"I what?" she demanded and yelped as Alaric grabbed her, brushing her hair out of the way and ripping the back of her vest open.
There was nothing but pale, smooth skin and he growled, gripping a fistful of her hair as she bent forward, her arms raised to hold the remaining fabric to her chest.
"Alaric I don't know what you're taking about," she pleaded, using one hand to hold her vest over her chest and the other to grip his hand, trying to tug his fingers free of her hair.
He saw something and grabbed her wrist with his free hand, forcefully pulling it out straight between them.
On her wrist there was a mark, almost like a tattoo in the shape of two arches with a single line running up between them, a single line crossing the three and then a small arch above the end of the middle line. A crescent moon crossed just under the top arch and she frowned, trying to understand it. It looked vaguely like a flying being, the top little arch being the head and the two wider arches being the wings. But she didn't know what the crescent moon was.
They all stared down at the mark and she jerked her arm free, lifting it closer to her face.
Switching arms against her chest, she checked her other arm as well, finding it clear along with both shoulders and what she could see of her back, stomach and sides.
"What is going on?" she demanded, finding that unless it was under her pants or hair, she had no more marks.
"Do it," Alaric said and Epharis stood slowly, looking tired as he set down Anduril.
Alaric moved behind her and grabbed her arms, shoving down hard and her back hit the floor.
She cried out, her wrists pinned to the carpet as Epharis swept across to her and grabbed her right calf.
She immediately kicked him in the side with her left, screaming when her wrists were gripped together and Alaric struck her across the face.
Ears ringing, she thrashed as Epharis turned his back to her and held her leg under his arm as something cold was placed around her ankle that jingled obnoxiously.
Planting her foot against his lower back, she tried to pry him off her and then she screamed again as the clasp connected and she suddenly felt trapped in herself, bound to her immortal body.
A hand clamped down on her mouth and Epharis turned back to her, his grip on her calves to keep her from kicking him again.
The door burst open and the two men froze, looking up at three very angry vampires who took in the scene and immediately jumped to the worst conclusion.
Epharis' hands immediately shot off her and he stepped back, making it very clear what it looked like was happening, wasn't happening.
Alaric however refused to let go of her, dragging her up off the ground and glaring at the trio.
She twisted her head and sank her teeth hard into his hand and he jerked, but not before she got a good taste of him and she shuddered at the deliciousness of his blood as he shoved her into the waiting arms of Versalis.
"Touch her again and I'll rip your head off," Versalis growled as he encased her in his coat.
Alaric said nothing, glaring back at the group before he nodded and she was allowed to leave.
Every other step jingled but they ignored it until they reached her room and immediately turned on her, looking down at the tiny little gold chain around her ankle that held a small gold ball shaped bell.
Not looking at the twins, she slipped free of Versalis and placed her foot up on the armrest of one of the chairs, trying to release the catch.
It wouldn't let go and she growled, tugging at it and still it refused to release her.
Versalis had followed her and he gently moved her hands away before he tried to release it, both thinking it might work like the normal gold chains. It didn't release and he was growing irritable when it refused to release.
Jaia was next to try and she stared at her foot, unable to look up and face his hatred.
His failure had Kai sweeping over, an elegance in his movements that she had never seen before and his delicate fingers pressed and pulled at the clasp, eventually tugging it in frustration.
The mood soured as her foot landed back on the floor and jingled mockingly.
"What now?" Versalis said as he moved to her side, taking her hand and leading her to sit down and that bell jingled, alerting them to every movement she made.
"We talk," Jaia said.
She flinched, knowing he was looking at her. Sliding her hands into Versalis', she studied her hands in his, jumping when a soft hand brushed her shoulder.
She looked up to see Kai looking down at her.
"Hey, don't do this to us, not when we need you," he pressed his warm palm against her cheek and brushed away a tear she hadn't notice falling.
He wrapped his arms tightly around her, holding her hard against him.
"I'm so sorry… I never meant for any of this to happen," she was crying softly into Kai's chest as he stoked her hair. "I don't remember what happened. Daemon was there and then you were dying, and I couldn't let you die, not there. I couldn't just leave you," she clung to him as he held her, his jaw pressed against her cheek.
"It's okay, I'm okay now,"
"Better than okay," Jaia sniffed, looking only a little jealous. "You make him into the perfect vampire and now I look like second rate trash. I used to be the pretty one."
Kai snorted, looking at his brother. "You were never the pretty one."
She shook her head, burying her face in his shoulder.
"Etani, I feel amazing," he whispered, and she finally looked up at him, tears streaking her face.
Jaia muttered something and they both looked at him while he pouted.
"Do you not remember what happened?" Versalis asked
"No, just that."
"Who is Daemon?" Kai asked and she told them what the demon had told her. Around halfway through, the three vampires had begun to exchange looks and when she finished, with pulling Kai to herself and then placing him in the host, she frowned at their looks.
"What?" she demanded.
"He was right. The reason everyone is so obsessed with you, it's because they can't help it. You are the most beautiful, enchanting, addictive creature to exist," Jaia said in a matter of fact tone.
Her cheeks burned and she glared at him.
"Don't make jokes," she scolded him.
"Etani…" Versalis was gentle as he spoke. "Think of every man who has ever come to be in your presence. How do they react to you?"
She looked to him and frowned, going through the list of men she knew and slowly her scowl faded to be replaced by horror.
Every single one of them had in some way become obsessed with her, barring one.
"Aelen isn't obsessed with me," she said triumphantly.
"Aelen is absolutely obsessed. He watches you every second he can. He just knows how to hide it, and can fight it. The rest of us can't. You are the sun for us, something so radiant and bright, but get close and you burn," Jaia said gently.
She looked between the three of them, not wanting to believe it but it was true.
"I'm not a weapon," she said and another look was exchanged. "Stop doing that!" she cried, standing and beginning to pace, the bell jingling gently and making her even angrier. "I'm not. I'm just Etani, just a Fae and everything else. I'm not a weapon."