by Rie Warren
My body tightened, need spiraling. His chest against my breasts, his hips thumping into me, his balls bouncing against my ass.
Cock thickening more, he pounded me to the tazek furs, almost thrusting me through the bedding platform. My nails scratched down his arms, a scream stuck in my throat.
He bellowed, lunging deep, spraying loads and loads of cum—the hot torrent triggering one more orgasm from my depths until I lay panting beneath the huge male body.
He kissed me once, softer, languidly, but heat still stained his irises, heat so fiery it’d never be extinguished.
Rising to his knees, Jedrek pulled completely out of me and lowered his cunt-creamed cock into Dex’s mouth.
Dex licked him clean, groaning, delirious. Until hard again, Jedrek withdrew the thick vein-engorged dick from Dex’s greedy lips.
“Your turn now.”
I shivered at Jedrek’s words. Dex growled in response.
The hard male, huge male, flipped obediently onto all-fours and waited for Jedrek to mount him.
So hot.
I moved beneath Dex’s face, and he immediately lowered firm lips to my pussy.
With a hard tug, Jedrek pulled Dex’s mouth from my sex. “No. She’ll suck you while I fuck you.”
With Dex’s haunches shoved high, I saw Jedrek pour oil between the other male’s buttocks. He pushed fingers inside Dex’s ass that had only been breached once before.
Dex growled, a sound that was nearly bestial, and he bucked back onto those fingers until Jedrek pulled his hand away to slick his colossal cock.
Quickly, I scrambled beneath Dex’s muscle-bound body until my face lay beneath his groin. And right there, right above my lips, his dick lurched.
I grasped his huge length, sucking the cum-wet helmet into my mouth.
And I knew when Jedrek impaled him because Dex jolted forward. His cock enlarged. His balls jostled.
The hard, hot pounding began, in Dex’s ass, between my lips. Each time Jedrek thrust, Dex did too. He was filled like I was, and saliva foamed around the unyielding cock plundering my mouth.
Balancing on one hand, Dex reached beneath himself. He cranked a hand around my neck and propped me up. Each thrust pushed his cock lower, lower, into my throat until all I could do was swallow every inch overfilling my lips.
Dex rocked, groaning.
Jedrek’s hands gripped his chest, drawing him back into the speeding lunges.
“Jedrek, you’re driving me deeper into her mouth.”
“Is she complaining?”
I nearly came again, unaided, by the harsh words as I sucked another mouthful of Dex’s rock hard meat, almost slobbering at his taste and heat and scent.
His stomach tensing, Dex dragged a hand through my hair and he laughed. “I don’t think she can talk with a mouth full of cock.”
I pulled away, licking the bell-shaped head of his throbbing dick, slathering saliva all over. I listened as Dex grunted when Jedrek rammed into him again.
“Give it to me. I’m not complaining.” With one last lick down to the fat root of Dex’s cock, I opened my mouth wide and rolled out my tongue.
“Good girl,” Jedrek praised.
Then Dex belted into my mouth as Jedrek belted into his ass.
The groans. The grunts. The sweat. The heat.
The cum.
Hot milky torrents of rich vital seed soaked my mouth.
Dex’s cock kept kicking off. Above him, Jedrek roared. His release shoved Dex even deeper, made him come even harder.
With a last long groan, Dex lifted from my mouth, and I licked the last of his hot essence, milking the rigid shaft with my hand. When he flopped down on his back, panting and grunting, I crawled over him, lapping my way up his chest to the underside of his jaw.
Turning his head, he lunged his tongue into my mouth, greedily pulling me against him with huge hands swallowing my bottom.
Jedrek’s appreciative groan came from close by. As soon as I drew back, he turned Dex’s head and hungrily sucked on his already parted lips. The two males grunted loudly, and it seemed their lust hadn’t abated.
Jedrek tumbled down with us, and I wound up in the middle. I pleasantly rubbed against Jedrek’s chest with my ass nestled against Dex’s turgid cock.
Our breathing stabilized and slowed, but soon Jedrek palmed my breast.
Dex’s hand curved down my belly, and he whispered huskily, “It’s my turn to fuck her.”
I was just about to playfully ask him if I had any say in the matter when the doors whooshed open, and Magnar and the king pounded inside.
“I need both of you. Now!” The king had always been intimidating, now he looked downright terrifying—eyes flashing golden topaz, fangs longer than any I’d ever seen punching down from his gums, muscles bunched and bulging all along his arms and chest.
The tension I’d sensed in Dex earlier snapped back instantly as he sprung from the bed. “What is it?”
Throwing the furs over me, Jedrek hastily pulled on his discarded pants.
Prairie flew into the room, tears streaking down her cheeks. “The babies. My babies are gone!”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Jedrek
URGENCY AND WORRY replaced any last hint of arousal I’d just been feeding off. Dex hurried into his pants while I grabbed my boots then quickly yanked a belt festooned with knife sheaths around my waist.
“When? Where?” Fear was the worst feeling, and it filled the room from everyone, rising like turbulent waves.
Dex and the others having disbanded and destroyed the slave market, I’d thought the worst was over.
Apparently I couldn’t have been more wrong.
“What the fuck happened.” Dex drove his feet into his boots.
“I don’t know.” A broken sobbing mess, Prairie could hardly get the words out. “We were sleeping—me, little X, Fallon.”
“I should’ve been there.” X pummeled his fist into the nearest wall, causing a crack that possibly splintered all the way down to the palace’s foundation.
“I didn’t hear anything. Only when I rolled over, and they weren’t there. They’re gone!” Tugging at her hair, Prairie wailed, “Why didn’t I wake up? Why didn’t I wake up!”
Pulling her into his embrace even though he looked on the verge of killing, X held his mate against his chest, and she beat her fists against him.
His jaw tightened, his eyes narrowed like laser beams. “I was with the healer checking on the women from earlier. I should’ve been with Prairie.”
“Where’s Khalon?” Dex asked, looking more and more horrified as the seconds elapsed.
“Don’t know. I’m assuming he was,” X swallowed, “he was taken with Baby X and . . . ” his voice cracked, “my wee Fallon.”
Zane careened into the room, eyes just as starkly wild as X’s.
A small shred of relief spilled across the king’s face.
He pressed Prairie toward him. “You take Laurel and Prairie back to Astrid and stay with them, brother.”
Wheeling around, Prairie shook her head frantically. “No way. I’m going with you too. They’re my children.”
Kerta piled into the quickly crowding chambers. “If you think I’m letting you go without me as well, you’re dead-fucking-wrong.”
Glancing between his mate and his sister, X finally nodded. “Good. You stick close to Prairie. If anything happens to her I won’t survive it.” His voice broke again then lowered. He pointed toward us. “Dex and Jedrek, you head outside, the rest of us will search the palace.”
Dex nodded, picking up his battle-ax.
“One more thing.” X produced a heavy-looking satchel he flung at Dex.
“What’s this?” I asked as Dex slung the bag over one shoulder.
“Supplies. In case you get stuck out in this foul weather.” His eyes flashed, and he clasped Prairie close to his side. “I don’t want to have to worry about anyone else tonight.”
Dressed quickly, Laurel rushed
up to us. With her arms around Dex’s and my middles, she guided us down for one quick kiss each. “Stay safe. Find the babies,” and her voice quivered at the end.
There was no further time to worry about her. Zane wouldn’t let anything happen. Not to his Astrid, not to Laurel.
Racing through the halls of the palace, Dex and I quickly made the nearest exit.
Just inside the door—with the nusoon wind howling outside—he turned to me. “Ready for this?”
“As long as you’re beside me.”
Jaw hardened, he unbolted the door. Shoulder braced against the violent rain immediately battering us, he led the way outside.
Dex hefted his heavy ax. I fit two blades into my hands. The search was on.
We battled against the sheer force of the wind, hunting the palace grounds beneath bright white lightning that had the power to strip flesh from bones and leave nothing but a smoking carcass. Rain drenched us immediately, a nearly blinding sheet of slashing wetness that ran in rivulets into our eyes and down our faces.
The vicious elements wouldn’t stop us. Of one mind, Dex and I forged farther and farther away from the palace, following a grid through the forest, pounding on doors of the outliers’ quarters.
We roused Cozmo, who immediately flew into action with us, concern for the two new babies bringing him to the aid of the king and queen.
It wasn’t until we reached the ocean—monstrous waves foaming like wild beasts before dashing down to create craters in the sand—that we heard from X through his innate mind link.
His relief obvious, he fed us new intel:
“Thank the Gods. Khalon found them!”
“Where?” Thoughts echoed, reaching out toward X.
“I heard him. Baby X was crying. Sounded like they were close to the stream that feeds into Lake Ranquil.”
Swiping another lashing of rain from my eyes, I sheathed my daggers and took off at a sprint. Dex matched my long-legged strides, Cozmo’s footsteps pounding behind.
The forest’s trees sheltered us as a brutal hailstorm unleashed its full fury from the roiling night sky. But when we broke into the clearing—much like we had that night we’d come upon Laurel—icy rocks of hail pinged against our skin.
Staying low, we circled the lake, gripping weapons anew. We dodged jags of lightning that made pockets of ground explode and trees catch hot white fire. A different pattern emerged in the sucking sloshy mud—big boot prints that had to belong to Khalon.
Knocking my knuckles against Dex’s shoulder, I pointed westward. West. Why would Khalon be headed away from the palace if he’d rescued the babies?
Breaking into a run, the three of us dashed across the messy terrain. We kept to the far side of Khalon’s trail, gaining ground on the male with his apparent burden of the two babies. We hurried ahead of him, dodging hail and lightning until we were in position to intercept him.
Just as he stepped onto the main westward path, the three of us emerged right in front of him.
His eyes flicked up. Then he bent low, shoulders crawling forward to protect the two babies carried in slings from his shoulders.
“I wouldn’t come any closer if I were you.” Khalon flashed a long blade in our direction.
“What the fuck are you doing?” Dex’s disbelief shone on his face.
I stumbled in confusion.
But then X and Magnar appeared, trailed closely by Prairie and Kerta, forming a barrier behind Khalon.
He spun, his glance sweeping in a wide circle.
Cornered, he strafed to the side, his blade whistling through the air in warning.
Prairie growled, hands clawing outward. “Give them to me!”
X leashed her around the waist with his arm, appearing bigger, badder, deadlier than ever. He whispered something into her ear, and she nodded minutely.
“Just give me the word, and I’ll dust him. And I mean dust him, literally.” Kerta stepped forward.
I’d never witnessed Kerta’s true power before, but now seemed like a good time to let her go full Zenithian princess mode.
X halted her with one hand. He advanced on the male—our comrade—who’d apparently abducted the twins.
“No one’s to touch him until X and Fallon are back in Prairie’s arms.” His voice sounded deceptively calm beneath the crashing sounds of the storm raging overhead.
“I don’t need to touch him to destroy him.” Kerta spread her fingers, and fiery bursts ignited from her fingertips.
“Hot,” Cozmo muttered.
“Not the time, dude.” Gods.
“Give them to me now,” X ordered. “Or I will feed you your own hearts, Khalon.”
The disgraced Valkrane lifted the sling that held Fallon, handing her to the king.
X wrapped her in his arms, cuddling her close before passing her to Prairie whose tears crawled down her already wet face.
“Little X?” She looked up, hearing him squall.
X took his baby boy, hugging him before he gave him to Prairie. Then the king raised his hands, forming a shimmering force field around his family, which protected them from the harsh elements.
With them safe, he drew his sword from its jeweled scabbard with a rasp of fine metal.
The sound like a death knell, Khalon went to his knees in the muddied ground.
“Why?” X asked while we all stood, weapons poised for ultimate destruction.
“I didn’t want to do this.” Head high and eyes steady on his king, Khalon didn’t beg. “It was Truda.”
Dragging the flat of his masterfully honed blade beneath Khalon’s upturned chin, X dropped to his haunches in front of the condemned warrior. “Truda?”
“Your uncle’s consort.”
“He swore he wasn’t involved.” X’s voice throbbed like the thunder above.
“He’s not. It’s all her. She wants to take over. Everything. The entire planet. Re-enslave the humans and treat them like animals. Kill the ones who resist.” Khalon glanced at Prairie, who glared back.
“Why did you go along with it? Did you know about the slave market too?” X removed the blade from Khalon’s throat where it’d pressed just enough to break skin.
He nodded meekly. “I fell into some trouble at the Commander’s outpost. Got addicted to nycane powder. I would be disgraced if the other warriors—if your uncle—found out. Truda promised not to say anything if I could get into the palace. If I could . . .”
“Take my children?” Prairie’s tone was as brittle as her bottle-green eyes.
“Truda’s journeying here now. She timed her final attack to coincide with nusoon season to throw you off your guard.”
“No pun intended, huh?” Dex muttered, tensing beside me.
“She’s the one behind Prairie and Astrid’s attacks?”
Khalon nodded again, wet hair hanging in his eyes.
I punched forward on the squelching ground. “What about Laurel?”
“Laurel? She was never in any danger from me. She’s not important enough.”
“Like hell she’s not.” Utter violence careened through me, and I primed my fist then let sail right across his jaw.
The impact jarred my arm, spun his head, gave me the tiniest amount of satisfaction.
He spat blood on the ground, quickly washed away with the melting hail as the ice storm turned to frozen sleet.
“I do not expect forgiveness. I only ask for a warrior’s death.”
Emotion as raw as the weather crossed X’s face.
He turned to Prairie, pulling her to his side and taking Baby X into his arms. “Meehri, I cannot make this decision.” Cold slithering sleet skimmed down his shoulders. “You will choose whether to grant this male leniency or not.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Jedrek
PRAIRIE DIDN’T DELIBERATE long. Despite her bedraggled state and red-rimmed eyes—all she’d been through that night—she held herself as regally as any queen.
Her voice rang out, cold as the sleet razoring from
the sky. “I’m not sure I can ever forgive you, Khalon, but I can think of a better use for your life. You’ll prove your worth tomorrow. Or die trying.”
The storm picked up its intensity, and X bellowed out, “Back to the palace. Now!”
Magnar and Cozmo took Khalon by the arms, X rushing to shepherd his family out of the cold wet weather with Kerta’s help.
Just as Dex and I prepared to follow, a torrent of jagged lightning strikes hit the ground between our two parties. Huge canyons cratered the earth, explosive noise shredding the air.
“Just go!” Dex shouted through cupped hands to the others. “We’ll find shelter!”
As another streak of lightning bolted between us, he grabbed my arm, hurrying me in the opposite direction from the palace.
“Where are we going?”
The storm’s strength multiplied, hail again pounding down, the lightning zinging from sky to earth with no stopping.
“I know a place. Let’s go!” Dex urged, words sheared from his lips by the sheer force of the wind.
I followed him into the forest that provided little shelter, a tree bursting into roaring flame directly in our path.
Dex veered left and began scrambling up the side of a cliff. I clambered behind him, hoping he had a dry destination in mind. Water funneled down the middle of my back, and my vision was nearly obscured.
I almost stumbled straight into Dex’s back when I lunged up over a rocky lip.
Slinging his arm around my waist, he tugged me into what appeared to be a hidden cave.
Out of the wind and the angry elements, I leaned against a rock that shined blue from within.
I tried to catch my breath, but I remained shaken. Not from the cold or the wet, but by the sheer terror and pain witnessed on X’s and Prairie’s faces when they couldn’t find their babies.
Dex slaked his hands down his beard after shaking wetness from his hair. “You all right?”
“Did you see her? Did you hear Prairie?” I drew in a ragged breath, trying to contain my swirling emotions. “What if we’d been too late? What if Khalon had succeeded and . . .”
Dex strode over to me, drawing me into his arms. “I’d kill any being who hurt you or Laurel. You know that right?”
