by Brenda Trim
Picking up her cell phone, Brianne took another bite of donut and grimaced at the slew of curses in her sister’s message. No doubt Raquel’s fingers were flying over the screen as she vented her frustration. She and Raquel were close, and her sister was livid about the bullshit that went on in their clan while Brianne was away. With a large group of headstrong and volatile females, there was always some kind of drama.
Brianne paused and contemplated Raquel’s final question. Why was she still at the compound? It was unlike her to extend her time with anyone. She was an in and out kind of female. Brianne couldn’t pinpoint what drew her like a magnet to Cael, but she wanted to see him one more time before she left.
Footsteps in the hall had her tossing her phone onto her duffle bag. She shoved the last of the donut in her mouth then laid across the mattress in what she hoped was a seductive pose. The soreness in her body evaporated as adrenaline pumped into her system. She couldn’t believe how excited she was about seeing him again.
The exterior door rattled, and seconds later, Cael’s sexy blue eyes were heating her bloodstream. The way he looked her over, as if he hadn’t spent the evening ravishing her and would die if he didn’t get another taste, had Brianne shifting her legs to relieve a painful ache she welcomed.
“I don’t know if I should turn around and forget I saw you, or accept the invitation in your dark eyes,” he murmured. His hand raked over his chin, and his tongue ran over his lower lip.
Brazenly, she lowered the sheet and cupped her breasts, knowing he could see her every move, despite the darkness. She remembered how much he enjoyed watching her. A low moan escaped his throat, and she smiled wickedly at his glowing eyes. She had no idea why he was playing coy, but she liked this timid side almost as much as his aggression.
“Don’t you dare leave. You can’t look at me like that then leave me hanging. Not when I know you want me. No sea malo,” Brianne pouted as she lightly caressed her nipples.
She understood his surprise at finding her waiting in his bed. It wasn’t as if he left her a note, asking her to stay until he returned. Then again, he hadn’t asked her to leave, either. All that mattered right now was she was naked and ready for him.
He shut the door and made his way to the bed, his eyes glued to her hands as they roamed her body. “How deep is your love, how deep is your love? I really mean to learn,” his deep baritone crooned as he swaggered toward the bed.
That was a side Brianne hadn’t seen. Surprisingly, Cael sang very well, and it was a total turn-on. “Come and find out for yourself,” she challenged and trailed her hand to the small thatch between her legs.
“We have shared before, just not like this,” he commented and reached down to caress her cheek.
His statement confused her, but his touch sent a rush of arousal through her system. Brianne got to her knees and faced him. The way he was looking at her- as if seeing her naked for the first time- didn’t make any sense, but it was driving her lust through the roof. She reached out and unfastened his jeans.
Brianne quickly tugged his pants to mid-thigh then sat back on her heels. His glowing eyes flared, and she saw raw hunger deep within. He wanted, no needed, action, yet he didn’t make the next move.
This was entirely different from how he acted the night before. Cael had taken charge without giving her a spare second to breathe. Now, he seemed reserved and unsure. She loved the dichotomy. It was thrilling, and her body thrummed with anticipation. It was like exploring and learning about each other all over again.
“Gods, you are magnificent,” she whispered.
Her hot breath must’ve tickled his erection because it jerked with each of her words. It was begging for attention, and she was happy to oblige.
“I am nothing compared to you. I might regret this, but I can’t say no,” Cael groaned and Brianne lifted her eyes, meeting his gaze as she wrapped her fingers around his silky flesh.
She licked her lips and wondered how she was ever going to leave this male. It wasn’t just the mind-blowing sex with Cael, but the connection she felt regardless of the few words they’d exchanged. What they shared transcended all of that.
Brianne’s hand moved up and down his long shaft, and pre-cum beaded the tip.
“I pray you don’t regret this. If so, please stop teasing me now,” Cael groaned as her hand moved up and down his length. Pre-cum beaded the tip when she swirled her thumb across the slit.
Given his aggressive personality the night before, she knew it was taking all his effort to keep from shoving inside her mouth. This was new territory for them. He had taken charge when they met, and Brianne wondered at the change but didn’t dwell as she focused on the matter at hand. And, what a matter it was. A real work of art, she mused.
“No regrets here,” she murmured then licked the nerve-laden tip.
His head fell to his chest, and his groan reverberated through her entire body. She wrapped her lips around the spongey head and sucked hard, hollowing her cheeks with the effort.
Expecting him to grab her head and thrust deep, she was pleasantly surprised when he gently threaded his fingers through her hair. She felt his body tremor, certain it was killing him to hold back. Every so often, his hips would thrust involuntarily, forcing his erection further inside her mouth, and then Cael would stop his movement. She could see his chest heave with deep breaths as he gained control over his desire.
“Ah, Goddess. Don’t stop,” he panted, his voice rough and breathy.
He was a large male, and his girth stretched her mouth to its limit, but she sucked and licked and brought him to the edge. She relaxed her throat and swallowed more of him, and his responding groan told her his climax was close. Brianne reached up and cupped his balls, giving them a not-so-gentle squeeze. She hadn’t meant to be so rough, but her desire was off the charts.
Suddenly, Cael stepped back, which caused his shaft to pop from her mouth. “I need more, mi leóncito. Ay, Dios!” Brianne grumbled in disappointment.
His large hands landed on her ass, pulling her close. His lean body felt familiar, yet foreign. Her hands went to the hem of his shirt and tore it over his head. As fabric went flying, he toed off his boots, his hands never leaving her body.
They were both desperate and eager for one another. The frenzy was exactly as it had been the night before and she sent a silent prayer of thanks to the Gods. Sex was a pleasurable activity that she enjoyed immensely, but it had never been this frantic or necessary before.
His pants were gone in the blink of an eye, and she was eating up his body with her eyes. She was glad to see the painful brand had disappeared. They didn’t discuss it, but clearly, his vampire healing kicked in and healed the injury overnight.
Brianne’s thoughts scattered when he cupped her cheek and leaned in to kiss her lips tenderly. Admittedly, she was torn between his previous aggressive behavior and this newfound gentle, loving attention that made her feel cherished and adored.
On many levels, she was one of those females that wanted to be loved and protected by her male. It wasn’t always obvious, as her kind were often the aggressors and violent by nature, but it was there beneath the surface.
Urging her to lie down, Cael draped his body on top of hers. His heat and masculine scent drowned out the rest of the world. And, the way his fingers played her like a violin had her back arching to encourage more of his touch.
“You are exquisite, and your accent drives me crazy. I shouldn’t be doing this, but I can’t stop now,” Cael murmured as he kissed a path down her delicate neck.
“Of course you should be doing this,” she assured him. They were beyond polite denials at this point. There would be time to get to know one another later. Right now, Brianne needed to feel him inside her. “There’s no reason to deny ourselves.”
“You’re right. He can’t hate me. I’m his brother,” Cael replied.
Confusion distracted her as his mouth latched onto one nipple. As he sucked and licked her sensitive flesh,
she realized he must be concerned about upsetting Tristan. After all, the Dark Warriors were a brotherhood with mutual respect and admiration for one another. To her, Tristan was sweet and fun, but there was nothing between them.
“He won’t hate you. It was just sex. Nothing more,” Brianne assured him.
“Good,” he muttered as he wiggled his hips, nestling his cock between her thighs. “But, damn, this is insane. I’ve never made love to a female I hardly spoke with.”
Brianne cut off the same tirade Cael had gone into last night by pressing her mouth to his. It was practically word for word, and she didn’t want to talk about it again. The way Brianne saw it, none of that mattered when their bodies demanded satisfaction. She grabbed hold of his erection and guided it to her core.
He shifted positions and rubbed his hard length through her channel. When he slid across her clit, she screamed and bucked, needing more friction.
Cade’s mind was spinning. He’d gone to his brother’s room after he saw a missed call from him, and discovered a naked harpy instead. At first, he thought he walked into the wrong suite until he saw the familiar gray quilt barely covering her ample bosom. He turned to leave, but the sexy creature grabbed her breasts and began playing with herself. He’d be a damn fool to walk away from such a spectacular sight.
Now, the only coherent thought filtering through the hazy lust was the urgent need to get inside the female before he exploded. Brianne’s hot, succulent body writhed beneath him, and he was hell-bent on paying homage to its magnificence.
His kisses trailed from her breasts to her slender neck. Cade sucked on the pounding pulse, and his fangs descended. His gums ached to taste her blood. She tilted her head and lifted her hips off the mattress, guiding the head of his cock inside her dripping core.
Suddenly, they both stilled.
Their panting breaths mingled as he glanced down to admire the incredible female beneath him. He hadn’t been with a harpy before and wasn’t sure what pleased them sexually, but Cade wanted to give her pleasure like she’d never experienced. He recalled how Illianna and Tori reacted when their mates touched their backs and decided to give it a shot. He braced his weight on one elbow, snuck his other hand beneath her back, and caressed the skin between her black and red wings.
The appendages fluttered, and her body bucked, forcing his shaft inside her womb. As Cade pushed deeper, it felt like he was home for the first time in his long existence. Who the fuck was this female and why did she have such a hold on him?
Not wanting to ruin the experience by analyzing, Cade started pumping in and out of her welcoming body. His conscious reared its head once again. What was he thinking, sleeping with a female that had obviously been with his brother mere hours before him? He should get up and leave, but he couldn’t. He was held in place by a driving force he’d never felt. In his defense, she wasn’t objecting. In fact, she was insisting. Maybe she felt the same undeniable pull to him.
Admittedly, Cade and his brother often slept with the same female, but never at the same time. And, certainly not in his brother’s bed right after he’d been with her. Cael was already pissed about Cade’s innocent dalliance with Cailyn, and this might push him over the edge. Then again, it was clear Cael and the female weren’t involved. He and his twin were inseparable, and the last female Cael had been with was only a couple nights ago, and it wasn’t this harpy.
Following her lead, Cade gave into the driving force and lost himself in her depths. She arched her back and called out in Spanish. It was a melody that demanded to be repeated, and he raked his fangs over her jugular. She tilted her head, giving him better access.
His fangs struck fast, and sweet blood filled his mouth. Brianne tasted of fresh mango, and he drank deeply while he caressed her back and wing slits. Her body writhed against his, demanding release. Cade gently removed his fangs and licked the wound shut then kissed a path to her breast, sinking his teeth into the sensitive flesh.
He knew his bite was pleasurable but wasn’t prepared for her explosive climax. Her core immediately clenched his shaft, and his orgasm hit hard and fast. Cade suddenly shouted out as pain exploded in his upper left thigh, while at the same time, his seed erupted from his body.
Confusion, pain, and pleasure swamped him, and Cade was unable to focus on anything but her dark eyes. Thoughts formed and flew from his mind with each beat of his heart. Sweat slicked his skin as his orgasm raged on until he finally understood what was happening.
The harpy beneath him was his Fated Mate.
Emotion clogged his throat and jealousy swamped while his body thundered through completion. Brianne had slept with his brother, and for the first time in his three hundred forty-two-year existence, he wanted to rip his brother’s head from his shoulders for seeing and touching his mate’s naked body.
It wasn’t Cael’s fault, he quickly amended. His twin didn’t know she was Cade’s Fated Mate. His brother wouldn’t dare look at her if he’d known she belonged to him. Cade would have to find a way to put aside his anger and vengeance. After all, his brother was his best friend. Their connection was forever binding. At least Cade now understood why he was driven to sleep with the alluring female, despite her being in Cael’s bed.
The fog of mixed emotion vanished as he stared at the beautiful harpy, and his heart filled with so many emotions. This was the one female created for him. This harpy carried a piece of his soul. Their joining was Fated by the Goddess. And then it dawned on him. He didn’t even know her name.
Cade opened his mouth to ask as the door to Cael’s suite burst open, and his brother bolted across the room.
“I’ll kill you, motherfucker!” mentally roared Cael right before Cade’s body left the mattress and soared through the air.
“What the fuck?” Cade snarled as he slammed into the wall and landed on all fours. “I’m the one who should kill you, asshole!” he mentally shouted back.
“It was bad enough you went after Cailyn, but this is low, even for you!” Cael snapped as he took a protective stance in front of the harpy. His brother’s blue eyes turned black with rage, and he reached to his boot. Cade saw the steel of the blade as his twin growled, “Stay away from my mate!”
Again, the bullshit about Cailyn. Cade hadn’t fucking touched the female. And, this was completely different. His brother fucked his mate. The ability to communicate telepathically with his twin was a blessing most days, but not now. In fact, Cade wished he could sever that particular bond.
“Oh, my, Gods. Gemelos!” the female shouted in the next breath.
Cade stood and stared from his brother to the female as Cael’s words sunk in. “Your mate?” he asked. “She’s mine!” he demanded and pointed to the mark burning his upper thigh.
Cael quickly shoved down his jeans. “No, she’s mine! How dare you fuck my mate! You’re a piece of fucking shit,” Cael roared and launched at Cade.
The brothers met mid-air and collided with a bang. Fists flew, and fangs snapped. Cael caught Cade on the cheek, drawing blood while Cade bit into Cael’s shoulder. Cade barely dodged the knee his brother threw to his exposed groin. Fury tore through Cade as he realized what his brother was trying to do.
Cael wanted to take his Fated Mate away from him and maim him in the process. Possessiveness stole all brotherly love as he readied to fight for what was his.
Suddenly, small hands landed on both their shoulders and shoved with impressive force.
Cade and Cael broke apart. “Brianne, get behind me,” Cael ordered with a furrowed brow.
Brianne. Cade mentally repeated her name and found it a perfect fit.
“No,” she replied. “What in all the realms is going on? You’re twin brothers?”
“Yes,” they replied simultaneously.
“Put on some clothes, mate,” Cael growled as he glowered at Cade.
“And, I slept with both of you?” she asked incredulously, ignoring the request.
Resounding nods followed her question.
/> “Talk about being between a rock and a hard place,” she remarked with a laugh as she nonchalantly walked to the bed and grabbed a sheet, wrapping it around her torso.
“This isn’t a joke. You’re my mate,” Cade implored and met her gaze. Didn’t she understand the seriousness of the situation?
“No, she’s my mate!” Cael countered.
“Detener! You should never fight like this. Especially not over me. Yes, the sex was great with both of you, but I am no one’s mate. You can’t claim me like an item at auction,” she scoffed and plopped onto the edge of the bed.
Not in all his fantasies of discovering his mate did it play out like his reality. He imagined declaring his eternal love then pleasuring his female for days on end. Not once did it include his twin brother. They had shared just about everything since the day they were born, but he would gut his twin before he shared a mate with him.
Cade pointed to the mark on his thigh. “This says you’re my Fated Mate.”
“My mark appeared first,” Cael snapped. “Yours is a mistake.”
Brianne’s head swiveled back and forth between the two and locked on their mate marks. “This is unreal. You’re identical twins with the exact same brand. Que carajo está pasando?” she mumbled and shook her head in disbelief.
Cade knew enough Spanish to understand what she was saying. Good question, he surmised. What in the hell was going on?
They shouldn’t have the same mate mark, and it shouldn’t have appeared after they both slept with the same female. No way was he stepping aside so his brother could claim Brianne. Every cell in Cade’s body objected to the notion.
And the glower Cael shot his way told Cade his twin brother was thinking the same thing.
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