Lila turned her head to the side to whisper, “I’m okay, but don’t let go.”
No one else moved. No one else spoke. For a second, Lila had the absurd thought that she’d turned everyone into statues. Then she saw someone blink, and Alexander heaved a breath, as if he’d been holding it.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I believe that the Chosen One has made my point for me. There is no need to worry about how good her control is.”
By midnight, Sebastian was pulling around the circular driveway in front of his house. Lila wasn’t yet completely steady on her feet, so she waited for Evan to open her door and take her hand.
During the ride home, she and Sebastian had decided that it was not the magic that had tired her, but the effort of controlling it. Sebastian was sure that James could devise a few exercises for her to strengthen her ‘magic muscles’ so that she wouldn’t get so tired in the future. Lila was fairly certain that those exercises would involve mentally lifting the boulders that separated the cut lawn from the tall grass in back of the house. Possibly juggling them.
Inside, Lila and Evan bid Bastian good night and Evan carried Lila up the stairs to bed. Inside their bedroom, Evan began undressing, and Lila flipped on the light switch. Her gaze fell on their bed, and she froze. In the middle of the bed, on top of the white comforter, lay a single red rose. Evan looked up when he felt her surprise, and followed her gaze to the rose on the bed. He walked over and picked it up by the stem, just under the bloom, and held it over his other palm. Something slid off the stem and into his hand.
“What---?” Lila asked, in barely a whisper.
“Your ring,” he answered, and put the rose down to take her left hand in his. He slid the ring onto her third finger, kissed it, and covered it with his other hand as he smiled at her.
“He took it?” Lila was still astonished.
“He brought it back.”
There was no question about whom they were speaking of, but Evan’s expression changed to worry.
“How did he get in?”
He dropped Lila’s hand and went to the window. It was locked, but he opened it anyway and looked down at the snow covered yard. A single trail of pawprints were easily discernible near the house. They went from right to left, as if they circled the house.
“I’ll be right back.” Evan closed and locked the window and moved to leave the room.
“Where are you going?”
“To see how he got into the house.”
He kissed her forehead and left the room, calling for Sebastian on his way down the stairs.
Lila harrumphed unhappily and looked around the room. What if it wasn’t Lash? What if not-Lash was still inside the house? Her two guards had just abandoned her alone with a potential stalker to check the security breach. That didn’t sound like the beginning of a scary movie at all. Lila turned on another lamp and checked inside her closet and bathroom. Of course her bathroom was accessible from the bedroom next door, so she had to make sure the second door was locked. It was. Back in her bedroom, she looked under the bed. Nothing. Well at least her room was secure. She locked the door to the room and crossed to the window again to open it and look out.
Evan and Sebastian were just rounding the corner of the house when she looked outside. Sebastain was carrying a flashlight, so she could see the large cat prints outlined in the two inches of snow on the ground. Evan looked up at her.
“Anything beyond footprints?” she called down.
“Not yet. Put something on so you don’t get cold, we’ll be in in a minute.”
Lila closed and locked the window again, shivered, and went looking for the flannel pajamas Sebastian had bought for her when Evan had moved into her room. They matched the ones he’d bought for Evan. No one would ever be able to convince her that her teacher did not have a sense of humor.
She took her necklace off and carefully laid it on top of the dresser. She unzipped her gown and stepped out of it, draping it over the armchair in the corner. Then she got into her pajamas, tossed her underwear into the laundry bin, and put her shoes away in the closet before she heard Sebastian noisily reentering the house. Then she heard what sounded like someone walking on the roof. She hoped that was Evan. A minute later the door handle jiggled.
“Is that you, Babe?” she called.
“Aye.”
She smiled and decided to give him a hard time.
“What’s the password?”
“The sooner you let me in, the sooner I’ll make love to ya.”
Lila laughed and opened the door.
Evan lunged for her, sliding his hands under her pajama top. His hands were cold from being outside and Lila squealed. Evan kissed her.
“Come downstairs with me for a minute.”
They found Sebastian in his study on his computer.
“He entered through one of the windows at the far end of the third floor. He jimmied the lock with minimal damage to the casing. There’s both pawprints and bare footprints on the roof, so I guess he climbed the tree and jumped.”
“The tree is like thirty feet away,” Lila said.
“But the branches come within twenty. Easy enough for a cat his size, I’m sure.”
While they talked, Sebastian continued typing on his computer. Finally he leaned back in his chair with an appreciative smile on his face, and said, “And, he’s a very good spy.”
Lila raised her eyebrows and waited for an explanation.
“Not only did he turn the alarm off in time to not send the alert to my phone or the police station, but he reprogrammed it.”
Sebastian turned the monitor around to show Lila and Evan the open document on his screen. It was an occupant identification page for the very elaborate alarm system. The one that was automatically sent to the police department via email when the alarm went off. It was completely filled out with all his personal stats, photo, hand print, and personal password.
“His password is ‘#Kitty1.’” Bastian actually smirked. “I think I’m going to like your second mate, Student.” Sebastian reached over and shut the computer down.
“Aren’t you going to delete his information?” Lila asked.
Sebastian shrugged.
“We’ll just have to put it back eventually.”
Lila wasn’t sure she liked how accepting her Teacher was of her mating status.
“You’re okay with him coming and going whenever he pleases?”
“We've already discussed the need to provide him with whatever protection we can.”
“We’re not mated yet!”
Sebastian had the grace to look regretful, and she could feel Evan’s guilt.
“Does the whole team sit around talking about my private life when I’m not there?”
“I’m sorry, Angel,” he said, taking her hand in his to let her feel how much he loved her. Lila wanted to get angry, but she just didn’t have the energy tonight.
“This team sucks,” she said and turned to drag herself up to bed, Evan right behind her.
He followed her in silence until they were inside her bedroom.
“Are you truly all right, Angel? Not’in’ else botherin’ you?” He slipped his hands under her shirt again, but this time his hands were warm. He wrapped them around her waist, hugging her from behind. He kissed her neck.
Lila picked up the rose from the bed and sniffed it. It’s petals were tightly closed, so it didn’t give off much of a scent.
“Why wouldn’t he show himself? Or leave some way of contacting him? He didn’t even leave a note.”
Evan didn’t have an answer for her, so he just held her.
“I need to brush my teeth,” Lila said a minute later, and wiggled out of his arms.
Evan didn’t like the way that Lila was shutting him out. She knew he could feel everything she felt, why wasn’t she talking to him? Was she really going to hold a grudge? Well, maybe. He could see how it might be justified, given that she wasn’t mated to Lash yet. Evan sighed. He undressed and
got under the covers to wait for Lila.
She turned the bathroom light off, and the lamp by the armchair, and took her pajama pants off before climbing into bed and cuddling into Evan’s waiting embrace.
“I love you, Angel,” he said, kissing her gently.
Lila pulled away from the kiss and, burying her face in his neck, began to cry.
“Oh my sweet angel, I’ve got you.”
Evan’s words only made Lila cry harder. That phrase that had started out as the thing that Evan said, had somehow become the thing that Lash had said---once. What was wrong with her? How could she miss someone she barely knew? Maybe all the drama and excitement and magic wielding of the night had finally caught up with her. And smacked her to the ground. And then stomped on her for good measure.
“Tell me.”
“I wish he was here,” Lila sniffled.
“What would you do if he was?”
“What do you mean?”
“What would you do if Lash was standing in this room with us right now?”
Lila blinked and sniffled. Were they going to talk openly about sex with Lash? Now?
“I’d tell him to get under the covers and warm my backside,” Lila said, testing. She felt Evan smile.
“What then?”
“I’d introduce the two of you to each other.”
“That’s very polite of you.”
“What would you do?” Lila asked.
“That would depend entirely on you, Angel.”
Lila leaned away and looked up at Evan. His eyes were half closed, and the lamp behind him hid their dark depth from her in shadows. But Lila could feel Evan’s arousal build by the way the energy bubbled through her veins. He slid his thigh between hers snuggly, so that their hips met, and he rolled into her, letting her feel his arousal grow from the contact.
“Tell me, Angel, what you want us to do when we are all here together in bed.”
Evan started kissing her ear and neck, and all thoughts fled Lila’s brain.
“Tell me what happens in your dreams.”
Her dreams? The naughty, dirty, three way sex dreams that aroused her even in sleep? How could Evan know about those?
Evan’s hand found her breast and his fingers began their loving caress of her sensitive nipple. Lila moaned and arched into his touch. What would it feel like to have two men fondling her at the same time?
“Tell me,” he whispered into her ear, and his breath sent a shock of desire down her spine.
“Ohhh!” Lila began to pant. “He’d do the same on my other side.”
Evan kissed down to her other breast and took that nipple in his mouth. When had he unbuttoned her shirt? He gently sucked it and flicked his tongue over the ever hardening tip.
“Ahhh! Two mouths and four hands,” she panted and squirmed. It was too much and not enough.
Evan pulled her onto her side so he could reach her other breast with his mouth. He sucked on the nipple harder than he had on the first. Lila cried out and his hand stroked down her back, over her ass, and across her wet center. He teased her opening with a single finger.
“Evan!” Lila yelled, and he left her nipple to kiss lower. Down her center, around her belly button, and into her curls.
“And two cocks,” Evan spoke into her skin as he licked the crease between her leg and her pussy.
“Wha---?”
“Two mouths, four hands,.. and two cocks,” he said so that she could hear clearly.
“Oh God,” Lila moaned, and rolled to her back, spreading her legs wide and burying her fingers in his hair.
Evan took her clit into his mouth at the same time as he slid two fingers into her cunt and began to stroke.
“YES! More! Please!”
Lila bucked and writhed in her pleasure. She closed her eyes and imagined the three of them together like this, and her arousal doubled. Her legs began to tremble, and she spread her legs as wide as she could for Evan. He withdrew one wet finger from her cunt and stroked circles around her anus as he continued to stroke into her with his other finger. Her core tightened, and just before she came, Evan pressed the finger at her ass inside her, replacing the fingers in her cunt with his thumb. Lila screamed his name as she came, and smiling, Evan gentled his touch and slowed his stroking to a lazy caress as Lila recovered her breath.
Lila was both shocked and pleased by how good the ass play had felt. Shocked, because she had never considered it seriously before, and pleased, because, well, three mates!
Before she had time to think about it any more, Evan was kissing her and wetting his cock with her slickness.
“Oh, yessss,” she moaned, and wrapped herself around him as he slowly slid inside.
“Evan.”
He chuckled.
“My precious angel,” he breathed into her ear and she shivered.
“I lied, I don’t need anyone else but you. Let’s run away to the arctic and live with the polar shifters.”
Evan stroked his cheek against hers as he stroked into her channel.
“You are everyt’ing to me,” he whispered, and held onto her tightly as he made love to her.
Chapter 25
December
The next day, December 24th, Lily and Jerry were flying into Albany. Evan and Lila drove the hour and a half in the snow to pick them up. Lily was excited to see all the snow, and even Jerry had a smile on his face as he gazed out the car’s window at the winter wonderland. Lila gave them a rundown of what to expect that night: a semi formal christmas dinner with most of the team. Sebastian was already peeling and slicing the vegetables that Lila and Lily would be cooking later. Tomorrow, gifts, breakfast, and a walk in the woods, then leftovers, cards, and anything else they wanted to do.
When they arrived at the house, it already smelled like turkey. Lila introduced Sebastian, who gave Lily and Jerry a tour of the house, while Evan took their bags to their room. Lily was amazed by the size and beauty of the house, and told Sebastian how much she appreciated him for taking Lila under his wing and teaching her how to be a mage. Sebastian actually blushed from the compliment. When Sebastian brought Lily back downstairs to join Lila in the kitchen, she’d started making pies. The two men seemed to be hitting it off, so Lila shooed them out of the kitchen to entertain themselves elsewhere.
By five o’clock the pies were made, the turkey and the ham were in the warming oven, and all the side dishes were either cooked or prepared for cooking. Lila and Lily had spent the afternoon in the kitchen cooking while Lila caught Lily up with the general drama of her life. With guests arriving at six, they had just enough time to go get ready.
By six everyone was gathered in the living room, and Sebastian was serving drinks as they waited for the team to arrive. Lily admired Lila’s new necklace that went perfectly with her cranberry cocktail dress. Lila told her mom that she was going to have to keep the emerald green one she’d lent her since it looked so good on her. When Lily objected, Lila whispered that Jerry was having a hard time looking at anything else, so she should just trust her daughter and take the gift. They giggled, and Jerry walked over to ask what they were talking about.
Lila hugged her mom and Jerry, and told them that they looked very handsome and that she was proud of them and so happy that they had come so far to celebrate Christmas with her mate and team, and--Lily put her hands on Lila’s cheeks and told her to breathe. Lila took in a breath and let it out.
“I love you guys. I’m really really glad you’re here.”
“And we are happy to be here.” Lily said, kissing her daughter on the cheek.
The doorbell rang, and Bastian greeted Xander and Mattie. Lila gave Mattie a big hug and introduced her to Lily, knowing the women would get along instantly. She guided them to a couch to sit and get acquainted while she got Mattie a glass of wine.
James arrived a few minutes later, wearing a white dinner jacket and black tie and carrying a shopping bag full of gifts. Placing the bag under the tree, he pulled out a wrapped bottle
before greeting everyone. Putting the gift wrapped bottle in Evan’s hands, James said,”Let’s bury the hatchet, old man.”
That was probably the closest James was ever going to get to apologizing to Evan for all his snark. James appeared to have rid himself of his prejudices and jealousies. It was a sight that warmed Lila’s heart. Evan unwrapped the bottle to reveal a 90 year old Irish whiskey that earned raised eyebrows from Evan and an ‘Ahh’ from Xander. It was opened immediately.
Just as the group was getting comfortable with each other, Sebastian raised his glass and said, “To love, new friends, and family.”
“Here here!” The room responded and drank.
That was Lila and Evan’s cue. Evan offered Lila his hand and they met Sebastian in front of the fireplace. The guests looked on curiously.
“Hi everyone,” Lila began nervously. “Merry Christmas, and thank you for coming tonight to share your holiday with us.” Lila was holding her wine glass in one hand and Evan had his arm around her waist.
“Christmas is not the only reason why we invited you here tonight,” she went on. “We would also like you all to witness our marriage.”
There was a moment of silence as the group absorbed what Lila had just said. Smiles broke out from the team members, and the women gasped and clapped. Sebastian took Lila’s and Evan’s glasses and set them on the mantel behind him as the couple clasped both their hands together and faced each other.
“Welcome friends and family,” he began. “We are gathered here tonight to celebrate the joining of two souls. Lila and Evan have pledged their hearts to each other and have forever bonded their lives together by blood and magic. Tonight they stand before their closest family to voice their devotion to each other.”
Sebastian pulled two wedding bands out of his pocket, and held them in his palm. Evan picked up a ring and placed it on Lila’s finger.
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