by Laurie Roma
Using those skills now, Braden calmly instructed Solan while they fought. He corrected what the younger male was doing wrong or praised certain techniques that he did well. Solan listened intently and adjusted accordingly, learning with each move.
Tynan did none of that. Instead, he taunted his younger brother until Zarek looked like he wanted to kill him. Then, Tynan threw his head back with a booming laugh and wrapped his arms around Zarek, slapping his back enthusiastically.
“How did you get so good, little brother?”
“By trying to survive you,” Zarek panted, all but preening from his brother’s praise.
Ah, the joys of brotherhood, Jasyn thought with the shake of his head.
“Speaking of brothers, yours is a genius,” Aeron said through their bond.
“I suppose you mean yourself?” Jasyn asked dryly. He left the other males to their training on the beach and made his way toward the open patio doors. Cael and Cian were inside the lounge area working on some sort of project. There was no sign of Ryder, Allie, and the twins, so they must have been upstairs taking a nap.
“Since I am the one who figured out how to help our sweet little mate sleep through the entire morning, I think I earned the title.”
“What did you do?” he demanded.
“I do not know if you deserve to know yet. Are you keeping our guests entertained?”
“Do not make me hurt you,” Jasyn growled. He immediately relaxed when he heard Liandra’s soft laughter drifting into his head. “Good rising, mate. Did you truly sleep well?”
“Good rising, my love. I did. Perhaps you should come up here and see for yourself.”
In an instant, he transported upstairs to their bedchamber. He really loved that particular power. Frowning at the empty bed, he reached out with his senses and realized Liandra was in the bathing pool. Turning, he saw Aeron leaning against the doorframe already dressed in his leathers.
“You seem extra broody today.”
Jasyn raised a brow. “Broody?”
“Another Earth term.” Aeron sighed. “We really need to send Tynan, Cael, Ryder, and Allie home, or we are all going to start sounding like humans.”
“Aye, and the younger ones. I think Zarek, Solan, and Cian have actually moved in.”
A look of horror flashed across his face, then he grinned wryly. “We shall make Braden kick them out.”
“Perfect.” Jasyn walked over to stand next to Aeron in the open doorway, and both males smiled at their mate as she floated in the center of the bathing pool like a water goddess.
“They are your brothers now, too,” Liandra said on a laugh.
“Do not remind us.” Aeron groaned, then he elbowed Jasyn. “You owe me.”
“Why is that?”
“Because I am giving up some of my time with her and leaving her in your care while I go do brilliant things. I believe we have figured out how to make sure no one brings weapons onto the island.”
“Oh, we did, did we?” Liandra teased as she swam over to the side of the pool and propped her arms on the ledge.
“You did. But now I have to go see if I can make it work.” Aeron walked over to the pool and squatted down. Lifting her straight up, he kissed her hard before gently depositing her back into the water. “Princess, you were supposed to wait until he agreed to give me his next morning with you before we told him you figured it out.”
When Jasyn growled, Aeron laughed and disappeared from the room.
“Brothers.”
“Aeron is going to put mine to work since we cannot seem to get rid of them.”
“True. Now, tell me how he managed to help you sleep through the morning.”
She cocked her head to the side. “You are not curious about my plan for the weapons?”
“I am, but you are more important. You are everything.”
Liandra watched transfixed as his clothing vanished, leaving his big, beautiful body bare to her gaze. She glanced down at his heavy erection, then sighed when it disappeared from view as he entered the pool. The need she had for her mates never abated, and she feared she had developed some sort of sex obsession.
Reading her thoughts, he laughed. “That is definitely not a bad thing.” He pulled her against him and kissed her lightly. “Now, stop distracting me. Tell me how to help you sleep.”
Sighing, she leaned her head against his shoulder. “After we made love, I fell asleep on Aeron while I was listening to his heartbeat. I woke up in the same position. It was...uncomfortable for him.”
That was putting it lightly.
Poor Aeron had been hard for hours while he’d held her, and she knew he hadn’t managed to fall back to sleep while he waited for her to wake again. Since his body was packed with nothing but solid muscle, it had been like sleeping on a slab of stone. Why she had been more comfortable on top of him rather than the soft, comfortable bed, she didn’t know. It was bizarre, but it had worked.
Even though she had rested better than she had in days, she’d woken with a giant knot in her shoulder. She had tried to hide it from him, but he’d sensed it. After he had massaged her, he’d insisted she bathe in the healing water. She had been irritated when he hadn’t joined her in the pool, but Jasyn’s arrival had helped settle her again.
Explaining the strange sleeping arrangement made her want to cry. She couldn’t stand making her mates uncomfortable in any way. Liandra had witnessed the severity of Allie’s mood swings while she’d been pregnant with the twins, but she hadn’t understood how overwhelming it had been to experience those shifting emotions. It was becoming clear to her now, and she worried that it was just going to get worse.
Jasyn brushed his lips against her temple. “Do not worry, little one. We have had years of practice being hard around you with no way to ease the ache. A few hours is nothing. We will take turns holding you each night, and we look forward to soothing your swinging moods.”
“You say that now...”
Chuckling, he leaned down to kiss her. “I do.”
Liandra fought the urge to sigh when he shifted his hold on her until she was once again floating, and her sore shoulder was submerged in the thick, healing water. It was sneaky of him, but she couldn’t complain about her mates taking such good care of her.
“Remember that Allie had difficulties controlling her emotions until she bonded with the babies. With the changes going on in your body and the added stress of everything that is going on, you need to give yourself some time to acclimate.” He paused as he cupped water into his hand and poured it over her body. “Now, tell me of this plan Aeron tried to take credit for.”
Closing her eyes, she let herself float. “I was thinking about the story Allie told the twins yesterday before she put them down for their nap. The one about the young king who pulled a sword from a stone.”
“Clever little mate,” he murmured. “How does your shoulder feel?”
“Good. The ache is gone.”
“Then, I think it is time to take care of your other needs now.”
Instead of explaining, Jasyn moved between her legs and lowered himself into the water. Pulling her legs up onto his shoulders, he let out a soft purr and put his mouth on her. He swirled his tongue around her clit, then lapped at the juices spilling from her pussy. She moaned his name, making him growl in response. He sucked harder, thrusting his tongue deeper to taste more of her sweet cream, then stopped when her head went underwater. When she resurfaced sputtering, he immediately lowered her legs and pulled her against him.
“Are you well, mate?”
“Aye.” Laughing, she said, “I forgot where I was for a moment.”
Wrapping her legs around his waist, she slowly sank down onto his thick erection. They both moaned with pleasure as he filled her, and when his mouth took hers, she met his seeking tongue with her own.
“Never enough,” he whispered into her mind as he backed her up against the side of the pool. “I will never have enough of you.”
“Ja
syn...”
He slid his cock into her tight pussy with slow, even strokes. Opening his mind to her completely, he let her see that she wasn’t the only one with raging emotions. All morning, he had missed her with a desperation that had bordered on madness. That was why he had spent his time prowling around the island to occupy his mind.
Being away from her was painful, but he had to learn how to deal with it. They all had to learn how to deal with their unstable emotions, and they had to be open and honest with one another to do it.
She bucked her hips against him, trying to make him move faster, but he kept her pinned against the side of the pool. He wanted their loving to last. Wanted to take his time making her come over and over again before he spilled his seed inside her, but he couldn’t stand her whimpers of need.
“More. Please, Jasyn. Please...”
Giving in to the urgency he felt within her, he carried her into the shallow end of the pool. No longer impeded by the thick water, he drove into her harder, faster, pushing them toward the ecstasy that awaited them. When he felt himself sliding toward climax, he reached down and rubbed her clit until she tightened around him.
Kissing her with a desperation fueled by passion, he surged into her over and over again. He drank down her wild cries when she came and let himself fall with her. When his cock swelled inside her, he sank his fangs in his mark on her neck, binding them together. He continued to fill her with his release and growled when a new surge of pleasure swept through him when she bit down on his neck, completing their bond.
Locked together, Jasyn made the purring sound she loved so much as he continued to fill her with his release. He pulled her back into the water, holding her close while she trembled in his arms. When she went limp, he held her on top of his body as he floated to the center of the pool. Brushing her wet hair back from her face, he pressed a kiss against her temple.
He sighed. “Sometimes, I do not know what to do with all the love I feel for you. It fills up every cell in my body, makes me feel like I cannot breathe without you near.”
She wrapped her arms around him tight. “It is the same for me. I trust in us completely, but sometimes, I worry that I might do something to push you away.”
“You could never push me away,” he vowed emphatically.
“I do not like feeling this...emotionally challenged.”
“Once we tell the others about our news, we can talk to them and learn how to make it better. We will find a way, mate. I promise you.”
She pressed a kiss on his chest. “Do you remember that song you used to sing to me when I was a youngling?”
He flushed a little. “Aye. It was something my mother made up to sing to us when we were babes.”
“Will you sing it to our daughter?”
Thinking about holding their daughter while he sang to her filled his heart with joy. “Of course, love. I cannot wait for that day.”
“I cannot recall my fathers ever singing to me. I do not remember being around them much during my younger years.”
“Your fathers are—”
“Old, stubborn fools?” she asked with a grin. “That is what you call them in your head when you are muttering about them.”
“True.” Stroking her back, he said, “I think something happened to your fathers when their brother was killed. A part of them shut down, which led to a disconnect between them and your mother. I cannot even imagine the pain they must feel, but holding back that part of themselves is what is holding them back from finding what we have.”
“Since he was killed by rogues before I was born, I never met my father, Tyce. But I still miss him. My mother and fathers do, too. I know it, though they refuse to speak of him.”
“Perhaps their reticence is what is keeping them from finding their magic. They are true mates, including Tyce, even though he is gone from this life. He is still part of their bond. He will join them in their next lives, but they cannot let his passing stop them from reaching their true potential in this one.”
“I never thought of it that way. I just wish they would—”
“Sorry to interrupt you two, but we need you down here,” Braden’s voice cut in. “The Vortox brothers have come with news, and it is not good.”
“Is it my mother and fathers?” Liandra asked.
“Nay, Lia. As far as I know, they are fine.”
Jasyn growled with impatience. “Then, what is it?”
“The Kings of the Palace in the Clouds are approaching the Sands, and they have brought an army with them.”
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
“The Palace in the Clouds is attacking!” Zarek announced with a manic sort of glee as soon as Liandra and Jasyn transported into the great hall on the main level.
“Explain,” Jasyn demanded.
Everyone turned to look at the three warriors who were trying not to gape at their surroundings. Zavier, Calix, and Makari Vortox snapped to attention at the command.
“Since we have not had a chance to speak to you since the celebration, we would like to start off by wishing you bright blessings and honor to your mating,” Zavier said, glancing at Braden, Jasyn, Aeron, and Liandra.
“Honor to your mating,” Calix and Makari repeated together, striking their fists against their chests, directly over their hearts.
Liandra smiled at them. “Thank you. You must be glad you do not have to follow me around anymore.”
Zavier smiled weakly at her, then he cleared his throat. “Since you are mated to Princess Liandra now—”
“You have been asked to step in as commanders,” Aeron predicted.
Calix nodded. “Aye, we wanted to be the ones to tell you.”
“You would have been our choice as well,” Braden announced. They had known it was coming, but hearing it was still a hard slap of reality. Still, it was necessary. The warriors needed a strong trio to command them, and there was no way they could do it now that they were mated to Liandra.
“Why?” she asked, outraged. “If my fathers think to punish you—”
“It is not a punishment,” Jasyn assured her. “Our place is with you now, not leading the warriors.”
“If I were an untitled female, you would still be commanders.”
“Nay, Lia,” Braden said. “We have more important things to focus on, like caring for our family, ensuring the safety of the females we have taken in, and helping others find their true mates.”
“So, what is this about an attack?” Ryder asked. He swayed side to side with his daughter held securely in his arms, and when she reached up and grabbed at a lock of his hair, he grinned down at her.
“Patrols from the Eastern border have reported the Kings of the Palace in the Clouds are heading toward the Sands with an army.”
“Why in all the worlds would they bring an army here?” Allie mused as she gently rocked Kaspen in her arms. “They must realize how stupid it is to come here looking for a fight.”
Jasyn sighed. “They are here because I tossed their younger brother on his ass. You know it could mean war if anyone attacks a member of a royal house.”
“You only did what you did because those little fuckers touched Liandra,” Tynan growled.
“Ty! Language,” Allie scolded, making a point to glance at the twins.
Tynan winced. “Sorry, mate.”
She sighed. “I guess it’s okay. They really were little you-know-whats.”
Cael chuckled and leaned down to kiss the top of her head. “That they were, mate.”
“Do you think they were honest with their elder brothers when they ran home with their tails tucked between their legs?” Cian asked.
“It does not matter,” Jasyn said. “We will take care of it.”
“The princes were warned not to touch any female in the Sands. They were let off easy, but if they want a fight, they will certainly get one,” Braden declared.
“Three dragons against an army...we should be back in a few minutes,” Aeron added with a sharp grin.
/> “Make that six,” Cael corrected. “Six dragons.”
“We are going, too,” Solan argued, and Zarek and Cian nodded in agreement.
Braden shook his head. “Liandra is our mate, and Jasyn is the one who tossed the fool. If it comes down to a fight, it is for the three of us to finish.”
Bracing himself for an argument, Jasyn turned to Liandra. “We want you to stay here, mate.”
“Have I suddenly hit my head?” When he simply kept looking at her, she sighed. “I may have magic now, but the fundamentals of who I am have not changed. If I had to defend our family or our people, I would do it without hesitation. But this? I have no desire to go fight wars or settle arguments with stupid males. Go, have fun. But if you come back here with so much as a scratch on you, I will be very displeased.”
Braden, Jasyn, and Aeron slowly grinned at her.
“We should go make sure they come back unharmed. We can just circle around in dragon form.” Tynan rubbed his hands together. “This will be fun and—”
“No,” Allie said firmly.
He blinked at her. “Oh, but—”
“No,” Allie repeated. Instead of arguing, she held the baby out to him. Cooperating with his mother, Kaspen reached out his tiny arms to Tynan. “Your son wants you to hold him.”
Tynan instantly transported to her side as if he couldn’t bear making his son wait for him to cross the room like a normal person. He took the boy into his arm and smiled down at him. “Hello, my little poop machine. Of course, you want papa to hold you.”
Allie rolled her eye. “Go while he is distracted. We will all stay here with Liandra.”
“We always miss out on the good stuff,” Zarek complained.
“The army from the Clouds should be at the edge of the sand dunes by now. Our warriors are yours to command,” Calix told them.
“Keep them in the city. We will not need them for this.” Jasyn stroked a finger down Liandra’s cheek. “We love you, mate. We will return to you soon.”