Van, Becca - Taming Olivia [Terra-form 2] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting)

by Becca Van

  Olivia turned on her heel and walked quickly to the door.

  “Olivia, please don’t run from us. We will be able to control our beasts if you stay still,” Hugh explained gently.

  Olivia whimpered, her back to the two brothers, her hand still on the doorknob. She could feel their warm, moist breath on the back of her neck. She wanted more than anything to turn around and face them. To let them know she wanted them more than she had ever wanted anything in her life. She was beginning to fall in love with them, but she was too scared of losing them. She didn’t move.

  “We know you are afraid, little one. We would never do anything to hurt you. We love you, Olivia. We want to hold you and show you how much you mean to us. Please, will you give us a chance, baby? Please, Olivia, let us claim you?” Cedric asked, anguished.

  Olivia released the doorknob and turned to face the two men. Their eyes were glowing a golden-yellow color, and the skin on their cheeks was hued red and drawn tight against their skulls. The heat in their eyes was practically melting her. She lowered her eyes, slid down the door, pulled her knees up into her body, and placed her head on her knees.

  “I can’t. I’m too scared,” she whimpered.

  A loud roar made her flinch and whimper, but she didn’t look at them again. The roaring was coming from the other side of the room now. She slowly lifted her head and peeked. Cedric was hunkered down in front of her, staring at her. She peeked around him to see Hugh pacing back and forth like a caged animal.

  Cedric lifted a hand toward Olivia’s cheek then dropped it again when she startled.

  “Talk to me, sweetheart. Tell me why.”

  “I can’t,” Olivia sobbed. “It’s too painful.”

  “We can’t help you if you don’t talk to us,” stated Cedric. “Please, trust us. Talk to us, sweetheart. Maybe if we understand, we will be able to control our beasts,” Cedric said gently.

  “My mom and dad divorced, separated, when I was a young child. My mom hooked up with a man when I was eight. One night, while my mom was sleeping, he came into my bedroom. He ripped off my nightgown and was intent on touching me. He held me down. I tried to fight him, but he was too big, too strong. He had a hand over my mouth and came down on top of me. I bit his hand as hard as I could, until I drew blood. He must have moved his hand away, because I could hear this terrible screaming, but it wouldn’t stop. My mom came into my room, turned the light on, and found her boyfriend naked in my room. She hit him, hard, on the head with a bat. He fell to the floor, but he didn’t get up again. My mom had knocked him unconscious. She called the police, our law. They eventually came and took him away. I…I haven’t b–been able to l–let anyone t–touch me since,” Olivia sobbed and stuttered. By the time she’d finished explaining, she was shaking uncontrollably. She was ice cold but sweating. She was going into shock after reliving that horrific night from so long ago.

  * * * *

  “Shh, it’s all right, sweetheart. We’ll never hurt you,” Cedric crooned, scooping Olivia up into his arms. He glanced over his shoulder, pleased to see Hugh’s beast had backed down, as had his own. Their beasts were letting their human side control things, not willing to scare their mate. Cedric walked over to the adjoining bathing room, taking them both into the warm water of the huge, sunken bathtub, heedless of their clothes. He sat down on the molded bench seat, cradling her in his lap, rocking back and forth, offering comfort as his mate cried her heart out. He didn’t try to stop her, knowing she needed to purge the horror from her mind and body. He just held her until she had no more hurt or revulsion at what had nearly been done to her. She slumped against his chest, her body shuddering every now and then, the results of the now-purged storm. Cedric moved aside, making room for Hugh. His brother sat beside them, stroking up and down Olivia’s back, soothing, offering comfort.

  Thank the Goddess she finally explained, Hugh said to his brother telepathically. That was the only way we could have gained control over our beasts.

  Yeah, I know. But what the hell are we going to do now? She’s so afraid of intimacy, and we need it to complete our bond.

  She is asleep. Why don’t we get her dried off and back into bed? If our queen is up to visitors, maybe we should ask for advice, Hugh suggested.

  Yes, I think that is a good idea. We should wait until tomorrow, though. Our Alphas are not going to be indulgent or worried about our problems. Their mate has just given birth, Cedric pronounced.

  Agreed, for now, we take care of our mate.

  Chapter Five

  Olivia awoke alone. She remembered pouring her heart out to the two men claiming to be her mates. She wondered if she had turned them off by telling them another man had touched her, tried to rape her. She should just leave. April was happy with her three men and now had a new baby to care for. No one would even miss her. She scrambled from the bed, gasping at her own nakedness. She opened a closet door, grabbed her jeans and pulled them over her hips. She pulled a top over her head then bent down to straighten the cuff on her pants. She found her boots, pulled them on, and tucked the material of the pants into the top of the boots. She only hoped she could find her way out.

  Olivia stuck her head out the bedroom door. She looked up and down the corridor, sighing with relief when she saw no one. She exited the room, walking slowly, casually, not wanting to draw attention to herself if she encountered another person. She had no idea where she was or where she was going, but it didn’t matter. She just had to get out. Her heart was pounding in her chest. She reached out to the handle on the glass doors and slid them open, listening, expecting to be stopped. She breathed a sigh of relief and walked out into the humid air. She took a deep breath then released it. She was outside, and no one had stopped her. She was in the garden where April liked to relax in the hammock. She perused the perimeter of the garden, surveying for nonexistent fences. She scanned, breathing easier when she saw no one. She walked quickly, bypassing the hammock and pond, and just kept right on going.

  Olivia followed the faint track, the oppressive air and her own anxiety making her perspire. The gigantic trees in the forest filtered out the sunlight as she continued on. She had done it. She had escaped. Now all she had to do was find a way to get back home.

  Olivia was tired, hot, and thirsty. She felt as if she had been walking for hours. She was covered in sweat and would have gladly begged for a drink of water, and she was totally lost. She turned in a circle, not knowing from which direction she’d come. Everything looked the same. She sat down on the leaf-strewn ground, leaning back against a large tree trunk. She was going to have to wait to be found. She had no doubt in her mind she would be, eventually. She just hoped it wasn’t too long. Then April’s words came back to haunt her.

  “You could actually be a mate to more than one species of shifter. If they don’t claim you sexually, as well as bite you, and make you theirs, any other species of shifter can claim you.”

  Fuck. What have I done? Now Olivia prayed the two brothers claiming to be her mates found her, and fast. The last thing she wanted was to be claimed by someone else. God, she was so stupid. If only she’d stopped to think before acting so impulsively. She turned her head at the sound of rustling in the bushes in front of her. She squinted, peering through the growth of limbs and leaves. Two pairs of yellow, glowing eyes were staring at her intently.

  Olivia rose to her feet slowly, fluidly, not wanting to alarm whatever was staring at her. She moved so she was standing to the side of the tree trunk, never taking her eyes from theirs. She lifted her hands, feeling around and above her until they encountered a tree limb. Without thought, she swung herself up onto the branch, surprising herself with her own agility. She turned her head back toward the bushes and gasped with awe. She froze when she saw two lions sitting on their haunches, staring at her as they licked their lips. She was doomed. She knew she shouldn’t climb higher and give the animals the advantage, knowing they would be far more agile and confident than she could ever be on the limbs o
f the tree. So she stayed still, frozen in place, too afraid to move up or down. The animals stalked forward, standing no more than five feet from her. They stared up at her, pinning her with their golden, glowing eyes. She wanted to scream, to run away and hide, but she did nothing.

  Olivia watched with awe and trepidation as the air around one of the lions began to shimmer, the lines of his body delineating and contorting until the animal was no more. Standing in its place was a massive mountain of a man. He had shoulder-length gold hair, his shoulders nearly as wide as one of the tree trunks. His eyes were an amber-gold color, his muscles so thick his arms were slightly out from his body because of his bulging biceps. His pectoral muscles bulged, and his stomach was ripped. He was nice to look at, but she didn’t feel any attraction to the man now standing before her. She lifted her eyes from his crotch quickly. She didn’t want to be looking at his erection. He on the other hand, was staring at her with such a carnal hunger, she whimpered with fright.

  “Do not be afraid of us, little one. We do not hurt females. They are too precious to us,” the man stated.

  Olivia felt shivers run up and down her spine, the hair at her nape standing on end. His voice was so deep it seemed to boom and echo all around.

  “Who are you? Where do you come from?” he asked.

  Olivia opened her mouth then shut it again. She gulped loud enough for them to hear. Her eyes slid over to the other lion, the air shimmering and waving as he changed from beast to man. This male wasn’t as tall or muscular as his friend, his body sleeker. He had rippling muscles, but he was not as intimidating as his counterpart. She quickly lifted her gaze and looked at him again.

  “Wh–Who are you? What do you want?” Olivia croaked out, her throat and mouth dry.

  Olivia’s eyes slid from one to the other continuously. They looked at each other, totally silent, but their eyes seemed to be speaking. Finally, the shorter of the two stepped forward. He hardly needed to tilt his head to look into her eyes, and she was at least five feet off the ground.

  “I am Lucius King, and this is my brother, Liam. We are of the pride clan. What is your name?”

  “Olivia, Olivia Hammond.”

  “What are you doing out here all alone? Where do you belong?” Liam asked.

  “My friend April is mated to the Alphas Gage and Saxon Kian who are panther-shifters, as well as Ben Koku, a bear-shifter. I want to go back to her home. Unfortunately I lost my way when I decided to take a stroll,” Olivia stated belligerently, practically daring them to refute her claim.

  “Shit, if the Alphas from the panther clan catch us with you, we are dead. Our two clans have been rivals since long before we were born. We will take you back close to the Panther lair and leave you. You can come down now, little one. We will not harm you,” Lucius reiterated.

  “So you say. But how the hell do I know if you’re telling the truth? I think I’ll stay where I am, thank you very much.”

  “You do realize we are lion-shifters, right?” Liam asked rhetorically. “Do you not know lions are very adept in trees?”

  “Well, of course I know. I just felt better sitting up here, out of reach,” Olivia replied facetiously. She bit her lower lip then swung her legs a couple of times and launched herself from the tree branch. She landed heavily, not used to jumping from such a height. She had nearly jumped the height of her own body. She stumbled, took a couple of side steps to regain balance, stood with her legs shoulder-width apart, her hands on her hips, and looked up. God, they were so tall it actually hurt her neck to see their faces.

  “All right, I’m ready. Lead the way,” Olivia stated, waving her hand for the two men to precede her.

  The two men looked at each other then back at Olivia and turned around. The sight of their muscular buttocks flexing as they walked had her snapping her eyes up to their heads. That was the last thing she had wanted to see. She stumbled constantly, much to the amusement of the two men in the lead. They had been walking for a long time when the two men stopped abruptly, and since Olivia had been lost in her own thoughts, she didn’t see them halt and crashed into them. She would have fallen if Liam hadn’t steadied her with a hand at her elbow. Two ostensibly furious feline roars filled the air and echoed throughout the forest, making Olivia’s skin break out in goose bumps. She tried to contain the shiver but wasn’t successful. Her whole body shuddered.

  “We will leave you now, Olivia Hammond. You will be back with your friend soon,” Liam said, the air around him already shimmering. The two men changed from man to beast within a blink of the eye. Turning to her, they gave her feline grins and took off. They bounded away amongst the trees, disappearing from sight.

  “Well, that’s just fucking great. What am I supposed to do now?” Olivia muttered. She had no idea which direction would take her back to April. She took a few steps and plopped down, her back leaning against a large tree trunk. The sun was beginning to set, and she knew if she didn’t get back soon, she could end up mated to complete strangers. She was tired, thirsty, hungry, and afraid. She could still hear the occasional roars, which were getting closer by the moment. She only hoped whoever it was out traversing the forest was part of April’s men’s clan. Whoever they were, they sounded absolutely furious.

  Olivia’s head snapped up as rustling in the bushes no more than five meters away drew her attention. She muttered beneath her breath as she caught sight of the glowing, golden feline eyes.

  “Not again,” she mumbled then spoke louder. “Whoever you are, you don’t scare me, so come out and show yourselves.”

  Two large black panthers crept forward with predatory grace. They slunk low to the ground, their bellies only inches above the dirt. They were glaring at her, their mouths pulled back, exposing their teeth. The air shimmered, the lines of their bodies delineating, bones cracked and popped, and muscles contorted as they changed from beast to man. They stood over her. Their cocks jutted out toward her, bobbing up and down, their color an angry reddish purple.

  “What the hell were you thinking, Olivia?” Cedric growled. She took in his aggressive stance. His hands were on his hips, feet shoulder-width apart, hips thrust forward.

  “I wasn’t, all right? I didn’t stop to think at all. I just reacted.”

  “Who was here? Who touched you? I can smell lion clan all over you.” Hugh growled, his voice a low rumble.

  “I met up with Lucius and Liam King. They were kind enough to lead me in the right direction. They didn’t touch me. I bumped into them when they stopped walking. They heard you coming, changed to their lion forms, and took off.”

  “Have you thought about letting us claim you? We want to be with you, Olivia. Please, baby, we just want to show you how much we care for you. We would never do anything you don’t want us to do. We would never hurt you, Olivia.” Cedric growled.

  “What do you mean? How do you claim me?” Olivia asked with trepidation.

  “We need to bite you and make love with you,” Hugh answered.

  “Oh my. I don’t think…I can’t…Oh God. I don’t want to be a shifter.”

  “You won’t become a shifter, Olivia. We don’t know how our bite affects you, other than having our saliva in your blood. Our scent mingles with yours, effectively marking you as ours. You have to be born a shifter to be able to change shape. Come,” Hugh said, extending a hand toward her. “We will take you back home, where you belong. You were very lucky you weren’t claimed by another species of shifter, sweetheart. You running from us could have been disastrous.”

  “Yeah, like things couldn’t be more disastrous than they already are,” Olivia stated petulantly. She reached for Hugh’s hand and was suddenly sandwiched between two tall, muscular, warm male bodies. Hugh at her front, Cedric at her back.

  They towered over her five-foot-four frame. She had never felt so small and feminine, or so powerful. She felt sexy for the first time in her life. She wanted to wrap herself around them and never leave.

  What were they doing to her?
She’d never been interested in men before. How could it be these two men, shifters, who got her motor running?

  The two men stepped back to her sides, grasped her hands in each of theirs, and headed back to the lair. She wanted them and knew she was going to give in. She knew she needed them as much as they seemed to need her. She didn’t think she could fight them or her own body for much longer.

  Chapter Six

  The first thing Olivia did was grab the jug of water from the table near the window in their bedroom, pour herself a glass, and down the contents. She poured another drink and headed to the bathroom. She placed her glass on the edge of the sunken pool, removed her clothes, and slid into the warm water. She picked up the glass and cautiously swam over to the other side of the huge tub, settling into the molded bench seat. She sat back with a sigh, her head leaning on the edge of the pool, letting the warmth of the water ease her tired, aching muscles. She sipped her water until her tumbler was empty, placed it on the rim of the pool, and picked up a cloth and bath gel. She washed her body from head to toe and then tackled her hair. She had her head tilted back, working the gel into a lather as she massaged her scalp She heard water splash and opened her eyes to look toward the noise.

  Olivia watched as Cedric and Hugh came at her, one on either side, their movements full of predatory, feline grace. Their golden eyes glowed as they mesmerized her with their stares. They sat next to her, sandwiching her between their hard, muscular, naked bodies. She looked from one to the other and looked away again.

  “Olivia, look at me,” Cedric commanded from her left.

  Olivia slowly raised her eyes, a shiver wracking her body at the heated desire she could see in both of her mates’ eyes. She watched as Cedric lowered his mouth to hers as if in slow motion, giving her time to protest or move away if she so desired. She couldn’t have moved if her life had depended on it. Her pussy throbbed with an unfamiliar ache. Her breasts tightened, her nipples thrusting up, begging for attention. She moaned at the first light touch of Cedric’s mouth on hers. She opened her mouth instinctively, allowing him the access he asked for as his tongue swept across her lips. She was burning up from the inside out. The muscles in her body relaxed, her thighs quivering and her clit throbbing. She unconsciously wound her arms around his neck, her fingers threading into the strands of his hair, using her hold on him to pull him closer. She couldn’t get close enough. Her bare breasts flattened against his muscular chest, her legs moving restlessly, sliding against his hair-roughened thighs and calves.