Threads of Destiny t-4

by N. J. Walters

  “Oh God,” she moaned. “I’m losing my mind. I’m worried about a character in a book when Tienan and Logan’s lives are in danger.” She didn’t want to think about what would happen to her if her part in this were ever discovered. Using their superior physical skills and intellect and her knowledge of the lab and the security systems at the various checkpoints in the city, they’d managed to get both men out of their confinement cells last night and away from Piedmont Corporation. Now, they had to figure out what to do next.

  She wrapped her arms around herself, blinking back the tears that threatened.

  “What I need is a magical tapestry to whisk all three of us out of this mess.” She smiled wistfully, thinking how nice it would be not to have to worry about her father, the General and the entire situation for just one day. Her entire life had been stressful for as far back as she could remember but the past few months that stress had increased tenfold. Exhaustion hit her and she knew she had to go back down to her rooms or eventually Tienan and Logan would come looking for her.

  She pushed to her feet and stumbled slightly. She hadn’t eaten since breakfast. The interrogation teams didn’t concern themselves with such mundane things as food and water and now she was feeling lightheaded. Extending her hands to steady herself, she hit the corner of a small trunk. It slid off the top of the larger trunk it was resting on and crashed to the floor. “Shit!” She pitched forward, barely avoiding ending up face first on the floor.

  The fallen trunk had popped open and she glanced inside as she wiped her hands on the legs of her pants and steadied herself. A leather-bound journal caught her eye and she plucked it from the depths of the trunk. It was obviously old, the leather cracked. Opening it carefully, she sucked in a breath when she realized it was from one of her ancestors, a woman who’d lived more than one hundred years before. “This is amazing.” She turned one page, then another, reading rapidly.

  Closing the book, she tucked it under her arm. She needed to read this. She was about to close the top of the trunk when something caught her eye. Plucking the bundle of fabric from the trunk, she shook it open, coughing and sneezing when dust flew from it. Carrying it closer to the light, she exclaimed with delight as the pattern emerged.

  “Well, you wanted a tapestry.” It was exactly as she imagined the one in the book would be and although it was dirty, she could see the myriad colors in the fabric. Red, green, blue, black, brown, white, silver and yellow all peeked from beneath the layer of dust, forming a picture. There was a stone castle in the center, surrounded by an abundance of flora and fauna, most of which she’d only seen in pictures. The river beyond the castle looked so real, she thought that if she touched it her fingers would get wet. “Incredible,” she whispered. The colors would be positively vibrant after a good cleaning.

  A man stood in front of the castle, tall and proud. He was dressed in brown pants and boots, his chest bare. Long brown hair fell to his waist and his golden-brown eyes seemed to stare at her, through her. Her nipples tightened dramatically, making her gasp. What was wrong with her? The longer she stared at him, the more aroused she became. Her panties were damp and her body felt heavy, almost lethargic.

  This was crazy. It was definitely time to break out her vibrator. She groaned as she realized that wouldn’t happen anytime soon. Not with Tienan and Logan staying with her. She’d spent the last seven years trying to think of them only as friends but with them here with her now that was becoming much more difficult. They were both handsome, virile men and she was only human after all. And she was a woman who, because of her commitment to her work and the lack of opportunity to meet someone who wasn’t cowed by her father, hadn’t had a man share her bed in over five years.

  A noise startled her, sending her pulse racing. “Who’s there?” She thought about what she’d heard. It had sounded almost as if someone had sighed. That was crazy. It was probably the wind in the eaves or something.

  No one answered but she couldn’t shake the feeling that she wasn’t alone. She’d become very paranoid in the past few months, even more so in the past twenty-four hours. Draping the tapestry carefully over her chair, she laid the journal on top of it. She had to leave them here. She couldn’t risk bringing them down to her room. If any of the staff discovered either item they’d tell her father and he’d have them thrown out just because they were important to her.

  She closed the lid on the trunk and crept back to the door, listening carefully. After a few moments, her pounding heart settled and she cracked the door open. Seeing no one, she turned off the light and made her way down the stairs, placing each foot carefully on the step. A part of her wanted to bring the tapestry with her but logic prevailed.

  “I wish that the tapestry was magic and it would bring Marc to me.” She sighed, her words drifting back up the stairs, as she pulled open the door to the hallway. One night of hot sex with the man from her fantasies would at least relax her and maybe make it easier to face the coming days ahead. Her life was changing, no doubt about it.

  No matter what happened, she knew she couldn’t stay here any longer. Tienan and Logan didn’t know it yet but when they left the city, she was going with them.

  Glancing up and down the hallway to make sure no one else was there, she sneaked back to her room, ready to face Tienan and Logan. They needed to make plans.

  Chapter Two

  Marc Garen sat in his chair at the head table in the great hall, just beyond the feasting crowd, watching as friends, family and honored guests toasted the arrival of Jarek and Christina’s third child. This one was cause for a major celebration. After two boys, they’d had a girl—a blonde-haired, blue-eyed beauty like her mother.

  The child was the center of attention, her proud parents holding court as one person after another came to pay tribute. Their other two children, five-year-old Baron and three-year-old Derrik, stood beside them, looking proud and pleased. Even at their young age, they knew the importance of a female child.

  Marc watched Baron, who smiled when he reached out and touched his sister’s face with his chubby fingers. Although they’d both shared Christina’s bed at the time, there was no doubt in Marc’s mind that the boy was his. He felt it in his heart and soul but he could not claim him. Only Jarek, as Christina’s husband, could claim the children as his own. It was the way things were done in Javara, the way they had to be done but that didn’t make it any easier to accept.

  Marc closed his eyes against the pain and emptiness that threatened to engulf him.

  He knew that both Jarek and Christina were worried about him. He’d shared their bed in the early days of their marriage, claiming his one night a week, as was his right as Jarek’s brother. But in the past few years, those times had gotten farther and farther apart. It had been almost a year since he’d sought them out. They were so happy together that he always felt as if he were intruding.

  Jarek and Christina had grown much closer since he’d stepped away from their relationship. Marc was happy for them, even as his loneliness increased with each passing season.

  He wanted what they had.

  He wanted a woman of his own. A woman he didn’t have to share. But given the laws and reality of their world, that wasn’t going to happen. Marc had resigned himself to a life alone as there was no way he could go back to sharing their bed once a week, as was custom.

  Opening his eyes, he glanced around the great hall in Castle Garen. Many of their neighbors had come to celebrate the birth and naming ceremony of the new child. All four Bakra brothers were there with their wives. He watched them carefully, sensing no strife or unease amongst the couples. They all seemed happy in their lives, sharing one woman between two brothers.

  In fact, all the people around him seemed happy. And he was happy too. This was a joyous occasion but, underlying it all, he felt as if something in his life was lacking.

  Amidst the crowd of people, he felt utterly alone.

  Shaking off the mood, he gripped the ale-filled chalice i
n his hand and rose. “To Jarek and Christina and their new girl child, Allina. May health and happiness be with them always.”

  The crowd cheered and raised their glasses in a toast. Christina smiled at him before returning her attention to the baby. Jarek stared hard at him, as if sensing his unsettled thoughts.

  Lowering his cup to the table, he turned and strode from the room, unable to stand the happy throng any longer. His long legs ate up the distance as he headed up the stone staircase that led to the family quarters. When he reached his room, he shoved open the door and strode inside, kicking it closed with his booted foot.

  “What is wrong with me?” He raked his fingers though his hair as he paced back and forth. The fireplace was empty but he felt no need to strike a flint and light the waiting logs. No amount of heat could melt the icy numbness that filled him more each day.

  The only time relief came was when he slept. He stopped at the window and peered out at the stars that were just beginning to wink into view as darkness claimed the land.

  He’d been dreaming of a woman for the past two nights now. His fingers wrapped around the hilt of the sword strapped to his waist and tightened. In the dream, the woman was his. She was in danger and he was unable to protect her. To a warrior, that was unacceptable.

  But there were other moments in his dreams. Hot, tender moments. He whirled away from the window and stalked to a large wooden chair which sat in front of the fireplace. Throwing himself into it, he tilted back his head and closed his eyes, trying to recapture the vision of this woman.

  She was tall, with long, slender legs that seemed to go on forever. He grunted and adjusted his pants to relieve his growing erection. It didn’t help. Her hair was the color of fire and she seemed to favor keeping it confined at her nape. Marc longed to sift his fingers through her hair to see if was as soft as it appeared.

  Her face was heart-shaped and her nose was slender and feminine. Her skin was flawless except for six freckles, which dotted her otherwise pale complexion—three on either side of her nose. Stubbornness showed in the slight upward tilt of her angular chin. She’d be a handful and then some.

  Sighing, he clasped his hands over his stomach and willed sleep to come. Maybe she would come to him in his dreams again and fill the lonely places in his heart. His breathing deepened and his head lolled to one side…

  He stood at the bottom of the bed and watched her sleep. Her hair was down but it was too dark for him to see more than the occasional glint of red. The light seeping in through the window was slight but it was enough. For now.

  He sensed two others in the room and squinted to see into the darkness. The figures slid from the darkness to stand on either side of him, poised and ready to fight to protect her.

  “She is mine.” His words were little more than a low growl. Every muscle in his body tensed and he forced himself to relax. He bent his knees slightly and fingered the sword at his waist. He was coiled, ready to fight for what was his.

  He’d been drawn to Christina from the moment he’d laid eyes on her but this was different. It went deeper, all the way to his very soul. The woman on the bed had been made especially for him, belonged to him. Nothing would stand in the way of him claiming her.

  Both men paused and watched him. He sensed they weren’t afraid to fight him but were rather trying to decide what to make of him. Finally, the one on his left gave a curt nod. “Kathryn is ours as well.” The voice was rough and Marc could hear the underlying challenge. So be it. He glanced over at the other man who inclined his head slightly.

  A low moan came from the bed, pulling all their gazes to the woman who lay there.

  The moonlight on her face revealed her frown. Tension seemed to fill the air around them. Her brow wrinkled and she held out her hands as if to ward them off. “No,” she gasped, batting her hands uselessly at the air.

  Marc’s heart ached for her obvious pain. Unable to stop, he unsheathed his sword and put it aside, before crawling onto the bed beside her. “Hush,” he crooned as he cupped the side of her face with his hand.

  Her eyelids fluttered and she blinked at him. “Who?” she gasped.

  He didn’t give her time to object but gently laid his lips against hers. They were soft and warm and tasted sinfully sweet. He felt the mattress sink on either side and knew the other two men were moving in to stake their claim.

  Ignoring them, he focused all his attention on the woman in the bed. Kathryn, they’d said her name was. “Open for me, Kathryn.” His tongue traced the seam of her lips, coaxing her to part them. Her name rolled easily from his mouth and he liked the sound of it.

  Her hand clutched at his shoulder and she sighed. “Dreaming,” she muttered. Marc took advantage and slid his tongue into the moist cavern of her mouth. He slid his tongue over hers, inviting it to play with his. After a moment’s hesitation, she did just that. Marc’s pants were uncomfortably tight now, his erection pressing hard against the leather but he didn’t care. He could lie here all night long and just taste her mouth.

  Her fingernails dug into his shoulders and he pulled free long enough to push aside his leather vest, letting it fall to the mattress behind him. “Touch me.” It was part demand, part plea and she answered it. Flattening her palms against his skin, she stroked over the hard planes of his chest. He swore under his breath when her fingers brushed his nipples. His cock was throbbing hard now and his balls ached.

  “My turn.” The sound came from the other side of Kathryn. The dim light shone on the man watching them. His hair was dark, his body lean and determination was etched on every inch of his face. There was no doubt that this man wanted Kathryn.

  As Marc watched, the dark-haired man leaned down and kissed her lightly, sipping at her lips. “Tienan,” she groaned before turning her head away. “Logan?” Her voice was little more than a whisper but the man behind him heard it. He pushed Marc aside and cupped her face in his hands. “I’m here, little one.” Marc shifted until he sat between her legs, her nightgown bunched around her thighs. “Kathryn?” Her name was low and urgent. He needed her to look at him, to acknowledge him.

  She turned to him and frowned. “Who are you?”

  “I am Marc of the House of Garen—” He broke off as she gasped.

  “You came. I wanted to dream of you and you came.” She smiled at him then and it went straight to his heart and his groin.

  He placed his hands on her legs and slid them upward, pushing the light fabric of her gown higher and higher until she was exposed to him. He wished he could see her better, wanted to know if the fine hair between her thighs was as fiery red as that on her head.

  Her legs shifted restlessly against the mattress and he pressed them wide as he bent forward. “You smell hot and sweet,” he muttered. “How will you taste?” She didn’t answer but she made no move to stop him as he licked up one side of her labia and down the other. Her low moan was music to his ears. He raised his head and smiled, noting that the two other men had shifted the straps of her gown from her shoulders and were sucking on her nipples.

  Her hips tilted upward and he feathered his fingers over her sensitive flesh before slowly pressing one inside her opening. She was snug and hot around him. His body clenched as he imagined how tightly her pussy would hold his cock, squeezing it in exquisite sensual torture as he fucked her.

  He shoved his hips into the mattress and pressed down hard. He was close to coming, could feel the liquid seeping from the tip of his shaft. His balls were heavy and pulled up tight against his body. His skin was slick with perspiration as he struggled not to yank down his pants and shove his cock into her welcoming heat.

  He needed her pleasure first.

  She made a sound of displeasure when he withdrew his finger but cried with delight when he pressed two fingers back into her. Her moist walls closed around him, pulling him deeper. Leaning closer, he inhaled her unique scent—musky, aroused woman with a touch of honey and something floral. It went to his head harder and more quickly
than the most potent of ale.

  He widened his fingers and withdrew slowly, keeping the tips of his fingers just inside her sheath. Then he plunged them back inside. Over and over, he repeated the action, gaining speed as he went.

  Her hips were arching into the air, her body jerking. He knew she was close to reaching her pleasure. He captured the bundle of nerves at the apex of her sex between his lips and sucked. Kathryn screamed his name as she came. Satisfaction roared through him as he continued to stroke her with his hand and his mouth, prolonging her climax.

  Finally, he forced himself to release her. Sitting back, he swiped his face with the back of his hand, groaning when her scent filled his nostrils. His hands went to the fastenings of his pants. He would have her now.

  “Kathryn?” She blinked at him, hearing the question. It was her choice. Logan and Tienan sat on either side of her, watching her, waiting for her decision.

  She nodded. “I asked the tapestry to bring you to me and it did.” Marc’s fingers froze on the laces of his pants. “Tapestry?” She gifted him with a sleepy, sated smile. “Yes, tapestry. I read the book and know all about Jarek, Christina and Javara. I’ve wanted you since I first read the story.” She sighed. “I found the book months ago but only discovered the tapestry and an old journal in the attic this afternoon. I asked for it to bring you to me in my dreams.” She laughed. “I needed this release more than I thought.” She glanced, almost shyly, at the men on either side of her. “Although, I didn’t imagine all three of you.” Marc’s head began to spin, his vision fading. “No. This can’t be.” He could hear the horror in his voice as the room around him began to disappear.

  “Marc.” He could hear the fear in her voice, hear the exclamations of the other two men. He managed to roll to one side and grab his sword…