by Dia Cole
It all was so damn near perfect I could almost ignore the bloodstains on the carpet, the lingering odor of rot in the air, and the gnawing feeling that something terrible was going to happen.
Taking a deep breath, I tried to stomp out the irrational anxiety. We’d all survived our hellish encounters with the dead yesterday and I wasn’t going to let anything ruin the celebration. I’d been dreaming about having a real Christmas with decorations, presents, and a family my entire life. The closest I’d ever come to it as a lonely child had been the television specials I’d watched from my mom’s dirty trailer floor. This was so much better than a scripted show.
Over by the Christmas tree, the Ackerman boys and Mira, the daughter of my newest mate, let out ecstatic cries as they tore through the wrapped gifts like pint-sized tornados.
I couldn’t help but laugh at their excitement.
I wasn’t alone. Several of the human survivors milling around the snack table cracked a smile too. Seeing the terror and shock slowly leave their eyes warmed my heart. Those poor people had been through so much watching their friends and family members die. They don’t need to be frightened any longer. I sat up straighter in my chair. With my new abilities, I could protect them from the dead.
But can I protect them from what’s coming? Doubt heightened my feeling of unease.
Trying to shake off the premonition, I focused instead on the gorgeous, muscular males surrounding my armchair. All four of my mates were anxious over my dizzy spell a few moments ago, but they didn’t need to worry. There was a good reason for my vertigo. I gently laid my palm over my abdomen trying to sense the spark of new life growing inside me.
We’re going to have a baby! My chest tightened with happiness and excitement. All my life I’d wanted to have a big family. I just never figured on my children having so many daddies. I bit my lower lip to muffle my giggle. Soon, I’d have to spill my secret to my mates, but not now. Now I just wanted to enjoy our first holiday together.
A soft sound drew my attention to Liam, my seven-foot-tall auburn haired teddy bear of a mate who sat in the armchair across from mine. The nine-month-old infant he cradled against his bare chest sucked on his right knuckle as he hummed her a lullaby.
“You’re great with Sierra,” I said with a smile. He’ll be an awesome father.
Liam stroked his hand through the baby’s silky tuff of dark hair. “She’s a pretty babe, isn’t she?”
I nodded. “She’s precious. I’m so glad she’s okay.”
“Me too.” Liam met my gaze and we shared the horrible memory of the helicopter crash yesterday. It was a miracle everyone survived.
A loud shriek drew my attention back to the tree. Sierra’s oldest brother, Kaden, was holding a stuffed bear over the head of three-year-old Jackson.
Mira tried to grab the bear from Kaden. “Give it back to him.”
Kaden shook his head. “He’s trying to eat the hat.”
Despite the older boy being considerably taller than her, Mira put her hands on her hips and stared into his eyes. “Give Jackson his bear!” Even from over here, I heard the otherworldly ring in her tone.
Kaden’s expression went slack and he immediately dropped the stuffed toy into his brother’s outreached hands.
Ah, hell. Mira was using compulsion. Again.
“Good.” Mira threw back her silver-streaked hair. “And give me your candy cane.”
Without so much as blinking, the older boy reached for his candy.
Shaking my head, I looked over at Nathan to see if he was watching his daughter break the rules.
The Alpha male stood nose to nose with Gabriel, my most aggressive mate, oblivious to anything but their telepathic argument.
Seeing that he’d be no help, I mentally chided Mira. “Stop compelling Kaden this instant.”
The headstrong little girl jerked her head in my direction, a surprised look on her face. “You’re talking to me like Daddy does.”
I didn’t know that Nathan spoke with her telepathically. I wondered what else the little girl knew of our species. “Should we tell him you’re using compulsion?” I pretended to look for Nathan behind my chair.
Her eyes rounded and she shook her head. “I’m sorry. I’ll stop.”
“Why don’t you unwrap more presents?” I suggested.
“Okay.” She grabbed the closest gift, tore off the wrapping paper, and held up a bottle of champagne. “Look, Vana! I got some juice.”
I coughed. “That’s great, love bug.” Maybe tossing in the random gifts I’d found in the luggage behind the front desk hadn’t been the best idea. God only knows what else the kids might find.
The handsome blond doctor sitting in the armchair next to mine called out, “Let me see that juice, Miss Mira. It may have medicinal properties.” He stood and wiped away an imaginary wrinkle on his slacks. Only Mason would manage to scrounge up a pair of clean pants and a collared shirt. While he looked as dignified as ever, the rest of us looked like half-dressed hobos.
Mira glared at Mason. “No. It’s mine.” She clutched the bottle tightly to her chest and pouted like only a four-year-old could.
“Bollocks. That’s a 1959 Dom Perignon.” Mason’s telepathic voice carried his sexy British accent.
I laughed. “Don’t worry. She’ll forget about it if you offer her that.” I nodded in the direction of a royal blue velvet box I’d set on a side table. The box contained an antique diamond butterfly hairpin I knew Mira would love.
“What if she refuses?”
“She won’t.” No female of any age could resist diamonds that size. As if on their own accord, my fingers slid into the front pocket of the white terry-cloth robe I wore. The stunning engagement ring Nathan gave me a few hours ago was still there. I absently rubbed the four-carat princess cut diamond still shocked at discovering Nathan had planned on proposing to me instead of breaking up with me that terrible night all those months ago.
I wished I could take back the river of tears I’d cried over him since that night. Even though I now knew the truth—he’d broken up with me to save me from his ex—the memory of the pain he’d put me through still stung.
Mason kissed my cheek. “All right, here goes nothing.” He strode over to the table, picked up the velvet box, and then walked over to Mira.
The little girl turned and smiled at the doctor. Her amber eyes, so like Nathan’s, brightened.
I twisted my head around, hoping her father was watching the exchange.
Nathan and Gabriel growled at each other. Evenly matched in their six-foot-four height, they both possessed the muscular build of NFL linemen and they both were barely dressed. I hummed my approval as the flannel blanket knotted around Nathan’s waist dipped low enough to show the taut muscles of his six-pack.
I licked my lips hoping the blanket might slip further. From our steamy encounter in this very chair, I knew Nathan wore nothing under it. My skin warmed and my nipples hardened in memory of our makeup sex. I could definitely go for more of that right now.
“You’re mistaken, Ambassador. Havana is mated to us all.” Gabriel flexed one of his huge biceps drawing my gaze to his gorgeous bronze skin. The dark-haired male wore only a pair of jeans so tattered I could clearly see his muscular thighs. My breathing quickened as I remembered Gabriel using those powerful muscles to pound into me at the resort pool just a little while ago.
“Not for long.” Nathan chuckled. “I’ve asked Vana to choose between us. Who do you think she’ll pick? Three males that were strangers two weeks ago or the male whose engagement ring she carries in her pocket?”
And just like that my bubble of happiness popped and a pit formed in my stomach.
Nathan continued. “You’ll understand if I don’t invite you to our wedding, Enforcer.”
Gabriel snarled.
Crap. I clenched Nathan’s engagement ring so tightly it dug into the palm of my hand. Why can’t he accept my other mates? There had to be some way of convincing Nathan to give t
he five of us a chance. We can work. I know it.
Liam looked over at me. “Ignore them, Beautiful. Focus on the kids. They’re having a good time, aren’t they?”
He’s right. I won’t let Nathan and Gabriel ruin this. I dropped the engagement ring back into my pocket and looked over at Mira.
The little girl danced around the tree clutching her new butterfly hairpin.
Mason raised the bottle of champagne in my direction. “It worked.”
I started to congratulate him, but soft footsteps stole my attention.
Rebecca, a middle-aged woman with greying hair and deep laugh lines around her mouth, approached. “I can take my granddaughter now.” She held her arms outstretched to Liam. To her credit her hands only shook slightly. I gave the older woman props. Few would try to take anything from a male Liam’s size. My respect for the woman, who’d apparently been the principal of an elementary school, grew.
Liam hesitated for a split second and then gently transitioned the sleeping baby to Rebecca.
Cradling Sierra against her chest with practiced ease, Rebecca turned her attention to me. “Are we moving to another location?”
I nodded. “We’re going to caravan up the mountain to Sanctuary. The lodge there has enough supplies for everyone.” There was no safer place for us all to ride out the apocalypse. Sanctuary had running water and electricity along with enough food and supplies to last us for years. Thank God, Nathan had ordered Liam, Mason, and Gabriel to bring me there ten days ago. If they hadn’t… I shivered imagining what might have happened.
Rebecca gazed at the tightly clustered group of survivors. “Marshall has convinced some of the others that we should stay.”
I glanced at the thin, balding man gesturing wildly to the others. Marshall had been someone important—a company vice president, CEO, or some crap like that. It didn’t matter. He along with everyone else would need to stick with my crew if they wanted to survive.
Liam stood, the top of his head nearly scraping the slanted wood beam ceiling. “Tell Marshall, he does what Havana says or he’ll die.”
Rebecca took a step back.
Although my mate needed to work on his delivery, I appreciated him having my back. “What Liam means is that it will be safer for everyone at Sanctuary.” At some point, any zombies in the nearby town would head here in search for living prey. Is that the threat I sense?
Rebecca nodded. “I’ll talk to them.” She marched over to the group of survivors. Within minutes the humans were arguing.
Humans. Crap. Listen to me. When did I start thinking that way?
Over by the tree, Mira was trying to yank the champagne bottle out of Mason’s hands. “Give me my juice.”
“Miss Mira, we made a trade fair and square. Your juice for the diamond heirloom.”
The little girl stamped her foot. “No!”
Mason sent me a helpless look.
Time for her dad to get involved. I turned my head. “Nathan can you…”
Mira’s father shoved Gabriel. “I’ll pound you into dust, Enforcer.”
Gabriel bared his teeth and pushed Nathan back. “Do you really want another ass kicking, Ambassador?”
Both of the males’ hair stood on end and their eyes sparked with aggression.
Goddamn it. They were going to fight. Again.
As my annoyance rose, I pinched the bridge of my nose wondering if I should make good on my threat to compel the two to be friends.
“Let’s take this outside,” growled Nathan.
Irritation morphed into worry as I watched the two males stalk outside. I have to stop them.
As I pushed myself to my feet, Liam dragged me into his lap. “Let them work it out.”
“Nathan might not survive another encounter.” The Alpha male had been pretty messed up from his fight with Gabriel just a few hours earlier and that was on top of him nearly dying yesterday.
Liam snorted. “Don’t worry. Gabriel knows Nathan is mated to you and if one of your mates dies, we all die. He won’t risk your life.”
Liam’s words eased some of my anxiety.
“But they’re ruining Christmas.” I hated that my eyes filled with tears. Damn hormones. “All I wanted was for all of us to have a real freaking holiday experience.” Is that too much to ask?
“This is the real holiday experience.” Liam gave me a wry grin. “At least all of mine were like this. Children screaming. Males fighting.”
“Really?”
He chuckled. “Usually my mom threw me and my brothers outside before we could destroy her furniture.”
I blinked trying to picture a family of giants. “Were all your brothers as large as you?”
“No.” His smile faded. “My mother always said I was a freak of nature.” His shame and embarrassment leaked through our bond.
How could any mother say that to their child, much less to Liam? He was the sweetest guy ever. I wrapped my arms around his waist and hugged him. “You’re not a freak, you’re perfect and I’m so glad you’re mine.”
Liam gave me a swoon worthy smile and whispered in my ear, “Do you think we could have that alone time now?” He telepathically replayed our earlier conversation where I’d promised him some one-on-one time in the pool.
“Right now?” I glanced out the window seeing nothing but fluffy white snow. Gabriel and Nathan must have taken their fight away from the resort.
Across the room, Mason pleaded with Mira while the Ackerman boys ran in circles around them shrieking loudly.
The racket had woken Sierra who screeched like a dying peacock.
Rebecca tried to shush the baby back to sleep while Marshall shouted, “It’s suicide to leave. We have everything we need.”
“But Nathan said we should go to Sanctuary,” another survivor cried.
Marshall narrowed his watery eyes. “Screw Nathan.”
“Nathan should have let the zombies eat that guy,” Liam muttered. “Come on, let’s get out of here.”
I sighed and rubbed my temples. This definitely was not the Christmas of my dreams. “As tempting as your offer is, I need to fix this.” First I’ll deal with Gabriel and Nathan and then I’ll set the humans straight.
Liam cupped my face in his hands. “This will all be here in an hour. Escape with me for a little while. Let me worship you.”
“Worship?”
He nodded eagerly. “From the top of your head to your beautiful toes.”
Heat curled between my thighs. That sounded pretty amazing. I looked over the chaotic lobby. I’ll bet no one will notice if we skip out for a bit. “Lead the way, big guy.”
He grinned from ear to ear and dragged me down the hallway.
2
Havana
Despite his large size, Liam walked softly and not a single person turned their head when we ducked down the hallway and pushed through a door near the elevators.
We stopped inside the pitch-black room.
The bleachy smell of chlorine and the lingering scent of the passion I’d shared with Gabriel filled the air. The erotic memories of my time with the dark-haired male made my nipples pebble against the terry cloth fabric of my robe.
Liam whirled around, hauled me into his arms, and kissed me. He tasted of candy canes and chocolate, an intoxicating flavor I couldn’t get enough of.
Kicking off my flip-flops, I wrapped my legs around his waist and pressed myself flush against him.
Our lips and tongues slow danced and then, as if some inaudible song had quickened its beat, our kiss deepened. Desire, hot and sweet, drugged my mind.
He kneaded my ass, while I caressed his broad shoulders and ripped biceps. His body was a thing of beauty and I wanted to savor every inch especially the impressive bulge pressing insistently against the fly of his jeans.
Moaning, I sucked his tongue into my mouth and rocked my hips against him.
“Havana,” Liam panted. He tried to slip his hand under my robe, but I’d belted it tightly. He cursed under h
is breath and tugged the fabric apart.
The light tinkling sound of metal hitting the pool deck made me break our kiss and look down.
Nathan’s engagement ring lay next to Liam’s right foot.
Crap. It must have fallen out of my pocket.
Liam tensed, his expression falling. “So Nathan was telling the truth. He asked you to marry him?”
I sighed. “He did.”
“Will you?”
I paused, not having really considered it until now. The five of us were already soul bonded, did we really need the pomp and circumstance of a wedding? But then again, the idea of a romantic ceremony where we cemented our love for each other had a lot of appeal. “I’d like to marry him at the same time I marry you, Mason, and Gabriel.” What a wedding that would be. Syd, my best friend, and I had fantasized about our weddings together. She’d flip her lid if she knew mine would involve more than one groom. Ah, hell. I hoped she was safe somewhere.
Liam let out a deep breath. “You’d marry me?” Our bond thrummed with his relief and happiness.
“Hell, yes.” I rose on the balls of my feet to kiss him.
He stared down at my lips. “But Nathan won’t go for that. He wants you to choose.”
“Fuck choosing.” I grabbed the back of his head and forced his lips to meet mine. I wasn’t giving up any of my mates.
The kiss quickly turned toe-curling hot. I thought for sure he’d rip off my robe and take me against the door. Instead, he pulled away and scanned the room. “Jacuzzi or the pool?” His werewolf vision, like mine, allowed him to see both the lap-pool and the Jacuzzi perfectly in the dark.
Although both options were fine, I felt drawn to the hot tub. “How about the Jacuzzi?” The water would be cold and the jets wouldn’t work without electricity, but we could sit down in there—or rather, I could sit on Liam in there. My heart pounded while my dirty mind raced with possibilities. The tub was even big enough to accommodate all my mates if they joined us.
All my mates…
The idea of all four males in the water… kissing me… touching me…. loving me… made heat move low in my body. Of course, Nathan and Gabriel have to stop punching each other long enough to pay attention to me. Bastards.