by Shona Husk
Owen sat at the desk. And he looked just as surprised. His dark eyebrows lifted as if he’d been caught out.
“What are you doing here?” Jack spoke first.
“I couldn’t sleep. I got bored, so I came home.” Owen’s gaze drifted down Jack’s body. “What are you doing up?”
“I woke up and couldn’t go back to sleep.” It was probably Owen returning that had woken him. Not that he was complaining anymore.
“Katya’s car is still here.” Owen’s words were carefully measured, as if he was trying to assess just what had happened in his absence and how everything stood.
Jack nodded. The words were hard to make, even though the guilt that had followed him to sleep had lessened to an uncomfortable niggle. He looked at Owen. They were even. There were no secrets. Could be no secrets if this was going to work. They would make it work.
“She’s upstairs, sleeping.”
Owen stood up, his clothes rumpled. “I never thanked you. You faced what I couldn’t and took the action I couldn’t.”
“You would’ve done the same.” Jack didn’t know if dhampirs ever got the ennui, none had ever lived long enough. He didn’t know any others to ask. Most kept a very low profile. He was no different. If anyone asked, he was human, nothing more.
With Katya now in the picture, any Vampire would assume he was there to supply fresh blood. Once he’d hated the automatic demotion in Vampire society, but telling the truth would’ve been fatal. Now he didn’t care. The people he cared about knew the truth and that was all that mattered.
Owen cupped Jack’s jaw and kissed him. “I can smell her on you.” Owen breathed him in as if savoring the scent.
Jack put his hand over Owen’s. “Has it been worth it? Is it working?”
“It will. I felt a spark when I was with her.”
Not him. But he wasn’t jealous and he couldn’t be angry. He still had Owen, which was why he’d started this in the first place.
“You love her.” He searched Owen’s face. Once he would’ve hoped for a denial, but now he needed to hear Owen say it, to make sure Katya was the one.
“I do. You can live with that?”
He could because he was falling. Maybe part of it was because he knew what she meant to Owen, but some of it was because he liked her and her strength of will. Few would have jumped willingly into the fire the way she had—even if they had been harboring secret desires about sleeping with their boss.
Jack smiled. “If you can live with me loving her.”
Owen laughed, a low dark sound that Jack hadn’t heard for too long. “You’re over your fear of female Vampires.”
“Just took the right one. Although I think if I tried to hurt you, she’d have my throat.” And if she ever did anything to Owen, Jack knew he’d do the same…and Owen would do the same for him.
Owen’s fingers trailed down his neck, leaving a shiver of heat in their wake. “You’d like to be between us, one biting on each side, though.”
Jack’s breath hitched in his chest. Was he so transparent Owen could read his thoughts or was he guessing and hoping? It didn’t matter, he knew that was where he’d end up at some stage. Another night Katya would end up between them too or Owen would find himself caught between him and Katya. All the while, the bonds created between them would be strengthened by the Vampires taking blood and etheric. Owen would get what he needed to continue living.
“Is it too early to wake her?” Jack countered with a question. Outside the sky was lighter, gray giving way to blue.
“I don’t think so.” Owen took Jack’s hand, and after Jack had put his un-drunk coffee back in the kitchen, they went upstairs. He could hear the pulse of lust in Jack’s blood.
And in his own. A tremor of excitement, not because having more than one lover at a time was something new—he’d done it centuries ago, and more than once, but only for fun—but because he wanted to live again and life could still surprise him.
Jack and Katya could still surprise him.
And maybe he could surprise them occasionally.
They slipped into the darkened room. Katya was in the middle of the bed, on her side with her hair mussed around her like a pale halo.
The day she’d walked in for a job interview was one he wouldn’t forget. He’d almost not hired her because of the instant attraction between them. He stripped out of his clothes and slid into bed next to her, while Jack shucked out of his jeans and eased in on the other side.
Both men turned to face Katya, who opened her eyes and blinked, suddenly awake.
“You’re back,” she whispered, reaching out her hand as if to check she wasn’t dreaming. Her fingers brushed his cheek.
Owen took her hand and kissed her fingers.
“He is.” Jack was propped up on his elbow, his lips curved in a faint smile. He glanced at Owen. “You know, I’ve never actually done this.”
“Neither have I.” Katya looked at Owen, her eyes dark in the dim light. They wouldn’t stay like that. They’d lighten as lust took over.
Owen raised his eyebrows. “Really? But you’ve thought about it?”
Both Katya and Jack were silent. But they were looking at him for guidance as if he was the expert. He wasn’t, but it was easy to start something when they were both waiting with expectation.
He swept her hand under the sheets to his shaft. Her fingers closed around his cock and made a smooth, sure stroke from root to head. Her hand was smaller than Jack’s, but her grip was no less firm. Then he felt her nails on his skin in a light scratch that brought his skin up in gooseflesh even as his blood burned in his veins.
Katya let out a little gasp, her grip tightening on his cock, and Owen knew Jack had found something to do with his hands.
“I think you’ll be fine.” Owen’s fangs lengthened and he leaned in to kiss her.
Their lips met, tongues tangled and fangs clashed. He cut her lip, tasting the sharpness of young blood, so different to dhampir blood. The heat spiraled through him, tightening his balls and hardening his cock further. She moaned into his mouth, but it wasn’t anything he was doing. Her hips rocked to Jack’s rhythm.
Owen’s fingers traced the curve of her breast, circling her nipple, pinching the peaked flesh. He knew if his hand moved lower, he would find Jack’s already there, teasing her pussy and clit and drawing out the little sighs of pleasure.
She turned her head and Jack lowered his head for a kiss, but his gaze was on Owen. He watched as Katya’s fangs grazed Jack’s lip and she licked the ruby drop of blood off, slowly, as if she was also aware he was watching. Then she turned to him and placed her lips on his, so he could taste Jack on her tongue. Her grip on his cock became slick as cum leaked from the slit. He wouldn’t last if this kept up.
“If you bite him now, he’ll come in your hand,” Jack murmured in Katya’s ear, loud enough for Owen to hear.
Jack nipped at Katya’s earlobe. His brown eyes were glinting with mischief.
“I’m not the only one.” Owen lowered his head and raked his fangs over Katya’s collarbone. He wasn’t going to be the first one to come.
She shuddered and cried out as she came. The beat of her heart was rapid beneath his tongue. He licked the wound closed, but his own blood was pumping hot, ready to be spilled. Could she hear it?
Katya opened her eyes, now white with lust. Her fangs were needle-sharp points against her lush lower lip. She altered her grip so each stroke caressed the head of his cock, smoothing the cum that eased from the slit over his skin as his cock thrust into her hand. She leaned in as if to kiss him, her lips brushing the skin of his neck. He tilted his head, needing to feel her bite. Her tongue flicked against his pulse, then her teeth pressed against his skin.
He held his breath, waiting for the release of feeling her fangs slice into his skin. His balls were so tight. He couldn’t wait, every nerve was wound up tight like a bow ready to be used. There would be a next time, today he just wanted to let go and revel in being bitten
. Her tongue traced a circle over his pulse as her thumb swept around the head of his cock. Then Katya bit, timing it perfectly between the beats of his heart so it felt as if he was suspended in mid-air for just a second before exploding into a thousand stars.
For a moment all he could do was breathe as he came back down. When he was spent, Katya released his shaft. She went to lick her hand, but Jack caught her wrist and put two of her fingers in his mouth, then drew them out slowly. Jack’s gaze was locked on Owen, a faint smile on his lips as if he was daring Owen to do something
Owen watched, listening to the pulse of Jack’s blood. He knew the perfect way to thank Jack for saving him and starting this…and Katya knew exactly what he was thinking. She turned over to face Jack. Jack’s gaze flicked between her and Owen. His dark eyes widened as he realized he had the full attention of both Vampires. Owen didn’t imagine the stutter of Jack’s heart when he realized what they were going to do.
“Come here, Jack.” Owen held Jack’s gaze. While he might heal fast, if two Vampires decided to forget restraint, he wouldn’t survive. For Jack, this was the ultimate game of trust.
Jack moved over Katya. He paused to kiss her, slowly and deeply. His knee dropped between her legs as if he were planning on having her now. But Katya had other plans. She pushed his shoulder and sent him toppling into the center of the bed.
Owen placed his hand on Jack’s chest. “Do you want to be fucked as well as bitten?”
As much he wanted to see Katya riding Jack, he didn’t want to overwhelm Jack—he might be tougher than a human, but he wasn’t Vampire.
Jack considered for a moment. He gaze flicked between the two Vampires looking down at him. “You might as well do it properly.”
“You can handle it?” Owen ran his hand over Jack’s cock. The hard flesh jumped beneath his palm. He’d always liked the way Jack responded.
Jack groaned his body arching. “Yeah…can you?”
Katya smiled, her fangs like needles as she lowered her head to flick her tongue over Jack’s nipple. Then she leaned over Jack and kissed Owen. “How do you want him?”
Owen glanced down at Jack and he knew exactly how he wanted him. “Sit up.”
Jack did and Katya didn’t need any direction. She straddled him, her hands feathering over Jack’s chest, smoothing over his skin. Owen moved behind Jack and Katya pushed Jack back into Owen’s embrace.
“So, how long do you think you’ll last?” Owen took Jack’s hands and pressed them to the mattress, then he kissed the side of Jack’s neck, letting the dhampir feel the promise of fangs.
He heard Jack swallow but didn’t get an answer because Katya took Jack’s cock into her wet pussy. That was a sight worth seeing, her rosy flesh stretched around Jack’s shaft. It was one he wouldn’t get tired of seeing. Next time he’d be behind her, his cock nice and slick to ease into her ass so she could have them both at the same time. Or maybe he’d do Jack as Jack fucked her. It didn’t matter. Who did what to who. Even if he lived another seven hundred years, he wouldn’t get bored. He had everything any man, or Vampire, could want.
Katya leaned in and put her hands on Jack’s shoulders as she screwed her hips down on his cock. Jack groaned as she ran her tongue along the underside of his jaw and found the delicate place beneath his ear. With Jack happily trapped between the two of them. Owen nipped the other side of Jack’s neck, teasing without breaking the skin. Jack’s skin tasted so good. Salt from the sea and sweetness from the blood beneath the golden surface.
From the way Jack was flinching, Owen knew Katya was playing the same game as she fucked him slowly.
Fuck a man and he’ll come, but tease him and he’ll come back for more.
And Owen was in no rush. He wanted to hear Katya panting, ready to come again. He could almost taste the etheric in the air, building between them and smothering the ennui. He listened to his lovers’ heartbeats. They found a matching rhythm, music he’d never tire of hearing. He broke Jack’s skin, drawing two drops of blood. Jack’s arms flexed as if to break the hold. He could if he really wanted, he was as strong as any Vampire, but it was the illusion of being caught that he liked—so Jack never fought hard. Owen tightened his grip and Jack tipped his head back against Owen’s shoulder as if he was giving in.
Jack groaned. Owen let his fangs sink deep into Jack’s neck. Sweetness burned his tongue, hot and full of the etheric created by sex. That was when blood tasted best.
“Ah yeah.” Katya’s voice was breathy.
Jack bucked, but Katya wasn’t releasing him. She bit, her mews of pleasure muffled as she swallowed Jack’s blood. He growled, his hands broke free of Owen’s grip and he pressed her hips down hard as if he didn’t want his climax to end.
With a final kiss, Owen closed the wound. By lunchtime there’d be nothing but a small healed mark, by dinnertime there’d be no sign of any bite. Katya leaned against Jack, exhausted. Owen gave up supporting them both and lay back on the bed.
Spending more time at home and less time on the road touring was looking better by the minute. He’d find a new hobby, maybe go back to college and study something new. He didn’t know, right now he didn’t care. He had plenty of time to decide.
“I love you.” He wrapped his arms around Jack and Katya, who were sprawled in an untidy heap. What he did know was he was never letting them go. Without them he’d have been lost.
* * * * *
Katya stirred the bits of Elvish chokolat into the milk. She really didn’t need the etheric today. Dhampir blood was far richer than she was used to and so was Owen’s blood. Her body was buzzing from the blood and sex.
She sipped her drink as she wandered through the house to the study to start work. There were still things for her to do, at least until the final tour was over. Next week Owen would head off with the rest of the band and she was going with him—this time as more than his PA. Jack would meet them for a few cities after he’d met his deadline.
Out of the study window she could see Jack on the water as he cleared his head before settling down to work. From Owen’s music room filtered the sound of music. Distinctively Lucinda’s Lover, but nothing she’d heard before. Her lips twitched into a smile. Owen was composing again.
From her handbag, she pulled out the resignation letter she’d written three months ago, then she tore it up. She’d always known this was the perfect job for her…she just hadn’t realized it was the perfect life for her.
For all of them.
About the Author
Blessed with a lively imagination, Shona spent most of her childhood making up stories. As an adult she discovered romance novels and she hasn’t looked back. Dark fairy tales and the paranormal have always fascinated her and it’s not uncommon to get to know spirits, vampires, were-creatures and demi-gods through her books. In her free time Shona likes to keep fit and get creative in the kitchen…Toblerone brownies, anyone?
Shona welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email address on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.
Tell Us What You Think
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Also by Shona Husk
Kissing Phoenix
Tasting Thanatos
Discover for yourself why readers can’t get enough of the multiple award-winning publisher Ellora’s Cave. Whether you prefer ebooks or paperbacks, be sure to visit EC on the web at www.ellorascave.com for an erotic reading experience that will leave you breathless.
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