Life of lies (p)

Julian served up breakfast to his family, laughing at one of Dru's jokes when the twins froze, staring into space. Julian frowned at them before hearing hunting horns coming from not too far away. He tensed, recognizing the sound and his gaze darted to June and July; a faery procession was coming.

Julian was staring out the window, his eyes narrowed. Five people riding horses approached the house, covered head to toe in cloaks. He ran to a locked cupboard in the kitchen, pulling the key from around his neck where it had been tied with string then opened the cupboard and pulled out a crossbow with iron bolts. It was clear he was prepared to literally kill to protect his siblings.

"The procession has come. But they can't have June and July." Julian growled, tensing even further when the front door knocked three times with each knock echoing slightly. Holding the crossbow behind his back, he moved to the door and pulled it open

One of the faeries got down off the horse, walking forward and pushing his hood down. He seemed fairly young and very attractive, with pointed ears and glowing eyes like the twins. He had one silver eye and one black eye. "Julian Blackthorn. Two more of your family are becoming true fey and we are here to collect our own." He said. "They aren't yours to claim! Their mine and you can't have them!" Julian snarled, throwing his crossbow up and aiming the iron bolt right at the faerie's chest. His eyes were tormented but steady and the faery could see he would not hesitate to shoot. He held up his hand to stop the others getting involved, "such useless loyalty. I pity you, Blackthorn." He said. He looked over Julian's shoulder at the twins. A hazy came over their eyes and they stood up, going to walk over. "No!" Julian snapped, firing the crossbow. The faery moved, just in time to avoid a fatal shot though he hissed in pain as the bolt pierced his shoulder and the skin around it burned. The faery snarled, his eyes blazing with fury.

Julian loaded another bolt onto the crossbow but before he could even fasten it properly, two other faeries were at either side of him. He pulled it up, stabbing one of them in the heart with it and the faery dropped to the ground, dead. The duel eyed leader grabbed the cross bow, yanking it from Julian's grip as the other faery grabbed him from behind. He thrashed wildly, but couldn't break from it's grip.
Drusilla picked up Cam when he started crying and moved away.
The leader glanced down at the dead faery then snapped his fingers to the two still on the horses and they moved to his side. "Julian Blackthorn has dormant faery blood in his veins. That makes him one of us by default and he must pay for killing one of ours. We cannot kill the Blackthorns so he will receive twenty lashes." He ordered and the faeries started dragging Julian to the wall of his house, even as he struggled. Two of them held him there while the third tore his shirt off and unhooked a whip from it's belt. Not a rope whip either, but a silver one. The faery leader glanced over towards Lillian and the twins, moving towards them as the other faery brought the silver whip down, slicing through Julian's back like paper.
The twins looked up at the leader when he approached them

"They are ours now. They must join us as their older brother and sister did. That's where they belong now." He said, reaching out towards the twins

He stepped back, scowling at her nerve. He glanced back when Julian screamed, watching the other faery strike his back with the silver whip for the third time and Jules couldn't bear it silently anymore. He had sunk to his knees and was shaking in pain. Blood dripped down his chin as well since he'd bitten through his lip. His back was covered in blood already. The twin's jumped when he screamed and they seemed to be back to normal. They clung close to Lillian, afraid of the faery in front of them. The other faery brought the silver whip down again and Julian nearly passed out with pain.

The dual eyed leader looked back over at the twins, watching their big brother in horror too. He narrowed his eyes and called the remaining two faeries over to him then he gave them an order in a strange language. The two faeries appeared behind Lillian, lifting the twins who screamed and thrashed. "You two will come with us or we will whip your brother to death." He said, pointing over to Julian. He'd been whipped six times now and was lying on the ground, unconscious with the pain. The twins froze, watching their brother with wide eyes

"They cannot stay here, surrounded by poison. One day the other Blackthorn's may change too, but they may not." The dual eyed leader said as the other two faeries joined him, each one holding one of the twins. "Finish the lashes and we'll get out of here. Do try not to kill him." He said to the faery whipping Julian who grinned, enjoying himself. He brought the whip down again, slicing open Julian's back. Several whip lashes overlapped on his back already.

The faery stopped when she got close, in case he hit her with the whip. "Get out of the way. He killed one of ours." He hissed