TamingTabitha

by Virginia Nelson

  Finally, Lancaster stepped into the clearing and the moonlight revealed his body. Although the ritual called for nudity, she still bit her lip at the sight of all his dark, glossy skin. Behind her, Gage answered. “Not torture you. But we’re really going to have to work not to hurt you. We’ve been waiting for you, wanting you…and we may not be as gentle or patient as we might have been.”

  She didn’t look back at him, fascinated as Lancaster flexed for her, the tremble of dark skin speaking to his repressed desire. “Gentle? I’m a Seer. Some of the visions I’ve seen? No one ensured soft things only made it into my Sight. Nothing in my life has been gentle or tempered, why start now?”

  Gage caught her hair and a gasp shuddered out of her as he tugged her head back. The move was neither rough nor painful, rather a show of masculine dominance that left the muscles between her legs clenching in desperate need. “You may beg for it before this Claiming is done, Seer.”

  Licking her lips, she smiled up at him. “Make me beg, if you can, Hunter.”

  Chapter Two

  Her eyes, glowing in the darkness with her power, didn’t waver from his in the slightest. The scent of her readiness for them had taunted his dreams and waking moments for so long, but this close the bouquet of it called to him on such a base level he couldn’t resist her much longer. She was ripe peaches, caramelized, and he craved a taste. Her mouth, her skin, the hot place between her legs that must be aching for the Claiming…any of it and all of it, he only knew he must sate the hunger. Iron will kept him still, looking down at her and waiting for her to accept what they’d all known would be their fate. Gage knew she would be like this, all vibrant and brave even once they’d caught her. A decade-long chase—unheard of among their people—spoke to the strength and independence of their mate. As boys they’d been taught how to be what their mate needed, that no other act in their lives would be as important as making the Seer happy. Not all men took their task seriously, but Gage had felt it click into place when he’d first met Tabitha.

  It wasn’t anything as material as how she looked, though his mate was by far the loveliest of the Seers. Something deeper, some soul-level knowledge determined no other would do. As a hunter, he trusted his gut—even when it told him he would never be enough for her alone.

  They’d joined forces, he and Lancaster, knowing this day would come for years. Another Seer, an Old Mother, had taken them aside when they’d been young and foreseen something she could only whisper to them for fear of censure. Her dreams said something was unbalanced in the universe, something that called for traditions to change and rules to be broken. A mating like none before, she’d told them. If they followed their fate, they’d live a life other than ordinary, with rewards like they couldn’t imagine.

  Like most visions, her vague directions hadn’t made sense and he and Lancaster had pored over texts, searching for meaning. They’d traveled together, searched together and had only caught glimpses of Tabitha in the meanwhile.

  One of those glimpses seared through the fog of the Old Mother’s vision, casting brilliant light on their fate—if they chose to accept it. Tabitha lying on her belly in a club, a human club rippling with sexual energy so hot that their senses shot into overdrive at the feast. He and Lancaster were little more than boys at the time and when she’d spotted them, she’d fled. The scent of her desire was rich in the air and they’d peeked to see what so fascinated her.

  Three humans, bodies twined and undulating in a dance of flesh, lay in the room that so enchanted their mate. At first, they’d both ignored the possible meaning…

  And then one day they’d known. They’d understood. They’d come to terms and agreed to do what they could to see her happy.

  The thrill he’d felt at the idea of being with Lancaster and the Seer should have caused shame. Instead…

  He’d met Lancaster’s dark eyes and known it was meant to be from the moment they’d realized what the vision meant. Not once in the years since had either of them wavered from their chosen path. His body throbbed, desire to take his mate warring with the reins of his patience for control. “Oh you’ll beg.”

  Lancaster nodded, a signal, and Gage moved to pull Tabitha carefully to her feet. Once she stood, she began to disrobe without further hesitation. He understood her need to be rid of the garments. His flesh burned and her flushed cheeks spoke to her own internal struggle as her body temperature, no doubt, prepared for the Claiming. “We’ll see, hunter.” Her snide comment would have held more power if she’d not stopped in her disrobing to make sure they both watched.

  Her hair hung like a golden banner, framing her amber eyes and making them mysterious in the moonlight. Skin like the warmest part of flickering yellow flames glowed, illuminating her every movement as the Claiming continued to ready her for the mating. The glow might be simple biology—his logical mind knew its intended purpose was to tempt him and enhance her natural beauty—but his reaction to it didn’t feel simple or logical. He longed to possess her, protect her… He held his stance, waiting. Soon.

  Since she was down to undergarments, he had to fist his hands to keep from reaching out to snatch aside the last scraps of fabric hiding her flesh from his view. Her eyes closed as she slid the straps of her bra down before cupping her breasts and tweaking the nipples. Again her gaze fastened on them, feasting on the hunger she could no doubt read in their expressions. The sight of her tiny hands cupping the weight of her full breasts made his balls tighten up, he became even more aroused if it was possible.

  Dropping the bra, she stepped out of her panties and stroked her slit with her palm. Her eyes closed and she breathed out a soft sound and Gage panted, almost shaking with the need to move, to take her.

  “No, don’t touch yourself,” Lancaster ordered, his tone sharp. Gage tried to find his own voice past the hunger she was ratcheting higher with her movements, but couldn’t. “We touch you. I name it a rule.”

  “A forever rule or a for-now rule?” Her lower lip popped out in a pout.

  Gage took two steps closer, capturing her hand before Lancaster could answer. Just the sensation of her fingers in his eased the edge of the grating fire burning his senses. He hadn’t planned to touch her but couldn’t seem to resist some contact.

  “For-now rule.” Lancaster moved behind her, his dark gaze asking permission. Since Gage had touched her first, this moment was a tenuous one. Technically Gage could call challenge, refuse to share his mate. They’d caught her, but he’d touched her first and could go back on his promise and call her his alone…

  Discarding the idea with a fast shake of his head, he knew they could have so much more together and he kept his word to his friend. “Now we touch her.” Having conceded to share didn’t mean he wouldn’t take some liberties because of his faux pas. Gage moved in to meld his lips with hers, eating the moan that slipped from her. Their tongues tangled and he pressed closer until the silky heat of her nude body rubbed against his. He couldn’t get enough of her, not fast enough, and he greedily gulped down her kisses and the feel of her skin against his. Like cotton candy, drips and drabs of power clung with each touch, only increasing his pleasure and feast.

  A hand nudged at him and he backed up a little. Releasing her from the kiss, he glanced down her body to see Lancaster’s dark fingers close around one of her heavy, pale breasts. Gage’s cock bobbed, he was strangely thrilled by the sight of that hand and the other man ducking close to press open-mouthed kisses up their mate’s neck. A swirling dance of color sped across her golden glow, the magic of them merging with each embrace and kiss.

  “I want to touch you both. I need skin.” Her raspy cry wasn’t quite begging, but the plea in it was like a stroking finger, thrumming to life ancient dictates deep inside him. Please your mate. Make her scream.

  “As you wish, Tabitha.” Running his hands up her thighs, Gage pushed her back to cradle her against the frame of the bigger man. Lancaster spoke no complaints, simply reached around and filled his other hand
with plump flesh. Meeting Gage’s eyes, he tweaked the nipple roughly. Both men smiled as she cried out and flowed into the contact.

  Gage fulfilled her desire for skin by lowering himself between her spread legs. Stroking her thighs farther open, he gazed at the plump flesh glittering with wetness. Her mound practically quivered, begging for his touch, and he dipped one fingertip into the dark slit. She arched into the touch, bucking, and he glanced up to see Lancaster grimace as the wave of her body rubbed her against the aching bits of his. He could sense through their connection the sweet agony Lancaster suffered.

  You okay? Gage used the mind-to-mind connection with the other man rather than wasting breath when his mouth could be buried in that sweet nectar between her jerking legs. Peaches, just as she’d smelled, but sweeter and somehow unique, the flavor burst on his tongue, waking magic he didn’t know he possessed. Using his tongue, he shoved a thread of power into her and followed her hips as she bucked at the sensation.

  Better than okay. Keep licking her. She’s rubbing her ass right against my cock…

  The gruff mental response caused Gage’s dick to twitch. He wished, suddenly, that he lay beneath her so he could feel her grinding against him. He must have given some of his thoughts away in the still-open connection because Lancaster’s laughter echoed in his head. Look, man, you’re in the position to Claim her first. If you want to trade…

  Gage ignored that comment, focusing on the feast at hand. Cupping her ass in one hand, he held her spread wide for his erotic kissing. With every lick of her clit, Tabitha pressed herself harder into his face. Finding a rhythm that allowed him to breathe, he inserted two fingers into her clenching opening and sucked on the hard little clit, allowing her to ride his face and reveling in her reaction to his touch. Fluttering his tongue fast against her while he held the bud between his teeth, he heard her carnal scream.

  My mate wants me. His heartbeat throbbed so hard at the knowledge, he felt each pulse of it in his aching cock.

  Some empty piece of himself, long hungering for this moment, found salvation in her cries and her bucking hips. He was made for her, for this, and he satisfied his destiny with the act of making love to his mate. Speeding his motions, he felt her rocking go unsteady moments before she screamed, the sound echoing off the trees, and clamped her thighs hard around his head.

  Petting her through the orgasm, he let the sound of her harsh breathing fill the suddenly quiet night. Not even crickets or the song of tree frogs interrupted the silence. He waited. He’d always waited, or so it seemed.

  She’d not be satisfied, not by just the oral sex. She needed a Claiming. Their kind demanded it.

  Still, he waited. After so long building up to his one chance at winning her, he could afford not to rush when he’d made it so close to the goal. He wanted her out of control. At least this first time, he wanted her choice and desire to be unstoppable.

  Her head rose with a snap and her glowing eyes met his. “Are you going to Claim me, Gage? Or was this all for show?” The fierce growl made him grin.

  He’d known her long enough now to see the bravado. She snarked to resist submitting, but he didn’t want a submissive mate. He wanted her, all of her. He moved back and away from her to lie on his back as if unaffected by the situation. With his arms cradling his head, he could look up her naked body. He simply reveled in the view of her framed by the dark man’s shining masculinity. The image burned itself on his mind. His mates. The idea felt so right, he didn’t question it.

  He waited.

  With a growl, she rose and knelt over him. “I asked if you were going to claim me.”

  He knew she’d come to him. Once she’d straddled him, shifting her body teasingly close to what he wanted, he captured her hips and slammed her home in one smooth move. The time for teasing was gone. The feel of himself buried deep in the still clenching, wet heat of her was so good he bit his lips and closed his eyes to keep from coming then and there. “We’re claiming each other, Tabby. This isn’t a traditional Claiming. I think we can all agree to that.” He panted the words and managed to open his eyes to watch her.

  Her head, lolling back at the pleasure he still tried to control, rolled forward to reveal her slow grin. “Well then, let me get started.” With a wiggle of her hips, she rose up and then dropped down fast and hard and he cried out at the sheer ecstasy the sensation caused. More colors spiraled across her flesh, icy whites and blue, marking her as his. Her gold traced across his flesh and he could see it dancing up his arms as he reached for her.

  “Feeling left out here.” Lancaster moved until he stood at Gage’s head, one foot at each ear, and Gage looked up at the other man’s impressive cock.

  Their mate only smiled bigger, one sassy brow cocked over her amber eyes. She didn’t look worried, not daunted in the least by the challenge facing her. “Well, let’s see if I can fix that.” She reached one pale, slim-fingered hand to cup Lancaster’s cock. Both gold and icy blue danced from her light touch, and inky-black bled down her arm and eventually traced across his skin.

  Gage began lifting her slowly and easing into her, picking up an easy rhythm so he could hold on longer and delay the inevitable. Between the pleasure and the dancing light of power, he didn’t think any of them would manage to delay it for very long, regardless of his tempo.

  Watching her mouth close over the dark bulb from this angle left Gage digging his fingertips into her hips. No, he wouldn’t last long, slow or otherwise. “Suck him harder, Tabby. We’ve both waited so long for you.”

  She obeyed, needing their pleasure as much as they craved hers. Head bobbing, she touched trembling fingertips to his balls and Gage watched as the other man began to pump into her, the muscles of his legs tight.

  Although the image was sexy, Gage closed his eyes to it, lifting his hands to find her breasts. With the nipples caught between his thumb and forefinger, he began to stroke and massage them in time to his thrusts, reveling in the clutching, wet heat of her and the sounds she made around her meaty mouthful as she rode him a bit faster. He moved his hand lower, circling her clit, her movements became jerky. He could hear Lancaster grunting and knew the other man must be close.

  Catching her hip with one hand and continuing to torture the tight bud of her clit, he pistoned into her, shoving hard into her body. She must have released Lancaster because she was suddenly kissing him. Her mouth—he’d dreamed of her mouth. Her kiss seared him as their tongues danced and he rolled with her, pushing her legs higher so he could get more of an angle.

  The orgasm started at the balls of his feet and shot up to the roots of his hair. Crying out, he came hard, hot jets of the Claiming filling his mate, marking her as his.

  A hand at his back made him look up. Rolling her back over, he soothed a hand along her delicate spine as she panted off her own completion. “Gage. Oh Gage. Mate.” She managed the words and kissed him again. His heart sang, loving her acceptance of him.

  He smiled.

  “You’re not done yet, Tabby. You have two mates.” Even as he spoke, Lancaster lifted her hips from behind. The other man pushed himself more firmly between Gage’s legs and he moved them farther apart to give him room to kneel and push inside her.

  “Oh.” Her cheeks and breasts flushed and her hands braced on his chest, eyes lighting back up with her mating glow. “I’m not sure if I can.” Even as she said it, she arched her ass back, seeking Lancaster’s touch. He rubbed his cock up the line of her slit to her ass, tormenting, but not penetrating. She crooned.

  Kissing her again, Gage braced his hands at her waist to help hold her in position. “Oh you can, Tabby. You want to.”

  And then Lancaster shoved into her from behind and they both cried out above him.

  Chapter Three

  Perhaps this day was as fated as the mating. Maybe some part of me needed them both, had called to them in some primitive way and they simply answered.

  The white smoothness of Gage’s chest under her fingertips slicked
with sweat, making her grip on him tenuous at best. Luckily, he held her in position, helping her push back into Lancaster as he shoved deeper inside her. It surprised her, the gentleness she’d found in the dark man’s large hands. It shocked her even more when he used those fingertips to tweak her nipples, seeming to know just how to mold her body to dance the fine line between pleasure and pain.

  One hand fisted in her hair, holding her head still, the other braced on her hip kept her from moving, but with Lancaster she didn’t need to move. He seemed perfectly satisfied to play her body like it was a musical instrument and she couldn’t find a single ounce of complaint at the performance. As her breasts bounced in time to his thrusts, Gage reached up a hand, giving one jiggling globe support. She bit her lip, tasting the copper tang of blood, to keep from crying out again.

  “Scream for him, Tabby. He likes it.” Gage didn’t seem at all bothered by the other man kneeling between his legs to shove inside her and she obeyed him. Opening her mouth, she allowed the mewling sounds to escape, stunned to find herself nearing the edgy peak of orgasm.

  One of Gage’s hands eased between her thighs, finding unerringly the hot point of her clit and stroking it in time with his pounding thrusts. “Fuck.” Her hands slipped and she allowed her face to drop to Gage’s chest. Too much. The pleasure might just be too much.

  Neither man stopped moving, keeping up the rhythm that threatened her sanity and drove her higher into the sexual tension winding tighter inside her. Biting down on Gage’s nipple, he hardened under her fingertips, reacting to the Claiming above him in a way she’d never dreamed of anticipating.

  Then she shattered, the orgasm shaking through her even as she felt Lancaster’s claim fill her. “Mate!” She shouted the word, calling him even as he jerked and spent inside her. “My mate.”