Tangled Innocence

by Carrie Ann Ryan

  Jace came and sat next to him on the couch. “You have any idea what we’re going to do?”

  Dante leaned into Jace, and the other man put his arm around his shoulders. His dragon, though not usually so submissive in letting others take care of it, calmed. He also liked the word ‘we’ coming from Jace’s lips. After so long without the other man’s touch, the achingly hollow place in side of him slowly started to fill. The bond had done some of that, but it was the actual presence of the other man that would complete him—same as it would with Nadie.

  “Other than fighting the Conclave?” Dante shook his head into Jace’s shoulder. “I don’t know, love.”

  Jace growled softly and squeezed him tight. “The Goodwins will stand behind you, and you know countless others will do the same. If the ones you’ve helped over time won’t stand beside you without prompting, you can call in favors. We will find a way.”

  Dante closed his eyes, needing to rest after such a stressful day. “I know we will.”

  He scented Nadie come back in the room before he heard her.

  “That was Amara,” Nadie explained. “She needs help at the inn, some staffing emergency. Normally, she wouldn’t have even asked, but she either couldn’t get ahold of anyone else or the ones she did were too busy. I told her I’d call her back because I don’t know what I’m doing.” She gave a small smile. “That seems to be my phrase of the day, or maybe even the month.”

  Dante untangled himself from Jace and went to Nadie, pulling her into his arms. “Take one of my cars and go to your friend. She needs help. There’s not much more we can do tonight.”

  “Do you know how long she’ll need you?” Jace asked as he stood on the other side of Nadie, blocking her in between the two of them.

  “For a couple hours at most.” She looked over her shoulder at the rain, which at the moment was just a sprinkle. “It isn’t supposed to start really pouring until much later, so I will be back before then.”

  Dante nodded, happy that she wasn’t going to be in danger out on the roads in the middle of a storm. “Be safe and help your friend. We aren’t going anywhere.”

  He and Jace kissed her goodbye and watched her drive off. He could still scent her sweet honey and fire wrapped around him, even as it mixed with the fear seeping from each of them.

  Jace came up from behind him and wrapped his arms around Dante’s waist. Dante sank into the other man’s hold, his ass against Jace’s rigid cock.

  “Tomorrow we can talk about our plans and what it means for us,” Jace said, his warm breath against Dante’s neck. “Right now, though, I need you. You scared me so damn much, Dante. Fuck me and let me hold you.”

  Dante turned in the man’s hold so he faced him. “Anything, my bear. Anything.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Dante crushed his mouth to Jace’s, craving the man in his arms just as much as the woman who would be joining them later. Jace ran his hands through Dante’s hair, and his dragon practically purred. He loved having his scalp massaged and fingers playing with his hair, and Jace knew that.

  Damn, the man remembered.

  Though he and Jace had never completed the mating bond while they were waiting for Nadie, they’d learned each other in other ways. Other ways that seemed to be coming back to him full force.

  Jace growled against him, and Dante put the past in the past and focused on the man in his arms—the man who currently pressed his cock against Dante’s through their jeans. Fuck, he loved the fact that they were practically the same height. It would make for some interesting—and fucking amazing—positions.

  Dante lowered his hand and cupped Jace’s ass, rocking into the other man.

  Jace kissed down Dante’s jaw then pulled away to cup his face. “What you do to me.”

  Dante nipped at the other man’s lip then went to his knees.

  Jace let out a little snort then ran his hand through Dante’s hair again. “On your knees? For me?”

  Dante grinned then undid Jace’s pants, pulling the other man’s cock out with a quick efficiency. He pumped along Jace’s length before squeezing tightly, forcing a strangled moan from the other man.

  “God,” Jace groaned.

  “No, I’m Dante, but thank you for noticing.”

  Jace chuckled. “I can’t believe you pulled that line out.”

  Dante licked the crown of Jace’s cock, the salty precum settling on his tongue. “I’m fucking old, Jace. I invented those lines.”

  He looked up as Jace rolled his eyes. “Okay, oh-experienced-one. Why don’t you suck my cock and show me how godlike you are?”

  “Take off your shirt,” Dante ordered then swallowed Jace whole.

  Jace grunted and flexed his hips into Dante’s mouth. Dante gripped his mate’s hips, keeping him steady. The other man might think he was in charge, but Dante knew who was more alpha.

  He looked up to see Jace had taken his shirt off, the tanned lines of his body sexy as hell. Dante let his jaw relax and took Jace down his throat so his face pressed up against Jace’s groin. He felt the other man’s body shake as Dante swallowed, his throat squeezing around Jace’s cock.

  He pulled back and let go of Jace’s dick, taking a deep breath before swallowing him whole again. Jace fisted his hand in Dante’s hair and held him steady. Dante grunted around his bear’s erection and let his jaw relax again as Jace fucked his mouth.

  Dante pulled away, licking his lips before pulling Jace’s jeans down his legs fully. Soon, Jace was naked, and Dante’s mouth was on him again. He sucked, licked, and rubbed his mate down, loving his taste. While his mouth was busy, he gripped Jace’s ass in both hands, spreading his cheeks. While Jace groaned, pushing deeper into Dante’s mouth, Dante pressed one finger against his lover’s hole.

  The action broke Jace’s rhythm, but Dante didn’t care. He passed through the tight ring of muscle—knowing he wouldn’t go that much farther without lube—and rubbed along Jace’s prostate. Jace buckled once, twice, before shouting and holding Dante’s head closer to his body. Dante swallowed every drop of Jace’s cum, his face pressed once again against Jace’s groin.

  Finally, Dante pulled back and stood up. He quickly stripped out of his clothes and licked his lips. “Go get the lube,” he ordered Jace.

  Jace raised a brow but did as he was told, walking naked, sweaty, and way too fucking sexy to the bedroom as Dante took his own cock in his fist, waiting for the other man to come back. Jace returned to the room quickly, his cock hard again and slapping his belly as he walked.

  Dante growled at the sight and caught the lube when Jace threw it at him. “Bend over the table,” he ordered.

  Jace licked his lips but didn’t move.

  “Did I stutter?”

  His bear snorted. “I love it when you’re all growly. Just remember, I get to fuck that ass of yours soon. Got me?”

  Dante squeezed his dick so he wouldn’t come at the thought of Jace deep inside him. Yes, they would do that. Soon.

  “Table. Now.”

  Jace turned on his heel and moved to the table, bending over for him and even going as far as spreading his ass cheeks.

  Fuck. Yeah.

  Dante prowled to his mate and ran a hand down his back. Jace arched for him, the utter trust he’d placed in Dante’s hands overwhelming. Dante slowly prepared his mate, making sure he wouldn’t hurt him once he entered him. As much as he knew Jace would take it, he wanted their first time together when it was the two of them to be…theirs.

  Once he was sure Jace would be ready to take all of him, he leaned over his mate and kissed his neck. Jace looked over his shoulder, his back moving as he panted in need. Dante kissed his bear softly, taking in every movement, every taste as if it would be their last.

  He kissed down Jace’s back before moving so he could grip the other man’s hips.

  “Ready?” he asked, his voice strained.

  “Always,” Jace moaned.

  Dante nodded then pumped his hips. Hard. He entered
Jace in one stroke, and they both yelled out. Jace’s ass gripped Dante’s dick like a vise, and they both stilled, accommodating themselves to the sensations. He couldn’t take it anymore, though, and pulled out a fraction before thrusting back in. He pistoned into his lover, bending over him so his chest pressed against Jace’s back. They both panted, sweat pouring down their bodies as Dante slammed into his lover, his dick ready to explode.

  Dante pulled back, moving Jace so the other man could grasp his own cock in his hand. “Get yourself off, Jace. Fuck your hand while I fuck our ass so we can come together.”

  Jace merely grunted, his arm working in tandem with Dante’s thrusts. Dante’s balls tightened, and he picked up his pace until he yelled Jace’s name, coming hard, filling up his mate’s ass. Jace’s voice cracked as he came as well.

  Dante pulled out, pulled his lover to his feet, and flipped Jace over so they faced each other. He cupped his mate’s cheeks and kissed him, their breaths coming in pants as they came down from their peak.

  “Gods, that was better than I thought it could be,” Jace said.

  “It’s only the beginning,” Dante replied. “Only the beginning.”

  A few hours later, Dante put his hands on his hips, staring out into the window as Jace came up behind him after they’d repeated their lovemaking. “She’ll be home soon,” he whispered, more to himself than the bear behind him.

  Jace kissed his neck, and Dante leaned back. “The rain is coming down early.” The worry in his mate’s tone matched the worry in Dante’s heart.

  Dante nodded, a prickly feeling sending an odd sensation over him. The wind howled around them, the rain coming down in sheets, but it seemed to be centered on his land. “I don’t think this is a normal storm, Jace.”

  Jace let out a breath even as Dante felt the bear within the man rise to the surface, ready to fight for what was theirs. “I was afraid of that. Let’s get our pants on and go out and find our mate. I don’t want her alone out in this.”

  Dante nodded, knowing the bear was right. Something was off, and he’d be damned if he let Nadie get hurt because of it….because of him.

  ****

  The windshield wipers were useless against the onslaught of rain hitting her car. Nadie thought about pulling over to the side of the road, but she knew she was coming up on Dante’s home. It wouldn’t do any good to pull over and get stuck in a place she didn’t know as well as she should. After all, she had less than a mile to go. She could do that.

  Hopefully.

  She’d been gone an hour longer than she’d planned, and as it was, the storm had come early. It had been a stupid idea to drive in this weather, but Amara had desperately needed her. The inn where her friend managed had run low on staff and high on occupants.

  Now, though, going home wasn’t looking like a feasible option. Amara had offered to let Nadie stay at the inn, sleeping on the pull-out couch Amara had in her manager’s apartment, but Nadie had refused. She’d wanted to go home to her men, her mates.

  With the rain pounding into her car and flooding the streets, she had a feeling she’d made the wrong decision.

  Only half a mile to go.

  As soon as she thought that, a flash of light bounced off the front of her car, temporarily blinding her. She screamed and held onto the wheel, pumping the brakes, not slamming down like her instincts told her to do at first.

  It didn’t matter though.

  Her tires squealed as she hit…something…and her car fishtailed before turning around and sliding into the other lane. She screamed, trying to gain control, but she knew it was no use. She just prayed the airbags would work.

  When the car spun again, she could have sworn she saw a man in the shadows, the rain pelting him as he stared at her…but she wasn’t sure. As soon as she tried to focus on him, the car spun again, out of control.

  The car sped toward a tree, and she screamed, trying to find a way to stop the damn thing before she crashed into it. But it would be no use, she knew that.

  The large roar in the distance seemed to grow louder by the second. At first she thought it was the sound of her car, but no, no, she knew, she prayed she knew what that was.

  Who that was.

  Nadie slammed on the brakes, trying to stop the car as two men came out of the shadows, their bodies ramming into the car as they tried to stop the car. At least that’s what she thought they were doing. She cried out. No, they were in human form, their weaker one. Tears streamed down her face, not for her, but for the two men who must be hurt because of her.

  Finally, her car stopped before it rammed into the tree. Her body shook as she tried to undo her seatbelt. Before she could finish that though, Dante ripped the door off the hinges. Blood and bruises covered the side of his body that had hit the car, but he didn’t seem to mind. Jace stood behind him, blood also covering his face, but both men looked okay.

  Alive.

  As was she.

  She finally got her seatbelt off and threw her arms around Dante’s neck. He might have been hurt, but he didn’t wince or groan at her hold. No, he pulled her out of the car, holding her close to him as Jace came around them and sandwiched her between them.

  “Thank God you’re here,” she cried into Dante’s neck.

  And Nadie had a feeling that had not been a little car accident.

  “We will always be here,” Dante promised. “Where are you hurt?”

  “Let us take you home,” Jace added.

  “I’m fine,” she answered. “But what about you two? You just got hit by a car. My car.” She blinked. “No, Dante’s car. Crap. I’m sorry about your car.”

  Dante grinned and seemed surprised he could do so just then. “Don’t worry about my fucking car. Come on. We’re taking you home. We’ll deal with the damage here when it’s not raining. Luckily you made it as far to my property since you were on my long driveway, so we won’t have to deal with any authorities.”

  She wrapped her body around him as tight as she could, needing to make sure he was real. She’d never forget the sound of screeching metal or the roar of a dragon.

  Soon she found herself naked on the bed and wrapped in blankets and her men. Neither man had spoken much, only enough to make sure she was okay as well as care for each other. She burrowed closer to Jace, her body unable to get warm.

  “Your body is in shock, darling,” Jace said, squeezing her tight.

  “There was someone in the road,” Nadie said at last.

  “Someone?” Dante asked, his voice like the edge of a blade.

  “I think so. I don’t know. Maybe I was imagining it, but it didn’t feel right.”

  Dante snuggled up to her back and ran his hand over her hip. “I don’t think you’re imagining it. The storm didn’t feel right. I don’t know who it was. What it was. But we will find out.”

  Jace kissed her brow and sighed. “We can speculate all we want, but right now, we’re going to keep vigilant and refuse to let anyone hurt us or our bond.”

  Nadie nodded, knowing her men were trying to help, but she didn’t believe they could right then.

  Something had tried to kill her tonight, but she knew it hadn’t been about her.

  No, whatever had been out there had been out to hurt the ones she cared for. She’d just have been collateral damage. A pawn.

  That angered her more than the idea that someone had tried to hurt her. Attacking her outright would scare her, but she’d cope. Attacking her so they could harm those she cared for?

  No, that would not be tolerated.

  Nadie might have been weak right then, but it wouldn’t last for long. She would learn to protect not only herself, but those of her bond. She had a purpose now. Those who had tried to kill her had made a mistake tonight.

  A deadly one.

  Chapter Twelve

  “Isn’t it too soon?”

  Jace closed his eyes at Nadie’s repeated comment, but as he wasn’t facing her, she couldn’t tell. It wasn’t that he was annoyed sh
e’d asked the same question more than once. It was that she felt the need to ask it at all. If she’d been born into the world she lived now, things would have been different, but she hadn’t been, and now, things were complicated. He could barely breathe with how much he cared for her, and after the accident, he’d done his best to hide the depths of his fears and feelings from Nadie.

  He hadn’t wanted to scare her.

  His momma would love her though. However, telling Nadie that only made the woman freak out all the more. Apparently meeting the parents—whether bear or human—was a big deal for her.

  Good to know.

  “No, it’s not too soon. We’re going to my den, not just because I want you to meet my parents, but because we need to for Dante.”

  Nadie’s arms wrapped around his waist from behind and he ran his hand over her skin. So soft. His bear stretched, awakened by her sweet scent. He smiled at the furry beast. His bear could kill in seconds, but when it came to Nadie, it seemed he was a teddy bear.

  His bear growled, and Jace held back a chuckle.

  Okay, maybe not a teddy bear, but soft with Nadie nonetheless.

  Nadie nuzzled into his back, and he stood still, soaking in the moment, not wanting to let it go. He’d waited so long for this, and now, the big, tough Mediator was falling for the little sprite, his succubus.

  Who would have thought?

  “I’ve never been to another realm before.”

  He turned and lifted her up so she was sitting on the counter. As both he and Dante were well over a foot taller than her, they were going to have to find ways to make talking easier on her neck. Looking up all day took its toll.

  Or so he’d heard. After all, he’d been over six feet since he was thirteen.

  They grew them big in the dens.

  He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, and she raised a brow. “Stop pawing me, Jace. Remember when we said we were going to try and see what happens when we don’t touch each other like that? I need to drain my energy to discover my limits powerwise in case I hurt myself later.” She blushed as she said it, and Jace had to hold back a groan.