The three of us were a tangle of limbs as we sought to give and receive. The energy flowing between us continued to grow. I was caught up in it, like being in the eye of the storm as the calm gave way and the massive thunder crashed over me.
I felt detached from my body, able to feel the onslaught of pleasure but having no control. I writhed on the floor between them, helplessly caught in the throes of both physical and metaphysical joy. The mental aspect of our play was no less effective, driving me over the edge again and again.
When at last I came back to myself, the earth seemed to be spinning. There was a high-pitched squeal in my ears, the sound of too much energy built up too quickly. Shaz reached for my hand to pull me to a sitting position, but I waved him away, needing an additional moment to catch my breath.
I knew that Arys was purposely holding himself back. Perhaps he was waiting for the big bang I felt was yet to come. He seemed to be enjoying the climactic highs Shaz and I were hitting. My dark vampire … such a giver.
Shaz reached for the champagne bottle that I’d completely forgotten about. He drained the last of the contents in one large swallow. I lay there watching him, loving the way the fur rug felt against my skin. Arys was looking at me with a new kind of hunger. Bloodlust.
I held my wrist out to him. His gaze flicked from my offered arm to Shaz, and I knew what he was angling for. Arys wanted a taste of my wolf mate.
He grabbed my wrist in a blur of motion. His action was aggressive and hungry, but he held me carefully. He stroked a finger along the soft spot where my veins were visible. Looking up at him, I studied the contours of his beautiful face while he bared his fangs. Shaz stretched out beside me on the fur, and though his arm went across my middle, his gaze was glued to the vampire.
I held my breath when Arys’s fangs punctured my flesh. It was a shallow bite, just enough for him to get a mouthful. The pain was instant, but it didn’t last long. His warm tongue snaked out to lick the wound delicately, and a shock of heat coursed through me. Arys had pure sex in his bite.
When he looked at Shaz and me, there was blood on his bottom lip. He stared steadily at Shaz. “Are you impressionable enough yet, wolf?”
Shaz didn’t visibly move, but I felt him stiffen beside me. I was more than a little surprised to hear him reply, “Possibly. But only on my terms.”
“Of course,” Arys said with a nod and a badass smile. “Name them.”
I sat in stunned silence, afraid to move or speak lest I destroy the moment. Shaz was going to allow Arys to bite him, and this was something I wanted to see.
“We keep Lex between us,” Shaz stated, finding his comfort zone. “Don’t try anything funny. One bite, a taste … and that’s it.”
“Deal.” Arys held out a hand, and Shaz reached over me to accept it. Arys used their connection to pull Shaz to his knees so that both men knelt facing each other on either side of me. I stayed as I was on my back looking up at them, one arm folded under my head for slight leverage.
I was breathless with anticipation. I hadn’t given much thought to this, but now that it was about to happen, I realized how much the idea turned me on. I wasn’t sure how Arys would go about this. I expected him to ease Shaz into it. I was wrong.
My two men stared deeply into each other, Shaz with caution in his eyes, and Arys oozing delight and lust. Then, Arys moved, fast and precise. Plunging one hand into Shaz’s platinum hair, he forced his head to the side, exposing his neck. Arys bit fast and deep, his fangs suddenly buried in Shaz. Just watching, I felt it in my stomach.
They hovered over me, locked in the blood embrace of a vampire and his victim. Shaz reached out to steady himself by gripping Arys’s shoulder with a clawed hand. I held my breath, thinking he would attempt to pull away. Instead, he leaned into it.
Shaz made a soft sound somewhere between a moan and a growl. A rivulet of blood escaped Arys, running down Shaz’s neck and falling to stain my stomach crimson. I didn’t dare tear my eyes away from them, but I couldn’t resist running a finger through the blood drop and bringing it to my lips.
I was in awe as I watched the two of them. Arys’s lips were locked on Shaz’s wound and though I couldn’t see it, I knew the way he worked the punctures with his tongue to draw more blood to the surface. My body reacted as if he were feeding from me.
The image before me was something I could have clung to for a lifetime. Yet, it was nothing compared to what came next. Arys jerked his head up, as if he needed to stop before he took too much. I could see the blood on his lips, mine and Shaz’s mixed together. Grasping both sides of Shaz’s face, Arys kissed him with a passion I’d felt but never witnessed as the bystander.
I may have gasped. I’m not sure. The scene before my eyes captivated me. My breath caught, and I blinked a few times. I waited for Shaz to unleash his fury over Arys’s daring action. I feared the fight that may ensue. So, when Shaz kissed Arys back with an uncharacteristic boldness, I was stunned.
I watched as Shaz slid a hand into Arys’s ebony locks. Was I really seeing this? Arys was clearly in control of the kiss, but Shaz was intrigued, I could see that. He tasted his own blood on Arys’s tongue along with a touch of mine, and he loved it.
My pulse raced, and I slowly sat up between them, careful not to interrupt. The blood that ran in a slow trickle from Shaz’s wound beckoned to me, and my bloodlust awakened. I was overcome with the many things I wanted to do to each of them, but that blood was at the forefront of my focus.
Pushing myself to my knees, I went for Shaz’s bleeding neck. The last thing I wanted to do was tear my eyes from the head spinning vision of their kiss, but there was no denying the call of the bloodlust. Tilting my head to the side, I was easily able to lick the red nectar that flowed from the twin punctures.
Shaz’s blood was salty and yet so powerful. It was like tasting it for the first time all over again. Breaking off their kiss, both men turned their attention to me. Arys’s arms went around me from behind, guiding me so that I fit perfectly between them. Shaz kissed the tip of my nose before claiming my lips.
I could taste Arys on him, and it thrilled me. They each pressed close, sandwiching me between them. I was a lucky lady, and I knew it. There was no taking this for granted.
With a sigh of contentment I wrapped one arm around Shaz’s neck and reached back with the other to caress the side of Arys’s face. He swept my hair aside and lavished my neck with kisses and nibbles.
Their hands on my body were eager. Shaz grasped my hand and pulled me back down onto the rug beside him. Arys dropped down to press against me from behind, and I snuggled in between them with a smile on my face.
There was a spicy new dynamic to our trio, and though I knew Shaz had boundaries that Arys had abandoned long ago, it was good thing. I had no reason to believe that Shaz would ever allow himself to like Arys genuinely, but this understanding was between them, and, however they’d come to it, I could only be grateful.
This was my favorite sensation, the feeling of them on each side of me while the flames of passion burned throughout us. It washed away the remnants of the last several weeks. The sense of peace that had settled between Arys and me was something I’d been longing for since the entire Harley nonsense started.
Arys entwined a hand in my hair, holding my head while Shaz kissed me. Together they dominated me in a manner that was both affectionate and primal. I’d never felt so safe. In my ideal world, I could stay this way forever and never leave.
Time ceased to exist. Physical pleasure became emotional essence, obliterating all else. The glow of the fire illuminated us, casting our shadow on the opposite wall.
The night was ablaze with lust, love and bliss. And, I had a feeling, it was just getting started.
Chapter Twenty-Two
“Do you want the usual?” Kylarai bustled around the kitchen, fixing us coffee.
I nodded, my focus on the sound of water running down the hall. “Yeah, the usual.” I was waiting for Zoey to finish i
n the shower. I’d come to Ky’s to see her, knowing I couldn’t put off this visit. I was uncomfortable, and I assumed she would be also.
“So, uh, how is she doing?” I asked, fearing the response.
Ky tossed her dark hair out of her face and brought two cups of coffee to the table. She took the seat across from me and beamed a bright smile. My guts turned. It was obvious Julian hadn’t told her about his little indiscretion. I didn’t have the heart to wipe that smile off her face with the news. I hated being in this position. Should I do what was right and tell her, or let the truth come out on its own? Julian couldn’t hide it forever.
“She’s actually much better than I expected. She’s been pretty quiet, keeps to herself a lot. But, we’ve had a few chances to chat and though she seems a little disturbed, I think she’s doing better than most other people would be in her position.”
I sipped the perfectly brewed coffee and stared out the window. The field we ran in lay beyond the backyard. I missed living here, but I belonged in Raoul’s house. I knew that.
“Does she want to see me?” I tried unsuccessfully to banish the anxiety from my tone. “I mean, has she indicated that she’d rather not?”
Kylarai reached across the table to give my hand a warm pat. “You both have a lot in common. She knows that, too. Just take it slow, give her time, and I’m sure everything will be fine.”
Ky glanced out the window, noting the way the scenery kept drawing my gaze. “Are you ok?” She asked. “Do you want to go for a run later? I’m free all night.”
I sighed and turned back to my coffee, attempting to find strength in the creamy mocha fluid. “Thanks, Ky. I would, but I’m heading to The Wicked Kiss later. I’ll take a rain check though.”
We chatted quietly. I caught Kylarai up on the recent happenings regarding the Kiss. She asked about Kale, and I was reminded again of why I could never tell her about the incident with him in my office. They’d never been in love, but they had loved. That was enough to keep my mouth shut.
She went on about Julian and the diamond necklace he’d gotten her in celebration of a case she’d won at work. I forced myself to smile and admire the sparkly bauble. I couldn’t help but think it was more likely that he’d bought it out of guilt. Was it even possible for that bastard to feel guilt?
A sound from down the hall drew our attention. A moment later, Zoey appeared in the doorway to the kitchen. Her black hair fell over her shoulders in damp strings that she shoved back from her face in a nervous gesture. Dressed simple in jeans and a tank top, she appeared so normal at first glance. A deeper look revealed the slight frown she wore and the haunted expression in her blue eyes.
Kylarai waved her over to where we sat. “I’m just going to run out and check the mail.” It was obvious she was trying to give us a moment alone.
After she’d disappeared outside, Zoey and I sat uncomfortably across the table from each other. I tapped my fingernails against the side of my coffee mug and took a deep breath. Zoey squirmed in her seat, making no attempt to break the silence first.
“How are you?” I managed at last. Better to start small.
She gave a slight shrug, looking everywhere but directly at me. “I’m fine. Thank you.”
The awkwardness was killing me. So, I scrapped the beating around the bush and cut to the chase. “Look, let’s just skip the weird part of this. Our first meeting was short and violent. But, it’s long over. I think we’re more alike than either of us realizes. I just want to make sure you’re ok with everything. Well, as ok as one can possibly be after six months in wolf form.”
Zoey did meet my eyes then. “I spent my whole life feeling like I didn’t belong, longing to release the animal inside me. After the past six months, I’m thankful to have a human voice again. To be me. I need to thank you for that.”
“To be honest,” I replied. “I wasn’t sure it would work. But, I’m glad it did.”
“Did you love him?” She asked the question so quickly I almost couldn’t make sense of it. “My father, I mean. Did you ever love him?”
Talk about a loaded question. How did I even begin to answer that? By telling the truth, I guess.
“I’ve loved him since I first met him. Also, I’ve hated him more than anything or anyone else walking this earth. Things between me and him … they were complicated.”
She nodded and began to play with the edge of the tablecloth, twisting it between her fingers. “Because he loved you and left you?”
My voice was soft as memories took me back to a place that was oddly both safe and painful. “Because he was everything to me and, after he got what he wanted from me, he moved on to the next pretty face. I didn’t mean anything to him.”
It hurt to say those words aloud. I could almost hear Raoul’s voice in my head, telling me I was wrong. That he had loved me. He’d said so in the note he left me. He’d also confessed to the ultimate betrayal in that same note. I didn’t want to relive the moment I’d read his confession.
“I still think you got the better deal,” Zoey said after a moment of silence. “He abandoned me after my mother died. It was his fault she was dead, and he couldn’t be bothered to take on the responsibility of raising me. He was a coward.”
I flashed back to the night Raoul had told me about Zoey. He’d been in pain when telling me about giving her up. He’d cried. After what he’d done to me, here I was tempted to defend him. It was so wrong.
“He hated himself for giving you up, Zoey. He did what he thought was best to keep you safe. Make no mistake, I don’t blame you for feeling the way you do. I thought I could forgive him for the ways he’d wronged me. Then you killed him, and I found out that he was the wolf that killed my family, the same one that attacked me. He’d been in love with my mother-,” I choked on a sob and had to stop. I couldn’t face that again.
Zoey studied me, taking in my sudden brokenness. Her next words were icy cold. “He was worse than I thought. He deserved to die. You’re right, Alexa. We do have much in common.”
She seemed to show no remorse, to feel no guilt or regret even though she’d murdered her own father. I had to know, had to ask.
“You don’t regret it? Killing him? At all?”
“How can I regret it? He left me and moved on to hurt others. Like I said, he deserved it.”
Looking at Zoey, I saw a young, weary woman with a determined set to her jaw and a ruthless glint in her eyes. There was more to her than that though. I could sense the way her energy wavered. It was pained. She may never admit it to me, but her lack of closure with her father hurt her deeply. Probably more than she would even admit to herself. We were both alone in the pain Raoul had caused us, and yet, here we were. There was strength in that.
I decided to change the subject. Rehashing the pain of the past wasn’t going to help either of us right now. “He left you money. It doesn’t change anything, but it’s more than enough to provide you with some security.”
“Thanks. I guess I’ll be needing that, much as I hate to take it.”
“Well, let me know if you need anything else. I’ll do my best to help you. I know that Kylarai is more than happy to let you stay as long as you like.” I raised my mug and downed a giant swallow of coffee. Not all the caffeine in the world would be enough during a conversation like this.
Zoey smiled then, and it transformed her face entirely. She was actually quite beautiful. If only the smile reached her eyes. I imagine that Zoey hadn’t felt genuinely happy in a very long time, if ever.
“Kylarai is a total sweetheart,” Zoey said, appearing to relax a little. “She’s done so much to make me feel at home here. Even after our little tangle months ago, she’s forgiven and forgotten completely. She’s an inspiration for sure. It’s too bad that she’d rather date men, and an asshole at that.”
Ah. I hadn’t realized that Zoey was playing for the other team. Of course, I hadn’t had a chance to find that out until now. It wasn’t really all that important, but it did b
ring Jez to mind. She was always looking for that right woman. Her steady human flings were little more than a way to pass time. She could relate to a woman like Zoey.
“Yeah,” I nodded in agreement. “Julian is a real pig. I can’t stand him. I know it really isn’t my place, and I’m not trying to play match-maker but-,”
“The leopard, right? Jez?” Zoey smiled knowingly. “Kylarai told me about her. I vaguely remember her being at my father’s the night I killed him. It’s all a blur really. I’m not looking for anything right now, but I wouldn’t mind meeting her sometime, on better terms than last time of course.”
I got up and went to the sink to rinse out my empty cup. Before I could respond, there was a sound at the front door. Kylarai came in accompanied by Julian who must have arrived while she was outside. Great. I dreaded how hard it would be to keep my face from revealing the truth about the scumbag.
I shared a look with Zoey, each of us less than enthusiastic about his unwelcome presence. It was funny how that one little thing gave me a sense of camaraderie with her. Maybe we would get along just fine after all. I’d feared the drama with Raoul would have us at odds, but he was gone, and perhaps that would be enough to allow us to move forward in peace.
“How’s it going, Alexa?” Julian greeted me as he sauntered into the kitchen. He winked at Zoey, and she mustered a half-assed smile in response.
“Can’t complain.” I kept my answer short, going through the motions for Kylarai’s sake. I glared hard at him, and he ignored it entirely. “And you?”
“Game on TV tonight and beer in the fridge. It’ll be a good night.”
I figured this was as good a time as any to make my escape. I said goodbye to Zoey, promising that we’d speak again soon. Kylarai followed me to the door, a frown creasing her brow. She wanted to say something.
“Be careful ok, Lex? This whole thing with you and Kale taking over The Wicked Kiss, it doesn’t sit well with me. That place is dangerous, regardless of whether or not its former owner is dead.”
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