by Carol Lynne
Gray glanced at Enapay. “Be nice,” he whispered.
Enapay didn’t answer, but he did lean in for a quick kiss. “We deserve answers. That’s all I’m trying to get.”
After several moments, Hakan once again joined them. “The ability to shift was not taken from Takoda. It was suspended.”
“Why?” Enapay asked with a horrified expression.
“To be shifter is to embrace both sides of yourself. Takoda has forgotten. He needed to be reminded,” Hakan stated.
“So it was a punishment? Takoda’s been through hell over this. Why would Father Sky do something like that to him?” Gray asked.
“Because without it, Takoda would have become lost to his people. He must learn to embrace both of his skins.”
“And you knew this all along?” Enapay took a step toward Hakan.
“Since the day Takoda was released from the hospital the first time.” Hakan reached out and placed a hand on Enapay’s upper arm. “I was not allowed to interfere, but I was allowed to prod the three of you in the right direction.”
“You mean we really are all destined to be together?” Gray asked.
Hakan grinned. “No one has control over that but the three of you. I can tell you Father Sky always has reasons for what he does or doesn’t do.”
Enapay shook his head. “And Takoda almost dying? Is that Father Sky’s doing?”
“No. Father Sky could not stop Sam’s actions, but he could send Takoda a message.” Hakan’s gaze went from Enapay to Gray. “Takoda is confused. He feels things for both of you, but doesn’t understand why. Some things are not to be questioned.”
“So, since he survived Sam’s attack, will he be able to shift?” Gray couldn’t help but ask.
“As I’ve told you. Only Takoda has the power to regain his abilities.”
“But how? By mating?” Enapay asked.
“By embracing his man skin as being part of who he is. Find a way to get him to do that, and his powers will be restored.”
The clinic door opened and Daniel stepped outside. “Takoda is asking for the two of you.”
Gray started to walk toward the door, but Enapay’s arm held him tight. “Is there anything else you’re not telling us?”
Hakan nodded but offered nothing else.
Gray kissed Enapay’s cheek. “Come on, Takoda needs us.”
They walked into the room and Takoda’s face lit up for just a moment before his usual scowl replaced it.
“I thought you would be here when I woke up,” Takoda mumbled.
Enapay pulled Gray toward the bed. “We’re sorry. We just stepped outside for a moment, but we’re here now.”
Gray switched to doctor mode and quickly assessed Takoda’s condition. The smaller man was still weak, but breathing fine. He glanced around the sterile room. “Would you like us to take you to my house?”
Takoda’s gaze met Gray’s. “I know you and Enapay have mated. Am I still welcome?”
“Of course. You’ll always be welcome in our home, wherever it might be.” Gray leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on Takoda’s lips.
After a few seconds, Takoda nodded. “I’d like that.”
“Then let’s get you home,” Gray announced.
* * * *
While Enapay settled Takoda in bed, Gray locked up the house. It was late and they were all tired, but he had an idea. He thought maybe they could get Takoda to reconnect with his man side by showing him the pleasure that could be found in simple human touch.
Gray wasn’t planning to seduce Takoda. Hopefully, there would be plenty of time for the three of them to explore a sexual relationship. What he had in mind was soothing the smaller man with words and hands.
He met Enapay coming out of the bedroom. He gestured for his mate to follow him and shut the door to his own bedroom. “I think we should sleep with him.”
Enapay’s black eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Takoda?”
Gray nodded and told Enapay his plan. “Do you think it’ll work?”
“I don’t know,” Enapay said. “But at this point, I don’t see that we have anything to lose.”
Enapay quickly took off his pants and waited for Gray to change into a pair of his sweats. “Are you sure you’re ready for this?”
Gray paused. “You heard Hakan. It’s meant to be.”
“I know what Hakan said, but I’m asking you. I know you aren’t in love with Takoda, so why?”
Gray shrugged and wrapped his arms around Enapay. “Sometimes you have to take a leap of faith. This is me jumping into the unknown.”
Enapay swiped his tongue across Gray’s lips. “I love you.”
Gray smiled. Deep down he already knew, but it was the first time his mate had verbalized his feelings. “I love you, too.”
They walked hand in hand into Takoda’s room.
“Do you mind if we lay with you?” Gray asked.
Takoda rose up on his elbows. The full moon streaming in through the window illuminated the otherwise dark room. “Both of you?”
Enapay lifted the covers on one side of the bed and climbed in. “Either both of us or neither of us.”
Takoda looked to the opposite side of the bed where Gray stood. He folded back the covers in invitation. “Does this have something to do with the dream I had in the hospital?”
Rolling to his side, Gray faced Takoda. “What dream?”
“That we were together. I thought it was just a dream, but then I also dreamt the two of you mated, and I know that came true.”
Gray laid a comforting hand on Takoda’s bare chest. “It wasn’t a dream. It was a glimpse of what can happen.”
“I was a man,” Takoda whispered, almost to himself. He turned to regard Enapay. “Does that mean I won’t get my crow back?”
Enapay shook his head and leaned down to kiss Takoda softly on the lips. “In my vision, you were both.”
“Both? How is that possible?” Takoda asked.
“We don’t want to take your crow away from you,” Gray tried to explain. “We’re hoping you can find joy and happiness in both of your skins.”
Gray felt Enapay’s hand reach toward his. His mate threaded their fingers together and began rubbing Takoda’s chest in a circular pattern.
“I don’t know how to be happy as a man,” Takoda admitted.
“Let us show you,” Enapay suggested.
Gray held his breath. He knew things were developing rapidly. His cock hardened and rose between him and Takoda. Gray’s body evidently knew what his mind and heart hadn’t yet grasped. Takoda was also meant to be his mate.
With the realization, Gray became bolder with his touches. He maneuvered his hand to brush across Takoda’s nipple, smiling at the soft moan. “Do you like to be touched?” he whispered.
Takoda nodded.
“Tell me? Ask us to touch you. To love you.”
Takoda shook his head. “I’ll only end up hurting you if you fall in love with me. Ask Enapay. He’ll tell you how I hurt the people who care for me.”
“No. You hurt people only because you push them away. We want to love both sides of you. We want you to love…yourself,” Gray explained.
“I do love myself,” Takoda argued.
Gray shook his head and rubbed the small brown-pebbled nub on Takoda’s chest. “You love your crow, but not your man. Feel how joyful it is to be a man. Embrace this skin as much.”
Enapay’s hand began to wander independently from Gray’s as the two of them set about reminding Takoda how good it felt to be touched. Gray continued to worship the lean chest of the crow shifter as Enapay’s hand moved south.
Gray was surprised he felt no jealousy as he watched his mate fondle Takoda’s cock and balls. He leaned down and swiped his tongue across Takoda’s nipple before latching on to the taut nub. He never considered himself an adventurous lover, but Gray’s inhibitions seemed nonexistent as he worshipped Takoda’s body.
Without taking his lips and tongue from Takoda’
s soft skin, Gray reached down and guided Takoda’s long thin cock to Enapay’s mouth. Gray licked his way up to Takoda’s ear. “Can you feel the man you love bringing you pleasure?”
“Yesss,” Takoda hissed.
“Tell him what you want.”
Takoda moaned. “Squeeze my balls.”
Gray’s eyes widened as he watched Enapay, his mouth stuffed with Takoda’s cock, squeeze the heavy sac. Fuck. It was hotter than he’d anticipated.
“Harder,” Takoda begged, spreading his legs.
Gray groaned and reached down to also manipulate Takoda’s nipples, pinching them between his thumb and forefinger. Takoda’s body writhed with the dual onslaught. A satisfied grunt coming from Enapay as Takoda cried out his pleasure signaled the shifters climax.
An overwhelming desire to taste the seed of his new lover prompted Gray to reach down, catching a strand of thick white cum as it escaped Enapay’s mouth. He brought his fingers to his mouth.
The moment the satiny cum hit his tongue, Gray was lost. Just like what had happened with Enapay, a series of images flashed through Gray’s mind. Pictures of the three of them together interspersed with images of him alone with Enapay confirmed Gray’s suspicions. Loving Takoda wouldn’t be easy, but it was inevitable.
* * * *
Enapay opened his eyes and smiled. He was sandwiched between his two mates and loving every second of it. Takoda drifted to sleep soon after the blowjob earlier. In the small shifters already weakened condition it was to be expected.
Enapay, who’d been pumped and raring to go another round, soon buried his cock deep into Gray’s ass. The sex with Gray was even better than the first time in the rented room in D.C. Enapay knew the reason. Being with the men he loved only seemed to enhance the overall spiritual quality of their lovemaking.
With Gray pressed against his back, Enapay ground against the handsome doctor’s flaccid cock. He grinned when he felt a definite hardening against his ass. Enapay glanced over his shoulder and found Gray looking at him.
“What’re you doing?” Gray asked around a yawn.
“Enjoying the moment,” Enapay replied. Although it had only happened once, Enapay felt the need to experience Gray’s cock. “Make love to me.”
Gray leaned up on his elbow and stared into Enapay’s eyes. “Me?”
Enapay chuckled, waking Takoda.
“What’s going on?” Takoda asked.
Enapay pulled Takoda tighter against him, rubbing his erection against Takoda’s ass. “Trying to get Gray to fuck me while I hold you in my arms.”
Takoda’s eyes widened. “You’re just going to hold me?”
Enapay was trying to figure out Takoda’s shock when Gray leaned over him and gave Takoda a short, but deep kiss.
“If you want Enapay to make love to you, tell him.” Gray’s mouth moved from Takoda’s to Enapay’s.
Enapay sucked Gray’s tongue into his mouth and moaned. He heard a noise and returned his attention to Takoda. The crow shifter had spat into his hand and was wetting his own hole. Enapay couldn’t help but laugh. “We have something much better for that.”
Right on cue, Gray slid out of bed. “Be right back.”
While Gray retrieved the needed lube from their luggage, Enapay took a moment to question Takoda. “Is this really what you want?”
Takoda nodded. “I’ve always wanted you. I just didn’t want to give you the wrong impression about who I really am.”
“A crow,” Enapay surmised.
“Yes. But now I’m wondering if it really is possible to be both and still be happy.”
Enapay tilted Takoda’s chin up and kissed him. It wasn’t the kind of kiss you give out of passion, but hoped it would convey to Takoda the love and understanding he felt in his heart. “Gray was being honest when he told you we would love you no matter what.”
“You think he really loves me?” Takoda asked.
“I’m getting there,” Gray answered, stepping back into the room. Gray climbed back in bed and pressed his cold body against Enapay. “I know the love is already in my heart. I just need time to get over my fears.”
Takoda rolled over and sat up. He seemed to study Gray for several moments. “What’re you afraid of?”
Enapay repositioned to his back so he could better watch the exchange between the two men. He knew it was scary for all three of them, but he really needed to hear Gray’s response.
Gray’s attention suddenly seemed to be on the bottle of lube in his hand as he picked at the printed lettering on the container, refusing to meet Takoda’s gaze. “I’m afraid of falling in love with you, and then you deciding to leave and never come back.”
Gray bit his bottom lip and glanced up. “I’m afraid of Enapay following you, leaving me alone.”
Enapay reached out and pulled Gray to his chest. “Oh, sweetheart. There may be times when I feel the need to break away and enjoy my eagle for a few hours, but I know life with you will be even more fulfilling than life in the sky.”
“I need to use the bathroom,” Takoda mumbled as he got out of bed.
As soon as Takoda was out of the room, Enapay pulled Gray up until they were face to face. “You know if Takoda stays, it’ll only be for brief snatches of time, right?”
Gray nodded. “I figured it out when I tasted his seed earlier.”
“What did you see?” Enapay questioned.
“It was like the first time the two of us made love. I saw flashes of our future. The three of us together mixed with images of you and me without him,” Gray explained.
Enapay sighed. He knew it would be the way of things with the three of them. Not wanting Takoda to overhear, Enapay leaned in and whispered in Gray’s ear. “Giving him back the gift of shifting will be the greatest act of love we can provide him.”
“I know, but that doesn’t make it any easier. I know as soon as he’s able, he’ll fly away.”
“But if we let him know he’s always welcome, he’ll come back.” Enapay brushed his lips across Gray’s.
Takoda came back into the bedroom and leaned against the doorjamb. “I don’t want to hurt you, Gray.”
Gray rolled to his back and held out his hand. “Come here.”
Takoda pushed off the jam and neared the bed. Enapay took a moment to appreciate the beauty of Takoda’s nude body in the morning sunlight. He lifted the covers and waited for Takoda to rejoin them.
The cool feel of Takoda’s skin against him made Enapay shiver. “You okay?”
Takoda nodded. “Just needed a minute to think.”
“And?” Enapay prompted.
Takoda’s features softened as he ran his hand across Enapay’s chest. “As a man, I’d love nothing more than to be with the two of you.”
“That’s good,” Enapay encouraged. He knew where the conversation was going, but he also knew Takoda needed to verbalize his feelings.
“Yeah,” Takoda agreed. “But what if I get my crow back?”
Enapay knew they were all concerned about the same things. He decided to stop dancing around it and laid it all out on the table. “Winters are hard, don’t you agree?”
“Yes.”
Enapay took a deep breath. “Why don’t you spend the winters here with us? The rest of the year you can live as your crow and come and go as you need to, but reserve the winters for nights snuggling with us in front of the fire.”
Enapay waited for several long moments while Takoda seemed to ponder the compromise.
“Will that be enough for you and Gray?” Takoda finally asked.
Enapay knew it wouldn’t be easy, but with Gray by his side, he knew he could live with the weeks or months Takoda was in his crow skin. The genuine concerned expression on Takoda’s face told Enapay his lover was worried. Hell. They were all worried, and rightly so. It was a big decision they were about to enter into.
“Knowing you’re happy will go a long way in making it enough.” Enapay pulled Takoda into a kiss. “Just promise me you’ll let us know
you’re okay?”
Takoda smiled. “I will.” He looked at Gray. “Does that sound good to you?”
Gray closed the distance and gave Takoda a deep kiss. Enapay’s cock hardened as he watched the two men he loved sucking at each other’s lips and tongues. He wondered what it would be like to watch the two men make love and groaned.
Gray and Takoda broke their kiss and stared at him. It was Gray who finally started to laugh. “You liked that did you?”
Enapay grinned. “A lot.”
Gray stared into Takoda’s eyes. “Will you let me make love to you?”
At that moment, Enapay fell deeper in love with Gray. He knew how hard it was for Gray to make the leap of faith he’d spoken of earlier. He reached above the pillow and grabbed the bottle of lube Gray had dropped earlier.
Takoda answered Gray’s question by launching himself across Enapay into Gray’s arms. Enapay let out a groan as he received an elbow to his ribs.
“Sorry,” Takoda mumbled before engaging in a tongue battle with Gray.
Enapay scooted over, giving the two men more room to express their growing feelings for each other. He sat up and watched the play of hands as Gray and Takoda began exploring each other’s bodies. Not wanting to be completely left out, Enapay repositioned himself behind Gray. He opened the bottle of lube and trickled a generous amount over Gray’s fingers as they began to explore Takoda’s ass.
Gray broke the kiss and looked over his shoulder at Enapay. “Get me ready for you.”
Enapay smiled. Although he wanted to be with both men, he didn’t want to intrude on their first time together. The invitation from Gray seemed to cement the three-way relationship in Enapay’s mind.
He wasted no time slicking his own fingers. As Gray began stretching Takoda’s hole, Enapay rimmed Gray’s. Moans, sighs and words of love filled the small room as Enapay worked two fingers deep into his mate.
“Aahhh,” Gray sighed as he removed his fingers from Takoda’s hole. “Now.”
With all three of them on their sides, facing away from each other, Enapay hooked his arm under Gray’s knee and opened his lover’s ass for his cock. Gray followed suit and positioned Takoda in the same fashion.
Despite already mating himself to Gray, Enapay was nervous. He knew what such a three-way fuck would do. He only hoped Gray was truly okay with being mated to two shifters.