by Lacey Thorn
“They are absolutely gorgeous,” Raine stated.
“Not them, you fools,” Rory almost shouted. “I don’t care about that. I mean about the newly found queen. The claim of traitor now on Wilhelm’s head. Has the time finally arrived?”
“The pieces are aligning,” Thaden stated.
“But is it a trap?” Rory asked.
“You must go to them and speak privately as they ask,” Raine said and all three heads whipped towards her.
“All joking aside that is a decision that only Rory can make,” Theron said.
“No, it isn’t,” Raine said and for the first time Rory saw the royalty in her sister. “It is a decision that the Princess can and will make.” Raine turned to Rory and Rory felt as if her life were changing in this one moment. Long had she been the protector, the leader. Now it was as if she could see Raine coming into her own and finally claiming what was rightfully hers.
“I love you Rory,” Raine said holding her sister’s gaze and reaching out to link their hands. “But you must go to them and find out the information that we need to know. This is what our people have been waiting for since before our births. This is the chance needed to clear the taint from our mother’s name. The time could be upon us to show all that Queen Ona did not die by the hand of a native, by the hand of our mother.”
Rory nodded her head.
“You cannot ask this of her,” Thaden exploded next to them. “If she goes they will see it as an agreement to courtship. She will be bound to that. It is practically an agreement to mate with them. Warriors don’t court. They mate.”
Raine nodded her head. “I know what I ask and I do not ask lightly or with ill purpose. I ask for all of us. A chance to right a wrong done so many years ago.” Rory saw the purpose in her sister’s eyes. To be honest she had never been so proud of Raine before in her life. “You must go to them, return with them and seek audience with the queen.”
“No!” It was Theron who roared this time. “She cannot go in alone. If she goes then we must go with her.”
“No,” Rory spoke softly. “You said yourself that we would be separated,” she reminded him. “This is the chance we have waited for. This is the fate I have known awaited me. This is my wrong to right.”
“You cannot be held accountable for the actions of¼” Thaden trailed off.
“My father?” Rory questioned.
“Don’t ever refer to that vile man as such,” Theron spoke harshly.
“This is my quest,” Rory said. “I will go to them this evening and agree to the courtship.”
“They will see it as agreement to mating them,” Theron stated.
“I cannot control their views, only my reactions to them. I will return with them and if opportunity is there, I will seek audience with the queen. As for mating them,” Rory sighed, “I don’t know what fate has in store. Just know that I go into this with my eyes wide open to the possibility of what could be.”
“I will go with you,” Thaden vowed but Rory shook her head.
“You will stay with Raine as you are supposed to,” she said. “The true leader must be guarded at all times.”
“And how will we explain this to the people?” Theron asked. “How will we explain your leaving, alone, when you are purported to be the leader?”
“I am going on a peace mission,” she said. “One queen to another. The people will not question my royal quest. And they will respect me all the more for leaving my best rogues behind to guard my sister.”
“I love you,” Raine said as she stepped into Rory, embracing her and whispering to her. “I pray the great guardian upon your skin will watch over and protect you. I pray you find the happiness that you so deserve.”
“I love you also,” Rory said. She wondered if this would be the last time that she would hold her sister in her arms. Theron had stated that they would be separated but not whether they would be united or not. How could they be separate yet closer than ever? Death maybe? Perhaps her fate was to watch over them from the spirit world. “I will go to them with the rise of the moon. And with the dawn I will leave with them.” Rory turned so that her sister was at her side and they both faced Theron and Thaden. “Watch over and protect Raine. Guard her well. I will return when I can.”
“Rory,” Theron started to say, but she shook her head stopping the words.
“This is the choice I have made,” Rory stated. “I love you both. You are the greatest friends that a girl could ever have.”
Both men stepped closer and embraced her, holding her tightly between them. They were like brothers to her. She would miss them so much. But if fate declared it, they would cross paths again. If she were honest with herself, then she would admit that she was looking forward to what the night held for her. The golden warriors did make her blood hum. If nothing else then she might enjoy some great sex before meeting with the returned queen. A grin pulled at her lips. The one had felt absolutely wonderful when she ran her fingers across his bulging cock.
She glanced to the sky over head. The night couldn’t fall fast enough.
“Do you think she will come?” Lake asked and Lincoln just smiled again. Lake sighed. That was all he had been able to get from his brother every time he asked. Then again while Lake still sat up on his bedroll fully dressed, Lincoln was already stripped and lying flat inside the cover.
“Just rest, Lake,” Lincoln finally said. “If she comes she will come. If not then we move on with the morning sun.”
“What did you find?” Lake asked. Lincoln had slipped out earlier while Lake kept their hostess busy.
“There is another trail leading from here towards where the goddess’ temple lies,” Lincoln said. “It seems that maybe Lydia has gone to pay them a visit.”
“Willingly?” Lake queried.
“That I cannot tell for sure,” Lincoln said. “No trace of struggle in the area but I cannot guarantee.”
“So now we go back and tell Lynx what?” Lake asked. “That her mother is no longer there and we are not sure if she is well or not. That will go over well.”
“We will tell them that we suspect Lydia has gone to the temple and let them weigh the next course of action,” Lincoln said. “The queen will decide what to do with the information given.”
“She is amazing isn’t she?” Lake said and grinned. “She is the perfect complement to Aslan.”
“It is hard not to feel sorrow for all that Aslan lost out on in life,” Lincoln began. “His father, his mother, his uncle, and even his own twin taken from him. But fate has a way of doing what is best even though we cannot see how.”
“Fate can be a cruel and vicious bitch,” Lake replied hotly. “Aslan is but one card to them. What of Piers and Seer who found their father only to watch him die? What of all those whose bodies were carried out to the courtyard? For what purpose was it their fate to die in such cruelty?”
“That is not for me to decide,” Lincoln offered. “Or for you. Some day the meaning will be made clear to those it matters most to.”
“I’ve never understood how you could believe in all this shit,” Lake stated.
“Ahhh, perhaps it is my age that brings such wisdom and understanding,” Lincoln said and grinned again. Lake laughed. His brother was always making him laugh.
Just then there was a shift at the tent flap and something moved inside. Lake glanced at his brother but Lincoln just stayed reclined.
“It is often considered rude to enter a man’s tent unannounced,” Lincoln said.
Lake heard a sigh and Rory appeared out of thin air again. “How do you do that?” he asked her.
“Native secret,” she replied, taking position just inside so that she could keep them both in sight.
“We weren’t sure if you would be coming to visit or not,” Lincoln said.
“You said that if I wanted to know more that I should come and speak with you privately,” she reminded them.
“Ahhh, but we also told you what it would mean if you showed up here,�
� Lincoln reminded her, finally sitting up. “Are you prepared to follow through with that?”
She let her gaze roam over both of them and Lake swore he felt it as if a touch of flame licked over his skin. His cock grew long and thick and his balls throbbed with the need to spill his seed within her, to mark her as his.
“I agree to get to know one another, to explore the possibility,” she stated.
“Explore would be a good choice of words,” Lake said and her eyes fell to his lap again. He almost groaned when her tongue flicked out to wet her lips. He wanted to feel that tongue on his skin wanted to feel her lips and the softness of her skin against his. Damn, he had it bad.
“So what can you tell me about the new queen? What evidence did you find on Wilhelm? How did King Aslan react and why was he agreeable to lifting the ban?” Rory seemed to have a million questions for them.
“All in good time,” Lincoln said. “But first things first.” He reached across the distance and held his hand out to Rory. She looked at it before finally placing her hand in his. Lincoln used it to tug her to them so that she landed sprawled half on Lincoln and half across Lake’s bedroll. “I believe my brother and I would like a kiss.”
Her head lifted and her gaze darted back and forth between the two of them. She pulled herself up to her knees and sat just between Lincoln’s sprawled thighs. Lake wondered if she realised that his brother was completely naked beneath the covers. She would soon enough.
Lincoln leaned closer to her, his hands coming up to trace over her skin and hair. Lake could see the desire smouldering in his brother’s eyes. He desired and yet he waited and soothed which was so like Lincoln. Lake had always admired his brother’s ability to maintain control in any situation. While Lake wanted to pounce and possess, Lincoln would soothe and seduce.
Lake watched as Rory shuddered at his brother’s touch. While Lincoln let his fingers softly explore, Lake watched her face and saw the pleasure she felt reflected there.
“I thought it was a kiss you desired,” she said and Lake wondered if she realised just how breathless she sounded.
“As soon as you wish to give it to me,” Lincoln whispered, “I will gladly receive it.”
Lake watched as his brother’s fingers grazed her nipples, saw her catch her breath, the flare of her nostrils and the drooping of her eyelids. When she leaned into Lincoln for that first kiss, Lake felt a jolt of hot passion under his skin. It was just as big a turn on to watch her with his brother as it would be to have her leaning in to kiss him. He wondered if she was as turned on as they were.
Chapter Four
Rory had never been so hot and turned on in her life. It was hard to stay focussed on the questions filling her mind when they had her body tingling with anticipation with just looks and the brush of fingers. Lincoln was a powerful seducer. More so for the fact that he seemed sincere in every word and action.
He had asked for a kiss and yet he never once leaned in to take it from her. He touched her softly, gliding his fingers over her skin, across the taunt points of her nipples, anywhere his fingers could reach. And he waited for her to lean in and give him the kiss he desired. It built her desire for the kiss as well. She wondered if that was his intention.
She was completely seduced. She could try to fight, try to demand the answers she wanted but the outcome would be the same. They would not tell her what she wanted until after the sex. She was not a shy, naive girl. She was a woman grown and fully capable of feeding her carnal side.
She dropped her hands to the tops of Lincoln’s muscular thighs. She felt the shift and bulge of muscle there, heard the indrawn breath and knew that he was as entranced as she was. Slowly she walked her palms up his thighs using them to balance her as she leaned in. When her lips were but a breath from his face, she closed her eyes and inhaled, filling her nose with the unique smell of him.
Each palm rested on the very top of his thighs and she could feel the flex of his cover as his hard cock pulsed. It would be so easy to slip a hand over and rub against his cock to grip him and stroke over him with only the cover between them. But she denied them both, knowing that it only drove the desire higher.
She fluttered her eyes open and found his on her face watching. His arms were to his sides now and she could feel the tension in his body as he held himself in check allowing her to make the next move. Slowly she leaned in just a bit further and let her lips graze his skin just a mere inch from his mouth. She pressed them there much as he had to her palm and slowly she let her tongue peak out and trace lightly over the skin beneath her lips.
He groaned and she let her gaze drop to see him clench his hands into tight fists on top of the bedding. She hid her smile. She wasn’t so bad with seduction either. She eased back from him letting her hands slide back down his thighs being careful to allow the knuckles of one hand to brush the hard length of his cock. He felt like stone and she was anticipating how he would feel pumping inside the wet sheath of her cunt. He would fill her and then some.
She finally rested back on her knees between his thighs. She let her gaze drop once more to the covered cock he did nothing to hide from her. He wanted her and he wanted her to know just how much.
“I have heard that a warrior can wield any weapon with a skill unattainable by others,” she whispered, her voice thick with desire.
Her words had the desired effect. Lincoln looked up and his gaze smouldered with heat and promise. His lips tilted up into a grin but he didn’t answer her.
Instead it was Lake’s laugh that filled the air just seconds before he reached towards her and tugged her his way. “We’ll let you decide that for yourself when the dawn comes,” he said just before he leaned in and placed his lips on hers.
No seduction here. Just heat and flames. His teeth nipped at her lower lip and his tongue came out to rub erotically against the smarting flesh. He nipped again and she let her lips open on a low moan. Lake took that moment and slipped his tongue inside plundering the depths of her mouth and rubbing his tongue along hers.
She lifted one knee so that she was astride one of Lincoln’s legs now and closer to Lake. Her hands came up and clenched onto his shoulders as she met him thrust for thrust with her tongue pressing into his mouth and doing a little exploring of her own. He moved closer and she angled so that their chests met, her arms slipping around so that her fingers could tunnel into the golden hair atop his head.
She felt the brush of fingers and a tug. Then her cape was gone and with it her ability to disappear into the shadow. She had no intention of disappearing, not just yet anyways.
Lincoln shifted closer, his knee disappearing from between hers and she felt the heat of him at her back. His hands came around and cupped her breasts through the material of her shirt. Palms cupped while fingers pinched and tugged at her nipples.
She moaned and her head fell away from Lake to rest on the shoulder of Lincoln. She arched her back pressing her breasts higher into Lincoln’s hands. She felt hands at the hem of her shirt; then it was being lifted up.
Lincoln eased up so that there was a breath of space between them, just enough so that Lake could pull the shirt over her breasts. She lifted her hands above her head helping as Lake continued until the shirt was completely off.
Lincoln’s hands returned and the feel of his fingers on her bare skin was more than she’d anticipated. His hands were rough against the softness of her flesh. His mouth warm as he bent and let his tongue trace patterns on her bare shoulder. Her nipples were so hard from Lincoln’s touch. Her pussy was so wet and ready for more.
Lake watched her, his glance falling to her breasts in his brother’s hands. She watched as he lifted his shirt and slid it off over his head. His chest was broad and strong with a sprinkling of golden hair. With the shirt gone he moved into her, his mouth dropping towards one reddened nipple.
She felt the heat of his breath first, then the moist stroke of his tongue. She groaned and one hand reached out to wrap in his hair once more, t
ugging him closer to her nipple. His mouth closed over the distended bud and he sucked gently at it giving a slight pressure. She tightened her fingers in his hair and pressed her breast closer, wanting more.
And he gave her what she wanted. She cried out as his mouth tightened and he used both teeth and tongue to torture her nipple. Then with a sharp tug he sucked her nipple harder until she felt it press against the roof of his mouth. His hands gripped her waist and she felt him slip to the waistband and dip beneath.
Lincoln had moved from her shoulder to trace the column of her throat, leaving nipping bites as he worked his way up to her jaw and farther to the shell of her ear. He took her earlobe in between his teeth and tugged at it before licking over it with his tongue. Then his lips wrapped around it and sucked gently. One hand still held the breast Lake wasn’t devouring while the other had slipped down to cradle her ass.
She was on fire. She couldn’t compare it to any other sensation. Heat seared her veins and had her body thrumming with need. When Lincoln lifted her ass she went with the motion and felt Lake easing her pants over her hips. He pulled away from her nipple with a pop and stood, pulling her with him.
Lincoln stayed on his knees behind her and she felt him pull her pants down to her feet where he slipped her shoes and pants from her so that she was naked between them. Lake smiled and stepped back from her, his hands going to his pants and as she watched he pushed them down and stepped free of them.
She had felt him earlier but that had not prepared her for the cock she saw. He was perfection, long and thick and perfectly made. His cock head flared, crowning the shaft and making her mouth water to taste him. He placed his hand around the shaft and moved his palm slowly up and down the flesh. Her gaze followed the motion and she reached one hand out to trace the tip taking the small drop of pre-cum onto her finger and bringing it slowly to her mouth.
He tasted spicy against her tongue. She slipped her tongue out to lick over her finger torturing them both before sucking the digit into her mouth and groaning. Hands tugged at her, Lincoln’s, and she slipped to her knees willingly eager to taste more of Lake’s cock. But she didn’t stay on her knees. Instead she was pressed so that she lay on her back on one of the covers.
