It's unreal, the Sentinel's penthouse, was more like a hideaway for the three fae-lycan brothers. Through high ceilings, red dark brick walls and polished black wood floors, there was a dark maze like feel to the open space. Strange pillars were covered in growing green vines, with sparkling gold-ruby-red dust touching everything. Their demon scent was on everything. They had all kinds of weird intricate ancient artefacts hanging around as well, gold pendulums and dream catchers. In all the lanterns scattered about were pixies with long sharp teeth and curly ears, trapped inside and giving off magical light. It was similar to the red demon light, but more amber. It was the main light source inside beyond the moonlight.

The furnishing was modern and all the spaces were cleverly designed by an interior decorator. I don't know by whom. Overall it was a fancy warehouse conversion, on the outskirts of Dire Wolf City, overlooking the 'Cold' Creek.

I am looking out the industrial square windows, watching all the 3am morning fog breathing about. With a crack in the open window I can hear the stream of water far below.

Aside from the perfect ambience of their mortal hideaway, our demons are far from usual.

They are not Lycan inside here.

They are Fae, they walk around their penthouse, all human, proudly naked. No wings although their black curly hair is always perfectly shiny and metallic. Oni, Arma and Amon had picked up a recipe together. They have been in the kitchen the last hour cooking us food.

Juny has fallen asleep on a blood red love couch, snoozing naked under a blanket that Gerry just laid over her.

"Come get it..." Amon growls out to Gerry from the kitchen. She stands up and hurries over to the benchtop which has a steaming stew on fresh display. From here, it smells quite good.

She sits up on a stool while Amon feeds her romantically with a spoon. He looks her all over, adoringly.

Oni is next to move after waiting for me to also come get some stew, but I'm not really in the mood for food.

My thoughts are elsewhere.

I shake my head a bit and I face the foggy window again, staring out at the creek.

I hear the floor boards creek behind me slightly with Oni's stealth feet, as he approaches and slows before reaching me. He squats down to my level from behind and asks me casually, "What are you thinking about, Selene?"

"Mm, not really thinking, more just feeling deeply," I explain, while using my finger to draw meaningless shapes in the fogged up window, "That creek is beautiful and isolated. This place is isolated – on the outskirts of everything... are we really safe here?"

"Our home is littered with magic, but it's not ours, it's ether. We used it to charm and protect the entire space. No other demon knows we live here aside from our Father and Mother. We run a business here – as you can see from the workspace," his voice is low, soothing and calming. Like a damn lullaby. I could listen to Oni talk all day.

"Do you use this workspace for meditation or something?" I guess, still not turning to face him yet.

Oni helpfully explains, "We're spiritual counsellors to the dead, we inherited the ability to read aura from our fae blood – so we... help... those in limbo," Oni then asks me a question out of the blue, so quick and striking that I can't avoid nor prepare for it, "Do you distrust me, Selene?"

"Mmhm," I finally look away from the window into Oni's handsome upturned eyes, "That's right. I don't trust you. Although I do trust you to possess me. Other than that... I hardly know you, so I don't know your full intent with us witches being here under your guard. I can't know. How can I? You have no soul."

"You're not wrong. We are the only demons who have no soul, rather, we have Fates," Oni doesn't blink or look away, he holds my steady eye, while holding out a hand, "Come eat a little bit at least. You look like you haven't eaten in days."

I put my fingers over his palm, and he slides down his hand to wrap around my wrist, hauling me up to my feet as he stands, and walks me back to the food.

Amon is still feeding Gerry with the spoon.

Arma is pacing around Juny, not wanting to wake her up, but clearly entranced by her snoozing away.

They were all very there.

Right in our space.

I'm led to a stool and a bowl, and I sit and look at the primarily meat stew.

It smells like red wine. Before Oni can take the spoon I pick it up myself and quickly taste some while he stands behind me and waits for my verdict.

It tastes like a meat stew. Exactly what it is.

"Mm," I approve, thumbs up. I take a few more spoonfuls but I don't finish it. I put down the spoon, "I've had enough. I'll have more tomorrow."

"Do you want to look around some more, little witch?" Oni's voice lowers a few octaves, suspiciously, or sexy?

"...sure..." I agree, but why did Oni have to sound so damn sinister when he asked that? Am I overreacting to his pheromones? They were strong as heck. I didn't know if they were messing with my natural instincts toward danger or not. Still, logically speaking, I just couldn't help but feel apprehensive about being in their space, all alone, and no one knew we were here.

"Come with me then," Oni turns to walk off and I jump off my stool to follow him.

Oni takes me back behind a draping midnight curtain.

He walks forward into a perfectly circular room that looks like you could really have some fun orgies in here. It's like a stage – it's a little odd.

"Sad ghosts, we can summon them," Oni explains the set up, "We cheer them up."

"That's nice, how?" I reply sarcastically, after crossing my arms and stopping just before the centre of the room – where a whole damn throne is set up.

"So we fuck them and devour their souls," Oni doesn't laugh as he turns around to sit on the elaborate golden throne that really doesn't look like it belongs in this time, "We are completely empty," Oni smiles a little bit when we meets my annoyed gaze, " I am the Soulless one, Arma is the Abysmal, Amon the Void. We suck in the light of life, and it never gets back out again."

I gulp down my rising nervous saliva as I stand there now unclasping my arms but holding my left elbow with my right arm as Oni just reclines on the throne and looks around the dark room which channels 'sad ghosts'.

I look up at the ceiling, and cursed objects are hanging down, swaying like pendulums even though there is no force in the air to move them.

I turn and explore the room, walking carefully, "Why, exactly, were you all banned from being with mortals?" I may as well discuss this with him.

"A fresh soul presumably tastes better than a dead one," Oni explains, "And I have no human idea on how to withhold myself from that instinct to kill. My mother is fae, my father is an ancient shade of a Lycan, an enchanter. I am the product of two different forms of universal magic. I am demon and I am half ether. But I am nothing like a mortal. I should be worshipped the way Sardonix wishes to be worshipped by his mortal whores. I guess no longer, though, considering what you and your sisters did to their Lycan Temple..." even though it should be a warning, Oni doesn't sound in disfavour with me. Rather, he has respect for our combined power.

As I walk through the silks and pillows and black velvet furniture, I see a bed at the back covered in a film like spiderwebs. I doubt anyone slept on that bed, but it was beautiful in it's weird design.

By now I have paced around to the back of his throne, and I turn toward it, where he remains seated, and I can see the top of his black curling hair.

I approach Oni from that direction.

I have my hand reaching out, wondering if it is possible to scare him if I move quietly enough.

As I reach the golden back, my fingers pass through black hair, which quickly diminishes.

He's just a shadow, gone away. He's moved already.

I quickly look behind me, but Oni is not there either.

I look around the room but I see nothing.

While I am looking for Oni who is hiding from me in some dark crevice of this circular summoning room, I see the black curtain pulled aside, as Amon walks in with Geraldine.

Geraldine quickly moves toward me, looking a little more content, but still apprehensive.

However, as she tries to reach me, Juny walks through the midnight curtain too, Arma at her side, as she's rubbing her sleepy eyes.

Amon quickly moves forward and holds Gerry's shoulder, stopping her from getting close to me.

Arma takes Juny by the hand and takes her in the opposite direction again... so we are all separated.

"What, are you scared of us?" I ask the demons while holding the back of the throne, "Are you scared?" I have to pose the question twice to Amon and Arma, since Oni is nowhere to be seen.

In human form they are just as terrifying as Oni, triplets. Their only differences are minimal. Amon has longer nails, like claws on his fae form. Arma has sharper teeth, like he can't fully get rid of his Lycan fangs in fae form. Oni had the fae eyes.

Arma and Amon could be a bit more polite and answer me – but instead they disperse, and all move as one.

What's happening?

Gerry has awkwardly taken a seat on a love seat, where Oni now appears. He immediately runs his fingers around her throat, giving her a shock as she looks up to see it's him.

Gerry immediately grasps his fingers, trying to remove his hand. Instead he tightens his grip so she can't escape, not choking, just holding her in place, while slowly looking up at me.

Is he teasing me or something? Now I am just taking in his brothers' odd movements.

Amon is striding straight toward me, and then straight past me, silently moving back to where Juny was taken to the bed.

She is on her knees beside it, looking confused as Arma has left her wanting and confused – while Amon replaces him.

Arma is coming for me.

He moves the same as Oni, he comes up behind me. I move around the throne, away from him.

"What are you doing?" I ask them all, annoyed, "We're not toys you pass around and share," I say it with my sultry voice, now fucking annoyed by their audacity, "We're not your harem, Oni... Arma... Amon."

Instead of Arma chasing me down, he takes a seat on Oni's throne and reclines, just staring at me, his eyes softly closing.

"Suit yourself," Arma tells me quietly and contently for such a vicious beast.

When I look to Gerry for support, I can already see Oni and her are passionately making out – and not just kissing. He pushes her into the side of the love seat, leaping over and covering her body with his, trying to pin her there.

When I look back to Juny, she's clutching the lower bedpost, but staring wantonly up at Amon's huge cock after he dramatically shifted into Lycan form.

"Juny," I snap her name before she falls for it.

She looks up past him and his cock, down to me, "What do I do?" Juny asks me, "What's the harm in giving in though, Selene?"

"Everything is at stake, we don't share," I'm starting to sound like Geraldine, "If we act like slaves, that's what we become. We are Luna Witches. Remember? We are not whores for them to pass around–"

Juny holds my eye and nods. She stands up and moves past Amon's cock with a clenched fist and one hand pinching her nose, refusing to smell the toxic and pheromone infused air.

She gets past him and holds my gaze firmly, nodding and making good progress.

Geraldine – who I assume is a lost cause, isn't so lost.

When I look back to her, her nails are breaking into Oni's skin across his back, causing him to bleed, she bites his lip hard and manages to escape him as he leans up to let her go, while his mouth bleeds. Oni looked like he had been about to shift into Lycan form, but shifts back to unassuming handsome fae.

Geraldine crawls forward after slipping off the couch, but she quickly then jumps up and runs to my side, as Juny does.

Soon we are shoulder to shoulder, standing up to Arma on the throne, Oni bleeding on the couch and Amon's pissed off Lycan by the bed.

Our fingers intertwine.

I tell Juny and Geraldine through our connection privately, don't explain ourselves, lets retreat to the kitchen, this place is for ghosts and their demonic rituals of devouring souls. It's not for us. Walk backwards with me. One step at a time.

We say nothing and neither do our Lycans.

We walk backward, in perfect sync.

When we reach the curtain, Juny pushes it aside and we all get out of the room.

This feels so suss, Juny adds, I don't feel so good.

They've been acting weird since we entered their place, Gerry agrees, they've been too nice for demons to mean well.

We turn as one and quickly walk into the kitchen. Without a word we find some weapons. There were more than enough kitchen knives. We had to show strength. We stand with our chosen weapons on display.

Oni, Arma and Amon come out together, all three now in Lycan form.

They are extra gigantic in their mortal residence, simply formidable in the enclosed space. It made us feel more entrapped.

"Why the knives?" Oni bares his teeth, looking instantly furious that we're holding up blades of our own.

"We suspect foul play. Don't deny you want a taste," I speak for us all, "Our mortal souls."

Oni pauses, takes in my answer – and doesn't deny it. Neither do his brothers. All that Arma does is smile savagely with all his fangs, in delight.

"What do you think you can do?" Oni asks, smirking, "'Stab stab'? You can try, witch."

"We agreed," Amon snarls to his brothers and us.

Arma pulls out his claws, clicking them together, he paces over and easily blocks off our exit from the kitchen itself.

"Agreed to what?" Juny asks, turning to Arma with her weapon.

He won't answer.

"Agreed to what?" Geraldine asks Amon and Oni, "You were going to rip out my heart before on that couch. You sick fuck."

Fuck, my turn to piece this turn together, "Our Fate was to die by the demon army," I speak to my sisters with heavy undertones of some form of acceptance, but also morbid curiosity, "More precisely our Fate was to die. And now our Lycans, who are soulless voids, want to take advantage of this unique opportunity. They've already fucked us. They don't want to fuck anymore. They want to eat. Why else did they feed us first, Gerry? And before. They just swapped us around because they didn't want to kill the witch they fucked."

"Smart, very smart, Selene. But it was a courtesy," Oni slowly smiles.

Now my heart drops.

I was right.

I didn't even expect it.

Even looking Oni over now, a part of me wants to submit, to embrace him – even in the face of him wanting to fucking eat me and my sisters. This was our Fate, it was totally fucked. And I couldn't even react normal. This wasn't fair. My heart aches.

"This isn't a love story, Juny, Gerry," I whisper, getting closer to them so our shoulders touch again, "There is no happy ending here. I love you both..." as I talk to them aloud, I speak to them in my mind.

Where is the demon wand? I ask.

You left it in the forest, Juny responds.

No, Gerry quickly interjects, They'd never leave rare items behind, they didn't leave it behind. I saw Oni hide it in the bottom right draw while I was eating the stew. B-below you, Selene –

I had to keep talking.

"You said you had a place for us, you'd stay with us, that you'd protect us!" I scream now at Oni, "You said you got it! I believed you. You LIED."

What the hell can we do, where the hell can we go? I ask them.

We need to stun them, then over the stove is a reflective enough backsplash to provide a mirror, we'll use it as a portal, Juny suggests.

Geraldine screams as Arma takes one quick lunge toward her, just to see how she'd swing the knife.

"Since they're being naughty, let's eat them one at a time, Gerry first," Oni looks me in the eye as he says it. And I thought he liked me. I'm so fucking naive.

Juny pushes Gerry back and stands in front of her, protecting her.

"STAY BACK!" as Juny starts throwing stuff off the counter, and Arma is reaching for Gerry's ankle, reaching forward with his claws, I duck for the draw.

Demon wand.

It's not there.

I open every other draw in a panic, looking for it.

I go back to the first draw I opened – and I just happened to miss it, it just rolled to the very back.

I reach for it, while I hear my best friends screaming.

I hope it's not too late.

When I stand back up with the knife and demon wand, I see Juny has thrown the knife at Arma after he almost pulled Gerry back. It cut his shoulder but he pauses to inspect the damage, hardly believing she managed to cut him.

Oni was just waiting for things to get interesting. He lunges easily over the counter and gets straight in my fucking face.

Juny is clasping my wrist, reaching for Gerry, while I am quickly spellbound from the pheromones flooding my nose, with Oni's gigantic, indominable Lycan form standing right flush against my front, as he towers over me. He drools down as he takes in my wide eyes.

The blade of my butcher knife lays flat against his abdominals because I couldn't bring myself to wound him so I twisted it immediately to avoid causing him any such harm.

Oni looks down at the knife, my position and my trembling hand.

"Entranced, Selene?" Oni drawls, menacingly, not even touching me with his claws, just standing right over me.

I drop the knife between us by accident, but now I'm focusing on the demon wand in my hand.

At the same time that I could call on a spell, he could just bite me in half too.

So what would happen next? He knows he's also in danger, and I know I'm in danger, but why is he hesitating too? For the same reason they had to swap girls before they did the awful deed of extracting our 'fresh' souls?

When my eyes flick to the side, Gerry is still sitting on the ground after scrambling backwards, but Juny has her hand over her face, affirming our three way touch.

The wand starts to seep the black bitter ooze, the dense smoke.

What curse do you want, Selene, Juniper, Geraldine? Ask and be granted.

A minute of frozen time, the three of us all agree.

The world doesn't stop, per say.

The whole penthouse, including our Lycans, start to freeze over spectacularly fast.

Oni's glassy eyes focus on mine as he is immediately apprehended by the curse.

At the same time I step backwards and get a shock by what I feel.

When I turn around, he had snuck his claws around my back, toward my ribcage – about to rip my heart out.

But he was frozen in that moment – and couldn't strike.

Fuck me.

Arma is frozen as a dog on all fours, he had been about to launch at Juny and Gerry as one.

Amon is frozen next to Arma.

Fire. Now Ice?

Supposedly we controlled the elements.

I lift the demon wand as I step out of Oni's almost-killer embrace.

However, as I try to feel confident in my wand – the whole bone disintegrates in my hand.