MIDDLE GROUND

17

I need fresh air. I need to get out of here. I need to be outside with the sun and trees and less sexual tension.

I took out some running gear and put it on before I heard the shower turn off.

"Want to go for a jog?" Fiona had just stepped out of the shower as I was tying my shoes.

"Not really. What happened?"

"I don't know. I'm undesirable as per usual."

"No. Nope. No more pity parties or mumbling under your breath bullying yourself. I won't allow it. I ban it." She looked so pretty even just coming out of the shower. Glowing really, but I guess that's what really good sex and love can do.

"Well you've taken away 90% of my talking points." My arms flew up in the air and then hit my outer thighs with a thwack sound. "Why the frick am I more emotional?"

"Faeries." They said in tandem.

"So I'm turned on by food and..."

"My brothers."

"No. Not really. Only a little bit. Why am I turned on by demons?! Shit. Fuck. Sorry. I'm so sorry I didn't mean to direct my frustration at you Fi."

I put my head in my hands and sobbed. Fiona and Liam were dressed sitting on either side of me within mere moments. I felt like my head was spinning.

Fiona rubbed my back while Liam kept offering me tea to calm me down. Both saying nice things in soothing voices, like cooing a baby, because that's what I am acting like, a big baby.

"We can't go outside right now and I know Rian is in meetings all day so wondering around should be safer for you today." Fi tried to cheer me up. "And we'll tell you all we know about the Fae folk. Yeah?" Her head nodded which made my head nod yes.

I was happy to be outside her room for just a little bit.

Along the tour of the underground living quarters there were so many vampires in the clan. When they found their mate because wolves and blood-sucking demons get to have true love but not hard working humans, they would get a much larger room. Many of the smaller guest rooms weren't occupied, but Fiona said that's because their clan was so much older, which made sense: the longer you live, the more likely you are to meet your mate.

I did get to see one of the mated rooms. It wasn't as large as Fiona and Liam's room, but Fi was royalty.

"They get to decorate however they like with 2 extra rooms and a private bathroom. Most use 1 of the rooms for clothing and the other for whatever they like. Apparently this couple is into gaming."  She sounded disgusted.

I loved Mario growing up. The 65" flat screen smart TV had more than 2 gaming chairs around it but only 2 were being used it looked like. Multiple consoles from the PS5 to the original Nintendo. most of the games looked like ones I'd never played - lots of first shooter games. Not my style and obviously not Fiona's either. She quickly got out of their and showed me Rian's quarters. It was gigantic and so old looking but I decided I'd rather not chance running into him while he might be in between meetings.

"Here are the human quarters." The most bleak of all. One contained actual dog crates as beds. The blood bags got a little bit more freedom and nicer beds because they had to lay down so often. The IV drips apparently helped them too. It looked like a hospital. Last, but not least, the servants. I opened up the door to find a familiar smell: popcorn. Some of the servants had kids and those children were watched over by 1 servant that looked like she was about to pull her hair out as Finding Nemo came on and the dozen or so kids under 12 were eating popcorn and candy. It looked so normal. Even down to the frazzled teacher.

"So when a family is formed they get a private bedroom" Fiona pointed to the sectioned off areas that reminded me of cubicles, not bedrooms with privacy. "Unmatched sleep in this den space on roll away cots. And they have their own kitchen, but they can honestly use the main one anytime."

"Ok..." No way am I living here.

"And here is the communal bathroom." It was a locker room with all the amenities. "We make sure to take good care of our humans since they take such good care of us."

I could tell she was trying to sell me on this but those cages looked like a torture chamber.

"The only unoccupied human area right now was the first room. They keep their stuff there but as sex slaves they have the perk of sleeping with their master and using the private bathrooms. Many of them decide to live with their masters instead of down here."

I wonder why...

"Don't worry, we have special guest areas and that's where you'll most likely be staying. The last oracle lived there for over 100 years! She was your great-great grandmother, Maggie."

We stepped out into the hallway again and went down a dark corridor that looked familiar.

"You've already seen Oisin's room and right across from him is where the oracle stays, unless Rian makes them a slave, which he's only done to 2 of the oracles, right dear? I feel like I'm forgetting something."

"That sounds about right. Odds are in your favor little fae as long as you can tap into some of that seer magic."

"Not helpful, Liam."

I went to turn the doorknob but it was locked. "It's protected by magic. Only a true Seer can get inside."

"Painting a really awesome picture of my life, Fi. Thank you."

"Sarcastic cunt. Just sleep with Oisin and he can finally take over his wing instead of sulking around here."

He has his own wing?! Where? How big is this place? I had so many questions but my mind went blank when I heard him.

"Don't count on it lil' sister." Oisin popped his head out of the room behind us, his room, with just a towel.

Put on a shirt!

"Oisin, didn't see...or smell...you there." Fiona managed to say. I felt a twinge of comfort knowing that Fi had thought about him being there or not with me around.

"Well, that's probably because I was rinsing off..."

"Another cold shower?" I was thinking it but only Fiona had the balls to say it.

"No." Oisin's jaw clenched. His eyes were darkening. Oh he is angry. And he is hot when he's angry. I crossed my legs and clenched for some relief.

I wonder if the limbic part of the brain which is where the fight or flight response lives, is larger in demons. They have heightened sense of smell like animals do.

"I already told her that I wasn't interested after she threw herself at me, what, like 3 times now?" He smirked at me.

Yep he can smell me.

Thanks for the reminder of how desperate, pathetic, and undesirable I am. I looked down at my feet pretending something was interesting on my shoe.

"You are in denial. Serious denial. You've taken responsibility for her! We shouldn't even be hosting her and her family, YOU should be doing all of that." Fiona got right in his face.

My family? Here? No. What? My dead mother will be here, alive? Meeting my biological father? I can't do this. I'm not ready for this. I'm not even fucking competent in being a slave on my duties here! Shit, my mother didn't love me. How could she? She made a deal to avoid her fate and didn't tell me about mine. Oisin must have listened to my thoughts, he put his arms around me and I felt his chin on my head.

"You don't need to see them. Your mum and da are just going to do some business. You don't have to see them if you don't want to. I promise." I couldn't tell if he said that out-loud or in my head but my bad mood was gone as soon as his arms wrapped around me.

As quick as he was to hold me, he was twice as fast to let me go and jump to hide back in his room.

Damn demon and his mixed signals.

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A/N
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