The sense of fullness stole her breath. She arched back, taking them both completely. “Amazing. No pain. I’ve waited for this. Will you come with me?”
Ethan groaned in her ear. “Let us bring you the greatest pleasure, and we will follow you into paradise, love.”
She rocked her hips back and forth, enjoying the intensity and harmony of having two men making love to her. With every movement, waves of utter fulfillment washed over her body and soul. “Take me!”
Her lovers gasped and shuddered as she gave in to the overwhelming rush of heat in her depths. She savored every swell of sensation, drowning in the euphoria. Sharing her body with these two men gave her pleasure beyond measure and hope for a future filled with a treasure more valuable than riches.
Their shouts blended with her cries, and they gathered her between them. Ethan showered her face with light caresses of his lips, while Grant’s warm breath feathered across her shoulder and neck. Warmth swam through her body and into her soul. Could this be love?
She waited for reality to come crashing in around her, but it never arrived. Maybe it had never left. Did her pirates feel the same bond to her that she felt for them? They disengaged and held her long after the tremors subsided, not breaking the contented silence of their union. Their breathing slowed, and she closed her eyes to let the musky scent of their lovemaking surround her. Please let this be love.
Chapter 7
A sea of faces turned toward the entrance to the dining room as Ethan stopped just inside the spacious hall beside Orshy with his cousin flanking her other side. He hadn’t expected such a large gathering of the Macska household. Nearly fifty people of various ages sat at two long tables, and he recognized only about a dozen from yesterday. Women and girls far outnumbered men and boys.
The eldest of the women stood. Romána, the powerful matriarch, bade them to enter and gestured to a trio of empty chairs on her right. “Good morning, Orsolya, my daughter, and welcome, Ethan and Grant. Come join me for breakfast, children.”
Orshy’s hand tightened around his as she aimed for the head of the nearest table. “Thank you, Great Grandmother. Good morning, everyone.”
A chorus of greetings sang out from the gathering. Several of the younger women sent bright smiles to her, offering congratulations as she passed their seats. Ethan pulled out a chair for her, and Grant helped her to sit before taking their places on either side of her as their hostess sat.
Ethan nodded to the matriarch. “It is a pleasure to see you again, Romána. We thank you for the gracious invitation to share the meal with you.”
“Many thanks, indeed.” Grant spread his napkin on his lap. “I do hope we haven’t delayed the breaking of the fast with our tardiness.”
Reaching for a platter of ham, she chuckled. “Lateness of the newly mated to a meal is never frowned upon. Sharing time with a lover is nourishment for the heart and soul. The body can wait a short while for its sustenance. Let us eat our bounty, family.”
She transferred a helping of meat to her plate and then passed the platter to Grant. That she readily accepted the knowledge of a sexual relationship without benefit of a legally binding marriage contract shocked Ethan. He and Grant had no intention of sullying Orshy’s reputation or abandoning her after weeks or months of hedonism, but how could her guardians know? If Romána trusted them without question, was the secrecy of their task safe from discovery?
Still, his heart and his conscience demanded he and his cousin make a commitment to her. They both wanted to stay with her when their duty was finished. Holding the dish for Orshy, he waited for her to fork a piece of ham onto her plate and his before passing to Jolán. “Romána, Grant and I would like to become mated to Orsolya as Shan-dor and Konrad are mated to Rebeka, Aaron and Adam are to Kata, and Amalric and Ranulf are to Loo-sha. We would seek your permission and blessing for the union.”
Orshy’s fork clattered against the chinaware, and the quiet murmur of voices died. She blinked at him. “You can’t do that! The decision is mine. I’m supposed to ask you.”
This age of young women choosing their own suitors and taking lovers before wedding vows baffled Ethan. “Do you not wish to be mated to us, love?”
“Well...yes, but...” She pursed her lips. “I wanted to ask you.”
Grant grasped her hand and brought it to his lips. “We meant only to show our deep affection for you. If you prefer to demonstrate your fondness for us instead, we’ll gladly listen to your profession and proposal. You must know we will accept your offer.”
Her shoulders sagged, and Ethan turned in his seat to face her. “I admit I am impatient to become your lawful mate, sweet Orshy, but we will wait if you aren’t ready to ask us.”
She glanced back and forth between Grant and him and then to Romána as she sighed.
The matriarch scooped a spoonful of a bread and fruit mixture onto her plate. “I cannot decide for you, daughter. Joining involves the heart, the mind, and the body. You are a witch of the Order of Elements, and not subject to the same rules of Macska matings. The choice is yours.”
Orshy’s eyes widened. “But I thought...So I won’t know if I’ve made the wrong choice? Joinings are supposed to be for life. Do you mean they don’t have to take the vows of loyalty and love? They can leave me?”
Pushing back her chair, she stood and pulled her hand from Grant’s grasp. The panic in her expression had Ethan wanting to reach for her, but he couldn’t move. Even as she hurried from the room, he fought to go after her. Some unseen force held him in place.
“Eat, children.” Romána’s gaze fastened on him, and he couldn’t break free. She’d kept him from following Orshy. “She must learn to trust her judgment as well as her lovers. Remain steadfast and give her no reasons to doubt your commitment to her.”
Unable to do anything more, he nodded. Did Orshy sense that he and Grant hid a secret from her? Why else would she believe they might leave her? No matter how many times they reassured her of their intention to stay, she never quite accepted their promises.
Ethan ignored the knot in his stomach and the feeling of being watched as he added food to his plate and passed several more dishes to Jolán. The urge to follow Orshy grew stronger rather than subsiding. A look at Grant told him his cousin wasn’t pleased with their orders, either.
The casserole of apples, cranberries, and bread could’ve been sawdust for all the more he tasted it. He preferred to be done with the meal and go in search of the woman he adored. In addition to her distressed mood, she hadn’t eaten.
Setting his napkin and fork on the empty plate, he made a sandwich of two slices of bread and a slab of ham before sliding his chair away from the table. “I thank you for a fine meal, Romána. If you will kindly excuse Grant and me, we have much to discuss.”
He stood and walked toward the exit without waiting for a response. Grant followed close on his heels as Ethan retraced his steps along the hall and up the stairs.
* * * *
Pacing to the window, Orsolya stared out at the summer gardens with bright green spouts poking out of the dark soil. A huge bank of clouds darkened the horizon as a late April rainstorm raced toward the mansion, blotting out the early morning sun. Branches of the newly leafed maples whipped back and forth in the gusty wind, matching her mood. She swiped at a tear rolling down her cheek, and commiserated with the sky when big drops splatted against the pane of glass.
She wanted to believe Grant and Ethan would never leave her, but doubts lingered. Their promises and reassurances seemed sincere. What kept her from trusting their word? The difference in the circumstances of their joining didn’t help. Every Macska witch knew for certain she’d chosen her mate before the ceremony. Only true love could produce a child, and becoming pregnant was part of the process of discovering the man she was intended to share her life with. The fertility cycle never failed to reveal whether she’d chosen wisely.
Orsolya was barely a witch, let alone one of the Macska line. Picking the wro
ng man—or men—was a distinct possibility. She had no way of knowing if Ethan and Grant were her life-mates until her life ended. Could she survive her lovers deciding they no longer wished to be mated to her after months or years of faithfulness? What if she bore their children? Although she’d always have a part of Grant and Ethan with her, could she live with the constant reminder of them? If her choice proved wrong, the loss would be unbearable. She’d already lost too many people she cared for. Her mother and father. A brother. Several “uncles” within the Order. They hadn’t chosen to leave her, but they’d left her all the same.
Why couldn’t she have a foolproof test to make the decision for her?
A loud knock sent her heart pounding in her chest. The door clicked opened. “Orshy, may we come in?”
Grant’s baritone smoothed over her skin, and she stiffened to hide a contraction between her thighs. Sex without the complicated emotions to go with it would be so much easier to handle. She shrugged. “This is your room too.”
“We’ve brought you something to eat.” Ethan held a ham sandwich in his palm as he reached around her from behind. “Are you still angry with us, love?”
Biting down on her lower lip, she tried to swallow past the lump in her throat. Her pirates were confounding and confusing one minute, considerate and sweet the next. Were all men so trying?
She took the sandwich, barely resisting her stomach’s demand to stuff the entire thing in her mouth. “Thank you. And I don’t know.”
“We didn’t set out to displease you. Grant and I wish to prevent scandal from befalling our dear lady, should you find yourself...with child.”
Spinning around, she debated throwing her handful of food at Ethan. If I wasn’t starving, I would. “You want to join with me because I might be pregnant? Oh, that’s wonderful.”
Grant rolled his eyes and shook his head. “The thought of you bearing our heirs brings us great joy. We wish to give our progeny the benefit of known parentage.”
Ethan hadn’t offended her enough, so Grant had to add to it. She bit into the sandwich and chewed while she pondered a rhyme to send them back to the eighteenth century. Ethan thought she should take them as mates so no one could call her a whore, and Grant wanted to keep his children from being bastards.
She stomped to the chair to sit. They could wait for a response until she finished eating, and maybe in the meantime, she’d come up with way to explain that they weren’t convincing her to accept their proposal by opening their big mouths.
“You are angry with us, and you’ve been crying.” Ethan dropped to the couch adjacent to the chair, his jeans hugging his well-muscled legs. “What have we said to hurt you?”
Taking a seat beside him, Grant heaved a breathy sigh. A lock of his overlong hair swung forward to hide part of his face as he propped his chin on his fist. “Did I not say our behavior is often appalling? We still have much to learn in matters of wooing.”
Her blood stopped boiling. How did they manage to both frustrate and soothe her? She swallowed the last bite of her breakfast and blinked back new tears. When had she become so emotional? “What am I going to do with you?”
Peeking at her through the wavy brown strands, Grant gave her a half smile. “I have many ideas, love. You have forgiven us?”
“Only if you stop trying to be honorable. I’m not going to take you as mates for the reasons you gave. The joining is different from marriage.”
Ethan rubbed his hands over his thighs. “Tell us how it differs. We wish for your happiness.”
Perhaps they weren’t a hopeless cause after all. “Someone else will have to explain it. I need to go downstairs to the library for a lesson with Jolán in a few minutes. Amalric and Ranulf can take you on a tour of house and the grounds while they tell you about the meaning of being joined.”
“We will see you at the noon meal?”
If I don’t suffer another meltdown. Their quick smiles erased her doubt—at least for the moment. “Yes.”
Grant’s eyes brightened to a lighter shade of walnut. “If you choose to ask us to join with you then, we will say yes, sweet Orshy. Have no doubt of it. We shall accompany you to the library.”
Both men stood, coming to flank her on either side of the chair, each grasping a hand and helping her to her feet. She’d met them a single day ago, and already she didn’t know how she’d survive a day without them—or years with them. She needed to have a long talk with the mated women of the household. Maybe they could give her suggestions on keeping her men from driving her crazy and how to determine if they were her true mates. What if she was like the people oblivious to the existence of witches, warlocks, and magic? Would she have to fail at multiple relationships before she succeeded?
Was I better off living in the cursed castle with no knowledge of womanhood?
“Orshy?” Grant halted three steps from the door to the hallway, waiting to see if his ladylove was ready to continue to the library. She seemed distracted, like she might be mulling over whether or not to commit herself to Ethan and him. His heart skipped a beat at the thought that she could be considering asking them now to share their lives with her. Then his chest tightened. Or did she doubt their connection? He’d damn well find a way to convince her.
She shook her head. “Come on. I don’t want to be late.”
Letting her set the pace, he walked beside her from their quarters to a room on the first floor filled with shelf after shelf of books. Tall windows faced the grounds of the estate. A desk was partially covered in leather-bound tomes, and tea service sat upon a tray on a low table in front of a couch.
Ethan released her other hand as they entered the high-ceilinged cavern. “Your family possesses a great store of knowledge. There must be thousands of volumes on these shelves. Captain Bellamy’s treasure pales in comparison.”
A smile lit up her eyes. “Do you like books? I’m sure Kata would be pleased to help you find something suitable to read if you ask her. She’s in charge of the library.”
“Before we joined the ranks of Black Sam’s crew, I rarely went about without a book in my hands.” Strolling along the nearest section of shelving, he ran his fingers over the spines. “Shakespeare. Galileo. DaVinci. Did someone travel through time to acquire them? They must be priceless, given that we’re in the twenty-first century.”
“I don’t believe anyone got them by going back in time. We’re not supposed to use our abilities that way.” She stopped at the desk, seeming to stare out the window.
After several long moments of silence, Grant considered asking her why she’d grown quiet. Was she finally going to propose that they become mated? He held his breath through the furrowing of her brows and nibbling of her lower lip. More than anything, he wanted to assure her she had nothing worry over.
She let out a noisy exhale and turned to face him. “Why did you become pirates?”
Chapter 8
Ethan pretended to study the titles on the nearest shelf in an effort to hide his panic at Orshy’s question. He had no wish to lie to her, but the truth of their choice to become pirates was founded entirely on their search. The more of the world he and Grant traveled, the better their chances of locating their target. Now that they had, the strategy had proven itself worthy.
The soft padding of feet on the polished wood floor had him turning toward the entrance to the library as Jolán hurried through the doorway. “Orsolya, sorry I’m late. I was playing with the babies and lost track of time.”
Saved from another deception. He crossed the room to brush his lips over Orshy’s cheek. “Grant and I will leave you to your lessons, love.”
Grant mimicked the action. “We shall await your arrival at the dining hall for lunch.”
Striding out of the room before she could insist on an answer to her query, Ethan followed the hall toward the front staircase with his cousin close behind him. “I despise not being able to tell her. She is an innocent in this game we must play.”
“She deserves t
o be prepared.” The hissed response at his shoulder confirmed Grant’s dislike of the situation as well.
“Do you suppose our dilemma is the reason for so many failures in the past?” As Ethan continued toward the opposite hall, he shoved his fingers through his hair. “We must succeed, if only to prevent distress to Orshy by causing her to believe that we would ever choose to leave her.”
Male laughter echoed along the corridor leading to the dining room, and a moment later Amalric and Ranulf walked out of one of the other rooms.
Amalric shook his head and grinned. “Our Lu tells a fine bawdy joke. Ah, Ethan and Grant. How fare you after being put in your place by Orsolya this fine morning?”
Giving a shrug, Grant offered his hand to the former knights. “We have apologized yet again for overstepping the unbeknownst boundaries set by our mate.”
They exchanged handshakes, and Ethan nodded. “Orshy angers easily. Are all women of this time so quick to change moods?”
With a chuckle, Ranulf gestured toward the way Ethan and Grant had just come. “Let’s go outside where we won’t be overheard and misinterpreted. Amalric and I will show you around.”
Ethan gave a nod. The former knight had the right of it. Orshy mistook many a simple statement for something with greater meaning and then threatened to return her mates to a ship that likely had run aground.
As they exited the mansion, he half expected to walk out into a cloudburst, but the storm clouds present during Orshy’s tirade had blown apart to reveal bits of blue sky. A cobblestone lane wove a path between two green expanses edged by a tall stone wall. An iron gate blocked the drive from the road beyond. Fortress seemed a more accurate word for the estate than mansion—which could make his task easier or far more difficult.
“To the south lies the road.” Amalric pointed toward the wall and gate. “All visitors must enter through the video monitoring system.”
Szereto, Mellanie - Two Pirates to Treasure [Bewitching Desires 4] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) Page 6