Once he’d calmed, they’d let him go, as long as he was able to remain by her side, watch every rise and fall of her chest, reassuring him with every breath and beat of his heart she lived and continued to live.
“I’m not going anywhere.” He planted his frame back into the chair right by her side.
Loz sighed, “You’ll call us immediately if she wakes?”
Tos nodded, not taking his eyes from her. “Come on then, Cir, Bex, let's get cleaned up.”
He listened to the sound of his brothers' boots as they walked out. Tos lifted his hand, pulling back just before he touched her, eyes falling to his blood-covered hand. The healer is right, I am filthy. But he couldn’t leave, not yet, not till her eyes opened.
“What use am I to you? Twice I’ve failed to protect you. Oh, my sweet Daisy. I don’t deserve your love.”
He laid his head next to hers, a sadness gripping his heart. “I’m sorry, so sorry. Can you ever forgive me, my sweet love?” His eyes closed as he listened to her breathing and the soft beep of the machine hovering above the bed. Even simply laying here with her, she calmed him. How could he ever give that up?
“Silly man,” a small voice croaked.
Tos's head jolted up, gazing down on Daisy. Her half-focused blue eyes peered at him and she blinked slowly.
“Daisy? By the gods, you’re awake.” His throat constricted, choking on his words as emotion overwhelmed him. He fumbled for his communicator to let the others know, but she laid a hand over his.
“No, just listen.” Her sigh was so soft and sleepy. He barely heard the soft whisper of her voice. “I love you, and there is nothing to forgive. But how can you love me if you can’t love and forgive yourself?” Her eyes closed in sleep once again.
Rocked to the core, Tos took her hand, gripping it tight. How did she know? He held so much anger inside for no reason, feeling like he never measured up to his brothers' or father's expectations. Daisy accepted him for who he was, why couldn’t he do the same? It was time he had a good hard look at himself.
He wanted to be the Demos she deserved, not the half-creature he felt. He stroked back her hair. “My sheraz, I hear you. I vow to be everything you need for the rest of our days.”
* * * *
“Stop that!” Daisy slapped Cir’s hand and raised a challenging eyebrow at him, daring him to adjust her back pillow once more.
Seven days after her near death experience, she was recovering well, grateful for the advanced medical technology of the Demos people. The only evidence remaining from her injury was a round, hand-sized scar on her lower back where her skin had charred on impact from the photon weapon.
She understood their hyper-vigilance, wanting to stand guard and protect her from the rest of the universe. But she also made sure they understood how she didn’t blame for what happened. Still, all four of her husbands treated her as if she was made from spun glass, as they pampered and doted on her to the point of making her want to scream.
Now all her men were dressed in their official robes, looking damn sexy for the swearing-in ceremony. Now these were High Councillors worthy of the title. Honest, smart, strong, and––most importantly––all hers.
“Are you sure you’re comfortable and feel all right?”
She gritted her teeth. “Cir, I love you, but if you ask me that one more time I’m going to scream.” She smiled sweetly through her fuming.
Cir dropped his hand, his lips curved up into a sheepish, adoring grin and her anger melted. She could never stay mad at them for long. “Go get your position pin. I will be fine here. Especially with those chaps watching.” She hooked a thumb over her shoulder, indicating the two sets of burly quad guards who were a part of the package, her men now being High Councillors. Of course, they’d been ordered to watch over her.
His grin widened, he leaned in to kiss her cheek and rising to his feet, hurrying up to the platform. Daisy didn’t miss the glare Tos gave him, no doubt for leaving her unattended by at least one of her husbands.
She lifted her head, catching and meeting Tos’s gaze. She rolled her eyes, his lips thinned in a disapproving frown. She sighed, trying not to think about her back and the scar, or Tos being the ringleader when it came being over-protective.
When she’d asked why and who’d shot her, Loz quietly explained how the loss of the R’galas brothers' position, the humiliation of being beaten and a clear mental instability between them had pushed them past the point of reason. They had nothing to lose, so they lashed out at what the Stormstrong brothers held most precious: her. It would have been a fitting revenge. A small shudder ran up her spine, knowing how close they’d come to succeeding.
Daisy, never one to dwell on such things, did her best to push it from her mind and focus on what lay before her. An amazing life, even if on an alien planet, with wonderful men. So much to look forward to. If only she could get them to touch her more intimately.
The healers had given her a clean bill of health, and Cir knew damn well she could have sex. Not to mention her now husbands had received their anti-sterile injections while she was still in the Galafrax hospital.
Despite having four vital, sexy men, they refused to touch her, too frightened they would break her.
Something had to be done to break their restraint, and her mind ticked over how to push them past their fear of hurting her.
Applause snapped her out of her drifting mind. She glanced up and joined in as the new High Councillors descended from the platform, making a beeline to where she sat. Loz reached her first, sitting by her side and gently lifting her into his lap. Daisy snuggled against his chest.
“Have I told you how beautiful you are today, my sweet Daisy, and how much we love you?” Loz’s tone was laced with strong emotion as he held her.
Her smile widened. “Yes, several times today.” But I’ll never tire of hearing it.
“We’ll say it many more times before the red sun sets this evening,” Tos added, bending to kiss the top of her head.
“I’m proud of you all. I know you’re going to do the Third City of Galafrax proud.” She ran her fingers down the lapel of Loz’s jacket.
“There’s more work to do than when we were commanding a starship.” Loz sighed.
“Nothing you guys can’t handle, especially with Bex to help you plan.”
“A few weeks ago I would have taken that as an insult.” Bex ruffled her hair then kissed her cheek.
“So are we going back to our room to celebrate?” She lowered her voice into a soft, throaty purr. Her mind did an internal ‘yes!’ fist-pump as Loz shuddered and she peeked around to see arousal in her men’s golden gazes and felt Loz’s hard cock poking into her thigh.
Not sure how she managed to keep a straight face, knowing her men were red-blooded males with carnal needs, it wouldn’t take long, with her strutting around naked, before their natural instincts took over. She blinked innocently up at her husbands.
“We need to meet the line of officials. It would be a good time to get a look at whom we’ll be dealing with. I have a feeling there’ll be a lot of cleaning up to do in the wake of the, uh, past rulers. Celebrations can come later.” She followed where Bex stared at the gathered crowd.
Daisy maintained her blank expression and wiggled out of Loz’s lap, stretching as she got to her feet. Her back twinged slightly, making her wince. There was no real pain, just a phantom symptom, and a left over memory of when she was hit.
Cir was on her in a flash. “Daisy, are you all right…any more pain?” She brushed off his hand as he ran it down her back, searching for an injury.
“No, just a little stiff.” What she needed were the soothing erotic touches of her husbands to create new happy memories.
“What are you waiting for then––you have a job to do, but when it’s over, I’m going to strip naked and have a hot bath.” She sauntered up to Tos, running her hand up his torso. “I’ll need someone to wash my back.”
She added a deliberate
swing to her hips as she sauntered off.
After several hours of smiling and making polite conversation, finally they walked through the doors of their private quarters.
Listening to the locks engage, she turned and faced her husbands.
“I want to say something.”
Her men surrounded her, golden eyes aglow with curiosity.
“What is it, our love?” Loz asked.
“You said you would give me anything I wanted.”
She bit back her chuckle, as their brows dipped with expectation. “Anything you want, Daisy, it’s yours.” Tos stepped forward.
“I want you to give me children, and for that I need you all to make love to me again.”
She cocked her head, concern washing over her as no one moved, but brows dipped.
“Daisy, you know we love you, but there is something we didn’t tell you about the effects of the photon energy.” Cir glanced at his brothers, as Loz nodded. Bex looked pained. “The healers were not sure if you would be able to conceive. It scrambled your insides and they are uncertain of the cellular damage.”
“Not sure if I can have children?” The revelation made her stomach drop. She sucked in a deep breath, trying to stop herself from shaking, trying to think clearly. Bex moved to put his arms around her but she stepped back, holding up her hand while she glared at Cir.
“What do you mean, not sure? If I can’t have children, does that mean you won’t want me anymore?”
“Daisy, no, of course not.” Loz stepped up, capturing her hand. “It doesn’t matter. We love you and you mean everything to us.”
“It’s not all bad, they did give you a fifty-fifty chance of conceiving,” Cir added.
She let odds roll around in her mind as she studied all her men. No it wasn’t as bad as no chance at all. “And you're all fertile? Because I know you’re very virile...”
Bex’s lips slowly curved up into one of his sexy, heart-fluttering grins. She knew he was catching on to her wavelength, as he’d always been quicker on the uptake than the others.
She loved that about them, each so different.
“Yes,” Cir confirmed. “We’ve all had our anti-sterility shots, guaranteeing our seed is active.”
“I have four husbands. I think the odds are even better in my favour. Maybe you’ll need to try extra hard then.”
She got Bex’s full-blown, lusty grin. “Count me in, moonbeam, even if my brother's a little slow.” He didn’t waste any more time. In a blink of an eye, he moved and scooped her up into his arms, running his hands down her arse as he bent his head. “I’m up for the challenge of impregnating our wife, even if they’re not.”
His hot, demanding mouth captured hers, giving her just what she needed: his fiery passion.
She moaned, gripping his shirt. More hands joined, caressing, lifting her and tearing away clothing. “You think we’d let Bex do all the work?” Loz lifted away her hair, kissing down the back of her neck.
Bex moved to her now exposed breasts, moving to let Tos in as they each took a nipple into their mouths. She trembled with desire, white-hot liquid fire ignited, making her lower belly quiver and sex slicken.
“Yes, I love you, my husbands, prove how much you love me, make love to me and never stop.”
“Oh, our precious starlight, we swear by the fire gods, we never will.”
Epilogue
Four years later…
“Where are you, my little monkeys?” Playful affection bubbled inside her as Daisy heard little giggles coming from behind one of the couches. Sneaking up on her daughters on her hands and knees, she poked her head around with a, 'Boo!'
Serena and Hope shrieked with laughter, their hiding spot discovered. Daisy’s three-year-old twin daughters loved to play hide and seek.
Their curly hair was a blend of white, black and grey, their eyes a pale gold and, oh, so beautiful. The pride and joy of their family. She still remembered her husbands' tears when they held their tiny babes in their arms for the first time.
Through much pleasure and diligence, they’d proved the healers wrong. She’d conceived with twin girls within the first few months of trying.
“Now, isn’t that the most delicious sight to come home to.”
She smiled at the deep rumble of one of her husbands' voices, shuddered as his hand ran over her up-turned arse.
“Daddies, daddies!” Her girls jumped up, the game forgotten, stumbling over Daisy who turned to sit on the floor, gazing up at Bex as he scooped the girls into his arms. Warm affection flowed, making her heart swell.
“I see you two have been keeping your mother busy.” Cir walked in, leaning down to help Daisy to her feet, before pulling her into his arms for a deep, leisurely kiss.
She moaned against him, grabbing onto his shirt. Even after four years, her men could turn her on quicker than a firecracker.
She pulled back, gazing up into his golden eyes burning with carnal desire. They parted to let Bex hand him his daughters, and to sweep her into his arms for the same welcome home treatment.
“Uncle Arr and Lis are coming over soon to sit with the girls. We have the night for ourselves,” Bex murmured against her lips before kissing her deeper, hungrier, and making her toes curl as she melted more into him.
Her old attendants had become valuable helpers around the home once the girls were born, trustworthy and utterly devoted to caring for her daughters. They were always eager to babysit.
She sighed as Bex pulled back, her head turning as her Loz and Tos strode in looking, as she thought, oh so fine in their High Councillors' robes.
Their smiles brightened and they both gazed at her with utter love and adoration. They moved to kiss their daughters before sitting down and pulling her between them, but taking their time to kiss and fondle her as Cir took the girls to the nursery.
“Bex has been scheming again,” Loz said between nipping kisses on her neck. Tos was busy tugging down her stretchy burgundy top, taking one of her weighty breasts in his hands and squeezing.
Daisy moaned, her arousal notching higher the more they touched and kissed.
“Don’t make her come yet.” Bex moved in front of her. “I have plans.”
She giggled. “You always have plans.”
He waggled his black eyebrows. “And since when have you ever complained about my plans?”
She shook her head. “Your plans are always wonderful, and I wasn’t complaining.”
“No.” He pushed up her skirt, his large red hands smoothing over her pale thighs. “You haven’t. You’ve been more than wonderful, the heart of our hearts.”
“The breath of life in our bodies.” Loz raised his head, and Daisy turned her head to meet his gaze.
“The calm to my storm.” She turned to look at Tos.
“Here.” Bex handed something to Tos, and she felt the silky fabric descend over her eyes, and her breathing hitched as he tied it behind her head, always gentle, not letting her long hair tug.
Indeed, all her most erotic and intense encounters with her husbands came from Bex’s scheming. She found herself looking forward to what they would do next, loving how they pushed her limits. It made her crave more and more of their sexual dominance.
She was lifted and carried, and she could feel Loz’s firm hands around her. How well she knew her men’s touch, voices, even looks. They may seem identical from the outside, but she knew each beat of their hearts as well as she knew her own.
They vowed never to be apart from her or waste the time they had together. They gave her everything she wanted or needed. What she would always need was the love of her men.
Daisy smiled, her mind coming back to the present, adoring the strong arms around her, laying her down on the familiar scent of their shared bed.
“Are you going to share that thought, moonbeam?” Bex whispered before nipping at her ear lobe, making her shiver with erotic chills.
“Just remembering how you almost drove me mad with your overly diligent
care while I carried Serena and Hope.”
She heard Tos’s low chuckle. She turned her head towards the sound. “You were the worst out of them.”
“How could I not worry? You are fragile and our babes made you more so.”
She’d raged at them for treating her like a breakable flower. What she wanted from her husbands, she always got, and was delighted with their inventive ways to pleasure her without harming her or their babies.
“Tie her hands above her head, legs spread.” She sighed happily, as even if her body squirmed, juices flowed between her hairless mound. Her legs were tugged wide and more soft ties were applied.
Sounds of tearing made her gasp, and cooler air kissed her heated skin. It was a good thing her men were wealthy and kept her wardrobe stocked.
“I hope they're not too tight this time,” Cir warned his brothers.
“The girls?” she asked, remembering Cir had taken them out of the playroom.
“Are fine. Arr and Lis are telling them stories.” She felt the heat of his body crawling over hers. “I love you looking like this: soft, beautiful and ours.” His mouth descended and she responded, kissing him back with fevered passion.
Cir’s lips were running over her jaw line and to her throat. A hand was on her right breast, squeezing.
“We’re going to touch you, Daisy, but we’re not going to talk. I will ask who’s touching you, who has their fingers or cock in your pretty pussy. You will respond with only the name of who you think it is. This is a points system. If we get the most points for you being wrong, we get to do what we like to your body. You don’t get to say no.” A finger suddenly pressed against the rim of her arse.
Bex had been slowly playing with her for a while during sex, slowly stretching her with custom-made toys. It frightened her to have one of their large cocks in her arse and she had been resisting. “If you win, you can say no, and we will still love you and bring you to your peak over and over, as many times as you can take.”
“Bex, I don’t know if…”
“Shh, no talking from now on, just nod if you understand.” She nodded. “Do we have a deal? You can say yes or no to this. But you know we would never hurt you, beautiful.”
Precious Starlight (Quads of Galafrax Book 3) Page 12