Unbound

by Emily Dawn

  “Okay. I thought that I wouldn’t mind sleeping with all of you in here,” I say nervously, “if you want. I don’t want anyone to feel pressured; it’s just comforting to have you all near.”

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  He lays me down on the bed and starts removing my socks and pants. “That can definitely be arranged. I’ll go get you something to eat and some water and grab everyone.” He leaves after tucking me under the covers, and I’m asleep before he comes back.

  When I wake hours later, I’m cocooned between Vance and Aleksandr with Ross in fox form at my feet. I attempt to sit up a bit to look for Hayes when I see him sitting by the window. His bright blue eyes are focused on mine.

  “How do you feel?” He asks without getting up.

  “Incredibly sore and disgusting. I think I still have demon blood in my hair.” I reach for him. “Can you get me to the bathroom? I need to bathe.”

  He gets up and smoothly lifts me off the bed, somehow not disturbing anyone else. I thought he’d set me down right away, but he carries me into the bathroom as Aleksandr did earlier. He gently lowers me down, holding me steady with one hand while he starts the water with another. I didn’t expect him to go to the trouble of drawing a bath and am even more surprised when he reaches over for a bottle of bath salts and adds them to the swirling, steaming water.

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  “Can you undress?” He looks at my bare legs and then up to my face. “I’m not leaving you alone in here while you’re still unsteady, but I can turn around if you need no more help.”

  I glance down at my tank top and the three sports I’m still wearing. “Um, I’ll probably need help. Moving my left arm is still hard, even with all the straps cut I’m not sure I can do it.” I bite my lip. “You can probably wake up Vance or Aleksandr since they’ve seen,” I trail off because it’s awkward as fuck.

  “It’s fine,” he gently turns me around and waves his hand to fog up all the mirrors so my reflection is blurred. “I’m going to cut your shirt and bra off, okay?” He doesn’t wait for my response goes over to where a knife is sitting on the counter. He cuts through my tank top, and my skin bursts into goosebumps as his fingers trail along my spine. Then he cuts off my first bra, then the second. “Why are you wearing three bras?” He asks, amusement lacing his voice as he cuts away the third.

  “Because,” I say, dripping with sarcasm, “it’s difficult to move around with these things on my chest,” I answer. “They need extra support. All you guys keep asking me about this.”

  He grunts in response and turns around so I can remove my underwear and step into the steamy water. The heat is glorious. I 194

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  sink into the deep tub and sigh. “It’s safe to turn around if you want to talk,” I tell him. The salts he put in the water have made the water milky enough not to be able to see.

  He turns and pulls the chair from the vanity over by the tub.

  “I’m sorry for being a dick,” he says.

  “Which time?” I ask while I lather up a washcloth.

  “Earlier tonight,” he scrubs a hand over his face, “I’m not good at giving up control.”

  “You don’t say,” I feign ignorance with a smirk. I start washing myself off, scrubbing every part of me where demon blood has dried. “I never noticed.”

  “You’re going to make this difficult, aren’t you?”

  “Extremely,” I say with a saccharine smile.

  He grabs my hand to still my movements, so I look him in the eye. “You scared me today. That knife would have bounced off my shield.”

  “Now I know,” I squeeze his hand. “I’m sorry you were caught off guard, but I’m not sorry for stepping in front of you.”

  We stare each other down for a minute then I say, “I’m going to 195

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  wash my hair. You might want to turn around unless you want a show.”

  For a second I don’t think he will turn around and then he does. I sink under the surface, letting my hair soak and then rinse. I grab the shampoo and work it into a lather, but as soon as I lift my arm, I hiss out a pained gasp. This must be a bitch of cut for it to still hurt this bad after getting Aleksandr’s blood.

  Hayes turns to look at me quickly.

  “Lifting my arm to wash my hair hurts,” I confess.

  I watch surprised when he reaches for the shampoo and puts a little in his palm. “I’ll do it if you don’t mind.” His fingers work my hair, cleaning all signs of our fight. I lean into his touch, despite the voice in my head screaming. He finishes, and I lean back to rinse my hair, knowing the movement will bring my breasts out of the water. He doesn’t turn away, but his eyes stay on mine the whole time. It’s oddly intimate to let another person help you bathe. When he gets up to grab a towel, I realize that I’m still shaky and probably won't be able to stand up on my own. He reaches for my hands and pulls me up, keeping his eyes on mine the whole time.

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  I wrap the towel around me and am about to make a stupid joke to break the tension when he rubs his thumb over the scab.

  His fingers slide behind my neck, and he bends down slowly to kiss the mark. He turns his head and presses a whisper of a kiss along my jaw. “Thank you,” he says softly in my ear. “I might have to stop fighting this pull so hard.”

  I’m having trouble thinking of something to say, so many bad jokes running through my mind. I’m no good with intimacy and feelings. I realize my hands still fisted in my towel and my thighs clenched together. “Well,” I squeak out, “all better.” I use my magic to dry my hair and grab a t-shirt that is folded on the counter, it’s barely long enough to cover my ass, but I’m getting right back into bed. Hayes helps me maneuver it over my arm.

  When we leave the bathroom, Vance and Ross are still sleeping, but Aleksandr is gone. Hayes helps me to bed and turns to leave to find Aleksandr. I grab his hand and almost ask him to stay, but nothing comes out. He gives a gentle squeeze and drops my hand.

  I reach down to where Ross is still sleeping in his fox form.

  He opens an eye, and I pat the bed beside me. He stands up, stretches out, and then shifts into a human form still on all fours.

  He crawls up from the foot of the bed and slides under the 197

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  covers next to me. He opens his arms in invitation, and I scoot over to cuddle him. “How are you feeling?” He asks as he strokes my back over the shirt, “Is this mine?”

  “I’m okay. Hayes helped me take a bath, and this was the only shirt in the bathroom, so I just grabbed it. It barely covers my ass, so it probably is yours,” it also barely contains my breasts, but I don’t mention that. “I’m still sore when I lift my arm. How bad was it?”

  “Bad. A little lower and it would have been in your heart. A little higher and it would have been in your carotid artery,” he pulls me tighter against him. “I’ve never seen Hayes use the fire like he did tonight when you fell. He lit every single demon up like he was Hades himself. Alek and Vance were cutting them down faster than I’ve ever seen too.” He tilts my head up to look me in the eyes, “I know you think being mated to us is a bunch of bull, but it’s not. When I saw that knife in your chest, my heart stopped. I felt like I was being shredded from the inside out.

  They all felt the same way too. Vance shadow jumped us all here, which takes a toll on his energy, especially when he was also stabbed several times. None of could part with you though.”

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  “And I wouldn’t ever ask you to,” Vance says sleepily. I feel the bed shift, and soon I’m pressed between both of them. Vance lays his hand on my hips, and I swear I can feel his smile before he even speaks, “Lenna,” his hand runs forward to the apex of my thighs, “you forgot something.”

  “Didn’t have anything in the bathroom to wear except this shirt,” my breath catches as he slips a finger along my folds. I f
eel him harden behind me, his cock twitching against my ass. I run my hands down Ross’s chest and abs, realizing aside from the shirt I’m wearing and the pants Vance has on we’re all about two seconds from this turning into another fantastic threesome. I never thought I’d have one and now I’m standing on the edge of another. Ross rolls toward me and starts kissing me in his gentle, sweet way. “Are you okay with our first time together being like this,” I ask against mouth.

  “Yes,” he slips his hand under my shirt, “we all need this.

  As long as you feel up to it.”

  I start to pull the shirt off but wince as my shoulder twinges again. “We might have to leave the shirt on. It hurts to lift my arm.” I gasp as Vance continues to work me with his fingers, teasingly running them everywhere but where I want them most desperately.

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  “No, we don’t,” Ross has a claw out and rips the shirt right down the middle.

  “He’s always been the clever one,” Vance huffs out a laugh.

  Then he’s rolling me to my back and kissing inside each thigh, still teasing me with his fingers.

  Ross pulls my face to his and continues his gentle assault on my mouth, and his fingers trail down to cup my breasts. He rolls my nipple between his fingers at the same moment that Vance slides his tongue against my clit. One of my hands goes to Vance’s head, urging him to take more, and he listens, slipping a finger into me.

  With my other hand, I reach down to wrap around Ross. He pulses in my hand as I rub a circle over his tip. His lips crash back against mine in a hungrier kiss. I come against Vance’s mouth and cry out breathlessly against Ross’s mouth. Then Vance moves over and says, “she’s ready for you.”

  In a surprising show of strength, Ross rolls and pulls me on top of him in one smooth move. I slide down over him and slowly start rocking my hips. His hands are on my breasts again, teasing and playing with my nipples. I increase the pace of my hips and Ross lifts off the bed to thrust into me even deeper. I 200

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  look over at Vance, and he’s just watching us, rubbing himself in time with us. I feel his magic all over my body, caressing it. Ross moves one hand down, rubs light circles over my clit as we continue to crash into each other. The orgasm slams into me, and I yell his name. He grips my hips to still me as he comes right after me, the surge of his cock filling me. I collapse between them, we’re all sweaty, and our hearts are beating loud enough we can hear each other’s rhythms.

  Vance says he’s too full of energy to go back to sleep now, so he heads off to find Hayes and Aleksandr. Ross pulls the sheet back up over us and wraps his arm around me. We fall asleep, wrapped around each other.

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  Twenty-Eight

  Lenna

  After waking up and going for a one-on-one round with Ross, we found everyone in the kitchen. I smell the freshly baked bread before I see it and my eyes land on Hayes. He smiles, and I feel it straight into my very soul. It’s like these four men have snapped into the grooves of my soul. I look at each of them to see if they felt it, but their faces betray nothing.

  Hayes is pulling a chunk of bread from the loaf on the counter. “Eat,” it’s a demand as he holds it out to me. “I’ll make you some eggs too.” He turns to pull pans and bowls toward the stove he pauses, “how do you like your eggs?”

  “Omelets are my favorite, but I’ll take my eggs fried, poached, or scrambled. Whatever is easiest for you.” I finish my last bite of bread, “but I honestly could just eat this. It’s so good.” I turn my attention to Aleksandr, “shouldn’t you have a chef here or something. In your castle.” I give him a cheeky wink.

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  “I used to employ a full staff here, but I haven’t been back in a while, so they’re at other homes or working for others. Devlin is my only full-time staff here.” He comes to look at my chest,

  “how does it feel today?”

  “Better, still a little sore though,” which is troubling because my abilities should fully heal me, not to mention Aleksandr’s blood. “How much blood did you give me?”

  “Enough to possibly form a blood bond. I wasn’t trying for that, but you weren’t responding as quickly to my blood as most would. You’re immune to the effects of silver and iron?” He asks, running a finger back and forth over his lips.

  “Yes,” I answer, “but not iridium. Only my aunts know that.

  Another one of those extra secret things we don’t share about me.” Hayes sets a plate of eggs with sautéed vegetables down in front of Ross and I. “Why are you asking about my immunities?”

  “I’m just trying to figure out what made that stab wound so hard to heal.” Aleksandr looks over to Ross, “you have any ideas?”

  “No,” Ross replies with a troubled look on his face. “When we get back to the human realm I’ll do some research. Maybe 203

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  our favorite librarian can help me out,” a sly grin shoots my way.

  I smile in return and ask, “When are we going back?”

  “When you finish your breakfast,” Hayes says with a nod toward my plate. He also slides an earthenware mug across the counter toward me. I pick it up worried its coffee, but a hint of bergamot hits my nose, and I swear I purr in happiness. A lovely Earl Grey for a misty morning in the shadow realm.

  We discuss our next steps for tracking down who has the amulet now. The guys want me to keep training with them every day. Vance and Aleksandr both ask me if I’ve given any thought into moving into their house. They are trying not to push, and I appreciate it, but I can’t wrap my head around it yet. I always have one of them with me or Hunter’s home. It just seems so unnecessary, and in all honesty, it kind of chafes at how I was brought up. Gloria and Zora are badass women who don’t need men for anything. Obviously, I can’t use my magic, so I’m at a bit of disadvantage there, but I wield my blades like I was born with them. I’ll be fine.

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  Twenty-Nine

  Lenna

  As soon as we get back in the human realm, I know there’s something wrong. I feel a burning tug on my magic, my fae magic. “There’s something wrong,” I grab my chest, “I feel a burning tug inside me. It’s… it’s the ward around my aunt’s property.” I grab the closest person to me, “I need to call them.”

  Vance steps into shadow and is back within ten seconds with my phone. “I plugged it into my charger while we were gone.”

  I step away and call Gloria. She’s always got her phone on her, and it’s always on, being the third of her pack. “We’re okay,” her voice is calm. “Zora is out right now trying to figure out what’s messing with the ward.”

  “I’m heading your way now. Should be there in 45 minutes unless you want me to have Vance shadow jump me to you?” I don’t even give her the option of me not going to help. Even if

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  everything is totally fine, I’ll want to add my magic to the repair of the ward.

  “Just drive,” she says with no hint of concern, “we’re good. I know you’ll want your magic added into the ward repair though so I will not put up a fight. We need to talk anyway, about the other night. Stay for dinner.” It’s a command, not a question.

  “Sounds good. I might bring Hayes with me. He’s good with wards and might have an idea about what happened.” We exchange goodbyes, and I walk back over to the guys. “They’re okay but not sure what happened to the ward.” I look to Hayes,

  “would you mind coming with to check their wards, maybe see if you find something they’re missing? They want us to stay for dinner.”

  “It’s the least I could do,” he cocks an eyebrow, “for the woman who took a knife to the chest for me.” Then he hits me with a rare and blindingly sexy smile, “I’ll never turn a meal from Zora, either.”

  Holy fuck. It’s a damn good thing he doesn’t throw those smiles around often. I’d be toast. Maybe I need to learn how to cook if it’ll get that reaction from him. I�
��m sure my mouth is 206

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  hanging open. It definitely is, he just put his finger under my chin, and it lifted it, “I’ll meet you in the kitchen in five.”

  I wait until he’s left the training room and look at Aleksandr, Vance, and Ross. “What happened to him? Where did the curmudgeon go?” They’re all just smiling at me like I’m a cute, clueless idiot. “Seriously? Did you guys see that? Did you hear it?”

  I head toward the kitchen and Ross hurries to catch up with me. “Can I give you some salve for the wound?” He thrusts a small jar toward me. “You should put some on before you go to sleep tonight,” he leans down and whispers in my ear, “let me know if you need help to apply it.” Then he ever so gently brushes his lips against mine. “Have fun with Hayes.”

  Vance and Aleksandr walk in as Ross is leaving. “We have a room you can use here if you don’t want to go back to your apartment tonight,” Aleksandr says as he walks toward me. “No pressure, but I know we’ll all feel better if you are under the same the roof as us.” He sets his hands on my shoulders and begins to lightly rub them, careful not to aggravate my left side.

  “Thank you for saving Hayes. I think his mind is coming around to the mating bond.” He presses me against the counter and lowers his mouth to mine. His tongue dives between my lips in a 207

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  rough and demanding kiss. Before I know what I’m doing my hands are running up his abs under his shirt, the feel of his cool skin sending heat straight to my core. I moan as he pulls away. I pull him back down for one more kiss, giving his lower lip a nip.

  I feel his fangs descend, and he lets out a low growl. “Lenna, you have no idea what that does to me,” he says, “I want to taste you. I want to sink my fangs into you at the same that I thrust into that perfect pussy of yours and send you flying into the most intense orgasm you’ve ever had.”

  “I wouldn’t mind being there for that,” Vance says as he nudges Aleksandr aside. He lifts me onto the counter, and I spread my legs to accommodate him. “Maybe I could taste you here,” he runs a finger behind my neck, “while I watch Alek take you.” He presses a teasing kiss to my lips and pulls my hips against his hard length. I’m writhing against him when Hayes walks in.