by S Lawrence
Michael stops in front of the goddesses and looks back at me, shaking his head. As we reach them, a portal opens and I can see our home just on the other side. With a grateful nod, we step through, and I feel my body instantly relax as the familiar smells of the Highlands and home reach my nose.
Patrick throws open the door, and I sense his relief at our arrival, but his face changes to worry as he takes in Cora and Raven. Michael walks up the step, pausing just for a moment before striding in, straight down the hall with Cora. I bring Raven up and stop by my friend. “Patrick, this is Raven.”
“Ah, lass, I have heard so much about ye. Welcome to our home.” He looks closely at me as I nod and take her inside. I guide her down through the hallway, stopping as Michael steps out of Chris’s room. He puts his finger to his lips and then moves on down to our room, leading the way. Starting forward, my heart pounds as I lead Raven to our room.
He steps in the open door and stops. Moving into the room, I look at our two small beds and grimace. We both glance at her, and she has an amused look on her face. I stalk to the table between the beds and pick it up, moving it out of the way, as Michael slides the beds together.
“Will do for now,” he murmurs, looking at her. She nods but doesn’t move. “Raven, come. You need to rest. We need to rest. Let us just hold you for tonight.” Fresh tears spring to her eyes as she crosses the room and climbs onto the bed. I shed my shirt and climb in on her left side, and Michael does the same on her right.
“Sleep. We will be here.” She turns to her side, resting her head on Michael’s chest and reaches back with her hand, drawing me to her. I curl around her, wrapping my arms over her. My hand lays on my friend’s side, and he smiles at me before kissing her hair. Sleep takes us all as she cries quietly.
Chapter 49
MICHAEL
I come awake in a tangle of arms and legs, thinking that this is how it can be, all of us together. I ease from bed, careful to leave the others sleeping. Raven turns in her sleep, her leg sliding over Sean, and his arms tighten slightly on her. Through our link, I feel their contentment. I pad on silent feet to the door, intent on checking on Cora. I find her on the porch, watching the sun rise. She has a coffee cup in her hand, her mind far away. I sink down onto the step beside her and her head whips my direction.
“Shit! You scared me.” Her hand hits my shoulder lightly. She swallows a couple times before she says softly, “Thank you… For yesterday. For everything.” I want to blow her thanks off, tell her she doesn’t need to thank me, but I see she needs to say it.
“Cora, you’re ours now. Family.” I reach over, squeezing her knee, and she shifts a little, leaning against me. The sounds of the Highlands envelop us as we watch the sun.
It has climbed well into the sky when she draws a breath. Letting it out, she says, “You can go back to them. I’m fine, I promise.”
I shake my head, “They’re sleeping. I’m good right here with you.”
“You’d be better with them. And you definitely should take them to your surprise. I’ll be fine here with Patrick. He’s been lonely without all of you. He’s mourning losing Chris, and in a way, you and Sean.” I start to deny the last but realize she is right. We will never be the same as before. She pats my arm. “Don’t worry. Patrick will be fine.” I stare into her strange eyes, seeing the truth of her statement.
I push up and turn to head back in, pausing I look down at her, “Stay here with him, Cora. For a while at least, let the Highlands give you some peace. Help Patrick find his new path.” She looks away for a moment before nodding.
I walk into our house, our home, pausing to look around, realizing it isn’t home anymore. Patrick sits in his chair by the window, looking out at the rolling hills. His face is sad when he looks at me. “How long before you leave?” He murmurs.
“We will leave today but we will be back, brother.” He nods before smiling.
“She will be good for you both.”
“Yes. I told Cora to stay here, let our home help her heal. I know ye will look out for her.” I smile back at him.
“Ah yes, she is a wee thing, and even I, with no power, can tell she is hurting.” His gaze looks out at her still on the step. “Go, she will be fine in my care.” I cross, squeezing his shoulder before heading back to my room.
Opening the door, I look in meeting Sean’s green eyes. He is alone on the bed. He points to the bathroom door, and I relax, hearing her moving around inside the small room. “How’s the lass?” His voice is low.
“Alright. I asked her to stay with Patrick. She reminded me that he is mourning, not only Chris’s loss, but really us too.” Sean is silent before nodding.
“I hadn’t thought of it either. Are we going somewhere?” The door opening stops me from answering. She steps out, face pink from washing it, and she has her hair pulled up. Fresh clothes are on her body and she look beautiful. Sh walks to stand in front of me. Rising up, she lets her lips slide over mine. It is a slow kiss and it takes my breath away. It is filled with emotions, and my chest tightens. She slowly lowers her heels, and her lips break away from mine.
“Thank you,” she says softly.
“For?”
“Everything,” is her reply. Sean raises up, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed, rolling his shoulders.
“We need a bigger bed,” he grumbles, and she laughs.
“I was laying in the crack most of the night.” Her voice is filled with humor. I look around the room, my hand running over my hair. “What is it?” I look at them, both are watching me. “We can feel your nervousness through the bond.” Sean nods, pushing to his feet, he comes to stand behind her.
“I…well…I was wondering if you would like to go see something today.”
“What?” Sean queries, his brows drawn down.
“A place that could maybe be our home.” I lock eyes with Raven. “Your home is gone, destroyed. I thought, maybe, you’d like to make a new one with us.” Sean’s face is etched with confusion, but he remains silent.
“Yes. I’d like that very much,” she replies quickly, no hesitancy found in her voice. She smiles, and I release the breath that I didn’t even realize I had been holding.
She goes out to sit with Cora while Sean showers in our room, and I head into Patrick’s to do the same. One hour later, we climb into my SUV heading north. We drive mostly in silence, her eyes on the scenery, and Sean’s eyes on her. Finally, I slow down to make the turn, and Sean sits up, looking out the windows.
“This is Kai’s land.”
“Yes, this is the road that leads to his property. I talked to him while we were in Greece. He told me of another piece that was for sale, right next to it, so I bought it with a little help from Aislin’s new foundation.” I grin at the last.
“Foundation? When has she had time to start a bloody foundation?” He grumbles. “Why didn’t ye tell me?”
“I was going to, but then we went on a quest.” Sarcasm laces my voice and he growls. “Brother, I knew we would want to be close to Aislin. Honestly...,” my voice thickens with my emotions. “I don’t think I can live in our house with Chris gone. Too much has changed.” He sits back, and it is a long time before he nods.
I slow the car down a little further down the road turning on what is barely a trail through the woods. Raven is looking around before she grins looking at us. “This is where I first saw you. The night of Kai and Aislin’s binding. I watched from the tree tops.”
“What?” We ask in unison. She just grins and nods before looking out the window once more. I lock eyes with Sean in the mirror. We finally break through the trees, and Sean sits forward, eyes wide. Raven gives a small gasp as her eyes take in the cliff and the ocean beyond. Stopping the car, I turn it off and climb out. They follow me as I move in front of it.
Sean turns in circle, shaking his head. “Our property line is where the little trail starts and goes to the cliff and then runs along it for a while before cutting back to the trail
. Eighty acres in the shape of a triangle, basically.”
“Eighty acres!” Sean exclaims. “I’d say Aislin helped.”
“Actually, not much, really. Patrick has invested our pay well.”
“It’s beautiful.” Her voice whispers over us. “It has everything. A place to fly. A place to run.” She looks at Sean and continues, “A place to climb.” Her eyes move to me.
I turn looking around, realizing how right she is. I wonder about destiny, just in that moment. I walk them to the cliff, and we stand, listening to the waves crashing hundreds of feet below us.
“I thought we could build our house here with a wall of windows. You could leap from it, and no one would see you,” I offer, her face lights up at the idea and she nods, looking over the edge. “It will take awhile to build, but we should be able to get those that are working on Kai and Aislin’s to do it. Currently, they are building a barn for Fergus and Concubar.” Sean grumbles when I mention the stallion. I hope the beast still likes me after being gone so long.
Sean turns looking at the forest, hungrily. We feel his power surge, and when he glances back at us, his eyes glow greener. My cat pushes at me as I nod, feeling the same pull. I grab Raven, kissing her quickly before stepping away, and then Sean does the same. She is laughing as we change quickly. “Come on, boys, let’s go explore our new territory.”
I race away, leaping onto the first low branch as Sean lopes into the trees behind me. Raven stays close behind us both. We explore our new home for hours before shifting back, making our way back to the meadow at the cliff’s edge.
* * *
LOKI
I watch these Druids care for my daughter, realizing that, once again, the magic and destiny knew what was needed. I still stay hidden from them, not ready to face my own. After many hours, I leave them and sift back to the cliff’s edge. The one called Michael had been right; it would be perfect for her here, away from Odin.
I glance around before reaching out to their minds, a delicate probing of each of their visions for their home. I manage not to alert them of my presence. Getting what I need from each, I leave them to their explorations. I work quickly and sift away, sending Raven a quick message.
‘I love you, daughter, and always have. Be happy.’
Chapter 50
RAVEN
My heart breaks a little at his farewell. Because that is what his words are - goodbye. 'I love you too, Father,' I reply to him softly. I let him go. My men are looking at me in concern, but I just shake my head and they don't push. I think I love them more in that moment. I don't say it, knowing they are probably not ready for that.
"Let's head back. We have a long drive." Michael takes my hand, starting back toward the cliff. Sean wraps his arm around my shoulder pulling me to his side.
When we finally break through the trees, I almost run into Michael as he comes to a stop. "What the fuck?!" His voice is incredulous. Sean looks around him, his mouth falling open. I smile at the breathtaking house now sitting at the cliff’s edge. I pull free of them, moving toward it as smile breaks across my face even as tears well in my eyes. Father.
"Loki?" Michael asks, and I realize I had whispered out loud. I nod, not trusting my voice just yet. I walk forward, opening the beautifully carved doors, not missing the wings that are in the pattern. They swing wide, revealing a wide open space. It is the best of everything -- modern kitchen, living area that has large overstuffed couches, and a huge T.V., I'm guessing for the men. An open wall with a barrier like Freya has looks out over the cliff. One of the other large walls has a huge fireplace with an ancient Celtic tapestry hanging above it of Druids in a grove. Michael's eyes stay on it for long moments before he turns to me.
"His goodbye. He is running from his destiny." I shake my head at my father's defiance. "I have a feeling it will catch him though." The image of a certain woman pops into my mind.
"Cora," they both say, chuckling.
"Yes, I don't think he has any idea what he's up against with her." I grin at them before moving to another door, opening it to look inside. It's my turn to gasp. They move up behind me looking around to see.
The room is gorgeous. Jewel tones of blue, green, and everything highlighted with black. The far wall holds a portal, and through it a forest, the branches of the nearest trees stick through the opening. The scent of trees and earth fill the room.
"A portal," Sean states. "A fucking portal in the room."
Michael steps around me, walking over to it. "A rainforest." His voice is thick, understanding Father chose it for him, for his cat.
"A way to escape if we need. A place to let your animals run and for me to fly without having to worry." I'm sad for a moment that no one else understand how my father loves, how no one ever see this side of him. "Let's go." I urge them as I move into the trees, and they follow, shifting as their feet reach the moist soil.
We run exploring for hours before returning the the portal and our home. I love the sound of that... Our home.
Chapter 51
SEAN
I shift as we come through portal, and Michael does the same. Raven follows us, tucking her wings away. I cross to another door, opening it, and see my guess was right. It's the bathroom with a huge soaking tub and a shower made for three. I walk in, turning the water on and turning back around as I hear them follow me in. I freeze at the lust stamped on her face. Michael is at her back, his hands on her shoulders. He tightens his fingers before pushing her gently my way. She glides over the tile, her hips rolling in sensual grace, stopping when her hands slide down over my chest to the hem of my shirt. Her nails scrape over the skin, under the shirt, and then she pulls it up over my head. I toss it to the floor as her lips move over my flesh, up to my neck, and then her hands pull my mouth down to hers. I hear Michael undressing, then the sound of the water hitting his body. She breaks away from my lips, looking at him through the steam, and her fingers trail over me as she turns and her clothes disappear. Fuck, I feel myself growing hard at the sight of her and harder still as she joins him beneath the water.
His hands roam over her back, dark against her pale skin, until one buries in her hair and the other grips her ass, pulling her close. The one in her hair moves her head as his lips crash into hers, his eyes lock onto mine. Shit. I grab the button to my pants, undoing it and stripping them off in record time.
As I step in under the water, he turns her to me. His hand pulls her head back toward him, arching her back so her breasts are lifted like an offering. Her own hands reaches behind her, and his eyes flare as she takes him in her hand. I move forward, bending my head to her hardened nipple, sucking it into my mouth. My hand moves to her other breast, kneading it, rolling the nipple between my thumb and finger. I draw harder on the one in my mouth before biting down. She cries out and then is silenced by Michael's mouth. Her free hand goes to the back of my head pulling me closer, wanting more. I feel her movements as she works him with her hand, and a low growl fills the air as she pushes him to the edge of his control. I release the hard nub, stepping back to watch until he stills her hand.
A lovely pout forms on her mouth, and I run my thumb over it before leaning in to bite her lower lip and suck it into my mouth.
"Just not here, Black Bird. We want to lay you out. Feast on you." His voice is thick with lust. I hear how hard he is fighting for control as he whispers at her ear. He steps away, so I wrap my arms around her to hold her up. Then I leave her mouth, easing back also. Her skin is flushed, and her eyes dazed.
I grab soap, washing myself efficiently before turning to her. Michael has done the same, washing her back as I do her front. Her eyes slide closed in contentment. I nod at him over her head. We turn the water off, and stepping out, I grab towels from the counter. Loki had thought of every detail. I step back in, handing them each one before walking out to the bedroom.
She takes my breath as she walks out, pale hair and skin only broken up by the black tattoo running down her back and the marks made
by our teeth and lips. I pull the black comforter off the bed and climb onto the green and blue swirled satin sheets, moving up toward the pillows. Holding my hand out to her as she moves closer, she laces her fingers with mine, letting me pull her to me. I settle her between my thighs, her back to me, head on my chest, watching as Michael stalks to the edge of the bed.
Chapter 52
RAVEN
I watch Michael kneel through my lowered lashes, and they fall closed as his lips whisper over my stomach. I let myself get lost in the sensations as Sean runs his hands over my breast while his teeth nip at my neck. Mouth and tongue. Hands and teeth. Pleasure and pain. They are my fire and ice.
Michael starts his descent, and my core clenches as I open my eyes to watch his progression. My hand reaches over my head to force Sean closer. His hardness is pressing into my back and the sight of Michael's has cream flooding out of my pussy.
Michael's hand grips my thighs tightly before shoving them open, baring me to their view. "So fucking wet. So ready for both of us." He growls right over me, his breath warming my already heated flesh more. I whimper at his words, and Sean's hand fists in my hair, pulling my head back so he can devour my mouth. I open to him, and his velvety tongue sweeps inside just as Michael's licks slowly over my mound. I moan into Sean's mouth, overwhelmed by the sensations. My body tightens as Michael plunges his tongue into my dripping core, his finger stroking over my sensitive clit. The orgasm crashes over me like a tidal wave, and still they feast on me, Sean swallowing my cries, and Michael lapping up my cream.
It goes on and on until Sean breaks our kiss a growl in his throat. He moves from behind me, laying my head on a pillow, and I miss his heat instantly. I don't wait long though as he positions himself over my chest, his swollen head inches from my mouth. I crave it, long for it. He glances behind him as Michael rises up. His blue eyes are blazing with lust as he looks at me over Sean's shoulder. I feel him slide over my swollen flesh, positioning himself at my entrance. Sean's smile is positively wicked as he turns back to me. He hooks one of my knees in his hand and pulls my leg high. Michael wraps the other around his own back, causing my hip to undulate as his cock slides over my mound. Sean leans forward and braces another pillow under my head allowing him deeper penetration. My mouth waters. I lick my lips, and his pupils flare.