Carmelo showed them down a long tan hallway off the common room they had just left.

“Your rooms are down this hallway. Pick whichever one you want,” Carmelo said. Everyone chose rooms for themselves, even little Edline, who was between her brothers. Isaias was the first on the right. Beside him was Marco, then Edline, then Stephan, and finally Zen. On the left were Marek, Val and Skin, Kiera, and Senka. Layna had her rooms in another part of the mansion and chose to stay there.

Zen looked at her room and smiled. It was a basic room with a plush bed in the center. Some drawers and a closet were in the back but what had her attention was the weapon’s hold that still held a few weapons. A whip and a pistol were situated on it and a pair of throwing knives. They had small spiders on them and homing beacons like the ones Layna had loaned her. Must be a matching motif here, the spiders.

She turned and pressed her hands to the duvet and sighed at how soft it was. Nothing was stopping her from lying down. As she was about to leap on the duvet, a knock from the interlocking doors to Stephan’s room sounded and she smiled, walking over and undoing the lock. Instantly she was swept up in a kiss. She sighed and let her mind wander. She closed her eyes and kissed back.

Stephan pulled back and grinned. “Do you like your room?” he asked, sitting down on the bed with her. She leaned into him and nodded. “Yeah, I was about to take a nap.”

Stephan chuckled and lay down pulling her down with him. “ Sleep then. We can explore the mansion a little later,” he muttered, kissing her head and closing his eyes.

“Stephan? What could I have done that would have scared my father so much he would want to wipe the world of me?”

Stephan opened an eye and yawned. “I’m not sure, but that’s no reason to want to erase your kid from existence. You got that Zen? It wasn’t your fault he tried to kill you. You were a child. Three years older than Edline is now and no one has the right to erase anyone else.”

“You said you killed a lot of people before.”

“And I had no right to. The things we do...the choices we make...they make us Zen.”

Zen looked into his eyes. “You chose to defend your sister above everything else. That was your choice, Stephan. You gave your innocence for another’s. That’s who you are! Someone who would sacrifice their life for another person’s well-being if you could. That is who I’m drawn to.”

He kissed her then and it was different from before. Where the others were a passionate melding of their lips, this felt deeper. A passionate melding of their souls. He was sharing all he was with her and she was doing the same. Completely open with one another, their tongues danced and he tumbled her under him tracing down her sides. She moaned and pressed herself closer to him wanting his heat. A knock on the door brought them back to reality and both drew back panting just gazing at the other.

“Zen I…” he said huffing out of breath.

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

“Zen can I come in?” called Rosalinda.

Stephan’s eyes widened and he made to get off the bed but Zen wrapped her arms around him. “You’re staying.

“But…”

“No buts. She has to get used to me having a boyfriend someday.”

“At least let me appear respectable to her and not be on top of you.”

She kissed him to shut him up. She drew back rubbing their noses. “Sit beside me alright?”

He nodded and sat up on the bed. It was obvious from his wrinkled clothes and the wrinkled bed what had been happening before but hopefully, her mother would think they had been napping which had been their real reason in the beginning.

Zen straightened her clothes and hair and opened the door once he had done the same.

“What is it, Mama?” she asked, yawning.

“I wanted to speak with you about something but I can tell you are busy. Remember no fiesta without the gorrito dear.”

Zen flushed.”Mama!”

Rosalinda chuckled. “You don’t think I was young once? I know you two weren’t being as innocent as you want me to think. Your brother is much worse. I caught him full monte with his partner a few minutes ago which is why I’m knocking.”

Zen snickered. “We haven’t gotten that far yet, Mama.”

“Still, I’ve learned the value of knocking at least where your brother is concerned.”

Zen laughed and stepped aside. “Do you want to meet him?”

“Can I?”

“Of course! Come in.”

Rosalinda entered the room and set her sights on the male in front of her. She walked over and inspected him from one side, then the other. Stephan held still, trailing her with his eyes.

“I must say Zen, you did very good for yourself. His eyes are beautiful!”

Zen sighed and chuckled. “Mama you’re going to make him accidentally die of a heart attack. Sit.”

Rosalinda stared at Stephan who looked at Zen helplessly. Zen laughed. “She won’t bite Stephan! You are a water elemental and have faced down armies. Are you really scared of my mother?”

Stephan took one look at Rosalinda’s stare and nodded.

Rosalinda laughed and outstretched her hand. “Smart boy this one. I’m Rosalinda Amargarita mother to two trouble-making twins.”

Stephan grinned and clasped her outstretched hand. “It’s nice to meet you Ms. Amargarita.”

“Treat my Zen like a queen or else.” She punctuated the or else by squeezing his hand.

He didn’t blink and nodded. “She is far more precious,” he said gazing at Zen for a minute before looking back at Rosalinda who smiled and pulled him into a hug.

“Welcome to the family.”

“Mama, you’re smothering him,” Zen said, pointing to a slightly breathless Stephan.

“Oh, I’m sorry! Well, I’m leaving so you can finish up what you were doing before.” she winked and got up leaving two blushing teens.

“Remember Zen no fiesta without el gorrito.”

“Mama!”

Zen sighed and closed her door. She sat beside Stephan who opened his arms. She leaned into them and they both fell back on the bed exhausted.

“You have a strange mother,” he muttered.

“Go to sleep,” she yawned.