by Amy Sumida
But instead of backing away, Tiernan stepped forward and lifted his hand. Raza moved to grab him as he pulled me past, but Tiernan raised his other hand to ward Raza off. With his silver gaze on the windows, Tiernan flicked his fingers. The panes shot upward, one after the other, and blasts of freezing air brought in swirls of snowflakes. Tiernan nodded to Raza sharply, then spun elegantly on his heels, bringing up the rear as we fled the room. The door slammed just before something crashed into it.
The corridor was full, my guards just behind my husbands, and then several hunters and extinguishers behind them. Despite the press of bodies, we smoothly backed away from the bedroom. Everyone there was a professional; they knew how to tactically retreat.
We didn't go far, just down the hall into a sitting room where we could regroup as we listened to Killian tear apart the bedroom. No one left the third floor, even the hunters and extinguishers stayed, some taking posts in the hall to watch for any change. A giant snake running amok was kind of a big deal. When that snake also happened to be the Twilight Prince, it made things doubly complicated.
“The cold should put him to sleep,” Tiernan said calmly. “But I think we've lost any evidence he could have found in there.”
“Which brings to mind the question of why?” Daxon drawled and swiveled his head to face me. “Why did Killian have such a poor reaction, Seren?”
I sighed and looked at the soldiers around me. “Can we have the room please?”
The hunters and extinguishers moved across the hall to another room, but my Star's Guard remained where they were.
“Get out!” Raza snarled at them.
The Star's Guard scrambled out of the room like rats fleeing a sinking ship. As soon as the door closed, my husbands turned toward me expectantly. The sound of a shrieking, monster snake echoed dully along with booms, snaps, bangs, and cracks. I winced when the entire building shook.
“Seren, what did Killian touch that elicited such a response?” Raza demanded.
“I told you what happened with Varcan,” I started.
Raza cursed and shot to his feet. “You downplayed it, didn't you? You said that Varcan drugged you, but you were able to push away the effects before anything happened.”
“I was able to,” I insisted. “But before I conquered it, there was some touching and . . . crude language.”
“You mean dirty talk?” Daxon lifted a brow.
“I mean, 'suck my dick and tongue my asshole' kind of talk.”
A vase went flying across the room. I didn't even flinch. Frankly, I was expecting more from Raza. But I knew more was coming, especially when I saw his golden eyes begin to burn in his midnight face. I shivered, and not from fear. Raza was excruciatingly beautiful, even when mad. Hell, especially when mad. His shirt hung in tatters around his sculpted chest—the result of his abrupt shift—and it added to the menace of his lifted wings, their claw-tipped joints catching the light. His hair, cut in sleek but choppy lines to his shoulders, was wild about his furious face, the stripes of blood-red in the black tresses looking like war paint. And then there was his face. Raza's Dragon-Djinn features were normally wicked, with their pronounced bone structure giving him upward slashes at brows and cheeks, but combined with his anger, the shadows created by those subtle ridges made him sinister. Despite all that, I had never feared Raza and never would. I had sensed from the very beginning that he was a good man.
“There's more,” I admitted.
“By the holy apples of Danu!” Tiernan exclaimed. “What happened, Seren?”
“Varcan tried to rape me,” I whispered. “When the drug didn't work, he tried to force himself on me, and we fought. He got me pinned, but I was able to talk him out of it. I pointed out what he was doing, and he stopped. But it was a close call.”
“You talked him out of it?” Daxon drawled as Raza tore apart the couch.
Raza's reaction was so expected that the rest of us barely glanced at him, just let him work it out of his system. In a way, it was a relief. And compared to what Killian doing, it was restrained.
“Varcan's insane,” I reminded them. “He didn't consider it to be rape. I think he believed it was romantic. I pointed out what he was really doing to me, and he stopped. He even agreed to stop drugging me if I stopped attacking him.”
“I hope you got a few good blows in, baby,” Daxon said.
“Oh, I did.” I grinned. “Right where he wanted to be blown.”
Daxon chuckled.
Raza simmered down and, chest heaving, demanded, “What about when you were in that prison room with him? You said you resisted the drug but it was difficult.”
“I kissed him,” I admitted.
Raza started snarling.
“Varcan came out of the bathroom in a towel right when I was experiencing the drug for the first time. It hit me hard. I pretty much attacked him,” I went on. “Looking back, I think he planned it that way—coming out of the bathroom like that right when he knew I'd be feeling the effects. But then I saw you, Raza. An image of your eyes filled my head, and it stopped me. I felt all of you with me.” I looked at my husbands tenderly. “You were right there in my heart, and as soon I reached for you, the magic stuttered.”
Raza shuddered and let out a soft breath. “Mo shíorghrá.”
“I told you that was how I fought it,” I said gently. “I remembered what you said to me, Tiernan, about true love breaking any spell. I concentrated on my love for all of you, and it worked every time. Varcan's Dark Kiss didn't stand a chance against what we have.”
“I didn't need proof of our love, but it's good to hear.” Tiernan took my hand as he leaned in to kiss my cheek.
I leaned into Tiernan for a long moment, breathing in his sweet, woodsy scent, like amber and sandalwood. Like home. It calmed me enough to go on. “But before I got it under control, there was a moment when I thought it could be the Call.”
They all went still.
“Varcan insisted it was the Call of Danu, and I thought he was right. It felt off, too wild and obsessive, but I believed him at first. The need was so intense,” I confessed. “I nearly gave in, but I pushed him away.”
“You fought a magical aphrodisiac while thinking it was the Call of Danu?” Tiernan asked, his lips softening into an adoring smile. “I know you're a strong woman, but that's impressive, Seren.”
“Don't give me props yet, baby.” I grimaced. “There's more.”
“What did he do?” Raza snarled.
“Varcan tried to get me to sleep with him, of course.” I shrugged. “That was his goal. I refused, but I was nearly mindless with need. He suggested something else.” I lifted my embarrassed stare and met their intense gazes one by one. Heat flushed my cheeks as I confessed, “We masturbated together. I stayed beneath the covers so he couldn't see anything, but he was above them. I watched him.”
My husbands looked at each other and sighed deeply.
“Varcan did see me naked later, in his bedroom,” I went on in a rush, wanting them to know everything now, despite my earlier resolve to keep those images out of their minds. They knew something bad had happened, so at this point, it would be better to give them details than to let them fill them in on their own. “That's what Killian saw, I assume—me fighting Varcan naked.”
Daxon nodded. “I figured.”
“That's it?” I asked in surprise. “You figured?”
“You were drugged by something magical and powerful,” Tiernan said. “I've seen Gancanagh victims before. I know what their magic can do. That you fought it off, even while believing it was the Call, which would have given you the excuse to accept him, is only more proof of the strength of your love for us. I'm furious with Varcan, but I'm also in awe of you.” Tiernan stroked a hand down my cheek. “You did what you had to do to ease the ache without betraying us.” Tiernan swallowed roughly and a tear slid down his cheek. “I can't imagine how hard that was for you. Thank you, sweetheart. Thank you for loving me like that.”
; I made a soft sob and shot into Tiernan's arms. He cradled me against his chest as Daxon and Raza gathered around us, leaning in so I could feel them holding me. I turned to kiss each man, stroking their faces and shoulders, letting their love sink in. I hadn't realized how much that had been weighing on me—how guilty I'd felt. Knowing that they saw it as a triumph of our love and not a failure, made the weight vanish. All but a small piece that would stay with me until I could speak with Killian.
“It's stopped,” Daxon murmured as he looked up.
Sure enough, the shrieks and booms had ceased, replaced by an eerie silence. We stepped into the hallway, where we found several people warily watching the bedroom door at the end of the hallway. I started to move past them, but Raza grabbed my hand and pulled me back.
“Let me, mo shíorghrá,” Raza said gently.
Mo shíorghrá. The endearment meant “my eternal love” and every time I heard it—every time without fail—it gave me a soft thrill. I nodded to Raza and let him precede me down the hallway. Raza opened the door and stepped into the room boldly, without a hint of caution. But when you're a dragon, caution isn't that important.
“We're good,” Raza declared.
I followed him in and then stopped short. Even if Tiernan hadn't thought to open the windows, it wouldn't have mattered. The windows were gone, only pieces of the frames hung forlornly in the gaping holes. The furniture was in pieces, the walls gouged with deep runnels, the light fixtures simply gone, and the mantle over the fireplace had chunks missing. Amid the wreckage, my naked husband slept, curled up in a fetal position.
I rushed forward and dropped to the floor beside him, pushing away broken bits of wood and glass. “Killian?” I pulled his head onto my lap. “Killian? Baby, wake up.”
“Can someone find him some clothes?” Daxon called into the hallway. Then he muttered, “No one needs to see that shit.”
I shot Daxon a glare. Killian had a beautiful body, thickly muscled like a quarterback, and the way he was lying covered all the naughty bits.
But Dax shrugged and grinned. “You never know what might pop up.”
Tiernan rolled his eyes. “Really? You're going to bring up the man's hemipenes now?”
As a snake shifter, Killian had an unusual condition, or perk, if you will. In short, he had two penises, but only when he wanted to. Most of the time, the second one was tucked away inside him. But when he wanted to add a little extra oomph to our lovemaking, he brought it out to play. Before Killian's discovery of his extra member, Raza used to have the sexual advantage with his pleasure bone—a small bone that protruded above his penis and pushed at the perfect spot on a woman during sex, but Kill's double dicks trumped the bone. I think all my men were a little jealous, but Daxon was especially so.
“I'm just saying.” Daxon shrugged.
“Your eyes are turning a little green, Tromlaighe,” Raza chided as he gently scooped Killian up and cradled the huge man as if he were a child. “Come, mo shíorghrá, let's get our Nathair-Sith warmed up.”
I smiled gratefully at Raza as he carried Killian out of the room. He may grumble and snap at Kill, but when it came down to it, they were like brothers, and Raza would do anything for Killian. As we left the room, my gaze landed on the only thing that had survived the destruction—that horrible painting. The demon seemed to grin at me in taunting glee, delighted to have witnessed my husband's temper tantrum. That painting had told me what kind of man Varcan was, but I still didn't know who he was, and the demon wasn't talking. I squared my shoulders as I left the room, determined to find out.
Tiernan and Daxon followed me down the corridor, all of us following Raza and Kill.
“You know, it's not the number of the dicks you have, it's how you use them,” Tiernan said sagely to Daxon.
“You're preaching to the choir,” Daxon drawled. “Still, it would be fun to DP Seren without having to use a dildo.”
I gave Daxon the horrified look that comment deserved, and he winked at me.
“What is DP?” Tiernan asked hesitantly.
From behind us came the barking laughter of a Bargest.
“Shut up, Conri!” everyone shouted.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Killian and I had a long talk after he woke up. He took the news even better than the others. I think his snake tantrum had helped to work off the fury. Still, Kill now had the vision of me being attacked in his head—something the others didn't have to deal with. I knew it would haunt him, and I deeply regretted taking him into that bedroom.
“It's okay, Twilight,” Killian said flippantly before kissing me. “I may have seen some bad things, but I also saw you knee Varcan in the 'nads, and I will treasure that memory forever.”
I smiled and then yawned. Now that the stress was leaving, my weariness was catching up with me.
“Why don't you take a nap while I do my thing?” he suggested. “I may have trashed the bedroom but there are two more floors and a basement full of stuff that Varcan touched. I'm not giving up now.”
“Okay. I'm going to scry my dad first.” I glanced at a clock. It was after ten there, which meant it would be around seven at Castle Twilight. “I'm hoping to catch the kids before they go to bed.”
“He'll be glad to see you.” Kill grimaced. “The kids too. We told them you were doing undercover work.”
“Good,” I said firmly.
I'm all for telling my kids the truth about what I do. They need to know that the world isn't all rainbows and butterflies. But that doesn't mean I want them to know that Mommy's been captured by bad guys. Being aware and being terrified are two different things.
Killian headed to the door in his hospital scrubs—the only clothing we could find that was big enough to fit him. All of Varcan's men had been slender. Kill opened the door and waved my other husbands inside. “She's gonna call the kids.”
The men gathered around me on the couch, Killian and Daxon standing behind me to peer over my shoulder as I pulled my scry phone out of my purse.
I opened the case and called for my father, “King Keir of Twilight.”
We waited anxiously as the slice of crystal filled with mist. The mist took on color and the blobs of color sharpened into the image of my father. King Keir grinned, the silver stars over his amethyst irises glowing briefly with happiness. He had his long, purple, ombré hair pulled back in a braid and four children scrambling over his lap and shoulders.
“There's your mommy!” my father exclaimed in relief.
“What are you animals doing to your grandfather?” I chided them adoringly.
“Mommy!” all my babies shouted at once, vying for the best position in front of the crystal ball.
“Hello, sweethearts,” I said. “Your fathers are with me too.”
I angled the phone so the men could say hi to their children. One by one, the kids greeted their dads, then I turned the phone back to me, and my husbands crowded close to see the screen. I held it out as far as I could so the kids and my dad could see us too.
“What have you been doing?” I asked. “I miss you guys so much!”
“We miss you too, Mother,” Falcas said sweetly as his siblings started listing the adventures they'd had with their grandfather.
“We had a Pixie war!” Shahzadi exclaimed.
“We went swimming,” Caelum said simultaneously.
Rowan waited until the others had spoken before adding, “And Grandpa made us a ship so we could play pirates on the lake.”
“Well done, Grandpa!” I exclaimed. “That sounds fun.”
Leaving the children with my dad wasn't like leaving human kids with an old man. Keir looked as young as me and had just as much stamina. He could run after the kids all day and go to bed with a smile on his face. To protect me, Keir had stayed out of my life until after my mother died. So, he had missed out on raising me. My children were giving him a second chance, and I loved to see them together. Dad never looked happier than when he was with my babies.
“They've been having a great time,” Keir assured me. Then he gave me a somber look over their heads. “Are you all right?”
“I'm fantastic,” I said brightly, more for the kid's benefit than his, but Dad nodded in relief.
“Mommy, when are you and Daddy coming home?” Shahzadi demanded, her dragon wings springing open and her little fists going to her hips. Her hair was in a braid—another amazing accomplishment of her grandfather—but the golden stars over her emerald eyes flared savagely.
That's right; they hadn't just been without me. Daxon had called Tiernan and Raza as soon as I was taken. Which meant that the kids had been without their parents for nearly three weeks. It was the longest we'd been apart.
“Soon, baby,” I said. “Daddy will probably come home before I do.”