by Misha Paige
“You’re the incubus, figure it out,” I said, knowing that if he looked he’d only see desire for both of them.
Alec’s fingers slid out of me and he stood up. He groaned when I lifted my legs higher to open up for him even more. “Damn, your little hole looks good and tight.” He placed the tip of his cock to me but before he pushed in, Samuel lifted his head.
“Wait, Alec.” Samuel looked down at me in concern. “I can glamour you, just a little so you don’t feel any discomfort.”
I shook my head. I hadn’t let him influence me like that yet, and I wished he would let it go. “I don’t want or need you to distract me from any pain. I want to feel— Alec, you—without any…” My words trailed off as his mouth tightened. I was missing something and it was hurting him but I just didn’t know what.
Samuel gave me a wry grin, but I could see a shadow in his eyes. “You want au natural?”
I nodded then I started to speak again but Samuel took my mouth in a kiss that took my breath away then Alec pushed and all thought was swept from my mind. The thick heat of his cock forcing its way in had me clutching at Samuel’s shoulders.
It hurt and burned but, oh God, there was a dark pleasure to it that I loved. Samuel pulled his mouth from mine, concern evident in his eyes. I shuddered as Alec sank in me a little deeper.
I slid my gaze to Alec. “More.”
Alec withdrew slightly and when he thrust back, he slid in a little deeper. “You feel so good, Becca.” He met Samuel’s gaze briefly, who nodded, then he pumped his hips and filled me in one slow, smooth stroke.
“Ahh!” The strangled yell escaped as I jerked against him, my delicate tissues burned and stretched as he bottomed out. So full! But it was so damned good. “God, Alec! Move!” I didn’t wait for him to respond before I was trying to slam against him on my own.
Alec took me at my word, moving in deep, steady strokes as the dark pleasure consumed me.
Samuel’s hand stroked my face as he whispered erotic encouragements to me and I needed to wipe the shadows from his eyes. My hand moved down his side to his hips then wrapped around his cock. He drew in a sharp breath as I tugged gently.
“Let me suck you.” I was close enough to the edge of table that when he stood up all I had to do was open my mouth and let him slide in as I made hungry little sounds. Lust and need had me dancing on the edge so soon, too soon as I was fucked in my ass, in my mouth. I wasn’t ready for it to be over but Alec’s thrusts were becoming harsher and his growls told me he was fighting not to come until I did.
My hand reached under Samuel to tug on his balls roughly, something that never failed to set him off. Alec’s fingers started rubbing my clit as he fucked me even harder. Oh God!
I came hard, clenching down on his cock as I felt Alec shoot in me. My cries vibrated around Samuel’s dick and he let out a deep groan. I swallowed the creamy cum that filled my mouth and licked him clean. My free hand came up to stroke Alec’s back as he collapsed on me. Samuel’s hand cupped my face as I looked up at him.
A deep warmth, which had little to do with the small shocks of pleasure that still coursed through me, settled in my chest. A wave of tenderness had me melting inside, as I realized how deeply they’d entwined themselves with me. Even if I could leave, it was becoming more and more obvious that I would never choose to.
I wondered when I would be able to say the words that I suspected already lived in my heart.
Chapter Nine
Weeks later I had still kept silent. I thought the words. I felt the words. They were on the tip of my tongue hundreds of times every day, but I just could not say them. Something held me back.
No, I had to be honest.
Samuel held me back.
No matter how the good the sex was—and it was beyond good, more like out of this world amazing—there was something in Samuel’s eyes that still caused doubts in me. He would look at me with such wistfulness, and sometimes it was closer to sadness, it had me desperate to figure it out.
The weather had finally warmed up enough that we could get out of the cabin and Alec had talked me into going for a walk. I had held out my hand to Samuel only for him to shake his head at me.
Alec had dragged me out when I had wanted to stay and talk to Samuel.
We had wandered around for an hour before heading back home.
I slowed my steps. “Alec, what am I doing wrong?”
“What do you mean?” He held out a hand to help as we started down a steep drop.
“Samuel. I’m hurting him and I don’t know how.” I bit my lip.
Alec sighed down at me. “Why aren’t you talking to him about it, Becca?”
“I’ve tried to, but he just says he’s happy.”
“He is. We both are.” Alec pulled me into his arms, and I held on to him tightly. “But you hold yourself back from him in ways you don’t with me.”
I shook my head. “That’s not true,” I insisted.
Alec stroked my hair. “You weigh every word you say with him. You stop and think before you touch him. That is very different than the way you are with me.” He sighed. “I don’t think he believes you have truly accepted him.”
I pulled away from Alec and threw my hands in the air. “What else do I have to do?”
“I don’t really know. Soon that asshole will be taken care of and we can take you away. Maybe once you aren’t trapped here with us he’ll believe…” Alec winced at my snarl.
“He thinks I am only here because of fucking David?” I was pissed now. “He thinks I’m lying about the way I feel?”
Alec’s eyes narrowed at me. “How do you feel, Becca? You never say the words.”
I drew back, a bit shocked at the anger in his words. “I…” I gulped up at him as I wondered if maybe I had it all wrong. “I tried to show you, both of you. Words can be easy so I…”
“Yeah, but as good as the sex is, it’s not all we need.” Alec shrugged.
I looked at him, horrified. “I didn’t mean sex.”
Alec’s eyes widened. “Oh hell.” He swallowed before he asked gently, “Baby, explain it to me.”
“I’ve tried to show you both how much I appreciate you, not just what you’re doing by hiding me.” I shrugged at him, at a loss to put into words just how I’d attempted to do it. When he just kept staring at me patiently, I had to try to explain. “I’m not fond of cooking. That’s why I’m a waitress instead of a cook.”
Alec tilted his head. “Then why have you been doing it so often?”
“Because I like taking care of you both. I want to hold your hands and cuddle on the sofa. If I’m walking past either of you, I have to reach out and brush my hand down your arm. Bump your arm with my shoulder. Cup your cheek and give you a peck on the lips,” I continued in a whisper. “I’ve never been a touchy-feely person before, but I like it with you and Samuel. I always want to touch you even if there isn’t going to be sex right then.” Then I looked at him wide eyed as I realized how that could sound. “But I love that I only have to touch either of you and you want me.”
“Oh fuck,” Alec swore under his breath. “We never thought…” His gaze softened. “We’re so used to hiding ourselves away unless Samuel had to feed.”
And they thought sex was the only thing that I wanted from them. “We need to find Samuel and get this…”
“Becca, get down!”
Alec’s shout shocked me, and I froze as he lunged closer. His strong arms wrapped around me, taking me to the ground before the several sharp cracks of sound even registered. Then we were up and running through the trees as I realized what I had heard.
Gunshots.
I ran as hard and fast as I could, somehow managing not to trip as Alec pulled me with him, quicker than I could hope to move on my own. But it wasn’t too long before he slowed down and to my horror, fell to his knees.
“Alec!” I tried to pull him back up.
Alec was struggling for breath as he pushed me away. “Run, Becca!
Hide until Samuel finds you. He’s on his way.”
The metallic smell that suddenly registered to my brain had me clutching at him. “No! Shift!” Alec would start to heal and maybe David would ignore an injured wolf. Especially if I led him away from Alec.
Alec shook his head slightly. “Bullet did too much damage, close to my heart. If I shift, the stress on the wound could kill me quicker than a shift can start to heal me. Now run!” He slumped to the ground, unconscious.
I never considered leaving him. My hands reached around him and somehow I found the strength to lift him enough to drag him with me. There was no way I would be fast enough to get him to safety.
But I tried. Oh, God, did I try.
I was trying to reach a fallen log, hoping if I hid Alec behind it I could lead David away from him. Because I bloody knew who had shot my mate. But I was about ten feet away when my time ran out.
David’s nasty voice came from behind me and told me to stop. I gently lowered Alec to the ground.
“How did you find me?” Not that I really cared, but every minute I dragged this out gave me time to figure out how to save my mates.
“I flagged your car. It was spotted in the ditch by a local. The police didn’t find anything when they looked, but they made a report with the license plate number on it,” David said. “I had to plan for a while then I started scouting the area. Found you the day before yesterday.”
The fucking car had only been there for about two hours while Samuel and Alec had healed me that night. My fists clenched in frustration at our bad luck.
“Why? What did Tony do to you?”
The bastard goddamned laughed at me. “It’s his own damn fault. He had to get all noble when he caught me fucking that underage hooker behind the diner.”
I closed my eyes for a moment as I finally understood. Tony tried to help a kid and it cost him his life. A tarnished knight to the very end.
“Turn around, Becca.” David’s snarl came from behind me.
“Why? So the last thing I see is your ugly face?” I didn’t see a damn thing that would work as a weapon.
“Well it is easier to frame you for killing both your boyfriends if you die from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.”
“That’s your play?” I asked incredulously as I searched for something—anything—to use against him. “That for some reason I went on a murderous rampage?” Then his words hit me.
Both.
Samuel! Nononono!
“I only see one boyfriend here.” I gritted my teeth against the ball of terror in my stomach. He’s lying! Alec would’ve known if Samuel was hurt…was dead. Wouldn’t he?
There was still so much I didn’t understand about them and the familiar bond.
“Well, the other one was all alone and defenseless. He didn’t have much of a chance, went down pretty easy.” David’s malicious voice was a bit closer now.
I had spent weeks with Samuel now and he was many things. Teasing. Gentle. Passionate. Sexy.
Snarky, bitter and withdrawn.
And I laughed out loud with relief.
“What’s so funny?” David was closer and I hoped he would keep walking towards me if I didn’t turn around.
Maybe I could take him by surprise if he was close enough.
“You haven’t done anything to Samuel.” I chuckled again as I shifted to the balls of my feet. “Because if there is one thing I know about my mate—my Samuel is never easy.” Then I smiled as I felt the world go still.
And he is here!
He stepped through the thick branches, into the clearing, and I gasped as I saw this wasn’t the man I had spent the last few weeks with.
This Samuel was so much different that a chill went through me.
His eyes were gold fire and his face was much sharper with a feral beauty that I had never seen before. Then he looked at me and I saw a glimpse of my lover. “Becca, take care of Alec.”
David sputtered behind me as I looked down at Alec. “I have the gun. I give the orders.”
But I could feel the fear in his voice.
I dropped to my knees next to Alec, pressing my fingers to his throat as I looked to Samuel. I let a small cry of relief as I felt the thready pulse. “He’s alive, but he’s badly hurt.”
“I can heal him,” Samuel said to me, looking at Alec before his gaze caressed me as if…
David aimed his gun at Samuel but before he could pull the trigger Samuel focused on him and the gun fell to the ground. David was a big man, taller and broader than Samuel even if he wasn’t as big as Alec. He had blond hair and blue eyes in a well-balanced, square face. I had always thought he was good looking.
Until that night.
Then he had seemed larger than life and so, so dangerous. And now I watched in disbelief as his sneering face looked at my mate and twisted with lust. He took one step. Then another. His feet dragging as if he was being forced against his will to walk to Samuel.
Samuel slid his gaze to me. “Please look away, Sweetness.” I could see the pain and shame in his eyes before I did as he asked.
He’s going to feed on David so he can save Alec!
Hope filled my heart as I stroked Alec’s cheek. Then a low moan sounded and I couldn’t stop myself from looking.
Samuel was kissing David as the larger man rubbed against him. It was David making the needy sounds as Samuel held him close. I couldn’t force myself to stop staring in horror until I realized David’s sounds were getting quieter and he seemed to be growing paler.
Alec moaned. My gaze shot back to him. His color was better and to my joy, his pulse was stronger when I touched his throat.
Alec’s black eyes opened, and he groaned. “Stop…Stop him. Healed me enough.” He tried to sit up. “I’ll survive now. He’ll kill him.”
My lack of concern took me by surprise as I said, “You need to heal more and our secrets need to be kept. David deserves it.”
Alec attempted to rise but fell back down. “Not this way. It will destroy Samuel.”
“I thought he couldn’t lose his soul now that he has both of us.”
“There’s more than one way to lose himself, Becca!”
Samuel crying on a ship’s dirty floor as he glamoured Alec.
The sadness on his face as he offered me a future with Alec. A future without him because he didn’t think I could love him.
Horror shot through me as I remembered Alec’s words.
“That was the moment he started hating what he was.”
I understood now. I didn’t think as I scrambled to my feet. NO! I wouldn’t let him hate himself any more. In seconds I was across the clearing and ripping David from Samuel as my mate yelled in protest. “He has to die!”
“I know. But you’re not the monster.” And I put the gun I had picked up to David’s mouth. “I am.”
I pulled the trigger.
Chapter Ten
Samuel had stayed very quiet while we hid the body. He only spoke long enough to explain there were people to call to pick it up for disposal. Apparently clean-up was a very lucrative, full service business in the paranormal world.
After that, we got Alec home and put in bed so he could finish recovering through rest instead of Samuel’s ability. I tried not to feel rejected when Samuel hadn’t accepted my offer to help him heal Alec fully.
When Samuel went to get a drink, I had curled up with my wolf as I waited in the middle of the bed for Samuel to come back and join us for the night. But after an hour or so I realized that he wasn’t coming.
Maybe he can’t stand to look at me now.
I sighed. If Mohammed won’t go to the mountain, the mountain will go to him.
Or maybe it was the other way around. Shit, I didn’t know. All that mattered to me was him.
I pulled on the robe he had bought me and quietly left the room. He was in the living room. Samuel lifted his head from his hands and looked up at me as I approached him where he was sitting on the sofa, wearing only his slee
p pants. “Why didn’t you come to bed?”
“I couldn’t,” he answered.
I stood there and waited until he finally spoke again.
“Why?”
I shrugged. I wasn’t going to pretend I didn’t know what he was asking. “You said it. He had to die. He knew too much about you when you used him to heal Alec.” And he had shot Alec.
“But why you?” Samuel’s face looked weary in the firelight. “I’m the demon. It should’ve been me.”
“Could you have lived with it?” I moved closer to him. “Be honest. What would it have done to you to kill him like that?”
“It’s what I am, an incubus, a demon.” Confusion filled his face as I climbed onto his lap and cupped his face in my hands.
“Yes, you are, but, my love, that does not mean you’re a killer.” I pressed my forehead to his. “Can you accept that I am?”
“I never wanted you to love me at the cost of your own conscience, Becca.”
“Samuel, look at me, open yourself to what I’m feeling.” I smiled at him and my chest ached as his eyes widened. “No, I don’t feel any guilt.”
“No, not guilt but there is regret,” Samuel whispered.
“Not over him,” I said.
“Tell me why then.”
“All those times I told you not to use your powers on me. I didn’t understand what I was doing to you.” A tear leaked from my eye. “I was hurting you, and I’m so very sorry.”
“I understood why you felt that way,” Samuel said.
“I was wrong to ask you to love me like a human, because you’re not.” I took a deep breath and let my robe slide off. “Show me what it’s like to be the mate of an incubus and his familiar.”
Samuel searched my gaze intently and for the first time I felt the touch of him in my mind. He smiled slowly and I felt my own lips curve as his turned absolutely wicked. “Shall we heal our Alec now?”
At my nod his eyes lit up and I was swept into a kiss so powerful, my body shook as I was flooded with his glamour and hunger. I frantically reached down to free his cock as he laughed, his eyes sparkling with a freedom that had me chuckling too. But when I shifted in his lap so I could take him deep inside me, his face turned feral. In one quick roll he had me off the sofa and pinned to the area rug under him as he plunged hard and fast, fucking me with an intensity that had me shaking as I came again and again.