The Cloaked Maiden: A Reverse Harem Romance (Rise of the Ash Gods Book 2)

by Cara Wylde

  “I stole another first,” he said in a low, husky voice. “Delicious.”

  Nergal pushed him aside and positioned himself between her legs. Valentina rolled her eyes. He was even more possessive and entitled than Loki!

  “Someone else’s turn,” Death growled. “Mine, to be more specific.”

  Speaking of Loki... He sat up and placed a firm hand on Nergal’s shoulder, ready to send him flying across the room. Valentina reacted quickly, turning on her belly, lifting herself on her arms and knees, and pulling Loki’s middle toward her. Okay, maybe she should have thought this through. What she was currently staring at... she wasn’t sure she could fit in her mouth. She had thought she could, had intended to try, but now she wasn’t that convinced anymore. Still, it might have been the only way to convince Loki to leave Nergal alone. She rather liked the blond behind her, between her legs, and she didn’t mind giving him a good look of her hot, wet core. If that didn’t make him forget about his hate for the Trickster...

  “What are you going to do, love?”

  Loki’s teasing voice snapped her out of her trance. She reached out, ran her fingers up and down his impressive length, then closed her eyes and took a small, tentative taste.

  “This,” she whispered as she took him fully between her lips. She’d been scared and reluctant, but he tasted amazing.

  Nergal took hold of her round hips and positioned himself where he knew she wanted him most. This was it. After all, it appeared that he was going to be her first. Veles was playing with her breasts now, and Jupiter was stroking himself leisurely, watching her please Loki, shy at first, then growing in confidence. Nergal closed his eyes, and with a soft grunt, entered her fully, marveling at how her walls closed around him, pulling him in, drawing him close, speaking loud about what her whole body wanted – for him to never let go. He pulled out and pushed in again, his motion met by her eager thrust. He built a slow rhythm, giving her time to adjust and let him know what she wanted and how she wanted it. Soon, she was pushing against him, urgency in the way she shuddered and moved. Her moans came out muffled, and he would have loved to hear her cry out her pleasure, but seeing her so passionate about what she was doing to Loki was sexy, too. Beyond sexy. Suddenly, he couldn’t take it anymore. He picked up the pace, losing himself in the feel of her wet passage, in the way her body danced with his, in how small drops of sweat covered her skin here and there, making her slicker and more delicious to enjoy.

  Valentina could barely keep up. She wanted more, she wanted it faster and harder, but her inexperienced body couldn’t even fully comprehend where so much pleasure was coming from and what to do with it. Whatever Nergal was doing, it was divine. He was hitting just the right spot within her, over and over, drawing her so close to the edge. And why did Loki taste so good? Now, she wanted to taste all of them, one by one, inhale their unique scents, and render them helpless under the attack of her hands and mouth. Before she understood what was going on, Nergal hit that spot again, and she arched her back, letting go of Loki just as he released his seed all over her jaw. Disappointed that she’d lost most of it, she took him in her mouth again, licking him clean as she rode her orgasm, vaguely aware that Nergal was filling her to the brim. When the realization struck her, someone else was already inside her, eagerly working on pulling another orgasm out of her trembling body. Jove.

  He was bigger than Nergal, and she wondered whether he’d done it intentionally. Loki sank his hands in her long, black hair, and pulled her head up rather harshly. Smirking down at her, he wiped her bruised lips with a finger.

  “I like seeing you like this, love.” He leaned in to kiss her deeply, tasting his own essence on her tongue. “Thank you. That was more than I could have asked for.”

  “So, you won’t fight with the guys anymore?”

  He squinted his eyes at her. “Mr. Death here has already taken what he wanted. What’s the point now? Might as well sit back and enjoy the sight of you being claimed by them.” He was talking about Jupiter and Veles. “Make sure you don’t break.”

  He moved aside, and Veles took his place. His hair down there was just as soft and silvery as the hair on his head, which threw Valentina aback. Well, that was something she hadn’t expected. She took her time to touch him gently, seeing him grow bigger and harder. Could he take him in her mouth? Her jaw was aching from before, but what did she have to lose? Just a taste... That was all she needed. She closed her eyes and wrapped her lips around the engorged head, moaning at the sweet, unique taste of him. Different than Loki’s, but still delicious. She briefly wondered whether it would have been the same with a human man, but she couldn’t follow that train of thought when she had a god inside her and another one between her lips.

  Jupiter was already close, too close to the edge. He hadn’t expected her lithe, eager body to have such an impact on him, on his senses and thoughts. As he pushed in and out of her tight passage, grunting at the way she responded to him, he couldn’t take her eyes off her. How her back arched, how her hips met him halfway, how her head bobbed as she pleasured Veles... He reached around and pressed his fingers on the spot he’d teased with his tongue earlier. She shuddered under him, and he knew he had done something right. So beautifully right, that she was soon moaning and writhing, squeezing him inside her for dear life, pulsing around him, urging him to give her all he had. And he did. They came at the same time, him almost collapsing on top of her, regaining his balance in time. He wasn’t about to thank her for offering herself to him by smashing her under his weight.

  Valentina relaxed and focused on Veles. She pushed him on his back and climbed on top of him, ending up in a position that finally permitted her to use both hands. He helped her by gathering her long, damp hair in a messy ponytail, squeezing it gently at the nape of her neck. Moaning and humming, she rubbed, sucked, and licked until he was entirely lost in the pleasure she was giving him, completely dependent on her and whatever she decided to do next. As he neared his orgasm, Valentina felt brave enough to move away, use only her hands, and look up into his electric blue eyes. When he came, he covered her breasts and hard nipples in his seed, and she moaned and smiled at how good it felt to finally let go and be herself. She was warm and sticky everywhere, and she wouldn’t have had it any other way. A maiden no more... And she hadn’t even had to choose. She could have all of them, separately or at the same time, and that made her feel powerful and gorgeous.

  With a sigh, she rolled on her back, her blue eyes fixed on the ceiling. Veles drew her in his arms, and Nergal lay down beside her, his fingers playing in her hair. She felt Loki and Jupiter get out of the bed, but she didn’t have the strength to ask them where they were going. When she heard the clink of bottles and glasses, she figured out they were at the kitchen table, having a drink. A grin grew on her lips. Well, wasn’t that interesting? The jealous, possessive Loki was drinking with one of his rivals. She sat up, leaned against the headboard, and watched them drink in silence. Neither of them had deemed it necessary to put clothes on, so it was a sight to behold.

  “How are you feeling?”

  She looked at Veles, a bright smile on her lips. “Like a new person! Sounds stupid, right? But it’s true...”

  Nergal laughed out loud. “You just got rid of the dreaded maidenhood!”

  She cringed. “Please stop using that word. It’s awful. And I was feeling perfectly fine as a virgin, too. I don’t know where you got that ‘dread’ idea.”

  “Trust me, you’ll see the difference in no time.” He sat up and eyed the bottle Loki and Jove were sharing. Changing his mind, he rummaged in the bedside drawer and drew out a cigarette and a lighter. “Magic will come easier to you. Your aura already feels stronger and larger.”

  She rolled her eyes, jumped over his naked form, and headed to the kitchen counter.

  “I’m hungry. Do you have peanut butter?”

  She opened the fridge, grabbed the jar that had magically materialized on the fron
t shelf, then went to find the bread. Okay, being with four gods wasn’t that bad. She knew she hadn’t made the peanut butter and the freshly baked French baguette pop out of nowhere, so it had to be one of them. Or all of them. She looked up, and Jupiter winked at her. She thanked him with a nod.

  Something warm and wet trickled down her inner thighs, and she instinctively clenched her core. Her naked breasts weren’t any cleaner than the rest of her body, but food came first. She was famished! Maybe Veles could stretch the shower later and they would all join her. She shoved a slice of bread generously topped with peanut butter into her mouth, then made herself another one. It was five minutes later that she realized the four of them were watching her closely and more and more curiously.

  “What?” She asked with her mouth full. “What’s wrong? Why are you staring at me like that?”

  “You’re not wearing the cloak,” Jove said. “And you seem to be fine.”

  She choked, spat out half of what she had in her mouth, wiped her lips with the back of her hand and went to look for Death’s cloak. As she rummaged through heaps of clothes and shoes scattered on the floor, painful anticipation coursed through her body. When would the first flash happen? Would she travel to the past, or to the future? She blinked once, twice. She was still here, in this room, with her four lovers. Her vision hadn’t even gotten blurry, so what did that mean? Was she safe? She found the cloak, half hidden under the bed, pulled it out and stared at it. She felt fine. No nausea, no sudden urge to run to the bathroom and throw up what she’d just eaten.

  “Oh my Goddess, you’re right!” She threw the cloak on the bed, and Nergal caught it. “I am fine. I... I’m not traveling. I’m not flashing between the past, the present, and the future! My time sensor...” She touched her forehead, as if that was where the thing was placed. “My time sensor feels... great. I think it’s on. Fixed!”

  Nergal covered himself with his cloak. Strange how he’d missed its velvety touch and hadn’t even realized it.

  “I don’t know, sweetpea. Maybe we shouldn’t get our hopes up. It might be temporary.”

  “But what if it’s not? What if this was the solution all along?”

  “Err... sex with gods?” Loki chuckled. “Glad we could be of assistance, then.”

  “Nergal just said that my magic would be stronger, and my aura does feel more expanded. So, why not?” She ran her hands through her long hair. She really needed a shower, but she had to do something first. Something important. “Where’s my phone?” She started rummaging through everything again.

  “What are you doing?” Jove asked alarmed.

  “My phone. I need to...” She found it and immediately started tapping. “Where is Magny, anyway? Doesn’t matter, he’ll catch up.”

  “Catch up with what? Or whom?”

  “With me.” She tapped some more, then set the phone down, a huge smile on her face. “I’ve booked my ticket to Washington. I’m going home. My time sensor is fixed, I don’t need Nergal’s cloak anymore, so I can finally go home to my family and my coven. If the Walk-Ins have taken over La Congrega di Spade, then I need to help everyone.” She started looking for her clothes. She could take a shower at the hotel, why not? It could wait. “Now I know how to summon you two,” he looked at Loki and Veles. “I’m not alone anymore. Also, if I figured out that complicated spell, then I’ll figure out how to exorcise the Walk-Ins, too. It’s all in the books from La Congrega di Denari. I can do it. I know I can.” She grabbed her tarot deck, found the Magician and the Hanged Man, and waved them at Loki and Veles. “Do you want to put some clothes on first, or...?”

  “Wait.” Nergal stood up, the cloak falling off his gorgeous body. “Wait a second. You’re leaving?”

  Valentina was already dressed, foot tapping impatiently while she waited for Loki and Veles to make up their minds.

  “Yes. What else am I supposed to do? I have the Suit of Pentacles, so that’s great. I don’t know where the Suit of Cups and the Suit of Wands are, but they sure aren’t in Cairo. There’s no point for me to wait. My family needs me.” She looked around. “Where is that hobgoblin? You guys should all put something on. Maybe that’s why he’d not showing up.”

  Jove cleared his throat. “So, you’re leaving. As in... you’re leaving us.”

  “Us? Us who?”

  “Nergal. And me.”

  Valentina blinked in confusion. “I’m not leaving you. I mean, I am... But it’s not like we won’t see each other ever again. Do you forget who you are? I bet you can use your fancy powers to find me.”

  “You don’t care...”

  Valentina crossed her arms over her chest. Okay, this was getting ridiculous.

  “I care. I care a lot, Jupiter. I care about you and Nergal just as much as I care about Loki and Veles. But I can’t take you with me, unless you want to come. Do you want to come?”

  Silence.

  “That’s what I thought. You know, you can come with me just as you are. No need to get carded.” She sighed. “It would be ideal, and yes, it’s what I want because it would help me get just a tiny bit closer to saving the Mysteries of the Tarot, but I’m not forcing anyone. You can think about it. Take as long as you need. Meanwhile, though, I can’t sit around waiting for you to figure out what you want from me, from our relationship and this life in general, when I know that my family, my friends, and my coven need me. I don’t know if I’ll be able to save them, but I’ll do my goddessdamn best.”

  Loki downed his glass of whiskey. “I’m ready. Do your thing, love.”

  Veles stood up and materialized his usual slacks and navy shirt. Valentina shot him a hungry glance, then shook her head and started drawing the appropriate sigils and chant the spell. This was not the time to jump the silver-haired god’s sexy bones. Once Loki and Veles were inside their cards, she secured her deck in its pouch and headed to the door. She didn’t want to admit it or let Jupiter and Nergal know, but it did break her heart that it had to be like this. After what they’ve just shared, it hurt that they were still hesitating and that instead of supporting her in saving her loved ones, they were choosing to stay behind and blame her for leaving them. Her hand was already on the knob. She wanted to look back, wanted to see them one more time before wandering into the unknown, but she couldn’t let them see the pain and disappointment in her eyes.

  “Valentina, wait.”

  That was Nergal’s voice. He was calling her by her name again. She squeezed the doorknob.

  “I’ll be your... Death.” He scratched his head awkwardly. “I mean... your Death card.”

  She turned on her heels. A smile was tugging at the corners of her lips.

  “For real?”

  “Yes. I... I can’t be apart from you. And if you put me in your card, then I can be there for you whenever you need me.”

  “Same,” Jupiter said with a sigh. “I’ll be your Emperor.”

  She jumped and clapped excitedly.

  “Oh, you guys! Thank you so much! This means a lot to me. A lot!” After another moment, she added: “Err... the painted cards are in my hotel room.”

  Jupiter rolled his eyes and gulped down the remainder of his drink. Nergal put on his leather outfit and grabbed the keys to his bike.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  Valentina sighed as she settled in her first-class seat. It was going to be a long flight, with a two-hour layover in Munich. Magny was in the seat next to her, which was empty, invisible to everyone. Which kind of sucked for him because he was craving a glass of champagne, and even though Val could get it for him, he’d have to hide behind her to drink it. He smacked his lips in displeasure and watched her pull out the books she’d taken from the library.

  “I have plenty of time to learn how to exorcise a Walk-In,” she said. Until now, she’d been too busy learning how to summon Loki and Veles, so she hadn’t had time to take a proper look at the spells and ingredients required for an exorcism. Because, yes, these seemed
to be very old spells, and old spells that hadn’t been updated in hundreds of years usually required a bunch of weird ingredients. “Wish me luck.”

  “Good luck, sister.”

  Valentina scowled at Ravenna’s mocking voice. Great! She was back. Unless she summoned the four gods she had in her tarot deck, she’d have to bear Ravenna’s presence.

  “Why do I feel like you don’t mean it?”

  Ravenna laughed. “Read the text.”

  Val opened the book randomly, at a spell that was preceded by something that looked like a recipe. And a complex one at that. It had more ingredients than a fancy vegan cake! Valentina followed the lines with the tip of her finger. Magny leaned over to get a better look.

  “Mandrake root, okay. Mugwort, a pinch of lavender because, for some reason, Walk-Ins hate its scent? So far, so good.”

  “Yeah, there’s an asterisk.” Ravenna could barely contain her laughter.

  Val furrowed her brows and checked the footnotes.

  “What the hell?! Mandrake root from the fifth dimension, mugwort from the seventh dimension, and lavender from the ninth?” She looked at Magny. “How am I supposed to get them?”

  The hobgoblin shrugged. “It might take a while, but either of your lovers can help you travel.”

  She blushed. “They’re not my lovers. Why would you say that?”