Her boat was like a living thing to her that responded to her handling and her moods in a way nothing else could. Most of all, she missed the feeling of freedom when she stared at a horizon free of cloying vegetation and confining walls.
“We haven’t made plans for the blood moon,” Bryn said, her gaze circling the table to touch on each of her sisters.
Miren caught a note in Bryn’s voice, so slight the men who weren’t as attuned to her inflections missed. “With the men accompanying us to the oak?” she asked.
From across the table, Aoife coughed. She held up sprigs of purple heliotrope blossoms, a signal they should table their discussion until they were alone.
But Miren gave her a sly wink and then a pointed stare at the flowers.
Aoife’s eyes widened and she shook her head, blonde hair shivering around her shoulders.
“What are you doing?” Renner murmured near Miren’s ear.
Miren didn’t bother to answer him. She glared at Aoife. They were witches, dammit. If they wanted to conduct a conversation in private, why wait?
Bryn cleared her throat, drawing all the women’s attention. Then her gaze went to the flower.
Aoife didn’t need another prompt, her pupils dilated as she stared at the blossom.
“Goddess, give us grace.
Give us quiet to commune,
Free of prying eye or pricked ear.
A small gift from one we hold dear.”
“Witch, do you think to ignore me?” Renner asked, this time his whisper gusting softly against her ear.
Miren shivered but kept her gaze on the heliotrope.
“As I will it,” Aoife said, her gaze widening on Renner’s fierce frown, “so mote it be.”
Renner’s fingers squeezed on her thigh and held. The moment stretched.
And then Aoife looked up, a smile tipping up the corners of her mouth. “Quickly, I don’t know how long I can hold this.”
The men were frozen, their expressions locked in a moment of darkening suspicion. They’d heard Aoife’s chant but hadn’t guessed the significance of the bloom. Aoife’s brand of flower magic was rare.
“The blood moon,” Bryn reminded them. “We’ve made no preparations.”
“Do we need anything special?” Darcy asked, her auburn brows rising. “It isn’t as though we’re preparing for battle.”
Bryn frowned. “It is a true blood moon in the month of the blood moon. The earth, sun and moon will align. How can we not take advantage of the power?”
“It’s a moment when we can speak with the spirit worlds,” Radha said, her smoky eyes darkening. “When our prayers will be heard without filter. We really should think hard about what we want.”
“We have so much,” Aoife said, her gaze wide as she glanced around the table. “Too much.”
Darcy grinned and then turned to give Miren a steady stare. “If we concentrate our desires on one wish, on one sister…”
Miren shook her head. “I need no help.”
“You’ve narrowed your choice to three,” Darcy said, her green gaze flicking around their circle. “Besides Bryn, are any of us any nearer to making choices?”
The sisters shook their heads.
Miren shook hers harder. “I don’t want your help.”
“But you shall have it,” Bryn said, smiling softly. “I fear you’ll never commit to one of your beaus. That Renner will stomp around this house for years, giving you those melting looks of his, and you’ll let him suffer because you’re too afraid of letting go.”
“Are you feeling sorry for him?” Miren asked, wrinkling her nose. “And I’m not afraid of his…melting looks.”
Her sisters laughed. “You haven’t taken a single lover to your bed since their arrival.”
“Well, neither has Radha.”
Radha coughed. “Doesn’t mean I haven’t canoodled.”
Miren’s brows shot up. “Seriously? How? I mean, I haven’t seen you allow any man inside your room with you.”
Radha shrugged. “On the astral plane, while the demons sleep. I don’t feel proud of myself, but I’ve tested a few of them, luring them out to play. They think they dream. I skim energy…”
“Damn, I almost hate you,” Darcy said.
Radha rolled her eyes. “You don’t need astral sex. You’re getting plenty.”
“I know, but your way sounds cooler.”
“Are you sixteen? Ladies, can we concentrate?” Bryn muttered. “We were talking about Miren.”
Miren lifted a finger. “Don’t we need to draw down the moon’s power for Bryn’s birth?”
Bryn’s mouth pursed in disapproval. “We have another blood moon before the due date, and it’s not like we can’t spare a moment during this one for a quick blessing. But it’s time, Miren. I know you feel it too.”
Aoife moaned. “My mind wandered a bit. It’s all that talk about astral sex. This spell won’t last much longer.”
“But what will we ask?” Miren said, feeling as though the walls were closing in around her. Her sisters wouldn’t be swayed.
“For your heart’s desire.”
“Don’t you think if I knew what that was I’d already have made my choice?”
“We’ll help bring some clarity.”
“Quickly, sisters,” Aoife said, like a little girl who needed permission to go pee.
Radha laughed. “You have the attention span of a gnat.”
“Can’t help it. You talked about astral sex, and now I’m wondering about merman sex…”
“Silly, you can’t have sex with mermen when they’re wearing a tail.”
“Really?” Her gaze went back to the heliotrope she held. “Wrap it up already.”
“So we’re agreed?” Bryn said, ignoring Miren’s shaking head. When the other sister witches nodded, she turned to Aoife. “And now…”
Aoife blew out a breath and lowered her hand to the table. The noise level at the table rose as men moved and muttered.
“Something just happened,” Renner growled beside her. The hand on her thigh tightened.
Ethan’s frown was a fearsome thing as he glared down at the fork of food he held. “It’s cold. What the hell, Bryn?”
Bryn grimaced then gave him a radiant smile. “We needed a moment of privacy.”
“Bryn…” His voice deepened into a scary growl.
“Darling,” Bryn said, patting his arm. “We were only discussing our plans for the next full moon.”
“You are not dancing in the nude again.”
Bryn leaned away and stared. “You can’t be jealous. Everyone’s already seen us all naked.”
His glower didn’t lessen. “You’re pregnant.”
Bryn rolled her eyes. “It’s completely natural.”
Miren pressed her lips together to hide her smile. Her sisters all dropped their heads to hide theirs too, but the soft chuckles of the men seated around the long table didn’t help matters any.
Renner leaned closer and bit her earlobe. “We’ll talk about this later.”
Miren frowned and stiffened her back. “This was strictly girl talk. None of your business, draugr.”
“You are my business.”
She angled her head toward him, although he didn’t move, which caused her cheek to scrape against the short bristles on his. She shivered as she met his hot glare. “We’re witches. Do you really think you can control everything we do?”
“I won’t be left in the dark, Miren. My job is to protect you. If you leave me clueless—”
“This conversation was about you.” She dropped her gaze to the table. “About us.”
Renner gave her thigh a slow squeeze. “Do not close your door to me tonight,” he murmured into her ear.
“I wouldn’t dream of it.” She glanced to Mikkel who
was seated two chairs down. “This would all be less awkward if we could move back to my place.”
“About that,” Ethan said, raising his voice. “The men and I came to an agreement earlier. Tomorrow, you may return to your homes.”
Miren bristled at his dictatorial tone. She nearly added a snide remark, but Renner slid his hand up her thigh, gliding his fingers in between. Instead, she gave a startled, “Eeep.”
“You sound like a mermaid,” Mikkel said, giving her a wink.
“You will all need to make accommodations for your suitors,” Ethan said.
“They’re moving in with us?” Darcy said, her dark brows rising high.
“They can’t simply continue to run their patrols?” This came from Radha, whose pale cheeks began to turn pink.
“As we can’t be sure others aren’t nearby, waiting to swoop in and claim you, we will remain close. You can return home, run your businesses. But the men will remain close.”
“What about your business?” Miren asked, raising her voice because she couldn’t imagine having three demons underfoot in her tiny stilted cabin. “Shouldn’t you all be returning to your jobs?”
“The men will be on a rotating schedule. Don’t worry about Vindlér Construction. Your comfort and safety is our highest priority.”
“It’ll be cozy,” Renner murmured.
“Crowded,” Miren bit out, uncomfortably aware of his fingers stroking closer to her sex.
“Maybe we’ll get a decent night’s sleep,” Elias said, his mouth stretching into a wide smile that said he expected his nights to be anything but quiet.
Renner moved his fingers upward, at last pressing against her sex. Just a teasing, light touch, but Miren froze, overcome for a moment with a sudden flash of heat. Her pulse quickened. So did her breaths.
Renner nuzzled her ear. “We can move you tonight.”
She jerked away, aware of all the interested gazes turning their way. “Don’t be silly. It’s dark. Morning will be soon enough.”
“Are you so eager then for me to join you in your bed?”
“Shhh!” she said, turning to give him a glare. “No one’s joining me in my bed.”
“I could give you a massage,” Mikkel said, taking a bite of his food and never glancing up. “I’m told I have very good hands.”
Beside her, Renner stiffened.
“A massage would be nice,” she said, the last word gritted out as Renner fingered her folds. “Maybe your brother could help you.”
Renner tsked beside her. “You do like playing with fire.”
A chill bit her spine. “No, actually, I don’t.” Her gaze locked with his. “I had a dragon once, and he nearly consumed me. It’s a lesson I’ve never forgotten.”
Renner held her gaze a moment longer, all trace of anger draining away. He withdrew his hand. “My apologies, darling.”
“I’m not your darling,” she whispered.
“Not yet.”
Renner eyed the bathroom door, frustration tightening his body. Miren had decided she would bathe before the mermen gave her a massage. And while the two men hurried off to gather fragrant oil and towels from the inn’s supply room, he sat in an armchair, waiting for Miren to appear in the doorway, hoping to have a chance to talk to her before the men returned.
She couldn’t go through with it. And if she did, he needed to reinforce his claim, make sure she didn’t experiment too intimately with the twins. Playful flirting was one thing—although the thought did make his stomach roil—but she needed to know he’d never permit her to have sex with them.
Not that he thought she’d do it with him watching, but he had pushed her, and she was stubborn. For someone whose element was water, she did have a hot temper.
His was unruly as well. The memory of their kiss, and then the way her body had betrayed her arousal at dinner, teased him to distraction. He had to have her. And soon. Or there would be violence.
He fisted his hand and thumped it against the padded arm of his chair. Miren knew he was the best choice. Why was she dragging her feet? And why toy with the two mermen? Was she trying to start a brawl? Did she want the three of them battling for the privilege of bedding her? Had she begun to think she really could have all three?
The hell with waiting. He stood and walked toward the locked door. He was a draugr. Why not use his abilities to his advantage? Show her the pleasure he could give her?
He placed his hands on the cool wood and closed his eyes, willing his body to relax. Water dripped from his forehead, from his fingers splayed on the white surface. A moment later, he lost the sense of sight and simply melted down the door, flowed beneath the tiny space between wood and tile and rippled toward the tub where she lay. When he sensed cool porcelain, he reformed, nude, since his clothing lay in a wet pile outside the bathroom. Droplets clung to his form, streamed from the strands of his hair as he stood over her at her head.
Glancing down her body, he felt a primal howl well up inside him. The scent of roses was nearly overpowering. Her eyes were closed, which allowed him a long, thirsty look. Her breasts floated, the tips wreathed with tiny fragrant bubbles. Her legs were drawn up so that only the pale knobs of her knees appeared above the foam. Her breaths were slow and even. She’d fallen asleep. Perfect.
Kneeling at the edge of the tub, he leaned toward her and lightly touched her temples, rubbing there and then tugging in his mind at the invisible thread that kept her consciousness anchored to her body until he followed the thin silver-light strand.
He landed on the prow of a boat bobbing softly on a still, blue sea. Sunlight beat down, so bright he had to shield his eyes.
“You shouldn’t be here. This is my dream. Get out.”
Not knowing whether Miren was aware he’d entered her dream uninvited or not, he smiled over to where she stood behind the wheel of the boat. “And yet here I stand.”
Her frown was lovely above stormy blue-green eyes. The color of a shallow sea. And that glower grew fiercer as she raked his naked body, her gaze snagging on his cock for a long second before she forced her gaze upward to clash with his.
He glanced down her body, noted the white bikini and willed it away. Her gasp was instant. “Stop that.”
“Why? It’s only fair.”
“It’s my dream. I wanted solitude. Peace. Not that,” she said, waving a hand at his groin.
He laughed and sat on a white padded bench, spreading his arms along the tops of the cushions, his legs sprawled.
Sunglasses appeared on her nose, and he laughed again. “I know you’re looking at me. I can feel it,” he said, grasping his cock and giving it long strokes. “You can feel it too. This is a dream. We can play. No rules. No echoes. You risk nothing, give away nothing that’s real.”
“Draugrs play in dreams,” she said, her tone worried. “You’re really here, aren’t you?”
The way she said it, her voice tinged with dismay, made him straighten. He raised his hand, palm up. “Play with me, Miren. Let me show you how it can be between us. Nothing has to change, not when we waken, not until you’re ready.”
“It would just be another unsatisfying tease. I never come in dreams. And if you managed that feat before I waken, I’ll only be left wanting—which is likely your plot. I’ll wake up horny, and you’ll make sure you’re right there to help me with the problem.”
“Do you really think I’m that clever? That I thought this all the way through?” At her crisp nod, he blew out a breath. “Then I’ll tell you what. I won’t be the one to assuage your desire when you awaken. Let your mermen play afterward, with their fingers and lips. I’ll allow it.”
“It’s not your place to allow anything.”
“True, but I won’t fight them. Whatever you want, whatever you need of them…after I’ve had you here…you may take. It won’t change what’s between us. I promise yo
u.”
Her gaze narrowed on him a long moment while her teeth worried her bottom lip. “We should drop anchor.”
“It’s already done,” he said, snapping a finger.
A splash sounded. She grinned. “Wrong side of the boat.”
“Does it matter?”
“It does if you ever plan on accompanying me out on the water.”
He grinned, happy she hadn’t outright banned the possibility. “Oh, I will. You won’t be going anywhere unguarded. That’s not changing.”
She pouted. “You do know you’re all very bossy.”
He knew his smile was more of a smirk. Not that she seemed to take offense. Maybe she was just as ready as he was to work off some frustration.
“How do I know you’re going to keep this real? That you won’t just dream yourself as a better lover than you really are?”
He waggled his eyebrows. “Afraid your expectations will be too high the first time we get together for real?”
She dropped her gaze.
“Baby, here and now, you can show me what you like. I promise I’ll pay attention.” He glanced down at himself and then quickly up to give her a hot stare. “And this isn’t to scale…but I didn’t want to frighten you.”
She snorted and then laughed. “Now, you know good and well I already know you’re a big fat liar.”
“Something’s big and fat.”
Miren shook her head and laughed. “Thanks.”
“I haven’t done anything yet.”
“I’m not nervous about this anymore.”
“I make all the girls laugh.”
“Bet you do,” she said softly and then took a deep breath, at last moving away from the wheel. “Our options are limited here.”
“Really? What about the berth?”
“This boat doesn’t have a cabin.”
“Really, then what’s this?” he said, waving his hand. A stairway appeared beside him, leading down into the hold.
Under a Blood Moon: Beaux Rêve Coven, Book 2 Page 3
