Immortal Flame (The Excalibur Duet Book 2)

by Kim Loraine

  “Well, it seems that’s going to be sooner rather than later.” Gwen’s soft voice is trembling. I turn to face her, the fear on her face twisting my gut. “I’m pregnant.”

  I don’t know how to respond. What can I say that isn’t a lie?

  “We know,” Lance says. He walks past me, but runs his hand over my shoulder on his way to her. “Nimue told us.”

  Shock washes over her. I can see it in her expression. “You…you knew?”

  “We wanted to wait until the right time. Until a quiet moment.”

  A tight laugh leaves her. “A quiet moment? We don’t have quiet moments.” Lance reaches for her but she jerks away and holds up a hand. “I need a minute.”

  He takes a sharp breath and I see it the instant he decides that’s not how this is going to work. “No, Gwen. You can’t get angry about this. We’re having a child. A child. There’s nothing to be upset about. Don’t shut us out now.”

  “I…I don’t even know who the father is.” Her words are laced with guilt.

  “Does it matter?” I ask. “You heard what I said earlier. Lance and I will raise this baby as ours.”

  Her chin trembles and a tear falls down her cheek. Stepping forward, I reach out and brush the drop of sadness off her face with my thumb. Then I pull her into my chest and just hold her. “I love you,” she whispers and it’s like a warm blanket wrapped around me. “I love you both.”

  Lance kisses the top of her head and wraps his arms around her from behind. She’s engulfed in our love and all we can do is hope she sees we’re never going to leave.

  “This is better entertainment than cable television,” Tamiel says from his chair in the corner.

  The three of us look at him and Gwen bursts into laughter. Lance follows suit, and that in turn makes me laugh. Through all our struggles, laughter isn’t something we’ve been able to enjoy together.

  “What’s so funny?” Helena asks from the top of the stairs as she descends.

  “These three are.” Tamiel gets to his feet and crosses the floor, meeting Helena at the foot of the stairs.

  She looks weary, but happy, and following behind her is another woman. She could be Helena’s sister with her long dark hair and glittering brown eyes. All eyes focus on the woman who walks past us all and makes her way toward the fireplace. She must be Ruby, the coven’s fourth.

  “Introduce us?” I ask Gwen.

  She nods and walks to her coven sister. “Ruby, this is Brooks and Lancelot. My…”

  “Husband,” I say.

  “Champion.” Lance’s words run over mine.

  Gwen’s answering smile says we said the exact right things. “Yes. My husband and my champion.”

  Ruby grins but the smile doesn’t reach her eyes. There’s a longing inside her that I can feel. She fiddles with a ring on her finger and bites her lower lip. “It’s nice to meet you both. Thank you for welcoming me so readily. I know that can’t be easy.”

  Her American accent surprises me. “You’re American?”

  She shrugs. “It’s where I was born…in this life at least.” Then she frowns. “That’s so weird to say. Until today I didn’t remember all my other lives.”

  “It gets easier,” Gwen says, placing a hand on Ruby’s arm. A soft gasp leaves Gwen, and she looks at me, eyes fogged over an eerie white. “We’ll lose you before long. Lucifer will claim you as his and the angels will fall.”

  Gwen sucks in a sharp breath and snaps back to reality. She looks around and Ruby backs away. “Why? Why would you say that?”

  “I’m sorry. I…it was a vision.”

  Ruby swipes at tears on her cheeks and runs outside, letting the door slam behind her.

  “Oh, bloody hell,” Gwen mutters. “I really stuck my foot in it, didn’t I?”

  “We can’t leave her out there,” Lance says. “She’s obviously in danger.”

  “She’s safe here. Let her be. The poor girl just had her heart shattered.” Helena’s words are filled with grief. “I know how that feels.”

  “Never again.” Tamiel pulls her close. “Come on, love. I’ve not had enough time with you today and you need to be off your feet.”

  “I’m not an invalid, Fallen,” she grumbles.

  “I didn’t say you were, but if I have you on your back, you’ll be off your feet.”

  “You’re such a charmer.”

  Tamiel chuckles and winks at us. “If you need us…don’t need us.” Then he takes Helena back upstairs.

  Gwen giggles and looks up at me, her cheeks pink. “You know, I could stand to be off my feet as well,” she whispers.

  Instantly, everything changes. Lance nuzzles her neck and presses a soft kiss behind her ear. “Where’s our room?”

  Chapter Fifteen

  Gwen

  “Where’s our room?” Lance’s husky voice sends a thrill through me.

  I lean back against his warm chest and take a beat to soak up this calm moment. “You’re forgetting something.”

  His laughter vibrates against my back. “What is that, my queen?”

  “I’m a powerful witch. Our room will be whatever we need. I’m not ready to share space with my sisters, and I’m certainly not willing to be quiet.”

  Brooks groans and takes his lower lip between his teeth. His hips press against mine almost reflexively. “Such things you say, wife,” he growls.

  I wriggle out of the arms of both my men and walk through the house. It used to be a simple cottage, two rooms and a kitchen, with two bedrooms and a bathroom upstairs. Now my sisters have expanded. They’ve seen the need for us all to be together, and our home is now large and spacious. But the three of us need more. We need a cottage of our own.

  The back door leads into a garden with climbing roses framing the door in an arch. I press my palms to the twisted vines and close my eyes, letting power flow through my hands. For the first time, there’s no pain or dizziness. I can visualize exactly what I’m doing. The roses grow and form a connecting archway to the cozy home I call into being.

  “When you said you were more powerful now, I didn’t realize exactly what you meant.” Brooks’ tone holds awe.

  A smile spreads my lips and I open my eyes. The flowers which should be dead for the winter have blossomed all along the arch, deep crimson and smelling crisp and bright like only roses can.

  “Gwen,” Lance warns. “The last two times you used so much magic you made yourself ill.”

  I shake my head and walk toward the small house at the end of the path. “I wasn’t whole then. That’s why my visions hurt and using too much power caused me to get sick. Ruby is with us again. Her curse was keeping us all from reaching our full abilities.”

  Waving my palm over the door, I send a small pulse of power to make it swing open. There’s a fire in the hearth, warm light casting a glow in the living area, but I don’t stop there. Turning to the right, I walk through the open French doors and into the bedroom. My loves follow, neither one saying a word as I pull my long hair to the side and turn away from them, silently asking for assistance with my dress.

  Lance’s warm lips find my nape as he unlaces me. His rough, slightly overgrown beard scratches my sensitive skin and sends a rush of need straight through me. I moan at the feel of him, his fingers working at my bodice, the scrape of teeth as he trails kisses over my exposed shoulder. But my focus is stolen when Brooks cups my face and ever so gently presses his mouth to mine. It’s tender and loving, but there’s barely contained passion behind his touch as well. A wild thing, desperate to be released.

  My dress falls free and pools on the floor, leaving me totally bare and exposed.

  “Nothing underneath,” Lance murmurs. “Naughty queen.”

  His hands slide over my breasts and he pinches my nipples, bursts of pain mixed with pleasure explode on the sensitive buds. I arch my back and moan against Brooks’ lips. Lance’s hands move down, over my ribs and to my waist before he cups the softness of my lower belly. I can’t deny the
strange fullness I’ve felt since returning. A pull and stretch inside my womb announcing the little stranger I have growing there.

  “It makes me so hard to think of you, round and full of our baby.” The way Lance says our makes it clear he’s talking about all three of us. “I want to bend you over this bed and fuck you until you can’t stand any longer.” Oh, God, Lancelot has never been a dirty talker, but I like it.

  Brooks has moved his attention to my bare breasts, his lips are burning a path from my throat down to my nipple as Lance’s fingers slide between my legs. I might combust here and now with these two men touching me so intimately.

  “It’s so much. God, you both touching me is so perfect.”

  Brooks chuckles, the vibration sending waves of pleasure straight to my clit from my tight nipple. And all it takes is a well-timed brush of his fingers for Lancelot to send me into an orgasm. My knees shake as I’m hit with a powerful rush of euphoria. I cry out and grip Brooks by the shoulder to keep myself upright.

  “There it is,” Brooks murmurs. “My favorite sound.”

  Lance’s fingers press inside my still pulsing core, eliciting another groan from me as he bites down on my shoulder. I can’t take it, the sensations are too strong.

  “Stop. Please, it’s too much.”

  My knight slowly withdraws, backing away and smiling devilishly at me. “What do you want, then?”

  I sit on the bed, scooting back until I’m resting on the pillows. “I want you to undress.” Brooks nods and removes Excalibur and the scabbard. When he moves to lift his shirt, I shake my head. “Each other.”

  My husband swallows hard while Lance’s jaw tenses. I know he wants this, I’ve seen too much between them to pretend they’re not attracted to each other.

  They look at me and then back at each other. “You need this. I can see the longing in your eyes,” I tell Lance. “You love him, just as you love me.”

  Lance’s brow furrows, but he nods. “I do. I fucking love you both.”

  “Then show me how you love him.”

  My brave knight reaches a trembling hand out to the king he could never admit to loving, and Brooks closes his eyes and sighs at the touch. The two men stare at each other for a long beat, intense longing growing between them.

  Using my magic, I dim the light until we're bathed in a soft glow, and I watch, with my heart in my throat as the two men I love begin to finally let themselves love each other.

  Lancelot

  Gwen’s gaze on us is hot and wanton. I can feel it burning my blood and begging me to take what I need. She doesn’t know what happened in the dungeon, what nearly went past the point of return. But she wants us together as much as with her. It’s obvious from the excited hum of energy in her whispered words.

  “It’s all right, Lance,” Brooks says, the deep rumble of his voice sending an ache over my body.

  That’s when I realize I’m shaking. But this isn’t fear I’m feeling. It’s anticipation of what’s to come, of my entire future. Can I truly have them both?

  I run my hand over his tunic and down until I reach the hem. Then I pull the fabric over his head and bare his strong torso. Chiseled perfection, the only hard male body I’ve craved, and now I can have all of him. His nipples are hard pebbles and he gasps when I touch and tease them.

  “Your turn,” I tell him, proud of myself for keeping my voice steady.

  Gwen lets out a soft whimper from the bed and I turn my attention to her. She’s moved to the edge of the mattress and sits on her heels, eyes bright with desire. I reach out for her, but she shakes her head.

  Brooks tugs off my shirt but doesn’t stop there. The man unlaces my pants and shoves them down my hips. My raging erection stands long and heavy, glistening with the evidence of my need. Before I can struggle with my boots, they vanish.

  I glance at my queen and she shrugs. “It was taking too long.”

  Brooks is completely nude now as well, and I’m desperate for his touch, but Gwen is part of this, part of us, and I don’t want to leave her out. I take her by the hand and pull her to me, kissing her deep and slow. When we break apart, her eyes are dark with passion.

  “You don’t have to prove how much you want me. I already know.” Her softly murmured words make my heart swell.

  “I want you to always be part of this.” Damn my heart, but it’s hammering like a caged bird.

  “I am. I will be.”

  Brooks’ hand moves over her collarbone and down between her breasts gaining her attention. “I agree with Lance. I want you with us, not watching. We’re three, not two.”

  Brooks kisses her, bringing their bodies closer together while I look on. She moans and melts into him, her form going relaxed, and God help me, I want more. I wrap my fist around my aching hardness and stroke to ease some of the need, but it’s not enough. Watching them together makes me understand why our union is so right. My jealousy is gone now that I know they both want me.

  I walk around the two of them, observing their touches and taking in their soft groans and gasps. Brooks’ hands roam her body, cupping her breasts, slipping between her perfect thighs, and she touches him in turn. His cock is hard and juts out between them. My fingers itch to touch him, and now I can. I don’t have to worry about who might find us.

  He’s taller than me, his build slightly bigger, and when I run my hands over his back he tenses, but relaxes almost immediately. Here his skin is soft, warm, with tight muscles that move as he brings Gwen pleasure. I press our bodies together, my hard length nestling between his ass cheeks, a foreign sensation, but not one I dislike. He moans and pushes back against me, the friction making my cock weep.

  I press a kiss on his nape and he shivers. When my eyes find Gwen’s I see desire and love and acceptance. Then he brings her to orgasm as I watch, pleasure floods those beautiful features of hers and she throws her head back on a harsh cry. Brooks spreads his legs enough for my cock to slip between his thighs, brushing against his balls as we move. The sensation makes me groan and run my hands around to his front. He gasps when I find his straining erection and stroke slowly.

  Having another man’s cock in my hand is strange if I let myself think about it. But knowing I’m bringing Brooks pleasure eclipses anything warring notions of what society expected of me in my old life. I love him. I love Gwen. And the two of them love me. Nothing else matters.

  Brooks lets out a harsh moan and bats my hand away. He steps forward and pushes Gwen onto the bed, spreading her legs as he climbs over her. I follow, watching her take him inside her body. She writhes and cries out, her breasts bouncing with each of his powerful thrusts.

  But she’s pregnant. What if he hurts her? Putting my hand on his shoulder, I stop him. “Careful with our queen.”

  He pulls out of her and grabs my wrist, tugging me onto the bed beside him. “You don’t get to tell me how to fuck my wife.” Then he crushes his mouth to mine and I fall back onto the mattress.

  His kisses are long and drugging, hard and demanding and I can’t believe we waited so long to admit the truth between us. I feel the bed shift as he fits himself between my thighs. His erection brushes against my own, the sensation nearly sending me off the edge. When his lips leave my mouth, I try to sit up and find him again, but he’s already got his hand around my shaft and his lips are kissing the tip.

  Gwen is there, her beautiful eyes focused on me and me alone. “Enjoy the ride, my knight,” she whispers. “Take your pleasure.”

  Her hair brushes my chest as she dips her head and soft lips meet mine. At the same time, Brooks’ hot mouth engulfs my length and I let out a groan of pleasure so loud I’m sure I could be heard outside. Gwen’s tongue dances with mine and I cup the back of her head, needing as much of her as possible to keep my sanity. Everything burns bright around me as orgasm closes in. Brooks spreads my ass while he sucks and licks my cock. His finger traces my hole and my toes fucking curl at the feel of so many things at once. His tongue swirls around my crown and he
presses that finger inside me. I let out a surprised bark of something between pleasure and pain, but then he finds a magic spot inside and toys with it over and over.

  “Fuck,” I groan against Gwen’s mouth as an orgasm rips through every cell in my body. But my seed doesn’t spill, my cock is still rock hard, and I realize exactly how this all is going to work between us. “Gwen, ride my cock. Please. Fuck me.”

  She nods and straddles my hips, sinking her warm, wet cunt down onto my shaft. We both moan and Brooks rubs my legs, just a soft brush of his fingers as she begins to move.

  Gwen looks over her shoulder at Brooks and she shudders in pleasure. “Take my ass.”

  The feral gleam in his eyes makes my dick jerk inside her. “As you wish, wife.”

  A light begins to glow near Brooks and he turns his head to look at the bed. “What’s this?” he asks.

  “You’re not putting that inside my ass without some lubrication.” Her grin is wicked. “Apply liberally.”

  She continues to roll her hips, taking me deep inside her, until Brooks holds her still and bends her forward. Her nipples brush my torso, hair a curtain between us and him. Then her gaze finds mine and her eyes widen as I’m sure he begins to slowly breach her. “Oh, wow,” she moans. “Slowly, Brooks.”

  I brush her hair aside and watch his face as he takes her this way. Jaw clenched, fingers digging in to her hips, he pushes forward as slowly as he can. I see it in his expression. Restraint. Desperate need. Painful desire.

  “I need you to move,” she whispers to me. “I can’t.”

  I roll my hips up and back and feel Brooks through her thin barrier. Then we’re both moving inside her and Gwen is trembling, her unbridled passion coating my cock as she orgasms over and over. I lose control, my hand shooting out to grab Brooks’ fingers as the clenching of her pussy around me makes me spill my release inside her. Brooks follows, his almost pained groan ripping from his chest and I feel his cock pulsing from inside Gwen’s ass.