by Mari Byrne
Her sister had finally called back, and both Mitch and Kristain insisted Stephanie tell her sister what happened. Stephanie had every intention of telling Jan, and had invited her sister to come over and have dinner with her and her new husbands.
The dinner had been a roaring success, and the night’s lightness had gone a long way in helping Stephanie to deal with what had happened.
Jan had pulled her aside and as Stephanie had given her an abbreviated version of the kidnapping, commented on Rob once more.
“You know I’m here if you need me, I’ll always be here if you need me. Just remember, neither Rob, Stanley, nor this Babbet woman has been able to break you. You are so much stronger than those maggots that you were able to avert any and all plans they had for you.”
Jan had continually reminded Stephanie she was strong, good, and none of either episode could make her anything less than what she already was.
Stephanie knew Jan was right, and continuously reminded herself of it for the last week. She knew it would take time, and talking about it with her small family seemed to help more.
She pushed the thoughts aside for now and focused on the issue she had brought up to her husbands only moments before.
“I want to discuss us moving into a house. I always thought when I married, I would move into a house.” She looked around the living room where she sat on the couch and wondered if either man had anything they wanted to move in, but didn’t think there was enough room for it.
“Granted this is a two bedroom, two bath apartment, but I’d like something a little bigger.”
She stopped glancing around the room and looked again at her husbands. “That reminds me. Are we going to be living off my salary, or do you two have incomes which can be transferred into this world’s money?”
She could well believe she hadn’t asked before. After all, she made a good living in her line of work. But it had wandered into her mind now and again since they had told her they were married, and she wanted to ask about it now in the interest of how much she would need for a house.
Kristain smiled gently at his wife and went to sit next to her, “I can’t believe we haven’t told you.” He looked as Mitch sat on the floor in front of her and took her hand.
Kristain continued, “Our currency is the same as Earth. Mostly.” He reached into the pocket of the pants he wore and drew something out.
He handed it too her and began speaking again. “This is also currency. Along with the bills and coins of this realm.”
Stephanie looked down at the rock he handed her and sucked in an astonished breath.
She wasn’t an expert on gems, but in her hand, she held what had to be a 15ct diamond. She watched as she turned the gem back and forth in her hand and the light from the window shone through it. She vaguely heard Kristain as he made sounds about how currency worked on Aranak.
“Um, I don’t mean to interrupt, but does this mean we won’t have to worry about money? And do you want me to start looking for a house?” Her question stopped Kristain’s words as she looked back toward him, eyebrows raised.
Kristain took Stephanie’s other hand in his and smiled softly at her.
‘Tell you what. Why don’t we sleep on it now, and in the morning we’ll start our hunt for a house?” Even as he spoke, he brought her hand to his mouth turning her hand palm up and scraping his teeth and tongue along her palm.
Mitch smiled lovingly at Stephanie and watched while Kristain grabbed hold of Stephanie and brought her into his lap where he held her in his arms.
“Now that we’re all in agreement about the house, let’s talk about the babies we’re going to give you which will eventually lead our nation,” Mitch watched as her eyes began to take on a glazed look.
“OK. We’ll talk about it in the morning too.” He reached out toward her shirt and began to use his fingers to circle around her nipple. “For now, why don’t we just get some practice in making them. What do you say, hmmm?”
The deep sexy tone of Mitch’s voice ran through Stephanie heating her blood while it began to stir her juices. Kristain added his opinion in a way so she was feeling it instead of hearing it.
Smiling lovingly, Stephanie nodded her head and added her own thoughts.
“I’m sure the two of you won’t have any problem practicing day after day after day, will you?” Reaching out with both hands, she wrapped her hand around two very impressive hard-ons, stroking them and feeling them enlarge.
“No, I don’t think either of you will. Now, husbands, take me to bed so I can love you day and night, for the rest of our lives.”
Both men smiled wickedly at her and said in unison, “Why not start right here?”
Her answer was swallowed between them as Mitch locked his lips against Stephanie and proceeded to leave her speechless. Not to be out done, Kristain took hold of her shirt, lifted it to bare her breast and latched his mouth onto one of her nipples. Lifting his head quickly, he grasped onto the extended nipple with his fingers and tweaked it.
Mitch lifted his head and traded places with his brother, latching onto Stephanie’s distended nipple and sucking until he heard her moan with pleasure.
Kristain placed his mouth on Stephanie’s and gave her his own promise with a kiss.
Through all three of their minds, one mantra ran.
I will love you even through death.
Epilogue
Shan Lin looked toward his brother Vincent. They both knew their “orders” came from the Queen herself in this situation, and the situation had gone from bad to worse over the last few weeks.
After Ranik, they had been sent to a remote camp on the outskirts of Aranak to settle some minor dispute happening on one of the Queen’s holdings, only to find the villagers surrounding the camp in an uproar over the Queen’s actions. Their grievances were valid. The Queen had been gathering their lands illegally over a long period of time and forcing out those villagers who wouldn’t comply with her edicts to hand over their land.
Shan Lin and Vincent were left little choice but to follow the Queen’s orders and imprison the rowdy few who had incited the violence. That taken care of, the villagers dispersed, angry still, but finding they had little choice.
If things continued in this vein, all the proof they had risked their lives to gather in an attempt to convince Mitch and Kristain of the position Queen Sara had put Aranak in would be for naught.
After reporting to the Queen things had quieted, Shan Lin and Vincent had gone back and asked if they could be allowed a bit of personal time. As pleased as Queen Sara had been with them, she’d allowed them both to do as they pleased for a bit. Her exact words had been crude and left the men sickened.
“Why don’t you find your cousin Theresa, I’ll lend you the housekeeper, and you can show both of them a good time while I watch. It’ll be a study of youth verses experience I’ll enjoy, and you’ll get laid.”
She had roared incessantly after her suggestion, and the idea had so appalled both men, they quickly took their leave.
Knowing the term “a bit” could mean anywhere from an hour to a month, both men had hurriedly made preparation for their journey to the realm of Earth.
“We haven’t any choice, Shan Lin. We’ve got to tell Vincent and Kristain what was done to Dorian and pray Theresa never finds out.”
Shan Lin nodded his head. He knew if Theresa, their cousin who also stood by their sides in the Queen’s Guard as a high-ranking Captain, would use her considerable skills to see Queen Sara dead for what she had done to Dorian.
“I can’t believe the boy thought he’d move up in the court if he slept with that vindictive bitch! What the hell did he think she was going to do, give him a title and send him on his merry way?” Vincent raged as he sent his fist swinging into a nearby tree trunk.
“You know what it’s like to come into money and be recognized by the Queen. The only way we escaped notice was because it suited her to send us as far from her as she could get us. We e
arned our cynicism the hard way.” Shan Lin spoke as he waited before the portal opening.
“Besides, the information Dorian had to impart was priceless. It’s true it isn’t quite the way I’d have gone about finding out what was going on in the Queen’s mind, but you have to admit it’s helped us put the final pieces together.”
Vincent’s grunting answer made Shan Lin smile.
“We’re going to take down the Queen and we have to do it before she destroys our home. We have to find the Princes and this is the only way it can be done secretly. Our cover story of going to find a bride is perfect. So much the better if we actually bring a woman home with us.”
“Find a bride. Mustn’t forget to find a bride I don’t want,” Vincent snorted. “Look, I know we’re going to have to follow our Princes and tell them their mother is the scourge of our realm, but I don’t have to like it. I still think we could find a Tractow sorceress to impart the message to Mitch and Kristain.” Vincent grumbled as the brothers prepared to open the portal to Earth. “You know I hate it when this damn thing lands us so far from our intended destination! The last time it took us four days to cross a damn mountain only to find out later we could have gone through it in hours instead!”
Shan Lin laid a consoling hand on his brother’s shoulder. “It’s all in the way you look at it, brother mine. The last time we were dropped in the middle of an unfamiliar area, and we spent the night catering to one of the horniest women I have ever had the pleasure to meet in my life! The walk through the desert was worth damn near every scratch and bite she left on my body.” With a smile of reminiscence, Shan Lin gave his brother a friendly pat on the back stepping toward the ever-widening misty portal. “Besides, we need to find out if it’s true.”
“If what’s true?” Vincent asked.
“Queen Sara’s throne will soon be usurped and the new Queen is truly willing to relocate to Aranak.”
With a malicious grin riding his mouth, Vincent walked into the chasm, a gleeful note in his voice, “One can only hope and pray it’s true, brother. Hope and pray.”
Also at Ellora's Cave
Death Reborn
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