The Redemption Saga Box Set

by Kristen Banet

  “I mean…uh, it would be nice for all of us to have some time.” Zander ran a hand through his hair. “I’d like to try, and what better time than the present?”

  “No.” Jasper pulled away from her. “Oh no. I get it now. Zander, sorry, find another guy for that.”

  “You don’t need to participate!” Zander was frantic now.

  “You want me to watch?”

  “You want him to watch?”

  She and Jasper looked at each other.

  Zander was redder than his hair. “I think now isn’t the best time for anyone to get thrown out of the room. I think we need to…do something together.”

  “Like watch a movie, then,” Jasper answered, pointing at the small TV. He dropped on his own bed. “If you two get busy during it, then keep it quiet. I’ll listen to music and read.”

  Sure enough, Jasper had headphones on and a book in front of him faster than she and Zander could react.

  “Zander,” she hissed. “Why would you put him on the spot like that?”

  “I think he needs some love,” Zander answered. “And I think it’s the only way you’re going to get him to accept it right now.”

  She narrowed her eyes on him.

  “And I want some love too. Quinn and Elijah could do it…why can’t we?”

  “Quinn and Elijah also sleep together,” she reminded him. “They’re comfortable being naked together.” She had never wanted to push any of them further than they were willing to go. They had a strange relationship, one she still refused to question. She was going with it, wherever they wanted to take it. She still wasn’t sure how she ended up having a threesome with Elijah and Quinn, much less these two.

  “Let’s just watch our movie,” Zander said, sighing in defeat. He pulled her back to him and they slid into bed. She laid her head on his chest. Zander eventually went to shower, then her. The bathroom was too small for both of them, so nothing happened as they both just tried to get clean.

  It was the second movie before Zander’s hands began to roam again. This time, she felt a lot more awkward, but nothing could stop how she moaned softly as he brushed a finger over her nipple. Nothing could stop how good it felt when he ducked down and took it into his mouth, rolling a tongue over it. She didn’t want to say no, but she tried.

  “Zander, we’ve got someone else in the room.”

  “You need some love,” he murmured against her skin. “I’m going to give it to you. I need some love, too, babe, remember? Please. We’re busy, and one of us could get hurt, and you’ve been mad at me.”

  “Okay,” she whispered, unable to find that ‘no’ she had wanted to tell him. He was right. She did need some love, and so did he. She didn’t know what this relationship was, but even the suggestion of it ending had sent her off into pissed-off mode. The fear of losing them had almost made her shove them away without even listening and hearing what they were saying.

  They would make it work, no matter how it played out.

  He continued to lavish her with licks and kisses, moving down between her legs. They weren’t under the blankets. She could see every muscle in his shoulders and back, all perfectly maintained and formed. She gasped, trying to stay quiet as he licked her clit. Her head fell back as two fingers slid inside of her.

  She wasn’t thinking of anything except Zander as her head rolled to the side and she found Jasper staring at her, breathing hard again. Those stormy blue eyes. She just stared into them, moaning as Zander enjoyed her and she enjoyed what he was doing to her.

  The book went down first. She wrapped a hand in red hair to hold him there as he pushed her towards the edge.

  The headphones came off next. She moaned louder, her back arching as the fingers picked up speed.

  He was off the bed as her orgasm came closer.

  Jasper kissed her right as she wanted to scream Zander’s name. He grabbed her roughly, smothering the scream with his lips, forceful and passionate. Demanding in a way she never knew of her Golden Boy.

  Zander pulled away, but she didn’t know where he went as Jasper moved to get on the bed with them. He broke the kiss, and she couldn’t find any resistance in her as he rolled her onto her belly. Jasper lifted her hips and pushed into her without pause, leaving her a puddle of confusion and pleasure.

  Zander showed up again, kissing her. He wasn’t questioning it either. Thank god. She felt like if either of them said anything, Jasper would pull out and run for the hills and never come back.

  But wasn’t this what she always wanted? He was thrusting harder than she figured she would ever get from him. It was rough and out of place, but it fit at the same time. It was possessive and claiming, even a touch angry. His hands held onto her too hard, probably making bruises on her hips. A hand wrapped in her hair and Zander held her lips to his as Jasper took out his emotions on her body. There was love in there too, like the way he caressed her ass at one point.

  “Sawyer, I love you,” he groaned. She couldn’t respond thanks to Zander, only hit her peak on him, gripping him, holding him. He couldn’t keep going either, coming deep inside her. He was panting as he pulled out and fell down.

  She didn’t have the chance to say anything, as Zander forced her to roll onto her back and entered her before her orgasm was even done.

  “Oh fuck!” she gasped, shocked.

  Jasper groaned. “I know why you wanted this now.” There was something dirty about the words, like he was about to really enjoy the show, now that he was done.

  She wrapped her arms around Zander, then her legs, biting into his shoulder as he pounded into her without any semblance of mercy that she had already had two orgasms. He was relentless, like he always was. They rocked hard, and she found herself bumping into Jasper. Zander panted over her as Jasper shifted and moved to kiss her shoulder and neck.

  “You’re beautiful,” he murmured. “It’s so gorgeous to watch you come.”

  She had never expected to hear dirty talk from Jasper, but from the roughness of his voice, she figured that he had finally broken and the storm was free. She knew there was something wild in there, she always had.

  And now it was hers too. She turned her head to kiss him as Zander pulled up to sit on his feet, holding her hips as he thrust deeper inside her.

  “Oh, fuck, that’s what I want to see.” He groaned, his fingers biting into her flesh harder. She was going to have a ton of tiny fingerprint bruises at this rate, maybe even a handprint or two. Not like she cared at that moment. With Jasper showering her lips and breasts with attention and Zander between her legs, she was going to have a final orgasm. The idea of bruises almost seemed good. They would remind her of this night for a few days, at least. And what a night it was.

  She came hard, screaming for them, her legs shaking as she couldn’t hold on anymore. Zander didn’t last a second beyond her, following her into bliss and happiness.

  She had both of them pressed against her when her eyes closed. They would deal with the weirdness when they woke up. There would be some. Jasper had been a virgin only a few weeks ago. She could blame all of this on Zander and then disappear for the raid while Jasper was forced to get mad at his best friend for whatever just happened.

  That seemed like a good idea.

  17

  Elijah

  Elijah stared at the wall, a grin on his face, like the fool he was. Hell, they were all staring at the wall, listening in some degree of abject shock and amusement.

  “Well, I wasn’t expecting that,” Elijah said, unable to wipe the grin off his face.

  “You did tell them, and I quote, ‘shower that woman in some love.’” Vincent put his book down, probably tired of trying to pretend to read.

  “Yeah, but I thought that sort of love was up to Quinn and I.” Elijah began to chuckle. Quinn joined him, unable to contain the weird sort of elation at the sound.

  “I think they needed that,” the feral Magi said softly, his wolves lying around him. “They needed to show her they aren’t
leaving. That’s good. She was skittish of them the last couple of days, and now we know why, and now she won’t be. It’s good.”

  “But Jasper?” Elijah looked between his friends, hoping he wasn’t the only one who thought this was completely out of the blue and madness.

  “Maybe he’s drugged,” Vincent said, shrugging. “And before you get the idea one day there will be more of us together like that, absolutely not. I’m not into it.”

  “Why not?” Elijah’s mind had been going places. It always went places.

  Vincent raised an eyebrow at him. “I’m a private person. I like intimacy and quiet. The idea of sharing a bed with a rough and ready man and her absolutely doesn’t appeal to me.” Vincent shrugged. “Why are we talking about this? We should be working.”

  “I mean, we have our plan. We’re setting her up with an earpiece and microphone for this one, but not much else changes.” Elijah eyed their leader. “Why are we setting her up with electronics?”

  “I didn’t like not having contact with her.” Vincent sighed, moving his book around like a bored boy. “I didn’t like not knowing where she was or what she was doing. She could have been captured by the time we got there. I was bluffing outside the compound. I had no idea if she was successful.”

  “But we trusted her to do it.” Elijah crossed his arms, leaning on the wall as Sawyer was still with her boys, filling the room with sounds they all knew well by now. He couldn’t bring himself to feel jealous. He wasn’t a jealous man; he never had been. Instead, he was just happy someone was getting some love while they were on this grind to capture several high-ranking members of Axel’s organization.

  “I still do. I just want to be able to get in contact with her or vice versa. I was uncomfortable. She agreed to it. It’s not up for debate.” Vincent narrowed his eyes and Elijah groaned.

  “I wasn’t trying to debate, just trying to find out where your head is. You worry about her, thank god. I was worried for a moment.”

  “Why?”

  “She’s going to kill him and I don’t know how you’re taking that,” Elijah whispered, studying Vincent carefully. Quinn smartly stayed quiet, reading whatever he had. Elijah hadn’t asked yet and probably wouldn’t. The feral Magi was now diving into scientific Magi journals, particularly about naturalism and how it was helping non-Magi scientists.

  Vincent’s face went from curious and confused to shut down in an instant as Elijah’s question hung in the air.

  “I’m fine,” he answered. “It is what it is.”

  “Are you sure?” Elijah stepped closer.

  “Elijah, I don’t know what to tell you. The WMC passed down the mission to her. She accepted. We’re helping. He deserves it. It’s time to end this. I’ll be okay.”

  “Okay…and will you and Sawyer be…okay?” Elijah could see it. The two of them were dancing around each other. They were like magnets that kept changing their damned charge. Sometimes he could see them drawing closer to each other, like there was nothing stopping them. Then there were moments they pushed and distanced themselves. It was unstable. Eventually, he figured they would crash together and it would either make them stronger or break them completely.

  And that didn’t bode well for the entire team.

  “Uh…I think when we get through this, we’ll be okay.” Vincent went back to looking at the wall. “I think I just need to get through this, Elijah. I have to get this done.”

  “Well, if you need to talk, I’m always going to be here for you,” Elijah reminded him. “I’m going to step out and get some fresh air.”

  “Leave them alone.” Vincent didn’t glance at him as he said it. Elijah got the message loud and clear though. “Quinn, go with him. Stay out of sight, as well. If anyone sees you-”

  “I know, Vin.” Elijah nodded towards his wolf Magi, who was looking up now. Together, they slid out of the room and wandered through the hotel, somewhat aimlessly.

  “What’s on your mind?” his friend asked him when they went out the back together.

  “What Zander said. About me nearly dying. About you nearly dying. About how many times Sawyer has been hurt. Vincent doesn’t mention it, but he was stabbed in New York. Since he was healed, we all just moved on, but…”

  “You’re feeling mortal,” Quinn correctly guessed.

  Elijah was feeling mortal. Too mortal.

  “He’s right, I think.” He kicked a stone, looking out into the dark jungle of the Congo around them. It was humid and sweltering, like the Amazon had been. It made it all too real, remembering the Amazon. He wondered if Quinn felt the same. He knew the feral Magi could probably point out the closest Druid within a hundred miles. There had to be one out there, maybe even one like that bitch had been. “I’ve been injured on the last two cases.”

  It had been Zander’s fast thinking to get them out and leave Sawyer and Quinn that had saved his life in the jungle. He’d been so mad at the time.

  “I know.” Quinn wrapped an arm around his waist. Elijah slid his own over the feral Magi’s shoulders. They had gotten more touchy-feely since Sawyer got involved, not less. Once he’d worked his shit out, they felt even more at ease, not driven apart.

  “I don’t want to lose anyone too young,” he admitted. “And Zander, gods save us all, is right. One day, our luck will run out.”

  “I know.”

  He didn’t like that Quinn was agreeing with him. He looked down at the darker skinned, earthy beauty with those ice blue eyes. He had always thought Quinn was attractive, but now? He seemed so much more comfortable in his skin that it was becoming unavoidable to acknowledge. Like Sawyer, there was something other about him that drew Elijah in. A strength and yet a strangeness.

  “But first we need to make sure the pack is safe,” Quinn continued, meeting his gaze. There was a feral anger in the ice that nearly made Elijah step back. There was a roll of power through the air and earth, a bitten, angry, cornered animal that promised danger.

  “Quinn?” He wasn’t sure how to proceed.

  “Axel can’t hurt them anymore. I was okay when James died. I’ll miss him and I’ll honor him. Life and death is a cycle and I can live with that. He saved so many, and that’s honorable and he deserves every ounce of our grief and praise.” Quinn bared his teeth. “But Axel hurts the pack and if no one else here can do it, I’ll be the strongest. I’ll do it. I’ll kill him, because he’s not allowed to hurt the pack anymore.”

  Elijah did move away at that point. “You’re angry.” It was a statement of fact. He had known Quinn was angry, but this…this was beyond what he had considered.

  “I am. Are you?”

  “Of course I’m angry!” Elijah sputtered, incredulous his best friend would even ask that. What he hadn’t expected was so much rage in Quinn’s eyes.

  “Good. Then we’re going to do this, and forget the rest. We can deal with everything else when the pack is safe.”

  Elijah took a deep breath. He had never seen Quinn like this, not this angry.

  “I’ve held back for so long,” Quinn whispered. “I could have killed him months ago when we captured him. I’ve nearly lost so many of you since then. My family. My only family. We’re going to get him this time, Elijah. We have to. We have to succeed in this hunt.”

  “You want us to stop talking about the future.” Elijah felt it hit him like a train. Quinn was in the same place as Sawyer and Vincent, he just had never admitted it. He was like them. There was only this and nothing past this.

  Elijah was angry, but he wasn’t short-sighted like this. He couldn’t be. He had done this once before when Taylor was killed. He knew the repercussions of decisions made in rage without thinking of the future. This wasn’t healthy.

  But he could only really say one thing.

  “Whatever you need, Quinn, I’ll do.” He meant every word, because at least he would be by Quinn’s side to keep him safe. Even if it meant protecting Quinn from himself. Jasper and Zander would be there for Sawyer and hopefully s
he would keep Vincent in line. She was doing a decent job of it so far, even if they both had slip-ups.

  Quinn nodded, then fell silent. He had apparently appeased the wolf, thank god. Elijah wasn’t sure what to do. Vincent was upstairs reading chess manuals, sharpening his mind to handle Axel. Sawyer was pulling out her mask to go after these people. Quinn was next to him, barely restrained violence with very few outlets until the next raid. Upstairs, Zander and Jasper already had one foot out the door because they were breaking under the pressure of what the job had done to them.

  Elijah went back to looking out into the jungle. He wasn’t sure he could take much more of this. They were only on the second raid, and people were still interviewing Alfie, Janie, and Martinez, hoping to get any information from them that would lead the team to Axel.

  He wasn’t even sure the entire team was on the same page anymore. They were all going through these motions, but it felt like everyone had different goals. He wanted this over and done with, but he didn’t even know why. To keep Sawyer safe, to keep Vincent safe. The team. That worked for him. Jasper and Zander wanted to complete the unfinished business so they could get out, complete the only mission the team was ever really made for. Quinn was raging next to him, viciously protective of his people. To him, this was taking out a rival that was threatening the people he cared for.

  Sawyer and Vincent just wanted to bury their pasts once and for all.

  But they weren’t on the same page, not emotionally.

  And he understood Quinn’s question better. He knew Elijah was angry at all of this. The entire situation was driving the whole team nearly mad.

  He was asking if Elijah was angry enough.

  Cases weren’t supposed to be this personal. Elijah couldn’t shake the fear that someone dear to him was going to slip up and get hurt. He just couldn’t shake it.

  And he was feeling so terribly mortal.

  Elijah was suited up and ready as Zander and Jasper walked in with Sawyer for the last meeting. He wondered, trying to shake his fears, how it was for them, waking up. When it had been him, Quinn, and Sawyer, it had felt like a normal day. It had been easy to fall into the three of them waking up together, since they were so comfortable with the idea. He was glad she enjoyed it; that had worried him for a small moment.