Jedrek
LAUREL?
My body on fire from overwhelming desire, I struggled to get my head on straight even while I still tasted Dex on my lips, in my mouth.
He’d been everything I’d imagined, but now worry about Laurel overrode all other thoughts.
I tossed Dex’s kilt to him, quickly covering myself as well. There wasn’t much we could do to hide our interrupted activities. The room smelled of male sweat and aroused exertion, and Dex and I both showed signs of lust, not the least of which included hard cocks barely concealed by the kilts. Dex’s long braided beard had rasped my lips, my cheeks, my chin, surely raising redness on my skin.
Storming to the doors, I pressed them open.
Cozmo entered in fast strides, and Dex stood tensely beside me.
“What’s wrong with Laurel?” he asked.
“She’s missing,” the blond human answered.
Pulling him to me by the collar of his tunic, I barked in his face, “What do you mean? Missing?”
Cozmo shook loose. “I went to her quarters after the queen gave birth, and she wasn’t there.”
“What were you doing at her abode at this time of night?”
“Checking on her after the commotion at the feast.”
“What is she to you?” Dex snarled with clear jealousy, and I briefly wondered if he had stronger feelings for Laurel than for me.
A childish notion that had no place here.
“She’s a friend I care about.” Cozmo glared right back. “And since my sister was nearly raped, and her assailant was gonna sell her on the black market just because she’s a human woman, I thought you two would be concerned about Laurel. Seeing as you’re her perpetual watchdogs.”
“How the hell do you know that?” Dex thrust his face even closer to Cozmo.
He snorted, raking both hands through his hair. “Everyone knows, Zenithians and Earthlings alike.”
I blew out a breath then turned to gather two daggers, quickly sheathing them. Dex hefted his battle-ax.
Cozmo’s eyes widened. “So you’ll help me find her?”
“Of course,” I assured.
“Especially with the rash of violence against women,” Dex added, hand tightening around the grip of his favored weapon. “I’ll destroy anyone who dares harm Laurel.”
We left the rooms to search through the palace, stopping first at the Great Hall. The feast might’ve ended, but the orgy was in full swing.
We halted in our tracks. The heavy weight of arousal between Dex and me resurged as we surveyed the couples and threesomes and foursomes in various states of undress, limbs entwined, flesh meeting, heat and hot desire swelling in the air.
My jaw stiffened. My cock did too. “She wouldn’t be here like this.”
Cozmo rolled his eyes. “No doubt. You two are better than a chastity belt when it comes to guarding her virtue.”
Dex squinted at the man. “We’ve never stopped Laurel from—”
Cozmo swiftly interrupted, “From fucking someone? That’s right, because you just make sure to jack up any dude with any intention of putting the moves on her.”
“Well,” I scanned the vast room one more time, “someone needs to look after her.”
“Sure. Keep believing that.” Head dropping back, Cozmo clenched his hands. “I’ve already looked all over the palace. The grounds too. I don’t know where she could be or if someone’s hurt her, and I can’t leave her—”
“What about the lake?” Dex cut in.
“The lake?” I turned to my almost-lover.
His cheeks reddened. “She likes to . . . swim there.”
We raced from the palace, frantic to find her. From what little we knew about this so-called black market we’d been unable to locate, a human like her would fetch a fine price.
Cozmo—a mere Earthling, therefore slower—had no hope of keeping up with us. Dex and I sprinted through the tuptup and malp tree forest.
“Let’s hope she’s there.” My feet pounded the ground faster.
“If she is, I’d like to throttle her myself.” Dex leaped over a log. “What the hell could she be thinking going out alone in the dark?”
“She’s fearless.”
“Because we’ve been protecting her.” He quickened his pace. “Gods, I hope she’s there.”
Despite his growled anger toward her if she turned out to be safe and just partaking in a midnight swim, his true worry showed through now.
As we neared Lake Ranquil, a soft splashing noise echoed through the trees. I cautioned Dex, a finger to my lips. We approached soundlessly, exiting the woods and drifting down the sloping bank.
Laurel lay on her back, aloft on the glassy surface of the water. Muted beams from both moons reflected off her skin, flecking her pale flesh in silver while her long dark hair blended with the rich depths of the lake. Her breasts crested the water as waves lapped her sides. The tight buds of her nipples prickled in the night air. Water streamed from her skin in glowing trails all the way to her womanhood.
Arousal swiftly pierced me. I stood, watching, stunned to silence by Laurel’s naked curves, her slick body.
“Gods. She’s magnificent.” Dex spoke almost reverently.
I glanced at him. He suffered the same desperate desire as me, but now my lust included him, and I hoped he wanted me just as much. I pressed closer to him, skimming a hand up his well-muscled arm.
He turned, dawning awareness etched on his face splashed by the moons’ light.
“So are you.” I bent, intent on kissing him as ferociously as we wanted to kiss Laurel.
“Jedrek! Dex!” Laurel’s dulcet voice broke us apart. “What are you doing here?”
He and I marched toward the water’s edge, and she dropped beneath the surface until water licked around her shoulders.
“I think the more important question is what the hell do you think you’re doing out here by yourself?” A scowl formed on my face.
She rose, sputtering.
She pointed a finger, fuming. “I’m a free woman now. You can’t tell me where to go, when, or why. Men,” she huffed out.
In her ire she’d seemingly forgotten her nudity. Water cascaded down her sweet curves, highlighting her beaded nipples and the slim indent of her waist.
Fuck.
“Laurel, is that you? Are you okay?” Cozmo crashed into the small clearing lit by the moons’ glow, and Dex and I quickly moved to guard Laurel from his sight.
“You will come with us,” Dex ordered her.
She slowly waded closer, arms over her breasts, water just up to her mons. Her pale skin gleamed gloriously, and each step revealed more of her delicious little body.
“Cozmo, can you bring me my things?”
I pushed out an arm to block Cozmo from coming any closer. “Cozmo will stay where he is.”
“At least afford me some modesty.” Laurel asked, dripping in water up to her pelvis.
Reluctantly, I gathered her garb and placed it on the edge of the bank. Then Dex and I turned our backs. My cock remained a hard staff beneath my kilt, and I smelled the heat coming off Dex too.
I wanted him.
We wanted her.
How the hell would this work?