"You think he forced himself upon a woman and his soul became corrupted, just as it did with my ancestors?" Kiarra clarified. Reed nodded. "It sounds likely. How could a boy who is still basically a child commit such an atrocity, though? Wouldn't some event have to prompt an act like that?"
Mason thought of his father. "Some men believe power carries entitlement. Everett was a spoiled kid. A girl might have spurned him, and he took what he felt he deserved. His life and actions followed a downhill spiral afterward."
Kiarra shivered. Mason understood how it might be deemed unfair that one act could ruin an entire life, but he believed any man who forced himself on a woman earned the punishment. Unfortunately, Everett was in a position to use his corrupted power.
"This doesn't explain why you are having fevers, though," Reed commented.
Kiarra nodded, and her thoughtfulness shifted to nervousness. "Right, about that." She took a deep breath.
Chapter 14
Kiarra
Telling the men the history was the easy part. Reading the account had been brutal. I shared a decidedly strong sense of kinship with my grandmother. We were the same person, at a different age and time. The way she discussed her men bore a remarkable similarity to the way I felt about my partners. I still had a lot to learn, though. I didn't understand what it meant to be a conduit, and the magical aspect disturbed me. Past circumstances and the evolution of Megreria remained challenging to accept, but it was just that - history. Telling them what should happen next was the challenging part.
"I mentioned before that the book provoked a reaction. The bonds are burning me up inside, literally in some ways. The fever will continue until we complete the connection. My grandmother worked with a Mishokian woman to put a spell on the opal. She wanted the country to return to its roots, to find its wholeness by women merging with their multiple fated partners. She spelled the stone, specifically for a woman of her bloodline who had already discovered her bondmates, in a bid to further solidify the bonds. The spell is not the only thing at work here, though. The bond can also be described as a chemical reaction; it begins when a Soul Match and their partner first touch. If an awareness of mutual attraction occurs between the two bondmates, the process commences.
“There are two reasons why I am affected so strongly. One, the spell enhanced the connection; two, I met all of you at roughly the same time. I didn't have time to solidify one bond before starting another. Grandmother said the enchantment was intended to reinforce the prophecy of the Soul Tenders. Since it is unclear whether Soul Tenders existed in her time, the prophecy was likely the vision of a female who foresaw the future. Grandmother worried Baldony would grow in power, enough to engage in war with Megreria. She was convinced only a strong female heir who has connected with her bondmates would possess the skill or capability to challenge an enemy as powerful and corrupt as her homeland."
They absorbed my explanation, and I hoped they focused on the threat of conflict instead of what completing the bonds entailed. Of course, I wanted to bed every one of them, but I didn't want them to feel pressured. Mason had already mentioned the bond might be creating our affection for each other. He wanted our relationship to follow a natural progression. I didn't want to push any of them into something they would regret later. We had met barely a week ago, for Saint's sake. And yet, not consummating the bonds endangered my health.
"What is the name of the homeland again?" Seb asked with a furrowed brow.
"Baldony. It's a small country, roughly the same size as ours," Reed answered.
"Aye. They're quiet for the most part. We don't hear from them at all," Ian interjected. "We don't trade or interact with them."
I nodded. "My grandmother might be worried for no reason. A lot of time has passed since she wrote her concerns. She did say Acclesh could always be considered a friend and ally, though. She told me the surname of Ramona's father and directed me to seek aid with his family if we needed help."
"Maybe the prophecy confused the two countries," Seb said.
Grandmother's certainty assured me that wasn't the case. I might still have cousins in Acclesh. The kingdom had always been a quiet neighbor; I didn't possess much knowledge of the nation. They traded with us but didn't share their customs or traditions and never initiated any neighborly interaction. They could all be ogres and fairies for the little we knew.
"What is Acclesh like?" I asked Ian. He had lived the closest to the mysterious country. His dark eyes met mine.
"Private. Not much is known about the country or its people. The skirmishes at the border surprised us all; the subsequent rumors about the reasons for the battles seemed ridiculous. They keep their own company, and we did nothing to provoke a reaction as far as we are aware."
"Do you know for a fact that the altercations are real?" A theory formed in my mind. Ian's dark brows rose.
"No one I trust implicitly has traveled to the border to verify the rumors since they started, so no. What are you thinking, Lass?"
I hummed as my thoughts churned. Although the bitterness of my grandmother's memories still hung over me, my matches' nearness endowed me with a patient comfort I hadn't experienced in years. My mind usually bounced from topic to topic, my body nearly as restless. Their simple touches, even though they burned a path into my bones, anchored me. I no longer resembled a ship lost at sea. My grandmother had implied the same characteristics shadowed her own childhood and expressed a similar awakening when she met her bondmates. Her tutors had also referred to her as a disaster. Everything changed when she bonded with her partners.
I stated my theory slowly. "If I were a nation with minimal resources, like Baldony, I would seek someone else to do my dirty work. A country which is supposedly our sister kingdom would make a fitting revenge. Somewhere along the way, the cooperation between our kingdoms failed, but what if the Accleshians still consider us their ally? What if they uphold some of the old traditions but don't trust the Caden rulers? Perhaps Baldony started the rumors to provoke a fight with Acclesh."
The men remained silent as they digested my words. Ian sighed finally, his warm hand smoothing over my thigh as Seb's and Reed's hands trailed up and down my calves. My legs had never been a sensitive area until one of my matches touched me. Everywhere they brushed or stroked tingled in response. Grandmother hinted that the sensations wouldn't be so overwhelming once we consummated the bond. I would mourn their intensity if they faded.
"Such a theory would be hard to prove while we're still in the city, Lass," Ian said with a low sigh. "We must consider King Demetrius as well. He might not be amenable to the changes you want to enforce in following your grandmother's wishes. His Advisors will also struggle if we want to alter traditions."
I bit my lip as I deliberated Ian's words. King Demetrius was an unknown. Although I believed he was a virtuous man at heart, he might have never heard an accurate account of the country's history. We didn't know how he had initially reacted to the Soul Tenders message about us. How would he respond when he learned most females were destined for multiple matches? "Do you think all women are still meant to have many partners?" I scrunched my nose. I couldn't imagine Delia with more than one husband. My Mum, however, might be a possibility. The King had said she tested highly in all subjects. What might her potential be if she bonded with several men?
"Perhaps it only applies to the females who are descended from the ruling family," Reed suggested.
Mason had been silent for the majority of the evening, his substantial presence a reassuring balm to my soul as he held me and tenderly stroked my shivering tummy. "I can't speak for most women, but at least one of my younger sisters would rejoice if she had the option to marry more than one man. She's so torn between Scholar and Information Exchange that the choice destroys her inside. If she could capitalize upon both, she would be a happy woman."
"It raises a plethora of questions about the society as a whole, though," Reed interjected. "Which House would the women who mated multiple pa
rtners be placed into? Where would they live? The original Caden knew what he was doing. Changing the current system would create so many difficulties; it would cause nearly as much upheaval as a war."
"We are not going to solve these country-wide problems tonight," Clay spoke beside me. The hand which had been caressing my knuckles was now running through my hair. His soft motions soothed me. "We should address the issue of Kiarra's health first. We can't all stay attached to Kiarra constantly." I took a deep breath, my calm rapidly fading. This was the portion of the discussion I dreaded. I avoided their eyes. "What do we need to do to keep you from getting worse? I assume that if the bonds aren't formed, your fever will return and increase?"
I nodded, picking at a loose string on the silky dressing gown. "Until I burn up from the inside," I commented with dry amusement. No one else laughed.
"Is sex necessary to forge the bond?" Seb asked. His bluntness and lack of embarrassment over any situation slightly eased my anxiety.
"Usually that is how a bond is completed," Ian stated. His dark eyes snagged mine, the level of lust in the room building. I squirmed on Mason's lap, feeling hotter. The current rise in my temperature was not attributed to the unfulfilled connections.
"We can stave off the worst of the fever with continued skin to skin contact, from as many of you as possible at once," I deflected. When no one spoke, I proceeded hesitantly. "Yes, sex is a given, and my grandmother stated it is the best way to complete the bond. The bond itself is a buildup of energy and sex is the ultimate energy transfer, according to her and the studies of her ancestors. One of you might ease the tension enough that I may experience relief for a time." I paused. "I don't want any of you to feel pressured into sleeping with me."
Ian laughed, drawing my attention. His eyes smoldered with heat, sending pulses of need through my core. A couple of the others shared his amusement. "There isn't a man in this room who doesn't want to make love to you, Lass," he reassured me in his sexy, musical voice. "We wanted you to be ready, but we won't let you suffer needlessly."
I dropped my gaze. "I don't want to force any of you into moving faster than you want," I said, thinking of Mason. "I also don't want you to think I'm making this up to bypass your silly waiting pact."
"We've all felt your fever rise and fall, Kiarra," Mason responded. His deep voice rumbled against my spine. "This isn't a ploy on your part. I doubt any of us think you're capable of such duplicity, anyway. As for rushing into things?" His broad chest moved as he shrugged. "It might not be exactly the way I wanted events to progress, but I won't complain. I can't bear the thought of you in pain, regardless of my self-imposed control. I'm not certain I can hold out much longer as it is."
I breathed out loudly. My hands shook. I had desired each of them since I met them. My body never stopped urging me to climb on top of them. I wanted them as close to me as possible, deep enough inside me to touch my soul. Now that the time might be nearing, though, I grew nervous. I longed for sex between us to happen naturally, not because my health demanded consummation. But, I countered mentally, if the men had been amenable, their teasing and arousal over the last few days might have already led to us sleeping together.
"How do you want to do this?" Ian asked.
I scrunched my nose again. The question sounded so clinical, like making plans to go to the market. I suppose, however, with five men the entire act had to be approached with an eye towards logistics. I shrugged, my cheeks burning. "I can't pick one of you to go first," I said honestly. "I want you each equally, and I want sex between us to happen naturally. I don't want it to feel forced, regardless of whether the bond is pushing me. I will still be alive by morning if a couple of you sleep next to me tonight." Again, no one laughed. Evidently, I made terrible jokes when I was nervous.
Clay leaned forward and carefully angled my head towards him. His dark green eyes penetrated my reserve, and I heated with the desire I sensed within him. "Do you want to wait, Indrasa?"
I yanked on a couple strands of my hair in frustration. "I don't know," I whined. "I'm angry the spell is forcing this upon us."
"I don't feel forced. I have wanted to love and pleasure you since the moment I first met you," Clay murmured softly. "I'm sure the other men agree. Although the timeline is progressing unnaturally, the power of our need is not diminished."
Clay lowered his head, his full lips skating across mine. My nerves blazed in response. I wasn't ready for him to pull away, so I followed his retreat, recapturing his mouth more firmly. He deepened the kiss willingly, his tongue dipping inside to stroke mine. My ragged inhalations hitched on a moan as I relaxed and burned simultaneously. The sound echoed in the silent room.
Mason's arm tightened around my waist, his hand spanning my stomach from the top of my panties to the undersides of my breasts. Only a moment of hesitation sparked in the air before they all reacted at the same time. Ian's lips nibbled on the shoulder bared by my dressing gown. Seb's hand brushed up the inside of my knee and Reed's fingers followed a similar path on my other leg. All of their hands on me at the same time set me on fire. Sparks of electricity and tingles of pleasure pierced every sensitive area on my body.
I was almost too far gone for rational thought, but I wanted to check in before this went any further. "Wait," I gasped. I pulled my lips away from Clay's for a second to assess my matches. They stared at me with dark intensity in their eyes, but their hands and mouths stilled at my command. "I don't want any of you to feel pressured," I repeated.
Ian leaned over, and his tongue flicked from his mouth to caress the inside of my thigh inches above my knee, near Seb's hand. I gasped, my eyes rolling back in my head. "Does this bother you, all of us on you at once?" he asked, his voice a musical growl.
I shook my head, my hair flying around my shoulders. "No, it feels sooo good," I moaned. "I just don't want any of you to do anything you don't want to do."
Mason's hand stroked the underside of my breast, further clouding my mind. "We're all grown men, Kiarra. If any of us are uncomfortable, we can stop and wait our turn." He whispered the words against my neck, but his voice was loud enough for everyone to hear. His lips swept the shell of my ear. His statement was so matter-of-fact, so sensible, the fight drained from me. I nodded. Clay recaptured my mouth the moment my head stilled, his hand gently holding my face, his callused thumb rubbing the edge of my jaw.
Sensations assaulted me from every direction until my mind swam beneath a haze of lust. Mason's large hand, shaking slightly, moved upward to cup my breast as Seb continued his trek up my thigh. Ian's teeth nipped my neck. Reed's hand trailed up my calf, and I sensed him watching and assessing more than interacting. I reached under Clay's chest to grasp my Scholar's arm, my fingers exploring his thick biceps.
Mason's desire grew, quite literally, under my bum and I breathed in a gasp of surprise. I had felt all their erections at some point, and Mason was huge. I experienced a moment of fear as I debated how I would possibly handle any of them, much less all of them. I squirmed on his lap, my butt rubbing against his rigid length and his breath caught, his chest heaving against my back.
I hated to interrupt the moment, but I wanted them to have equal access to my body. My reasons were mostly selfish. The couch was not the best place for our continued activity. I lifted my head, my eyes catching Clay's. I was concerned for his comfort, knowing he couldn't maneuver as easily as the others. He seemed to read my mind. "You want to move to your bed, Indrasa?" His tongue curled around his pet name for me, infusing the word with sensuality.
"Would you be more comfortable in the bed?" I inquired. He nodded and I echoed the movement. As one, the hands and mouths left me, causing me to whimper in despair. Mason distracted me. He lifted me in his arms as if I weighed nothing, his mouth catching mine. His kiss was not as tender as the day before, but his lips still exhibited his trademark care. I wrapped my legs around his waist. Before I realized we were moving, he was lowering me to the floor of my room. A couple lanterns flared
to life, filling the room with a soft glow.
Chapter 15
Kiarra
I reassessed the faces around me. They didn't appear uncomfortable, except Reed, my sweet virgin. I wagered none of them had engaged in sex with four other men in the room before, but the act was more momentous for Reed. As we waited for Clay to settle himself on the bed, his back propped against the headboard, I approached my Scholar.
When I stepped out of the circle of flesh, my fever returned, and I gasped with the intensity which stabbed through me. I thought I would have time to ease the bond, but the minute I lost contact with them, my skin raged with heat. Reed's brows lowered, immediately concerned for my health.
"Are you all right?" His callused hand brushed the hair from my shoulder.
"In some ways, I've never been better," I replied, pitching my words for everyone's ears. "How are you?"
He shrugged, his blue eyes burning. "I'm nervous, but I wouldn't opt out of this for the world. You need us." He lowered his face to my neck, kissing the delicate skin. "I need you." His voice shook with longing.
I smiled at him and captured his lips, putting all my adoration and dedication into my kiss. I reassured him without words that the bond did not fabricate my feelings for him. As our mouths collided, he walked me backward until my legs hit the edge of the bed. When he pulled away from my mouth, his eyes danced and his body trembled against mine.
Seb, Ian, and Mason had removed their shirts. On the bed, Clay had done the same. My breath caught in my throat. Their forms were masterpieces, all amounts of muscle and different shades. The sight made my heart race.
"You know, you can always opt out," I began again, the momentary distance returning some of my hesitance.
Ian approached with a sly grin. "Shut up, Lass." He captured my mouth before I could form another word.
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