by A. K. Koonce
I do.
“They’ll be here any minute. Let me find the mirror.” Helen changes the subject swiftly. Her steps sound through the kitchen as she searches here and there. Mounds of clothes are pushed to the side as she looks underneath. With a sigh she wanders down the hall out of sight and Myla trails after her.
My gaze drifts to the deep crimson color of my dress. It was lying out for me this morning on Chaos’ bed and I still can’t stop touching the beautiful skirt. Around my hips the sheer material hugs over the satin fabric beneath and it drifts against my legs. A high slit races up my thigh, almost meeting my hip. It covers me nicely except for the two inches that separate the skirt from the intricate lace top. Soft black shoes cover my feet. I despise the idea of shoes themselves, but I love these. I’m coming around to the idea of shoes.
Sort of.
The entire outfit is perfect. It’s the nicest thing I’ve ever worn. It’s beautiful. Long sleeve but sexy. I still can’t believe Helen would pick something like this out for me.
A cold breeze wafts through the room as the door slides open. And a gaze just as cold is the first thing I see. Without thought I stand, and I’m not even sure why. Maybe because I feel on display. I feel pretty. Sexy. Confident. The blue in his eyes warms as his attention rakes slowly down my body. Rime halts the moment he’s inside and Sinister runs right into him, glaring at his friend as he walks around him.
And then he sees me. And then all four of them are looking at me.
My spine straightens, my chest pressing against the crimson lace as my head tips up. All that confidence crashes down the moment Rime stalks slowly toward me. One foot after the other he comes closer and closer like a predator preparing to devour its prey.
His palm pushes down my hip until his fingers tease against the high slit of my skirt, brushing my sensitive skin just slightly. Soft lips press against my jaw, his whispered words tingling against my skin.
“Do you like your birthday present?” Fingers tense against my flesh, barely touching me, making me completely crazy by the minimal contact of his skin against mine.
“You got me this?” My gaze narrows on the ice dragon.
He spent more of his life as a dragon than he did a man. How could he possibly know anything about fashion? Or about sizing for that matter?
Sinister comes closer and his fingers slip into mine. Rime shifts so his strong body isn’t covering mine any more. He makes room to share me and I don’t even know if he realizes it.
“As much as I’d love to take credit for how sexy you look, I didn’t get you the dress. Sinister did it all. He did an endless magic show of women’s clothing for over an hour before I finally told him you’d look fuckable wearing nothing but an old sock.” Rime shrugs.
My slow smile almost deters my glaring gaze on him.
“Thanks.” Sarcasm snaps against that single word.
“But,” he adds. “I also said you deserved more than an old sock, of course.” His palm flattens against my lower back, and I hate how easily I want to meld against him even when he’s insufferable.
“Rime picked this one out,” Sinister says as his finger trails so slowly up the inside of my arm. His touch skims against the lace, teasing along my skin beneath the material until I feel his gentle fingers all over.
I’m pressed so closely between the two men that it suddenly occurs to me how much time they spend together. Rime … actually likes Sinister. Not the way he does Kain and not at all like he does Chaos, but he does like him. Enough to spend an hour picking out a present for me.
And that’s better than any present. Knowing that Sinister fits here with me, that’s more important to me than I ever realized.
“Thank you,” I whisper to Rime.
A smile like I’ve never seen pulls against his lips. It isn’t manic and it isn’t taunting. It’s proud. He looks so at ease, so young and handsome.
“You’re welcome, Tamer. But it’s not my gift. It’s entirely Sin’s. You’ll never guess the gift Chaos has planned for us to give you.” His lips press slowly to mine, leaving confusion trailing behind his mysterious words.
“You guys are so cute,” Helen gushes as I kiss her son’s best friend… Her son’s boyfriend?
Fuck. Maybe I’ll just stop labeling us. Labelling really takes the romance out of having four mates.
My hand squeezes against Sinister’s and I turn to him as that word sounds on repeat in my mind. Is he my mate? He isn’t even an ex. We’re completely platonic. Right?
What no one else seems to know, is it’s Sinister’s birthday too. The one day he and I share that makes me feel so much closer to him. It’s like we’re meant to be friends.
… or more.
“Happy Birthday, Sin. And thank you. I hate that I don’t have anything to give you.”
Slowly he shakes his head, dismissing my words without even replying. His palm splays against my throat and my chin tips up as he leans closer. He kisses me so hard my back presses into Rime’s chest. But his tongue never slips against mine, he never deepens it. He keeps it chaste.
Sinfully chaste.
“You’re welcome.” His mouth hovers above mine like he’s not ready to pull away from me yet. Four hands drift with sweet but tempting touches. Rime and Sinister hold me like the three of us could fit so perfectly together in so many different ways.
From between the two men, a big hand sneaks in and captures mine. Kain pulls until I slip away from the other two. His palm holds loosely in mine and his mother stares at us for a long stretch of silence.
And then her hands are wrapping around his broad shoulders. She looks tiny in comparison. He hugs her as he holds my hand in his and her whisper floods the room even if she doesn’t intend for it to.
“I love you.” Her arms tremble as she tightens the hug. His hand covers her slender back and he nods to her.
“I love you too. Don’t stay out late tonight. Don’t leave Helen. Don’t wander out alone.” He says it all as if it’s a term of affection instead of a worried order.
“I won’t.” She releases him with bright but watery eyes looking up at him. “I’ll see you guys at eight after the dinner.”
“At eight?” I look up at Kain but he doesn’t meet my eyes. “What happens at eight?” I look to the other men but none of them seem to have an interest in me anymore.
So much for the sexy dress.
But then I see Chaos and his eyes are so damn wide right now I know he’s seconds away from crumbling.
“What’s at eight, Chaos?”
Bigger his pretty amber and sapphire eyes widen.
What are they plotting?
“Chaos?” My hips sway very intentionally when I walk toward him. His button-down shirt tightens against his chest as he takes a deep breath just as I rest my palms against his hard muscle. “What’s. At. Eight?”
If they’re planning on pulling me away and making me stay inside right after dinner while the rest of the entire village gets black out drunk, they’re in for an awakening.
His throat bobs. He looks to Kain.
“Don’t look at him.” Coarse beard meets my fingertips as I pull his sweet attention back down to me.
Poor guy looks terrified right now. Don’t mind me while I exploit that fear.
“Please tell me, K.” The breathy sound of my angelic voice makes his lips part.
I’m seconds away from defeating his waning silence.
“If you tell her about the Fire Festival Orgy Festivities now then she’ll never be able to wait until eight o’clock, my friend.” Sinister pushes past us, slipping out into the night air.
My mouth pops open without sound. Kain follows after Sinister. Rime grabs Chaos’ hand and drags him away from me. We could have a fivesome. A delicious, long, amazing fivesome. I stand staring with a thousand sensual images assaulting my mind.
Until I look out at the four men smirking up at me.
“That was a lie wasn’t it?” I ask, making their smiles tu
rn wolfish.
“Of course, it was a lie. Who the hell would want to see Lord Carlin in orgy? Get out here, Arrie.” Sinister lifts his hand to me like a true gentleman. A promise shines in his eyes.
Dressed in all black slacks and button-downs, these four men look like sweet serenades and sinful sex. Perfect clothes. Perfect hair. All the pretty perfect words.
And it’s all for me.
Hundreds of shifters, women, the entire village is out tonight. As the food starts to dwindle, the music becoming slower, the darkness starting to settle in, people begin to make their way back inside. They’re smart. It’s a smart thing to do.
But goddess does it piss Brylee off.
“Ungrateful is what they are. How dare they dishonor her memory without taking a candle before leaving so damn early.” She huffs, her tight pink gown squeezing harder against her breasts with every angry breath she takes. She stands away from the dinner tables at the center of the path where a few couples are dancing and trying to enjoy themselves.
They’re not. Not any more anyway.
“Stop giving her attention. You’re just feeding the beast.” Kain pulls me down, draping me across his lap and the slit in my dress rises higher. My legs cross to keep some modesty.
The few people still eating at the table look over at the two of us. When Kain’s big hand slides up the length of my thigh, following up the line of that fabric that’s so carefully covering me, the watching men look away from us. His thumb stops at the apex of my thigh and it makes my already unsteady breath falter even more.
The wine glass presses to my lips and I force myself to drink instead of shifting in his lap.
“It’s almost eight o’clock,” he whispers against my ear.
“What happens at eight, Kain?” My fingers slide against the soft cotton of his dark shirt. It makes his skin look paler. His green eyes brighter in the fire light.
He shakes his head slowly at me.
“Come dance with me?” Instead of waiting at my side, Chaos kneels down, sitting on the heels of his boots as he perches himself at eye level with my hips. Strong hands clasp against said hips, digging in just enough to cause me to shift in Kain’s lap, and I don’t even remember what he asked me, but I nod just from the feel of his hands against my body.
Both of them are smiling smugly.
I roll my eyes but then he’s pulling me to my feet.
A single stringed instrument plays softly from somewhere in the crowd. The smell of smoke fills the air from the food that was cooked for hours throughout the day just to be devoured in only moments. Enormous flames lick high into the night sky from the back of the festival. Little torch lights halo the festival in golden colors along the edge of event. And of course, those damn fuchsia candles dot the dozens of tables. Flickering flames surround us from all sides. Center pieces of bundled twigs, sweeping leaves and a few white flowers give it an elegant touch among the firelight.
It’s all so pretty. But nothing’s as intriguing as the intense look in Chaos’ eyes. He really does seem nervous. Is he scared of something happening tonight? An attack? Is he worried?
My fingers lock behind his neck and I pull him flush against my body as his hands settle over my hips. He leads me in casual steps despite how hard his heart pounds against my chest. He never looks away from me. I want to say something to ease the troubled look in his gaze. A hundred witty things circle my mind, but I can’t think of a thing to say that feels right.
My thigh brushes his and something hard from within his pocket scrapes against my skin.
“Is that a healing crystal in your pocket or are you just happy to see me.” With a half-smile and a wink, I wait for the nervousness in him to ease away.
He stops. His eyes widen. His lips part. No words come out.
Damn. Tough crowd tonight.
“Are you okay?” My fingers skim along his dark beard.
“I love you.” He says it so loudly the people dancing next to us look our way. Several people pause to look at the unmoving couple among the happy dancers.
For a split second, I’m afraid I’ll say it wrong. The word lovk is a taunting tune within my mind.
“I love you too, Chaos.” I swallow down all the doubt that I was letting breed within myself. All I feel is warmth spreading through me despite the cool breeze tickling my skin.
The wide smile that shows off his perfect teeth only makes me want to say it all over again to him.
“Shit, I was so worried you wouldn’t say it.” His pushes his hand all the way down his face.
And then he steps back from me.
He turns away from me. The audience that’s watching us pays even more attention when he turns his back on me. A feeling of self-consciousness drops into me, and I strangely can’t help but feel like he’s about to walk away from me.
I know he’d never do that. Deep down I know Chaos would never trick me into showing him a vulnerable part of me just to walk away.
But I can’t help the fear of my past from trickling back in.
Then he turns to me. A brilliant crystal is held in his hands. The onyx color of it catches the light and shines brightly along the sharp edges of the sporadic bursting points of the circular shaped stone. It looks like something powerful exploded the material from the inside out and now it’s left in jagged but beautiful layers.
At the sight of it, Myla and Helen gasp in unison from their spot at the dinner table near us.
“Arlow Winters.” Chaos says my name like it’s a statement all on its own. It demands my attention and the attention of everyone around us. “I want you as our mate.” When he holds the onyx crystal out I realize it’s a ring.
And then I can’t speak.
Kain and Rime stand close behind Chaos and the three of them look at me so expectantly. The ring in Chaos’ hand is forgotten as I stare at the three shifters in front of me.
The longer the seconds pass the more the murmurs start to build.
“What a strange gesture,” Lord Carlin whispers.
“He’s doing it all wrong,” Brylee replies. “Everyone knows he’s supposed to bring her the heart of an enemy. What are they supposed to eat on their first year anniversary now? Idiot.”
“I don’t think you want Chaos to bring me the heart of an enemy.” I turn my head to better glare at the young woman and her deep blue eyes widen as she hides her face by taking a large drink from her wine glass.
The corner of Chaos’ lips tilt up. His attention flickers across my face as he waits with forced patience.
“You three really want me as a mate?” I swallow and I don’t know why it’s so hard for me to accept the proposal as it is.
I need to hear them say it.
I don’t mention it, but I come with complications. I come with a past. I come with shaky emotions. I come with a friend who we all know will always own a piece of my heart.
They want me? Every terrible broken part of me?
“You see, this ring wasn’t something they had in stock at a market.” Chaos takes a step closer until his body is flush against mine, his hand pressing low down my spine until everything I feel is entirely Chaos. “I had to pay a visit to a fucking guy Sinister knows. The only guy’s Sinister knows are demons. They’re not all as friendly as our little four-legged friend.”
“Aye, fuck you.” Sinister’s reply and the abundance of fuck words are really starting to put a damper on this adorable mating proposal right now.
“So, to make a perfect ring I needed powerful, intense magic. We paid a visit to some literal demons who wanted me to trade my … stamina—” He’s cut off by a smart mouthed boy standing behind him.
“You can say the word erection, Chaos, we’re all adults here.” Alloex smirks as Chaos grimaces.
“Anyway, we spent a long time haggling and finally Kain gave up a lot to get the perfect crystal made in a way I thought represented the four of us just to ask you. So yeah, we’re sure, Low.”
In a way that represented
the four of us. The dark material is glittering and beautiful. It’s so alluring it’s impossible to look away from. But jagged. So damn jagged.
Something else stands out in his statement.
My attention swings to Kain, but the quiet look he gives me reveals nothing. My teeth sink into my lower lip and I know what it’s like to trade the wrong thing with a demon.
“What did you guys give for it?”
“Answer me first and I’ll tell you.” Chaos’ mouth whispers against mine.
“Chaos, tell me what you guys gave for this ring. I can’t wear it if it’s tainted with something you three gave up.”
Goddess I hope it wasn’t his cock. He needs that cock.
“I gave up my horns,” Kain says, his gaze held hard on my changing features.
“What!” My mouth parts and before I can stream together all the angry words in my head Chaos kisses me. His tongue slides against mine just as cold metal slides over my middle finger. A heavy crystal weights my hand and I pull back from him immediately. My eyes meet that damn stoic green gaze from over Chaos’ shoulder. How can Kain be so casual about this?
“Go take this back. Get your horns back. You’re an alpha, Kain.” I don’t even know if that’s possible but he has to try.
“I’m not an alpha.” He shrugs, his hands slipping into his pockets with so much indifference I want to scream.
I face Chaos, hoping he’s the logical one right now.
“Say you’ll take it back.”
“Say you’ll be my mate.” Big wanting eyes look at me. Chaos’ sweet stare tells me everything I need to know. I’m ruining this moment. They knew what they were doing when they traded for this ring. And they knew what they were doing when they asked me. They do things differently. But the sincerity is there. This isn’t about horns or crystals at all. It’s so much more important than any of that.
It’s so important I can barely reply.
“Of course, I’ll be your mate. I’ve been your mate the moment you assholes shoved your way into my life.”
“You know Agatha told us that you stole us, Tamer. You, stole us.” Rime steps closer and pulls my side against his chest, his lips pressing to my jaw.
