Rayne's Return (Hearts of ICARUS Book 3)

by Laura Jo Phillips

  Sudden warmth rushed from her feet up to her head, along with a fresh wave of energy. “Thanks, Wolef,” she said, pushing herself away from the wall. “Just be careful of your own strength.”

  “Do not worry about me, Solin,” Wolef said. “I will take no risks. Unfortunately, you will pay a price for this later.”

  “As long as it gets me to you, I don’t care,” Rayne said as she walked to the next door, opened it, looked inside, then closed it again before moving to the next, and the next, finding unfamiliar creatures in each room. They were all either unconscious, or not lucid enough to acknowledge her presence, just as Wolef had warned her. It took her a while to notice that her face was wet with tears.

  “All of these cells are the same size, Wolef, and none of them are big enough for a large dragon,” she said as she crossed the corridor.

  “My cell was once three separate cells. It’s large enough only because I cannot move.”

  “From out here the doors are all evenly spaced,” she said stopping in front of the last door on the left side. “There’s nothing to indicate a larger cell. Luckily there are just a couple more doors left.” She slid the card through the reader, waited for the door to slide open, stepped inside, and froze.

  ***

  Landor sat up in bed, instantly wide awake, Rayne’s mental screams resonating in his mind. He tossed the covers back and ran for the door, fighting the nearly overwhelming urge to shift into his bearenca. He threw his door open and stepped into the hallway just as Ari and Con did. Con had managed to pull on a pair of pants and Ari wore a robe, but Landor hadn’t even considered clothing, and he certainly wasn’t going back for it. He hurried to Rayne’s door and raised his hand to knock when she screamed again. This time they heard it with their ears as well as their minds and hearts. Even though her voice was weak, the anguish in it nearly knocked them to their knees.

  Landor used Air to crush the lock on the door, terrified that somehow, despite their carefully woven shields, someone had managed to get to her, and was even now preparing to spirit her away from them. Just the thought of it caused his jaw to elongate, black fur to sprout from his skin, and long curved claws to burst from his fingertips, making it impossible to turn the doorknob. He roared with frustrated fury and slammed one shoulder into the door, snapping the hinges as though they were made of paper and sending it flying against the far wall with a crash. He ran three steps into the room, salivating with the need to get his claws into a real, flesh and blood enemy, but all he saw was Rayne curled in a tiny ball in the middle of her bed, eyes wide and unseeing, cheeks pale and wet with tears, her slender body shaking so hard he feared for her delicate bones. He ran toward her, reversing the partial shift he’d undergone in his distress. The moment his claws withdrew he reached out, snatched her up, and pulled her tightly to his chest. Ari and Con crowded close, each of them placing a hand on her, needing the connection as much as he did.

  Ari and Con fought against their own shock to send waves of calm and comfort to Rayne while Landor rocked her gently. “It’s all right, Kisu,” he crooned. “You’re safe here, in our arms. We won’t let anything happen to you.”

  After a while Rayne’s body began to relax, and she came back from wherever she’d been. She blinked a few times, but couldn’t stop the tears running down her face. Landor turned and headed for the door. “We’ll take you to the master suite where we can all be comfortable,” he said. “Then you will tell us what has put this look of horror in your eyes.”

  He left Rayne’s room with Con behind them, while Ari hurried ahead to unlock the door to the master suite at the end of the corridor. Landor went straight to the massive bed and climbed onto it with Rayne in his arms, moving to the middle before leaning against the headboard. Ari turned on the bedside table lamp, then untied the heavy curtains on the right side posts of the bed, while Con untied those on the left. Like many of their fellow Clan Bearens they had a strong preference for small, enclosed spaces at times. This was one of those times. Once the curtains surrounded the bed, creating a small, cave-like environment that was dimly lit by the bedside lamp so Rayne could see, they climbed in and settled themselves against the headboard on either side of Landor.

  They waited patiently while Rayne struggled to find the words to tell them what she’d remembered. She couldn’t seem to approach it head on, so she side stepped it a little bit. “I know why it’s so important that we get there before the eighth day.”

  Landor waited. He didn’t care if it took her an hour, a day, or a week to get this latest horror out. They would let her get to it in her own way, in her own time.

  “They got Salene,” she said, the words bursting from her lips in a rush.

  “When?” Landor asked, confused.

  “Shortly before I returned to the past I accidentally discovered that Salene had been there nearly as long as I had. She was shot in the head during a battle that took place during her kidnapping. She should have died from the injury, but the Doftle kept her alive with their infernal machines.”

  “That happened in the other timeline, Kisu,” he said. “Not this one. In this timeline, Salene is safe. She left Garza with the Gryphons a couple of hours before we did.”

  Rayne thought about that for a few moments then shook her head. “That doesn’t matter. The order for Salene’s abduction went out eight days after I was abducted, and she was shot two days after that. She’s the reason I have to reach the Facility in eight days or less.”

  “But you warned your parents to alter Salene’s plans, and they did,” Landor pointed out. “That should change things, shouldn’t it?”

  She shook her head. “The Doftle took her from the Ugaztun in the other timeline, so I don’t see them balking at taking her from the Gryphons in this one.”

  “How did you learn all of this?” Con asked. “When the order went out, or when she was shot?”

  “I don’t remember,” Rayne said. “I just know that if we don’t get there in time, Salene will be lost forever.”

  “If it can be done, we’ll do it,” Landor promised. “We’ll be there nearly two full days ahead of time.” He looked at his brothers. “Con, prepare an encrypted message to be sent out to the Ugaztun and the Razor, warning them that an attempt will be made to kidnap Princess Salene.”

  “No, you can’t,” Rayne said with panic in her voice. “We have no idea who the spies are on the other ships. If the Doftle discover that we know there’s a plot in place to take Salene before the order is even given, the first thing they’ll do is take precautions and that means they’ll move. If that happens we’ll never find it.” Rayne swallowed hard. “I can’t fail my sister. I just can’t.”

  “You won’t,” Landor said. “We’ll make sure of that. Now, I think you’ve remembered enough for one night. It’s time for you to sleep.”

  “Here?” she asked, then covered her mouth with her hand as she yawned tiredly.

  “Unfortunately in my eagerness to get to you, I um…damaged the door to your room so yes, you’ll need to sleep here tonight.”

  “Damaged?” Ari asked archly. “Turned to kindling and toothpicks is more like it.” The mental image of three enraged Bearens crashing through the door in response to her screams made Rayne feel protected and cared for.

  “Do you mind spending the night here?”

  “Not unless you plan to leave me alone.”

  “I doubt we could leave you alone right now even if you wanted us to,” he said softly, sending a thin thread of Water into her. “Sleep in peace, Kisu. We will hold the dreams at bay.”

  “You can do that?”

  “We can try.” The corners of her mouth lifted just a little.

  “You three never try anything,” she whispered, her eyes closing. “You always do.” Landor leaned down to press a gentle kiss on her forehead. “I love you guys,” she murmured as she slid gently into a deep, dreamless sleep, leaving the three of them breathless for a long moment. When she snuggled in Landor’s arms an
d turned her face into his chest in an unconscious gesture of trust, he thought his heart would burst with happiness.

  “She said she loves us,” Ari whispered. “Right? Did you hear it too?”

  Landor glanced up at Con and smiled at the emotion on his face. “Yes, we heard it too, Ari.”

  “I almost wish we could wake her so we could tell her how we feel,” Ari said, then smiled at the warning look Landor flashed at him. “Almost, big brother.”

  “We should all try to get some sleep,” Landor said, then gave his head a little shake. “Con, we need to send that message to the Ugaztun and the Razor.”

  “Good, because I was going to ask you to rethink that decision,” Con said with relief.

  “I just didn’t want Rayne any more worried than she already is. Flag the message ULTRASECRET-EYES ONLY, double encrypt it using our most recent protocols, and suppress the point of origin code. We don’t want these Doftle to suspect we exist, let alone that we’re heading in their direction. While you’re at it, tell the Dracons that Rayne is doing well.”

  “Of course,” Con said, already up and walking toward the door. “I won’t be long.”

  ***

  Rayne woke up when Con climbed back into bed a while later. She was startled at first, but some part of her knew that she was safe, so she didn’t panic as she might have done otherwise. She heard the soft murmur of Con’s and Landor’s voices, too low for her to make out what they were saying because the sound of Landor’s heart beating in her ear drowned out their words.

  Landor’s hands were warm and gentle against her back, Con’s fingers stroked her arm lightly and Ari ran his fingers along a strand of her hair while they spoke. A minute or two later they fell silent, and another minute or so after that, their hands stilled. She felt a sense of loss that surprised her and, before she could talk herself out of it, she raised her head up from Landor’s chest and stared steadily into his violet eyes.

  His chest stilled beneath her as he stopped breathing for a moment, then his hands tightened on her just enough to pull her further up his body. She never took her eyes from his, though her heart was suddenly racing with an odd combination of fear and anticipation.

  When he could reach her mouth with his he kissed her, but it was much different this time than before. The first time they’d kissed, he’d been patient and gentle. This time he kissed her with heat and passion, communicating the intensity of his desire with his lips and tongue, and with his hands as they ran from her shoulders to the small of her back before pressing her body more tightly against his, ensuring that she felt the full effect of his naked arousal through the thin fabric of her pajamas.

  She stilled in surprise at the realization of what she felt pressing into her stomach. It was hot, hard, and much larger than she expected, which instantly raised her curiosity. She was an educated woman and she certainly knew how things worked. Partly because sex was not a taboo subject in the Clan Jasani culture, but mostly because Lariah Dracon was not one to flinch away from any subject she felt her children needed to know about, not even when it came to the subject of sex. She’d made certain that her daughters were fully informed.

  But, knowing and experiencing were not the same, and she had no experience at all. She’d never even been kissed before escaping from the Facility. She knew other girls who were destined to one day be Arimas who didn’t feel the need to wait, and there was nothing wrong with that. The only time sex between consenting adults was considered wrong was if a person had sex outside of a committed relationship, and that went for both Clan Jasani and Citizen Jasani.

  “Rayne?” Landor asked. She blinked, realizing that she’d spent the last couple of seconds in thought. She smiled, then leaned down to kiss him again, but he stopped her. “Tell me what’s wrong, please.”

  “Nothing’s wrong,” she said. “I was just a little surprised.”

  “Are you sure about this?”

  For one brief moment Rayne was afraid that they weren’t ready, that they didn’t want her the way she wanted them after all. She glanced to the right where Ari was watching intently, then to the left where Con was doing the same. Then she looked back to Landor just as a wave of raw need radiating from all three of them hit her. She gasped, then shuddered, her skin pebbling as her nipples hardened and moisture flooded her pussy. “Wow,” she said softly when she could form words again. “What was that?”

  “We sensed your worry,” Landor said, his voice husky and hot. “So we released the need we’ve been holding back.”

  “Holding back?”

  “We had to wait for you, Kisu,” he said. “We just need to know you’re ready for this.”

  “Oh, I’m ready,” she whispered, then leaned down to kiss him again. She was so lost in the taste and feel of his mouth against hers that she barely noticed when he wrapped his arms around her and sat up. Then he grasped the hem of her sleep shirt and raised it slowly up her body, pausing just beneath her breasts until she broke the kiss for some much needed air. Then he pulled it off over her head and tossed it aside.

  “You’re so beautiful,” he growled as he cupped her breasts in the palms of his hands and brushed his thumbs over her hardened nipples. Rayne’s breath caught in her throat as pleasure arced from her nipples straight to her pussy. When she opened her eyes again she realized that both Con and Ari were no longer in the bed. She looked around, instantly frantic. Where had they gone? Why had they gone? Had she done something wrong?

  “Easy, Kisu,” Landor said, frowning. It was normal for her to want all three of them to be there, but her reaction seemed extreme. He could actually hear her heart pounding.

  “We’re right here,” Ari said from the bottom right corner of the bed where he was tying the curtains back. She was relieved when she spotted him, but didn’t relax until she turned and saw Con at the other corner.

  “Missing us already?” Con asked as he climbed back onto the bed and rose up on his knees beside her.

  “Yes, I was,” she replied, her eyes catching on the play of muscles in his chest as he moved. Unable to resist the temptation, she reached up and ran her palms over his smooth warm skin. She smiled when she saw that her fingers left goose bumps behind wherever they touched.

  Then Con placed his hands on her shoulders, bent his head, and kissed her. His mouth was hard against hers, his tongue thrusting in and out of her mouth with increasing urgency. She was still sitting on Landor’s lap, her legs around his waist, his cock pressed tightly against her lower belly, so she felt him harden further as he watched Con kiss her. When they broke apart they were both panting as though they’d run a mile, and Rayne’s entire body was shivering with need. She looked up to see Landor’s eyes watching intently, his cock throbbing insistently against the cotton of her sleep shorts, the only barrier between them now. Then Ari’s hand slid into her hair and she turned toward him. She was surprised when he nipped her bottom lip, and even more surprised when it sent electric pleasure shooting through her entire body. His kiss was slower than Con’s, but no less heated.

  She loved the differences in the way each of them kissed her. She loved that they all tasted almost the same, but different, just like their scents.

  “You’re trembling,” Ari said, his lips moving against hers as he spoke. She could only nod. Then Landor’s hands grasped her waist and lifted her up. He turned her and lowered her so that she was lying across his lap, his cock now pressing against her hip.

  Con and Ari shifted their positions and she watched with wide eyes, suddenly realizing that they were all naked. “Oh,” she said softly as her eyes wandered up and down their hard bodies. Their cocks fascinated her. They were thick and heavy with broad heads and tightly stretched satiny skin, their testicles swaying heavily as they moved. She had to force herself to tear her gaze away, but that wasn’t much help. They had muscles everywhere she looked, and yet they were so gentle with her that it brought tears to her eyes.

  Con waited until Rayne shifted her gaze from him
to Ari, then moved so that he could reach the waistband of her pajama shorts. He slid them down to her hips, then looked up to find her watching him. She smiled, then arched her back and lifted her bottom so that he could slide the shorts off more easily. He immediately pulled them down her legs and off, dropping them absently, his eyes already gazing their fill of her bare body for the first time.

  She was petite, but beautifully proportioned with high breasts, a tiny waist that flared out to sweetly curved hips and slender, defined legs. She was still a little too thin, but her curves were back and, most important, she looked healthy.

  Landor reached down and slipped his fingers into the crease between her legs. Sensing what he wanted, Rayne immediately parted them, and the scent of her arousal, light before, now flooded their senses.

  Con moved without thought, suddenly finding himself lying on the bed with his head and shoulders between her legs. He took a moment to admire the pink, glistening folds of her delightfully bare pussy, then he closed his eyes and inhaled, drawing her deeply into his lungs before giving her one long, loving swipe of his tongue. Rayne’s deep moan was music to his ears so he repeated the action, releasing a groan of his own. He found the little nub of her clit and flicked it before sucking it gently between his lips.

  Rayne had never imagined such pleasure existed. The sensation of Con’s mouth on her pussy, his silky hair, now free from his usual ponytail, brushing the tender skin on her inner thighs, his strong hands holding her hips in place was almost too much. She wasn’t sure what to do with the rapidly increasing pleasure that seemed to be winding her nerves tighter and tighter by the second. Then Ari bent to take one nipple into his mouth while Landor squeezed the other one, tugging gently. Her entire body arched upward, her head went back and her mouth opened as her eyes squeezed shut. Violet, green, and amber sparks flashed behind her eyes as hot, intense pleasure engulfed her.

  The next time she opened her eyes it was to see three sets of intense eyes watching her. “What?”