Perfect Storms (Storms of Blackwood Book 4)

by Elle Middaugh

  Cal nodded. "It seems like bigger or more difficult things cost much more. I had a hell of a time trying to manipulate that dragon in the sky."

  Dan seemed to agree. "Ben and I couldn’t get that damned collar to break no matter how much force we used. I wonder if it was crafted by the gods? Perhaps a gift from Ares?"

  "Maybe," Cal said, as if the idea seemed likely.

  "Um…" I raised my hand like Criss normally did, but none of them saw me because they were all ahead pulling my sleigh. So I spoke up to get their attention. "I want to discuss the costs a bit more. Let’s not get off topic."

  Rob glanced over his shoulder and smiled, his pouty lips tugging into pillows. I wanted to kiss them off his face.

  Ash sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "A feat as massive as that might cost more than we’re willing to pay. Rob’s price is pain. What if he suffers endless pain for an entire month because it? Criss’s price is sleep. What if he sleeps for a fucking year afterward? I just don’t know if now is the best time to test this theory."

  He had a good point. But then again, no time would be a good time to test something so unpredictable. It’d be great to bring their mothers back, but at the cost of losing them to their magic for months? Years? I mean… I didn’t like it.

  "We don’t know for sure if it will take that long," Criss said, trying to lighten the mood. "Maybe I’ll sleep for a day? Maybe Rob’s pain lasts for a day? We don’t know."

  Ash glanced at me and shook his head. "Let’s just… talk more about it later."

  We came upon the charcoaled town once more, its remains glowing in the light of a nearly full moon. Our horses were still tied to their branches at the edge of the woods, waiting rather impatiently for us to return. Abandoning the sled, we mounted our steeds and made the ten-mile trek back to Blackdell in silence.

  All the while, fear and anxiety clawed at my gut, tearing me apart inside. Criss and Rob were going to attempt this resurrection bullshit soon, I just knew it. They were hopeful and optimistic about the whole thing, but I was morose at the thought of them even trying.

  What if the price was more than they'd bargained for, more than I could bear?

  Chapter 10

  I awoke the next morning in a puddle of blood.

  Gasping, I flung off the bedsheets and rushed to assess my body, feeling for any pain or signs of trauma. All my crazed flailing woke a couple of the guys lying in bed next to me.

  "Everything okay, Lexi?" Dan muttered, barely cracking his eyes open.

  "What’s wrong, Jewels?" Rob sat up, waking a bit faster than his brother.

  By the angle of the sun’s rays peeking in through the window, and the yellow tone of the light shards as they warmed the now-crimson sheets, I’d guess it was nearly noon already. Meaning, we’d slept all morning. Where the other four princes were was anyone’s guess, because they weren’t in the room with us.

  I took a deep breath and peeked underneath my nightgown.

  "I…" I paused, laughing airily. "I got my period." I laughed some more, and for some fucked-up reason, tears welled in my eyes.

  "That’s… a good thing, yeah?" Rob asked uncertainly, eyeing me closely. "Because you didn’t actually want to be pregnant yet, right?"

  I nodded quickly. "Yeah, it’s a great thing. I love you guys more than anything, but I’m not ready for motherhood yet."

  So then, why did I suddenly feel so… sad?

  "Can I have a minute, guys? I don’t really want to clean this mess in front of you."

  Rob nodded, and Dan hopped up like his name had just been called. "Yep, that sounds like a plan. No need to get into any gory details."

  He hurriedly threw on a shirt and pants, and I took a moment to admire his hard body as he dressed. They were seriously way too hot for their own good. And I wanted to fuck them. Like, right now. Too bad I was bleeding like a seal in the jaws of a shark.

  Dan practically ran from the room, but Rob stayed, squeezing my cheeks with one hand and pushing my pouty lips out even further. "What’s that grumpy face about, huh?"

  "No-ting," I said, through squished lips.

  Rob chuckled. "You want me to stay? It’s just a little blood. No big deal."

  I shook my head. "No, I’m just horny, and already I can tell this week is going to be a painfully long dry spell."

  Rob laughed even harder. "Not for me. I already told you, I’m not scared of blood. Vampires normalized that pretty quickly. Plus, I have that creepy sadistic side…"

  I threaded my fingers in his. "It’s not creepy. It’s sexy."

  He smirked and leaned in, kissing my neck. "Is it now?"

  I bit my lip and nodded. "Yes, but this—" I gestured to all of myself. "—is not sexy in the slightest."

  "I think everything about you is sexy."

  I took a deep breath and inadvertently leaned my head back, giving him more access, which he took complete advantage of. His lips trailed down to my collarbone, then even further to my breasts. As soon as he sucked a hardened nipple into his mouth and flicked it with his tongue, I was a freaking goner.

  "Let's get this nightgown out the way," he suggested, before tugging it lightly up over my head. I didn't miss the scarlet bloodstains smeared across the hem. Heat rushed up my neck and bloomed on my cheeks, but Rob completely ignored it.

  He scooped me up and carried me over to the bathroom where a dark tub sat encased in a stained wood frame. I had a feeling its design was intentional, to hide dirt and make cleaning easier on the servants and staff. Lucky for me, it also seemed capable of hiding blood quite well.

  There was already water in the bottom, dark, steaming, and waiting. The maids must've done their morning rounds. Only a few rooms even had private baths, ours included, but this one was massive—big enough to hold ten people or so if they maneuvered just right. I had a feeling it'd been an old basin for washing horses or something in its prior life.

  My Spirit Prince sat me down in the warm water and took a step back, eyeing me with a devilish grin before he began stripping—ever so slowly—for my carnal enjoyment. He was still in his bed clothes, so there were no fancy buttons or belts to undo, but watching him reach behind his head and pull his shirt off with one hand… gods that was sexy.

  My chest immediately started heaving, and my nipples squeezed tight, drawing his heated gaze. He didn't hurry though. He kept moving slowly, his hand sliding down his tattooed torso, gliding past row after row of abdominal muscles, before landing softly at the waist of his bed pants.

  The pants were soft and loose, and thank the fucking gods, they left almost nothing to the imagination. His dick had set up camp with a ten-foot pole, it seemed, and I was totally ready for it.

  He untied the drawstring and hooked his thumbs into the waistband, lowering the material slowly, exposing more of his skin and happy trail millimeter by painstaking millimeter.

  Fuck, my fingers were itching to trace that line all the way down. My lips twitched to do the same.

  Then, finally, his cock was free, all hard and veiny, waiting so fucking patiently as Rob took his time throwing his pants alongside his shirt on the floor. I could hardly stand it.

  "Get your sexy ass in this tub, right now," I ordered him breathlessly.

  But he merely smirked, taking a single step forward before stopping. "Or else what?"

  I gipped the edge of the tub and lifted myself to my knees, water dripping down my navel and hips. "Come over here and you'll find out."

  His gray eyes darkened into a stormy black, and he took a few bold steps in my direction. As soon as he was close enough, and without any real warning, I swallowed him up as far as I could.

  "Fucking Hades, Jewels," he moaned in a whisper as I sucked and stroked and ran my tongue across the head of his dick.

  He might not have been in any hurry, but I sure as hell was. I was horny as fuck after watching that sexy show of his. My head bobbed hard and fast, my pussy clenching tight in anticipation of his cock sliding in there nex
t.

  His plush lips parted, and his eyes fell closed, his breathes coming in heavy waves. The next thing I knew, my mouth was empty and his hands were curled in my hair.

  "Lie back." He slowly pushed my chest, positioning me until my shoulders hit the edge of the tub and my chin was just barely above water. Then he climbed in at my feet and, on his knees, slowly waded between my thighs.

  Gods the torture of waiting was pure bliss.

  "Grab onto the tub walls," he ordered. "I'm going to lift your hips, and I want you to lean back until only your face is above water. You won't be able to hear, so it's going to heighten your senses, okay?"

  I nodded, watching him intently as he lifted my hips, raising my breasts from the water and lowering my ears beneath. It was sexy and intimate as fuck. When his cock brushed my entrance and slowly began sliding in, I thought I'd lose my ever-loving mind. The sensation was so intense. I felt every tiny hint of movement, every thick inch of him as he filled me completely. My mouth fell open, and my eyes flitted shut. If I hadn't been squeezing the edge of the tub, I probably would have drowned. But, hey, it would have been a fantastic way to go.

  Rob rocked his hips slowly, still intent on taking his sweet-ass time, while simultaneously building me up faster than ever before. His voice rumbled from above the water, but I couldn't make out what he said. I opened my eyes for some sort of visual cue, but he simply smiled and nodded. Apparently, he wanted me to keep my eyes open.

  Watch me while I make you come, I imagined him saying.

  A rush of heat flooded through my core, bringing me to the brink of an orgasm already. Fuck, my imagination was almost as bad as the real thing.

  Rob nodded again, a dark look in his eye as he watched me. He had to have known what he was doing to me. How close to exploding I was because of him. His teeth found his bottom lip and bit down, and for some reason, that sexy gesture—coupled with his tantalizingly slow thrusts—was enough to tip me over the edge.

  I came so hard that my head jerked above the surface and rivulets of water streamed down my heated skin. He lifted me then, pulling me up until our chests were smashed together and my legs were wrapped tightly around his waist. I writhed and rolled in his grasp, riding him until every glorious second of that orgasm was finished.

  When I could finally see straight, I noticed his brows were furrowed and his lips were taut.

  "Can you keep going like that?" he asked hesitantly, "only harder?"

  I was practically a puddle of spent pleasure. How the hell was I going to go harder?

  "How about," I suggested deviously, "I keep going like this, only more painful?"

  His desperate moan was all the encouragement I needed, but the lust that filled his eyes really added to the effect. I rolled my hips and held out my palms, leaving him to support all of my weight with his arms. When my hands started to glow, I think he finally realized what I'd had in mind.

  I touched a heated finger to his neck but pulled it away quickly when he gasped.

  "Again," he begged me.

  I always got nervous when it came to giving Rob pain for pleasure, but I was at least getting a little more used to it.

  I brought my finger back, tracking a quick line down his throat, just enough to sting but not enough to burn, all the while rolling my hips as he held me. He hissed as I touched him, but if his rock-hard dick filling me was anything to go by, he was very much enjoying this.

  "Again," he rasped, grabbing my hips and turning this session around so that he was the one fucking me.

  I put my hand on his neck, holding it for a few seconds before I chickened out and pulled it away. A pink handprint rested in my wake as if I'd just slapped him.

  "Oh, gods," he moaned. "Again. I'm gonna come soon."

  He pumped my hips faster and harder, knocking me off balance. On instinct, I reached out and grabbed his shoulders to steady me, but his skin hissed the moment I made contact, worrying the hell out of me. I quickly squelched the heat in my hands, hoping I hadn't hurt him too badly.

  He cried out, grinding his teeth as he rooted himself deep inside of me and came apart.

  "Oh, babe, I'm so sorry," I whispered, assessing his burns. "I should have put the fire out sooner."

  He chuckled gruffly, pulling me in for an intimate hug. "And robbed me of the best orgasm I've ever had? Never."

  I leaned back, trying to look into his eyes. "Are you serious? The best?"

  "Ever," he promised me on a blissful exhale. "Gods, I'm already dreaming about you burning me again." He peeked down at me through shy lashes. "That's fucked up, isn’t it?"

  "No. It's you. And you're perfect just the way you are."

  Pain might not have been my fetish, but I'd be damned if I made him feel bad about it.

  We soaked in the water for a few more minutes, tangled in each other's arms, slowly washing the sweat and blood off our skin.

  Okay, fine, so we were a little fucked up. But it didn't really matter.

  When the water started getting too cold, we finally climbed out to get dressed.

  Rob pulled on his pants and threw a shirt over his head, leaning over to kiss me while he buttoned it up. "You want me to send up a maid with some girlie shit for you?"

  I mirrored his move from earlier, squishing his cheeks with one of my hands. "Prince Robert, you are just the sweetest boy ever, you know that?"

  He batted my hand away and wrapped his tattooed arms around me, pinning me to his chest. Laughing, I struggled to break free, to no avail.

  "Yes, please. I would greatly appreciate that."

  "All right, cool. Meet us in the tavern below when you’re done?"

  I nodded, and he kissed me one more time before sauntering out the door and closing it behind him.

  Alone, I took a deep breath and contemplated my sanity.

  Sadness? Really, Lex? You freak out at the possibility of having a baby, and now that your period comes, you have the balls to feel sad? I mean what the fuck? I’m blaming this on hormones because there’s literally no other logical explanation.

  Unless the truth of the matter was… I did want a baby?

  I mean, the guys were perfect, already great with kids, and to top it all off, they wanted kids. They were ready for that stage in their lives, and I just knew they were going to make amazing fathers. Part of me couldn’t wait to see the look in their eyes when they cradled our baby for the first time. Couldn’t wait to see them holding our toddler’s hand, playing games with them, teaching them things, laughing with them, giving them tickles.

  I smiled and covered my mouth with trembling fingers.

  One day. One day, after the war was over and the Storm King was gone, after we were crowned kings and queen, after our kingdom and our world was secure… we could make beautiful babies together.

  But not yet.

  After I cleaned up and used the supplies the maid had left for me, I wandered downstairs and was assaulted by the delicious smell of breads and sweets.

  I grasped the railing and studied the table my guys were at as I descended one step at a time. Pancakes, croissants, dumplings, chocolates, fruits, and syrups lined the table from one end to the other. My mouth watered just looking at it all.

  "There she is!" Ash announced, rising from his chair to meet me halfway. "How you feeling, Sweets? You okay?"

  I nodded, smiling sweetly. "Of course. This looks delicious."

  Ash lowered his head, studying my eyes as closely as he could. "You’re not upset about the period thing? Dan told us you got it this morning."

  I shook my head, my dark hair cascading down my back and over my shoulders. "No, I’m definitely glad I got it. It’s weird though. That little pregnancy scare actually made me realize I do want a baby or two with you guys. One day."

  He grinned and kissed my hand, leading me to the delectable buffet. "Good. Because I think each and every one of us would like to knock you up someday."

  My mouth fell open. "Watch it, Asher Storm, you’re starting to
sound as classy as I do most of the time."

  He chuckled and pushed my chair in behind me as I sat. "I’m just saying! You said a baby or two. I hope you’re prepared to pop at least six little angels out of your heavenly hole."

  "For fuck’s sake, Asher, shut the hell up," Rob barked.

  Ash, of course, only laughed harder which, damn it, made me laugh too. Soon we were all chuckling as we piled our plates with goodies.

  "More like popping little demons from my den of delight," I corrected.

  "Hey, you better not be consorting with demons," Rob argued, shaking a forkful of pancake at me.

  We spent the rest of our brunch laughing and coming up with witty terms and phrases for babies and vaginas. It was so weird how I could go from scared to sad to joking about the exact same thing in a matter of an hour. But that’s how they were, what they did for me. They made me feel relaxed no matter how uncomfortable the situation was.

  "I sent a letter to the Storm King this morning," Cal said. He must've been talking to me, because no one else looked surprised.

  "Oh?" I asked, waiting with bated breath to hear the purpose behind his actions. "Yeah. After what he did to Blackburn..." Cal went quiet and shook his head.

  Trust me, I hadn’t forgotten either.

  Just the thought of it was enough to turn me off my breakfast.

  Rob glanced at me and forced a tense smile. "We've officially made a claim to the throne, Jewels. The bastard is going to know we're coming for him, but he's not gonna know what hit him."

  I sucked in a huge breath, and my eyes widened. "Are you serious?"

  Rob nodded solemnly, and all the guys followed his lead.

  I'd wanted this, wanted to take a stand, to rally the people, and kill the king. But it had taken so long for us to get here, I almost couldn't believe it.

  "That's fucking wonderful," I whispered in amazement. Fear and excitement warred for dominance in the pit of my stomach, but shock kept them both adequately subdued.

  "The pieces are falling into place," Ben mused.

  He sounded like some ominous narrator in a horror novel. I typically read romance, but I'd accidentally stumbled upon a couple gory ones in my time. Not my favorite genre. Would not recommend.