Reaching for Home (House of Garner Book 3)

by Erin R Flynn

  I moved over to the map when people got settled. “There’s a clear train line from here all the way to Prince Rupert. That’s better than semis going back and forth.”

  “Does anyone know trains though?” Inez asked from her seat on Cerdic’s lap.

  Jacob—one of Princess Matilda’s nobles—raised his hand before most could blink. “Yes, Princess, I do and well. You have many who know machines, engines, and everything from tanks to planes, and I would gladly teach them.”

  Her lips twitched in amusement, clearly getting he was trying to make amends. “Thank you, that would be great. We need to make extra sure the tracks are okay, fuel, or whatever if we agree this is better.” She glanced around and saw people nodding. “Okay, good, so we’ll figure out what comes next after we assess with people who are in the know.”

  She jumped to her feet, and I doubted I was the only one who watched her hips or bouncing breasts as she walked over to the map. “All of these smaller areas won’t have loading and unloading, right? I mean, it takes a lot to load those containers onto the ships, so it’s got to be for trains as well?”

  “The ships have cranes to load, but there are freight loader vehicles like the forklifts but heavier duty,” I answered.

  She glanced up at me, and I went hard as she blushed a bit and her nipples hardened. She cleared her throat and focused on the map, not letting others see her reaction.

  Good, it was just for me.

  Fuck, I so wanted to suck those pert nipples.

  I realized I’d been so focused on that, I’d missed something. I blinked at her and then to where she was pointing. “I’m sorry?”

  She smirked and tapped the map. “Some of these places still won’t have stations to safely load up, so did you note which ones had stations?”

  “No, but I will scout and mark them out. That’s a lot less travel for the semis just to get to designated locations.”

  “Right, and we need maps and more scouted eventually, but this is a solid start.” She gave me a quick wink and went back to Cerdic. “Anyone else want to be smart and impress me?”

  “We’re going to have a lot to hunt tonight,” Kristof warned instead. “All of Edmonton was emptied out of corrupted. I realize you ended up not making it there, so I should report that. They made it as far as Jasper National Park, so that puts them a bit later than last night.” He glanced at James. “The mines were blown, right? Are they being re-laid, or are you putting in more vehicles?”

  “I prefer to leave the landmines alone,” he admitted. “Let’s go lay some around LA and lure them in with her blood where no one will be. We’ve seen too many get hurt with landmines to want to place them. Last night was easy and we’re all in agreement it was about a hundred thousand that came. We can do higher numbers and use them again if we’re worried we’re not enough, but I’d rather anything else.”

  “Agreed,” Trisha echoed. “We can get more RPG’s and even rig vehicles to blow rather than a landmine not detonating till later or hidden and gets one of us.”

  “If you feel that strongly, of course,” Inez immediately agreed. “So we’re loading the trailers with more vehicles and getting them out to the area? How was the fuel supply we found? And how close are my five engineers of the apocalypse doing on getting an electric semi engine in a chopper or M-ATV Assault vehicle?”

  “Close,” Trisha told her. “They think the test for the assault vehicle will be this week. The chopper is a bit more complicated for sure, and Wolfe says it will be a while and definitely not for combat anytime soon.”

  “Well, one out of two is fucking awesome,” she muttered, smiling widely before glancing around. “Oh man, we forgot snacks. What are the rules on sugar helping the brain and we need that at meetings?”

  “Which is your code for you’re addicted to brownies, love,” Cerdic teased her.

  “And cinnamon rolls and cookies and—” James added.

  “Shhh, no one’s figured that out yet,” she mock whispered.

  Damn, I even found that adorable.

  And her reply message on the phone had me jerking off twice and still leaving me hard. She was such, such pleasurable and perfect torture, and all I wanted was more.

  11

  Sebastian had outlined the supplies they’d gathered and would be ready to start culling wolves tomorrow, so he was handling that with the group—the dirtiest parts for Dennis and his group. Branko was so sexy when he smirked and asked to help since they were scared shitless of him. I didn’t get that because he was like a gentle giant even if he was ultra powerful.

  But his family coven seemed to be as bad as Kristof’s. I tuned out what I could because most didn’t seem to be firsthand accounts, and I wasn’t going to listen to rumors… But there had to be something to that many rumors.

  I took a nap before dinner, smiling when Tyson and Simon joined me in shifted form. Apparently naps for their cats were just as good as baby vampires. James just said they were lazy cats, which amused me to no end.

  It wasn’t only me that was excited for dinner as apparently a group had already raided the right places and gotten everything needed to start smoking pigs and more. They’d added more prepared frozen meals that we’d brought with when the owls had showed up. There was something else I learned though that I didn’t like.

  “We can take over another hotel,” I told Thomas after I found out they were six or more to a room since the hotel only had eighty-two rooms and a bunch were already taken. “Or cots. What if we went to the Sheraton across the street and at least got more mattresses and cots?”

  “Princess, we’re fine,” Thomas promised. “Cots are a great idea, but rooms have pull out sofas too.” He waved me off, looking amused. “The hotel has damn waterslides they’re getting hooked back up.”

  My eyes went wide. “I’ve never been on a water slide. I want to try it.”

  He chuckled but then seemed to realize I was serious. “Well, you will because they want to spoil you.”

  I shrugged. “I try to spoil everyone. It’s much better than all of us being assholes.” I shook my head and walked off towards the others. “Can anyone double up so the owls aren’t like twenty to a room or give help with cots for families that want to stay together? Maybe trade rooms so they can have bigger ones?” I shot a nasty look at Dennis who snorted. “Oh, you volunteer to sleep on cots in the lobby?”

  “That’s what I heard,” Sebastian agreed, looking amused. “Or the casino. They can push all the machines aside and have access to one shower.”

  “Done and done. Move out of your rooms,” I purred but then glanced at Jacob. “Are you guys sharing a room?”

  “We are, Princess, and we can trade for a smaller room, of course,” he agreed, dipping his head. “If you allow it, I can also show them where the cleaning supplies and wand vacuums are so they can clean their rooms properly.”

  “We got the washers and dryers online so everyone can do laundry now,” Vance let us know. “And we found several ChargePoint stations and electric cars to fix tomorrow. Canada was really more ecofriendly than most of the US for sure.”

  “Awesome. It’s like we know what we’re doing this time.”

  “Can we always stay here, Grandpa?” the little boy I’d met earlier, Sammy, asked as the first smoked pig was brought in.

  “Sure,” I chuckled, smiling at him. “Especially if you guys know farming or ranching, as there are huge herds of cows around here and someone taking care of them would be great so we can get beef when we need it.”

  “Wait, you’re not serious?” one of the owls asked, glancing between Thomas and me.

  I slowly nodded. “Yeah, why not? We’re going to get what’s needed back online, but we’ve got groups behind us raiding for the coven or other covens, but there’s no reason you can’t stay here. We’ll get all the corrupted.”

  “Obviously there would need to be several discussions and terms outlined if the princess was to allow it after her coven made it all possibl
e,” Kristof cut in, giving me a quick look that cut to Dennis that most wouldn’t have noticed. “But it’s certainly not off the table as she gets to know and trust your clan and your loyalty.”

  “Understood,” Thomas agreed, seeming to get there was more at play. “I thank you for even considering it, and I promise my clan will pull our weight.”

  I opened my mouth to answer they needed a chance to rest, but again, it wasn’t just us. “I’m glad you appreciate what I allowed. Others haven’t and disrespected me when I even gave good faith gifts and sent my soon to be father-in-law to discuss it on my behalf.” I shot Dennis a glare. “Apparently the apocalypse hasn’t given everyone the reality check they need.

  “I do however like the idea of leaving a loyal clan or group to oversee what’s mine, as it seems some are planning to spy and scout and take it all out from under us.” I was saying it more for Thomas so he got caught up as the rest probably had heard what had happened on the radios. “And there was already an assassination attempt from those who run their mouths and start trouble.”

  “There is no more a cure for idiocy than there is corrupted,” Thomas said, and I liked the line.

  We dug in, and I was halfway through dinner when I realized I kept eyeing over Cerdic like my next meal. He seemed to catch on, so I played it off like I knew and was flirting, taking extra care to lick my lips of BBQ sauce after my next bite of pulled pork sandwich. I flicked my hair over my shoulder and noted I had Kristof’s attention as well.

  Good because I actually wanted it and both of them for dessert. Or to eat me actually.

  When dinner was wrapping up, James announced what time we were heading out, and I saw Thomas speaking with another man who looked just like him.

  “No go,” Sammy said loudly.

  Thomas squatted down and hugged his grandson. “Grandpa and Daddy are going to go hunt the monsters who killed Mommy, okay? We’re going to go help tonight so more don’t die. You stay with your Grandma and we’ll be back, I promise.”

  “Mommy,” Sammy whispered, his tears filling with eyes. He nodded and went over to a woman I assumed was Thomas’s wife, sniffling and wiping his face on her shirt when she picked him up. They stopped by the other man, and there were more tears and sniffles. “Daddy, come back.”

  “Of course, buddy, I promise. We got this.”

  Thomas saw me watching but didn’t answer my unasked question until they were a bit further away, his son going with to get Sammy settled. “My daughter-in-law was young but a brave, good woman. She didn’t sense the corrupted that were underground nearby but managed to hold the doors closed while Sammy ran out of the building like she told him to.

  “We heard him screaming and came running, but we were too late. My son got him out of there, and we had to run there were so many. We eventually got them all, and Sammy doesn’t remember it, but my son grieves and has a hard time pushing on. She was his everything, but so is Sammy, so he just keeps moving and being there for his son.”

  “Sometimes not remembering is a blessing and a curse,” I whispered, knowing that well. “For Sammy it might be a blessing, as he’ll never blame himself he didn’t do more or call for help faster. But that means he also doesn’t remember her, which is a pain all of its own.” I glanced at Jaxon and Darius who clearly heard the conversation. “I’m so sorry for your son. I can’t even imagine.”

  “Me either,” Thomas admitted. “I hope we’re welcome to help?”

  “Sure. Talk to James. Kristof is general of the older nobles, and James is Secretary of the Navy of his crew and us baby vamps who don’t run fast enough to be on the ground.”

  “Smart.”

  “We do our best to be.”

  “That’s all you can do somedays.” He seemed to think about that a moment. “And be grateful. I had a hot shower today, and it’s been fucking years for that.”

  I snorted. “Yeah, we haven’t had them long, and I remember well, plus that feeling that even if the corrupted weren’t around, you were open at a campsite, exposed. Even the survivor camps or ships it was sleeping with one eye open. You had people at your back, which is still new to me.”

  “It is?” he asked, giving me a curious look, but that wasn’t something I was ready to get into with him yet.

  “A few months.” I turned to make it clear the conversation was over. “James, Thomas wants to help.”

  “So do a lot of the owls,” he told me. “That’s fine, and we can always use help, but if I’m letting them on military grade weapons, I need backgrounds to know they won’t blow us all up.”

  I left them to it and wasn’t surprised when Cerdic and Kristof were waiting for me outside the dining room. I was right back to heated and wanting fun. I didn’t say a word as I led them to our room, but I did put a bit more sway in my hips. Once we were inside, I hopped up on the dresser and eyed them over. “If you get naked for me, I might get naked for you.”

  I blinked, and they were both naked, clothes thrown all over the overstuffed chair. Nice. I licked my lips and my fangs itched to come out. I slid off the dresser and went to Cerdic.

  “I’m thirsty again. Will you feed me and take care of my needs after without Darius or Jaxon but keep to the no sex rule?”

  “Yes, fuck, yes, love, I’ll be good.”

  “Yes, I’ll be good,” Kristof said before I could even ask. “What are you in the mood for, My Princess?”

  “You on the bed sitting up against the pillows,” I answered, thrilled they were letting me drive again. I slowly undressed for them, loving how their eyes ate me up. Then I climbed onto the bed in between Kristof’s legs so my back was against his chest.

  And so was his monster cock.

  I crooked a finger at Cerdic, smirking when he instantly joined us. “I’m going to feed from your throat, and then you two will do whatever you want to me that’s not sex, but you have to be like this.”

  “Can we switch?” Kristof checked.

  “I’m not sure you deserve oral sex yet, but yes, I’ll allow you turning me between you.” I barely finished what I said, and Cerdic’s throat was right in front of me. My fangs came out, and I sank them in his skin, taking three large gulps before licking the wound closed. “Why am I so thirsty?”

  “You gave a pint of blood to set traps yesterday and again today,” Kristof answered, kissing my neck as his hands moved to my breasts. “Dessert tonight is her pussy, so eat up, Cerdic, and lick her clean.”

  I moaned, and I didn’t think I was the only one. I whimpered as Cerdic dove right in and did everything to me and so fast my body was suddenly just orgasming. “Yes, yes, I was dying for you both tonight.” I moved my arm up and around Kristof’s neck as he kept kissing my skin while playing with my nipples and breasts. “Fuck, please, I so need you both.”

  “You need us?” Kristof checked, his tone careful.

  I turned enough and leaned so I could see his face. “Yes. I need you both and not just physically, so be careful if you aren’t open to the next step because I might demand it in the near future so you’re always with me.”

  “I’m open to it,” he whispered against my lips. “Very, very open to it, My Princess.”

  “Good because I might not let you go, especially with how I’m craving you now that you’re behaving and we’re communicating better. I got so fucking hot when you protected me with Thomas earlier. All I could think was I can’t wait until we have the private cove and I would demand you take me there and fuck your princess after you do stuff like that.”

  “Holy fuck, Inez,” he growled, mashing his mouth to mine.

  I kissed him back while fisting Cerdic’s hair so he stayed there as I ground my hips against him. It also moved me in a way Kristof liked since I was sandwiched between them. The second I orgasmed again, they flipped me around, Cerdic holding me wide open to Kristof.

  I licked Cerdic’s lips, not caring he tasted like me. “And when I heard you tell Dennis you were mine and you sided with me, I knew I wouldn�
��t ever let you leave. I’d make you mine all the way and do a lot more exercise than tai chi with my hot Brit. I get jealous of Olivia and her bond with you, and she’s your sister. No woman is more to you than me.”

  “No, I’m yours,” he promised, kissing me stupid as his hands moved to my chest and his body ground against mine. Kristof finger fucked me with two of his thick fingers as he kept joining our kiss, which was fucking hot even if a bit messy. Cerdic rubbed his blood on my clit, and off I went again.

  Then I changed my mind on the plan, pushing Kristof to the bed and straddling his dick, using my wetness to move and pleasing us both while making more demands of him. I did the same to Cerdic, promising them both painful deaths if I saw either of them touch or look at women other than me.

  “Love, what brought this on?” Cerdic asked when I was completely spent and hiding against him.

  “Last time we had new shifters join us, someone fucked two for me to see,” I admitted, feeling Kristof flinch behind me. “Or I saw two suck him but only fuck one. And a few of the owls look at you like their next meal and I’ve heard comments that they’ve never seen a noble as hot as you. Everyone knows Jaxon and Darius are mine, but I don’t like the attention you’re both getting.”

  “I don’t want any of those women, My Princess,” Kristof promised as he hugged me from behind. “I only see you. I have perfection in my arms. I would never turn to them.”

  “I will cut off your dick if you do,” I grumbled, still sensitive. It wasn’t like he’d cheated… But it hadn’t happened all that long ago.

  “It won’t happen.”

  “And I’ve not seen one I would remotely fancy, love,” Cerdic added, snuggling in closer. “I was too busy watching your tight little ass in those fucking jeans, and your tits that I swear are getting bigger make me hard.”

  “They are bigger,” I confessed. “I was worrying about that when you said my ass is getting thick. I’ve filled in some bras, and some I’m close to popping out of.” I moved a hand of each of theirs to my breast. “What do you think? Do you want my tits to be Ds?”