Tarnished Embers: A Dark Stepbrother Fairytale Retelling (Dark Retellings)

The next couple of days are some of the longest of my life while we wait for the doctor to give me the okay to be discharged from hospital.

The guys take turns going back to the house to gather some personal things and have showers, but they all elect to stay with me overnight, and although I’m beyond grateful for their steady presence, I can’t help feeling the stickiness of guilt every time I look at the dark circles under their eyes.

They don’t see Odette at all when they return, it’s like she’s in hiding as she’s not at the hospital either, and I can’t help a slight chill spreading over my body as I wonder what she’s planning, because there is no doubt in my mind that she is planning something.

I contact my father’s old lawyer, John Fowcett, and he stops by the hospital with a criminal prosecution lawyer friend to listen to the guys’ stories about what she’s done. Although both their faces are deathly pale as Prince, Cas, Oct, and Kit recount their experiences, the two men listen to all of it with sympathy shining in their eyes, then afterwards run through all the charges that we could bring against Odette.

I wince when they mention controlling prostitution for gain, but that’s exactly what Odette did to the guys. She forced them into selling themselves for her own gain, living off immoral earnings. They even speak about trafficking, and the fact that the guys were so young counts as sexual exploitation of children, but as it was in America, Odette will have an international arrest warrant issued and be extradited back to the US.

We don’t tell them what happened to me as I’m not sure they’d condone our plan to deliver the four men to the Grim Reaper, so it’s best we leave them out of it.

There’s silence when they leave, and we all look around at each other with wide eyes.

“So, it’s really happening then?” Oct whispers, Prince shifting to take him into his arms and pulling him in for a hug.

“She won’t be able to control us anymore,” Prince says, and tears sting my eyes at the way Oct’s chest hitches and he buries his face into Prince’s chest.

I climb out of bed, making my way over to them and wrapping my arms around Oct from behind.

“She will never hurt you, any of you, again,” I assure them in a choked voice, the lump in my throat hard to swallow after everything that I heard. I knew the bare bones of their story, but hearing all the details, seeing all the transactions that took place at their expense has left my soul sore and my heart broken for them.

Strong arms surround me, the tart scent of crisp apples and sweet caramel engulfing me.

“Us, Cinders. She’ll never hurt any of us again. We’re free,” Cas urges, and Oct’s back heaves against my front as a deep sob tears from him. Burning tears track down my cheeks as Kit joins us and we all hold each other, Oct’s quiet sobs the only sound in the hushed silence.

I wake up lighter than I’ve felt for a long time, the knowledge that we are taking back control settling in my chest and easing the tightness that has been there ever since that terrible night.

“You ready to go home, Cinders?” Cas asks, his tone husky as he shuffles beside me. They’ve each taken turns to sleep in the bed next to me, and I’m beyond grateful because it’s the nights that are the worst, memories assaulting me in my dreams, turning them into the worst kind of nightmares.

I turn on my side, looking into his beautiful copper eyes. They shine brighter than they have in a long while, and I can’t help but reach my hand out, brushing aside the walnut-coloured hair that has fallen into one of them.

“Yes and no,” I confess in a whisper, not wanting to wake the others who are all sprawled in chairs around the room. “I’m not sure it’ll ever be home, not after…” I can’t finish the sentence, my mind refusing to go there, shying away from what happened. I know I’ll have to face it eventually, but I’m unsure whether I can right now, so I shove it down in the box that seems to be almost overflowing with all the things that I can’t face.

“It’s okay to not be okay, Ember,” he tells me gently, his hand coming up to cup my cheek. “And if you never want to go back there again, we will find somewhere else to stay. And it’ll only be for a little while until we’ve dealt with those assholes.”

My breath catches and my chest aches with how much I love him, love all of them. They accept me, warts and all, and they are always here for me no matter what. Before I can verbalise that, there’s a knock on the door.

My heart quickens, its beat becoming loud as whoever it is doesn’t wait and comes into the room.

“Miss Everly,” the female doctor, Doctor North, whispers, and I sit up. The guys mumble around me as they wake up, but all I can do is focus on the way her face is pinched into tight lines, her jaw clenched hard.Belongs © to NôvelDrama.Org.

“Y–yes?” I whisper, movement behind her catching my gaze. My scalp prickles as I spot two men behind her dressed in navy blue scrubs, and suddenly, it’s like I can’t take a full breath. Cas’s arm comes around me and pulls me close, but I can no longer feel the warmth that I know is there.

“These two gentlemen are here to take you to Serene Haven Mental Health Centre where you’ll complete your recovery and get the help that you need,” she tells me, and the guys curse around me, Cas’s arm tightening.

“B–but you said I could go home?” I ask softly, my breathing shallow as I try to make sense of what’s happening. She licks her lips, looking away for a moment before coming back to me, her face soft and her hands in her pockets as she shuffles on her feet.

“Things have changed, Ember. It was felt that you needed some extra help. Serene Health really is a lovely place, and their holistic approach is exactly what you need to help develop healthier coping skills—”

“Bullshit!” Prince roars, interrupting her and standing in front of the doctor, his body vibrating. “Ember needs us, not some fucking strange place away from everyone who loves her.”

“Mr Brown!” she exclaims in a gasp, her hand flying to her chest, and the men enter the room behind her, stepping up beside her as if they would restrain him. “This is the best course of treatment for Ember, and if you care about her—”

“She’s my very soul, you bitch!” he sneers, and I leap out of bed just as the men reach for him.

“Stop!” I cry out, rushing up to him and grabbing his arm. Locking eyes with Dr North, I give her a nod. My racing heart calms a little, the knowledge of what I have to do is so obvious now that I’ve thought of it. “Please, can I have a few minutes to say goodbye?”

Her face softens before she replies, “Of course.” Then she turns, quietly opening the door and ushering the two men out before closing it again.

“Sugar, I won’t let them fucking take you,” Prince hisses, his body thrumming with restrained violence while still looking at the door as if he will fight anyone who comes through it.

“Look at me, Prince,” I say softly, stepping in front of him and cupping his face in my palm. “Please.”

He tears his eyes away from the door, looking down at me, and the anger swirling in the emerald depths makes my breath catch.

“Maybe…” I swallow, taking an inhale and slowly blowing it out of my mouth. “Maybe this isn’t a bad thing.” He rears back and I grip his face tightly to keep him facing me. The others hover around us, but I don’t look away from Prince, holding his gaze even though I know my words hurt him. “I always run from things, Prince. M–my mother’s death, my father’s, a–and what happened that night.” I take another inhale, tears gathering in my eyes. “I’m so tired of running, Prince. So tired of feeling weak.”

“You’re not fucking weak,” he grits out, his fists clenching at his sides. It hurts that he doesn’t touch me, but I forge on, knowing that I need to say this. Need to admit to myself the hard truth that I’ve refused to acknowledge for far too long.

“I almost lost you all because that was the only path I could see, Prince. I tried to take my life because I couldn’t see another way,” I confess, my voice small and broken. “And I don’t want to believe that I’d do that again…but I can’t trust myself not to if things get too hard.” I look into his eyes, tears swimming in mine, and beg him to understand.

His nostrils flare with the deep breath he takes, his jaw clenching. “But you’ll be without us, alone, and I can’t protect you if you’re not with me.” His voice is thick, his gaze falling as his head drops forward.

“I need to learn to protect myself first, Prince,” I whisper, using my grip on his face to bring his eyes back to mine. “And it won’t be forever. Just a little while.”

“Fuck, Sugar,” he rasps, pulling me in close, engulfing me in his spiced rum scent and calming the nervous butterflies that are swarming in my stomach. “I’m a fucking selfish bastard. If you think this is the best thing for you, then that’s what will happen, but be prepared for a daily visit.”

“I wouldn’t want it any other way,” I tell him, squeezing him tightly, my heart beating a fast rhythm inside my chest. “I love you, Prince.”

“I love you so fucking much, Ember,” he murmurs back, leaning down and placing his lips on mine. His kiss is full of longing and it makes my heart ache, doubt creeping in that I can do this alone.

He pulls away, leaving a small peck on my lips before turning me in his arms, and then Cas is there, his copper eyes shining, his brows furrowed. “We’ll be here, waiting for you to return to us, Cinders,” he tells me, his voice deep and rasping.

“Oh, Cas,” I choke out, throwing myself in his warm embrace and breathing him in. “I’m scared.”

“Hey,” he breathes, his palm cradling my cheek and tilting it upwards until I’m once again staring into his beautiful eyes. “You are the bravest person I’ve ever met. You’ve got this, my love.”

Then he tips his head down, his lips pressing against mine in a softly sweet kiss that strips me raw. I cling to him, trying to take the strength his kiss and embrace is offering, hoping it’ll be enough for what is coming.

“I love you, Cas,” I murmur when we part, his thumb stroking the tears from my cheek.

“I love you too,” he replies, and then he’s stepping away, Oct replacing him at my front and Kit at my back until I’m between them both and wrapped up in their powerful arms.

“We’ll miss you, Little Sis,” Oct says gruffly, tears making his blue eyes sparkle like a tropical sea. “But I know that you’ll come back stronger, and then we can give them all hell.”

I chuckle, then pause as a thought occurs to me. “What will you guys do?”

“We’ll be fine, Pretty Thing,” Kit murmurs against my ear, and a small shiver cascades across my skin. “We’ll wait and plot for when you’re back with us. Then we’ll see. Just focus on getting well and coming back to us, love.”

“I will,” I say, my voice trembling as it comes closer to the time of letting them go and stepping out alone.

Oct leans down to kiss me, his tongue delving into my mouth and gently caressing mine with such tender affection that my knees almost give way. Then Kit is turning my face to the side and kissing me from behind, his lips gentle.

It’s the hardest thing in the world to part from them, to step out of their comforting embrace and turn to face the door.

“Come on, Sugar,” Prince encourages, taking my hand in his and opening the door. The doctor and the two guys from Serene Haven are waiting just outside, and Prince stiffens beside me as we exit the room.

“If anything happens to her,” he states in a low, dangerous voice, not finishing his sentence, but the threat is clear in it.

“She’ll be under the best care, Mr Brown,” Dr North assures him with a nod. “And you can visit her daily, just call ahead and they’ll tell you when visiting hours are.” She looks at me, sympathy shining in her eyes. “I don’t think you’ll be there long, Ember. Just enough to rest up and heal.” She indicates I take her arm, but Prince growls.

“We’ll walk her out,” he snarls, and Cas takes my other hand, Oct and Kit behind me, presenting a united front.

“Of course,” Dr North agrees, holding out her arm to show that we follow her direction towards the lifts.

Taking a deep inhale, trying to calm my racing heart, I follow, my guys surrounding me and lending me the strength that I need to face this without them.