by C. R. Jane
Maeve's face relaxed, "There was an ice-cream explosion?!" This time she burst out laughing and she was chortling and snorting so hard that Luci came out of their shared room to see what the matter was. He took one look at Bishop and shook his head, a wide grin breaking out on his face.
"It's the eye."
Bishop rolled his. "Quit it, will you? Today has been less than average."
"Your whole week has been the pits," Lucian pointed out, amused. "Ever since that homeless man they brought into the station hexed you."
Changed out of his uniform and wearing low-riding jeans and a t-shirt, Bishop thought Lucian looked as daringly handsome as he'd ever seen him. But with the vamp's bright eyes and cocky smile looking so self-righteous, there was no way he'd admit that out loud now. "Curses are a bunch of hoodoo," he repeated - for what felt like the hundredth time that week. His lovers were frustratingly fixated on the whole hex bullshit. Still, as he thought back to the ice-cream incident, the walk to work after his car wouldn't start and the rabid squirrel that attacked him in the park, he had to give the universe props - sometimes she was a real bitch.
"Don't forget the doggy business you trod in leaving the house yesterday," Luci added, reading his thoughts. "That much bad luck at once can only mean one thing; you have the eye." He moved in close and kissed Bishop's grizzled and tacky cheek. "Like I told you a week ago, you're going to have to find a way to reverse the curse, bud."
Dressed in gym wear, Gabe came in the door and immediately stopped, sniffing the air like a hound, "Why does Bishop smell like ice-cream? Is that caramel?" He gasped, "Did you three have kinky ice-cream sex without me?!"
Bishop rolled his eyes, "There was no kinky sex. And for your information, it's Maple Toffee."
"Hmm, well, whatever it is, I like it." Gabe set his gym bag down and came to join the crew assembled in the kitchen. "They should make that into an air-freshener or something," he pecked Maeve and then Lucian on the lips.
Bishop released a frustrated growl as the conversation flowed around him, causing Maeve to laugh again. "Sorry, babe. Still a bit of a sore spot, huh?"
"What is?" Gabe's brows drew together.
Luci ruffled Bish's hair playfully, "The fact that our favourite werewolf is cursed."
"Stop being ridiculous." Bright with warning, Bishop flashed his whiskey-hued irises around the group. "I've had a run of bad luck. That's all. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to go shower and get this gunk off me." But before he could make it more than two steps, Maeve's throat clearing halted him in his tracks. "What is it?"
He watched as Maeve roved imploring eyes around the group. "Um, do you want to tell him or should I?"
"Tell me what?" he demanded.
"Well," she hesitated. "You see, there was a letter in the mail last week; the water is off for the next two hours because they're working down the street."
One deadly sharp canine was visible as Maeve bit her lip, apparently awaiting his reaction, but all Bishop could do was stand there, blinking. When he found words, he said them slowly, "So I can't take a shower."
The trio shook their collective heads.
"This is just dandy." Bishop's gaze swung to Gabe and he held up his hands, protesting;
"Don't look at me. I actually read our mail and I showered at the gym."
Bishop idly rubbed the spot on his hand where the squirrel had sunk its pointy little teeth in. Apparently nowhere was safe. "That's fine," he muttered. "I'll very calmly drive back to work and shower there. No problem."
Gabe gulped audibly, "There's one more thing you should know …"
Bishop shot him a disbelieving look, "What else could there be?"
"You must have been in a rush when you arrived home. When I got here, there was a guy ticketing your car. You parked in a restricted zone."
Bishop blinked a final time before bellowing, "There are no restricted zones in our street!" He threw his hands in the air and walked a tight angry circle.
"There are now - they put the signs up last week." Gabe coughed, "That was also in our mail."
At this point Maeve, Lucian and Gabe were all trying to smother grins, so Bishop grabbed his jacket and marched toward the door.
Maeve called out, "When you get back from the station, I'm making spaghetti."
"Great. Something for me to choke on," Bishop growled. He'd just stepped foot in the corridor when he heard Luci call out;
"Good luck."
"With what?" Bishop glanced back over his shoulder. "Taking a shower? I've been doing that for a while."
Lucian raised a considering brow, "With finding your homeless guy."
Bish regarded the vampire steadily. "Get out of my damn head," he grumbled and when Lucian only grinned harder, he finally slammed the door.
CHAPTER FOUR
Bishop returned within the hour, ice-cream free, but just as ill-tempered as when he had left. Gabe smothered his grin behind his hand, asking politely; "No luck finding the hobo, I take it?"
Bishop snarled, striding across the room as he tugged the leather band from his hair. The mass of rich, coffee-coloured strands settled messily around his shoulders and Gabe felt his fingers twitch with the need to run them through the surprising softness. Or better yet, use them as leverage as I pound into him from behind , Gabe thought. He shuddered, his cock immediately thickening in his gym shorts at the thought. In the three months since Maeve had happened into their lives and they had all admitted their true feelings for each other, there had been plenty of nights - and days - filled with back-arching orgasms. And although he, Lucian, and Bishop had thoroughly explored each other and more than contributed to those aforementioned orgasms, they had yet to take that final step and actually make love. Not that they had any such inhibitions when it came to Maeve. No, Maeve seemed more than pleased with her predicament and the attention she received.
Gabe wasn't dissatisfied by any means and was more than willing to wait another two months - or two years if need be - in order for his two male lovers to feel comfortable enough to take that next step. But if he was interpreting their heated looks and even more heated touches correctly, then Lucian and Bish were more than ready. He figured their problem was simply a product of their pasts. It had taken them years to reach the point where they finally admitted they felt more for each other than mere friends. And if it hadn't been for the beautiful female hybrid who had turned their lives upside down, he had no doubt they still would have been bumbling along in miserable ignorance.
But they did have a beautiful hybrid and Gabe was the happiest he had ever been in his whole life. Getting mauled and killed aside, the last few months had been the very best of his existence and he couldn't imagine not having Maeve in their lives. She was smart and funny, caring and compassionate, completely gorgeous inside and out. And yeah, Gabe knew he had it bad. But Maeve completed him and his makeshift family in a way he couldn't describe. Unrequited feelings for his best friends aside, he hadn't thought his life was lacking in any way. But his very first glimpse of Maeve had proven that wrong. He had been immediately and instinctively drawn to her - even though she had been dead at the time. And wasn't that a trip? He didn't like to remember how he had first seen her, bloody and torn on the street, her cyan irises fixed and glassy. Thank the gods he had taken a momentary break from sanity and decided to steal her body from the morgue. He had been even more amazed when Lucian and Bishop had confessed to feeling the same inexplicable connection he did. They had yet to puzzle that mystery out but if he were being honest, he didn't really care. Maeve was theirs and that was all that mattered. Now the three of them just had to get over their old habit of keeping things from one another - like the
need to fuck each other on every available flat surface.
"No. The fucker has apparently disappeared off the face of the fucking earth."
Bishop's curse-filled reply had Gabe shaking his head to dislodge the remnants of his trip down memory lane. His cop was frowning, causing lines of frustration to wrinkle the perfection of his forehead. Gabe grinned, Bishop really was adorable when he was grumpy.Which is eighty percent of the time, he thought, allowing a chuckle to escape.
Bishop narrowed his whiskey eyes, "Something funny?"
Gabe cleared his throat, shaking his head, even as he allowed his eyes to roam over the length of Bishop's frame. The strong shoulders were stiff with tension, his muscles jumping in his forearms as his hands flexed. Bishop had his legs planted firmly on the ground, and Gabe could easily imagine his muscled thighs bunching in reaction. Gabe wanted those strong thighs wrapped around his waist.
"Gabriel?" Bishop asked, obviously curious about his silence.
Gabe shrugged, "Just thinking about your recent run of bad luck."
Bishop jutted his chin out, "Were you just?"
"Tell me, Bishop, if you're having so much bad luck, then how come you're about to get really, really lucky, hmm?" Gabe practically purred as he stalked across the room, bumping Bishop with his body until he had the surly cop pressed against the wall.
It took a few seconds for Bishop's mind to clear and he looked at Gabe, finally realising the new position he was in. "What the hell are you talking about?" Bishop grumbled. "And what's with the lack of personal space?"
Gabe leaned in until he had both palms flat against the wall on either side of the werewolf's head. He inhaled deeply, taking in the delicious wolfy scent. Since becoming a literal beast himself, Gabe found himself amazingly drawn to scents. "I'm talking about this," he rolled his hips, gratified to feel his hardness pressed against Bishop's own.
Bishop sucked in a breath, "Oh …"
Gabe chuckled, "Yeah, 'oh'. I want you. Will you let me have you?"
Bishop raised his eyebrows, making no move to put distance between them. "What if I want to fuck you?" came his eventual reply.
Gabe pulled back, searching his love's gorgeous face. He leaned forward and placed a soft kiss against those talented lips, "Then do it. I don't care what end I'm on, Bishop. I just want to make love with you."
Bishop sighed, his slightly smaller frame sagging against Gabe's. Gabe shivered as warm breath bathed his neck, followed quickly by warm lips. "I want that too," were the words whispered into his ear.
"Me too! Or me three I guess."
Gabe spun, keeping Bishop tucked close to his side. Lucian was standing next to the lounge, his fangs poking his bottom lip, irises red with hunger. Gabe felt his dick stir once again. Damn, he was one lucky son of a bitch to be surrounded by so much hotness.
Bishop snorted, "And just how do you think we're going to do this, huh?"
Lucian rolled his eyes, "Jeez! Who gives a fuck about positions? Give me the bottom, give me the top. Hell, give me the middle! Let's just get this train moving, shall we? We can rock, scissors, paper for who gets to be on top next time."
Gabe snorted at that, "Yeah, not likely. You cheat." He pointed an accusing finger at his friend.
Lucian's eye's widened with innocence that Gabe wasn't buying. His vamp was anything but innocent. "Me? Cheat? Why, I would never! Besides, how does one cheat at rock, paper, scissors? It's a game of chance."
"Uh huh. I don't know how you do it, but you do." Bishop backed Gabe up. "No rock-off for you."
Lucian just grinned, quickly stripping off his shirt. "Whatever, boys. Someone teach me a lesson I won't soon forget," he waggled his eyebrows.
Gabe groaned, already practically panting upon seeing Lucian's fine chest. His men were both so fit. But before he could pounce, a sudden thought hit him. "Maeve …" Gabe began, remembering they also had a very sexy female hybrid to fulfil. One who just happened to be the beating heart of their quartet.
"Oh, don't worry about me. I'm pretty sure I just had an orgasm listening to you three," Maeve panted, her back arched against the wall by the kitchen.
Her words sounded glib, however Gabe knew they were anything but. Her usually blue eyes were now a molten gold, the wolf half of her shining through. Gabe growled, feeling his canines elongate and his own eyes flash silver. The adjustment from human to hybrid hadn't been easy and had been fraught with issues. Not the least was the fact that they had to keep his and Maeve's hybrid status a secret lest the government get wind and take them away. But right now, with his heightened senses picking up on the dampness between Maeve's legs and the pounding hearts of his two men, he couldn't say he cared.
CHAPTER FIVE
Maeve barely contained her squeal of excitement as she followed her three men into their bedroom. Her greatest fantasy was about to come to life and she wasn't sure how she was going to survive it. After all, she had intimate knowledge of how they all looked when they were naked and sweaty and satisfied. Watching as their hands caressed each other and their lips explored hard angles and planes revved her engines just as much as when those same hands roved over her soft curves.
Maeve stripped off her own clothes before leaning against the closed bedroom door. Though highly aroused, she was content to watch them strip and play as she contemplated the twists and turns her life had taken in the three months since she had died. Yes, died! She shook her head, still finding it hard to believe that all her current happiness was because she was murdered. She remembered waking up in a strange bed with three strange faces staring back at her and she had never been so afraid in her whole life. Three months and a whole lot of stress later, she woke up every morning to those same three faces. The only difference? Now they weren't strange to her; they were beloved.
Deciding the boys had had enough playtime - and prep time - Maeve was about to join them when Gabe spoke; "Maeve … come here."
She shivered, the dominant tenor of Gabe's voice caused her legs to clench tightly and her sex to tingle. She heard Lucian groan and watched as his head dropped back on the bed, exposing the tanned line of his neck. Apparently, she wasn't the only one who liked it when Gabe got bossy in the bedroom. Maeve forced her legs to move, her heightened senses taking in the sounds and smells in the room. Delicious, she thought to her herself. But out loud she said;
"Perfect. You're all so perfect," she promised them, climbing onto the huge bed and pressing herself against Gabe's dark, muscled chest.
She felt his rumble as he replied, "You're the perfect one," before his lips took hers in a searing kiss.
Talented hands she knew to be Lucian's gripped her hips from behind, even as two sharp fangs teased her throbbing pulse. She arched her back, offering herself to him, offering herself to all of them. She knew the move forced her breasts into the air, their hard tips begging to be touched. Three masculine groans met her ears a second before six hands crazily mapped her body. Maeve kept her eyes closed, delighting in the way the lack of vision allowed her to revel in the sounds and smells in the room. She nearly came unglued when three mouths settled upon her; a hybrid mouth on her breast, a vampire mouth on her spine, and a werewolf mouth on her …
Maeve cried out, gripping Bishop's long hair roughly as his tongue delved into her soaked depths. She panted, squirming in their combined grip, more than a little turned on when they didn't allow her to escape their hold. It took mere minutes for her to explode under the focused attention of her men, and she screamed out her pleasure, muttering incoherent words of praise and love. Firm lips kissed her gently, easing her down from her bliss. She smiled against Gabe's mouth, feeling smug and satisfied.And we haven't even gotten to the main event yet, she thou
ght, dreamily.
With little time to bask, she was quickly manoeuvred horizontally on the bed until her butt was nearly hanging off and her legs were draped over Lucian's forearms. His fangs glittered in the low light filtering through the blinds and she arched her neck, already envisioning the ecstasy she knew would come when he sank those hard teeth into her body. Given she had spent the first twenty-eight years of her life actively avoiding being bitten, it was a major life change for her. But then, when you apparently smelled like some kind of speciality food to all the supernaturals on the planet, avoiding teeth had been a must. But after becoming an all-powerful, mythical, forbidden werewolf-vampire hybrid, biting - and clawing - took on a whole new meaning.
From her splayed position, she watched as Bishop stood behind Lucian and Gabe took up a similar position behind Bishop. She swallowed audibly, throat suddenly dry. "We're having a congo line?" she croaked.
Lucian grinned down at her, lust and love shining in his eyes. "You bet we are. A sex congo line. My idea," he winked at her.
She grinned at him, "Gods, I love you."
Lucian leaned down to nuzzle her cheek, muttering an 'I love you' back before he lined himself up and pushed into her willing body. A decadent moan escaped her parted lips when she felt him finally bottom out. All of her men were so built. She desperately wanted Lucian to take his fill of her but she held back her impatience. She had already had her fun once and it now it was their turn. And it was a huge moment for them. Although they had cemented their relationship with promises and words of love, they had yet to claim each other on a primal level in the same way they had her. And she had no doubt that's what it was; a claiming.
Her eyes glittered as she watched the guys groan and squirm their way through that initial coming together of bodies. Her position afforded her a front row seat and Maeve took in the expressions on the men's faces, greedily - awe and pleasure. So much pleasure. She couldn't help grinning, knowing that now the ice had been broken, there would be plenty more of the same sort of pleasure to be had. It was a little awkward at first, with each of them trying to find a rhythm that worked. But they managed it, and within minutes the four of them were moving in perfect harmony, nothing but desire stamped on faces and love stamped in their hearts.