Taken by Storm (Storms of Blackwood Book 1)

by Elle Middaugh

  “Now that we’re officially a team,” Ben said, “complete with team rules and a future team tattoo, I would like to cash in on rule number one.”

  I knew exactly what that meant—everyone did—and I was more than happy to even the score for him. But as Cal, Dan, and Rob began to exit the room, Ben surprised the hell out of me by saying, “Stay.”

  They all paused with their backs still facing us, and my brows furrowed.

  Ben smirked, the mischievous look in his eye hooking me in an instant, and my heavy-lidded arousal practically perfumed the air around us with lust.

  "You want to try a group activity right now?" he asked me.

  "Kind of," I whispered, as my lady bits swelled.

  Oh, who the fuck was I kidding?

  “Rules,” Ben said, his tone turning authoritarian. “No one talks but me. No one does anything unless I say so. Deal?”

  After a long moment of silence, I heard the brothers acquiesce. “Deal.”

  My heart shot into my throat, pounding with a combination of fear and excitement.

  "Come here," Ben said, curling a finger at me, drawing me in.

  I stood and bridged the tiny gap between us, nervously anticipating whatever he was about to do.

  "Sit." He patted his lap.

  I turned around and prepared to lower myself, but he stopped me.

  "Not that way. This way."

  He spun me around so that I was facing him; then he lowered me down until I was straddling him on the chair.

  "Hands behind your back," he ordered softly.

  I immediately did as asked, and he wrapped a piece of straw around my wrists, instantly turning it into a magic vine.

  My mind and body practically buzzed with anticipation. I'd been wrong about Ben. Way wrong. He might've been laid back in real life, but he wasn't a submissive that I could dominate in the bedroom—he was the fucking boss.

  His hands skimmed my sides, thumbs lightly brushing my breasts, making me moan.

  "I thought you weren't a playboy?" I asked breathlessly.

  He smirked. "I don't play, Sailor. Everything I do is carefully calculated work."

  Then he glanced over top of my shoulder at Dan. "Come here. Feel her up from behind."

  He didn't need to be told twice. He was at my back in an instant, hands caressing my skin and squeezing my ass before sliding forward to work my clit through my gown. His lips found the side of my neck, and he trailed hot kisses the whole way up to my ear.

  Dear gods, I was a panting mess already. I'd bet a hundred jewels there was a wet spot on Ben's pants from me.

  “No more kissing,” he told Dan, and the Sea Prince immediately stopped but continued stroking me.

  With a pleased smirk, he nodded at Rob and Cal. "I want you on her right side, and you on her left.”

  As the guys moved into position, Ben grabbed my hips and rolled them into his rock-hard erection. Then he slid a hand up my neck and cupped my cheek. "You want me to kiss you, Sailor?"

  I nodded, my neck practically boneless as pleasure overwhelmed me.

  "Tell me," he demanded, sliding his other hand up to my remaining cheek, effectively trapping my face. "Tell me you want it."

  "I fucking want you to kiss me."

  And I truly did. I’d never seen this commanding side of him before, and I was anxious to explore it further. Way further.

  His tongue was in my mouth the next second, sliding against mine in a tantalizing motion that had my hips eagerly grinding into his.

  I could absolutely get used to this being a daily occurrence. A multi-daily occurrence. A fucking every-hour-of-every-gods-damned-day occurrence. I’d just had sex with Rob a few hours ago—rough, raw sex—and I was already hungry for more. Hungry for Ben.

  When he’d successfully kissed me into utter senselessness, he cut the vine around my wrists, ordered the guys to back up, and told me to strip.

  I stood, glancing from each set of hooded eyes to the next, and I was overcome with two sets of conflicting emotions.

  At first, embarrassment and coyness. I’d never exposed myself to so many people before, and if stripping was supposed to be some sort of sensual dance, then I’d clearly never learned the steps. The reality of revealing my most vulnerable parts to, not just one, but four nearly perfect men, felt absolutely intimidating.

  But then, I was also filled to the brim with an overwhelming confidence and assuredness. Those same nearly perfect men were all interested in me. They were hard from touching me. They were desperate to see me bare, not anyone else—not even a princess, not even to prevent war.

  It was a heady sensation. One that ultimately propelled me to give in to Ben’s demands.

  My dress pooled to the floor, but Ben’s eyes never left mine. He stood too and slowly unbuttoned his pants and removed his boxers. His cock sprang free, and I couldn’t seem to look away. I was mesmerized by every move he made. He sat back down on the chair and curled his finger at me once again.

  I rushed to him, eager to do whatever he wanted. But instead of giving me a command, he simply picked me up and lowered me down onto him, impaling me deliberately while his brothers watched.

  “Close your eyes,” he told me. “And roll your hips.”

  I did as ordered, and a moment later, I was overcome with the sensation of hands touching me everywhere. Four different sets of hands, each going different directions, pressing with different strengths, and teasing in different ways.

  My eyes snapped open as I gasped, and Ben’s hand came down on my ass—hard.

  “I said, close your eyes.”

  He gently rubbed the stinging skin of my cheek, and my eyes flitted closed once more.

  The next second, the hands were back, flooding me with pleasure and overloading my senses. It was impossible to think straight. All I could do was feel. And the feelings were everywhere.

  Ben’s hand rested on my thigh, silently reminding me to keep rolling my hips, and his other hand tugged on my wrists, forcing me to arch my back and push out my breasts.

  When his mouth came down on a hardened nipple, I knew I was almost done. The sensations were too overwhelming to deny.

  “I’m going to come,” I moaned in a whisper.

  He bit my nipple just hard enough to sting. “You come when I come, Sailor. Understood?”

  I nodded, but he cracked my ass again.

  “Understood?”

  “Yes.”

  I rolled my hips as seductively as I knew how, knowing that if I didn’t get him off soon, I was going to be in big trouble for getting off alone.

  “You think you can handle all of us?” Ben asked.

  I shook my head. “Not yet.”

  “One at a time?”

  “Probably.”

  He grabbed my hips, lifting me up and down, faster and faster, until I couldn’t hold it back any longer.

  “Ben, I’m going to come.”

  “Me too,” he growled in response, sinking deep into me as his orgasm raged.

  The next thing I knew, I was being lifted up into Dan’s arms.

  “Open your eyes, Sex Princess,” he coaxed. “I want you to see me when I fuck you.”

  Our eyes locked, and as the intensity in our gazes amplified, I got off, crying loudly as he thrust into me, again and again, until he too was completely spent.

  “My turn.” Cal grabbed me and lowered me onto the floor. “You still okay, Peach?”

  “Absolutely.” I grabbed the back of his head and pulled him down into a heated kiss, rolling my hips beneath him as he pumped in and out. He came a couple minutes later, and I suddenly found myself in Rob’s burly, tattooed arms.

  “Saving the best for last, huh, Jewels?”

  He lifted me up and pushed into me, quick and deep, making me gasp as pain flared then slowly melted into pleasure. His gray eyes darkened, seemingly getting off on my pain.

  “I like it rough, Jewels. Can you handle that?”

  I actually wasn’t sure if I could,
especially after getting railed three times before him, but I had no intentions of telling him that. “I’m not a pansy, dickhead. Of course, I can handle it.”

  “Good,” he growled hotly in my ear. “Now, pull my hair.”

  I did, and he groaned as he fucked me harder.

  “Bite me,” he commanded. “Scratch me, slap me, give me pain.”

  I dug my nails into the skin of his upper back and pulled, watching in amazement as he threw his head back and started to lose control. I liked the power he gave me, so, even though I wasn’t a huge fanatic of the sadism, I lowered my mouth to his shoulder and bit him—hard. Leaving a trail of teeth marks up his neck, I yanked his hair and pushed him into me as far as he could fit.

  “You ready to come, bad boy?”

  “Yes,” he groaned, mouth ajar, as I dragged my nails from his hair down to his chest, leaving harsh pink scratches in my wake. “Oh, fucking gods, I’m coming.” He rooted into me, holding me still until his passion waned, and when he was finished, he surprised the hell out of me by kissing me tenderly. “Thank you, Jewels.”

  My throat caught, and I smiled. “Anything for you guys.”

  We all sat there silently staring, glistening in sweat, practically glowing from the raw experience we’d just shared. It was like nothing I’d ever imagined—not even in the books I’d read.

  But I loved it.

  I didn’t feel used at the end; I felt accomplished. It had become my goal to be everything these sexy Storms needed, and it thrilled me beyond words to know that I was enough for them. All of them.

  They were committed to me, and I was committed to them, and we’d just thoroughly proven it to the gods and everyone.

  Nothing could be more perfect than that.

  Chapter 28

  Bria had arrived early.

  Why the fuck had she arrived early?

  I heaved my aching body down to the front of the castle and did my best to stand tall despite my thighs not wanting to go together.

  “You look a little saddle-backed, Sailor,” Ben teased with a sexy little smirk.

  I remained facing forward, fighting the urge to blush, grin, or stick my tongue out at him. I’d take the soreness in exchange for the magic of last night every single day, and he totally knew it.

  We stood outside in a line on the castle stairs, hands folded neatly in front of us, and waited as a servant opened the door to the first carriage. It was made entirely of reflective crystal, and when it caught the early rays of sunlight peeking through the trees, it glimmered with every shade of the rainbow.

  "Their royal majesties, ruling monarchs of the kingdom of Timberlune, King Titus and Queen Bravia."

  The two fae royals exited the carriage and took a look around, eyeing their surroundings with mild repugnance.

  I had a feeling I was eyeing them with an equal amount of disdain. Their hair, like the ambassador's before them, was bright blue, and their skin was soft and semitranslucent. They had spots on their skin like freckles, but instead of being darker, the marks shined like tiny stars. And of course, their ears were pointed sharply at the top.

  They were, unfortunately, quite beautiful, and the strange, magical quality they possessed made them that much more alluring. I dreaded having to meet Bria. She would no doubt knock my self-confidence down a few pegs.

  Each royal took turns shaking hands and exchanging overly kind words, so by the time they got to me at the end of the line, I was surprised to see such a cold look in their eyes.

  "And you are?" Titus asked in a pompous tone.

  I held out my red dress skirts and curtsied. "Alexis Ravenel, Your Highness."

  He sneered at me. "That's ‘Your Majesty’ to you."

  I raised a defiant brow. "You're not my king."

  Bravia gasped and stared at me like... well, like I was a toad. Her blue hair was swirled into an updo as tight as the stick wedged into her ass.

  I curtsied to her as well. "A pleasure to meet you, Your Highness."

  "That's not the proper curtsy for addressing royalty," she criticized. "Calvin, I remember when your mother sat on the throne at this very kingdom. She never forgot a curtsy."

  My mouth opened, but thankfully none of the words I was thinking escaped my lips.

  Cal chuckled uneasily. "Alexis is still learning the finer details of being a royal. We only recently discovered her long-lost heritage, so she's been raised as a commoner up until now."

  "I'm sorry," I said, smiling sweetly. I wasn’t sure if I was supposed to be apologizing for being a peasant or for fucking up the curtsy, though.

  Both the king and queen glowered at me, so I'd clearly said something wrong. Or perhaps just me being there was annoying them. Most likely, it was a mixture of both.

  Come on, Lex! Remember that damn cheat sheet the history teacher made up.

  Don't wear iron around a fae. Don't mention the Harpy War. Don't... say “sorry.” Say “my apologies.” That was it. Shit.

  I hummed contritely. "My apologies, Your Highnesses. I'm still learning."

  Bravia turned up her nose and said to the princes, "My apologies to whichever one of you gets stuck with her."

  What an epic bitch.

  “Yeah, well, my apologies to Cal if he gets stuck with your daughter.”

  Which he totally wouldn’t. I was more determined than ever to keep that from happening.

  She glared at me with a flaming fury as hot as the Obsidian Sun. Unfortunately, so did Cal. If I was supposed to be making a good impression, then I was failing miserably. I had approximately zero desire to appease that uppity cunt.

  Finally, the servant moved onto the next carriage and cleared his throat. "Her royal Highness, Princess Bria of Timberlune."

  Oh, here we go. The biggest bitch of them all.

  Bria stepped out of the carriage smiling brightly. Her silver dress sparkled as if it were caught in a ray of sunlight, and her long blue hair cascaded down her back in gentle waves.

  “Calvin!” she cried in a whisper-soft voice as she rushed over to him and wrapped him in her arms. “I’ve missed you.”

  He froze, looking momentarily unsure of what to do, then he hugged her back. “I’ve... missed you too, Bria.”

  She released him and touched hands with his three brothers. “You three look handsome as ever. I trust you’ve been well?”

  They exchanged a string of pleasantries that I damn near might’ve considered flirting, and by the time she reached me... she was still smiling.

  She took my hands and gently squeezed my fingers.

  “Alexis! I’ve heard so much about you. You’re even more beautiful than I imagined! I can’t wait to spend more time with you, my new friend.”

  I was staggered. I’d expected her to be a snobby bitch like her mother, not a bright and bubbly sweetheart full of compliments and class.

  Maybe she was faking it? Sweet on the outside, cold and cunning on the inside.

  I pursed my lips and did my best to smile. "Yes, I too look forward to seeing where this friendship leads us."

  Bria’s eyes lit up, and she linked her arm in mine. “Are we right on time for the luncheon? I’m practically starving.”

  Queen Bravia sniffed. “Bria, a princess never admits to a weakness. She suffers in silence and retains her dignity.”

  Bria’s smile faltered only a bit as she heaved a knowing sigh. “Yes, Mother.”

  I glared at the fae queen but spoke to her daughter. “I’m starving too. Better to be honest and forthright than to suffer for no good reason.”

  Cal stepped forward before Bravia and I could get into it further. “The luncheon is, indeed, ready for us. If you’ll follow me, I’ll get us all situated.”

  This was not going at all how I’d hoped.

  I wanted to hate Princess Bria so that it’d be easier to stop the betrothal, but so far... I didn’t hate her. I kept reminding myself that her pleasant behavior and agreeable personality might’ve been a façade, a front, a trick, but I didn�
�t even believe my own convictions. There was something that just felt good about her. And my empathy ability had yet to be wrong.

  It was fucking annoying.

  “You’re not paying attention,” Madam Annette scolded. “A lady is always attentive, picking up on the subtlest of details at all times.”

  “Well, excuse me, Madam, but I just sat through lunch with two super stuffy royals and one absolutely perfect princess, and I have a lot of shit on my mind.”

  She narrowed her eyes but smirked instead of frowning.

  I sighed. “Let me guess. A lady is never allowed to have shit on her mind. She must have her shit together at all times.”

  Madam Annette chuckled. “Do you remember our previous lessons?”

  “Probably not, to be honest.”

  She sighed dramatically. “It is your job to know everything, always. What do you know about these foreign royals?”

  “Absolutely nothing.” Which was frustrating. “How about you?”

  She half shrugged. “I know a bit. Nothing personal. But there are servants here who’ve been present for numerous visits of the Timberlune royals. Perhaps they’ve seen or heard something? Do not forget: the castle is a plethora of information.”

  She had a point. I was clearly not using my resources to my advantage.

  “I want to know how Cal and Bria ended up almost betrothed in the first place. I want to know what happened during the Harpy War.”

  “The Great Sky War,” she corrected.

  “Whatever. I also want to know why the Storm King is so hell-bent on starting a war with them, and why Hydratica is building more ships.”

  She grinned, evidently proud of me. “Sounds like you have some work to do.”

  I smiled back and dipped into the deepest curtsy I could manage. “Thank you for the lesson, Madam Annette, but I’m afraid I’m feeling rather ill and must retire.”

  “Yes, Your Highness, of course,” she said, playing along. “You are looking rather peaked.”

  “I’m afraid my pallor comes from a general lack of sunshine due to the meager beginnings I suffered, but I do appreciate the sentiment.”

  She chuckled once more. “I shall see you tomorrow for more lessons.”