by Brenda Trim
“She’s uncle Cade and uncle Cael’s mate,” Izzy shared cheerfully as she smiled wide at Donovan.
There was something about these two stripling. They had a deep connection that was tangible. Brianne had no doubt Donovan would protect Izzy with his life, if necessary.
“No wonder your dad had my uncle build a new house. You get new mates all the time,” Donovan replied. Just then, a handsome bald male turned the corner of the newly-constructed Anthru house.
“Izzy, sweetheart. Who do you have here?” the male asked as he scanned Brianne from head to toe.
He was also cambion, no doubt Donovan’s father, but rather than the sexual tension she typically felt from his kind, this was more of an assessment to determine if she posed a risk to the stripling.
“This is Brianne. She’s Cade and Cael’s mate. Mama said she could bring me to play with Donny,” Izzy offered, and Brianne gave him a half-grin.
“Sounds interesting,” he replied with a tilt to his head. “I guess welcome to the family is in order. I’m Braeden, Donovan’s dad. Thank you for bringing Izzy. I was just about to go to the main house and get her so my mate and her sisters can finish setting up the wards.”
“Do you live here?” Brianne asked. She thought Anthru was designed to provide safety to stripling, but maybe she was wrong.
“Oh, no. We have our own place close to the family business. Maybe you’ve heard of it. Black Moon Sabbat,” Braeden explained.
“Are you kidding? I love that place. I go there every time I’m in Seattle. Their candles are the best,” Brianne stated.
“Well, come by anytime. The next candle is on the house. It was nice meeting you, Brianne. Isobel, Donovan, come on. We’ve got to get back to Isis and the others,” Braeden shouted toward the two striplings.
“Nice to meet you, too,” Brianne called to his retreating back.
She chuckled at the laughter between Izzy and Donovan. Regardless of her importance to the realm, Isobel was a little girl who wanted to play with her friend. Hopefully, no harm would come to the little girl again. From what Tristan told her, Isobel suffered enough pain and torture to last a lifetime.
Turning toward the lake, Brianne shivered, and her wings bristled as a cold breeze blew off the water. She regretted not grabbing a jacket as she pulled her cell from her back pocket.
Glancing around, Brianne pressed her thumb to the button and then hit her sister’s contact. “There’s my sestra,” Raquel said referring to her favorite Netflix show.
“What’s up?” Brianne asked.
“Oh, no, you don’t. You text me that you’ve been delayed without providing any details, and now you finally call, acting as if I haven’t been flying up and down the cliffs biting my nails while I waited for you to call and fill me in? Spill it sestra,” her sister rushed out in one breath.
Brianne couldn’t help the smile that spread across her face. “I have been invited to be part of the Zeum family.”
“What? Oh, my Gods. What spell did you buy? And, why didn’t you tell me? Do you need me to come and help carry away all the good stuff?” Raquel fired off excitedly.
Brianne could just see her jumping up and down while her wings flapped as fast as a hummingbird until she hovered above the ground.
“The only spell I needed was my body and, apparently, I’m magically delicious,” Brianne said with a laugh as she recounted the events of meeting Cael and Cade, and learning she was Fated to the twins.
“Sweet baby, Jesus. Mom was wrong about you all along. I’m going to tell her how you have the vampire royal family in the perfect position to get anything you want. She’s going to wish she hadn’t concocted a similar plan decades ago.”
Brianne recoiled at her sister’s callousness. She genuinely cared about Cade and Cael and would never do something so underhanded. And, yeah, she had to admit that was shocking news. She was raised manipulative and devious. Suiting her needs came first. This newfound conscience was unexpected, to say the least.
Until the twin brothers entered her life, she lived for herself and what she could get from others. Yet since meeting them, she hadn’t stopped thinking about the ferocity in the way they claimed her. She’d never been wanted like that by anyone, and she refused to betray either of them.
“I will never manipulate Zander or anyone in this compound, Raq. You have no idea what this is like for these males. They are driven entirely by impulses and desires beyond their control. And, they will die without my blood,” she professed, practically screaming into her phone.
Brianne would never allow that to happen, regardless of any other decision she made. Apparently, she had a smidgeon of compassion after all.
“Where is my sister, and what have you done with her? Why would you put them before your needs? Don’t forget that males rarely remain faithful, and would never do the same for you,” Raquel spouted. Brianne couldn’t count the number of times she’d heard that warning, verbatim, from her mother.
Brianne couldn’t stop her laugh when she spotted Cael rushing toward her, wearing a floppy hat and poncho. The sun wasn’t quite set, but he was braving the remaining rays to be with her.
She held up her phone and snapped a pic then replied, “Many males are like that, but not the ones I’ve met here. Every story we’ve heard about Fated Mates in the Tehrex Realm is true. You would be lucky to have one of them fated to be yours.”
“And you got two, you hussy,” Raquel laughed. “It sounds like you’re considering mating these vampires. But how are you going to choose?”
“I’m not. I haven’t agreed to anything except offering some of my irresistible blood. Hey, sis, I need to go, but I’ll be in touch soon. Te amo.”
“Love you, too. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t.”
“Not possible,” Brianne said and ended the call. “Hiya handsome.”
“Figured I’d cash in on that IOU. I brought dinner if you’d like to dine by the lake. It’s a perfect evening,” Cael stated as he reached her side.
“IOU, huh?” she answered, recalling the brief kiss they shared. “Dinner sounds perfect. I’m famished,” she admitted and put her arm through his.
It was easy to talk this way with Cael when there wasn’t another male breathing over her shoulder. She felt relaxed and comfortable, and it was fabulous. Like a date even. She imagined them doing this the first night they met before everything went haywire.
“I hope you like Cajun food. It was all there was in the fridge, and since I can’t cook, I grabbed it,” Cael admitted.
“Well, that’s good to know because I don’t do dishes,” she said with a wink.
“See? We’re perfect for each other,” he professed, and his blue eyes darkened with desire.
Needing a distraction, she glanced at the wicker basket in his hand. The scent of cayenne, garlic, and red pepper filled her nostrils, making her mouth water. “Mmmm, mi león. You know I like it spicy,” she teased and licked her lips.
“If you don’t watch it, I may drag you into the woods and fuck you up against a tree.”
“And, that would be a bad thing, why?” she countered boldly. What was she thinking, challenging Cael like that? Um, you’re thinking that you need him as much as he needs you!
“Fuck the food,” Cael declared as he picked her up, dropping the basket in his hand. She squealed and trailed kisses down the side of his neck as he started toward the line of trees.
If this was being mated, she had few complaints. Having two, hot, horny males ready to give her whatever she asked for suddenly didn’t sound so bad.
That was until a loud roar filled the air. Brianne turned to see Cade charging toward them, eyes black as coal.
9
Cade loaded more weight onto the bar, needing a distraction from the alluring female in the training room. The truth was, he was losing his fucking mind. It was bad enough he stalked Brianne and his brother from the bushes near the lake. But when Cade watched Cael swoop his mate into his arms and head toward
the woods, his last ounce of control snapped. He shouted his rage and attacked his twin.
His mind blanked as he watched Brianne drop the dumbbell and pick up a towel to wipe her face. Sweat glistened all over her skin and Cade’s mouth watered for a taste.
Brianne was an exquisite female. Reality had been one blur after another since Cade had walked into Cael’s room and sealed his fate. And, he hadn’t really looked at his mate. Brianne’s silky black hair shone in the fluorescent lights, and her red-tipped wings were just as regal. Her wings were very different from Illianna’s angelic wings, which were larger than her body. Much like Tori’s Valkyrie wings, Brianne’s didn’t run the length of her body, but gave off immense power, nonetheless.
Cade bit back a groan when Brianne pulled her cotton t-shirt over her head. The top momentarily got caught on her wings before she finally tugged it free. Her red sports bra hugged ample breasts to her chest, and sweat glistened her stomach.
He was too far away to hear what Brianne muttered as she braced her feet against the leg machine’s platform, and pushed. No doubt she was cursing him for interrupting her date with Cael. The image of them flirting and kissing still sent Cade into orbit.
Being pissed and at odds with his twin left an uneasy feeling in Cade’s gut. Never in their lives had they disagreed. Most days, Cael finished Cade’s sentences. They agreed on nearly everything. Until now.
Cade didn’t want to hate his brother. Nor did he enjoy the fact that he wanted to scoop out Cael’s eyes for looking at Brianne with desire and passion. Intellectually, Cade knew that he and Cael still shared the loyalty and bond they were born with, despite their dilemma. Cade would give his life to save his brother, but he would lock him in a dungeon to keep him from Brianne.
Nothing about the situation made any sense. From everything they’d been taught as striplings, they were each given a Fated Mate. There was a whole host of impulses and driving needs that arose the moment he discovered Brianne was meant for him. The most pressing matter was he needed to claim her fully and bind her life to his for eternity. None of that was conducive to sharing a mate with his brother. She belonged to him, and him alone.
Unfortunately, there was no denying the Goddess gave Brianne two mates. The brand made it clear the Goddess intended her to belong to Cade and Cael. What Cade didn’t understand was why he wanted to rip his brother to shreds.
If Brianne carried both their souls, then why weren’t things amicable between the three of them? Cade should be able to see his brother as an ally instead of the enemy. Most infuriating was that the Mystik Grimoire had absolutely no helpful information. There was a passage about severing the mating bond altogether, but neither Cade nor his twin wanted to do that.
Cade wasn’t sure why the information was there at all. No one would effectively kill part of themselves and turn their back on the mate the Goddess chose for them. One of the first messages striplings learned in the Tehrex Realm was that the Goddess Morrigan selected the perfect mate for her subjects and entrusted part of their immortal souls to her choice.
The bang of the double doors drew Cade’s attention. Mack entered the room with a smile on her face and a bag in her hand. The female donned nylon shorts, tennis shoes, and one of her snarky t-shirts. Today’s read My Quiet Time Involves Heavy Metal with a barbell beneath the words. The slogan made him chuckle. Undoubtedly, Mack was most comfortable with a sgian dubh in her hand battling skirm, or in the gym training.
Brianne stopped working out and grabbed her water bottle. “Mack, Buenos Dias. Thank the Gods it’s someone I can stomach right now,” she said and glared his direction.
“I take it life isn’t all rainbows and orgasms having two mates,” Mack replied as she sauntered across the mats.
“I suppose it would be too much to ask to send them into battle.”
“I have something for you,” Mack said, changing the subject as she handed Brianne the black gift bag she was carrying.
“¿Un regalito? Brianne asked. Cade didn’t miss the avarice that lit his mate’s eyes. She liked gifts, it seemed. That was helpful information. “You totally shouldn’t have, but I’m glad you did. Oh, my Gods! Me encanta,” Brianne sputtered as she lifted a black t-shirt from the bag, laughing aloud.
Cade hadn’t known Brianne long, and yet, he realized he hadn’t seen real humor light the features of her face until now.
“I had to put a drink on there with the way you sucked back Elsie’s pina-ritas,” Mack explained.
Brianne stood up and turned the shirt, holding it over her chest and Cade got a look at the design. The shirt said Magically Delicious in green glitter with the ‘y’ substituted for the outline of a margarita glass. Those words were the best way to describe his mate, but it was the meaning behind the words that had Cade’s feet moving forward with his fists clenched at his sides.
“Those are my new favorite drink,” Brianne told Mack. “In fact, I could use some right about now.” Brianne’s eyes followed Mack’s gaze, landing on Cade.
“Yep, rainbows and orgasms,” Mack murmured. “I will find Elsie and ask her to make some beverages. I can see your night is about to get more complicated.”
“No te vayas, you don’t have to go,” Brianne objected.
Cade cocked his head and wondered why she wanted the female to stay. He preferred to be alone with his mate.
“I have a killboard to update, but I will see you later for drinks,” Mack said with a wave as she made her way out of the training room. Cade and Brianne watched the female leave in silence.
“Haven’t you done enough for one day?” Brianne asked finally.
“I haven’t done nearly enough. There is so much more I want to do with you. To you,” Cade admitted. He was encouraged by the fact that she didn’t rebuke him. Not to mention the way her neck and cheeks flushed with desire. “Listen, I didn’t mean to stalk you earlier. And, just so you know, I didn’t follow you here. I needed to let off some steam.”
“You could’ve at least shown me how to use this machine,” she countered, pointing to the ab and back machine.
He almost came forward when he noticed her struggling, but then he would’ve missed her delectable ass in the air as she tried to figure out the machine. He lost all rational thought as she shifted her hips, trying to adjust the device.
“And miss the show? There is no way I would have given up the view I had for those blessed few seconds. You have the best ass I’ve ever laid eyes on.”
Brianne turned her head away and lowered her eyes, almost nervously. The thought that she was shy seemed incongruent given what Cade had seen thus far, but there was no mistaking the nervous smile that graced her luscious lips.
“You lie. I am fifteen pounds overweight, and I carry most of it in my butt.”
“Now who’s lying. Every inch of you is perfect,” Cade proclaimed and tugged her to him, meshing their bodies together. His hands landed on her hips, and his fingers dug into her flesh as he held tight. He never wanted to let go.
“Want to spar with me?” Cade asked to keep from acting on his base impulses.
Sweet mango filled his nostrils, teasing and tempting him to insanity. Perhaps he should rip the clothes from Brianne’s body and make love to her instead.
He recalled Brianne’s furious gaze when he launched himself between her and Cael by the lake. That alone kept him from acting on his desires. The second his first punch landed on Cael’s jaw, Brianne cursed them in Spanish then promptly left them to beat each other senseless. Cade wasn’t capable of logical thinking where Brianne was concerned and was content teaching her to box. Anything to spend time with her.
“As long as you go easy on me. I’m not a warrior and have never been trained to fight this way,” she told him.
He narrowed his eyes, considering her comment. She wasn’t skinny like Elsie, nor muscular as Breslin. Instead, she was the best combination of muscle and soft flesh.
“I can’t believe you don’t know how to fight. I reca
ll Crocell’s attack on Mt. Ranier to know better. I may not remember seeing you, but there wasn’t one of your kind that didn’t kick major ass.”
“Oh, I’m scrappy and can defend myself, but that’s not the same as being a trained warrior. I don’t know how to dodge a blow and deliver one back. I just hit, kick, and stab my way to safety. It’s kinda like survival mode makes me a swirling dervish on the battlefield,” she said as she took a step back and put some space between their bodies. It allowed some of the blood flow to return to his head, and he could think of more than fucking his mate senseless.
“Alright then. Let’s see what you’ve got, mate,” he encouraged as he crouched a few feet away from her.
“Will you go easy on me, mi leóncito? I’m fragile,” she purred. Bouncing on the balls of her feet, Brianne’s breasts called to Cade as they moved with her body.
“Fragile like a bomb,” he croaked as he toed off his boots and socks, tossing them to the side.
He didn’t catch her intentions as she jogged toward him. Cade relaxed his stance and stared at her boobs before her foot connected with his jaw and sent him flying to his ass. He landed with a thud, unsure what had just happened.
A laugh echoed around the room as Brianne’s amusement lit her face. “Is Cael the fighter of you two? I know he’s more aggressive in bed, but I figured that was where the differences ended. Guess I was wrong.”
Cade’s brain shorted out when he heard her mention sex with his twin. “I’m twice the warrior Cael is. And, I’m twice the lover. You’ve only gotten a brief taste of what I can give you, love. I have so much more in store,” he informed as he rushed toward her. His arms wrapped around her waist and kept his momentum moving forward. Twisting so Brianne wouldn’t land on her back, Cade took the brunt of the impact and relished the feel of her body smashed on top of his.
Brianne jumped to her feet before Cade could lay his lips to hers. Uncertain of what she planned, Cade did a backflip and landed on his feet. Brianne’s foot connected with his shin, and she cursed, walked off the pain she inflicted to her foot.