Come to me

“You shouldn’t have sprung out on her like that, son,” A soft voice said, from somewhere over Elle, she kept her eyes shut tight. 

“Well obviously I didn’t think I would scare her…” A deep male voice replied annoyed. Elle flinched slightly, “All I did was walk toward her.”

“I’m sure it might have slipped your notice child, but you are a very large and imposing man. The sort of man that might alarm a girl who has just been assaulted.” The woman retorted sharply. “We are trying to help her, not give her some sort of complex.”

“And what do you want me to have done? Shrank 5 inches and crawled toward her?” He asked his mother.

“We don’t have time for this,” Another female voice with a scottish accent said, Elle recognized the voice as belonging to the woman, Maeve, he had said. “He came for her, and he is no’ going to stop coming for her. We have to take her to Milo.” 

“Well he is in the Netherlands currently, so unless you have designs on kidnapping...” The man told Maeve, “Do you have a plan B? Perhaps one that doesn’t result in us all spending time in an international jail?!”

“Keep the heid!” Maeve told him firmly, “We have to protect her,”

“Keep the...Maeve, my love, we have been married 5 years, and I still can’t understand at least half of what you say! Speak english!” He told her.

“Keep. The. Heid.” Maeve said slowly, “Calm yourself, it's no’ that hard. I say it to you at least 3 times a day, you are very excitable, mo chridhe.”

“We have to keep her safe, until Milo can get here.” The woman with the dutch accent said. 

“What do you propose, Ute?” Maeve asked.

“There is a place.” The woman said, “We will take her there, and keep her safe until he can come for her.”  

Elle had heard enough, she was not about to be kidnapped on the heels of her assault and spirited away as some sort of gift for this Milo character. She opened her eyes slowly, trying to take her surroundings in, but not alert them to her consciousness. She was still in the alley, on her back a few feet away from them, her head was pillowed on Maeve’s jacket, and something large and soft covered her. His coat she supposed; it was large enough for her to wear it as a dress.  She took a deep breath, and felt around her for her things, her purse was beside her head, her keys were in her jacket. She reached slowly and carefully into her jacket pocket, desperately trying not to make a sound. Her fingers wrapped around the keys firmly, in one quick and graceful move she jumped up and ran as fast as she could out of the alley toward her car. 

She could hear his heavy footsteps behind her, as she reached her car. Elle didn’t bother looking behind her, she opened her car door and threw herself in. Locking the doors, she started the ignition, thanking everyone from her parents to her mechanic for her little ford’s powerful engine. She pulled out of there leaving behind actual dust. Not today Satan! NOT TODAY! She thought triumphantly.

“Well, that worked out swimmingly,” Ute said sarcastically, “Let's all stand in the alley, with our backs to her, because clearly she isn’t terrified and have every reason to run from us,” 

“Milo is going to murder me.” Max replied, placing his head in his hands, “We find her, and then we lose her, and now she has seen my face, imagine how she will feel when she sees him!”

“Like the man she overheard talking about kidnapping her in an alley got a haircut?” Ute offered. Max groaned.

“Murder me, he is going to murder me with his bare hands.” He groaned agonized. 

“Haud yer Wheesht!” Maeve said angrily to her husband.

“Haud yer...English Maeve! English!” Max retorted irately to his wife.

“Ah, do no’ you act like you do no’ ken that one! I said it to you a hundred times,” She said dismissively, “Look what I have!” She said holding up a faded obviously knocked off Prada purse.

“A purse?” Max said annoyed, “Did I not notice it before? It’s very nice dear…” 

“Are you daft?! It's no’ my purse! It's hers! And it has her license in it, with her address.”  Maeve informed him, aggravated. 

Max blinked surprised, a huge smile crossed his face. He reached out to his wife and picked her up, spinning her in a circle. “ You brilliant, beautiful, woman whom I do not deserve!!” He said, kissing her all over her face. “My wife is a goddess among women!” he proclaimed.

“And what makes you think she would go back to her home?” Ute asked pointedly. Max froze mid kiss, and stared at his mother in dawning comprehension. 

“She’s traumatized, she will no’ be thinking straight, if I were her, I would just want to go home.” Maeve said “Besides it is the best plan we have is it no’?” 

“It’s the only plan we have.” Ute retorted, “Lets go,”

****

Elle locked every door, and window in her apartment. She had turned on every light, her hands were shaking, but she held on firmly to her only good butcher's knife. She still didn’t fully understand what had happened to her tonight, all she knew was that she was terrified. It hadn’t yet occurred to her to call the police, or to call anyone. Elle was by nature a loner, she tended to keep to herself, and try to solve her own problems.  She hadn’t yet come to terms with the fact that this one was more than she could deal with on her own. 

Felix the neighbor’s cat had let himself in earlier in the day, and was now comfortably sleeping at her feet, blissfully unaware of her torment. 

“You sleep, you fat asshole, I’ll hold down the fort.” She murmured to the animal, annoyed but mostly relieved that she wasn’t completely alone. What was she going to do? Who were these crazy people? Who was the man in the alley...she shivered at that, she pushed the thought of him away, she didn’t want to think about him or what he had almost done. On the other hand were the people in the alley, they had helped her, saved her from him.  

The woman, Maeve, had been so gentle and soft with her. They had definitely stopped him from… no, she wasn’t going there. However they had been discussing taking her somewhere, for someone named Milo. They were very disorganized, they hadn’t even tried to restrain her. Certainly they hadn’t been watching her very closely, she had escaped with relative ease if she was being honest. Surely they had a vehicle, and yet they had made no attempt to follow her, she had made sure of that. Taking the longest, most detour filled way back to her apartment. 

Slowly she placed the butcher's knife down, and laid back against her couch, taking a deep breath.  What was she doing? This was ridiculous, obviously she had to call the police, she had been the victim of a crime, her throat still burned as if in proof of it. What was her plan exactly? Was she going to defend herself with a kitchen knife and sleeping cat? 

“You would probably just scaredy pee and run, you little traitor”  She mumbled to him, reaching out to pet him softly. “What I should do is go down to the pound and get the biggest scariest looking dog, something with a record...that will probably attack me, and then you can pee in my wounds.”  She laughed at her own image, but all too easily the laughter turned into sobs. Heavy body wracking sobs escaped her and tears fell unguarded down her face. 

Felix was startled awake, with his head tilted slightly he stared at her with his wide yellow eyes,  as if to ask her what was wrong. She wept louder at the thought, she was so alone, and she was so very scared. She wiped her tears away angrily, she couldn’t fall apart, she told herself fiercely, she had to keep her wits about her. First she had to call the police and report what had happened to her. And then...then…

She looked over to her side table, where she normally kept her purse, her cellphone was in the front pocket. A cold knot of dread hit her when she realized it wasn’t there. 

“Oh shit…” 

At the same moment as it occurred to her that she didn’t have a phone, someone started knocking at her door. Elle all but jumped out of her skin, who would be at her door at 1130 at night? She looked around in alarm, all her lights were on, she couldn’t even pretend she wasn’t home. Frightened half out of her mind, she all but crawled to the door and peeked out. It was a near thing, but she managed not to scream in absolute horror. Standing right outside her door were three out of four people she had hoped to never see again as long as she lived.

“Elle?” The soft voice of the dutch woman, named Ute, called to her. “We know your home, will you please talk to us?” 

“We did no’ wanna hurt you lass, please,” Maeve added, “You are in danger, please let us help you.”

“I’m sorry I scared you, I am basically harmless. Think of me as sort of a teddy bear...but, like fierce.” The man named Max said apologetically. 

“You are literally just describing a bear!” His wife admonished. 

“No! I’m cuddly and sweet, but if someone attacks me then I’m going to rip them apart...oh yeah there you are, I see it now, you’re right that is literally just a bear.” Max agreed.

“Will you shut up? You are not helping!” Maeve snapped back. Max looked sheepishly away, chastised. It was oddly endearing to Elle.

“This is serious Elle, please,” Ute said, ignoring her younger two companions, “Look you don’t have to let us in, we can meet somewhere in public if it will make you feel safer.”

“There’s a coffee shop down across the street, you can watch from your window and see us leave and wait there.  We will leave your purse with your phone in it, outside your door.  So if you feel unsafe you can call the police. We just want a few minutes to explain,” Maeve added gently. “We are really afraid for you Elle, we promise we just want to help.” 

“If you don’t like what we have to say, we will leave you alone, and you never have to see us again.” Max added solemnly, “I know you don’t know us, but I give you my word Elle, we would never harm you.” 

Elle looked at them each through the fish eye view from the peep hole. Despite every rational reason to fear them, she didn’t. She felt oddly comforted by their assurances, in a strange way she felt as if she could trust them. And this made her all the more vary, by nature she was not a trusting person, and certainly never with people she had met in a dark alley. 

“We are going to leave now, you can watch us leave Elle,” Maeve told her gently, “Please come have coffee with us, at least let us feed you.” 

Elle watched them lean her purse against the door, and walk away without looking back. She followed them to the edge of her view, and toward the stairs that lead down and to the only exit out of the small 2 story building she lived in.  She listened to hear the tell tale creak of the bottom stair, and the muffled sound of the glass outer door open and shut. She raced across to her window, and looked down seeing all three of them walk silently over to the coffee shop.  Only when she was sure all three of them were in the small shop did she open her door and retrieve her purse.  

Sitting on the floor, Elle dumped her small purse out and began rummaging through the contents to make sure it was all there. She grasped her phone in her trembling hands. Every single item was still there, even her credit cards and the 10 dollars worth of change she had in her wallet. She cursed when she realized her spare house keys were in the purse, god help her it was like she wanted to be kidnapped! What was going on here? They could have come into her house at any point, they had the damned keys! Leave alone the fact that Max was certainly strong enough to kick down her flimsy sad door.  She stared across her apartment and out the window, she couldn’t see the coffee shop from her current vantage point, but she could picture it in her mind's eye. 

“I could eat…” She mumbled to herself, “I could call the cops at any point, I mean if they wanted to take me they could have done it here. Half the building is empty and my only neighbor on the floor is an old woman with 5 cats, who would even know I was gone?” She asked herself.  In response Felix meowed at her from his new spot on top of her jacket on the couch. “Besides you, you mooch. Who would you beg for scraps from?”  she asked. 

She stood up and paced around the room, another darker thought began to occur to her. If they found her this easily, how easy would it be for him to… Hadeon, Ute had called him. They knew who he was, maybe they knew where he was? She felt a sudden chill, if she was being honest with herself she felt safer with the three of them then with the idea of that monster finding her. Alright she thought, gripping her phone harder, she could go down there and have a coffee with them. Maybe try and find out who this guy was, maybe get some answers about what had happened to her today. And if they turned out to be crazy, she would stand up and start screaming fire at the absolute top of her lungs. She ran a hand through her messy hair, pulling it away from her face, this was probably the stupidest idea she had ever had, she decided. But she was going to do it anyway. She pulled her jacket out from under Felix, who growled at her indignantly. 

“If I don’t come back in 20 mins, you go meow in your owner's face until she wakes up and calls the police, okay?” She said petting him lightly behind the ears, he purred happily. “Or at least don’t let them use that hideous picture from my birthday for my obituary.”  

****

“She isn’t going to come.” Max informed them, not for the first time. “We should have just kicked the door down and taken her to Milo, he would have sorted this out.” 

“Well that can always be Plan B, mo chridhe. But only if you allow me to be in the room, while you explain to Milo what you’ve done.” Maeve replied sweetly.

“He would not be pleased with you further traumatizing her,” Ute agreed, “It’s bad enough that Hadeon found her,”

“Do you think she’s okay?” Maeve asked the small group, genuinely concerned.

“It looked to me as if he only had her pinned for a minute, Moer had him pretty distracted.” Max offered, “I’m sure it was traumatizing, but it was over quickly.”

“Over quickly?” Elle asked indignantly, three pairs of eyes whipped around in alarm, she had snuck up on them unawares. “He had a knife to my face, he told me he was going to break me, that he was going to make me wish I was dead and you think it was OVER QUICKLY?!” she threw in his face enraged. 

“I...I am so sorry…” He began horrified, “I didn’t...all I saw was him having you pressed against the wall, I pulled him away from you as quickly as I could...I didn’t see a knife. I...I...forgive me, believe me I would have ripped him apart with my bare hands if I knew…” He stumbled, caught between remorse, horror and deep outrage. He stood up and reached for her, she pulled back hard knocking over the chairs at the table behind them.

“Don’t touch me,” She hissed.  Max dropped his arm immediately, he stared at her dumb struck.

“Sit down Max,” Ute commanded softly, he fell heavily back into his chair. “I am sorry Elle, we are not trying to trivialize what happened to you,”

“Who are you people? Who is he? Why me?!” She barked at them, standing as still as she was able, much to her annoyance; her body was trembling. She was furious, to have that brute sit there and act as if what happened to her was no big deal, as if it wasn’t the single most terrifying experience in her entire life. Of course he had no idea what it felt like to be helpless and overpowered, to be at the mercy of someone stronger and bigger. 

“Easy, Elle, we aren’t your enemies,” Maeve began gently, “Please sit down, and we will tell you whatever you want to know.”

“Please,” Ute added, pointing at a seat between herself and Max. Elle stared at it for a moment and then at the shamefaced man sitting quietly across from it. Taking a deep breath, she pulled the chair out and sat down slowly. “Would you like something to drink or eat?”

“Let's just get this over with. I want answers.” Elle replied coldly. Ute nodded slowly, a look of sadness crossing her elegant face. 

“We will try to answer everything we can,” Maeve told her gently, “We really mean you no harm,”

“Right,” Elle replied dismissively, “Who are you people?” She asked again.

“Do you know us?” Ute asked with a hint of hopefulness in her tone. Elle looked at them closely, it was an odd feeling. Despite her initial thought that she had never seen the three of them ever in her life, there was a sensation of familiarity that put her ill at ease. As if she had seen them in passing before, or a half remembered inconsequential conversation had on the street. Ute especially tugged at her memory. She stared at the older woman intently, trying to place her. All at once it came to her, a shot of recognition. Ute’s face lit up, a burst of hopeful joy. 

“The bookstore today! I saw you!” She pointed accusingly at Ute, “I walked into you! You called me the wrong name.” It was as if someone had turned off the light inside of Ute, she looked suddenly drained and defeated. If Elle was being honest, a flash of deep sadness rang in her heart at the sight. 

“Yes,” Ute said tonelessly. “My name is Ute, this is my son Max, and his wife Maeve,”

“Why were you at the store?” Elle asked, trying to remember that she was suspicious of the older woman, when all she felt now was confusion and a strange sense of empathy for her sadness.

“Have you ever met someone and felt like you’ve known them forever?” Maeve asked Elle, diverting her. “Even though you have only just met, you feel...connected?” 

“I..What? I guess” Elle replied irritatedly, “What does that have to do…”

“Everything, it has everything to do with this,” Ute interrupted, “Please just, bear with us. It will make sense, err...mostly” She amended.

Okay, whatever that means…” Elle replied disconcerted, “I mean hasn’t everybody had that experience?”

“Well more or less, yes.” Maeve said, “The thing of it is, that...well suppose it were true,”

“You’ve lost me, what was true?” Elle asked, confused and annoyed. 

“That you’ve actually known them….before” Maeve replied.

“What? What does that even mean?” Elle asked more irritated now, and seriously considered if these people were actually out of their minds.

“Right, I am doing this badly,” Maeve said, pushing her red hair off her face, she looked more intently at Elle, “What do you ken about reincarnation?”

“The idea that we’ve lived before?” Elle offered, her tone making it very clear to Maeve that she had better get to the point quickly.

“We have lived before, and we will live again.” Maeve said softly, “Imagine if that were true.” she said cautiously.

“If reincarnation were true?” Elle asked, shaking her head in disbelief.  “Okay, where are you going with this?”

“Right, well if reincarnation were true, and if we have lived before, then what happens to all the relationships and connections that we’ve made in the course of our lifetimes?” Maeve asked her, watching her closely.

“I don’t know, what a ridiculous question…” Elle began, annoyed. 

“Humor us,” Ute retorted softly. There was something about her tone, the way she looked at Elle that stopped her from snapping at Ute despite her initial feelings of sheer annoyance. 

“I guess, they would live again too,” Elle replied after a long pause. 

“Suppose you loved someone verra much,” Maeve said slowly, “and they...left, would you try to find them?”

“I mean, wouldn’t everyone want to find a missing loved one?” Elle asked, confused by the seeming change in topic

“What if you loved someone...before, before you were even alive, in this life.” Maeve said,  “An intense powerful love, something that touched you to your verra soul, what if you saw that person again in this life…”

“Wait! What in the hell are you even going on about? Is this some sort of riddle?! This isn’t a game! You told me I’m in danger, and now we are talking about esoteric ideas about reincarnation?!” Elle raged, jumping up from her chair.  “Who are you?!”

“Calm down, please.” Maeve said soothingly, holding her hands up, using a tone that one might use with a small scared child or a startled animal. “Easy lass, I am no’ trying to play games with you, there is a point to this I promise, please, just give me a chance to get to it.”  

Elle glared at her, furious, shaking, terrified. She didn’t want to sit down and give her a chance to talk more nonsense about whatever addled ideas were rattling about in her twisted brain. But there was something about the way the beautiful redhead was looking at her, something about the way they were all looking at her… a sort of hopeful sadness, an almost longing intensity that gave her pause. No one really looked at Elle that way if she was being honest with herself, as if they really wanted her around, as if they desperately wanted her company. It was disconcerting, but also...it hit her in a place she often ignored. 

“Get to it, quickly.” Elle hissed at her, sitting down, hard. 

“Look, the short of it is this, we believe you are a reincarnated loved one.” Max replied gruffly, cutting off Maeve, both women turned to him sharply. He held his hand up to stop them, “You are just frustrating her trying to ease her into it, let's be honest here.” He retorted to their stunned silence. “And he, the man who attacked you, believes you are someone who wronged him, and he wants revenge.” 

“Are you...you…he...how…” Elle sputtered for a moment, then shut her mouth and gaped at the three of them. “What mental hospital did you three escape from?” She hissed finally. “This is...who do you think I am exactly?” She asked finally. “Like am I supposed to be one of your kids or… what?” 

“Urm...well….” Max began awkwardly, looking at Maeve for help. She glared back at him furiously.

“Oh, do no’ be looking at me to be helping you, you fat mouthed fool, you started this, now you tell her if you dare!” She shot back at him, between clenched teeth.

“Well?” Elle asked again, aggravated, glaring at the lot of them. “Oh no, wait...no.” She said comprehension dawned in her eyes. “I’m not one of your...wives or...Jesus, I’m not your beloved mistress am I?” She hissed at Max horrified. “This isn’t some sick introduction into being part of your menage a trois...right?” She leaned all the way back in her chair, ready to bolt.

“Oh lord in heaven no! That’s just so wrong, on so many levels.” Max retorted horrified, a look of abject disgust crossing his face. It was slightly insulting if Elle was being honest.

“Well thanks, I mean I’m not keen on being part of your harem, but you could look a little less offended by the prospect.” She huffed. “I’m not hideous!”

“What?! No...my god this is ridiculous, you are beautiful! It’s just...Jesus, you're my sister!” He threw at her.

“Oh…” Elle replied carefully, looking over his features slowly. “We uh...we don’t look anything alike…” she said inanely. What else did one say in a situation such as this? 

“Sister-in-law, actually.” He offered slowly. “Though I think a few times you’ve actually been my blood, and he’s been my in law,” He said absently.

“A few times...sister-in-law…” She replied carefully, nodding her head slowly. “Okaaaay, I’m married to your...brother?” 

“Well not right yet, but…” He began.

“Yet! YET!! You think I’m going to marry your brother!? Like as in, current brother? As in brother you have right now?!” She exploded leaping from her chair. “Milo! That's who Milo is, the man you were talking about taking me to! Jesus, mother of god! You think I’m some sort of reincarnated virgin sacrificial bride!” 

“Not sacrificial! And your virginity is hardly a concern…” Max began stupidly.

“But bride! Bride you're okay with?!” She screamed at him, “Does the guy who attacked me think I’m your brother’s bride too? Is that what this is all about?!” She shrieked enraged. 

“Err...actually he thinks you're his bride who keeps choosing my brother over him.” Max told her.

“Oh for the love of all that is holy, shut up Max!” Maeve hissed at him, “Elle, please, just…”

“NO! Don’t you dare tell me to calm down! You three, three fucking lunatics….I am NOT, anyones wife! I’m 23 fucking years old! I’m a manager of a bookstore! I’ve hardly had a serious boyfriend, much less married TWO MEN!!” She shrieked, positively coming undone at the seams.  “This...this is a joke! I’m being punk’d right? Ashton Kutcher is just going to jump out from behind a dumpster and...fuck my life! Please tell me your pranking me.” She all but whimpered at the last, her knees about giving way. Ute gently guided her back into her seat before she fell, it took a moment to realize they had all jumped to their feet, likely to stop her from bolting she thought absently.

“It’s alright liefje, I know this is a lot, potentially too much,” Ute said looking up to glare hard at Max, “Arguably the worst possible way to tell you this,” She said making full unadulterated ragey eye contact with her son. “But, umm, there it is.” 

“You actually...you all believe I’m your mystery son’s wife?” She whispered. They all slowly nodded, “And he...the man in the alley...he um…he thinks I two-timed him with this same son?” She asked.

“Erm, in a manner of speaking...yes.” Ute offered gently, laying a comforting hand over both of Elle’s trembling ones. “But that’s not what happened, you weren’t actually married to Hadeon when you chose my son, it was an arranged marriage in the making of sorts.” She told her dumbly.

“I...I have a whole backstory that I’m not even privy to,” Elle said slowly, “And a nemesis...I don’t suppose I have some sort of...super power?” 

“No such luck,” Maeve agreed sagely, “Would be nice, but no.” 

“I...I think I need a drink.” Elle said finally. “Or a valium, and you three need some sort of antipsychotic.” 

“We are no’ crazy, I know it sounds lunatic,” She also turned to glare daggers at Max, who at least had the decency to look ashamed of himself. “But, we speak the truth.”

“Well isn’t that exactly what a crazy person would think? I mean! Where’s your proof?” Elle finally asked, “How do you know?” 

“I can see your aura,” Maeve told her gently, “Your’s and Milo’s are very similar, almost identical.” 

“You can see my aura...that’s your proof? Well the thing about that is...I CAN’T SEE ANYTHING AROUND MYSELF EXCEPT A BUNCH OF INSANE LIKELY DRUG ADDLED PSYCHOPATHS!” Elle yelled, exploding out of her chair again, startling Maeve backward. “None of this is real! You are all demented, and I am going home! And I’m calling the police! You can all enjoy your prison cell together, reading each other’s Auras!” 

“When you were a little girl, you had a recurring dream, of a man with red hair.” Ute told her, standing in front of her blocking her from escaping through the door. A chill ran down Elle’s spine, she had never told anyone about the dream, not one single person. “It made you sad, even though it wasn’t a sad dream. He smiled and laughed with you, and told you he would see you again...in this life or the next. And you would wake up crying, not understanding why.” Ute replied. “You are absolutely terrified of water, can’t put your head under it. But the ocean beckons you. You hate having your hair long, you tell everyone it’s because you can’t be bothered with it, but the truth is you are scared someone will grab you by it and pull you, even though this has never happened to you...in this life. And Elle, you believe in reincarnation, you always have, because every person that has ever met you has told you, ‘you have an old soul.’” Ute stared into her eyes sharply, “You’re 23 years old you said, but yet I’ve been dreaming about you since I was a child myself, before even your parents knew of each other. I knew your face the day my son was born, the moment I held him in my arms, 5 years before you were put on this earth yourself.” 

“Does your son have red hair…” Elle whispered, clearly shaken.

“Not in this lifetime,” Ute told her, reaching a hand out she gently cupped Elle’s face, “But he did, once. He told me about Aiden and Simrin, do you remember them?” 

“Aiden…” She said the name softly, mulled it over gently, there was a familiarity about it that tugged at her memory. “Aiden the ferocious,” She whispered, stunned as the name came to her lips unbidden. 

“He was called that once, he has been called many names,” Ute told her gently. “Does the name Rex mean anything to you?” A sharp pang hit her in the chest, yes she felt some recognition but it was barely there, like a dream she couldn’t remember now that she was awake. 

“You were always sensitive, you could see things, ken things that others could no’. Is it still like that this lifetime?” Ute asked her. Elle couldn’t take her eyes off Ute, her ice blue eyes looked so familiar, but for some reason she kept seeing them as molten gold. 

“Yes,” both Elle and Ute replied in unison. 

“You dream of him,” Ute said with soft satisfaction, “That will please him. He has waited for you for so very long.”

“He has waited?” Elle asked, confused. “How...does he...dream about me? Does he...did he...is he like you? Sensitive?”

“No he isn’t like me, he isn’t clairvoyant. He doesn’t need to be.” Ute told her, a soft sad smile crossing her elegant face, “My son, he...he remembers you. He remembers every lifetime you’ve had together, he chose to never forget. And he has been waiting for you this lifetime, since the day you were born.”

****

Elle looked up at the stars as her three new companions talked amongst themselves in what she suspected was dutch. She had the beginnings of a headache, and she felt so much more confused now then she had even immediately after her attack. After the disastrous meeting at the coffee shop had erupted to screams and tumbled explanations, they had all been thrown out of the shop and threatened with the police for ‘being a bunch of drunken assholes!’. She supposed it would have been poetic in a way to be arrested with her would-be kidnappers for making a scene while they explained why they had intended to kidnap her. A sort of Government sanctioned stockholm syndrome moment. In the end they had left quietly and wandered down to a park not far from her place, now she was sitting on the jungle gym above them as they discussed what to do. 

Elle didn’t want to believe them, but...she really couldn’t shake the feeling that they were not insane. That they did really know her, that she was a part of their family. The thought gave her pang of sadness, Elle had always felt like an outsider looking in, like something was missing. She had a hard time connecting with her own family, feeling like she wasn’t really a part of it. Her brothers got along well with each other, and saw each other often. But not Elle, she was rarely invited to their get-togethers, was often forgotten entirely in celebrations or in times of need. She was the consummate black sheep, and she had never really understood why. Now these strangers were offering her an explanation of sorts. As Ute had detailed to her only a few minutes before;

“We often choose to be born again and again to the same people, our children becoming our grandparents, our siblings, our aunts and uncles, or even our parents, over and over again. It forms very deep soul touching connections, but for some reason Elle, you chose to come to a family you have never known before.” Ute told her. “Did you grow up lonely? Feeling...like something was missing?” Ute had asked her kindly, a look of keen interest in her eyes. “It hurt us not knowing if you were loved, if you were cherished as you should have been.”

“I was loved.” Elle had told her, never had she doubted her family’s love for her, but...she couldn’t say they had necessarily cherished her, or even really liked her for who she was. “You keep saying ‘chose’, as in, I had a choice in my birth?”

“Oh my dear, yes, of course, we all have a choice. In the between place, after death and before birth. We all see our lives, all of the things we have done and learned, and we decide our newest incarnation. We decide who we are born to, who we will be, what kind of life we will live, what lessons we will learn, when we will die. And then we get on with it”  Ute had told her, as if it were the most obvious simple thing in the world. 

“What is the point of it all? If I’m just going to live and die again and again...what is the meaning of it all?” Elle had asked dumbfounded, her mind completely and utterly blown by the thought.

“The point? To go on to whatever comes after, to learn as much as we can here in our lifetimes, and then to move on.” Ute had said, as if she hadn’t just explained to her the meaning of life. And if Elle believed her, then, she had to reconcile the fact that she had chosen her life. Chosen to live across the world from her supposed soulmate. If she believed in the idea, Elle wasn’t sure what she believed anymore. 

“Why would I choose this?” She had asked finally, truly confused. A deep sadness had passed over Ute’s face, before she schooled it.

“I don’t know, truly we never really know why we or anyone else makes the decisions we make before we are born, save that there must have been some lesson you wanted to learn.” She told her, “Maybe you wanted to see if you could find each other this lifetime, despite all the odds? I honestly can’t say.” 

“You said your son remembers, so doesn’t he remember the ‘before’ place? Doesn’t he know why he might have made the decision to be born so far from me?” She’d asked, not sure if she wanted the answer. Maybe he didn’t really want to find her.

“Nobody ever remembers the ‘before’ place, not even him. Even he doesn’t know what decisions he made for this lifetime or why. But we both suspect he knew he would need us. Besides, he always chooses to be born to one of his soul cluster.” Ute had said. 

“Soul cluster?” Elle had asked, there was something beautiful about the word that made her want to smile.

“There are...many theories about our existence. The one that resonates the most with me, and my children is this. The Universe was once singular, made up of many parts but still one. And then it was...seperated, billowing out across eons and untold space. The parts were and are sentient, and because we were once near each other, we once touched, we once shared our existence. We are each a part of each other, and long to be together again, long to be connected as we once were. The theory is that those pieces, the parts are our souls.  And the grouping, the way we were assembled before the separation, those souls nearest us, those are our soul clusters. And the soul closest to us, the part that was once indistinguishable from our souls at the very beginning, that soul belongs to our soulmate.” Ute had told her serenely. “So you see, we are his soul cluster, and you are his soulmate.” 

“I can’t be his soulmate, he doesn’t even know me.” Elle had said dismissively. She hadn’t voiced it then, but she had always thought herself vaguely unloveable. Certainly no one had ever really wanted her, not enough to be serious about her. And now she was being faced with the idea that there was some mysterious man sitting in the Netherlands who had been destined for her. She found the idea laughable. Judging by Max and his mother’s appearance, Milo would likely be a tall, handsome, dream hunk, somehow Elle sincerely doubted he would have spent his life waiting for a short, awkward pixie cut mess like her. The man came from the land of Barbie supermodels! Elle couldn’t dream of competing with that, she may have considered herself pretty at best, but Elle had never thought her best feature was her looks. She had often said that she had had to develop a wicked personality primarily because the universe had seen fit to give her a face that was doomed to have ‘character’. 

She had been so very curious about Milo, wanting to ask numerous and detailed questions about him. But she had held her tongue, she refused to allow herself to buy into the idea of a soulmate, much less that she was currently with his family.  If she allowed herself to go down that rabbit hole...Lord and what if they were truly all insane and this Milo wasn’t. What if he didn’t believe any of this and she would just look like the town idiot for encouraging his deranged family? She didn’t even want to know what he looked like, god help her she didn’t want to put a face to the idea that she had ached for for her whole life. Of course she wanted a soulmate! To believe that she profoundly belonged, that she was meant to be with someone so deeply, that the very universe had conspired to make it happen. But she wasn’t so naive as to think that was what was before her. Easier to think that they were a bunch of sweet but crazy people who she was deeply convinced now did not want to hurt her, but were mildly addled. 

“Are you guys done discussing whatever it is you're discussing?” Elle asked finally, she was getting cold, and it was well past 1 in the morning, this day just had to end. She needed to sleep, and forget all of this nonsense. That’s enough time in fantasy little Elle, time to go back to the real world, she told herself firmly. “I have work in the morning, and I really need to be getting back to my apartment now, you guys can stay here talking if you want, don’t let me stop your...chatterings.” 

“You can’t go back to work!” Max said startled, “And you definitely can’t go back to your flat, not alone anyways.” 

“Whelp, big guy, I definitely don’t have enough space in Chateau Elle for the three of you, what with the maid being out, haven’t had time to air out all the rooms you see.” She had said dismissively. “I’m feeling like my maybe-husband wouldn’t be down with you sharing a bed with me, soo….” She offered with a smirk. 

“Milo would skin me with his bare hands if I left you on your own to fend for yourself after Hadeon has already made an attempt on you.” Max told her, “You are my responsibility to protect, and I won’t be leaving you until we can get you to him.” He told her firmly.

“Look, I’m not some sort of prize for you to toss at your brother’s feet, you aren’t taking me anywhere. If he is so keen on me, he can come to me. You all know where I live and work, bring ole Milo the ever remembering to me,” Elle retorted with a heavy sigh, she was not in the mood to be treated like some helpless damsel in distress. 

“Are you actually soft in the head?” Max hissed at her, “You do realize that we aren’t the only ones who know where you work? And it wouldn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out where you live! Hadeon, won’t stop coming for you, especially not now that you have met us. He will actually, and I can’t stress this enough, rape the hell out of you, and throw your battered body at my brother’s actual feet, just for the pleasure of causing you both immeasurable pain.” The color left Elle’s face at his words. But she refused to budge.

“I’ll call the police naturally, and I’ll make sure to take a different route home, I could even stay with a friend. I won’t work nights, he won’t catch me unawares again.” She said firmly.

“Oh yeah, I’m sure a man who was once a general of the Roman army, with memories of that time potentially, would be completely foiled by your plans of having an extended sleepover!” Max retorted sarcastically. “Elle, you are in danger, you have to take my word for it, he will absolutely never stop while there is a chance he could get to you before you are with Milo.” 

“So what are you proposing exactly? That I quit my job that I am fantastic at and have worked very hard for, give up the apartment I’ve lived in for 4 years, hop on a plane with you and head to the fucking Netherlands to be with your brother, whom I have never met, except for some deluded group hallucination the three of you have about us having lived hundreds of lifetimes together in the past?! Is that the plan, stockholm?!” She roared back at him, enraged.

“Stockholm? I’m fucking Dutch!” He informed her,

“Stockholm, as in ‘Stockholm syndrome’ asshat!” She threw back at him, “No one ever fucking gets me, I’m hilarious!” 

“And just oozing with modesty I see,” Max muttered under his breath, “Listen you daft woman, I would think giving up a job and an apartment would be worth not suffering the fate Hadeon has in store for you!” Max replied finally.

“Supposedly has in store for me, I’m just supposed to blindly believe the three of you, for all I know you actually have escaped a mental hospital together.” She retorted, she had jumped down from the jungle gym and was now two inch away from the much bigger man, yelling at his chest, seeing as how he was over a foot taller than her.

“What exactly did you think he had in store for you when he had you pressed against that wall? A light tickle fight? You blasted me less than an hour ago for trivializing what he did to you, and now you are over here, with your head firmly up your ass, ignoring the obvious.” He yelled back at her.

“If anyone has their head up their ass it’s you, you gigantic asshat! Your ass is literally a hat on your pompous, insufferable engorged head!” She shrieked at him. She could have sworn she heard Maeve stifle a laugh at that. 

“Woman, I will throw you over my shoulder and into a burlap sack!” He roared back at her, completely enraged.

“You try it and I swear I will bite you anywhere I can reach you!” She retorted, not in the least intimidated by him. As if completely incensed by her he began railing at her in Dutch, she may not have understood the words but the tone was very clear. “Yeah same to you, you douchebag!”

“Alright this is getting us absolutely nowhere,” Ute interrupted, whamping her son on the shoulder, “Milo would not be happy to hear you calling her a moron with a cat head.” She told him soothingly, “You are ever clever with a turn of nasty phrase though, my ears are still burning, I’m embarrassed as your mother to hear such words come out of your handsome face.”  

“She called me a douchebag, and an asshat!” He railed, “I hardly heard a peep out of you there, and this one,” He turned and pointed at his wife accusatively, who was still struggling to keep a straight face, “was giggling, like an actual minkukel!” He hissed at her. That killed her laughter, a gleam flashed in her eyes, and if Elle were a betting woman she would have guessed that Maeve was about to make Max eat his words, literally. 

“Enough I said!” Ute said firmly, standing herself between Max and his clearly enraged wife, “You two can take this up with each other later, and you two,” She said pointing at Max and then at Elle, “Are both equally ridiculous!” She held her hands up firmly as all three began to speak over each other, She slapped her hands together loudly, startlingly. “That is enough! We don’t have time for these arguments! Elle, Max is right, you can’t go back to your apartment or to your job, but that doesn’t mean we are asking you to  leave it behind either. We have to get you to safety, I know you realize the police can’t help you, you don’t even know who he is. And we don’t know what his name is in this lifetime. Surely you have vacation time?”

“I am NOT going to the Netherlands!” Elle retorted between clenched teeth.

“No not to the Netherlands,” Ute agreed, “There is a place here, about an hour away from the city in the mountains. My son has a cabin he keeps, no one knows about it. We can stay there, and send for Milo.” The older woman told her soothingly. 

“Milo has a cabin?” Max asked genuinely surprised. “Since when does he visit Canada?” 

“Since I had a vision of her living by the mountains,” Ute told him, “about 5 years ago, he bought it.”

“Why does no one tell me anything?” Max asked, annoyed.

“You have a tendency to run yer big fat gob, my love.” Maeve replied, her accent a bit thick on the words, she had clearly not forgotten their promised argument. 

“You had a vision about me? 5 years ago?” Elle whispered shocked, ignoring their banter.

“I’ve had visions about you since you were a child,” Ute told her softly.

“You always told us you couldn’t see Milo’s soulmate,” Max replied surprised. 

“It wasn’t time for them to meet, it would have been too much temptation for Milo if he knew what he was looking for,” Ute told her son.

“Oh boy is he going to be disappointed when he gets a load of this,” Elle muttered under her breath.

“Disappointed? Ha, he’ll go to his knees and thank the universe for giving him such a beautiful and feisty mate.” Ute informed her. 

“Fiesty is one way of putting it, significant pain in the ass is another.” Max added, a slight smirk tweaking his face. “He deserves you, you will ruffle so many of his pristine feathers.” 

“I...We are not talking about this, I don’t want to talk about this,” Elle said loudly, brushing aside their comments, if she thought about it she would go mad. “I haven’t even agreed to come with you, I’m not convinced there is any need…”

“Take a few weeks off, surely you’ve earned a vacation after this nightmare night alone.” Ute interrupted. “I’m certain Hadeon wants to prevent you coming to Milo unharmed, once you’ve at least met him, he will realize he has lost, again and leave you be.” Ute said easily, too easily. Elle suspected she might not be telling her the whole truth. But it did sort of wash, he had said he wanted to get to her before Milo. Maybe it could be that simple, she could go meet him, and that would be enough to make Hadeon leave her alone. Who was to say? Revenge for lifetimes past, were not exactly her forte.

“Alright, say I agree to this, say I come with you to  this mountainous cabin,” Elle began cautiously, “What assurances do I have that you won’t keep me there against my will?”

“Well there is the small fact that we haven’t kidnapped you yet,” Max offered, “Burlap sack threat notwithstanding, we have no reason to keep you against your will.”

“Just the whole, ‘you're my brother’s soulmate’ thing, eh?” She replied slyly.

“He won’t want you against your will, if you meet him and you're not...interested in him, he won't stop you from leaving.” Ute assured her. “Of my sons, Milo is the most…”

“Perfect, golden, gift from heaven.” Max finished for her, sarcastically.

“I was going to say gentle.” Ute said dryly.

“Oh yes, so gentle, like a little lamb. He hugged me into that concussion and a dislocated shoulder.” Max muttered sarcastically.

“You stole all of his pants, and refused to give them back! You tried to make him go to school in his underwear!” Ute yelled at him. “You absolutely deserved the trashing you got, and you know it.” 

“I was hoping you had forgotten about that,” Max murmured shamefaced. 

“My memory is long,” Ute told him serenely.

“Speaking of long memories,” Elle interrupted, telling herself she wasn’t charmed over the anecdote they had accidentally shared.  “Does he...um...actually think he remembers multiple lifetimes with...me?”

“He does,” All three of them replied instantly. 

“As in, he has literally been waiting for me his whole life?” She asked slowly, a chill running down her spine.

“He has,”  In unison again. Lord in heaven the surety in their voices was unnerving. 

“No pressure or anything,” She mumbled under her breath. 

“Don’t think too much about that,” Max said soothingly, “there’s no need to feel pressured, it’s not as if you remember him, so you won’t know if you're a let down, so,” At his words, both his wife and mother smacked his shoulders, “What! What did I say?!” He demanded, stamping his foot in frustration.

“Do no’ get too ahead of yourself Elle, we’ll get you to safety first, and then we contact him. Be at least a week or so ‘afore he can get here, he’s always on  business trips. You’ll have time to uh, get used to the idea.” Maeve offered kindly. “Meanwhile, free trip to a cabin in the mountains, no’ such a bad deal.” 

“Not such a bad deal…” Elle mumbled back, not entirely convinced.

****

It had taken what had seemed hours, but eventually Elle had convinced them that she had to return to her apartment to at least get her things. The four of them had walked back in blessed silence as she contemplated what they had offered her. She still wasn’t certain this was the best plan, but she had come to the conclusion that she either went to the cabin with them or else they would move into her small apartment with her. In the end she had agreed to go with them under the condition she could drive her own car out there, so she wouldn’t be stranded at their mercy, and if she could get her things. Max had argued that they could simply buy her new things, which she had vehemently argued against. She wasn’t going to go to meet Milo already indebted to him for her very clothes on her back, no thank you. She had asked if she could tell her friends where she was going, and they had argued that unless she was willing to also tell them that she was in danger, it would be too easy for them to accidentally sell her out. Elle was convinced that if she said anything to David, his first reaction would be to call the police. Which she supposed should be her first reaction as well. Perhaps she too was deranged.

“I still don’t understand why we are taking this risk,” Max said, not for the first time since the decision had been made. “Milo would be thrilled to buy you a whole new wardrobe, and anything your little heart desires.” 

“I am not showing up to your brother with my dick in my hand, expecting a handout!” She hissed back at him.

“I would hope you wouldn’t be showing up with a dick in general,” Max retorted back. “It's hardly a handout, I don’t think it's a great idea for us to be back here. We aren’t exactly inconspicuous.”

“Oh two ridiculously tall dutch people, and a scot who looks like a painting aren’t conspicuous?! Who knew!” Elle said sarcastically.

“I could still throw a burlap sack over you, and take you to this mysterious cabin you know.” Max grumbled. 

“Crouch down lower, Quasimodo, Dutch hunchbacks are ever the rage.” Elle told him sweetly. He glared at her darkly, but she could see a hint of a smile tugging at his lips.

“The sister I wanted my whole life,” He said pointedly, “This is my punishment for asking.”

“You have two sisters,” Maeve reminded him.

“Sweet, lovely things they are, nothing like this she-demoness.” He agreed.

“Are we talking about the same two sisters who covered your face with sparkles and didn’t mention it to you as you went about your day?” Ute asked him, “Wasn't it Nadia that cut holes in all your socks because you scared off her boyfriend?”

“Fair certain it was Naomi who used your college essays as confetti for her class project.” Maeve added. “And both of them told me that you were verra, verra  gay.” 

“Surrounded by She-demonesses, then!” Max replied irately. 

“Just how many of you are there?” Elle asked before she could stop herself.

“Just the one,” Max retorted with a smile, “I am an original!” To which both Ute and Maeve burst out laughing. Max sniffed indignantly. “There are 6 of us, 4 boys, and 2 girls.”

“And you're the oldest?” She asked. 

“No, I am the middleborn.” He sighed loudly. 

“Oh very hard done by is he.” Ute agreed, “least favored of my sons, I took to beating him as a child for sport. Made him walk to school barefoot, down the mountainside. Sometimes for fun I would let his brothers and sisters take turns slapping him.” Ute said sarcastically.

“You joke, but we both know St. Milo-the-perfect is your favorite.” He said in a teasing tone sticking his tongue out like a small child.

“Of course he is, that's why I made you lay on the floor before him like a foot rest, and carry him on your back to school down the mountainside, barefoot.” She agreed sweetly.

“You better never need a kidney, mother dearest.” Max told her equally sweetly.

“As you so kindly reminded me, I have 5 other much more favored children just teeming with organs to give me in your stead, middleborn.” She smiled at him, clearly not meaning a word of it. It was very obvious to Elle that mother and son had a very strong relationship.

“And 3 daughter-in-laws,” Maeve added with a grin. “Fair, certain that Fiore is a universal donor.”

“See all the organs I could ever want!” Ute retorted with a massive smirk.

“Stop!” Max called suddenly, putting his arm out to stop Elle from rushing into her building. She had been walking absently enjoying their banter, it seemed she had been going by rote. “Let me go in first, just in case. You three wait here.” Elle wanted to argue the point but upon seeing his expression, she thought better of it. He wasn’t wrong to be cautious after all.  “What no arguments?” He asked her with an arch smirk. 

“Who me? I’m the very definition of docile compliance.” She replied back with a nonchalance she didn’t feel. The truth be told she was frightened. He looked her in the eyes for a second, his smirk wavering.

“Listen, all joking aside, I won’t let anything happen to you Elle. You may not believe what we’ve told you tonight, but I do. As far as I’m concerned, you're my sister, my family, and I would die for my family. If you trust nothing else, trust that.” He said with such sincerity, it made her choke up a little. No one had ever claimed her like that, no one had ever willingly put themselves in harm's way for her before. She nodded slowly at him, with a weak smile. He bent down and mildly ruffled her messy hair. “Don’t get all soft on me now, She-demoness, I like your piss and vinegar, weepy definitely doesn’t suit.” With that he walked away toward the building.

Elle waited beside Maeve and Ute, quietly, all the humor gone from her. She too now was wondering if she had made a bad decision in her stubbornness to get her things. What if he had found her and was waiting in her apartment, what if he hurt Max. It made her stomach clench, she looked over at Maeve and felt slightly sick. What would she say to Maeve if something happened to Max because of her foolishness? A chill ran over her as she realized that she was starting to view them as more than strangers, that she was starting to care about them. Before she could explore that thought further, Ute’s phone rang, she answered it quickly and replied  tersely in dutch. She looked starkly at Elle, alarm evident on every part of her face. She hung up and looked at them both, Elle felt as if she were about to explode from nerves. 

“Elle, your apartment has been... searched. Hadeon has found you it seems.” Ute whispered harshly. The ground seemed to fall out from under Elle, as panic rose in her brain. She really was in danger.

****

Elle felt chilled in a way that had nothing to do with the weather. She had gone up to her apartment with Maeve and Ute, and seen the wreckage that had been left behind. He had haphazardly thrown her things onto the floor, ripping drawers and shelves down around her once tidy apartment. Her journal was gone, a fact that ached her in a way she couldn’t even begin to cope with. She felt so violated, her things had all been touched and moved, treated like trash, and now her innermost thoughts were taken from her. She felt so many conflicting emotions, it was overwhelming. She felt rage so deep it made her seeth, fear, violation, panic, heartbreak, it was all too much. Everything she owned was damaged or discarded on the floor. She had worked so hard for everything in her little apartment, saved and scrimped to be able to afford her furniture, her books, her art supplies, and it was all on the floor thrown away as if it were nothing. She choked back a sob as she surveyed the mess. Her only solace in the fact that she’d seen Felix outside her apartment when they had first come in. He was safe, even if everything else was gone. 

She felt strong arms around her shoulders, and looked up to find Maeve holding her gently. 

“I am so verra sorry lass,” The older woman said softly, remorse and empathy in every word. “We should have come back sooner.”

“He...he’s destroyed everything I have.” Elle whispered, grief stricken, “He even tore up my paintings, why would he do that?”

“He is of a mind to hurt you,” Maeve said softly, “I ken its small conciliation, but at least he did no’ get his hands on you, you are safe and everything here can be replaced I promise you.”

“He ripped my grad dress,” Elle whispered, seeing the tattered remains strewn around her living room. “I had been saving that for my future daughter,” She had kept the dress stored away safely in a satin front box, hunks of it were also all over the room. She felt sick. “He took my journal,” 

“I ken love, I ken, I am verra sorry.” Maeve said holding her tighter, “But we have to go, we need to get whatever you can salvage and we need to go. I am so verra, verra sorry, but we do no’ have time now.” 

“My paints, my markers, my ink...he smashed all my art supplies,” Elle said, still in shock. She blankly stared at her apartment, staring at her most private space, completely violated. Max crouched in front of her, placing both his big hands on her face, he gently moved her until she was looking into his ice-blue eyes, so much like his mothers. 

“Zusje, I know this is hard, I know you are hurting, but we have to go.” He told her very gently, making her meet his eyes. “I promise you, I will replace everything you’ve lost that is replaceable, and I will make him suffer for all the things that aren’t. But right now, I need you to focus and get anything that is salvageable, and we have to leave. Please, liefje.” looking into his eyes, she slowly nodded. “There you are, come on, let’s go get your things.” He pulled back slightly and held out his hand, she took it in her trembling one, and let him lead her into her bedroom.  Maeve followed behind them, quietly, her own face stricken. 

Elle felt as if her knees would give out once she saw her room again. She knew what to expect and had even braced herself, but it was still like a physical hit to her gut to see it.  He had torn her room apart,he had literally shredded her bedsheets with what looked like his bare hands. He had thrown her dresser into the wall, torn her hand painted mirror onto the floor. Her side table was smashed, her journal and laptop were gone. A loss she felt like a wound, she had saved for months to be able to afford the fancy computer. Her heart hurt, she felt so raw. The journal was the worst of it, it was utterly irreplaceable and deeply intimate. It was so painful she couldn’t even begin thinking about it. She closed her eyes for a second to ground herself, she felt Max squeeze her hand firmly, reassuringly. 

“Okay, it’s just stuff, it’s just stuff.” She whispered to herself, “Don’t think about it, don’t think about it,” She muttered, almost a chant to push herself forward. 

“Brave girl, I’m right here with you.” Max told her soothingly, “Let's get you some clothes.” She nodded her head, and walked toward her closet, she was shocked to see it was intact. She let Max’s hand go and stepped into her closet, grabbing a duffle bag from the floor, she began to pile her clothes into it. Once she had filled it with what she would need, she walked back toward her destroyed dresser, swallowing, she reached toward it to push it back, she couldn’t move the thing. It was solid Oak, and he had tossed it like an empty sack across the room. He was so strong, she felt like a fool for thinking she could protect herself. If he got his hands on her...Jesus could rip her to pieces. She tugged uselessly at the dresser, her hands shaking, Max caught her hands in his, stopping her.

“You're going to hurt yourself,” He whispered gently, “let me.” He moved her slightly behind him, and grasped the dresser with both hands, he pulled it upright and back, as if it weighed nothing. Elle felt a little better at the display, at least she wasn’t defenseless anymore. 

“Thank you,” She said softly, she moved around him and to the front of the dresser. Her breath caught, and she thought she was going to be sick, she lurched back and leaned against the wall for support. 

“What? What’s the matter?” Max asked, concern and alarm in his voice, he moved toward her, Elle looked up at him, horror struck, her expression stopping him in his tracks, her hands shaking pointing toward the damaged dresser. 

“M...my underwear drawer, its...its gone.” She whispered, horrified and disgusted. 

****

Elle slept fitfully in the backseat of Max’s rented SUV. She had finally passed out from sheer exhaustion. They had packed up what was salvageable from her apartment which wasn’t much. Her clothes, some toiletries, a few of her art supplies, and thankfully she had found two of her art books that he hadn’t destroyed. She had those tucked against her chest, holding them like a security blanket.  She still had tears pooled at the corner of her eyes and tracks down her cheeks. But she had been determined not to cry too much over her destroyed apartment, and for that alone Max admired the hell out of her.

She was so very tiny, curled up under his jacket and with Maeve’s sweater under her head against the window. Her sad face was enough to break his heart. Poor little fierce Elle, he could tell she had worked very hard for everything in her tiny apartment, and she had not haphazardly picked her possessions, everything in there had meaning to her. He had utterly wrecked her most precious space, and left barely anything intact for her. And as if that weren’t bad enough, he had taken her journal, and her underwear! The indignity of that monster touching her intimates, was enough to drive Max wild with rage. He didn’t know how he was going to tell Milo this,or how his brother was going to react to what had been done to his little mate. 

He glanced over at Maeve sitting beside him, and as always it made his heart pound. He would never stop being thrilled at the sight of his wife. He reached out and took her hand in his, giving it a gentle squeeze. She looked up at him and smiled radiantly, making his heart skip a beat, he tugged her hand to his lips and kissed her wrist lightly.

“I love you, Maeve.” He told her. She reached across and kissed his cheek delicately. He shivered at her soft touch. 

“Mo chridhe, I love you more than all the words ever wrote. If I could I would be telling you in the 7 languages I ken, repeatedly and embarrassingly, so that each of your brathair would ken, I love you best, and more than any of their wifes.” She told him sincerely, her voice deep with the love she held for him. He smiled warmly, contentedly. 

“With my whole soul, and all of my existence, Ik hou van jou.” He said back to her tenderly. They sat in companionable silence for a while, sharing the warmth and intensity of their affection for each other. “Lekker ding, what are we going to do for my brother and his mate?” He asked finally. 

“Donna fash, we are to protect her, Snoepje. Until he can come and woo her.” She told him simply, “She is so wee,” She said, looking back at their companion.

“But so fierce, and so brave! So many wrong things have been done to her in the last few hours, and yet she barely cried, and even then only when she thought we weren’t looking.” He replied back to his wife.

“He will spoil her rotten, he will make it up to her that she lost so many things, and whatever he does no’ do, we will.” Maeve assured him. “It will break his heart that he was no’ there to protect her.” 

“He will never forgive himself. But at least we were there for her, my zusje wasn’t alone. And that will bring him comfort.” Max said softly. “Maeve, if something like this ever happened to you...I don’t know what I would do. Milo is not going to take this well.” He told her warningly. 

“No he will no’. But he will be so pleased to have found her.” Maeve said, “Let’s no’ worry ourselves too much about this now. We keep her safe, and you and I will spoil her in his stead.”

“Tomorrow when she wakes, you take her into town and get her new underthings, and anything else her heart desires. Take the credit card.” He told her, a grin caught his lips, as he leaned toward her and whispered, “get yourself some silky red panties, for me.” 

“Oh,how verra spoiled you are.” She whispered back, running her tongue over her lips slowly, luxuriously, “I have a craving for my man, I am verra...needful.” She told him breathily. 

“Woman do you want me to put this car in the ditch?” He growled at her, “Control yourself, your man will take care of all your needs, once we are at this mysterious cabin of my brathair’s” He told her with a wicked grin that promised all manner of treats, she shivered with anticipation. 5 years they had been married, and in all the time their passion for each other had never ebbed. She still thought her husband was the most beautiful man she had ever seen, which was saying something considering she had met all 3 of his brothers. Ute and her husband had made incredibly gorgeous children. A thought occurred to her, and she looked at her husband with a startled look.

“Max, did you tell her what Milo...um...looked like?” She asked him carefully.

“No, she didn’t ask, and it didn’t seem that important...oh.” He said as the same thought occurred to him. “We totally neglected to mention…” Maeve looked at him, before she burst into laughter.

“And you told her you were an original.” She choked between peels of giggles.

“I am the original,” Max began annoyed, “He’s the copy!” 

****

They arrived in the early hours of the morning. Elle jerked awake immediately, she looked out the window but it was fogged from her breath. Pushing a hand through her hair, she sat up and stretched. 

“We there?” She mumbled, still exhausted.

“We are m’eudail, come, we’ll get a bed sorted for you and you can go back to sleep.” Maeve told her gently, opening the door for her. 

“What does that mean?” Elle asked her. Maeve smiled at her, pushing a lock of Elle’s messy hair off her face.

“M’eudail, means my darling. An endearment.” She replied, “Gaelic, I hope you do no’ mind. You make us all feel...protective toward you, lass.” 

“I don’t think anyone has ever felt protective over me, before.” Elle told her, “I’m kind of an asshole,” She told her with a grin that didn’t reach her eyes.

“Ah that may well be my favorite thing about you, m’eudail.” Maeve told her with a warm smile.

“Asshole’s not a word I would use to describe you zusje, pain in the ass, asshat, ass marauder, butt pirate...but definitely not an asshole.” Max piped in, from behind Maeve, holding her duffle bag. A smirk tweaked Elle’s lips at his comments, she scooted out of the car in front of them.

“What does that mean?” She asked him.

“Ass marauder? I’m not sure myself, Nadia is over-fond of that word, we will have to ask her.” He told her with a smile. “Or did you mean butt pirate? I do believe it’s some sort of ass obsessed sea thief.” He offered. 

“I think she meant zusje, but I think we have to get Ute to talk to Nadia about her verra dirty mouth.” Maeve said to him, “ Ass marauder, I donna ken where she comes up with these things.” 

“Runs in the blood, and you silly woman want to have babes with me.” He said to his wife, a deep smile crossing his handsome face. Maeve smiled back at him seductively, a deep lustful look passed between the two. Elle cleared her throat loudly, a blush crossing her face. How could two people exchange such a heated look with absolutely no embarrassment she wondered. Both fascinated and mildly horrified, Elle tried to divert them. 

“So...what does it mean?” Elle asked.

“It means, little sister.” Max told her, barely breaking eye contact with his wife. So much for diverting them, Elle thought. 

“Right, well, where is this cabin, or is the plan to sleep under the SUV...” Elle asked, looking around, her words died in her mouth as she caught sight of the massive structure behind her. Cabin her ass! This thing was no more a cabin then the SUV was a bike!

It was a giant wooden mansion, resplendent with a wide sweeping porch, elegant balconies, and an intricate antler like wooden sculpture in the center of the wide winding driveway. The whole masterpiece was framed by large and imposing evergreen trees, behind which the vast expanse of the mountain range loomed. So close she could practically touch it,  like something out of a painting, or the cover of some fancy million dollar homes Magazine. She felt like the earth tilted several feet as she stared at the ‘cabin’. She whirled on Max, her eyes wild.

“Exactly how rich are you people?!” She gasped, “This...this isn’t a cabin” She sputtered.

“Uh...we have money.” He said lamely.

“What does your brother do?” She asked carefully.

“He’s a lawyer…” Max replied.

“A lawyer...for whom satan?! This place looks like it's worth more than my actual life!” She raged. 

“For our family business.” Max hedged.

“Which is what?” She demanded, “Jesus, you aren’t drug dealers are you?”

“Uh...in a manner of speaking.” He offered, “We own the largest pharmaceutical company in the Netherlands...among other businesses.”

“What....” Elle stared at him dumbfounded. “You are millionaires, is that what you're trying to tell me?”

“Uh, look I realize I should have probably mentioned this before...but no not quite.” Max said slowly.

“Jesus, Mary and Joseph, just tell the lass.” Maeve said exasperated. “The family are billionaires, but Milo personally, he’s the wealthiest of the children. He was the corporate lawyer, but he’s currently the acting COO.”

“You brought me here to meet your billionaire, bachelor of a brother who is absolutely convinced I am his soulmate….” Elle replied, glaring at Max. “Well no fucking pressure then, eh? Here I am, a literally penniless bookstore manager...I can’t even with all three of you! I’m disappointed in your choice, and your choice is fucking me!!” She raged. “I’m practically a degenerate comparatively!” 

“Well the thing is, Milo doesn’t need to date a woman with money, he already has more than he knows what to do with...I am making this worse aren’t I?” Max replied uselessly.

“A little, yes!” Elle shrieked. “Fuck is he gorgeous too?! Just walking around with a body like yours and a face like an angel?!” 

“Hey! And what the hell is wrong with my face?” Max asked her indignantly.

“Nothing! It's beautiful, are you telling me your perfect brother looks like you?” She yelled at him.

“...a...bit” Max offered, slowly. She screamed in frustration.

“What parts? The fucking ice blue eyes that look like something out of my school girl fantasies?!” She yelled at him.

“We...we do have the same color eyes,” He offered. “I….he...he’s taller than me.” He said finally. Elle stared up at him, her jaw dropping.

“You have to be at least 6’5, are you telling me your brother is fucking taller than you?! You brought home a certifiable midget for your giant brother! I’m 5 feet, 3 fucking inches!!” She gasped, leaning back against the car.

“He’s barely taller than me, imperceivable one might say.” Max said quickly, “It will be fine, he likes petite women.” 

“He likes petite women?” She repeated slowly glaring at him, “Max what does your brother look like? The truth please.” She asked, enunciating every word slowly.

“Basically exactly like him, but much more intensely handsome I’ve been told.” A deep voice that sounded almost the same as Max, yet more resonant and sensuous, said from up the driveway.  All the air left Elle’s lungs as she slowly followed the sound of the sexiest voice she had ever heard. Her jaw literally dropped, if Elle hadn’t been leaning against the car she might well have collapsed. The man walking toward them, with the slightly arrogant, predatory gait was the single most perfect male she had ever seen in her life! They didn’t even make art this good, she raged. He was as tall as Max, broad shoulders, that dropped down a lean stomach and narrow hips.His perfect body was well framed by his tight shirt, and flimsy Pajama bottoms. He had blond hair that he kept short in a fashionable undercut that framed his masculine face. He did indeed have ice blue eyes the same shade as his brother, and full firm lips that made her think incredible sinful things. And then he smiled at her, and it was all Elle could do not to throw a rock at Max for putting her in this predicament. It took her a second to catch her breath, but when Milo had stopped beside his brother, she felt like someone had kicked her in the stomach, because…

“You’re fucking twins?!” She shrieked at Max!