by Lynn Hagen
It was a sad insight, and one he planned on rectifying. But right now, they needed to deal with Melonee’s debt to a psycho vampire.
“I don’t think paying them now will call off Ceri’s debt,” Melonee replied as her slim fingers tightened on Adam’s shoulders. “What’s done is done, and I’m not going to worry about it until we cross that bridge.”
Adam ran his hands down Melonee’s sides as he looked at Ruttford. “She’s right. I don’t like it, but there is nothing we can do about it.”
Ruttford opened his mouth and then closed it, his eyes narrowing as he stared at Adam. “That doesn’t ease my worries. What on earth could Ceri want from her?”
Melonee tried to turn and face Ruttford, but Adam held firm to her sides. He liked having her in his lap, and he didn’t want to let her up. Adam touched her cheek, and Melonee stared into his eyes. He felt like his whole body was coming alive when she looked at him with such innocence.
“I can’t take it back.”
“I know. It will be okay.” Adam ran his thumb over her soft skin, amazed at how much she had come to mean to him. He finally felt like he belonged somewhere, and Adam wanted to capture that feeling and hold on to it forever.
Ruttford moved around the bed, coming in behind Adam. He slid his legs on either side of Adam’s, pressing his chest to Adam’s back. “We’ll figure this out together.” Ruttford rested his chin on Adam’s shoulder, his hands sliding around Adam’s waist.
“Whatever he asks for, all three of us will take care of,” Adam said as he settled against Ruttford’s chest. It felt good not having to hide his sexual nature. He didn’t have to worry about paying anyone off to keep quiet or hoping the people he worked with didn’t find out. Here, in this house, Adam was free to be who he was, no pretenses—and that was a feeling he treasured most.
His eyes fluttered closed when Ruttford’s warm lips touched the nape of Adam’s neck. He could feel Melonee’s fingers curling into his shoulders as Ruttford’s hands wandered over his back. “You smell so good, Adam.”
“Like wild earth and summer rains,” Melonee added. “He feels good, too.”
Adam smiled. “I’m glad you two think so.”
“Mmm,” Ruttford murmured. “But I wonder if you taste just as good.”
Adam’s breath caught at Ruttford’s question. His cock became ramrod stiff as he imagined Ruttford going down on him.
“I bet you he does.” Melonee leaned forward and began to kiss him along his jaw. Never before had he been the object of two people’s attention. Not like this. Not with one sitting on his lap and the other so close behind him.
Adam lifted his arms when Melonee grabbed the hem of his shirt and pulled it over his head, tossing it aside. He shuddered when Ruttford ran his hands over Adam’s back.
“So flawless.” Ruttford began to kiss Adam’s shoulder. “So sweet.”
Melonee was sucking on his neck, her lips and tongue making Adam’s skin buzz and tingle. He ran his hands through her long, brown hair, playing in the silky strands as both used his body to taste, to tempt, and to make him so hard that his erection bordered on painful.
“We’re both going to fuck her,” Ruttford whispered into Adam’s ear. “But first, I want you to suck my cock.”
Adam turned, laying Melonee down as he moved from the bed and undressed. Ruttford stretched out beside Melonee, watching his handsome mate bare his body to them. His hands played at Melonee’s shirt, and then he pulled it over her head. Her lush breasts were exposed to him, cupped in a pretty purple lace bra.
“So nice,” he said as he mouthed her breast.
Melonee’s hand slid through his hair, grabbing the strands as he pulled the lace aside and sucked one taut nipple into his mouth.
“I could watch you two all day,” Adam said as he tossed his underwear aside. He crawled into the bed, taking the other nipple into his mouth as Ruttford moved back, slid from the bed, and undressed.
He helped Melonee out of her jeans, and then slid her matching panties down her body, groaning as he saw how wet she was. He wanted to bury his cock deep inside of her. But first he wanted to feel Adam’s lips wrapped around his erection.
Ruttford palmed his cock as he slipped back onto the bed, moving closer to his handsome mate. The first tentative kiss was gentle, sweet, and almost chaste. The second was anything but, hard, wet and demanding. The two men almost devoured each other as their hands reached to touch and then hold tight. Ruttford’s tongue licked purposefully at the upper lip and was granted entry to the warm, wet cavern. Ruttford felt Adam open to him, and he swept his tongue inside to subdue the shyer muscle, sucking it slowly. Ruttford’s tongue slid over satiny inner cheeks, strong, even teeth, and dancedlanguidly with Adam’s.Their moans and groans echoed through the room as their tongues dueled and tasted each other.
Ruttford pulled away and watched as Adam slowly lowered in front of him and enveloped the hard flesh as he began to suck earnestly. Adam sucked hard and fast, making Ruttford feel the beginning of his orgasm. Pleasure pooled at Ruttford’s spine and tingled along his nerves.
Using his tongue, Adam laved the tender depression beneath the swollen crown and then tongue-fucked the tiny slit, licking away the salty taste of Ruttford’s desires.He thrust his hips toward Adam’s mouth, pumping furiously with short, even strokes.He held Adam in place as Ruttford rolled his hips backward and pulled his dick from Adam’s mouth with a damp pop.
“Not yet.” Ruttford blew out a deep breath, bringing his body back under control. Goddamn, the man could suck dick.
Turning onto his back, Ruttford grabbed Melonee and draped her over his chest. “Time to ride me, beautiful.” He brushed his knuckles over her cheek as she straddled his waist. Melonee was so damn stunning sitting on top of him, gazing down at Ruttford heatedly, her eyes glittering with lust and love.
Melonee was vibrant. The feel of her soaked through Ruttford’s fingertips and into his blood. She crushed her chest to his, her nipples feeling like cut diamonds as she slowly impaled her body on his cock. Reaching for her, Ruttford slanted his open mouth across Melonee’s. Heat and womanly spice, the taste of her flooded his mouth.
“Oh, god,” Melonee moaned. Ruttford looked to the side to see Adam behind her. He knew exactly what the man was doing. Adam was readying Melonee to take her anally. The thought of both of them having her at the same time sent a spike of pleasure through Ruttford.
“Just relax, beautiful.” Ruttford reached behind Melonee with one arm, curved it around her neck, then turned and pulled her in close for a kiss filled with heat and intense passion. He wanted to distract her from what Adam was doing, to make her forget for the moment until there was nothing but pleasure between them.
Ruttford raised Melonee’s head, kissing each eyelid as he felt Adam begin to move behind them. Melonee stiffened, but Ruttford bit her shoulder with his blunt teeth, bringing her attention back to him.
“So intense,” she whispered to him.
“Tell me if you want me to stop,” Adam said from behind her. His voice was a fierce whisper as he ran his hands over her sides, reached under, and cupped her breasts, palming them, massaging the small mounds.
Melonee’s fingernails dug into Ruttford’s chest. He would take the pain, knowing the pleasure she was going to experience.
Ruttford began to move, grabbing her hips and thrusting up into her hot pussy as she moaned and tilted her head back. His cock swelled and pulsed at the sight of Adam behind her, knowing the man was lost in her as well.
They set up a rhythm, their thrusts matching as Melonee fell apart between them. The pulse of pleasure was overtaking Ruttford’s mind. It wrapped over the head of his erection like tiny fingers of paradise as Melonee’s body impaled his cock over and over again.
“It’s too much,” Melonee said as she panted. “I can’t handle you both.”
“Yes,” Ruttford said with a growl, “you can.”
He quickened his thrusts as Melonee arched her
back and cried out her release, the tight channel of her pussy milking his cock.
Adam grabbed her sides, pounding hard as he, too, shouted out his release.
Ruttford was desperate for his. He wanted to join them in satiation. His cock tingled, aching for release, his balls drawn tight. With a flurry of hands and hard thrusts, Ruttford finally froze, buried as deep as he could be, and roared out his completion. Once drained of his seed, Ruttford pulled his cock from Melonee, watching as both Melonee and Adam tried to catch their breaths. He held Melonee close, Adam coming to lie beside him as the aftershocks rippled through him.
Ruttford watched them both for several minutes, devouring his mates with his eyes before he closed them for a long-needed nap.
Chapter Sixteen
Maverick went in search of Melonee after the phone call he had just received from Christian. He couldn’t believe she had handled the whole mess on her own. There were details he knew the vampire prince wasn’t telling him, and Maverick had a hunch the man wouldn’t be forthcoming about them either.
It just amazed him that she had gone head-to-head with two Shadow elves and then with Ceri. It scared the shit out of him as well when he heard Christian retelling her heroic tale. The damn man had made it seem like she was some sort of badass warrior.
If it were anyone else but his daughter, he would have thought the same. It was just hard to think of his little angel going out there and facing off with some scary-ass men. Had she lost her mind?
“Looking for Melonee?” Hawk asked as he walked toward Maverick.
“Have you seen her?”
Hawk nodded. “She’s in the backyard.”
Maverick headed toward the kitchen when Hawk called his name and stopped him. “What?”
Hawk shot him a twisted smile. “Go easy on her. All she was trying to do was prove to you she can handle things without calling for her dad. I’m damn proud of her.”
Maverick watched as Hawk walked away. He opened his mouth to reply, but closed it. What could he say? Melonee had proven herself to everyone else, so why couldn’t he see her for the woman she had grown into? Why was it so hard for him to accept that she was an adult now?
Rubbing the back of his neck wearily, Maverick walked into the kitchen and went to the back door with every intention of talking with Melonee until he glanced outside. It had snowed lightly the night before, the ground barely covered in the white powder, but apparently it was enough for Melonee and her mates to have a snowball fight.
Maverick leaned against the door and watched as Melonee laughed, her face bright with happiness as she shoved snow down the back of Adam’s pants. He yelped, spun around, but it was Ruttford who grabbed her and pulled him into her arms.Goddamn. The man was staring at his daughter with nothing short of worship in his eyes. Maverick had thought Ruttford wasn’t serious about her, or anything in life for that matter. But from the way he was gazing at Melonee, the expression spoke volumes of his love for her.
Adam was even staring at her like she was the jam in his doughnut. All Maverick could do was watch as they played in the snow together, feeling a smile edge the side of his mouth when Melonee dumped Adam on his ass.
“She looks happy.”
Maverick nodded as Cecil came to stand by his side. “That she does.”
“Are you going to keep giving her problems about her mates?” Cecil asked as he slid his arms around Maverick’s waist.
“No, but that doesn’t mean I’m not going to keep giving Ruttford and Adam a hard time.” They were mated to his daughter. Maverick would remind them that if they hurt her, he would grind them into dust.
“I never got to tell you how stunningly handsome you were in your suit,” Cecil teased as he rubbed his cheek against Maverick’s chest. “You are definitely going to have to wear that again.”
“Not on your life,” Maverick replied. “But you will tell me how you got into trouble in the first place.”
Cecil leaned his head back to give Maverick a dazzling smile. “My lips are sealed.”
He had a feeling it had something to do with Fire. Cecil was trying to protect Melonee, making sure she got all the credit for cleaning up that troublemaker’s mess. When were the people in this house going to learn that secrets couldn’t be kept, especially not from him?
“Come on, Mr. Cryptic. You have a spanking that needs to be taken care of.”
Cecil laughed as he wiggled out of Maverick’s arms. “You can’t punish me with something I enjoy.”
Maverick growled as he chased after his mate.
Johnny, Keata, and Drew stood in front of Fire as the man gazed back at them.
“Just because Melonee saved your butt from dying doesn’t let you off the hook with us,” Johnny said as he loosened the ropes that kept Fire bound to the chair. “We’re going to be keeping a close eye on you, buster.” Johnny made aVwith his fingers, pointed them at his eyes, and then at Fire. “Real close, buddy.”
“There won’t be a need for that,” Fire said as he stood. “I don’t plan on sticking around here another second.”
Johnny grinned as Keata laughed. Drew just shook his head. “Didn’t you hear?” Drew asked.
“Hear what?” Fire tossed the ropes aside and headed for the bedroom door.
“Maverick has made you a permanent houseguest until you work off the debt you owe this family.”
Fire spun around, his mouth hanging open as his eyes grew round. “Oh, hell no!”
Johnny walked past the man, slapping him on the chest with the back of his hand. “You can start by helping us finish decorating the house for Christmas. After that, you can help me find the present Hawk hid from me again this year.”
“And you can help me by getting me back the reindeer Santa took from me,” Keata added with a pout. “I miss Cody.”
“I could use some help at the resource center,” Drew said as he closed the bedroom door behind him. “We’re shorthanded this time of year.”
Johnny smiled when Fire took off down the hall. Little did the man know that Hawk was waiting by the front door, already anticipating Fire running. Watching Fire turn into a model citizen was going to be very interesting.
Ruttford sat in the kitchen, sipping on a cup of hot cocoa. Adam and Melonee were asleep in bed, but he was feeling restless. He still couldn’t believe Melonee had faced off with two henchmen and a crazy ancient vampire.
Just thinking about what could have happened sent chills of terror down his spine. The bond between them was growing, and Ruttford couldn’t see his life without Melonee or Adam in it. The thought made his heart ache.
For the fey, finding one’s mate was like finding the other half of their soul. And he had found two mates. He was looking forward to getting to know them and was thankful as hell nothing had happened to her.
Setting his mug down, Ruttford rubbed at his weary eyes. He felt exhausted, but knew he wouldn’t be able to sleep. The problem with Fire was under control, but Ruttford knew Fire had a long way to go. The man didn’t see anything wrong with his negative aspects, and that was a problem.
But what worried him now was the problem with Adam. Ruttford wasn’t sure how they were going to get off of Kenyon’s radar. The vampire hunters had become increasingly problematic, especially in the city where Christian and his coven resided. Ruttford was still a bit surprised that the hunters hadn’t let the world know vampires existed. Thankfully, according to the people he spoke with, the hunters didn’t know about the other paranormal beings that lived among the humans.
Ruttford had a foreboding feeling that Kenyon wouldn’t be in the dark much longer. It would only take one slipup for the human hunter to find out about shifters, demons, and fey.
“You’ve brought a lot of trouble to this house.” It was more of a statement than an accusation. Ruttford gave a string of curses in his mind as he turned in his chair to see Maverick leaning against the doorframe, his powerful arms crossed over a broad chest. “Not only did you create a lot of havoc i
n the past, but your brother put this family in danger.” The man’s face was inscrutable as he stared at Ruttford. “Tell me why I should give this mating my blessing?”
This was the first time Ruttford would have a real conversation with the alpha. Normally, the guy just shouted, threatened, and told Ruttford what he was going to do to various body parts if he came near Maverick’slittle girl.
Picking up his cocoa mug, Ruttford took a long sip, buying himself some time as his brain scrambled for an answer. He knew that no matter what he said, it wouldn’t appease the shifter. Melonee was his daughter, and no man would be good enough for her in Maverick’s eyes. “Because I love her.” He told the honest truth.
Maverick grabbed one of the chairs, flipped it around, and straddled it. Even sitting across the table, the man seemed ten times larger than Ruttford, but he was tired of fighting Maverick about Melonee. She was his mate and the man was going to have to accept that or they would leave.
Ruttford knew it would kill Melonee to leave her family, but if Maverick continued to try and keep them separated, they would have no choice.
“I didn’t like you from the moment I laid eyes on you,” Maverick said as he rubbed his hand across his chin.
“Had I known you were going to be family, I never would have played those pranks.” Ruttford knew it was going to be a long time before anyone let him live that down.
Maverick’s mouth pulled down into a frown as he shook his head. “That’s not why I didn’t like you.”
Ruttford was confused. “Then why?”
For a split second, Maverick’s eyes softened, and then the look disappeared, replaced by a contemplative glance. “Tell me, Ruttford. If you had a daughter, what qualities would you want in the man she mated?”
Ruttford curled his fingers around his mug, staring down into the chocolaty mix as he thought about it. “He’d have to love her unconditionally, be able to protect her, and be honorable and have integrity. For her, I would want him to be compassionate and take their mating seriously.”