by Amy Star
When Lavinia finally reached the men and the music stopped, they took their places on either side of her a hairs-breadth away from touching her shoulders. She felt like the valley between two mountains. The officiant began speaking about the history of the Tribe and the importance of the balance the Alpha, Omega and Queen brought to the ruling of their people.
Lavinia could hardly concentrate. She wanted so badly to look at the men. To take her time in dissecting their looks, to try and figure out whom they were. As the officiant droned on, Lavinia tuned him out. Love was not a subject touched upon during the royal LeKing ceremony. As romantic as it sounded to be brought together by fate, the purpose was really to best rule the Werebears, and it appeared as though the notion of lust or love was merely luck.
Quicker than Lavinia expected, she was asked to hold out both of her hands. The men each placed a ring on the ring finger of each hand. The Alpha’s on her left; the Omega’s on her right. Both were eternity bands of pure diamonds, which took her breath away to look at in the candlelight. After the giving of rings, it was time for her to give her own in return and for each to make a vow to the other.
Together, as if choreographed, they formed a sort of triangle with their bodies. First, she was asked to face Charming. Looking into his blue eyes, Lavinia’s breath caught. They were as clear as a summer sky and warm as a summer day. She thought she could stare into them forever. Her expression must have said as much, because the corner of his lips lifted in amusement. Taking her hands, Charming vowed to honor her and keep her till death did they part, then Lavinia did the same. Finally, she took his large and smooth hand between her own and slid a plain gold ring onto the ring finger of his left hand.
Before she could drop her hands back to her sides, Charming reached forward and took her elbows, playing with the sensitive skin he found there. The Officiant asked that they seal their vows with a kiss, and Lavinia watched as his handsome face moved toward hers. It would be her first kiss. When his lips met her own, they softened for a moment, slanting over hers, a gentle entreaty to marriage. Almost quicker than a blink, his face lifted off of hers again and she was left wanting more, like a flower whose sun had gone behind a cloud.
Not that she had too long to mourn, of course. Next, she was turned to the Pirate who stared down at her stoically, though his gaze never left Lavinia’s. His dark blue eyes seemingly trying to have a conversation with her while Lavinia tried to give him a look that signaled, “Pay attention!” It must have worked as his lips quirked up as well,giving Lavinia a look at a man who could literally stop her heart. The smile transformed him into an entirely different man, one that Lavinia vowed right then and there, she would get to know better.
They traded their vows and Lavinia slipped on the final ring and she took a deep breath, preparing herself for the second kiss of her life. The deep breath must have drawn attention to her cleavage because the Pirate’s eyes flicked down and his eyes darkened in response to the bounty he saw there.
This time, as the Officiant called for the sealing of the kiss, the Pirate wrapped an arm around her waist and leaned down. Hard lips melded her own softness and a flick of a tongue instinctively had her parting her lips slightly. A warm tongue dipped in just a little to taste the forbidden fruit and Lavinia was dizzy with the new sensation. Lip-to-lip she had been prepared for, but the invasion of his tongue was a sensation she’d never been able to fathom. It was delicious.
His lips too left hers and Lavinia was left all on her own again. The men shook hands and the crowd gave a cheer as it was announced they were officially married. Arm-in -arm with each man they headed back down the aisle with the merry snapping of cameras. Lavinia, for the first time in months, actually felt happy.
*
Lavinia stood just behind the drapes at the head of the ballroom. She had been distracting herself by peeking into the wedding celebration before she and her new husbands were officially announced to the Tribe. Currently, the men were standing behind her whispering in hushed voices, each pointing at text on their cell phones. Lavinia wondered if this was the view of life to come.
A prettier sight was the space on the other side of the red velvet curtain: the party was being held in the palace ballroom and the entire room looked like it was dripping with crystals. The staff had decided to base the decor around Lavinia’s dress. Since Lavinia loved the dress, she’d assumed she would love the décor, too. Callia had been leading the decorating team and she had kept quiet about their exact plans. Lavinia was so happy she had allowed it to be a surprise.
The tables were covered with antique lace that had been hand beaded with crystals and pearls just like Lavinia’s dress. The centerpieces were bountiful bouquets of red flowers, in direct contrast to Lavinia’s all white bouquet and the smell of roses permeated the room. The entire gesture felt like a big hug from her bestie.
Lavinia allowed half of her mind to tune into what the men were talking about. It sounded like political business regarding Mardi Gras and the Loupbrun Tribe. Lavinia was growing interested in the debate over whether the situation was political or security-based, but when Parker and Thearon noticed that Lavinia had rejoined the group, they stopped talking. The silence that ensued was awkward. Lavinia figured it would take time before they would all be comfortable enough to share confidences.
Parker broke the ice, “What do you think of the room? I hear that you weren’t a part of planning it.”
Lavinia shook her head, “No, it was a surprise from my staff. My handmaiden, Callia, led the design. I think it’s lovely.”
“It looks like your dress,” Thearon noted.
Lavinia's eyebrows raised in surprise. Thearon was not the husband she would have pegged to notice such things. “You’re right, actually. Callia planned the decor around my dress. It was her way of including my choices into the event without actually picking options. I worked for months with a designer to design the dress.”
“I must admit that I prefer the woman in the dress, to the dress itself,” Parker said smoothly, as a staff member arrived to let them know they’d shortly be entering the ballroom.
Parker and Thearon each took one of Lavinia’s arms and directed her to the wall of curtains. Just before the velvet parted, Lavinia felt Thearon’s fingers brush along the rim of her ear and shivers moved down her spine.
“You had one single hair out of place,” his warm breath whispered in her ear, “I couldn’t let you face the Tribe looking less than the Queen you are.”
Lavinia felt her body warm to the intimate touch and deep timbre of Thearon’s voice. Straightening her shoulders, she allowed a soft smile to play on her lips and watched as the curtains parted to reveal the party in full swing. Suddenly, a spotlight was on the three of them and Lavinia felt her training kick in. The smile on her face became genuine and Lavinia concentrated on looking welcoming to each and every Tribe member..
The entire Tribe didn’t fit in the ballroom, but unlike the ceremony, the celebration was based on rank. Family, friends and the upper echelon of Werebeast and Tribe society sat around the dance floor, glittering in diamonds and jewels. Outside the Palace walls, New Orleans would be even more of a party than normal, though humans would wonder where the upswing was coming from.
Lavinia felt Parker direct both herself and Thearon around the ballroom. He seemed to know the route they should take so as not to offend anyone. Lavinia recognized the people she’d been memorizing for years. Though Parker must have planned the route in advance, it was far too fluid to have been created on the fly. Perhaps he’d even been a part of the seating arrangements. After the grand tour of the ballroom was complete, Callia stepped forward and took Lavinia’s bouquet from her and Lavinia turned to face Parker and Thearon. It was time for the first dance.
In the relationship, the Alpha would always go first. He got the first kiss during the ceremony, he would be announced first, and Lavinia was always to bow to him first. But Werebear ritual placed heavy emphasis on the first danc
e. A highly physical Tribe, there was no way the pride of the husbands, and leaders of the Tribe, would allow for Lavinia to dance with the Alpha first and the Omega second. Instead, they would begin an ancient dance where all three would dance with one another simultaneously.
Lavinia found her palms sweating in anticipation of dancing the complex moves with two new partners in front of the Who’s Who of Werebeast Tribesmen. No big deal that it was the first time they were being introduced to Lavinia, too. If this went badly, it would all fall on her shoulders. In the LeKing Tribe's dance, it was the Queen who led. So far, she’d been practicing with Callia and Tutor, both of whom were easily a foot shorter than either of her husbands and nowhere near as sexy.
As the music started up Lavinia circled the men. The dance itself was based on court dances of medieval times. It should be a stiff and formal dance, but it was threaded with physical contact where Lavinia was sandwiched, at times, by the hard bodies of both men. Now as they weaved in and out of one another, Lavinia could see that it was play-by-play of sex. The realization struck her just as she found herself pressed intimately against Parker and Thearon. Parker to her front for one step and then a tango-type twist had her facing Thearon for the next.
She could feel that both men were growing hard for her and the sensation of the full body contact, coupled with the sexual nature of her thoughts, was overwhelming. Lavinia didn’t know if she needed a glass of champagne or if it would only ruin the physical high. The dance she had been dreading was suddenly over quicker than she wanted. The three spun out, forming a single line and simultaneously, the men each placed one hand on her lower back to present her to the crowd. Stepping forward, Lavinia dropped into a deep curtsy as the crowd applauded her in a standing ovation.
Flushed with pride and desire, she looked back at her husbands and eyed each in turn. Her gaze must have held the twinge of passion she felt coursing through her body, because their own eyes darkened in turn. Lavinia swallowed hard as she approached the men again.
“I believe I want champagne after that,” she said with a smile.
“I believe I you deserve a whole bottle after that.” Parker said motioning to a servant.
“Well done, my queen. You’ve made a dancer out of even me,” Thearon said kissing her hand.
“That may be the feat of the evening. Thearon has always had two left feet,” Parker commented as he gathered three champagne flutes from the servant's tray.
“I don’t know, when I put my shoes on this evening I saw one right and one left. Perhaps I’ve just never cared as much before.” Thearon’s stare seemed to move through Lavinia.
Parker noticed the look and raised his eyebrows, “Well I’ve never known for you to care for much; our bride should consider herself a lucky woman.”
Before Thearon could respond, the threesome were directed to a head table where they were surrounded by the council members and their wives. So began Lavinia’s literal introduction to the Tribe. It was surreal meeting so many of the people she’d been memorizing and studying for years. She knew each one’s connections and network and their place in the Tribe. To see them for the real people that they were was a surprise – it filled in gaps she hadn’t realized she had been missing.
The rest of the night was really a grand political statement. Lavinia had figured that she would be dancing with her husbands and getting to know one another over dinner and drinks, but in the end, her dance card was full with council members and leaders of other Tribes. Groups of women cornered her to ooh and ahh over her dress, rings and hair, all the while trying to pick her brain like groups of feral hens. Well, Lavinia had to give them credit – they had more etiquette than feral hens...but not much.
When the lights began to brighten slightly, the bandleader announced the party was over. It had seemed to go by with a snap of her fingers. The guests gathered their things and moved toward the exits. Lavinia was caught up in saying goodbye to some of the visiting Werebeast leaders when a hand caught around her waist, making her jump.
Spinning around, Lavinia found herself face-to-face with Thearon.
“It’s time to retire to the royal suite,” Thearon said gruffly.
Lavinia blinked into Thearon’s eyes and then glanced at Parker over his shoulder. Parker gave an encouraging smile and motioned to the opposite end of the room from where the guests were exiting.
“Yes, of course. Just let me get my bouquet.” Thearon paused for a moment, clearly wondering what purpose the flowers were going to serve on their wedding night, but Lavinia needed a moment to clear her head. He released her to the head table to gather the blooms and trailed behind her as she met Parker at the entrance to the royal chambers.
Walking down the long hall, Lavinia felt the tension within her rise. She had been relaxed during the celebration, jubilant even, after the first dance had gone so well. Lavinia had almost forgotten that at the end of the event she would be going to bed with her new husbands.
In the last few years, Lavinia had participated in a schedule of sexual training. Thank the gods, it hadn’t involved Tutor, she had no desire to see her father figure explain the birds and the bees or how to entice and please two Werebears at once. Instead, they'd brought someone in from the brothels of New Orleans, an expensive escort who had both training and experience.
The woman had been perfect. She was quiet and unassuming and completely natural about it all. She laid it all out on the table like it was nothing more than factual statements. She’d expected Lavinia to study the positions, touches, and male sensation areas as if Lavinia had been memorizing the various tribes and their histories. In the course of her training, Lavinia had memorized step-by-step where she should touch and what she should lick.
But the fact of the matter was, the kiss earlier that evening during her wedding, had been her first kiss. For all of the lessons The Queen was inexperienced, yet was expected to be “a lady on the street but a freak in the sheets,” as Callia would say. The pressure was real.
Standing outside the engraved wooden door of the royal suite, Lavinia mentally prepared to get her freak on, as she waited for the men to unlock the door. After they’d completed the ceremony of spending the next twenty-four hours in the rooms together, she would officially be Queen and be given a key to unlock the door on her own.
Entering the sitting room, Lavinia could see that it was set up for romance. Someone had filled the space with red roses and candlelight with "getting it on" music in the background to set the mood. Lavinia fought off the overwhelming urge to check the closet for her tatty bathrobe, if only to give her the comfort and courage she so desperately needed at this moment.
There were four rooms total that made up the suite: a bedroom for the Alpha and Omega, respectively, and one for the Queen that had a connecting door to both men’s bedrooms. The space itself was decked out in the finest of antiques. But for the wealth of all the items present – from the Ming dynasty vases to the Aubusson rugs – the space felt comfortable. It wasn’t a showy room meant to impress, instead, the soothing jewel tones seemed to invite rest and relaxation. Exactly what the Alpha and Omega would want in their personal space.
Lavinia couldn’t help herself; she moved forward to the center bedroom and pushed the door open further. The room she found was done up entirely in shades of green, from the deepest forest to the palest sage. Lavinia instinctively knew it had been redone for her. Green had always been one of the best colors on her because it darkened her hair and set off her pale skin. It was a room meant to show her beauty to its best effect. Probably also what the Alpha and Omega would desire.
Setting her bouquet in a waiting vase on the dresser, Lavinia turned back to the sitting area to find Parker uncorking a bottle of champagne. With the skim of a knife, the cork flew through the air and hit the ceiling with a “pop.” Thearon ducked in alarm and Lavinia couldn’t help but giggle.
“Our head of military strategy is scared of a flying piece of bark?” she teased.
&nbs
p; “From my angle, I was truly scared about the potential of a flying knife,” Thearon explained, “but I’ve also been hit by one of Parker’s corks in the past. They leave a nasty bruise.”
Parker scoffed, “I was just a cub when I hit you. I can’t be judged forever on the actions of a drunken teen. I haven’t hit you since.” Parker looked up innocently at Lavinia and seeing Thearon’s raised eyebrow, Parker amended, “Well, that’s the last time I hit you with a champagne cork.”
Thearon moved to pick up three champagne flutes from a bar cart in the corner of the room, “Lavinia, would you like some?”
“Yes, please. I feel like I barely ate or drank at the reception. Champagne sounds lovely.”
“I never end up eating at big events. There are too many people who want to talk.” Thearon commiserated as he handed off a flute to Lavinia.
“Would you like to sit for a moment? We have twenty-four hours, there’s no need to rush anything,” Parker said joining the pair on the couches.
Both Lavinia and Thearon visibly relaxed with the comment. So, Lavinia thought, she wasn’t the only one feeling the pressure of a menage et trois. Sitting up straight, Lavinia sipped on her drink, “So the two of you have lived together since you were boys?”
Thearon answered her. “Yes, since the age of ten we’ve been officially living in the palace, though we didn’t take residence in these rooms until the coronation. But you already knew that.”
Lavinia cleared her throat, “Well, yes. In theory, I know just about everything. Every custom of the court and every move of its people. It’s part of the training.”
“How odd that you know so much about us and yet we know very little about you. It doesn’t seem quite fair to keep such a beautiful woman hidden for so long,” Parker’s eyes were alight with mischief as he watched the bubbles of champagne swirl in his glass.