by J. E. Cluney
My head rested on Skip’s chest, who was lying along the top of the bed. Lucas was squished in behind Ollie, his arm over the shifter’s waist as Ollie nuzzled into my back.
My body ached and throbbed, worn out from the intense session. But the pleasure and sheer bliss still lingered.
How we all fit on the bed was beyond me, even if Skip was along the top, my pillows having been thrown off at some point.
The night was still warm, and I was grateful to be nestled into Marcus’ side to cool down. We’d left the void at some point, and I was glad to be back in my room once more.
“Well…” Marcus finally broke the silence. Skip was staring at the roof, playing with my hair softly.
“Haven’t done that with you guys before,” Lucas remarked, raising himself on his elbow to look over at us. Not that I could see him since I was facing away from him.
“What even happened?” Skip asked, not annoyed, just curious going by the tone of his voice.
“The bond has been completed I think, since she took you. And the power surge that it gave us all, also filled us with the need to claim her,” Lucas said, although we all knew he was just guessing. It did feel like that was what had happened. I felt so synced with them, but my mind was quieter.
“Interesting,” Lucas murmured, and I rolled over, smiling at Ollie’s sweet face as I pressed my back against Marcus’ side.
“What is?” I asked.
“Skip and I are talking, but I don’t think you can hear us,” he mused.
I frowned, reaching out deliberately, and hearing them talking about the fact that more than sex with me had happened. I had noticed that while I was being ravished, they were willingly pleasing one another in some way.
Even Marcus had accepted Lucas giving him a blowjob.
“I wonder why?” I asked out loud.
“Maybe the bond has become more stable? So we can choose when to hear others rather than it randomly happening? I noticed that we weren’t all finishing together either, guess that must be part of it,” Lucas suggested.
It made sense, somehow. That we now had more control over the bond we shared.
“What are those?” Ollie asked, raising my hand closer to his face to inspect the intricate blue skull that now marred the center of each palm.
“That’s unique,” Lucas said as he eyed my hand over Ollie’s shoulder.
Despite the arousal and sex overdrive wearing off, they seemed at ease being completely naked and touching in bed.
“I feel different too,” Ollie stated as he traced the design on my palm.
“How so?” I murmured, loving his soft, warm finger swirling over my palm.
“I don’t know,” he frowned, his finger freezing mid swirl.
As if on cue, Marcus’ stomach rumbled.
“Fuck,” he groaned, sitting upright and holding his stomach.
“You okay?” Skip asked as he sat up as well.
“I’m…” Marcus barely got the words out before his stomach growled loudly, and he groaned as he slumped over, clutching his midsection.
“Is he going to be sick?” I asked, confused by this.
“Vampires don’t get sick unless they eat real food,” Ollie reminded me.
Right.
Marcus lurched off the bed, stumbling for the door and flitting out into the hall.
“We should check on him,” Lucas said instantly as he shot off the bed, waving his hand and forcing his clothes to drift over to him as he dressed.
We all joined him, searching around the room for all the tossed clothing.
Ollie threw me my shirt as I tossed Skip his briefs, and we hurried downstairs as quickly as we could.
I nearly barreled into the back of Lucas, who was standing in the kitchen as loud moans came from Marcus.
Confused and worried, I peered around him, staring dumbly at the sight before me.
Marcus was powering through old pieces of pizza and a can of tuna, not stopping as he ate some of my Freddo’s then chugged some milk right from the bottle.
“What the hell are you doing?!” Skip demanded, shocked as we all crowded into the kitchen.
“So… humnugory,” Marcus’ muffled words were barely understandable.
“You don’t eat,” Ollie gaped, watching stupefied at how he was gorging on everything he could get his hands on in the fridge.
Lucas moved past him, staring at him strangely as he popped some toast on and flicked the kettle on.
“I can taste it all!” Marcus declared when he’d finished stuffing his face with the last pieces of pizza.
“What?” Skip frowned.
He looked just as confused and shocked as we all felt.
“Side effect of the bond? We all are meant to get stronger.” Lucas shrugged when we all looked to him for answers. He had no fucking clue what was going on, but he was so chill about it as he seemed to be making toast.
“What are you making?” Marcus asked as he turned to Lucas, shoving another Freddo in his mouth. I was half tempted to snatch up the few remaining ones to rescue them from him, but if he could really taste them, then he deserved them.
He’d gone so long without tasting food, and I reached out, loving the wave of utter delight rolling off him as all the flavors exploded in his mouth.
Tuna with chocolate was not something I’d have liked.
“I’ll make you Nutella toast, you used to love that, but you might want to ease up,” Lucas said as Marcus moved to the pantry.
We were all smiling now at his delight.
“Give him a break, he’s survived off blood this long,” Skip shrugged as he sat down at the table expectantly.
Lucas made a stack of toast, spreading Nutella, peanut butter, and assorted jams on them.
The two plates floated over to the table as he got about making us hot milos, and Marcus was quick to snatch up a slice of Nutella toast, moaning as he bit into it.
I helped myself to a slice of strawberry jam topped toast, while Ollie chose peanut butter.
Skip went for a slice of toast with a light spread of Vegemite. He saved the other piece for Marcus.
We all chuckled and enjoyed our toast and hot milos, watching as Marcus raided the cupboards while downing toast.
Surely he’d get full soon.
After asking me if he could steal another Freddo, he finally settled down in the chair beside me, seemingly sated for the time being.
“You’re still a vampire, right?” Ollie asked after sipping his hot milo.
“Yeah, still feel like one. But I crave normal food now,” he smiled. His perfect straight teeth were a startling sight to see, grinning widely at all of us, his eyes twinkling with joy. It was the happiest I’d seen him.
“Wonder what you’d be like in the sun?” Skip mused.
“Have to wait until morning to try,” Marcus said with a shrug as he sipped his hot milo, a look of content settling over his features.
I glanced over at the clock on the microwave. It was early hours of the morning, not even three.
I finished off my milo, closing my eyes as I enjoyed the peaceful moment with my guys.
I could reach out and feel the same contented feeling washing over all of them.
The bond was complete. We were joined fully, and I could feel that their own power and magic had increased with the completion of the bond.
And my own.
I glanced down at the skull on the palm of my hand.
I knew that it was the mark of the true, complete banshee. I’d become whole by claiming all my mates.
And now, the wendigo wouldn’t get me so easily.
I had powers, more than what I had before, my inner banshee knew, and I trusted her. I had nothing to fear from the wendigo.
I awoke, mashed between Ollie and Skip. I gingerly pried myself from their bodies, my own body aching from last night’s fun endeavor. I was careful not to wake them as they slept soundly while I crawled to the bottom of the bed and climbed off.
I reached ou
t, finding Lucas already up and downstairs in the study working on an assessment. He liked to work on it in the early hours of the morning when he wouldn’t be interrupted.
But I headed out of the bedroom and straight downstairs and out the back, grinning as I found Marcus standing in the morning sun.
He looked so peaceful and happy, his eyes closed and his face towards the morning sky.
“It doesn’t burn at all,” he murmured as I stepped up beside him.
I just smiled, sliding my hand into his and feeling the slightest warmth to his skin.
“I’m still a vampire, I can tell that, but I can enjoy things I thought were lost to me forever. Because of you, of our bond,” he said softly, finally turning and opening those frosty blue eyes.
He stared at me lovingly, moving to pull me against his chest so he could hold me tight.
I enjoyed the sweet moment, welcoming his joy and gratitude as it flooded me.
We remained like that for a short while, holding each other in the morning sun, enjoying the embrace.
But I promised to go to the markets with Emma, so eventually I pried away from him to go and have breakfast.
“Wow, and I was looking forward to telling you my grand news,” Emma wowed, gaping after I’d told her about the heated session with my four guys.
She was holding my hand, tracing the blue skull that adorned my palm now as we walked through the markets.
Maple Grove held some markets every weekend on the primary school oval, and we were making our way through it.
“Tell me your news,” I said as she released my hand and toyed with the rainbow pentagram keychain on her messenger bag. She had forgone the handbag for something more convenient for carrying her market buys. Her mother had asked her to pick up a number of potion ingredients, and I’d tagged along, loving the charms and potions for sale.
There were spelled objects for sale too, much like my dragon keychain which I’d showcased when Emma met me in the carpark. She’d loved my car too.
“Well, I went out with George, and he asked me to be his girlfriend,” Emma said.
“Yeah, and?” I smirked. She’d texted me last night with this news, but I knew she was leading up to something.
“I went back to his place,” she said, her cheeks reddening as she stepped closer to me to lower her voice.
“How was it?” I asked knowingly.
“Well, I’m glad I said yes to being his girlfriend, he knows how to please a lady,” she grinned, fanning herself dramatically at the memory.
“Damn,” I chuckled. “I’m glad that you found a good one.”
“Look who’s talking, miss four mates,” she jabbed back playfully. “But he was super sweet too, we had an amazing night. Things are great. I’ll be seeing him again tonight,” she said suggestively. “And this time, I’m taking my lingerie.”
“Damn, I don’t have any lingerie,” I noted with a pout.
“We will definitely have to change that soon then,” she laughed.
She turned, catching sight of a stall and grabbing my wrist to drag me over.
I grinned at the assorted trinkets for sale, and the massive table of intriguing potions. I read through the labels, frowning at some of them.
Ones to aid with libido, ones to increase fertility, ones to slim you down, make you taller, color your hair magically.
So many potions, I loved it.
“There are some that I know Mrs Vincent makes that she shouldn’t. Potion makers should stick to normal potions, nothing too risky or dark, but she’s willing to bend the rules a little. A student bought a transfiguration potion from her once. It got used on a shifter student, and he got stuck in his animal state for six hours. They’re frowned upon, but not deemed dangerous. But the wardings on the University are stronger now so that potions and magic can’t be used outside of the classrooms easily. Stops all the pranks via enchantments and potions mostly,” Emma murmured as said woman bagged up a bundle of trinkets and potions for another customer.
Interesting, I’d heard about potions, but never realized just the kind of magic they could do. They certainly weren’t cheap either.
“Some of these potions are high-end, very pricey. She’s one of the other best potion makers in town. Mrs Vincent was one of my mom’s biggest competitors, but now she works alongside my mom, although we don’t like her practices with the riskier potions, we won’t sell them in our shop,” Emma added softly, obviously accidentally hearing my thoughts.
I paused, a strange sensation washing over me.
Emma stepped forward to speak with Mrs Vincent about some ingredients and a list of potions they would require from her. It seemed Mrs Vincent had become a supplier for their shop, as she could make some potions that Emma and her mother couldn’t.
I stepped away from the small stall, scanning the bustling morning crowd. Children were running around with enchanted candy floss that sparkled and took on moving shapes, while other children were playing with charmed toys that flew overhead, staying close to their child.
My eyes landed on a man standing over by the carousel, his black eyes focused on me.
I stared at him, at the gorgeous smile he was giving me. Something drew me to him, but at the same time, an uneasy feeling was settling over me.
He had a sharp face, and his jet black hair was crew cut.
He was wearing a leather jacket and jeans, which was strange considering how warm it already was. Maybe it didn’t bother him. A warlock perhaps?
I focused, trying to sense his aura.
I frowned. I’d never seen an aura like his.
Black and grey, as if it was being masked, barely visible compared to the rainbow of auras around him.
Who was this man?
“What man?” Emma asked as she joined me, and I glanced at her bag of ingredients she’d also purchased, before looking back at the man.
He was gone.
“He’s gone now,” I murmured, scanning the area for him.
He truly had disappeared.
“Everything okay?” Emma asked gently.
“Yeah, what’s a black and grey aura mean?” I asked.
“That’s an odd combo. I’m not sure,” Emma answered honestly, scrunching up her nose in thought as she fixed her silver ponytail.
I shrugged. Maybe it was nothing.
But as we continued trawling the markets, I couldn’t push him from my head.
I’d been drawn to him, even though I’d found my mates.
Why?
After the markets, I was off to work, having brought my uniform with me. I changed at work, and the four-hour shift I’d been given flew by.
Ollie had walked to the Diner, and he was waiting for me when I finished up.
“How was work?” he asked as I joined him at three o’clock before heading out to my car.
“Good, busy,” I said, glad for the quick shift.
Gina and Henry had been fascinated when they’d spied the skulls on my hands. A true banshee. They were curious what the symbols meant. I figured it just symbolized what I was.
“We were thinking of going and seeing my grandfather, I’d like to see Million, so figured I’d come and see if you wanted to come too?” Ollie said as we headed for my car.
“Sure,” I shrugged. I did quite enjoy seeing Ollie in his element.
“Great! I’ll text Skip. My Pop will be so excited to see Marcus! He hasn’t seen him in ages,” Ollie said as he pulled out his phone and shot off a text.
I touched my pentagram necklace from Lucas, my mind moving back to the man from this morning. I hadn’t had a chance to think about him, but why was he stuck in my head?
“Skip wants to know if you want them to wait for you and we take the one car, or do you want to meet them at my Pop’s?” Ollie asked, pulling my from my thoughts.
“I can drive us, I don’t mind,” I said honestly, grateful that I had the singlet from this morning still in my car to change into.
Ollie nodded as
he tapped in the text, and I headed over to my car with him behind me.
“How was your day?” I asked as we climbed into Dory. I grinned as I mentally used her name. My spiffy little beast.
“Good, we ended up going to the markets too after lunchtime. We got food and lunch. There’s a stall there that sells savory baked foods that have potion ingredients to give them more incredible flavors,” Ollie said as I started up the engine.
“Yeah, Emma dragged me to Heather’s baked treats stall. Gina will be getting her baked treats in the store from her. I tried one of her hot fudge brownies with calming qualities. It was amazing! You could actually taste the hot fudge, like it was melting in your mouth, even though it was just a normal looking brownie. Emma had a melting caramel cupcake which she loved. She also bought a potion to make her hair rainbow,” I said, remembering the potion she’d told me she’d bought from Miss Vincent. She’d use it at home, and it would give her hair a temporary rainbow coloration for a few weeks.
“That’ll draw in more business for sure! People love Heather’s treats, but she only sells them at her stall on Sunday. Those who are running it allow home-baked goods to be sold, but only at the markets. Anywhere else, you need a commercial kitchen to be used,” Ollie reminded me. Gina had already told me all about the battles Heather had been facing to get her treats up for sale, and Gina wanted to help her.
He went on to tell me that they’d gotten their drinks from another stall, just simple milkshakes, no potions infused with them. And then they’d had fun watching as Lucas performed some magic to entertain a child whose flying toy pegasus had suddenly broken when it collided with a toy dragon flying overhead. Lucas had fixed it, and then made glitter and rainbows shoot from its wings as it soared overhead to give it a better lifelike effect.
“Are dragons and pegasus real?” I asked suddenly.
“There are rumors that there are pegasus shifters, but not just normal pegasus. As for dragons, there were stories of dragon shifters as well, but they were just stories told amongst shifter families,” Ollie shrugged.
“What about unicorns and griffins?” I added excitedly.
“Again, maybe in shifter state, but not real ones. I was told as a kid that those sorts of shifters were created centuries ago by mingled breeding of other shifters. A lion shifter and eagle shifter, a bird shifter and horse shifter, you know. Unicorns were narwhale shifters and horse shifters,” Ollie mused. “Dunno if it’s true though, but there are stories about them as shifters. All lore about them as actual creatures is fake, they’re just seen shifters really.”