Silas stood in the doorway, backlit by the hallway light in a way that made him look almost ethereal. He was dressed casually....dark jeans and a fitted black shirt that showed off his lean, muscular build. His dark hair was slightly mussed like he’d been running his hands through it, and his eyes.....those impossibly dark eyes....found Eve imdiately.
Then his gaze shifted to Maya, and Eve watched her friend literally forget how to breathe.
Maya’s mouth opened slightly, her eyes going wide, her entire body going still in that way people did when confronted with sothing so beautiful their brain temporarily short-circuited.
Silas smiled....that gentle, knowing smile that always made Eve’s heart skip....and moved into the room with that fluid grace that marked him as definitely not human.
"Eve," he said, his voice warm with affection. "I’ve been looking for you. You weren’t in the bedroom when I ca back with breakfast."
He crossed to where they sat, completely unaware....or perhaps just unconcerned....with the effect his presence was having on Maya. He leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to the top of Eve’s head, the gesture so natural and affectionate that it made Eve’s chest tight with emotion.
"I see you have a visitor," Silas continued, his eyes moving to Maya with polite interest. "I’m Silas Blackwood. You must be Maya."
Maya still hadn’t moved. Hadn’t breathed. Just sat there staring up at Silas like he’d descended from heaven itself.
Eve bit back a laugh. She rembered that feeling....that first overwhelming rush of attraction to these impossible n. The way their presence seed to fill a room, making it hard to think of anything else.
"Maya," Eve said gently, squeezing her friend’s hand. "This is Silas. One of the brothers."
Maya’s mouth worked soundlessly for a mont before she managed to croak out, "Hi."
Silas’s smile widened slightly, amusent dancing in his dark eyes. He extended his hand. "It’s a pleasure to et you, Maya. Eve has ntioned you several tis. I’m glad you ca to visit."
Maya stared at his offered hand for a beat too long before finally reaching out to shake it. The mont their skin made contact, her eyes went even wider, and a flush crept up her neck.
Eve felt it through her connection to Silas....the automatic pulse of werewolf dominance, the alpha energy that radiated from him whether he ant it to or not. To a human like Maya, it would feel like pure charisma, an overwhelming attraction that had nothing to do with conscious choice.
Maya pulled her hand back quickly, pressing it against her chest like she could contain her racing heart. "I... you... nice to et you too," she managed, her voice breathless.
Silas looked at Eve, one eyebrow raised in silent question: Is your friend alright?
Eve just smiled and shook her head slightly. Give her a minute to adjust.
"I should let you two continue your visit," Silas said, stepping back. "But Eve, when you’re finished, your uncle is waiting in the training room. He wants to work on energy manipulation techniques before this afternoon’s Court protocol session."
"I’ll be there soon," Eve promised.
Silas nodded, gave Maya another polite smile that made her breath catch again, and left the room.
The mont the door closed behind him, Maya turned to Eve with an expression of absolute shock.
"What. The. Fuck," she said, each word deliberate and emphatic. "What the actual fuck, Eve. That man is not real. He cannot be real. Nobody is that gorgeous in real life."
Eve laughed, the sound bright and genuine. "I told you they were intense."
"Intense?" Maya’s voice climbed an octave. "That’s not intense, that’s fucking supernatural! I literally forgot how to breathe. My heart is still racing. What is he, so kind of male model? Professional heartbreaker? Walking sex god?"
"All of the above?" Eve offered, still grinning.
Maya flopped back against the sofa dramatically. "And there are two more of them? Two more n who look like that?"
"Well, they’re triplets," Eve said. "So yes, two more who look very similar. Though they have different personalities."
"I think I need to lie down," Maya said faintly. "Or possibly get my heart checked. Because that is not a normal human reaction to another person’s presence."
Eve’s smile faltered slightly. Maya was closer to the truth than she realized. The Blackwood brothers weren’t normal humans. And the effect they had on people....the overwhelming attraction, the instant submission to their presence...was very much supernatural in nature.
But she couldn’t tell Maya that. Couldn’t explain about werewolves and alphas and mate bonds. Couldn’t reveal the truth about what she herself had beco.
"They’re just... very charismatic," Eve said carefully. "It’s part of why they’re so successful in business. People naturally respond to them."
"Charismatic," Maya repeated flatly. "Honey, that wasn’t charisma. That was a full-body experience. I think I had a mini-orgasm just from shaking his hand."
"Maya!"
"I’m serious!" Maya sat up, her expression caught between embarrassnt and awe. "There was this... I don’t even know how to describe it. This energy or presence or sothing that just radiated from him. Made every nerve ending co alive. Made want to...." She broke off, fanning herself with her hand. "Okay, I need to stop before I say sothing really inappropriate about your boyfriend."
"Mate," Eve corrected without thinking, then froze.
Maya’s eyes sharpened. "Mate? Not boyfriend?"
Eve scrambled to recover. "I just an... we’re very serious. It’s not just casual."
"Uh huh." Maya didn’t look convinced, but she let it drop. "Well, whatever you want to call it, you landed yourself three impossibly gorgeous n who clearly adore you. I’m equal parts happy for you and insanely jealous."
She stood, smoothing down her jeans. "I should probably let you go. Your ’uncle’....." She made air quotes. "....is waiting, and I don’t want to keep you from whatever mysterious training you’re doing."
"You don’t have to leave," Eve protested, standing as well. "We just reconnected. Stay for lunch at least."
Maya hesitated, clearly tempted. "I don’t want to intrude...."
"You’re not intruding," Eve insisted. "You’re my best friend. I want you here."
"Okay," Maya agreed, her smile returning. "But fair warning....if I et another one of the brothers and have the sa reaction, I’m blaming you for any embarrassing noises I make."
Eve laughed and pulled Maya into another hug. "Deal."
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