by J. E. Cluney
“Nuh-uh, you have to tell me,” I said as I whacked his arm softly, drawing his attention back. His mouth curved into a smirk as he shook his head.
An image as strong as those I’d shared with Marcus and Skip seared into my mind, and my body swayed at how real it felt. Blood rushed down to my private region, and I moaned as the scene dissipated.
Lucas had caught me, frowning as he held me.
“What’s wrong, you okay?” he asked, his voice laced with concern and a hint of fear.
“Fine,” I lied, staring up at him in shock. Fuck. They were going to be the death of me.
Had I seen into his head like Skip? It had to be that. But the scene, now that was what caught my interest.
I was part of a threesome, and fuck it was perfect as the two men ravaged my body. But then Ollie had stepped in, and rather than the scene ending, he’d joined in.
Just what didn’t I know about my housemates?
“You sure?” Lucas asked, those deep emerald eyes searching mine.
How badly I wanted to pull him into a kiss, to wrap my legs around his waist and demand we act out that scene.
Would Ollie really be down for that?
Holy hell.
“Tell me more about the sex house.”
7
Lucas laughed at this, helping me stand up straight again before releasing me.
“What?” I growled softly, and he just grinned widely.
“I don’t know what you mean,” he shrugged, but the twinkle was evident in his eyes.
I felt like I could tell Lucas everything. That he could know the truth. I had a feeling Marcus might’ve already picked up on our connection, maybe. If he’d searched. Or maybe not. I’d have to ask him.
“I saw into Skip’s mind yesterday morning, and then you, just now,” I said as I pursed my lips, trailing my eyes over his lips once more. What would a warlock be like anyway? What could he do in the bedroom?
“You what?” Lucas’s face dropped as the blood drained from his face.
“Seems I only catch the sexual stuff,” I shrugged.
Lucas looked even more worried. Okay. Maybe I shouldn’t have told him.
“What’d you see?” he asked quietly.
“Nearly all of you,” I purred.
Lucas drew in a sharp breath as he chewed his lip, but he couldn’t stop the small smile from escaping.
“Our dynamics at home… have been interesting,” he said slowly.
Another flash of images made me flush, my body throbbing desperately in response.
“You turn into a chick?” I choked, the hot scene of Skip beneath Lucas, or Lucy, as he liked to be called, the feeling of him pounding into me. I could literally feel that second head on his penis pushing me over the edge. And then the flash was gone. This was much stronger than the one with Skip, and different to the one with Marcus. I’d seen his life, felt in, from his perspective, but never these kinds of moments, it was more like I was looking in from the outside. With Lucas, the first was just a scene, like I was looking in through a window, this second one, I was him.
And damn, I needed some dick.
Now.
“All right! We don’t need this,” Lucas said as he waved a glowing blue hand. The sparkle of magic floated up to his forehead, and I mumbled in annoyance. I knew right away he was blocking me out.
“So you’re some kind of telepath, great,” Lucas rolled his eyes, but the smile was still dancing on his lips.
“Have they all been with you?” I asked, the thought burning me up. God, I ached so badly right now.
Lucas pursed his lips as he scrutinized me, his eyes rolling over me in complete intrigue.
“Maybe.”
Hot hell, mother of Satan.
“Even Marcus?” I asked, but as soon as I did, I knew. Just like I knew everything about him. That little devil.
Lucas smirked at my obvious expression.
“All of them.”
“At once?” I squeaked, my heart hammering at the thought.
“I haven’t been that lucky,” he chuckled.
I just stared at him, wishing I could know more, see more, hell, feel it. Damn, that had been amazing, and unique.
“Why didn’t you say something sooner?” he asked as he folded his arms.
“Didn’t feel like I needed to,” I shrugged. “I’m still figuring it out. Emma texted me, I’m going to see her after work tonight, get a reading from her mom, might provide some better answers,” I said, trying to ignore the pit in my stomach. I was worried about what she might say.
“What about your aunt and uncle?” he queried.
“I asked them, Natalie thinks she heard a story that sounded similar as a kid. She’s going to ask her mom and get back to me.” Speaking of, I pulled my phone out of my back pocket to check for notifications. Nothing except a few friend requests from Corviticus University Students. Some from my classes, others not.
“Interesting,” Lucas said as he looked out across the paddock.
Ollie was cantering our way now, Million looking amazing, moving with such grace and perfection. No more prancing and losing his shit anymore.
My body’s throbbing died down a little, but I kinda still wished I could dig deeper about this sex house thing. I’d thought Marcus had been joking at first, but there was more going on with my housemates.
“So, Ollie said you want to start a potion shop one day,” I said, changing the topic. No need to jump Lucas in front of Ollie. Hell, maybe he’d join in.
No. Stop, now’s not the place, or time.
But my slip into Lucas’s head had opened up so much to me. Maybe my desire to have all the boys wasn’t just one sided. They apparently could share.
That only made my body react again.
“Yeah, maybe. It was what I wanted to do for ages, but I’m thinking of maybe looking to get into private investigating instead. Magical stuff. There are only a few supe PIs around, so there’s plenty of work. And besides, it would be much more fun than running a business,” he said.
A private investigator? Now that was an interesting choice.
“Why the change of heart?”
“I’ve got the magic side of it, and I’ve been studying spells for police work and investigating. I’d like to help make a good difference in the supe community,” he shrugged.
“Don’t PIs, like, find cheating wives and things like that?” I frowned. That was my rough understanding of it anyway.
“Yes and no. I’d take on more legitimate jobs, like lost children, missing people, that sort of thing. Warlock magic could come in handy there. Not to mention if I keep it up, I might be able to work for the Council. They outsource a lot of detective work to investigators with skills. That kind of job would make my father lose his shit,” he scoffed.
“So it’s more about pissing off your dad?” I asked carefully.
“No, that’s just a bonus,” he smirked.
“Well, I think we’re finished up here, besides, we need to get you to work. Where’s Skip?” Ollie asked as he pulled Million up before the gate.
“Helping your pop feed the horses down the back. He should be back soon, if not already,” Lucas said as he glanced over his shoulder.
“Okay, well, I’ll untack this big boy, but I’ll come back and see him soon. You still keen, Ally?” he looked to me, those beautiful amber eyes bright and joyous after his ride.
Too bad my mind was replaying the dirty scene from Lucas’s head.
He noticed my arousal too as his nostrils flared and his eyes swept over me.
“Sure,” I said, shifting under his hot gaze. What would my timid little shifter be like anyway? Did that barbed penis scare me off? I’d ask Emma tonight what one was like, if she knew.
“I’ll meet you guys back at the house,” I said, willing my arousal away. Of all the times, why right now?
This telepathy thing was going to start causing some serious issues.
“I’m sure Ollie has this on hi
s own, he’s got the special touch with this big fella,” Lucas said warmly as he patted Million’s neck over the gate. “I’ll walk you back.”
Great, just what I needed, utter temptation.
We headed off once Ollie had dismounted, his burning gaze following after me. What would he be like to kiss? Was there a hidden animal beneath his sweet surface? How I wanted to find out.
“So, our little dynamic household really doesn’t bother you?” Lucas asked as he stretched his arms and rested his hands behind his head as he walked. This movement made his shirt ride up, and damn, that delicious little V dipping into his jeans was a mouth-watering sight. I’d been right. All the men were ripped in the house.
“Does knowing my housemates sleep together bother me? Not at all,” I snorted. “Makes it interesting.”
Lucas laughed at this, and the odd tension eased around us.
“Guess it really is the sex house then,” I snickered.
“Well, sometimes we throw parties, get some extra girls over so the guys can have some quality alone time with someone,” he said, and my stomach knotted in jealousy at this.
“Who are these girls?” I asked, trying to keep the annoyance from my voice.
“Just chicks from Tinder, one night stand type of things, no strings,” he chuckled. “Does it bother you?”
“No,” I shot back, but too quickly, obviously, for he grinned at me.
“Now, Cupcake, it sounds like you’re feeling a little possessive of us,” he laughed, that freeing, beautiful rumble making me swoon. I loved hearing him laugh, hell, I loved hearing them all laugh.
“No, why would I?” I murmured, trying to stop my shoulders from rising defensively.
“Because you want all of us,” he mused, those forest green eyes flicking to me in amusement.
“What? No, that’s absurd,” I frowned, biting my lip.
“Not really, we’re all young adults, in our prime sex years,” he grinned. “But relax, we wouldn’t take advantage of you like that.”
I certainly wouldn’t stop them if they did.
“So, what was it like? Connecting with Marcus, mentally?” Lucas asked, changing the topic.
“Weird, but now it feels like he’s a part of me, a part of my life. I know all there is to know about him, everything he went through. If I think of something I want to know, like you and him earlier, I suddenly just know,” I murmured as I fiddled with my charm bracelet. “Emma thought maybe the linking of our minds had something to with my magic that connected me to Marcus and these,” I said as I held the charm bracelet up.
“Have you seen anything from Oliver?” he asked, staring at my bracelet curiously.
“No, but he doesn’t wear a bracelet or anything, does he?”
“No, the magic is formulated to connect us to him in times of shifts. It’s an interesting concept, I can do some research tonight, see what I can find?” he offered.
“That’d be awesome, thanks.”
“You said earlier you missed your grandfather, but you don’t talk about your mom, and I’ve only heard about your sister that night with Richo and Issac,” I said as I eyed him carefully. The mention of his family had made him tense up already.
“Nothing to talk about with them really, sister is a selfish cow, mother turned her back on me. They’re not important to me anymore,” Lucas shrugged, but I could see his frustration with the subject.
I let it go, not wanting to upset him, and moved the conversation to his sorcery and magic classes.
He was enjoying them, learning a number of new spells about masking things and shields. He’d been learning about how magic could be used to cover up scenes from humans, say a car accident with supes, a full magic spell could be cast that could mask the area. Anyone in the vicinity wouldn’t see anything, and if they happened to walk into the zone, they’d be teleported to the other side.
Some had even gotten skilled enough to use it on supes themselves. Hide things from supes.
It was an interesting thought, and he was telling me how they were also training on how to lift these maskings if laid by someone in an unlawful way. Say a powerful witch or warlock was covering up a crime scene to even supes, masking the smells and scene, a trained warlock or powerful witch could lift it.
We talked a lot about magic, about the various unique things he could do. Eventually, he could learn how to turn creatures and people into other things. Say turning a mouse into a horse like in Cinderella, or a person into a bird. He was eager to learn it, but couldn’t practice such magic outside of the University until he was deemed competent and safe in it. No need for partially mutated creatures with no way of reversing it.
He’d even be able to turn a pumpkin into a carriage as well, which made me grin as we laughed about it.
8
Lucas.
Damn. I agreed with the others not to take advantage of her. But she was so obviously interested, it was hard not to react. She wasn’t just some wounded little lamb like Marcus thought, she could make her own choices. I’d not force anything on her.
But holy hell, I’d not expected her to see into my head.
That was one huge curveball pegged at my face.
But it also left me with questions. Like how, and why? What was she?
And why on earth were we all drawn to her?
Sure, she was sweet and attractive, but it felt like something more.
We dropped her off at work, and I spent the remainder of the car ride wondering what this new ability was. And why had she been able to see into my mind? I was warded quite well against telepaths. But she’d seen through it.
I glanced down at my leather bracelet as Skip drove, sliding my finger beneath it as I frowned.
Emma thought my bracelets were a part of it? That was a unique thought. Did the night of the magic flare-up that linked her and Marcus open up a second linking with all of us? Those wearing the bracelets? But she hadn’t sensed anything from Ollie, despite the magic in the bracelets being tailored to his mind.
“I like Million, he’s a pretty sweet guy,” Ollie said from the backseat.
“You should get back into competing with him. Can he jump?” Skip asked.
“He’s got good turns on him, and did a few small jumps with me,” Ollie nodded. “But I don’t want to compete. I just want to help Pops out with him, that’s all.”
“You looked like you were having a lot of fun out there with him,” I noted, turning and glancing over my shoulder at him.
“He likes to go fast,” Ollie said with a shrug. But a smile was playing at his lips.
Horse-riding had always been his favorite hobby, and he was damn good at it.
“So, anyone made any progress with helping Ally find a hobby?” I asked, my mind still whirling about how she got into my head.
“Nah, but maybe we should pick her up a guitar?” Skip suggested. “Maybe she’d like to learn how to play one.”
“Or piano,” Ollie threw in.
“Surely she’s got some kind of hobby,” I murmured.
“Photography is the only one I can think of that she seems interested in,” Ollie reminded me. He’d said it earlier too when we spoke of hobbies for her.
“Anyone have a good camera?” Skip asked as he turned into our street.
“I’ve got a canon somewhere actually,” I said, frowning as I tried to remember where it was. It had been a gift from a relative quite a few years back and I’d never used it. I’d forgotten about it completely until now.
“Can she use it?” Ollie asked excitedly.
“She can have it, I have no use for it,” I shrugged as I toyed with my bracelet again.
I had some research to do once I got home. My magic warding on myself should have kept any telepath out of my mind, and knowing Ally had gotten through was a little alarming. Not because it was her, just because it had happened.
There was so much more to this new housemate of ours.
And I intended to uncover it all.
“So you must be Ally,” Emma’s mother, Teresa, beamed at me. Why was I finding that strangely funny? All I could think of was if she called herself Madame Teresa for readings and psychic work, then that would be why I found it amusing. She offered it on the side, but her main business was potions.
She had the same rounded, heart-shaped face as Emma, but her hair was a soft blonde color, sun-bleached and long, reaching down to hang below her breasts.
She was an average built woman, and tonight she wore some pajama pants and a pink singlet. Definitely not a woman who worried about her appearance too much for guests, but it was also six-thirty at night. I’d finished my late shift at work, and Emma had picked me up in her old, beat-up red Hyundai sedan that looked and sounded like it was on its last legs. She had textbooks strewn through it, informing me she’d been studying at a local park for the day.
Teresa ushered me over to the dining table, and I smiled as Emma strode into the adjoining kitchen to hug her father who was still making dinner.
I’d messaged the boys in our group chat to let them know I would stay the evening as Emma had invited me to stay for dinner and then a movie afterwards, then she’d drive me home.
“Well, it’s nice to see Emma with a friend, I’m Tony,” her father said from the kitchen. His head was balding, and his dark brown hair was greying badly. But those bright grey eyes and smile made me instantly like him. There was just something about him that made me feel at ease. Maybe it was seeing how close he was with Emma as she shoved him playfully out of the way to get to the cupboard behind him.
Guess that was where she got her eyes from, considering her mother had hazel eyes.
He was wearing jeans and a fluro yellow work shirt. He must do some kind of trade work.
“Where’s the mars bars?” Emma groaned as she moved to the fridge and searched through it.
“Pixies, always with their sweet tooth,” Teresa sighed. “Can’t you wait until after dinner?”
Emma groaned and mumbled a no in response as her dad chuckled.
“They’re yours, but you have to work for them,” he grinned as he opened the cupboard above the fridge.
