Veck was undecided for all of about two seconds, until I gave his fingers a harsh squeeze.
Staring down into my upturned face, the stormy look on his softened and he nodded, kissing my forehead. With one more promising glare and a snarl in Tarnk's direction, Veck hurried and left the room.
"Thank you," I murmured, relieved.
Kirch eyed Tarnk for a moment, his lips curling slightly in a half sneer before it dropped, and he glowered. "Kirch find out Tarnk touched Meanie with Tarnk's cock and break Meanie's water, Kirch kill Tarnk."
"What?" Bia asked distractedly, his eyes never leaving the baby's head as he waited for it to crown.
"Nobody touched anybody's anything with a cock!" I shouted, bellowing over the din as the men all began to argue at once, Tarnk included.
"Not Tarnk's fault, then?" Tarnk dipped his lips to whisper in my ear quietly.
"Oh, I am totally blaming you for this one, buddy," I warned, right as another contraction built up and my nails dug in again. "Whether you really did it or nooootttt!!" I shrieked.
Chapter Twenty-three
V
eck grinned as he held his big baby boy in his arms, stroking the little one’s chubby cheeks softly, cooing at the tiny infant.
"Kirch get girl next time." Kirch winked at me, pride in his voice as he gently rocked his equally big son.
I finished nursing my sweet little baby girl and carefully set her to my shoulder to burp her. Smiling when she finished, I handed her off to her daddy.
"She looks just like you," Bia announced, voice wobbly, his blue eyes still puffy as he cradled his baby girl in his arms.
She did look just like me—human like me—not a single snow beastie trait on her, not even a bit of fur.
Watching my mates with a sense of warm satisfaction, I leaned heavily against Tarnk, slumped back against his chest.
Glancing down and just off to the side, I grimaced. Poor Tarnk’s legs were covered in gouges and scratches from my nails. He should be trying to get away from me, not cuddling me so close, but he just kept on purring happily, nuzzling my temple as I smiled warmly at my mates.
"Now we just have to name them," I said tiredly.
Kirch’s lips pursed in thought and he hummed in his throat. "Kirch baby named..."
"No Little Kirch, or Kirch Jr., or Kirch II or whatever. Our house is confusing enough as it is," I put in quickly, cutting him off.
Kirch harrumphed, but didn't argue.
Knowing this bunch, I had to be perfectly clear from the onset. "Hey, don't get all huffy on me. I'm not the one that said there were only two in there, mister."
"Maybe he's losing his sense of smell in his old age," Bia teased.
Kirch started to growl but stopped when it upset the baby. Baring his teeth at his cousin, he settled for glaring at him instead, and cuddled his son closer.
I laughed at the two of them, glancing over my shoulder at Tarnk. "Welcome to the family, sweet cheeks."
He grinned as I patted his furred cheek.
Purring harder, he turned his face slightly to kiss my palm.
"I hope you like diaper duty," I tacked on.
Tarnk blinked and his smile fell. "Diaper du-ty...?"
Veck, Bia, and Kirch, smirking at the newest addition to the crew’s discomfort, laughed.
"You didn't think that I was going to do it all, did you? And I don't know why you three are giggling like girls over there, you have to, too!"
There was a round of disgruntled grunts and groans as their laugh fest came to an abrupt halt. I giggled a little, a bit delirious and exhausted, yet happy.
"Tarnk can hold Meanie when Meanie has babies," Veck offered graciously, grinning as he examined Tarnk’s marked up thighs.
Tarnk huffed and kissed my neck. "Tarnk good mate to Meanie," he said smartly, chuckling when Veck's smile slipped and he frowned. "Tarnk hold his Meanie," he went on smugly. "Tarnk take care of his Meanie."
Veck's lips tightened, eyes narrowing.
"Who said she was going to mate with you?" Bia asked curiously, just to stir the pot.
I should have listened to him when he'd hinted a while back he thought Tarnk was here mostly for me. A house full of mates already, I just couldn’t wrap my mind around the idea he’d want to tack himself on as fourth.
"None of that!" I warned Tarnk, slapping his thigh weakly.
Tarnk stopped immediately, earning a snicker from the others.
Kirch, Veck, and Bia all looked at each other and smiled secretively.
"Tarnk pussy whipped," Kirch announced.
Veck and Bia started laughing again.
"You've been reading my books again, haven't you?" I accused. That's the only way I could surmise he'd picked up that particular phrase.
Kirch shrugged noncommittally. “Kirch no know.” If ever anyone could be any more full of it, he had it coming out of his ears. Fibber!
"Meanie can pussy whip Tarnk," Tarnk rumbled out, unfazed, purring loudly, grinning evilly when Kirch's lips thinned and he narrowed his eyes at Tarnk, right along with Veck.
"Enough! Enough! Everyone play nice or when I'm ready to go and back in business, no one will be getting a ride.” Chuffing, I glared at them all. "Or getting whipped by anything," I added.
"What pussy whipped, Meanie?" Tarnk whispered in my ear.
"It means I lead you around by your dick."
"Really?" he asked anxiously.
Blinking, a small laugh escaped me and I snorted. "Ummm, maybe I didn't explain that correctly..."
"Meanie lead Tarnk's cock anytime."
Another laugh left me and I shook my head.
Feeling watched, I glanced over to find Veck, Kirch, and Bia watching us. They really didn't seem all that surprised.
"You guys really don't care if I add Tarnk to my harem?" I muttered testily. Call me crazy and hormonal, but it rubbed me funny how easily they settled into the idea of adding another mate.
What if they decided to add another one, and another one, thinking I needed them, all on their own? Then what? I’d fall apart!
"Veck care, but Meanie get sad if Veck kill Meanie's other mates," my mate-husband admitted bluntly, with complete honesty.
“I thought you guys all got along now? Erm, for the most part. I mean, nobody’s tried to kill anybody when we, uh, you know, and it’s all three… You know what? Heh. Never mind.”
“Meanie’s mates love Meanie. Want Meanie safe and happy,” Kirch chimed in, the voice of reason, for once.
"No more mates, Meanie," Veck snapped, growling a little. "No more." Well, that squashed my extra mate fears right there.
"I don't even know what I'm going to do with four of you," I muttered under my breath.
"Gee, thanks, Veck," Bia drawled, referring to the killing mate's comment.
Veck shrugged and waved him off, as if to say, 'Eh, get over it.’ "Meanie need mates to watch Meanie. Meanie little body-" Veck started.
"Yeah-yeah, big spirit..." I grumbled at him. "It's beginning to sound like an insult, the more ya say it."
"Meanie needs mates to keep Meanie in line," Kirch teased, "but Meanie need Kirch most. Kirch Meanie's big baboon."
I just rolled my eyes, too weak to toss a pillow at his smirking face. So much for the voice of reason. Prick.
"Meanie loves Veck most. Veck husband, Meanie marriage Veck," Veck boasted, smirking challengingly at Tarnk and Kirch like Top that, ya bastards.
"Kirch second mate and has biggest cock," Kirch bragged, not to be outdone.
"Oh, please, everyone knows she loves me the most. I'm the most refined of you lot, and I'm her best friend. Isn't that right, my sweet?" Bia added, his eyes dancing mischievously as he put in his own two bits, just to get to them.
"Kirch refined! Kirch read better now!" he huffed, cradling his son in one arm to smack his own chest.
Yeah, I was shocked to discover Kirch really could actually read, despite Dorothy insisting she'd taught him.
Apparen
tly Dorothy had taught him years ago with the few books she owned, but he hadn't cared for it much. Now that Kirch has felt there's a vested interest in doing so—aka me—he's been reading avidly, picking up things here and there, inhaling my books—mainly romance novels.
There had been a thick stack of my favorites, as well as a few eyebrow raising items, in the pack George had brought through the portal, to which my mates had gone back to the cave later and come across.
Lovely phrases like pussy whipped, cock block, and mama's boy, for example, are a few of his choice favorites. It's been much more interesting around here, to say the least, since he's enhanced his vocabulary.
George had hidden a lot of things along those caves, a treasure trove of odds and ends—rope, duct tape, spare clothes, canned food, a machete, sedatives, a well-stocked medical kit, a few how to books on edible plants and skinning animals, natural survival, eating wild—it was obvious he’d been at this for a while—more than enough junk made ready for the disturbed and determined to kidnap and or maim.
A hunting rifle, empty but in great condition, was amongst those things. Tarnk had claimed it as his own, as a sort of trophy for his injuries. It hangs over the door to his hut, a reminder as well as a warning.
"Go argue elsewhere, would you? But leave my babies here." Stretching, I yawned tiredly. "They're probably going to want to eat again soon and I'm not in any kind of position to get up and run around right now, trying to figure out where you've run off to with them." My eyes closed and I started to drift off.
A thought occurred to me just as I started to doze and I peeked an eye open. "They're too little to take outside, so don't get any funky ideas."
Huffing, chuffing and grunting, they all looked insulted.
"Don't look at me like that. I had to make sure it was said, alright. Some of the crazy ideas you guys get into your heads, who the hell knows what you'd think up," I grumbled groggily, letting sleep overtake me as they all chuckled at my surly mutterings.
Epilogue
Three years later...
Blowing out a long breath, I walked into the bedroom, slipped out of my boots, and plopped on the bed.
"They're asleep," I announced happily, sighing when the big body next to me rolled, brushing along my side.
Warm lips latched onto my neck, sucking as a heavy hand caressed my hip. "Meanie want to play?" Kirch purred.
I'd been ready to make a little love to my eager mates for the past few days, but things had been hectic around here and every time I managed a bit of free time I was so exhausted I'd fall right to sleep.
It's been so long—too long. I’m thinking this was probably the longest I've gone without sex in years.
One of the babes started to fuss and I groaned. "Nooo," I whispered mournfully.
"Daddy! Daddy!" came the voice of my sweet little Charlotte.
Kirch kissed my nose and let out a sigh that matched my tone. "Kirch's princess cries. Kirch get her.” Kirch rose, giving my butt a short pat. “Meanie rest."
"You know you're the best, right?" I told him gratefully.
"Meanie show Kirch when Princess Lottie sleeps."
I giggled as he waggled his eyebrows at me suggestively. "You know you're going to give Charlotte a complex if you keep calling her that," I told him teasingly.
He puffed out his chest and chuffed. "Princess Lottie is Kirch's little princess," he stated haughtily, raising an eyebrow as if waiting for me to argue.
"Bia was right, you are a total sucker," I snickered.
Grumbling about Bia under his breath, he snorted and left.
Tarnk ambled in a moment later, his brown eyes lowered as he lumbered in, mud caked all over his hands.
"What happened to you?" I asked, propping myself up onto my elbows.
He stopped on his way to the bathroom, almost missing me as he swept past, to do a double take.
Pausing, his eyes darted about the room. "Where my babies?" he asked curiously.
"Zeb and Berk are sleeping, and Kirch is putting Lottie back to sleep for me."
Eyes lighting up, his lips tipped up in a grin and he changed course, headed right for me.
"Don't you dare," I whispered, mindful of the little ones napping so close by.
Tarnk’s luminous brown eyes danced as he approached the bed, mud covered hands reaching out for me.
Lips twisting as I kicked out, I tried to scramble off and roll away, but he grabbed me around the waist, tugging me towards him with a vicious yank that had me muffling a yelp, and scooped me up.
Chuckling quietly as I cursed him soundly under my breath, Tarnk tossed me over his shoulder, spinning back around for the bathroom.
Just at the threshold he stopped, his hand curving up my generous thigh to pause.
No idea what he was up to, trying to get him to let up, my fingers buried deep in the fur of his back, I tugged on his fur as he happily toted me around wherever he so desired.
Stepping into the small space and up to the basin, Tarnk washed his hands quickly, leaving me to hang there over his shoulder or fall.
Flinging his hands out instead of using the cloth I had set out to dry them on, he clasped a damp hand to my ass and walked back to the bedroom. Bypassing the bed, he hushed me with a look and a finger to his lips when I lifted up enough to glare at him. Creeping down the hall, he headed straight for the back door.
"What are you doing?" I whispered indignantly, as the door creaked shut behind us and the beastie with large but silent feet started towards the woods.
When we were far enough out, he nuzzled my hip. "Take Meanie for a swim," he answered, chuckling.
"A swim!" I hissed, yelling out after double checking we were a safe distance away from the house. "Oh, no you don't! You are going to make love to me on a bed! Not in a pond of water with fish hovering around. I... Are you even listening to me? Tarnk!"
He ignored me, of course, purring as his hands slid up my dress to tug at my pants.
My protests half-hearted at best, I squirmed, but it only served to help him more than me.
Baring my bottom, his fingers skimmed my exposed flesh, a deep, sexy growl issuing from his throat.
"I should never have taught you how to swim," I grumbled, biting my lip as my flesh tingled. "I swear I am never teaching any of you anything..." I trailed off on a gasp, two thick, warm fingers brushing my sex. "Ever..." White knuckling his fur, I moaned breathlessly as his venturous fingers circled my clit. "Again!" Gasping, I cried out as those same curious digits dipped to slip inside, his knuckle rubbing against my clit.
We'd reached the pond by this point and, despite the pleasure he was slowly bringing me to, I tensed, waiting for him to throw me in, like Kirch was so fond of doing—the darned beastly baboon.
Instead, however, my silent but strong archer walked along the bank to where it sloped, easing us down the softer, muddy path to slip in.
The warm water felt wonderful on my skin, soothing my sore muscles. Limbs loosening instantly, I sighed and closed my eyes, if only for a moment.
Tarnk waded chest deep, slowly slipping me off his thick shoulder, growling lustily as I slid down his torso. With mastered efficiency, he tugged my dress up, and eased it over my head.
Treading water lazily, I let him undress me, my pants following with a wet slap, tossed off to the side, tumbling into the tall, dry grass.
Reaching out, my arms encircled his shoulders just as he gripped my hips. Strong, capable hands positioning me, he rubbed the head of his cock at my entrance.
Mmm. I wanted this as much as he did.
Licking my lips in anticipation, I shivered, leaning towards him, bucking my hips into him impulsively. A growl in his throat, his lips met mine in a brief yet fiery kiss that had me panting for more. Clutching at my virile mate, I moaned in response.
My nails dug into his neck, slipping down his broad shoulders when he grunted, locking my legs around him tight, pressing us tighter.
His shaft jerked excitedly again
st my core, thick and demanding, and I smiled against his lips.
Grinding against him, my nether lips rubbing against his cock, I slid along his length, wiggling around until just the head was inside. Tarnk growled low in his throat but held perfectly still, content to let me play, but I wanted more.
Releasing his shoulders to tug on his hair, pulling his face down to mine, I brought us nose to nose. The fire in his eyes, the want, was worth all the teasing.
"You have three others after you," I taunted, just to egg him on, "you might want to make this... memorable." Laughing bawdily, I sucked his lower lip between my teeth and bit it, nipping it hard enough to get my point across.
Tarnk growled, a deep, almost feral sound, and his eyes grew hot with want, those chocolate brown orbs melting as they met mine.
"You're so sexy when you look at me like that," I purred, offering him a dark, sultry smile.
His grip on me tightened and his hips flexed. He was thick and it had been a while, but we were both more than ready. This was beyond want for me at this point, I needed this.
Accepting his girth, wriggling around on my partial impalement, my sex clenched in response. Tarnk’s hips flexed again. Yes. God, yes.
“Tarnk...” So much emotion in that one little word. Need. Want. Now.
Tarnk was more than willing to accommodate.
Crushing me to him, he pushed my hips down and thrust up, his shaft fighting for entry as the thick, mushroomed head of his engorged erection rammed inside.
Pulling out, he rammed back in, then stopped and pulled out a little again, teasing the mouth of my sex.
"Tarnk wants baby, too," he whispered huskily, teasing my entrance with the head of his shaft.
"You want a..."
Growling, he rammed back in, all the way to the hilt, before I could finish that thought, and I let out a keening cry. I took all of him, every last deliciously think inch, my pussy clamping down on him as it tried to adjust to the sudden, abrupt intrusion.
"Meanie out of blossom root," he all but purred, moaning when I ground myself back against him.
"And how did it run out, I wonder?" I panted out, my voice oh so sugary sweet.
The Bridal Hunt (Brides of the Hunt Book 1) Page 31
