Taboo Kisses

by Gracen Miller

  Being associated with her brought danger to their doorstep. For their safety, she must reject the mating. Enemies came with her job description, and her mates deserved more than a lifetime of looking over their shoulders.

  She strolled to the sink, wet a paper towel and pressed it between her thighs. The coldness did nothing to alleviate her arousal, but was only effective in wiping away Gabriel’s seed. She shook her head. What messed up children they’d have if they were lucky enough to conceive. Sirens never mated outside their species. She wasn’t even sure what magic a half-vampyr-siren or half-siren-were-tiger-shifter would possess. Would the half-breed be able to shift or drink blood? Would it receive any of her siren skills?

  Idiotic, fanciful thoughts. She wouldn’t have children with either of these men. Nature didn’t crossbreed species. Never had to her knowledge…but she couldn’t discount their ability to do the one thing no one but her mate could do. They gave her climaxes.

  “Hey, I hope these do.” Kat entered the kitchen and Sameya was thankful for the interruption. And that she hadn’t entered five minutes ago.

  The witch tossed the bag on the counter and Sameya opened it to withdraw a pair of jeans, and a black T-shirt that said ‘Sin like you’re drunk on Micah Kool-Aid’. Whoever the hell Micah was, she didn’t know. No undergarments were provided, so she yanked off the dress she’d been given to wear. The cotton of the T-shirt was soft, but it lacked the scent of her mates.

  Next came the jeans. They were snug and when she moved, they scrubbed against her clit.

  Fuck!

  Her hormones were out of control, along with her sensitivity to sensation. She’d never been like this before. Was it because she’d found her mates and participated in their perverted sexual activities? Would it ever get better or was she stuck like this forever?

  “Thanks for the clothes.” She swallowed, fighting back the acute arousal as she walked toward Kat.

  “I saw you and Gabriel.” The witch made an apologetic face, and Sameya groaned. “So I went to see Maximus while I waited.”

  “I’m sorry you saw that.” She rubbed her temples. “I tried to tell him anyone could walk in at any time.” Not that she’d done anything to resist, instead she’d released his pants for him.

  The other woman’s amused chuckle caught her attention. Sameya elevated her eyebrows waiting for the witch to explain. “Gabriel has a voyeur fetish. He likes for people to watch. No doubt he’d have preferred I observe rather than leave.”

  Sameya shook her head. What a strange world she’d walked into. Atlantis was so much easier.

  “You want to talk about them?”

  “No.” Girlfriends talked and Kat was their friend, not hers.

  “Nothing you say will reach their ears. I pinky swear.” Kat grinned and made a crossing motion over her heart with her pinky finger.

  Unsure what ‘pinky swear’ meant or why the other woman made the motions over her chest, she guessed it was a vow of some sort. “No. I’m not comfortable with your offer.”

  Kat shrugged. “The offer stands anytime you need it. I’ve known the guys a long time, and I want to be your friend.”

  “You ever sleep with them?”

  The witch’s eyes rounded. “Well…um…”

  Gritting her teeth, Sameya slashed her hand through the air in a ‘stop’ fashion. “Answer enough. Because you fucked them, I can never be your friend.”

  Knowing her men had been inside this woman made her want to claw her heart out and then reap the bitch. Which made no sense considering she planned to leave them.

  “It was a long time ago, Sameya.”

  “It doesn’t matter.”

  “Of course it does. I see the hurt in your eyes.”

  “It. Does. Not. Matter.” She rose to her feet, intending to walk away.

  Kat caught her wrist. “I’ll erase myself from their life. That should make things easier for you.”

  Was she for real? She heard the respect in her mates’ voices for this woman. She was their friend, no way would she ask them to forfeit Kat. There was nothing fair about that. “I would never hurt them that way.”

  The witch released her hold on Sameya’s wrist. “Yet you have no problems rejecting their mating. That’ll damage them beyond repair. They’ll survive my withdrawal better.”

  “I’m protecting them by leaving them.”

  “No.” Kat shook her head. “It’s for your safety. You’re scared to let anyone into that cold, dead heart of yours.” The other woman pushed to her feet and looked down on her. In that moment, Sameya hated being short. “I pity your loneliness and inability to open your heart to love. I never want to know what it’s like to fear that much. Gabriel and Maximus are the best men I know. Gentlemen. Honorable. Goodhearted. Passionate. And they would do anything for you; worship you, love you, while asking nothing in return. I wish they were my mates.”

  “I’m not afraid of letting them in.” But was that true? She’d never avoided anything except finding her mate. To discover she had two, both outside her species, well…that did kind of terrify her.

  “Oh, you’re running scared. And they have too much honor to keep you against your will.” The witch made a lopsided grimace. “You can have all the power in the world, but allowing fear to defeat you…what a shame.”

  Incapable of listening further, Sameya snatched the map off the table, spun on her heels and marched from the room. She didn’t miss the smirk the witch tossed her before she managed her exit.

  No one in Atlantis would look at her that way, at least not in her presence. But as much as she was heartsick for her homeland, she didn’t miss it the way she should. She was lonely there.

  She entered the dining hall where she’d left Gryphon housed within the steel cage. Where he’d staged his whipping of Maximus. The bastard! He enjoyed inflicting misery and death on those who didn’t deserve it.

  As she walked toward the enclosure that contained Gryphon, she couldn’t help but compare Atlantis to her gilded cage. She had men here that wanted her. There wouldn’t be a single soul in her homeland that would miss her.

  Gryphon scuttled to the corner of the cage and watched her warily. He had every right to fear her. She wanted to seek revenge against him for what he’d done to her men. She could make death painful, or leave him catatonic in a state of unending agony. But she’d do nothing until her Empress granted her permission. And they needed answers about the others that were involved in his terrorism.

  “I need information about the coup you plan.”

  He hesitated. Was he shocked by an Atlantian’s knowledge? “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “Right. We can do this the easy way or the hard way.” She could rape his mind with her siren song and glean every minute detail he knew. But it was extremely painful for the recipient. “I’m partial to the hard way.”

  He must’ve recognized the anticipatory gleam in her eyes. “I’ll tell you everything you want to know.”

  “Nah…I’ve changed my mind.”

  She struck with her song, and he jerked in the cage. Digging through the first layer of his mental locks, Gryphon went into a seizure of sorts. The crate rattled as he flopped about inside and foamed at the mouth. Compassion low, she ripped through the remaining bolts like a scalpel sliced through flesh. His back bowed, and he shrieked. The evil of the man had Sameya stumbling backward. Like the icky texture of grease his wickedness left her feeling dirty, and she doubted a long, hot shower would suffice to clean away the taint of his misdeeds.

  Snapshots of his vile exploits flickered through her mind. The families he’d destroyed. The multitude of children he’d culled to satisfy his pedophile fetish.

  She wanted to kill him in honor of the innocent. It’d be easy to snap his mind and take his life. She was already in his head, but Empress E’Neskha worked with a different justice.

  Visions of all the women he’d raped, abused and tortured for his revolting amusement sifted through
her. There were thousands of them, and he’d grown fat feasting off their agony.

  Sameya cringed, tears burning her sinuses.

  So much power at his disposal and while he could find sustenance elsewhere, he’d chosen to dominate the less fortunate because he could and because he enjoyed inflicting harm.

  Appalling behavior that spanned centuries. This was not the mind of a decent man, but a psychopath who would never stop leaving a trail of dead bodies.

  Gryphon twisted in his cage, pleading with her to stop. Yet, he’d gotten off when others begged him for mercy. She showed him the same generosity he gave to them and burrowed deeper into his revolting mind.

  His shrieks became her balm, a minimal type of justice.

  But no matter how hard she worked to ferret out his cohort in Atlantis, the image and name grayed in her mind. A powerful mystic to dim her ability.

  Hugging her waist, she wept and sent out a slew of magical daggers to ravage his mind. Unfortunately they wouldn’t leave him permanently damaged, but he’d suffer until her Empress arrived.

  Maximus was suddenly there in front of her on his knees, crushing her against his chest. The warmth of Gabriel hit her spine and the Sameya-sandwich comforted her in ways nothing else could’ve.

  Pulling out of Gryphon’s mind, she felt dirty, but she clung to Maximus, allowing the tears to fall. Someone should cry for the nameless that’d fallen to Gryphon’s depravity.

  “Naleah, I could feel your anguish across the house. Talk to us.” Maximus pressed kisses to the top of her head, while Gabriel pressed his face in the curve of her neck and shoulder, his warm breath relaxing her marginally.

  “He’s so depraved,” she whispered against his chest.

  “Were you in his head?” Gabriel rubbed a hand up and down her spine.

  “Yes.” She pulled back a little from Maximus. He maintained his grip on her hips, but allowed her the space to peer at him and glance over her shoulder at Gabriel. “I needed information on those who intend to overthrow Empress E’Neskha. He didn’t offer it freely, so I carved it from him.”

  “You’re scary, baby, and sexier because of it.” Her tiger kissed her cheek.

  Sameya offered a faint smile. “You’re pretty talented yourself, Gabriel.” Had a killer tongue and a fantastic thrust.

  “You shaved at least a century’s worth of years off my life.” Maximus’s grip tightening on her hips relayed his anxiety.

  Poking him in the gut, she teased, “Drama king.”

  Her vampyr kissed her forehead. “Lean on us, and trust us to aid you. That’s what we’re here for, naleah.”

  Sameya skimmed her fingertips along his jaw. “I’m fifty-two thousand, one-hundred thirteen years old. I’ve never leaned on anyone in my life.” Not even her parents because they’d died shortly after her one-hundredth year. And sirens weren’t the cajoling sort, especially not with someone as powerful as she.

  The guys allowed her to stand and extricate herself from their sandwich. Her brain kept skipping over what Maximus had said…that he’d felt her anguish. How? She shouldn’t be an open book to anyone.

  They both remained on their knees, their bodies facing one another but gazing up at her. Sameya trailed a finger across Maximus’s jaw. “You’re feeling better?”

  “Yes, Gabriel took care of me.”

  In more ways than one, even though she doubted that’s what Maximus meant. First with his blood and by finishing him off when Maximus had shunned her passion. Those moments should’ve been hers, but were stolen from her. Not filched by Gabriel, but because she refused to make a pact to join their lives.

  “Good,” she said through a throat thick with emotion. She had no desire to leave these men, but she couldn’t walk away from her duties to her Empress. It was better if she began to distance herself from them now, because she’d been playing a very dangerous game with them.

  Maximus’s gaze flicked over her shoulder. He nabbed Gabriel by the arm and the men rose together. Sameya turned and discovered her Empress had entered the room. It was as if her thoughts had brought the royal woman to her.

  Going to her knees, she bowed her head and placed her arm above her head, exposing her forearm. “Empress E’Neskha, my service to thee alone.”

  Chapter Twenty

  Stunned by Sameya’s deference to the Empress, Maximus assessed the other woman, curious if she deserved his beloved’s devotion. The ruler of Atlantis was so tiny he suspected a breeze would blow her away. Thick aqua streaks highlighted the woman’s white-blonde hair and framed her oval face with hard ringlets. Light orange eyes focused solely on Sameya. The woman’s expression was one of fondness and respect. For such a countenance to be turned upon his mate made him proud.

  “You know I don’t like it when you do that.” E’Neskha touched Sameya’s shoulder and her soft voice carried further than he’d anticipated. “Rise, Sameya.” As his woman elevated to her feet, the Empress gave them a direct stare. “You two are?”

  “Maximus.” He clapped Gabriel on the shoulder. “My mate.”

  “Gabriel.” The tiger executed a small wave with two fingers.

  “Friends of yours?” The Empress angled her head to keep her focus in Sameya’s direction, but Maximus knew she’d be able to see any movement from either of them out of the corner of her eye.

  Their siren sent them a precautionary glance. “Um…yes, you could say that.”

  So, she wouldn’t claim them. Not that Maximus was surprised, but he’d hoped.

  E’Neskha approached them and offered her hand. “A pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

  Gabriel kissed her knuckles like they remained in the Victorian era. “The pleasure is mine.”

  Maximus had no idea what was considered appropriate in this situation, but there was no way he would prostrate before her as Sameya had. He settled on a slight head bow. “An honor.”

  She perused them both, as if trying to determine something of significance.

  “Empress, where are your guards?” Sameya touched E’Neskha’s shoulder. “You’re in grave danger.”

  “My sentinels were attacked his morning.” The Empress might’ve responded to Sameya, but she was busy contemplating him and Gabriel. “I didn’t receive your message until seconds before I arrived here. We were busy defending the palace.”

  “Damnit!” Their siren began to pace a furious path, her steps a rapid patpatpat, her hands moving in agitation as she talked. “I knew I shouldn’t have allowed you to talk me into departing Atlantis. Less than a week and everything’s gone to shit and fast.”

  Fuck, she was adorable when flustered. But… “A week? Gabriel and I have been hunting you for six months.”

  “Not hunting me.” Still pacing, his woman made a face at him as if he was off his rocker.

  “Wild goose chase.” Maximus directed the comment at Gabriel, but pondered Sameya, his hands fisting at his sides. What had been Gryphon’s purpose in sending them after her when she’d been inaccessible until seven days ago? The man had endangered his mates and nearly killed him and all for what reason?

  The Atlantian ruler ignored his comment and glowered at Sameya. “Your mission here was important. We needed to ferret out the infidel. You’re the best at what you do, not to mention you’re the only one I trust implicitly.”

  That snapped her out of her pacing. “I’m responsible for your welfare. If something happened to you, Empress, I would never forgive myself.” Maximus didn’t want anything happening to his siren, he could live with the Empress’ harm. Eyebrows drawn together, Sameya faced them, not making them wait long to hear what was on her mind. “You said six months, Maximus?”

  He nodded, but Gabriel was the one to respond. “Every lead turned up a dead end until you showed up in Dirty Liquor the night we met.”

  “I was there for the elf. The one I reaped.”

  “I remember.” The tiger crossed his arms over his chest. “I also remember you showed zero recognition when I mentioned Tyr
on Gryphon’s name. I’ve had my suspicions since.”

  “Why didn’t you say something?” A little forewarning would’ve been nice, and Maximus had no idea why his lover hadn’t spoken up sooner.

  Gabriel shrugged. “Distractions got in the way. Starting with you venomeing Sameya and everything that occurred after.”

  “I’m not following.” The elfin like leader peered between the three of them.

  “We’d been led to believe the elf had vital information on the rebellion.” Sameya rubbed her forehead. “He knew nothing more than our griffin over there.” She motioned to Tyron Gryphon. “Which leads me to believe the griffin is as big a pawn in this takeover as the elf. Both were used to draw me out, to render you vulnerable, Empress, and to distract me with the two of them.”

  Disliking the way the events had spiraled out of control so far, Maximus massaged his nape. “Could this individual be taking over Atlantis now that you’re both out of it?”

  E’Neskha shook her head. “No. When I departed, I’d serenaded the entire population. Everyone is asleep.”

  “Is that possible?” Gabriel said exactly what Maximus was thinking.

  “She’s the best. It’s very doable,” Sameya confirmed.

  “Okay.” Maximus put his fingers through his hair. “Let’s start with who gave you the false Intel that instigated your departure?”

  “Lucius.” His feisty little mate sent her Empress a pointed stare.

  The other woman paled. “He….” She shook her two-toned blonde and aqua head. “He couldn’t be involved. Lucius was injured in the attack and might not survive. Crushed rose petals in aerosol form were sprayed in his face to neutralize him. He was then electrocuted and shot in the chest.”

  “The rose petals are what Gryphon sprayed in my face, as well.”

  And no one but a siren knew of their weaknesses, he and Gabriel hadn’t even known of the rose petals until now. “If Gryphon was working for him, that would explain how he knew your weakness, Sameya.”

  “E’Neskha, the only siren with the ability to identify another siren’s mate—aside from the parties involved—is Lucius. He knew the mating compulsion would weaken me. They attacked at my weakest moment.”