by Heather Long
“You’re my…” I didn’t have a nickname for him. Nor any of them, not like they did for me. “My fierce angel.”
He was. Zhan was my sweet angel while Seth was my Viking.
They were my heart.
“I like being yours,” Tarus said in a voice both raw and vulnerable, even if his eyes warmed. This powerful being was on his knees for me, hiding nothing, and I didn’t have the words for the feelings it provoked. Tracing the stripe along his face, I leaned in to press a kiss to it. His whole body seemed to shudder at the contact.
“I like being yours, too,” I promised him. I liked belonging to all of them. “What shall I wear?” The tension inside of me had stretched to the point that it wouldn’t be long before we were sobbing. I wanted to give them joy, not pain.
I wanted to give them life the way they had me.
“Whatever you want,” he told me. “Something comfortable,” he added, almost as an afterthought. “You’re beautiful in everything.” With ease, he lifted me as he rose and then set me on my feet. Without care, he stripped off his soaking wet pants. I wasn’t going to lie, I enjoyed the view.
Tarus hadn’t bothered with boxers or briefs. From the hard planes of his chest, to his chiseled abs, to the half-hard cock with its suggestion of a curve in its length, down to his thick, powerful thighs, he was so damn beautiful himself.
“Keep looking at me like that, Beauty, and I’ll paddle that ass of yours rosy before I fuck you. While I plan to do that anyway, I have something else I want to do first.” The guttural warning sent a delicious shiver through me.
The fact that he said first promised me that Tarus wasn’t holding himself back anymore at all.
Languid heat unfolded within me and melted the tension constricting my lungs, even as it chased away the threat of tears. “Yes, my fierce angel,” I whispered, and his eyes flashed even as his cheeks dimpled.
“That’s at least three swats right there,” he promised, then cupped my chin before kissing me so soundly, I forgot where his lips began and mine ended. My heart thundered so loud, he had to hear it, or maybe that was his. When he released me, I moaned and he grinned. “Get dressed, Beauty, or I’ll take you as you are.”
You know, that really didn’t sound like a threat. Laughter bubbled up through the tangle of despair, and I danced out of the bathroom to find Seth and Zhan waiting for me. Their dark, gloomy expressions brightened at once, and I followed the first impulse I had to launch myself at Zhan. He caught me up and lifted me for a kiss.
His laughter rumbled up to meet mine as I giggled through the mashing of our lips. When Seth lifted me away, I wrapped my legs around his waist, even as he tangled his hand in my damp hair. The kiss had me arching against him.
“Kiss her well, brothers, but Dahlia and I have a date,” Tarus said, his soft rumbling voice earning a scowl from Seth as he finally broke our kiss.
Before either could complain, I curled Seth’s braid around my finger. He really did look like a wild Viking right here. “Tarus asked,” I murmured. “And I want to go.” I wanted the time with him.
Almost immediately, the grim look erased and Seth focused on me. “As you wish, my sweet. You will bring her back when?”
“Not long, brothers.” Tarus dressed as he spoke. The dark pants he wore were a perfect complement to his skin. He dragged a loose shirt on and didn’t bother to button it—nor did he grab shoes. He looked positively rakish, like something out of history. A pirate even. Pressed against Seth with Zhan’s cheek resting against my back, I was engulfed by their affection.
“A little while,” I found myself promising. If we really only had so short a time, I didn’t want to miss too much. “But Tarus and I haven’t had time alone. He’s promised to fuck me well.”
Laughter erupted into the silence, but Seth did something that absolutely delighted me. He rolled his eyes. While mirth twinkled in his blue eyes, the shadow of grief hovered there too. I pressed another kiss to his lips.
“Will you promise me the same for when I get back?”
“Yes,” he and Zhan said in one voice, and another shiver rippled over my skin. What would it be like to have all three of them at once, or maybe let them pass me back and forth?
The images that conjured threatened to set fire to my blood.
Yep, this girl was getting hornier by the second.
Even as I wiggled free and let Zhan have another kiss he wanted to steal, I had to admit the sex was abso-freaking-lutely amazing.
But what I wanted even more than their dicks in me was time with them.
And we had what we had.
We were just making the most of it.
Taking my cue from Tarus, I dressed in loose black pants and a simple crop top that I could toss a shirt on over and tie it in the front rather than button it. The crop top was a favorite because Seth of all people picked it out.
The angel on the front sported a halo perched precariously above a pair horns. It read Horny and Perfect.
Tarus burst out laughing when I wandered back out of the closet, even as Zhan grinned, but when I stole a look at Seth, he beamed at me. I wasn’t sure if he picked it out for the literal meaning, or if he’d meant it as a subtle jab to me calling them angels, even when he didn’t like it.
You know what? I didn’t care.
They were Keepers, definitely. Hashtag fact.
But they were also my angels, and I was definitely horny for them.
I gathered my damp hair and let it fall over one shoulder. I’d slid on a pair of comfortable shoes that I could discard easily.
“Ready?” Tarus asked, and I raced to him, riding the same giddy impulsiveness to make him laugh. He chuckled as he caught me easily and lifted me up. His wings snapped out, the gorgeous white absolutely breathtaking, and I knew for a fact they were as silky as they looked.
“Take care of her,” Seth ordered.
“Bring her back soon,” Zhan added.
“You have my word,” Tarus said, and hugged me to him before we tumbled through the riot of his transport. When we arrived, I had to be honest, I had no idea where we were. We stood atop what looked like a rocky atoll, but it was dark, and water lapped nearby, like the rush of ocean waves.
Curiosity speared me, and I glanced up at Tarus. “Where are we?”
“Trust me, Beauty?”
Silly question.
“Yes.”
He set me down and turned me so my back was to his chest, and then he wrapped his arms around me. The breeze kissing my cheeks was sweet and salty. That was definitely an ocean. Light began to ribbon on the horizon, a sliver of red.
A sunrise.
“We’re going to chase the sunrise,” he whispered against my ear. “You’re going to see them all.”
I forgot how to breathe at the beauty of both his words and the view.
25
I was about to ‘take the bull by the horns’ in more ways than one. And I was going to enjoy the hell out of my last days on Earth. - Dahlia
Tarus
Tarus held Dahlia close to his body, back to chest as they watched yet another sunrise. Their current location was a couple of hours inland over rolling green hills, tinted a dark inky blue in the shadows. They stood on the highest peak as the navy sky slowly streaked with orange dreamsicle clouds, the turquoise sky the perfect contrast.
She gasped as she let her head fall back on his shoulder. “This is so beautiful, Tarus.” Her breath fogged from the cool temperatures, and she grasped his arms tighter around her. He was all too happy to oblige. As far as he was concerned, he couldn’t get her close enough. If he could live his immortal life out with her always in his arms, he’d know contentment as he never had.
He didn’t answer her, merely pressing a kiss to her temple as they watched the horizon until the fingers of sunlight stretched over the pastures. Then, turning her toward him, he gathered her in a tight embrace as he pushed them into a perfect vertical takeoff. She squealed in delight as she locked her a
rms and legs around him, careful not to hit his wings.
“Where to now?” she yelled over the fierce wind blowing around them.
“Africa,” he answered as he soared over the land, until he used his grace to transport him to the skies over Sub-Saharan Africa. This time when he stopped, he perched them on the branch of a fever tree, clinging to the branch above his head as she hugged his waist.
“Tarus.” Her voice was disbelieving as she slapped his back, like he wasn’t avidly paying attention to everything around them.
Allowing a smug smirk to play at the corners of his lip, he tipped his head down. “Yes, Beauty?”
“There are giraffes right. There!” She hopped on the branch, causing it to sway with her weight. “Whoa.” She clutched his shirt under his wings, and smashed her face to his chest.
“Easy there. I won’t let you fall. And yes, you’re correct, giraffes are indeed right there.” He couldn’t suppress a small chuckle as her curiosity overrode her fear, and she whipped her head around.
This time when the sun rose, golden orange leaked across the sky, painting everything in various shades of golds, oranges, and reds. A unique sunrise Dahlia would never have had the opportunity to witness.
He loved her wondrous sounds as she pointed out elephants, hippos, and maybe even a spotted hyena lurking in the distance. His chest swelled with pride that he was the one who gave this to his Beauty.
Another fifteen minutes, and his grace flashed the softest white light to move them to the Eiffel Tower, Big Ben, Iguazu Falls. Over and over, they chased the sunrise, until she had seen every possible color combination and started to get hungry.
When her stomach started to growl, he knew it was time to take her back. He’d had her hours already, and as selfish as he wanted to be, he couldn’t steal this time from his brothers. Before he took them back, he cupped her jaw, tilting her face up to his.
“Was this everything you wanted it to be?” He brushed his thumb over her plump bottom lip.
She closed her eyes, turning into his hand as if to savor the moment. “You three, Tarus. I don’t know how you three are so perfect, but you are. And every day, you remind me how lucky I am to be here. I couldn’t have asked for something more perfect than chasing the sunrises.”
When she opened her eyes, they sparkled from tears gathering in the corners. They didn’t fall, only betrayed how deeply she was moved by this experience. Lowering his head, he brushed her lips with his, over and over again. It wasn’t their normal sort of kiss, but a way to share the moment on a deeper, intimate level.
“Ready to go back, Beauty?”
A soft sigh. “Yes, I miss my other angels.”
With a burst of white light wrapping around them until they were fully engulfed, the world shifted then they were on the balcony, the stars twinkling overhead.
“Finally!” Zhan rushed outside to pluck Dahlia from his grasp. He spun her around, kissing her to capture anything she might have said before setting her on her feet. “Let’s not do that again. I think we should all be together from here on out.”
The sadness that ghosted across her gaze was there and gone before she grinned up at Zhan. “That’s a great idea. In fact, you three promised to sex me up proper.” She winked before spinning on her heels, right into Seth’s arms.
“Hello, my sweet. We most certainly did make that promise, and we fully intend to follow through. Multiple times,” Seth whispered into her hair. “But first, I want to hear about what you did with Tarus while we feed you. Unless he actually took the time to make sure all your needs were met?”
Tarus scoffed as Dahlia giggled. “What he did was very sweet. He took me to chase the sunrises.” She glanced back over her shoulder, smiling softly at Tarus.
All the irritation that bubbled inside him flattened, replaced with a warmth only Dahlia stirred inside him. “The short answer, brother, is that she does need to eat.”
“Well, then you’re just in time.” Zhan slid his fingers through Dahlia’s, tugging her behind him into the house.
The table was set, candles were lit, and her favorite red moscato was poured in her glass. She enjoyed her cocktails at Sinner’s, but when they were home, she enjoyed her red. So Tarus and his brothers made sure there was always a chilled bottle in the fridge just for her.
“How did you know when we would be back?” Dahlia sat in her usual spot as Seth pulled a tray of lasagna out of the oven.
“We didn’t. This was an easy dish, and we kept it on warm until you came back. We just assumed whatever you were doing with Tarus wouldn’t allow time for food.” Seth shrugged as he placed the lasagna on the tray in the center of the table, then uncovered a steaming plate of homemade garlic bread.
They couldn’t have finished cooking that long ago if the bread was still so hot.
Zhan stole another kiss from Dahlia before he sat down, wrapping her hair around his fist. Tarus watched with an irrational jealousy as streaks of white threaded through the indigo of his aura. He was happy that his brother had that connection to her, just like Seth did. Even if a small part of him ached to see her color so embedded within his own grace.
After Zhan had shared his grace, Tarus had peppered both him and Seth on the after effects anytime they had a few minutes alone. Did they feel differently? Was there some kind of connection to her that wasn’t there before?
The answers had all been no.
Still, Tarus wanted that connection, even if it was only temporary. And if it lasted long after she passed, he would welcome it. But they had decided it was too dangerous to test. Dahlia hadn’t shown any signs of those wretched episodes, and he hoped it stayed that way.
The conversation flowed around him as he ate, happy to listen to Dahlia wax on the amazing time she’d shared with him. Zhan shot him a jealous look from time to time. He was probably angry with himself that he hadn’t thought of something so romantic.
“That was fantastic as always.” Dahlia pushed her chair back and patted her stomach.
“I’m glad you enjoyed it, Lovely.” Zhan curled his arm around the back of her chair, nuzzling her neck.
She giggled, and Seth invaded her other side, running his hand up her thigh.
They hadn’t waited any time at all, Tarus mused. Not that he was complaining. This was, after all, what she had asked for. Now, though, he was kicking himself that he’d waited so long to have her. Although it was more than worth the wait.
Both Seth and Zhan pressed kisses up her neck while sliding their hands closer to her sweet spot. Her eyes fluttered shut as she tipped her head back, the look on her face one of pure bliss. Tarus had to adjust himself just witnessing this erotic image.
“Do you need sleep, Lovely, or do you have enough energy for us to please you?” Zhan purred in her ear as he moved one hand up to cup her pert breast.
Dahlia was already too lost in pleasure to answer, merely biting her lip and moaning low under her breath.
Tarus stood, stripping out of his shirt. He padded softly until he stood directly behind her, and massaged the tension from her shoulders. This was the moment he had waited for and never thought would happen.
Suddenly, Seth and Zhan spun her chair so she now faced Tarus. She yelped, grabbing the seat, but they had a firm grip on her thighs and the wooden back. Never would they let anything happen to her if it was within their power.
Dropping to his knees, Tarus spread her legs to nuzzle her core, then softly bit the inside of her thigh, dragging another sinful noise from her throat. He grinned, fitting his fingers beneath the band of her pants and whipping them down her legs with her panties.
“Damn,” she panted, grabbing fistfuls of Tarus’ hair and pushing him exactly where she needed his attention while Seth and Zhan both played with her full breasts.
Zhan chuckled as he continued to kiss the side of her neck, enjoying the sexual control he had over her.
Now that there were no obstacles in the way, Tarus roped his arm around her hips and tu
gged her to the edge of the seat, the perfect position for him to pleasure her. Once again, Tarus pushed her thighs wide as he settled between them, kissing his way up one leg, then the other. Taking his sweet time before he gave her what she really wanted.
Seth helped her out of her shirt as she huffed good-naturedly.
“Tell me this isn’t going to be some torture session. I want all the gratification. Let’s not go back to our first meeting, m’kay?” Dahlia pinned Tarus with her gaze first, then Zhan.
“Don’t worry, Lovely, we have no plans to leave you unsatisfied in any way.” Zhan nibbled on her earlobe as Tarus licked one crease, so close to her sweetest spot.
Satisfaction swelled inside his as he sucked the sensitive skin, leaving a nice little love bite behind. It wasn’t his fault he’d been compelled to seek it out at any given opportunity. If it started to fade, it was to be expected that he’d darken the skin all over again.
After several aching minutes of tantalizing torture, he spread her lips and latched onto her clit. Moving his tongue in slow rolls over her tender nub had her rocking against him and dissolving into loud whimpers.
He pushed one long finger inside her, then two, stretching her channel. Turning them up, he curled them against her g-spot, enjoying the new sounds she tried and failed to contain.
His Beauty was a screamer, and he loved it.
“This is what it’s like to be loved by us, my sweet. Do you think you can handle it?” Seth purred, unsnapping the front clasp to her bra. All three brothers had their gaze riveted to the soft flesh as her undergarment fell away. Not that it was visible for long as Zhan and Seth each cupped one of her breasts once they were free.
Dahlia’s head tilted back, even as she tried to arch her hips, but she couldn’t move anything without their allowing it. Drunk on her taste, Tarus stroked his tongue around her clit, over and over, edging her right up and then backing off again as he crooked his fingers inside of her. Every reaction he pulled from her, he wanted to savor. Zhan kissed the scream from her lips before she could answer Seth.
