TheSmallPrint

by Barbara Elsborg

“He’s watching us and wants to do it too,” Turner said.

  His thumb moved to her clit as he alternately thrust his cock and then fingers into her. Matty’s body responded to the rhythm. Dark heat coiled low in her belly and as Turner played with her, she trembled with arousal.

  “Like that?” Turner whispered.

  Matty opened her mouth to respond and couldn’t. Turner was driving her faster and faster toward the edge. Like a wild mare racing across a plain with a stallion behind her, she wanted to be caught, didn’t want to be caught. Her muscles clenched and released and her breathing grew choppier. Turner thrust harder, his hips rising off the car seat, pushing her up before he dragged her down.

  “Let me in deeper,” he gasped. “Push against me.”

  Deeper? Matty willed herself to relax and bear down, and felt something change inside her. He slapped up against her backside, thick and hot in her ass. His cock jerked. Matty felt it swell, pulse, and Turner stiffened behind her. His fingers trembled in her pussy, his thumb pressed hard on her clit and she flew with him. Turner filled her not just with his cum but with himself, with his love. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight against his trembling body, muttering, “I love you, I love you,” over and over in her ear.

  Matty had never taken drugs. She’d not even sucked on the joint she’d once been offered, even though others had made fun of her. She’d never smoked a cigarette. She liked wine and champagne but she’d never imbibed alcohol to the point of excess. But this…this feeling inside had to be what it was like to be not quite in the world. She was intensely aware of everything, could hear, see, smell more clearly. Sex with Turner and Catch had been great before, now it was insane.

  Maybe she was the one who was insane. She couldn’t eat anymore. She couldn’t walk in the sun. She couldn’t have children. Her heart galloped and Matty gulped. She shouldn’t even have a reflection? Oh God. Only blood would keep her alive and Matty felt cheated that she’d not had chance to have a last meal, a last drink.

  “What’s wrong?” Turner asked.

  He lifted her off his cock and pulled her round to face him.

  “Let’s find somewhere to stop so we can all fuck together,” Matty said. Sex would stop her thinking.

  “No.” Turner smoothed her hair from her cheek. “Tell us what you’re feeling.”

  “I…” Matty sucked in a breath. “I’m a vampire.”

  “Technically speaking you’re probably a were-vamp like me,” Catch said.

  “What does that mean?” she asked in a small voice.

  “If you’re lucky you’ve inherited the best bits of both of us,” Turner said. “If you’re unlucky, you’ll get Catch’s minus points, which means your feet will smell and you’ll drool in your sleep.”

  “My feet do not smell,” Catch snapped.

  Turner cuddled her closer. “Note that he didn’t deny the drooling. Try not to worry, angel. The only thing that matters is that you’re here with us and we’ll be together forever. We can make things work. We won’t let you be unhappy.”

  “But the sunshine,” Matty whispered. How she’d miss the sun.

  “I’m okay in the light so long as it’s not full sun,” Catch said. “Maybe you’ll be the same. Maybe the brilliant guy holding you will find a solution in that fourth book and identify the plant.”

  She snuggled closer. “It’s kind of strange that my father was so interested in botany. I still have a lot of his books in the attic.”

  “What did you think you’d find when you bought Milford Hall?” Catch asked.

  “I hoped for plants that had developed from ones that were brought here. Once Gabriel had been and gone, I’d intended to survey the whole estate, check for unusual species, anything strange in the soil.”

  “Wood sorrel isn’t unusual, is it?” Matty asked.

  “Only because it flowers at night.” Turner kissed her head. “Why?”

  “There’s a little place where I played as a child where wood sorrel grows and my father told me I always had to take care of it. He said I was its guardian.”

  Turner tensed. “Show me?”

  * * * * *

  By the time they arrived back at Milford Hall, Turner had hyped himself into a tangle of nerves. He kept reminding himself Matty’s place could be nothing. Then a little voice shouted out, It could be everything.

  As Catch locked the car, Turner took Matty by the hand. “Now,” he said.

  “It can’t wait until— Oh fine,” Catch said when Turner glared.

  He took Matty’s other hand and she pulled them around the far side of the house.

  “Winterval’s gone.” Matty released a deep sigh.

  “Not quite,” Turner said. “Look over there.”

  Matty squealed. “The ice rink.”

  “Seth arranged for them to stay a couple more days,” Turner said.

  “Oh thank you.” She gave him a brilliant smile.

  Turner’s heart beat faster and faster as Matty led them farther away from the house. When she finally stopped and they stood facing a small clearing with a large rock in the center, Turner’s heart lodged in his throat.

  “I loved to play here,” Matty said.

  Turner moved to the rock and ran his hands over the rough surface.

  “Dad said it’s an erratic, transported from its home on a river of ice.”

  Or brought from another planet and full of minerals to feed the soil? Turner’s hands shook.

  “The wood sorrel’s all around,” Matty said, and pulled Catch to look.

  “Wow, how many colors does it come in?” Catch asked. “It’s like a rainbow.”

  No, it was like a miracle, Turner thought. The answer could be here. He caught hold of Matty’s hand and Catch’s and spun them around and around as he laughed.

  “Can you do that on skates?” Matty asked.

  “Let’s go and see,” Turner said.

  The answer was bound to be no. The last time he’d skated had been at a birthday party long before he became a vampire and Turner had fallen and broken his leg.

  They ran back to the rink and Catch tugged open the door to the little hut. One switch flipped and the ice lit up under a circle of lights. Another switch flipped and soft music filled the air. Matty’s sigh of happiness was worth the small fortune Turner expected he’d have to pay to hire the rink. He’d said “Price is no object” to Seth.

  While Turner and Catch looked for ice skates big enough, Matty had yanked a pair on, fastened them up and disappeared with a whoop of glee.

  “You think she’s okay?” Turner asked.

  “A bit manic but yes,” Catch said with a grin.

  The yelp didn’t disturb them but the cry of alarm did. They dropped the skates and surged out of the hut. Catch stopped abruptly and Turner slammed into his back.

  “Oh fuck,” Catch whispered.

  Turner couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Gabriel couldn’t possibly be here when he lay with a broken neck on a hospital roof bloody miles away. Matty stood on the ice with her back to the wooden wall that surrounded the rink. Behind her stood Gabriel holding a knife at her throat. Catch signaled to Turner to move left while he went right around the outside of the ice.

  “Stand still or I’ll slit her throat,” Gabriel said.

  Turner froze.

  “Go ahead. You already know she can’t be killed,” Catch said.

  “Nice try but she’s changed. I’ve had a taste of her.” Gabriel licked a bead of blood from her cheek. “Delicious.”

  Rage swept over Turner and his fists clenched.

  “How the fuck did you get here?” Catch asked. “Got a twin brother?”

  Turner cringed. Somehow he’d made a mistake.

  “Nick was just within reach. I was less helpless than I led you to believe. I must admit, I’ve never drained a body before. But shit, what a rush. Though not for Nick.”

  Turner frantically tried to figure out what to do, to work out the consequence of any a
ction.

  “What do you want?” Turner croaked out.

  Matty’s eyes were wide open, her hands outstretched, clutching the edge of the wall. Her head was tipped back onto Gabriel’s shoulder, the knife keeping her tight against him. Turner and Catch could move fast but not that fast.

  “The pages—where are they?” Gabriel asked.

  “In the car,” Catch snapped.

  Turner’s fingers twitched. There were in his pocket. He watched Matty slowly drawing in her arms and worried she was about to precipitate the situation.

  “Go get them and don’t try anything stupid,” Gabriel said.

  Catch raced off.

  “Don’t move, Matty,” Turner said. “Let her go, she’s done nothing to you.”

  “How come she can bleed now?” Gabriel asked. “She smells…have you turned her?”

  “I lay back on my body and I woke up,” Matty said. “Only I’m beginning to think this is some horrible nightmare.”

  “Hi, Gabriel. Long time no see.”

  Turner ran toward Matty as Gabriel spun to look at Catch. Matty grabbed Gabriel’s wrist and thrust the knife away from her throat as Catch wrenched a section of wood from the edge of the rink’s wall.

  “Logan?” Gabriel gaped at Catch then glanced at Matty as if he couldn’t figure out where her strength had come from.

  Catch had changed his face. The moment of hesitation was all Catch needed. As Turner twisted Matty free, Catch jerked Gabriel round and thrust the jagged length of wood into his heart.

  “My alter-ego,” Catch said. “Hello and goodbye.”

  Gabriel looked down at the wood sticking out his chest, opened his mouth and crumpled.

  “What?” Matty gasped from the safety of Turner’s arms.

  “Catch changed his face.”

  Catch bent and then stood up. “He’s dead.”

  “Dead dead?” Matty asked. “He’s not going to jump up and say you missed?”

  “No.”

  Catch vaulted over the broken edge of the wall onto the ice. His face morphed from Logan back to Catch as he stood in front of them.

  “You okay?” Turner asked.

  Catch nodded.

  “Wow, that’s fast,” Matty said. “Can I do that?”

  “I hope not.”Catch pulled Matty into his arms and kissed her.

  “I’m sorry,” Turner blurted. “Oh fuck. How could I have been so stupid?”

  Catch yanked his head up and kissed him. “Not your fault. I should have finished him off. I snapped his neck but obviously not hard enough.”

  “Can I look at him?” Matty asked.

  “Why?” Turner asked.

  “Just to be sure he’s gone.”

  Turner took her hand and pulled her over to the edge of the ice. Gabriel was in the process of disintegrating. Turner waited for her to freak out.

  One glance and Matty spun away. “Right. Get your skates on.”

  “That’s all you’re going to say?” Turner asked.

  “I’m not going to let him spoil anything else. I’ve wanted to do this with you since the moment I saw you in the pub.”

  “No pressure then,” Turner muttered.

  By the time Turner emerged from the hut, Catch and Matty were effortlessly skating around the ice, hand in hand. Of course they were. Turner wobbled over to the surrounding wall and waited until they were facing the other way before he ventured out.

  His first mistake was pushing himself away from the safety of the edge in the belief speed would keep him stable. The second mistake was moving his feet in different directions. His arms cartwheeled, his legs went from under him, and Turner had a moment to reconcile himself to humiliation before arms swept him up and forward.

  Matty held him on one side and Catch the other, and they propelled him around the rink at high speed.

  “Move your feet,” Catch said. “Do the same as us.”

  “We won’t let you fall,” Matty said.

  Once Turner stopped trying to stay upright, everything became easier. He let them take charge, and after a few circuits, he realized they were no longer holding him up but skating with him.

  “This is fun,” he said with a smile. “I can do it on my own now.”

  Ah, no I can’t. His backside hit the ice and he groaned. Turner struggled to his feet and Catch swept him to the edge. Pressed up against him, Turner could feel Catch’s erection and his own cock rose in response.

  “You have any idea how sexy you are when you’re not in control?” Catch whispered, and nipped his lip.

  He pulled Turner off the ice.

  “Go and skate with her. I’ll watch,” Turner said.

  He smiled as they twisted and circled on the ice. Matty almost bounced with energy. Turner wasn’t sure that was normal after what she’d been through but he felt lucky they still had her.

  * * * * *

  After Catch left the ice, Matty skated on her own for a while, trying not to think about what had nearly happened. Gabriel was finally dead and that was all that mattered. She skated fast to the edge of the rink, skidded to an abrupt halt and showered Turner and Catch with ice crystals. The air sparkled around them and Matty thought she’d never seen two more gorgeous guys in her life. She hugged them. “Thank you so much for this.”

  “Tired?” Catch asked.

  “A little,” she muttered.

  Turner took off her boots and Catch swept her into his arms. Lights and music off, they made their way to the house.

  “Kitchen,” Turner said the moment they went inside.

  When he took three bags of Plasmix from the fridge, Matty gulped.

  “I might not need it,” she said.

  “Better to be safe.” Turner gave them each a bag.

  “Does it taste like your… What you gave me before?” she asked.

  “Not exactly,” Catch said.

  “How am I supposed to drink it? I don’t have sharp teeth.”

  “I’ll rip the corner off mine and if you smell it, your fangs might drop,” Turner said.

  He handed her the opened bag and Matty sniffed. “Mmm. Smells yummy.” She caught the glance that passed between the guys. “What?”

  “Nothing,” Catch said, sank his canines into the bag and sucked hard until it was empty.

  “Wow, you don’t believe in savoring your food then?” Matty asked.

  “Oh yeah, food that tastes—”

  “Catch!” Turner snapped.

  Matty ran her tongue over her teeth. Nothing.

  “Try it,” Turner said.

  She tipped the bag carefully into her mouth. Fuck, fuck, fuck. It had to be the most disgusting thing she’d ever drunk. Deprived of food and drink for seven months and this was what she had to look forward to? But Matty kept drinking and as she noted the looks of astonishment on their faces realized they’d expected her to spit it out.

  Matty finished the lot, plastered a smile on her face and said, “That was great. So much better than you two tasted. I’m going to be able to drink this all the time, aren’t I? I won’t need to—drink you.”

  “You like Plasmix?” Turner’s eyes almost popped out of his head.

  “Mmm.” Matty needed to clean her teeth now and she wasn’t sure that would be enough.

  “Want another bag?” Catch asked.

  “Not right now. I’m full.”

  “No, I think you ought to. It’s been a big night.” Catch smiled at her and she glared at him. “She’s telling fibs.”

  Turner growled.

  “We’ll give you a ten-second start,” Catch said. “If you’re not undressed and in bed by the time we get there, you’ll get spanked. One, two.”

  Matty squealed and fled.

  By the time they came into the room naked, Matty was in bed with the covers peeled down to reveal her breasts. Turner and Catch stalked toward her like big cats, eyes only for her, one thing on their mind.

  “Ten,” Catch said. “I’d forgotten you’re faster now. Damn, I was looking f
orward to smacking that cute backside.”

  Matty lifted her foot from under the covers. One sock remained.

  She bounced as they landed on either side of her at the same time.

  “You smell of toothpaste,” Turner said. “You are fast.”

  “Plasmix is horrible,” she wailed. “You both tasted so good. How can you drink that stuff?”

  “You get used to it,” Turner said.

  Matty glared. “Well, I’m going to invent something else. There must be a way of making it taste better.”

  Catch peeled off her sock and licked his way up her leg. “This is how to make it taste better,” he mumbled.

  Turner lifted her hand and sucked each of her fingers. “Yep, you’re right,” he said.

  They licked her all over. Absolutely all over.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Turner pushed his notes aside and looked at Matty and Catch lying on the couch with their legs entwined. They were playing a fast-moving racing game on the latest model fifty-inch flat-screen TV Catch had insisted he couldn’t live without. Turner’s thirty-two-inch was deemed unacceptable. He’d never forget the way Matty had rolled her eyes as the two of them argued over the size.

  “Darn it,” Matty moaned.

  She couldn’t keep her car on the track, and Catch whooped as he crossed the line first—again. Turner couldn’t beat her when he played.

  Much as he wanted to finish translating the fourth book, time spent with Catch and Matty mattered just as much. More. Turner could hardly believe that was true, but it was. Instead of letting him shut himself away in his study, they’d carried his desk into the drawing room so they could be together when he worked. And while they were sometimes distracting, Turner came to see that as a bonus. Only when he was in the lab did they leave him alone, though Matty had helped him transplant seedlings in the orangery.

  George had returned from Chile looking tanned and suspiciously relaxed. He’d bought Turner a small set of drums that had Made in Jamaica stamped on the base. Turner thought it unlikely Chile imported them no matter what George said.

  “Hey, hey, I can’t do it if you put your hands over my eyes,” Catch yelled.

  “You have to have a handicap. It’s not fair.”

  Turner smiled. They were like kids. Catch had resigned from the SBI and he, Matty and George were in the process of setting up an organization called New Start to find homes and jobs for abused teenagers, mortal and immortal. Matty’s idea, and the sight of Catch’s incredulous face when she suggested it, told Turner there were secrets still to be told. Matty had an amazing ability to persuade people to do almost anything. She thought she was using vampire thrall, but it was her engaging personality. Turner smiled. He’d do anything for her.