The Journal Keeper (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour)

by Leerene Evans

  The wild mass of white curls atop her head did nothing to distract from the blankness of her purple eyes. She wore a long black gown reminiscent of a nun’s habit, complete with a large white collar and woven belt. Rianne was instantly wary of the woman and flushed when she proceeded to stare at Rianne’s dress.

  “I agree with Carme that it’s a lovely color on you. I’ll have to give my compliments to the seamstress. Andraste really knows her stuff,” the woman grinned.

  “It’s a beautiful gown,” Rianne murmured, twisting her fingers together nervously.

  “As I knew it would be. Though I must say, I expected you to put up more of a fight when Dorin and Nikolas brought you here,” the woman commented, circling Rianne.

  “I’m sorry,” Rianne said, though it came out as more of a question.

  “Nonsense, my dear. It’s a good thing. Your heart knew your place was with Nikolas and Dorin even before your head. Such a wonderful thing,” the woman beamed.

  “I hate to be rude, but who are you?” Rianne asked as the woman came to a stop in front of her.

  “Morna, of course. I’m the one who sent your mates after you and the journal,” Morna explained.

  “The journal?” Rianne questioned.

  “Oh, no time for that now, deary. We’ve got to get you to the feast. I’m afraid that polar bear of yours will throw a fit if he doesn’t see you soon. Dorin can only keep him calm for so long, you know,” Morna babbled, hooking her arm through Rianne’s.

  “Why would Nikolas get upset?” Rianne asked as they left the bedroom.

  “He’ll need to assure himself that you are safe and settling in. It’s the bear in him. Dorin won’t worry so much and will expect you to be able to handle yourself fairly well, but Nikolas will hover like a mama bear with her cubs,” Morna told her.

  Rianne could think of no response to that as Morna led her through the castle, going on about the differences between bears and wolves. Vaguely she wondered if the woman was used to someone interrupting her or if she always spoke so much.

  “Of course, you would assume that since he’s been living with wolves most of his life he would pick up on some of their finer qualities, but it’s nearly impossible to get that bear to do anything he doesn’t want to. Incredibly stubborn creatures, bears are,” Morna said with a resigned sigh.

  By this point, they had come to the top of the main staircase, and Rianne looked down to see both Nikolas and Dorin waiting for her. Her heart gave a slight jerk before it began playing the drums with her ribs. It dawned on her that their superior hearing would alert them to her racing heart.

  “Ah, now see. What did I tell you? Anxiously awaiting your arrival. And looking rather spiffy, if I do say so myself.” Morna beamed as they descended the stairs together.

  Rianne had to admit, the two looked good as they watched the two women walk down the stairs. Nikolas had let his hair out of its ponytail, allowing the silken strands to fall loosely about his shoulders. Dorin had made an attempt to comb his hair back, but a few strands stroked sensuously across his forehead. Rianne was surprised at how intent the urge was to brush those strands back, to run her fingers along Nikolas’s jawline until he gave her a smile.

  Both men were dressed in clothing similar to what was worn during medieval times, which instantly set her at ease about her own outfit. Their pants were black and loose fitting, the ends encased in boots laced up to their knees. Each wore a white shirt with a sleeveless tunic over top, Dorin’s charcoal gray, Nikolas’s forest green.

  “You look beautiful, danalya,” Dorin breathed as she and Morna came to a stop in front of them.

  “Thank you,” Rianne murmured, a warmth stealing over her at his term of endearment.

  Carme had explained many things while Rianne had been bathing, some of which were the many words she had heard but didn’t understand. She wasn’t sure how she felt about being Dorin’s “sweetheart,” but she decided she definitely liked hearing it. As much as she liked hearing Dorin’s pet name for her, she found Nikolas’s name for her slightly curious. Having never been compared to a bird in her life, she was surprised that being called “sparrow” caused the same warmth as danalya. It was obvious both men cared for her, at least a little.

  “Are you ready to meet my parents?” Dorin asked, extending his arm for her to take.

  “Not really, but I guess I don’t have much of a choice, do I?” Rianne asked, smiling weakly.

  “Afraid not, but Nikolas and I will be with you every step of the way,” Dorin assured her.

  Rianne turned to the hulking man beside them, a slight thrill going through her as she took in his gruff expression. Without a word, she looped her other arm through his, settling herself between the two.

  “May I offer my other arm to you, madam?” Dorin suggested, holding out his other arm for Morna.

  “Aren’t you just adorable? No, no, I’m afraid I won’t be joining you for supper. I have pressing matters to discuss with the flowerbeds. I will see you soon, Rianne.” Morna smiled, waving as she practically skipped toward the rear of the castle.

  “I really don’t like her,” Nikolas grumbled once she was out of sight.

  “I know, but Mother insisted she stay. We can’t exactly force her out,” Dorin said as the three of them made their way toward the dining hall.

  “I don’t see why not. She’s a damned nuisance, and all that magic is making my fur twitch,” Nikolas complained darkly.

  “What exactly is she?” Rianne asked, curious about the slightly insane woman.

  “Morna is the High Priestess of the Order of Witches. She’s harmless, really, but Nikolas dislikes anything to do with the magi of this realm,” Dorin told her.

  “How come?” Rianne asked, turning to her other escort.

  “Perhaps someday I’ll tell you. For now, just know it is best to always be wary when dealing with those who possess magic,” Nikolas warned as they came to a stop, his blue eyes piercing her own.

  “Okay,” Rianne murmured, unable to break his hypnotic stare.

  His icy gaze melted as he skimmed the back of his fingers across her jawline, the pad of his thumb brushing her bottom lip. She knew her eyes were probably huge as she watched him, anticipating the feel of his lips against hers. Her heart was beating so loud, she was sure they could both hear it as Dorin’s hands moved down to caress her hips as Nikolas leaned in toward her. He was close enough for her to feel his hot breath on her face, doing absolutely nothing to cool the molten lava that had replaced the blood flowing through her veins. Dorin crowded her from the back, his body heat seeping into her even though there was still distance between them. She wanted to stay right where she was, warm and safe between their two bodies, knowing nothing would make them leave.

  “Ahem.”

  Nikolas tensed, his entire body as still and hard as a statue. His eyes promised retribution for whoever had interrupted them as he slowly stood to his full height.

  “What?” Nikolas snapped, looking over his shoulder.

  Dorin’s hands squeezed her hips slightly before he returned her hand to his arm. She found herself missing the warmth his body had offered when he was behind her. Nikolas, too, turned, though he kept her hidden from the person who had so rudely interrupted.

  “My apologies, sir. Highness. The king sent me to see to your whereabouts. He feared you may have become…distracted,” a voice explained nervously, no doubt due to Nikolas’s intense glare.

  “We were just on our way. Thank you, Fawsny.” Dorin nodded to the man.

  Nikolas held out his arm without turning, his protective stance still firmly in place. Rianne tentatively slid her hand into the crook of his arm, moving to stand beside him slowly. He turned his ice-blue eyes on her and for a moment, she feared he might attack her. Instead, his face softened, and he brought his other hand up to caress her fingers as he and Dorin continued to lead her toward the dining hall.

  * * * *

  Dorin spent most of supper watching Riann
e. Despite her hesitation about meeting his parents, she had both of them completely charmed. She was teasing his father, giving as good as she got and surprising the old wolf with her quick wit. His mother was peppering Rianne with questions of the human realm, all of which Rianne answered as completely as possible. Visess was especially fascinated with the idea of what Rianne called “democracy.”

  Nikolas sat on his other side, both of them across from their mate. He hadn’t spoken much throughout supper, but he watched Rianne like a hawk. His eyes followed her every move, unconsciously mimicking her as they all ate. Dorin was sure he didn’t realize it, but Nikolas always waited for Rianne to take a bite before taking one himself.

  “Tell me, Rianne. What was your line of work in your home world?” Visess asked as the servants cleared away the last of the dishes.

  “I was a linguist. Basically, I studied languages and learned how to translate them. Actually, I’ve been working on this one book that was found about a month ago. The language is unknown, and my boss tasked me with deciphering it. Though now I doubt I’ll get to finish it,” Rianne sighed, shooting Nikolas and Dorin an angry look.

  “Why is that?” Visess asked, leaning forward.

  “They don’t exactly look highly upon people who just up and vanish. I’m sure my boss will be furious when he realizes I’m not coming into work on Thursday,” Rianne explained, though she sounded pained.

  “It doesn’t matter what your boss thinks. You will be staying with us, here, and you will never have to work again,” Dorin assured her, smiling warmly.

  “Did it ever occur to you to ask whether or not I wanted to stay here?” Rianne asked, raising an eyebrow as she stared him down.

  “Why wouldn’t you want to stay with us? You are our mate.” Dorin frowned, confused as to where this was going.

  “Yeah, well, nobody asked my opinion on that either. Maybe I don’t want to be mated to the two of you,” Rianne said quietly, turning from both of them and focusing back on Visess instead.

  “It looks as though you’ll have your hands full with this one, you two,” Silal chuckled, sipping his wine.

  Nikolas merely grunted, his focus still on Rianne despite her attempt to ignore him. Dorin, however, continued to frown at his mate, unsure of why she was so unhappy with him. He wondered if maybe she didn’t feel the same way he and Nikolas did. Maybe mating was different for humans. He had been trying to give her space throughout the day, to let her come to terms with her new role, but maybe that had been a mistake. Perhaps it would’ve been better if he and Nikolas had shown her the potential of what could happen between them.

  He began to think of ways to make her happy with them, to make her want to stay. He didn’t want to keep her against her will, but he couldn’t imagine giving her up, either. He had to make her love Laurasia as much as he did, to make her realize she belonged with him and Nikolas. To do that, he needed to convince her there was nothing for her back in the human realm.

  His thoughts went to her family, and he wondered whether she was close to them. Based on what he and Nikolas had seen during their short trip to the human realm, many families didn’t stay together. Mates separated, dividing the children between two homes. Children left home at an early age, sometimes never to return. Looking at his own parents, he couldn’t imagine never seeing them again. His parents were so much a part of who he was that he would never be able to simply leave without any contact whatsoever.

  Nikolas would probably understand the ways of the humans better. He hadn’t seen his mother since his banishment from the polar clan. Dorin knew Nikolas had been shunned for attacking his mother’s new mate after his father was killed, but he didn’t know much more than that. Nikolas was a very closed-off bear, one who didn’t trust easily. Dorin had hoped that Rianne would be the key to opening him up, but it looked like he would have to work on Rianne before they could focus on Nikolas.

  Sighing into his wine, he knew it was going to be a challenge, but it was one he was up for. He didn’t have any other choice.

  * * * *

  It was quiet as Rianne made her way back to the room she was staying in. Nikolas and Dorin accompanied her, of course, but neither one made an effort to break the silence. Rianne knew she’d upset them by saying she didn’t want to be their mate, but they had to understand that her life wasn’t in Laurasia. Her life was back in Washington, DC, and she was determined to return there, with or without their help.

  She just had to figure out how.

  She remembered Dorin reading off a small piece of paper right before they were transported to the woods. Maybe that was the way home. All she had to do was figure out what was on that slip of paper. Morna would probably know. It was just a matter of getting her to let Rianne have it.

  “Rianne,” Dorin murmured, drawing her out of her thoughts.

  She turned, surprised to find herself in front of her bedroom. Dorin had opened the door for her and stood in the hallway, waiting for her to go in. Nikolas stood across from the door, his arms crossed over his chest as he glared at her. She wondered if she’d imagined his smile in the woods. He sure hadn’t smiled at her since then. In fact, he was constantly frowning at something or someone. Maybe he was just a grumpy person.

  And they expected her to be his mate?

  “Thank you walking me back to my room,” Rianne said, walking toward the door.

  She was looking forward to a little peace and quiet to settle her thoughts, but Dorin reached out and grabbed her arm.

  “Nikolas and I are on either side of you. Each of us has a door that leads to your room. If you need anything during the night, one or both of us will be there in an instant,” Dorin promised.

  Rianne wasn’t sure whether or not to be grateful that they would be close throughout the night. She knew the first night of staying in a new and strange place could lead to nightmares. It had happened to her before, but she was a little perturbed that they would be able to come into her room whether she wanted them to or not.

  “Danalya. I want to take you out tomorrow. Will you go riding with me?” Dorin asked, his hand taking hers.

  “You have horses? I didn’t see any when we came in,” Rianne said, remembering looking over at the stables when Nikolas carried her through the bailey.

  “If you agree to ride with me, I’ll show you.” Dorin smirked, his thumb rubbing slowly across the back of her hand.

  Rianne looked at him, trying to see if he had some ulterior motive, but her curiosity got the best of her and she found herself smiling despite herself.

  “All right. What time?” Rianne asked.

  “Whenever you wake up. Carme will help you get ready,” Dorin said, raising the hand holding hers to brush his fingers across her cheek.

  Rianne looked over to find Nikolas staring at them intently, his blue eyes practically glowing in the darkness of the hallway. His intense stare sent fire through her body, directly to the juncture between her legs. Even as Dorin pulled her close, she was unable to tear her eyes away from Nikolas.

  “He wants you. He wants you just as much as I do,” Dorin murmured in her ear, pulling her closer until there wasn’t an inch between them.

  Rianne gasped at the feel of his hard cock pressing against her stomach, her head falling back as his lips moved across her throat. Nikolas held her gaze the entire time, his presence an erotic reminder of how dangerous this was. Not only could anyone walk by and see them, but the feel of Dorin’s lips and hands on her skin was heady and addictive. She worried that if she let it continue, she might give in to their insistence that she stay.

  As much as it pained her to, she pulled herself out of Dorin’s embrace, instantly missing the warmth found in his arms. Wrapping her own arms around herself, she backed into her room.

  “I’m sorry,” Rianne whispered, unsure what exactly she was apologizing for.

  “Don’t worry, danalya. It’s not your fault,” Dorin assured her.

  Nikolas pushed off the wall, walking forward
until he stood in the doorway between her and Dorin. Grabbing the door handle, he began to pull it close.

  “Sleep, capora. You have a busy day tomorrow,” Nikolas ordered, nodding his head toward the bed.

  It amazed her, the effect he had on her without even touching her. She would probably explode the second he put his hands on her. Dear God, she wouldn’t survive these two together. She had to leave.

  “Goodnight, danalya,” Dorin murmured over Nikolas’s shoulder.

  “Night,” Rianne breathed as Nikolas closed the door.

  She waited, half expecting them to open the door and come into her bedroom, but the door remained closed. She ignored the part of her that was disappointed, instead turning to get ready for bed.

  Carme had left a nightgown draped across the bed for her, a white cotton gown that laced up the front. As beautiful as it was, Rianne wasn’t looking forward to threading the string through each hole to keep the gown together. Instead, she stripped out of her blue gown, draping it across the back of the armchair, and began searching through the chest and armoire in her room.

  The armoire contained dresses similar to the one she had worn to dinner and a few more casual gowns, but nothing that looked comfy enough to sleep in. The chest held a plethora of nightgowns, shifts, and undergarments, none of which inspired thoughts of a cozy night. Sitting on the closed lid, she gave an unhappy sigh, wishing she had grabbed a pair of flannel PJs before taking a trip to another world.

  A wrapped package on the table by the fire caught her attention, and she moved to inspect it. Her name was scrawled sloppily across the top of the brown paper wrappings, making her all the more curious. The piece of twine released the paper easily as she pulled the bow, the paper falling apart as soon as the twine loosened its hold.

  Gasping in delight, she picked up the pair of shorts and overly large T-shirt, clutching them to her chest. Somehow, Dorin and Nikolas had managed to steal a pair of her PJs without her noticing. Granted, the choice was a little minimal for the temperature of the castle, but she was too happy to have her own clothes to care. She slipped the T-shirt over her head and pulled the shorts on, sighing at the familiar feel.