By the time Vincent returned, they had settled onto the floor and were playing checkers, both focused so intently that they hadn't noticed him at first, nor had they noticed when Hunter had woken.
Looking up at a light scuff, Vincent's eyes instantly went to Malik's lower lip and then to her, her eyes dropping in shame at her actions.
"I have told them where I suspect you to be. We have a few hours while they prepare and we should prepare too," he said.
Much to her relief, he didn't comment on what had obviously gone down between the two of them. He didn't ask if they had been intimate either.
"It is best if Malik remains here," Vincent said and Malik immediately jumped to his feet, fuming.
"That's bullshit and you know it," Malik raged, while she sighed, standing slowly.
"He's right, Malik. You aren't familiar with how the mythicals fight, and they won't hesitate to torture you if they think you might have any information, or simply kill you as a possible complication. You need to be here where you're safe," she whispered.
He shook his head, angry and not wanting to be apart from her, but she was adamant. She was not going to risk his life so he could go for a run in the forest.
"No, Malik. You need to stay here where you're safe. I will not listen to any arguments."
"I want to be with you. I have to be with you!" he cried.
"No! You are going to stay here, and you are going to be protected!" she snapped and closed her eyes, her fear for his safety getting the better of her.
Clutching him to her, she hugged him tightly. "I can't stand the thought of you being in danger, my love. You have to be protected," she whispered.
He sighed, reluctantly agreeing with her.
The plan itself was very simple. She only needed to let them see her and then jump into the ocean. After a few hours she would swim out and Hunter would find her, then Vincent would collect them both and bring them back to the caves.
Having no gear to put on, she was ready to go almost immediately, and she sighed, hugging a sulking Malik to her chest, kissing him hard. When Vincent brought in the grinning masked man, he was amused by the sight of them together.
"Keep the scion safe," Vincent ordered.
"Oh goody, dinner," the man teased, his eyes blazing crimson under the furious glare she turned on him.
"Hurt him in any way and I will decimate you," she growled.
"Kinky," he purred, enjoying the game.
"Just do as you're told. Stay here with him and keep him safe. We'll be back as soon as we can."
Giving Malik one last kiss, she stepped back and braided her hair quickly, feeling odd in the dress when she was preparing for a fight.
Vincent took her hand and lifted his mask out of the way, Malik jerking at the similarities between Vincent and the other man's face, but it didn't bother her in the slightest. His eyes were locked on hers as he lifted her arm and he bit gently into her wrist, sucking the blood. His eyes fluttered closed, and he shivered but he only held her for a minute and then licked the wound, letting her go. It was the most effective way of allowing him to find her again as her jump into the ocean would likely wash off any blood he left on her body.
Hunter stepped forward, and she took his hand, glancing back at Malik who was looking sulky, the taller man's arm wrapped loosely around his shoulders.
"So, what's it like to fuck her?" the Hunter asked, intentionally saying it an instant before the world vanished around them and they were out of the caves.
***
"Are all of you perverts?" she asked, dropping their hands and turning to inhale the fresh air with the sun beating down on them.
"It's a colony of men living under a rock. Yes, we're all perverts. They were talking about you for six months after you were there last time," Vincent said, grinning at her before he tugged his mask back down. "Fairly sure they are all still jacking it to the sight of you naked and covered in blood."
Rolling her eyes, she studied the area and decided that it would be fine. The forest was good, the mountains providing extra cover if she needed it, and the ocean at her back.
"Pretty sure any man who's ever seen it jacks off to her," Hunter muttered.
"Do you?" she asked, glancing at him over her shoulder and she laughed at the sight of both his, and Vincent's faces turning bright red.
She didn't care if they fantasised about her while they were pleasuring themselves, it was just an interesting insight into their thoughts.
"What do you imagine?" she asked with fascination.
Hunter's hands came up as though he was holding her hips then dropped them again, turning his eyes away from her, but Vincent only shook his head, refusing to touch the subject.
"Interesting," she purred, highly amused. "What about the others?"
"Every male," Hunter clarified.
"Possibly even Nayishma," Vincent said, and that made her blush.
"You think so?" she asked, making a mental note to ask the others one day. It was odd and curious to think that they masturbated to thoughts of her.
"Come on, you'd best start up a bit further," Vincent said after he cleared his throat, trying to ignore her curious stare on them both.
She had never masturbated, and she wasn't sure who she would fantasise about if she ever did, so to learn that they did was fascinating.
Vincent led the way up the mountain, trying to ignore her eyes on his back.
She was unable to hide the grin on her face as her mind went over the various men and what they would likely be imagining. It didn't do much for her sexually, but it did entertain her.
"Stop looking at me like that," Vincent snapped when she started to laugh.
"Not unless you tell me," she coaxed, linking her arm with his so that he couldn't escape her.
"I'm not telling you anything," he growled, flustered and avoiding eye contact.
"Hunter?" she asked.
"On all fours, screaming my name, usually," he said without shame and she laughed delightedly.
"Somehow, I'm not surprised, wolf man," she teased.
"Come on, tell her or she's going to hound you for weeks," Hunter said.
"No," Vincent replied.
Deciding to go on the offensive, she leant in close, her lips a mere inch from his ear.
"Is it me covered in blood while you're doing unspeakable things to me?" she growled.
He jerked away from her, blushing furiously.
"Stop that. We're on a mission," he growled but there was no hiding his body's reaction to the mental image she put in his head.
"Okay, sorry. I'll stop," she said honestly, a little surprised by just how quickly he responded to her and she kissed his cheek as a means of apology.
"I've never had someone do that over me before," she said.
"Bet you have, they just never told you," Hunter said.
Tilting her head, she thought back over all the men she had ever seen or met in her lifetime.
"Sweet mother… Hades," she squeaked, and that got the two of them to laughing.
"Why do you say Gods instead of Mother?" she asked Hunter, the thought popping into her head at her own expletive.
"The Gods are Gods to my people, not just other forms of mythicals. Most of them believe Gods to be other beings entirely."
"Does that qualify as worship? As in, can a mythical worship have the same result as the humans?"
"No idea," Hunter said.
"Probably, it's the intent behind the worship, not who is doing the worship," Vincent said.
"Huh, I never thought of mythicals believing in the Gods. I just assumed everyone knew."
"Not us. I am one of the few who both knows the secret, and personally knows the Gods," Hunter said, giving her a squeeze.
"Lucky you," she said.