by Louisa Bacio
“Yes, my love. Yes. Take that.” His cock pumped inside her, and she briefly wondered, if she were to get pregnant, which one of them her baby would look like.
She’d just found them, and she wanted to experience so much more with them. Damn. Too bad she couldn’t keep them both.
Once finished, the three of them fell into a heap on the soft grasses. Jacob held Daphne in his arms, taking in her soft skin and the gentle, nature-like scent. If this moment lasted forever, it would be perfect.
But perfection never lasted, as he and his brother knew all too well. After dozing for a few moments, Daphne stirred. She opened her eyes, the color as deep as the deepest forest, and took in her surroundings.
“I’m sorry this has come to an end,” she said.
“An end? What do you mean? We’re only at the beginning.”
“Beginnings for some are endings for others.” Tears wet the sides of her eyes, and he brushed them away, hoping he’d also be able to erase the sadness.
“We only just found you,” Cliff interjected. “We can’t let you go now.”
She wrapped her arms around her body. “If only that was true. You see, I’m a princess, and my father will only accept a mate who is worthy.”
At her words, a sharp pang struck his heart. Worthy. His birth father hadn’t wanted them. Now, she didn’t. Before he reacted, she shifted into a field mouse and slipped out of his reach.
“Wait, the song,” Cliff called out. “We followed the song.”
She stopped at the tree line, retaking human form. “You won my heart, but you can’t keep me.”
Chapter Four
With their intended gone, there was nothing for the two brothers to do except return to the cottage. The day turned as dreary as their mood, and heavy rain impeded the journey. By the time Cliff and Jacob made it back, water soaked through their clothing and mud sloshed in their shoes.
“Aye, come in,” Pa exclaimed. He shoved thick towels at them. “You two look worse than wet sheep. What ails you, now? Didn’t you find her?”
“Oh, we found her, all right,” Jacob said. “She’s everything we could ever want or fantasize about.”
Half paying attention, Cliff removed his outer garments and hung them over the tub. He rubbed the towel over his thighs, taking note of the new aches from a different type of strenuous activity. The taste of Daphne flooded his mouth, and, weakened by the flash of memories, he leaned against the table.
“Don’t go fainting on us.” Jacob clutched at Cliff’s elbow and helped him sit. “We had her, and we lost her.” With a thump, he settled into another chair and explained the circumstances of Princess Daphne.
“Hmmmm.” Their father stroked his beard with his thumb and index finger. “Seems to me that it’s not so much the prince title that matters but the money behind it, and if there’s one thing you have in your favor, it’s riches. Follow me.”
“The golden eggs,” Cliff whispered.
Clothed in only towels, they followed Pa out to the shed. From his pocket, he removed a set of keys and opened the two oversized padlocks. The door opened with a creaking that resonated all the way to Cliff’s bones. With the flick of a match, Pa lit a kerosene lamp and raised it for both of them to see inside.
Shimmering gold and jewels and chalices and brilliant jackets and trousers in a variety of colors, brimmed an elaborate cart.
“What did you do?” Jacob asked. His mouth dropped open in awe, and Cliff related to exactly how he felt.
Even in the dim light, their father’s blush was visible. “Over the years, I might have done a little shopping,” he said. “All for your future, mind you, and it sounds like now’s the time. Get in there and get dressed!”
They didn’t need a fairy godmother to perform magic or clothe them. Instead, they’d been blessed with the best type of protector years before. One who kept them safe physically but also nurtured their spirits and their souls and thought about the future.
Cliff reached for a jacket the hue of a spring sky rain after a windstorm. It matched the color of his eyes. He donned a crisp white shirt, and a pair of black pants. His brother chose similar undergarments and topped them off with a jacket resembling the richest, darkest red wine.
“There’s shoes there, too,” Pa said. “Once you’re dressed, I’ll bring the carriage around, and we’ll be off.”
“Carriage?” Cliff gazed at the man he didn’t really know. “When did we get a carriage?”
“Neither of you ever truly look behind the house,” he laughed. “It’s always what’s in front of you that holds your interest.”
Soon, without bothering to pack a meal, they set off on a loaded vehicle, with their father at the helm. He bade them rest while they could.
“In order to gain the future you want, you’re going to have to fight for it.”
***
They traveled through the night, until the forest gave way to paved roads, and sporadic houses lined the pathway. Cliff leaned out the window, taking in all the sights. Queasiness hit his stomach. Could they really do this? Win the king’s approval to marry Daphne? What if they’d read the situation all wrong? His father was set, though; all that mattered was what they carried and how she felt about them. Ahead loomed a gigantic stone castle overshadowing the rest of the land. Royal flags in blue and yellow waved from the spires.
Guards stood to attention, swords ready, and blocked their way. One stepped forward. “What business have you?”
Cliff and Jacob got out of the carriage to watch the exchange. From his pocket, Pa removed a golden egg and held it for all to see.
“The queen!” one man exclaimed, and the others fell silent in a hush.
“Let them through!” The main guard waved them ahead. “And alert the king!”
Neither bothered to get back into the vehicle but, instead, chose to walk beside it. Before they reached the castle steps, a man in a formfitting red jacket and black trousers dashed down. Behind him, followed Daphne.
She clutched her hand over her chest, and her sweet mouth opened in a “how”?
“Where is it? How did you come by this golden egg?” the king demanded. “Did you kill the queen?”
“No, sir.” With a dignity Cliff had never seen in his father, the Huntsman strode forward and bowed. “Your highness. My wards—I believe—took mercy upon your wife, and she blessed them with this gift.”
He laid the egg in the king’s palm, and the ruler cradled it.
The king’s eyes misted. “She was a wonderful, magical woman,” he said. “Thank you for bringing this gift.”
“There’s more,” Pa said. “Every morning, they wake with one of those beneath their pillow.” He opened the covering on the back of the carriage, and, at that moment, the clouds cleared and sunlight struck, showing off all the riches.
Now, it was the king’s turn to grow silent, as he looked from the men before him to the abundance of wealth. “What brings you here?” he finally asked. “What can I offer you?”
“Your highness, we would be honored to have your daughter’s hand in marriage. We realize she is your most precious possession, but we will honor her, and what is ours will be yours.”
From behind him, Princess Daphne exclaimed, “Oh yes!”
The king’s face turned a shade of crimson, not unlike his overcoat. “Is this agreeable to you, daughter?”
She stepped forward. “Remember how you said you were afraid I’d changed, and something or someone was luring me out to the forest?”
“Yes….” He appeared to study her more closely.
“They were the reason,” she admitted. “Something told me I was meant to meet them, and maybe it was Mother who brought me to them.”
“If you don’t mind, sir,” Cliff said. “The white pheasant blessed us with all of her riches, and I’d say your daughter is the greatest treasure of all. I love her.”
“Indeed,” Jacob echoed. “I love her, too.”
The king sighed, long and deep
, and flicked his gaze between the three. “I agree. You have my approval.”
With a squeal, Daphne launched herself down the remaining steps, into Cliff’s arms. He spun her, deep in a kiss. One touch of their lips, and their future was sealed.
***
An orchestra played in one corner of the ballroom. The king sat in an oversized chair on a balcony, overlooking the festivities originally planned to choose a suitable mate. Instead, the princess had found two, and the occasion transformed into a wedding reception. The music swelled into an introduction, and Cliff turned toward the spiral staircase in anticipation. At the top of the stairs stood Daphne in a gorgeous gown of ruby red. She’d styled her long hair in curls atop her head, and it picked up fire highlights reflected from the dress.
“I’ve never seen her look more beautiful,” Jacob said from beside him.
Cliff’s Adam’s apple lodged at the base of his throat, and it felt like he couldn’t swallow. His brother may be able to vocalize what he was feeling, but an overwhelming sense of belonging—here and to this woman, at this time—struck him. The moment she saw them, her two suitors, her mates, her face flushed pink and she smiled.
His heart lifted. No matter what took place in the future, they’d all be together. He’d lived his entire life with his brother by his side and couldn’t imagine it any other way. Now they’d found a very special woman to spend their lives with.
At the bottom of the stairs, she stopped to curtsey toward her father then moved through the welcoming crowd until she reached them.
“Funny seeing you here,” she said, a shy smile on her face.
“Do you think we’d miss this event for anything?” Cliff asked. “When we finally get to declare to the entire kingdom that you’re ours?”
“You are too sweet.”
She glanced around the dance floor, as if questioning what to do next. Cliff knew putting herself out there, for all who attended to watch, wasn’t easy. She was more comfortable in her animal skin, running through the forest, than in all her finery at a ball.
“May I have the first dance?” Cliff bowed to his lady and extended his hand.
“I thought you’d never ask. Jacob, get those dancing shoes ready because you’ll be next.”
“It’ll be a new adventure.”
And that it was. If someone would have told Cliff he’d be dancing with a princess at a ball, he’d never have believed it. The kingdom may not be too far, distance-wise, from the modest cottage in the woods, but getting from there to here had seemed insurmountable.
“Are you dancing with me, or somewhere else?” his mate asked.
“Sorry, just thinking about how much has transpired in such a short amount of time.”
He held her lower back with one palm and glided her. Shimmers of gold and red swayed as they twirled to the music. After a few turns around the dance floor, other couples joined.
Daphne trailed her nails over his upper arm. “You are not the only one surprised by the changes life has taken. Never did I imagine finding not one but two mates whom I love, and who love me.”
A tear glistened in the corner of her eye, and he brushed it away with his thumb and followed with a kiss on the cheek.
“No tears. It’s time for happiness.”
A graceful couple passed, and Cliff noticed the merging of pink and purple dresses. Two women dancing together. Daphne glanced to see where he was looking.
“That’s Princess Penelope and Princess Briar Rose,” she explained, “from the neighboring kingdom.”
“Two princesses? Are they mated?”
“Yes, and it’s quite the story. Rumor has it, Penelope rescued the Sleeping Beauty, Rose, when no prince or knight or even an ogre could,” she said.
“Hmmm. Intriguing, and no one seems to mind?”
“Of course not,” Daphne said. “Like theirs, we’re a progressive kingdom. No one would say anything now that I, by chance, mated with two brothers. It’s more to help rule.”
He gave the stunning couple a final glance before returning his attention to Daphne.
“Thank you for letting me—us—into your heart and your life,” he said.
Two more rotations around the dance floor and they settled into a rhythm. An eternity together awaited them. Every plane of her body seamed against his, Cliff memorized.
“Wait until we’re alone tonight,” he said. “The three of us need to build some new memories together.”
She sighed against his chest. “I never expected to find happiness like this. I always thought my future held a loveless marriage of convenience.”
“Who knew two hunters from the woods could be so convenient, eh?” Cliff claimed her mouth, taking what was his, and making sure she knew who she now belonged with. She may have grown up isolated and sheltered, but the rest of her life she’d be cherished. A fierce protectiveness rooted in his soul. He wouldn’t let anything happen to her, and he’d have to relent about her running wild as a shifter. It was her true nature, her calling, and it would be absolutely mean to keep it from her.
As they neared his brother, Jacob made eye contact. Cliff’s turn around the dance floor was just about up, and he was going to have to hand her off to another man. Fortunately, it was one he believed in. Someone who could make her equally as happy moving forward.
In the next rotation, they stopped in front of Jacob, and Cliff knelt, kissing her hand. “My love, until the next time. I know I’m leaving you in good hands.”
Jacob performed a half bow, one arm crossed over his stomach and one behind his back, before escorting Daphne onto the dance floor. At that moment, the tempo of the song changed, and couples pooled together in the center and separated into two lines. What had he stepped into?
He was used to sharing duties with his brother, but this excursion pushed the limits. The music swelled, and he followed the footsteps of others, feeling a little lost, until he finally came back into the arms of his partner.
“Are you happy to be here?” Daphne gazed at him with her eerie amber-colored eyes.
Looking into her eyes brought him back to the moment when he first saw her.
She rubbed her hand along his lower back. “You’re so quiet.”
“Can’t say we’ve done much dancing back at the cottage,” he explained. “I don’t mind trying out something new, but it will take a bit more concentration.”
Daphne smelled like a field of wildflowers on a warm summer day. He nestled his face into her curls, memorizing the scent. Again, the tempo shifted, faster, and she threw her head back, laughing, and they glided across the dance floor. The music encouraged bumping and grinding, and her body rubbed him in all the right places, even through their layers of clothing.
“Is that a golden egg in your pants, or are you happy to see me?” she asked, in a wicked whisper.
Without anyone the wiser, he drew her hand between their bodies to cup his hard cock.
“Later, after the ball, I’ll show you what I have for you, and maybe we’ll come up with a new treasured spot for that golden egg.”
“Is that a promise or a threat?” Daphne gyrated her hips against his pelvis, leaving no room for interpretation.
“It’s whatever you want it to be, but I’m thinking we’d better make our excuses and say goodbye to our guests.”
Over her shoulder, he caught Cliff’s attention. It’s time to make our exit.
As the music rose in crescendo, they twirled around the dance floor. He liked the way they moved in step to the beat, like they possessed their own rhythm. Now, to transfer that awareness of the other into the bedroom.
Chapter Five
After saying their goodbyes, the threesome walked up the staircase to Daphne’s quarters. Excitement pulsed between her legs. Since she’d been with the two brothers out in the forest, she hadn’t explored her sexuality.
Now they were married, she wanted them. Both of them. As they neared her room, the guard pushed open the doors.
“Welcome, mi
lady and gentlemen,” he said.
“Chauncey, take the night off.” Jacob dismissed the attendant as if he’d lived in the castle his entire life.
She caught the man’s eye and nodded, letting him know it was all right to leave. Earlier in the day, the stewards brought her partners’ belongings to the room. A smattering of boxes and bags had been stacked against one wall.
“Do you need to unpack anything?” She hoped for a reply of no, but decorum dictated she at least ask.
“We have everything we need right here.” Cliff slipped his arms around her from behind.
Through all the layers of her skirts and petticoats, his cock pressed hard against her bottom. She squirmed against it—as if the pleasure device knew exactly where it wanted to nestle.
The buttons running along the back of her dress slowly became undone, one by one, as Cliff popped each out of its hole. Before her, Jacob stood. She gazed into his eyes, amazed at the wonder of going from a life many considered privileged to being truly blessed with riches. It wasn’t the gold the two brothers brought, because her kingdom could find that elsewhere. The love and pleasure they gave her, however, fueled her soul.
“What a night,” the new groom said. “Never did I imagine finding a mate to share my life with, and that of my brother.”
Rather than one to care for and worry about, she now possessed two. Two men to lay claim to her heart and her body. But for a woman who had lived a life of solitude—even surrounded by a bustling castle—the prospect didn’t strike fear. Only anticipation.
“Any regrets?” she asked.
Jacob caressed the side of her face, running his fingertips along her jawline, down the side of her neck to her now-bare shoulder and bodice. “Only not finding you sooner.”
She breathed out a sigh of relief at his response, and the loosening of her gown. The top billowed over her chest, and Jacob’s eyes widened.