by Susan Hayes
They stripped her out of the body armor. Denz was still working on freeing her legs when Kade leaned in and kissed her.
She tried to turn, stumbled because of the fabric still tangled around her ankles, and then laughed as Kade lifted her into the air so Denz could tear the last of her clothes off, all without breaking their kiss.
He carried her to the bed and set her down in the center of it. Once she was comfortable, he moved to the foot of the bed to undress. Denz joined him, both of them watching her as they stripped off their clothes and giving her a show she’d remember for the rest of her days.
Hard bodies. Naked flesh. Two utterly different pairs of eyes watching her with the same wild hunger. Kade’s skin gleamed like polished gold, the effect making him appear like a sculpture of living metal. Denz was built on a larger scale, as if a mountain had been brought to life. Her males. Her future. Her everything.
It took Denz longer to get out of his armor, and Kade took advantage of the delay to claim the mattress to her left and pull her in for another kiss.
“Oh sure. I save your scaly golden ass and you thank me by stealing extra time with our mate,” Denz grumbled.
“She looked cold,” Kade retorted.
“She won’t be for long,” Denz kicked off his pants with sufficient force to send them flying across the room and then joined them on the bed.
He’d been right. It was big enough for the three of them, though only just. If this was the way things would be, they’d need a larger bed soon.
She rolled onto her back as both of them stretched out on either side of her. Denz moved over her, claiming her mouth in a slow, heated kiss as Kade’s hand drifted from her hip to her breast. Strong fingers toyed with her nipples, making her gasp, and Denz used that opening to take their kiss deeper.
Kade coaxed her to move, guiding her until she was facing Denz with Kade nestled in close along her back. His fingers kept working as he nuzzled his face against her neck until his mouth found her mating mark.
The moment he touched it, she shivered, the slow burning embers of the sharhal roaring to life and threatening to consume her.
Denz’s cock pressed against her stomach, Kade’s against her ass, and all she could do was rock between them, craving everything both males offered.
Denz reached between them, his broad hand moving down until he found the apex of her thighs and pushed a thick finger into her folds. “I need to see you come now, sweetheart.”
“So do I, dyna. And I want to hear you call our names when you do.”
Just their words were almost enough to push her over the edge. Then Kade released her breast and ran a hand down her thigh, coaxing her to lift it up and over his. Now, she was open and exposed to Denz, who made a sound of approval deep in his throat. He started fucking her with two fingers, making sure every stroke included her clit.
Kade continued to suck and nibble at her mating mark, sending ribbons of pleasure spiraling through her body to meet and merge with the ones Denz was creating with his fingers.
She was trapped between them, their big bodies hard and hot, both of them moving in a slow, rocking motion that left her breathless and aching for more. Soon, she was trembling on the brink of orgasm, craving release but not wanting this moment to end.
“Don’t resist. Give in,” Denz ordered, his fingers moving faster now.
“Scream for us,” Kade whispered against her skin. Then he sharply drew the tip of one fang across her mating mark, and she broke into a thousand pieces of shimmering bliss.
She cried out in pleasure, arching herself against Denz’s hand and riding his fingers as her orgasm tore through her. The sensations were mind melting, and by the time she could gather the pieces of herself back into coherent thought, her males were already moving onto the next stage of their plan.
She didn’t know how they decided things, but within a few moments Denz was kneeling by her head, his knees spread out and the thick shaft of his cock rising from between his heavy thighs to press against the hard planes of his stomach. He fisted his cock in one hand, his fingers still glistening and slick with her juices.
“You are so beautiful,” Denz told her, his dark eyes gleaming with desire.
“And you are ours forever,” Kade said, his breath fanning over the fever-hot skin of her neck. He’d shifted his body lower so the thick head of his shaft now rested just outside her entrance.
She wriggled her hips against Kade and reached for Denz at the same time, possessed with a driving need to be connected to both of them. She placed her hand over Denz’s and then raised her head, propping herself up on one elbow.
Kade rocked against her, his cock sliding across her pussy again and again without entering.
“Please, no teasing. I need this. Both of you.”
“As my mahaya wishes.” Kade repositioned himself and then slowly eased inside her just as Denz moved in close enough she could take the tip of his cock into her mouth. She hummed in pleasure as they filled her, her tongue sweeping in slow circles across the broad head of his shaft.
Denz released his grip on himself and moved his hand to her head, steadying her as he rocked his hips in shallow thrusts.
Kade buried himself deep in her body, his cock pressed tightly against her inner walls. She could feel it throbbing, and his breath was coming in ragged pants as he struggled to stay in control.
She didn’t want them controlled, though. She wanted them to break as hard as she had moments ago. She took Denz deep into her mouth at the same time she flexed her body around Kade’s cock. When both men groaned, she raised her head and released Denz’s cock just long enough to utter two soft words. “Take me.”
The response was like she’d dropped a match into a pool of rocket fuel. Both males surged into her with low, needy groans, their thrusts hard and fast. She worked Denz’s shaft with her fingers, her mouth and tongue focused on bringing him as much pleasure as she could manage. His hand tightened in her hair, and she felt the tension start to build inside him as she pushed him closer to the edge of his control.
Kade’s hand rested on her thigh, holding her in place as he drove himself into her again and again. His rhythmic thrusts grew wilder, the pacing more frantic, and she knew he was close.
As his cock swelled inside her, Kade bit her again, and again it sent her spinning out of control. He came a few seconds later and then Denz emptied himself into her mouth with a shuddering roar that shook the walls.
There was silence as the three of them collapsed into a tangle of boneless limbs and breathless contentment.
When they were settled again, Kade was spooned up behind her with Denz lying on his back and her head pillowed on his shoulder. It was perfect.
“I can’t believe I almost lost my chance to have this,” Kade said quietly.
She reached back and grabbed his hand, drawing his arm around her waist and holding tightly to his fingers. “Me either. I need you both to promise me something. Whatever trajectory our lives take, no matter what comes our way, we face it together. I don’t want to lose either of you. Nor do I want to end up like Kade’s family. They’re still together but divided in all sorts of ways.”
“I don’t want that either. That was one of my greatest fears when I was Rantz’s anrik.” Kade paused and then added. “I swear on the breath of my ancestors, I won’t go off and try to handle things on my own again. Those days are done. I realized that when I woke up from the most amazing dream and realized how much I’d sacrificed for nothing.”
“You have my word, too,” Denz said. “I thought losing Zale meant losing everything. I was wrong about that and about you. Being with you isn’t complicated at all. It’s how my life is supposed to be.” He stroked her hair tenderly. “From now on, we make our plans together.”
“Together,” she agreed and let herself sink deeper into their arms. “Forever.”
She had come to Haven to discover who she was and to live a life where every decision was hers and hers alone. S
he was still learning who she was and what she wanted, but she already knew one thing. She didn’t need to make all her choices alone. There were times it was nice to have others help you make the right decision, and other times it was best not to choose at all.
As she closed her eyes, a sense of profound peace and happiness filled her. It took her a moment to realize she wasn’t only feeling her own joy at this moment. She could sense both Kade and Denz’s as well.
It was the best feeling in the galaxy.
Epilogue
Denz didn’t come here often, but he couldn’t think of anywhere more perfect to hold their binding ceremony. Phaedra had originally wanted to call the colony Zale’s Landing, but when the newly arrived colonists had started calling it Haven, they’d changed the plan and created a park with the name instead. This was where the first ships had landed, and the entire site had been converted into a garden memorial celebrating the start of the colony.
The first time he’d met Kade, it had been to arrange for the transport of a sapling from his home world. That tree, the same species as the one that grew over Zale’s grave, had been planted here and carefully nurtured by a group of friends who knew more about plants than he ever would.
His fathers had been assigned the role of witnesses for the day’s events, and they stood nearby while Kade’s father and his anrik stood near their son, hands clasped, looking at Kade with love and pride. Things were far from resolved in that family, but they were making progress. So much so, the two males were considering moving to Haven and setting up a new shipyard in orbit around Liberty. If that happened, Kade would no doubt work for them while his sister ran the shipyard back home.
As for Kade’s mother, she hadn’t come for the ceremony—a decision that had caused more relief than disappointment. For the sake of her family, Denz hoped she found her way back to them someday. Until then, they had plenty of other challenges to deal with.
There were still threats to the colony from a variety of sources. Ghost cats and a subterranean predator newly named the kopaki were prowling the outskirts of the colony, attacking the livestock and anyone who wandered too far into the wilds. Volunteers were starting to form patrols, but they’d need more organization for the self-named group of rangers to be effective.
Torex had denied any connection to Nesht or the illegal fly-overs, and they were proceeding with their attempts to have the entire colony agreement voided under some obscure section of the Unified Galactic Agreement. So far, not even Phaedra had found anything that connected Nesht or his ship to anyone at Torex, but she was still looking.
The council had unanimously agreed that the orbital platforms were part of the colony, meaning the cyborgs were free to travel there for work or recreation. Word of their decision hadn’t reached the signatories of the original agreement, but it was only a matter of time.
There were battles yet to come and problems to solve, but for now Haven was safe, and everyone was happy.
Especially today. It seemed like the entire colony had come out for the ceremony, and the park was full of the sounds of talking, laughter, and merriment. They’d have to have more events here, Denz decided. It was another way to bring the community together, though things had been improving since the cyborgs had been relocated to the other side of the river. Now both groups mingled on a daily basis, and it was his hope that someday they’d stop identifying themselves as anything other than what they really were—Tratori, the citizens of Haven.
“You know why they’re all here. Don’t you?” Javren, one of his fathers, interrupted his thoughts.
“For the free food?” Denz pointed over to the tables laden with food from taverns and restaurants across the colony.
“Well, yes. But that wasn’t my point.” Javren gestured to Denz and then to Kade. “This isn’t just a party. It’s a celebration of three lives and three species coming together to form something new. The three of you represent everything this colony aspires to be.”
Another of his fathers snorted. “Don’t pressure the boy on his big day. As I recall, you barely had enough sense left in your head to speak your vows, and even then, our Sasha had to prompt you.”
“Lies! You were the one who forgot your vows, Torgan. Not me.”
“We remember that day rather differently, then,” Torgan retorted and then winked at Denz.
Before his fathers could launch into another round of playful bickering, Skye pushed through the throng. “She’s coming! Places everyone.”
Marik pressed Kade’s saryk into his hands and the crowd fell silent. Kade strummed the instrument a few times and then began to play a lilting melody that drifted over the square. After a moment, his voice rose in song. It was a Vardarian love song, the lyrics telling the story of hearts brought together by fate, tested by time, and bound together by shared experience. Shadow loved it.
As Kade played, their mahaya stepped into view, and Denz’s heart skipped a beat.
She looked incredible. His mothers walked with her, dancing and swaying, their brightly colored gowns swirling around them as they approached.
He hadn’t been allowed to see her dress until now. It was the deep red of sunset, and the Vardarian-style collar was decorated with gold threads. Her arms were bare save for the harani she wore on her bicep, and her hair was pinned up in an elaborate style that he was already looking forward to unpinning the moment they got her alone. There were flowers in her hair, and she laughed as she swayed and danced with her attendants.
By all the stars in all the skies, she was lovely.
Kade’s fingers faltered on the strings as he got his first look at Shadow, but he managed to find his place again and finished the song as their mate claimed her place between them.
They took her hands and stood as Prince Tyran officiated the simple ceremony. It was a blend of human and Torski traditions with a Vardarian twist saved for the end. Once they had all spoken their commitment vows, Shadow moved to one side, holding out his arm as Kade carefully drew his dagger across the back of Denz’s wrist. Then he handed Denz the knife so that Tyran could reopen the scar on his arm. Then they pressed their wounds together, blending their blood.
“My brother. Now and always,” they spoke the words together as Shadow beamed at them. This part of the ceremony had been her idea. It wasn’t traditional, but nothing about their relationship was. It was one more way to solidify the bonds between the three of them, and it made Shadow happy. He’d have cut off his own hand if that’s what it took to make her smile.
Shadow applied the ointment that would create the scar marking them as anrik. Then she took the third harani Kade had ordered and fit it to his bicep, pressing the metal around his arm until it fit snugly.
“You may both kiss your mahaya, now,” Tyran proclaimed. “And congratulations to all of you.”
They’d flipped a coin to decide who got to kiss Shadow first. Kade had won that honor, but Denz would be the first to claim their mate in bed tonight.
As she moved into Kade’s arms, Denz looked over at his parents. They were all holding hands and smiling, and his mother flashed him a covert thumb-up. She adored Shadow, and having her there to help organize the ceremony had taken some of the sting out of the fact that Shadow’s sister, Nyx, couldn’t be here today. He didn’t know the details, and he didn’t want to either. It was something to do with Nyx’s new role as an agent of Nova Force. She’d promised to come visit soon, though, and suggested that when she did, she’d be bringing some of Denz’s friends with her.
He was looking forward to that and to showing them how far the colony had come. By the time they got here, Haven would be even bigger than it was now. A ship was already on its way to Earth to pick up the first group of new colonists from the overcrowded hive cities that still clung to life on that ruined world. The females were all young, healthy, and trained in a wide assortment of careers and skills that Haven would need as it grew.
He set aside all thoughts of work as Shadow left Kade’s embrace a
nd crossed to him.
“Hello, my mahoyen,” she murmured as he drew her into his arms.
“Hello, my mate. My mahaya. My heart.”
As she kissed him, her hand settled on the new harani encircling his arm. “It suits you.”
“Because you put it there.” He lifted her into his arms and kissed her again, spinning her around in a circle as the crowd laughed and cheered.
“I love you so much.”
Kade joined them, his hand on Shadow’s back as he grinned at them both. “My love, and my anrik. This has been a good day. So, what say we let these good folks loose to attack the feast?”
“An excellent idea,” Shadow agreed.
Kade turned to face the crowd. “That’s it. The ceremony is over. Time to celebrate!”
A roar of approval rose from the crowd, and the three of them were suddenly surrounded by well-wishers.
Amid the food and laughter, music and dancing, a steady stream of guests wanted a moment of their time. Some wished to talk to Kade and his family about the rumors flying around the colony about their possible plans to build a new shipyard in orbit around Liberty. Others wanted to see if they could pry loose any new tidbits of information about why the defense grid had been activated early and what threat had made that move necessary. But most of them wanted a word with Shadow. Vardarian and cyborg males alike were eager to hear any detail about the females coming from Earth. As the newly appointed liaison between the colonists and the new arrivals, Shadow was their best source of information.
Kade wandered over to join him, and the two of them stood in silence, watching Shadow talk animatedly about her plans to introduce the humans to all aspects of their new home.
“We are two very fortunate males,” Kade eventually spoke.
“Possibly the luckiest in the galaxy.”
“Possibly,” Kade agreed and then clapped him on the shoulder. “Come on, I think she’s spent enough time talking to those bakaffas. It’s time we reclaim our female and do a little celebrating of our own.”
