by Em Ashcroft
“I’m sorry I dragged you two into this mess,” she said. She picked up the empty plates and made for the sink, busying herself rinsing them and stacking the dishwasher.
“I’m not,” Nathan said.
“Neither am I,” Vaughn added. “Come on, honey, show me the entertainment room. A place this big is bound to have one.”
He was right about that. Hyper-aware of his big body crowding her, she left Nathan to finish the tidying up and walked to the den, which wasn’t far. But with every step she tried to keep her hips from swaying. Her ass burned, as if aware he was watching it and the way she moved. No man had watched her like that before Nathan. But she couldn’t do this to him.
Awareness prickled up her spine. She wanted Vaughn. She wouldn’t deny that. She was no saint. But she wouldn’t become a devil, either, and let herself get carried away. However much she wanted to run her tongue down the hard sinews of his neck, it wasn’t going to happen. Until Nathan decided to take her up on her offer to withdraw, she’d remain loyal to him. As Vaughn strode past her to hold the door open for her, Trinity tried not to notice his scent, pervasive, clean, and masculine or his heavy body under the black shirt and jeans. He was thick with sinew and muscle. She wanted to learn every one.
Remembering his naked body would involve a lot of blood and fear, so maybe she should use that to put herself off him.
After a moment of trying, she gave up. That was never going to work. She still wanted him, could imagine riding him to a finish even on the gurney, like some kind of nymphomaniac. Because of her thoughts, she felt nervous going with him into the den.
The den consisted of one large, squashy sofa and a number of equally large floor cushions. It was a place designed for relaxing, and since a big cat lived here, he preferred the pillows when he was in cat form. The colors were a mixture of browns, creams, and a dash of green, colors of the jungle. She liked it.
Her sense of awareness made the hairs on the back of her neck prickle uncomfortably, but she resisted the urge to scratch the itch. A cat like Vaughn would be bound to notice.
He moved closer, his footsteps silent, as if he’d changed to the big cat she’d seen earlier fighting for his life. Strange to think that this large, powerful male had been completely at her mercy a day ago. She had the power of life or death over him, and thank heaven, they’d both chosen life.
Now she felt at his mercy, as if all he had to do was pounce and make her his prey.
Flashing a quick smile at her, he sat on the sofa, leaning against the corner and spreading his arm along the back. “So what are we watching?”
“Do you like sports?” She didn’t mind turning on a sports channel and watching whatever it offered. She wasn’t a sports fan, but she found most sports relaxing, especially when she watched them encircled by Nathan’s arms. Which was absolutely not going to happen with Vaughn, she reminded herself.
He shrugged. “Sometimes. Find a movie.”
Typical. “What kind of movie do you like? The kind with guns and fights?” She didn’t mind a few of those herself.
His answer reflected her own. “That depends on the movie.”
She switched on the set and picked up the remote, flicking it on as she sat at the far end of the sofa. She wasn’t quite out of reach, but it would do. She found Vaughn amazingly attractive, but she wouldn’t dare even think about it. Finding a light comedy she’d seen before, she settled on that. If he didn’t have any preference, he was stuck with it.
Sneaking a glance at him, she found him doing exactly the same. He gave a wry grin. “So where do we go from here?”
“Nowhere,” she said. She didn’t know what Nathan thought about a connection between her and Vaughn, but until she did, she couldn’t risk getting close.
“Nathan’s good with us.”
That statement shocked her to her toes. “Nathan? The man who hates me touching male patients?”
“This is different.” He didn’t move, but he seemed to crowd her, his presence so powerful it overwhelmed her. “We’re breed partners. We could have gone for a long time dancing around one another, but the minute he got his hands on my heart, we knew.”
“You knew? But you were unconscious.”
“Dying.” He lifted the hand nearest to her, waving the fingers expressively. “Let’s tell it like it is. If he hadn’t been my breed partner, I would probably have died. But he called me back. The recognition went right through me. It changed me, and I came back.”
“The choice to leave wasn’t yours.”
He shook his head gravely. “It is, to some extent. If I choose not to fight, then I can go peacefully.” He gave a short laugh. “You don’t go through battle situations without learning that. This isn’t my first injury.” He raised his hand again and let it fall on the couch. “I had to give them some excuse or hide it until I could show it to them. My unit was okay with it, but outside, no.” He shrugged. “I can’t go back. And of course, with Wildcats, they knew what to do.”
“Have you been with Wildcats long?”
“A few years.”
“What will you do now?”
His laugh rolled out. “I’m fucked if I know. Honestly? I’m waiting for all these changes to sink in. Then I’ll decide. I could become a man of leisure. I’m not rich, but I have enough. Or I could look into setting up a branch of Wildcats in Goldclaw. Maybe I should train as a medic.”
“You could,” she said doubtfully, only to get that deep, rolling laugh again. Trying to think of something to fill the space before Nathan came in with the popcorn, she said, “How about a beer?”
“That would be good.” Was he too fast to say that? Was he feeling uncomfortable, too?
No, not uncomfortable, Trinity reflected as she got to her feet. She crossed the room to the refrigerator set into the shelf unit on the far wall.
The lighting in the room was dim. Before she could stop herself, she caught her foot on the edge of the rug and tumbled.
Strong arms waited to catch her before she completed the fall. Smoothly he took his seat, but with her in his lap. He brushed the hair away from her face. “Are you okay?”
Flustered, heat rising to her cheeks, Trinity nodded. “Clumsy,” she mumbled. “I’m fine.”
When she tried to sit up, his hold on her tightened. Gazing into her face, he murmured, “I’ve never felt anything like this before,” and kissed her.
The moment his lips touched hers, all rational thought flew out of her head. When she opened her mouth to him, he accepted her invitation immediately, pushing his tongue inside to taste her.
Oh, fuck, she was gone. Completely helpless in his arms, she gave herself over to him. He groaned into her mouth. Not for one minute did she forget who was holding her. He felt so different to Nathan, his power a punching beat inside her chest, his demands more visceral.
The connection between them was instant and insoluble. She wanted him so badly she could feel it drumming through her veins. She had no power to push him away, though not for one minute did she believe that if she did that, he wouldn’t release her.
She couldn’t understand why she knew that, why she was completely confident that if she told him to stop, he would. Then her sluggish reason caught up with him. He was in her mind, exactly how Nathan rested on the outer levels of her mind. He didn’t intrude, but sensed her reaction to him so he could adjust his approach and cater to her needs.
That was enough to blow any woman’s mind. That this man did it melted her. No, she would take full responsibility when—
The door opened, and a soft groan was followed by a click as something was placed on the table by the sofa.
Slowly, her senses swam back into being. The TV sounded abnormally loud, and she became aware of her position. She was lying flat on the sofa, with Vaughn leaning over her, kissing the shit out of her.
Frantically, she beat at Vaughn’s shoulders. What had come over her? How could she have done this? Vaughn drew away, but not far, and caught her hands in his, gent
ly, not hurting her. He turned his head and met Nathan’s gaze.
Trinity tried to reach Nathan, mind to mind, but his was locked down. He wasn’t letting her in, and that hurt more than she had imagined. He brushed his mind against hers several times a day, a caress and a form of communication she was coming to rely on.
Vaughn was still there. He stayed quietly there, his presence watchful but nothing else.
“When I said we should try, I didn’t think you’d get straight at it,” Nathan said. He laughed harshly.
“You don’t want this, you say so,” Vaughn replied steadily, turning his head to meet Nathan’s eyes. He let Trinity pull her hands from his hold. She lay there, deeply aware of their positions and their disheveled clothing. She’d pulled Vaughn’s T-shirt up, and he’d had one hand on her waist. Another minute and she’d have her top and bra off. What had she been thinking?
That was the problem. She hadn’t been thinking at all.
Vaughn continued to speak. “I won’t leave because of Trinity, but I will make myself scarce if that’s what you want. Well?” He snapped the last word.
Nathan folded his arms, the sinews and taut muscles standing out in the flickering light from the TV. Onscreen, someone shouted. Nobody took any notice. The sound impinged for a moment, and then was gone. “I said you could. I said I didn’t feel jealous or possessive of her where you were concerned. But it was up to Trinity.” His nostrils flared. Was he scenting her arousal? Of course he was.
“Do you still feel that way?” Vaughn was demonstrating the caution of a cat entering another cat’s territory. Their behavior was at least half cat now, although their appearance was all male, all human. “I’ll back off, but now I’ve had a taste, I’ll be back. I can’t keep away. Can’t.” He emphasized the last word.
Trinity got the impression of two big male animals circling one another, waiting for the first to strike.
“How do I feel?” Nathan didn’t take his eyes off them. Vaughn wasn’t moving. He was in possession of the prey—her—and he wouldn’t give her up easily. “I didn’t tell you one thing because I didn’t know it at the time. I didn’t know how fucking turned on this would make me.”
He prowled closer, ripping his T-shirt off without pause. The TV lights flickered over his six-pack, emphasizing the slopes and slabs of muscle. “Unless you stop this now, baby, this is going to be a confirmation of our bonding. Well?”
Several thoughts went through her mind, all to be dismissed at his last, peremptory demand. Dry-mouthed, she nodded then licked her lips. The attention of both males went to her mouth, watched her open it. “I want it.” She couldn’t ask them to be gentle. They wouldn’t intentionally hurt her, but this would be rough, not like human lovemaking. Bonding went beyond that. This would be a confirmation, solidifying what they had already done. With most shape-shifters, bonding happened when the sperm of both men met inside her womb. They had bonded in another way, a way she hadn’t considered possible, but it had happened. She knew it deep in her soul. Bonding through sex was the inevitable next step.
It was primitive, born of an urge the men could barely control. She would be treasured by them, and perhaps they might get to be too much, but she’d have to learn to control them. Because her job meant close physical contact with men, and she had no intention of giving up her job.
She lay completely still. Her instincts told her not to draw attention to herself from these great predators, even though she knew it was too late to take cover. Bonding? She’d said yes. Her mind clunked back into some semblance of activity. That meant, fuck, that meant two men coming inside her at the same time. Did it have to be her pussy? Or could they—her thoughts went back to when Nathan had fucked her in the shower.
A tiny smile curved his mouth, and he nodded. She needed no other confirmation. “In a way,” he said, his voice incredibly soft. “We’ll both come in your cunt.” He caught his lower lip between his teeth as if he hurt, closed his eyes and sucked in a deep breath through his nose. “I’m losing control here.”
Vaughn cupped her cheek and stared into her eyes. “We’ll take our time preparing you, honey. Hurting you is the last thing we want to do.”
That didn’t stop her being scared. But it was a good fear, the kind that sharpened her senses and made her pussy wet. She didn’t get off on fear, but this, the ramping up of anything she’d known before, made her tense and apprehensive.
Vaughn slid his arm behind her back and scooped her up so she sat upright. Nathan unashamedly stripped, leaving his clothes where they fell, another sign that neat, precise Nathan had been left behind somewhere. This was all male, all hunter. And he was hunting her. He sat in the space Trinity had just vacated by sitting up.
“We’re all entering the unknown here.”
“But you know what to do,” she said, her voice faltering in the hush made when Vaughn turned off the TV.
“We feel it, baby,” Nathan said, his voice rough. “It’s instinct.”
He palmed her cheek and kissed her. He thrust his tongue into her mouth, taking her with a fierce claiming, licking into all the places Vaughn had explored a moment ago.
She felt a smooth glide up her back, and then cool air hit her bare flesh. Shock sent her rigid for a second. Vaughn had extended a claw and cut her T-shirt away. Her bra fell with it. Efficiently, he sliced the shoulders then the sleeves, leaving the pieces to fall away. His hands spread over her back, encompassing her, his fingers easily stretching from one side to the other. He smoothed her flesh, stroked her as if she was the cat and he the human. The claw was gone, retracted into the skin under his human fingernail. Vaughn’s hands were rough, compared to her own and Nathan, but Nathan had to keep his hands supple and sensitive. His job depended on it.
She wasn’t thinking about work now. The men were driving all thoughts out of her head, putting sensual memories in their place. Nathan’s kiss had an edge of wildness. She hadn’t realized before now that he’d been holding back. Now she opened to him and accepted the way he ravaged her mouth, desperation edging his desire and urging her to do more. He palmed a breast, his fingers tweaking her nipple. Sharp sensations went through her, and she groaned, only for him to swallow the sound.
Vaughn was touching her, stroking her, caressing every part of her, including her toes. He took one briefly into his mouth, and she felt the tingle right up to the top of her head. If anyone had asked her she’d have said that toe sucking wasn’t her thing, but when Vaughn did it, it was.
He kissed her hip, her stomach, and touched the breast Nathan wasn’t caressing. Two different men touching her breasts felt fucking amazing. The differences between them, and the similarities, as they stroked, pinched, and nipped sent her up so high she was squirming on the couch.
Nathan lifted away, his mouth reddened from their extended series of kisses. His eyes were slumberous, dark with desire. “I meant it,” he said. “I am so turned on right now I’m finding it hard holding back.”
Vaughn took advantage of the space, working his way up her body to take a nipple into his mouth. He sucked hard before he released it, the peak crinkling when the chill hit it.
She squirmed again, but after dispensing with her pants, Vaughn put his hands on her hips and licked her. His tongue, long and probing, returned before she could take in what he was doing and pushed inside her. “Fuck!” Nobody had reached so deep inside her with their tongue before.
Her long, low groan evoked a growl from Nathan. “He’s partially shifted. That’s a panther’s tongue you’ve got inside of you.”
She didn’t know whether to push him away or not. How to cope with this totally unexpected turn of events. Should she be appalled? But she could only thrill to the sensations Vaughn was giving her. In this form, his tongue was harsher, rougher, and the tip more pronounced. He could control it better, and he did, curling it delicately around her inner channel. Her cunt responded, clenching in a series of mini-quakes, precursor to her orgasm.
He glanced up an
d met her gaze. His face was human, but his eyes had gone cat. They were glossier, and they had a yellow iris with a black center, no white, shocking her and thrilling her at the same time.
Her body wound itself up to a peak and halted, preparing to fall off the cliff…
Then he pulled out.
When he looked at her again, his eyes had returned to human, and when he spoke, no trace of a rough, pointed tongue remained. “It’s time. You’re ready.”
She’d never felt so ready.
Nathan was lying on the floor cushions, gathering them together to make an impromptu bed. His cock reared up, red and impatient, waiting for her. He held out his arms. “Come here.”
In the past she wouldn’t have hesitated, but now, she glanced at Vaughn. He nodded. “He’s right. It’s time. I want you so much, Trinity. Let’s get this on the road.”
“Well, that’s one way of putting it.”
Her clothes lay in shreds under her body, falling away as she rose to join Nathan. He glanced over at Vaughn. “You know what to do, right?”
Vaughn only raised a dark brow.
She should feel embarrassed or reluctant or something, but all Trinity felt was the same as Vaughn. She wanted more, and she wanted it now. To start what was obviously a new thread in her life.
She lifted a leg and straddled Nathan, the man she loved, the man with all the love and approval of the world in his eyes.
“So beautiful,” he murmured.
It was a private moment between them, but it didn’t last long. Vaughn’s gaze burned into her as she took Nathan’s cock in her hand. She didn’t dare pump it, although she longed to. She wanted to taste it, too, but if she had, he might have exploded. He watched her, his face impassive but his eyes fierce with desire.
This situation was hers to control he was telling her silently. She could decide how everything went from now on.
She knew exactly what she wanted. Lifting up on to her knees, she positioned him at the entrance to her pussy. His cock felt large, round, reassuringly solid, and she wanted nothing more than to have him inside her.
