Endre: Brothers Of The Dark Places

by Miranda Bailey

  “Yes, it’s here we form our bonds with the community. This is where we all come together as one people.” Knox added, waving at a couple in buckskin by one of the fires and kissing a woman that ran away after another man after she said hello.

  Cora watched as people came up to each of the men, saying hello as the men introduced her. Everyone was happy, smiling, with not a care in the world. Cora decided tonight was her night not to care and happily followed along, letting the men lead her further along the hill.

  They guided her to an empty bonfire and Knox dropped a blanket on the ground. Rhys was called away by a group of people cooking on a grill and went over to say hello. Knox sat down beside Cora and stretched out, his right arm behind his head. She stretched out beside him but didn’t touch him.

  “What do you think?” He asked her, staring over at her in the firelight.

  “It’s wonderful, so many people happy and getting along. Is this the whole town?”

  “No, just a few. The kids are all with sitters or family. Some of the townsfolk don’t want to fit in so they stay away but we don’t really miss them.”

  “Doesn’t that contradict the whole 'community' spiel?” Cora shot back, looking at him with an arched brow, her own arm going behind her head.

  “I suppose it does but they’re the bad elements, the criminals that wait for this night to break into homes or those so high on drugs they can’t function. We don’t purposefully exclude anyone they do it themselves. We do what we can though, to get them to clean up their acts and join in.” Knox was actually serious for a change. Cora liked this side of him too.

  “So what happens here exactly?” Cora wondered sitting up as Rhys came back with several plates of food. She and Knox helped him set it on the blanket and then shared from the plates filled with grilled smoked sausage, potato salad and coleslaw, and barbecued chicken.

  “Anything you want to happen.” Rhys laughed after he swallowed some slaw. “Anything you can dream of.”

  “Oh?” She challenged. “Anything huh, even strange things other people might find deviant?”

  “Oh yes, lots of that.” Knox said, running a finger up her leg. “Especially those things. Keep an eye out in the shadows later.”

  “Really?” Cora was shocked but somehow not.

  “Mmm.” Rhys spoke this time. “Lots of things. You smell that on the air? People will start dropping their clothes later. Not everyone, this isn’t about an orgy, but it can happen.”

  Cora was intrigued, rather than disgusted or afraid. She sniffed at the air as Rhys instructed and sure enough, she could smell smoke that wasn’t wood fire or tobacco. It was a scent that took her back to her college days and she laughed.

  “Oh this is awesome!” She cried out. “I’ve always wanted to go to something like this!”

  “Have you indeed?” Rhys asked, his tone amused.

  “Well no, I didn’t know they actually existed but if I had known I might have snuck in to get some voyeurism in.” She joked, laughing at herself.

  “You wouldn’t have joined in?” Rhys’s husky voice made her want to shiver.

  “Oh no, I’m much too responsible and shy besides that.” She looked hurt as both men began to laugh.

  “Shy? You? You don’t have a shy bone in your body!” Knox protested.

  “I do. I can barely talk around you two and my brain goes dead often. But you put me at ease too, so then I’m okay. Stop laughing, I can be very shy!”

  “Hm. I don’t know about that but you’re certainly too beautiful to be hiding behind cars. You need to let that beauty of yours shine.” Rhys joined in again.

  “What do you mean?” Cora asked, taking a sip of the bottle of water Rhys had brought her.

  “Live a little darlin’, don’t hide away. That’s what you’re here for isn’t it?” His eyes challenged hers.

  Cora gulped down more water before she answered. “Yes, I suppose it is.”

  “Then we’ll make sure that happens for you.” He answered moving to settle beside her.

  Cora began to hear music being played, bluegrass from the sound of it, and Knox and Rhys began to sing along in deep, stirring voices. The song was about a man calling for his love, the love of a woman that left him for another only to die before he could convince her of his true love. The song pricked tears from Cora’s eyes and the voices of the men singing along with it gave her cold chills it was so mournful and sad.

  She felt their warm hands take hers and Cora rested her eyes, letting herself be wrapped in the warmth and presence of the two men with her. The warmth spread and her brain started to work as images began to fill her head. An image of Knox between her bare thighs from above, as though she were Rhys looking down on the pair. Then an image of Rhys with her full breasts in his mouth blew into her brain, forcing out the image of Knox. She gasped when an image of her body cradled between theirs, her hair spread out above her head, obliterated both images. It was so real, so erotic, this image of their naked bodies in the firelight.

  Cora opened her eyes, overwhelmed by the emotions the image provoked. In the shadows she saw bodies merging, shifting into other forms, and then disappearing. She sat up, afraid all of a sudden, certain she’d seen a bear, but Rhys and Knox took her hand, pulling the blanket with them as they led her to a fire further away, in the woods on top of the hill. There they spread the blanket out and pulled her down with them.

  “Did those people…” She began but Knox hushed her before his lips came down on hers. She felt hyper-aware of him as his lips pressed gently into hers; a tiny moan escaping her lips as she finally felt an intimate touch from the man.

  “Yes, they did.” Rhys responded as he moved up behind her, Cora’s body cradled between theirs as it had been in the fantasy only they were all clothed. “Does it frighten you?”

  “No, I was just curious.” Cora said as she eased over to kiss Rhys’s lips. His were just as soft, just as smooth as Knox’s. Knox’s hands roamed her body, soothing her, making her forget that she was breaking a billion taboos.

  There were no more questions, no more worries, as Cora let nature and desire rule her body for once. There on a bed of leaves made softer by a blanket Cora gave up her inhibitions and for once took what she really wanted. Knox and Rhys’s offer of pleasure.

  Cora’s body moved of its own accord, her hips pushing back into Rhys as her breasts and lips pressed into Knox. Her hands touched Knox’s skin finally, sliding under the tight shirt to feel his rigid abs and the hard muscles of his chest. He gasped as her fingers brushed his nipples and his tongue darted out to tease her lips.

  Cora felt a pleased bolt of electricity go through her at Knox’s reaction. She felt another as Rhys moved her hair from her neck and nipped at her tender flesh there. His left arm came around to her sensitive breasts, no longer sore but very tender to touch. His fingertips brushed her nipples and the pleasure that coursed through her was unlike any she’d felt before. This was going to be one hell of a night!

  Knox’s hand skimmed up Cora’s thigh, pulling the skirt up with it, revealing the edges of her panties as he cupped her ass in his large hand. Cora moved between them, back and forth, her body singing with the touches of each man. Her senses became overwhelmed as the touches continued, as the kisses moved lower and her clothes disappeared.

  Naked, she rested between them, their breath soft against her skin as Knox moved down her body. He paused at her stomach but he only kissed it before moving back up to her right nipple. Cora thought there could be nothing better but then Rhys did the same to the left one and their hands drifted down between her legs.

  Knox’s dove deep, finding her center, sliding two fingers inside of her slick depths as Rhys found the source of her pleasure and pressed two fingers into it, sliding the nub between the digits. Cora’s back arched as she cried out, the world gone now, the only reality two hot wet mouths and the two hands buried in her silken depths.

  The men sucked at her nipples, bit them gently, an
d licked them with strong laving strokes as they worked her body, higher and higher, deeper into pleasure. Cora’s head thrashed as the pleasure grew into something almost unbearable before it exploded out of her. With eyes wide open Cora’s body convulsed in something far more intense than she’d ever experienced before. She saw stars, bursts of light, and for a moment she was certain her body was going to turn inside out. The intense spasms just kept going and Cora finally had to push at them, moving their hands away as the feeling became far too intense.

  As her body calmed, her breath and her heart rate slowed, and Cora looked at the two men staring down at her intently. They were hers. She knew that now. From the moment she’d seen them she was theirs and they were hers. Forever. They settled beside of her and her hands moved low, seeking out their erections.

  She moved to her knees and they came together, resting side by side. They were of a similar size, both long and thick, and Cora tongued each in turn, licking them long and slow then sucking them gently. Knox groaned first and moved, nudging Cora to straddle Rhys. She hesitated for a moment and Rhys spoke.

  “We’re shifters darlin’, I think you know that now. We don’t get the human diseases. It’s safe.” He swore.

  Pleased, Cora moved over him, easing slowly onto his hard cock, her slick walls parting to take him in. Knox moved in behind her and took her in his arms, helping her to move on Rhys as her hands found his cock, stroking him in time with her thrusts up and down. She wanted more though and pulled at Knox urging him to stand in front of her.

  They all groaned together as Knox’s cock disappeared into Cora’s eager mouth and she began to ride Rhys’s with her pussy. Cora’s mouth and hands worked on Knox as she moved on Rhys and she was soon moaning in pleasure as their gasps and groans filled the air. Rhys grasped Cora’s hips, stilling her movements as he began to fuck up into her, his cock pulsing as he emptied himself inside of her. His shout of pleasure must have set Knox off because he soon followed Rhys, the first hot jet of his come in her throat sending Cora off once more.

  The world became nothing but pleasure for them in the following hours, as they took their time exploring, learning, and loving each other. Cora fell asleep between them, more content than she’d ever been before with only one doubt remaining. How to tell them about her baby.

  8

  Life went from a slow and steady pace for Cora to a full-on race after that night. Knox and Rhys simply did not want Cora to leave and, unlike Tessa, she had nothing holding her back home. As an orphan, she had no family and her friends up there could always come visit her. They installed her in their home and spent a week with her making love and talking. They learned about each other, they came to love each other even more, and the two best friends, inseparable in life, now shared the woman that they loved the most.

  Life in the shifter-verse wasn’t the same as in the human world. When you found your mate that was it. There was no courting, no hemming and hawing, you mated and that was it, you were joined for life. It was no different for Cora, Knox, and Rhys. They were just unusual in that they shared a mate.

  Cora was sad that Tessa left without a word but she assumed it had something to do with Hale. Hale disappeared as well but he disappeared into his office, working long hours without socializing. Cora noticed but said nothing, assuming he’d upset Tessa somehow. Kaia was doing her own thing and happy for Cora, smiling when she came to visit and asking for details. By now they knew the men were all shifters and shared the same clan tattoo. All of them, even the females, shared a tattoo of a bear on their backs that could, and would, shift positions depending on the person’s mood. Cora would watch Knox’s and Rhys’s sometimes, amazed at the tattoo.

  She’d learned the men were billionaires but that was only icing on the cake. If they’d been dirt poor, she wouldn’t have cared but the luxuries now at her disposal did not go unappreciated. She loved the giant bath tub they had more than anything else in the house. She could lie in it for hours, soaking her cares away. There was only one problem and that was a lie by omission; Cora’s lie. She still hadn’t told them about the baby.

  Cora heard the men grunting in the back yard of their cabin in the woods, not far from Hale’s and done by the same architect. A three-floored structure the house was done in dark tones with quite a few windows. Cora loved looking at it from outside in the night, when it was all lit up. The inside was done in a country but masculine fashion and Cora adored it.

  Walking to a window in her own bedroom, they each had one and one that was shared, Cora looked down to see the men sparring. More of this MMA stuff. Cora didn’t like fighting and wasn’t too happy about the men sparring but it was their way of letting off steam and staying fit. They’d joined a competition and were preparing for it. Cora worried about them getting hurt but kept quiet about it. She knew they loved the sport. They offered her the world, after all, she could keep her fears about their favorite sport to herself. Besides, they were grown men, they could make their own choices.

  The day of the competition arrived and Cora was a bundle of nerves. The men were in the same group and they’d whittled their opponents down to each other. Cora had learned to enjoy the sport while she was there, loving how respectful competitors were to each other and she learned some of the rules. She’d cheered through Knox and Rhys’s fight, getting to her feet to yell encouragement more than once. But now she was chewing at her nails, worry pouring through her. They had to fight each other. How could they do that?

  The men entered the cage, both in similar black shorts, and tapped gloves together when told to do so. From that point on it was mayhem. First Knox got Rhys down in a ground and pound that looked as though it was going to end the fight early but Rhys got in a shot that bloodied Knox’s nose. The fight was stopped to check Knox for concussion, to stop the blood, and then battle commenced once more.

  Rhys followed Knox around the cage, landing a few key hits, one caused Knox to stagger but he soon regained his equilibrium. Bouncing around the cage Knox wore Rhys down, clearly the stronger of the two fighters today. With a hook to the knee Knox took Rhys down and soon had him in a submission hold. Cora chewed at her lip, at her nails, and at her thumb, trying not to scream out her horror as the two men drew blood, gave each other vicious punches, and as the end came when Cora saw that Rhys was losing consciousness. A cry of relief did escape when the Ref called time on the match and declared Knox the winner. Knox bounced around the cage for a moment before he helped his friend up and they exited the cage together, Knox the victor. They came to Cora and she was in tears looking at Knox’s swollen eye and Rhys’s bruised cheek and ribs. They were going to feel this tomorrow.

  “I’ll get you next time, jackass.” Rhys cracked as he pulled Cora close.

  “Nah, you won’t. But you can try for nothing.” He laughed as Cora stroked Rhys’s shaved head.

  “You leave him be.” She growled at him before he leaned down to kiss her.

  “It’s alright sugarbear, we’re only teasing. Come on brother, I’ll help you get your gloves off.” He led Rhys away.

  An hour later they were showered, at home, and Cora was tending to their injuries with care.

  “You know, as much as I like these tight light shorts you were both wearing, I could live without this MMA stuff. I thought I was going to have a heart attack watching you two.”

  “Oh darlin’ it’s only for fun.” Rhys intoned, hissing as she dropped some ice on his ribs.

  “Yeah, well, I think I might stay home from now on, if you don’t mind. I’ll just wait to put together the carnage.” Her words were tough but she said them with a smile.

  “Come down here baby, let us show you how bad off we are.” Knox said with a sultry tone that Cora just could not resist. She let him pull her down as he moved to kneel between her legs. He pulled her down further, her hips joining his as he did so.

  “Cora baby.” He said in a questioning voice, his hands unbuttoning her pink top.

  “Yes, Knox?”
Her voice hitched as cool air touched her bare flesh and his lips moved over her breasts. Then his hand moved to her much rounder tummy and stopped.

  Their eyes met and Cora felt the panic starting to rise.

  Rhys, close to Cora’s ear, kissed the tiny shell before he spoke.

  “Don’t you think it’s time you tell us about the baby?”

  Cora went still, her world coming to a halt. How did they know? She wasn’t showing that much. They’re shifters, silly, she told herself, they know things.

  “How long have you known?” She asked, her voice shaking.

  “Oh, we’ve always known.” Knox said, thrusting into her center through the leggings she had on. Not much of a barrier really.

  “Where’s her father?” Rhys asked, a growl in his voice. Not jealousy but anger that she’d been abandoned.

  “Back in Ireland the last I heard. Even if it wasn’t for you two, I don’t need him. The only manly thing he managed was to get me pregnant and even that wasn’t very manly.”

  “Well, she’ll be ours, no matter what. Always. Just like you. And we’ll be yours. And her fathers.” Knox promised as Rhys shook his head in turn.

  “I couldn’t ask for anything more.” Cora whispered, tears filling her eyes. She really did have it all in these two.

  “We couldn’t ask for anything more, Cora. Now get out of these clothes! I want to try something different today.” Rhys said as he pulled her from the couch.

  They took her up to the bath and filled it with water and all three got in. The men bathed her, soothing her own aching muscles as they washed her gently.

  One question nagged at her though. She had to have an answer.

  “Um, guys. Would any children we have be shifters?”

  “It depends.” Rhys answered, rinsing her hair with a cup. “Sometimes they are, sometimes they aren’t. We don’t know our origins, or why we’re here. We just know what we are. Sometimes babies from mixed matings are shifters and sometimes they aren’t. We never know how it’s going to work. Would it be a problem?”