by Harper Wylde
“I’m so glad to know that romance isn’t dead. Half of my suitors think that romance is a drive-up restaurant and some Netflix,” Molly rolled her eyes but sent me a grin afterward.
“How is dating going?” I inquired and helped the girls carry our pizza, snacks, and drinks into the living room, arranging them across the coffee table before we settled around the room.
“Other than the lack of classy romance?” Molly playfully rolled her eyes, “It’s been alright. There are a few men I’m pretty interested in,” she deflected.
“And?” I grinned, eyebrows raised.
“It’s hard,” she shrugged. “I’ve let a few guys go already. Mainly the ones who didn’t call to me, but also one who was a huge, offensive jerk.”
“What did he do?” My muscles tensed as I thought about someone being mean to Molly. She was practically my little sister at this point and I was feeling extremely protective of her. My Phoenix cawed in my head, her fire sparking and popping as we waited for the answer.
“He made some insensitive comments about my being a kraken.” Molly’s blue eyes flashed but I didn’t miss the hint of pain buried in their depths.
“I’ll kick him in the balls,” Rini growled, and I seconded her assessment.
“I’d be more than happy to singe him for you,” I angled my hand toward the ceiling and called my fire, the flames building rapidly in my palm.
Molly laughed, but there was pain in the notes. “Thank you, but I took care of him myself. I just… this dating thing is harder than I gave it credit. Besides,” Molly glanced to the ceiling taking notice of the rebellion’s ward and I froze, “with the rebellion rising, I’m just waiting for the call. Makes it hard to date when you don’t know if you’ll even be around to pursue a relationship.”
I gaped, “You know?”
Molly grinned, “Of course I know.” She shook her head like it was ridiculous that I ever thought otherwise. “I grew up witnessing the injustices the normal shifters have to live through. It’s not like I’m that high up the class system either. I’m a female kraken,” Molly stressed. “Do you think the Council really gives a shit about me? Not only is my alter not all that uncommon, but they’re also sexist, chauvinistic pigs who don’t value women, even powerful ones,” she burst and I wanted to clap.
“Damn, woman. Don’t hold back,” I laughed, trying to overcome my shock. I had no idea that innocent Molly had all this snark and fight inside. The fact that she was part of the rebellion shouldn’t have stunned me, but it made perfect sense when I thought it through.
“Fuck that felt good.” Molly’s eyes grew wide and she plastered her fingertips over her lips. “Don’t tell my brother you heard me cursing.”
Rini and I exchanged a glance before we both cracked up. “You’re not afraid of the Council, but you're afraid of your brother?”
“Hey, he practically raised me. I don’t want to shatter the illusion that I’m not a little girl anymore. Besides, I get far more freedom since he believes I’m a little angel,” Molly’s grin turned wicked.
I shook my head with a smile, “Do I need to be worried? You know… as your sister or something?”
Molly stared at me and tears made her eyes watery once more. “You’ve never said that before.”
“I hope you don’t mind.” I froze and worried that I’d mis-stepped.
She sniffed. “Of course not! I’ve always wanted a sister.”
“What am I? Chopped liver?” Rini complained goodnaturedly. Truthfully, I’d been a little jealous of the relationship between Rini and Molly. I’d never had any siblings, and seeing how close they were had made me yearn for the same type of connection. Now that I’d claimed the guys as mine, my family was growing, and I was excited to officially have a sister.
“You know you’re my soul sister,” Molly waved Rini’s comment away, “but I’ve been waiting for Theo to mate for a while. The idea of gaining a sister has always been exciting. The fact that I got one who’s badass, awesome, and kind is just the cherry on top of the metaphorical ice cream.”
I flushed from the praise, and I quickly returned it in kind. “You’re incredible, strong, and so sweet. You’re a catch, and if a guy can’t see you for who you are, all the way down to your insanely badass Kraken, then he is a complete idiot not worthy of your time.” I reached across the table and squeezed Molly’s hand.
“Thank you, Nix. Truly. That helps.” Molly sniffed and lightened our conversation. “I kicked his ass to the curb so fast,” she chuckled.
“I had to do the same thing with one of mine,” I rolled my eyes, remembering how insanely rude Griff had been every time I crossed paths with him.
“How many suitors have you dismissed?” Rini asked, grabbing a bag of chips and popping one into her mouth with a crunch.
I scrunched my nose as I counted. “Five, I believe.” I waved a hand, “Gaspard has been helping me with the politics involved. I just let go of Cedric, Jasper, and Felix, and you know I ditched Griff at the Gala and another left of his own choosing. Andrei and Phillip are next.”
Molly, who had grabbed her own slice of pizza and took a monstrous bite, mumbled around her food, nearly choking, “You got rid of Cedric?”
I winced, “Yes. He’s actually a really nice guy. I kept him around to help boost his status, but I didn’t want to lead him on either. It was a delicate balance. He’s the only one I truly feel bad about.” Molly chewed slowly as I spoke, and I narrowed my eyes at her, “Do you know him?”
“I’ve met him,” she shrugged and Rini and I exchanged a glance.
“And?” Rini pressed.
“He’s very nice.” Molly flicked her gaze between the two of us and then sighed, “Ok fine, I think he’s adorable. He’s been so sweet to me. He was nearby when that douche canoe said all those mean comments and he helped me feel better after I punched the guy in the stomach.”
Rini choked on her lemonade, spluttering and coughing, waving her free hand to ward off our concern as she gathered herself. “You punched the dude?” Molly looked apologetic and nodded.
I burst out laughing, tears in my eyes, “Oh shit, I wish I had been a fly on the wall for that moment.”
“He deserved it!” Molly’s voice rose an octave. “Just ask Ceddy.”
I calmed down and smirked, “Ceddy, eh?”
Rini waggled her eyebrows. “And how did you meet this Ceddy?”
Molly rolled her eyes and shook her head, blushing under the pretend spotlight we’d placed her under. “We actually ran into each other at a rebellion gathering.”
“Cedric is in the rebellion?” Now I really was about to fall over. Color me intrigued.
“He has been. His family is at the very bottom of the mythological totem pole. They’re treated like shit most of the time.” Molly shifted, crossing her legs under her as she centered herself in the middle of the couch cushion. “His entire family is involved, they’re just waiting for the signal that it’s time to leave and head to headquarters.”
“What signal?” I questioned.
“You’ll know it when you see it,” Rini mused, “but when the time comes, there’s going to be a mass exodus. I feel it coming soon.”
We all grew somber as the mood settled over us.
“We’re not about to let this ruin girl night. New topic, please.” Molly perked up first, forcing away the grey clouds hanging over us.
Rini was next, raising a hand in the air as if she was in high school all over again and trying to ask a question, except she didn’t wait for an acknowledgment. “Sex! Time to talk about sex.”
“That’s not exactly fair,” Molly pouted, “I’m not having any.”
I choked on my pizza and swallowed forcefully. “You’re brother would be thrilled to hear that,” I mumbled, my blush renewing itself on my face.
Molly looked mortified, “As my sister and friend you are never, ever allowed to discuss my sex life with my brother.”
“I would never,” I held my ha
nds up in surrender. “Anything you tell me will stay confidential. Cross my heart,” I made the motions, crossing an ‘x’ over my chest. Molly relaxed.
“Did you get that thing I told you about?” Rini looked to me and I rolled my eyes.
“You can say the word ‘sex’ but not the word ‘birth control’?” I challenged, and Molly giggled.
“No little Nix babies? What a shame,” Molly simpered.
“Definitely not, at least, not right now, anyway. Maybe someday,” I rushed to explain.
“You don’t have to explain yourself. I don’t blame you. We all have plenty of time for all of that. Besides, who wants to bring kids into the topsy turvy world we have right now? I don’t want to even consider it until this entire rebellion has been won.” The idea of Molly having children young worried me. If she chose that path, I wanted it to be because having kids was what she absolutely wanted, and not something she felt obligated to do. The encouragement for women to simply spend their lives breeding and bearing offspring was overwhelming. I wanted to see a world where mythological women had more choices and fewer stigmatisms. If a woman wanted children, she should be supported, but if she wanted to attend college and have a career, she shouldn’t be shamed for choosing a different path for her life. We were in the fucking twenty-first century and it was almost inconceivable that for a species who considered themselves better than the humans, there were concepts and freedoms the humans had that hadn’t made their way into shifter society yet.
I sighed, tabling my thoughts for now. “Exactly, it’s not even on my radar. I got the shot Rini suggested.” I blushed, remembering the awkward conversation with Angela. Birth control—excluding condoms—was strictly banned for most mythological shifters, but because Angela helped at the nursing center for the commune, she had it available for the lower level shifters who lived there. She simply marked a shot as destroyed, and no one was the wiser. I shivered remembering the necessity of it. I wasn’t going to take the chance of the Council drugging me—or abducting me—again and taking the choice from my hands. If I ever had children, it was going to be my own choice.
Rini threw her hands in the air and pumped them in the ‘raise the roof’ gesture, “No more condoms!” She yelled and then whooped loudly.
“Shhh!” I hushed her, worried her mates would hear her.
“Oh please, the bears would totally agree with me. The day we ditched the condoms and they got to go all bareback was the happiest day of their lives thus far,” she joked. “Other than the day the met me of course,” Rini batted her eyelashes and Molly and I couldn’t contain our giggles.
“Did someone say condoms?” Cayden strode down the hallway and tossed us a wink.
“More like the lack thereof,” Rini grinned unapologetically. “We’re talking about birth control.” I shot Rini a death glare for blabbing about our personal discussion.
“Your guys have to be fucking over the moon.” My face heated another degree and I was sure my cheeks were crimson from this conversation. I mean, the guys were excited, but I wasn’t about to tell him that. “There’s nothing better than feeling all of your mate,” Cayden’s grin was sinful as he racked his gaze over Rini in the most salacious way.
“Damn,” Molly whispered on an airy breath, “is this what I’m missing?”
I didn’t even have the heart to say ‘no’ the way I should have. Sex was great. Far better than I’d ever imagined. I’d always been worried I wouldn’t be able to enjoy sexual pleasure given my past, but the guys had all been so sweet and patient, working with me to overcome my fears and hesitations. Being with them, both regularly and intimately, had become a salve to my scarred soul, and they handled my heart with the utmost care. Even Joshua, who was new to our group, was so gentle with me. It was as though they had been made for me, and I hoped I gave them as much in return as I received.
“Yes, girl,” Rini answered Molly before prying her eyes from her mate. “But don’t you dare go having sex with just anyone.” Rini warned while Cayden stole some pizza and made himself scarce.
“Find your mate or mates,” I stretched and patted Molly’s knee, “and I promise you it will be worth it.”
Molly sighed dramatically, “Fine. But if they don’t show up soon, all bets are off. The sacrifices I make…”
“In the meantime,” Rini grinned mischievously, “I can point you to a great vibrator!” Female laughter echoed through the room and I shook my head with a smile, focusing on my friends. Dark thoughts were for another day—tonight was about being with my sisters, and my heart was lighter already.
Eight
Nix
Walking through the front door, I shrugged out of my coat and hung it on the coat rack, trying not to appear as weary as I felt. It was incredibly good to be home again, and the tension I’d been carrying all day slowly seeped from my shoulders as I tossed yet another bouquet of flowers down on the dining room table. Five sets of eyes landed eagerly on my face when I turned around, and I immediately felt Damien at my mind, asking permission to enter.
Wincing slightly, I pushed my mental wall in place and shook my head. “I’m tired. That date was… exhausting.”
Waving a hand in their direction to dismiss the conversation, I walked to the couch and plopped down between Damien and Killian, who scooted to make room for me. I leaned over and rested my head on Killian’s shoulder. His massive frame made for a comfortable resting place, and I nestled into his side with a contented sigh. Yeah, it was definitely good to be home. The guy I’d gone on a date with was nice and all, but he was boring and in complete awe of the Council… which made him hard to tolerate. If I had to go on a date with a suitor, I wished it could have been Joshua or Theo, but I understood Gaspard`s stance on needing to appear as though I was making a greater effort. However, all this dating had been taking away valuable time from my relationships with my actual men, and with all the strain we’d been under with the Council, the rebellion, and now my mating with Joshua, we were all feeling it.
Killian’s low growl didn’t go unnoticed and I tilted my head up, catching a flash of anger in his green eyes.
Tensing, I immediately sat up and gazed at him warily. “What? Why are you mad?”
I’d been trying harder not to react negatively to their emotions, especially when they were angry or arguing, but it was still a work in progress. Hell, I was still a work in progress.
Upon seeing my reaction, Killian took a deep breath through his mouth and visibly worked to relax. The anger bled out of his eyes and he softened.
“I’m sorry. It’s just… you smell like him.”
“Smell like who?” I scrunched my nose and tried to follow his cryptic conversation.
“Your date,” he snarled, spitting the words like they left a sour taste in his mouth. And honestly, maybe they had. None of us were fond of the whole dating and mating nonsense. Not when we already knew we belonged together. Throw in Joshua, who was already a touchy subject, and I knew my guys were more on edge than normal.
Finally understanding Kill’s meaning, I grimaced and lifted my arm to try to smell myself. A chuckle rippled through the room from Theo and Ryder, while Hiro looked thoroughly amused with his eyes sparkling behind dark frames. Glancing sideways toward my Gargoyle, I took in his response, but his jaw was set like stone and it didn’t look like he was breathing.
“You okay there, batman?” I asked, reaching out and placing a warm palm on the hard muscles of his bicep.
“My Gargoyle doesn’t like you smelling like other men any more than the Puca does.”
Sighing, I stood up, stretching in the process. “I guess it’s because I’m sitting closest to you both. I didn’t realize I smelled.”
Ryder snickered again and I arched an eyebrow in his direction as I smoothed my simple black shirt back down over my hips. I’d chosen to wear a modest, long sleeved t-shirt and jeans with boots today, deciding not to wear anything overtly sexy that would draw more attention from unwanted suitors.
>
Damien’s lips finally cracked a smile, and suddenly there was heat in his gaze. “You’re fucking sexy in everything you wear, sweetheart. Your outfit hardly changes a thing. You could wear a plastic bag and men would still find you wildly attractive.” His focus shifted down my body and then back up again, inch by slow inch.
I felt my face heat as the sexual tension in the room skyrocketed, and their need flooded the connection I must have stopped blocking earlier. My mental barrier was down and their desire was sharp and thick through our link. It was always this way with us lately. Now that we’d started taking our relationships to the next level, our interactions easily turned sexual in nature, even when they hadn’t started out that way. Not for the first time, I wondered if I could handle all of their needs.
A blush covered my cheeks when Damien’s penetrating gaze slashed through me, and I realized hadn’t erected my mental barrier fast enough to keep my embarrassing thoughts private.
Their grumbles of protest told me he’d shared my musings with the others. Turning to him, I propped my hands on my hips and looked disapprovingly down my nose. Even though he was sitting and I was standing, we were almost even in height. I stood only a handful of inches above him. Still, I tried to use my limited elevation to scold him.
“Really? You just had to share that thought with everyone?”
He shrugged, not looking the least bit chastised. “If I know what you’re thinking… they should know too, otherwise, I have an unfair advantage.”
“Just trying to keep things fair?” I arched a brow, challenging him, but I immediately lost my ruling position when he stood up in front of me, standing so close his body nearly brushed against mine. I tipped my chin up, trying to ignore the way his muscles moved as he straightened. This is not the time to think about how sexy his body is, Nix, I scolded myself.
Not bothering to answer my question, Damien leaned down into my space, his russet colored eyes glimmering in the light of the living room, narrowing just slightly. Just like that, the entire mood in the room altered. I felt the shift as clear as I felt the change in the weather—the daylight hours becoming more precious now that fall was yielding to winter in Alaska.