Dark Dichotomy

by Aubrey Ross

  Hot and unbearably tight, her back passage gripped him. Pleasure rolled into pain and he groaned. He gently tugged on her clit, drawing the sensations back toward pleasure. Rather than retreating from the sting, she absorbed the sensation, diffusing it through her body. Another helpless groan tore from his throat. She was made for this, made for him. No, made for them.

  His fingers gently rubbed on her clit as he drove deeper. She pushed out against him, taking more than he’d intended to give. “Fuck.” He stroked her spine and continued his careful caresses, waiting for her body to adjust to his presence.

  Her inner muscles echoed each pass over her clit, the rhythm shattering his good intentions. He pulled nearly out then thrust deep, savoring her plaintive cries. Her ass cheeks tensed and she rocked into his next thrust.

  Unable to resist a moment longer, he surrendered to his savage need. He grasped the back of her neck, holding her down while he pounded into her ass. She submitted eagerly, pushing up against each forceful drive. He stroke his fingers across her clit, no longer composed enough for finesse.

  Pleasure rushed up his inner thighs, swept through his balls, and shot down the length of his cock. He threw back his head and shouted as wave after shuddering wave pulsed through him. His come blasted into her and her body throbbed in time with the jets.

  He braced himself against the bed, his body pressed snugly against her back. Though he could feel her quiescence, he felt compelled to ask, “Are you all right?”

  “That was…amazing.” She slowly raised her head. “I didn’t think women were wired that way. I had no idea it could feel that good.”

  He nipped her shoulder, then reluctantly separated their bodies. “Your body has more nerve endings there than in the more conventional places. Besides doing something ‘forbidden’ is always a turn on.”

  She stretched like a contented cat, inadvertently drawing his gaze to her breasts. “I need a bath.”

  “No, we need a bath.” He took her hand and led her toward the adjoining bathroom. “I have no intention of letting you out of my sight any time in the foreseeable future.”

  * * *

  Lark lay in Evan’s arms, warm and replete. They had soaked in a bubble bath until the water cooled. Drying him off, however, had proved too much of a temptation. She’d pushed him against the wall and knelt on his damp towel. He’d tangled his fingers in her hair, gasping his pleasure, while she licked him from knees to navel.

  The memory made her smile and sent pings of desire bouncing through her body. She’d left Seattle a well-adjusted computer programmer and evolved into a brazen hussy. She couldn’t seem to get enough of her mates. For the first time she didn’t cringe at the phrase. If fate had seen fit to bring her more happiness than she ever imagined, why should she resist? She rested her head on Evan’s shoulder and snuggled against his side.

  Sleep washed over her with insidious demand. She sank deeper and deeper, lulled by fatigue and the velvet tranquility.

  Help me. You’re my only hope. An echo down a long corridor, the voice sounded within her mind.

  Compassion stirred and she moved toward the sound. Where are you? I can barely hear you. Curious, yet unwilling to make herself vulnerable, she reached for Evan’s mind. Their emotional link had been so vivid all night, why couldn’t she sense him now?

  A figure appeared at the end of the hallway. She could only make out his silhouette. Don’t be afraid. If you leave, my life is over. He crept closer, gradually separating from the darkness.

  Lark shrank back as she recognized Connell’s features. No fucking way! I am not playing these games again. She turned and ran.

  Wait! That wasn’t me. Aidan is in control both night and day. I’m a prisoner in my own body.

  Fear and desperation blasted into her. The emotions were so familiar it took her a moment to realize they were coming from him. She searched frantically for her link with Evan. This couldn’t be happening. Torral had shielded her mind! A door slammed shut in her face and she screamed.

  I’m not going to hurt you. I just want to talk.

  How did you find me? She pressed her hands against the locked door as terror welled within her.

  Being trapped in sleep state for months on end has taught me how to navigate dreams. The distraction kept me from giving up, but I’m incredibly weak. I can’t maintain this connection for long.

  Her hands clenched and unclenched. She would not be a victim again. If she had to face him alone, so be it, but she would not give in without a fight. I understand a lot more than I did before. I won’t let you hurt me.

  I didn’t hurt you. Aidan did.

  The calm sincerity in his tone made her turn around. What do you want from me?

  If they will help free me, I will show them where he sleeps.

  I don’t understand.

  He has learned how to summon my body as well as his, but he must remain corporeal or I’ll be set free. This drains his energy and forces him to sleep like a human sleeps. I can’t regain control without help and Aidan must be stopped. If the Burtons will agree to free me, I will show you where he sleeps.

  Why come to me?

  The path to your mind is familiar. He glanced away from her face as regret crept over his expression. I’m sorry he hurt you.

  Chapter Eight

  “It’s a trap,” Evan said emphatically. “Why are we even considering this?”

  Lark sat at his side on the leather sofa in the living room. The conversation swirled around her. The three nocturnal Burtons had been debating the proper response to Connell’s offer for the past hour and a half. They were no closer to consensus than when they’d begun.

  “If Aidan is nocturnal, how was Joseph able to sense what he did to me?” It was the first time she’d spoken since she and Evan came downstairs. The question focused everyone’s attention on her.

  “How much do you remember?” Compassion shone in Torral’s dark eyes.

  “The memory is muted, but I remember most of it. And the person I just encountered felt very different from the person who abused me.”

  Leos rubbed his eyes with a weary sigh before adding his perspective. “If what he told you is true, Connell is as much of a victim as any of the other people Aidan has harmed. I think we need to help him.”

  Evan shook his head. “I don’t like it. I sure as hell don’t want him back in her mind.”

  “Did Connell tell you when he’d contact you again?” Leos asked.

  “No. The dream ended rather abruptly. I think he’s really weak.”

  “Why didn’t Aidan sense what Connell was doing?” Torral sounded curious not accusatory.

  “Aidan was likely sleeping,” Leos suggested.

  “We don’t know that,” Evan snapped. “I’ll find Aidan on my own. There will be no negotiation.”

  Lark squeezed his hand and waited until he looked at her to say, “Leos is right. If Connell really is a victim, we have to help him.”

  “And the only way to determine the truthfulness of Connell’s claim is to let him contact her again.” Leos waved away Evan’s immediate objection. “I suggest you strengthen your bond so you can be with her next time.”

  * * *

  Lark spent the next four days in a sensual haze. Fucking was the most efficient way of strengthening the emotional bond, so she abandoned herself to greedy pleasure. Each bout of lovemaking was unique yet spectacular. Evan was intense and demanding, while Joseph tenderly teased until she was desperate for release. They found creative ways of combining their efforts, but they hadn’t actually taken her at the same time. The idea was a bit intimidating. Still, she longed for nothing more.

  Joseph pressed against her back, gently stroking her breasts while Evan devoured her pussy. It was rapidly becoming her favorite position. One of her legs rested on Evan’s shoulder, opening her for his torrid kiss. He sucked on her folds and flicked his tongue over her clit, ruthlessly driving her toward orgasm. She canted her hips and rocked against his mouth, lost
in the sensual storm.

  “My turn.” Joseph lifted her into his arms, dragging her away from Evan before her orgasm crested.

  “Your timing sucks,” she muttered as he placed her sideways across the bed.

  His only reply was a wicked smile as he pulled her hips to the edge of the mattress. Hooking his hands behind her knees, he pushed her legs up and back. She buried her fingers in his hair and brought his mouth to her folds. Evan crawled onto the bed and firmly rolled her nipples. A few strokes of Joseph’s tongue was all it took for her to forget her disappointment.

  Joseph held her open with his thumbs while he focused entirely on her over-sensitized clit. Evan bent to her breast and matched his firm sucking to the motion of Joseph’s mouth. She whimpered and shook, her orgasm sweeping through her in rhythmic waves.

  “I want… I want both of you together,” she blurted before she lost the nerve.

  Joseph raised his head and looked into her eyes. “If we fuck you like that, there’s no turning back. Our bond becomes permanent.”

  “As if either of us would be willing to part with her,” Evan muttered.

  Their possessiveness made her insides quiver and ignited a new cycle of arousal. “I’m ready. I know this is what I want.”

  “How?” Evan sat beside her, his expression suddenly grim. “How do you know this is what you want?”

  Licking her lips, she searched her passion-muddled mind for the answer. “I’ve never felt like I do when I’m with you. Life has never been more stressful, yet I’m utterly content.”

  “The rest of the world will believe you’re involved with two men,” Evan persisted. “Are you prepared to deal with their misconceptions and prejudice?”

  “As long as you’re by my side, I can deal with anything.”

  Finally pleased by her answer, Evan pulled her into his arms and kissed her deeply. Joseph joined them on the bed and turned her face toward him. “You will want for nothing,” Joseph whispered. “We will protect you and cherish you forever.”

  “Forever,” Evan echoed.

  She went back and forth between the two, growing dizzy with the pleasure. Their hands slid across her skin, their fingers skillfully arousing. She relaxed against them, secure in their embrace.

  Joseph spread out on his back and she moved to straddle his hips. Evan opened the nightstand and took out the bottle of lube. A hot shiver tingled down her spine as she remembered the last time he’d used it.

  “Put me inside you,” Joseph urged, his gaze caressing her face.

  Lifting up, she guided him to her vaginal opening and slowly lowered herself onto his straining cock. They sighed in unison as her body surrounded his. He pulled her forward, holding her against his chest, while Evan knelt behind her.

  Joseph kissed her over and over as Evan prepared her for the ultimate joining. His finger slid smoothly for a few minutes then he positioned himself against her ass. They’d done this before. She had nothing to fear.

  Evan’s wide tip spread her anus and she clenched Joseph so hard he moaned. With his hands steadying her hips, Evan drove inward. She hadn’t realized it would feel this much tighter. The pressure stopped just short of pain, but she trembled all the same. Evan’s groin pressed against her ass, his full length now inside her. She released a shaky breath and opened her eyes.

  Joseph smiled at her, his gaze warm and caressing. Evan stroked her shoulders and her back, waiting for her body to adjust to this new demand. She shifted restlessly, unable to bear the exquisite fullness.

  Grasping her hips, Evan dragged her up, drawing her nearly off Joseph. His hands remained firm as he lowered her back onto Joseph’s shaft, dragging his cock outward in the process.

  Pleasure spiraled through her body and kept right on going. She felt their pleasure as sharply as her own and sensed their response to her abandon. They passed her back and forth, sliding and filling, flowing through her body and her mind.

  She gave and took, open and surrendered. Sensations swirled around them, coalescing where their bodies joined. They moved faster, thrusting deeper. Her fingers splayed against Joseph’s chest and she reached back, clasping Evan’s hip. They strained against and into her, working her body together but in opposite directions.

  Surrounded by them and filled with them, she abandoned all inhibitions and opened herself without reserve. Tenderness spiraled through their desire, adding depth and import to each motion.

  Climax ripped through reality, shattering their graceful rhythm. Lights danced before her eyes and both men thrust inward. Together. Pleasure exploded with enough force to make her scream. They clung to one another, shaking helplessly as spasm after powerful spasm released.

  Everything went black for just an instant, then Lark was standing in the shadowed corridor. Connell sat against the wall with his legs drawn up to his chest. Fatigue etched his features and his eyes looked flat and lifeless.

  I don’t have much time. You must come to me now. I won’t survive another cycle.

  Where are you? Is Aidan asleep?

  Yes, but there’s no telling how long it will last. Each time he suppresses my transition, I grow weaker. Are they willing to help me or not?

  What do you want us to do? Joseph stepped into view. Lark could feel Evan watching, waiting, unwilling to reveal his presence to Connell.

  Connell’s brows scrunched up over his nose and he awkwardly pushed to his feet. She’s your mate?

  Aidan’s actions are reprehensible regardless of whom she is.

  I agree. I was just surprised to see you.

  Where does he sleep?

  Will you help free me?

  You appear to be the lesser of two evils.

  Connell didn’t argue. He’s at the San Ramos Winery in Sonora. Come now. He’s alone.

  The dream meld disengaged as abruptly as it had formed. Lark gasped and shuddered, her physical body still tingling with powerful aftershocks.

  “Get dressed. I’ll find the others.” Evan carefully separated their bodies, and grabbed his jeans off the floor. He struggled into a T-shirt as he rushed out of the bedroom.

  Lark crawled off the bed, her legs wobbling beneath her. “Aren’t you too close to transition to start this?”

  “I’ll hold it off as long as I can.”

  Everyone had gathered in the foyer by the time Joseph and Lark finished dressing. Somewhere along the line Evan had found a pair of boots, Lark noticed as she approached him.

  “We’ll ride with Leos and Daniel,” Evan told her. “The access road brings us in from the north. Torral and Ryan already left. They’re going to swing around the property and approach from the south.”

  “How do you know so much about this other winery?” she asked.

  “We bought it four years ago,” Leos said. “Our first crop will harvest this year.”

  “There are three buildings on the property. None are inhabited,” Evan explained. “One is little more than a ruin. We’ll have to check the other two.”

  Kendra and Ruth had deserted the men for the evening as they checked out a friend’s restaurant in Napa. Neither Evan nor Joseph was happy bringing Lark with them, but it seemed wiser than leaving her alone and unprotected. Every indication pointed toward Connell’s innocence. Still, they hadn’t ruled out some sort of trap.

  Lark sat between Joseph and Evan in the backseat of Leos’s car. They flew down the rolling two-lane highway at breakneck speed. “It’s a good thing you know where you’re going.” Leos ignored a stop sign as he made a sharp right and she cringed.

  “He’s actually a very good driver,” Evan said with a wry smile.

  “I heard that,” Leos muttered.

  The sun hovered on the horizon. They were racing transformation as much as the possibility of Aidan awaking too soon. Joseph looked tense and Daniel was conspicuously quiet. Each brother had unique gifts. They didn’t know what it would take to save Connell.

  “Won’t Connell die if Aidan dies?” she asked after a few minutes of sile
nce.

  “We don’t know.” Daniel looked back at her. “We’re creatures of balance and contrast. No Dichotomy has ever done the things Connell described. It’s unthinkable to attack the other half of oneself.”

  Torral and Ryan had already checked the smaller of the two houses by the time they arrived. They parked a short distance from the larger house and paused to strategize. A car had been parked haphazardly behind the house. There were no lights or other indications that anyone was inside.

  They split up, one set of brothers taking each of the three entrances.

  “Lark should wait in the car,” Evan said. “There’s no reason for her to be put in any more danger.”

  “Aidan could make a run for it while you stumble around inside the house. If I’m alone in the car, I’d make a mighty convenient hostage.”

  “She has a point,” Joseph said. “I’d rather keep her where I can see her.”

  Lark crept along behind Evan and Joseph as they searched the house room by room. Mildew burned her nose and the dusty air stung her eyes. She didn’t complain and did her best to stay out of their way.

  Back here! We found him. The voice was so excited, Lark wasn’t sure if it was Daniel or Leos.

  They rushed to the back corner of the house. The small room was part cellar, part bedroom. Aidan lay on a cot, arms folded lightly on his belly.

  “Does somebody have a wooden stake?” Lark couldn’t help herself.

  Torral knelt beside the cot and framed Aidan’s face with his hands. Aidan’s eyes flew open and he grabbed Torral’s wrists.

  “You will not move.” Evan’s voice snapped with authority. Aidan’s eyes widened and Lark realized he couldn’t move. For a long time Aidan stared up at Torral, paralyzed by Evan’s command. “You will release Connell.”

  Aidan laughed. “I don’t think so.”

  The Burtons closed ranks around the narrow cot. Lark could sense power flowing between them. Torral’s thumbs pressed over Aidan’s eyes, keeping him still.