The bed switch did cause her more than a few moments of alarm. They wanted to sleep in that bed with her. For just an instant, she could see it. Both of them with her, Callan’s lips at one her breast while Tyral’s mouth wandered over… She swallowed and took a deep breath and tried to ignore the tingle of excitement stirring low in her belly and the slick moisture between her thighs. She wasn’t a virgin, but she hadn’t ever had time for more than the odd court liaison.
She took a deep breath and thought again about being sent to the other Realms on her Ra’Asien. There were too many within the Frejan Court who feared her power for her freedom to last. She would use this chance to explore, to do as she liked. It was almost a certainty she’d be searching for a mate—if not mated—before the year’s end.
By the Veil, she wouldn’t let a little fear stop her. She stepped into the room and placed her bag on one of the shelves along the wall. Certain of her decision, she turned and walked out to join the two men in the main room. She’d taste as much of life as she could before she had to find a husband.
“Come, sit.” Tyral’s dimple flashed as he smiled at her and gestured to a long, low-slung couch in the open main area.
Karissa’s mouth kicked up into a small smile, a little relieved to be doing something so normal. They weren’t going to press her, to rush her into anything. From the long, slow appraisals and the defined ridges against their pants, she knew that they wanted her. While she found them very attractive as well, she needed a little time to adjust her thinking.
She walked over to the muted red couch and sat in the middle of it. It was a deliberate choice, an invitation. She may be nervous, but she knew what she wanted.
Tyral sat to her right and Callan on her left. It might have been easier to talk to them had they conjured some chairs and sat opposite her. She could have kept her gaze on both of them, but this was about more than what was said. This was about allowing herself to relax with them.
“Tell us of your family, Karissa.” Callan touched her cheek.
She drew in a sharp breath as his slightly callused fingers trailed along her jawline. Her nipples hardened and the normally soft fabric felt rough against the sensitive crests. She was glad her shirt hid her intense reaction to that simple touch.
Her gaze swung to him. “My father is Gervis, Laquir of the Tengan House of the Frejan Court. My mother’s name is Taina, born of Miskal House of Frejan. When I was young, Mother was almost always at our home, watching over me as I was taught the arts and how to commune with my Elemental. Later, she joined Father when he went to the Frejan Court.”
“Do you have any brothers or sisters?” Tyral smiled as she caught his eyes. He lifted his arm and slid it behind her back, letting his fingers rest on the fabric just above the swell of her buttocks.
“I have four brothers. Markan, he is the oldest—very serious, a fitting heir to my father. Niels and Carik, twins like you, but they couldn’t be more different from each other. Niels is relaxed and slow to anger, filled with laughter. Carik, I always think of him as the warrior—very fierce, protective and when he sets a course there is no stopping him. Tovan, he’s two hundred years older than me. He’s very intense and loyal. My brothers call him ‘the Defender’. He lives to protect those weaker than him.” Karissa smiled as she thought of her brothers. At times, they fought among themselves, but they were utterly loyal to each other.
“And what about you? Where do you fit in among them?” Callan drew her eyes back to him with a soft brush of his hand across her shoulder.
“I’m the youngest child and the only girl. My brothers tell me that I was spoiled, that Mother and Father were easier on me than they were with them.” She smiled. “I don’t know if that’s true or not, but I remember that I had a lot of fun. Now, tell me about your family.” Karissa turned her gaze from Callan to Tyral and back again as she waited for them to speak.
“We don’t have a large family such as you do. Our mother was capable of having only us. She very nearly died bringing us into the world. Our fathers decided they wouldn’t risk her life again, although my mother longed for more babes,” Callan explained.
“Our fathers, King Marit and King Tovin, taught us the skills of a warrior and gave us the wisdom to know when to fight and when to wait. Their strength, their patience always astounded me. The only person I know whose patience even comes close to theirs is Callan.” Tyral smiled and moved a little closer to her on the couch.
“Did you learn of it while they were trying to teach important lessons to two boisterous boys who’d rather be doing anything else except learning those boring lessons on the Veil and the Balance?” Karissa asked with a sly smile.
She jumped when Tyral’s fingers slid beneath her shirt. Heat streaked out from each point of contact. Her eyes collided with his and widened when she saw the flash of male satisfaction in his eyes. Did he know how much his touch affected her, how hard she had to focus to just keep up with the conversation?
“As a matter of fact, I think the first time I noticed it was when they were trying to teach us about the rising of the Veil and the need for Balance.” Tyral’s eyes glittered with good humor and his body angled toward hers.
Karissa smiled. She could just imagine their disinterest in learning of the Veil and the Balance of the Spirits and their hosts. Depending on who was telling the tale, it could be boring. The Rising of the Veil had permanently separated the Realms with magic users bonded with Elemental Spirits from the Realms without Elementals. For a time after the Veil rose, the Elemental Realms had been divided along Elemental lines with little mingling between them. It had taken the near destruction of all the Elemental Realms before the need for Balance had been seen. Now, every family mated outside their Realm after a few generations.
“Tell me about your mother,” she prompted.
“Our mother, Maya… I’ve never met anyone else like her.” Callan took one of Karissa’s hands and stroked his fingers across her knuckles. “She’s cheerful, can soothe those who are hurt, and can bring a smile to the sad. She’s so gentle and generous, but she’s also strong.”
She couldn’t help returning his smile as she saw the pride on his face and heard it ringing in his voice. “Your mother sounds like a wonderful woman.”
His hand covered hers, turning her palm up. His fingers traced the lines of her palm lightly, slowly. Heat was building low in her abdomen. Her desire increased just from that touch and the thoughts of the pleasures she might find with these two men.
“A kiss?” Callan tugged lightly on her hand, urging her closer to him.
“Yes, a kiss.” Karissa leaned toward him. He made no move to initiate the kiss. He’d given control of the action to her and that helped her relax.
Karissa’s breasts slowly flattened against his chest as she leaned closer. Her hands skated up from his waist, running over the warm, muscled breadth of his chest and shoulders as she brought her mouth to his. Her lips played over his, nibbling and plucking at his, running her tongue across them until he finally gave her access to the depths of his mouth.
Her tongue dove into the recesses of his mouth. A spicy tang, like rich intan spice, flooded her senses. It was invigorating, arousing and addictive. She stroked her tongue over his in demand of a response. A chuckle rumbled against her lips as his tongue stroked along hers.
He soon dominated the kiss. His hands framed her face, tilting her head as his tongue dove deep into her mouth. Their tongues tangled and stroked and Karissa lost all thought of what she was doing. Callan drew back after a few moments and his tongue lapped over her lips.
Karissa let her eyes run over his face once more before she turned toward the warmth of the man on her other side. He reached out and his hands settled loosely around her waist.
Tyral smiled as he tugged her to him. Her hands skimmed over the fine cloth of his shirt up to his shoulders. She twined her arms around his neck and her fingers laced into his hair. Her breasts pressed against his chest as she leaned
into him. Karissa groaned as her nipples scraped against the fabric of her shirt. The tips were hard and sensitive and she ached to feel more than cloth against them.
Her lips slid over his in a brief salute. Tyral’s teeth nipped at her lip as she drew back, her eyes moving over his face. Karissa responded with a smile as her lips opened over his. Her tongue glided over the seam of his closed lips, probing, nudging, asking for admittance.
She gasped in surprise as his arms tightened at the same moment that his mouth opened under hers. His tongue swept into her mouth, thrusting that same heady intan spice taste deep into her mouth. Her tongue parried and taunted and then danced into his mouth.
His tongue dueled with hers as his hands smoothed up and down her back. She arched into him, wanting more than kisses and the innocent touches. She wanted to feel their hands on her tingling breasts and her pussy. She wanted to touch and taste them—everywhere.
Tyral’s teeth nibbled at her lips as he drew away from her. His lips trailed over her cheek to her ear. He briefly drew her earlobe into his mouth, nibbling and sucking on that soft flesh. Karissa shivered as he tugged on her earlobe and she felt an echoing pulse in her cunt.
* * * * *
Tyral drew in a ragged breath. By the Fire, just kissing her made him as hard as fire-tempered metal.
As much as I’d love to lose myself in the delicious taste of her, brother, we have to go slowly, Callan cautioned. She is young and her Spirit said she’s inexperienced.
Inexperienced does not mean she’s not ready, Ahvin offered. Tyral could feel the Elemental’s desire to take the relationship to the next level. He had sensed the Spirit’s interest in the alluring Ice Elemental. He leaned toward Karissa, his breath brushing against the shell of her ear. “Time to eat, te tana.” He couldn’t resist calling her his sweet one.
“Eat?” Karissa murmured, sounding confused.
“Yes, tana, the food is ready.” Callan urged her from the couch which was much too tempting at this point.
Tyral looked up at Callan before he rose from the soft cushions. He saw the tenderness on his brother’s face and knew the word felt just as natural to him.
They guided her toward the fire pit. With a wave of Callan’s hand, a low table appeared, with cushions surrounding it. Another wave set the table with fine plates and goblets.
“Let us serve you tonight, Karissa. Tomorrow, we can all work together.” Tyral’s hands settled on her shoulders and with gentle pressure encouraged her to sit on the cushions. Tonight was for her—to help her relax, to allow her to come to them at her own pace.
She sat and watched as they went to the fire pit. They dug the pan of cillo from the fire and took the skewered topi from the spit over the fire. They placed the sizzling meat on the platter with the cillo gourds nestled around it. Bringing the platter to the table, they began to spoon the food onto the plates.
“You are served, Aliara of Frejan.” Callan placed a plate in front of her. The hot juicy meat was accompanied by the delicious orange chunks from the roasted cillo.
“And for your thirst, nectar of the local fruits.” Tyral filled her goblet with a flourish.
“Thank you, Princes of Volir.” She smiled and bowed her head to them. “It smells delicious.”
Do you think she realizes that this is more than just a brief affair, Callan? Tyral filled a glass for his brother and one for himself as he raised a brow questioningly. Somehow, he didn’t think she did. She was much too at ease with them, too casual. He wanted to show her.
There’s but one way to know for sure. Callan lifted the glass and cast a meaningful glance at Karissa.
“Tell us of what you’ll do when we leave here.” Tyral sat down on Karissa’s left, taking the plate that Callan handed him.
“I’ll probably try to keep out of the advisors’ sights. Maybe I’ll be able to find something that will take me out of the Court again.” Karissa shrugged.
Her answer earned her two nearly identical perplexed stares.
“Why would you want to stay out of sight, take an assignment that would draw you away from the Court?” Callan asked. This wasn’t one of the answers they’d been expecting.
“They think I’m too powerful. The advisors are afraid. I’m twenty-five, barely an adult in most people’s eyes, but it’s almost certain that I’ll be sent on my Ra’Asien before the end of the year. If I can be gone long enough, I might be able to stretch that out a bit. They don’t care that, by custom, I should have nearly two hundred years more before I think of joining with someone.” Karissa speared a piece of meat with a two-tined fork.
She hasn’t felt the bonding of our spirits. Callan caught his brother’s eyes. She’s probably uninformed on Sobrin mating customs.
It will be interesting enlightening her when the time comes, but now it would cause her to try to distance herself from us, to fear her attraction to us. Tyral smiled at the thought of that future conversation. When they did tell her, she’d probably be very angry with them.
After the meal, Tyral and Callan were careful not to rush her to bed, although their instincts urged them to claim her. They wanted her relaxed, not panicked. She wanted them. The scent of her arousal was a sweet, strong perfume in the air, a lure and a torment.
Chapter Three
The waiting was making Karissa nervous. They’d returned to the couch and for some time the two men had been talking of inconsequential things. She hadn’t been paying much attention especially as her anxiety grew.
Who says you have to wait for them to make a move? Ijina chuckled. You want it. Go get it. You already know that they’re interested.
A low chuckle rolled in the back of Karissa’s throat. Ijina was right. They wanted her and they were about to get her.
Callan looked up sharply at that sexy sound.
Karissa caught the confusion in Callan’s eyes and smiled as she turned and looped her arms around his neck. Her lips slid over his, her teeth nibbling on his lips before her tongue prodded the sealed flesh. With light, lapping strokes, she sought entry into the warmth of his mouth.
Her tongue drove into his mouth when his lips parted. The rich intan spice taste flowed into her mouth as his tongue stroked into hers. She took his wrist in one of her hands and urged his palm to her breast. Almost automatically, his fingers tightened on the full mound, squeezing and lifting.
“I thought we were going to take this slow and let her relax.” Tyral didn’t sound upset with the change of plans as he moved up behind her.
“We forgot to tell her.” Mumbled against her lips, the words were indistinct. Callan moved his hand as Tyral’s fingers came around and began to play with her long nipples through the smooth, green material of her tunic.
Karissa moaned against Callan’s lips as his callused fingertips rolled and pinched her nipples.
“Did we forget that there are two men who want your sweet body, my Ice Lady?” Callan brushed kisses along her jaw and then back to her lips.
“No, I didn’t forget. It just feels good.” Karissa moaned and arched pressing her breasts into those talented hands.
“I think we’re going to need more room than this couch allows.” Tyral pressed his hard shaft against her back, letting her feel how much he wanted her.
Tyral pulled her with him as he rose to his feet. He swept her into his arms and carried her into the bedroom. “This first time, sweet Karissa, we’ll have the comfort and room of a bed. As you’re obviously ready to begin, there’s no reason to delay.”
Her arms looped loosely around his shoulders. Her lips nibbled at the column of his neck. They wandered up to his left ear, her tongue roaming over his pointed ear before she began nibbling on his earlobe, moving to the rim of his ear.
A harsh groan tore from his lips. “You don’t know what you do with that mouth of yours, tana.”
She blinked. They’d called her that before and other words that were obvious endearments, but she had no idea what any of them meant. Right now, her need was t
oo great to work out the significance of those words.
“I want you.” Karissa nipped at the earlobe, holding on when he lowered her onto the soft yellow sheets. She’d never wanted anyone with this intensity, this soon after meeting them.
“Not nearly enough,” Callan corrected as he stood at the edge of the bed. “We want you naked and as hungry as we are.”
The feel of his hand on her swollen aching breast distracted her. She arched her back, lifting the mound into his large palm. With one hand, he tugged her arms from around his neck and urged her back onto the bedding. The fingers of his other hand circled the hard tip straining against her tunic. Her eyes drifted closed in bliss as his fingers closed over the nipple. Without warning, his hands were gone. As her eyes snapped open, she saw him back away from her, but he was already too far away for her to grab.
Callan came to stand beside him. “I think she’s wearing too many clothes.”
“We all are.” Tyral raised a brow. “Do you want to do it or shall I?”
“Go ahead,” Callan urged with a shrug.
Karissa didn’t care about clothing. All she cared about was getting those two in bed with her and they were taking too long.
Tyral stepped back, spread his hands wide and then brought his hands together in a resounding clap. Between one blink and the next, both he and Callan stood naked before her. With a glance down, she noticed that she was also stripped of clothing.
Karissa stared at the two men for a few moments. They were gorgeous. Their muscled blue-green bodies had very little body hair. She could see only a patch at their genitals other than the hair on their heads. All that muscled flesh on display made her fingers itch to touch and hold.
“Quite the showman,” Karissa purred. She raised her brow as her lips tilted in a small smile, amused at the showy display. “I’m not interested in your magical skills. I want something more.”
Karissa’s eyes fell to their cocks amid the nest of purple hair. Long and thick, their rounded heads were dark blue. Would she be able to take them in her mouth? How would they taste? Their blue-green skin was so different from all she had known before, but they excited her.
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