by Brenda Trim
“Yes,” Cael mumbled as his gaze stayed glued to Brianne.
“I need a drink,” Brianne muttered. “And, some Red Vines.”
“I’ll make the drink,” Elsie replied coming around the table to their side. “I think there are still Red Vines in the pantry. Nate has been making good use of his new Amazon Prime account and had a case shipped a couple days ago.”
“Thank the Gods for small favors. At least this day isn’t a total fucking disaster. Sweet treats, cocktails, and babies!” Brianne exclaimed.
“Damn, there’s another saying for a shirt,” Mack shouted and high-fived Brianne.
Cael shook his head and rolled his eyes. Brianne’s gaze darted his way, and he didn’t miss the desire he saw in her dark depths. At that moment, Cael vowed he would claim his mate in every way. Or, he would die trying.
7
Zeum was turning out to be her personal hell, Brianne mused. She went there to help a sexy warlock transition into adulthood and discover sex. It was supposed to be a few care-free weeks filled with fun, sex, Red Vines, and lots of stolen objects to take home. As a harpy, Brianne had sticky fingers and rarely left an establishment without a token to add to her and her sister’s home, but here she was with nothing new in her bag, and twin brothers claiming to be her mate.
Lifting the cup to her mouth, Brianne took a sip of the cocktail Elsie made. It was the Vampire Queen’s take on a piná colada, and it was delicious. The drink was a perfect balance of rum, coconut cream, and fresh pineapple but was much stronger because of the added coconut tequila. A smile tilted the corner Brianne’s mouth as she noticed Cade hovering in one doorway and Cael in another. She used the cup to hide her grin and took another drink.
Those two hadn’t let her out of their sight but remained as far from each other as possible. As she spent more time with the two of them, Brianne picked up subtle differences. Cade cracked his knuckles a lot, especially when agitated. And, Cael rubbed his chin when deep in thought. The two males were complex creatures, and she found herself wanting to know more about them.
Every so often, a feral growl echoed through the kitchen, making her body ignite with desire. The other females in the room rolled their eyes at the possessive nature. Apparently, they’d all gone through this on some level, just not with two jealous mates.
“Stop it,” Mack insisted for the tenth time before turning to Cael, hands on her hips. “That’s not attractive. You won’t win her over by growling at your brother and hovering over her shoulder.”
Brianne wasn’t so sure about that. She found the primal noises highly arousing. The hovering, however, was incredibly annoying. She was a rabbit in their crosshairs. The sensation was unnerving and invigorating. The urge to taunt them was tempting, and if not for the presence of others, she might act on the impulse.
She was sick and disturbed by her excitement over their fighting. One part of her was appalled by their behavior while the rest reveled in the attention. Harpies were notorious attention whores. Not that it was her fault. She couldn’t help the beauty and talent she inherited.
“You’re wrong,” Cade replied, his deep voice drawing everyone’s attention. His nostrils flared and Brianne’s flesh heated as she flushed with embarrassment. “My mate enjoys knowing she is desired.”
Cade’s head suddenly snapped forward as a bald warrior moved past him, smacking him upside the head. A snarl rose in Brianne’s throat, but she quickly dialed it back. Not only would it give Cade the wrong idea, but it would incite Cael’s violence against his twin. As much as she was drawn to the males, she refused to see them at odds with each other.
It was of utmost importance to Brianne that the two brothers stop fighting and regain their close relationship. Why? She had no idea. The truth was, she owed them nothing. But she needed to see them mend their differences. Unfortunately, she was what was splitting them apart, she thought with a sigh.
“What the fuck, Santi?” Cade blurted. Brianne recalled Tristan mentioning that Santi worked with the other shifter, Orlando, for the human police.
“That’s for acting like an idiot. You’re making matters worse for your mate. I don’t understand why she was given to you both, but it’s your job to do everything in your power to make her happy,” Santiago countered.
“Easy for you to say,” Cade mumbled under his breath as he stared at Brianne.
She wanted to go to him. Comfort him. Ease the hurt she saw in his beautiful blue eyes, but she couldn’t. It would only cause more problems.
Tori, a Valkyrie, hurried to Santiago’s side and stood on tiptoe, kissing his lips. The argument ceased as the bald warrior lost himself in his female. Brianne had to admit the way each warrior doted on his mate was appealing.
Watching the profound affection between Tori and Santi stunned Brianne. Though many believed Harpies to be cold-hearted bitches, the Valkyrie made her kind look like teddy bears. She wondered if Tori’s softer side came out after she mated Santi. Or, was it because of her damaged arm, she speculated as she stared at the scarred appendage. Regardless of the injury, Brianne knew Tori was capable of deadly violence if provoked.
“What made you decide to mate Santi?” Brianne asked Tori, surprising the room.
“His incredible ass,” Tori replied with a giggle as she wrapped her arm around Santi’s waist and grabbed his backside.
“It is a nice one,” Brianne chuckled. Twin rumbles erupted with her words, making her cringe. She should have known better, but she wasn’t backing down now. “But there are lots of males out there. Why tie yourself to this one? And, you two pórtensen bien. Ya basta! I meant nothing by it. I’m not attracted to Santiago.”
Cael grunted, and Santi barked out a laugh. “One thing you will learn about us is that we are a possessive bunch. Especially when we haven’t completed the mating. Between the pain of the brand and the drive to claim what is ours, we are half-crazed. Leave it to the Goddess to make life a challenge during the whole process.”
“They’re in pain?” she asked, her eyes fixed on Santiago. If she looked at Cade or Cael, she might go to them. She hated thinking they were suffering because of her. But who would she go to first, and how would they react? It was maddening, and enough to keep her rooted in place.
“Yeah. A mating brand feels like a hot iron shoved against the flesh. And, it’s constant,” Santi admitted.
“But…,” Elsie jumped in. “That isn’t something you need to worry about right now,” she reassured, pinning Santiago with a glare. “All we ask is that you allow Jace to take blood for them until we can discover a way around this.”
“There is no way around how I feel for you,” Cael said, and she momentarily met his gaze.
Her chest clenched and it became hard to breathe as emotion clogged her throat. She saw desire, raw and hungry. She quickly glanced at Cade and thought she might pass out from the weight of his stare. He wanted, no needed, her in every way. Her body was torn, craving what each had to offer. She quickly turned to Elsie before she ran from the room screaming.
“What else should I know about matings?” Brianne asked as she nervously looked around the kitchen for a distraction.
Various-sized plates perched atop the cabinets caught her eye. The colorful glass sparkled under the lighting and Brianne thought the bluish-green one would like nice in her kitchen.
“A ceremony and blood exchange cements the bond,” Elsie replied, and Brianne pushed aside her kleptomania. “I must say, you’re lucky that you’re not driven by the same insane lust for them. All I could think about when I met Zander was having sex with him. It didn’t even matter that he acted like a caveman and carried me over his shoulder and locked me in a room,” she offered.
“He locked you in a room?” Brianne blurted with a chuckle.
“Yes, he did. And, I was too busy lusting after him to really make him regret that,” Elsie added.
“As I recall, you rewarded me,” Zander said with a knowing look as he entered the kitchen. Brianne
could only imagine the story behind their heated gazes.
“Shhhh,” Elsie cried out and slapped his arm when he approached her.
The king wrapped his arms around his mate’s waist and leaned down, claiming her lips. Brianne felt as if she was intruding on their intimacy, but she couldn’t look away. Their love and passion could be felt throughout the room. She wanted a piece of that. When she chanced another glance at Cade and Cael, their heated gazes burned straight to her core, and she averted her eyes before she demanded they both take her to a bedroom.
“How is Shae?” Elsie asked, interrupting Brianne’s lascivious thoughts. “I don’t hear crying, so I assume the baby isn’t here yet.”
They’d been waiting a couple hours to hear about the arrival of Gerrick and Shae’s baby. Brianne didn’t know everyone in the compound, but shortly after Gerrick pulled Jace and his mate, Cailyn, away to help with the delivery, warriors started arriving at the mansion.
It was a good thing the Dark Warriors and royal family lived in such a large place, or it would have felt cramped. The warriors were large males, built for fighting. Bhric, one of the Vampire Princes, was the biggest of the group, but the rest weren’t much smaller.
“Nay, no’ yet. Jace assured it’ll be any moment,” Zander told everyone.
“Do you know what she’s having?” Brianne asked.
Babies were rare everywhere in the supernatural world, except for Zeum, apparently. There was more young in this house than Brianne had seen in the past century. What was in their water? She would stay clear of it, just in case. She didn’t want to add pregnancy to her complicated situation.
“No. Gerrick and Shae wanted to be surprised. Needless to say, I bought every yellow and green outfit I could find,” Elsie admitted. “I still have all of Izzy’s baby clothes if it’s a girl.”
“And, I have all of Brantley’s clothes if they have a boy,” Ember interjected.
The female was a cat shifter, if Brianne recalled correctly, and mated to Santiago’s partner, Orlando.
“And, I’m waiting for the birth. As soon as that bairn arrives, I’m going on a huge shopping spree,” Breslin, the Vampire Princess, announced.
Brianne was in awe. She was surrounded by the most influencial females in the realm. She was tempted to take out her phone and take selfies with the queen and princess. But she refrained. She wanted them to consider her an equal, not a star-struck groupie.
“What are we discussing?” Mack chimed in as she entered from the pool area with a towel in hand, drying her short black hair.
The outspoken female wore a black t-shirt over her swimsuit that said Sasshole in silver glitter. The saying fit her perfectly, Brianne thought.
“The baby,” Elsie said as she walked to the fridge and pulled fresh fruit and cheese from the fridge. “Brianne asked if we knew what they were having.”
“I can’t wait to find out. I have several designs in mind for the onesies I bought,” Mack replied excitedly.
The fact that the female was excited over the birth of a baby surprised Brianne. Mack was a warrior and all-around badass. In fact, her reputation in the Tehrex Realm was growing by leaps and bounds. No one wanted to encounter the warrioress in a dark alley. Her prowess on the battlefield was legendary. Every Harpy in Brianne’s den wanted to be her.
Elsie laughed and proceeded to cut the fruit and cheese into tiny cubes. Brianne wondered why the Queen was dicing the food so small until she heard the patter of light feet running their way.
“Mama, dada, we’re hungry,” a little girl cried out as she barreled through the door.
It was Isobel, or Izzy, the Vampire King and Queen’s daughter. She had her father’s dark hair and blue eyes, but her mother’s striking features. Her cherub cheeks and beaming smile belied the amount of power coming off her in waves. Zander picked Izzy up and tossed her into the air.
“Oh, yay. Another angel lives here and you have pretty, red feathers at the top of your wings. You’re bootiful,” she exclaimed as she stared at Brianne.
“I’m not an angel,” Brianne remarked, “but, thank you.”
Brianne startled when two furry animals pounced on top of the kitchen island, landing next to the platter of food. One was gray and the other pink. Tilting her head, Brianne inspected the small critters. Her initial thought was that they were koala bears, but she’d never seen a pink one before. Surely, they didn’t dye its fur for the little girl.
“Pip, Squeak,” Elsie greeted and rubbed their fuzzy heads. An odd chirping noise filled the room, and they stopped shoving fruit into their mouths to enjoy the petting. Mack walked over and picked up the gray one, nuzzling it.
“Those are kippies from Khoth,” Cael said. Brianne looked up and lifted one eyebrow at the male. “I sensed your confusion through our bond,” he added.
“Khoth is a dragon realm on another planet,” Cade added.
“I’m not sure how I feel about this bond. I can’t feel shit, yet you two are picking up everything I think or feel,” Brianne retorted. “That’s not fair.”
“Don’t worry. I can’t read your thoughts until we complete the mating,” Cael explained matter-of-factly.
“Then I guess you never will read,” Cade quickly countered.
“I’ve never heard of Khoth,” Brianne murmured to the group, avoiding their comments altogether.
It was enough to give her a migraine. What had started as casual sex had turned into an impossible situation she wanted no part of.
“Neither had we until our previous majordomo, Angus, informed us he was the King of Khoth,” Cade explained. “It’s inhabited primarily by land and sea dragons, as well as, their Unseelie enemies.”
“I’ve never seen a dragon shifter. I’ve always believed they were either extinct or endangered. It’s not often you hear about them,” Brianne said.
“Aye. Angus was the only dragon on this planet for a verra long time. He returned home to save the Cuelebre, leaving Nate in his place. Perhaps, he will show you his dragon while you are here,” Zander added.
“Yay,” Izzy cried out and clapped. “Nate’s gonna fly me in the sky. Nate!”
“Nate can fly you around the backyard after you eat your snack,” Elsie said kissing Izzy’s cheek.
Zander set his daughter down and turned to Elsie. “A ghra, I’m no’ sure that’s such a good idea,” he said, and they stared at each other for several minutes.
Brianne wasn’t certain, but it seemed they were commuting telepathically. She wondered if that was a benefit to Fated Mates.
Finally, Elsie replied, “Maybe it’s best if Nate stays on the ground, sweetie. But, you can still ride on his back,” she reassured the little girl.
“Okay, mama,” Elsie responded with a pout then called for the kippies.
Brianne didn’t miss Elsie’s forlorn expression as Izzy played with the furry animals. The group didn’t seem to notice and began taking bets on how long it would take for Shae to deliver the baby.
It was apparent to Brianne that the household was as close and she was with her sister, Raquel. Cade and Cael had even made their way closer to the gathering, and were adding their two cents. No one mentioned their previous behavior or asked them to leave. It was eerie how the entire group simply accepted them and the fact that she was mated to both brothers. It was a real family.
For a brief second, Brianne allowed herself to indulge in the idea that she belonged with this rag-tag ensemble. She wondered is she could live with the vampire royal family. Who was she kidding? Half of her genetics came from the Dark Warrior’s enemy, she drank a lot, and she didn’t do the dishes. Not to mention that she didn’t wear formal gowns, and burped when she was nervous. That combination did not belong in the Vampire King’s humble abode.
Brianne reached over and grabbed a chunk of cheese then popped it into her mouth. She nearly choked when Cael came up on her right and Cade assumed the left. She was surrounded by their scents and heat. Her body responded, and desire washed o
ver her, igniting every cell in her body.
A fantasy played out in her mind. She was sandwiched between the two males. Cade was positioned at her front and inside her, while Cael came at her from behind. The brothers tortured her with pleasure, focusing solely on Brianne and her needs.
Cael’s hand shot around her waist, and the fantasy disappeared. She felt Cade’s arm around her shoulder in the next breath, and suddenly she wanted to strip them bare and act out her erotic scene. She wasn’t entirely sure the sexual position was doable, but she wanted to find out. She’d never partaken in a ménage à trois and wasn’t interested, until now. She prayed the brothers weren’t reading her thoughts, and Brianne attempted to move out of their hold.
Zander looked up, glaring daggers at the three of them. “Since Jace is busy, I searched through the Mystik Grimoire. I did not find any mention of one female being gifted two mates, but I did see something about severing a mating bond before it was completed.” Their arms tightened around her body to a painful degree.
“Really, brathair?” Breslin interrupted. “Doona you think that might have been useful information when I was on death’s door,” she huffed, cocking her hip and crossing her muscular arms over her chest.
“No, Flame. You belong with me. Fate kept that information from Zander, and I thank the Goddess for it. You belong with me,” Rhett interjected, pulling Breslin against his chest.
Brianne couldn’t take her eyes off the fire demon. His bright orange hair and luminescent skin were an odd combination, and she wondered what the attraction was for Breslin.
“Still. Could’ve saved me a lot of pain,” Breslin answered and kissed her mate.
Isobel stopped playing with the kippies and looked up. “No, Auntie Bre. It would be bad for you. It hurts, just like it would hurt Brianne. You have part of Cael and Cade.”
“What, sweetie? What do you mean?” Elsie asked Isobel.