by Lynn Best
“I think I’d die if I had another. At least for a little while,” she said, dizzy with the joy of being thoroughly pleasured. “That was… amazing.”
“You are amazing,” he said, sounding like he meant it. “Your body and that tight little pussy. Mmm.” He grabbed a cloth from the table, cleaning his hands of her juices. “I’m glad you liked our little tutorial.”
“Liked it? Are you kidding?” She blew hair out of her eyes. The delicious feeling of being rumpled by a sexual encounter was more pleasant than she’d expected. She’d thought there’d be shame, but she felt nothing but satisfaction. And the strange desire to do it again.
He chuckled, helping to arrange her skirts. “I meant what I said. There’s much more where that came from.”
“What about the others?” she asked, realizing she was ruining the mood once again.
Langdon’s smile fell.
“Don’t get me wrong. That was amazing. It’s just that I don’t want to hurt Stenton and Jerrard by spending all my time with you.”
He nodded unhappily. “I see your point.” Sighing, he started to back out of the room.
“Langdon?”
He glanced back at her.
“I’d really like it if you’d do that again sometime.” She let a playful smile creep onto her face. How unlike her. How liberating it felt.
He finally allowed the hint of a smile to grace his face. “Any time.”
When he left the room, Seela fell back against the chair. If Langdon could do that, what could the others do?
15
Stenton watched his brother waltz back from his encounter with Seela. Langdon looked as if he were practically floating on air. Serious, boring Langdon was whistling. Had he mated with her? Stenton swore that if either brother bedded the beautiful Seela before him, he’d hang up his hat and never chase another woman again.
He whipped around the corner, catching Langdon off guard. “Awfully happy, aren’t we?”
“Stenton.” Langdon’s gaze assessed him as the satisfied smile fell off his face. “What are you doing here?”
Stenton studied his nails like he had nothing better to do. “Oh, you know, just pondering our imminent deaths. That is, unless you were able to seduce the sweet Seela? Did she unlock your secrets, Lang?”
Langdon blushed before dismissing the idea. “No, no, no. Nothing like that.”
“Then what was it like?”
Langdon’s smile could not stay off his face. “A gentleman never kisses and tells.”
“Her cries of passion did enough telling for the both of you,” Stenton said.
“Oh, that.” Another blush from Langdon.
“That. So?”
Langdon shook his head. “We didn’t go all the way. But she was quite satisfied, I assure you.”
“That’s great. But, hey, listen. All our lives depend on us seeing if Seela’s honey pot can undo our curse, so I would’ve thought you might have at least tried to—”
“It’s not like that,” Langdon said. “She is a virgin.”
They had suspected, but now they knew for sure. “I see.” Stenton rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “That does change things.”
“It does,” Langdon agreed.
“And yet, we are running out of time.”
Langdon stared forlornly down the dim cave hallway.
“If we were to tell her—”
Langdon cut him off. “No. That would be too much pressure.”
Stenton raised an eyebrow. “And yet, she will die, too, if the horde breaches our door.”
“It hasn’t come to that.” Langdon took a step back, eyeing his brother seriously. “We are not going to tell her.”
“Fine. But let me have my chance. What is the sweet Seela doing now?”
“Studying in the library.” Langdon paused, adding, “And recovering.”
“You sly dog,” Stenton added dryly. “All right. Then tonight, it’ll be my turn with her.”
Langdon’s hand reached out, gripping Stenton’s shirt and shoving him against the wall. Stenton often forgot how big his older brother was, how powerful. He did not forget now, pressed against the rock as he was.
“Let go of me,” Stenton growled.
“You listen to me,” Langdon said through his teeth. “If you do anything to hurt her—”
Stenton held his hands up. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”
“You better not.”
Stenton narrowed his eyes. “What kind of man do you take me for?”
Langdon let go of Stenton’s shirt. “Just… be careful.”
“Brother,” Stenton said, straightening his shirt, “I’m always careful.”
16
Seela awoke to a knock on the door. Her head sprang up from the armchair, startled. Glancing around, she remembered where she was—in the library of a dragon cave. She’d been with Langdon and he’d done… amazing things to her. She felt her body warm slightly at the thought of his hands under her skirts. But Langdon had gone, and Seela had curled up in the chair to attempt to read. Her eyes had been heavy almost immediately. It had been a long few days.
The door across the room pushed open, and Stenton poked his head in. Seela straightened her dress and then her hair. She must look a mess. And Stenton appeared to be fresh bathed and clean shaven, good enough to eat. Her body warmed another notch. What was happening to her? It was like all her life she’d never k desire existed, but now that she did, she saw it everywhere.
Her mind went to wondering what Stenton could do with his long, talented fingers. She blushed.
“Stenton, hey.”
“Why, hello. Have a good nap? Feeling well rested?”
“Yes, um, I fell asleep. I’m sorry. Is everything okay?” Worry fluttered in her chest.
“Fine, fine,” he said reassuringly. He smoothed a hand down his expensive-looking shirt. “The horde is taking their time, building up their numbers. We are good for now.”
“Oh, good.” She breathed a sigh of relief, though ‘good for now’ was not actually that reassuring. How long did they have?
“Sweet Seela, have you eaten?” Stenton stepped into the room, lingering by the door. With his hands clasped behind his back, his broad chest strained against the silken fabric. Those muscles.
She glanced at the tray of treats she’d barely touched. Sleep had seemed much more pressing than eating. “No, but Langdon left me a tray.” She gestured to the little cakes and the teapot.
Stenton winced. “Hardly a spread fit for a lady such as yourself. Please, let me feed you.”
His offer sounded like he was proposing more than just a meal, and her skin prickled at the thought. “Sure,” she said, standing up and arching her spine. “But I’d love to stretch my legs a little bit. Is there somewhere we could walk?”
A grin spread across Stenton’s handsome face. “I know the perfect place.” He held the door open for her.
When she stepped out of the library, she found he’d already come fully prepared. A picnic basket lay at his feet, a blanket on top. She pictured a grassy hillside with the wind in their hair as they ate grapes and cheese, but then she remembered that wasn’t possible. How had the brothers maintained their sanity while buried this far underground? She longed to see the sun more than anything.
“Where to?” she asked, trying to sound enthusiastic. Probably another dark cave or moldy room.
“Are you up for a little adventure?” Stenton asked, perfect lips curving. His eyes burned a red-orange, reminding her of flickering flames.
A thrill ran through Seela’s body. There was a dangerous edge to Stenton, his wild flashing eyes, his mischievous grin that made Seela want to run after him no matter what the consequences. Normally, she was a good girl, a rule follower. Stenton was the type to tease out her reckless side.
And she wanted Stenton to do more than tease.
She put her hand in the crook of his arm, staring into his eyes. “I’m up for anything.”
“Goody,
” he said with a sly grin.
They took off down the cave walkways. Seela got lost in the twists and turns, realizing they were going further than she’d ever gone before. Trepidation built in her chest. Were they safe? If they turned a dark corner, would those things be there?
“Stenton?” she asked, the fear apparent in her voice.
“Not much further,” he answered. At least he sounded self-assured.
They took a right. Soon, Seela could feel wind tugging at her hair. There was never wind in the cave tunnels before. And was that light ahead?
A few more steps and she could see light. Not gem light or candlelight. Real daylight! Ahead, the walls of the cave flared out, and beyond was blue sky! She could see clouds and sunshine. They were going outside?
“Stenton, what is this?” she asked, urging him to go faster. “Is that what I think it is?”
He glanced at her face, his expression one she had to puzzle out. Was that sadness?
“Seela, I don’t want you to get too excited,” he said with a shake of his head. “We won’t be able to go outside. Oh Lords, I should’ve warned you.”
She cocked her head at him, confused.
He gestured to the opening, to the blue sky that was visible but beyond their reach. “Our magic extends to here.” His finger dragged an imaginary line across the cave floor several yards back from the mouth of the cave.
“You mean, we can’t go out there?” The disappointment was immediate and crushing. To see the sun, to smell fresh air, but not actually be able to go out?
“The bounds of the curse tie me to this place. If I were to leave, I am not sure what would happen, but it wouldn’t be good. You might be able to make it outside, but we suspect the horde awaits just outside the mouth of the cave. If they caught you, they would surely kill you.”
Seela winced, feeling cold. “Like a bird in a cage who can see outside, but not touch it.” She stared at the blue sky longingly.
Stenton put a soft blanket down, arranging the basket of food on a corner. Together they sat, quietly gazing out at the blue sky. A bird skimmed past the opening, its wings lifting it higher before it disappeared. The pain in Seela’s chest felt like a knife. What she wouldn’t give to float away.
“What does it feel like to fly?” she asked.
Stenton leaned back on his hands, shaking back his shoulder-length hair. “Amazing. Like nothing else in the world. The wind in your wings, dropping and spinning. It’s…” Stenton darted his eyes away as emotion stole onto his face. “It’s been quite a while since I’ve had a proper flight. I’ve mostly forgotten what it’s like.”
Seela nodded, sensing she should not pry further. “Tell me a story about what court was like before… this.”
Stenton grinned. “Now that I can do. It was glorious. You’ve heard of The Castle on the Hill?”
“I’ve heard of it. In children’s stories. I never knew if it was real or not.”
“Oh, it was real.” Stenton’s eyes sparkled at the memory. “It was the most glorious kingdom this world has ever seen, built by the nine dragon lords before the Great War. Everything was gilded in gold, hallways lit by magic, glittering butterflies in the ballroom, swans in the shimmering pond in my father’s gardens. They were legendary.”
“You grew up there?” she asked.
He nodded. “It was a dream. We had everything we ever wanted, and we never appreciated any of it.” His eyes lost their sparkle. “I suppose if one good thing came from this curse, it’s that we learned to appreciate everything we lost. And it’s brought my brothers and me closer together. Sometimes too close.”
“You love your brothers, don’t you?”
He grinned. “Love to fight with them, if that’s what you mean. Nothing like a dragon squabble to take out half a human town. The damage we used to do just fighting over our toys…”
“There was a lot of jealousy?” Seela was thinking about her flirtations with all three brothers. Was she causing more tension by spending time with all three of them? That wasn’t fair. But then, she couldn’t pick just one. Each had their own unique qualities, things that made them special.
Stenton stared at her until she met his gaze. One of his large hands settled gently over her own. “Seela, if you are worried about my brothers and me fighting over you, worry no more. We are big boys. We can handle the situation before us.”
“And what is that situation?” she asked.
His thumb began slow circles over the skin of her hand, soft and light. “The situation is that we all like you. And we are hoping you like us. Which of us you like the most is completely up to you. No pressure.” Stenton’s eyes roved her face as he leaned in closer. “But I hope it’s me.”
There was that confident bravado she loved about him. His body had slid in, cutting the space between them into mere inches. He smelled so good, like some sort of lavender soap. His grin showed off his straight white teeth and accentuated that princely jawline. But it was his eyes, like all the princes, that dazzled her, nearly glowing like two orange gems as he watched her intently.
“Seela,” he said in a low rumble. “I’d like to kiss you now. Kiss you in a way that will make you forget my brothers’ names, even your own.” One hand brushed her hair over her shoulder and down her back, giving her a thrill. “I’d like to touch your body in ways that will make you wild with passion for me.” His mouth moved close, lips skimming the skin of her neck before pulling away. Seela shivered.
“Stenton,” she whispered, leaning into him. Her hands pressed against his chest, feeling the rounded muscles beneath the thin fabric.
“Yes,” he said, his nose tracing under her ear. “I’d like to make you cry out my name like that. Over and over.”
Staring up into his face, at his full red lips, she could not stop her heart from racing as she waited to see what he would do. With the other two men, she’d felt fairly certain of their desires. With Stenton, he was as unpredictable as the wind. The idea thrilled her, hardening her nipples against her bodice. Between her thighs warmed and tingled.
“Do you want that, Seela?” he murmured, lips tickling against the tender spot where her neck met her shoulder.
Seela nodded, gipping him tighter, worrying that if she let him go, she might not get the release her body was begging for.
Stenton smiled. “You won’t be sorry.”
His teeth bit her neck, sending a shock down her body, the pleasure and pain mingling in a way that Seela had not known could be so desirable. She arched, fists tightening around his clothing as if she might rip his shirt off. Instead, he did the disrobing, finding the strings that held her dress together in the back and pulling them apart. The garment began to loosen, sagging around her heavy breasts.
He smiled as her cleavage was revealed a few tugs of string at a time. “Those are marvelous.”
She blushed, her chest heaving as he let the fabric slide further. When her nipples appeared, he sucked in a breath. “Oh, yes, Seela,” he said, reaching out to touch one with the pad of his finger.
When he finally made contact with her nipple, she jumped. She hadn’t really known how sensitive her breasts were, but Stenton was intent on showing her. He gripped the soft rise between his fingers and began stroking and pulling, the pleasure making Seela gasp. Each time his finger flicked over her nipple, Seela lurched in elation.
“If you think that’s good,” he said, chuckling, “just wait until I get going.”
His bravado was so sexy she wanted to mount him right there, virginity be damned, but he pushed her gently back against the blanket, situating his large body between her thighs. Then he lowered himself down over her, careful to hover just above her open bodice.
At first, his lips were the sweetest brush against her nipples. Soft and gentle. The thrill was still there, but now she wanted more, needed more. She put her hand against the back of his head, urging him to be rougher with her.
“That’s right,” he growled. “Show me what you want.�
�
She couldn’t believe her boldness. Seela drew her hand away, embarrassed at her impropriety. Stenton didn’t seem to notice. He was too busy using his tongue to lap at her breasts in a way that made all thought disappear, replaced by jolts that shot through her body, heating her up. The juncture of her desire ached with want, and it was getting worse by the second.
She arched against him, trying to rub away some of the longing, but his hard shaft only made the want burn brighter. He seemed to sense her maddening desire, chuckling as he moved away from her breasts and slid down.
“I knew you were a dirty girl, Seela. I love it.”
Seela lay back as he pushed up her skirt, disappearing beneath it. She could hardly contain herself as his hands moved over her thighs, making them shiver. Would he do as Langdon had done, use his skilled fingers to send her soaring? Oh Lords, she wanted it more than anything she’d ever wanted before.
“No undergarments?” he asked, his voice muffled beneath the folds of her dress. “That’s my girl.”
Had she forgotten to put any on since she’d soaked them with Langdon? She had. So forgetful. Or had it been something else? A new desire to entice these princes into doing what she wanted without asking? She didn’t have to ask Stenton to do anything. As she was pondering this, she felt his mouth settle down near her throbbing folds.
What was he—
His tongue flicked against her sweet spot. Seela jolted, the elation so intense she nearly came right there.
“Stenton,” she moaned. She plunged her hands into his hair, gripping him tighter to her.
His breath tickled her sensitive areas as he chuckled. “Hold on tight, darling.”
His tongue began slipping over the spot over and over. Seela cried his name again, lifting her hips as if to encourage him. It felt so good. Better than she’d ever imagined a touch could feel. And then he picked up the pace, licking her wet folds at a tempo that sent her head spinning.
She was a dirty girl. She loved this thing that Stenton was doing to her body. Grabbing her own breasts, she squeezed them, amplifying the feeling between her legs with another sensation on her nipples. The tingles traveled up and down her body, mini shockwaves of the earthquake that was coming. Seela tried to hold it off, but the sensations were just too amazing.
