by Heather Long
His braid had never been visible with his human face. He’d always kept it hidden.
Judgment left it alone. Dahlia loved the braid, even if his brothers teased him. He didn’t want to hide anything from her. Now, all he could do was track down Karmen and the sliver of hope she might offer.
It was a fool’s errand, but Dahlia was the worthiest of causes. With that thought firm in his mind, he transported himself to Sinner’s and whatever Karma had in store for him.
23
‘Fools rush in where angels fear to tread.’ That’s us. I mean them, after Seth bent the rules to extend my life. Now the reality of my existence is a little closer, a little harder to ignore. - Dahlia
Zhan
“Do you think he’ll get anything useful?” Zhan spoke softly as Dahlia turned on her side to burrow deeper into him. He loved anytime he spent with her, but he truly cherished the moments when she snuggled into his side. It made him feel as if he could protect her against the world, and she trusted him to do it. Even though he knew he was no match for her fate.
Tarus stalked across the room once again, growling low under his breath. “Doubtful, but I can’t think of that right now.” He returned to stand beside the bed and gazed down at Dahlia as if willing her to wake up. Her death would hurt them all, but Zhan was afraid Tarus wouldn’t be able to come back from her loss. Then again, could any of them?
The sweetest mew came from her lips as she nuzzled Zhan’s neck, just below his ear. He savored the touch, tipping his head to the side to allow her better access.
“Lovely, are you waking up?” Zhan ran his hand down her side until he gripped her ass. After he gave her a hearty squeeze, he trailed his fingers down the back of her thigh until he caught her leg beneath her knee, and draped it over his hips.
She hummed, slowly coming out of her slumber. “Zhan?”
He released a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding and ground into her. Not too much, but it was impossible to restrain himself when he had her naked in his arms. Her hips arched into him as she slid her arm around his back. He could never keep his hands away from her when she reacted so gloriously.
“Right here, Lovely,” he murmured into her ear, then he ran the tip of his nose down the side of her face, enjoying the simple beauty of touching her.
Tarus wasted no time as he stripped down and slid in on the other side, molding himself to her back. She pushed back against him, and he let out a pleased noise of his own. They were all slaves to this special woman. Why couldn’t she have been a Keeper? Then they could have spent eternity learning her and pleasing her.
He didn’t actually wish that. As much as he wanted forever with her, she would not be who she was today had she lived the jaded life of a Keeper.
“Tarus?” she whispered, still half-asleep.
“Yes, Beauty,” he whispered into her hair.
She fell silent after that, slipping once more into a light slumber. It wouldn’t be long now until she was awake. Until then, they would hold her, soaking in every moment they could, no matter how insignificant.
Tarus took in a shuddering breath, seeming to calm his lingering rage.
Then Dahlia pulled away, throwing her arms above her head, stretching from her long sleep.
“What time is it?” Her voice was rough from sleep, but still so tempting.
“Morning, Lovely. Do you remember last night?” Zhan waited until she lowered her arms, then captured her in his embrace once more, wedging his leg between her thighs.
“Barely. I must have really passed out after coming back home,” she finished on a yawn.
Could it be she didn’t remember what happened? The first time she collapsed on the way to the bathroom, but this time, she didn’t realize anything was amiss. That was a blessing as well as a curse.
Tarus grimaced behind her, sending a look to Zhan. His eyes seemed to say should we tell her, or leave it a secret?
If they decided not to tell her, she wouldn’t stress over something she could not control, but without being able to question her, they might not figure out why she’d been having these episodes. They could be part of the process or something unique to her. To Zhan, it was more important to figure out the trigger, if there was one, than to let her go on in ignorant bliss.
Because it killed him and his brothers every time she collapsed. And even if they weren’t immediately fatal, they stole precious hours of their time with her.
“You collapsed last night, Lovely. Do you remember what you felt before you passed out?” Zhan nearly groaned when she turned her dark, sparkling gaze to his. Her lids were hooded from remnants of sleep, adding a sexy vibe to her look. Not that she needed any help to hold his attention.
He was always utterly captivated.
“I…” She dipped her chin as she thought back to the previous night. “I remember being sad, worried about my friends and my mom. That’s really it. It all went dark after that.”
“We think these are going to happen periodically, Beauty. Can you think back to the first time? Is there anything you can think of that ties the two together? If we can, we’d like to avoid them.” Tarus propped his head on his hand behind her.
She twisted to her back so she could see them both. “No, I had a great time that day, and last night, until the very end, I had a great time, too. Nothing stands out.” She gazed at the ceiling, her lips pursed to the side as if she was trying to make sense of something. “I wonder if this is like a faulty battery that sputters before it finally goes out.”
Fire flashed in Tarus’ eyes so that they were all gray with no trace of brown.
Zhan clenched his fists as he also fell to his back. He hated that metaphor. Now he’d have a damn hard time getting that image out of his head. Especially any time she had another episode. In the back of his mind, he’d wonder constantly if he’d already experienced her last waking moments.
Dahlia turned her head to face him, then Tarus. “Don’t be upset. Don’t. Having this time is more than I would have gotten if Seth hadn’t stepped in. And if it hadn’t happened exactly the way he saved me, I wouldn’t be here with you now. This is what’s important.” She reached out to take each of their hands. “I have no regrets.”
Zhan ground his teeth as Tarus groaned into his pillow.
“No regrets,” Zhan repeated in disbelief. How could she be so calm about this entire situation while it was literally tearing him up inside? She’d be taken by Bish, and he’d be left to pick up the pieces post-Dahlia.
He was done with this conversation. A quick glance at Tarus revealed he was also at his limit. So Zhan did what he always did if he found himself in bed with Dahlia.
Seduced her.
Rolling into her, he stretched his fingers out over her stomach to hold her in place. He had none of his ropes here, so he’d have to improvise unless he took her to the ranch.
That wasn’t an option right now. Useless regret and keen anguish rolled through him until he couldn’t do anything but lose himself in Dahlia.
He caught her lips in a fiery claim, putting everything he had into it, baring his soul in that one kiss.
“Brother.” Tarus dropped a hand on his shoulder, but Zhan ignored him, reaching inside of himself, finding the beast and setting him free.
The potent energy of his grace rushed to the forefront, and he pushed just a bit into his kiss with Dahlia. She gasped, and he rumbled his satisfaction, forcing his tongue deeper into her mouth. He controlled the dance, and she could do nothing but follow.
Then lava flowed through his veins, burning him up from the inside out, until all he could think of was Dahlia and keeping her with him, keeping her happy. Beneath him, Dahlia whimpered and roved her hands over his chest and abdomen.
He burned like his sword.
Was this the result of his grace? He’d never had this happen before.
“Brother!” Tarus barked. “That’s enough.”
Justice broke the kiss, only for a moment, to shoot a
glare at him. When he spoke, his voice was guttural, savage. “No, it’s not enough, but I’m done for now. You’re welcome to stay and enjoy our sweet Dahlia, or you can leave.”
This time, Dahlia grabbed his shoulders and pulled him over her. Slamming his mouth down on hers, he swallowed her soft moans. He maneuvered between her legs, pushing her knees to her chest as he rocked against her. His long hard cock slid over her pussy, gathering her wetness before he adjusted to rub against her clit at just the right angle. She tried to wiggle away from the pleasure, but he pinned her so completely, she could only lay there and feel everything he was doing to her.
“Fuck, Zhan,” she gasped, and turned her head.
If the heat writhed in her veins like it did in his, she was wild with sensation. Every brush of their skin a thousand times more intense. The pleasure just from this alone was so excruciating in the best way.
Dahlia shoved her hands into his hair, tugging him closer.
“Like hell I’m going to be left out,” Tarus grumbled as he sat up beside them. Anticipating his participation, Zhan flipped over, taking Dahlia with him. Now she straddled his hips as he laid flat on his back.
Zhan moved to kiss a scorching path down her neck as she made these sexy little mewling noises that drove him wild every time he heard them. With all of his attention on Dahlia, he felt more than saw Tarus climb over his legs so that he sat directly behind Dahlia. When his brother reached down to palm her ass, Zhan adjusted her just enough so the tip slid in. She tried to push down, but he held her still.
“Uh uh,” he moaned in her ear as he eased in just a little more before pulling back out to the tip, teasing more than pleasuring her. He dropped his head back against the pillow just in time to see Tarus slide both of his hands up her back in a sensual massage.
He couldn’t take any more. The need inside him was too strong, demanding he take her now instead of slowly savoring her like their other lovemaking. Clutching her hips tighter, he dug his fingers into her soft skin and yanked her down at the same time he thrust up, fully seating himself.
She screamed in pleasure right before she bit into his shoulder, causing him to jerk beneath her. The connection sizzled to life, the fire in his veins blazing through him. Fisting her hair, he pulled her head up to kiss her, only to find Tarus’ hand over his. Dahlia arched, twisting even as she rolled her hips, to meet Tarus’ hungry mouth.
Burning alive, Zhan didn’t fight the need to meet every grind of her hips. She stretched around his cock, her inner muscles fluttering against him, squeezing and pulsing. It was the sweetest form of torture, and even as he wanted to come, he fought it. Dahlia gasped against Tarus’ mouth, and Zhan flexed his grip on her hips.
As much as he wanted to let go and just lose himself in her, he had a hold of his sanity by tenterhooks. Stilling her, he grinned when she released an almost humming whimper. The complaint on her face vanished though in a look of wonder. The pressure of Tarus stretching her ass with his fingers thrummed through the thin layer of flesh separating him from where Zhan was buried inside of her.
His brother met his gaze over her shoulder. The solid gray eyes seemed to glow as they locked on his. Brace yourself. It wasn’t a warning that Zhan particularly needed, but he understood it. All the prep they’d done with her wasn’t the same as the real thing. Still, Dahlia flattened her hands to Zhan’s shoulders, and he crooned to her.
“Come here, Lovely, tilt your ass some.”
A ragged little breath pressed out of her lips as she dipped her face closer to his, and then she shifted her hands to his hair. The pressure increased as Tarus added a third and then a fourth finger. Dahlia wasn’t alone in shaking as sweat beaded along her skin and his. Zhan ached to thrust, but he kept still, even as she squeezed tighter around him.
In a minute, the pressure would be unbearable for both of them, then Tarus let out a grunt, and the pressure eased off. Not for long. Tarus slicked himself up and then shifted forward, his thighs adjusting against Zhan’s and Dahlia’s as they all shifted.
Wide-eyed, Dahlia stared at Zhan with so much trust in her eyes, his heart threatened to burst. He stroked the hair from her face, the violent intensity to take her quieting as he soothed her.
“Easy, Beauty,” Tarus hummed as he began to stroke her back. “Little thrusts, and I want you to bear down. We’re going slow.” The last order he directed at Zhan, but he didn’t need it. This was about Dahlia, about having her with them. Between them. Writhing with them.
Saving them.
The last thought crystalized even as Tarus eased forward, one hand coming to brace against the bed as he draped against her back. With shallow thrusts, he began to stretch her. The pressure redoubled, then tripled. Zhan’s mind threatened to splinter, but Justice sang in his veins as he swarmed upward, bolstering his strength.
For Dahlia, they could do anything, even endure this hedonistic torture. Punishment met his gaze and then began to smile, though his own expression was a tormented rictus of need as he pressed deeper and deeper. Dahlia’s breaths came in sharp little pants, and Zhan kissed her. Eternity stretched out, and then Tarus was fully-seated. She took them both so exquisitely.
For endless seconds, they stilled, suspended in a fusion of pleasure. Then Dahlia moaned, and the sound went straight to Zhan’s cock. Even Justice’s patience snapped. “Move,” he ground out through his teeth, and Tarus—and Punishment—laughed. The fuckers.
“Patience, Brother,” Punishment advised him, though Tarus’ voice was every bit as wrecked as Zhan’s own. Patience, his ass. “Beauty, I need you to tell me something.”
A sob spilled from her lips that was half-pained from pleasure denied and half-gasping laughter of delight. The same feeling pinged right through Zhan, and he began to chuckle.
“Who are you?” Tarus demanded, his grace seeming to pulse around him and his wings stretching. Balls deep in her virgin ass, and Tarus wanted every drop of her. Zhan admired his brother, because he wanted the same damn things.
Tears gleaming on her lashes and face flushed with pleasure, Dahlia met Zhan’s gaze for a long moment, then tipped her head back to meet Tarus’. Her perfect lips glistened, plump and reddened from their kisses. The action pushed her breasts forward, and Zhan covered one with his hand, catching the pebbled nipple with a little twist that made her gasp.
“Who are you?” Tarus repeated, and this time, he did it with a slap to her ass that had her clenching down on both of them.
“Fuck!” The word burst out of Zhan as his hips arched involuntarily. His only reward was the pleasure-pained look on Tarus’ face, even as he massaged the sting from where he’d spanked her.
A look of wonder crossed Dahlia’s face, and Justice held his breath. There…that was the look he’d dreamed of seeing again. It was the look she’d worn that night at the ranch before they’d stupidly sent her away. Triumph and joy flooded him.
With trembling fingers, she reached up to touch Punishment’s face, her fingers trailing along the black-stripe of a tattoo. Tarus caught her fingers and kissed them.
“Yours,” Dahlia whispered, and his expression changed. When those gorgeous eyes turned and faced Zhan again, they sparkled with so much life. “And yours.”
His blood sang, and a stupid smile erupted across his face.
Theirs.
Mine.
Finally.
It was like something slotted into place, returning to where it should have always belonged.
“Now one of you fuckers needs to move,” Dahlia demanded. “Because I have so much cock in me, and I need to feel you.”
Laughter erupted, even as Tarus landed another slap to her ass with a wild smile on his face. “Hold on, Beauty.”
Those were the last words he spoke as he began to draw back, and Zhan hissed. He flicked her nipple again before he dropped his hands to her hips once more, then Tarus slid his hands around her chest and palmed her breasts. As he rocked back, Zhan thrust upward, and Dahlia began to writhe, hips
rolling as she rippled between them.
It was the most sensual experience of Zhan’s existence. She took them both, and he flattened his feet against the bed to give himself more leverage. With every thrust, he sank into her wet heat, and he had to push up as his wings snapped open. The sounds escaping Dahlia pulsed through him, and Tarus tilted his head back, his jaw clamped as he began to piston his hips.
Sliding his hand between them, Zhan found her clit and began to add to the pressure, and her cries turned to screams as she clamped down so tightly, they were both ragged from trying to keep the pace. Every flex and glide of her inner walls threatened to pump him dry. When he wrenched her down to kiss, Justice flooded him, even as she cried out in another orgasm.
Tarus shouted as he drilled into her and then froze, and even Zhan’s whole body went rigid as he came. The ferocity stunned him, his body turning to pure flame, and he thrust his tongue against hers as his grace flooded the room. What he’d poured into her earlier had nothing on this. Justice claimed her as surely as Zhan had. Some distant part of his mind recognized Punishment’s grip, but Dahlia cried out against his mouth.
The connection pinged back and forth between them as silvery flames licked through the indigo and ensnared him. When Punishment wrenched them apart, he blazed as he glared at his brother. Dahlia stared down at him, lips puffy and eyes dazzled. Her skin gleamed like pure moonlight, and the room was awash with sex and power, and still, they were buried deep within her sexy body.
“Mine,” he snarled at his brother.
Punishment had a possessive arm around her. His darker skin was a stark contrast to her creamy one. They looked so beautiful together. “Ours.”
The heated statement rocked like a challenge through him until Dahlia spread her fingers against Zhan’s chest and curled her other hand around Tarus’ forearm. “Yours.” Then she licked her lips. “But you’re both mine.”
The claim settled in his bones, and Justice embraced it fully. Surging upwards, he wrapped her in his arms, clumsily half gripping Tarus, even as Tarus gripped him. Justice pressed his lips to hers again, but it was Zhan who kissed her. Not with the violent need to claim, but the adoration swelling in his soul. Easing back, he savored the way she turned to Tarus, and he kissed her with equal fervor.
