“Umm, thanks,” was the best I could muster as Emerson came running over and jumped into his arms.
“Mew, Malinda said you are going back to that apartment again.”
He scooped her up and she hugged him tightly. My guess, Mew was from Bartholomew, but she was fourish, so it could have been anything.
“Yes, Em. I am living there now, but I will come back and visit you.”
Bart had found a tiny apartment in town and a gig at the garage my cousin’s mate owned. He was probably still a liability for the town but was working his hardest to fit in so there was that.
“Promise?” she asked, and my heart broke. She was far too young to be all alone in the world.”
“Promise. No one can keep me from visiting my favorite girl.” He kissed the top of her head and put her down as a vision flashed through me of Bart teaching her how to drive a car.
Huh, looked like Emerson was in his life for a long time.
“I need to go, now,” I excused myself, and before I took two steps, my mates flanked my sides. Looked like they were ready to leave, too.
“We packed the presents up.” Sasha pointed to the empty table beside me. I’d been so distracted by Bart I’d missed that happening. “Let’s get you home. It’s already nine.”
Nine. No wonder I was tired. I had more energy this trimester than the last, but I still loved my sleep.
“Yes.” I grabbed both their hands and nodded to Malinda, letting her know we were leaving. I had a midwife appointment the next day, a newly discovered one since they’d used the original date as a shower.
We made our way out of the cabin and back home without me falling asleep, which I counted as a win. We were barely in the door before I was heading to the fridge for a snack. It had been at least a half hour since I had the cake, and baby was hungry.
“I’ll do that.” Rob squeezed my shoulder. “You go get ready for bed, and I’ll whip you up one of my best meals.”
“A sandwich,” Sasha interjected. “He’s making you a sandwich.” Which, to be fair, was his best meal, by far.
I kissed them both on the cheek and meandered into the bedroom, where I undressed. I was technically still in normal clothes, but they didn’t fit. Not really. My baby had my belly, once concave due to starvation, completely rounded out to a bump that was just big enough to have people suspecting I was pregnant, but not quite big enough where they felt it appropriate to ask, pregnancy scent aside. I was going to have to break down and start wearing the paternity clothing soon. But truth be told, I was terrified to do so because, once I did, it meant I was fat. Which was beyond dumb and all hormonally induced. My brain knew that. It still didn’t stop the insane insecurities.
I stood in front of the mirror completely naked, hands on my belly. The bump meant my sweet baby was growing big and strong, and, for that reason alone, I loved it.
And it wasn’t as if my mates could keep their hands off me. It was just me being prego and weird, and I shook my head trying to get all that negativity out of there before shoring up my shoulders. Fuck it, I was going to own it.
I marched out to where my mates were finishing up making my sandwich or more accurately, making out against the fridge, the sandwich made, still sitting on the cutting board. Not that I wanted the sandwich anymore. Watching them go at it like that had me hungry for something else. My cock was already filling just from the sight of their hips grinding together.
“Is that mine?” I asked after clearing my throat.
They pulled apart and quickly went to plate the sandwich, assuming that was what I was talking about.
It wasn’t.
They had the plate ready to go before they finally looked at me enough to realize I was standing there buck-ass naked.
“Yeah. I made you dinner.” Rob didn’t even pretend to look at my eyes, focusing instead on my belly and my cock. “We made you dinner.”
“I'm not in the mood for a sandwich anymore.” I reached down, stroking myself so as not to give them room for misinterpretation.
“And what are you in the mood for?” Sasha bit his lower lip in that way he did right before he revealed his own smexy ideas, so I just shrugged in reply. He worked his way around the counter, Rob at his side, the sandwich long forgotten. “I think I know what our omega is in the mood for.”
Sash stopped right in front of me, tracing a path down my neck to where they would soon mark me. Oh please, let it be soon. Now would be good.
Rob continued around behind me. I was officially a Samuel sandwich. This was so much better than a shower no matter how well intended it might’ve been.
“I have some ideas.” Rob cupped my ass before scooching up close behind me. “But I should probably hear yours first. You do have good ideas.”
Yes. Yes, he did.
“I try.” He laughed. “Our omega has had a busy day and is probably very tired.”
“I’m fine,” I insisted, not wanting the night to be over before it began.
“No, omega ours,” Rob whispered in my ear before nipping my earlobe. “You are very tired. Tell our sexy mate you are very tired.” His hand slipped between my cheeks, finding me oh so ready for them.
“I’m very tired,” I said and was rewarded with his finger dancing around where I wanted one of their cocks most. I didn't even have a preference. I just needed one of them inside of me.
“Seeing as how you are so very tired”—Sasha’s hand traveled lower and lower until he playfully pushed my hand away from my erection—“I think we’d best do all the work tonight. It’s only fair, after all.”
“Agreed.” Rob scooped me up. “Last time you got to have him in your mouth. This time is my turn,” he called over his shoulder as he carried me into the bedroom.
“Works for me.” Sasha reached the bed before Rob set me down on it. “I have been wanting to get in that ass all day.”
I was one lucky omega.
“That.” I panted, out of breath just from thinking about it. “All of that.”
And all of that it was.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Sasha
Three Months Later…
Our omega nesting turned out to be the most adorable thing he’d done yet. He’d gone on a complete cleaning frenzy about two weeks ago and it hadn’t stopped except for him to eat, sleep, and love on his mates.
I sat on the chair in the living room, pretending to read another baby book while Samuel and Rob went head to head, in a smiling, loving way.
“Who? Tell me one person who can come in here and clean like this? No one, that’s who.” Samuel’s fists were propped on his hips. Malinda had sided with Samuel before, saying cleaning on his hands and knees would get his hips limber and help him carry the baby and, later on, deliver it, but I knew better ways to make my omega pliant.
Rob bit his cheek and tried not to laugh. He looked at me and shrugged before turning his attention back on Samuel. “You just asked me a question and answered it yourself, Samuel. I love you, but the Pine Sol fumes are getting to your head.”
Samuel showed Rob just how much his stink eye had gotten meaner as his belly got bigger. He had a temper, but it lasted only a few seconds.
“Fine, if you won’t agree to a maid, then how about you at least use the machines to help you. Seeing you on your knees like that kills me.”
Samuel was on his hands and knees, scrubbing the nonexistent dirt from the floor.
“I thought you liked me on my knees,” he teased, shaking his ass back and forth. “Anyway, same problem. They don’t clean as well as I do.”
“Mr. Clean himself doesn’t clean as well as you do. I’m not sure that’s the issue,” I interjected, still looking at the book but not reading a word. My mates were too entertaining.
“Then, what is the issue?” Samuel flopped over to sit on his butt, apron on, yellow rubber gloves pulled up, and nothing else on but his boxers. The top of the apron was tied over the top of his belly, making the bottom flair out.
“The issue is that we love you and you’re wearing yourself out on all this housework. I get it. You’re nesting. But let’s nest by folding the baby clothes or making a nest with me and Rob in bed. I’m afraid all this is getting a little obsessive.”
I looked from Rob to Samuel who finally got it. He’d been slacking on writing in his journal and had missed some of his appointments with the counselor. I think seeing Emerson and how she was thriving with the counselor’s help convinced him to start before the pregnancy was over. We both thought he might be replacing those expressions of his pain with this obsessive habit and blaming it on the pregnancy.
Counseling was hard, on all of us. I wasn’t sure which was worse, the sessions when he wanted us there, or the ones where he insisted on being alone. There was still pain living in his heart that he couldn’t share with us. He assured us one day he would.
I simply wanted my omega whole.
Samuel stripped off the gloves and the apron.
Then he buried his face in his hands as the tears began to flow. These times weren’t often, but so important. He had to have these expressions of pain or he might burst.
Rob and I rushed to Samuel’s side and gathered him up in our arms. We didn’t tell him everything would be okay or that he should hush and stop crying. Those words were counterproductive. He needed to vent. Instead, we just stayed steady alphas, being strong and protective, holding him when he needed it and stepping back when he needed to stand alone.
This man in my arms, along with Rob, had become my everything.
We sat there for almost an hour while he went on a roller coaster ride of emotions. It pained us to watch, but it was better than him cleaning himself to death.
“Counseling tonight. No excuse,” Rob said, leaving us no room to question.
Samuel nodded and swiped some tears from his eyes.
Good omega, accepting that our love knew what was best for him.
Rob’s cell rang in his pocket, interrupting the nest we’d made on our own.
“What?” he answered, cradling the phone between his face and shoulder as not to let go of Samuel for too long. His eyes focused on mine through the phone call, while he answered the person’s questions with “yes” or “I understand.”
Worst timing ever.
“What’s happening?” I asked as soon as he hung up.
“Apparently, we’ve made the black market a little hard on Marcus. He can’t traffic humans or paranormals without us being all over his ass. So he’s set up a secret auction tonight. Only the high ballers are invited. And when I say secret, I mean underground, like in a cave. He’s so desperate to exploit people, he’s gone into the mountains. Fucking red dragons, stupid as all hell, don’t they know the mountains is where I love to make assholes like him into charcoal?”
Rob’s rage came off him in waves. Samuel and my embrace shifted to calming. Samuel kissed Rob’s lips softly, trying to cool his dragon.
“Oh, my mates. Not even you can quench this fire. I need Marcus’ head. He’s too vile for this world.”
I nodded. “When?”
“Tonight. Samuel, you’ll have to stay with Malinda after your session. I’m so sorry.”
“It’s okay. They have to be stopped. Who told them selling people like meat is okay?”
Those are questions I’d asked myself time after time and could only come to one conclusion.
Red dragons were made of evil—period.
“I’m taking you two to lunch as soon as our mate gets some pants on.” We chuckled, looking at Samuel, big bellied and sitting in the floor—pantless.
“Fine. Pants. You men are so picky.” He went into the bedroom, and I could hear him shuffling through the drawers for something to wear.
“What’s the plan?” I asked, taking Rob’s hand in mine.
“You’re not coming. It’s too dangerous.”
I sat up. “Fuck you. I’m going if you are. If you think for one second I’m going to let you have all the fun, you’re wrong.”
He chuckled and leaned forward to kiss me in one long, sultry stroke. “I know. My dragon wants you safe and Samuel safe. Sometimes, he just wants to burn the whole world down so you two won’t come to any harm. He’s a bastard.”
“We’re a team.”
He tugged on my earlobe. “We are. I hate leaving him.”
We both looked to the bedroom to hear the sink running. Samuel was brushing his teeth.
“It’s not just him,” I remarked, moving closer to Rob, needing to feel his warmth. “In that room is our whole family. Our omega and our babe. It kills me.”
Samuel’s voice rang out from the bathroom. “If you’re going to the mountains, that means you’re going to pass Highway 98, right?”
Rob and I looked at each other. “Yeah,” Rob answered.
“Then when you get back, you’ll have a triple cheeseburger from The Patty, right? You know, to feed our baby.”
I laughed so hard my stomach ached. “We’re going to war, and all he can think about is hamburgers. We’ve created a monster.”
“No, you created a baby,” he argued, now in the door of the bedroom with a smile on his face, looking like sex on a stick, pregnant-style.
“Come on, hungry man, let’s get you to lunch. My lion wants to feed his omega and then get in a workout before we leave tonight.”
“A workout? What kind of workout? Rob joked.
“I think we all know the kind of workout I mean.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Rob
Even the upcoming battle couldn’t distract me from the tangle of arms and legs that was me and my mates that afternoon. Samuel’s belly should have been awkward, but all it did was bring out the creative in each of us. Sasha in particular could come up with sexy ideas at the drop of a zipper. But knowing we’d be apart, that the lion and I were going to be in danger added spice to our lovemaking. We had to hurry, but we didn’t want to let go of one another.
With almost no time left, Samuel lay on his back, legs dangling over the edge of the bed. Sasha knelt over his chest, his cock buried—if his sexy ass rocking back and forth and his muffled groans offered any clues—deep in our unicorn’s throat.
Not to be left out, I focused on what bobbed before me, directly below the substantial bump holding our soon-to-arrive baby. Samuel’s fingers dug into Sasha’s hips, and he bucked his at me. Not one to deny a mate, I grasped his cock and gave a long stroke. He shuddered. I took his head between my lips and mouthed it, lapping at the drop of pre-cum. Nobody tasted like our golden unicorn, sweet and spicy and salty…all good things rolled into one. The pre-cum encouraged me to get to the good stuff, and, with time at a premium, I took him deep and squeezed his sac in rhythm with my strokes. Up and down, suck and lap, and squeeze and release.
Sasha moved faster, his ass driving forward and back; he was getting close. I sped up, sucking hard, and, when Samuel groaned around his own mouthful, I did the thing time had taught me guaranteed his come—on the upswing, I scraped my teeth along his skin, and belched the tiniest bit of fire breath. The first time I’d done it had been an accident, but it didn’t harm him, only sent him flying over the edge.
As it did this time. When my superheated breath rolled along his cock, he went instantly rigid, his cum jetting down my throat in thick, delicious streams. I swallowed fast, but even though it was his second ejaculation of the afternoon, he managed to have enough to fill me to overflowing and a trickle ran down my chin.
When his hips stopped bucking, I stood, wiping my jaw with a corner of the sheet, and looked down at my mates lying side by side, now, their hands linked. My cock was awake and interested, but that could wait until we got back from the battle. Down, boy. After all, I’d had my dick in Sasha’s ass only an hour before.
I shouldn’t be horny.
But with my mates, horny was a way of life.
“Okay.” I stood and slapped Samuel’s thigh, e
njoying the sound of skin on skin. “Time for a shower.” As they both started to rise, I shook my head. “One by one. We know what happens when we all end up in there together.”
Not that it wasn’t fun.
“We’ve got unicorns to save.”
An hour later, we were kissing Samuel goodbye at Malinda’s, the only place in town with warding to protect him from just about anything. His gram was there, baking, and pressed a brown paper bag on us for the road. “Hand pies, my latest. You be careful, now.”
Samuel was already sitting at the table in front of a plate of his own or we’d have felt compelled to share. Instead, we slipped out and back into the truck while he was distracted by food. He’d always enjoyed it, but as the baby grew ready to make an entrance, that tiny person seemed determined to make his daddy eat enough for a whole herd of unicorns.
The mountains where the auction was being held were fortunately just a dozen or so miles away. Tourists came every year to tour the Haven Caves with their stalactites and stalagmites, deep pools of water that glowed in blacklight provided by the guides. In season, that was. At this time of year, heavy snowfall that far up would make entry difficult unless someone did a lot of work to shovel it away. Basically, they were a summer attraction.
So, a determined unicorn slaver with lots of unpaid help could clear it out and host one heck of a party. Genius really. Except when you have someone on the inside. Which Bart did. He wasn’t telling us much about it because his contact would be in great danger if they were found out.
The road to the caves was blessedly free of other vehicles, making me think we’d gotten there before the customers. And after the red dragons arrived to set up. At least we hoped so. That was the schedule in the plan. We wished we could have gone after all of the bastards, but that would take more of us and more time to plan. For today, we wanted to break up this group, take out the reds who were there if possible, and rescue the “stock.”
The Lion, the Dragon, and Their Unicorn Omega: An MM Mpreg Shifter Romance (The Unicorn Omegas Book 2) Page 11