A Brush of Her Skin (The Reglashien Book 1)

by April Zyon

  “Lycans mate from behind, so it’s a natural conclusion in this case,” he continued. Carver still seemed to be hung up a bit and still looked dazed. “You’ll bite his arm. The bite itself doesn’t matter, it’s the blood since you are Vampire. His bite, though, will matter and will be a permanent marking that all of the supernaturals can see. My bite will also mark you, in a way, but it’s a lot more subtle. As to a location, we can’t leave the designated area, but there are plenty of places we can find a lot of privacy with a little planning.”

  “Right.” She licked her lips and shivered, a cold feeling racing up and down her skin. “Why can’t we leave the designated area? I don’t understand.” She didn’t understand the Reglashien at all. “Why can’t we just simply return to one of your homes? I’m assuming that you both have them, correct? And what happens after we bond? I’m assuming that you won’t want to split me up with days? Right?”

  “Hell no,” Carver rejoined their conversation with a bang. “We can’t leave until the mating is consummated and blooded. After that, we’re free to go, but until then the rules state you have to stay within the area designated by the Gods for the Reglashien until either consummation occurs or the twenty-four hours conclude. Once in you can’t get out without one of those two things. You could go running for the border, but you’d shoot back in with enough force you’d think a semi hit you. And we both have a couple of places. I have my place on pack lands, and then a couple vacation spots and Tremayne has the big place in Romania, the chalet in Switzerland, the antebellum mansion outside of New Orleans and then some joint in Australia of all places.”

  “All right...” She trailed off with those words. She was clearly at a loss. “But there is nowhere private.” Her face was aflame. Never in a million years would she have thought she would be trapped here. Never. She was stupid to think she would be in and then out. “And I refuse, absolutely refuse, to consummate what should be a perfect and beautiful thing out in the open for anyone to see.”

  “No one will see,” Tremayne said softly. “There are any number of places on your father’s land where we can be very much alone. There are several cottages, a couple of cabins and even a few shacks where hunters occasionally need to spend a sunrise.” Unlike lore about Vampires, the only truly dangerous time for any Vampire was sunrise. Just fifteen minutes and then they could go about their day like any other. Yes, their eyes were a little more sensitive to the light, but once the sun was up, there was no danger of bursting into flames.

  She nodded and licked her lips. “Then I think that we need to find one of those places.” The longer she sat there with them, the more she ached and the needier she became. The more she wanted. The more she needed, something, and it was driving her batty.

  Carver threw him a look and shrugged. “You know this place better than I do. Lead on McDuff, and find us somewhere that’s not going to be easily uncovered.”

  Tremayne got up and then stilled. “Did you just refer to me as a dog from a children’s book?”

  “Holy hell, you actually got that reference?” Carver looked stunned. “Damn, I’m seriously impressed. How’d you get that?”

  “Not really sure, but it was probably some idle piece of trivia that McCormack spews randomly to annoy me that obviously has finally paid off.” He held out a hand to her, “Come, let’s get away from the crowds quickly, so there is less chance of you being discovered.”

  “Yes please.” The last thing she wanted was for her father to find her. Lord that would very much suck. “We can’t let him see you with me before we have finished this or he will stop it.” Oh Lord and how. “So the sooner we are indoors the better.” She hoped- dear God she prayed- that their luck held out.

  They tucked her between them, Tremayne in front, Carver behind. “Where is he, Carver?”

  There was a moment of silence before the Lycan at her back spoke. “About sixty yards to our right and heading along the same line as we are. But we’re downwind, so that’s a plus, as long as he stays upwind we’ll know where he is.”

  Her panic jumped up a notch. Reaching out she grabbed Tremayne’s jacket in her hands and shook. “He will kill you,” she whispered. “God, I don’t know why I agreed to this. You have to let me go. I can’t allow you to be hurt because of me,” she whispered.

  Stopping, he turned towards her, and she found herself practically sandwiched between the men’s chests. “If we don’t do this, you will wish for death in twenty-four hours time and, shortly after, be granted that wish. He won’t get close. Carver’s nose will alert us to where he is at all times. He doesn’t know you are out here and we’re going to keep it that way. He’ll be staying amongst the party guests to ensure they are having the best of times. Once we are clear of the crowd, we’ll slip further away and head for one of the cabins near the far edge of the land. It’s the furthest from the main house and one he won’t ever think to check for at least a few hours. By then, we will be mated and what he says will no longer hold any weight in your life.”

  She had to wonder, if only for a half of a split second, if she were jumping from the frying pan and into the fire but then she looked up at Tremayne and then back at Carver. Nope, no frying pan, only sweet, sweet bliss.

  “Then I suggest that we hurry. The sooner we do this, the sooner the ache I feel will be gone.” And the less likely, hopefully, someone would scent her. She was sure that the pheromones she was giving off were soon going to give them away if they weren’t out of there and away from her father and his guards.

  “You worry too much,” Tremayne said shaking his head. Taking her hand, he turned and led her off once more. His pace was steady, relaxed as he strolled through the crowds. He spoke to a few people, but his pace rarely paused. Oddly enough, not a single person seemed to see her. A few made comments to Carver, some joking about him being near the Vampire without them being at each other’s throats. Other comments were a little more snide and sly, to which the Lycan at her back replied in kind with ease and a quickness of mind that she admired.

  She didn’t think she worried too much. She was sure that she worried just enough. Maybe not enough actually. “Well, we should just do this. Finish it and get it all done. I think that the sooner the better. Please?” She asked with a smile. “How much longer until we’re there?” As a child, she was forever asking her mom are we there yet?

  “I can tell, patience is not one of your many virtues,” Carver said with a chuckle. “Don’t worry, no one can see you, and they definitely can’t scent you with me close by. Shut up, Vamp boy,” he said a second later as Tremayne turned slightly. “I do not stink, but a little push on the scent hides you and with fangy there holding onto you, they can’t see you either. Just don’t let go of his hand in this crowd.”

  “Good.” She let out a breath that she had. “I’m glad, because I was honestly worried that I would be found before we could get to wherever it is that we’re going.” She breathed in and out and then smiled. “Well, whatever we do it will be good. It will be very good. I just want to figure out how we will all work out together.”

  “We’re fated,” Tremayne said as they started to ease from the heavier crowd. Moving was easier now, little groups were standing about chatting on the fringes of the main group. “No matter what, there is a plan for us all and it will work out. Believe in that.” Shooting her a look over his shoulder he drew her in closer to his side now that there was room.

  “He’s right about that,” Carver told her as he stepped up on her other side. “The Gods have matched us which means we’re meant to be together. While this may seem strange, scary even, neither of us will hurt you, ever. Not today, not ten years from now. It will be a bumpy road for a time until we all find our groove as a unit, but we’ll get to smoother paths eventually.”

  “I certainly hope that you’re right.” If they felt that strongly about it then surely it was going to happen and was right, right? Certainly, they would all work out because the Gods
themselves had paired the three of them together. Right?

  “I hate to brag, but I usually am,” he grinned at her. Throwing her a wink he chuckled. “It’s a heavy mantle to carry, but I think I’m bearing it rather well. Don’t you?” he asked.

  “Oh Gods,” Tremayne muttered. “Don’t answer loaded questions like that. Especially anything that will stroke that gigantic ego of his. Any bigger and he’ll have to get it its own zip code.”

  She giggled, she couldn’t seem to help herself. Shaking her head she leaned into both men, pulling Carver closer. “Well, I think that you’re both wonderful men. However, I do reserve the right to amend my judgment on that one. Who knows, I might not like you boys one small bit.” Yeah, and the moon was green.

  “Fib,” Carver said with a chuckle. “Nice try, though. You may not know us well, which we both understand, you did just meet us, but we have a long and, I’m hoping, amazing life ahead where we’ll get to know each other very well.”

  “I hope so too.” There was a moment’s hesitation on her part and then she asked, “What if I’m not happy? What if something happens that makes me sad in our relationship? Would you be able to let me go?” She honest to God didn’t know how mating worked, so she needed to ask. “Is that why my father let my mother go?”

  The men shared a look that she interpreted as confused. Tremayne was the one to answer her, though. “A true mating means that if something is wrong, we work to fix it. If someone is unhappy, we figure out why and rectify it. There is no need to let anyone go. As for your father,” he trailed off and looked at Carver. The Lycan gave a one shoulder shrug. They stopped moving, and Tremayne looked down at her. “Your father is mated to a woman and has three sons with her. I would guess she’s at the summer house right now since you don’t know about her. Best guess, and this will sound horrible, and I’m sorry, but your mother was likely a fling. The pregnancy a chance thing that, on rare occasions, can occur outside a mating. It’s about a one in four million chance and most mated pairs never have affairs, but it can occur. King Jemar has always loved bending the rules, a lot. The only ones he can’t bend are ones enforced by the Gods; they are infallible and unbreakable. Unfortunately, cheating mates are not covered under the laws set out by the Gods.”

  “But he loved her. I mean, you have no idea how much. I saw him often as I grew up, but he never remained for long. He ensured that we never, ever wanted for anything. He posted guards to ensure our safety. And when he and mom were together it was a sight to behold.”

  “That is entirely possible,” Carver said putting a hand on her back. The look he shot Tremayne held a warning, of that she had no doubt. “I can’t honestly say one way or another since I don’t know the man well. He may have actually had feelings for her that went beyond a mating. What I can say is that, from the few times I’ve seen him and his mate together, the air was practically icy. Personally, I don’t think they actually liked one another, at all.”

  “His was an arranged mating,” Tremayne threw out. “A bargain struck with the Gods and a power play. It was held outside of the Reglashien,” he said.

  “Oh.” Her eyes were wide and shook her head. “Is that why he has so many guards ensuring my safety? Why he’s adamant that I’m kept secret from any and all, but then again, why would he marry me to such a monster? And I know that the man is just that. He’s a monster. I saw him, and he’s-” She shivered. “He’s insane.”

  Carver’s hands moved up to her shoulders and squeezed before rubbing gently. “Power. In his world, it’s all about power. Having it, controlling it and doling it out in little pieces to those he favors. But lose that favor and,” he fell silent for a moment. “Let’s just say it never ends well.”

  “Well, then he’s about to cut me right out of his life because I am not giving the two of you up,” she swore. “I will never give you up, so that’s all that there is to that. I don’t need to curry anyone’s favor; I just need you,” she admitted.

  “That’s a rather quick turnaround from earlier,” Tremayne commented in a curious tone. “Not that I’m about to argue since neither of us would let you go, but it does beg the question- why the turnabout?” he asked softly.

  “No, I was asking you what happened if I wasn’t happy or if you weren’t happy. No, pretty much since you’ve touched me, I’ve been fighting the instincts to just jump and attack you boys. You have no idea how very, very much that I want you guys. I’ve never wanted or needed like this, but I do, and that in and of itself is terrifying to me.”

  “It will only get worse the longer we stand around chatting,” Carver pointed out. When she looked at him, he shrugged. “We’re feeling it as well. We just haven’t mentioned it since that would only aggravate the situation. But, since we seem to be chatting about it, there you have it.”

  “Well, then I think we should finish our trek to wherever it is that you boys are taking me and then we should finish this because I really think that we should get ourselves all bonded before we get stopped.” She prayed. “I think that we will be able to have a good life the three of us, right?”

  “Of course we will,” Tremayne said with a nod. Turning he gave her hand a little tug, and they were off and moving once more.

  Chapter Five

  The ‘cabin’ they finally reached was a six bedroom, four bath house. Cabin, ha!

  Carver was snooping around. Apparently, he’d never been to the property except for a couple of meetings which meant he’d definitely never seen the ‘cabin.' Tremayne was following her around and answering all of her questions as they came into her head. They were random, not on any particular subject and just popped out of her mouth more times than not.

  “So,” she turned to look at both men and smiled. “What happens now?” She had to admit to them that she was aching, she was dripping wet right now, and she wanted these two men so very much that she was about to jump Tremayne where he stood. Dammit.

  “That’s up to you,” he said quietly. He had a look in his eyes that said he was holding himself in tight control. The heat in his gaze was enough to burn her. “We can talk some more if you’d like, or, and personally, this would be my preference, we find a room to use, and we solidify this mating. After that, we can enjoy one another continuously for many more hours.”

  “I think that sounds like the best idea ever,” she admitted. “I really, really like that idea a great deal. How about we find Carver and we do this? I’m assuming that all three of us have to make love together at the same time?” she asked and moved toward Tremayne as she asked that question.

  He nodded slowly, “We do, or the bond isn’t properly completed.” Lowering his head he brushed a light kiss against her cheek. “We should find him sooner than later. It’s taking all my control to keep from tearing your clothing off and taking you right here and now.”

  “Sounds good. How about we yell for him and make him come find us?” she asked and tugged the wig off finally, tossing it to the floor and watching him take in the full brunt of her hair. “Yeah, I know.” She blushed. “Did I mention that my mother was human, but she was one of those rare psychic humans? I’m not. But my father swears that I have power because of this.” She tugged at a strand of her hair. “All I know is right now I want to get naked with you.”

  “Your hair doesn’t define you, not who you are or who you will become. It’s merely a part of the whole, and personally, I think your father is more than a little off his fucking rocker,” Carver said as he entered the room. “Yelling for a Lycan isn’t really necessary, darling. We have pretty sensitive hearing, just as much if not more so than a Vampire.”

  Jett grinned at Carver and licked her lips. “And how is your sense of smell?” Because she knew that he could smell her need, “And did you hear me telling Tremayne that I was ready to strip him naked as well?” She certainly hoped so. “And that later we can all talk? Much later?”

  “Extremely sensitive, yes, yes and most definitely yes,” h
e said with a grin. “I found us a nice big bed upstairs with two additional exits should they be necessary,” that he said over her head to Tremayne who nodded. As a unit, they moved towards the stairs and up to the room Carver had apparently scoped out.

  They didn’t make it halfway up the steps before Carver swept her into his arms and she laughed, wrapping an arm around his neck as she did so. Leaning in close she whispered, “You just wanted to get closer to me, admit it.” She teased him and then nipped his ear with her teeth.

  He let out a deep growl that vibrated through her entire body. “Damned straight,” he said, his voice much rougher than before. “Left,” he said suddenly, Tremayne taking the turn easily and speeding up his long-legged stride.

  When they were in the bedroom, Jett let her tongue lick at the base of his neck before nibbling him lightly. Evidently, she had more of her father in her than she believed. “Naked,” she demanded. Good Lord, she couldn’t believe that she wanted this so much. She couldn’t believe that she needed these men so very much. “I need.” Those two words were all that were needed.

  Her legs dropped, but he didn’t set her on her feet, not right away. He held her up in one arm as he nibbled on her jaw. “Get your clothes off, or we’ll tear them off. Not good for going to get your things later under your father’s watchful eyes.” Her feet finally touched the ground, but he was still slow to let her loose, the heat in his eyes nearly scorching her. “Strip, now,” he growled, something flashing behind his eyes.