by M H Soars
“Are you talking Unseelie and Seelie courts here?”
“Yeah, but unlike the legends you’ve probably heard, there’s more than one wicked court in Faerie land.”
“How do you know so much about the fae?”
Nina’s expression becomes a cold mask. “I’m a spy. It’s my business to know everything about everyone.”
Her logic is sound, but I sense Nina’s interest in the fae is personal. I’m not sure why I’m getting this strange feeling when I don’t even remember meeting her to begin with.
A prickly sensation on the back of my neck makes the small hairs stand on end. I whirl on the spot and face the double doors. My heart begins to beat faster, and the yearning there is overwhelming.
My mates are here.
As if sensing their fathers’ approach, I feel the babies move and kick.
The doors to Prythian’s lavish room open and in comes the dark fae lord. His hair, which was jet black before he left, is now a light gray. But it’s his solemn expression that gives me pause. I’m about to ask him what happened when Tristan, Samuel, and Dante follow the fae male.
I take a step forward and then stop abruptly. My heart skips a beat as I scan the three wolf shifters’ expressions. I see a mix of worry, relief, and anger in their gazes. Samuel is the first to move in my direction, breaching the distance between us in three long strides. He pulls me into his arms, engulfing me in a bear hug. I melt into his embrace, my body recognizing the man even if my brain doesn’t.
“You’re okay,” he murmurs.
“It was close,” I reply.
I feel something hard poke my chest—Kenya’s figurine. It’s a reminder that I must find a way to defeat the Furies and get my best friend back. Reluctantly, I ease out of Samuel’s embrace and find Tristan and Dante near us.
“How can it be?” Tristan asks in awe. “I have no memory of you, but I sense the bond.”
“It seems that as powerful as the Furies are, they couldn’t break the bond between you and Red,” Prythian chimes in.
“You should start from there to regain your memories,” Zeke says. “The question is how.” He rubs his chin and assumes a pensive countenance.
I didn’t even notice he was in the room, too riveted on my mates. And he’s not alone. A young man stands next to him.
“Billy? What are you doing here?” Nina asks.
He frowns. “Have we met?”
She glances at me with an eyebrow raised. Before she voices her question, Zeke answers, “The memory spell affected the entire town save for me and Kenya Arantes.”
“Oh.” Nina looks in Billy’s direction again with a disappointed expression on her face.
“Prythian, can you undo the Furies’ spell?” Dante asks.
His tone of familiarity gives me pause. “Wait. Do you remember him?”
“Yeah, for some reason, I knew who he was.”
“Don’t sound so surprised, Dante. We shared a lot during your time in my company.” I catch the double meaning in the fae’s words, which ignites an overwhelming sense of possession.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I practically growl.
“Whoa. Put your claws away, darling.” Prythian lifts his hands in a mock gesture of peace. “I was teasing. Dante had a vision about me. It’s possible that memory was embedded too deeply for it to be affected by the Furies’ spell.”
“Didn’t he have several visions about Red too?” Nina argues. “But he still can’t remember her.”
“That’s not completely true,” Dante replies. “I retained a partial memory of Red, unlike Tristan and Sam.”
“That’s interesting.” Prythian narrows his eyes.
“Interesting meaning you can help us?” I ask eagerly, forgetting for a moment who I’m talking to.
He cocks his head to the side, first staring into my eyes and then at Dante. “No. But I may know a way you can recover your memories without any help from outsiders.”
“How?” Tristan asks.
“By ignoring your human logic and letting your animal instinct take over. Your bond is still intact, yeah?”
“I can feel the tug.” Tristan glances in my direction, piercing me with his intense gray eyes. “It’s the strongest thing I’ve ever felt in my life.”
Heat rushes to my cheeks while my heartbeat takes off at warp speed. “I feel it too.”
“That makes sense,” Zeke chimes in. “But if you’re going to let your animal side loose, I’d suggest doing it soon. When the Furies discover we’re all in the Wastelands, they’ll be coming for us with everything they’ve got.”
“It’ll take a while for them to find this place, but I agree with the imp, don’t waste any time. My suggestion might not work after all.”
“I still don’t know what you mean by letting our animal instincts take over,” I say. Everyone’s eyes are on me now, making me feel like I said something stupid. “What?”
“I’m going out on a limb here and say he means you need to mate,” Nina replies with a straight face.
My jaw drops while my face bursts into flames. But a quick glimpse at the three brothers tells me she wasn’t joking. My heart is thundering in my chest now, and my mouth is as dry as a desert. But my crazy hormones are completely on board with the idea of having sex with three men at the same time.
Mortified, I look away. “I don’t know if I can do that.”
“Did you have to be so blunt in your response?” Zeke addresses Nina.
“What? I thought time was of the essence. No sense in beating around the bush. And she’s clearly done it before.” She points at my pregnant belly.
“Can I have a moment alone with my… mates, please?” I ask without making eye contact with them.
“Naturally.” Prythian smiles, but the glint in his eyes doesn’t comfort me. He snaps his fingers before I can say anything, and suddenly I’m no longer in his luxurious chamber but in an equally extravagant suite.
“Son of a bitch. Who is that guy?” Samuel asks.
I whirl on the spot, confirming that Dante and Tristan were also transported to the room with us. I can’t deny the raw attraction I’m feeling for them right now. I’m so nervous, shakes run through my body.
“Don’t be afraid, Red,” Dante says, taking a tentative step toward me.
“I’m not afraid,” I reply.
Tristan rubs his face, peeling his eyes away from me for a moment. I follow his gaze, finding the biggest bed I’ve ever seen in my entire life. It could easily accommodate ten people on it. It’s a bed made for group sex, which is what’s supposed to happen now.
Oh my God. Someone kill me.
“You’re nervous though. Don’t be,” Samuel pipes up, interrupting my internal freak-out. “To be honest, I’m nervous too.”
I snort, an involuntary reaction. “You’re saying that Samuel Wolfe, the notorious manwhore of Crimson Hollow, is nervous at the prospect of having a foursome.”
He winces as if I’d slapped him, making me regret my harsh words.
“I’m sorry. My tongue gets extra sharp when I’m feeling cornered.”
He smiles briefly, showing the hint of a pair of sexy dimples. “Don’t apologize. I deserve to be called that.”
I drop my gaze to my belly, placing my hands over it. “I’m sure you put your scandalous ways behind you when we bonded.”
“The Furies messed with our memories, but they couldn’t completely erase the sentiment in my heart. Since this whole nightmare started, every time I looked at another woman, I didn’t feel any desire toward her. That’s gotta say something.”
“It’s like what Prythian said. The Furies gave us new memories, but they couldn’t trick our wolf essence. It remembers.” Dante pierces me with his smoldering green eyes.
Swallowing the huge lump in my throat, I ask, “Do you think that if we shifted into our wolf forms, we could break the spell?”
“Probably, but you can’t shift while you’re that far in your pregnancy
. It’s not safe,” Tristan replies.
“So the only solution is….” I can’t finish that sentence, nor withstand their gazes, so I drop my eyes to the floor.
I sense them moving closer, and with their approach, the yearning increases. My very bones are on fire now. I suck in a breath when Samuel circles behind me and touches my arms.
“It’s okay, Red. Relax,” he whispers in my ear.
“I’m trying, but this is so hard.”
Dante stops in front of me. “I know it is. But you can trust us.”
I peer into his eyes, finding nothing but sincerity and compassion there.
“What should I do?”
“Close your eyes and feel the wolf’s energy swirling in your chest. Let it guide you.”
I look over Dante’s shoulder, locking gazes with Tristan. Out of the three brothers, he’s the most serious one, even a little scary. But I become less nervous as I get lost in his steady gaze.
“You can do it, Red,” he says.
With a shaky breath, I close my eyes, focusing on the wild essence I feel in the middle of my chest. I wince when I’m blasted by my wolf’s torment. She remembers her mates, and she’s crying for them. Instinctively, I know she wants to break free, which I can’t allow.
What if I lose control and end up shifting by accident? Tristan said it’s dangerous for me right now. What if I end up hurting my babies?
“It’s okay, Red. You’re not going to lose control,” Dante says softly.
My eyes fly open. “How did you hear me? Did I say that out loud?”
Dante’s expression becomes guilty. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to read your thoughts, but you were projecting them pretty loud. I couldn’t block them fast enough.”
“Are you saying you can read minds?” I squeak.
“In wolf form, we have the ability to connect telepathically. Dante is the only one who can communicate with us while human.”
I step away from them, veering for the bed. Taking a seat at the edge, I attempt to control my nerves. “That’s a lot to take in at once.”
Samuel follows me to the bed and drops into a crouch in front of me. “We’re bonded mates. We’ll go through it together.” His hand hovers over my knee. “May I?”
“Yeah.”
The moment his warm hand touches me, an incendiary flame ignites in the pit of my stomach. My breathing becomes shallow, and I can almost hear my wolf howling inside.
“Damn. We are mated. My wolf is going crazy,” Samuel says.
“Mine too,” I breathe.
“Can I kiss you?” he asks.
My lips part of their own accord. I want to say yes, but my human convictions hold me back. I look at Tristan and Dante, who are watching the scene with matching smoldering gazes. They’re unbothered by Samuel’s proximity to me. How is that possible?
“Go ahead, Red. Kiss him if you want to,” Tristan replies.
I switch my attention to Samuel, not daring to breathe. Boldly, I cup his cheek, loving the feel of his scruff against my hand. He runs his fingers up my arms, and despite the layers of fabric, I can feel the heat from his touch just the same. Overcome by a raw need to taste him, I lean down and kiss his sinful mouth. He lets me explore, but I sense it’s taking every ounce of willpower on his part to let me set the pace.
But soon, not even I’m in control anymore. The wolf takes over, and what was a slow and probing kiss becomes wild and fiery. Samuel grabs my face between his hands and deepens the kiss. I hear growls in the background as the scent of arousal spreads everywhere. I’m too hot, and my clothes are suddenly too confining.
With difficulty, I ease back, breaking the kiss. Samuel’s eyes are now glowing wolfish yellow.
“What is it, sweetheart?” he asks.
I glance at Dante and Tristan, who somehow haven’t moved an inch. “I need help getting out of my clothes.”
Samuel looks over his shoulder. “Are you just going to stand there? You heard her.”
“Is that okay, Red?” Tristan asks.
“Y-Yes.”
He and Dante come to the bed and awkwardly help me out of my jacket. I tense, despite wanting this to happen. I’m not sure if the block is coming from my human head or if the Furies are somehow responsible for my hesitation too.
My mates sense the change in my demeanor and stop.
“We don’t need to continue,” Dante says in a voice that’s so loaded with need, it sends shivers down my spine.
“Yes we do. Kiss me.” I reach for the back of his head and pull him to me before I lose my nerve.
When his tongue touches mine, I melt in his arms. I also feel the last tendrils of resistance snap. The wolf’s wild essence fills my head, spurring me on. I break the kiss with Dante and turn to Tristan, who’s on my left side. Samuel is still crouched in front of me, rubbing my thighs up and down. With each trip, his hands get closer to my hips.
Dante kisses my shoulder while his fingers trace down my arm, brushing the underside of my breast. Arching my back, I grab his hand and place it over my boob. Without missing a beat, he begins to toy with it, squeezing and rubbing his thumb over my nipple.
“Fuck, baby. I want to kiss you right here.” Samuel slides his fingers across my pelvis, making my clit throb in anticipation.
Tristan lets go of my lips with a soft pop before turning his attention to my neck.
Breathlessly, I tell Samuel, “Go ahead.”
He pulls my leggings and panties down slowly, making me feel a tad self-conscious. But those pesky thoughts are completely erased from my mind when he parts my legs and sweeps his tongue across my clit.
“Oh my God,” I cry out.
“You can say that again. You taste divine, baby,” he murmurs, blowing hot breath against my feverish skin.
I close my eyes and succumb to the pleasure my mates are giving me. There’s a tug, and then my top is off. Two hot mouths latch on each of my breasts—Tristan’s and Dante’s—to tease me beyond sanity while Samuel’s tongue does its magic between my legs.
Pleasure keeps building and building, spreading throughout my entire body. I don’t know where I end and they begin. I grab a handful of Samuel’s hair and yank it hard. In response, he inserts two fingers inside of me and begins to pump in and out in sync with the pace of his tongue.
“I can’t hold it any longer,” I say.
Growls are what I get as replies. A moment later, the most intense orgasm hits me, wreaking havoc on my body. It seems to go on forever and yet not long enough.
Suddenly, flashes of my life with my mates appear before my eyes. The first time I saw them when I had just turned into a wolf, all the sweet moments we shared as bonded wolves, the fight against the archdemon Harkon, me going after Dante and Sam when Artemis took them.
I remember everything.
Chapter 16
Red
I’m boneless, my body still trembling from my release, but my brain is as sharp as ever. With a gasp, I open my eyes. Tristan, Dante, and Sam are no longer kissing me. Instead, the three of them are staring wide-eyed at me.
“Red? Do you remember us?” Sam asks.
I’m swept up by emotion, so the only thing I can do is nod.
Tristan and Dante hug me from each side, making a sandwich out of me.
“Thank goodness, my love,” Dante chokes out.
“I can’t believe we didn’t remember you,” Tristan adds. “I’m so fucking mad at myself.”
“Don’t be. The Furies are powerful deities. We didn’t stand a chance.”
“Still, I should be able to see through their bullshit.” He captures my face in his hand, forcing me to look into his eyes. “You’re my mate, Red. No one should have the power to make me forget you.”
“Our wolves didn’t forget,” I say.
“Thank fuck for that.” Sam places a hand over my belly. “How are the babies? Are they okay?”
“I think so. Aside from some kicks here and there, I have no complaints.”
“There’s one for each of us,” Sam pipes up.
“Hey! What about me? They messed with my family,” I whine.
Tristan furrows his brow. “You can have Artemis. She refused to help, after all.”
“No one is going after any deity without a plan.” Dante gets up from the bed, and my eyes drop to his massive erection.
Tristan is still obviously aroused too, and I don’t need to glance at Sam’s crotch to know he’s also sporting a boner. Suddenly, the need for retaliation gets pushed to the back of my mind. My pussy clenches as if begging me to finish what we started.
Tristan and Dante both turn to me at once, probably sensing my arousal.
“Before we rush into danger, can we… continue?” I ask.
Their eyes flash again, turning ember, a sign of undiluted desire. I scooch back on the massive bed to make room for them. At once, my mates join me, their mouths and hands touching every inch of my body. Knowing we’re on borrowed time, we don’t waste time with more foreplay. I’m wet and ready, and so are they.
With my belly in the way, there aren’t many positions we can attempt, so I opt for the one we’ve been favoring for the past month. I get on my knees, offering my pussy to whoever is closest. Dante grabs me by the hips and with a swift move, he plunges inside of me. I cry out, but soon making noises becomes a problem. Tristan is kneeling in front of me in all his naked glory. Licking my lips, I look up, and then I wrap my fingers around his cock. With a wicked smile, I kiss the sensitive head first, teasing him with my tongue. He hisses and grabs a handful of my hair.
“God, I love when you suck me.” He takes charge and fucks my mouth.
“And when you use your hand,” Sam says to my right.
Bracing one hand against the mattress, I search for Sam with my other. He moves, kneeling within my reach. I take his cock and begin to pump up and down his length. Our lovemaking becomes a beautiful orchestra of moans, grunts, and murmurs. Nothing else matters besides giving and receiving caresses. Time ceases to exist, but when another powerful wave of pleasure sweeps over me, I know our session wasn’t long enough.