by Kenna Bardot
“Come. It’s just up ahead.”
We stopped in front of a door - 1108 -and Gale knocked once and only just barely before Alec Gaius threw the door open with a wide smile on his face.
“You’re here! Good, I thought Gaylord had gotten lost.” He grabbed my hand and tugged me into the living space urgently. As I was still holding hands with Gale, who held Emerson’s, we were all dragged into the apartment.
I chuckled, wrapping my arms around him and accepting his kiss as I heard the door closing behind me. Alec Gaius drew back with a sigh of relief. "Missed you, Kaia Wren."
"I missed you too," I admitted, and I had. I'd seen Vali because he had training. I'd seen Ronan, but I hadn't seen Alec Gaius. Ironically, he was the only one of the three men I wasn't miffed at, considering my last interactions with the other two. They seemed to realize that fact, standing off to the side and waiting for me to approach before approaching.
"What in Zeevar is that?" Vali asked, and he winced as soon as the words left his lips. I knew he didn't want to sound confrontational, but the shock of the rather large tattoo on my skin was bound to raise eyebrows for people who hadn't seen it. I'd drawn quite the circle of attention walking down the street, sword on my back, whip around my arm, raven perched on my shoulder, and the hint of a massive winged tattoo peeking out from under my sweater.
Gale had been slightly miffed that I was drawing too much attention.
Queen of the Birds.
I chuckled at the thought, one that I knew came from my connection with Charlie. There weren't words, just more like impressions that I interpreted to words. He was amused by the picture we painted walking down the road, and I liked the idea of being the Queen of or the best at something.
"It's a tattoo," I stated with a small smile, staring at him and wondering if he'd disrespected my wishes and said something to the guys. My eyes darted over to Ronan, knowing he would be the most likely to be pissed at the possibility of adding another man, aside from Vali anyway, but he gave no indication he was anything other than wary of me. He should have been because I planned on spanking his ass.
I moved to the space between them, pressing a kiss to Ronan's lips gently, and giving him a look that communicated I forgave him. Or, at least, I didn’t actively hate him. He'd fucked up, but he hadn't been malicious in what he’d done. Just foolish and selfish, but I understood where he’d come from.
But Vali. Vali was a different story because his reaction to Cel didn't make the least bit of sense to me. I could only hope our conversation would go better the second time around. Stepping from Ronan, I let Gale move in to claim him for a kiss. I took a step towards Vali, stopping before him. I kept my hands clasped in front of me. We didn’t touch, didn’t speak for a moment. He raked a hand through his hair, and I asked him pointedly and outright. "Did you say anything?"
"No. I wouldn't break your trust like that, Little Bird," he whispered, and I gave him an awkward smile before reaching up to touch his cheek. His hand raised hesitantly before he caressed my scar with his thumb. I melted, just a bit. The way he touched me there - sweet and reverent - always made me melt.
"Thank you." I tipped my face up to his, letting him lean down and kiss me in a lingering press of his lips on mine. Those muscular arms wrapped around my waist, and when we drew back he clung to me tightly.
"Can't lose you," he murmured.
"I'm not going anywhere, and neither are you." His tense body relaxed against mine, and I turned back to see Alec Gaius and Gale kissing as Emerson and Ronan greeted one another similarly.
“What in Zeevar?” I asked, stepping further into the room to greet Ronan. Sidetracked by the expansive living space that hadn’t existed in the previous apartment, my eyes darted all over the place. “Wait, wait. I got distracted. This isn’t at all like that old place. Where did the bedrooms go?”
Ronan exchanged a look with Gale and a little smile. “Surprise?” I glanced down the new hallway to find a staircase.
“We informed the Order that we intended for the six of us to live together. Obviously, the two of you will go back to InkHaven after the summer, but they agreed to remodel two apartments into one when Vali and Gale agreed they would forfeit their own,” Alec Gaius explained.
“There’s enough room for all of us now,” I whispered, feeling Emerson press into my side as he undoubtedly was surprised by the change as well.
“There is, baby,” Alec Gaius murmured gently, seeing the emotion swimming in my eyes.
“The spot on the mantle is too empty,” I teased, tossing a look at it.
“Ah, well, we thought you might like to put the photo of your family there, Little Bird,” Vali announced as he stepped into my space, and I felt my body go still. “And eventually when we have one of all of us, we’ll put that there too.”
The first tear broke from the pool forming in my eyes and glided down my cheek.
“I’ll be in both of them,” Vali puffed up his chest, and I watched in amusement as Alec Gaius glared at him with narrowed eyes.
"Before we undoubtedly hit the bedroom," Gale interrupted before the two men could argue as he grinned at me with a wink. I rolled my eyes. "There are some things we should discuss."
Vali tensed momentarily, but forced himself to relax against me. I tugged his hand and sat him on the couch with a gentle push. Positioning Ronan on the other side of it, and Alec Gaius in the middle, I turned and made my way to stand between Gale and Emerson in support.
"Some developments have been made in figuring out how different Kaia is than the rest of us. Information has come to light from a variety of sources-" Gale started.
"I think we should start with the other thing first," I cut off, turning my eyes to Gale's dark, green-rimmed ones. “End with the more serious one that is likely putting me in mortal danger?”
He nodded hesitantly, alarm in his eyes, but I couldn’t blame him. We both turned our attention to Emerson. He and Gale exchanged a look that was pure nerves, and I fought the urge to step in. We'd decided me asking to add another man was probably not the way to go about it.
"I’ll cut straight to the point, because you all deserve the truth. I want Cel to be part of us," Emerson said, voice strong. I smiled, glad he wasn't wilting under the pressure of what was sure to be a hard conversation.
Ronan froze solid on the couch. Alec Gaius stared at us, tilting his head thoughtfully and casting a side eye to Vali, who stared at his feet. He spoke up, “Your best friend Cel, Madden? That Cel?”
"Yes, that Cel. Gale and I support him," I answered for Vali, who just remained silent and unmoving from his spot on the couch.
“And we'd like it if you would too."
Ronan's hand tensed on the couch, fingers digging into the arm, and Alec Gaius slid a hand to his knee, drumming fingers against it. Ronan bit the words out, "You want another man, woman?"
"Don't," Gale snapped. "I did the same thing you're about to do, Ronan. It was a mistake for me, and it will be a mistake for you too. Just hear them out." Ronan turned harsh eyes to Gale, before nodding silently. It was rare that Gale spoke up to Ronan in that manner since he'd joined him in our bed, so even Ronan knew that for him to do so meant he had a reason he believed in.
"You have Gale," Emerson interrupted. "Alec Gaius has Vali. Who do I have?"
"You have all of us, Emers," Alec Gaius said, his voice oddly soft. But I saw it, that understanding in his eyes. In that moment, I could not have loved him more.
Emerson gave him a kind smile, and I knew he saw it too. "I know that. I know I'm loved, and I'm just as much a part of this group as anyone else. To Kaia. But even though we all love each other, amongst ourselves we still have our favorites, and I'm no one’s favorite." The tension slid from Ronan's posture.
"I have no problem with Marcellus," Alec Gaius interjected. "You like him. I trust your judgment and with our feud gone, he'll be able to slide right in like he belongs. Of course, he is very pretty so I’ll feel threatened, but I can h
old my own. I’m fairly gorgeous myself."
Emerson huffed out a laugh, and I giggled alongside him. "I wouldn't be too sure about him 'sliding right in,' but-"
"Not the time," Gale said, stifling his own chuckle.
"If that's how you really feel, Emerson," Ronan said and paused as my heart caught in my throat. "Then I would never want to get in the way of you having everything you need in this relationship. I'll approve of Cel, so long as he understands that we're all a package deal. He doesn't just get you and Kaia."
"He knows," I agreed with a smile. "Thank you."
"No more though. Is everyone content with what they have at this point? I don't want to have this conversation again in a couple of months."
I nodded, and the others all nodded around me. "I'm happy."
"Good," Ronan murmured, giving me his amused eyes that made my heart flutter. "Would never want you any other way."
"Vali?" I asked the newest of my men. He surprised me by ignoring me in favor of looking at Emerson.
"I'm sorry. For the way I reacted. I of all people should know what it's like to want someone you can't have. I was just afraid-"
"That the more men she takes into her heart, the less space there is for you. I get it. You're relatively new to this so you haven’t had the time the rest of us do with experiencing the fact that Kaia's heart has no limits." Emerson smiled, and Ronan interrupted.
"Touching. I'm glad that's settled, but now what I want to know is what in Zeevar you meant about new information about Kaia that involves her being in mortal danger." I should have known that he’d latch onto that fact. His voice had lowered, and he leaned forward off the couch to grab me around the hips and tug me onto his lap to straddle him. My leg brushed against Alec Gaius as I perched there, and I fought the shiver that came with knowing I'd undoubtedly have lots of contact as soon as the stupid conversation was over with.
Okay, maybe mortal danger wasn’t what one could call stupid but it was close.
Ronan's fingers hovered over the tattoo at my shoulder, and I bit my lip and stared at his face. "Do you like it?"
"Woman, liking is an understatement," he grunted, running a hand down my shoulder.
"I agree, Kaia Wren. It's beautiful against your skin." Alec Gaius stared at the spot where Charlie still perched on my shoulder. "Now, Ronan mentioned you had a follower, but could he perhaps move away?" I turned my eyes to Charlie, giving him a nod, and he flew off to perch on the windowsill.
"What in Zeevar?" Alec Gaius whispered, and I turned to questioning eyes to Gale. Since I'd revealed Mar's theory to him, he'd familiarized himself with Earth Mages more than I'd been able to considering the need to keep up with my other studies.
“Enough stalling,” Ronan burst out, fingers digging into my hips. I gave it a slight slap, and he loosened his grip slightly.
Very slightly.
"Kaia was supposed to die when she was eleven. I think she's mentioned that? She was left to resume her life, and given a new date, just as some Inkeds do - those who are marked to go onto adulthood before their Rebirth. In the records, she's marked as having survived but for recruitment. She should have joined the Order when she was eleven, but she didn't," Gale paused, and Ronan's hands tightened again. I didn’t slap at them this time, because my nerves threatened to consume me.
"Could have had you all this time?"
I shook my head in response as Gale continued, "When she survived the second Sacrifice attempt, she came to the Order finally, as she’s always been meant to. By some miracle of luck, she happened to be an Air Mage out of everything, but that block you sensed Alec Gaius?"
Alec Gaius widened his eyes on Gale, glancing between Charlie and the whip at my arm. "She's an Earth Mage," he whispered.
"No, Gale just said she's an Air Mage," Vali input, patting his huge hand on Alec Gaius’ slim thigh.
"I'm both," I interjected suddenly, and both men snapped their gaze to me.
"Is that even possible?" Vali asked.
"Well, that’s how it’s been presented to me, but yes. It’s quite a rare phenomenon apparently, but evidently possible since here I am. We've been looking into it-"
"Don't. You stop looking into it. You pretend you don't know about it, and you go about your life as an Air Mage," Ronan bit out, turning my face to look back at him. "Promise me."
I pulled back, staring down at his tight face. "I’ve been keeping it discreet.”
Gale cleared his throat and I looked over my shoulder to stare daggers at him. Okay, maybe walking down the street as the queen of the birds wasn’t discreet but there was a crowd.
“Ronan, I have to know-"
"No, you do not. Mortal danger means someone is trying to hurt you. It stands to reason that this has something to do with it," Vali snapped from the other side of the couch. I'd expected the conversation about Cel to be far more violent and angry than talking about me being different in ways we already knew.
"We will not lose you," Ronan said forcefully, and one of those huge hands reached out and caught me around the neck. "Tell me, Kaia."
"Okay, Ronan. I'll stop looking into it," I agreed, and he pulled me down to crash his lips against mine. A body pressed against my back, and judging by the hard feel of the insane abs, it was Vali.
"I think it's time for bed," he murmured in my ear as I kissed Ronan, and I felt like I could drown in dominance being trapped in between them. I knew neither one of them would ever back down, not really, but they were still able to work together seamlessly. I almost couldn't wait for the day that they took me together. Vali lifted me off Ronan's lap, and my legs dangled uselessly while I released a giggle. Ronan stood, pressing his body between my legs to sandwich me between them momentarily, and I whimpered with need.
Ronan's grin turned cold. "Such a good girl." He stepped away, letting Vali set me to my feet and swat my ass until I made my way to the stairs. The rest of the guys followed, and we crammed into the small standing space of the bedroom. The apartment was a comfortable size, with a large bedroom that served as the Master. The guys had evidently arranged for the custom-made, huge bed to be installed in the new apartment, and I felt tears threaten at my eyes.
"Think it will be big enough for seven?" Vali whispered, and I nodded to him.
"You're okay with it?"
His eyes turned thoughtful for a moment, but he nodded. "It might be awkward for me at first. He's been my friend for so long. But he is quite pretty." He shrugged, but I knew how much he preferred the pretty.
I grinned up at him, and I gave a gesture with my nose to Alec Gaius. "You certainly like pretty."
He shrugged, nuzzling his nose against mine.
He reached up and caressed the scar on my cheek with his thumb. "I certainly do."
Melt.
When I turned away from Vali, I turned to find Gale laying back on the bed naked and an equally naked Ronan crawling up to settle between his spread legs. Their lips met, Ronan's mouth devouring Gale's in that all-consuming command he did so well. I tugged out of Vali's grip, stripped off my boots, socks, and jeans and knelt on the bed behind Ronan. He turned his head to look at me, but only gave me a smirk when my hands ran over the flesh of his back and kneaded at the muscle there.
Drawing my hand back slowly, I stared down with malicious intent before bringing it down and smacking it against Ronan’s right cheek with a loud slap. He jolted in surprise, and Gale gave me a wide-eyed stare from underneath Ronan's mass. I repeated the motion to his left cheek, ignoring the stinging in my hand as a more vengeful expression took over my face.
Alec Gaius let out a hysterical, dark chuckle behind me.
"Oh shit," Vali’s smooth, whiskey voice whispered next to him.
When I looked back, Alec Gaius was bent over with his hands on his knees as he wheezed in deep breaths.
Well, glad I could provide some amusement.
"Woman," Ronan growled, and he moved so quickly I didn't have time to react. I flew and landed on my back
.
"Did you just spank me?" he asked as he rolled me beneath him, so that my hips were cradled in Gale's groin.
"Payback's a bitch," I chuckled. "Don't spank me if you don't want to get it right back."
"Did I say I didn't like it?" he teased, grinding his hips against mine. "But I'm fairly certain you need a reminder in how this whole hierarchy thing we have going works."
"I don't think so," I sighed, loving the way he felt as he rubbed his erection against my panties. Fingers tugged at the hem of my top, and Gale oh-so-helpfully worked it out from between our bodies to pull it over my head, taking my bra with it.
"You know," Ronan said, fingers toying at my nipple. "I was a little torn about who I wanted to fuck more between the two of you."
"That sounds like a real dilemma," I teased, gasping when he replaced his fingers with his mouth and flicked with his tongue. His fingers slid inside my red underwear, slipping through my wetness to work two inside me.
"Are you going to try and convince the others that you didn't like it when I slapped your ass? That you won't like it when Vali does it? Because I promise you, I'll flip you over and turn your ass red just to show them what a little liar you are." That thumb hit my clit as he pumped his fingers in and out.
"Ronan," I whined, wiggling my hips to entice him to give me what I wanted.
"That's what I thought." His fingers slipped from my panties, grasping them and tugging them down off my legs and tossing them away.
"Hey!" Emerson laughed, and I chuckled. It seemed like he was always getting hit with wayward clothing.
Ronan pressed a kiss to the inside of my knee, lifting it up and out to give himself an unhindered view of my core. "Gods, such a pretty pussy," he murmured, positioning his face closer to hover just out of touch. My hands shot forward, and one tugged on his hair and pulled him towards me. He laughed against me, and the rumbles vibrated through me. I threw my head back when his tongue darted out, licking me and working me into a frenzy. My breathing changed, shifting to short pants as I squirmed in Gale's lap. When Ronan reached beneath me to tug Gale's cock out from under me, he pressed his head against the entrance to my pussy. With a slow thrust, Gale filled me. Ronan watched, his tongue occasionally darting out to tease my clit while Gale gave me short and shallow thrusts. Pulling back to smirk at me, Ronan eased two fingers inside me alongside Gale's cock, and I whimpered at the stretch.