I groan as I look at the expectant faces waiting for my answer. "Oh my fucking god. Fine! I'll go. I don't have anything to wear, though," I point out.

Farrah holds up a hand. "You can borrow one of my dresses."

I shoot her a grateful smile. "Thanks." I turn my attention back to Parker. "Now that we've got that out of the way. Can we bust your sister out of here for a night out?"

Parker hesitates then looks to Hunter. "If the guys are okay with it, I'll talk to mom and make sure she doesn't cause any problems for us."

Farrah's eyes light up with unshed tears. She runs to Parker and wraps her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly as she shrieks, "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! You're the best big brother ever."

Parker chuckles and returns her hug. The guys all agree that we can go do something, and I laugh as Farrah gives all the guys a hug, spouting thank yous to each of them as they awkwardly accept the hugs.

I never noticed it before, but the guys don't really seem to be very tactile with anyone. The only times I've seen them accept any kind of touch that didn't consist of training or fighting was with me. My chest tightens as a happiness and a feeling of contentment pours through me at that thought.

"We'll go tomorrow," Parker says. "That'll give me time to warm mom up to the idea, and dad should be home some time tonight, though he'll probably shut himself up in his office until mom's little party."

* * *

"You said that you need an outfit for tonight?" Farrah asks as we take a walk around their huge ass territory.

"Yeah, I doubt my usual jeans will cut it," I say with a chuckle.

She laughs. "Most likely not. We'll raid my closet, so we can find you something to wear tonight, and something to wear for the masquerade tomorrow."

"Do you think your mom took the news that Parker plans to take you off the territory well?"

She snorts. "Hell, no. She's probably been throwing a tantrum at him ever since then. I talked to her earlier this morning before Parker came in, and she tried telling me that you were a bad influence on me, making me want things I can't have."

I frown. "Like what?"

She pushes a tree branch out of the way, leading me towards the forest located near the back of their land with her guards close behind us. "A life, for starters. She called you a slut and a whore, saying that if I were to be friends with you I'd become those things. She stopped saying that when Parker walked into the room and laid into her about saying those things about you.

“She tried saying that the only reason she thinks you’re a slut is because you apparently hang all over the other guys on Parker's team. She told him that you're unfaithful."

I raise a brow. "I haven't even seen your mom since the night I came here. How could she possibly know I hang all over the guys?" Which is not a fair assessment in my opinion. Do we frequently touch each other in innocent ways that make my blood heat with need? Yes. It's not like we're groping each other and making out in her hallways for all the world to see.

"She's got everyone around here reporting back to her about what you do. So, if you see anyone, whatever you're doing will be reported to her."

I chuckle. "Your mom is nuts. She's seriously that upset about me being here?"

"Oh, yeah. She didn't tell Parker, but she's seriously pissed that you're going to the masq tomorrow."

I roll my eyes. "I'm honestly not that surprised she's pissed about that. She was probably hoping I wouldn't come."

"There's no doubt about that," she confirms. "She wants Parker to pick a noble vampire to settle down with so that she and dad can retire, giving him, and whoever he chooses as a mate, their throne."

Once we're back at the front door of their home, she stops and turns to face me. "Parker won't do it because the females mom had paraded in front of him weren't ones he wanted to be involved with. Now that he has you, I highly doubt that he'll be looking any further. Mom is extremely upset about that because she does not want a half-demon on her throne."

I blink completely thrown off guard. "What?"

"Parker told mom that he didn't want anyone else but you. I think mom's having a hard time dealing with that because she doesn't want to have to end up answering to you when he takes the throne."

My mouth drops open slightly. "I-I didn't really know that," I admit. "Xena mentioned that all the guys wanted to be with me, but I don't think I really believed her. Hell, who am I kidding? I know I didn't believe her. A small part of me still doesn't."

She tilts her head to the side. "Why do you say that?"

"I guess I'm just having a hard time understanding why the guys would be completely fine with me being with all of them."

Her mouth curls into a smile. "I can assure you, even if there is any jealousy between them, they won't let it get in the way of having you."

"What makes you so sure?" I ask, curious about the conviction in her voice.

"It's written all over their faces, Mercy. They all want you, they're all possessive of you, already. They look at you like they'll kill to protect you, kill to possess you. They won't let anything get between them and you. If that means sharing you between them, that's what they'll do. Didn't you mention that you have already been with Hunter and Warwick?"

I nod.

"None of the guys had any bad reactions to that knowledge. And you know they all know about you being with two of them already. They can either sense it or scent it. None of them acted on any jealousy that they may have had."

"I guess that makes sense."

“Alright, enough serious crap for now,” Farrah says, clapping her hands together. “Let’s get to my room so we can find something for you to wear tonight and tomorrow.”

I chuckle and follow her to her room.

When we get to her closet and she opens the doors, my mouth drops. “Farrah, your closet is bigger than my old bedroom at my mom’s house.” I slide my gaze to her. “Why the hell would you need so many clothes and shoes?” I ask, eyeing the giant-ass wall of designer shoes.

She rolls her eyes. “It’s mom and dad’s way of apologizing for me not getting to have a life. Go ahead and look around, find something you like for tonight.” She stops for a heartbeat then shakes her head. “Nevermind. Go sit on the bed. I’ll find you something.”

I raise a brow. “Why can’t I just pick?”

She grins. “Because I never get to pick clothes for someone else.”

I sigh and go to sit on the bed. “Fine. I’ll be here.”

She squeals happily and disappears into the closet.

Deciding to check in with Hunter about Torn while I wait, I lay back on her bed and relax. “Any news on Torn?”

“Nothing yet. My people are still trying to find him.” His aggravation is clear in his tone.

“Are we sure going out tonight is a good idea?”

“Honestly? It’s a bad idea, but I know Farrah well enough to know that she’ll do her best to make all of our lives hell if we cancel this.”

I snicker. “Big bad son of Satan is scared of a girl?”

“Scared? Of a girl that can make herself the biggest pain in the ass when she wants to? No. Wary, hell yes.”

“How much time do we have left before we need to go?”

“Soon. So don’t let her take too long getting you ready.”

“Sounds good.”

“Mercy,” he says, voice softening. “We need to talk tonight. You’ve put it off long enough. The conversation needs to happen.”

I sigh. “I know.”

“See you soon.”

I don’t bother responding because at that moment Farrah exits the closet with the biggest grin on her face. I frown when I see that she’s holding all leather clothes. “Your parents bought you that?”

She scoffs. “No. They gave me their credit card to buy what I wanted. I’ve never worn this, but I figured it’d be perfect for you.”

She lays a pair of leather pants that have the zipper on the side beside me and sets a pair of deadly looking black heels beside those. She holds up a leather sleeveless crop top and laughs when my mouth falls open.

“How many cows had to die for this outfit?”

She shrugs. “Who knows. Anyways, it’s perfect!”

I eye the top and bite my bottom lip. “I don’t know about the top, Farrah. I have a lot of scars.”

She purses her lips. “So I’ll give you some jewelry to distract from the scars. Come on, you’re a total badass, you can’t tell me showing some skin has you nervous.”

“Not nervous, no. I just know that people get uncomfortable when they see the extensive scarring. Hell, even the guys were speechless when they discovered them the first time.”

“Well, this time you’ll leave them speechless for a whole other reason,” she says with a wink. “Put it on, I’ll find you a necklace after I get some clothes for me.”

“Alright,” I say slowly.

“I’ve also already got a dress and mask for you for tomorrow, so you don’t need to worry about that,” Farrah says as an afterthought before leaving me again to go digging in the closet, presumably to get clothes for herself.

It takes an hour for us to finally leave her room and get to where the guys are meeting us. I wring my fingers together, feeling naked without my weapons. Farrah wouldn’t let me take any because they would ruin the outfit. I have to admit that she did an amazing job at picking out clothes for me. They’re a perfect fit and aren’t uncomfortable at all.

Now, if only I had my damn daggers. Or at the very least a throwing knife. I’m at risk of pouting by the time we get to the guys.

When we find them, they each take their time looking me up and down, heat, desire, and lust blazing in every one of their eyes, making me nervous.

“You guys okay?” I ask, attempting to calm my nerves a little bit. My words seem to have snapped them out of whatever daze they were in, and Hunter nods and opens his mouth to speak, but nothing comes out.

Farrah laughs. “Well that’s the highest compliment I’ve ever seen,” she says through her peals of laughter. “You look so damn hot, you have them all at a loss for words. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that happen before.”

Parker scowls at his sister then meets my gaze. “She does have a point. You look beautiful,” the guys all nod in agreement, still seemingly without words.

“She looks gorgeous, as always,” War finally says. His smile melts into a frown as he examines me. “Are you armed?”

“No,” I grumble.

“Of course, not,” Farrah says with a laugh. “I wouldn’t let her, it would have ruined the outfit.”

Parker sighs while Kai rolls his eyes. “Leave it to your sister to think of fashion over weapons,” Kai mutters.

“Damn straight,” she snaps. “She deserves to be a normal girl for a damn night.”

Talon raises his eyebrow. “Do you have an ankle holster of any kind?” He asks me.

I shake my head. “No, those were all at the house mom and I left before I came to the Order.”

Talon nods. “I’ve got some spare ones in my room. I’ll grab one for you,” he says. He walks out of the room and heads towards the direction of his room without waiting for a response from anyone.

“Mercy,” Hunter says, gaining my attention from the door where I watched Talon leave. “Farrah’s guards will be with us, but they will not be there for you. They’ve already expressed this to the team that their priority is Farrah.”

I nod. “Yeah, I kind of figured. It’s their job.”

“Exactly, so at least one of us need to be with you at all times while we’re there.”

I bristle. “Seriously?”

“You’re going there, practically unarmed, Doll. We aren’t going to chance anything happening to you.”

I groan. “Alright, I guess, you have a point.”

Talon enters the room with one of my smaller knives already placed in the ankle sheath. I watch as he strolls to me and drops to a knee in front of me, setting the knife on the floor. He carefully rolls the bottom of my pants up, making sure there won’t be any creases in the leather. Picking up the knife he effortlessly straps it to my ankle, his fingers brushing against my skin, leaving a trail of warmth wherever he touches. He fixes my pant leg and stands back up then cups my cheek for the briefest moment. “All set.” He drops his hand, and I automatically miss the warmth of his hand on my cheek.