Pretty in Orange

by J B Trepagnier

  Purson just smiled. “Don’t tell me what you know. Tell me what your wolf knows.”

  Skoll sighed. “They weren’t with me that long. Pearl and Kestrel were water elementals. Pearl was the one who liked to suck her thumb. They named her after someone. She had a pearl necklace she wanted back. Kestrel hid in the shower when she was upset. Pearl smelled like sea moss, and Kestrel smelled of the sea. They both smelled too pure to be in Scorchwood.

  “Clio and Arabella were air. Clio twirled her hair when she cried and smelled like a storm. Arabella was upset about the socks, but she was also upset about everything else. She smelled of ozone. Blossom was the earth element. She was the one that smelled like she had a sickness, even on the first day.”

  “What about you, Roman? Did you sense anything from them that would help us find them?”

  “All of them had a hard life. I could smell it in their blood. I could smell the sick one too. It was like there was something foreign in her blood that was making her sick, but she wanted more of it.”

  “And you, Amduscias?” Purson asked.

  “Roman and Skoll are correct. They all had hard lives. The earth element wasn’t ill that she had caught something. She was taking some sort of substance, and it was making her sick without it. It was something that made her feel better in a pleasant way. She wanted more of it, but they weren’t giving it to her in Scorchwood. Maybe if they had, she wouldn’t have shut down the way she did.”

  “They are all Dark Fae descendants,” Serafina said. “They only wanted Dark Fae for this. There was a water elemental in jail they were focusing on for a while, but the rest of her gang was Light Fae.”

  Beleth frowned. “If the Sunshadows are Dark Fae, why are they experimenting on their own kind?”

  Balam slammed his fist down. “I don’t know why they are doing this because the right questions haven’t been asked, but I know the answer to that question. They don’t want to harm the child, and they don’t want to harm the mother. This child is important to them, and they are desperate.”

  Serafina gazed at him over her wine glass. She was plotting something. I knew that look in her eyes.

  “You can answer any question?”

  “Yes, my child.”

  “Is Eiltan Sunshadow working alone, or does the entire Fae court sanction this?”

  “All of this is Eiltan Sunshadow’s plot. The other Fae don’t know what he is doing. They think he’s coming to Earth so much on business.”

  Serafina sat back, looking like she just caught a mouse. She got that far away look on her face like she was talking to Fergus. I knew what was happening. He wanted to go to the Fae realm, and she didn’t want him to. That would give him pause for a little while, but I was in agreement with Fergus on this one.

  Eventually, he would have to sneak into the Fae realm and either gather allies or gather intel.

  Chapter 29

  Serafina

  T

  he kings of Hell were all pretty cool, but I wasn’t sure about Zepar. I didn’t trust him, and I could tell Amduscias didn’t either. We had an excellent feast and a plan if Purson could find our missing elementals. I wasn’t sure how he would begin with the little information we had, but then again, I wasn’t a king of Hell.

  The make and model of cars in Hell differed from what I was used to, but Amduscias had a variety of sports cars and luxury sedans in his garage. He preferred the sleek black sedan that looked a little like a high-end Mercedes had a baby with a Porsche. It drove like a dream too. I couldn’t wait to teach Amduscias to drive while we waited for Purson to find the elementals.

  In the meantime, I had something I wanted to do tonight. As soon as I jumped out of the car, I flung myself in Skoll’s arms and kissed him.

  “I think this magical leaf works now. Doctor Bogthon said two hours, and it’s been way longer than that. Why don’t you mark me, you big, sexy wolf?”

  Skoll just let out this little growl. He scooped me up and went bounding towards the house. I could hear Roman and Amduscias laughing behind us.

  “Can we watch?” Roman called.

  “Fuck off!” Skoll yelled over his shoulder.

  Skoll ran all the way up the winding stone staircase to a door towards the end of the hall. He kicked the door open so hard it surprised me he didn’t break it. Skoll shoved the door shut with his shoulder, and he wasn’t even out of breath running all over the house with me in his arms. His chest was heaving, but it wasn’t from the running. He was trying to control his wolf.

  Someone, probably Alozan, placed scented candles and flowers all over the room at Skoll’s request. Skoll grabbed a lighter off the table and started lighting candles.

  “I like these new fire devices. Much easier than a flint.”

  I decided to help a wolf out, and honestly, I’d been thinking about this since he first started preening naked in front of me in Scorchwood. And after that shower? Sign me up for a little wolf claiming. I waved my hand and lit all the candles.

  “I’m better than a lighter any day. Get over here, you big, sexy wolf.”

  Skoll ripped his shirt off and started showing off.

  “Has my little killer been thinking about this?” he teased, slowly lowering his trousers. He wasn’t wearing anything underneath.

  “Well, the big, bad wolf has a problem wearing clothes.”

  Skoll kicked his trousers across the room.

  “Well, someone is wearing too many clothes right now, and it’s not me. Stand up, killer.”

  I scrambled to my feet. Skoll stalked across the room like I was his prey. His eyes were glowing amber and had this glint in the candlelight like he would rip my clothes off and take me against the wall. He wasn’t like that at all. He was almost reverent as he removed my clothes. The fucking wolf got on his knees in front of me to remove my skirt and thong, then kissed my belly and thanked me for being his mate.

  He looked up from his knees with the fire from the candles flickering in his glowing amber eyes. He gave me this devious grin.

  “There wasn’t much else to do in prison except plan how I would do this. I hope you weren’t planning on sleeping tonight. I’m three-hundred-and-seventy-four years old, killer. Think you can handle mating with a wolf that old that’s had centuries to plan this?” he asked, licking my belly button.

  I tangled my fingers in his messy brown hair and pulled.

  “I’m only thirty-four. Think your old ass can keep up with me?”

  Skoll let out a little growl and pounced. He tackled me, so we both fell on the enormous bed. He buried his face in my neck and started leaving slight love bites.

  “Remember the shower, killer? I will taste you again. You won’t be able to sass me when I’m done with you.”

  “I think you like my filthy mouth,” I gasped when he bit my ear.

  Skoll kissed his way down to my breasts and started nibbling on my nipples. His callous hands palmed my other breast. I arched my back and clutched his arm. I hissed when he bit me. Maybe he was right. At the rate he was going, I would not be capable of coming up with a witty comeback.

  Skoll kissed his way down to my toes, then back up to the apex of my thighs. I was the one growling when all he did was blow on me.

  “Tease.”

  “Patience, killer. That’s one thing you’ll learn when you are older.”

  “Oh, shut up and fuck me.”

  Skoll just chuckled.

  “Not quite yet. I’ve feasted on this divine pussy before, and I will do it again.”

  “Well—”

  I didn’t get to finish that statement. Skoll dove in and started lapping at my clit. I realized what he had been doing. He was making me anticipate this so much that when I felt his tongue, I nearly jumped out of my skin. I let out this colossal moan as his tongue did its magic. My wolf really was a master at eating pussy.

  Skoll slipped two fingers inside me and started fucking me. I wanted that monster cock between his legs, but this was good too. This was fu
cking amazing. I whimpered and begged. He was right. I didn’t want to sass him at all. I wanted to hire him his own cheering section. Like, this group of girls with pom-poms and megaphones who would spell his name out and make up cheers about him licking my pussy. He wouldn’t understand that at all, but whatever.

  My orgasm hit me like a wrecking ball. I wailed, I shrieked, I yanked his hair. I felt like making up my own fucking little cheer about his skills. I had no control over my body. I flopped around on the bed like a fish as Skoll drew every last ounce of pleasure out of me.

  As the last shudder went through my body, Skoll kissed his way up to my mouth and grinned at me.

  “How are you feeling, killer?”

  “Shouldn’t you be rusty at that if you’ve been in jail for so long and didn’t sample the prison population?”

  “You never forget how to pleasure a woman. Ready for round two?”

  Yeah, I was. I grabbed him and kissed him.

  “I’m ready to be yours, you silly wolf.”

  “Good,” Skoll growled. “Because I can’t wait anymore.”

  Skoll had me pressed on my back in an instant. I wrapped my legs around his waist and caressed his cheek. I pulled him down for a kiss. Skoll rested his forehead on mine.

  “Fuck, you’re beautiful, killer.”

  “You’re mine, Skoll. Now, make me yours.”

  Skoll pulled back and grinned at me. “Did you just claim me?”

  “Yeah, I did. You’re all mine. I’m claiming all of you.”

  I didn’t know who was listening. I didn’t know if it was fate or some sort of god. I didn’t care. They were all mine and fuck anyone who tried to take them from me. Skoll let out this colossal wolf howl and then surged inside me. I gasped as he stretched me out and filled me. I said I wanted him all of him, but I wasn’t quite expecting him to be that big.

  He stilled and let me get used to his size. He littered brief kisses all over my face. He didn’t need to ask if I was ready. He just knew. He started thrusting into me hard and fast. All I could do was grab his ass and hold on for dear life.

  Skoll had some serious stamina. I thought I was about to die and go to Heaven when he pulled out and wrestled me onto all fours. He grabbed my hips and entered me in a quick thrust. Skoll leaned over my back and reached around me to finger my clit in time with his thrusts.

  I was about to come again, and when I did, I knew I would break into a million pieces. All I could do was whimper and cry. His cock was hitting all the right places from this angle, and I usually hated this position. Skoll was showing me a whole new world. This was a horrible time to get the Aladdin soundtrack in my head. It was out almost as soon as it came in when Skoll’s fingers sped up.

  “Now, killer!” Skoll roared.

  I felt his teeth clamp down on my shoulder, and I literally thought I would die. His teeth didn’t hurt. No, it was more like I was being overcome by pleasure. I felt Skoll come, and I realized something. I hadn’t made him wear a condom like I did other men. I always doubled up on birth control. My implant and a condom had always served me well.

  I didn’t care. I wanted this. I wanted him. And I was okay with him cumming inside me. I trusted this fucking magical leaf in my arm, and I felt closer to Skoll. I felt closer to fucking everything right now. I felt closer to nature and the moon. I felt closer to every individual blade of grass.

  I let out this tremendous shriek. I couldn’t handle this pleasure anymore, and I passed out.

  Chapter 30

  Skoll

  M

  y wolf was so content. She was ours now, and she claimed us too. She was sleeping in my arms, and she looked so peaceful. I had a feeling we’d all be moving into Amduscias’s suite and sleeping in there. My wolf bristled at the idea, but he would deal with it. But for tonight, she was only ours.

  I shifted and pulled her closer to my chest. She let out this small sigh and nestled into me. She nuzzled my chest with her cheek like she was a wolf and settled back into her slumber. I wanted to remember tonight for the rest of my life. I settled myself into a peaceful sleep.

  My dream changed. I usually had wolf dreams. My wolf regularly hunted in the forest while Skoll, the man, was trapped in prison. My wolf was sitting right next to me in a black room. Serafina appeared. We could enter each other’s dreams since we were mates, but I didn’t do that tonight as much as I wanted to. I thought her dreams were her time with Fergus.

  She ran to me and threw herself in my arms.

  “I asked Fergus how to do this. I wanted to spend more time with you, and you fucked me until I passed out.”

  I chuckled and kissed the top of her head. “That’s normal in wolf claimings.”

  “Fergus just snaps his fingers, but he said all I have to do is concentrate and I can make us a bed to lie in.”

  She whirled around and pressed her back against my chest. I wrapped my arms around her waist while she concentrated into the darkness. I didn’t have a lot of experience manipulating dreams either. She held her hands out.

  “Expecto patronum!” she yelled. “Avada Kedavra? Abra-fucking-cadabra!”

  The dream changed, and we were standing in the middle of a beautiful forest with a massive bed in the center. She pulled me over, and we snuggled under the covers.

  “What kind of spell did Fergus give you that didn’t work right away, killer?”

  “He said I had to manipulate it with my mind. He focuses his thoughts by snapping his fingers. I was just using spells from my favorite books. I will have to show you all the Harry Potter movies.”

  “I thought you said it was a book.”

  “Sometimes they take excellent books and turn them into movies. Some books you read when you were still free might have a movie version now. If you tell me something you like, I can look into it.”

  “We have time. Where is Fergus?”

  “He went back to Scorchwood to see what the fallout was from our breakout. I wanted more time alone with you, so he went to investigate.”

  I knew he left her sometimes, but it shocked me he did at night. Weren’t her dreams the only time he could touch her? I could admit out of everyone she loved, I was the most jealous of Fergus. He was there for her when she was alone on the streets. He knew more about her than I did.

  “Why did you ask to be here with me when you can only touch Fergus when you are asleep?”

  “Because even if I know little about Vampire or wolf mates, or even the first thing about juggling this many boyfriends, I know tonight was important. I know I don’t want any of you to feel left out or that I prefer someone over you. I know that I’ve known Fergus longer than all of you, but I ended up your cellmate for a reason. I might not have a choice in this game fate is playing with my life, but I’m glad she brought me you and Roman, even if I was a bitch about it at first.”

  “You weren’t a bitch, killer. We were in prison, and you didn’t know if you could trust us. You’re also not a wolf or a Vampire. We didn’t exactly romance you or had the time to really let you get to know us before we dumped that on you. I probably wouldn’t have even told you yet if I hadn’t lost it and found out that was Fergus that made you make sex noises the night I realized it.”

  “Why? I thought when you realized it, you had to claim me no matter what.”

  I needed to explain wolf things to my little killer. Even if she didn’t grow up away from elementals and go to school with them, they didn’t teach much about us from what I understood.

  “Even if you were a wolf too, it wouldn’t have happened right away if we hadn’t met before. We both would have had the urge to do it, but we would have wanted to get to know each other first. A certain elemental kept challenging my wolf by sleeping in sexy lingerie and inviting me to her shower.”

  Serafina started giggling.

  “You still think those prison granny panties were sexy after what you just took off of me? Okay, not only am I going to have to introduce you to Harry Potter, I will have to give you a
lingerie show.”

  “All these unfamiliar forms of theatre are confusing. You have movies and entire shows for panties?”

  I wasn’t complaining about her showing off lingerie for me. I’d never complain about that. Was the modern world ever going to make sense to me? We traveled all around Hell without a horse. The enormous metal car seemed to move itself.

  Serafina shoved my chest playfully.

  “The only panty shows you’d better be watching are the ones where I’m shaking my tits and ass.”

  I growled and kissed her.

  “You’re my mate. I only see you.”

  Serafina started playing with my hair. It was so simple, but there was something so soothing about my mate doing that.

  “And I know I’m asking a lot asking you to share me with Roman, Fergus, and Amduscias.”

  She had started referring to herself as fate’s bitch, but really, we all were. I should have killed all of them to get them out of the way, but it would have driven her away, and it wasn’t like she asked for this. We were all fate’s little bitch, and I didn’t want to kill my friends.

  I kissed her again. It wasn’t like it was her fault. It wasn’t Roman, Amduscias, or Fergus’s error either. Fate wanted us with her to protect her and bring the Fae down.

  “I can’t think of anyone else I’d rather share my mate with, killer.”

  Chapter 31

  Fergus

  A

  s much as I never wanted to set foot in Scorchwood again, I needed to go back for my Ena and any future elementals that might end up there. How had Eiltan managed all this if that demon was right and he was working alone? From what Rathmore said before he died, Eiltan had several warlocks in his back pocket, and I didn’t trust at least one of them didn’t have their hands on Rathmore’s research.

  Scorchwood was in chaos when I got back. We hadn’t killed all the guards, just the ones on duty that night. Some were on rotation and were topside when we broke out. The guards who got their topside time cut short were in a pissy mood, and I finally got to see the warden of Scorchwood Supernatural Penitentiary.