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I liked being called a whore. If Pan called me a whore and fucked me— “Good morning.” I lurch upright as Cherry comes in. “Hell,” I say. “You scared me.”
I come over to sit on the giant bed. The chain comes with me. Cherry frowns at it. “You don’t like my new jewelry?” I ask her and lift my arm with a flourish. “It’s very avant-garde.” She laughs. She has a tinkling laugh that reminds me of Christmas and snow globes and elves.
Hand curled around the coffee mug, I bring it halfway, but watch her through the steam. She’s lonely and desperate for attention. Something I suspect the Lost Boys will never give her. I can give her attention. Just one more thing I can use when I need to.
“There are more islands than Neverland. Seven islands, seven kings. Every island has two shadows. One for life, one for death. The king always claims a shadow. It’s in his blood, having the ability to claim it.”
“The king picks which one he wants. Pan picked life a very long time ago. But when Pan lost his shadow, he lost the power and now the island is suffering because of it and I think Pan might be dying.”
“So Pan is a king?” I ask. “Yes. Or he was. But that was before I was born.” “And he lost his shadow?” “Yes.”
“Last night, Kas was telling me about the fae and that he and Bash are fae, but they lost their wings?” Cherry nods. “They killed their father.” “What?!” And here I thought the twins were the nicer ones.
“Killing another fae is grounds for banishment and losing their wings. That’s why they’re here with Pan and the Lost Boys. They were banished from the fae court.” “Court?” All of this information is making my head spin, but I’d be lying if I said it didn’t excite me too. This is all so interesting. It’s better than a TV show.
“And who is Hook?” “Captain of the pirates.” “And the pirates—” “Hate Pan.” “Right.” “They want to take over the island.” She fidgets with a loose thread on the white sheets.
“Do they have a shot at it?” She focuses on a distant spot on the wall, but I don’t think she’s looking at it so much as disappearing into a memory. “Maybe. Maybe not. My—Hook—is relentless.”
There’s something about seeing the supposed nice guy act not so nice.
“Did Vane give you those cuts and bruises?” It’s really none of my business, but I have to know. She bites at her bottom lip before giving me a nervous laugh. “It comes with the territory.” “Which is what?”
“Vane has a shadow too. From another island.” I think I know what she’s going to say before she says it. “And his shadow is death.”
My cock twitches, remembering the feel of her tight little pussy. I’ve never given in to a Darling before, as much as I’ve wanted to. I like fucking. I like fucking what I shouldn’t even more.
“How was she?” my twin asks. I’m hard now, aching for more. “Slutty, just the way I like them.” He blows out a breath. “You’re such a fucking asshole.” “Yeah, well, the whole reason I went into her room last night was because of you.”
“Stop doing that,” she says. “Doing what?” “Talking in your fae language. I can hear the bells, but not the words and it annoys me.” She huffs. “We were just discussing the Death Shadow is all,” I lie. “Did it give you the best, most terrifying orgasm of your life, Cherry?”
“I wonder if our dear sister is really doing what she claims to be doing with the Darlings.” Now my eyes are wide open. “You think she’s lying to Pan?” Kas turns in the hammock so his feet are in the sand. “What if she is? What would we do about it?” “That is a loaded question.” “I know it is.”
“What would your mother want?” the Brownie asks. “Tink loved Pan once,” she says. “Yes, and he killed her. Don’t make her death be in vain.” “Don’t tell me what I should or shouldn’t do, Brownie.”
“I don’t have to do anything,” the queen says. “I just have to bide my time like I have been. Peter Pan will fail because I will make him fail. He will crumble and then I will claim his shadow and the throne will rightfully be mine.”
Good god, I’m a captive here and all I can think about is these boys taking me. What is wrong with me? I thought I was going to go mad yesterday. This is far better. I’ll take this any day of the week.
“This house is massive,” Cherry explains. “You’re staying in what’s known as the loft. Vane, Kas, and Bash live up there. The rest of the Lost Boys live on the main floor. There are a lot. I honestly can’t even tell you how many.” “But where do they come from?”
“From town. From your world. From Hook’s side. Lots of places. Lost Boys are just misfits, the ones who don’t belong or who never wanted to grow up.” “Do they have magic too?” “Not usually, no. Pan doesn’t let the fae in. Bash and Kas are an exception.”
This is a place of wild debauchery, a carnival ride that you never want to exit. I’ve always loved carnivals. The rides and the mischief.
“Think about what you’re about to do,” Vane says lazily behind me. “You should have been watching her.” “Why do we care if she fucks a Lost Boy anyway?” “I care.” “Why?”
“Three, two, one. One, two, three. Better watch out: Peter Pan is going to murder thee.”
I barely have magic, but I do have power. So when I grab the back of the boy’s chair and punch at his chest, I go straight through bone, claw my fingers around his heart and tear it out. Blood sprays, painting the night in spots of crimson. When it splatters across my face, I finally exhale, and the urgency ebbs away.
When I turn back to the Darling, a heart in my hand, her eyes are full of tears. Good. She needs to know…there are no white knights here. Just monsters. And I am the worst one.
I’m still tipsy, but the buzz has burned away, leaving me shivering and foggy. Pan just killed that boy. He tore out his heart. Is this really happening?
There is blood splattered across his face and the sight of him covered in carnage makes butterflies take flight in my stomach. “What part of this do you not understand, Darling?” His voice is a razor teasing at my skin. One wrong move and the blade will part me, let the blood well to the light.
The head of Pan’s cock comes to my opening and I let out a little yelp. The hand at the back of my head tangles in my hair, slides to the back of my neck. “If you want to act like a whore,” he says as he leans over me, “then I’ll treat you like a whore.” He shoves into me.
“Do you want to come, Darling?” he asks, his voice rough at my ear. “Yes,” I say, barely a word at all. “Beg for it.” “What?” “Beg for it, Darling.”
“Please, Pan. Oh god.” “Go on then,” he says. “Come for me while the Lost Boys watch.” Then he swirls two fingers around my clit, pumping into me, and I let go. I am flying. Soaring.
think that must be it but then Bash comes around the table, a significant bulge in his pants. “Can I?” Bash asks. Peter Pan drops into a chair and nods his consent. Bash gets behind me, still bent over the table. He’s bare for me in seconds and nestles into my heat. “Little Darling whore, such a filthy little mess.”
“Open up, Darling,” he orders. I don’t know where this is going, but no one is stepping in and curiosity gets the better of me. I part my lips. Vane gets in close and spits in my mouth. “That’s all you’ll get from me.”
“Darling,” Pan says and I finally look up at him. “Don’t ever provoke me again.” There’s still blood on his hand and it finally registers that he killed someone, then fucked me.
I don’t know where I expected this night to go, but it wasn’t here. I am no longer lost. I think I might have finally been found.
I start to drift off even though I didn’t think I was tired. I guess getting fucked by Peter Pan and the Lost Boys is exhausting.
The thought of someone carving her flesh makes me angrier than it should. I shouldn’t fucking care. I don’t care. Yes, you fucking do.
Tink once told me the lagoon was a portal to the afterlife, that the shapes swimming beneath the surface were trapped souls.
She needs warm, dry clothes. That’s what she needs. It’s the least I can give her before the fae queen digs into her head.
“Listen, Darling. You may be at risk of being knocked over by a stiff breeze, but in here”—he ruffles my hair—“you’re stronger than you think. And you’re going to let our dear sister get into your head and you’re going to help us find Peter Pan’s shadow. Okay? I believe that. I believe you’re different from every single Darling that’s come before you.”
I want to help Pan. I want to be the one that gets him his shadow. But I don’t want to lose my head doing it.
When Kas is gone, Bash comes over to me and takes my hand in his. He fingers the bracelet around my wrist, spins it around my arm. “This isn’t just a regular bracelet.” “I know. It’s a kiss.” “Yes, but there’s more.” He smiles down at me, voice raspy and low as he continues. “It’s imbued with magic. It’ll protect you. You have nothing to fear.”
Peter Pan needs you. The Lost Boys needs you. The island needs you.
The box is etched with fae runes. I swear I can still smell Tink on it. Like autumn leaves and fairy dust. She was my best friend once. Until she wasn’t.
I have a sudden flash of bending her over the table. Pretty Darling girl wants dark, vile things done to her. I would be lying if I said I didn’t want that too. I want her wet cunt wrapped around my cock.
I might have only scratched the surface of who Peter Pan and the Lost Boys are, but instinct never lies and they feel like mine. They are mine.
