by Eros, Marata
I let out a harsh sigh. “So when you kicked my nutsack in? That's how much you want me?”
“Oh boy, you two… This is who called you, Bran?”
I nod.
“You would choose the most willful, stubborn female in the world.”
Mother's face scrunches. Baby Gaby moves to wind a chunky fist in a lock of Mother’s hair, but she moves it behind her shoulder absently.
“Are you also Mer?”
Nova crosses her arms. “Are you going to be civil to me? Because I don't feel like we have to communicate. You don't think I'm being brave enough? Well, you don't know what I've been through or who I am. You're just being all judgy and shit.”
I whistle low as Mom moves in.
The Harborer steps into her path. “Druid”—Ren's eyes flick down toward the baby, and a smile softens his mouth—“Nova is a young Druid and has no parents. She is without any family, save myself—and I am a poor substitute. If you are hard on her, it is no more than what life has already dealt. If you don't offer protection for us with a willing spirit, then we will go. Say the word, and we'll leave.”
“No fucking way, Ren. Nova is mine!” I shout, my fists clenching.
He turns his head toward me. “Oh? I am bewildered, utterly confused, Brandon. Between your assuming attitude from the inception of our first meeting and your lack of concern with her almost-dream rape”—his eyes become slits within the hard lines of his face—“you behave as though you don't care. Stomping around shouting about claiming and breeding might suit your needs, but they don't speak to Nova's at all.”
Mom gives me a beleaguered expression. “Bran, is this—is what this guy says true?”
Fuck. “Well, I just thought that when my mate met me, it'd be obvious what needed to happen.”
Mom's eyebrows pop. “Really? Do you think that your father and I just magically got it on?”
“Mom—really?”
She shifts Gaby to the other hip. “Yes, really.”
I grunt. “Actually, I’ve never spent a shitload of time considering my parents’ sex life.”
Nova watches us with all the absorption of a Ping-Pong match gone wrong.
“Grow up, Bran. This girl—however needy, ungrateful, and prickly—needs you. All of you. Not just as a protector and stud, but as a male.”
Ren puts up a palm. “I see the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.”
“What?” Mom roars, and Gaby starts to fuss.
“All I'm saying is Brandon is very much a result of the seek-and-destroy coven he was raised in. The Reaper-Druid males of this kiss must hunt down breeders and fuck them into submission, and the females cave.”
Mom's body is stiff with anger. She rakes her gaze over the much-larger Ren. “Not this female, Harborer.”
He leans into her rage, and I stand ready in case he loses his head. “Maybe if you and the other women of this kiss had a Harborer, you'd have had a chance at the life you were meant to live. Have you considered that?”
“Ren,” Nova says in a low voice. She pads over to him on bare feet, still wearing the jeans and top from before.
I swallow back my lust. Her scent of need shoots straight through me to swell my cock.
I glance at my mom. Goddess, the timing sucks.
“Let's just go.” Nova takes his hand and rubs her cheek against the back of it.
Ren’s eyes shine with his feelings for her.
I want to break his neck.
“You can't go,” I say, trying for neutral and missing it by a mile. “That douche, Kellan, will try to come back into your dreams.”
Mother whips her face to mine then looks at Ren. “That's right. You mentioned that earlier, Harborer.”
Ren gives a single nod.
“That means those Druid priests have found yet another way in.” She makes a low noise of disgust.
“I think it's because Nova went into the spectral realm to escape the Reapers,” I say.
“Mikhail and Damon?” she asks.
“Yes. They were being opportunistic. They didn't respect my claim on Nova.”
Nova makes a derisive noise and I ignore it.
“They don’t accept your claim,” Mother states.
“No. But neither are they pressing their pursuit.”
Mother soothes Gaby as she thinks it through. She looks at Nova. “You can leave, but you will endanger yourself. It's only a matter of time before more Reapers, or worse, find you. The Druid priests will not stop until you lie upon the sacred stone and serve them to death.”
“That's not what Nova will do,” I say.
“The only thing that can stop Kellan is consummating a breeder”—Ren throws an apologetic look her way—“with three of Druid descent. Anything done in threes is a powerful rite of magick.”
Nova backs up a step. “A three-way slut triangle, Ren? Seriously?” She shakes her head, retreating farther.
“Nova is not screwing anyone!” I seethe.
“Except you, right?” she asks sarcastically.
Well, yeah.
She nods at my silence. “That's what I thought. Everybody wants a piece of me, and I want a choice at something in my damn life.”
Ren gives me a look of disappointment. “If you share her with two other Druids, she could escape this priest posing as a supernatural. But your immaturity and lack of concern for Nova's feelings will force her to flee, and I'll end up fighting the same priest again and protecting Nova against too many. They know her now, Brandon. Stop being selfish.”
“I don't want to screw three guys,” she says. “Maybe you haven't received that memo.”
“Nova, it's the only way to ensure your safety.”
A betrayed look crosses her face. “Not you too?”
Mother walks forward. “I'm sorry. I was too harsh on you.”
Nova folds her arms. “Yeah, you were.”
“Let's start again.”
Nova looks around, her gaze finding mine and narrowing. “Somewhere else.”
Gaby extends her chubby arms toward Nova, and a sad little smile ghosts Nova’s lips.
“She wants you,” Mom says.
Nova bites her lip. Seconds pass. She takes Gaby and curls an arm around her.
Mother walks out, and Nova follows with my sister.
Nova doesn't look my way as she passes, though she's close enough to touch.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
“Nova, this is Rachel and Holly,” Aubree introduces me to two chicks who look as though they could be sisters.
Actually, we all look creepily alike. Rachel is tallish, probably five eight, with long black hair and very blue eyes. She's slim but curvy. Or was—she looks about ready to pop at the moment.
Can anyone say baby factory?
“Hi,” I say, and they say hi back.
Holly, the youngest one—if she's twenty, I'm a man—is tiny, and her protruding belly makes her look off-kilter.
Her hair is also dark, though deep brown is more accurate. I'm twenty-four, so I think I'm between the two in age.
Baby Gabriella is asleep in her cushy crib, looking adorable. She’s all dark fluffy hair and chubby fist stuffed in her mouth. She sucks her thumb as she dreams.
Something super-weird occurs to me, Brandon's sister is way younger than him. I turn to his “mom.” She looks to be in her late twenties. More weirdness. I shake it off.
“So how are you Brandon's mom?” I ask.
Aubree, who I already think never gets embarrassed by anything, bites her lip and casts her eyes to the floor.
Holly answers for her. “See, there was this hunky Mer stud named Madden—”
“Holly!” Aubree says.
“Ah—no!” I wag my finger at her with a laugh. “You need to dish the deets. Here's the thing, your son dragged me here for my safety, I had a druid priest rapist try to pop my cherry while I supposedly ʽrestedʼ.” I drop my airquoting fingers. “And then I find out I need to screw three Druid blood guys to have permanent protection from
the psycho Druid priests?”
A beat of silence drums between us.
“Yup,” Holly says with a Cheshire Cat smile.
“Has anyone told you you're sort of a dim bulb?” I ask then immediately regret the sting in my words.
She frowns. “Not in those words, but I'm the queen and Zach digs me, so my intellect isn’t a big thing.” She blinks gorgeous sea-colored eyes at me, and her grin grows wider.
Goddess.
Aubree gives an indulgent smile. “Listen, we're all pure-blood Druids—”
“One hundred percent?” I ask.
“Enough to breed,” Rachel speaks for the first time.
I give her a speculative look. How much blood does it take to have babies with the Reaper-Druids?
I glance at sleeping Gaby again.
“Anyway,” Aubree continues in a faintly irritated tone, “unity is important. Like I said earlier, I'm sorry I was harsh with you. I just heard you and Bran arguing, and I got in the middle of it.”
I sigh and admit, “I hate my life.”
Rachel, Holly, and Aubree stare. Maybe that was too much sharing.
“I mean, my grammy raised me because I never knew my parents. She's the one who told me I'm Druid and started me on my training.”
“What training?” Holly asks, stroking her big belly.
“We're Druid.”
She rolls her eyes.
Wow. “That means we're witches.” I lift my eyebrows, waiting for a sentient being to spring forth.
“So?” she asks.
“I guess for you, being nice is enough.”
Rachel smirks. “Listen, Holly's super-sweet—and my half-sister.” She taps her lip. “And Aubree is really tough.”
Aubree lifts a palm, flicking her gaze toward her sleeping daughter in the corner then looking at me. “Not going to deny it.”
I cross my arms, giving her all the disbelief and suspicion I hold in my gaze. “And what are you?” I ask Rachel.
“In a word—happy.”
Hmm. “And you guys?”
“I'm queen,” Holly says.
“You mentioned that.”
“I am happy. Doesn't every woman dream, as a little girl, that they'll wind up marrying Prince Charming and having babies?” Rachel asks.
“Guys,” I say, holding up a palm, “here's the thing. I don't know if being ʽmatedʼ to vampires is exactly what the fairy tales were talking about.”
“A small variance.” Rachel waves a hand back and forth with a wink.
I throw up my hands in semi-defeat. “There's no winning with you.”
Aubree puts a hand on my arm. “Nova, we're Druid women. We're designed to mate and procreate with Reapers of Druid descent or full Druid vampires.”
My hands land on my hips. “It gets them daywalkers. You guys are having a bunch of fanged babies. Get a visual on breastfeeding.”
Holly shivers. “I'm having twins.”
“Nice. Twice the fang time.”
She pouts.
“Druid babies don't get their fangs until they're over one.”
I shake my head. “I can't believe I'm having this discussion. Yesterday I was pushing beer.”
“Cocktail waitress?” Aubree guesses.
“Yeah.”
“And that's the great life you've been deliberating about retiring from?”
I shake my head. “I told you I hated my life.”
“You can have food, shelter, protection, and great sex here. Why would you want to leave?” Holly asks.
My eyes narrow. “How great of sex?”
A fine rosy pink sweeps across Holly's cheekbones. “How do you think I got knocked up with twins?”
I don’t even know what to ask.
Not that it matters—Holly’s all about TMI.
“Josiah, Andrew, and Elias impregnated me.”
I don't even try to hide my shock. “But her king is... who did you say?” I'm confused by the names of all the men. So shoot me. At least getting to know the Druid harem seems reasonable. I laugh.
They frown at my unshared humor.
“Zach,” Holly says. “He took my virginity, but the three bred me after I became his mate.”
“Oh—wow. Three guys, two babies.” I hear my voice from far away. I think I feel myself swaying.
Rachel's face puckers. “You look like a ghost floated over your grave. Sit down.” Rachel takes my elbow and guides me from my vigil near the sliding glass doors to the kitchen stools.
I stumble onto it, sitting down hard, and fight to keep my head from going between my knees. “I can't accept this.”
“Whatever,” Holly says dismissively. “But it was the best, most mind-blowing sex I've ever had. And I'm going to have two beautiful babies. It's really normal to have sex with three Reapers the first time you cycle, Nova. I felt freaked out too at first, and Zach didn't really want to share me—duh, he's a Reaper—but sacrifices have to be made. There's a buttload of them and hardly any of us.”
“Holly's right. I got lucky with Cole because I'm not a queen,” Rachel states.
I look up hopefully. “I'm not either.”
Aubree shakes her head. “Even though there are way more vampires than Druid females to pass around, you've still got that Kellan creep lurking around,” she reminds.
“Yeah, what are you going to do about that?”
Holly doesn't give me a second to answer before saying, “I say do the Reaper trio so you don’t have to worry about Kellan. Or leave the safety of our kiss and hope that Harborer dude can bring it.” She shrugs.
“Holly,” Rachel says in a warning voice, “I don't think you're making Nova feel any better.”
You think?
Holly shrugs. “I can't say it more simply. You love being mated to Cole. I love Zach. He's been good to me—great.” Her face washes with color again, and I can't help but be a little curious about what “good” means exactly.
Aubree finally answers my earlier question. “I was cycling, and a Mer warrior, a full-blood male, kissed me while magic rode us. It had a sort of echo effect, and I conceived Brandon near the exposure of that magic. So his childhood was compressed. When you put out the call to him, he left our coven to seek you. You're obviously important to him. Necessary.”
“You changed the subject,” I accuse. Also, I don't think I called anyone. I briefly consider the dreams. At least, I didn’t consciously call him.
Aubree nods. “You bet I did. This little convo was becoming circular, and you were getting overwhelmed.”
She's right. “Is that why Brandon's so...” I don't know how to say it nicely.
“A pain in the ass?” Aubree says.
The air leaks out of me, and I laugh. “Yes. I mean, he's gorgeous and I think he's a good defender, but as a human being, he's so bossy.”
“He's a Druid vampire with a kick of Mermaid, sweetheart,” Rachel explains in a droll voice. “Not human.”
“Yeah.”
I wait for more explanation.
“And technically, he's only been alive about six years,” Rachael adds.
“He doesn't love you yet. Brandon just knows you're his. Even if he's not sure how to show it, and you blow him off.” Aubree gives me steady eyes.
I feel a pang of guilt.
“I'm not ready to screw guys I don't know. Hell”—I jump off the stool—“I'm not even ready to be with Brandon, and I can actually feel the pull we have.”
I make a fist and place it over my heart, fighting tears. “Grammy told me there'd be one Druid for me in the future and to wait for him—not a football team. I'm sorry, but I'm not some kind of vampire answer to sunlight-conditioned spawn.”
“You have a way of making everything sound so impossible,” Rachel notes.
“Yeah, negative much?” Holly says.
I look at everyone who seems to have caught pregnancy like a cold and back away. “I think I need to take a shower, sponge some clothes off one of you, and grab some grub. Then
maybe I can address some of this weirdness.”
“That's fine.” Holly's gaze finds mine. “But this won't go away, Nova. You'll have to choose three Reapers—one can be Brandon.”
Right.
“He won't share,” Aubree says definitively.
“Not my issue,” Holly states. “Not hers either. Nova's got the pussy power right now. She's the Druid female. She can have whoever she wants, and they have to deal with it. It's Nova's hoo-hah, so she calls the shots.”
Holly walks over to me. Actually, it's more like an elegant waddle. “Go decontaminate. There'll be clothes waiting for you, then I'll introduce you to everyone. Okay?”
Her hand on my arm feels like a brand of fire. I can't just tell her to screw off. It's a weird situation, but they're trying. I take several deep, calming breaths.
Ren is my Harborer. My old life seems comparatively simple now. I worked sleazy, entry-level bullshit jobs, he got me out of jams, and life went on.
Now I have a new opportunity. Well, that's one way to look at it.
But what would I really be here—a glorified brood mare? I am Druid. I guess I'm also a mermaid chick. Brandon doesn't even know me. His mother admitted he doesn't love me yet. All his instincts are based on me being in Druid “heat” or whatever.
Then there's this jerk-off Kellan, and the girls have indicated he's not the only one.
I don't know what to do. I'm tired, dirty, and hungry.
I'm also horny as hell.
I want to run, but instead I answer Holly.
“Okay.”
I’ll stay for now.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
“Okay, so what if she decides she's done?” I ask.
Ren shrugs. “What you need to ask yourself is what you can do to keep her.”
I pace away, blowing out my frustration. “Nova should want to stay here. It keeps her safe. It’s logical.” I spread my palms away from my body.
Ren shakes his head. “Not entirely. If you'll remember, she was here when Kellan entered her dreams.”
I move to the slider. The door is still filled with the view of Puget Sound, and the water churns as it did when I spoke with Mother about leaving the coven to find my breeder. Now she's here, but Nova's not really mine. And with the new threat of the Druid priest in hiding, I am supposed to share her to ensure her safety. I'm a Druid male. Every one of us would fuck a breeder.