“Yes.”
“Why do they want me?”
Orion took both her hands in his. “Because you’re going to change the world, sweetheart.”
Then they disappeared.
****
Exactly how she found herself in the bath with two men wasn’t easy to explain. One minute she was hurtling through what seemed like a long, dark corridor clutching Orion, and the next he was leading her to a pretty bedroom in a large stone house that had wooden floors and a fire burning in the hearth. This was no longer the tropical city of Cairns.
“We’re on the tablelands outside of Mareeba,” Orion told her.
“You read minds?”
“Yes.” Orion grinned at her.
“How did we get here?”
“Time and space are just pathways to other places.”
Right. Okay. I need to think about that.
Orion pointed to a door to the left. “That’s the bathroom. I’ll leave you so you can think.” Orion touched her nose teasingly. “But not too much. Thinking is overrated.”
So that was how she found herself in the enormous bathtub. How the two men joined her, she wasn’t sure. She’d slipped into the warm, scented waters and closed her eyes to rest and think. It was only the feel of lips on one nipple and a hand between her thighs that made Paula’s eyes snap open in surprise to see Magnus and Ignatius. Naked. In the bath. With her. “Fuck.”
“Yes indeed,” Magnus murmured against her left breast.
“I—er…” She looked at Ignatius. She had known he was heavily tattooed but not to what degree. Intricate swirls of ink covered most of his body. A woman could keep herself entertained for hours following those patterns.
He winked at her. “Not on the dick but it is pierced.”
Paula’s eyes snapped open wide and looked down into the foamy water. Pierced? She’d always wondered what that would look and feel like. As if in answer to her question, Ignatius took her hand and placed it on his dick. She felt the ring of steel crowning the head. “Oh…” Her fingers toyed with it. What would that feel like inside? But how could I do that after Orion? His words came back to her. Vampires never deny those they love. Her eyes went from one man to the other. Multiple lovers. Orion was right. Sex was just that, a call of the wild, a need. She licked her lips as she thought about what she could do. I couldn’t possibly…could I? Paula tugged the shaft of his dick, pleased when Ignatius groaned. Her other hand went to hold the head at her breast. The warmth of the water and feel of their hands exploring her body beneath the water made her horny as hell. Oh yeah. I could.
“You can do whatever you want. We can stay or go. It’s up to you.”
Magnus’s words hung in the air like a gift she had only to reach out and take.
“Baby?” Ignatius asked.
“I shouldn’t…”
“But you want to.” Magnus lifted his head from her nipple.
“Yes.”
Ignatius moved around behind her and lifted her ass out of the water so she was positioned on her hands and knees.
“Are you two vampires?” The men were manipulating her body to gain the best access to take and give pleasure.
“No but we’re more than happy to bite you.” And with that, Ignatius placed his mouth on her butt cheek and gently bit her. Paula squealed at the nip. He leaned in and whispered against her ear. “Do you want me to fill you?”
“Yes.” It was exactly what she craved. Vampires never deny those they love.
Ignatius needed no further urging. He pushed her legs apart and placed the ringed tip of his dick against her vagina. As he pushed inside, Paula stiffened slightly. The ring felt foreign yet exciting as his dick surged into her. She looked up at the dick before her face. Magnus. The wet, red hair on his groin was curled and highly erotic. She poked her tongue out and licked the tip of his dick. It tasted like a mixture of the jasmine bathwater and pure male. Paula opened her mouth and allowed the meaty flesh to slide inside. She sucked Magnus as Ignatius fucked her deep and hard. Her body shook with each forceful thrust. It was different from Orion. There wasn’t the same level of intense passion. This was more just mutual enjoyment and nothing else. She let herself be open and enjoy the fuck for what it was. She pushed back on Ignatius urging him on while she lapped and sucked at the cock between her lips. Paula wanted fast and hard. This was scratching an itch not building a forever, and each dragging thrust of his dick made her sigh. Sex. It was the best hobby ever.
When Ignatius pulled out, Magnus followed suit, leaving only a trail of saliva connecting he and Paula. When that broke, she looked at them in query. She wanted more. She wanted to taste cum on her lips and have it blasted inside her body. It was politically incorrect madness, of course, but that was sex for you.
“Only the man you love should come inside your body. Only he has that privilege.”
Orion. He had come inside her and it had seemed so right that she hadn’t even thought about what was happening or questioned the consequences. What she had with Orion, Paula wasn’t sure it was even close to being called love. There was something indefinable between them. She knew it was more than a fast fuck with a friend.
Paula turned and faced Ignatius and Magnus, looking into their eyes. She was touched by their respect. “But you haven’t come.” Nor had she, but that didn’t matter. She had revelled in being filled in such a way. Anyone could have an orgasm. It was the feeling of fullness that mattered to her.
“No, but we would like to come on you.”
The thought of two men fisting their cocks and working them hard until they came all over her made Paula hot and needy for it to happen. “Yes.”
The two men needed no further urging. They began tugging on their dicks. It wasn’t long before thick, gooey cum landed on her breasts and dripped down to her stomach. She ran her fingers through the semen. It felt dirty. It felt good. Paula smiled at them.
It was then that Patrick arrived. His eyes locked on her dripping wet body. “Having fun?”
“Yes. “ Paula allowed the other two men to help her to her feet. She could feel Patrick’s eyes on her pussy.
“May I?”
Oh yes. But first I need a moment to think and collect myself. So much had happened to Paula that she needed to stop and take a breath before she raced on to the next adventure. “Later.”
Patrick smiled. “I’ll hold you to that.”
Oh boy. “I need to shower—alone.” Although Paula never considered naked a good look on her, she felt powerful knowing three sets of eyes were on her body. That each wanted her made her ass swing a little more as she left them and stepped into the shower. Under the spray of water, she heard Orion’s voice when he came to join the other men. Her fingers strayed down to her clit as she remembered his tongue in the same place.
“What did you find out?” Orion asked the men.
“She’s hot,” murmured Patrick.
“Oh hell yeah,” added Magnus.
Ignatius agreed. “But I ‘m not sure bringing her here was wise.”
Paula smiled to herself and rubbed her clit harder. Her cunt still throbbed from being filled. All she needed now was to come. Her fingers worked faster.
Orion chuckled. “Think with your other brain, men.”
“Not much,” Magnus responded. “No one knows a lot about the shadows but for the rumor they have a new target.”
Target? I’m a target? Paula stilled her fingers for a second, but only a second. An orgasm at that moment was more important than a threat. She spread her legs wider as she felt a familiar thrill of sensation building up between her legs. Paula shrieked as she came.
“Are you okay in there?”
“Oh yes,” Paula choked out as her body shuddered in the aftermath. She leaned against the tiles and listened to the boys talking.
“Word is the shadows plan to kill her.”
Word sucked. She snapped the taps off. Kill me? They didn’t even know her. Most people had to wait at least a mon
th to dislike her.
“Paula is a hero. One who will do great good to benefit others. Naturally they’ll stop at nothing,” murmured Orion, deep in thought.
Paula dropped the towel she’d just reached for. Pleasure was replaced with shock. “I’m a what?”
Chapter Six
Paula stood before them wet and naked with a towel in one hand, as she looked from one man to the next.
Patrick smiled. “A wet, luscious hero.”
“As much as I love you naked, we need to talk to you, and I can’t concentrate, and I doubt others can, when you’re like that,” Orion told her.
Paula looked around. Four men. One naked woman. Probably best to do as the man—er, vampire said. She retreated and pulled on an oversized robe she found on the back of the door. Paula had no clothes of her own so this would have to do. No one was where they had been when she reappeared. She wandered through the house until she found them. “Who owns this place?” It was old, classic, and old-fashioned in a lovely way from the polished floors and stone walls to the old overstuffed furniture. It was, in fact, a home. It wasn’t somewhere she expected any of the four men to live.
“It’s been my home for a very long time,” Orion told her.
“I like it.” She looked at him. I like you. Like was a good strong word. It was better than love. People stayed together on like. The other men were fun but this one had something extra that caught and held her attention. “So what’s this about me being a hero?”
“You will be,” Magnus confirmed.
Not for one second did Paula believe that. “I reckon you’ve definitely got the wrong person.” She perched herself on the broad arm of one of the chairs.
Orion tilted his head in query. “Why would you say that?”
“I’m not the slightest bit good or noble.” There was no point pretending otherwise.
“Heroes normally aren’t, sweetheart.” Orion came to stand before her.
Magnus nodded. “That’s right. Heroes are made in times of crisis. They rise to meet a challenge and walk through fire when others are afraid.”
“Well, frig, you’ve really got the wrong girl. I can barely get up for work in the morning when the alarm goes off, I cheat at Monopoly, and I’m a wuss when it comes to anything adventurous.” Heroes, as far as Paula was concerned, put others first and thought about themselves last.
“But you will be a hero, whether you believe it or not,” Patrick explained. “The shadows only hunt your kind. Their job is to weaken humankind. They do that by breaking the best and the brightest. When strong people perish, the weak rarely contest authority.”
Orion nodded. “The shadows discovered you because they know what you will become. Heroes thwart their plans.”
“They get pissed when they can’t have their way,” Patrick added.
“I’ll be amazed if I don’t become a bag lady let alone a hero at the rate I’m going.” Paula tugged at her robe. Now wasn’t the time to have a boob pop out. “Besides, how would they know who’s going to do what and when?”
Ignatius sat down beside Paula. “It’s about fate and karma. Both are always shifting and changing. Nothing is set in stone. As the world turns, so does the fortunes of humankind, and heroes arise when they are most needed and least expected. Heroes are genetically inclined at birth to do great things when fate called upon them to act. It may be something you do next week or ten years from now. The thing is, they’ve found out about you and are after you for that reason.” He held up his hand. “How do I know? Not only humans get tattoos inked, you know. I see every mortal and immortal being at Ignatius Ink. When word comes to me that the shadows are gunning for a lady called Paula Prince, then I take it seriously.”
“But it may not have been specifically about me.”
“How many Paula Princes do you know?”
Okay. Fair enough. But… “This is all pretty flimsy. It ‘s basically gossip.” Paula was normally a big fan of gossip, except when it was about her.
Orion smiled. “The supernatural do not gossip.”
“We exchange information," Patrick added.
Paula snorted. “Oh bullshit, you gossip.” She sat silently for a moment. If what they were saying was true, and she suspected it was, she was in a heap of trouble. But I don’t want to be a hero. I don’t have the stuff for that. Noble people were heroes. “So, who exactly is supernatural here? Is anyone normal, well, normal-ish, like me?”
Magnus pointed to Patrick and Orion. “Vampire, vampire, I’m a mad scientist, and Ignatius is somewhat psychic.”
Mad scientist? Check. Anyone who experimented on pumpkins had to be a little out there. “Somewhat psychic?” She queried Ignatius. “Is that like a little bit pregnant?
Patrick grinned. “It’s hard to explain. He draws people who are in trouble to him. They feel safe with him. They tell Ignatius things. Why did you pick him?”
“I, er, well, I don’t know.” Paula had originally been planning to go to a female tattoo artist, but she had stumbled across Ignatius and it felt right. Hmm. Felt right. “Okay, so if he psychically drew me in—”
“He did,” Magnus confirmed.
“What am I supposed to do? Sit around here and wait for something to happen or not happen? Do we know when or what heroic thing I’ll do? And what if it doesn’t happen?”
“It will,” Orion confirmed. “The shadows are pains in the ass, but they’re always correct when it comes to their target.”
“But what if they aren’t and you’ve blown your cover by telling me, a mere mortal, all this boys own secret stuff? I know who you boys are now. I might just go to a rag tabloid and create a scandalous headline.” Vampires, psychic, pumpkin thrower, and would-be hero in sexed up tropical ménage. News at six.
“Paula, we trust you.ula, we is Orion’s eyes were on hers. “I trust you.”
He trusts me. The best gifts came to you pure and unwrapped when you least expected them. “How do you know you can?”
“I’ve been alive for three hundred and thirty years,” replied Orion. “I have learned a few things along the way.”
“Three hundred and fifty for me,” added Patrick. “And we know a lot about human nature.”
“So do I and I’ve only been on the planet thirty-four years.” Paula stood up. “While I appreciate everything you boys have tried to do for me and other things,” her eyes went to Orion. “I need to get back to my reality and out of yours.”
Patrick shook his head. “We can’t let you do that.”
“Let me?” Those were words she hadn’t heard since high school. “You have no control over me. Add to that you tell me someone could ‘maybe’, ‘possibly’ be after me ‘perhaps’ because there’s a vague chance I might do something good for mankind—which I doubt since I’m basically a messy, lazy slob.” It sounded like a bad, made for TV movie. Besides, ‘the shadows’? Seriously? What sort of badass name is that? How many kids asked their mothers to dress like a shadow at Halloween?
Ignatius laughed. “Well sure, when you say it that way it sounds flawed but—”
“But nothing. I have to go home. I have a screwed up, non-heroic life to sort out.” Paula headed for the door.
Orion grabbed hold of her arm. “We’re trying to protect you, sweetheart.”
Lordy, he is beautiful. But beautiful vampires are not going to pay the bills. “I don’t need protecting. I appreciate the thought, but I’ve gotten by pretty damn well so far.” Sorta. Kinda. Anyway, that wasn’t the point. She had a life to get back to, and dallying with beautiful men and one particularly soulful vampire wasn’t going to get the bills paid. “I’d love to see you all again under different circumstances, but at the moment, I’m sure there are lots of very deserving people you can help.”
“You’ll be in danger.” Orion followed her to the door.
“And more peril if I can’t find a job and get my life back in order. And I do have a life. It may not be as exciting as yours, but it’s regular and boring
, and I can deal with it. As for these shadow people, I’m not giving in to terrorists. And while I like the whole mystery-men-super-heroes-fighting-the-evil-doers thing, it’s not my scene. Besides, I can look after myself.” Paula opened the door. Night was starting to fall and long shadows were being cast on the ground. A hand grabbed her by the throat and pulled her outside.
Chapter Seven
“Fuck!” Paula struggled against the hand at her throat. The grip was vice-like. She was being dragged fast over the rough ground without a care for her comfo rt. No matter how she fought or struggled, Paula could not free herself. She yelled and screamed and lashed out with a few good kicks but all to no avail. Where the hell were Orion and the boys? Her own words slapped her in the face. “Besides, I can look after myself.” Well, clearly not. She only hoped they were charging after her cellulite ass to save her.
The relentless pull and push of the shadows seemed to go on forever until she finally found herself thrust into a clearing lit by a single campfire. Gray indeterminate shapes were massed around the flame. These would have to be those shadow dudes. Paula felt eyes upon her yet she couldn’t see a single eyeball. It was freaky. She pulled herself from those who held her. Their touch was weirdly clammy. Paula shock herself as she tried to shake that feeling off. “So, toasting marshmallows, are we?”
That comment got her pushed to the ground. Paula landed hard, wishing she had on something more than a bathrobe. Near nudity and bad guys seemed like an inconvenient mix. Did a shadow have sex, and if so, how?
The Perils of Paula Page 4