by Jane Jamison
Taylor’s soft grunts echoed J.B.’s moans of pleasure. Bryton worked his finger inside her asshole, stretching her tight rings, preparing her for his entry. She moaned and tried to relax as he added yet another finger.
“Take it easy,” he murmured. “It’ll hurt at first, but then the hurt becomes something else, something pleasurable. Just breathe.”
He positioned his cock at her dark hole and, after a gentle shove, pushed his cock inside her hard. She cried out, never turning J.B.’s cock free as she did. His flavors filled her mouth. Their cocks filled her butt hole and her pussy. Four becoming one, their love filled her heart.
They came together, connected both emotionally as well as with their bodies. Finally, letting go of J.B.’s cock, she reached for J.B., her gaze on his amber-filled one. “I want you to fuck me, too.” Her words came out in short burst of staccatos.
Raw hunger filled his face. “Damn it, Taylor, hurry the hell up.”
Taylor didn’t answer. Instead, he increased the pace of his thrusts, his fingers digging into her flesh as he kept her close.
Bryton’s legs slapped against her butt cheeks as he drove his cock inside her. “Sugar, you are incredible.”
Taylor groaned, a relief as well as a frustration, as he stiffened, paused, then let out a shout. The sound evolved into a howl as he unleashed his seed.
Warmth exploded inside her. She tightened her muscles, attempting to keep as much of it inside her as she could. If only to keep him with her for a few moments longer.
With something akin to a grumble, Taylor pulled out and moved away.
J.B. eased in front of her and pulled her completely onto her side. With his gaze meeting hers, he put one of her legs on his hip, positioned his cock at her entrance, and then plunged his cock deep inside her pussy.
She let out a cry as Bryton rammed his cock inside her ass again, the two cocks threatening to meet in the middle of her. Her breath was ragged, her heart beating wildly as she held on to J.B.’s shoulder. Sweat dripped between her breasts and along her brow as she tried her best to keep up with the men’s hard pounding.
J.B. tried to hold back. She saw as much in the hardening of his expression. Yet when she shoved back at him, giving as good as she’d gotten, he lost control.
“Shit, baby.” Suddenly, he caught her by the back of the neck and pulled her to him. His kiss was brutally hard, intense, as though he thought the kiss would help him maintain control. Instead, his groan flowed into her mouth as he shoved into her again, froze, then shuddered out his release.
Bryton slammed into her from behind, giving her no time to recuperate from J.B.’s kiss. Bryton placed his own kiss to her shoulder and, as his climax splintered out of him, brought his teeth to her skin.
Her own climax roared its way to the surface, powering out of her like a tornado, swirling, obliterating everything in its path. Her cry mixed with their groans. Her body trembled against theirs. With Taylor returning to the bed, together they rested, their hands finding hers, hers finding theirs.
A few minutes later, Shelby listened to the rise and fall of their snores. Bryton had his arm wrapped possessively over her stomach. Taylor lay on his side and shot short puffs of breath against her shoulder. J.B. lay at the head of the bed, forcing the others’ feet to dangle off the end.
They’d made love to her as no others had done. In doing so, they’d invigorated her, yet she could still feel the darkness inside her, slowly killing her. Her future had suddenly taken on a whole new meaning. She no longer mourned for the loss of her life but for the pain her death would cause her men. A tear slid down her cheek.
No. I won’t let the darkness have this moment.
Instead, she turned her attention back to her men, savoring every inch of them in case tonight was their last night together.
* * * *
“Where are you going?” Bryton snagged Shelby’s arm. “Are you trying to sneak out before we wake up?”
He’d missed her the moment she’d risen from their bed. After making love at Reagan’s house, they’d taken her back to their ranch. Even now, he smiled whenever he remembered how she’d oohed and awed over the modest one-story home filled with comfortable old furnishings. She’d been being nice, of course, but he wanted to think she liked her new home. The only thing left was to move her from Reagan’s house to theirs. They’d planned on doing so this morning. So why was she trying to leave without waking them?
“No. Of course not.”
“Really? Then why do you need your car keys?” She still had Reagan’s truck. Not that Reagan would care. She’d rather run to town than ride there.
Shelby wouldn’t look him in the eyes. “I need time alone. To think.”
“To think about what?” He started for the bedroom. “Hang on. I’ll get the guys.”
“No. Don’t.” She grabbed his arm, holding him back. “Please. Give me time to think. I don’t know what I want to do.”
“What do you mean? Are you saying you don’t want to be our mate? Or become a shifter? Maybe both? Damn it, sugar, tell me what you want.”
She grew angry, frustration taking her. “I told you. I need time.”
“But you want to be with us.”
“I do, but I never agreed to being changed.” She jerked back when he tried to take her arm again. “Bryton, give me some space. It’s all happening too fast.”
What else could he do? Tie her down and keep her against her will? As much as his eagle protested, demanding him to keep his mate with him, clawing at his insides to be set free, he couldn’t force her. “Okay. But you’re not going to take long, right?”
“I won’t.” She leaned in and placed a kiss on his cheek.
He’d kill for another kiss but knew better than to push his luck. “Okay. Go on. Think. But remember.”
“Remember what?”
He looked at her, intent on making sure she understood how serious he was. “Remember that you’re ours. Now and for as long as we live.”
She opened her mouth, more than likely to correct him again, to remind him of her impending death, as she’d done so many times earlier, then stopped. “I’ll remember.”
His eagle let out a strangled cry deep inside him.
* * * *
Shelby turned to Reagan. “So you think I should let them change me?” She’d told Reagan about her impending death. Reagan had taken it hard, but after an hour, she’d returned, asking to know more.
Reagan, once again in charge of pouring the wine, gaped at her. “Well, duh. Of course I do. What’s the alternative, anyway?”
“Dying.” She noticed her friend’s cringe. “Sorry. I forget everyone hasn’t had as long to deal with this as I have.” She started to take a drink then set her glass back on the coffee table. Funny how Reagan’s house had always felt like home, until now. Now that she was with the men she loved, theirs was the only house that would ever feel like home. “But it isn’t fair. We don’t know changing me will make any difference. I could still die. How can I do that to them?”
“Do what? Break their heart?” Reagan set her glass down, too. “What are you thinking? Do you think their hearts will be any less broken if you don’t let them change you?”
“I don’t want to give them hope and take it away.”
“So you’d rather just crush their hope right now?”
She could see Reagan’s point. Either way, try and fail or not try at all, they’d mourn for her. “I guess you’re right.”
“Of course I am.” Reagan grinned. “I’m always right. Try to remember that from now on.”
“Oh, sure.” She drew in a breath but couldn’t breathe deeply. “I’ll remember.”
“Now get back to those handsome men of yours and do what every woman in the world would do if they were in your shoes.”
“Let them change me?”
“Well, yeah, that, too. But I was thinking more in the way of fucking them until they beg for mercy.”
Shelby laughed, bu
t the laughter ended too soon. Her vision blurred as the world around her spun. “Reagan, I don’t…”
“Shelby?” Reagan’s voice seemed so far away, as though she were drifting out to sea. “Shelby, are you all right?”
No. Not now. Please not now.
Chapter Seven
Shelby fought to open her eyes. Voices, familiar and soothing, surrounded her. When she finally did, she was relieved to see her men standing at her bedside.
“Hey, pretty lady, you really gave us a scare.” Taylor’s smile couldn’t erase the worry lines from his face. “I think I lost a year of my life when Reagan called and told us you’d passed out.”
“I’m sorry.” Her throat felt raw.
“Here.” J.B. slipped his arm behind her shoulders and lifted her enough to take a drink from a cup of water. “Just a little, though.”
“How long have I been out?”
“A few hours,” he answered. “Not really out. More like a deep sleep like Cinderella.”
“It’s Sleeping Beauty, dumbass,” joked Taylor.
“Whatever.” J.B. didn’t take his attention from her. “Why do I get the impression that you’ve passed out before?”
She wouldn’t hide anything from them ever again. “Because I have. Once.”
“You should’ve told us about it,” chastised Bryton. “And that you were weak.”
“It kind of hit me by surprise.” She attempted to sit up but couldn’t. “I’m better now.”
“Uh-huh.” J.B. cupped her cheek. “You’re staying in bed until we say you can get back on your feet.” He glanced at the other two men. “Or until we change you. The transformation will be tough, and we’re worried that you’re not strong enough, but at this point, we need to chance it. Unless you have a better idea.”
“No. I made my decision. I want to be changed. I just don’t know which one of you should bite me. Can’t all three of you bite me?”
The bed dipped as Taylor sat down. “And possibly turn you into a hybrid-werewolf-werebird-vampire? No way. I’m not sure anyone could survive that kind of transition.”
“But I don’t know how to choose which one of you will change me.”
“We could draw straws,” offered Bryton.
“I know it sounds silly, but I don’t want my future as a shifter to be determined by a drawing.”
“I have an idea.” Taylor covered her hand with his. “Since we’ve already ruled me out because I’m a hybrid, the competition is between these two. How about we make it special?”
“Special? How?”
“Whoever brings you the best gift gets to change you.” He tossed a warning to J.B. and Bryton. “But you have to bring her the gift in two hours. We can’t risk taking any longer.”
She put her other hand on top of Taylor’s. “You’re a romantic, aren’t you? Yes. I think it’s a great idea.”
He turned toward his friends and looked at his watch. “Okay, you heard her. You now have one hour and fifty-five minutes to come up with a great gift. Better get going.”
“No problem.” Bryton didn’t waste another moment. He shifted, his body blurring, bones breaking. Before he’d even finished the shift, he took wing as an eagle, soaring out the open window.
“Shit. He’s already got a head start.” J.B. leaned over and gave her a sweet kiss on the forehead. “Don’t worry, baby. I’m going to win this. And once you’ve gone through the transformation and healed, we’re going to go running. You just wait and see.” Pivoting around, he shifted as he left the room. His tail was the last thing she saw as he dashed out the door.
“I wish you could have a chance.”
Taylor shrugged. “It’s okay. As long as you’re in my life, I don’t care what you are. Just as long as you’re mine.” He chuckled and corrected himself. “Sorry. Ours.”
“Me, too.” She struggled to keep her eyes open but failed.
* * * *
“How’s she doing?” asked Bryton as he strode into the bedroom.
“I feel a lot better.” Two hours wasn’t a long time, but she’d slept peacefully and felt a little better. With Taylor’s help, she’d managed to sit up in the bed. She tried to peek at whatever he was holding behind his back. “So? Tell me. What did you bring me?”
“You’ll see.” He grinned, obviously proud of what he’d brought her.
J.B. entered the room, yet he had nothing with him. “I’m back and ready to go.”
“You are?” Taylor tilted his head. “Looks like you didn’t come up with anything.”
“You just let me handle my gift-giving.”
J.B. had piqued her curiosity. First, however, she’d see what Bryton had brought her. “I’m ready. Bryton?”
Bryton moved his hands out from behind his back. In the palm of one hand was a small egg. Speckles covered the cream-colored surface. “I brought you a dove egg.”
“You brought her breakfast?” joked J.B.
“No, you ass. I brought her the wonder of life. She’s going to be reborn as a werebird so I figured would be a great gift.” As if on cue, the egg began to crack.
Awestruck, Shelby leaned forward, watching as the newborn dove broke through the shell and came into the world. “But won’t he die? Where’s his mother? The nest?”
“Don’t worry. I’m a werebird, remember? I can take care of it. But short of me flying you to the mountains, this was the only way you could see it happen. What do you think, sugar? My gift’s the best, right?”
“It’s beautiful.” She would’ve loved to touch the tiny newborn but knew better. As a bird shifter, Bryton could handle the bird. “You’ve brought me an amazing gift.”
“Let’s not declare him the winner yet. I haven’t given you my gift.”
“Okay, J.B., let’s see what you brought her.” Taylor moved away from her bed as J.B. approached.
J.B. sat next to her then took her hand and placed her palm against his chest. “Baby, you don’t know this, but I never wanted to share a woman. Still, I changed my mind fast enough once you showed up. Now I couldn’t imagine living with you. Or not sharing you with my brother and my best friend.”
She bit her lower lip, determined not to cry. She couldn’t find the words even if she hadn’t had the lump in her throat keeping her from talking.
“Shelby Winters, I’m giving you the most precious gift I can give you.” With his hand still over hers, he squeezed it. “I’m giving you my heart.”
For a moment, no one spoke. Instead of speaking, she put her other hand on top of his. “And I give you mine.” Her gaze slid to Bryton and Taylor. “And to you, too.”
“I think we have a winner,” declared Taylor. “Am I right, Shelby?”
“Yes.” She didn’t want to disappoint Bryton, but J.B.’s declaration was a hard gift to beat.
“Hey, wait a second. He’s giving her a gift she already had. Hell, I gave her my heart the first moment I saw her.” As if in protest, the small bird started squawking.
“Yeah, man, I think we all did.” Taylor laughed and patted J.B. on the shoulder. “But you’ve got to admit, he pulled it off. The man’s got style.”
Bryton started to argue then gave in. “Yeah, fine. J.B.’s the winner.”
“Then change me, J.B. Make me a werewolf.” She prayed the change would save her.
“Now? Are you ready? Are you strong enough?” J.B.’s elation at his win died a little as worry took over.
“I am. Do it.”
“It’ll be rough,” explained Taylor. “The change usually takes two days and you’ll feel like hell. Like you have a case of the flu on steroids. Worse.”
She nodded. “I understand.”
“Are you sure you’re up to it?”
She told Taylor the truth. “No, but it’s now or never.”
“Close your eyes, baby.” J.B. moved closer.
She did and waited. Pain seared into her shoulder as fangs sank into her flesh. Struggling was impossible as J.B. took hold of her and forced her
to remain still. Soon enough, she felt the darkness inside her welling up, threatening to take her again. Yet now there was a new force inside her, a power rising up to fight the wizard’s darkness. She gave into the pain, ready to let the two powers battle for her life.
* * * *
“Well? How do you feel?”
Shelby groaned and continued tossing the salad she’d made for dinner. She shook the salad tongs at him. “I swear, Taylor, if you guys don’t stop asking me how I feel, I’m going to take this thing and bash each of you over the head. Then I can ask you three how you feel every five minutes. I’m fine.” Her tone was gruff, but she really didn’t mind their asking. Although it had been a week since J.B. had bitten her, changing her into a werewolf, she couldn’t blame them for still worrying.
“Are you sure? So the curse is lifted? The bite worked?”
“Bryton, did you not hear what I just said?” She pivoted and placed her back to the counter. J.B., Bryton, and Taylor sat at the wooden table in the kitchen. “Read my lips. I’m fine. More than fine. I feel better than I ever have.”
J.B. drew in a breath then let it out. “I still can’t believe changing you worked. I mean, yeah, we all hoped it would and what other choice did we have? Still, I don’t know that I really believed it would.”
Damn, how I love these guys!
“I know. We didn’t know what to expect, but once I became fully werewolf, the curse no longer worked. I guess maybe Landow’s spell was specific to my being a witch and a human.” She did her best to hide the sadness, but they knew her too well.
“You miss it, don’t you?”
She wouldn’t lie to Bryton or to the others. “Being a witch? Yes. I miss the magic inside me. But it’s okay.” She pressed a hand to her stomach, no longer feeling the whirl of magic. “Now I have another kind of magic. I’m a werewolf.” She laughed. “Wow. Those are words I never thought I’d say.”