vitals were good; though, I already conducted my own assessment before her arrival. Better to be safe than sorry.” Golden eyes explained, scratching his head nervously as he glanced away.

I noticed the others similar expressions, clearly uncomfortable with the topic. It’s just clothing. I don’t get why they’re so embarrassed, especially when they portray to have not seen anything.

“Assessment huh.” I continued, raising my eyebrow at golden boy. His face became red, losing his composure as he waved his hands, feigning innocence.

“That’s not what I meant! I mean –ugh.” He defended himself before looking away, his flushed face grimacing.

“He didn’t do anything. He has an angel spirit. He simply called upon his power to make sure you weren’t going to die on us.” Green eyes gestured, his hand gliding through his blonde strands as he shook his head. Fair enough.

I crossed my legs to get comfortable as I mentally prepared myself to drill these boys with questions, starting with what happened to the facility? It had been the only home I could remember and it was now destroyed. I felt a sense of dread, but the relief outweighed it. I still didn’t want to hope I was truly free from the Owner’s clutches, but until I got this loyalty mark removed somehow, I would always be his. There was also the split personality issue.

I glanced down to the exposed mark with disgust. I could have been raped, my purity taken because of “this” simple mark. The same mark that hindered me from calling upon my spirits, when I desperately needed them. It was because of my allegiance to my Owner, which included all who serviced him at the facility, the guards, especially. I couldn’t do any harm to any of them. Such a predicament, left me and the rest of us residing at the facility as experiments, helpless when we had to defend ourselves. I guess the saying is true; big things come in small packages, or that’s what the literature told me.

“Why didn’t you fight off that guard?” The familiar man's voice asked, bringing me out of my thoughts. I raised my head to face his stare.

Mr. Familiar was sitting in a maroon velvet chair in the corner to my left, next to Mr. Rude’s leaning frame against the window sill. He was wearing a fitted black top, black jeans, and dark purple shoes. I wonder if all pure demon shifters simply liked black. Though it was clear he had a little liking to purple, maybe his Tyrian eyes being the culprit. His eyes stood out thanks to his jet-black hair, the black strands were brushed back neatly to one side, giving him a low taper fade. I watched as he closed the thick red book in his hand, rising to his feet. I slowly inspected his appealing body.

He was fit like the others, with a balanced build of muscle, his height registering at five-ten, seeing as he was taller than the other two. I watched as he lifted his arms up to stretch, his shirt slightly lifting to reveal his abs, his pants low enough to show a glimpse of his lower abdominal muscles. Oh, Starlight gods give me strength to be around these men. Why isn’t this a sin? Curse those V lines.

“So, are you going to continue checking Ryder out or are you ready to answer his question?” Mr. Rude asked. I felt my face flush with embarrassment. Bad Mako, never get caught checking out a guy. Especially a guy you just met, who’s insanely attractive and you would love to do sinful things too. I quickly shook my head. Hormones…

“I’m a female who has never had the privilege to see a man with a flat stomach okay? Don’t judge me. To answer your question, Ryder, I’m not allowed to.” I replied hastily, trying to calm my heart.

Ryder’s gaze lowered for a moment, his eyes clearly on my chest. With the V-neck shirt, my mark was on display and I was still too exhausted to use my magic and cover it up.

“A royalty imprint…that explains everything. Guess our speculations were true.” He stated with a grimace. Clearly, he wasn’t happy and I didn’t understand why. The mark didn’t affect him, so why was he scowling?

“We’ll figure out a way to get it removed. They're probably a few people I know in Realm Six who can remove it for a good price.” Sapphire eyes stated.

I totally forgot he was in the room. I had to turn my head to my right, to see him leaning against the black bookcase which was right next to the entrance. The bed was vertically facing the door so it made sense why I hadn’t registered his presence. Not like you could miss his huge figure.

He clearly was the tallest among the boys, towering at six-one. Using my eyes alone, I knew for certain he had to be three inches taller than Ryder. He had long caramel brown hair, which hung loosely around his shoulders. His build reminded me of the bear shifters back at the facility. The only difference was he was ripped. His tailored turquoise shirt fit him perfectly, giving his muscles enough space to bulge out if necessary. His lower half balanced his upper wide chest, the black pants probably hiding his defined legs. His athletic build was more prominent compared to the others. You didn’t just get to his size by genetics and running. You would have to lift some heavy weights and train daily for those guns. Even someone as inexperienced as me would know that, though I had a general idea of the benefits of weight training.

“What’s Realm Six? Scratch that, who in Starlight’s name are you guys?” I demanded. Don’t talk to strangers.

Sure, they had saved me, but that didn’t excuse them from introducing themselves to me.

“Not like you gave them an opportunity too. All you’ve been doing is ogling them. Make sure you don’t start drooling everywhere.” Rose commented quietly. I rolled my eyes. Why did she always have to be right?

 Not my fault these men were so…distracting. Distraction was my ultimate weakness. I had the attention span of a goldfish, which apparently was three seconds. Tyrian eyes stepped forward.

“My apologies. We should have done that in the first place. My name is Ryder Carter, leader of our team here at Knightwood. I figure you already realized I’m a demon shifter. I specialize in dark and fire magic.” He explained, his tone very technical.

Knightwood…what was that? Seeing as no one had answered my question, I’d clearly thought that one in my head. One point for me.

“Geez Ryder, can you introduce yourself without sounding so robotic. Tell her something interesting, like how you love reading books or stay up till six o’clock in the morning playing video games when everyone is asleep.” Sapphire eyes commented, looking exasperated.

“I don’t think he wanted everyone to know that last part Marcus.” Golden eyes pointed out solemnly. I watched him take his glasses off, pulling a cleaning cloth from his pocket. Oh, he’s hot without his glasses too.

“Please Daniel, it’s not a secret.” Marcus countered, rolling his eyes.

“Getting off topic again Marcus.” Mr. Rude stated. He looked beyond bored.

“I was getting to that.” He replied, pushing himself off the bookshelf, walking straight to me. He reached out with his hand.

“Marcus Hunt. It’s an honour to finally meet you.” He said softly. Finally, meet me? They didn’t even know me.

I stared at his open hand gesture. I guess it would be rude if I ignored it, so I lifted my hand, placing it in his to shake. Instead, he lifted it up, pressing his lips against my skin. I felt the blood rush to my face at the sudden gesture. No one had ever done that before. I’d only seen that gesture in pictures from books and fairy tales.

I bit my lip to stop myself from saying something stupid. I’ve embarrassed myself enough for one day.

“Um…Makoto Heart, but you can call me Mako. Why do I get the impression that you guys know me or something? Especially you.” I asked, pulling my hand gently out of Marcus’ hold to point at Ryder.

There was more to his familiar eyes. Somewhere in the depths of my soul, I knew he was a demon long before he revealed it to get rid of the guard. I sensed it the moment our eyes locked. Somewhere deep, I knew, I had known and cared about him. What was our relationship? More importantly, when? I had never seen any of them at the facility, so they must have never met the Owner before.

“We’ll explain in a moment, Mako. My name is Daniel Moore, by the way. A pleasure to make your acquittance.” He greeted, a hint of his angelic voice flowing out as he deeply bowed, which simply made me blush at the formality. Who wouldn’t love a man with manners?

“Elias King.” Mr. Rude or green eyes uttered quickly, nodding his head slightly though his facial expression looked annoyed. What's his problem and King?

“King? King of what? The demon realm. You know…seeing as you’ve been an ass ninety-nine percent of the time so far and I’ve only known you for an equivalent of twenty minutes? I guess if the shoe fits, slide that bitch on and own it.” I voiced out.

My spirits laughed, happy with my moment of insulting. If he was a demon shifter it would make sense why he was such a jerk. Ryder was a demon, but he hadn’t been mean to me yet.

A laugh blared out, startling me out of my thoughts. What did I do? I turned towards the sound, my eyes settling on Marcus, who was slapping his thigh as he held his chest.

“I swear, was she feisty like this when she was a child?” Marcus asked, laughing.

“Yup.” Ryder replied, sighing as he shook his head, a smirk forming on his lips.

How would Ryder know how I was when I was younger? Even I didn’t know who I was before reaching six-cycles. Either I couldn’t remember or I simply hit my head one too many times.

“I’m not a demon for your information.” Elias countered.

“You sure act like one, though my demon isn’t as grumpy as you are.” I mumbled under my breath.

The discovery of meeting someone who had known me when I was a child bothered me. Why couldn’t I remember anything from my childhood? I sat on the bed quietly, pondering the new information I had just received.

“Mako? Can I try something?”

I raised my head up to see Daniel stepping forward, his glasses now tucked neatly in his pocket.

“What do you want to try?” I questioned, a hint of hesitation seeping into my voice.

“I want to confirm something. Don’t worry, it won’t hurt, but you may feel a bit dizzy.” He explained. I took a moment to think about it. If they wanted to hurt me, they could have done so long ago.

“Okay.” I agreed, straightening my posture as I made sure my legs were crossed securely.

He nodded, gently placing his hand against my forehead. I saw Ryder move right next to Daniel. I closed my eyes as I felt a gentle wave of heat press against my mind. I felt my spirits’ uneasiness build, which made me anxious.

“Mako…relax.” Ryder’s voice whispered in my ear. How was I possibly supposed to relax when that husky, deep voice was whispering in my ear! I must have committed a crime in my last life and my punishment was to be tested by these men. Control, Mako! You got this.

My self-talk didn’t seem to be working, as my anxiety escalated. I felt my hand suddenly grow warm, a wave of calmness hitting me like a breeze.

I let out a sigh, my shoulders slumping downward as if all the tension was leaving them. I felt my mind drift while Daniel continued his assessment. Hope probably had an idea of what he was doing, even though she didn’t care to share with the rest of us since she was the least concerned.

Another minute passed before Daniel removed his hand, stepping back. I opened my eyes to see his face scrunched in concentration. I glanced down to see my hand in Ryder’s. Was he the one who did that calming breeze effect?

He noticed my stare, giving me a small smirk before letting go of my hand. I watched him turn to Daniel.

“What did you figure out?” He asked.

Daniel let out a heavy sigh. I could see the exhaustion setting into his perfect face. Poor guy. Healing took tons of energy, so whatever he just did drained him.

“There’s a strong mental block on her mind.” He replied, making his way towards the velvet chair, sinking into the soft looking cushion. He pulled his glasses out of his pocket, sliding them on his face.

“Whoever placed it on her did a good job. Mako, do you remember anything from your childhood?” Daniel questioned, his face serious.

I took a minute to really look deep into my memories. The only memory I could recall clearly was the day the Owner took me around the facility. That was one of the few happy memories I had of him. He had yet to turn into the blood-driven, experimental addict he was now.

In the beginning, he had shown compassion and love. He treated me like his own, always bringing gifts or books for me to play with and read. He was fond of my curiosity and willingness to learn more. I wasn’t a complicated child. As long as I was distracted, I kept to myself, investing my attention in whatever my focus was on.

“Not really. The only memories I have are the ones from when I was six-cycles. Why would anyone place a mental block on me? I remember the day I arrived at the facility and everything after that. He wouldn’t have a reason to hide anything from me. He claimed he saved all of us, our previous lives being wretched and unloving. He was supposed to be the saint who took us all in, though as the cycles went on, many of us wished we’d been left on the streets.” I explained.

I remember that something eventually switched in the Owner’s mind, his kindness disappearing when I was eight-cycles-old, prior to the escape attempt. There could have been plenty of reasonings, but I had my suspicions on the decreasing visits from Elaine. Her usual visits and sometimes sleep overs went from two to four times a week, to once and then none at all. I assumed she was busy with her own life, but we couldn’t ignore the fact her infrequent visits had done some damage mentally, to the Owner.

Now, I was left questioning whether my family was alive? Did I have a Mom and Dad or any siblings? What frightened me the most, a subject I avoided thinking throughout my cycles at the facility, was the possibility that I had no one. What if I was an orphan and what the Owner had stated was true? He mentioned he saved all of us, our previous lives being wretched and unloving. Maybe I’m just an orphan and no one wants me.

 “You weren’t an orphan!” Elias countered my outspoken thoughts. I lifted my head to stare at him. He looked furious, his sudden outburst made me just as angry.

“How would you know? Why else would I be living in that hellhole? Clearly, I must have been some outcast or something and the Owner decided to take me into his care. I don’t even understand why the hell you’re angry! I should be the one upset! I’m sitting here in a room filled with men I’ve never met! The same men who raided my home, killed everyone in it and kidnapped me. I don’t know where the hell the Owner is at this very moment. Every second that ticks by, my fear and anxiety only grow. The fear he’ll find me and kill all of you!” I screamed.

There was no way they would understand my concerns. I felt tears prickle my eyes as the frustration settled in.

“I just want to find a place I belong…to feel like home.” I admitted, my voice trembling. Was it wrong for me to crave a place to call home?

I felt my spirits nudge into my mind, feeling their remorse and comfort. They wanted me to know I still had them. They understood me and loved me. I just wished I could have a group of friends who cared. A family to love, without the fear of losing them.

I lowered my head in shame. Here I was, complaining about my life to these men who saved me. I had been whining and praying for freedom, yet now that I had a taste of it, I was reflecting on my shitty life, unable to move forward from the past and embrace the new life that was presented to me.

“I’m sorry.” I apologized. They didn’t deserve it. Maybe I should have just stayed back at the facility.

A pair of arms encircled me. I was pressed against someone's chest. Their scent assaulted my nose, a balance of cinnamon and fresh roses surrounded me. Same as the pillow.

“Mako. Don’t cry.” Ryder whispered in my ear, his pain stricken voice made me even sadder.

I hadn’t even realized I was crying, yet the moment Ryder cradled me in his arms, I let the tears flow. I just felt so overwhelmed. I had all these questions and concerns, spiralling in my head with no answers to solve even one of them. Why had these four men come to the facility in the first place? Where was the Owner during the infiltration? If I did have family, why hadn’t they searched for me? Why was I even crying?

“We get it. You’re scared of the unknown, like anyone in your position would be. It’s our fault for not explaining.” He said softly. He held me in his arms till my tears stopped.

I never wanted to share my fragile side again after losing Lily. The broken, insecure side of me hidden away, the darkness being the only witness of my daily breakdowns.

At the facility, it was always a battle. The weak fell to their demise, while the strong prospered. Emotions were only a sign of weakness. Yet, something about these boys made me want to drop my defenses and just be me – the broken Mako.

I melted in his embrace, allowing my head to lay against his chest, the sound of his breathing soothing me. I felt the exhaustion creep in, my body feeling relaxed.

“I promise we’ll explain everything. For now, just rest.” He soothed. I wanted to sleep, but would I wake up from this dream? A hand gently caressed my head.

“Sleep Mako, you have our word that you will remain safe in our care. The Starlight gods as my witnesses. We’ll be right here when you wake.” Marcus reassured. I felt a light warm breeze. I allowed my eyes to close; the gentle sound of Ryder’s beating heart lulled me into deep slumber.