“Well, I see this mating is going about as smoothly as all the others did,” said Anne. Rowan saw by his cousin’s shocked expressions that they’d all been completely oblivious to the arrival of their parents.
“Come on, boys,” said their father, James. “Let’s leave Jordanna and your mother alone for a bit.”
“I’m embarrassed to say I’m their mother. I have no idea how they manage on a day to day basis,” Anne muttered, placing her arm around Jordanna’s shaking shoulders and leading her into the sitting room. “No idea what-so-ever. I swear I didn’t drop any of them on their heads as babies.”
Rowan backed slowly away from his mother and mate until James pulled him sharply into the kitchen by the collar of his shirt. “What in the hell did you boys do to that poor girl?”
* * * *
Jordanna was gently led to a sofa. Her mates’ mother. Mates, what a joke. She felt so foolish to have hoped for better from these men. She should have known life held nothing better for her. She’d never felt like giving up before. Not in all the years she’d spent in an abusive marriage. But the hurt she felt now didn’t compare. It was a hundred times worse.
“My name is Anne. I’m just starting a fire. You’ll catch your death in those clothes.”
Jordanna nodded and listened as the kind woman shuffled wood and finally struck a match. She smelled the match burning, then the wood. She heard the crackle of the flaming wood but felt no heat. She was so cold. Cold all the way to a heart that had dared to begin to warm for four strangers.
The sofa dipped next to her and a warm hand clasped one of hers. “Would you like me to call Doc to come and look at your head? It’s bleeding.”
“No, thank you.” She wanted to say that her head was hurting, because it was. But she felt so flat, so numb. She didn’t know what was wrong with her. She’d only known them a day, how had she allowed them the power to hurt her so badly.
“I’m a shifter, Jordanna. I can scent how deeply you’re hurting. Why don’t you tell me what my fool sons have done?”
“They didn’t do anything, really. I don’t know why I’m feeling so devastated. Maybe it’s the head injury?”
“The look of guilt and fear on their faces tells me they did something, young lady.”
“They lied to me.” But Jordanna wasn’t really sure that was the truth. “They said they’d lied to me by not telling me about healing and marking. I didn’t really understand what they meant. But I heard them talking about it and I just…”
“You felt justifiably hurt, Jordanna. They lied by omission.”
That was it exactly. She felt like they didn’t trust her with something. “I don’t understand what they withheld, but the fact they didn’t trust me feels terrible. I’ve already told them so much. Things I’ve never even shared with my parents.”
“I can understand why they didn’t tell you, Jordanna.”
She recoiled from the woman, standing to run from further betrayal. She’d seemed so nice. Maybe they just don’t like humans.
“I would never hurt my son’s mate. Sit down, Jordanna, and let me finish.”
Jordanna sat straight back down at the authority the woman’s voice held. “Were you a teacher?”
She laughed and took Jordanna’s hand again. “I was actually. But that’s a story for another day. Today I’ll tell you everything I know about the healing properties of shifter DNA.”
Jordanna was amazed as Anne told her about shifter DNA and the way injuries healed in days instead of weeks. She blushed as Anne described how a mating mark was given. The mating bond being cemented with the exchange of semen and saliva during intercourse.
“The wounds to your back will heal in hours leaving no scarring,” Anne said. “I asked Doc about the effect it would have on your eyesight.” Anne paused and squeezed Jordanna’s hand. “He said there was only a small chance it would be restored. But there’s still a chance.”
“Why did they feel they were lying? I don’t understand.” She felt stupid for being upset at them over this. It sounded very much like a secret that shifters would be understandably loath to share.
“They didn’t want you to feel in any way forced into mating them only to then regret it for the next two hundred years.”
Now she understood. It fitted exactly with the way she had perceived them. They were caring, gentle, and sweet. They hadn’t wanted to pressure her. They wanted her to mate them because she loved them, and for that reason alone.
In that moment she knew why she’d been so hurt. She’d already begun to love them and it had made their seeming betrayal cut deep.
She felt her eyes burn and wetness on her face as the tears overflowed. “They love me. Don’t they?” Lesser men would have pressed their advantage. Used the hope of restored eyesight to get her into bed quicker. To bind her to them no matter what. “They’re good men, you must be proud of them.”
“When they’re not upsetting their new mate, I am.”
Anne helped her to stand and with a hand under her elbow, guided her back to the kitchen. Jordanna could smell coffee and hear the rumble of male voices as they drew closer.
“I’m so sorry, angel.” Gabriel suddenly swept her up in his arms and nuzzled his face into her hair.
“We didn’t mean to hurt you,” Caine said, his warm body pressing lightly against the damaged flesh of her back.
Drake and Rowan were kissing her arms where she had them wrapped tightly around Gabriel’s neck, and she wasn’t letting him go.
“I wanted to tell you so badly, sweetheart,” Rowan said, “but we didn’t want to rush you.”
“Mating is forever with us, Jordanna,” Drake said, “we wouldn’t want you to ever regret it.”
“Thank you. I’m sorry I got so angry,” she needed them to understand. “I’ve only experienced pain and deceit from a man who professed his love. I was wrong to think the same of you.”
Caine stroked both his hands lightly across her buttocks. The sensation was unexpectedly erotic. She pushed back against him without thinking and felt the rumble of a growl that was too soft for her to hear. She felt the hard length of his penis as it grew thicker and longer against her ass.
“Oh.” The word breezed into Gabriel’s ear as she buried her head into his neck, and enjoyed the tingling heaviness that she felt between her legs.
“We have company,” Caine whispered in her ear. “Shifter company, and you smell fucking delicious right now.”
She remembered they had mentioned they had enhanced senses, could they smell that she was getting aroused. Shit, their parents are here.
She quickly pulled her butt away from Caine’s very nice erection, only to feel an equally nice erection against her stomach. “Gabriel,” she said with a moan. Her pussy squeezed tight and she felt her juices leak onto her panties. Double shit. Rowan’s boxer briefs. How embarrassing.
“I’m so happy you’ve forgiven us,” Gabriel said. He moaned softly as he set her down on her feet and turned her around. “Jordanna, I’d like you to meet our father, James.”
* * * *
Gabriel stacked the dishwasher and marveled at what a loving family he had. It had felt wonderful to be back here with them all, and he couldn’t believe what a fool he’d been to stay away so long. It had felt as though the last eight years had never happened. His parents had accepted him back with love and affection, never once chastising him for the pain his long absence must have caused them.
Finishing in the kitchen, he turned off the lights and banked the fire for the cold night ahead. As shifters they didn’t feel the cold that much, but he wanted Jordanna to be warm. It had looked like it would snow when they’d waved good-bye to their parents. The property looked beautiful under a layer of snow; he would describe it in detail to Jordanna. If she couldn’t see it for herself, then he’d help her paint a mental picture.
When he arrived in the master bedroom, his heart swelled. The room was dark, but his enhanced eyesight let him see his beau
tiful mate. She was fast asleep in the center of the custom-made bed. Rowan was curled against her back and she had her head resting on Drake’s chest.
“She went to sleep mid-sentence,” Drake said, playing with a lock of her long hair. “She’s so perfect, Gabe.”
“She is,” Gabriel said. Stripping down to his boxer briefs, he approached the bed slowly. “How are we going to do this? I won’t sleep in another room, but this is a little awkward.”
Caine strode out of the bathroom smelling of toothpaste and mouthwash. “I’ll sleep next to Rowan if it means I’m in the same bed as Jordanna. You can lie across the bottom.”
That seemed like a sensible solution. Gabriel hadn’t slept in the same bed as his brothers since they were kids, but there really was no other way. He could ask the other mated men what they did. He tried to imagine how that conversation would go over with Finn, Calder, or Doc. Best to work it out for myself, I think.
He untucked the comforter and grabbed a pillow before making himself comfortable at the end of the bed. He stroked his hand down Jordanna’s calf. He growled—there was too much bone. “She’s too thin. No more going hungry for our mate.”
“She has a healthy appetite, so it won’t be long until she’s a healthy weight,” Rowan said. “That fucking husband has been abusing her from the grave, and it stops now.”
“I know we can’t rush her,” Caine said, “but what if the delay in mating is going to hurt her chances of regaining her eyesight?”
Gabriel had gone over and over this in his own head all day.
“There’s nothing else we can do, Caine.” Gabriel wrapped himself around Jordanna’s cool feet and felt them begin to warm against his chest. “She knows everything now, so we have to be guided by her.”
“Christmas is only two weeks away,” Drake murmured. “Having you home and having our mate here will make it perfect, Gabe.”
“Let’s make it perfect for Jordanna,” Gabriel said. Tomorrow he would ask her where she wanted to spend Christmas. If she wanted to spend it with her family, then they would have to find room for all four of her new husbands.
“The only thing that will make it perfect is if the bastard who hurt her has ceased breathing,” Rowan said.
Gabriel knew that to be the sad truth. All he wanted for Christmas this year was a dead wolf.
Chapter 11
Jordanna woke up feeling warm and well rested. She opened her eyes and thought, momentarily, that it must be the middle of the night. How the hell am I supposed to know what time it is? Then she felt guilty for her feelings of self-pity. There were millions of blind people in the world, and they managed just fine.
Harden the hell up, Jordanna. You survived psychological and physical abuse. With the help of the four wonderful men she now had in her life she would survive this, too. She would also never stop being thankful for this second chance at life.
She would just need to equip herself with the tools and skills needed to deal with her life the way it now was. Reaching out with her hands she found nothing but empty bed. She knew she’d gone to sleep between Rowan and Drake, and wondered where they were.
“We thought we’d have to kiss you awake like Sleeping Beauty,” Caine said. “I won the coin toss. So I still want my kiss.”
“Are you pouting?” She rolled in the direction of his voice, laughing at how ridiculous he sounded.
“I am. But on me it looks sexy.”
“Delusional again, Caine. But I will grant you a kiss if I get to brush my teeth first.”
“Princesses don’t get morning-breath.” She bounced wildly on the bed before strong hands stilled her. Caine had pounced on her.
He kissed his way across her cheek to her mouth before grazing her lips lightly with his. His breath smelled of coffee and it made her stomach grumble loudly.
“We need to feed you more.” She was gently lifted into his strong arms and she nuzzled her nose against his neck.
“You smell so good, Caine.” She gave in to the overwhelming urge to taste him and darted her tongue out to gently lick his neck.
He stilled and groaned loudly. “Keep doing that and I won’t be letting you out of this bed for hours.”
He tasted sweet. Opening her lips she pressed them to his neck and sucked him into her mouth. She felt him move his head to give her better access as he growled loudly. The vibrations against her skin made her nipples harden and tingle. She sucked harder at his flesh. Her mouth watered at the sweet musky taste on her tongue.
“Fuck. Stop, Jordanna.” His voice was low and demanding. She immediately stopped, reluctantly releasing his skin.
“I’m sorry, did I hurt you? I didn’t mean to. You just tasted so good.” She looked up at him, hoping he could see how sorry she was.
His lips crashed down on hers and he pushed his tongue deep into her mouth. She reached up and grasped his hair. The strands were soft, and long enough for her to grip, as she used them to hold him tight to her mouth.
He tasted of coffee, man, and sex. A desire she’d never known before rose like an inferno in her veins. She burned for this man. She moved against him, wanting to rub her aching core against him.
“Shit.” He stumbled and she fell a little before he caught her up and held her tightly against his hard chest again. “I nearly dropped you. Sorry.”
“I’m sorry I hurt you.”
“You didn’t hurt me, Jordanna. I had to stop you before I came in my pants. That was the one amazing hickey you gave me. I will wear it proudly, my mate.”
She felt her cheeks heat at his words. They said the strangest things. “Really?”
“You are an incredibly sexy woman. Fate was feeling particularly generous when she gifted you to us, Jordanna.”
She lowered her head. She’d been told by her only other sexual partner that she was a cold fish in bed. She’d never experienced the same level of desire for her husband that she just had with Caine.
A finger lifted up her chin. “What’s wrong? Do you doubt me?”
He took her hand and lowered it until she felt his jean covered erection under her palm. It was hard and pulsing. There was no doubting that.
“No, Caine. The way you kissed me was incredible. I could feel how much you wanted me.” She stroked his erection lightly and it twitched in response. His growl was low and slightly pained. It had her core pulsing and aching at its emptiness.
“I will come if you keep doing that.”
Her pussy leaked with her excitement. I want him inside me when he comes. She couldn’t believe that she was having these thoughts.
“It’s like I’m another person completely with you men. My only other sexual experience was with my husband, and…”
“And…” Caine kissed her gently on the end of her nose. “You can tell me anything, or nothing, Jordanna. We have forever to get acquainted with each other.”
She wanted them to know how inexperienced she was. Gabriel was nearly a hundred years old, so she didn’t imagine him, or any of them, was a virgin.
“Garry said I was cold because I never responded to him sexually. He only touched me when he was drunk, and I didn’t want him to touch me then. So I was…reluctant.”
Caine held her close to his chest and she could hear his heart pounding. His breathing was labored. He was angry. She felt herself begin to panic. Anger meant pain.
“Whatever you’re thinking, you better stop. I would sooner die than hurt you. I’m angry at your ex-husband. You know that rape is against the law, even if you’re married?”
“He always said it was my fault that it was so painful. He twisted it all around until I was the one feeling guilty and ashamed.” She could see now what he’d done. But it was years too late. “Should I not have told you?”
“You can tell me anything, Jordanna. I want to know every second of the life you’ve lived before we found you. Everything you’ve shared of yourself so far has just made me fall deeper in love with you.”
“Caine!” She h
ad no words. He loves me? She was scared to admit it, even to herself, but it was there. If she dared to look at the heart her husband had previously shattered she’d see that the love she felt for these men was pasting it back together. She may love them all, and it terrified her.
“We have a luncheon appointment in twenty minutes, Sleeping Beauty. You slept right through breakfast.” She hoped he wasn’t looking at her with disappointment. She just wasn’t able to admit to her true feelings yet. It was too soon, and she was overwhelmed by the intensity of her feelings.
“We have forever, honey.” He whispered the words in her ear as he set her down onto cold tiles. She heard him close the bathroom door.
She worried she’d have to call him back to help her, but he’d set everything out in front of her on the bathroom cabinet. He’d thought of everything, even a hairbrush and hair tie. She didn’t know what color the clothes were that he’d left for her, but they were soft and smelled freshly laundered. She guessed they were sweat pants and a hoodie. They were only a little bit too big for her, so they weren’t their clothes.
Once she’d finished washing and dressing she felt around for the door. The bathroom was massive and she ended up in the shower stall.
“People in Eminence shower without clothes,” Caine said teasingly. “Perhaps they do it differently in Sheridan.”
“Making fun of the blind person. How politically correct of you.” She laughed at their exchange and suddenly found herself squeezed tight between cold tiles at her back and a hard chest against her front.
“You go from beautiful to completely stunning when you laugh, Jordanna.” Caine nipped the skin beneath her ear as he spoke. The clean panties she’d just donned grew damp. “I hope to see you do it frequently from now on.” He growled against her neck. The feeling was extraordinary.
“We better go before I have you appropriately dressed for this shower.” He kissed her lips in a hard, branding kiss. “With me balls deep in your sweet pussy.”
He picked her up as if she were a child and she wrapped her arms and legs around the hard muscle of his torso. As he walked, her core rubbed against him, making her clitoris swell and throb. By the time they reached the last stair she was close to an orgasm.
Jordanna [Eminence Shifters 4] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) Page 8
