Rookery Cove: Seducing Serena

by Eve Vaughn

  Dalos felt like screaming. There was no way he’d allow her to end things like this. Not after all they’d shared. “I already told you we’re not leaving here without you.”

  Serena pushed her salad aside. “I know what you said, but I’m saying this can’t go on. I can’t continue with the way things are.”

  “Why not?” Dalos wanted to know. “I thought this is what you wanted.”

  She let her gaze fall. “I thought it was what I wanted too -- I mean it is, but it can’t last.”

  Maddox banged his fist on the table, making it rattle. “Why the hell not?” he roared.

  Serena jumped in reaction. Several diners looked on curiously. “Look. I’m not good in this relationship thing and basically, I’m getting way too attached to the two of you. I never meant for things to go this far.”

  Dalos narrowed his eyes. “Are you saying you only intended this to be a fling?”

  “Well, what else could it be? You two were already in a committed relationship. My part in it is just a novelty. Things will eventually have to end, right? I’m just ending it before it gets any deeper.”

  Dalos grew angrier with each passing second. Standing up abruptly, he pulled out his wallet and threw several bills on the table. “We’re leaving,” he said through clenched teeth, grabbing Serena by the arm and dragging her outside. Maddox followed close on their heels.

  When they were in the parking lot, she snatched her arm away. “How dare you! I’m not a piece of meat to be handled like this.”

  “Serena, shut up and get into the car.”

  “I won’t.” He shot her a look that brooked no argument.

  She slid into the passenger seat while Maddox took the back seat. None of them spoke until they pulled up into the driveway of her home. “Out,” Dalos ordered tightly.

  “This big bully routine is getting rather old,” Serena muttered, but she obeyed his command.

  The second they crossed the threshold of her door, she turned to them as if to say something, but Dalos halted her speech by holding up his hand. “Whatever you have to say, save it. What you’re going to do right now is go upstairs and pack. I’ll give you some time to call your family and tell them you’re leaving, but I want us all to leave immediately.”

  An incredulous look crossed her face. “You must be out of your mind if you think I’m going anywhere with you. I told you it’s over. The two of you can’t order me around like this.”

  Maddox shook his head. “The minute you gave yourself freely to us you put yourself into our hands. If anything we should be furious with you for relegating what we have to just some sex thing. Trust us when we say we could have chosen a slew of different people had this been just a sex thing. Now get your things or you can leave without them.”

  Serena folded her arms over her chest, raising her chin in defiance. “You two can kiss my --” Her angry retort was cut off by the sound of the doorbell. She furrowed her forehead. “Who would be visiting this time of night?” she said more to herself than to them.

  Dalos was wondering the same thing. “A relative perhaps?”

  “No. Other than my sister, who is away filming a movie, everyone calls before coming over.” She walked to the door, looked through the peephole and paled.

  “Who is it?” Maddox demanded as he strode over to her, concern on his face.

  “It’s Joe,” she answered simply as if they were supposed to know who that was. Judging from the expression on her face this wasn’t someone she was too happy to see. Could this be the mysterious man who had wreaked havoc on Serena’s self-esteem?

  “Should I answer the door for you?” Dalos offered.

  Serena shook her head. “No. I can handle this.”

  The bell rang again, followed by an impatient pounding on the door. “Open up, Rena. I know you’re in there. I see your car,” Joe called from the other side of the door.

  “I hate when he calls me that,” she muttered before opening the door. “What are you doing here?” Her voice had dropped several degrees below zero.

  Instead of answering her question he snarled, “What took you so long to answer the damn door? And what are you doing so dressed up? Don’t tell me you were going somewhere.”

  “Actually I was coming back from dinner. Since you chose to ignore my question the first time, I’ll ask again, what are you doing here, Joe?”

  “I’ve come back to you, babe. I thought a lot about what happened and decided I may have been a little hasty to end things the way I did. I think if you make a few modifications, we’ll do nicely this time.”

  Dalos was surprised to see an average looking man, not much taller than Serena’s short stature. His sandy brown hair was thinning and despite his otherwise slender frame, he had a potbelly. No one knew better than Dalos there was more to beauty than just the physical, but going by the petulant droop of the man’s mouth and the way he arrogantly assumed he could walk back into Serena’s life, there was nothing attractive about him inside, either.

  Dalos saw red at the way the man disrespected Serena. He and Maddox made their presence known. “Do you need us to get rid of him?” Dalos volunteered, though his eyes never left Joe’s face.

  Joe blanched, shooting Serena a questioning look. “Who the hell are these two schmucks and what are they doing in your house?”

  Serena’s eyes narrowed to fiery brown slits. “They’re my guests. My invited guests. And since I didn’t ask you to visit, I wonder why you’re bothering to grace me with your exalted presence. You made it clear to me the last time we saw each other that I wasn’t good enough for you. I think your exact words were, ‘you’re hamburger, I deserve steak’.” Dalos was quite impressed with the way she kept her composure.

  Joe waved his hand in the air dismissively. “It’s just like a chick to throw stuff in a guy’s face. Look, I was going through some things, but now I’m back. How about sending these shlubs away and we can talk in private?”

  Dalos looked over to Maddox and saw that burning gleam in his eyes. He knew the Wood Elf probably wanted to rip the little man’s head off just as he did.

  Maddox advanced. “Didn’t she already say you’re unwelcome? I suggest you leave.”

  Joe took a step back, but instead of focusing his anger on the maker of the comment, he turned it on Serena. “Get rid of these two so we can talk. I don’t have the patience to play games right now.”

  “And I don’t have the patience for you at all. Please leave.”

  Joe’s face turned beet red. “If that’s what you really want, I’ll go, but if I leave now I’ll never come back.”

  “That would be just fine.”

  “You sound as if you mean that!” Joe said incredulously.

  “I do. Goodbye, Joe.”

  “I think she’s made her preference obvious. If you don’t leave immediately, we’ll beat you to a bloody pulp,” Maddox threatened.

  Joe flushed, but he stood his ground. “You lay one hand on me, buddy, and I’ll sue. Who are these men, Serena?”

  Dalos stepped closer, pulling Serena to his side. The little man took two steps back. “Isn’t it obvious? We’re her lovers.”

  “Her… her w-what?” Joe sputtered.

  “Do you have a problem with that?” Maddox challenged.

  Joe glared at Serena again. “Seems you were holding out on me in the sack. You’re just as perverted as the rest of your family, and no better than that whore of a sister of yours.”

  Before either Dalos and Maddox could wring his scrawny neck, Serena pushed her way in between them and slammed her fist into Joe’s face.

  “Oww! My nose!” Joe screamed in pain.

  Serena looked like a fury, red faced, fists clenched and beautiful, facing off with this malcontent. “How dare you talk about my family like that! Each one of them is worth ten of you. I can’t believe I used to think myself in love with you. You acted as though I was lucky to have you, but it was the other way around. You should consider yourself lucky for conn
ing me into buying your bullshit for so long. Why don’t you go haunt someone else? Don’t bother coming back, because I’ll be in Canada with my lovers!”

  * * *

  Serena was miserable. When she’d decided to go with Dalos and Maddox to Rookery Cove, she thought she’d be living out her wildest dreams. Standing up to Joe was so empowering, she’d decided to let go of her inhibitions and agree to go with them despite the fact she still had some inner fears.

  Although they told her she didn’t have to work for the company, Serena had insisted on it. She couldn’t putter around their house all day while they worked, waiting for them to come home to her. That would bore her to tears. She actually enjoyed working at the factory. She’d even made a few friends. Her problem lay with Dalos and Maddox themselves.

  The sex was still hot, but something was missing. Before when they’d made love to her, there had been no holding back, they’d given themselves to her completely, but lately it didn’t feel the same.

  Cursing softly, she tossed aside the prototype she’d been working on. What she needed was some fresh air. Serena left her work station and as she was walking down the hall, she ran into Okibi, a member of the security team.

  “Hi, Serena. How are you today?”

  “I’m okay. I just need a little air.”

  “I was headed outside just now to do a perimeter check. Manx has the day off. Walk with me.”

  Serena breathed a sigh of relief. Although he was nice enough, she found the Head of Security for Rookery Cove quite intimidating, and it didn’t help matters that he ate people who breached the island’s security. “Okay.” They walked in silence until they made their way outside.

  “So why do you look so sad today?” the phoenix asked.

  Serena shrugged. Although Okibi was the only female she spoke with regularly, Serena wasn’t ready to open up to her just yet. “I guess I’m feeling a little homesick is all.” It wasn’t a complete lie. This was the furthest away she’d ever been from her family and she missed them terribly. She kept in constant contact with them on the phone, which was comforting at least.

  “I’m sure that’s partially it, but why do I get the feeling there’s much more to it than what you’re letting on?” Okibi was more perceptive than Serena was comfortable with.

  Serena squirmed under the phoenix’s close scrutiny. “Uh, what makes you say that?”

  “Because it hasn’t escaped my notice how you act around Maddox and Dalos. Those two Elves are definitely yummy. Most of the women at the factory are seriously jealous of you. We all used to think those two were exclusive, but then you came along and are now living most people’s wildest dreams come true.”

  Serena sighed. “You would think so, right?”

  Okibi frowned. “But you’re not?”

  “Don’t get me wrong. Being with them is nice, but…”

  “But? I know we don’t know each other well, but I’d like to be your friend.”

  Instinctively she knew this woman was someone she could confide in. “I feel like ever since I agreed to come here, they seemed to have pulled away a little.”

  “In what way?”

  “Not physically, but mentally. I fear they’re using sex to keep me here, like the only reason they chose me was so I’d work for the factory.”

  Okibi shook her spiky black hair. “That couldn’t possibly be true. They’re both honorable men and I can’t imagine either one of them using you so shamelessly. Are you sure you haven’t read the situation wrong?”

  “I don’t know. You see, we spent an entire week together and while the loving was great, I also liked just cuddling and talking with them.”

  A smile crossed her companion’s face. “Yes, that does sound nice. I take it that it isn’t like that anymore?”

  “Not really.”

  “Have you brought this to their attention and asked them why?”

  Serena shrugged. “I tried to, but they kind of laughed it off.” Wanting to make the other woman understand, she shared everything that had led up to her decision to come to the island. Okibi nodded and responded at the appropriate moments until Serena finished. “What do you think?”

  “I think maybe they’re the ones who may feel used. You did after all only agree to come with them to prove to your ex-boyfriend you’re a desirable woman. Up until then, you’d been fighting them tooth and nail about coming here.”

  “I… I hadn’t thought of that. But why wouldn’t they have said something?”

  “You’re so naïve, Serena, but I like you. Men can be stubbornly foolish. Maybe it’s time for you to do a little reassuring of your own. Tell them how you feel.”

  Could it be that simple? There was only one way to find out.

  Chapter Eight

  Dalos entered the house first, the scent of his favorite foods assailing the air. Maddox didn’t cook so it could only mean Serena had come home early. He sighed heavily. Being with Serena and Maddox brought his life a joy he didn’t think he’d ever have since leaving Armenea. Serena was so pliant, letting him and Maddox push, pull, fuck and suck any way they wanted like a much beloved sex toy. He and Maddox had never been closer. The struggle was gone, but there was now a new problem, and it was Serena.

  Though he was pleased with having her in their lives, he couldn’t help but wonder if she was there because she truly wanted to be there or if she was trying to thumb her nose at her ex. There were so many times when he’d wanted to bring it up, but fear always halted him. What’s more, he knew he was in love with her and he was sure Maddox felt the same.

  How could you tell someone you loved them when you weren’t sure if those feelings were returned? What if they confessed their true feelings only to be told they were just studs to her? She had the power to hurt him more than Aerwyn ever could and he found that worrying.

  Squaring his shoulders, he walked into the kitchen and pinned a smile on his face. Serena was stirring what smelled like venison stew in the pot. Walking up behind her, he wrapped his arms around her waist. “Mmm, smells good.” He nuzzled her neck.

  Serena giggled. “Dinner should be ready to serve as soon as Maddox gets home.”

  “I wasn’t talking about dinner. I was referring to your delicious smelling pussy.” He raised his hands to cup her breasts. His cock jumped to attention having her so close to him this way.

  “You’re so naughty,” she sighed, leaning against him.

  “You bring it out in me. I can’t help it.”

  “Oh yes you can, you just don’t want to. Well, two can play at that game.” Twisting around in his arms with a wicked grin on her face, she planted an open-mouthed kiss against his lips. When he would have tightened his grip around her, she slid down the length of his body until she was on her knees in front of him.

  “What are you doing, Serena?” he asked in a harsh groan. This was the first time she’d actually initiated the lovemaking, and he liked it.

  “I would have thought it was obvious. I’m going to suck your cock.” With nimble fingers, she undid his pants before reaching into his boxers.

  When her fingers wrapped around his cock, Dalos flung his head back, reveling in the feeling of her delicate touch against his swollen shaft. She ran the tip of her tongue around the head of his cock, laving it with precise strokes.

  “Are you going to suck it or tease me?” he asked raggedly.

  “Both.” Her grip grew firmer before she fit her mouth over his length.

  “Oh, Serena, that feels so good.” His hands stroked her silky sable hair.

  She moaned as she devoured him inch by excruciating inch. Dalos fought to keep from thrusting his prick further past her soft lips. Her mouth felt like wet velvet caressing his cock. When she began to bob her head back and forth over his length he didn’t know how much more he could take.

  “I see you two have started without me.” Maddox joined them in the kitchen, walking over to him. Maddox gripped Dalos’s hair and covered his mouth with a hungry kiss.

/>   Dalos was ready to burst with the added stimulation. His tongue shot out to meet Maddox’s, initiating a seductive dance. Serena now alternated between lapping and sucking.

  A sudden tightness in his balls signaled he was about to come. Ripping his mouth away from Maddox’s he grunted. “Yes!”

  He looked down to see Serena eagerly sucking down every bit of his essence he shot out. When she finished, she looked up at him with a look of supreme satisfaction on her face. She stood up then, running her tongue over her lips as if to catch the last remnants of his come.

  She pressed her lips against Maddox’s neck. “Tonight will be your turn. Why don’t you two wash up while I get your dinner together?”

  This couldn’t be the same Serena who they’d left this morning. That Serena hadn’t been so bold as to do what she just did. Could this mean her feelings for them were more than just sexual? Hope sprang within his breast.

  Minutes later when he and Maddox were in the bathroom washing up as Serena had instructed, Dalos turned to him. “What do you make of that display downstairs? She hasn’t been that bold since…”

  “Since that week we were together,” Maddox finished for him.

  “Yes. I can only hope it means what I think it does.”

  * * *

  Serena waited anxiously at the table for Dalos and Maddox to come back downstairs. She fidgeted in her seat wondering how she’d get the words out. They’d seemed receptive to her advances, but then again, she had no reason to doubt they would be.

  When she heard their footfalls her heart beat a mile a minute. This was the moment of truth. They took their chairs at the circular dining room table. Smiling at them in turn she couldn’t help but think how handsome they were.

  “Smells good, Serena. I didn’t know you could cook,” Maddox complimented.

  “You haven’t tasted it yet,” she joked. Actually her cooking was hit or miss, but for these two men there wasn’t much she wouldn’t try. “I hope you like it.”

  It was on the tip of her tongue to say more, but she couldn’t do it. Her nerves were getting the best of her. To stop herself from giving too much away, she picked up her fork and stuffed a big chunk of meat into her mouth. It wasn’t too bad, and she silently congratulated herself.