by Skye Jones
“What? Er, no. I don’t think so.” Steffan shook his head, and Aiden nodded enthusiastically at Steffan’s denial. “Mia can stay. She’ll be safe with me. And we’ll call Nathan as soon as we arrive home, so he’ll be here tomorrow.”
“I insist Aiden stay with you,” Rhiannon said. “It makes sense. Two males are better than one, after all. And you made a promise. One you are honor-bound to keep. Your promise is to find Claire’s sister, bring her to our clan, and keep her safe until Claire and her mates can come and meet with her.”
“Why do I need keeping safe?” Mia’s niggling doubts had morphed into something bordering on panic.
Aiden sighed. “You don’t. Not anymore. But it does make sense to be extra cautious. You’re a new dragon female to the clan. There might be males who take a shine to you.”
“I think I can handle a couple of silly, horny men.” She pushed her chin out. “So long as that’s all it is, then I’m not too worried.”
No one answered her, and she straightened her spine, about to demand they confirm or deny, when she noticed something and frowned.
“Erm, Steffan, I think you’ve gone in a circle somehow. We passed that big stone a few minutes ago.”
“Nope, my dear,” Rhiannon said. “It’s our magic working. We’ll teach you how to navigate it, but right now it is affecting you as it would a human. This is how we keep ourselves secret. We can’t let humans find us, so our magic protects us. They’ll keep getting lost and thinking they’ve come back to the same place if they try to go forward. I suggest you shut your eyes as it can be disorienting. We will be there in fifteen minutes.”
Mia did as told and closed her eyes. Slight nausea swirled in her stomach after five minutes, and about to open her eyes, she jolted as something warm touch her arm.
“It’s okay. We’ll be there in five.” Steffan’s deep voice washed over her, and his touch both excited her and soothed her at the same time. Weirdly, it took the nausea away, and she didn’t even try to figure it out. Magic. These people used magic, she’d been told as much, and trying to work it out would only make her brain ache.
*****
Steffan’s head pounded as he pulled into the village with the beginnings of a vile tension headache. He’d kill Rhiannon, later when his head didn’t throb, but he’d definitely be having words with the interfering female. Having Mia stay was bad enough, but once Rhiannon had made him think of any possible danger to Mia, he couldn’t bear not having her under his roof where he’d keep her safe. But Aiden, too? Gods help him. And Aiden drove him insane. His attitude stunk. He’d like to fuck the smugness right out of the jumped-up young male. What? Steffan shook his head as if to dislodge the aberrant thought. No, he didn’t want to fuck anyone. Not Aiden, not Mia, not anyone. Especially not Mia, with her long, dark hair and her curves and those eyes. Not Mia with the scent that had driven him half mad the whole way here. Thank the gods his cave was fucking huge. He ought to shove the two of them far away from him, put them in his bedroom and sleep in the lounge, or even outside. Make them spend the night next to one another. Let them drive each other insane.
But what if… Images of the two of them kissing, entwined together, shot into his head at once, driving him mad with both desire and jealousy. He’d be on the phone to Nathan as soon as possible, demanding he and his mates come and get Mia right-the-fuck-now. He’d have to explain she matched him and Aiden, but once he’d laid it out for Nathan, the other male would understand and come quickly for his mate’s sister.
Steffan could cope with one night.
Mia twisted and turned in her seat, looking around her with wide eyes, and he saw his clan home as if for the first time. The mix of higgledy-piggledy houses clinging to the steep mountainsides. The amazing view out beyond the whitewashed homes, down the sides of the steep, verdant valley. Far, far away in the distance, the glint of the ocean.
Would she like it? Why did he even care? With a grunt, he pulled to a stop, pushed his door open, and swung his legs out, ignoring the cramping in his bad limb.
People streamed out of their homes. They gathered around in small groups as the group all climbed from the off-roader. When Mia appeared, a small ripple of excitement passed through the crowd, and Steffan tuned in to his clan members’ emotions. There was some distrust there, some dislike, even, but no real burning hate of the kind that had nearly killed Claire.
After all, it had been one of their own clan members who’d taken her and tried to murder her. Who had tortured her and filled her with the same poison eating away at him. The idea of someone doing the same to Mia made his chest ache. He couldn’t let it happen.
How had he ended up in this mess? After losing his mates, he’d promised himself he’d never be responsible for anyone again. It hurt too damn much. Oh, he didn’t blame himself for what happened. He’d done everything in his power to protect them, and they’d ignored his request to stay home and instead had put themselves in danger. But the pain had been so intense, he’d vowed never to go there again.
It’s only one night. One night to pay back a debt to an old friend, and then he’d be in the clear. Mia would go with Claire back to the Scottish clan for a visit. Surely, once she’d met her sister and was welcomed there with open arms, she’d wish to stay.
One of the dragons on the edge of the crowd vibrated with a more intense shade of dislike, and Steffan turned to see him watching her with angry eyes. Ah, Prys. He’d lost his female in the Havsa attack. Steffan understood his feelings, but didn’t want Mia upset or frightened if she picked up on his bad vibes. Being a strong latent with a lot of magic, she probably would. She simply wouldn’t understand the unpleasant emotions roiling within her.
Steffan turned to Prys and shot a powerful wall of anger his way. He jerked as if shocked and turned his gaze to Steffan. A small shake of his head and an angry glare was all it took for the male to dial back the aggression. Prys wouldn’t stand a chance against him. None of the clan would, even in his weakened state.
A lot of the younger clan members were happy to see Mia and eager to meet her, so Steffan indicated for them to come forward. Let her feel the love for a short while before he took her to stay with him for the night.
“Steffan. You’re back.” Robert approached with two of the elder council females at his side.
He nodded in response. “Robert, I’d like you to meet Mia.”
Robert bowed low and took Mia’s hand in both of his. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m leader here, and I want you to know, anything you want, simply ask. You look like her,” he mused. “So like your sister.”
Steffan thanked the gods they’d already told Mia about Claire. Otherwise, Robert would have put his foot in it spectacularly.
“She will be staying with Steffan and Aiden, at the cave.” Rhiannon stepped forward and spoke in low tones. “Just to be absolutely sure.”
Robert bristled visibly, jaw tightening, and he pulled himself to his full height. A few females were saying hello to Mia, and Steffan moved the three of them farther away so she couldn’t hear their conversation.
“I don’t like it any more than you do, Robert. But it makes sense.”
“I have issued a decree. I’m in control of this clan. None of them will harm a hair on the girl’s head.”
Steffan bit back a sigh. He found Robert insufferable at times, but the man did generally run the clan effectively and had the patience for all the nonsense he’d never be able to be bothered with himself.
“I know, and I believe in your control of the clan.” He leaned in closer and lowered his voice. “It’s not that I think anyone will outright disobey you and attack her, but there is some resistance to her presence here. Understandably. And I don’t think it will be good for her to stay here in the village and soak in those negative vibes when she doesn’t yet know how to fight them off or what they mean. Once she’s gone back with Nathan and his mates, she’ll be taught her magic, and things will be different. Until then, I think Rhia
nnon is correct. Even though I don’t like it one bit.”
“Why don’t you like it?” Robert asked, and at that moment Mia walked over and stood right by Steffan’s side. Almost touching him, but not quite. Robert’s nostrils flared and his eyes widened. “Oh.”
Yeah, oh, indeed. He was so fucked.
“Come on, Mia. I’ll grab your bags, you get Marlow out of the car, and we’ll set off. It’s a short walk up the mountainside if that’s okay?”
“Sure.”
“We’ll go get everything unpacked, and then…” Steffan realized he didn’t know what to do next.
He shrugged it off. Something would come to him. Maybe he ought to persuade the clan to do some sort of ceremonial shit and light the massive pyres placed all along the valley floor? He had no doubt Mia would be blown away by the spectacle.
“Aiden. Grab your bags, we’re heading up the hill,” he shouted to the younger male who raised one brow but did as Steffan asked. Yeah, he’d enjoy taking that one under his wing, pun intended. Not wanting to dwell on such thoughts, he grabbed Mia’s bags and his own and set off up the hill.
After a moment, Mia caught up with him, Marlow trotting at her side. “Let me carry a bag. You’ve got three there.”
“It’s fine.”
“I insist.”
He gave her a stern look. “Females don’t carry their own bags, certainly not up a steep mountainside.”
“I’m perfectly capable, you know.”
“As may be, but we don’t let females carry their own bags, as I say, up a steep hill. It’s wrong.”
“Why?”
She had him there. He didn’t know why. “It is not our way.”
“So you see women as second-class citizens? As weak?”
He laughed at the absurdity of her question. “Hardly. It’s the exact opposite. Females are incredibly honored and important to our people. You’re so much rarer than males.”
“What?”
“Yeah.” Aiden caught up to them and joined in the conversation. “It’s why two males bond and take a mate.”
Her eyes went comically wide at his words, and Steffan bit back a smile.
“Do all your women have two men?”
“Yup.” Aiden shrugged. “It’s normal to us. Some of the guys are friends only, but others are more than friends. Some of them become a full triad. Three people in a relationship together. Your sister is in a triad. A powerful one, by all accounts.”
“I don’t understand. It sounds…weird. I mean, not three people together or anything, whatever people want to do is fine by me, but the way some are fully together and others aren’t. It sounds…complicated.”
“It really isn’t. Males bond with other males based on matching scents and hormonal profiles. This means they will both match with the same female.”
She nodded, and Aiden carried on. “This makes sense for us as we have so many more males than females. This gives more males a chance of finding a mate who matches. Some of those males are more than platonically bonded, as some of them are attracted to one another. If they are lucky, they will also find a female mate. For our kind, this is probably seen as the highest form of mating. One where all three are fully bonded and fully attracted to one another. Sometimes, more than two males bond—there are four males who live together in our village. But not all bonded males will find a mate they match with. Some spend their lives without a female.”
“Okay.”
She chewed on her lip and appeared to digest what Aiden said. “I’ve got to confess, it sounds like my idea of heaven. I’ve always wanted a threesome.” She giggled and tossed her hair out of her eyes.
Steffan nearly stopped moving. She’d shocked the shit out of him. He never expected her to say anything quite so forward, and he’d never, not for one moment, let himself wonder whether she’d be open to the idea.
He nearly growled as his cock stirred and filled at her words. She played with fire, literally and figuratively, and didn’t seem to know it.
Suddenly, he really doubted his cave would be the safest place for Mia.
Chapter Five
She played a dangerous game goading these two men, but she wouldn’t deny her attraction to them anymore. Furthermore, she trusted them on some innate level. When she’d felt scared, like some sort of specimen paraded for the crowds on her arrival, she’d instinctively found herself leaning against Steffan.
Each time he touched her, she relaxed, soothed by him. Turned on by him, too, And Aiden drove her mad with the way a mere look from him got her panting for his touch.
She’d spent her life isolated, and her flings remained just that—flings. Nothing more. Not because she didn’t want to experience more, but because she’d always been frightened of maybe hurting herself or someone else if she let deeper feelings get involved. She worried about the fire thing happening again at the most inopportune moment if her emotions ran riot.
It went deeper than that, too. She’d never connected with any of the guys she’d been with. That strange sense of being on the outside, of not fitting, carried over into her romantic life. But with these two… She didn’t need to worry, did she? They were the same as her, so she doubted she’d harm them. Maybe for once, she’d feel something deeper than she’d experienced before.
Not that she planned on falling in love with them or anything, but it would be great to let herself fully experience something intense and exciting.
“I’ll call Nathan when we get to my abode.” Steffan spoke over her head to Aiden.
She ground her teeth at the way these men treated her at times. She might want a fling with them, but nothing long term. They’d drive her crazy with their old-fashioned ways. She wanted an equal, not some guy who thought he was better than her purely because of what he’d got going on between his legs. Unfair of her maybe, to categorize them this way, but so far, their behavior wouldn’t be winning them feminist of the year.
“Sounds like a plan. Get him to come tomorrow.” Aiden continued the back-and-forth as if she weren’t right there.
“Don’t you worry. I will.”
“Tomorrow?” She looked to Steffan. “I’m going to meet my sister tomorrow?”
“Yes.”
Oh, wow. Things were moving fast. She wanted desperately to meet Claire. But it also meant she’d only have one night with these two gorgeous men. One night to try to make something happen, if she dared. Did she? Despite not having many emotionally significant relationships, she wasn’t shy. Her isolation tended to be down to her choice, not because she feared human interaction. Of course, she still didn’t know whether or not they had a female in their lives or what their status was.
“Do you have mates?” Heck, why not put it out there and find out. Satisfy her curiosity.
“No.” Aiden shook his head. “We aren’t bonded, so we can’t take a mate. Plus, I’m away a lot, so it wouldn’t work out.”
Okay, then. It kind of made a night of fun with two hot men ideal, if somewhat scary and out of her comfort zone. No chance of entanglements with them as they weren’t bonded, and according to all she’d learned, they didn’t have their society’s permission to take a mate. Aiden clearly didn’t desire anything deep and meaningful, and she doubted Steffan did either. She sensed they were attracted to her. But she also thought Aiden didn’t like her much, and Steffan seemed so old-fashioned and bound by rules and honor. Seducing them might prove difficult.
Hell, seducing them would be super hard for her, full stop, because she’d never done it before. Never seduced anyone in her life. And her sexual encounters had been run-of-the-mill affairs, until she’d experienced one mildly kinky and fun fling with a German backpacker she’d met picking blackberries, of all things, one autumn. They’d gone for a few drinks and then spent some time getting to know one another in a more intimate sense. He’d extended his stay in Britain, and they’d become friends with benefits. He liked to tie her up, and despite her experience in the shed, she quite liked it, too,
which she’d not been expecting.
She bit back a smile as she thought of their fling. It had all been a bit of a giggle, but hot nonetheless. But even with him, there’d been the odd distance she experienced during any interaction with other people, which killed any chance of truly letting go and having mind-blowing sex.
Something told her it wouldn’t be lighthearted in the same way with these guys. Hot, yes, but probably more intense. And if she could turn her thoughts off, just let herself feel… An involuntary shiver ran down her spine at the delicious thought. Did she have the balls to take what she wanted for once? For one night? This all felt like a complete break from reality, a dream almost. Why not take advantage of that and go for something she wanted?
Up above them, rugged and dark, like a great yawning mouth in the hillside, sat what she presumed was Steffan’s cave. She shivered again for a different reason. It fair glowered at her, as foreboding as anything she’d seen before.
They climbed higher and higher, and even Marlow seemed to struggle as he panted beside her. The great big opening of the cave grew nearer, and a sense of unease and something akin to dread built within her breast. She didn’t do small spaces or the dark too well ever since the shed. The cave looked huge, but it was still built into the rock, for God’s sake, so inside it would surely be dark and dank. And it didn’t come with lovely white walls like the cave dwellings she’d seen in Greece. No, this huge thing appeared made from deep gray slate, so deep it looked black in places.
They got to the entrance, and she saw there were huge, medieval-style torches standing sentry on either side of the gaping cavern. A large area of what looked like hay and maybe grass lay to one side. Plants in deep blue containers dotted the space, as did other bits and bobs: a chair, a small leather sofa, and deep into the recess of the entranceway, a shelf of books. Running all along the back of this wide wound in the landscape there were floor-to-ceiling glass doors. She frowned at them, wondering how they’d been fitted to the uneven roof. She glanced toward the top to see the wood they were fitted into ran straight where the glass went in, but curved and undulated at the top where it met the roof. The world’s most talented carpenter had to have made them.