by K. A Knight
“Rex—” I cut off on a groan as he knocks my hand out of the way and smashes our lips together. I kiss him back with everything in me, showing him how grateful I am, how much I want him, and he returns it as his fingers tweak and pull at my hardened peaks. It’s too much, but I can’t seem to stop wanting more anyway.
Rex’s tongue and fingers, and Blain’s mouth drive me higher, and when Jesse wraps my hair around his fist and tugs, I am gone.
They worship me as I fracture in their arms again. When I come to, Blain is above me, his cock held in his hands as he strokes it.
“I think you should show Rex some love,” he comments casually. My eyes fall on Rex who is on his knees next to me, his eyes soft and loving as he watches me for whatever I will do.
Heaving myself up, I mirror his kneeling position before him. “I want you,” I tell him honestly, and he smiles at me.
“You always have me,” he responds softly, cupping my cheek and laying a gentle butterfly kiss on my lips.
Pushing on his chest, I watch as he falls to his back, his eyes open and trusting. Telling me I can do whatever I want. Wasting no time, I straddle his lap, my hand fisting his cock as I lower myself onto him. I keep our eyes locked the whole time until I am seated on him, then I throw back my head, closing my eyes as I appreciate the full feeling. You would think after so many orgasms I would be sated, but I can never get enough of these guys.
His hands grip my hips as we start to move, him lifting me up and down with his strength as I grip his thighs behind me and hold on for the ride.
It’s slower than mine and Blain’s fast fuck, it’s full of unspoken emotions and reassurance, and when we both fall apart our eyes meet and our breaths mingle. He swallows my scream and holds me to him as I shake and jerk in his arms.
Clapping starts behind me as I slit open my eyes.
“Now, it’s my turn,” Blain says.
He lifts my limp body from Rex and lays me down next to him. My legs automatically open as he shuffles in between them with an evil grin on his face.
“Hold on tight, Harpy. I need you too much to tease. I want you hard and fast, and that pretty pussy milking my greedy cock.”
I moan at his words and he grips my ass, making me wrap my legs around his waist. I hold on to him as he delivers what he promised. Pounding into me until we are both shouting and collapsing into a sweaty heap in the bed.
Chapter Eleven
I wake up in a pile of limbs, with the warm heavy weight of someone’s arm around me. Their body is pressed up against my back, making me smile and push up against them. A happy, sleepy noise greets me as another arm snakes around my waist, pulling me forwards into their body. Wait.
I blink my eyes open in confusion and see Jesse in front of me. Judging from the tattooed arm pulling me possessively closer to his body, I work out that Blain is behind me. A happy rumbling noise sounds from above my head, and a hand brushes through my hair, causing me to look up at a smiling Rex. The events of last night come back to me, and I smile shyly at him, a blush rushing to my cheeks.
Last night had been amazing, and after everything had… settled down, we had fallen into this position, with the guys circled around me. I had thought there would be arguments over who I would be spending the night with, but everyone had been so exhausted that we fell asleep. I know that this isn’t always going to be easy, egos and jealousy are going to get in the way, but right now, for moments like this, it’s worth it.
“Well, well. Looks like you lot had an interesting night.” Alcide’s voice greets us, and his smile is as sly as his tone as his eyes rove over us, coming to a stop when they land on me. Something passes through his eyes, almost like regret, but it’s gone as quickly as it arrived.
Jesse groans and pulls the covers over his head, muttering something about lack of sleep, and Blain looks inclined to agree with him until I sit up, clutching the blanket to my chest. Jesse growls half-heartedly and goes to grab the covers back off me.
“Oh, so you don’t want to do our Christmas morning then?” I ask teasingly, and grin when it has the desired effect.
Leaping up out of bed with a whoop, Jesse starts sorting through the discarded pile of clothes on the floor, hurriedly pulling on his when he finds them.
“Hurry up guys!” he calls, and I slide from the bed with a laugh, Rex doing the same. I glance over as I dress, and see that even Blain has a small smile on his face.
We walk over to Alcide’s tent together in happy silence, with Alcide and Blain walking in front of us, throwing glances at me over their shoulders, while Jesse and Rex are each holding my hand on either side of me. We had decided to spend the morning together, just the six of us, and as Alcide’s tent is the biggest, we had agreed to meet there. Later, we would meet with the rest of the circus. A big meal has been planned where we will eat together as a family. Usually, we are so busy within the camp that we eat separately, and I don’t think I have ever seen everyone together in one place.
We enter Alcide’s tent, and Nixon is sitting on the edge of the bed with a plate in his hands and a piece of fabric covering the top of it. A crooked smile, one of the biggest I have ever seen on his face, greets us. I stop in the entrance as the guys file in around me. Nixon stands and walks towards me, handing me the plate and dropping a kiss on my cheek.
“Good Christmas, Rhea.” I smile at him before shooting a glare at Blain, just as he is about to open his mouth and comment about Nixon’s greeting. He sees my look and wisely decides not to say anything. Jesse discovered from the magazine that a popular greeting was, “Merry Christmas,” but I personally prefer Nixon’s version.
“Good Christmas, Nix.” I glance down at what is now in my hands with a confused smile on my face. “What’s this?”
“Your present,” is all he says in reply. His smile is still in place, but I can tell from the tension in his eyes that he is nervous about his gift, which makes me all the more determined to like it.
We had agreed that we were going to make the gifts that we were going to give each other, and it had been difficult keeping it a secret from them when I am always with one of them.
I look down at the plate again and take off the fabric cover, and look at the offering below. Cookies. Slightly burnt around the edges, but cookies all the same. I look up at Nixon, tears lining my eyes.
“You cooked for me?” My voice is quiet, but the smile on my face could light up the room.
Nixon just shrugs his shoulders like it is no big deal, but quickly catches me when I throw myself into his arms. In our messed up world, a man would never cook for a woman. Sure, the cooks do, but often the cooks are women anyway. For a man to spend time cooking something for a woman is unheard of, and the message that he is sending is clear.
“I love you,” I say quietly into his chest, and I feel his arms tighten around me as he lays his chin on top of my head, a happy rumble running through his chest.
“Told you we should have cooked for her,” one of the guys mutters under his breath, and I pull away from Nixon to face the others.
They take turns giving me my gifts, each one thoughtful and meaningful to me. Rex gave me a sketch of us as a family, Fluffy and the animals included. Blain gifted me with a knife carved with my name, which I was able to recognise after a few lessons with him teaching me the basics. Alcide had made me a glittering headdress for my new act, after the development of Jesse’s powers, which would be perfect for tonight’s show. And Jesse had made me a pendant, which had a frozen snowflake encased in glass he had melted himself. I had been concerned about the fact he must be using his power to keep the snowflake frozen within the glass, but he just shrugged and said that it was such a small amount of power that he barely noticed it.
They had all gone silent when I handed them their gift, a simple braided leather bracelet with a little piece of stone in the centre of each. I had explained that it was from a stone I had picked up back in Fallstown as a memento, and that the bracelet was a symbol, a
reminder of where I started to fall for them.
The rest of the day was filled with happiness and laughter as we joined the rest of the crew for a Christmas lunch, lots of the crew had decided to cook special dishes which we enjoyed tasting. Drink had soon followed and dancing commenced, it was one of the best days I have ever had.
Nerves run through me when I hear the excited chatter from the audience as they settle into their seats before the show. I should be used to it by now, I have done more shows than I can count, but the excited nerves always make me feel like it is my first show all over again. The crowd seems more excited tonight, more ramped up, and I think that’s because Alcide has promised them something different, something special. Magical.
My outfit certainly makes me look magical, like right out of a storybook Jesse told me about. My dress is form-fitting, the sleeves are encrusted with shining stones that run down my arms until they fade out by my wrists, looking like ice spikes—icicles, I think they are called—along my skin. The bodice is tight against my chest, the white fabric fading to blue as it flows into a loose skirt, which hangs by my knees. Glittering crystals form swirling patterns along the bodice, giving the effect of snow eddying in a wintry wind.
We had agreed that tonight’s show, the last before we move on, was going to be different. Jesse wanted it to be a Christmas show, but since no one knows about Christmas anymore, there was no point. Instead, we settled on an icy theme, given the recent evolution in Jesse’s power. I still worry about this new power, it manifested so quickly and he has had so little time to work on it, develop it. Besides, the energy that it seems to take from him is what worries me the most. Usually, our powers are as easy as breathing, instinctive, but we have been pushing ourselves so hard that our powers are advancing too quickly.
“You ready?” Jesse asks as he jumps up and down next to me, appearing out of nowhere. He has on matching tight pants, but no shirt, and his skin is glistening under the lights. I have to stop myself from drooling, so I quickly turn back to look at the crowd.
“I’m excited,” I reply, biting my lip to hold in my smile that won’t disappear.
“Now, ladies and gentlemen, I would like to introduce my circus!” Alcide finishes, making me realise I didn’t listen to anything he was saying. He looks at us with a massive smile on his face as he tips his hat to the crowd. I get distracted from my nerves again as my eyes run over him, he really does look good in his ringmaster uniform. I have no idea where he got it from, or who he commissioned to make it, but his uniform is always spotless, and when he puts it on he seems to become...more.
Jesse drops a kiss on my cheek, bringing me back to the present, before running out to face the cheering crowd. The lights instantly dim, only one lone spotlight hitting him where he stands in the middle of the circle.
When the music starts, he bows at the waist before cupping his hand over his mouth and blowing. I gasp along with the audience as snow shoots out and into the air before falling to the floor where it stays.
He opens his arms wide and starts to slowly spin. I feel a charge in the air, my hair is standing on end, and goosebumps are running down my skin. The music starts to speed up, as does he, until the air is twisting with him. With a bang, the music hits its crescendo and snow begins to fall inside the big top. I hear the cries of excitement and the movement of the crowd, but I can’t look away from Jesse. He looks amazing, beautiful, but most of all, powerful. He wears it like a cloak, completely comfortable with it now where he once hid it. It makes him more, you can feel it in the air and anyone who met him while he wielded his power would know what he is. A freak, power incarnate, mine.
He stops spinning as the snow continues to fall, and when the music begins to die he holds out his hand to me, asking me to trust him. When a spotlight hits me, I take in a deep breath and, keeping my eyes on him, slowly make my way across the stage.
When I reach him the crowd is quiet again, like they are holding their breaths to see what we will do next. When I place my hand in his, it’s like an electric shock to my system, and I feel my powers rushing up to twirl with his.
“Dance with me?” he whispers as music starts playing and the snow falls.
“Always,” I reply.
He grins, and using my hand, he pulls me to him until no space remains between our bodies, and then we begin to move. To dance to the music. I lose myself in it and him, like I did when we danced under the stars.
It’s not until the crowd cries out that I look down and my mouth drops open in shock. We are a couple of feet off the ground, moving across what looks like an ice staircase twisting with us, the ice flat and glistening, reaching into the sky. I grip onto Jesse harder, even though I know a fall wouldn’t kill me.
“Trust me,” he says softly, pulling me with him as we twirl and move with the music.
When the music hits the crescendo this time, Jesse spins and dips me, and all I can feel is air at my back, as my hair floats in the wind. I keep my eyes locked with his, trusting him as he holds me out of the ice tower with only one arm. He keeps me like, suspended, before dragging me back to him.
We freeze there, the spotlight on us as the music stops, our chests heaving and our cold breaths mingling as we smile at each other filled with love.
The music booms out of nowhere, faster than before and more dramatic.
“Trust us,” Jesse mouths, before pushing me off the top of the ice. I clamp my mouth shut when a scream wants to escape, and I close my eyes as I free fall. A rope comes out of nowhere, and I quickly grab onto it, the momentum swinging my body up. Using it, I wrap myself around the rope and hang mid-air. Looking down with my breath seesawing out of my chest, I spot the tightrope and groan. They all know how much I hate it, but I follow Jesse’s advice and trust them.
Letting go of the rope, I drop onto the tightrope below me, holding out my arms to balance myself. Facing forward, I concentrate on the end podium. I was only ever able to get all the way there without falling once, so here is hoping I can do it again. Taking a deep breath, I put one foot in front of the other, slowly working my way across the tightrope. I have a little wobble and the crowd gasps but I quickly recover and keep moving. Okay, halfway there, so close.
My focus is so completely on the rope that I don’t see the knife flying towards me until the crowd screams a warning. My head jerks to the side as my eyes widen, spotting the metal glinting under the light as it flies through the air towards me. I manage to twist at the last moment to avoid it, but when I turn to look, two more are heading my way, and I know I won’t be able to avoid them this time. I have no choice but to fall.
Keeping my arms spread out to the sides, I let myself fall backwards off the rope. I feel the air rushing past me, reminding me of the time I was practising flying. Maybe that’s what they had in mind? To show everyone just how much we aren’t hiding? It’s not like I have much of a choice, I can feel the ground approaching, so I grab onto my power and yank. I know this will knock me out later, but for now, the thrill of it racing through my body, changing me, shaping me, is amazing.
I feel the wings sprout from my body and I spread them to catch the wind and stop my fall, but instead, I am gliding. The crowd’s uproar is so loud, it seems to shake the whole tent as I come to a running landing below the tightrope. Standing there, not hiding, I lift my chin as I breathe heavily and wait for the outcry of horror.
Instead, the applause is deafening and the ground begins to shake with the thunder of their stomping. Whistles rain down as Jesse joins me and takes my hand, holding it in the air.
“They love you, Firecracker,” he says to me, still grinning at the crowd.
“No, they love us,” I add, before throwing him a smile filled with joy.
“Give it up for Rhea the Immortal and the newly named Master of the Elements… Jesse!” Alcide’s voice booms out, and we bow again before running off the stage and into the darkened side of the tent to wait for our next bit.
It’s obvious from o
ur performances how much our powers are growing. Blain accesses his blades with ease now, and can create more than one to actually throw. I can see the strain around his eyes and the sweat glistening on his brow, but it’s amazing nonetheless. When Jesse joins his act and creates ice shards to throw in the air for Blain to hit with his daggers, I can’t help the big, proud smile stretching across my face.
“They are getting stronger, we all are,” Alcide murmurs and I jump, not even hearing him sneak up next to me. I glance over at him as I clap along with the crowd and see the shadows in his eyes.
“What’s wrong?” I ask, my hands slowing to a stop as I see the fear in his eyes.
“It won’t be enough, something is coming. I just know it is and I don’t think any of it will be enough.”
“Any of what?” I inquire, fear starting to creep into my voice. Alcide isn’t dramatic, it’s not his nature, so if he is scared…
“This, us,” he yells, gesturing as Blain and Jesse speed up their act and Nixon joins in. “What if we can’t survive the coming storm?” He finishes so softly I almost don’t hear.
“Alcide—” I start, but he shakes himself, and his normal ringmaster look comes into play, distancing himself from me, and the vulnerability and fear he just trusted me with.
“Never mind, ignore me. It’s showtime, are you ready?” he asks, holding his hand out to me. I look from it to him, and slide mine into his, showing him without words that I have his back no matter what. That’s what family does after all.
“Lead the way, Ringmaster,” I mumble.
The rest of the show is a blur, Rex shows off his growing powers, and even Fluffy takes part, just a bit slower than normal. At the end, we all stand in a line, hand in hand, before the applauding crowd. Excitement tinges the air and is spread across every face before me, but with my hand in Alcide’s I can’t help but think over his words. Is it just the fear of facing the unknown, or does our tight-lipped leader know more than he is letting on? I look at his face as he smiles and winks beside me. He must feel my gaze because his eyes flicker to me and in their depths, hidden, is that same fear. I just hope he isn’t right.
