Exiting the meeting with elite Guardian representatives—whom my Lajaks had not enacted retribution on yet—that morning, I learned Cullo and Jeria had been seized completely by the Guardians. The two new elite Guardians, which were currently in Eski and Nosa helping to keep the peace, were being given their orders to start their reign in their designated city, to start the city afresh, Guardians to stay posted within both city limits for no less than a year to help maintain the peace. No new information was reported on who the leaders of the rebellion were. We had high hopes the Guardians had killed them off in one of their raids, but Mr. Damon was still leading this search, continuing on under Leric’s and my orders for more intel, since Leric had done a bit of digging when we first arrived at the Temple, and discovered it had not, indeed, been Reece who had fueled the flame—not everything could be blamed on the silent traitor.
But, today was the day we were finally leaving the city where I had recovered from my injury, and I couldn’t say I was any less thrilled than my Lajaks were to be moving out of the hotel suite where, I swear, the cushions were beginning to have permanent indentations, showcasing where everyone’s favorite spots were, which meant we had been there way too damn long for anyone’s liking, everyone itching with cabin fever at this point. Luckily for them, the ride on horseback was going to be a three day stretch to the next major city, only cabana style rooms available along the lush, but deserted stretch of traveling, giving them a chance to unwind. Unluckily for me, I knew I was going to be sore as hell, since yes, I was healed, but no, I wasn’t a hundred percent. But, it didn’t matter. We were moving out.
I had handled the first stretch of the day…decently. I hadn’t whined or complained as I was apt to—at times—when I was ill. I knew everyone wanted to move, so I had. And I had kept moving…until the latter part of the day, when the world seemed to dim on me, tilting, appearing all askew. I had waved a hand then, telling them I needed a moment. To which, when I had felt I was far enough away from the mass, I had promptly puked my guts up all over very beautiful violet flowers, managed to wipe my mouth off, took a small sip of water before the world completely dimmed on me, and I had passed out in exhaustion and soreness.
Not entirely sure what had happened following those lovely moments, I only knew I had woken at some point in Leric’s arms while he was riding his horse…to promptly pass out again. The next thing I knew, I was being laid on a soft bed, the smell of succulent, sweet flowers filling my senses, Leric tucking a blanket around me, barking at unknown individuals, “Find me if she gets worse.”
A door somewhere slammed, then I felt Sin’s familiar warmth behind me as he brushed my hair from my damp cheek, crooning softly, “You were strong today, love.”
Closing my eyes, I breathed out a tired exhale. “Tell that to those poor flowers.” My white, satin skirt and top felt a bit rough against my skin as I snuggled against the bed, but I quickly forgot the oddity as a warm hand lifted mine from the bed, placing a cool glass in it.
I peeked my eyes open, and saw Cain squatting next to the bed, holding the glass steadily in my hand, face neutral as he stated evenly, “You’re dehydrated. You need to drink this.”
I blinked slowly. “You need a shower.” He had dirt and mud all over his face, hands, and black clothes. “What happened?”
“Her antibiotics,” my King mumbled at the end of the bed. “She needs those. Where the hell are they?”
Elder Samson voice was bland. “Her bag, I think, which is still tied to her horse outside.”
“I’ll get it,” King Zeller murmured, the door opened and shut not a second later, only to re-enter a moment later digging through my bag, a breeze wafting in with him of succulent flowers.
My slitted eyes narrowed further on Cain who was trying to get me to sit up to drink, noticing blood dried lines on his forearms. “Explain, please.”
Sin brushed hair behind my ear, also keeping a steadying hand on my back, and I noticed he also had some dirt on his clothing, the stuff flaking off on the white sheet over me, the room appearing to be a small cabana, the enormous bed taking up more than half of it. “You see, love, where you decided to…rest…was actually a very dangerous location. Underneath all those pretty flowers surrounding you, the ground was uneven. We raced after you when we heard a splash, and followed the crumpling of the flowers where you had apparently rolled…right off a rift.”
I choked on my water, my hand shaking to where Cain grabbed the glass from me. “What?”
My King was scowling, also wearing some dirt as an accessory. “Luckily, there was a lagoon at the bottom of it.” A hand ran through his neon blue hair. “I was able to pull your body up from the water while Sin and Elder Merrick went down the ravine to retrieve you, but you’d already swallowed too much water, so Elder Merrick gave you mouth-to-mouth until Sin brought me down to get the water from your lungs. You woke up briefly then, but passed back out. By this point, the One had caught on something was amiss…” he trailed off glancing at Elder Farrar in the corner.
The Elder cleared his throat. “He raced like a damn bull through us, saw you down there with the three of them, and apparently, couldn’t reach you through your connection, and,” he waved his hand high, then plummeted it quickly, “he jumped off the damn ravine into the lagoon.”
I blinked slowly. “You’re all lying.” They had to be.
Elder Samson snorted. “No. They’re not.” A dirty expression. “I almost fell off when the One rammed us.”
My King rubbed his chin. “Next…came a bit of a…brawl, I guess you could say.”
“A brawl?”
“Mmm-hmm,” Brann hummed, appearing mighty amused. “From our angle up top, it appeared pretty brutal.”
Elder Farrar snorted, glancing at Sin. “You…are surprising.”
I glanced hurriedly to Sin, wondering…but, he only gave me a look, calming me. “So…” I rolled a finger, glancing at everyone’s clothes, Cain appearing the dirtiest, “what happened during the…brawl?”
King Collins ran a hand through his hair. “Sin, the One, and I, all believed we had dibs on you, our protective nature, and all that shit, since you weren’t conscious.” A shrugged shoulder.
“And?”
Elder Bridges lips were trembling where he propped the wall up. “None of them won the prize.” He flicked a finger to Cain, who was making me take another drink. “While they were fighting it out against one another, he pulled you from the fray, tossed you over his shoulder, and snuck around a boulder and started climbing up the ravine.”
My eyes shot wide as I drank, again glancing at Cain’s previously injured arms.
Sin cleared his throat next to me, rubbing my back. “I did notice what he was doing.”
Dry words from Elder Farrar. “Yes, I believe that was about the time you started to create a mini-avalanche from the side of the ravine until you noticed…they were on said ravine.”
“I stopped it,” Sin stated instantly, then rubbed at his jaw. “Took a punch, too, during it.”
My King cleared his throat. “Yes,” flicked finger, “not really one of my finer moments.”
Sin shrugged. “I buried you. We’re even.”
Elder Samson gestured to Cain. “Elder Merrick made it to the top quickly, and I healed the arm and leg you had broken, probably during your fall.”
“You’re lucky you didn’t break your damn neck,” Cain stated steadily, calmly, as he straightened, carrying the water glass with him, refilling it, and taking the pills King Zeller handed him, making me take those as he eyed me pointedly, navy blue eyes hard. “The next time you’re too ill to carry on, you need to say something, so cases like this don’t occur.”
My face fell a bit, feeling guilty and nauseous and tired. “I knew you all wanted to leave.” I jutted my chin up even though I was feeling none of it. “And I didn’t want to be a pain in the ass, as so many of you have complained about. I’m not weak, but I’m not fully recovered, either. It was hard going, but I managed. For all of you.” I drank the rest of my water, not glancing at anyone, handing it back to Cain. “I’m going to sleep now, so I’m ready for tomorrow.” I lay down grumpily, hiding my face from all of them by turning to face Sin. “Thank you for saving me today. And I’ll try to not let it happen again.” There was quiet for a long moment, no one moving or speaking, so I murmured, “Good night, everyone. Enjoy your night in your own rooms.” Hell, they’d probably all love some privacy.
My King cleared his throat. “This is actually our room.”
I blinked slowly, then lifted my head, peering about the room again. “No way.” It barely fit everyone standing, much less lying on the ground. “There’s not enough room for everyone.”
Elder Bridges sighed heavily, appearing pained. “There are only four rooms to the place, since we’re in the middle of nowhere, and all of them are taken with the rest of our group.”
My head flopped back on the pillow, groaning in frustration. “Sin and I can share the bed.”
My King hummed happily. “It does look soft.”
“It is,” Sin muttered grouchily as he helped me move to the center, grabbing the pillows, claiming the ones we had already started using, resituating them and the blanket. “Anyone who gets in this damn bed wears clothes.” ‘Cause some of the men slept in the buff, which I had unfortunately learned one morning, yanking the cover off Brann.
Then, it became a contest of who could speak fast enough…
“Dibs,” my King muttered hurriedly, jumping like a kid, and landing next to Sin.
“Shoes!” Sin and I both shouted at the same time, and I waggled a finger at my King’s dirty as hell boots. “Take those off!”
Even as King Collins started taking his boots off, King Zeller moved forward quickly, arching and popping his back, muttering swiftly, “I call dibs, too.” He pointed at his dirtless attire. “And I’m even clean.”
“Just take your damn boots off,” Sin muttered, lying down on his side, facing me, giving them room, since King Zeller was, apparently, going to sleep on the edge of the bed next to King Collins.
Cain mumbled quickly, “I could use a bed.” He bent, picking his duffle off the floor, tossing it next to me. “I call dibs, but I’m going to shower first.” He turned on his heal, and went into the bathroom.
Elder Farrar hopped forward on one foot, taking a boot off as he moved. “Dibs next to him.” He tossed the boot, and started hopping on the other foot, working on his other boot. “Fuck, my back’s killing me.”
The remaining three appeared all types of shell-shocked at the mad-dash-dibbing for the bed, all staring at the foot of it, the only place left for someone to sleep on a soft surface.
And…even as Brann and Elder Bridges started racing toward it…Elder Samson stood still, and just flicked a hand, both of them magically scooped up inside golden bubbles, and tossed out the front door that flew open as he sauntered over, muttering, “My ass is still numb from the damn ride, so I’m going to be sharing the bed with you six.” He appeared properly disgusted, dropping back on the bed below our feet, careful to keep his boots off the edge, but claiming his space just as Elder Bridges breezed back into the cabana, appearing peeved, Brann following behind him, growling softly, slamming the door closed. Elder Samson only raised his eyebrows. “You two are so predictable.”
I chuckled softly, approving wholeheartedly. “That’s why you’re one of my point guards.”
Elder Farrar grunted, rolling on the edge of the bed, still ticked at this fact, even as Elder Samson grinned a bit, resting his hands under his head, appearing all types of cozy on the soft bed while Brann and Elder Bridges grumbled, trying to find spare blankets to use on the minimal space on the floor. Cain came out a few minutes later, and I made sure not to pay any attention to him, since he was only wearing a towel around his waist, olive skin glistening with droplets lovingly sliding down his ripped frame…yep, I turned my head away as he leaned over Elder Farrar, rifling through his bag. After he returned from the bathroom wearing a pair of black flannel pajama bottoms, he flicked the lights off, but turned the overhead fans on in the stuffy room, power sitting heavily, everyone done having removed boots, and were firmly settled on the floor or bed. He crawled in over Elder Farrar, nimbly lifting to slide his legs under the sheet, and instantly turned on his side…and smoothly, but firmly, yanked me from Sin’s hold in the darkness of the room, keeping the sheet properly over us as he pressed my back to the strong contours of his front, wrapping his arm around my stomach…and palming one of my breasts possessively, even as he inhaled deeply, and silently against the back of my head.
I blinked slowly, and breathed shallowly, lifting my wide gaze from Sin’s amused, but quietly hostile, emerald eyes, and stared at his forehead for long moments, trying frantically to calm down, because I couldn’t let my heart rate or emotions or scent, do anything abnormal in the tight confines of this room. I focused on my breathing, noticing the variations between Sin’s natural scent and Cain’s forests before a rainfall fragrance. Eventually, calmed enough, I closed my eyes, but they shot open again, when Sin scooted the barest bit, removing the distance between us, pressing his familiar, strong contours against my front, trapping Cain’s hand between our bodies, only to bend and place a gentle kiss on my forehead…all while Cain froze behind me.
My lips twitched the barest bit as I felt Sin’s lips curve against my forehead, knowing full well he was being ornery—hell, who knows what else, silently running his hand down my side to my hip, pulling my leg over his hip, holding my bare thigh comfortably through my skirts slit even as he closed his eyes after tilting his head on mine, comfortable once again. I felt Cain’s chest vibrate the barest bit against my back, his wolf, but fortunately, no sound emitted from him. Although, he did press more firmly against my back, squashing me between them, since Sin didn’t move, and shifted his arm a bit between our bodies, resituating his hand over my breast, making it even more obvious what he held…and tipped his head up silently…and bit the side of my neck, his teeth latching, sinking into my vulnerable flesh. It took all I had in me to keep from jerking, or feeling or doing anything I shouldn’t at that moment, even as Sin chuckled silently against me, blowing out a breath to remove one of the many black, damp curls fanning both of our faces when Cain didn’t release his hold on me, his warm, slick tongue actually taking a long, slow lick against my flesh inside his biting mouth.
Instantly, I froze when directly in my ear, King Zeller muttered with exasperation, “You three have got to be fucking shitting me.” A pause. “Play this dominance bullshit elsewhere…like, say…when there isn’t the severest fucking Elder in bed with you!”
I do believe that would be a contradiction, because the “severest Elder” wouldn’t actually be in bed with us, but I understood the meaning behind it, and knowing full well Sin and Cain had heard him, too, I poked Sin’s side, then tapped Cain’s head, a silent demand for them to stop using me as a damn tug of war toy in whatever game they were battling against each other.
Sin muttered something under his breath, resituating his head against mine, pulling my leg more firmly over his hip, even as Cain’s chest vibrated silently again against my back while he released his hold on my neck, brushing the bite mark once with his nose before resting his head against the back of mine…and all went silent and still.
I yawned largely, even with their slightly frigid frames wrapped around me, neither one of them releasing me, and let my eyes shut. Cain had known getting into bed with us, we always slept next to each other, and yet, he had gotten into bed anyway, and then proceeded to pull me from Sin’s arms. Sin had known Cain and I were sleeping together, and yet, he had proceeded to antagonize Cain. So, they were both getting what they deserved. Arching a bit, my back popped, even as they both pressed closer, and I yawned once more…falling asleep between their combined heat.
A hand softly shaking my shoulder woke me in the pre-dawn light streaming in the sheer white curtains of the small cabana. I blinked my eyes open blurrily, toasty warm pressed between…I blinked a few times more…seeing black curls and neon green hair hanging over my face…ah, I was sleeping between Cain and Sin, wrapped like a twisted pretzel between them to where I wasn’t sure whose leg or whose arm was whose. Again, my shoulder shook, and I was instantly awake, because it wasn’t Cain or Sin doing it. Fear had me quickly wiping their hair out of my face, tilting my head a bit, frantically thinking of an excuse…but it was Elder Farrar peering down at me with sleep rumpled golden hair, a finger to his shushing lips.
I instantly breathed easier, then blinked, shaking my head a bit when a small flash erupted in my face, stirring Cain and Sin, both of them groaning softly. Elder Farrar smirked, lowering his camera, but once again pressed a finger to his lips, silently telling me to be quiet, then mouthed, “Wake them up before the others wake.” The bed barely shifted as he got out…with a damning photo, entering the bathroom.
Goddammit!
Growling quietly under my breath, I started to wiggle a bit, trying to disentangle myself from them, but I was quickly squashed on both sides once again. More awake now, I was fairly sure it was Cain’s hand still on my breast, but now under my satin-stiff top—thanks to my swim in a lagoon, holding bare flesh, and it was Sin’s hand that had slid during the night up under my skirt, his palm heating my bare ass—thank you, no underwear, my leg still wrapped around his waist, their heads slightly over mine, and I was fairly sure, resting against each other’s as they continued to sleep, not waking completely from the photo…and both of them were sporting impressive, morning woods. Not a surprise, but still, not really a bodily reaction you would want in this room. I tried wiggling once more…and quickly stopped that action when they both moaned quietly, pressing their hips against me, along with other hardened body parts…which, unfortunately, produced a very misfortunate arousal in me. Again, none of this was new—for either men, but it was definitely not appropriate.
So, I did the only thing I could think of, opening my Core the barest bit, and floated in the galaxies, finding each of their tethers, pulling them to my lips, and whispering, “Wake.”
Instantly, they jolted a bit as I silently shut my power down, and I knew they were awake by the prompt tightening of their bodies, breathing altering, and resting hands turning gripping. I tilted my head up a bit, pulling the blanket over my lips, since I seriously needed to brush my teeth, but still smiled a bit at them where they stared down at me with sleepy eyes, appearing a bit bewildered finding themselves as they were, and I whispered, “Good morning.”
Sin blinked slowly, even as his eyes flared quietly, whispering, “Mornin’, love.”
Cain grunted quietly, eyes flicking to Sin’s…which were only a few inches from his own…narrowing a bit, before falling back to mine, mouthing—just in case anyone else was awake, “Morning.”
I licked my lips a bit nervously, whispering, “We need to get up.”
Sin yawned hugely, showing, not just me, but Cain his pearly white’s before stretching—pressing all of his body against mine…and I barely held back the squeak when I was suddenly turned onto my back in one of his fluid moves with his heavy weight on top of me. Sin’s lips curled against mine, emerald green glowing down on me…with Cain’s unrelenting hand still between us on my breast. Sin whispered softly, “I’ll get,” he pressed his erection between my thighs, rubbing slowly against my core, “…up first.” My eyes shot wide…Christ…the simmering arousal I had been trying to suppress rearing its ugly head. “Okay, love?”
A quick word. “Yep.” But, my eyes narrowed a bit. “Behave, Sin.”
Cain was frozen, pressed against us, his chest vibrating silently, his body trembling the barest bit in what had to be suppressed fury.
Sin winked, murmuring slowly, “This is behaving.” He tilted his head, lips rubbing against mine, and I felt his hand move between us, my breath catching when his palm slid under my top and he pressed his hand over Cain’s, squeezing my breast with Cain’s touch. “That,” he whispered softly, “isn’t.” His lids dipped, and his lips pressed against mine softly, a gentle caress of silken lips, a normal morning kiss for us…except for the fact it lingered as he squeezed his hand over Cain’s again, using Cain’s touch and warm palm to kneed my quickly heaving breast. Gradually, his head tipped back, pulling his lips from mine, a slow smile curving his lips as his gaze flicked over my face. And even though I was positive all three of us could hear the barest sound of, indeed, leaves rustling…and possibly, prairie grass blowing in a gentle breeze…as Sin’s power began to leak the barest bit in his aroused state—a sound, a feeling, he had never allowed with me, his scented spiced with earth and herbs—a scent he had never smelled so heavily of before, his head tilted up, staring directly into Cain’s eyes, both of their gazes glowing, unflinching, only inches away from each other’s, and he mouthed, “Good morning, Elder Merrick.” A quick, gentle squeeze of Cain’s hand, squeezing my breast, his grin only increasing. “It’s been fascinating sleeping with you.”
Cain’s nostrils flared wide as he bared his teeth, his wolf starting to sound on a quiet menacing growl, snapping Shifter magic subtly seeping from him.
Sin’s eyes flared brightly, grin still in place, but it was now much the same as Cain’s teeth baring, his own power starting to leak further, but definitely not in arousal.
Oh…no, no, no, no. This was not happening. Not with these two men. Neither was going to injure the other. I quickly shoved both of their hands out from under my top; even as I put my other hand between their faces, waving it in quick jerks, whispering harshly, “Stop it!” Both of you. “We need to get up.”
Both heaved a mighty breath, staring one another down.
I whispered, “Now.” And remembering the whole Shifter alpha eye contact thing, never-to-look-away-first-bullshit, I gripped both of their chins, jerking their silently furious faces toward me, my eyes darting back and forth between theirs, I whispered once again, “Now.”
Between gritted teeth, Sin hissed, “Fine.” He jerked his chin from my hold, then proceeded to shove Cain’s shoulder back so he could climb over him to only turn around, and hold out a hand to him, eyes narrowed, one green eyebrow cocked.
Cain ground his teeth together; also, glaring back at Sin, then knocked his hand away as he rolled out of bed, and proceeded to walk on silent feet to the front door, slipping outside it. Sin muttered a quiet—filthy—curse under his breath before he grabbed his bag off the floor, walking toward the bathroom just as Elder Farrar made his very timely way from inside it with damp hair, gesturing grandly for Sin to enter. Sin muttered something under his breath to him before stepping inside, and slamming the door so hard everyone woke, all of them shooting upright as if a gun had been fired, rubbing their trained eyes that darted about the room.
Lying on my side, back to my King and King Zeller, I placed a gentle hand over my mouth in stunned surprise at these turn of events, trying to breathe evenly as Elder Farrar threw his arms out wide at everyone’s grumpy as hell expression, saying sunnily, “Good morning, one and all.” His gaze flicked to me, then he bowed his head grandly. “I believe our eyes are now all wide open to face the new day.”
No shit.