I lean a little closer and beckon him with my finger. Calix dips his face close to mine, his nostrils flaring as he takes in a deep breath. I lower my lids, anticipating the moment his mouth will touch mine.
I feel the tip of his tongue lap over my bottom lip, then the top. My mouth parts as I let out a pleased sigh. His tongue is almost rough. Calix’s lips land on mine almost immediately after. Using my hands, I crawl a little closer, pushing against him more firmly. Calix doesn’t retreat; if anything, he gives back as good as I’m giving.
I slide my tongue into his mouth, feeling the smooth underside of his tongue as he licks into my mouth. There’s not an ounce of awkward hesitation on either of our parts. Calix kisses me as if our mouths already know each other.
I brace my hand on his thigh in my bid to get even closer to him, and I can feel how tightly his muscles are coiled under my hand. He reaches for me, his hands going under my arms as he hauls me into his lap to straddle his hips.
Breaking the kiss, I stare down at him while I lower myself into his legs. Calix opens his mouth, and a heavy pant passes his lips. I grin when I feel just how much he’s already affected by our sweet touches. A little bubble of excitement erupts in my stomach. I’m really hoping he knows what to do with the sizeable bulge under me.
Calix reaches up and palms my cheek, threading his fingers into my hair as he pulls me back down to his mouth. I run my palms over his shoulders, feeling the texture of his shirt under my hands and wishing it were his skin instead.
I nip at his bottom lip then pull it into my mouth, and his hand tightens in my hair, causing me to arch my back in response. Calix moves his tongue with slow, deliberate strokes as he kisses me. I’m so used to rushed, greedy hands that it takes me a moment to adjust to the way he’s taking his time, causing liquid heat to pool in my lower stomach.
Calix places his hand on my lower back and glides it up under my shirt. His fingertips are a little rough—I can even feel the calluses on his palm skate over the smooth skin of my back.
I lower my hands from his shoulders and return the favor by sliding my them up and under his shirt. The short hairs covering his chest tickle my palms.
Knowing I’m enjoying the rough texture of his hands, I curl my fingertips a bit and drag my nails back down over his chest just enough to make sure he feels it. Calix lets out a low groan, his hand on my back dragging me closer as he bites my lip.
I grind down on his lap, happy I chose yoga pants instead of jeans. Now, I just need to get him out of his. I break the kiss and lean back as Calix’s hand travels around my side and cups the underside of my breast. His thumb finds my nipple with uncanny accuracy.
Another wave of satisfaction hits me at my wardrobe choice. I hate bras, and this is the perfect reason not to wear one.
Calix’s mouth and lips find their way to my neck as he kisses my throat and under my jaw. That tongue of his would be much better suited for working between my legs. I can just imagine how it would feel circling my clit.
I jerk upright and my eyes fly open when my doorbell rings with an eerily long trill of notes. Calix doesn’t remove his hand from my breast—in fact, his palm tightens a bit. “Expecting company?” His brows are raised in question. I take note of his damp, swollen lips, and the way his pupils are dilated as he stares up at me.
The tones chime again. “Damn it, no. Who could that be?” I still don’t bother getting up, and the bell rings for a third time.
“Whoever it is—they aren’t going away,” Calix offers.
I pull his hand off my tit and get my feet back under me. When I stand up, I can feel how damp my panties are when a chilled breeze hits me.
A growl of frustration rumbles within me. “I’m coming!” I shout, even though I’m much too far away from the door to be heard.
Calix hustles over to my side. “You would have been,” he promises, his voice full of gravel.
“Ugh.” I roll my eyes and cup my breast. My nipples are so hard, they’re aching.
“What are you doing?” Calix asks, stifling a chuckle.
“My tits have blue balls. Give me a break.” I’m not in a laughing mood. I reach the door in record time, just as the bell rings for the fourth time. “What?” I shout, ripping the door open after disengaging the deadbolt.
“Did I interrupt?” Gunnar pushes his way right past me, not even bothering to wait for an invitation.
“You sure as fuck did.” I plant my hands on my hips and leave the door open. Hopefully, he’ll be using it to leave really damn soon.
“That’s regrettable,” he purrs, but he means the exact opposite. I wouldn’t even need to be a lie detector to know that. “Gunnar,” he announces to Calix, his chin tipped up in the air.
“Calix,” Calix responds in kind, then purposefully reaches down and adjusts his dick in his pants. I watch, transfixed, as his fingers make the material of his pants form around his erection. I want to stomp my feet and pout. I could be riding that damn thing.
Gunnar makes a deep sound in the back of his throat that has me taking my eyes off Calix’s package and landing on him.
“What are you doing here?” I cross my arms over my chest and cock out my hip. Normally, I would be digging this back and forth banter between the two of them, maybe even playing into it to see which one I would fuck later tonight, but I’m horny as hell and with both of them standing here, I’m imagining fucking them both. Maybe even at the same time.
“You said you wanted to finish our conversation.” Gunnar widens his arms. “I’m at your disposal.” He gives me a barely perceivable bow.
“I’m busy,” I snap back quickly.
“Well, send this animal home and get unbusy,” Gunnar demands, eyeing Calix.
“Why don’t you take your crazy ass back to wherever you came from,” Calix retorts. That earns a glare from Gunnar.
“Knock it off.” I wave my hand around. “The testosterone is getting thick, not to mention I’m already horny.”
Both men turn to eye me. I feel the atmosphere shift as a bounty of sins fills the air. I toss my hands up. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.”
Chapter 12
“What?” Calix and Gunnar say in unison.
“Nothing. Just wait right here, and don’t kill each other, or fight or anything,” I order, walking toward the kitchen where I felt the shift. “I’d want to watch that shit.”
“Watch what?” Grim is standing next to my kitchen island, tall as hell, with his black robe billowing out around him.
“Two guys fighting. I’m trying to get laid,” I answer.
“And you want the males to prove which is the superior?” Grim actually grows a little taller.
I wipe my brow and push my hair off my forehead. Having people over, real people, is kind of exhausting. “Nah, but they’re both doing this macho bullshit right now. What’s up?”
“You said I could come back.” Grim sounds a little affronted that he needs to remind me.
“Of course, you can visit anytime you like.” I wince.
“Except now?” he argues.
There are already two guys here, what’s one more? “Can you lose the robe?” I eye Grim, wondering what he looks like under there. I’m a little surprised how much I want him to stay. I like hanging out with Grim, plus, I feel this connection with him. He’s known me since I was young. “I’m pretty sure one of them is like us, but I’m not sure about the other.”
“You’re inviting me to say?” he asks, sounding strangely formal.
“Sure, absolutely. Why not?” Any hope I had of have a non-self-induced orgasm is waning by the second, but I’ll get over it.
I’m never going to be able to focus like this though. I could always excuse myself up to my room, grab Buzz, and give myself a quick O. It would probably be a service to everyone here. I’m going to be a crabby bitch if I don’t. I shift from left to right. My clit is still swollen. Damn it.
“Are you alright?” Grim inquires.
/> “Yup, peachy.” I grimace. “So, are you going to lose the robes and stick around?” The hood nods.
“Okay, great. Awesome.” I give him two thumbs up. “I just have to run upstairs.” I purse my lips, debating whether or not to tell him why. Deciding discretion is the better part of valor, I just kind of give him an awkward wave before rushing toward the back staircase.
“Can’t get anyone to hang out with me, then all of the sudden I’m super fucking pop—” I groan at my word choice. “Scratch that. I wish I was fucking.”
“I’ve warned you about talking to yourself,” Aeson chirps, as I’m rounding my bedroom door. I deflate. I can’t have a ménage à moi with her in here.
“Hey, Aeson,” I mutter slowly.
The little Brownie eyes me with suspicion. “You smell funny,” she states, and wrinkles her nose.
I squeeze my thighs together. “I do not!” I snap back, peering down at her on my way to the bathroom.
As soon as the door closes, I cup my crotch. Don’t tell me she can smell my horny ass. Sure as shit, I can feel how damp my yoga pants are. I bring my palm up to my nose and sniff. “I do not stink!” I shout through the door.
“I didn’t say you stink, I said you smelled funny,” she hollers right back. I poke my head out of the bathroom door. “I have company,” I scold, admonishing her yelling, before slipping back into the bathroom.
“Is it the bleeder that smells like that?”
“Ugh.” I can just imagine her wrinkled-up, little nose as she says it, while I’m pulling my pants off one foot at a time.
I clean up with quickly with a wipe. Damn Brownie and her nose. I strut out of the bathroom, sans pants and panties, going to my closet with my head held high.
“What the hell are you doing?” Aeson asks.
“Getting some fresh clothes.” I flip on the light switch and grab a pair of jeans. Maybe these will keep my greedy pussy from telling everyone in the house I need a stiffy.
I make my way over to my dresser, grab some panties, and step into them with Aeson watching me.
“Look at you,” Aeson coos at me. “You brought a man home, I’m so proud of you.”
“Three.” I pull my jeans up and go on to my toes to get them over my hips.
“Yes! I knew you were listening to me all these years.” She sighs wistfully, like a proud mother.
“There may be three, but I’m not fucking all of them.” I look in the mirror and fluff my already tousled hair.
“Don’t sell yourself short. You’re not fucking all three of them yet,” Aeson argues.
“At this point, I would be happy with one. Besides, one of them is the biggest cockblocker I’ve ever met, and the other one is, like, Death or something. I have to go,” I tell her, already walking to the door.
“Death?” I hear Aeson whisper on my way out of the room. Yeah, let that sink in.
I hear them before I can see them. “Where the hell did you come from?” It’s Calix’s voice, he sounds slightly incredulous.
“None of your damned business, you mangy beast,” Gunnar snarls.
“Hey, hey!” I have my hands up—trying to dispel the brewing fight—and accidently block my view so I don’t see Grim right away. But when I do, I stop dead in my tracks—no pun intended.
“Grim?” My hands fall out of the sky to slap the sides of my legs.
“Damiana.” My name rolls off his tongue, and I shiver slightly. So much for the cold wipe making me forget how badly I want something between my legs.
“But…” I splutter. Every time I imagined Grim, it wasn’t like this. I pictured a skeleton, or an old man, but never this. My eyes travel from his bare feet, up past his black pants, and over his loose black shirt, until they land on his achingly beautiful face.
He is sheer perfection. Every proportion is designed to draw you in. Hell, if people knew this is what Death looked like, they would probably run to him. His light eyes stare at the ground as he brushes his shirt over his stomach. Holy fucking shit, it’s kind of sheer, and I can see his chiseled abdominals beneath the fabric.
I hold up a finger, then close my eyes while tapping the middle of my forehead with the same finger. I’m not going to get that image out of my head anytime soon. “Can I—” I clear my throat. “Can I talk to you for a minute?”
I open my eyes to find Gunnar sneering a smile at Grim, and Grim scowling back at Gunnar.
“Who, me?” Grim looks around.
“Yes, definitely you.” I nod. “I’ll just be another moment,” I tell Gunnar and Calix, who seem to be getting along remarkably well since the Angel of Death appeared, and that’s exactly what he looks like: a fucking angel.
“What is this?” I accuse, the moment we’re out of the foyer.
“What?” Grim looks down at himself again.
“This is what’s under the robe?” I whisper animatedly.
“Yes, do you find me off-putting?” Grim tilts his head away from me like he doesn’t want to hear the answer.
“Off-putting? Are you fucking kidding me with this shit?” I look him up and down again.
“Tell me what you would prefer. I can change my visage for you.” He doesn’t meet my eyes.
I blink at him several times. He can’t be serious. “Wait, is this what you really look like, or did you,” I roll my wrists, “glamour this up?” I can’t think of a better way to describe it.
“This is my true self.” Grim tips his chin in the air a little, exposing the line of his neck to me, yum. But I think I’ve offended him.
“Well, good thing you wear the robe, buddy. I’m just saying.” As soon as the words leave my mouth, I hear how horrible they sound. But that’s not at all how I meant it.
Grim blinks his gray eyes at me several times, seemingly at a loss for words. I slap my palm to my forehead. “That came out wrong.” I reach for his forearm. Remembering the day in the kitchen when I touched him just like this and he pulled back from me, I remove my arm before he can.
“You’re seriously beautiful.” I stare into his face, making sure he sees how truthful I’m being. “I was just taken by surprise, I mean…” I wave my hand up and down, encompassing his entire being. “Wow!” It’s all I can say.
“Really?” Grim’s lips lift in a slow grin before he smothers it. “Why did you ask to speak with me alone? Would you like me to tell the others to go?”
“No, no. They’re fine,” I say, dismissing the thought of them leaving and asking Grim if he would like to finish where Calix and I left off. “I guess I don’t know why I wanted to talk to you alone. Let’s get back out there. They’ve been on their own for too long, and it’s too quiet.”
Grim holds out his elbow to me in an offer. I wrap my fingers over his arm, happy that he initiated the touch this time.
As we enter the foyer, Calix and Gunnar are separated by several feet, each ignoring the other’s presence. “Hey, this is my friend Grim. Grim, this is Gunnar and Calix.” I point to each of the men. “So…” I let the word trail off. I really don’t know what to do with three strange men in my house. When Uncle and Theius come to visit, I don’t want to tie them to chairs and have my way with them.
“Want to play cards?” I ask, sounding too hopeful.
“Cards?” Calix winces.
“I would be honored,” Grim intones.
“We need to talk,” Gunnar announces, crossing his arms over his chest.
“Not in mixed company,” I grate through my teeth.
Gunnar looks around. “Is there someone else here?”
I tilt my head toward Calix, probably not nearly as stealthy as I thought it would be because all three of them look at me sideways.
“Him?” Gunnar points at Calix.
I widen my eyes. Gunnar tilts his head back and laughs. “You dirty cheat, she doesn’t even know what you are!”
“Shut up, Berserker,” Calix grinds out.
“Wait, so you guys know each other?” I step away from Grim and back a
way from all three of them in the process.
I never once sensed any deception from any of them. How could I have let a little attraction and sexual frustration distract me so much? I was supposed to be figuring out why Gunnar had someone watching my house; instead, I invited Calix here and he’s already involved in this.
“You!” I seethe, while pointing my finger at Calix. “You’re involved in this, too?”
Calix’s eyes widen. “Involved in what?”
“And you,” I sneer at Grim. “I thought you were my friend.”
Grim looks around like he’s completely confused. “I am your friend, Damiana. I’ve been taking care of you for years.”
“You’ve been doing what?” Gunnar crosses his arms over his chest and glares at Grim.
The look Grim levels at Gunnar would stop most people from asking any more questions, but Gunnar doesn’t look deterred.
“You’ve been watching her for years. You think I didn’t sense either of you?” Grim includes Calix in the stare down.
“What the fuck is going on here?” I plant my hands on my hips. I hate that they’re making me second-guess everything I thought I knew.
“I kept to the bargain.” Calix steps closer to Grim, ignoring my question. His eyes catch the light, and they almost look like they’re lit from within. How could I have thought he was a human? “I checked on her a handful of times. You’ve both been with her all along?” Calix accuses.
“I never exposed myself to her. Not until he broke the covenant.” Grim points a finger at Gunnar.
“I didn’t mean to come here,” Gunnar defends himself with a shade of indignation. “I was ambushed by a coven. I thought I was finally fucking dying, so I jumped here. It wasn’t even intentional.”
I pinch my temples between my thumb and middle finger, trying to collect myself, but decide to say fuck it. “What are you guys talking about?” I shout so loudly, my voice echoes off the high ceiling of the foyer.
The sneer on Calix’s face smooths as he moves as if he may take a step toward me. “Not a good idea, fuckface, I’m pissed at you. You lied to me,” I challenge.
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