Chapter Seventeen
The four of them wound their way down a side tunnel, wading through waist-high standing water before exiting straight into the outer crystal cavern.
Ryker and Vikter stayed back, if everything went south it was their job to rescue Valerie and get her back to Dragosland. Vikter knelt in the wet dirt.
Bec, you still there?
I’m here.
How’s he doing?
Holding his own. The acolytes are on board. Just say when.
Good.
I’m going to have such a headache after this. You owe me.
He felt her laugher cross his mind and he smiled.
You got it, babe. Whatever you want.
I’m gonna hold you to it.
I wouldn’t want it any other way.
He broke the connection again, and listened.
***
“Malus!” Firelight flickered ahead, and Arin narrowed his gaze in the great expanse. His voice echoed off the walls. No wonder the asshole was able to hear and be heard earlier.
“Did you spot him?” he whispered to Xavier, but his partner shook his head.
A small bonfire burned at the center of the massive space. It was easier to spot Malus and Valerie from above, but from their vantage point on the ground it was hard.
“So, unless you’ve come to tell me where the medallions are, you’ve wasted your time. Of course, you could always claim your mate. I’m always up for a peep show.” He grabbed his crotch and squeezed. “She’s quite a piece of ass. I’ve even thought about keeping her around for my own entertainment.” He winked. “After, of course.”
Arin growled, but he didn’t take the bait. He circled the sorcerer slowly, while Xavier took the opposite side. They flanked him, cutting off any chance of escape.
“Do you really think you can out magic us, old man?” Xavier asked, watching the man’s head swivel to find him.
“You think we don’t know what you’re about?” Arin taunted, and the man’s head pivoted in the other direction.
He lifted the staff and pointed it toward the ceiling, but nothing happened. His eyes went wide for a split second, but he recouped.
“Clever mask, but fear is something you can’t hide from a shifter.”
Malus’s face froze for a moment, but he gripped the staff with both hands and swung, aiming for Valerie’s head. She screamed, but Xavier caught the orb in his hand, crushing the ball in his fist. He jerked the worthless stick from his hand and tossed it to the ground. “Your tricks are useless, old man. You are nothing more than a fraud. A magician playing with light and shadow.
Malus stood panting. His eyes narrowed and he seemed to grow in stature. His link with Castor was broken, that was certain, but he was pulling strength and magic from somewhere else. Probably the Dragos elder.
He lunged, hands out like claws. “I’ll kill your stupid human bitch!”
The crystals inside the cavern dimmed as he attacked, but Xavier backhanded the man, sending him crashing into a stalagmite column. His head jerked back and he crumpled to the ground.
With a snarl, a single talon erupted from the end of Xavier’s finger, and with a single stroke he cut Valerie’s bonds. Her legs gave out and he caught her, scooping her into his arms.
“You have to get to your feet, love. Vikter and Ryker are in the cavern tunnel. They’re waiting to take you to Dragosland.” He kissed the welts on her face and chest from Malus’s phantom strike. “I’ll kill him twice just for that.”
She shook her head, watching over Xavier’s shoulder as Malus shook off the crash and climbed to his feet.
“I’m not leaving you or Arin.” She brushed his lips with hers. “We’re Team Triad, and I want a piece of that vile shitass as much as you.”
He chuckled, all the while keeping an eye on Arin as he circled the sorcerer. “You’re not a dragon yet, love. We haven’t even claimed you.”
“Yeah, about that,” she nipped his bottom lip. “Will it hurt much when you do?”
Her words sent his inner dragon clawing for release. The urge to put the triad mark on her forever nearly overwhelmed him, and he growled low. “Only as much as you want.” Putting her down, he smacked her ass. “Let Arin and I kill this son of a bitch, so we can find out.”
A shower of calcium quartz rained down as Malus went flying into another column. Xavier’s eyes jerked to where Arin stood. “Stop playing with the piece of shit. We have a woman to claim!”
Valerie took a step toward the mouth of the cave where Ryker and Vikter waited, but she spotted the broken staff on the ground. Her nostrils flared and she bent to pick it up. Whirling on her heel, she stalked to where the Gemini stood.
“It that fear in your eyes, Malus?” Her voice was deadly calm as she held what was left of Castor’s staff. “Guys, I never told you I used to take karate. Got pretty good, too.” She twirled the carved stick in her hand like a Japanese bo staff, getting closer and closer to Malus as both men flanked her advance.
With a practiced hand, she brought the staff down is a downward swipe, the same way Malus had earlier. He screamed as the wood’s jagged edge sliced through his flesh. “That’s for being a coward.”
She raised the staff again, bringing the sharp edge down in the opposite direction. He screamed even louder as the broken spike sliced another stroke, making a perfect X across face and chest. “—and that’s for tying me up against my will!”
“Valerie, you need to go. NOW!” Arin’s body shook, bone and muscle ripping and reshaping before her eyes. Xavier snarled and he fell to all fours, his body arching as his form writhed and reformed as well.
“Go!” they both ground out as black and gold scales replaced skin and anterior and hind limbs replaced arms and legs.
Talons grew from their fingers and toes and a spiked frill crowned their dragons’ heads. Powerful wings flapped and they grabbed Malus with teeth and razor sharp talons, pulling him limb from limb as they rose.
She stood both mesmerized and horrified at the spectacle. Ryker came out of the cave mouth and slipped his arm around her stunned shoulders. “It’s okay, Val. Dragons don’t do this on a regular basis. Only when someone threatens those we love.”
He looked up, cupping his mouth. “Hey, Arin! Like Camille told me. Don’t eat him. You’ll have indigestion for the next millennium!”
Arin’s dragon lips pulled back and smoke curled in a scaly chuckle just as Vikter did when she rode his back.
Malus’s limp form hung in pieces in their razor sharp teeth. Both Gemini shook what was left loose, but before the pieces hit the ground, a dual billow of red flame blackened them to a crisp. The charred remains crumbled to nothing.
With a dull thud, the twin gold dragons landed, careful of the stalagmites and stalactites. In a flash of electricity and magic, they shifted back to human, exhausted. With a cry, Valerie threw her arms around both their necks.
“I knew you’d come.” She kissed them over and over. “I’m just happy I got my own licks in before you barbequed the son of a bitch!”
Arin chuckled, dodging more kisses. “Where’d you learn to fight like that?”
“I know, right?” Xavier tightened his grip on her waist. “’She’s gonna make one badass dragon once we’re done with her.”
Ryker cleared his throat as Vikter joined them.
“Oops,” Val snickered. “I forgot we weren’t alone.”
Vikter raised a hand, laughing. “Don’t mind us. I just wanted to let you know that Pollux lived. He’ll be bedridden for a while until he gets his strength back, but he told me to tell you that Castor is free. Once the bond Malus held was severed, he was able to call for help. He’s resting in the Gemini elder sanctuary. Once they both regain their strength, I think it’s time the two brothers were reunited, don’t you?”
Arin nodded. “Yes, and I think it’s time the two clans were as well. How about we make the announcement together?” He glanced at Valerie’s eager face and chuckled. “Just not right now. We have some unfinished business to attend.”
Vikter smirked, lifting his hand in salute. “Been there, done that, dude. Enjoy.”
The two Dragos turned to leave, but then Ryker turned back, giving Valerie a quick wink. “I’ll tell Camille you’ll call her, okay?
She nodded. “Just not tonight.”
They left and a slow smirk spread across her lips. “Are you two always this naked when you shift?”
Arin growled a laugh. “Yup.”
Xavier nuzzled her neck. “Why, do you have a problem with that?”
Grinning, she shook her head. “Not at all…so…about this claiming thing. X said it would only hurt as much as I wanted.”
“Yup,” Xavier said, getting up, lifting her to her feet as well.
Arin sandwiched her on the other side, moving her hair away from her neck. “How about a little swim. We can take it from there.”
“Is it cold?” she laughed, stepping back, peeling her jacket from her shoulders.
The two moved to the edge of the small underground lake, and like they did before, they channeled their inner dragon and set the water to bubble and steam.
“Insta-hot. Cool.” She smirked. “Well, I never did get that bath.”
Arin turned, helping her strip. “Yeah, but before you said you wanted a quick bath, but I think a nice, hot bath is a much better idea.”
Xavier nodded, sliding his hand from her waist to cup her bared breast. “As hot as you can handle.”
Her pussy throbbed with the need to be fucked. She raised her hands to Xavier chest, feeling his body, and gasping at how smooth and warm his skin felt. “Are all dragons so hot to the touch, or am I just a lucky girl?”
“As far as luck goes, it’s us who are lucky,” Xavier said, kissing the corner of her mouth, melting her brain cells.
Arin growled low, licking her throat to the base of her ear. He slid a hand down, cupping her ass and running his thumb over her seam. “You’re so fucking gorgeous,” he groaned. “I want to eat your pussy and let your juice run down my chin.”
“Yeah,” Xavier agreed. “But Val’s even more beautiful when she comes.”
Valerie gasped, her pussy soaking her panties. Their voices held the same sexy, orgasmic tone they did the first time they fucked her, only now that she was about to be claimed, the heat of their combined gaze nearly burned the flesh from her body.
Xavier stared at her, his eyes taking in her full breasts and hips, lingering at the way her juice glistened on her inner thighs. “I have to ask. Are you sure, Valerie?”
Arin waited as well, and when she nodded, they turned her toward the water and waded in half way. There was a natural shelf and Xavier sat, situating her between his knees. His lips sucking one of her tits into his mouth, he slid his hand over her belly to her slick sex. Even in the water, her pussy was slippery with need, and he fondled her slit with wet fingers.
Her head dropped back at how fucking amazing his hand felt. Xavier bit and sucked, sliding one finger, then another into her wet cleft. He curled his hand, fucking her deep and fast while his mouth moved from one nipple to the other, squeezing the full weight while he played.
Arin spread his hands over her shoulders, all the while licking and nibbling on the back of her neck to her ear, pressing his erection into her ass. She gasped, craning for him over her shoulder. He took her mouth, their breath mingling as he fucked her mouth. He sucked her tongue into his and then released, plunging deep into hers. He bit her bottom lip and she hissed.
I want your mouth on my cock, beautiful,” Arin rumbled against her lips. “I want to my dick to disappear between your luscious lips.”
He moved from behind, and stood on the shelf beside Xavier as he worked her pussy. She clutched his hair, rocking against his hand as tension built in her lower belly. Arin pressed his thick head to her lips and she opened wide, taking him as deep as she could handle.
“That’s it, baby. No kid gloves needed. Deep throat that cock.” Arin moaned, fisting her hair as he slid his long, hard member in and out of her mouth. “Easy, love, or you’ll have a load to swallow.” He chuckled, reaching to tweak a free nipple.
Her body flamed and she wanted them both. Right now. One in her pussy and one in her ass. Without warning she pulled back, releasing Arin’s cock and climbing over Xavier’s hips. “You had my ass last time.” She lifted her ass and plunged herself onto his rock hard dick. She gasped, feeling his immense size fill her to the max. “Fair is fair.”
Arin jumped down as she leaned forward, letting Xavier claim her mouth. She arched her hips, waiting for the feel of the alpha’s thick cock pressed against her snug entrance. He reached down and slid her slick juice back, circling her tight hole. “You ready for a lot of double stuff?”
She broke Xavier’s kiss and flicked her long hair back, grinning as Arin wrapped his hand around his corded mass. “Double stuff used to be my favorite cookie. Now it’s my favorite—” She hissed, arching her back as he drove his cock deep. He pulled back, doing it again and she sucked in a breath.
“Your favorite what?” he asked.
Coherent thought left her brain as they fucked her front and back. Her body coiled, ready to explode. Muscles tightened with her oncoming orgasm. Her body shuddered as tension built until she threw her head back and screamed both their names. Electricity pulsed through her as pussy walls convulsed, drenching her already soaked slit.
The scent of her climax was enough to push them past the edge. Talons erupted from each of their hands, and together they scored her flesh. Alpha and omega each claiming her for their own. Valerie screamed again, and Arin reached around for her clit, circling and teasing until she exploded in pleasure once more.
She slumped forward onto Xavier’s shoulder, her own stinging from where they marked her flesh. Arin stepped back, sliding himself from her body. He cupped a handful of water from the lake and poured it over the fresh wounds. The pain ebbed and she leaned up, amazed.
“Well,” Xavier asked. “Just enough?”
She chuckled. “Next time I get to slice you two open, how about that?”
Arin lifted her fingers to his lips and kissed her hand. He turned her forearm over and smiled. “Guess who’s joined the Triad Tattoo Club.”
There on the tender skin beneath her wrist was the same mark both guys shared. They were a completed triad. Valerie slid from Xavier’s lap and took a step back from them.
“What’s wrong?” they asked, almost in stereo.
She shook her head. “Nothing. I want this perfect, so that means I want the grotto. We are a completed triad. So it’s ours, right? We can do what you came here to do?” She nodded. “For the Gemini.”
A soft grin took Arin’s mouth and he climbed out of the water and bent to get her jacket. In one of her zipped pockets were two small coins with strange markings. He brought them back to the water and showed them to her in his palm.
“Those are your medallions?” she asked, turning them over in his hand. “But the space in Castor’s orb was so much bigger.”
Xavier nodded, taking his, and he and Arin both submerged the coins in the green water. They grew to the size of Olympic medals and the moment the guys touched her flesh as well, the waters parted and a set of underground steps appeared.
“The grotto has always been here. It just takes triple the magic and triple the love to open it,” Xavier said.
Arin nodded. “We’ve already done what we came here to do. For the Gemini, the Dragos and for ourselves. A happily ever after for everyone.”