by Harper Wylde
“Ahmya, you know why we haven’t been there.” Ryder’s voice was hard. “There’s no relationship between us. You need to move on.”
“I know that girl has got you a little confused, but you know as well as I do that a match between you is illogical.” Ahmya’s voice was wheedling. “The Council wants to foster more ceraptors like Ryder, and they want more celestial kitsune like my Daddy, which Hiro has every chance of producing. I know your little friend is rare and powerful, and the possibility of your offspring…” she spit the word distastefully, “… being phoenix is highly likely. The Council won’t like the possibility that her lineage will overpower yours or vice versa. You see? It’s doomed to fail, and you’re just wasting your time.” The way she sang her words grated on me. “If she wanted Killian or Theo, they’d probably allow it as having more of either of their creatures is of no significance. But the rest of you?” She shook her head. “Her bearing as many phoenix children as possible is the most important thing, as is you breeding more of your own species. They won’t risk her with a human or a common shifter; they don’t want to water down the line. However, with me, Hiro has every possibility of fathering a celestial kitsune; and Ryder, any child we produced, would undoubtedly be a ceraptor. I’m a perfect fit for you. Anyway, Daddy says they want her mated in the next few months. It’s why he’s insisting on this party.”
Through the connection, I felt Nix freeze, her attention on the Councilman requesting her presence at a party this weekend moving closer to our conversation in the living room. She was pissed off, self-conscious, and confused. The politics of our world were complex and antiquated. She didn’t know whether to be angry at Ahmya or the Council.
Sweetheart, she’s wrong. We’ll make it work. We all want you. I know we haven’t defined our relationship yet, but we all want one with you.
She relaxed some, returning her attention to the Councilman. She still wasn’t feeling well and wanted to refuse the so-called invitation, but she knew as well as we did that it was a command.
We will be going, Annie girl. Killian’s voice through the link was strong. Not because Ahmya invited us, and not because we’re looking for someone else to fill our time. We’re going to go with you to support you and to have fun.
Besides, you said you wanted to dance with us, mikró pouláki. Ryder’s voice was teasing and flirty, and I could feel her humor respond to his.
“We’ll go, Ahmya.” Hiro’s voice was hard as he stood, indicating for her to do the same. “We’re going with Nix. Politics be damned. There’s no relationship between us, there never truly was. Now, I think it’s about time for you to go.”
I could hear Nix assuring the Councilman that she would keep her promise and attend the event he had planned. “Your father will be done in a moment. You heard my brothers; you heard Nix’s warning, now hear mine.” I stepped closer, keeping my words from the Councilman’s prying ears. “We do not want you as our mate. We will not break our group. You cannot entice one, or any, of us to bond with you. We will not fall for your games. Do not attempt to make us publicly claim you. It will not end well.”
Ryder stepped up as well. “We will have Nix. Politics and lineage be damned. She’s ours, and we’re hers.” I could feel Nix’s appreciation for our championship of her, running through our bond. Nix led Councilman Ishida back into the room, and Ahmya joined him, adjusting the hem of her skirt.
“The party begins at seven on Saturday. We’ll see you there.” Ahmya’s voice was cool, though she tilted her hips and smiled flirtatiously.
“It was good to see you again, Nix. I hope this party will be good for you. Hiro, Ryder, Damien, I know Ahmya will appreciate having you boys there. She’s missed you fiercely.”
Nix closed the door behind them as they left, nearly shaking with exhaustion and fury. “Well, with those assholes gone I’m going back to bed.” Her movements were stiff and sharp as she headed for the staircase. Hiro caught her around the waist before she got more than a few steps up, pinning her to the wall behind her.
“Do you honestly think we have feelings for her? Do you think that we have thought of any other woman since you walked into our lives?” Hiro’s voice was hot and firm as he pressed her into the wall, slipping a leg between her thighs. “We’re mad for you, sweet girl. Each and every one of us. When you’re no longer sick, we’ll show you just how much you’re driving each of us wild. For now, however…” He trailed off, looking to me. I grinned wickedly and—pushing hard—sent every last bit of attraction, arousal, and desperation we were all feeling directly into her. She gasped, arching hard against Hiro’s hips and shivering in his hold. “There’s my good girl.” His lips brushed hers, just a whisper. “Time to get you back into bed.”
Twenty-Seven
Nix
The rest of the week passed in a blur of classes and pain—although I was starting to feel better now, the pain receding to more of a dull ache. James and the guys took turns escorting me to class, the counselor hadn’t shown her face again since our encounter on Monday, and Ahmya had even left me to my own devices—simply throwing scathing looks in my direction. I had just rolled my eyes and proceeded to ignore her. I’d never seen someone so intent on embarrassing themselves over and over. How many times did the guys need to tell her that they weren’t interested before she took it to heart and found someone else? Part of me felt sorry for her. A very small, well-hidden piece.
Waving goodbye to James on Thursday afternoon I entered the house, and all that greeted me was silence. My Phoenix squawked at the flood of adrenaline that swamped my system. I gripped the strap of my bag tightly, assessing the area for any threats. Pushing my hearing out, I heard a scuffle in the backyard and went tearing in that direction, worried that maybe Michael had reappeared and gotten to the guys. I dropped my bag on my way to the sliding glass door and went tearing through the opening and out onto the deck. The sight I saw stopped me in my tracks and stole my breath. Ryder was shirtless, and I couldn’t help my stare as I took in his hard abs and lean, but muscular frame. Theo was also shirtless, the waist of his sweatpants hanging low on his hip. His arms rippled with strength as he lifted a log the size of a small tree above his head. I gaped. That thing had to weigh a ton. I noticed his form wavered slightly as he straightened his arms; his creature was close to the surface, lending him strength as he pressed against his skin.
“Come on, Kraken.” Ryder taunted and clapped. “All the way up!”
Afraid to interrupt lest Theo drop the log on his head, I kept quiet until he lowered it to the ground and the two of them whooped together in shared victory.
“What on earth are you two doing?” I waved a hand between them and the log that now lay on the ground.
“Hey, babe!” Ryder called as he spotted me rooted to my spot on their deck. Jogging over to me, he jumped the few steps and swooped in for a hug. The feel of his smooth, golden skin under my hands as I hugged him back had my body responding immediately. I grew warm as I let my hands trail down his back. Wait, what was I doing? Hadn’t I just asked a question? Ryder had thoroughly distracted me. The second he let me go, Theo—in all his half-naked glory—was standing next to me with a sheepish look on his face as he held out his arms. He wanted a hug too? That was cute! I smiled and stepped into his arms. His skin was warm but not sweaty from his workout, and he smelled like fresh, salty ocean air—lent to him by his Kraken—and something warmer. Theo smelled like home to me, not the kind I’d been raised in, but the one I’d come to know living here, with all of them. It was refreshing and comforting all at the same time. I nuzzled into his chest as I let my hands slid up his back, reveling in the feel of his muscles moving under my fingertips.
“Training,” he mumbled as he held me close, not letting go. I was surprised that Theo hadn’t stepped back yet, but I would enjoy any cuddle time he would give me. My Phoenix was thriving under the attention, basking in their affection—so was I.
“Hmm?” I tried to jump-start my brain and foll
ow along with what he was telling me.
“You asked what we were doing. We’ve been training.”
“For what?” This time it was Damien who answered me as he joined us on the porch.
He was wearing a tight white t-shirt that set off his tanned skin and brown hair. The blue athletic pants he had on fit him just right, clinging to his toned ass, and I couldn’t keep from gaping from my spot in Theo’s arms. With a little squeeze, Theo released me to stand up on my own again.
“We’ve realized we’ve become complacent in our training schedule. We’ve been slacking off for some time now, but we all agreed that we could push our powers farther, both in shifted form and in human form. After the fight with Michael, we made up a training schedule and have been working to hone our talents.”
“Have you found it’s been working?” I was eager to join them and train again. My Phoenix flapped her wings in my head, liking the idea of being useful and strengthening our skills.
“I’m trying to make progress on developing a greater range with my telepathic abilities. I’ve been able to read James, but I’m having trouble extending that coverage out to multiple people outside of our group.” He ran a hand over his neatly styled brown hair. It had grown longer since the first time I had laid eyes on him, and he was always trying to get it to lay correctly now.
“That’s a huge accomplishment given the short time you’ve been working at it.” I beamed at him, trying to ease his slight disappointment. “I know you’ll get there. Give it more time. Maybe Rini, Barrett, Cayden, and Donovan could come over for dinner soon and give you willing subjects to practice on.” I was eager to have them all over again, to mend the fences and get my “extended family” back. Plus, I could just see the hilarious things that Rini and her bears would try to project for Damien to pick up. I almost giggled at the thought. I was going to talk to Rini about it, knowing she’d agree and work to drag the guys back together again to kiss and make up. Now that thought had potential. I thought back to the sexy kiss between Ryder and Hiro.
Damien—the eavesdropping sneak—pushed my thoughts to everyone and Ryder stepped up to my back. Leaning over, he whispered, “I’m sure a repeat show could be arranged if you promised to join us.” He teased me, I knew, but my desire from earlier increased and I squirmed in place as the idea of the three of us kissing washed over me. My skin prickled, and goosebumps raised along my arms as a shiver raced down my spine, going straight to my core.
Wow! What was going on with me?
“I don’t think you and Hiro should get all the fun.” Theo stepped up to my side, his bare chest almost grazing my arm. “I’d like another taste.” I almost got lost in the depth of his cerulean eyes as I watched them grow lusty.
Shaking my head, I took a step forward just to escape and find some fresh air. The combined scents of them were going straight to my head, and I was feeling rather vertiginous—hot and needy in a way I had never been before.
Trying to find my footing and give myself some time to breathe, I started the conversation up again. “What have you been practicing Theo?”
“I’ve been working on my strength since it’s the most useful thing my creature offers me outside of the water.” Turning to face the guys, putting Damien to my back, I watched as Theo looked at the ground, placing his hands on his hips. I knew he was self-conscious of his Kraken’s usefulness outside of the water, but I thought his creature was crazy impressive, and I couldn’t wait to meet him. I pushed those thoughts toward Damien, hoping he might share them with Theo. When he looked up with a small grin on his face, I felt triumphant. All my men were amazing, and they should know it.
“It definitely looked like you were succeeding out there. That thing must weigh a ton!” I waved a hand at what Theo had been lifting.
“Come on, short stuff; it’s your turn!” Ryder jogged back down the steps, turning and moving backward when he reached the grass below.
I raised an eyebrow and crossed my arms over my chest. “I cannot lift that!”
The guys all chuckled, but it was Damien who answered. “He means it’s time for you to do some training. None of us expect you to lift like Theo. Most of us couldn’t keep up with him, even if we wanted to.”
“Go change and come back down to join us. I’ll get the targets and the fire extinguisher, and you can have another go at controlling your fire powers. If we have time, I’d like to run you through a series of tests to gauge how well your senses have improved.” Theo headed back down the steps to get set up.
“Do you think we can shift tonight?” I was dying to see the guys shifted again as well as spread my own wings. My Phoenix pushed against my skin as she stretched her wings, wanting to be free.
“I’ll talk to the guys, but I don’t see why not. I know your Phoenix is probably itching to get out by now.”
Running inside, I rushed to get ready, excited about the idea of shifting and hoping I’d be able to entice the guys to join me.
The cool air felt good against skin overheated from strenuous exercise. I reached up to pull my hair back, letting the breeze bite at the back of my neck while I watched the slight shimmer from the spelled barrier catch in the light. I was excited for this part of my training exercise. The guys had acquiesced to shifting together, so after a quick break to grab some sandwiches, we all gathered at the back of the house again. This time, Hiro and Killian were there to join us. I had completely shifted only once, and I ached to do so again. I knew that the others had to be just as antsy to let their creatures out. I had no idea how Theo managed living in an area where his Kraken never got a chance to breathe. He would just be observing today. We had all made the decisions to dress in large, thick robes before coming to the clearing. It made shifting easier rather than having to find an isolated spot to undress, redress, and repeat the process. The robes were incredibly soft and plush. I assumed mine had to be Theo’s, and it was dragging the ground around my feet. I’d had to tie it tightly to prevent any slippage.
Once all of us had entered the spelled area, we spread out, giving each other plenty of room. "It’s easiest if we do this one by one. We’ll shift, greet each other, and then shift back for the next person to go. It’s our safest option that way we don’t have to worry about crossing the barrier in shifted form should it be necessary, nor about accidental injuries from too many large bodies and emotional creatures.”
“Me first, me first!” Ryder was buzzing like a kid on Christmas morning. I grinned—his excitement was so contagious. Killian rolled his eyes and Damien snorted. My Phoenix soared through my head, just as excited to see Ryder in shifted form.
“Fine, Ryder.” Theo sighed. “You can go first. It’s not exactly fair, considering she’s seen you altered before. However, you can show off for a few minutes.” Ryder immediately began to strip off his robe. I giggled, but turned my gaze to the sky. I wanted to look at his body, but I also wanted to see his Ceraptor again.
“It’s fine to look away, Nix, but concentrate so you can feel what he’s doing. Feel the change in the air. Let your Phoenix feel it. She’s new to this. Let our experience help guide her,” Theo called across the clearing to me.
I breathed deeply, doing as he asked and opening myself and my Phoenix, pulling down all the walls I had been learning to hold in place.
“Good girl,” Hiro called. “Some of this will be instinctual, but it will also take practice. The more you practice, the faster and more efficiently you will learn to call her when you need her. You will also learn how it feels to have her forcing the shift so you can rein her back in. Her first instinct is going to be to protect you. However, being in shifted form isn’t always a benefit, and can be harmful rather than helpful.”
“It’s why I rarely shift, Nix. Maybe one time out of one hundred does it become necessary for me to shift and that’s only if I have the ability to if we are near deep enough water. Yet even after years together, after growing up as a shifter, I still have to fight my Kraken. Our other halves rel
y on instinct and emotion. Their belief of what is beneficial holds no logic and can be extremely harmful. You rely on your Phoenix, but she also relies on you. You need to be strong for her as well, help guide her and direct her.”
I breathed deeply, concentrating hard. I could feel the air around me begin to crackle with energy, pushing and licking at my skin. My Phoenix chirped her interest and encouragement—she wanted to be part of that. She rippled against my skin, her feathers brushing and pushing trying to take control.
“That’s it. Hold her,” Killian called his encouragement. “It’s always more difficult to hold a shift back when she can feel others shifting around her. Their energies call to each other. Great job, Annie girl.”
The energy crested around us and I focused hard, letting the waves of it ripple over and through me as I breathed deeply in the chilled air. As the sensation of sparks slowed, I lowered my gaze, allowing my eyes to cross the clearing. Ryder’s Ceraptor was exactly as I remembered him. A coat so black it was nearly purple shone in the fading light. He stood tall and regal; his head tossed back to show off the glowing horn and his half-spread wings before he pranced over.
“Hello, again,” I whispered the greeting. It seemed a little silly, as I knew Ryder could hear me just as his Ceraptor could hear when Ryder was in control. His Ceraptor nudged my hands with his nose, as eager as a puppy for a scratch. I laughed but complied, enthralled by the velvet texture of his fur under my fingertips, the silken strands of his mane. I reached for his horn, pausing as I voiced a sound of question. He snorted and, if possible, smirked. He dipped his head, angling it so that it was clearly not a threat, and allowed me to reach out and stroke my hands down his horn. It was smoother than I thought it would be and nearly warm to my touch. He snorted, pulling from my touch, prancing back and forth, flapping his wings to cause a breeze across my face. I couldn’t stop the giggles rolling from me. He was as much a show-off as Ryder.