Crimson Kisses: A Reverse Harem Paranormal Romance (Marked Souls Book 1)

by Sabrina Shelley

  I fumble with my own shirt, needing it gone, needing to feel his skin against mine. He helps me along, then he looks at me in awe.

  “God, Rory, you’re beautiful.” Drew runs his hands along my body almost reverently. “I’ve wanted this for so long.”

  He brushes a thumb across my peaked nipple, and I think I might come undone right then and there. But no, there’s so much more awaiting me. Drew lowers himself further down on the bed, his mouth closing around my nipple as he slowly slides my pants down my hips, taking my panties along with them.

  The sensation is overwhelming. My pussy is throbbing, aching, begging for attention, and when he flicks his tongue across my nipple, I feel myself clench and pulse. More. I have to have more.

  I close my eyes and lose myself to sensation as he tosses my clothes aside. I’m now fully naked before him, on display, but I don’t feel embarrassed or self-conscious. It just feels right.

  He again runs his hands up and down my sides, but this time he goes lower, trailing his fingers down my outer thighs, then back up my inner thighs. I’m practically quaking with unfulfilled need.

  My thighs fall apart, inviting him in. And as his fingers reach the apex of my thighs, he flicks a finger across my clit. This time, I don’t moan. I cry out in ecstasy.

  “Yes…yes, Drew…”

  His long, thick fingers slide easily inside me, and then he’s sending me to new heights, two fingers deep inside me while his thumb traces light circles around and around my clit.

  The explosion is sudden and unexpected. I come hard, clenching around him, gripping his fingers as I writhe and buck on the bed below him.

  “That’s it, baby,” he murmurs, coming back to my mouth for another heartstopping kiss.

  I wrap my arms around his neck, running my fingers through his hair as my body rides the wave of the intense orgasm he’s giving me. When the shudders subside and he pulls back slightly, I gaze into his eyes, satisfied and blissful, but still wanting more.

  So I reach down and work his belt loose, fumbling with the buckle. He grins and helps me out, shedding his pants in one quick motion. Then he’s back above me again, settling between my legs.

  If I thought the need I felt before was intense, it was nothing compared to what I feel now. I’m already soaking wet, but as I feel the head of his thick shaft tease my pussy lips, I get impossibly wetter.

  I look up at him, ready for this, and give him a small smile to let him know it’s okay, that I’m right here with him, that I still want this as much—more, really—as before.

  But I see a small hesitation on his face. “Rory…I don’t have—”

  “Oh!” My face turns pink as I realize what he’s getting at. And pinker still when I point to the nightstand behind my bed. I have no idea what he’ll think about the fact that I have a stash of condoms in my drawer. Unopened, to be sure, but they’re there nonetheless. It seems Aisling wants me to be prepared for my guardians.

  I almost cringe at the thought, and hope he isn’t thinking the same thing.

  “I’ve not—I mean, I’ve never—Fuck.” I give him an apologetic smile.

  “It’s fine, Rory. I know what the future holds for you. And I may not be okay with it right now, but I’ll have to be at some point. For right now, I’m content to have what we can.”

  I reach up and cup his face, bringing his lips to mine for a soul-wrenching kiss. I love this man. Everything about him. I don’t know what the future holds either. But all I want right now is to experience this with Drew.

  He grabs a condom and rolls it on, then he’s right where I want him, where I need him.

  I don’t know what I expected, but as he slowly slides the tip of his cock inside me, I know it wasn’t this. I thought there would be pain, but all I feel is pleasure. As if my body was made for his.

  “You okay?” He studies my face as he braces himself above me.

  I smile up at him, feeling nothing but love. “Perfect.”

  And then he lowers his mouth to mine again as he slowly, slowly slides completely into me.

  I gasp. The sensation is like nothing I’ve ever felt. I feel stretched and full, and now the pleasure is on the brink of pain as I breathe deeply, trying to relax into the new sensation. But he gives me the moment I need, and soon I’m ready for more.

  I kiss him again, arching my hips, and he responds, moving slowly inside of me. Then all I feel is perfect bliss as our bodies rock together, in perfect sync.

  I abandon any sense of decorum, giving in to the love in my heart and the desire in my body, and soon I’m seeing stars. Pinpricks of light behind my lids. Bright colors flash as my body suddenly feels electrified, like every nerve is buzzing, pulsing in time with my heartbeat.

  And then I fly over the edge, the orgasm taking me to blissful heights I’ve never known.

  Drew is right there with me as we come together, burying his face in my neck as we both take and give everything we have to one another.

  And I know. No matter what happens next, everything was worth it for this moment with the man I love.

  “Okay, Fido, I don’t know how the hell this works.” I crouch down and rub the cat’s silken black fur, just between his ears. “But, um, let Ryker know we’re coming for him? Or something…”

  I trail off, looking up at Nico and Xander, wondering how crazy I must seem, giving a cat instructions. But they seem totally unfazed, like it’s not fucking weird that a man down in the dungeon prison is going to get secret messages from a stray animal.

  I don’t know if I’ll ever get used to this world.

  Fido purrs and rubs his head on my thigh, then darts out into the darkness across the rose field, leaving the three of us to enact our plan. Drew is back at the dormitories, appropriating a car for the drive to Eastwatch once we’ve freed Ryker.

  My cheeks turn pink at the thought of him and what we did not an hour ago. I would have loved to have stayed in his arms until sunrise, but of course, that’s impossible. We have a mission to accomplish, and time is of the essence. We didn’t even talk about it after, knowing that all of that needed to wait until this is over.

  So I push thoughts of him aside and focus on what I need to do.

  “You ready for this?” Nico asks, his eyes full of concern. “The energy this will require is tremendous.”

  I nod. “I have no choice but to be ready. Plus, I have you two.”

  In spite of the circumstances, I smile. I know I can do this. It’s true that my powers are greater than I realize. I felt it earlier with Dr. Belmont—there’s power just simmering under the surface, waiting to be unleashed. Yes, there’s danger there as well. The symbolism of the roses reduced to ash isn’t lost on me. I could burn out and wither myself if I channel too much power before I’m ready. But like I said, I have these two. They won’t let that happen. And most of the energy I’ll be channeling will be through them, anyway.

  “Look at me.” Nico reaches his hand out to me, and I take it, standing as he pulls me close.

  I lift my eyes to his and feel a sense of calm wash over me. I feel steady and assured, strong and confident. Like I can take on the world. It’s exactly what I need from him. His belief in me and my plan energizes me, and all doubts flee.

  “I’m here for you, Rory—both of us are,” he adds as his gaze flicks briefly to Xander then back again. “But if we feel you start to burn out, I’m reserving the right to abort this mission. Your safety means more to me than anything.”

  “Okay,” I say, but it only makes me that much more determined to do this. How safe will I be if the Warden returns? I have to succeed here, for all of our safety.

  Nico lifts his palms to my cheeks, and I feel a rush of emotions. Safety. Peace. Love. I know he’s controlling my feelings, and while normally I’d be angry about it, this is part of the plan. If we’re going to pull this off, Nico needs to be my rock. I need him to keep me in the right frame of mind. Hopefully it will help me keep my magic under control as well.

/>   When he leans in to kiss me, I respond as if it’s the most natural thing in the world. His lips are gentle as they brush mine, and I’m even more at ease. Nico releases me with a soft smile, then I turn to Xander.

  “Okay, I’m ready.”

  I’m taken off guard again by Xander’s reaction to watching me share a kiss with Nico. I’d assumed the animosity between them would return and that today in the cantine was just a fluke, but I don’t see a trace of jealousy on his face. It’s almost unnerving.

  But then he grabs me and pulls me into his arms and kisses me too. So different than Nico, Xander’s lips are more demanding, in charge, as he overwhelms my senses.

  I hear Nico chuckling behind us, and think yet again what a weird fucking situation I’ve landed in. But I’m oddly okay with it. I actually want to embrace it. These men seem perfectly content to share my heart as my guardians, so unorthodox or not, who am I do deny that it just feels right?

  I kiss Xander back and draw from him what I need as well. While Nico makes me feel at ease, safe, Xander makes me feel confident, powerful. It’s kind of a perfect combination.

  As we part, Xander gives me that cocky little half-smile and takes my hands. “Okay, remember what we’ve practiced. Focus, Rory.”

  I close my eyes and find my center, steadying my breaths, letting the empty darkness of the rose field surround me until I feel as if we’re the only ones in the world. I empty my mind, letting it go blank until even the field seems to fade away.

  I breathe in. Breathe out. In. Out.

  Then slowly, I open my mind to one small thought and focus entirely on it.

  Crimson lips.

  Heat floods my body, beginning where my palms are joined with Xander’s and radiating through my arms. I feel the warm energy begin to pulse through my veins, making its way to my chest where it then suddenly flares and extends throughout my body with every beat of my heart.

  The rush of channeling Xander’s magic is almost overwhelming, and I gasp, but another wave of serenity washes over me as I again focus on my breaths and realize that Nico’s hands are on my shoulders while Xander still clasps my hands.

  We’re working together, the three of us, just as planned. I realize that until this moment I wasn’t sure we could pull this off, but now I know we can. With one final breath that fills my entire body, I draw in the last bit of Xander’s magic that I need, then open my eyes.

  “Well hello, Dr. Belmont.”

  But the voice that comes out of Xander’s mouth isn’t his own—and neither is his mouth. Even after seeing him shapeshift as much as I have, it’s still unsettling to see Xander projecting another body.

  And this one?

  I swallow hard. It’s fucking terrifying.

  “Hello, Warden,” I reply in Dr. Belmont’s smooth tone.

  Nico sucks in a sharp breath. When I turn to him, he has a look of both awe and trepidation on his face.

  “You did it, Rory. But I’d be lying if I said seeing you two as Elza and the Warden isn’t unnerving.”

  “Yeah, no kidding,” I reply. I didn’t know what the Warden looked like until now, but if I thought I wanted to steer clear of him before, I’m utterly convinced of it now.

  In place of Xander’s tall, broad body, strong and powerful but lean and agile, is a slightly shorter, stockier man with jet-black hair, silver at the edges, and soulless eyes, black as an abyss.

  “Very good, Rory. I’m impressed.” Xander’s words don’t give me the since of pride they should when coming from the harsh, scarred lips of this man.

  I now see why everyone is terrified of the Warden. His face isn’t just stern, it’s downright impenetrable. A mask of hate and loathing, scarred and worn with not an ounce of compassion. He looks as if he could have been attractive at some point, but his blackened soul has killed any chance of that now.

  An involuntary shudder wracks my body, and I have to look away.

  “Let’s go.” I want to get this part over with as soon as possible.

  With Warden-Xander and Nico flanking me, we hurry through the rose field, cloaked in darkness by the moonless night. Only this time I don’t follow the path I took when Fido led me to Ryker the first time. We head straight for the main gate of the prison.

  My approach here is to be direct. The Warden and Dr. Belmont wouldn’t be caught sneaking into a prison the back way, so why would we? Yeah, it’s risky, but it’s the most direct way to do what we need to and get the fuck out of here as quickly as possible.

  As we near the gate, I see two guards flanking the entrance. My heart begins to beat faster, nerves and adrenaline coursing through my veins.

  “Focus,” Xander murmurs, and I feel Nico press his palm to the small of my back, another surge of his energy attempting to calm me.

  This part is critical. I can’t let my Dr. Belmont façade slip for even a second. And I won’t deny the pressure is enormous. This is the first time I’ve successfully shapeshifted, and it couldn’t be more critical.

  The guards simply nod as we draw closer, opening the gates for us. It almost feels too easy. But as I chance a glance at Xander, I can see why. There isn’t a soul in this world who might stand in the way of the Warden. No questions as to why he’s back, or why he’s accompanied by Belmont and Nico.

  They simply avert their eyes and let us through.

  As we wind our way deeper into the dungeonlike prison, we pass several more pairs of guards, and it’s the same every time. A nod, eyes that shift away from us, unlocking of gate after gate as we descend into the bowels of the stone fortress.

  My tension eases slightly with every successful step forward we make. We’re going to pull this off. What seemed like an impossible mission is falling into place like cogs in a wheel.

  By the time we reach the final guard, I’m feeling confident. We’re almost there.

  Then the guard’s eyes lock with mine, and I feel a shiver race down my spine. The energy he’s projecting is pure evil. And full of suspicion. Fuck. This isn’t how it’s supposed to happen.

  He steps in front of the door he’s guarding, crossing his arms across his bulky chest and narrowing his eyes.

  “Let us through,” Xander demands in the Warden’s gravelly voice.

  But the guard’s hard eyes only survey me closer. Something’s off. I don’t know what it is, but my sudden hesitation has my magic flaring. I feel my palms heat up as they begin to glow.

  Shit. I clench my fists together tightly, trying to quell the reactive surge of power and I know my thin façade is slipping.

  Fear rises in my throat, making it impossible to speak, but that’s probably for the best because I’m not sure it would be Dr. Belmont’s voice that came out of my mouth.

  “Dr. Belmont,” the guard says. “You told me not to expect you back until tomorrow.”

  He stares at me, waiting for a response. How is this guard so sure of himself, ignoring a command from who he must believe is the Warden himself and speaking defiantly to Dr. Belmont?

  The silence drags on, and I know I must speak, but I feel my energy wavering. I’ve only just learned to shapeshift, but it’s more taxing than I believed. Any minute now, my thin layer of resolve could collapse and I’ll find myself staring down a guard as Rory Bright.

  It shouldn’t be a concern, not with the Warden by my side, but then he’ll know that something is amiss.

  I feel my magic shimmer, fade, and I’m paralyzed, afraid to move for fear of what will happen.

  Then Xander takes my hand. I’ve been maintaining my appearance by the initial draw of his magic, but suddenly I feel a rush of fresh power. Nico’s palm is on my back, and I feel a wave of serenity course through me.

  Drawing on the power of both my guardians, I focus on the image of Dr. Belmont in my mind while channeling Nico’s power to project submission toward the guard.

  “Plans change,” I bite out in the clipped tone of Dr. Belmont. “Now are you going to let us through or shall my companion remove you by
force?”

  The guard’s eyes drop to where my hand is intertwined with Xander’s, and my heart jumps into my throat, but he doesn’t seem fazed in the least by the intimacy he sees between the Warden and Belmont.

  A wave of submission stronger than what I’m projecting flows through the small, dark vestibule we’re standing in, and I realize Nico is helping the guard along.

  “Of course, Dr. Belmont.” The guard nods and reaches for the key at his belt. His back is to us as he unlocks the door, and I take a deep breath, drawing more power from Xander to maintain my appearance, but when he turns back to face us, a knowing smile crosses his face. “I’m sure you’re happy to be reunited with the Warden.”

  It takes all my self-control not to startle at the unexpected comment. Is he implying what I think he is? As he looks back to our joined hands, he actually gives me a fucking wink.

  What. The. Hell.

  Is there something going on between the Warden and Belmont? A million questions rise in my mind, but they’ll have to wait because the clock is ticking, and even with Nico and Xander’s magic coursing through my veins, I can feel myself weakening. We have to get out of here and away from the guard. Now.

  Without another word, we slip through the unlocked door and proceed down the hall. Just before the door clangs shut at our backs, I see Fido slip through the door out into the vestibule. Good. At least he got our message to Ryker and is now on scout duty. From this point on, once we reach Ryker at least, we should know what’s happening outside through this cat.

  Once we’re alone, I turn to Xander, my façade dropping instantly, exhausted. I don’t know how much longer I would have been able to maintain it. And now I’m worried because we have so much left to do for my energy to be waning like this.

  “What the fuck was that?” I ask him. “Did you know something is going on between the Warden and Belmont?”

  His tight-lipped shake of his head tells me that he’s just as surprised as I am.

  “We’ll talk about it later. Right now there are more important matters to deal with.”

  Continuing down the dark hallway, I feel Nico wrap an arm around my waist, and I sink into him, needing the support. I can’t believe how weak I feel all of a sudden. I stumble and almost fall, but Nico is there, lifting me in his arms and cradling me to his chest.