Endre: Brothers Of The Dark Places

by Miranda Bailey

  They stood with her and walked her to the elevator. Tessa had gone up with Hale earlier and Kaia and Zed seemed to be glued to each other. Cora felt a pang of happiness for her friends and thanked the men as they dropped her at the elevator like gentlemen.

  “Thank you for such a lovely evening fellas. It’s been lovely and I’d love to do it again.” Cora stepped into the elevator as she spoke.

  “Maybe tomorrow then.” Knox offered.

  “Yes, tomorrow?” Rhys joined in.

  Cora waited until the doors started to close to respond.

  “I’d like that.” She said with a smile and a wave as the doors closed. She slumped against the wall of the elevator, her body still singing.

  All night she’d clamped down on her hormones and not inviting them up with her had been terribly hard. She’d decided that maybe, if she was going to go wild, she might as well go full-on out of her mind. She couldn’t believe the men were so interested in her but they’d been like two bear cubs play and tumbling over each other all night. She thought perhaps a package deal would be possible and for once, she’d do just as she pleased. Maybe. If she didn’t chicken out. And if they caught on to what she really wanted, that is.

  Smothering a giggle as the elevator climbed, Cora wondered if she could really do it. She wouldn’t tell them about being pregnant, they didn’t need to know that, for now. But if she could have her cake and eat it too maybe, just maybe, she’d take that chance. As she slid into bed after changing her clothes Cora smiled to herself once more. She knew it would probably never happen, it was just too far out, but she could dream about it if she wanted to. You could do whatever you wanted to in your dreams without being judged. You could also pretend two of the hottest men you’d ever seen really did want your attention if you wanted to. Tomorrow she’d wonder if they were just being hospitable but for now she could dream whatever she wanted to.

  6

  Cora woke the next day to a bright summer morning, and stretched languidly. She settled back down into the snuggly pillows and thought how nice it was not to wake up to the overwhelming need to throw up. She put her hand on her stomach and felt the rounded place where her baby was growing. Smooth and warm the spot comforted her.

  She hadn’t planned to get pregnant, she’d tried to avoid it but now that the baby was there she was happy. The initial shock had worn off and the idea had started to appeal to her. She was going to have a baby!

  As her hand rested on her tummy her thoughts turned to the very vivid, very memorable dreams she’d had the night before. Dreams of being in bed with Knox. Then Rhys had joined them. Cora giggled wickedly at the things they’d done in her dream. She might be pregnant at the moment but that didn’t stop her body from feeling desire and need. And the things those men had done in her dreams, the places they’d taken her, the life they gave her, it was more than she could ever hope to have. She was almost sad that the whole thing had only been a dream.

  A knock on the door had her jumping out of bed to see who it was. She wasn’t surprised to see Tessa and Kaia at the door, ready to go for the day. They waited for her to get dressed and went down to explore what the resort had to offer for breakfast. Cora smelled real biscuits, sausage, and gravy as she walked into the area and grinned. It was time to get her grub on!

  She was happily stuffing biscuits slathered in gravy down her throat when she heard Kaia and Tessa smothering giggles. She looked up to see her friends watching her in amazement.

  “Girl, you could always eat but dang!” Tessa busted out with a laugh and a pat on the hand to let her know she was only teasing.

  “I stay so hungry lately! It’s ridiculous! Oh, and about that, can we keep things about the bambino quiet here? We’re only here for two weeks, no need to scare anybody off, if you know what I mean? Men get all freaked out when you mention babies.” Cora winked as she stuffed a piece of sausage into her mouth happily.

  “I understand.” Kaia said and Tessa nodded her head in agreement. “You up for a hike today or are you feeling tired?”

  “No, I’m good. Since the morning sickness stopped I’ve been fine, just hungry.” Cora responded, the idea of a hike appealing. It might work off some of her libido.

  The conversation carried on for a bit but they were soon on the trail. Cora waved at Knox sitting with Hale at the table on the other side of the room before she left. She hoped she’d get to see him again later in the evening.

  Cora was soon in a rhythm of walking, watching Tessa as she grouched her way along. Tessa was a little bigger than the other two women but quite beautiful and normally not a grumpy person. Cora wondered if Hale was on her mind and poked at her friend.

  “Why are you so grumpy?” Cora asked her friend. Cora liked to face problems head on with her friends.

  “I’m just tired. Where are we?” She started to look around and then looked over at Kaia. “What’s up?”

  That’s when they figured out they were lost. After some shuffling around and discussion they decided to head back to the river so Cora could at least stick her feet in the water. Cora had taken off her boots and socks, sliding her feet into the cold river water as she sat on a rock when Tessa started talking again.

  “Hale will find us.” She said confidently. Cora looked at her, wondering how she could be so certain. “He will.”

  Cora wasn’t really nervous or upset, she knew someone from the lodge would come looking, so she didn’t panic. Kaia might not feel it but Cora did, she knew Rhys and Knox were coming so she waited patiently, daydreaming about pies and whipped cream, and other ways of using whipped cream.

  Cora couldn’t really explain it but she felt unusually calm. The only one that didn’t appear to be calm was Kaia; the usually calm woman was pacing up and down the clearing so Cora tried to distract her.

  “Kaia, Knox and Rhys, those two guys. Do you think they’re interested?” She asked with a hopeful tone.

  “Oh they are. Very interested.” Kaia shot out, her pacing quickening.

  “Which do you think I should choose?” Cora asked the question with a smile hidden behind her hand.

  “Why choose one? Have them both my darling. You might as well. Men like that are few and far between. I’d take the opportunity given to you.” Kaia said as she stopped to give Cora a meaningful glance.

  Cora’s eyes went wide as Kaia went back to pacing. Kaia said it so bluntly, as though it wasn’t a worldview shattering thing to do. Kaia was still pacing when the first sound of engines reached them.

  Cora saw Kaia’s eyes go wide in astonishment before she turned away. Cora could only guess she was shocked the men showed up. Tessa took off with Hale immediately and Kaia jumped on the ATV Zed had brought. That left Cora with Knox.

  She looked at the man shyly, wanting to be close to him but not wanting to make a fool of herself.

  “Climb aboard the Knox-train, miss. We offer complimentary bumps and knotted hair, a bone-shaking ride that will make you feel like a human milkshake, and a complimentary bottle of water.” The devilish smile that accompanied his speech had her feeling wobbly as she walked over to the large piece of equipment he was sitting on.

  Her normally wicked tongue, sharp but funny, abandoned her now and turned into a slug on the bottom of her mouth. She could only nod her head and smile as she climbed on. She could smell his scent, feel his warmth as she settled behind him. There was room enough that she didn’t have to cling to him, there was even arm rests, but her legs were still brushing against his and she wanted to giggle.

  Clamping down on the urge Cora thought about her conversation with Kaia once more. She knew women sometimes fantasized about having two men at the same time, she’d been dreaming about that all night, of course she knew that! But would Knox and Rhys really go for that? Men were so picky, so afraid another man might touch them or that people would see them as less masculine sometimes. Kaia had said they’d go for it, how did she know?

  What kind of man would do something like that? A conf
ident one obviously. But one that trusts his friend, obviously, too. Cora looked down at her bare legs, and shivered when Knox’s hands grazed her bare calf. She only had on a loose top, a pair of denim shorts, her hiking boots and hiking socks. There were a good few feet of bare skin for Knox to touch there. When his fingers went back to her calf, grasping at the muscle before letting it go her heart started beating faster.

  Yes, there was interest there. She most definitely returned it! Cora flexed the muscle as he continued to touch her. She didn’t protest, didn’t want to protest, but moved her leg closer to his instead. She hoped that he understood her signal.

  He put his hand back on the grips and revved the engine. Cora giggled, her laughter stolen by the wind as they sped along a dirt trail. She loved riding the ATV and felt like her every care was blowing away with the wind. She sat up and wrapped her arms around Knox, wanting to feel close to him.

  Cora really wanted to run her hands under his shirt once she got close to him and felt his heat but controlled herself.

  “Just slip your hand under the back of his shirt, Cora. Just a little.” A little voice in her head told her. She told it to hush but it wouldn’t listen.

  “Just imagine what it would feel like, smooth skin, and those tight muscles in his stomach. Go on, you know you want to!” She fought down the urge once more but couldn’t stop the images stirring in her brain. She imagined the way he’d tense and maybe grumble a little. She’d just slide her hand down, lower, until it slid under the button of his jeans down to his…

  She stopped herself, her hands tensing on his stomach but over his shirt still. That was close, she thought, too close. Just stop that! But her fingers twitched once more, wanting so badly to move and touch his flesh. Knox must have noticed her fingers twitching because he growled, a low rumble that Cora felt more than heard, and gave the ATV more gas.

  She could feel Knox laughing but couldn’t hear it. She joined him as they sped over the flat ground and rested her head between his shoulder blades. Clad in a black t-shirt and jeans, Knox reminded her more of the cowboys that she’d thought about the night before.

  She could tell that the man was more comfortable in jeans and boots than he was in a suit and loafers but the man could wear anything and he’d make it look good. Cora liked that he was versatile though, and finally just let her thoughts fly away, deciding to enjoy the moment and not overthink things at all.

  Cora’s head was resting on Knox’s back, her eyes closed but a change in the sound of the engines around her had her opening her eyes. She saw Hale turning off in another direction, Tessa snuggled up behind him. Her friend looked happy and Cora was happy for her. Tessa needed a little fun in her life for once. She controlled herself far too much.

  As they turned the other way Cora saw Rhys coming out on his own ATV and Knox stopped his ATV to talk to his friend. Cora was still clinging to Knox’s back and she watched Rhys from her spot. Rhys responded to Knox with a shake of his head, his eyes glued to Cora’s hands resting flat on Knox’s stomach. She saw a hunger in his eyes, a want that only one thing would quench. Deep inside she felt an answering desire, a hunger of her own. But her hunger was for both men, not just one over the other. Greedy little Cora wanted them both. At the same time.

  The men talked for a moment more but then started moving again. They soon pulled into the resort and into a garage that went underground. Knox, Rhys and Zed led Cora and Kaia to an elevator then dropped them off at their rooms. Cora saw Kaia talking with Zed and looked up at Knox then over at Rhys. She wanted to ask them in to her room, to drag them in and tear their clothes off as she stared into their deep brown eyes but she didn’t. She just stood there in the dimly lit hallway and wished one of them would pull her to him, making the choice for her.

  Every time she was near one of them, her tongue went numb. With both of them so near her entire brain shut down and all she could think about was sex. Even now her body was responding and though she couldn’t see it the signs were obvious. Her face flushed and her eyes darkened as her body kept leaning towards them. She could feel some of the changes though, the way her chest tightened and her lower body started to heat up.

  “What are you doing tonight?” Rhys asked, his eyes drilling into hers for a moment before they trailed over to Knox. Knox gave a subtle shake of his head that Cora caught but didn’t comment on.

  “It would seem Tessa is busy and Kaia looks like she has plans of her own.” Cora nodded over to Kaia’s door where Zed leaned into Kaia’s doorway, his arm propped on the doorframe.

  Both men looked and grinned but the grins disappeared as they looked back at Cora.

  “We’re going to a party later, if you’d like to come with us?” Cora wasn’t sure but she thought Rhys placed an emphasis on the word “us”.

  “I’d love to.” The words were out before she could even think about it. Blinking up at the men in astonishment Cora realized that was exactly what she wanted. Anything they gave her.

  “Wear your usual clothes; it’s nothing fancy, some bonfires and beer. Normal life around here. It’s not your usual party, really, but it is. You’ll see when you get there.” Knox told her. “We’ll come back in an hour shall we?”

  Cora’s head was still spinning and she just nodded her head before disappearing behind her own door. Was she really going to do this, she wondered as she ran for the bath tub? That little voice in her head asked why she still had her clothes on when she should be in the hot water getting ready. She had her answer.

  7

  Cora opted for a shower instead of a bath and dried her hair quickly. Slapping on some makeup she went through her clothes looking for something that would protect her from mosquitos but wouldn’t have her sweating to death in ten minutes. She found a flowy black lace top and a long thin cotton skirt in multicolored pattern. Looking in the mirror she approved of what she saw. The top was sheer but would keep the bugs off and the outfit hid her stomach.

  Sexy but classy. Cora didn’t want to look cheap but she did like to look good. The skirt had been hemmed to suit her short stature as has the top. Her hair covered her in the back, falling down to her waist in soft golden red curls. With her green eyes lined in dark makeup she looked cool and mysterious. She liked that.

  Taking the elevator down after waiting for ten minutes for a text back from Kaia she wondered what her friend was up to. Kaia usually didn’t ignore her texts but maybe she was making an exception tonight. Cora grinned as she put her own phone in her handbag before stepping off of the elevator. If Kaia was with Zed Cora didn’t blame her a bit.

  Looking around Cora spotted Knox and Rhys and waved at them as she walked over to them. They’d both cleaned up and were in solid black shirts and pants. Two young bears on the prowl, Cora thought, then wondered if they really were. They could be if they were shifters. The thought kept popping into her head and Cora was starting to suspect she could be right. There still hadn’t been an explanation of how the men knew the women were lost, after all.

  “Ready?” Rhys asked and Cora shook her head. Leaving the well-lit room behind the men walked Cora out to a shiny new SUV and settled her in the passenger seat.

  Cora was trying not to ogle the opulent vehicle when Rhys got into the driver’s seat. Knox jumped in the back and buckled in. Rhys started the engine and Cora was surprised she couldn’t hear the engine running. She’d expected loud pipes that would lead to a headache. These guys continued to surprise her.

  Rhys was the quiet broody type and kept his eyes on the road as he drove, getting on the interstate for a few minutes before getting back off. They drove for a few miles, Knox asking Cora a string of questions.

  “What’s it like to be a teacher, Cora? I always wondered what it was like from the other side of the room.”

  “It can be very stressful, what with tests and maintaining standards. We also have to be a nurse and surrogate mother. I teach elementary school, first graders, and I end up covered in snot, and sometimes barf, but wh
en you see those little smiling faces and they start to learn, it’s really rewarding.” Cora could feel a glowing smile on her face.

  “I bet it’s a hard job too. Do you get attached to them?” He probed.

  “Sometimes, most of the time really. It’s hardest when a child has been abused or neglected. I’ve run into that a few times. We are required to report it to the state, you know? Those are the ones that stick with me the most. They’re little faces haunt me.” Her words were quiet as she stared out into the black night.

  They were passing by a forest and a sign for a private camp ground. Cora didn’t see them because she was thinking of those tiny children.

  “Hey, you’re with us, Cora. I’ll punch Knox if he makes you sad again.” Rhys told her as he put his hand on hers before pulling into a side road she’d missed.

  “Oh it’s fine. It’s a part of my life now and I have to take the good with the bad. Those kids have it far worse than I do anyway. But at least I could be there for them.” Cora gave a brave smile and looked out of the windshield.

  Hills stretched out before them and bonfires dotted the range for at least a mile. This was a huge party! As she saw revelers of every shape and size, from a variety of backgrounds roaming together between the fires. There must have been two hundred people here all dancing, laughing, talking, and mingling together.

  Cora watched them as Rhys parked the vehicle and laughed happily.

  “Life is certainly meant for living in these parts, isn’t it?” She said to them as she got out of the vehicle.

  “It is.” Rhys answered, taking one arm while Knox took the other. “This is more or less a clan meeting. We do this about once a month or so and then we go back to our lives, all joined in some way, carrying on our friendships and understandings from this meeting.”