“You want a taste?” I asked in a low, suggestive tone, cupping myself and affecting my best Ozzie taunt. I knew full well what he tasted like. I could give her that, obey her literal request while encouraging her to taste my own essence—something she’d thus far refused ever since the night nearly two weeks ago when the first sign of this fever presented itself.
She let out a desperate whimper and Rohan shot me a shocked look. “Are you fucking serious?”
“Trust me,” I said, stepping closer and allowing myself a slow inhalation of her intoxicating fertile scent. She was all nymph right now, her nymphaea blood overwhelming every other part of her with its need for completion with the one she’d lost. I wasn’t sure if I could trust myself any more than her, but Rohan was here, and I trusted him.
“Fuck you,” he muttered, then let out an exasperated sigh. “Fine. What do I need to do?”
“Just hold onto her,” I said, moving close and lifting a hand to her cheek. “And under no circumstances let her fuck me while I look like this.”
Looking into Deva’s eyes, I said, “Right now, you’re not thinking straight. I think deep down, you know that. But I also know there’s merit to this desire, and I intend to sate it if I can. You asked for a taste of him. So get down on your knees, szívem.”
Deva’s breath caught and her pupils dilated again at my use of Ozzie’s pet name for her, spoken in a perfect replication of his voice. She obeyed so beautifully it hurt to see, falling to the floor and peering up at me so adoringly I wished her submission was for me, not for him.
I resumed my position on the sofa, beckoning for her to come closer. Her heated gaze fixed on my crotch as she leaned down and crawled the short distance. When she reached me, I spread my knees for her to slip between, her hands resting on the insides of my thighs.
She darted her tongue out and licked her lips, the sight making my cock throb with need. This would have been safer in my primal form, as crazy as that sounded. If only I could maintain any kind of shift that way . . .
But I couldn’t. She wanted a taste of Ozzie, so that’s what I would give her.
Rohan stared down at her, frowning. I tilted my chin to him. “You’re going to take care of her. This doesn’t work without her getting fucked.”
The pair of conjured jeans he wore faded away, leaving him naked and erect. He stepped closer, resting a hand on her shoulder. “I’m here, baby,” he said, but she barely acknowledged him, her hands at my crotch already, squeezing and stroking me through my jeans.
Rohan knelt behind her and cupped her breasts in his hands, pinching her nipples and biting her shoulder lightly. “You want to suck him, you’ve gotta take that hard cock out first.”
I forced myself to keep my hands at my sides, fingers digging into the sofa cushions as she obeyed. Her hands shook, fingers fumbling with my button and zipper, my cock springing up when the restricting fabric parted. Only it wasn’t mine, exactly—I’d taken his shape down to the molecule, which included the long, thick, purple-veined length that curved to the left. My own dick was straighter, my foreskin less apparent.
But the sensations were just the same, the pleasure just as acute when she grasped the shaft in one hand and squeezed. With her other hand she tugged my jeans farther down my thighs, and I lifted my hips to accommodate her until she could hold my balls in her other hand.
“Dion fucking save me,” I muttered when she lashed out her dragon tongue and swirled it around my balls, then proceeded to tickle along the underside of the entire length before pushing back the foreskin and sucking the head between her lips.
“She’s been practicing,” Rohan said with a sly grin. He released her breasts and stroked both palms down her back to her ass, dropping one between her legs.
Deva’s brows twitched and she moaned around my cockhead. I hissed at the vibration and gave into the desire to touch her, but kept the contact as casual as I dared.
I rested a hand lightly on her head, stroking her hair as she took me deeper. Her dark, silken locks were tied up at the back of her head and I tugged at the binding, pulling it free and allowing the thick waves to cascade around her face. The strands tickled my thighs, the sensations adding to the increasing sensory overload.
When Rohan positioned himself and thrust into her, she halted her sucking with a tiny, muffled grunt, tightening her grip around my base in a way that had me clenching to avoid spilling too soon. I needed her to be as satisfied as we could make her, and Rohan’s Nirvana was part of it. But as he began to move, fucking her in a slow, easy rhythm, she resumed her own pace, matching his thrusts with her hand and mouth in tandem.
“Fucking hell,” I muttered, my body alive with the pleasure of her talented tongue, long and agile and sliding against the underside of my length with each deliberate suck.
“She’s close,” Rohan panted. “So am I.”
“Get her there,” I said, pushing my hips up into her mouth.
Deva whimpered around me, pushing back against Rohan’s fevered fucking even as she sucked me harder. She finally let out a strangled moan and spasmed, a series of tremors coursing through her as her magic poured into me like a rush of cool water, both invigorating and cleansing.
Rohan let out a matching cry, his face contorting in pleasure as he spilled himself. His power flooded me a second later, transferred through her into me. The power of their magics mingling inside me startled me so much that I nearly lost control and released too soon, but I held back just long enough to control my climax. I came hard, giving her Ozzie first before flowing back into my own shape, the final ropes of essence entirely mine.
Deva inhaled sharply when she caught the difference, but otherwise only hummed softly and eagerly sucked me dry. I finally had to tighten my hold at the back of her head.
“I’m good, sweetness. How do you feel?”
She kept her gaze lowered as she released me, her full lips shining with a mix of saliva and my essence. I resisted the urge to bend down and kiss her, to taste both me and Ozzie on her lips before his flavor faded.
“A little ashamed, honestly,” she said. “But thank you for not taking advantage of my insanity.”
Rohan chuckled softly as he draped the discarded robe over her shoulders. “I think that’s up for debate. It isn’t like we got nothing out of it.”
“You could have had more,” she said, finally lifting her gaze to mine. “You could have made love to me. I wouldn’t have said no.” Her voice softened, and I sensed her subtle conflict beneath the surface.
“You didn’t really want that, and neither did I,” I told her. “When we make love, it will be just you and me without any ghosts lurking in the shadows.”
She allowed Rohan to help her up and gather her into his arms as he sat next to me on the sofa. She shook her head. “What if I can’t make love to just you? What if the only thing that will fix me is to have both of you at once? You and Ozzie together?”
“Then we’d better fucking find him soon,” I said. “To hell with any other mission.”
She grimaced. “You know I can’t just drop everything for the sake of my sanity. I’m managing.”
“You’re hanging on by a fucking thread. And as much as I love letting you suck me off, I won’t promise to behave myself every time. What happens when what the guys are doing for you stops being enough? The fever doesn’t go away, Deva; it only gets worse, and the worse it gets, the more it affects me and the more I need to fix it. That need isn’t a rational choice for me, either. I will break. It’s just a matter of time.”
She buried her face in Rohan’s shoulder and sighed. He tightened his hold on her and stroked her hair.
“Let’s just get through this gig,” he said. “You do Ozzie and let me and the other guys handle Deva. We’ll figure it out. And maybe the music will help the hounds catch his scent.”
Deva groaned. “I’ve tried to get them to look for him every day. They just can’t. It’s like they don’t even hear the command, and you kn
ow I want him enough that it should override everything else when I’m not focused. It’s like he no longer exists. Or he’s dead.”
Her voice cracked, and I longed to reach for her, but Rohan had it handled. He cupped her chin and pushed golden breath between his lips, the tendrils flowing into her. She gasped as if hungry for air, gulping down his gift until she calmed.
The knock at the door gave me the reprieve I needed and I stood, walking swiftly toward it, only vaguely aware of Rohan’s magic clothing me by the time I made it to the entry and glanced through the peephole. An attractive blonde woman pulling a large, wheeled case behind her smiled back. When I opened the door, her friendly smile faltered as she inhaled.
“Sweet Mother, are you guys all twisted up. Sex isn’t going to help what’s going on here, you know. I’m Callie, by the way. I hope Rohan told you I was coming.”
“He did,” I said, stepping aside and holding the door open for her. “And I’m afraid sex is one of the few things that does help.”
She made her way to the table near the window, where she left her case before turning back to the room. Crossing her arms, she looked at Deva and shook her head. “It isn’t a permanent fix.”
“There is no permanent fix except to find Ozzie,” Deva said. Callie’s stern expression softened and she sighed.
“Ozzie?” she asked, darting a look to Rohan. “Don’t tell me her fever’s over a lost lover.”
“Sorry, I didn’t know it mattered.”
“Fuck. Well then, I’ve got my work cut out for me.” She turned back to her case and opened it. The room immediately filled with a mélange of delicious aromas. As if on cue, the door opened again, admitting Keagan and Bodhi.
“Whoa, just in time, huh?” Keagan said, his eyes lighting up at the sight of the dishes that Callie began to set out on the table.
“Deva eats first,” I said, pressing a hand to the hungry ursa’s chest.
“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” Deva said, standing and dropping her robe, her conjured outfit already in place and hugging her curves like a second skin. “We can eat together. I want to hear what Callie has to say about this fever. Gaia knows none of you have been any help.”
“Hey, that isn’t fair,” Bodhi said.
“I meant with understanding it. Short of finding Ozzie, is there any other option?”
She moved to the table and sat, fiddling with the corner of the folded linen napkin Callie set beside her plate, followed by a silver fork.
Callie shook her head. “No, you’re right. Finding him is the only permanent option. If this were a typical nymphaea fever, we’d just need to make your body think you were pregnant. I can do that with the right mix of magic, and it could still work in this case, but it will fade eventually. It’ll at least give you a break for a day or so.”
“Then let’s do it,” Keagan said, earning himself a sharp look from Callie.
“You do not speak for her,” Callie said.
“I apologize for their attitudes,” I said. “It’s been a long couple weeks for all of us.”
Callie scanned the room, her golden gaze flickering with power as she studied us each in turn. She pressed her lips tighter when her gaze reached me. “Your lack of mark doesn’t exactly jive with all the dragon magic soaking your aura. That isn’t helping her a bit.”
“That’s a long story,” I said.
Callie nodded sagely and proceeded to uncover the main dish. “Sit,” she said, gesturing to a chair. “Eat first, then talk. I’ve got all night.”
11
Deva
“Feed a fever,” Callie had said in the middle of urging me to consume a third serving of the most delicious meal I’d ever eaten. Not even Aunt Aurum’s meals could compare, and that was saying a lot. By the time we were done, none of us were in a state of mind to move, much less object to her questions. Within only a few minutes, she had the entire story in all its sordid detail and was looking at me with a mix of sympathy and awe.
“You poor thing,” she said, squeezing my hand. “And you four might be the most amazing men I’ve ever met. More dessert?” She leaned toward the remnants of a chocolate concoction that could only be described as heaven, but the boys all stared at it in horror and shifted their chairs backward.
Callie dished another serving onto my plate and my mouth watered. I was beyond full, and the aching hunger that remained wasn’t in my belly. Still, her food had come closer to sating that emptiness than anything else.
“By tricking her into thinking she’s pregnant, did you mean stuffing her so full of food she’d actually feel like it?” Bodhi asked.
Callie laughed. “That’s clever, but no. The magic in the food is the key. When she’s ingested enough, I just refocus the power into her womb. It concentrates there, mimicking the power of a new soul. Short of actually getting her pregnant, it’s really the only option, and after that story, I’m not surprised she’s not ready for that step with you guys.”
“Would pregnancy be a permanent fix?” I asked around a mouthful of the decadent chocolate mousse and spongy cake.
“Not for you. The soul that was taken from you was that of a lover, not a child. The magic of that broken bond is entirely different. Finding him really is the only way.”
“Despite Fate’s warning?” I asked.
She and Llyr shared a look and she rested her arms on the table. “Sweetie, I’m old enough to remember when your dad was the most feared individual among the higher races. Someone who makes dragons go to ground would upset the status quo enough for Fate to come seeking balance, yet that didn’t happen.”
“Are you saying Fate fucked up and is after me to get back at my dad?” I asked.
“No,” she said in a patient tone. “I’m saying that what Fate says and what Fate actually wants are not always the same thing. Do what you need to do to be whole and trust that Fate can’t touch you anymore, despite its bluster. Not only have you ensured the turul are immune to its control, you’ve got Chaos on your side, which is no small feat. And if you succeed with this incredibly ambitious plan of yours, Fate will be wrapped around your finger at the end too.”
She swiped a finger through a chocolate smear on the plate and stuck it in her mouth, humming with satisfaction. “Trust me,” she said, licking her lips, “if Fate wants you to succeed badly enough, it won’t get in your way.”
“But it won’t help us, either,” I said, her speech not exactly instilling much confidence in me.
“No, but you’ve got the power you need to figure it out. Just be patient.”
I sighed. “I’m trying.”
My four men’s almost catatonic state drew me out of my negative mood, and I couldn’t help but lift an eyebrow. “Are they going to live?”
They all blinked at me drunkenly, though we hadn’t had a drop to drink.
Callie chuckled. “They’ll sleep well tonight, and so will you.”
“I don’t sleep,” Llyr said, even as his eyelids drooped. “Slept enough in that fucking Ultiori tank.” His words came out slurred and he attempted—and failed—to prop his chin on his hand, then shook his head vigorously.
“Why don’t you four call it a night?” Callie said. “Deva and I have a bit more to discuss.”
As if answering some unheard call, they hauled themselves up and departed, heading for the sofa and the pair of beds that occupied the two other rooms of the large suite.
Once they were gone, Callie turned in her chair to face me and I shifted toward her. “What do I need to do?” I asked.
“Just close your eyes and breathe. I’ll take care of everything.”
I obeyed, taking a shaky breath and exhaling. She placed gentle hands on my cheeks first, brushing her palms backward, then down my neck as if swiping something off my skin. Her strokes continued downward, the fullness of the magic from the food seeming to flow southward with each motion.
I sensed her stand and move around me, gently urging me to shift forward in my chair. Calliope stroked my
back, then glided her hands down my sides and finally over my breasts, each stroke ending at my hips.
The power began to concentrate, flowing on its own after a few more strokes, moving just beneath my sternum where my newly merged soul resided before traveling lower. When Callie’s touch receded and I heard her take a seat again, a pleasant pulsing sensation had taken up residence in my lower abdomen and the shadows at the edges of my consciousness had all but disappeared.
She squeezed my hands and I opened my eyes. “That’s all I can do for you, sweetie,” she said. “I wish it were more, but it will help. And it’ll give those poor guys a rest.”
She darted a glance over her shoulder to the sofa where Llyr was sprawled, snoring softly, his bare feet hanging over one armrest. I tilted my head and couldn’t help but smile.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen him sleep,” I said.
“It’s your turn, hun. Rest is what you need most right now. It’ll help just as much as the magic and the food.”
She stood and began packing up the dirty dishes. She set a cover over the remainder of the chocolate torte that we hadn’t finished. “Breakfast,” she said with a sly smile.
When she finished closing up her box, she straightened and opened her arms. I hugged her, relishing the comfort of her tender embrace.
“You should come to our show tomorrow,” I said. “If we’re going to find you a mate, it’s the best place to start.”
Her expression clouded and she shook her head. “Oh, I don’t need you to do that. I know what I told Rohan, but payment really isn’t necessary, not after hearing your story. Besides . . . ” She sighed. “I’m afraid it’s a little late for me to still hold out hope for a mate. After serving the Council for as long as I have, I’m out of practice with men. Several centuries out of practice.”
“They’re not that complicated,” I said. “I’ve only got a little hands-on experience, and I think I’ve got them pretty well figured out. Please come.”
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