by Godiva Glenn
“Amazing? Magical? Perfect?” he offered.
“I’ve never done that,” she muttered. “Spoken like that. Been spoken to in that crude manner. And I wanted it… so much I couldn’t even think and I—”
“Did I go too far?”
“No… not…” She sighed. Did he? Or did he go exactly as far as I wanted? She’d enjoyed herself, there was no doubt. So why do I want to hide under a rock now? “I don’t know.”
He rested his cheek against her temple and stroked her arm reassuringly. “It’s confusing.”
“Yeah.”
She felt him nod, and they sat in silence for a minute.
“Sometimes in the heat of the moment, we’re more open than we intend to be. And afterward, it’s scary to realize how vulnerable we became,” he said. “I can’t control how you feel, but to me, there was nothing shameful in what we did.”
“Part of me knows that. I’m far from being a virgin, and the fae are lusty… maybe to a fault.”
“You’ve hinted that you’re older than dirt. I’d have thought you’ve tried everything in the books.”
She scoffed. “Of course not. Immortal or no, I had my passions and disinterests. I may have had all the time in the world so far, but I haven’t done everything. I haven’t… climbed a mountain or gotten a tattoo,” she teased.
“And you haven’t had a wild sexual encounter against a window? Then have you really lived?” he teased.
“I’ve never been like that. I’m sure it strikes you as odd but in all this time of planning to come here and meet you three, I hadn’t actually thought of the carnal side of things,” she admitted.
“I suppose detailing how we’d have you was too much, then.”
She furrowed her brow as she tried to reason with the part of her brain that made her cheeks burn with embarrassment and guilt over a moment that didn’t deserve this level of scrutiny. “It’s really not too much. I don’t want to feel this way.”
“But it’s okay to.” He cleared his throat. “I admit, I didn’t think twice of it. In my mind, if you were okay with group fun, what we did seemed tame.”
“I’ve never had group fun.”
“Which I know, now,” he replied. “I assumed that’s what you wanted. You came to be the mate for three men. That doesn’t sound like the decision of a woman who doesn’t want things a bit wild.”
“I don’t turn down adventure.” She flicked her fingertip along the soft scruff at his chin. “I suppose by that line of thought you three have done this before?”
He squeezed her tight. “I can’t lie to you. It’s happened on occasion. Usually two of us. Rarely three.”
“I guess it would be naive to think you didn’t have women throwing themselves at you all. Three sexy guys in charge,” she said softly.
She could imagine it, really. Of the three, Liam seemed the anchor. She didn’t have to ask to know that Rask and Arron probably never did anything without him but would happily be without each other. His confession was just another reminder that they’d all been closer before, though.
“It was fucking. It didn’t matter. We had fun, but we didn’t find love, clearly. What you and I did today was better than anything from my past.”
She scoffed her disbelief.
“I mean it. I wouldn’t usually have been that wild, I think. Not for a first encounter.”
“It seemed natural, not that I really know you.”
“It is. But usually I hold back with a new lover. I’ve been told I can be too intense. I have to assume it’s because you’re my mate. Your scent drives me to a rather blissful madness.”
“Mate?” She froze.
“Yes.”
“We just met.”
“I thought you understood the mate bond. I knew nearly immediately.” He twirled a lock of her hair around his finger. “I didn’t know what to think at first. It was unexpected.”
She scoffed. “You had a massive knife held up at me.”
“Centuries of muscle memory. I’ll always be ready to defend my king. Besides, at first, your scent was cloaked. You were beautiful, and my body stirred, but it wasn’t until the odor of salt water evaporated that I understood who you were.”
She’d known countless shifters, but the idea of instantly knowing a mate still eluded her. “I’m not sure that makes sense to me. If you know a mate at first sight, it sounds like fate. How is it that you three think you can share one?”
He shrugged. “A feeling. Finding a mate isn’t fate. It’s something else. Chemistry… I don’t know. My parents didn’t fall in love at first sight. My mother tried to kill my father at one point—they were rivals. Of course, it could have been that they were simply stubborn.”
“As much as I want to hear that story, I’m not sure I’m really your mate.”
“Why not?”
Fianni slipped from his lap and adjusted herself on the couch, leaving some space between them. Space he noticed and narrowed his eyes at.
“Lust isn’t love. What we just did was incredible, but that’s not what relationships are built on,” she said carefully.
“You only say that because you aren’t a dragon,” he replied, scooting close.
She groaned. “And just like that, we’ve circled all the way around. I’m not a dragon, but I am a powerful, previously-immortal being who has been around for longer than you can imagine.”
“Perhaps. Are you the aspect of Love?”
“No,” she grumbled. “But that doesn’t mea—”
“You’re my mate. I know it. My only concern, and I have to guess you’re wondering too, is whether Liam or Arron feel it too.”
“I have to assume that’s a hard no,” she admitted.
“Assumptions aren’t your strong suit. It looked like I gave you quite the surprise, among other things.”
He wagged his brows and she couldn’t help but grin.
“How do you go from scary and sexy to sweet and silly?”
“Honestly? I think it’s you.” He took her hand and pressed it to his cheek. “You clear my head. But then the dragon comes.”
“Your dragon likes me too, then?”
“I’m not sure it would be accurate to say he just likes you. He wants to conquer you. He wants to kidnap you and drag you to a cave and just do unspeakable things to you,” Rask teased.
Fianni shivered and felt her pussy clench. If she let this keep up, they’d be naked soon.
“I think I need to take a walk.”
“Let me hold you a little longer?” He held his hand out to welcome her back onto his lap. “It’s like you carve away the stress. I could use a few more minutes of peace.”
She eyed his lap. “Okay. But keep it cool. I’m not sure I can handle another romp just yet.”
“Of course. I’m saving that,” he promised.
For what, she didn’t know and didn’t ask. Everything had just gone from complicated to impossible.
“Wait,” she said softly. “Dragons fly. Tell me no one saw us against that window?”
His only reply was a chuckle that shook her against his chest. I’m definitely in over my head.
Fianni and Rask sat in quiet comfort for a little while before someone found them and asked a favor of Rask. After he left, she wandered around. The castle inhabitants were more than helpful, and with some guidance she’d managed to find her way back to the courtyard, and after more exploring found the fountain she’d arrived at.
She sat on the edge and dipped her hand into the cool water. What she wouldn’t give to talk to Iona and clear her mind of the tumbling doubts and questions. Unfortunately, travel tired Iona greatly. It would be days before they could communicate.
Fianni needed someone now, though.
The dragons wanted a single mate. Rask may have thought she was his, but that didn’t solve their problem. Liam may have been interested in her, but she didn’t see Arron coming around.
Fianni hadn’t come to create more problems and appearing as the
mate to one dragon of a trio was definitely a problem. If she left, they’d find their real mate, and everything would be fixed.
She didn’t love Rask. His claim of being soul mates sounded more like a desperate dragon myth. I probably could love him. Given time. She groaned and splashed the water. He was more caring than she could have imagined. He listened and clearly didn’t think having emotions countered his otherwise fiercely masculine persona.
Her lips curled into a smile just thinking about him. Not love, but something. Something was there. But I’m not what they need.
“There you are,” a gruff voice intoned.
She groaned internally at the sight of Arron approaching.
“I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”
Did you check your office? She stood and looked away as her cheeks grew warm. “I’ve been around. Got a bit lost.”
“Are you trying to leave?” he asked, looking past her to the fountain. “You need to stay.”
“You don’t actually have the authority to make that decision,” she replied. “Why do you even care?”
His eyes snapped to her. “I thought you claimed to be here for a reason.”
“You’re right. I thought I did. Now I’m not so sure. Maybe leaving would be for the best.”
“No.” He shook his head seriously. “Something is going on here, and I don’t know what it is, but I know you can’t leave.”
She didn’t want to admit that she couldn’t actually leave this moment. “What do you think is going on? I’m not a spy. I know you’re suspicious of me.”
“What? Of course not, no. No…” He crossed his arms and seemed to plant himself where he stood. “Someone has found a way to block our communication system. You’re aware?”
She nodded.
“We can’t leave the planet either. It’s the same base technology running too many systems. Now it’s unstable. I don’t think you’re the reason, nor do I think you’re responsible or related.”
“So?”
“So, you need to stay.”
Arching a brow, she tried to keep calm even though the conversation seemed circular. “I don’t need your tech to travel. Iona can transport me—” Fianni paused. “Actually, why aren’t you just asking for my help? We can contact Nova Aurora—”
“We don’t need them knowing we’re having trouble. There are some parties there still sore that we left in the first place.”
“That was forever ago, are you serious? Okay. Never mind that. We can contact Prism. We don’t use strange tech like what you have, but we have magic.”
He shook his head and took a step forward. “Whatever is going on is a concern for us alone. Solara is independent, and we will solve our own problems. I will get to the bottom of things.”
She took a step back towards the fountain as if she’d leave, and he flinched. Rask’s advice came to the front of her thoughts, that maybe Arron was trying to express authority just to have a place to stand. So maybe I just reason with him.
“Arron, I don’t have to go, if you really think I should remain. But I still need to know. Why do I have to stay?”
“I’m worried about you,” he muttered. He stepped forward, dropping his arms to his sides with an air of frustration. “What if whoever has disrupted our systems found a way to corrupt the fountain? It’s magic, and magic is unpredictable, yes? Some of our tech is adapted with magic. There’s overlap. It’s not unreasonable to wonder if you could step into that fountain and be harmed.”
“Oh.” She honestly hadn’t considered that.
“I need you to stay safe.” He closed the gap between them and stared down at her.
Finally face to face, she was able to see the swirling silver of his eyes. They were a stark contrast to his dark skin, and she had to admit to herself that they had an effect on her. He was a handsome dragon. Also an ass, but a handsome one.
“Is that all?” she asked.
“No. I don’t know what you are, not really. I’m hoping to learn if I can keep myself from offending you again.” He smiled crookedly. “I know you were in my office.”
“About that…” She stared down at her feet, embarrassed.
“I ran into Rask before I found you. You must be as powerful as you claim. He’s usually guarded and sullen, but he appeared to have found a moment of peace.”
She froze. Would they have spoken about me? “Did he say anything?”
Arron shrugged. “I didn’t need to ask. Your scent was on him, and in my office.”
“Sorry about that, it wasn’t the best location,” she mumbled.
“Don’t fret over it. I’m not a jealous beast. Whatever happened, you made a dent in his walls.”
Fianni smiled at the memory, but it didn’t change her earlier resolve. One wasn’t all. “I think I should probably talk to all three of you.”
“I know. I wanted a mate and never thought I’d find one. These circumstances are strange,” he reasoned. “But I’d ask you to wait. We would easily be distracted with you. Dragons tend to mate with enough passion to last for weeks, and that’s not what we need right now. I’d appreciate any help you could offer in helping me track down the culprit sabotaging Solara, and then we can speak of feelings.”
Her jaw dropped.
“Think of my offer?” He patted her shoulder awkwardly and left.
She stared after him and lowered herself to sit on the ground, giving up on standing and trying to predict any of the dragons.
We would be easily distracted with you.
Unless she was completely mistaken, Arron had just announced that he, too, saw her as his mate. Or something. But he didn’t want to talk about it.
Does that mean he’s changed his mind about thinking me less than a shifter? If he could change his mind so easily, it seemed strange that he’d brought it up at all. The confusion of it all left her wanting to laugh and cry and drink. She needed Iona.
Dinner with the men didn’t happen, much to Fianni’s disappointment. Liam and Rask were nowhere to be found, and Arron wasn’t hungry.
She’d ended up taking dinner up to her room and eating it by the large bay window. The gorgeous view kept the night from being a complete loss. Nibbling salty garden greens while watching the occasional dragon circle the mountains with the setting sun in the background was hardly regrettable.
Three steady knocks to her door roused her from the post-meal trance she’d fallen into, and she rose to see who it was.
“Come in,” she offered, crossing the room.
The door swung open and Liam stepped into the room, a bottle of wine in one hand and two stemmed glasses in the other.
“I wanted to apologize for not making it to dinner,” he said wearily.
“Oh. Well, sit, please.” She gestured around but there wasn’t a proper sitting area. “One second.”
She pulled the out-of-place ottoman next to the bench at the foot of the bed and was dragging a heavy wooden chair from a desk across the room when he flopped onto the ground next to the ottoman.
“You can sit here. The floor suits me just fine,” he said, placing the two glasses on the bench and leaning back against the bed.
She sat on the round pillowed-top but immediately felt uncomfortable to be looking down on him. He was the king, after all. Shoving the ottoman aside, she joined him on the floor.
“I think the floor is fine for me, as well.”
Producing a corkscrew from his pocket, he nodded. “Normally I’d argue with you and tell you that a lady shouldn’t be sitting on a scraggly rug such as this,” he said with a wry grin. “But it’s been that sour of a day. My usual gentlemanly charm has retired for the evening.”
She arched a brow, watching him pour the crimson liquid into a glass before handing it to her. “Coming to my room at night with wine isn’t part of your charming side?”
“It’s a portion of my tired side.” He poured himself a glass and set the bottle aside. “If Rask wasn’t off punching a mountain and Arron
wasn’t buried in books, I’d have gone to them.”
“Excuse me… punching a mountain?”
“Literally. When he’s stressed or angry, or anything in between, he heads to the nearest mountain range and takes out his rage. Just claws versus rock.”
She didn’t know what to say to that. That didn’t sound like the Rask that she’d been with earlier. “Then this is strictly just using me as a replacement drinking buddy?”
“Obviously,” he said with faux seriousness. “Don’t think twice about it. I’m far too stressed to be bringing a lovely woman a vintage wine in some feeble seduction attempt.”
“I see.”
“My seduction techniques are much more sophisticated,” he said with a tone she wasn’t sure was a joke or not.
She took a sip and rolled the sweet liquid over her tongue. Over the years she’d learned to tolerate wine. It was the preferred beverage of the wise and noble, but to her, it mostly tasted like bitter plant juice. This, however, was surprisingly pleasant.
“That’s quite nice,” she admitted.
He held his glass up and swirled it. “Yes. A sidaii wine. It’s not exactly the same as its inspiration from Aurora. The soil here changes the tannins, I’m told.”
“Hmm?”
Chuckling, he shook his head. “Never mind. I’m not an expert. I’d just rather speak of anything but my day, which by the way, thanks for not asking about it.”
“You’re the king. If you wanted to talk about your day, I’m sure you would’ve started the discussion that way. As it is, I’m certain that everyone between the front gate and my door have already asked you.” She took another sip.
“Astute,” he replied with an impressed tone. He scanned her head to toe and glanced across the room. “We should get you some more dresses. In light of the recent… overall madness, I didn’t consider that you’d arrived lacking luggage.”
She shrugged. Am I even staying much longer? She was still considering returning to Prism the moment Iona was recovered and leaving the dragons to sort out their mate fate with another female.
“Am I overstepping? Because I have to confess, we’ve already ordered at least a dozen dresses made. Our tailors are already at work. My casual words were just to hide the fact that I’d already done so,” he admitted.