“Oh?” Sophie raised her eyebrows. “What did you have in mind?”
In one swift motion, Virgil stood up and lifted Sophie off the couch. He strode off toward the bedroom, with Gabriel close behind. He set her gently on the bed and then began stripping off his clothes. Sophie propped her head up to concentrate on him peeling off his T-shirt to reveal sculpted abs.
“Like what you see?” he asked, giving her a grin.
“You know I do.”
Gabriel came up from behind him and pulled his own shirt off.
“Now that’s a perfect image,” Sophie said with a giggle. “Two half-naked men in my doorway.”
“I think you might like it more if we were completely naked,” Gabriel said. He unzipped his pants, let them fall to the floor, and stepped out of the pile of fabric, clad only in his boxers. “Would you like to do the honors?”
Sophie crawled across the bed and slid his boxers down, and then she eased the tip of her tongue around the head of his rigid cock.
“Fuck, that feels good,” he said with a groan.
“It’s going to feel even better soon.”
Virgil slid out of his own pants and stood next to Gabriel. Sophie reached out and slid his boxers down, this time taking his entire cock in her mouth before pulling her lips away.
“I want both of you at the same time,” she said. “Can you give that to me?”
Gabriel and Virgil looked at each other and grinned. “We thought you’d never ask,” Gabriel said.
“I–I’ve never done anything like that before.”
“Let us take care of you, baby,” Virgil said. “Let us do all the work.”
Gabriel eased her onto the bed and began to tease her cunt, easing his fingers up and down her slit before pressing against her clit. Sophie thrashed her head against the pillow, reveling in his touch.
Virgil crawled up to the headboard and put her head in his lap. She tried to reach for his cock to lick his shaft, but he put her hands at her sides.
“You just relax, baby. We’re gonna make you feel more amazing than you ever have in your life. Don’t do a thing. Just let us pleasure you.”
As Gabriel moved his fingers from her clit to inside her pussy, Virgil started to massage her scalp, tangling his fingers in her hair. Sophie closed her eyes as the dueling sensations of relaxation and arousal battled for control of her body. Arousal gained an advantage when Gabriel began to swirl his tongue around her clit.
Virgil’s hands moved down to her shoulders and arms, and Gabriel’s tongue and fingers began to work faster and faster. Sophie closed her eyes again and began to thrash, her legs jerking uncontrollably with the stimulation she was receiving. Finally, Virgil reached down to give attention to her breasts, and the moment he pinched her nipples, the orgasm surged through her, overtaking every synapse running through her body.
As she came back down to earth, Gabriel immediately flipped her over. Sliding his fingers into her cunt one more time, he massaged her juices around her ass, preparing her tight hole for him.
“Just relax, baby,” he said as he eased one finger in.
Sophie gasped. The feeling was more intense than she had predicted, but she loved the near-pain sensation accentuating the pleasure she had been feeling.
“You like that?” Virgil asked, tangling his fingers in her hair again.
“Yes,” she gasped out. She wished she could say more, but there were no words for the exquisite sensation she was feeling. Her mind was blank, holding attention only to the stimulation overtaking her body.
Gradually, Gabriel eased in another finger into her tight hole. “How’s that? Still good?”
Sophie groaned. “That feels amazing. I’ve never experienced anything like this before.”
Virgil leaned forward and whispered in her ear. “It’s gonna get even better, baby.”
Gabriel eased his fingers out, and Sophie gasped at the sudden emptiness. Virgil eased her into a sitting position and then took her place on the bed. His cock was so hard it stood straight out from his body.
“Climb on me, baby, and then Gabriel will take your hot ass.”
Sophie obeyed, trembling as she eased herself onto Virgil’s rigid shaft. After the way it had felt just to have Gabriel’s fingers penetrate her tight hole, she could only imagine how it would feel to be taken by two men at once.
Gabriel eased Sophie slightly forward, giving himself room to move. He eased his cock in an inch at a time. At first, Sophie didn’t think she was going to be able to handle it. The pleasure was far too intense for her. But once Gabriel was all the way in, he stilled, allowing her time to adjust. The pleasure in her body raged on but settled enough that Sophie knew she could handle the tight, full feeling.
“I’m ready,” she moaned.
Gabriel started to move, going slowly at first. The sensation already bordered on overwhelming, and he wasn’t anywhere close to full speed yet. Gradually, Virgil joined in, matching Gabriel’s pace stroke for stroke. Sophie realized she was already on the verge of orgasm, even with them moving slowly. When Gabriel picked up speed and Virgil followed, the climax reached its peak, and Sophie threw her head back and screamed toward the ceiling as the pleasure overtook her.
Virgil and Gabriel weren’t done, however. Sophie didn’t even have a chance to finish coming down from her release before they sped up even faster, working in and out of her at a furious pace. Just when she thought they couldn’t go any faster, they upped the pace even more, faster than they’d ever gone with her before. Sophie felt her cunt clench down around Virgil’s cock as another orgasm raced through her body. This time, she felt Virgil’s cock give one final throb in response. He ceased all motion and emptied into her, groaning out her name. Gabriel wasn’t far behind. His pace suddenly increased even faster as he slammed into her, saying her name in sharp, short bursts as he came.
Sophie collapsed against Virgil, and Gabriel collapsed against Sophie. She could hear Virgil’s heart pounding in her ear and could feel Gabriel’s pounding against her back. Never before had she felt so connected and secure. When Gabriel caught his breath and gently eased away from her body, she couldn’t help but want him to come back. But he then eased her off Virgil, and they both curled up around her, making her feel part of them again.
Sophie luxuriated in the afterglow as Virgil and Gabriel began to doze. Yet soon, her mind turned back to Georgina and the encounter. She couldn’t help but worry about what Georgina planned to do now. She was certain that if her so-called best friend had been so devious with her, she had a lot more tricks up her sleeve.
Chapter Eight
One week later
“What’s wrong?” Gabriel asked, giving Sophie a gentle kiss. Even after some delicious lovemaking, she still seemed wound-up and restless.
“I’m still worried about Georgina. She betrayed you once, and she’s clearly still tight with Villemont. Who’s to say she won’t try something again?”
“Tell you what,” Virgil said. “The three of us head out to the congregation now, discuss things over with Serafine and the rest. Maybe they can ease your mind.”
“We should be headin’ back anyway,” Gabriel said. “They probably expected us home a few hours ago. We got work to do.”
After returning the rental car, they headed over to the docks, got in the boat, and sped out toward the congregation. Virgil did most of the piloting. Gabriel sat in the back and held Sophie. Once they were out on the water, he felt her relax, and he relished how he felt when she eased her body up against his. He realized she finally trusted him.
As they stared up at the blue sky and took in their surroundings, Gabriel began to hope that she’d make up her mind about mating soon. He’d wanted it ever since he found her, but now, the feeling was getting stronger. Sophie was becoming a part of him. It was as though she’d started to transform him somehow, as though she was leaving a mark on his soul. His body gave a small shudder at the thought that she might not ever want to mate with them,
that she might change her mind completely and leave them for good, rather than fulfilling her destiny.
He quickly pushed those thoughts out of his mind. Now was not the time to let himself feel even remotely vulnerable. Of course she would become their mate. He couldn’t allow himself to think that she wouldn’t.
When they tied up the boat, Sophie practically bounced off, racing to greet the other members of the congregation.
“Hey, you have a second?” Gabriel asked, hanging back.
“What’s up?” Virgil asked.
“Do you—I mean, have your feelins started to change for her at all?”
Virgil gave him a sharp glance. “You not interested or somethin’?”
Gabriel shook his head. “God, no. I think—I think I feel something deeper.”
“You mean love?”
Gabriel nodded. “It ain’t an easy word to say, though.”
“I said it just fine.”
“But do you feel it for her?”
“I really do.”
“How long have you known?”
“Since she came out to the bayou last week. All I wanted in the world was for her to decide to stay. I want her to be with us forever. It ain’t just the matin’ instinct in my body. My heart needs her, man.”
Gabriel nodded. “Mine does, too.”
“Well, in that case, you’d better start workin’ on your words. She’s gonna want to hear them sooner or later.”
Walking into the kitchen, they found Sophie sitting at the table with a number of people from the congregation gathered around her. Serafine was holding her hand.
“Now don’t you fret. You didn’t do nothin’ wrong.”
“But what if she tries to take revenge?”
“I don’t think she’s really capable of that,” Nelson said. “Besides, there ain’t much she can do to us now that she’s been banished and her powers are gone.”
“That don’t change the fact that she works for Villemont,” Armand replied. “And we know he ain’t at all concerned with the good of the bayou. He does what he wants to make money, and he don’t care what gets destroyed in the process. Between the two of them, they could do some real damage. I bet if she asked, he’d be willin’ to do somethin’ that affects us directly. He knows who we are, after all. He’s even seen some of us shift.”
“I just don’t understand why he don’t put a more direct attack on us now,” Gabriel said. “He sure ain’t our biggest fan. And he’s probably even madder since we foiled Pomet’s business. Why ain’t he really tryin’ to bring us down?”
“He’s biding his time,” Narcisse said. Gabriel shuddered at the ominous tone in his voice. “All of the stuff he does puts the bayou in peril, like this construction project, but it doesn’t hit us directly. I have a feeling that whatever he’s planning requires a lot of patience and work.”
Adele nodded. “And Villemont knows how to bide his time if he has to. He prefers to solve his problems using money, but he can wait if money can’t take care of things quickly.”
Gabriel’s stomach sank. “You really think he’s got somethin’ planned for us specifically?”
She nodded.
“And it’s gonna be bad?”
She nodded again.
“So what do we do?” Sophie interjected, her voice sounding panicked. “I’m so sorry. I never meant to bring this all upon you. I didn’t know.”
“Hush now,” Serafine said, giving her shoulder a squeeze. “You didn’t turn Villemont into an evil man, and you certainly didn’t lead Georgina to us. She knows perfectly well how to find the congregation if she and Villemont want revenge. Besides, we got a way around this.”
Sophie blinked her eyes. “How?”
Serafine grinned. “Magic.”
* * * *
Virgil couldn’t help but chuckle as he saw Sophie’s eyes widen. Even though she’d clearly come to accept the fact that shifters existed, the idea of voodoo seemed beyond belief. He rolled his eyes a bit. It always shocked him when natives, who had been raised in a city known for its voodoo practitioners, shrugged the practice off as though it was a way to fool tourists. His ancestors had used it as such, and look where that had gotten him.
“Magic?” Sophie asked.
Serafine nodded. “Of course. Magic has always done right by us. Come on out to the deck. We’re gonna do a protection ritual. You ever seen voodoo done before?”
Sophie shook her head.
“Well, there’s a first time for everything. I think you’ll enjoy your first one. And even though you’re not a full member of the congregation yet, we’d love to have you participate.”
Sophie gave a small smile. “Okay. I’d like that very much. Thank you.”
Serafine disappeared to her quarters while the rest of the gators went out and got ready. Some went out to round up members of the congregation who were busy with chores or resting on their own boats. Within a few minutes, everyone on the congregation was assembling on the lower and upper decks of the boat.
“Is it safe for everyone to be clustered here?” Sophie asked, looking nervous.
“Of course it is,” Virgil said, giving her a kiss. “Just because we don’t have room for every gator to live here don’t mean we’re lackin’ standin’ room on the boat. If it wasn’t safe, Serafine would have said somethin’ and done a different spell that didn’t require every gator to be here.”
Serafine emerged carrying a large bundle. First, she pulled out seven purple candles and held them toward Sophie.
“Will you put these around the lower deck for me, please? Make ’em spaced evenly.”
“Yes, of course.” She hurried off to accomplish the task.
Virgil grinned as Sophie immediately busied herself helping out. Even though she hadn’t been turned yet, it felt like she was one of them. She belonged there, and he hoped it wouldn’t be long before she saw it that way as well.
Serafine handed Virgil seven purple candles to place around the upper deck, and when he came back, he found the rest of the ritual was complete. One black taper and one white taper sat side-by-side on an oak wood altar. Incense sticks stood in front of each candle, and a brown, withered root sat in front. Two bowls of powders and a small bottle of oil sat nearby.
“Who here has a photo of Georgina?” Serafine called to the congregation.
One of her fathers, Eugene, stepped forward. With tears in his eyes, he handed over a slightly rumpled picture. Virgil’s heart broke for the man and for the rest of her family. He could only imagine how difficult the last few months had been. He couldn’t picture what it would feel like to know his child had betrayed him and then been cast out of the congregation.
“Okay. Let’s begin,” Serafine said. “Everybody, please gather together and hold hands.”
Virgil reached out and grabbed Sophie’s hand. With his other hand, he reached out for Eugene. The man looked at him with sorrow.
“I’m sorry this happened to you,” Virgil said.
“So am I. But she made her own choices and decided to betray her family. We do what needs to be done.”
Virgil averted his glance quickly. He couldn’t stand staring into so much pain. Instead, he closed his eyes and breathed in the fresh bayou air and then opened them again so he could concentrate on the ritual.
Lighting the white candle, Serafine said, “Spirits and saints of the world, protect us from Georgina Fucher and the evils that live in her mind.”
Serafine drizzled the oil in a circle around the candle, and then drizzled the root with oil as well, and moved it to sit directly in front of the white candle. Then, she picked up the white powder and sprinkled it in a circle around the entire altar.
“Who will help me light the candles?” she called out.
“I will,” Sophie said. She broke free of the chain and rushed to meet Serafine. Virgil reached out for Gabriel’s hands, to keep the circle from breaking, and focused on his mate. She walked around and lit each candle, and Serafine drizzled
a ring of the oil and a sprinkling of white powder around each one. Then, they climbed up to the upper deck. Virgil lifted his head so that he could see the tiny flames begin to light up.
“She’s one of us. I hope this makes her see that,” Gabriel whispered.
“I think it will.”
Sophie and Serafine returned, and Sophie resumed her place between Virgil and Gabriel. Serafine returned to the altar and lit the black candle.
“Georgina Fucher, keep away from our congregation,” she said as the flame blazed. She slid Georgina’s picture beneath the candleholder. She placed the bowl of brown powder next to the candle. Finally, she lit the incense, and the fragrant smell of jasmine floated into the warm summer air.
Picking up the black taper, Seraphine put Georgina’s photo in the bowl with the brown powder then touched the photograph and set the photograph on fire. Virgil felt Eugene flinch as her image began to burn, but he remained resolute as the image started to crinkle and melt.
“Sprits of the land, the water, and the air, protect us from the souls who wish to do us harm!” Serafine shouted. When the entire picture was burned, she stubbed the black taper into the brown powder. “Spirits of the land, the water, and the air, protect us from the souls who wish to do us harm!” Out of the corner of his eye, Virgil saw a tear slide down Eugene’s cheek. His heart went out to the man, and he wished he could think of some way to comfort him.
Serafine took some more of the white powder and sprinkled it on top of the root. She took a piece of foil from one of the pockets of her robes and wrapped it around the root. She then pulled out a bottle of oil and drizzled it on the cloth.
“I will now place this in the control room, the heart of this ship. As long as it is there, everyone in this congregation will be protected from Georgina’s mischief. She cannot hurt us.”
As soon as Serafine accomplished the task, the circle broke. Armand and Nelson rushed to support Serafine, who had gone pale.
“I’m gonna be fine, boys. If you could be so kind as to help an old woman get to her bed, I’d be much obliged, but I’ll be better in the mornin’.”
Rose, Charlotte - Bayou Flood [The Shifters of Alligator Bend 3] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 9
