by Joyee Flynn
“I can prove it’s a bayard,” Ethan threw right back and pulled something out of his pocket. “I have a spell here that will reveal a bayard to be a man.” I saw Dromio and Callum go pale before they schooled their features. Ansel and Brix didn’t even flinch.
I knew the spell was bullshit but I didn’t know how to let them know that. I quickly undid the latch of the door as if it had been left open and walked right out of my stall. Doing my best to chuckle in horseform to show I wasn’t scared, I walked right up to Ethan. It was Ansel who got what I was saying.
“Fine, say your spell. But if he doesn’t change and you see he’s not a bayard will you leave us be and take your nonsense somewhere else?”
“Yes, if it’s not this horse then my mother thought it was the wrong one. I know she had one though. She described the change and she’d see a man at night tending to the horses.”
“Could she describe this man?” Dromio asked as he eyed over Ethan. “Maybe it changed forms and lives in the village so it didn’t have to be sold again.”
“Don’t tell me you believe in bayards, baby brother,” Brix chuckled, shaking his head as if Dromio was just as crazy. They were putting on a good act.
“I’ve never seen one but I know a guy who’s met fairies so maybe bayards are real too. I know that our horse isn’t one though. If he shifted into a man, one of the four of us would have seen it by now. I mean, if you were part man could you really stand to eat hay and the crap we feed the horses?”
“Oh yuck,” Callum agreed, spitting on the ground. “Or walking in your own shit? Gross.”
“Fine, I see your point,” Ethan grumbled and looked at the paper in his hand. “Just let me read the spell and if it doesn’t work I’ll be on my way.”
“Read away then,” Ansel taunted, crossing his arms over his chest as he smirked at Ethan. The man read something that seriously sounded like made-up drunken talk. He frowned when he was done and I was still in horse form. “And now the crazy man leaves our property and doesn’t come back.”
“Maybe I said it wrong,” Ethan mumbled as Callum grabbed the guy’s arm and growled. “Okay, I can take a hint. I’ve wasted enough of your time.” All four of them nodded and Ethan scurried off to his own tied-up horse, mounted, and rode off. There were several moments of complete silence before they all deeply exhaled almost as if one person.
“I think it’s safe to shift back, baby,” Ansel said gently as he reached out and rubbed my nose. I did as he said, curling into a ball and crying right there infront of the barn. “He’s gone now, sweetie. Everything’s okay.”
“No it’s not. He won’t stop until he’s found me,” I blubbered as he lifted me into his arms. “If you didn’t know me and heard there was some magical creature around that you could get your hands on that was worth over a thousand gold pieces, you’d do the same!”
“I’m sorry you think that,” he said quietly as he set me on my feet. I glanced at him and saw sadness in his eyes as he backed away from me, shaking his head. My gaze darted to the others and they shared the same expression… Sadness and regret that I thought that of them. “We’d never help someone sell another living being.”
“But you bought me when I was a horse,” I argued, not understanding.
“Not the same, Taji. A horse won’t talk to us and isn’t a person,” Callum replied.
“I’m not a person to most,” I whispered as I sank down to my knees again. “The scores of people who saw me be mistreated never helped me. They’d laugh or join in the fun of whipping me until I’d shift forms in front of people like it was sport.”
“We would never be a party to that, Taji,” Brix said firmly.
“You know me now, of course you wouldn’t,” I agreed as I pulled my legs to my body.
“Doesn’t matter. If we didn’t know you, never had laid eyes on you, and walked into the village and saw it happening to you we still wouldn’t have stood by and done nothing.” I stared into Brix’s eyes and saw the truth of what he said. Then I did the same for every brother and it was the same look.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered as I buried my face in my knees in shame. “I should have known you were men so honorable you wouldn’t have stood by and watched that. I guess I always hoped that there were people like that in the world, I simply never witnessed it.”
“And that’s why we can forgive that you’d think the same of us,” Callum said gently but firmly as he picked me up. I had a feeling the firmness of his tone wasn’t directed at me, but to his brothers. “You’ve lived centuries and only saw the bad side of people. And us you’ve only known two weeks. It’s understandable you wouldn’t know how we would react to that situation yet. But I hope you believe we’re telling you the truth.”
“I do. I really do,” I whispered as the tears fell again. I snuggled into his embrace, holding on to him as if he was the only solid thing in my life. “I never thought I’d meet people who were really so good and kind but I believe you. None of you would lie to me.”
“I’m sorry I got mad,” Ansel said as he leaned over and kissed my cheek. “You’ve had too many people mistreat you to see that some people would never do that so quickly. Maybe after a few months of having known us it would have been your first answer that we wouldn’t be party to someone abusing another person.”
“Thank you for understanding,” I replied as Callum carried me into the house. They followed us and I tried desperately to get my emotions under control but it just wasn’t working. I shook with fear and overwhelming sadness that I’d offended the brothers I was falling in love with. It was all just too much to handle.
“We’ll leave you to get some rest.” Callum tucked me into his bed and then turned to leave.
“Don’t go,” I begged and whimpered. “Please don’t leave me alone. I’m sorry I hurt you all. I never meant to. But please don’t leave me alone to deal withthis.”
“Oh,baby, we weren’t trying to punish you because you didn’t know us well enough to understand how we felt about something,” he said gently as he climbed onto the bed with me. I wrapped myself around him, forgoing the blankets to feel him againstme. “I simply assumed you’d want a moment to gather your thoughts and get some rest.”
“No, don’t leave me alone,” I pleaded, scared out of my mind. “He came to take me away from you and I don’t want that, ever. I need to be held and held onto.” I wasn’t sure if I made sense but I must have because Callum nodded as I plastered myself to his side. Ansel climbed onto the other side of the bed and molded himself to my back. Then Dromio and Brix sat at the foot of the bed and ran their hands over my shins and feet.
“We’re not going anywhere, baby,” Ansel whispered as he kissed my shoulder. “We’re all here for you as long as you need us, okay? Ethan’s gone and won’t be coming back. Even if he does, we won’t let you go. You’re ours now in every sense of the word.”
I sighed in relief and hoped that was really true.
Chapter 7
My men had been very careful with me the next couple of days. I think they worried that I was breaking inside or mentally. None of them instigated sex, but were always making sure someone was touching me, holding me, or right by me. If I started kissing or touching them, they were very receptive and tender with me.
Even Ansel who was all about the down-and-dirty fucking with power.
“Fuck me,” I growled as he gently took me on his bed, no thrills or kinkiness.
“I am,” he whispered as he tenderly cupped my cheek before kissing me. I gave an exasperated scream and flipped us over so I was on top. Then I rode him like a horse that didn’t want a rider.
“This is what I wanted,” I grunted as I kept moving faster and faster. “Where has my strong, virileman gone?”
“He’s been worried about you and trying to show that you’re more than just sex to him,” he answered with a moan. I froze and braced my weight with my hands on his chest.
“What? It’s not because you thought I
broke mentally?”
“No, of course not!” he exclaimed and sat up so he could hug me. “I’m falling for you, Taji. I wanted to show that I could be tender and loving too. I can be gentle.”
“Do you prefer to be gentle or take me so hard that the bed hits the wall withevery thrust?” I hedged as I rubbed my hands over his back. He stiffened and I knew my answer. “I feel just as special and wanted when you take me so hard that I feel you inside me for hours after.”
“Does my dirty love like that feeling?” I nodded at his question and then my eyes went wide when I realized his slip. He turned his head away as he blushed so hard that it crawled up his neck and to his ears.
“Ansel, look at me,” I whispered, a pleading tone to my voice. I waited until he did and then cupped his face in my hands. “Do you really love me? Is that how you truly feel for me?”
“Yes.” That one word was all I needed to hear. I kissed him passionately as I moved his hands over his head. Then I thrust my hips so hard onto him that he cried out at the contact.
“Say it for me, my beautiful lover,” I moaned as I moved as fast as I could and still pin him down.
“I love you, Taji,” he cried out and I came all over him. Moments later Ansel peaked as well and filled me with his seed. When we were both spent, my man was out like a light, but I still snuggled up against him, smiling like a loon. Someone loved me, truly loved me.
“I will mate with you when this danger has passed,” I whispered in his ear. Then I climbed off of him and quickly cleaned myself up. I knew my mission now. To get each of them to realize I wasn’t going to break and wasn’t fragile. I oiled up my hole and went in search for another of my lovers.
Ten minutes later, Brix was pounding into me. He’d taken me up on my offer and had lifted me into his arms, bracing my back against the wall of the barn. He kissed me and stared at me as if he had something to say.
“Tell me,” I whispered and tightened myself around him. “Tell me what you need to say.”
“I love you, Taji,” he admitted with a grunt and then buried his face in my neck. “Tell me it’s not too soon and that you aren’t freaked out by my saying it.”
“It’s never too soon to love,” I moaned as he leaned over me and bit my nipple hard. “And I feel the same way, Brix. I want to say the words to you all at once for the first time because I feel equally as strong about each of you.” He nodded but I could see the slight disappointment. “I would mate you when this danger to us has passed.”
“You mean Ethan knowing you’re a bayard? Or him thinking there’s one in the area?” I nodded. “I care not about that.”
“I do,” I replied and then moved my hand over his mouth. Talk was for later. He got the idea and we came together, blissfully holding each other. When it was over he carried me to the stream and we got cleaned up. Then my lover rubbed oil in my hole and handed it to me to continue on my mission.
“I’ve never told anyone I loved them before, Taji,” he said gently before letting me go. “I don’t know how to ask this but I want to hold you in my arms tonight as I sleep. Is that okay for me to ask?”
“Of course, my Brix,” I purred and kissed him. “I will be in your bed tonight.” He smiled as brightly as the sun and kissed my hand before letting it go.
I found Dromio and then Callum and both told me they loved me as they made love to me. It was magical and I felt four times blessed. When I was done with my mission it was almost dinnertime. I made sure to wash up good and met them at the table. Once we were all sitting down I blurted out what I needed to say.
“I love you all too. I love each and every one of you for so many reasons and I want to mate each of you forever.” They were all smiling until I got to that last part, then suddenly they didn’t look so happy. “What? What did I say wrong?”
“Mating is the same thing as being married, right?” Ansel hedged. I nodded, it was more than that but alongthe same lines. “You want to be married to all four of us? All of us to share one man who doesn’t sleep in our beds every night?”
“I thought that’s what you wanted too,” I whispered and then it hit me. “You thought in the end I would choose one of you, didn’t you?”
“Well if it came to marriage, yes,” Callum admitted with a shrug. “I guess I didn’t realize we’d all fallen in love with you.”
“I can’t choose,” I gasped, staring between them. “Have I not been enough to satisfy you all? I’ve never denied you anything or any part of me since I’ve told you the truth of what I am.”
“But when people get married they go to bed together every night,” Callum argued gently.
“I’m okay with it,” Dromio admitted with a wink to me. “We could just get a bigger bed and rotate who holds you at night. There’s more than enough love in you for all of us.”
“I agree,” Brix said after a moment. “We started this as sharing you and it’s not fair for us to make you choose. I’ve never been so happy and sated. There’s nothing more having you all to myself could give me.”
I sighed in relief. Until I saw Ansel and Callum weren’t in agreement with that. “Ansel? Callum?” Callum shook his head and got to his feet. He grabbed a roll and walked out the back door, breaking my heart.
“Sometimes love isn’t enough, Taji,” Ansel said with a sigh as he stood. “Maybe sharing you with one of my brothers forever I could get used to. I’m just not sure if I have it in me to share you with three other men, even if it is my brothers.”
“No,” I cried softly as he too left the kitchen and went outside. I let my head fall to my arms on the table and choked back sobs. I never thought I would lose two of them by declaring how I felt. I would never have opened my mouth if I had thought this to be the outcome!
“They’ll come around, baby,” Brix said gently as he rubbed my back. Dromio kissed my shoulder and comforted me as well. “They’re stuck in the traditional mindset. There’s nothing wrong with being untraditional in relationships. I’m not even sure what traditional is anymore. But my point is that they’ll see that and come back.”
“I never meant to fall in love with all of you or cause anyone pain. When I started living in the house as your lover, I thought that was what we all wanted. I never dreamed any of you thought I would choose one of you. That would be like choosing my favorite limb. I love and need all of them just as much as the others.”
“We know that,” Dromio whispered as he ran his fingers through my hair. “Brix and I had discussed that this was where we saw things going, Taji. We were more realistic than Ansel and Callum in this.”
“Would you truly prefer me to be only one of yours?” I asked, lifting my head and glancing between them.
“No, I don’t actually,” Dromio answered first after a moment of thought. “I didn’t see this to be how I ended up being in love but it works for us. Part of why I love you is the joy you bring to my brothers as well. You never make me feel as if you prefer one of us over the other and that we all mean the world to you. And you’re insatiable so it’s not like we are ever pushing you to get our own needs met.”
“I agree with what Dromio says,” Brix assured me. “He’s just better at phrasing things than I am. But it’s how I truly feel as well.”
“So what do we do now then?” I asked, not sure they had the answers.
“Live our lives and wait for them to pull their heads out of their asses,” Dromio offered with a shrug. I nodded, not sure what other option I really had anyways. We ate in silence, each lost in our own thoughts.
That night I crawled into Brix’s bed with Dromio plastered to my back. None of us was in the mood for sex, simply needing comfort. They weren’t hurting as I was over Callum and Ansel walking away from me, but they were upset that I was and that their brothers were too. I just didn’t know how to fix any of this.
* * * * “Morning, baby,” Brix said brightly as he joined Dromio and I in the kitchen the next morning. He leaned over and gave me a heated kiss, reaching out
for a good grope as well. I moaned and leaned into to his touch.
“Distract him in an hour after the baker gets here and the orders are done,” Dromio teased. We’d been up for hours baking what we hadn’t gotten done last night since neither of us had been in the mood with the turn of events.
“Fine, I can wait that long.” Brix gave me a wink and then poured himself some coffee. Ansel walked into the kitchen moments later, not meeting anyone’s gaze.
“Mo rning,all,” he said gruffly and sat down at the table with a muffin. Callum came in minutes later and did almost the exact same thing.
“I have another field to plow that I need your help with, Taji,” he said distantly as he stared out the window. I nodded and then realized he wouldn’t see that.
“Let me finish helping Dromio and I’m all yours,” I replied, closing my eyes at the word choice when it hit me. I heard a few clinks and a gasp, and shook my head. “I’m all yours to help plow.” I tried to clarify, but the damage had been done. Ansel stormed out of the kitchen and out the back door.
“I wish that was true,” Callum whispered sadly. I turned to him and saw tears running down his cheeks before he too disappeared out the back door.
“I didn’t mean it like that or to upset them,” I said in a choked voice as I pulled the pan of bread out of the oven.
“We know, sweetie. Give them some time.” I nodded at Brix’s advice, unsure I had any other choice again. “We’ll catch up after you’re done here and you’ve helpedCallum, yeah?”
“I’m come find you.” I swallowed down my grief at losing Ansel and Callum. It wouldn’t be fair to Dromio and Brix who were being so great to me and loved me so much.
I bustled about, stuffing my feelings down and trading light conversation with Dromio. When we were done and the baker would be coming soon, I hurried out to the barn and shifted. We’d agreed that I’d never shift out in the open again with Ethan and people on the lookout for a bayard. It was much easier to explain a man walking out the back door and the horse having been in the barn than if someone saw me changing form.