by Macy Blake
Andvari gestured toward the living room where Henry and Pip had both stopped struggling and were letting Pip’s mom pet both of their heads.
“Oh… she’s totally got ‘em.”
“Right?”
“Well, never send a boy to do a woman’s job. Or something. Hold my knife.”
She pressed her weapon into Andvari’s hand and made her way into the kitchen. Seven seconds later, Henry and Pip were free.
“What is this black magic?” Sawyer gasped.
“Oh, she’s good,” Dakota said.
“That was brilliant,” Eduard said.
“Someone needs to tell me what she did.”
“Viv asked for help in the kitchen,” Andvari said. “And she’s totally going to make us pay for it so you better start figuring out a way to make it up to her. This is a truly noble sacrifice.”
Sawyer groaned. “She’s going to hold this over my head forever.”
“She absolutely will,” Loch said with a dreamy sigh. “She’s my hero.”
“Ugh. You like her best.”
“She makes me honey muffins. What do you do?”
Sawyer arched a brow at him, thinking of about a half dozen things off the top of his head that Loch really liked him to do.
“Well, besides that.”
Sawyer arched the other brow for good measure.
“Fine, I like her food best. You don’t give me food.”
“She won’t let me in the kitchen!”
Loch made a really foul sound. “You made food for Dakota.”
Sawyer groaned. He couldn’t win.
Draco pulled them all away from the doorway as Viv and Pip’s mom passed. Then he grabbed Sawyer’s hand and dragged him back into the living room. His other mates followed behind.
Henry pouted. He had his arms crossed over his chest and his lip was even sticking out a bit. “You left me.”
“No, no,” Sawyer said. “We sent help.”
“You sent Viv.”
“Actually,” Saeward said, “Viv is the one who figured out how to save you. The rest of us were clueless. Andvari was afraid.”
“Not helping, Ward,” Sawyer said.
“I wouldn’t say I was afraid exactly.”
“Viv is my favorite,” Henry said, ignoring them both.
“Ugh, not this again. Come on, we should go upstairs before they come back.”
Pip seemed stunned that they’d managed to rescue him at all, but Sawyer held out his hand and Pip took it. He led them all upstairs to the master bedroom and found Pearl and Byakko sprawled across their giant, custom-made bed.
“Really, Pearl?”
She ignored him but her tail did thump adorably against the mattress. Byakko opened one eye, gave him an I dare you look, before closing it again. Since Sawyer knew with one hundred percent certainty that the tiger wouldn’t budge, he pretended not to care that his plan for lots of snuggles with his mates in said giant bed were foiled by his guide.
Sawyer grumbled under his breath but led Pip to the other side of the room where they had a small sitting area. He plopped down on one of the window seats and pulled Pip down beside him.
“Move over,” Draco griped.
“Why?”
“Because I want to sit by Pip. You know you’re going to get up and start pacing anyway.”
“But—”
Draco growled.
“Oh, don’t get cranky with me.”
“You’ve gotta explain stuff. Explaining Sawyer paces. Everyone knows that.”
“I do n—”
“Exactly,” Draco interrupted. “You do. Go on. I’ll keep Pip company.”
Sawyer actually witnessed the heart eyes forming in Pip’s gaze as he stared at Draco. “Fine!”
Draco snuggled up to Pip, then gave Sawyer a filthy look that somehow made him feel better. The look had promises of really naughty, dirty, feel-amazing things.
“You, sit.” Sawyer pointed at the open spot on Pip’s other side and glared until Dakota left his position pretending to hold up a wall and sat. All of his mates were giving him amused smiles. Except Pip, who looked extremely confused.
How the hell was he supposed to explain all of this?
“Hi,” he said.
As far as conversation starters went, it was a timeless classic.
Eduard smirked. The jerk.
“Hi,” Pip replied. “Why are you nervous?”
“Because all of this is a lot.”
“If by a lot, you mean a lot of hot, then you’re the god of understatement.”
“Oh. You… uh… you know?”
“I know what?”
“That I’m a… you know?”
“What? Did you hit your head?” Pip turned and looked up at Draco. “Did he hit his head?” Pip’s breath was a little… breathy. Like he couldn’t quite manage to get enough air around Draco. He appeared to be a little lightheaded. Or Sawyer was imagining things and avoiding thinking about explaining everything and speaking of….
“No. I didn’t hit my head.”
“Weird.”
Sawyer sighed. “I’m a god.”
“Sure you are. And these are your mates. And I’m one, too, because if we’re gonna live in a fantasy world, I call dibs on all the hot mates.”
Sawyer couldn’t help but smile. “Glad you figured it all out.”
Pip frowned again. “I really think he’s injured.”
This time he spoke to Dakota, who had the audacity to smile down at him while— was Pip batting his eyelashes? Was that what batting eyelashes looked like in real life? Sawyer huffed, and Dakota turned his yellow-eyed gaze toward him.
“You suck at this.”
“Shut up. You suck.” As far as comebacks went, also a timeless classic. He really needed to up his game.
“Don’t I wish,” Pip said with a dreamy sigh.
See? Why hadn’t Sawyer thought of that? He should have. He wanted a little suck and fun with Dakota too. He forced his mind to stop. He needed to make sure Pip understood. Then he could think about naughty times with Dakota.
“I kind of am a god,” Sawyer said gently.
“Uh-huh, sure you are. Me, too.” Pip turned to Draco and ran a finger down his chest. “Oh, sorry. I couldn’t help myself. Did…um, wait. What was I going to say?”
Draco leered, and Sawyer plopped his head into his hands.
“Oh, I remember. Is he the god of mates? Because if he is, I want in on that. Especially if it means I get to mate with you. And him. And him. And him. And—”
“Ugh!” Sawyer flopped down on Saeward’s lap.
Pip snickered. “So tell me what the deal is. For real, this time. I mean, I know I’m adorable and all, but I’m not an idiot. Like you’re really a god. As if.”
No one spoke for a long, uncomfortable minute. Multiple furtive glances were exchanged. No one wanted to break the news to their cute new mate. Sawyer just wanted to snuggle up to Ward a little longer. He always smelled like the ocean, even though he used the same Eduard-approved oil stuff in the shower as the rest of them.
Pip looked up at Draco and his grin began to slip. “Wait.”
He spun around to look at Dakota. “Wait. Wait.”
He swiveled his head around and gave a wide-eyed look to Loch. “Wait.”
“How many times do you think he’s going to say that?” Henry whispered.
“I have no idea.”
“Fuck me sideways!”
Loch frowned and leaned closer to Sawyer. “Is that possible for humans?”
Sawyer couldn’t help it. He lost it. He wasn’t sure if he was laughing or crying, or some combination of both, but before he realized what was happening, his mates had him surrounded.
Draco knelt down in front of him, holding his hand tightly. When he finally calmed a little, Draco reached back and pulled Pip forward.
“I don’t understand,” Pip said quietly.
“Explain it, Sawyer,” Draco said.
Sawyer l
ocked eyes with Draco for a long moment, trying to absorb some of the strength and steadiness he found in his mate’s beautiful amber eyes, then turned to Pip. “My name is Sawyer, and I’m the Chosen One.”
He really did suck at explaining things. Luckily, Pip seemed to feel sorry for him. Probably because he was nearly hysterical.
“What’s that mean?” Pip asked, his voice soft and sweet.
“A few months ago, no one knew what it meant. We thought I was human. I was human. Am human? I don’t know. But I have eight guardians, two from each of the elements. You’re one of them. Remember when I asked you if you had the mark?”
Pip nodded.
“All of my guardians have one.”
“Wow,” Pip said. “So guardians. What are we guarding you from?”
“My brother. He’s the god of air. See, for a long time, everyone thought the Mother Goddess only had her three daughters. Fire, Water, Earth. But what about Air? Air is an element, too, but no one questioned why there wasn’t an air goddess.”
“I never thought of that. Weird.”
“Yeah,” Sawyer said. “It is weird. But it’s just because something happened a long time ago, and I guess I did something that made everyone forget that my brother and I even existed.”
Pip sucked in a breath. “You mean… you’re actually a god?”
“That’s the rumor.”
“Holy fuck my life shit balls.”
Sawyer couldn’t help but laugh. “Yeah. Something like that.”
“But wait… what god does that make you? There isn’t another element, is there?”
“Metal,” Sawyer said. “I’m the god of metal.”
“Weird. But wait. There aren’t metal elementals. Are there?”
“Apparently there are. Maybe? It’s another one of the mysteries we’re trying to figure out.”
“But where are the metal elementals? I mean, my mom knows an awen coven, and they only have four. And I’ve never heard of an elemental creature who’s metal.”
“I know,” Sawyer said. “I don’t know how to explain it. It just… that’s what it is. We still have to figure it out, while we figure out how to stop my brother from doing… whatever it is he’s trying to do now. I started all this because he was trying to kill the Mother Goddess so he could be the new head god or whatever.”
“Wait… you don’t know?”
“I wiped my memories when I did the whole magical forget my brother and I exist thing.”
“Well that was dumb.”
Sawyer grinned, the tension in his chest finally easing a little. “Tell me about it.”
“So when you guys rescued me, I kept getting cranky because everyone was… well, I mean they’re super hot, and I was kinda hoping someone would be available, you know?”
“I know. I’m also the god of mating so…well, these are all my mates. And maybe—”
“Holy shit balls fuck my life hot damn please tell me that I get to be mates with you, too. And them. Oh my great goddess in the sky I think I’m gonna pass out. All of you. And me. I need to sit down.”
“He is sitting down,” Loch observed. “Is he broken?”
“Yes, pretty, blue-haired hottie. I am broken. You have broken my brain with your hotness, and the wings, and the blue eyes, and the sword. I mean, why do you even have a sword on in the house? Just to be sexy? Because it works. And it’s totally phallic and I get it, but damn, do you have to rub it in that you have a nice, long—”
Sawyer cleared his throat and drew Pip’s attention back to him. “You might want to stop now.”
Pip sucked in a breath. “But the sword.”
“Trust me, I know. Hot as hell.”
“So hot. And this one with the eyes.” Pip gestured over his shoulder to Dakota. “All golden yellow and sultry. Then there’s that one with the red hair and the sexy I-will-do-you-so-good-you-won’t-even-know-what-day-it-is vibe.”
Sawyer grinned and looked at Eduard. “Yep, that pretty much describes him perfectly.”
“And Blondie McIntensity over there. I mean really, Sawyer? He wants to bend me over the bed and….”
Andvari coughed and looked away guiltily.
“Wait until you find out how flexible he is.”
“That’s not helping, Sawyer.”
“The good news is, you have a chance to win us all over. I mean, it doesn’t happen just because, you know? You have to build it.”
“Or, and I’m just spitballing ideas here, I could strip and let you each take turns fucking my brains out in a giant gang bang that will leave all of those naughty videos I totally don’t have bookmarked on my computer high and dry with how hot it is.”
Draco groaned and started to make grabby hands toward Pip. Sawyer smacked his hands away. “Behave.”
“No,” Pip protested. “Don’t behave. I’ve been trapped in a room with nothing but a magical celestial tiger and my hand for company for… months. I don’t even know. And do you want to know what said tiger would do if I decided I needed a little me time? Act like a giant baby, that’s what. He knocked the bathroom door off the hinges when I went in for a little wanky-my-spanky time. I need to get off. I really, really need to get off. So bad. I mean, I’m so hard right now it won’t take much. One look from Draco and I’m… well, it’ll all be over, not gonna lie. But I have great recovery time, so there’s that. Did I mention months? That part’s important.”
“Your mother is downstairs,” Sawyer said.
That dimmed the spark in Pip’s eyes a little. “I’ll get rid of her.”
Henry snickered. “Yeah. Right.”
Pip sighed. “I will. Because as horny as I am right now— and have I mentioned how much I need to come? Any volunteers? Anyone? — I know we have some things to figure out. And this is where I’m supposed to be. I can feel it, which is weird. I think part of my mom understands that, too. It’s why she didn’t want to let me go earlier. Also, sorry about the boob squish, Henry. She’s a bit intense.”
“I didn’t mind. I mean, wait until you meet my Nana. She’s a hugger, too.”
“I can guarantee she isn’t as intense as my mom. I’ll talk to her. It’s just going to be hard for her, you know?”
“As hard as it is for you?” Loch asked with a leer.
“Very funny, stud muffin. Man, I would love for you to plow my garden.”
Loch looked adorably confused. “I do not understand.”
“Is he hungry?” Saeward asked. “He requires muffins and vegetables?”
Henry cackled.
Sawyer elbowed him in the side.
“Loch, he wants you to sheathe your sword,” Henry explained.
Loch’s eyes widened in understanding. “I see. It is another of those— what did you call them?”
“Innuendo,” Henry replied. “And yes. That’s what he was doing. He wants your penis.”
Saeward nodded and patted the pillow beside him. “Henry, I would like to learn about these innuendos.”
“You should all go to the library,” Draco said. “Sawyer and I need to speak to Pip.”
Draco
Draco waited for the others to file out of the room. Several of them— he glared at Loch and Andvari— did so very reluctantly. They wanted in on the Pip action. Draco didn’t blame them at all. They’d have their turn.
Sawyer only looked slightly panicked. Pip, whose hand Draco had snagged when he tried to follow the others, stood beside him looking adorably confused. And turned on. He couldn’t forget that part.
Draco moved back to one of the window seats and pulled Pip along behind him. He settled Pip on his lap, noticing the excited hitch in his breath. He pressed Pip’s back to his chest and guided his legs apart so he sat sprawled over Draco. Open and ready, even if he was fully clothed. Draco would remedy that soon enough.
Sawyer looked ready to spin into a million pieces. He wanted— of course he did. Pip was the last of his mates, finally with him. Sawyer wouldn’t admit to them how frightened he wa
s, but Draco saw through all his pithy excuses and attempts at humor. He was afraid what would happen when he finally accepted Pip into his bed, and more importantly, into his heart.
Sawyer had his guard up.
Draco planned on tearing it down.
“What’s…um, happening?” Pip asked.
He had a slight hitch in his breath again, but Draco could feel the need pouring out of him.
“You said you needed to come. I thought I’d give you a hand.”
His reward for his rumbled promise was a head-to-toe tremble from Pip. Sawyer shivered as well, his gaze moving up and down Pip’s body before returning to meet Draco’s.
“Draco—”
“You disapprove?”
Sawyer gulped.
“He hasn’t said—”
“What do you want him to say?” Draco interrupted. “That he wants this? Haven’t you been listening? We are his greatest desire.”
Draco ran his hand down Pip’s chest, pausing just above the bulge in the loose sweats he wore.
Pip kept quiet, seeming to understand that something else was at play. He did wiggle his hips a little to try to entice Draco into moving. The little scoundrel. It distracted Draco enough that he nipped a spot on Pip’s neck in reply.
Pip groaned and moved his head further to the side, giving Draco more access to that delicious span of smooth skin from behind his ear to his shoulder.
“He hasn’t said—” Sawyer stopped himself and began chewing on his lip. He looked very upset. Draco couldn’t quite figure out where it was coming from.
“I consent,” Pip said. “I wholeheartedly give you my consent.”
“Of course you do,” Draco said. “You are ours. Was there ever any doubt?”
“Of course he consents to you mauling him, Draco. He’s been cooped up for months, like he said. And you’re… you. Everyone wants you.”
“You’re afraid.”
“Of me?” Pip asked.
“Of what you mean,” Draco explained. He answered Pip but locked eyes on Sawyer, daring his mate to disagree with him.
He slipped his hand beneath the waistband of Pip’s pants and slowly ran the tip of his finger down Pip’s achingly hard cock. Poor thing wasn’t exaggerating. It wouldn’t take much.
“You need me to help you let off some steam?” Draco purred against Pip’s ear, still watching Sawyer. Waiting for him to break this ridiculous wall he thought to build around himself.