by Ginna Moran
Brooklyn sits at Jameson’s table, her long, tan legs crossed at her knees, showing off her smooth thigh from the slit in her dress. Jewelry sparkles from her ears, neck, wrists, and fingers, catching the light from the ceiling fixtures. She looks even more gorgeous than I remember.
Parting her plum-painted lips, she offers me a cross between a smile and a sneer like she’s trying her best to keep her cool even with her nature probably wanting nothing more than to attack, especially with how protective my guys act.
I force myself to smile. “Hello, Brooklyn.”
She doesn’t greet me right away, just boring her stare into me. She drinks in Bronx, Jameson, Mikkalo, and Everett, studying them with a strange expression on her face.
“What is it you wanted to tell me?” I ask from over Mikkalo’s shoulder. “We were in the middle of something, so I don’t want to waste any time on small talk.”
Her eyes flash silver at me. “Watch how you speak to an Anderson Heir, little dhampir.”
Ah, hell.
My guys react, unleashing all the scary growls. I can feel each of their voices vibrating in my bones.
Brooklyn straightens her shoulders, not letting them intimidate her. “I’d like a word with Gwen alone.”
“No,” Bronx says without thinking.
Mikkalo tenses, still clutching the weapon he took from Jameson’s cabinet. He looks seconds away from attacking, and if he does, it might not end well.
So I take a breath and dodge around him before my guys can react. I don’t know if they thought I would just stand there and let them negotiate my time for me or what, but I could never truly be alone with Brooklyn. I’m sure they would listen in from a mile away if they had to.
I hold my finger up, stopping them from trying to close around me again. “Just five minutes and across the room. We won’t be going anywhere.” I direct my words to my guys but look at Brooklyn’s pretty brown eyes.
Her features sharpen, her gaze darting from me to my guys. “Fine.”
I step closer to her and take a seat at the table, motioning for my guys to step back a few feet. They begrudgingly listen and return to the bed. I wish I didn’t watch them, because my heart picks now to ricochet around my chest in anticipation to join them.
“I had assumed you were with Bronx,” Brooklyn says, leaning on her elbow.
I don’t confirm or deny her words.
“But after my last visit and now seeing this—what you’re doing, Gwen. It’s wrong,” she says.
My mouth drops open. “You think what I’m doing is wrong? Maybe you should take a long, hard look at your own damn coven.”
She extends her fangs, and Bronx closes the space and puts his big hands on my shoulders.
“Get out,” he says. “You do not get a say or get to have an opinion in the infrastructure of our coven. It’s none of your business.”
“You’re making a mistake, brother,” she says. “It’ll tear you apart.”
No one gets the chance to respond because Brooklyn vanishes, slamming the door behind her. Mikkalo follows her out, probably to make sure she leaves, and Bronx pulls out his com device and taps the screen a few times. Jameson scoops me off the chair and carries me back to the bed, plopping me down.
“Now where were we?” he asks, smiling at me, acting like Brooklyn wasn’t even here.
I laugh, my voice breathy with my nerves.
Bronx sits on the edge of the bed and scrubs his face with his hands to rake his fingers through his hair. Everett drapes his arm over his shoulder, and I can’t stop the smile from crossing my lips. The small act alone proves that Brooklyn is utterly and completely wrong.
“Brace yourselves. Gwen’s gonna tackle you both from behind,” Jameson says.
He lifts me up and tosses me, making me screech. Bronx twists and catches me, and I crack up as he lays me on my belly across his lap. Everett squeezes my ass, and I squirm until I flip back over to meet their three gazes.
“She’s wrong, you know,” I say. “We work perfectly.”
“Yeah, we do,” Jameson says, hanging his arms over both Bronx and Everett while sticking his head between theirs to peer at me. “I mean, look how happy our girl is.”
“You guys make me happy,” I say, arching up to kiss Bronx because his lips are the closest. “And hungry.”
“Is that so?” Bronx murmurs, curling me up some more.
My boobs push into Jameson’s face, and he licks my cleavage. “I think you need to give her what she wants, Bronxy.”
Everett presses a kiss to my hip, and I inhale a breath. “He’s right.”
Mikkalo clicks the door closed, drawing our attention away from each other. “She’s gone.”
I arch in Bronx’s arms, tilting my hips more up to Everett, letting him tug my waistband a little lower. “You have perfect timing.”
He smiles at me and bends down, brushing his lips to mine. “Is it our turn?”
I wag my finger at him. “Not quite. Soon.” I reach out and touch Jameson’s cheek. “You were next.”
He snaps his teeth at me. “I’m going to save your bite for later. Let Bronx have his turn.”
“Are you sure?” I ask him.
He hums and nods. “I can’t wait to get my own fangs on you.”
I shiver at the low, sexiness of his voice.
“So tell our girl where you want her mark, brother,” Everett says, digging his fingers more into my hip. “Because I’m with Jameson.”
Fuck. Me. My body already loves the idea. I should be freaked out at the thought of the four of them biting me, but I’m not. Tingles already course through me in anticipation. Their desire ignites mine further, and I bring my mouth to Bronx’s throat and lick from his jaw to his collarbone.
“Not there, dandelion,” he murmurs.
I stretch and flick my tongue over his nipple and over the taut planes of his chest.
“Not there either.”
Bronx lowers me another few inches, and I continue to lick and kiss and suck my way down his stomach until his prominent erection presses into my side. I lace my fingers around it through his clothes and smirk up at him.
“Damn, Bronxy. Living dangerously,” Jameson says.
I raise my eyebrows. “Not there.”
Bronx chuckles. “No, but here.” He guides my hand to his thigh and pushes my fingers into his leg, just feeling the pressure of my hand. “If that’s okay.”
My smile widens, and I nod, a bit nervous and excited of getting to bite somewhere completely new to me with him. This is probably what Mikkalo felt when he wanted to bite my ass cheek. It’s a little weird but thrilling. Unexpected.
I ease myself off him and Everett and slide between his legs. Bronx’s eyes flash silver again, his jaw twitching with a lusty smile. Jameson, Mikkalo, and Everett burn their gazes into me, and I shift on my knees.
“Breathe, guys,” I say, a giggle escaping my mouth.
“Don’t get carried away, Gigi,” Jameson teases. “You look extra bitey.”
Blush warms my cheeks, and I tug Bronx’s pants down just enough to push up his boxer briefs to kiss his thigh. I lean forward, blocking everyone’s view with my hair to slip Bronx’s hard-on out of his underwear to suck into my mouth, teasing him a bit. He digs his fingers into my shoulders and releases a moan.
“Damn,” Mikkalo whispers more to himself. “I’m risking that spot next time.”
I smile to myself and work my way over Bronx’s hip and to his thigh. Grazing my teeth over his skin, I nip him, testing him for a reaction. And hell does he give me one, combing his fingers through my hair, his breathing quickening in anticipation. I love how much he wants it.
Lacing my fingers around his boner, I stroke him while I build up his anticipation more with my mouth.
I bite him where he asked, and he releases a cross between a grunt and a moan, pulling at my hair but not to move me away. He wants to look. Four intakes of breath fill the silence as Bronx combs my hair up for all of
them to see. I hum and suck, my body burning under their intense gazes.
Tingles blossom through me, and it takes all my willpower to ease my mouth away from the delicious taste of his blood. I carefully fix his clothes and smile at the four of them, loving how none of them can take their eyes off me. I feel so hot and sexy. I can’t wait to let them bite me in return.
Bronx holds his arms out to me and helps me to my feet. He encircles my waist and rests his head to my chest, hugging me. “Thank you for trusting us enough to do that.”
I lick my lips. “Was it okay?”
“So hot,” he murmurs.
“You’re really testing our restraint, Gigi,” Jameson teases.
“Is that so?”
He plops down next to Mikkalo, and I lie back across their laps, feeling four majorly hard boners poking me, showing me exactly how much they enjoy my attention.
“So much so that I’d bite you at the same time as my brothers if you’d let me.” He plays with my blond hair, twisting it in his fingers.
I squirm at the thought.
And inhale a shuddering breath.
“Whoa,” Mikkalo breathes. “You like the idea.”
“I think we could safely do it,” Everett says, lifting up my hips to kiss me just below my navel. “I mean, if you want and everyone agrees.”
“Shit,” I whisper under my breath.
“I’m good with it,” Jameson says.
Bronx licks his lips. “Me too.”
Mikkalo bends and kisses my cleavage. “Hell yeah.”
They all look at me for my reaction, and I stretch back, arching up. “Be gentle, please.”
Jameson caresses my cheek. “Always.”
Everett gets to his feet, and Bronx lifts me up to him so that he can move me to the middle of the bed. Jameson props his back on the pillows and pulls me closer. I relax against his chest, feeling the thrums of his heartbeat against my back. He kisses me sweetly, whispering how amazing I am in my ear. How much he wants to take care of me. See me smile.
Bronx and Mikkalo take their places on both sides of Jameson, stretching my arms up. Mikkalo kisses my wrist, just caressing my skin, and Bronx sucks my skin without biting me, leaving a small hickey.
I gasp at Everett choosing a place between my legs.
He touches the waist of my pants, and I ease my hips up until he undresses me, leaving me in my bra and panties. The four of them drink me in, drawing my attention in four different directions but never completely apart.
“I want to make it feel as good as possible,” Everett murmurs.
I don’t even have to ask him to know what he wants to do. I ease my legs open in silent permission. He smiles up at me, and I shift between Jameson’s legs, feeling his boner press into my lower back.
Bronx bends my knee and Mikkalo follows his lead. I feel like I’m going to explode from anticipation.
“You’re so perfect, Gwen,” Jameson murmurs, sliding his hand into my bra to feel the hardness of my nipple.
I tilt my head so that he can meet me for a kiss that turns into a gasp as Everett shifts my panties without taking them off, bringing his lips between my legs. I moan so fucking loud at the exploding sensations rippling through my body. Bronx and Mikkalo bite each of my arms, but I don’t feel the pinch, only the wave of pleasure bursting through me. I press harder into Jameson, already barely able to contain myself.
He kisses my throat, rubbing his fingers over my nipples as he bites my shoulder. I don’t know if it’s having so much attention on me, experiencing all of their bites, or if Everett is just so good with his mouth, but he takes me over the edge faster than ever, and I arch into Jameson with my orgasm, my toes curling, my skin buzzing. My muscles clench and release, and Everett bites my hip, sliding his finger inside me to feel my body pulsing because of him.
“I swear no one better high five him,” I say, catching Everett flick his gaze from me and to his brothers.
Mikkalo chuckles. “That was hot.”
“So sexy,” Bronx says.
Jameson kisses the spot where he left his bite mark on my shoulder. “Incredible.”
Everett slides his tongue over his bottom lip. “Delicious.”
I shift and pull him up and between my legs. The four of them hug me, knowing exactly what I want. To be close. To feel their arms around me. To savor their touch and desire. Their need.
None of us hear the door open.
Silas makes it halfway across the room before Mikkalo jumps to his feet. Loud pops echo through the air, startling me. A figure blurs in from the door.
I brace myself for the shit show to come.
A familiar vampire flies at me.
Chapter 21
Marked
“GET GWEN OUT OF HERE,” Bronx says to Everett.
Everett wraps me in the blanket and cradles me against him, darting in the direction of the table to go around it while Jameson and Bronx head toward the vampire. The guy evades them in an attempt to cut Everett off.
“Gwen! Gwen! Help me!” Silas yells, drawing my attention to him. Mikkalo slams my brother’s back into the wall, shattering one of Jameson’s framed drawings.
“Mik, back up Everett,” Bronx commands.
Mikkalo drops Silas and zooms toward us as Jameson blurs and tackles the intruder. More gunshots ring through the air. Silas shoots Jameson in the back, giving the vampire the chance to catapult to his feet.
He rushes to where Mikkalo left Silas and picks him up. “Gwen, come to me, or I’ll kill him right now.”
Silas flares his nostrils. “You fucker. We had a deal, Thaxton.”
“The deal was only complete if you held them off. And you misinformed me. You said she was only with one. They have all marked her.”
Silas pulls his shit together and searches the room, settling his gaze on me. “Gwen, how could you?”
I turn my head away. I can’t even look at him.
“Please, little sis. You said you’d protect me. Thaxton isn’t lying. He’ll kill me.”
Bronx materializes at my side. “Gwen, let us handle it.”
I tighten my jaw and turn my gaze back to the vampire, Thaxton, and my brother. Thaxton holds a dagger to Silas’s throat. Silas’s watery eyes plead with me to give in. To help him. To keep my promise to protect him.
My lips tremble as I force the words free. “I asked you to trust me, Silas.”
“It’s them I don’t trust!” he shouts. “They’re going to leave us all to die. You just watch.”
Hugging Everett tighter, I hide my face in his shoulder. “Go ahead, Bronx. Take care of them. Silas made his decision, and I will not be punished for his mistakes.”
Silas yells and Thaxton roars. Everett spins me away, pressing his hand to my ear to muffle the sound. Silence falls over the room, sinking deep inside me. A part of me dies a little as I face the truth of my life. My family will be forever broken and in shambles. Everything I thought I knew about loyalty and unconditional love is a total crock.
Everett shifts on his feet, and I brace myself to see Silas’s bloodied body on the floor, but the room is empty. My guys aren’t here either.
“Come on. Let me get you cleaned up,” Everett says, carrying me into the bathroom.
“Where did they go?” I ask, my voice low.
“My brothers will take care of Thaxton. They will bring Silas back.” Everett drops the blanket and kicks his pants off, never setting me down. He carefully undresses me and strolls us into Jameson’s shower, filling it with steam. I just hug him, wrapping my legs around him, resting my cheek to the bite mark I left on his chest.
“Oh.” It’s all I can say.
He adjusts me in his arms and peers at me. “How did you know Thaxton was bluffing about killing your brother?”
I press my lips together to stop them from trembling. “I didn’t.” And I feel like shit for it. But I’d rather feel like shit than risk a lifetime away from the life I just created with my guys.
Ever
ett’s brows pinch together, his blue eyes searching my face for a moment before something shifts in his gaze. Leaning in, he kisses me so passionately, sliding his hands down my slippery back to pull me in as close as possible. I release a breathless laugh, gasping in the warm steam.
“I thought I was only falling in love with you, but I realize I’m already madly in love with you. I can’t spend another second without telling you. I love you, Gwen.” His eyes capture mine, his words sinking deep in my bones. “Thank you for choosing a life with us.”
I don’t know how to respond or if there are any words I could say that would resonate as deeply with him as his words do with me, so I kiss him instead. I kiss him with as much love as he poured onto me, letting him devour my affection.
My back hits the wall, and I gasp into his mouth. I reach my hand between us and align his body to mine, feeling the pressure he builds with his weight. He enters me, squeezing my ass to hold me in place as he thrusts hard and deep and desperately, never breaking his lips from mine.
I hold on tight, scratching my nails into his back, the feeling of his body so intense that I can’t control the scream of pleasure that rips from my mouth. Everett pushes away all of my bad feelings and replaces them with everything I feel like I need to survive, his love for me a sweet whisper into my ear over and over again until I bend my neck and let him bite me again.
I never wanted to fill his needs so badly in every way I know how. Something about tonight, about the bonding time we spent together, about the new level of intimacy we reached brings out a rush of adrenaline and an indescribable feeling that takes me to a cliff I’d gladly dive over knowing Everett would never let me crash and break into the ground.
Our moans come in short, loud bursts, our hearts and bodies in perfect rhythm. The incredible sensations warm my skin, filling me up in such a way I want to drown myself in everything that Everett is. Everything he does to me.
He finishes with a moan, leaving my body buzzing like crazy. I pant against his damp shoulder and let him hold me and stroke his hand up and down the length of my back, making the world seem so right.
