by Sara Page
Beast’s eyes narrow and his voice hisses as he says, “She feared the Devourer would set his sights upon Terrea, and your planet would not be able to defend itself against him and his perverted legion. So, in exchange for Terrea’s support and sponsorship of Blackspire for the Transgalactic Alliance, Blackspire promised to protect Terrea from any and all hostile threats made against it.”
The Devourer? That’s Striker’s father’s name? And perverted legion? Just how perverted are we talking here?
I train my eyes on Beast, trying very hard not to look at Striker as I ask, “Who is the Devourer?”
Beast’s eyes flick past me, settling on Striker and it’s Striker who answers. “The Devourer is my father, Zar Hargin Krak. Traitorous bastard and enemy of all.”
I wince and squeeze Striker’s hand extra hard. To hear him speak of his own father in such a manner, I seriously feel for him. It must be hard to the Devourer as a father. Well, at least I hope.
Even Beast seems uncomfortable by Striker’s disgust, so I decide to steer the conversation in another direction. With my father fighting for his life, I’m really not in the mood to hear about someone called the Devourer right now.
“Thank you both for being here with me, and waiting with me.” I squeeze both of their hands and look between them. “I don’t know what I would do without you.”
Beast nods his head, accepting my gratitude as it is but Striker seems to perk up, his attention riveting on me. His eyes search my face as he asks, “Truly? You don’t know what you would do without me?”
Ah. The tension returns, I’ve walked myself right back into it. Beast scowls now and pulls my arm towards him and the rest of my body slants towards his chair. If I lie, if I say no, I was just being polite, I will hurt Striker’s feelings. But if I’m honest, will Beast be angry with me?
As far as I’m concerned, the time for lies and unspoken truths is over. I’ve had enough of them.
“Truly,” I answer Striker, nodding my head in confirmation.
Striker lights up, like literally. He smiles and his entire face glows warmly with red as he beams at me.
Beast growls beside me and now I’m the one wincing. Perhaps we really should discuss this.
“Beast,” I say softly, tentatively as I turn to him. “There is something I must confess to you.”
He stops growling, and while he refrains from frowning at me, I get the impression Beast is steeling himself for whatever I’m about to say.
Trying very, very hard to say it calmly, I say, “I accepted Striker.” While you were gone, helping my father.
“I know, my princess,” Beast growls and I feel myself shrinking back. “I felt it as soon as it happened.”
I nod my head, accepting this without question and close my eyes. I just can’t look at him right now. I’m really not ready. I thought I was but now I don’t want to see hate or anger or even disgust on his face, directed at me. It would hurt too much if I saw even a hint of those emotions. So I clench my eyes shut and try to slip my hand from his.
His grip only tightens. “Did he force you?”
“No, no. It was freely given.” I cannot and will not blame Striker for my acceptance. Even though it would be so easy to do so.
“Look at me, Ameia,” Beast commands and I hesitate to obey him.
Slowly, I peek my eyes open, settling my gaze on his fierce expression. “You are mine, nothing can change that. Stars help me,” he looks up as if the stars were indeed listening in on us. “Even accepting him will not change it.”
“You’re not angry with me?” I ask, both astounded and confused by his reaction to my confession.
“No, no, I am not angry with you. How could I be angry with you?” Beast leans towards me and presses his forehead against mine. The touch of his skin against mine is both soothing and exciting. My brow warms with the stimulation. He remains like this, touching me, just breathing against me before pulling back. “I cannot be angry with you for accepting him. Destiny’s hand is guiding us and I must make peace with it.”
My heart races inside my chest. I can feel my blood pumping, rushing after that short, intimate connection. “I feared you would be angry or feel betrayed,” I shakily admit, trying to find the words that won’t insult Striker yet effectively convey the emotional burden I’ve been carrying ever since Striker explained to me I was calling him. “Here, the way I was taught, the way I’ve always known is that we have one partner we join with forever. Only one. We commit to them for life, our vows lasting until death. To even desire another while you have committed to your partner is looked on as being shameful. Cheating, as we call it, the act of joining or being intimate with another can be unforgivable. Many couples never recover from it.”
“I know of your ways,” Beast says, nodding his head at me. “And with your father falling ill and the stress of your homecoming, I hoped to spare you the confusion of our ways until he was recovered. I believed with time you would be emotionally ready to accept it.”
“It?” Striker repeats menacingly from behind me, as I’ve turned away from him yet we’re still holding hands. “You refer to me as an it?”
Beast’s jaw clenches and he blatantly ignores Striker, continuing to look at me instead. “I knew he would not control himself and wait until I returned. But I knew also you would not forgive me if your father passed.”
“And you knew that you could leave her with me and she would be protected,” Striker adds before I can speak up in his defense.
Beast nods his head in reluctant agreement. “Yes, I left knowing that at least Ameia was safe and protected if not unmolested.”
“Striker did protect me,” I speak up, focusing on the good things Striker did while pushing away the bad. I’m not ready to look at those things yet. “If it were not for him,” I say to Beast then look to Striker. “If it were not for you, I don’t know what Vrillum would have done once we were wed. I’d probably be dead or worse…” Chained to his wedding bed.
What a vile, disgusting thought, but it is the fate Striker rescued me from.
“I would do anything for you,” Striker growls and leans towards me. He doesn’t press his forehead against mine though, no he grabs me by the back of my hair and presses a hard but brief kiss against my lips. My lips spark and tingle as he pulls away. And I feel like melting beneath the heat of his look. His eyes are two smoldering coals of lust as he stares at me hard.
Beast growls and stiffens, and I feel I’m walking a thin rope here between the two of these imposing men. I’m not sure how long I can walk this rope before falling off and taking them with me.
“What do we do? Where do we go from here? I don’t know how to do this,” I admit, feeling at a loss.
“Striker and I will learn to accept each other, just as you will learn to accept the two of us,” Beast says, providing the answer.
“Truly?” I question, not wishing to doubt them but it sounds too easy, too simple when already it feels like they can hardly stand each other. “You promise?” I ask, looking between the two of them.
“I promise,” Striker speaks up first and then his brows lift in challenge at Beast as he smirks.
Beast glares at Striker and once more I feel like a prize or something between them. I wouldn’t be surprised if they both started growling and then fighting over me as if I were a chew toy.
“I promise,” Beast rumbles and I swallow back my sigh, smiling tightly at the both of them.
Should I make the same promise? It’s poised upon my lips to tell them I shall promise as well when we’re interrupted.
“Princess Ameia?” a deep voice asks, pulling me out of distraction. I sit up a little straighter and nod my head, bracing myself as Grogan comes striding over to our little waiting area.
“Is it done? How is he?” I ask then hold my breath. I’m hoping for the best but fearing the worse because Grogan is scowling at me so deeply he looks as if the last thing he wants to do is speak to me.
Fuck. It mu
st be bad.
“The scan has completed. King Trivent is being prepared for the repair process.”
Not bad news, good. But is this good news? Or are we not out of the woods yet?
I feel my lips pull into a smile, a smile I’m so not feeling but I’ve been taught to smile with gratitude since birth. “Thank you. That’s good news, yes?”
The three Ravagers nod their heads. It’s a dizzying phenomenon to experience. How can they look so much alike yet be so different?
“It is good news, princess,” Grogan confirms. “We expect the King to make a full and complete recovery.”
Something inside me snaps. Relief. Full body, muscle loosening, I can cry and cheer and dance at the same time kind of relief. My eyes glaze over, I start crying, I just can’t help it.
The big three purple guys each look aghast.
“Ameia, it is good news,” Beast explains to me, tightening his fingers around my hand.
“Don’t cry, princess,” Striker scowls. “Your father will be as good as if nothing happened.” Striker aims a deadly glare towards Grogan. “Correct?”
Grogan quickly nods his head and I laugh.
Now the three of them look at me as if I’ve really lost it. I better explain before they think something is wrong with me and have me scanned.
“I know it’s good news,” I reassure them. “I’m not upset. I’m just so happy I’m crying.”
I try to wrestle my fingers from their grips, but they’re not giving so I’m forced to lift my arms and rub my wet cheeks across my biceps.
“When can I see him?” I ask Grogan.
“It will take approximately two rotations for all the repairs to be completed.”
Two days. Only two more days and my father will be completely healed. He’ll be as good as new as if nothing ever happened to him.
I’m so happy, so happy I can’t stop crying. It feels like such a weight has been lifted and at the same time it feels like everything has just been sucked out of me and I have no reserves left. Grogan is dismissed by Beast and he walks away quickly, as if he can’t get away fast enough.
Beast and Striker share a look. I think I’m getting much better at catching them.
Beast lifts my hand to his lips and kisses it. “Come Ameia, there’s no reason we should spend the next two rotations waiting here. Let’s retire to your room then we’ll return here once you’ve rested.”
I nod my head in agreement and the three of us stand. I look once more between them. If I move my head too fast it’s almost as if my vision is doubling. Two purple red-eyed space demons. Together, Beast and Striker each hold one of my hands as we walk through the palace halls. It feels good to be sandwiched between them, too good in fact.
If I let myself, I think I could get used to this.
Chapter Nineteen
Once inside my room, with the door closed and locked behind us, I pause, unsure of what to do next.
“I’ll do a quick sweep,” Striker says, solving my dilemma and he looks to Beast before finally relinquishing his hold on my hand.
Striker stomps off, supposedly checking my room for threats. I curl my fingers, needing to work the blood and feeling back through the hand he was gripping.
Beast takes the opportunity to pull me fully into him and captures me in a passionate kiss.
“I missed you,” I murmur against his lips as his arms wrap around me, holding me tight against the hard press of his chest.
“I missed you too,” he repeats back and then his tongue thrusts into my mouth and I become swept up in the taste of him.
“All is clear,” Striker announces loudly, ending our stolen moment.
My cheeks flush and I break the kiss by dropping my chin. I pant, catching my breath and fight all the thrumming little tingles that are flowing through my veins. I’ve missed Beast and it’s been far too long since we’ve been alone together.
I don’t think Striker would take it too kindly though if Beast and I asked him for some privacy right now, so I step out of Beast’s embrace. His thick arms drop reluctantly. Somehow I manage to avoid Striker’s eyes as I walk into my bedroom.
Perhaps I should try to get some rest. If I thought they would let me do it without them, I’d take a cold shower.
As I walk further into my room, heading for the bed, I can sense both Beast and Striker following closely behind me. The room feels so much smaller now. I know it’s only my own imagination but it feels like the walls are closing in, narrowing all my focus on them and what they’re doing.
If I climb into bed, are they going to climb in with me?
Ameia, you’re such a pervert wanting to sleep with the both of them. But come on, who wouldn’t?
Maybe at least Beast will climb into bed with me?
Am I feeling daring enough to even try it? At this moment, after kissing Beast, yes.
Without a glance back, I yank back the covers and climb in. Closing my eyes, I tuck the covers around me and patiently wait for someone to join me. Seconds tick by until they turn into minutes. All is quiet save for my own soft breathing and the sound of my pulse thumping into a sleepy rhythm. Disappointment wraps its tight fingers around my heart just as sleep presses heavy against my lids. I fall asleep alone in my bed, worn out and exhausted.
When I awake, I awake to Striker hovering above me.
“You’re awake,” Striker grins and I blink up at him. He’s hovering with his hands on the bed and his arms straight, holding his weight above my bottom half. His head is above my waist with his chin tipped down as he gazes at me. For some reason, I get the impression he’s been like that for some time. Was he watching me while I was sleeping?
That’s kind of creepy.
“How long was I asleep?” I ask and lift up on my elbows, trying to peer around Striker. “Where’s Beast?”
“Prince Drek has some business to attend to.”
“Oh,” I say and frown. Beast left me alone with Striker, again? What was he thinking?
As if he can read my mind, Striker asks huskily, “What’s wrong, princess? Afraid to be alone with me?”
“No,” I scowl at him. That’s silly. “Why would I be afraid of you?” I ask and wiggle backwards, putting some room between us until my back meets the headboard.
Striker’s head dips low and he crawls up my body, closing the distance I just created. I watch his arms flex, his muscles bulging. The veins in his thick neck throb with tension. “Because we have our own unfinished business to attend to.”
“What business?” I ask, my throat constricting, trying to swallow the words back before they’re released. Just the way he looks at me, it looks as if he wants to eat me. I feel myself flushing with heat. I remember when he feasted upon my body. He can’t possibly mean…
Striker’s eyes flash and his neck bends down, his lips coming in for a kiss. “We must complete our joining.”
I turn my face to the side at the last moment and his lips brush across my cheek, just missing my mouth instead of meeting it. “Joining? What joining?” I ask, my voice rising with panic. “I don’t recall agreeing to join with you.”
Especially right here, in my childhood bedroom. In my pink bed no less. And what about Beast? What would he think?
“You accepted me,” Striker growls and then his face is growing bigger again. I manage to dodge this kiss as well but just barely. He growls as he lifts his head, clearly irritated.
“I may have accepted you,” I say defensively. “But no one ever said I had to join with you to do so.”
“It’s part of the deal,” Striker says with a frown.
I seize that frown as an opportunity to escape. Before he can try to kiss me again, I roll to the side and wiggle down, meaning to slide out from beneath his arm
“Huh? What are you doing?”
I roll out of the bed and hit the floor with a thump, landing on my hands and knees.
“Oh,” he says as I scramble to my feet. “You’re wanting to run, I take it?”
I do indeed want to run and I take off. I’m not very fast though, my legs feel tired and sluggish.
“I love a chase.”
He can’t seriously think this is foreplay.
I run all the way to my door before his hands grab me by the waist and he lifts me off my feet. The world spins around as he twirls me and then my back hits a wall.
“I can’t,” I gasp as his mouth meets my neck and he sucks on me as if he means to devour me.
His tongue swirls and swirls, his teeth scrape before he pulls away. “Why?” he asks, his breath warm against the wet place he just suckled on.
I shiver and my hands push at him. “Because I’m with Beast.”
“Mine,” Striker growls and he nips my neck marking me with his teeth. “And you’re with me. It’s time to accept me, Ameia.”
“I don’t think I can,” I admit. My muscles lock up, my entire body is tense as I hold myself stiffly against him. I will control my baser urges. I will not allow Striker to kiss me into a submission.
I’m so used to fighting Striker, I don’t think I even know how to stop fighting him even if I wanted too.
“You can,” Striker assures me, looking up to meet my eyes. Affectionately he brushes my hair back. His nose bumps against my nose. How easily he can switch between fierceness and tenderness, especially when he wishes to put me at ease. Or maybe he just does it when he wants something from me.
I shake my head. How can I do this? How can I be with him? My body is agreeable to his touch, yes. But my mind, my mind just won’t stop thinking that Beast will be angry with me. I was intimate with Beast, intimate. It has to stand for something, doesn’t it?
Striker takes me by the shoulders and he looks deep into my eyes as he asks, “Do you trust me?”
Do I? Do I trust Striker? I don’t want to, that’s for certain. And the last time he asked me, I wanted to but felt like I just couldn’t.
“I don’t know.”
“Have I done anything to give you reason not to trust me?” he asks, his fingers gripping me tightly.
“You kept things from me. You withheld information.”
