VEE

I'm unsure how many strings Portia needed to pull to allow all six of us to the fundraising weekend at Alasdair's Scottish country estate. Ewan explained the Horsemen's finances allow them to buy into situations. If there's one thing a charity likes, it's promises of large sums of money, so that helped Portia persuade the Foundation to allow six delegates. Joss jokes that siphoning corrupt organisations' bank accounts is starving them, so his powers are being used in the right way.

So, six places are “bought.” Three delegates and three partners. The guys calmed down about the affront to their sexuality, but Seth couldn't hide his amusement at the long and complicated discussion over who would 'be' with who. Due to his need to police Seth almost at all times, Xander and Seth are paired up. Who knows how that'll work out? Not well. Joss has his wish and Heath is his partner.

Leaving me with Ewan.

Is this deliberate? A ploy by the others to matchmake us like we're Giant Pandas or another endangered species who need to get it on? Since our talk, Ewan has lost his wariness around me, and although we're more relaxed around each other's company, his affection remains at touches or hugs.

I made a mistake suggesting I could lose my humanity. Each passing day, the Vee who loves the guys pushes away the strange voice that intrudes sometimes and I vow to fight this.

Heath and Xander’s news about Logan shocked us, but Logan's demon connection calms my fears about the darkness inside. It’s obvious his actions were an attempt to cause division between us and the fae, and perhaps each other too. But we all know the darkness exists; all Logan did was point out and trigger the hidden fears.

There was a short debate over whether we should tell Portia straightaway but reached the consensus that we find concrete proof, and not just the words of a lowlife dealer. As Xander says, she’s protected, more so since the attack, and after our investigations here, we’ll switch to following him up.

The drive to the estate takes six hours, and we travel in every car, Ewan on his bike. I think all four vehicles is overkill, and Heath whispers to me that Xander wants to show off his car amongst the other prestige vehicles. Xander informed me it's because he wants anybody suspicious to know he's there. Personally, I think the six of us will be a big indicator to anybody demonic or otherwise that we mean business. And not the kind of business most attendees mean. There's debate whether we should stop half way for a night, but Xander rightly—although brusquely—informs us that this isn't a UK touring holiday.

I chose to travel with Heath and Seth in his car. A winter trip on Ewan's bike doesn't appeal, and Heath's has the most room. I nod off somewhere between Yorkshire and the Scottish border, waking to the West Highland's rugged landscape. Snow covers the surrounding countryside and when we leave the motorway for smaller roads, the snow reaches the edge. I'm grateful no more falls while we drive; I don't want to face snowdrifts or accidents.

We arrive at the estate late afternoon, driving through the tall trees along the narrow road leading further away from local villages we passed through. As we approach, a helicopter flies overhead, and I watch open mouthed as it descends towards the opposite side of the property.

Portia wasn't joking about the money involved here.

Cars sporting personal number plates fill a parking area, the prestige models vying for top spot. An Audi TT catches my eye. Red. Convertible—not that anybody would use that in a Scottish winter. I daydream for a moment, picturing myself driving the car and smile at myself. I'm a Horseman, so why hasn't anybody offered me my steed yet?

I climb out of the car into the frosty afternoon. Grey clouds heavy with more snow give the day a strange light. Evening arrives early in this part of the country, and the peaks surrounding us like sentinels already fade into the gloom.

The magnificent property mixes old grey stone with a modern atrium built to enjoy the views. Two storeys high and several times bigger than the guys place, the building even sports a small turret.

"Do you think the vampires live up there?" pipes up Seth and points. He's shot a look from Ewan and Xander, and he rolls his eyes. "Sense of humour lacking again?"

In addition to the sudden cold from stepping out with no jacket comes an immediate discomfort as we approach the people grouped close to the house front. A young woman dressed in a smart skirt suit, long brown hair touching her shoulder, stands, tablet and stylus in her hands, as she addresses the delegates in front of her. We wait behind the two men in business suits with their wheeled suitcases.

She indicates which direction they should walk, and they wander away, talking loudly as the girl turns her attention to us.

Seth stays close to my right-hand side, the guys on my left. The relationship between the five of them remains shaky, but Seth's decision to stay quiet and not interfere helps, especially with Xander. I've sensed his disagreement several times, but Seth backs down as soon as Xander's temper rises along with his voice.

The girl looks up, and I wait for the inevitable reaction. None. She's in a hurry, flustered as she glances behind us at others approaching. The woman runs a finger along the screen. "Six? You must be the Alexander Landon group?"

I snap my head around. I was completely unaware Xander wasn't his full name.

"Correct," he replies.

"Okay. Three rooms." She sweeps a calculating look between the six of us. "You're in the coach house." The girl points in the direction of a small, single storey building separate to the main, but built with the same materials, surrounded by trees and lawn.

"Most of the larger groups are staying in the new conversions, such as the gate house and old stables. You can take a look at where your money will be spent as some of the rehab patients will be living there."

The woman drops a set of keys into Xander's hand, one set into Heath's, and one into Seth's. She looks between me and Seth with a smile. "Your room is the one at the end of the hallway. The welcome session starts in half an hour."

Our party strides along the stone path that leads from the main house to the coach house, the guys with their rucksacks and me wheeling a suitcase. This is the most bizarre weekend break I've ever taken.

Xander strides ahead with Joss and Ewan, and Heath hangs back with me and Seth. "Interesting that out of all of us, the girl thought you're with Seth."

I glance at Seth. "Why's that odd?"

"Do I really have to tell you? Look at him, then look at us."

I nudge him. "Such modesty. How about I go back and inform the woman he's the only one I'm not in a relationship with?"

Heath fixes his gaze on Seth. "As long as he doesn't think if he's in our group he can join us."

Seth grips his rucksack. "Sorry, Heath, you're not my type."

Heath's stunned look amuses me, and we watch as Seth hurries to keep up with the other three. I poke Heath. "Don't be rude to Seth. He already feels on the edge. If you upset him, he might leave."

"I doubt he will. Not now he knows what's really out there waiting for him."

A small courtyard leads to a red-painted front door and Xander leads the way inside. The words "rustic charm" come to mind as we step into a wood-panelled hallway and tiled floor.

Xander stands in one of the room's doorways, arms crossed, rucksack at his feet, with a deep frown on his face. Two other doors are open too.

"What's wrong?" asks Heath as he approaches.

"They're all fucking double beds."

Besides me, Seth chews the side of his hand. "I'll sleep on the floor."

"Correct," replies Xander. "If you're sharing with me."

"We already decided who was sharing with who," says Joss.

"How do you normally choose who Vee sleeps with?" Seth asks. "Or do you all share the same bed?"

Seth's question drops a heavy silence from a great height and knocks the conversation dead. "That's not really your business is it?" replies Ewan in a low voice.

"I'm just curious," he says and walks to an open door. "I'll leave my things in here."

What shocks me the most in this situation is that several weeks ago the suggestion I'd share a bed with two guys would fill me with horror. Now, it feels like it would be like sharing with family. Portia's comments about being between the brothers heated my cheeks, but in a way there'd be something different than the innuendo she filled the question with. They care. Despite the strange bond, the human emotions I fooled myself I could lose exist between us all. The guys love and would do anything to keep each other safe, and I'm now included in that.

I rub a finger across my lips as I look at the back of Xander's head. Even he showed me how he feels through his kiss the other day.

I remember the image in the book Joss showed me and again reject the idea. Apart from the logistics, the idea of time between squabbling siblings doesn't conjure up particularly sexy images.

"Vee?" asks Joss. "What are you smirking about?"

"Nothing." The smirk remains as I walk into the room. A window opposite looks across a nearby field and towards the Highland backdrop, a scene that trumps the countryside around Oxfordshire.

The beams in the low ceiling are painted white to match the walls and I'm relieved to see a radiator below the window, warming the room. I sit on the edge of the wrought iron bed. Isn't this a bit overkill for a rehab facility?

"I'll have this room, I like the view." I turn to the doorway.

Only Ewan and Xander remain.

Xander rubs his face. "Don't hang around, I want to get up to the main building as soon as possible and take a look."

I sigh. Back to operating at lightning speed.