by Mary Winter
“And if I had told Deke yes, that I would go back to the league, regardless of what happened?”
Ioanne thought for a moment, debating on how much to reveal. Everything. She had to lay it on the line. “I would be saddened by your leaving. Zaiden, I have always loved. Just because he had found another didn’t mean I stopped loving him. You, on the other hand, are a surprise. I knew I’d have to be careful around Zaiden. I didn’t think I’d have to around you. What you guys showed me last night transcended anything I’d ever experienced. I won’t lie. I’m scared. Zaiden knows my past. I didn’t come to being a priestess because I wanted to find holiness. I came because, like you, I battled addictions. Only unlike you, who had just one, I had multiple hungers to feed. Sex. Drugs. Alcohol.” She paused, letting her words sink in. “And I’m scared that by giving in to you, I’ll have to battle those again. But if you can fight Styng, then I think I can fight, too.” She washed her words down with a long drink from her juice. “What about you, Zaiden? I’m sure this probably hasn’t turned out like you planned.”
He shrugged. “I think it’s better. I knew coming here I’d have to face you. If I’d had any idea what my leaving had done… well, I wish I’d known. Now, I do. And now that I’m here, I don’t think I could go back.” He turned to his lover. “I’m just glad Tomak agrees with me.”
“Me too,” Ioanne admitted. The future held uncertainty. Tomak needed to get through his withdrawals and probably wasn’t done with the league yet. Rising to her feet, she moved between the two men and sat back down again, an arm on each of their shoulders. “To the future.” She kissed Zaiden on the cheek, then did the same to Tomak.
Both men turned and wrapped their arms around her. Pulling her down to the floor, they let their hands and lips roam over her body. She gave herself over to the sensual pleasure, knowing her training would keep her grounded. Just as she worked to help Tomak overcome his addictions, she, too, wouldn’t succumb to her own. And for both of them, there was Zaiden. Solid, dependable Zaiden. All he’d ever wanted was to heal people. Ioanne smiled. Turned out, he’d heal both of them.
A slight tremor in Tomak’s fingers warned her of what was to come. Closing her eyes and offering her breasts to the men’s mouths, she shoved the thoughts away. They’d get through it. The future loomed bright and beautiful before them. She couldn’t wait. And to think, it all had started with a TriZ player who had loved the game a bit too much.
Mary Winter
Mary commutes between her dream home near the Mark Twain National Forest in Missouri, and her current residence in Iowa. She lives with a menagerie of animals including an opinionated horse and a cat who was a dog in a past life. When not writing spicy tales of erotic romance, she enjoys writing science fiction and fantasy, spending time with her horse, and enjoying the outdoors. Lucky for her, her partner (hero) shares these same passions, and usually both of them can be found in their respective dens writing.
You can contact Mary at [email protected] or visit her site at www.marywinter.com.