PAST.

Even was bound to a tree a few yards behind Marcos' house. His eyes felt heavy with his every attempt to pry them open, his back ached and got sore each time he moved against the tree. His mind was far deep from his consciousness and all he could see was Dara in a blur. They were both lying on the ground, she was crying with her hand trying to reach out for his in vain.

He wanted to reach out as well but he couldn't move; their fingers were just inches away and he thought- if he moved just a little, he would be able to hold her hand. Even tried all he could to touch her and reassure her that things would be fine but was met with his own demise.

"D..Dara," he managed to whisper with a tear prickling down his cheek.

"He's awake," one of the hunters noticed

"Carlos,go tell Marcos," Milo ordered

As the young hunter ran to the front of the house, Milo lost himself to his thoughts. His conscience told him that what they were doing was very wrong and soon, they'd meet the wrath of the gods because it was clear to him that this man and Marcos' daughter had already been paired and mounted so there was nothing Marcos could do to separate them.

They were already one.

His memory stretched to the time he had just met his wife, Karie.  Her parents had been sensitive and over protective- a trait he's noticed about most Pangite parents towards their daughters but at least they didn't try to stop their marriage after he and Karie were mounted.

Guilt settled in Milo's throat, his thoughts and decisions becoming hesitant while he analyzed the situation at hand. What was he to do?

"Milo!" It was Marcos with Carlos walking behind him. His time for rational thinking had elapsed so he was left with making quick decisions which would depend on how strong his haunted conscience would serve.

"Is he fully awake?" Marcos asked when he arrived where Milo sat.

"Not fully. What are we going to do about him?" Milo stood up and crossed his hands.

Marcos examined his prisoner a few moments before he noticed the villagers peeps behind the distant trees, their curiosity of the present situation driving them for more gossip. Marcos inwardly knew that this had grown out of hand, the whispers in the village perpetuated, most of them against his cause but his pride wouldn't let him stop to think.

The names he was being called were distasteful to hear; he was now known as the deserter of gods, breaker of unions, the proud sinner and so forth as they could go. But he was too far gone be turn back now so he wasn't letting Even off so easily, not after his name had been tarnished.

The whispering around the trees grew towards where the hunters and Marcos stood hence drawing their attention. A dark silhouette approached them from the opposite side of the bushes and so they paid keen attention to the arriving figure...

"Its the summoner!!!" the viewers around whispered to themselves

"oh, he's doomed now that's for sure..." another said

The blurry figure cleared into the bald form of an old man. His cloak covering the most of him and sweeping the wet ground. He stood still, his eyes stern and with alot of warning, stared at Marcos and the hunters then at the disheveled Even gripped at the tree.

"Cut him loose!" He clamoured once, startling the staring lot.

Confused and unaware of what to do, Milo meekly started towards the tree only to be stopped by Marcos.

"Not another foot, Milo." He sneered

"Marcos, you continue to anger the gods!! You're only in luck that they haven't chosen to strike you down for this madness. Now before they decide to choose blood, your blood, I suggest you cut the boy loose!" The summoner commanded through gritted teeth.

The air grew intense while the rain perpetuated its pour but Marcos wouldn't yield, not Infront of the entire village.  He'd prefer to be striken down than choose to desert his way. Staring death to death with the summoner, Marcos stood his ground before shouting back

"The gods broke their promise! I was to choose Dara's companion!"

"You dare put yourself above the gods?!!" The summoner asked in disbelief for he had never met such impudence "This is your last warning." He pointed "Cut the boy loose, " and with loud thunder that struck the tree Even was tied too-breaking the top and spliting it through the middle, the bald man vanished into a cloudy fog.

Milo, taking heed of the situation decided to unsubscribe from the madness before any harm came to him or his family for being an active accomplice in disobeying the gods.

He moved straight to the split tree, single-handedly lifting the fallen branch off  Even who had been stunned by the impact and thrust it to the side. He drew his dagger from his waist pouch, crouched to the ground and started cutting the rope that bind Even.

"What do you think you're doing?" Marcos clamoured but Milo didn't stop until the rope broke open

"I'll nolonger be apart of this,Marcos," Milo declared casting the rope to the side before turning to his hunter brothers "and if any of you know better, you'd make the right choices especially those of you who haven't been mounted yet," he advised then walked away without sparing Marcos a glance.

The other men noticing their chance to back out, started to leave one by one- only the few loyal to Marcos remained in wait of his next orders.

POST.

"There are things about me that I haven't told you, IanMarc and those things are starting to haunt me. That's why I've been off lately and I feel like I have to share this with you," I started.

"O-okay,"

Could I back down now? Could I fight the hesitation that nipped at my nerves, giving me the feeling of fear and instant regret even before I accomplished anything.

I took a deep breath to calm my jumped nerves then started to talk.
"I uh...I  was bullied alot in high school," my voice cracked

"Elly," Ian's eyebrows furrowed as he took my hands in his but i pulled away. Being close to him would break me and i wouldn't be able to narrate this. Standing at a safe distance from him, i continued...

"My mind has been triggered lately and I've been having dreams about the past. I thought i had healed from this!" I spoke to myself pacing.

"Ellyette...." Ian stood up but i stopped him

"I have to finish..." i said shakily as Ethan's face pervaded my mind over and over "I was sexually assaulted constantly this boy- he had owned me; my body, my soul... he made my life a nightmare- always teasing and touching my body infront of everyone..."

"Is that why you were scared that you weren't a virgin?" Ian interjected making me aware of how hard and loud my heart was beating.

"Ye- yes," i swallowed "I didn't know if he'd somehow raped me or not...I-I was worried you'd see me as a liar..." i was crying now hoping Ian would say something but all he did was stare at me.

"Ian, I'm so sorry i didn't tell you this before, " i hurried to apologize since he wasn't speaking at all "I didn't know how to tell you- i was afraid you'd leave me!" I sniffed, wiping my nose with the back of my hand. "Please, say something..."

Nonetheless, IanMarc never mentioned a thing to me. He just looked at the ceiling then down at his shoes in silence without meeting my eyes again.

The light in the sky was dark and twinkling, a soft wind whistled through the curtains that swayed about. I was nestled on the couch engulfed in the darkness of the room.  IanMarc and I hadn't spoken the rest of the day after i had revealed my deep secret to him.

I couldn't make it if he was angry or just didn't know how to take the new information i had divulged.  Deciding that giving him the ample space he required to think was the best idea, i never bothered him so i sat in the livingroom staring at the blank darkness in hope that he'd come to me.

It was coming to nine when IanMarc walked through the front door,this time meeting my gaze. I stood up quickly waiting for him to say something.

"Ethan and Hillan are leaving tomorrow  so they've invited us to join them at the club," was what he said to me

Aren't we going to talk about the real issue here?? I wanted to say but I just pursed my lips in silence as he trekked past me.

"You should get ready, they'll be picking us up shortly," he turned to say then continued to the room.

My heart sunk in my chest- i was dying to know what ran through his mind. The suspense and tension were killing me; he and i had never ever been in such a compromised situation before so i didn't know how to act. All i wanted was for him to talk to me atleast.

Even as we got dressed together,  Ian didn't say a word. He didn't offer to do my hair or choose an outfit for me and this killed me inside. I regretted telling him what happened to maybe i would have told him that it was Ethan so he could be angry at him.... what if that made things worse?

We arrived at the club, the loud music instantly making me grimace since i didn't want to be here in the first place but Ian had insisted because of his friends and given the fact that it was the only time he'd spoken to me i had no choice but to come.

Ian held my hand as we approached the guarded doors making me look up at him although  he didn't spare me a glance. Sighing in defeat, i looked away scanning the area only to meet Ethan's eyes.

He hadn't said anything to me but kept stealing glances at me. I tried to pretend not to see him but fate wasn't on my side as Ian and Hillan left me with him as they went to the bar to get drinks after we had entered.

The music made my ears bleed and i kept screaming to myself that I didn't want to be here. Ethan led me to an empty table- occasionally guarding me from the dancing bodies that whirled everywhere.

He held the seat open for me which i climbed onto. I watched him scan the bar side in search for his husband and my boyfriend who had seemingly vanished in the sweaty crowd. Finally seeing them, he raisied his hands to signal for them until they saw us and came our way.

"This place is packed!! I couldn't even get a foot down," Hillan commented making them laugh.

They displayed a number of beers and vodka shots on the table. I quickly reached out for the tiny glass of vodka and chugged it then another and another.

"Whoa whoa young lady!" Hillan laughed " We don't want you dead before the night actually starts," he added jovially but i didn't laugh or smile.

My face and emotions were numb, all i wanted was for Ian to get me out of here so we could talk, so he could tell me what was on his mind- why he wasn't talking to me.

Weirdly Ethan still hadn't said anything, only staring at me openly without caring that Hillan or Ian might see him.

"I'm going to the dance floor, anyone coming?" Hillan announced however none of us seemed excited or interested to say the least. Without waiting for any of us to break out from our shells, he swayed along with the music to the dance floor leaving me alone with the two men who had so effortlessly planted themselves on my mind this night.

My feet hurt from wearing heels so i kicked them off instantly shuddering when my feet touched the cold ground. I had escaped from the boys, hoping to catch air from outside and also hoping to evade the uncomfortable silence that had eaten everyone up all so suddenly.....

"Elly," a voice came from behind me bringing a startle to my nerves. I turned around to meet Ethan's tipsy cold stare.

"Stay away from me!" I warned

Ethan stopped in his tracks for a moment before laughing in a peculiar way.

"You know, I never stopped thinking about you," he started-making me grimace angrily "All i wanted was to make up for what I'd done. Even after i left school i tried to reach out to you... I...."

"Don't!" I pointed a finger at him "Don't start with me right now, Ethan. I am so done with your 'making up for your sins' bullshit!!" I reprimanded

"But i apologized to you,Elly!" He walked towards me now

"You think one apology  suddenly resolves all the damage you did to me!!" I sneered in anger noticing how close he was now but never stepping away from him.

Ethan clenched his jaw without averting my gaze, slowing bringing his hand to my face. Realizing my eyes closed at the feel of his fingers i blinked rapidly, snapping my face from his touch but he pulled me back to him by the waist

"Let go...." i whispered,  my voice betraying my intention

"I regret everyday i spent torturing you in high-school. All i wanted back then was your attention but i didn't know how to get it," he touched my bottom lip softly before withdrawing his hand and letting me go

My head was hazy from all the alcohol which clouded my sanity at this crucial moment.

"I love you." I snapped my head towards Ethan when i heard him "I've always loved you, even when i tried to forget you, even as i got married i couldn't help but think what could've been, Ellyette. "

"No!" I shook my head. He couldn't possibly be doing this to me right now. "No!!" I said again in disbelief placing my palm over my mouth while pacing about

Ethan grabbed my arm, bringing me between the wall and his hard chest. Suddenly my mind whirled back to the night he'd jumped through my window to come see me- the night we slept together in my bed as he held me in his warm arms....

No, Ellyette....No!!!!

I mentally smacked myself to stop my mind from wavering back to that fateful night Ethan had actually sparked something in my heart. This couldn't be happening right now; i was supposed to hate him, to slap him hard on the face for even attempting to touch me however my body betrayed me- completely melting beneath his body

"Please don't do this..." i whispered as he leaned down to kiss me.

Ethan held my chin to him as he feverishly claimed my lips, his other hand sliding down my skirt to grab my ass.

"I want you so bad!" He whispered after breaking the kiss. I was breathing heavily and my nipples tingled against my tiny top yearning to be played with. My conscience spoke to me with warning- I'd never make peace with the consequences if i continued any further with Ethan.

"We can't do this!!" I started to push him away but he squeezed my wrists together in his hand over my head, giving him full and free access to my body. I started to kick at him making him shift his grip from my hands to my throat- aggressively throttling me till it was hard to breathe

"You're mine,Lettie!" He snarled "Don't you ever forget that!"

His hand quickly resumed its dance along my body, roughly grabbing my breast and massaging it. He then proceeded down, pushing his hand into my skirt. A smirk coming to his face when he felt the warmth between my legs.

"Your wet for me," he said snugly "Such a good girl," he praised as i struggled to break free from his grip but every single time i tried to scratch at him, his grip tightened, suffocating me painfully.

Without delay, Ethan had his hand dipped inside my panties, quickly searching for my sensitive flesh where he slipped his finger inside me causing me to writhe and punch at him trying to scream out for help

"Arghh!!" my voice broke out as he laughed at my feeble attempt at breaking free while his fingers played inside my panties.

"Ethan??" A voice came from club exit door where i had been standing before. We both turned to the voice and saw Hillan standing becalmed with Ian coming behind him to meet our compromised state.

"Ellyette?" Ian called out "Ethan, you mother fucker!!!" He immediately lunged for him, grabbing him off me as Hillan stared in shock.

I fell to the ground, tears busting through me while i held my throat as Ian and Ethan fought.

"Stop it! Both of you!!" Hillan tried to pull Ian off of Ethan but the two continued to struggle- kicking and punching at eachother on the ground.

"I'll kill you!" I heard Ian shout as his fist met the other man's face and vice-versa.

Suddenly loud sirens blared from the darkness, a resort security car raced towards us; two guards jumping out swiftly to split the men from each other.