by Becca Van
“I love you, too.”
“I love you, pixie.”
“I love you, En.”
Lavinia sighed and then flopped down onto En’s chest.
Men eased from her ass, causing them all to moan and when he gained his balance he headed to the bathroom. His mate would probably want a bath or shower to clean up and he thought a bath would be better. She was going to feel a little achy after having anal sex since she’d never done so before, and the hot water would help relieve the pain and relax her muscles.
After putting the plug in place and turning the faucets on, he headed back to the bedroom. En and Lavinia hadn’t moved, still intimately joined as they cuddled. He wanted to snuggle with her, too, but she’d been to hell and back already and then they’d jumped her bones. When she was clean and refreshed, he planned to snuggle up in bed with her for the rest of the day.
He wished he could forgo hunting the shadow demons tonight, but they’d spent last night with Lavinia since she’d been so sick as the transformation took place, and it wasn’t fair to expect the others to carry his and En’s weight for another night.
The only consolation was that Lavinia wouldn’t be alone since Zara and Nina had volunteered to stay with her and she would be here when they got back. Hopefully, she wouldn’t be too sore for more lovemaking.
“Do you want a bath, little one?” Men sat on the edge of the bed and brushed her hair away from her face.
She smiled as her eyes opened. “Please.”
“I think we could all do with a bath.” En kissed her forehead and rolled to the edge of the bed before offering a hand to her.
She took his hand and gasped when En tugged her up into his arms, catching her before she slid to the floor.
“You’re both so damn strong.”
“You will be, too, now.”
“You’ll have to get Zara and Nina to teach you what you can do,” Men said as he followed En and Lavinia into the bathroom.
“Why can’t you?”
“We can for an hour or so but we need to go out hunting.”
“Yeah, I guess.”
“We’d like to spend more time with you, pixie, but we stayed in last night because you were sick.”
When Men saw Lavinia open her mouth he knew she was about to apologize.
“Don’t you dare say you’re sorry! We aren’t blaming you, so get that out of your pretty little head. We were worried about you and wanted to be with you.”
Lavinia nodded.
“We would stay with you every night if we could.” En carefully lowered Lavinia into the filling tub.
“But we have a job to do and we can’t shirk out responsibilities.” Men stepped into the tub and sat beside Lavinia. En got in and sat on her other side. “Once you’ve learned how to fight you can go with us. We don’t like leaving you alone.”
“I won’t be alone.” Lavinia placed her hand on Men’s arm. “I’ll have Zara and Nina here with me.”
“I know.”
“It’s difficult for us.” En clasped her hand. “Our relationship is new and we want to spend all our time with you.”
“What scares me the most is the shadow demons getting to you again.”
Chapter Thirteen
Lavinia was scared of the shadow demons, too, but she didn’t know what she could do to prevent the demonic from getting her again. How the hell was she supposed to stop those horrifying evil demons from infiltrating her dreams? If she had the answer she wouldn’t be so scared, but that wasn’t the only thing scaring her.
She could feel Men and En through the bond and even though it warmed her heart and soul like never before to know that they loved her, she was worried they’d put her up on some sort of pedestal. Worried that she would somehow fuck everything up and not meet their standards. Scared to death that she would fall short and disappoint them.
“Lavinia, look at me,” Men ordered in a firm voice.
She really didn’t want to but couldn’t seem to help herself from obeying his directive.
“Stop!” He frowned at her.
“Stop what?” she asked with vexation, hoping her attitude would be enough to warn him off.
“You know very well what,” En said as he wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her feet from the floor.
Lavinia’s first instinct was to struggle, but doing so would give away her inner turmoil, so she remained passive in his arms. When he sat on the edge of the bed and placed her in his lap sideways, she kept her gaze on her bare feet.
“We can feel you, little one.” Men grabbed her hand and placed it on his hard, muscular chest right above his heart.
She could feel each thump beneath her fingers and palm. It was such a comforting vibration she didn’t notice she’d begun to relax until her shoulder met En’s chest.
“We can feel your turmoil, pixie.” En caressed his fingers up and down her arm causing goose bumps to break out. “Tell us what’s troubling you.”
Tears burned her eyes again and she blinked rapidly. She didn’t want to appear any weaker in front of them than she probably already was.
Men gripped her chin between his finger and thumb, bringing her head up until she was looking into his eyes. “Tell us, Lavinia. Right now!”
From the implacable look in his gaze she knew they weren’t going to let her move until she told them what they wanted to know. Plus, she couldn’t help damning herself for getting turned on by their dominance. Her nipples were already hard and throbbing. Her pussy clenched and moistened and her clit ached.
“What do you want me to say?” she asked pithily. “That I’m scared you’ll find me wanting? That you’ll realize I’m not who you want me to be? That you’ll get tired of me and discard me like yesterday’s garbage?” Lavinia looked down at her arm with surprise when a drop of moisture landed on it. She hadn’t even noticed she was crying, although she should have. Her chest was so constricted with emotion she could barely draw in a breath.
“Why would you think that, Lavinia?” Men asked.
She pressed her lips together tightly so she didn’t say the words on the tip of her tongue, but her traitorous body just seemed to take over. Right at this moment everything felt surreal, as if she was watching herself from a long way off.
“No one else has ever stuck around. Why would you want to?”
“Fuck!” En’s frustration was clear to hear in his tone.
“Can’t you feel how much we love you? How much you mean to us?” Men’s frown deepened.
“Yes,” she answered in a whisper.
“Then how can you doubt us?” Men asked and she heard the pain in his voice and felt the throbbing ache in his heart.
“Because I…” She licked her lips and glanced down at her feet again, but should have known they wouldn’t let her get away with that.
En grabbed the hair at the base of her head and pulled gently until she was once more looking at them. “Because what?”
“Because I’m no one. I’m not special. I’m just a plain ordinary woman. I work as a checkout chick for fuck’s sake. I don’t have a college degree or a career. You don’t even know me.”
En lifted her from his lap and sat her on the mattress beside him. Her heart squeezed at the rejection but she wasn’t surprised by it. She blinked in astonishment when he went down on his knees at her feet and glanced at Men when he did the same. Both of her men took one of her hands in both of theirs.
En sighed before lifting her hand to his mouth and kissing the back of it. “You are the only one hung up on those things. Do you think we ever got degrees?”
Lavinia shrugged but realized that they probably hadn’t even been to school when they’d been mere mortals.
“We didn’t,” Men said. “There was no such thing in existence and we were slaves. The pharaohs were so wrapped up in their own greed and self-importance they treated us like animals.”
“I’m sorry.” Lavinia couldn’t even begin to imagine the horrors and indigniti
es her men and the other sentinels must have suffered. Shame washed over her at her petty uncertainties.
“Why are you sorry? You had nothing to do with our lives back then. You weren’t even alive.” En’s grip on her hair loosened.
“Lavinia, you are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met and I don’t just mean the outside package, although that’s as sexy as damn hell.” Men winked at her.
“We can see your aura, pixie.” En’s hands smoothed up and down her thighs. “Tell me about the people you’ve helped.”
Lavinia couldn’t stop her mouth opening in surprise. She’d never told either of them much about herself.
“See,” Men said. “We know you better than you think we do, little one. Now tell us.”
“I have an elderly neighbor whose family lives in another state. She got sick and I made sure she had meals to eat when she wasn’t well enough to cook for herself.”
“Did you have enough food to eat, too?” En asked.
Lavinia sighed and shook her head.
“How long, Lavinia?” Men asked.
“How long what?” She knew what he was asking but was hedging.
“How long did you go without?” Men clarified.
“Three days.”
“Shit!” En leaned up and pressed his forehead to hers. “You will never go without again, pixie. Ever. Do you understand?”
“Yes.”
“Good.” Men shifted and kissed her cheek. “That’s not all though, is it, little one?”
She shook her head again.
“Explain,” En ordered.
“What does it matter?”
“We want you to see how special you are.” En sighed. “Do you think whatever occupation a person has or their job defines who they are?”
“No,” she answered.
“Then why do you think we would be ashamed of you earning an honest living?” Men asked.
“I’m not ashamed.”
“That’s a lie. We wouldn’t be having this discussion if you believed that.” En made a growling sound.
“Lavinia, you are as pure of heart and soul as a virgin snowfall.” Men placed a finger over her lips when she opened her mouth. “I haven’t finished. You would give the shirt off of your back if it was needed by someone else, wouldn’t you?”
“Yes.”
“Open yourself up to us, love,” En stroked a finger down her cheek.
She frowned. “What do you mean?”
“You’ve closed part of the bond between us,” Men explained. “You are only feeling a little of what we are and we’re only feeling a portion of what you are.”
Lavinia hadn’t even realized she’d done such a thing. Now that she thought about it she knew she wasn’t feeling as much as she had after making love with both of her men together. Was this the reason she was feeling so insecure?
En rose and sat beside her again, but instead of hugging her or pulling her onto his lap again he lifted her and placed her into the middle of the mattress. He sat with his back against the headboard and once he was comfortable with pillows behind him, he grabbed hold of her arms and tugged her closer. She ended up sitting on his lap straddling his thighs. He spread his legs and then she felt heat at her back as Men pressed his front against her body.
Men’s hands landed on her shoulders and he began to massage her muscles. She moaned as his fingers dug into the knots of tension and she began to relax. En wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her tighter against his chest, and although they were still all naked their touch remained nonsexual.
She breathed deeply and evenly through her nose and rested her cheek on En’s shoulder as Men worked the tension from her shoulders, neck, and back. The more she relaxed the stronger their emotions became. Her heart began to warm and her doubts began to fade.
By the time she felt totally boneless all her insecurities fled. She was wide open to her men and they were wide open to her. Her breath hitched at the deep love, respect, and awe they had in their hearts and souls for her.
“Do you feel us now?” En kissed the top of her head.
“Yes.”
“Please don’t close yourself off from us again, little one.” Men kissed her shoulder.
“I’m sorry.” Lavinia rubbed her cheek against En’s shoulder. “I didn’t mean to, didn’t even realize that I had.”
“I love you, pixie.” En nudged her head up before kissing her softly on the lips. The kiss wasn’t of hunger, of lust, but of the deep love he had for her and she kissed him back letting him know she felt the same way.
“I love you, too.”
Men lifted her from En’s lap, turned her with ease, and hugged her tight. “I love you, little one.”
She cupped his cheek and leaned forward to press her lips against his. Their lips clung in loving sips before she drew back. “I love you, too.”
Her stomach growled and Men grinned. “Let’s go eat dinner. I’m so hungry I could eat a whole bear and I can hear how hungry you are.”
Men helped her from the bed and lowered her to her feet before they all dressed.
Lavinia sighed with happiness as she followed her mates out of their apartment toward the kitchen. She hated that she’d closed herself off from them and had been so insecure, but she vowed to try to keep their connection open from now on. Hopefully she would never feel so uncertain again. She had so much to be happy for and about. She normally wasn’t so pessimistic but shrugged it off. She was human and wasn’t infallible.
She mentally chuckled and amended the human part. She was not just human anymore. She was immortal, or damn close to it. The years ahead were going to be full of love and laughter. She knew that they would continue to fight the demonic, but now that she had two men by her side she could face anything.
* * * *
Lavinia watched until Men and En disappeared through the door after the other sentinels. They were going out to hunt and destroy the shadow demons. She was a little anxious about their well-being but quickly quashed that feeling. Confidence was the key. She needed to stay positive that her mates would be fine. They were fierce and strong and knew how to fight. She shouldn’t be worried about them, but since she loved them so much she suspected she would always feel a little uneasy while they fought without her.
That thought had her hurrying toward the training room. Zara and Nina were going to teach her about her new strengths.
She stopped in the doorway and her mouth dropped open when she saw the two women swinging swords at each other. They moved so quickly she had trouble focusing on their moves. They were almost a blur.
Zara must have seen her because she held up a hand before they both turned to face her.
“Oh good, you’re here.” Nina rushed over, grabbed her hand, and tugged her farther into the room. “You’ll want to start on the treadmill.”
Lavinia didn’t want to spoil the other woman’s fun but she’d never been on one of those machines in her life. She raised her brow skeptically and although a little hesitant to do so, she stepped up onto the thick black rubber mat. Nina pushed a couple of buttons and the moment Lavinia began the fast walk, she felt invigorated.
“How’s that feel?” Nina asked.
“Amazing,” Lavinia said and then began to laugh. “I feel so strong and healthy, as if I could take on the whole world.”
“It’s only going to get better,” Zara said as she stopped next the machine.
Lavinia raised her eyebrow. “What do you mean?”
Zara looked at Nina and grinned. “Ramp up the pace.”
Nina met Lavinia’s gaze, her finger hovering over the speed button. “Are you ready?”
Lavinia nodded and watched as Nina pressed the button at least ten times. By the time she pulled her finger away Lavinia was running flat-chat, but what astounded her was that she was doing it so easily. Her legs felt strong and the rhythm came naturally, as if she’d been sprinting like she was for years, but what amazed her was that she wasn’t sweating or p
uffing for breath. She felt as if she was going for a stroll in the park.
“Look in the mirror on the wall.” Zara moved aside as she pointed toward said mirror.
Lavinia’s mouth dropped open and she stumbled when she caught sight of herself. She was running so fast she could barely see her arms and legs pumping. “That’s not possible.” She chuckled and then started laughing exuberantly. “Oh. My. God.” She grabbed hold of the side rails when she stumbled again and did a fast double skip to regain her balance.
“Whoa,” Nina said with a laugh before pressing another button on the machine to slow it down, before it finally stopped.
“I think you’re faster than Nina and I.” Zara smiled.
“Do you really think so?” Lavinia asked as she stepped off the treadmill.
“Yes.” Nina nodded before grabbing hold of her hand and tugging her across the room. “We’re going to show you some martial arts moves.”
“Um…” Lavinia bit her lip when she saw all the pictures and explanations on the wall. “I’ve never done any of this.”
“Don’t worry,” Zara said. “Nina and I hadn’t either. You’ll practically be an expert by the end of the night.”
“You’re kidding. Right?”
“No.” Nina pointed to the first stance. “Copy that position.”
Lavinia did as she was told and did the next and the next. Each time she moved her muscles they flexed with ease. She changed position with fluid motions she figured only an expert would be able to do. Three hours later she was sparring with Zara.
“That’s great, Lavinia,” Nina encouraged. “Next time you use your arm to block the punch, kick out at Zara at the same time.”
“Ready?” Zara asked.
Lavinia nodded.
Zara lunged toward her hard and fast. Lavinia blocked the other woman’s fist just before the hit connected with her face and at the same time she swept her leg across Zara’s legs taking the other woman’s feet out from under her. Thankfully Zara was fast and didn’t end up on her ass on the mat. She’d somehow managed to backflip and land on her feet.