by Lia Davis
Not caring if she was done or not, he wouldn't allow her to say goodbye or push them away. He shifted to his human form. A quick glance told him Julian had the same idea and transformed as well. "Alyssa."
"You don't understand." Julian grabbed her chin.
"I do understand more than you know." She ran her hands over their bare chests and took it upon herself to unbutton her shirt and slide it off her shoulders. "I want tonight, I want you, I want you both, right here out in the open, and then I want to fall asleep between you and that will be my forever."
He forced himself to look at her face, though her breasts beckoned him. "We are yours forever."
"In fact, if you want the truth, we are also your mates." Julian added. "You would call us a spouse."
"That's beautiful." She unbuttoned her pants.
"Alyssa." He took her by the arms and turned her toward him. "It's not beautiful, it’s the truth. We separately said the mating vows to you. An old law from Lykos allowed us to do that, and at this very moment you have two separate mates, sort of. We should have told you."
"That makes no sense." She put her hand to her chest.
"You can't have two separate mates, we all have to be one unit." In his own way Julian acknowledged they all needed to be together as well. "We had come to get you, make you our mate, because we are all pieces of three, better together than separate."
A lone tear ran down her cheek. "I can't do that to either of you."
"We want this." Porter held her tighter. While he didn't want them to overwhelm her, they had to prove why they came for her and not let her give up. "Since we already made vows to you, we only need to make them between all three of us now."
"You may not be sick." Julian blurted out and got right in her face. "Do you hear me? Being with us may not be the death sentence you think it is, we have proof."
She shook her head. "That's not true."
"It is." He took hold of her hand. "We have a test we need you to take."
She looked down.
Julian leaned over to her ear. "No matter what happens, we want to be with you. Whatever we have, whatever we don't have, we want it, it belongs to us. The three of us."
"We do love you, Alyssa." He smoothed her hair back. More than he wanted her, he wanted to give her the test that would tell them their future. "Will you take the test?"
After a minute she raised her head. "I want my night."
He peeked over at Julian. They didn't know how long it would take to get the results, or even what they were looking for. Yes, they both wanted to test her, get the results and deal with what they knew. But as Noah said, they also had to they had to deal with their mate, their human mate with ingrained beliefs and different instincts.
"It’s the first part of the mating ritual anyway." Julian took her into his arms and laid her back among the fallen leaves. He took it upon himself to rid her of her pants and leaned over to grab pull break off a piece of the Elatium plant and put it off to one side. "We have to come together as one."
She reached out for him. "Make me your mate."
He lay next to her and though he didn't want to sound or think like a human, he did what he fantasized about since they were parted, and simply kissed her. Her taste filled him with sweetness and depth, made more satisfying by having Julian there. Another item he would never admit. Noah was right, some people needed only one other, but they needed two.
As Julian took over her mouth, Porter took his opportunity to trail his lips down her neck, to her chest and finally her breasts where he flicked his tongue over her already taut nipples.
Julian snapped the plant open, captured some of the oil used for healing as well as lubrication and massaged her backside, his fingers disappearing.
"Julian?" She tensed.
"Do you trust us?" Julian gave her a light kiss.
"With everything I have." She breathed.
"Then this will feel amazing." Julian assured her.
She closed her eyes and writhed with Julian's touches, arching her back when Porter continued tending to her chest.
She gasped and grabbed his hair.
"Alyssa?" He lifted his head. Though they both tried to be gentle, they could still hurt her.
"I like it, I like everything." She squirmed. "Porter, use your teeth."
His need surged. Since they first mated he had tried to tone down his actions, and he knew Julian did as well, but he gladly indulged her and took one nipple between his teeth while he carefully pinched the other.
"Tell us more." Julian's voice took on a demanding tone. "What more do you need?"
He opened his eyes to find Alyssa's tiny hand stroking Julian. The image before him was enticing and arousing, especially with the way Julian moved his hips with her and how his partner continued to prepare her for what was to come next. He moaned, pressed against her leg and slid his hand down between her legs.
Maybe most humans needed more foreplay and buildup than Lykans, but not Alyssa. She was completely ready for them. Without the release of mating the last few days, he didn't know how long he could wait.
"Oh, God." Her tone euphoric. "I want Porter to kiss me."
As if he were trained, he inched up her body, taking his time, taking in her curves, her softness, and the way she molded to both of them. Julian moved aside and he went to connect their lips.
She turned away. "I want Julian to kiss me."
What game was she playing? "I thought you wanted me."
She reached down and took hold of him as well.
He growled as her touch consumed him.
"I want both of you to kiss me," she whispered. "I want both of you."
Unsure of what overtook her, him or even Julian, without even thinking he moved forward once more, taking over one side of her mouth while Julian owned the other. Her tongue darted between them, alternating between their mouths. Somehow she managed to take both their tongues in her mouth sucking and deepening the kiss. They all kissed, all three of them, and his arousal intensified.
Julian sucked in his breath. "Now what?" His voice came out jagged.
"You tell me. I thought we needed to become one." She pulled them down for anther one of those unique kisses. Neither he or Julian protested, and all their tongues and tastes tangled together, creating something completely different and utterly their own.
"I agree." Julian held the plant out to him, and in that one act they made the ultimate peace. They were together, the three of them, but one had to be the leader, and the position clearly belonged to Julian.
His erection swelled to the point of discomfort and he ground against her hand. What humans considered foreplay, he considered near torture, and he needed to end the torment. "Yes, we do, right now." He held onto Alyssa and moved to his back.
Her appetite as voracious as his, she took her opportunity to straddle him, and sink down upon him.
"Yes." Warm and wet, she encompassed him.
Unlike the night on the boat where she inflicted her own brand of agony, she now rode him with enthusiasm.
Julian came up behind her.
Porter gave her another few strokes, enough to build up her pleasure before catching her hips and holding her steady.
"Porter." She protested, her muscles clenching around him treating him to an exquisite massage.
"Now we will be one." He pulled her down for a kiss and Julian entered her.
"Ah!" She cried out as Julian filled her as well.
"You're fine. Relax." He held her tight but had no choice but to lift his hips and hold his breath. Julian's invasion into her other recess made her even tighter.
"We love you." Julian kissed the back of her neck. "We love you, Alyssa, and we are one."
They moved together, slowly at first, enough to rekindle her desire. He and Julian found their flow, one in, one out and though only a thin barrier of skin separated them, Julian rubbed against him, and like the kiss, heightened his own voracious need.
"Damn, I can feel
you, Port." Julian grabbed her hips. "Go faster."
"Yes, go faster." Alyssa huffed bent down further, hiding her face in his chest and raising her backside.
He obliged both of them, plunged up into her and held his breath in an attempt to stave off the inevitable. Between Alyssa and Julian, he had no chance of not jumping over the edge at any moment.
Julian drove into her from the other side. "It's too much."
He shook his head and closed his eyes, his erection lengthened, his strokes no longer fluid but disjointed as his end barreled toward him.
"I'm there!" No sooner had the words left her mouth than she shook, her entire being taken over by trembles. She screamed and dug her nails into his shoulder.
"I can't." Julian cried out as well and slammed into her.
Rhythmic ripples from Alyssa and the throbs of another male inside her, was all his body could take. With Julian's last thrust, he let go, let his own ecstasy take him, his orgasm coming on strong enough to make him lightheaded.
"We are one." Alyssa panted.
Julian nodded and kissed her.
"Yes." He hugged her and as if she were made of glass, he and Julian turned her to her side and simply held her.
"May I have fur tonight?" Her was voice far away. "Both of you. It was a perfect night."
They would deny her nothing. Julian shifted for her and she smiled.
Before giving into her wish, he found the small pack with his clothes and the test. He checked the injection and without a warning, administered it into her arm.
"Porter!" She turned her back to him.
"I'm sorry, we have to know." He turned her back and rubbed her arm.
"What are we looking for? How long will it take?" She barreled him with questions.
"I don't know, but we'll know when we know." He brushed her hair away from her face. "Tomorrow we will be on our way back home. When we return to Lykos we will redo our vows with all the grandeur you deserved the first time. We will go back to our island like I told you we would."
"If I'm sick I won't go back to Lykos with you."
Julian growled.
"Porter?" She stared up at him. "What about your mate before?"
"She wasn't my mate." He never realized Alyssa knew about her.
"Was she sick?"
He inhaled. "Yes."
"With pyrexosis?"
He tightened his hold on her. "I don't know and it doesn't matter." The whole experience seemed distant, almost like it happened to someone else. Since Alyssa's illness he tried to push the memory even futher away or he would fixate on comparing every last detail. There were similarities and differences and they didn't know enough to diagnose her properly. Also, she was a Lykan and she wasn't his mate. "You know what does matter?"
"Tell me." With her fingertips she traced the outline of his chin.
"With that experience, I know how much I love you."
She took his hand. "What if I fail the test?"
Not wanting to answer, he shifted and surrounded her with all the warmth he had to give.
Chapter 11
Julian held his breath and leaned in close, inspecting every inch of Alyssa. Not knowing what he searched for, he stared, moving Porter's paw off her to make sure he missed nothing.
Porter let out a low growl, returned his paw to her waist and shifted into his human form.
He put his finger over his lips.
At last, she slept soundly, silent breaths, her cheeks flushed, and her mouth almost in a sweet smile. Her night wasn't nearly as peaceful. She had tossed and turned between them and heat radiated from her. He spent the better part of the night praying to every deity he could remember that she wasn't ill.
He moved in closer to her face.
"What are you doing?" Porter whispered.
"Looking for a sign." He stared right at her. "She's really quite beautiful."
Porter propped up on an elbow and joined him, looking down at her. "Gorgeous."
"Exquisite." He could one up Porter in descriptive words any time.
They inched toward her.
She opened her eyes. "You two are incredibly handsome."
His heart swelled. Her voice was light, rested, invigorated. Maybe all she needed was some fresh air and fresh shifter. He could provide both and he brushed his lips across hers.
She pressed her palms to both of their cheeks.
"How do you feel?" Porter nuzzled his face in her hand before he bent down and gave her as kiss as well.
She lowered her hands and closed her eyes. "The same." Her lashes dampened with tears.
Julian’s chest constricted. "That means nothing." Out of the corner of his eye he glanced at Porter.
The cords on Porter's neck stood out and he cleared his throat. "We don't know what we're looking for and we don't know when we're looking for it. Noah only said we would know."
"Now you're quoting Noah." They all had wanted her to wake up with something definitive, anything besides not knowing. No matter what, he couldn't let her lose hope, not until they knew conclusively. "The waiting is the worst part. I say we get up and get out of here."
She shook her head. "I'm not going with you."
"Would you feel better if we said our vows before taking you off the island?" He kissed the back of her hand. "We will still have a grand party back home."
"How long should the results take? I think we would have known by now." She sat up and took her time looking between them. "I am not allowing you to be slowed up by me. I am not allowing you to take a mate only to bury her. You are both destined to do great things and you already gave me my destiny."
At her words, his blood scorched through his veins. He stood up, found her clothes and tossed them in her direction. "Get dressed." Noah told him to act like a leader and damn if he wasn't going to take charge.
She clutched her clothing to her chest.
Porter stood, jutted his jaw out and faced him. "What are you doing?"
"Right now we are all getting dressed." He found their packs and threw Porter's at him.
"There will be no more talk of illness, or being separated." He yanked his clothes on, and without a word, Alyssa and Porter did the same. Satisfied at the outcome, he pointed at her. "I don't care if those test results take two minutes or two hundred years, but until I am staring at your dead body or I am holding our offspring, vows or not you are our mate, and you are getting on that ship and we are going back to Lykos."
"Offspring?" She jumped up and put her hands over her stomach. "What do you mean?"
Porter took her in his arms. "Julian."
"Like I told you, we have proof." He picked up his pack, walked over and held it out to her.
She glanced through the pages and looked up at him with wide eyes.
"You‘re not a walking time bomb. If you are sick I'm going to make you well. If you’re pregnant I'm going to take care of you, but no matter what, one thing is certain, you are coming with us."
"Julian." Porter said his name once more and pushed Alyssa behind him. "Be quiet."
He froze. A shudder ran up his spine. Again. How did this happen again? They weren't made to be pirates. He ground his teeth together and scanned the area. Even if they could escape the immediate threat, there would be no way off the island. The humans were unmatched in their technology. With metered steps, he joined Porter and Alyssa.
"What's wrong?" She grabbed his arm.
"Step away from the human and put your hands up." A voice over a loud speaker demanded.
"Oh no." Alyssa's cries vibrated through him.
"We are not leaving her." Julian shook his head.
"Put your hands up and move away from the human or we will shoot." The voice kept its even tone.
"They have us surrounded," Porter whispered. "We can't let them hurt our mate."
He dropped his pack and put his hands up.
Porter followed suit.
"Move away from the human." The voice repeated.
N
either of them moved.
"Step aside or we will shoot. We are giving you five seconds."
"Five…"
"Julian, Porter." Alyssa cried out.
"Do not move." Porter growled.
"Four…"
"We demand to see an ambassador. It is well within our rights." He lifted his chin in the direction of the voice. "We have documents you need to know about."
"Not for the human." The voice seemed to amplify. "Three…"
"Stop!" Alyssa darted away from them, defying them both. "Don't shoot them!"
"Alyssa!" They screamed her name.
She held up her hands and turned toward them. "I'm sorry." A brilliant blue glow radiated from her eyes.
The sign. "Porter!" Blue eyes may not happen on Lykos, but glowing eyes didn't happen with humans.
"Thank you." Porter breathed. "Thank you."
"Two…" The voice continued.
They ran to her.
"Your eyes, they're glowing." Porter hugged her.
"She is pregnant with Lykan offspring." He yelled the news, wanting Anthros, Lykos, the archipelago, the world to hear it. "That legally makes her a citizen of Lykos."
Alyssa beat death not once, but twice. No pyrexosis, no death sentence from mating with the ones she loved, but a bizarre form of Lykan morning sickness that would need special care, but would not be fatal.
Aktrosian Guards led them into Secretary Girard's office and she took her place between Porter and Julian. At long last she found exactly where she belonged, but she needed to beat death one more time, and for more than the three of them. She hugged Julian's papers to her chest.
Secretary Girard entered the room along with his aide and refrained from looking at them as he sat at his desk. He lifted a paper and tilted his chair back. "Let's see here. I apparently have two Lykans who, aided by a human, have stolen a ship, killed members of our armed guards, snuck on to our island and then subsequently shifted to break through our security, and I'm supposed to hear your case?"
"That's your version of the truth." Julian crossed his legs.
