by Khloe Wren
Taking a deep breath she opened the door and found both men leaning against the end of the bed with their arms casually folded over their chests. She moaned as she felt herself dampen at the sight they made. Damn, they need to come with warning labels.
****
While Cammi was in the bathroom, he and Nate leaned against the bed. Luca’s cock continued to throb with need. From Nate’s stiff stance, Luca assumed he was equally uncomfortable. But it was more than that. He needed to have Cammi in his arms.
“How long till she’ll accept us do you think?”
“Not sure Nate, although I hope it’s soon. I’m going to explode or something if I don’t get relief soon.”
“Yeah, and my damn piercing keeps catching on my pants. Think I’m going to have to start wearing briefs to help ease the torment.”
Luca couldn’t help but chuckle, even though he could relate, at least to the walking around with a hard on part. He’d forgotten about Nate’s Prince Albert piercing.
“Wonder what Cammi’s going to think of that?”
“She’ll love it. All chicks do. It rubs in all the right places.”
Nate gave him a sly grin and a wink and Luca laughed again at his best mate, glad most of the initial shock and awkwardness of discovering they were co-mates had dissipated.
Their kind could sleep around all they wanted to, until they met their mate. Once they met them, all others ceased to exist, and unlike causal bed partners, males couldn’t initiate sex for the first time with their mate. She had to take the lead, offer herself freely so they could mate with her. The first time they had sex, they would bite her at the junction of her neck and shoulder as they came. The mating mark would appear soon after. Because Cammi had two mates, they would both have to take her and bite her before the mark would appear. Luca eyed Nate as he thought that over.
“You know, I love you like a brother, Nate.”
“Yeah, I feel the same about you. Where are you heading with this?”
“Not sure I want to have sex with you, man.”
Nate punched his arm. Hard. “Don’t worry about it, I’m not going anywhere near your cock or ass, buddy. And you better not go near mine. We’re Cammi’s co-mates. Not each other’s mates. Big difference.”
“So how the hell is this going to work?”
Nate gave him another sly grin. “You really don’t get out much do you? Cammi has a mouth and a pussy. She has an ass too if you’re into that. Personally, it doesn’t do anything for me.”
Luca shuddered at the thought, “Her ass is safe from me. Not my thing, either.”
Nate clapped him on the shoulder. “Don’t worry so much, Luca. We’ll work it out. I’m already falling for her. Like your Dad said, it was always meant to be and I’m sure if we both stick with following our instincts, it’ll all work out fine.”
“She’s an easy woman to love.”
Luca didn’t say any more and Nate let the silence continue as they both relaxed back against the edge of the mattress. The bathroom door opened to reveal Cammi, dressed in her lycra jogging gear. Damn, she was hot.
She moaned after eying them both off. Luca grinned like a fool. They turned her on as much as she did them.
“Okay, so um, I’ll just be going now.”
The both moved to follow her.
“What are you two doing? You can’t escort me home.”
“We’re your mates, Cammi. We are coming with you, to make sure you arrive safely. It’s something we can’t resist doing.”
She closed her eyes on a sigh. “Okay, but no letting my house mate see you. He already acts like an overprotective brother. I’d hate to see what he’d do with the two of you turning up after I’ve been missing for hours.”
Luca would like to see him try anything against either him or Nate. Not too many human males could take on a shifter and come out on the winning side.
“Okay, on one condition. You agree to come hiking with us later.”
Luca wanted to high five Nate for his quick thinking but wisely kept the feeling to himself. He didn’t think Cammi would appreciate it one bit.
“Not today, I have plans. Tomorrow I was going to go hiking out in the Reserve anyway. Is that where you go?”
Luca grinned broadly. Perfect.
“That’s where we go. How about we drop by and pick you up at ten tomorrow morning? We can spend the day exploring.”
She gifted him with a true smile, one that made it all the way to her eyes and his heart swelled. She was so beautiful when she smiled. Like Nate, he was already falling for her. Without further thought, he strode toward her, cupping her face and delivering a hard and fast kiss to her already swollen lips. He pulled back and allowed Nate to pull her into his embrace for a similar kiss.
“Okay, let’s get you home, darlin’.”
****
Cammi slid her key in the lock and opened the door. Unable to resist she looked over her shoulder to watch the two men prowl down the street. Damn, they were stunning. With a sigh she tore her gaze from their incredibly fine rears and stepped into the house.
“You’re late, Cammi-doll. I was starting to get worried.”
A jolt ran through her body as Tim’s deep voice gave her a fright.
“Ah, yeah, sorry about that. I met up with someone down on the beach, and we kind of got waylaid.”
She looked around for Tim as her eyes adjusted to the dim interior of their house. She found him by the window in the lounge, as if he’d been watching for her to come home.
“Someone? Or someones? Looked like you were with two men. Do you know them? Or should I say, did you know them before this morning?”
What the hell was wrong with Tim? He’d never given her the third degree like this before.
“Ahh, yes I was with the two men who walked home with me, and this morning was the first time I’ve met them. What’s your problem, Tim? You’re being really weird about this. It’s not the first time I’ve been late back, and it’s not the first time a man has walked with me.”
“First time I’ve known the men aren’t what you need in your life.”
Cammi put her hands on her hips and glared hard at Tim. “How the hell do you know that, Tim? It’s my life, not yours, and I’ll live it however I choose. Which means, it’s me that decides on who I need in it. I like them both and they’re probably going to be around for a while, so you can just get over whatever stick is up your butt.”
Furious at Tim for killing her good mood she stormed out of the room before he could respond. Grabbing her robe she went to the bathroom, where she locked the door. Stripping out of her running clothes, she stopped short when her makeshift pad fell to the floor with a plop. She picked it up and chuckled as she felt its dampness. Damn Luca and Nate for being able to turn her on with a look. Hell, they didn’t even need to look. Just thinking about them did it.
Her mood feeling slightly better she stepped into the shower and flicked the tap lever. As the steam surrounded her she thought back over her morning and groaned as her womb clenched with need. Why didn’t either man take her? She’d been more than willing to accept them if they’d made a move to enter her. But they hadn’t even tried. They knew every inch of her while she had no clue as to what they looked like naked.
Tomorrow that will change. After their hike, she’d seduce them. Get them to reveal themselves to her. She might even be brave enough to ask them to flash to jaguar form. She shook her head as she lathered up the shampoo in her hair. Wild cats in Ceduna. Shape shifters in the real world. Who would have thought all those romance books and TV shows were so close to reality? Her cousin, Bri, would pass out from over-excitement if she ever found out. That girl had a serious obsession with anything to do with shape shifters.
A loud banging on the door shook her from her thoughts.
“Go away Tim!”
“No, Cammi. We need to talk. I have to tell you about what those men are.”
Her heart stuttered a moment, could Tim kn
ow their secret, too? How would he have found out?
“I know what they are, Tim. How the hell do you know?”
“Fuck. Can you come out of the bathroom so we can talk face to face?”
“Okay, just give me ten to finish off and get dressed. Go sit out in the lounge.”
She heard him cursing the whole way back down the hallway. Her stomach tightened as she finished off her shower, and not in a good way. Tim never swore. Something big was going on and Cammi was fairly certain she wasn’t going to like it.
Ten minutes later, she slowly made her way out to the lounge to find Tim pacing the room.
“You’re going to wear out the carpet, Tim.”
Her stomach was still in knots. Tim’s behavior was so out of character she wasn’t sure how to handle him. He turned to face her.
“Did I ever tell you about Tilly?”
“Your ex-girlfriend? You’ve mentioned her name here and there, although you never gave me details. Why? What has that got to do with Luca and Nate?”
“Jag and Claw, huh, such appropriate surnames don’t you think? Considering what they are…”
“How do you know what they are? I figured it was a pretty tightly held secret.”
“It is. I was informed if I told anyone what I knew, I’d be made to pay. But I will not stand by and watch you go through what Tilly did. I love you like a sister, Cammi-doll. I’ll pay the price to tell you, to warn you.”
What on earth was he babbling about? She raised her hand to rub her temple as she lowered herself into one of the sofas.
“Tim, you’re confusing me. Can you just spit out what you want to tell me?”
“Okay, here it is. Tilly and I went hiking, out in the reserve. Just like you do all the time. We were so happy and in love. I was planning on asking her to marry me that day. Only I didn’t get the chance. A huge black cat came out of nowhere and attacked me—”
Her breath hitched. “Your scars…” Tim had wicked looking scars all over his torso and upper arms. He kept them hidden most of the time, but Cammi had seen him shirtless a time or two in the years living together. He’d always seemed self-conscious about them so she’d never asked him how he got them.
“Yes, my scars. The animal mauled me. I was lucky to have survived—even luckier to have managed to keep my arm That thing nearly ripped it off my body. As I lay in a heap, bleeding heavily and unable to move, the animal shifted to a human man. He went to Tilly, who had passed out from shock, I guess. He gathered up her in his arms, nuzzled into her hair and carried her off. I’m not sure what happened next. I figure I must have passed out, because I woke in the hospital, having been rescued.”
“What happened to Tilly?”
Cammi had wrapped her arms around her knees, bringing them close into her chest, and held herself still, waiting for the rest of Tim’s story.
“She disappeared. Didn’t see her for years. Even the police couldn’t find her. Her folks didn’t know where she was, either. Then last year, four years later, she shows up at my work. To apologize.” He paused to huff out a disgusted breath. “She married the bastard that attacked me. Jace Jag was his name. Said they were destined to be together, and she was sorry I got hurt. Ripped my heart out all over again. She swore to me that he never hurt her, but I don’t believe her. He’s an animal, with animal instincts. He nearly killed me, and I did nothing to provoke him.”
Tim’s story broke her heart, yet she couldn’t see Luca and Nate behaving like that. They’d been so gentle with her, protective.
“Luca and Nate aren’t Jace. They could have taken me this morning, but they didn’t. They didn’t try anything weird at all. I saw Luca’s brother shift down on the beach and I passed out. I woke up back at their place. Then they walked me home. They did nothing violent or scary. I’m sorry you and Tilly went through that, but I’m not Tilly.”
“You planning on seeing them again?”
“Tomorrow, they’re picking me up and we’re going hiking. I was going to go anyway, you know that.”
The look in Tim’s eyes said more than anything he could voice. He wasn’t going to let Cammi go with them tomorrow if he had the choice, but she was going. Especially now she had questions they needed to answer.
Chapter Three
“Man, that was the longest night of my life!”
Luca’s voice was strained as he sat with his coffee opposite Nate, who had been up for a while now. He’d been sitting silently contemplating how much his life changed yesterday as he nursed his morning cup of caffeine.
“It sure was. To know her scent and taste, but not have her here, is pure torture.”
Like Luca, Nate’s night had been long and painfully lonely. His body, heart, and soul cried out for his mate. He downed the last of his drink.
“C’mon, let’s get moving.”
Luca took a large swig of his coffee before he tipped the rest down the drain and led the way out to the carport.
“Seeing Cammi’s going to wake me up better than any amount of caffeine will, anyhow. Let’s go.”
Nate chuckled, “We’ve got it bad, don’t we?”
After climbing into the car he caught Luca’s serious gaze and all humor drained out of him.
“What is it? You don’t want to share her anymore? Because that won’t end well. You know that.”
“Don’t be stupid, I haven’t changed my mind that we can make this work between the three of us. I just want it clear that I’m aware you got first taste of her boobs and her pussy yesterday. It’ll be me that she kisses first today. We have to share the firsts between us. We can’t be selfish with her. We’ll end up tugging her back and forth and she’ll run from both of us.”
Nate focused on starting the car and driving out the gate before he responded. He hadn’t thought about Luca when he’d taken Cammi into his mouth. Hadn’t considered he was being selfish taking the first times.
“I’m sorry, Luca. I just didn’t think about it. But you’re right. We can’t turn her into a toy we’re constantly fighting over.” He paused to sigh. “Neither of us have a say over who she’ll seduce first, but I promise I’ll back off if I can, to let you in first.”
“The first to have sex with her is her choice, and don’t you dare back off her if she picks you. She might take it that you’re rejecting her. We can’t risk losing her.”
Nate glanced over to see Luca grinning widely and had a gleam in his eyes. “And, Nate, if you’re in her pussy. I’m going to have her sweet little mouth wrapped around me. First.”
Shaking his head on a chuckle, he pulled up to the curb outside her house. Turning the engine off he grew serious and took a deep breath.
“I’m actually a little nervous. Do you think she’ll like our place?”
They’d packed up and moved home from the holiday house, hoping to have Cammi there with them by nightfall.
“She said she hikes out there already, so she must like the outback. She’ll love our place. C’mon, let’s go get our mate.”
Nate got out and, after locking his car, followed Luca up the short path to her front door. Luca raised his fist to knock when the door quickly swung in and the space filled with a face he’d hoped never to see again.
“Go. Leave now and never come back.”
Like hell! Anger raced through Nate as he focused on the man attempting to prevent him and Luca access to their mate.
“We can’t do that, Tim. You know we can’t, and shouldn’t it be Cammi who makes that decision?”
“I won’t let her be taken and brainwashed like Tilly. She’s too important to me.”
“Tilly wasn’t brainwashed. Jace made some mistakes, we agree with you on that. However, there is no forcing going on with any female.”
“Tim? What the hell do you think you’re doing? I thought we covered this earlier.”
Cammi’s sweet voice, laced with steely anger, came from inside the house. Nate couldn’t help but grin as she appeared beside Tim, shoving him hard out of
the way. Their little mate was strong-willed and didn’t that make him fall even further in love with her. She’d always stand up for what she wanted. He didn’t need to worry she’d lose herself to his and Luca’s dominant personalities.
“Cammi-doll, no. Please don’t do this. You don’t understand—”
“You don’t know what I understand. That’s the point, Tim. This is my life, not yours and I’m not Tilly. I’ll be back later tonight. See you then.”
She pushed out the door and Luca wrapped her up in a tight embrace, when Nate saw her reserve. The tightness in her body. Tim had told her more than he should have, and now she was fearful of them. How had neither he or Luca put the two together, that the Tim she lived with was Tilly’s ex. Damn it.
Luca’s shoulders slumped as he released Cammi and stepped back with a small sigh, obviously picking up the same vibes Nate had.
“C’mon Cammi, lets head out to the reserve and go hiking like we planned.”
“Whatever.”
Nate turned to watch her head down the path to the car in shock. ‘Whatever’ was one of those dangerous words women used. Hearing one was like being in a boat about to run into an iceberg. You could see the tip, but it didn’t give you any idea how big the hazard below the surface truly was until you ran into it.
“Damn Tim and his big mouth. I hate to think what he’s told her.” Luca whispered from beside him as they moved to follow Cammi.
Cross and upset, Nate turned back to the house to speak to Tim, who stood with his agonized gaze following Cammi’s every step.
“Your stupidity has caused an entirely unnecessary situation now. You realize that, don’t you? Cammi is ours, we will both move heaven and earth to keep her from harm, yet you were quick to hurt her with tales of what another man did five years ago. We’ll bring her back when she wants to return. I wouldn’t wait up for her.”
Nate headed quickly down the path, pressing the button to unlock the car as he walked. A very small part of him felt sorry for Tim and what the man had been through, but mostly Nate was furious that their mate now didn’t trust them and they’d have even more proving to do before she’d accept them.