A Forever Series Box Set: A Paranormal Reverse Harem: Books 6-10

by Eve Newton

  “Xane,” booms a voice from the corridor. It is Xerxes. “You have a…visitor,” he says unpleasantly as he joins us in the bedroom. This is now uncomfortable, and I want to get out of here as soon as possible.

  “Whoever it is, tell them to make an appointment. I’m busy,” he snaps.

  “Indeed,” Xerxes eyes flick briefly to me kindly, before they snap icily back to Xane. “Go downstairs at once. This needs dealing with. In fact, I had hoped it was something you had already dealt with,” he says in a reprimand that only a former ruler and father of the current ruler would get away with.

  Xane looks at him curiously and then sighs, “Oh.” He turns to me with an apologetic look, “I have to sort this out.”

  “No worries. Everything okay?” I ask.

  “Just a problem that won’t go away,” he says with a look at Xerxes who nods in understanding.

  “Can I help?” I ask, stepping closer to him as a woman’s voice from behind Xerxes says, “A problem? You think of me as a problem?”

  Xerxes huffs and Xane sighs and Xander looks amused and I look...confused.

  “What is going on here?” I ask him.

  Xerxes steps aside and my eyes land on a striking woman several inches taller than me, even in my heels, with flaxen hair and cornflower eyes. Her eyes land on me and flick quickly to the very rumpled bed and then to Xane, in fury.

  Uh-oh. Trouble brewing of the relationship kind. I had no idea he was involved with someone as he never said, all he said was he was taking himself off the market.

  “And you would be?” she asks me rudely, stepping closer to Xane in a possessive move which he is not happy with.

  “That is your Queen, CeeCee,” he says through gritted teeth.

  Her eyes widen slightly, and she takes me in again. “I see,” she says and then looks at him and softens slightly. “I understand. It’s political. I can accept that.”

  “That isn’t what this is,” he says softly and takes her by the elbow. “We need to talk, again, apparently.” And without a backward glance, he ushers her out of the room leaving me, Xerxes, and Xander to look at each other in silence.

  “Well, if you will excuse me, I had better make sure that things don’t get too problematic,” Xerxes says and leaves hastily. Then there were two.

  “Cefalonia Cerveaux of the House of Aldric,” Xander says to me by way of explanation. “Xane’s fiancée. Or ex as the case may be?” he asks me, and I have no answer to that.

  “I guess that is up to them. Nothing to do with me,” I say, holding up my hands and absolving myself of any ramifications.

  “No, I think it is everything to do with you. I have been here five minutes and I can see he is in love with you.”

  “It makes no difference if he is beholden to duty,” I say, crossing my arms as he is looking intently at me and it is unnerving.

  “Of course it makes a difference,” he scoffs. “Although, it is his own misfortune that he chose to fall in love with you, of all people.”

  “Excuse me?” I ask, highly insulted by his tone.

  “I don’t mean offense. Just that you are a Vampire and married.” His eyes go to my rings before piercing mine again. “Do you intend to divorce your husband and marry my brother, forsaking all others?”

  “That is none of your business,” I say, getting irritated.

  “How many others?” he asks, now standing directly in front of me. “Does Xane know?”

  “You are crossing a line,” I snarl up at him before he drops his mouth to mine to kiss me. Stunned, I grab his throat and push him back. “Try that again and I will have your head,” I say quietly as he gives me a conceited smile.

  “Try that again, Xander, and I will take it myself,” Xanthe says from the doorway. “The Queen is not for you; you will respect her and treat her accordingly.”

  He looks suitably cowed but can’t resist saying, “Can’t blame a guy for trying,” before he shuffles off under the baleful glare of his mother.

  “I do apologize, Your Majesty,” she says. “He is young and so competitive with his older brother. Everything is a game to him. He will learn one day when he makes the mistake of picking on the wrong person.”

  “Yes, well unfortunately for him, I am the wrong person. Fortunately, however, there was no one here to see it,” I add wryly.

  “Indeed,” she mutters. “Come with me, I would like to talk with you.” She beckons me down the corridor and we pass several doors before she speaks. “Do not worry about CeeCee. She is a stubborn woman, but I can’t blame her for being so. She and Xane have been expected to marry since the day they were both born. When he called it off, it was a shock to the House of Aldric and she has refused to accept it.”

  I have no idea why she is telling me this. Am I supposed to do something about it?

  She pushes open a door and leads me into a nursery. Err, what are we doing in here?

  She picks up the fussing child and shushes her, jiggling her as she goes to get a bottle for her to heat up. I stand there staring at her. She is so comfortable, but then I suppose she does have twenty-one kids and I can’t remember how many grand kids.

  “This is Xena. She is six months old,” she says quietly. “She will be our last. Would you like to hold her?”

  No, no, no, I open my mouth to say but she shoves the baby at me anyway and it’s either let the poor thing drop to the floor or take her in my arms. She looks up at me with her big blue eyes and gurgles, giving me a gummy smile that makes my breath catch. She is too cute for words.

  “Hi,” I whisper, tickling her tummy gently and she grabs my finger.

  “She likes you,” Xanthe says and I smile at her.

  “Ah, she just knows how to pick a side. Just like her big brother,” I say, brushing it off even though I am pleased inside.

  “That isn’t what he is doing,” she says seriously.

  I shift uncomfortably. This family is far too interested in what is going on with me and him. He said it would just be between us, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. I try to hand the child back to her, but she smiles and hands me the bottle. “She is settled. Feed her and I will go and see if things are still amicable.”

  Erm, what do I do now? I think, as she disappears, leaving me alone with the infant. I am a complete amateur when it comes to kids. I looked after my baby sister for a few weeks at best before she died over a thousand years ago and that is my whole experience. Why CK thinks I will be a great mother is still beyond me. And the bigger question is, why I even agreed to it in the first place. I frown as I remember that dream, I had the other week where Sebastian said I was being reasonable about my future with CK because of what he was doing to me. Paranoid! My brain yells at me again. I shake my head and sit down in a big comfy armchair focusing on little Xena, forgetting about The Thirteen and his mind games.

  Xane finds me like this a little while later and comes to crouch next to me as he stares at us in awe. “You are so good with her,” he says quietly.

  “She is a good little girl,” I say back with a smile as I pull the bottle out of her slack mouth as she has gone to sleep.

  “No, she is the devil, this one. Pure evil,” he says. “You have the magick touch.”

  “Don’t be silly,” I admonish him for his harsh words. “She is the most beautiful little thing I have ever seen,” I add, going over all mushy.

  “Just like her Queen,” he says as he curls my hair around my ear.

  I smile at him. “Did you get your issue sorted?” I ask as I stand up carefully and carry Xena to her crib.

  “Yes. I’m sorry that you had to find out about it that way. I would rather have told you myself.”

  I place the baby in the crib and tuck her in. I don’t know if I have done it right, so I look uncertainly at Xane, who quietly laughs at me. “Perfect,” he whispers and takes my hand, leading me out of the nursery.

  “You have nothing to explain,” I say. “But I am curious as to why you have called it o
ff,” I add casually.

  “You know why,” he says looking away.

  “But…”

  “No buts,” he says with finality. “We should get back.”

  “Okay.” I leave it for now. It’s up to him to do what he wants, but he must know that there is no future for us.

  He tightens his grip on my hand and Astraports us back to the suite, where everyone is standing around waiting for us by the looks of it.

  “Wait,” I say to him. “I didn’t say goodbye to your mother and tell her Xena was asleep.”

  “It’s fine. I’m sure she will go in and check on her soon.”

  “Who is Xena?” comes the question from Cole, as he strides forward to pull me away from Xane, who hasn’t let go of my hand yet.

  “Xane’s baby sister,” I say with a big smile. “She is the most darling thing I ever laid eyes on.” Stunned silence follows that comment and I catch CK’s eye. His expression goes from annoyed to perplexed to happy in the blink of an eye, glad that I am excited about a baby. Even if it isn’t ours.

  “You put a baby to sleep?” Devon asks, probably the most shocked out of the group, as he knows I am the least maternal creature on the planet.

  “Like a pro,” Xane says with pride.

  “Huh,” he says. “That’s interesting.”

  “Anyway,” I say, “I am sure you are all here because you already know that other me came up with the goods and told me how to get rid of The Thirteen.”

  “Yes,” Lincoln says as he stands and runs his hand through his hair, agitated. “Do fill us in and then I need to talk to you about something, in private.”

  Everyone’s eyes go to him as he is usually less verbal than that in front of everyone, preferring to keep our conversations to ourselves.

  “Everything okay?” I ask in concern.

  “Uh-huh.” He drums his fingers on his thigh and paces like a caged lion, err Wolf, and the penny drops. It is near the full moon and he is getting antsy.

  “Fine. I will make this quick.” I launch into my tale of how to defeat the thing and everyone nods their approval.

  “So, as soon as he turns up and I can get him out from behind that damn force field, it's curtains for him!” I say triumphantly.

  “Yep, and then we will go, and you can kick his ass,” Xane says with just as much enthusiasm.

  “We will go?” CK asks. “We?”

  “Yes, we,” I say. “Xane is going to attempt to come with me.”

  “Oh, really? And why would that be then? Why him? Why not me?” he asks, now also getting his ants on, same as Lincoln, who is glowering at me from across the room. Geez.

  “Firstly, because he asked to,” I snap at them both even though Lincoln didn’t say anything. “And secondly, because he is the only one of you that stands a chance of actually making it back home.”

  “I take offense to that,” CK says haughtily and has the agreement of the rest of the room behind him, most especially from Sebastian.

  “Do you?” I say and call G.I. to my hand. I wave it about, causing everyone to take a giant step back from me. “Still offended?” I ask sweetly as I step closer to Xane, who remains where he is not flinching. “As I said, the only one that stands a chance of making it back.”

  “That’s not fair,” Lincoln says, stepping forward. “How come he gets to go near it?”

  “He is ruler of Hades. The sword is made from Hellfire. Ergo, it falls under his purview. Would be pretty damn stupid if he were vulnerable to it, wouldn’t it?” I am getting agitated myself now and I know it is in response to Lincoln’s attitude. While Xane may not have the power to wield the sword, he is still at least invulnerable to its flaming charms.

  “Right,” Cole says. “I think we should break this up before someone gets hurt. There is just way too much supernatural vibe bouncing about.”

  “Fine,” we all snap at him and I make the sword disappear. Xane pulls me to him and gives me a quick kiss.

  “I will be able to sense it from you if he turns up when I am not here. Don’t go without me,” he says with a smile and I smile back at him, patting his hand that is resting on my cheek. There is a stony silence and he quickly removes his hand but not before everyone in the room has had a good look at the matching marking, he is now sporting on his left wrist.

  “That’s new,” CK growls at him and he shrugs.

  “She has one and now so do I. Like it or not, we are connected.”

  “Xane,” I say quietly but he doesn’t say anything else before he Astraports out, leaving me to deal with the fall out. Thanks a bunch.

  “It’s no big deal, okay,” I say and change the subject. “Linc, you wanted a word?”

  “Yes,” he says and strides forward and thankfully everyone drops the marking thing and steps back. Apparently aggressive Alpha Wolves let off a leave-me-alone vibe that all of us take seriously.

  “That conversation is not over,” CK says to me, but skirts around Lincoln to kiss me goodbye anyway as does Devon, and Jess waves to me as they leave. Sebastian stands his ground for a few more moments, wanting to say something but then he turns to leave too, leaving me, Cole, and Lincoln.

  Lincoln stares down at Cole, who eventually caves, and snaps, “Fine, I’ll be in the bedroom. Don’t be long.” He kisses me and beats it, leaving us alone.

  “Sorry,” he mutters. “I know I am being moody.”

  “Don’t apologize, I understand,” I say and pull him to me.

  He wraps his arms around me and sighs. “That’s better,” he says. “I need you near me. This is the first time that I haven’t been near you.”

  It’s true. He has always been under the same roof as me in the run up to the full moon. I suppose, technically, we are under the same roof in this hotel, but it isn’t the same.

  “What can I do?”

  “Just be here for a while, please. It is especially difficult as we have our Pack now, but they aren’t here. It’s making me anxious. Do you feel it?”

  I do now. It must be coming from him though as I didn’t before. Does that make me a bad Alpha? Or just a preoccupied one?

  “Can I stay?” he asks suddenly and desperately. I know he didn’t want to ask but couldn’t help himself.

  “Cole?” I call out, giving Lincoln a smile.

  “Yes?” he asks, coming back into the room.

  “He’s staying,” I say, trying for distraction as I run my hand up his arm. “We’ve always been together and it’s making him edgy being away.”

  “Fine,” Cole grouses and stalks off to the bedroom muttering, “Fuck’s sake, we really do need that orgy bed.”

  Lincoln flushes as I pull him into the bedroom with me. “No, no, Liv. I didn’t mean in here. I can sleep on the sofa.”

  “No. In here,” Cole snaps at him. “It’s where she wants you.”

  “No!” Lincoln says, becoming defensive. “The others would definitely take advantage of that, but you know that I wouldn’t.”

  “Humph,” Cole says rudely but grudgingly accepts it as truth. “Still, you stay here. End of story.”

  Lincoln blinks at me, his cheeks going a bit pink. It takes me a moment to catch on.

  I turn to Cole. “He sleeps naked,’ I state with a small smile.

  “So do I,” Cole retorts. “So do you,” he adds with a wicked smile.

  “Oh?” I ask with an arched eyebrow. Is he suggesting what I think he is? I strip off and climb onto the bed, holding my hand out for Lincoln as I keep my eyes on Cole. I watch with growing hunger as Cole also strips off, his eyes firmly on mine. I see a world of emotion in them and I grasp the situation now for what it is. Cole is trying to make it up to me for what he did at the party. He thinks he has to, which is ridiculous. However, I will not look this gift horse in the mouth. I am going to take it at face value and ride the two of them like a raging nympho. I am practically shaking with the thought of both of their hands on me.

  I cut my gaze to Lincoln, who is still standing there look
ing a bit awkward.

  I gesture at him to hurry up and get undressed. I want to get this show started. Now!

  He gives me a baleful look, but then starts to undress slowly. He was happy enough to do this with Devon, for some reason he is feeling shy in front of Cole. I will have to remind myself to ask him why later.

  I can’t wait any longer, though. Cole is already with me on the bed, so I turn to him and launch myself at him. He grabs me, kissing me deeply, his hands going into my hair. I find it odd that he shuffles us around so that his back is facing Lincoln. How is that going to help anyone? Namely me. He has blocked me off from my Wolf lover. I pull back sharply to see if it was intentional, but he pushes me down and dives on me, spreading my legs wide and impaling me all in one move. I gasp out loud, a bit put out by this suddenness. Lincoln growls at him, but Cole ignores him as he pounds into me.

  “I’m taking you first,” Cole pants in my ear. “I am not following…that.” He gestures in the general region of Lincoln. I frown at him and his rude comment, but then when Lincoln’s massive cock comes into view, I bite my lip to hide my smile.

  “Oh,” I say, trying my hardest not to laugh.

  “Don’t you dare laugh,” Cole warns me, but his eyes are twinkling with laughter he is holding onto.

  “I wouldn’t ever,” I tell him solemnly.

  He snorts, but then bites down on my neck so that I can focus on him again. I shudder in his arms, as Lincoln, finally deciding to join us, roughly pulls my head to the side so that he can kiss me. It jars Cole’s fangs in my neck. I grunt with pain, but soon I forget all about it. Cole releases me and then raises himself up onto his knees, dragging me back down onto his cock so he can finish. Lincoln’s fingers trail over my nipples. He tweaks one, hard, making me yelp into his mouth, but it makes me even wetter, causing Cole to groan in desire as he feels it. He shoots his load into me soon after that.

  “Fuck,” he growls, grinding into me, draining himself completely, before he pulls out.

  He grabs my hands and sits me up. Lincoln falls back to his knees and I climb onto his lap immediately.

  “Christ,” he murmurs before he pushes his tongue back into my mouth. “I love you.”