“Ah, yes, that is to be expected from a Mazza. Now that she has made her first bond”—Yunez shot Nato a disapproving look—“and don’t think I don’t know how that happened. She will draw others to her until all her bonds are complete. It doesn’t even matter that you are already bonded to her; others from Zien House will still feel the compulsion to be close to her when they are in the same vicinity.”
Sage braces his elbows on his knees as he leans forward. “Not that we don’t all feel the compulsion to some degree, but nothing like the other men do. Why would we not react the same way?”
Yunez shrugs. “I can’t say for certain. In the past, the Mazzas that I have known, or been made aware of, bonded with all their mates at the same time.” Another look gets directed at Nato, and this time he had the good grace to look sheepish. Serves him right. “Maybe because you were around Isolde before she formed the first bond. It could also be that you have started to bond on some level just by being in her presence consistently. If that’s the case, then you wouldn’t feel the need to react the way that the others did.”
My crew hmms as they think this through. Sage speaks up again. “If that is true and she has started the beginning of bonds with the three of us, could she still form bonds with other men in our place?”
Sage looks nowhere but directly at Yunez. Yunez in return studies Sage thoughtfully. I suspect he avoids our eyes because he doesn’t want to reveal too much of what he is thinking or feeling. It makes me wonder what he’s showing Yunez.
“Would that make you happy or disappointed?”
Sage swallows loudly. “I’m not sure.”
“Well, I’m sorry to say I don’t have that answer. I haven’t seen this before, and I’m only speculating based on my rather impressive… knowledge base.” Yunez winks at me.
I can’t help it; I burst out laughing. This guy is a huge flirt and pretty hilarious, but I don’t think the rest of the guys are as amused. Nato and Egan are wearing formidable scowls, and Jari is fiercely frowning. Meanwhile, Sage sports Resting Dick Face like he owns it.
“Come on, you guys. That was funny. Admit it,” Yunez implores the group. His lips press together in repressed humor, and impishness shines in his eyes. If I had to guess, I would say he enjoys getting their hackles up more than the joke itself.
“Ha ha,” Egan deadpans from his slouched position on the couch. He has his arms crossed and legs spread wide. I let my eyes linger on the play of muscles in his arms and abdomen. Even with a glint of anger on his face, he is something to behold.
“Yunez, we need to start working with Iss on any Zien powers she might have acquired. Can we stay here while we do that? Our place isn’t safe anymore.” Nato again changes the subject.
“Sure, you can stay here, but don’t bother training yet. This I actually do know. She won’t have any powers until she has completed a bond from each house.”
“What? How is she supposed to protect herself without gaining any powers?” Nato looks at me, and I see the wheels turning in his head. We have one from each house here.
“Don’t even think it! You said mates are for life. I don’t want to complete the bond just to get some mystical powers. I want there to be feelings involved, not just a business arrangement. You all should want that too.” I pierce each guy with my stare until I land on Yunez. I’m curious what he has to say.
“Issy…may I call you Issy?” I nod. “You have some time. Stay here and with your Lusty Legion. But don’t take too long. I can also tell you these men wouldn’t be here if there was absolutely no feelings involved. None of them.” His gaze lingers on Sage before snapping back to me.
“Well, I think I have shared all I can for now. I must be going. Ring the number on the counter if you need anything.” Yunez stands and stalks over to me, tugging me out of Jari’s hold and hugging me a tad more than is appropriate. He presses the hard planes of his body fully to mine, and I can feel his…knowledge base digging into my stomach. Definitely not appropriate. I already have a Zien mate. Yet, I can’t help sinking into him as he nuzzles my neck.
Egan removes me from Yunez’s clutches this time with a fierce expression and brows drawn ominously.
Yunez just chuckles and leaves the house whistling a jaunty tune.
Jari scratches his head. “Uh, are we sure that that was Yunez? Did you think he was acting normal?”
Nato stands to look out the window, but it’s no use. Yunez has already disappeared. Turning, Nato’s face is scrunched up in confusion. “Yes and no. He has a playful personality, but I have never seen him actually hit on anyone. I don’t think he’s been celibate all the years that I’ve known him; he has just never flaunted it.”
Nato gives me a long look. “He was definitely interested in Issy.”
“You think it’s the compulsion?” Sage asks.
“No, I don’t think so. He wasn’t mindless to it the way the other men were. He was also very cryptic. I mean, he’s always been choosy with the information he shares, but he’s never purposely mysterious. I’m not exactly sure what his game is. He knows I bonded Issy, so he wouldn’t try to form his own bond. It wouldn’t do any good anyway.”
I start a self-guided tour, leaving them to their discussion, and as I pass the kitchen, Egan is checking out the contents of the fridge. “Hey. How’s it looking in there?”
He jumps, bumping his head inside before stepping back to straighten up. Rubbing the back of his head, he turns around and crowds me against the counter.
“It’s fully stocked. Not surprisingly, since Yunez has the sight. He probably brought us here for the sole purpose of staying so you’ll be safe.” He suddenly lifts me up, sets me on the counter, and pulls my legs apart to get in between them.
“Hey now. I was trying to take a tour of our new living accommodations.” I grab his shoulders.
He places his hands on my ass, slides me to the edge of the counter, and nips my bottom lip. I would love to say I am unaffected, but let’s be real. This green-eyed man totally turns me on.
“Are you hungry? I could feed you.” He nips my bottom lip again before sucking it into his mouth. My thighs reflexively tighten around him. “You want to know us before the bond, and that’s understandable. I want to know you too. But I want you to know, I’m determined to be your Caen mate.” He presses his lips more firmly to mine and licks the seam of my mouth.
My eyes flutter shut and I open for him, tangling our tongues together.
“I want to take you out for a picnic tonight. Just me and you. You can ask me anything and I’ll answer. Just spend time with me,” he murmurs against my lips.
“Okay,” I whisper.
“Okay?” He searches my eyes, and the sweetest smile comes over his face. He pulls me into him and rocks me side to side. He completely envelops me. His presence is equally comforting and enticing, and it’s easy to forget that there is even more at stake than deciding if we should form a lifelong bond based on our attraction and compatibility.
Eventually he sets me down on my feet with a slap to my ass and sends me on my way.
“Finish your tour. I want to pack us something to eat, so go get ready. You have about fifteen minutes.”
“Wow, you don’t waste any time do you?” I’m on my way out of the room when I make this comment. Before I even finish, Egan has rushed behind me and yanks me into him. He bites my neck with just a bit of pain.
“Nope.” He smacks a sloppy wet kiss where he just bit me and backs away. He is a strange, strange cookie sometimes. Still, I giggle when I swipe my hand over my neck. Whoa—I have never been a giggler. Not much to giggle about.
The cabin itself isn’t large, just a handful of rooms. A kitchen that also doubles as a dining room with wood cabinets that match the walls and floors. Living room with a couch, loveseat, chair, one coffee table, and a corner lamp. I find the bathroom next. Now this, this is nice. The bathroom is almost as large as the living room. There’s a walk-in shower with benches on three sides. A mul
titude of shower heads come from all different angles. The hot-tub-sized jacuzzi in one corner could probably fit all of us. On the other wall is a counter with three sinks. Not enough for everyone to have their own, but better than only one. Maybe I can claim one as just mine.
There is only one room left, and apparently where the rest of the Lusty Legion are hiding out.
The room itself is barely big enough for someone to walk around the bed on both sides. Only one bedroom and a bed the size of Texas—this must be a hint from Yunez.
On the bed, Nato, Sage, and Jari are all flopped every which way, their eyes closed. It looks like it has been a hard day for them. Poor babies. Do they know I’m here? And if not, what can I do to them? Smiling to myself, I take one step forward. No one moves, not even a twitch. Another step. Another. I’m just a few steps away.
Jari is closest to me, sprawled on his back. I take a deep breath and jump on top of him.
“Omphh!” Jari grunts, his arms closing around me. I laugh at the shocked look on his face. I guess he really was asleep after all.
Before I have time to think through my next step, he tosses me on the next closest person, Sage. He happens to be lying on his stomach with his hands under his head. Too bad for him that he didn’t flip over when he felt me jump on Jari.
“Umfff!” Sage groans. Before he can react, I roll over and straddle his back. I dig my fingers and thumbs into his sides and wiggle them around.
“Ha! Shit! Stop!” He can’t stop laughing as he tries to squirm out from under me. I lie down over his back to try and lock him in place. Hands enter my peripheral vision, and I look up. Nato has locked Sage’s arms over his head with the biggest shit-eating grin I have ever seen. When the kicking stops, I glance down and see that Jari is lying across Sage’s feet with a mirror image of Nato’s expression.
Sage laughs and curses while jerking underneath me, and I giggle. I freaking giggle uncontrollably while I tickle Sage.
I move my hands higher and toward the front of his ribcage, fitting my fingers between his ribs. On a side note, this boy has no fat at all. All muscle here. Yum…
I clamp my thighs on either side of his, and my face wedges in his neck. What do I do next? Blow raspberries. Under the onslaught of rib tickling and raspberries, I get a few high-pitched giggles out of Sage too. Seeing his face turn an unnatural shade of red, I figure it’s probably time to stop. I’ve had my fun.
I bring my hands up to round over his shoulders but remain pressed against his back in the same position.
“Ya okay, Sage?” I blow stray hairs off my face and gulp in a few breaths. I’m mildly sweaty. Never realized it was such a workout to contain someone while tickling them.
Gasping, Sage relaxes into the mattress. I tilt my forehead to his shoulder, moving my hands, getting ready to brace myself and let him up. In an instant, his muscles bunch under me, he rotates, and then Sage rolls us over so he is now on top. A twinge of pain slices through my side, but it’s quickly forgotten under his piercing stare. At some point he locked my wrists with his hands and stretched them over my head.
Sage is no longer laughing, but his cheeks are still flushed. His face is mere inches from mine, and with the color tinging his face, his pale green eyes appear brighter, deeper. Wedged between my legs, he presses my body into the bed in the most delicious way. He runs his nose along mine in a sweet caress that pulls a burning hot line down between my thighs. He flexes his hips into mine, grinding a growing erection into my most sensitive places.
My breath catches, and it seems to snap him out of whatever haze he was in. Without a backward glance, he is up off me and out the door in the space of a breath.
The room is empty. Jari and Nato must have headed out as soon as Sage flipped us. Rubbing my hands down my face, I curl up into a sitting position. Was I wrong to tickle him? Friends tickle each other. At least I think they do. Nato tickled me earlier, but maybe that isn’t such a good example.
They just looked so sweet and innocent, and after the last twenty-four hours, I thought they could use some fun. Hell, I could use some fun. I had no intention of it being sexual. No, when I was tossed onto Sage’s back, I saw an opportunity to show him maybe a little bit of the childhood he never got.
I know what happened, though whether I want to admit it is another story. Sage got carried away, and when he flipped us, he put us into a position that was more intimate than either of us was ready for. He didn’t handle it well, not once he realized what he was doing. The last look in his eyes wasn’t the heat that was there previously. It was guilt.
I’ll give him time to settle himself on his own before I try to talk to him. See if he can work out his own feelings. According to Yunez, we have time, but how much is up for debate. Especially knowing I can’t really be introduced to others until all my bonds are formed. That is kind of counterproductive if I want to meet other potential bond mates.
I walk toward the closet in an effort to calm myself, seeking out the last place in the cabin I haven’t explored. Another surprise bowls me over when I open the door. This room is nearly as large as the bedroom. There are half a dozen individual racks with various sizes and styles of clothes, along with a few drawers underneath. If I were a betting woman, I would say each guy had a section to himself.
At the far end is a section of racks with women’s clothing. Upon closer inspection, the clothing proves exactly my size and pretty much my style. Well, damn. I guess Yunez not only has foresight but an incredible planning power to make things happen. He must have been damn confident that we would come here and stay to boot.
The door opens behind me, and Egan steps into the closet.
“You ready?” he speaks in low tones, as if wondering whether I’m upset.
Am I upset? No, not personally. If anything, I’m more upset about Sage and the emotional turmoil he must be feeling.
“Yes.” I slide my hands around his waist to his back and curve up to his shoulders. He shivers at my touch. His fingers slip through my hair to cradle the back of my head. Tilting my head back, he meets my mouth with his. His kisses are gentle and coaxing.
“Let’s go,” he says gruffly. “If we don’t go right now, you’ll be bonded to me within the hour.”
For a long moment, I wonder if that would be so bad.
Stepping back, I hold my arm out and gesture toward the door. He shakes his head, links our fingers, and leads me out.
At the door, Jari and Nato cut us off.
Nato cups my jaw and plants a scorching kiss on me that I won’t forget anytime soon. When he steps back, he touches my temple, and the slight discomfort from my wound is gone.
Jari, though…
“Okay, kids. Your curfew is 10 p.m. and not a minute later. Take care of her virtue, Egan.” Jari tries to be stern, but he can’t even hold a straight face.
Egan coughs into his hand. “You should have given that line to Nato when we brought her home with us. I have free rein now.”
“Hey!” I yell and swat him on the stomach. We all have a good laugh, and Jari steps into me. With a hand between my shoulder blades, he drags me to him slowly. His arm curves up to wrap around the back of my neck. His grip is firm, like he’s claiming me. Maybe even branding me.
For the first time, he kisses me, slanting his mouth across mine and dragging his tongue along my bottom lip. It feels so good. I have to open for him. He dives in right away and massages my tongue with his. He pulls back but lays another two closed-mouth kisses on me.
I only had his lips on mine and his hand on my neck, but it felt like so much more. Tingles race up and down my spine, and I’m short of breath. I’m entirely lost in my desire.
Jari moves away from the door and leans against the wall. “Have fun. And you’re welcome, Egan. I primed her for you.” He winks and laughs at his own joke.
I want to have a comeback, and I try really hard. I got nothing. And he’s not wrong.
Egan whisks me out of the house before any more comments a
re thrown our way, and we start a brisk pace through the trees.
“WHAT’S THE RUSH?”
Egan glances at me but doesn’t slow down. “I want to get to where we are going before the rain starts.”
Oh yeah. Jari said there was going to be a thunderstorm. Content to let Egan lead, I trail my fingers along the needle-like leaves along the path. The trees are much more plentiful here than at their farmhouse, and there even seems to be a thickening of underbrush.
At the crest of a small hill, I see that Egan must have already come up here. Man, he’s pretty fast to have set all this up. Somewhere he found a large tarp and some rope for a makeshift canopy that will shield us from the rain. He even had the forethought to raise the middle so water won’t collect in the center of the tarp. Underneath is another tarp spread out and blankets arranged neatly on top, along with a picture-perfect picnic basket that contains our food.
That picnic basket is awfully romantic. A laugh bubbles out of me.
Egan sports a puzzled yet whimsical smile.
“Sorry,” I tell him as we reach the blankets. “This whole time I have been thinking that Yunez planned this perfectly. For instance, there is only one bed, and a rather large one at that. There are clothes specifically for each of us. Now this picnic basket that’s straight out of a fairy tale. It’s completely obvious that he wants you all to seduce me. He set this up so I feel like I walked onto the set of The Bachelorette. I wouldn’t be surprised if there are also drawers of sex toys and lube, just so we are prepared if we get to that stage.”
A snort makes its way out this time, and it catapults me into uncontrollable laughter. Egan joins me.
“If I play my cards right, you won’t need the lube.” He smirks, biting his bottom lip. “With all of us here, the sex toys neither.”
I laugh but warmth still hits my face. Egan lies back on the blanket, pillowing his head on his hands. I get comfortable on my side, and prop my head up.
“All right, naughty boy. This is our first date. We have to set a high bar. In fact, this is my first date with any of you four.”
Marks of the Mazza: Reverse Harem (Mazza Series Book 1) Page 11