Ceric might be hot, but he’s annoying as hell. Why can’t I stop thinking about him? Since the day I saw him at the bakery, he’s been constantly on my mind. Sam told me he had gone looking for me at the gym. At the time, I was tempted to phone him on the number he left in case someone knew me, but as time passed, I figured he would have forgotten about me.

When I was kidnapped, at first, I thought it was his club, but when they started to push me around, I decided I had to find out why they wanted me and get out of there. However, a few hours after being taken, I was ushered into a room, where their leader greeted me. He started to ask me specific questions about what I could do, so I decided to show him.

I persuaded him to tell me why I had been abducted, and to my surprise, they knew that I had some kind of “talent.” One interesting detail I learnt, though, was that I was a mate to one of the guys in the Elementals MC, but he didn’t know which one.

After persuading him to tell me as much as I needed to know, I told him to let me go. My power of persuasion has always worked when needed, but for some reason, when I tried to persuade Ceric and Bion to help me, it didn’t. With the Keres leader, it worked, which is the reason they are now after me and have taken Sam.

I’ve known Sam since we were kids. When I think I can do anything because of the power I have over people, Sam is the only one who has always kept me grounded. I would be lost without Sam; therefore, I will do anything within my power to free my best friend.

That’s why I am still here putting up with that arrogant prick. When we left the bakery, he didn’t even offer me a ride with him—just got on his bike, ignoring me completely. I did notice his displeased expression, though, when Bion teased me.

Ceric rides ahead as we make our way towards the compound. His thighs are muscled and bunched as he rides his bike, his kutte covering his muscled back and arms as he guides the bike through the winding roads outside of town. Ceric has the warmest chocolate brown eyes I have ever seen; the two times I have been with him, they have always had a mischievous twinkle. His thick light-brown hair calls for my fingers to stroke it; I feel my nipples tighten in reaction to my thoughts.

If what the Keres said is true, and I do somehow belong to one of these men, I hope it’s Ceric, because I have never felt as attracted to anyone as I feel towards him. He told me the Elementals have certain powers, and that’s the reason I belong to one of them. Initially, I thought the guy was imagining things, but since talking to these two and learning my persuasions didn’t work on them, I’m starting to believe that maybe the guy was telling the truth.

Since realising that I could persuade anyone to do anything I wanted, I have always been able to get my way with everyone. I will not tell them what I know about the Keres unless they help me with Sam. I will keep that information as leverage.

Bion starts to slow and then turn, and I see Ceric ride past massive gates that opened at our approach, his bike disappearing up the road. There are flowers and trees on both sides as we ride. If this is the compound, it is beautiful. I’m surprised these bikers surround themselves with such beauty. I’ve always heard what a wild bunch they can be, and by looking at these two, no one will ever doubt they can be dangerous, but maybe there is a softer side to them.

After riding for another few minutes, we come across a building with an engraved sign over the door that reads Elementals MC founding chapter. The front of the building is lined with Harleys, and a couple of men are standing around talking. I see Ceric has pulled up near them and is laughing at something one of the guys just said. Bion slows and parks next to Ceric. Now that I’m closer, I see how handsome these men are. I thought Ceric and Bion were good looking, but damn, each and every guy I look at is as hot as the next.

“Damn, which one to choose?” I grumble under my breath, but I must have spoken louder than I thought, because all the men look at me with different expressions on their faces, and then Bion is throwing back his head and howling with laughter. Ceric is glaring, and the others are looking between Bion and me with curiosity.

“This is going to be so much fun,” Bion states as he winks at Ceric. Ceric in return shows him the finger as he dismounts. “Nova, I would like you to meet Tor. Tor here is the president of our Cape Town chapter and apparently is visiting us today. He also states that he is the handsomest out of all of us.” Bion points to a hulk of a man. If I was into the Viking kind of guy, this one would surely fit the picture. He has the most captivating blue eyes I have ever seen, with long dirty-blond hair half tied up. On each arm, he wears a thick gold arm band, which is impressive as he has huge muscular arms.

“I don’t state—the women say so.” The man has a sexy deep voice to go with all his other attributes. His eyes twinkle in merriment, but that doesn’t dispel the air of danger that surrounds him.

“Well, I’m a bit harder to please than your average girl, but after I’ve had a look at all the other eye candy around here, I will let you know,” I tease, seeing interest enter his eyes.

“The fuck you will. We are not here on display for your fancy. Bion, get her inside so we can get this show on the road,” Ceric growls, an angry set to his shoulders.

Bion smirks as he starts to guide me inside. “Yip, the guys are going to love this.” We enter what looks like a bar area before I can ask him what he means. There are men talking and laughing and a few women dancing and working really hard to catch their attention.

“Bion!” A scantily dressed redhead comes bounding towards us. Throwing her arms around Bion’s neck, she glues her lips to his. He lets the kiss go on for a minute before he pulls back. “Camille, I see Tor brought his girls.”

“Oh, sugar, we were just so bored, and with them going to this rally and all, he decided to bring us along.” If I have to listen to this woman’s nasally voice for long, I will go mad. “Come dance with me,” she says as she starts to tug at his arm.

“Maybe later.” He pulls away from her.

We start to move across the bar once again, stopping occasionally to greet some of the guys from the other chapter. When we are nearly across the bar, I hear Camille squeal. Looking back, I see her jump into Ceric’s arms. To his credit, he looks surprised and a bit irritated with her. “You’re here!” Her voice is even more irritating now than it was before. “I thought I wasn’t going to see you and would miss the good time we usually have together.”

At her words, I see red. How dare he stop me from flirting when he’s practically humping a woman right in the middle of the bar?

“Sorry, sweetheart, but I have stuff to do.” I see him try to untangle her hands from behind his neck, but she’s persistent, her lips against his neck as she nibbles.

“Hell no.” Before I know what I’m doing, I’m approaching the two of them. I hear Bion from behind me asking where I’m going, but I’m too angry to answer him. Ceric sees me coming, his eyes open slightly in surprise, and then I’m next to them. Grabbing Camille’s arm, I pull until she’s looking at me.

“What the . . . ?”

“Let go of him. You dislike him. And don’t ever come near him again,” I say in my persuasive voice. I see her eyes round in surprise, and then she looks up at Ceric, frowning as she lets go and slides her legs that are around his waist down to the floor. Her nose scrunches up in distaste as she looks at him, and then she turns and leaves.

He’s looking at me with a huge smile covering his face, asshole looking all full of himself. “Man whore,” I snarl. I see his smile disappear before I turn and hurriedly make my way back to Bion. I find him closer than where I left him, a beaming smile on his face.

“You know, sweetheart, I’m so happy you’re here,” he divulges.

“You know, Bion, I agree with you,” a warm voice says from behind me. Turning, I see three guys standing there. The one who spoke has longish hair with different shades, from a dark brown to lighter shades of blond. His eyes are a piercing blue, and because he’s smiling, there are two dimples staring at me. His two friends are just as hot. One of them is even bigger than Tor, and the other has the most amazing violet eyes.

“Nova, this is Draco, our club president. That is Wulf, and over there is Bjarni. Guys, this is Nova, or as we know her, Lollipop Girl,” Bion introduces.

“What do you mean Lollipop Girl?” I ask curiously. Why ever call me that? Bion explains to me what happened after I left the bakery that day that Ceric made a move on me, and how the guys started to call me Lollipop Girl. “Now that I think about it, it’s appropriate.”

“I haven’t had as much fun as I just did in centuries,” some guy says as he walks up to us. “Brandr’s going to be so pissed he missed out on this.” The guy walks right up to me and places his arm around my shoulders. “I’m Burkhart, sweetheart, and you’ve just become one of my favourite people.”

“Okay, how about someone tell me what’s going on here?” I look at all the men surrounding me with big grins on their faces.

“We have been waiting for years to see Ceric be put in his place for all the pranks he plays on us and all the chirpy comments. And then a chick catches his eye and his world explodes,” Burkhart confesses with a grin.

“Well, in that case, it’s my pleasure to entertain you.” If putting that bossy prick in his place makes these guys happy, well then, they will be ecstatic by the time I leave.

“Remove your fucking arm,” Ceric growls as he approaches us. I feel Burkhart tense before he looks at Bion, who bursts out laughing.

“That’s something else you guys should know. Nova here is like Jas, Gabriela, and Aria. She has her own unique limited power, and guess who she belongs to?” At that, all the guys look at each other and then at Ceric.

“Fuck yeah, karma works after all,” Burkhart jokes as he removes his arm from around me and steps away, slightly clapping Ceric on the back. “You’re fucked.”

“It’s not a limited power, and for your information, I don’t belong to anyone but myself, especially this man whore,” I say indignantly. At that, the men around me, except for Ceric, all start laughing.

“You know, Burkhart, I think you’re right,” Bjarni says. “He’s fucked.”

“I’m not the one who gets led around by the balls, asshole,” Ceric replies to Bjarni’s comment.

Bjarni starts to walk away. “For now.”

“Well, Nova, let’s take you inside and introduce you to the others. Then we can try to resolve this problem that you have,” Draco instructs.

Draco, Ceric, and Bion walk me into the compound. Before we reach wherever they’re taking me, I see a beautiful, very pregnant woman hurrying towards us. She has long strawberry-blonde hair that floats with her movements, and the greenest eyes I have ever seen. I hear Ceric groan just before she reaches us.

“If Bjarni sees you hurrying around like that, you know he’s going to start wanting to carry you around again, don’t you?” Bion quips lovingly. From the men’s reaction to this woman, I can see that they love her. She seems excited as she looks over at me.

“Oh, nonsense. Like I’ll let him,” she answers, moving closer to me. “Hi, I’m Gabriella and Bjarni’s mate. I’m so excited to meet you. When Bjarni texted to let me know that Lollipop Girl was here, I had to come meet you. Aria is also on her way. I’m afraid you will have to wait to meet Jasmine, as Orion just lay down for his nap.”

Wow, she hardly took a breath as she spoke. I see who I’m assuming is Aria approaching from behind her, also pregnant. What the hell is up with these women? Both pregnant and the other has a kid.

Well, who can blame them? Looking at the guys around me, I guess they have good reasons. “I’m Aria. It’s nice to meet you.” She’s just as beautiful as Gabriella, but where one is fair, the other has long black hair, blue eyes, and honey skin. I have always envied people who can tan. Because of my skin being so fair, as soon as I try to tan, I turn red, and once I peel, I end up pale once again.

After our greetings they guide me to the computer room, as they call it. I recounted the story I already told Ceric and Bion. They ask a few questions, and then Draco asks, “So what are you hiding?”

“Excuse me?” I ask, confused.

“Well, you used your persuasion in the bar and no one questioned you, and then Bion said you belonged to Ceric, but besides being indignant, you didn’t seem surprised with any of it. So, do you want to tell me everything?” Draco is standing before me, Ceric and Bion sitting at their meeting table like me. Draco’s eyes analyse me with suspicion, carefully looking for any reaction. He’s sharp. I was trying to tell them only what I wanted, but it looks like he can see right through my words.

“The Keres guy who questioned me, I may have persuaded him to tell me some things before he let me go,” I confess. At Draco’s questioning look, I continue. “He said I belonged to one of the Elementals, but he didn’t know which one. He mentioned that you guys think you’re more powerful than the Keres, but he will show you different. When he grabbed me, he wasn’t sure which power I had but knew there was one,” I relate, but the other information I will keep to myself until I’m sure Sam is safe.

“Fuck me,” Ceric growls when I finish.

“No thanks, I might just catch something,” I quip. His mouth falls open at my words, and then I see his face fill with red. Is he embarrassed or angry?

Bion and Draco choke on their laughter as Ceric shoots out of his chair, making it crash to the floor. He opens his mouth to talk, but then closes it. Turning, he storms out of the room.

“Son of a bitch, I think that’s the first time I’ve seen Ceric speechless,” Bion reveals.

“Well, Nova, I think you guys were made for each other,” Draco states, “but now that you have tried to distract us, was there anything else he said?”

One thing about my power of persuasion is that if someone asks me directly what I have learnt or did with it, I can’t lie. I have only tried a few times, and the headaches I get afterward leave me bedridden for days.

“I’m sorry, Draco, but I will only tell you what else I have learnt once you have helped me get Sam back,” I confess.

“Damn, you’re good,” Bion says, staring at me. “How the hell did I miss that?”

“Sorry, Bion, but I need to make sure you guys help me.” I regret not telling Bion; he’s been nothing but good to me.

“Bion, tell the guys there’s a meeting in fifteen minutes, and show Nova to her room,” Draco states, his back already to us as he looks at a screen, one of many from all the cameras that are all over the compound and that they have up on the wall to make sure that the whole area is being protected. The one he is looking at now is of the bar area where the guys from the other chapter are gathered.

“I’m coming with you,” I declare before Bion can lead me outside. Draco doesn’t even turn as he denies my request. “You don’t understand—you need to take me with you. That is the only way I will tell you what I know.” I’m not going to tell them that the reason I want to go is to try to find out more details about what the Keres told me.

Draco finally turns. He stares at me for a few minutes, a frown marring his forehead. “How do I know that the information you have for me is worth you getting killed?”

“It’s about someone spying for the Keres.” Among other things, but I’m not going to tell him that until I know more. After what feels like an hour of Draco pacing but couldn’t have been more than a few minutes, he nods his consent.

Just before I walk out of the room with Bion, his words stop me. “Nova . . . you can go, but you will stick to Ceric. None of my guys will protect you better than he will. That’s the only way I will allow you to accompany us.” I hesitate for a minute, but then I nod and leave the room. I might give Ceric grief, but I know that he’s the best protector that I could find.