by Desi Lin
In reality, the ritual was all for show. From what I knew from class, everything happened inside an Elementum, ritual or not. It made sense to me, since it could happen at any point after the time of your birth.
At 2:40 p.m., with three minutes to go, I stepped into the fire quadrant of the ring. May pulled out a smudge stick, a bundle of white sage, and lit it. The pungent smoke tickled my nostrils. May ran the stick along my body, not unsimilar to being wanded at a security checkpoint. Next, she walked the stick along the lines of the cross and around the circle, and stood off to one side. As she intoned more Latin I didn't understand, nerves skittered through me.
I glanced around the room, startled to find others present. Some wore the Golden Crest of Souta’s family indicating an employee, while others seemed to simply be visiting at the right time. If they decided to present themselves for my Ad Aetatem, then they needed an Ignis. My eyes landed on a couple near the door.
Akiko’s hand rested on the arm of a tall, distinguished man. From the way she smiled up at him, I assumed it to be Souta’s father. I also realized Souta didn’t take any of his looks from his father.
May’s words died as the circle began to emit a soft white light. The center of the cross glowed in reds and oranges, slowly spreading outwards. As the red-orange glow reached the end of the cross, something pulled tight inside me. The glow flared bright, and suddenly, the sensation of a rubber band snapped tight in my stomach.
I doubled over, mostly out of shock, and moaned at the pain, raising my head in time to witness the guys being pulled into the circle. I barely had time to register it when the entire symbol flared brightly, its light surrounding us and drawing us into the center of the cross.
Unthinking, I reached for the boys as we drew closer. Our hands met in a four-way hold, and the center of the cross flared, each element appearing in its quadrant for a brief moment before the entire symbol went dark.
My entire body tingled and hummed as I stood there, frozen in shock, hand gripping tight to the boys. I lifted my gaze from my white knuckled grip to find my shock mirrored on their faces.
A collective gasp reminded me of the others present. I tried to withdraw my hand, needing to leave, needing to run, needing air or a moment to myself. Instead, I found my hands gripped tighter. My eyes darted around the room, scared of what I might find on the others faces. Shock most evident, but it heavily mingled with awe. When I dared to glance at Souta’s parents, they beamed at us. Akiko inclined her head in a graceful bow, patted her husband’s arm, and they turned to leave.
“Well”—May’s voice drew my attention to her—“this is certainly something special. I’ve only witnessed a complete Genus formed at an Ad Aetatem ritual a handful of times in all my years.”
A grin finally stole over Souta’s face, but JJ’s voice responded to her. “Yeah, we knew she belonged with us.”
The tone of smug satisfaction mixed with teasing made me shoot him a narrow-eyed glare. He laughed and May joined him. Butterflies took up residence in my belly.
“Well, it certainly seems you did.” May’s gaze shifts to me. “But now I need to borrow your girl for a few moments to say goodbye.”
The boys let my hands go, reluctance heavy in their movements, and I followed May out to the foyer. Bright sunlight shone through the tall, stained glass windows in the two-story entry dyeing the white floor in a rainbow of colors. May took my hand, pulling me in for a gentle hug, then releasing me but resting her hands on my shoulders. Her stern gaze met mine.
“First let’s discuss these bruises.” The steel returned to her voice, and I knew she wouldn’t let it go.
Shame I couldn’t deal with Aguirre on my own warred with embarrassment at being in the predicament in the first place.
My emotions apparently flitted over my face, because May squeezed my shoulders lightly. “Sometimes, Seraphina, being strong and brave means knowing when to reach for help.”
Those soft words broke the dam, and the whole story spilled out. I expected more tears but for once they stayed away. My only emotion seemed to be relief at finally unburdening myself.
“Well, it cannot go unpunished.” Real anger laced her tone for the first time, and the weight of my secrets lifted off my shoulders. “On to other things. Something told me to be prepared today. I didn’t know what to expect but I believe my gut knew this would happen. You grew up in our society, Seraphina. You know things to be a bit different for us than for humans. You got three young, healthy men in the other room about to spend nearly every waking moment for the next few years in your presence. There is interest already in JJs eyes and words. He’ll never settle for a simple Genus relationship with you. He wants more, and I presume you know it, too.”
Heat flooded my cheeks, and I nodded. I wasn’t sheltered or innocent, and JJ didn’t bother hiding his crush. I simply told myself it would be foolish to pursue when I would be leaving soon. Now I knew leaving wouldn’t happen, and for the first time, I could allow myself to honestly evaluate my feelings toward him.
Unaware of my inner speculation, May continued, “Now I could be entirely wrong, but I detected flickers of interest in the other two also. You need to take a little time, my dear, and ask yourself how you’d feel if they all wanted you romantically. You know polyamory happens in our society, and we accept it readily enough, but it doesn’t mean you are prepared to be part of it. Figure out what you want, and make it known to them. Without a clear understanding of your boundaries, these things can occasionally cause problems, be prepared for them.”
May reached into an inside pocket of the jacket she slipped on and withdrew a long, white envelope. “I knew bringing this was the right thing to do.” She held it out to me. Hands shaking, I took it. My name was scrawled on the front in a fanciful and unfamiliar script. “This is from your mother, and now you are part of a complete Genus, it’s yours to read. It’s never been opened, and I have no idea what it contains. For your sake, I hope it holds whatever you need it to.” She leaned in then, and for the first time I could remember, when she pressed a kiss to my cheek, I didn’t stiffen at the affection. “Be happy, Seraphina. You know how to reach me if you should need, though somehow, I don’t suppose you will. And of course, I’ll check in from time to time. Now, I’ll be difficult to get a hold of for a while but I suspect you’ll be okay.” With a little wave, she stepped out the door and left.
I glanced at the letter still clutched in my hand. Colors from the sun shining through the stained glass splayed over the white. The possibility of the letter containing answers to everything I ever wondered about scared the hell out of me.
Between the letter and trying to deal with the newly formed Genus, I decided I needed a few minutes to myself. Still clutching the letter, I informed the boys of my intentions to retire to my room and the need to be alone for a little bit. They must have sensed how overwhelmed I’d become because JJ toyed with a strand of my hair before kissing my cheek and telling me to take all the time I needed.
When I got to my room, I placed the letter from my mother on the nightstand and curled onto the bed as best I could. My mind whirled around the things I knew about Genus, the things we learned in school, the rumors readily believed by everyone, and May’s warning and advice. I let my mind wander over the last couple weeks, the feelings that cropped up around the boys, what I believed I knew about them. In the end, the emotional turmoil of the day dragged me under before I could conclude anything.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
True to their words, the guys let me be. Slowly and reluctantly, I worked my way out of sleep. The shadows stood longer around the room, telling me early evening fell while I visited dreamland. Sure enough, a glance at the clock told me six p.m. came and went before I woke. A loud grumble from my stomach explained what woke me. I would never be one of those chicks who lived on salad. I liked to cook because I liked to eat. A naturally high metabolism meant I ate quite a bit and still maintained a healthy weight. Speculating about eating would
n’t solve my problem, though. Forcing myself off the bed and to the door might.
When I peeked out I found JJ sitting on the floor, eyes closed, head back against the wall, legs sprawled out in front of him. It seemed he made himself at home next to my door. I shook his leg with my foot and his eyes shot open, a grin lighting his eyes as he stood.
“Hey, firefly,” he murmured, his palm cupping my cheek.
His thumb stroked over my lips, pupils dilating when I dared to flick my tongue out and lick it. His thumb stilled, and his gaze fell to where it rested. With my heart pounding in my chest, my tongue came out again, giving a slower lick. Our eyes collided as I drew his finger into my mouth, sucking hard and swirling my tongue around it.
His breath caught and heat rose in his eyes.
I don’t know why I did it at first, perhaps an instinctive response to the pet name but I quickly realized how badly I wanted this, had wanted this for nearly a week. Before, I quashed any attraction, believing I would be gone soon. But the Iunctura, and my time alone, somehow broke the lock I kept on any feelings about the boys. Now, heat rose through me, tingles spreading over my body, pleasure erasing my aches and pains. My eyes closed, and I treated JJ’s thumb like the most delicious lollipop, sucking, swirling, and licking. A tiny moan escaped as the tingles raced south, my epicenter beginning to ache.
“Fuck!” JJ panted, tearing his thumb from my mouth.
My eyes flew open, and I let out a tiny whine at the loss. Two seconds later, his mouth found mine in a bruising kiss, even as his body turned us and pressed me into the wall. I moaned, ignoring the twinge of pain. His tongue plunged into my mouth, stealing my breath. There was none of the domineering, experienced, alpha male I expected, only pure want. The heavily constrained desperation in his kiss sent fire racing through my veins.
I gripped his shirt in both fists, pressing our mouths tighter and sent my tongue into war with his. His hands found my waist, thumbs stroking my side once before they slipped under the shirt I changed into earlier. Fingers stroked lightly over my belly as our tongues continued to duel, and I let out another moan.
Fire raced through my veins and burned away all concerns of propriety or caution. JJ’s mouth broke from mine to work down my neck in little sucks and nips. I tried to muffle a cry even as my hand came up to grip his hair and press his mouth tighter against my neck.
I pressed my body against his, needing to be closer. His length pressed into me, hard as steel, and I ground against it. He groaned and moved his fingers up my ribs, then lightly brushed the underside of my breast. I panted and whined, aching to be touched. Fingers grazed over my bra, teasing my nipples to hardened nubs.
JJ’s mouth tore away from my neck to nibble at my ear.
“Elements, the things you do to me.” he whispered in my ear as his fingers pushed the cups of my bra down.
He squeezed my newly bared breast, pinching the hardened nub in the process. I moaned as he went back to my neck and continued to pinch and roll my nipple between his fingers. A tiny voice in the back of my head began make noises about needing to stop, to slow down, but the desire rolling around inside me drowned it out.
“Hey, JJ, I thought you were going to—” Souta’s voice, suddenly cut off, splashed over us like cold water.
I expected JJ to back away from me quickly, but instead, he lifted his head from my neck and swiveled it to gaze at where Souta stood.
Part of me didn’t want to glance at Souta. Embarrassment caused heat to rise in my cheeks, but I needed to know his reaction. He simply watched us, focused. Time stood still as the three of us simply stared, JJ’s nimble fingers still teasing my breast. He pinched my nipple again, and I couldn’t stop my eyes from closing at the sensation or the moan from escaping.
“Shit, that’s hot,” Souta muttered as JJ extracted his hand from my shirt, replacing my bra in the process.
He leaned in and captured my mouth in a furious kiss, headless of our audience of one. A sharp intake of breath made him pull back and finally step away, though his hand captured mine and held tight. The evidence of his arousal stood clearly outlined against his jeans, but he didn’t seem bothered by it.
I kept my eyes firmly fixed on the floor. Desire still flamed inside me but now it warred with shame at my actions. No nice girl would do what I did. They would not be willing to do more or want more, either. I never tried to portray myself as some nice, innocent girl, but I didn’t want them to believe the worst of me. As if sensing a need to break the tension, my stomach decided to emit a loud growl.
“Come on, firefly.” JJ’s voice sounded gruff and a bit deeper than normal. “We should eat.”
He tugged my hand, leading me down the hall past Souta and, to my utter devastation, Brooks. As we strode by, I dared to glance at their faces. I swore lust burned in their eyes as they watched me.
By the time we made it downstairs to the kitchen, I managed to regain control of myself. Shame still burned through me, but I opted to deal with it later. For now, I needed a distraction, which meant cooking. Ignoring the others present in the room, I dug around in the fridge and set a few ingredients out on the counter. Then I opened cabinets at random, trying to find the pantry and glancing up only when a throat cleared to my right.
A gentleman in a white chef’s coat held open a door I missed. A huge, walk in pantry greeted me, and I smiled my thanks as I walked in, flipping the switch on the wall. As I dug around for the other needed items, I jumped a bit when an accented voice began speaking.
“You know, miss, I’m a highly-trained chef.” I glanced at the door where the guy in the chef’s coat gazed quizzically at me. “I can make whatever you wish.”
“Um, that’s okay. I got it.” While I spoke, I kept digging around.
No way would I explain to this random guy I cooked to help process my racing thoughts. Plus, I could effectively avoid interaction with the guys for a short while.
What happened with JJ upstairs still made me reel. Things got out of hand fast. It was bewildering. I thought I might burn up if he didn’t touch me. When I kissed a couple other boys in the past I never felt as out of control as I did with JJ. Could it be the bond affecting us? I made a mental note to call May and ask. I headed back to the counter with my bounty to find the guys sitting on stools and watching me.
“Go away, I’ll call you when it’s ready.” I tried for stern but obviously failed since they chuckled. Still, they began to file out of the kitchen. As I watched them, I noticed Mr. Chef still standing by the now closed pantry. “Wait, Souta.”
Souta turned and lifted an expectant eyebrow.
“Get rid of him, please.” I waved in the direction of the chef, and Souta nodded. Something about a trained chef watching me cook made me a little uncomfortable, like he might correct my chopping technique or something.
After politely running the chef out, Souta came around to where I stood, attempting to chop vegetables. The brace on my wrist didn’t help this endeavor. He hip bumped me until I stood off to the side and then snatched the knife.
“I’ll stay and help.” His stern gaze told me arguing would be pointless, even as it sent the fire racing inside me again.
I swallowed hard, nodded and moved to the cans. Before long, Meatball Minestrone Soup simmered on a back burner and garlic rolls browned in the oven. I stirred the soup and moved to clean up, gasping when a hard body forced me into the counter, arms coming down to either side of me and caging me in. A quick, sharp nip on my shoulder sent sparks racing south, but the growl he emitted set me aflame.
“Turn around, now.” The command in Souta’s husky voice sent a shiver racing down my spine.
I turned, our bodies sliding against each other, the delicious friction sending sparks racing through me. My breath caught at the realization of how turned on I became as his lips crashed down on mine. In my shock, I tried to jump backward, forgetting the counter in my way and banging my wrist against it. Souta lifted his mouth from mine enough for our eyes to m
eet. There could be no mistaking the pure lust in them this time.
“Souta?” I gasped out, confusion and desire racing through me in equal measure.
Why would he be kissing me when he was dating Brooks? I knew I should care about the answer, but I wanted to kiss him again more than anything.
“It wasn’t nice of you to make out with JJ in the hall,” Souta whispered. “Do you know what that did to me?”
In answer to his question, Souta pressed his hips into mine. His hardened cock rubbed against me, and I let out a tiny whimper. “I’ve been walking around with this since then.” I gulped, surprised by the lust riding around inside me at the knowledge of him walking around hard. “But I think dealing with my issue will need to wait.”
I shook my head, eyes wide now at the sudden change in him. Here I found the dominant alpha. In Souta, it surprised me and turned out to be an incredible turn on.
Souta turned me around again, then backed away, leaving me reeling. Little more than a hot press of lips, our kiss took mere moments, but the way he spoke, the things he said, the sheer dominance in his voice all combined with the fire I tamped down from JJ made my legs weak.
I moved to clean up, head still fogged with lust. My short-circuited brain caught up with the events of the evening as I worked. I knew about JJ’s interest, but Souta took me by surprise. After all, Souta and Brooks had each other. Was I about to ruin something I saw with my own eyes to be beautiful? Would Brooks hate me for kissing his boyfriend?
Water and suds flew as strong hands pulled me away from the sink. Souta spun me around to face him.
“You think too loud,” he growled and captured my lips.
I melted, the desire too overwhelming to resist. Souta licked over my mouth, asking for entrance. I readily granted it. My hand came up to grip his shirt and try to draw him in more as our tongues explored each other. Teeth nipped my lower lip as hands captured my wrists gently. He pulled them behind my back and captured them in one grasp. Souta’s mouth left mine, and I whined and strained upward against his hold.
