Noble Blood [The Gray Court, Book 2]

by Dana Marie Bell

  Duncan narrowed his eyes. Something was very wrong with Jaden. His bond brother was still trying to shut him out. And Duncan was going to find out why.

  Moira watched Jaden leave the room. She could just feel the ragged edges of his emotions. The vampire was hurting just as much as she and Duncan were.

  Three's a crowd, eh? Hmph. She crossed her arms over her breasts and thought about the conversation she'd overheard between the two men. Jaden had left to give them time to complete their mating bond, but instead of doing just that Duncan had held off, pining for Jaden.

  Yup. A tribond. If she'd had any doubt before, just seeing Duncan and Jaden in the same room removed it. It was like the dark cloud that had been hovering over her and her cranky Sidhe lord had lifted. She pictured Duncan and Jaden kissing and was surprised to find the thought didn't bother her at all. In fact, it was a surprising turn-on, her entire body heating up at the vision of Duncan's blond head meshed with Jaden's dark.

  "That was unexpected."

  She turned to her fine-looking Sidhe lord. His gaze was locked on the doorway, silver sparks dancing in their depths. Silver light danced around him, his powers leeching through his iron-willed control. Her eyebrows shot up in alarm.

  This was the most animation she'd seen from her fiance since the day he'd swept her into his limousine and ridden off with her into the sunset. “Duncan. We need to talk."

  "About?” Those silver-flecked eyes landed on her, full of intent.

  Suddenly she could barely breathe. All of the pent-up need that had lain dormant in Jaden's absence came surging to the fore. “Um. Jaden."

  His head tilted to the side. “No. I don't think so."

  "What?” The expression on his face was almost frightening in its intensity. Whatever had held him back from Claiming her fully was gone now. Feral heat lit him from within. She had a good idea just what had set off this little display of lust.

  Moira gulped. “Oh, hell.” Moira wasn't a virgin, thank the Lady. From the look Duncan was giving her she had the feeling she was going to be very grateful for that fact in about two seconds.

  The slow, sexy curl of his lips had her stomach doing flip-flops. The glazed, sleepy look in his eyes had her nerves screaming to run. “It's time."

  A part of her wanted this, wanted the Claiming, the Vow and the Binding. She wanted what her parents had, what Leo had so recently found in Ruby.

  But there was something Duncan needed to hear, for both their sakes. For all their sakes. She held out her hand, hoping to stave off the inevitable. “Wait. I need to tell you something."

  "You do?” He began stalking her around the desk, his movements languid, his expression amused. It was like, after two months of hiding, the man she'd met in the limo was back and horny as hell. Duncan turned the corner and she could see the bulge of his erection beneath the fly of his slacks.

  Oh, glory. “I spoke with my mother."

  "How is Aileen?” Duncan's gaze darted to the office door. He stepped over and locked it before continuing his pursuit of her.

  "She knows what's wrong with you.” With us, but I don't have time to go into that now.

  Duncan stopped, the heat in his eyes chilling. “Wrong with me?"

  Uh-oh. Perhaps she could have phrased that better. “She knows why you haven't felt the urge to complete the bond."

  "Why would that be?"

  She took a deep breath. He was starting to edge toward snarky, which was better than depressed, she supposed. “I need you to trust me. Okay?"

  "Of course. You're my mate."

  "So is Jaden."

  Everything about him stilled, except the erection in his pants. That she saw pulse just once against the restraint of his zipper. “No."

  "My mother thinks the blood bond the two of you share masked the symptoms of the unfinished Claiming.” She walked toward him warily and placed a hand on his chest. “You have...no, we have been pining for our other mate."

  His jaw worked, his brow furrowed. “No. I would have known."

  "Not necessarily. The two of you were rarely apart for longer than a week or two. It's been two months since you've been in contact, and now all of a sudden it's like you've finally woken up. Think, Duncan! You haven't been able to finish Claiming me because you never started Claiming Jaden."

  "That's not possible. I would have known."

  "Duncan. Look at me.” Dazed silver eyes met hers. “Do you want me?"

  "Gods, yes."

  "Did you before Jaden came back?"

  His hands circled her upper arms, his expression full of regret. “Yes, but..."

  "But you couldn't bring yourself to make love to me. Half your heart was missing."

  "No."

  "Yes. Because half of mine has been missing, too."

  His expression completely blanked. “What?"

  "I'm half Sidhe, remember? I know both you and Jaden are meant to be mine."

  His jaw dropped, but the tension in his body was slowly easing, changing into something else, something more accepting of what she was trying to tell him. “But, how? How could I have missed something like that?"

  "The blood bond? Or perhaps it needed all three of us before you could feel it?"

  He blinked rapidly. “Mate sickness. I was suffering from mate sickness this whole time?"

  She nodded. “My mother went through the same thing when her family tried to force her into the marriage with you. She'd found her true bond and they'd been separated.” He stared at her and she grimaced. “Sorry, forgot for a moment you were there. Anyway, when I described what was happening to both of us she realized what was going on almost immediately. Since I haven't left your side since you took me it had to be Jaden who was causing it."

  He shook his head. “That can't be true."

  "Have you never had the urge to kiss him? To take him into your arms and make love to him?"

  Duncan's hands tightened on her arms before he abruptly turned from her. “Yes. Damn it, yes."

  She sighed. This was going easier than she'd first thought. “Once the true bond is completed with both of us you'll never suffer like this again."

  He turned back to her, his expression full of determination. “He won't agree to this."

  "He doesn't like men that way?” Moira hid her own unease. Once she'd spoken to her mother she'd looked up some books. She'd read some romances where men and women made love to one another regardless of gender. Some she liked, some she didn't, but the thought of watching Duncan's golden head bent over Jaden's dark body while she watched was anything but repugnant. She wriggled, the sudden need spiraling through her.

  "Oh, he does. It's just. Damn it. He's so damn noble.” Duncan growled, his frustration obvious.

  Moira laughed. “Of course he is. He's a Malmayne."

  "He thinks he's still a Blackthorn.” Duncan tapped his fingers on the desk with a worried frown. “And to him that makes all the difference."

  * * * *

  Akane pulled her car over a few miles from the Malmayne estate. “Nebraska.” She stepped out, her high-heeled Prada boot sinking into the dirt road. “Yee-haw.” She pulled the heavy wool coat closer around her and studied the rapidly darkening sky.

  "Fine. Let's see what we've got here.” She settled herself cross-legged on the cooling hood of her metallic blue Porsche Boxster and allowed her inner eye to open. The star in the center of her iris expand, letting her see things beyond the ken of mortal man. “Okay, Jaden. What the hell is going on?"

  The first thing she saw made her squirm in embarrassment. “Oh, Robin. You so owe me for this."

  * * * *

  Jaden took his time in the shower, unsure why he was uneasy. He'd sensed something down in that office, something that left him on edge. Had he played it wrong? Maybe he shouldn't have tried to be so cool. Duncan now suspected something was wrong, something more than what was happening in the Malmayne clan. He'd have to throw him a bone, give him something to sink that intellect into.

 
He dragged the washcloth down his body, pausing by his cock. The fucker had been rock hard since his first glimpse of Duncan. It had begun weeping the moment Moira appeared.

  He sighed and began stroking, bringing up images of the two of them loving one another. Fucking one another. Slick bodies intertwined in a knot of hot, sweaty sex until you couldn't tell where one ended and the other began. He imagined Moira's head bowed back in a throaty moan, Duncan's lips toying with the sensitive juncture of neck and shoulder. Right where Jaden's kiss had once been.

  Hell, he let his imagination go even further. What it would be like to have the taste of both of them on his tongue at the same time, that sparkling effervescence that was Duncan, the dark, earthy taste of Moira? His hand moved faster, his cock jerking in his hand. He could picture it, his cock buried deep inside Moira, her red gold hair fanned out beneath her, writhing in ecstasy. He could almost feel Duncan deep inside his body, taking him until he throbbed with the need to come. They'd surround him, love him, bring him to an ecstasy he'd never dared to dream of.

  The knowledge that it would never happen almost threw him out of the fantasy. The day Duncan and Moira made love to him would be the day Robin himself fell in love.

  Jaden snorted, almost laughing. Yeah. That'll happen. He shook his head and returned to his fantasy because, damn it, that's all he would ever have so he might as well enjoy it.

  The arousal was becoming unbearable. Jaden. It has to be. If Duncan closed his eyes he could almost see the water running down Jaden's naked body, dripping from his sculpted abs, teasing his rock hard nipples. He shuddered, the need pouring through him ten times more intense than what he'd felt in that limo alone with Moira.

  Moira was right. Somehow, some way the three of them were mates, meant to bond together into a greater whole. Duncan would do everything in his power to make sure Jaden never left them again.

  Moira had begun to pant. “What in the world?” She fell back against the edge of Duncan's desk, her legs rubbing together with a soft shush shush of fabric.

  "Jaden.” Duncan's head tilted back, his nostrils flaring as he took a deep breath. His hand had moved to the front of his slacks, petting himself there. He was so hard he was leaking, leaving behind a wet patch on his boxers. He moaned, the feel of the cloth somehow intertwining with the feel of slick, soapy fingers. God, it was like Jaden was stroking Duncan rather than himself, the sensation ghostly yet intense.

  "How?"

  Duncan licked his lips. “Doesn't matter. I need you.” His hands went to her shirt, ripping it open in a burst of buttons. Thank the gods, no bra. “Now."

  She opened her mouth to protest but wound up gasping instead. His mouth descended on her breast, his tongue laving her nipple. “Mother of mercy.” Her fingers clenched in his hair, tugging at him, holding him in place. “Yes, please. More."

  No patience, no time for niceties. He'd have to figure out a way to make it all up to her later. “Sorry, amoureaux. So sorry.” His fingers were on her jeans, tugging at the button, snagging on the zipper. He could feel Jaden's fingers on his cock all the way upstairs, could tell the vampire was close to orgasm. He needed the three of them to come together, a compulsion he had no intention of denying.

  Moira whimpered, the sound dragging a tortured groan out of him. He got her jeans down her legs, once again thanking the gods for her need to be barefoot no matter where she was. The jeans flew over his shoulder, her panties soon joining them.

  She was so beautiful it made him want to weep.

  He damn near whimpered himself when he stroked her pussy. She was sopping wet, ripe and ready for him. “Promise I'll make it up to you."

  "What?” She sounded drugged. Her hands curled around his ass, tugging him closer. “God, what's wrong with me?"

  "You need to come.” He quickly freed himself from his slacks. Around him his power danced, silver lights filling the room like gleaming fireflies. “The Claiming, love."

  Deep green lights, faint and far less numerous, joined his silver. “Do it.” Her green eyes opened, changing to the lush green color of grass on a warm summer day. Her skin tone darkened, faint whorls appearing here and there as she dropped her human Seeming. Even the red gold of her hair deepened, turning the same color as deep red leaves in the fall. Her scent ripened, earthy and rich and fertile. Her ears were delicately pointed, her pupils oval, a throwback to her Sidhe blood. “Claim me, Sidhe, if you dare."

  The faintest hint of Irish in her voice was enough to drive him over the edge. He had meant to ease himself inside her, but it was too much to bear. Jaden was about to come, and he couldn't do it alone.

  How was he supposed to resist? Both Moira and Jaden needed, and Duncan would provide. He plunged within Moira, shuddering when she gasped in pain. “Moira?"

  Her fingers clenched on his shoulders. “Need a minute."

  His forehead dropped to her shoulder as he fought himself for control. His erection throbbed within her tight sheath. Upstairs, Jaden's hand faltered. Duncan could feel the vampire's confusion. Jaden had no clue what was happening between them. Duncan nipped her neck, knowing he'd just kissed her where Jaden had, all unknowing, forged the beginnings of the fragile bond between the three of them. His fingers reached down and began to caress Moira's clit, desperate to bring her back to them. They needed her to come with them. For them.

  Duncan sighed in relief when Moira finally lifted against his hand, jarring his trapped erection. She moaned in his ear, her fingers kneading his ass, pulling him to her. He began to fuck her, desperate to bring his woman to orgasm. Jaden's fingers began to move, pumping his cock in time with Duncan's thrusts.

  Was Jaden aware of what was going on, or did he think all of this was his own fevered fantasy? God, he hoped Jaden knew.

  Duncan needed them both, and Jaden was just going to have to accept it.

  Jaden's fingers faltered at Moira's soft cry of pain. He blinked, uncertain if that had been reality or fantasy. He was aware through their bond that Moira had been damn near untouched when Duncan Claimed her, but surely by now he'd completed the true bond?

  Fucking had to be the best part of the true bond. Jaden couldn't imagine having Moira to himself for two whole months and not sinking into that sweet, hot pussy of hers. Hell, he'd imagined it often enough that no other woman would do.

  The image in his mind had changed, firmed up in some strange way. Moira was on the edge of Duncan's desk, her hands tugging on Duncan's still-clothed ass. His slacks were drooping off his waist, his hips thrusting as he began a slow rhythm in and out of his wife. Jaden matched Duncan's thrusts, some of the urgency gone now as he watched the two of them making love. He pictured himself in the room with them, sitting in the chair, stroking himself while they fucked. Moira's colors had deepened, her Seeming forgotten as her mate Claimed her. Deep green and silver sparks danced around the room, like moonlight through leaves, dappling their skin in erotic, exotic lights.

  Duncan gasped, his head going back. Jaden could see the delicate points of his ears. The Sidhe had also dropped his Seeming, turning all silver and gold and absolutely glorious.

  "Amoureaux."

  Jaden shuddered. Duncan had just called Moira love. Oh, and she was all that, sweet, soft, strong, hard, just like love should be.

  It was close now, their orgasm. They needed Moira to come, to fill them up, to take the empty places they hadn't even known were there and make them hers. Duncan's thrusts became harder, working toward his own completion, his hand on Moira's pussy making the leprechaun squirm under him.

  Moira could feel something building within her, something intense. The feel of Duncan's cock inside her body was more than she'd ever hoped for. She couldn't believe he was finally Claiming her, finally taking the first steps toward making her his.

  She could feel Jaden in the back of her mind. He watched them, was a part of them, just as it should be. His pain was her pain, his loneliness hers, and she took that, wrapped it up in her love for him and tried to fill the
cracks in his soul.

  She was almost shoved out of Jaden's mind, the part of her that belonged to him left battered and bleeding. The slap of rejection nearly tumbled her out of her sexual haze. “Jaden?"

  "No time. We'll deal with him later.” Duncan's eyes were screwed shut. His skin sparkled. His fingers twisted just right and she tumbled, she came, screaming in surprise and a pleasure so deep, so intense it robbed her of breath.

  Jaden edged closer. He wanted to watch that hard cock shuttling in and out of Moira, wanted to see the ecstasy on both their faces when they came. He wanted to spill his seed on both of them, mark them, claim them in his own twisted way so they could never leave him, never hurt him again.

  Something was wrong. Something didn't make sense, but it was too late now. He tried to pull back, to distance himself from the fantasy but he was coming, pulsing into his hand, the orgasm so intense he saw stars.

  Green and silver stars.

  Duncan's gasp was followed by a guttural moan as he pulsed deep inside her, giving her his seed, his Claim on her complete. “Moira.” He collapsed against her, his eyes tightly closed. His hand cradled the back of her head, bringing her mouth around to his. He kissed her softly. “Moira."

  He smiled. Moira's affection peppered her touches, her kisses. It would deepen in time, with care and the attention he hadn't been able to lavish on her before Jaden came home. As far as he and she were concerned, everything would be all right.

  As for Jaden? Duncan's eyes narrowed with stubborn intent. Well. He'd just have to make it all right.

  Jaden panted, his eyes closed tight, his erection still in his fist. He could feel the water beating down on his back, the temperature turning cold. How long had he stood there, beating off, wishing he could be with Duncan and Moira?

  Gods, he was so pathetic. He laughed, the sound filled with pain. He needed to wrap this fucking assignment up and get the hell out of fucking Nebraska. Maybe he'd head to New York next, visit some old haunts. Look up his Sire and finally pay the Black Court fucker back.

  It was time to live his life on his own.