by Erin R Flynn
“This is all fantastic,” Cerdic praised as he cut another bite. “Much better than that camp was eating, but maybe now they can turn things around.”
They started talking about how many he’d taken out and then other camps they’d found. I listened, glad the pressure was off of me or at least I wasn’t the focus. I would be in a bit, so I could use the break.
It wasn’t a very long break. I should have guessed dinner would go fairly fast, but inhaling food was a bit much. I rolled my eyes and kept eating as plates were cleared and dinner cleaned up. Not that we normally had leftovers, but really, ridiculous.
The second I finished, my plate was gone and the board on the table. I was at the head of the table and Darius sat on my right—already completely naked—and Jaxon on my left, naked as well. The twins sat next to Jaxon and the other three leopards with Darius.
“Uh-huh,” I grunted, knowing there was more going on than before.
“We formed some alliances with plans of what the winner gets,” Darius explained. “And an extra side bet along with bonus points.”
I sighed, knowing I’d started it, but I couldn’t even be mad when they were clearly so excited. I stood and stripped, hiding my embarrassment at getting naked in front of a man I’d just met as best as I could.
Darius got to go first, nodding as he arranged his letters before putting something on the board. “Lick, like I want to lick every fucking inch of you, especially your fantastic tits, pussy, and that tight little ass of yours.”
I flushed so hot I was pretty sure we could use my cheeks as the grill if anyone was still hungry. I blinked at him as I moved my hand over my face. “Um, wow, okay then.”
“So the extra rules are dirty it seems,” Cerdic chuckled. “Nice.”
“We can only place naughty words or parts she has, along with using the word in a sentence,” Jaxon explained. “Extra points if we make her blush or shiver.”
“Assholes,” I grumbled, shaking my head as I took my turn, placing “line” with his “L.”
“Erotic,” Jaxon said as he placed next. “As in I plan to do very erotic things to you after I win while you scream my name and I rub my blood all over your fucking tight body.”
“Oh my shit,” I whispered, covering my face again. I glanced at the leopards. “What do you guys get out of this?”
“The closest seats to watch,” Vance chuckled as he pointed to letters Darius had.
“I hate you all, no more naughty game nights,” I muttered, letting my forehead thunk to the table. This was what I got for waving a flag before the bulls it seemed or trying to out sexy guys centuries old.
“Pussy,” Darius said a few turns later. “Like you have the best tasting pussy I’ve ever had, the best I’ve ever had my cock in as it’s tight, wet, and so invitingly warm that I dream of it and being inside of you forever.”
I blushed and shivered, Jaxon growling when Darius got extra points for that. Honestly, I couldn’t even attempt to track the points and just tried to not melt in my chair and still place what I could.
So I very much lost. Like really lost, which I knew was also part of them having team members because of course I would lose when there were four people on Darius’s team. It was nice to worry about my feelings like that, but I was fine losing. They were centuries old. That was a lot of time to lose a lot of words.
Jaxon won though, and the second it was called, I was out of my chair and pressed against him. I yelped as he moved me to lean on the table in between the twins. They even repositioned their chairs to get a better view. So wow, really front row seats. I didn’t even get a chance to say he was pushing it as he knelt behind me and delivered on several of his promises and plans as he ate me like he was dying.
A few times, not stopping when my legs gave out. Oh no, the twins pulled me to kneel on their laps and Jaxon took me like that. I whimpered when I felt his blood on me, his cut hands grabbing my breasts and then touching me all over with more and more of it until I thought my body might melt and explode at the same time.
“Shit, we still kind of got the win,” Vance muttered as I lay gasping on the table, twitching with aftershocks. Right, they received dry orgasms if I had one near them since they’d sworn themselves to me.
“We still got the better deal,” Wilson promised, his voice huskier than normal. “You liked that, huh, Inez?”
I slapped the table twice like I was tapping out, and apparently that amused them. I raised my head and met ocean eyes, Cerdic having moved to get a better seat as well.
“You are astoundingly sexy and luscious,” he complimented. “If you’re ever thirsty, please take my blood anytime, and it’s a standing offer.”
I nodded but then ducked my head, curling up a bit. Jaxon gently lifted me in his arms, sitting back in his original seat as he kissed my shoulder, not cleaning me up.
And then they started playing again.
“Seriously?” I muttered, glancing between them.
“Yeah, and the distraction is lots of fun,” Jaxon chuckled. “Plus, he’s dying to win now or I get you again and he’s high and dry tonight.” As if wanting to make his point, he squeezed my nipple until I whimpered.
“That’s fine, she’ll smell of me and my seed in her next,” Darius about snarled.
Shit, I liked these extra rules and adjustments.
Darius did win the next round. He yanked me away from Jaxon and folded me up on the table to face his team before slamming in me. I instantly came with a scream, feeling every ounce of his desire for me and desperate need somehow. He kissed me quiet as he dripped his blood all over his dick and in between my legs and then took me some more, making me whimper and beg for every second of it.
“Thank you, My Princess,” he panted when we were spent. “This was magical and perfect like you.”
“Thank you,” I murmured, my eyes getting heavy. “You both always make it amazing and fun and not just the sex.”
I hoped that made sense. I really did because I meant it with all my heart.
6
I was in the semi-trailer organizing some of the food and consolidating when something slammed into the wall next to my head. Out of reflex, I yelped and ducked down, turning to see what it was.
Or who actually.
Kristof loomed over me, rage in his eyes so thick I thought I might wet myself. He’d punched the trailer. That was what the noise had been.
And the now hole in the metal. Holy. Fucking. Shit.
“You’re avoiding me,” he seethed.
“Yes,” I breathed, shaking as I tried to make my legs work and move. So clearly taking space and letting things blow over wasn’t the right move at all. We’d made our way back into Canada a few days ago, retrieving two items as we went, and now we were almost to British Columbia.
I didn’t think it was the traveling that had him so angry, as we also had done a lot of hunting and it had been almost a boring journey.
“Sorry,” I tried when he didn’t say anything, just looming over me like he might squash me.
“Oh? And why is that?” He squatted down and moved so his face was in mine. “Because you teased me with that sweet pussy and now won’t let me have it?” I didn’t answer, not knowing what to say so this didn’t get worse. “Sorry you’re scared that you like being my dirty slut?” Still I kept quiet, flinching at the term. “Answer me. You liked it, and now you flinch.”
“I didn’t like it,” I whispered, shaking and staring at his chin instead of the anger in his eyes. “I liked how much you liked it, how into it you were.”
“And now you tease me with it?”
“No.”
“Are you planning to have Cerdic take my place and taste your sweetness?”
“No.” I finally felt my legs and pushed to slide along the wall, meeting his gaze when he let me. The anger was still there and thick, but something else, like he was scared he might hurt me too and that was why he didn’t move.
“Why are you sorry, Ine
z?”
I scrambled to my feet when there was at least a good five feet between us. I knew he could close that distance before my next heartbeat, but it help me feel steadier at least. He wouldn’t let me not answer though, so I did. “I’m sorry I ever went near you.”
He reacted like I’d slapped him, studying me as if trying to get answers, the anger melting slightly.
I went to leave but then spun back around, tears filling my eyes as I took in a shaky breath. “You said if I didn’t like it, we could stop. I wasn’t teasing you or whatever you think I’m up to. I’ve heard your snide insults too. Why would I want to—this isn’t on me.”
He stood, and I took a step back. He reacted like I slapped him again.
“If I did something to make you so angry, just tell me and I’ll apologize,” I rasped, wiping my eyes. “Something happened, and the second time you were like a completely different person. You were and are so angry. After I let you touch me, you’ve been so angry with me. I don’t know what I did, but I don’t want that, that’s why I’ve kept busy.”
“Why would I be angry?” he challenged. “Because we had fun but now you don’t want to play?”
Tears fell out of my eyes as I gave him a hurt look. “You were angry before now. I’m not that stupid I didn’t catch it. You practically pretend I don’t exist until you can say something shitty about me. Then you find me like you want to treat me like a slut. That’s not playing, that’s not fun for me.” I shook my head. “I had fun the first time even if you hurt me on accident. You changed. This isn’t on me.”
I hurried out of the trailer, about to book it to the camper, but I should have realized that noise would have drawn attention. Hell, Darius and Jaxon seemed to know the second I was upset… And they knew who the problem was.
“I’m fine, it’s fine,” I rasped when they looked into the trailer with looks of death. “I’m sorry, it’s fine. Please, I’m sorry.”
“You have no reason to be sorry,” Jaxon whispered as he hugged me. “We won’t fight. It’s okay.”
“Let’s just take a breath,” Darius added, rubbing my back.
I let out a sob of relief, knowing Kristof could snap them both like twigs.
“You should go,” one of the leopards growled.
“I am your best chance at keeping her safe and alive,” Kristof snapped.
“The only thing I see hurting her is you. She apparently needs protecting from you,” that same voice bitched, Vance if I had to guess.
“It’s fine,” I rasped, hating I was at the center of this. I tried to pull away from Jaxon and just leave the situation and maybe they’d follow or… I wasn’t sure much logic was going on at the moment.
Jaxon let me, coming after me along with Darius. The second we were in our room I broke, completely and totally, sobbing that I was so sorry I’d done all of this, had thought I wanted something else or had caused this. I wailed that I wouldn’t ever touch another man and to forgive me for being so selfish.
I said a lot of things, and I didn’t think all of it made sense. I begged them to forgive me, promising they were enough and I’d never bring danger in our lives or… Yeah, I apologized for just about everything possible and some things I was pretty sure I’d never done. Something broke inside of me, and I wasn’t sure all of it had anything to do with Kristof even.
I was scared and not just of him. If he was needed to protect me, what the fuck was seriously out there? I begged them to forgive me for the quest from the Goddess and all of the crazy I was bringing. I went back to shooting Darius and apologized for that.
I apologized for Clarence and his dying, not remotely sure how that was my fault and still processing that the guys who had hunted me for five years were gone, but it was crazy they had to deal with being with me. One was dead and the others gone because they were scared of Kristof and I’d almost ruined his protecting us. I sobbed and accepted this was my punishment for being a whore who tried for more than two men.
They were talking to me, I knew they were and trying to argue or comfort me, but I didn’t hear any of it. I cried and cried, even begging them to not be mad I didn’t know anything, didn’t remember life before, and they had to help me constantly.
I just cried and let everything out. All the pain I’d felt at not remembering my family, my life, who I’d been. That dam that had held it all back so I could survive and live had gotten chipped, and I cracked with it. I had felt safe and loved, and I had risked all of that, and it wasn’t worth it.
Finally I was all cried out and fell asleep. I woke with the sun, but I could barely open my eyes they were so swollen, opting to snuggle down and sleep the day away. Maybe everyone would forget about my massive breakdown then.
Yeah, sure, that was how things worked.
“Wake, My Princess,” Jaxon murmured after I’d dozed back off, snuggling up to me. He kissed my hair when I shook my head. I buried my face in the pillow, but he rolled me onto my back, leaning his forehead to mine as his larger body surrounded me. “I know you want to spend the day in bed and forget all the troubles, but there is something I think you’ll want to see, won’t want to miss.”
“No, hiding’s better,” I practically squawked, my voice was so raw, and it was actually painful to talk.
“Hiding from what?” Darius asked as he slid in the bed.
“You know what.”
“Nothing happened last night,” he lied. “Everyone did their own thing, and you were reading a book. Did you enjoy it?”
I snorted. Right, yeah, good try.
“That was long overdue with everything you’ve had on your very young and pretty shoulders,” Jaxon comforted. “You’re so, so new to all of this. Last night was the straw that broke your back. We all get that—we’ve all had that. I think you’d be fucking nuts if you weren’t feeling the pressure. You knew none of this, and we look to you for so much.”
“But you’re not alone, and you have nothing to apologize for,” Darius promised. “We won’t ever leave you, Inez. We’re here for as long as you want us at your side.”
“So forever, okay,” I muttered, turning and moving so I was sandwiched between them when Jaxon moved down to the bed. “Let’s just stay like this today. I want this.”
“Another day, I promise. You’ll want to see what’s going on outside.” Darius murmured against my lips. “We can come back and snuggle. We got a lot of corrupted last night, so we can take the day.”
“Last night?” I blinked at him. Had they gone hunting instead of sleeping again?
“Yeah, um, we planned this place so we were close to Edmonton,” Jaxon reminded me. “They came and in droves.”
“I didn’t wake up?” I worried.
“We went out to take care of it. The leopards stayed at the camper but didn’t have anything to do.”
“I’m so sorry,” I whispered, getting choked up again.
“Why? Cerdic was having a blast at all the action. It felt good to set more people at peace,” Jaxon told me. “Kristof had some issues to work through, as we didn’t even have much to do.” He kissed my hair again. “Inez, you do so, so much and give us so much with the power and fixing things—a place to belong. You get a fucking night off now and again.”
“Okay, as long as everyone else takes one soon too,” I muttered, thinking that was fair to have one but they needed it if I did.
“Done, now come see what’s going on,” Darius said as he yanked me out of bed. He lifted me in his arms, and I noted I was in something different than last night. I melted when I saw I was in fluffy jammies. They’d put me in something super comfy because I’d been upset.
They were so awesome.
“Thank you,” I murmured as I snuggled up to him.
“You’re welcome. We’ll always take care of you.” He kissed my temple as we headed outside, Jaxon getting the door for us. Darius sat down at the table with me on his lap, and I was glad everyone wasn’t gathered, doing something at the grill and moving arou
nd like they were working on a project.
Jaxon brought over a plate for me. I blinked at what was there and then up at him, his wide smile letting me know it was real. “Aye, we have milk. That’s real butter for you to try. You said you’ve never had it, right?”
“Yeah, even if the camps or settlements I’ve stopped in had it, you had to be one of them to get it.” I snorted. “I had a guy promise to give me butter every day and fatten me up like a good woman if I married him and we had kids.”
“Fuck, there are too many crazy people,” Wilson muttered. “And guys with no game who survived. Who says that? Like really? Oh, I’ll make you fat so marry me? Riiiighhhht.”
“Well, all we’re hoping for is a smile,” Jaxon promised, pushing the plate closer with a wink. Darius slid out from under me to help out, giving my shoulder a gentle squeeze before he did.
I snatched up the bread and took a bite, moaning at the creamy yumminess that slid over my taste buds. I wanted to savor it but also gobble it up, so I did the first piece but slowed down with the second one. “How did we get milk?”
“Um, the buckets were just here,” Vance said.
Oh, so Kristof.
Cerdic elaborated. “There were a lot of dairy farms around here. Kristof found one that recently had some calves.” He shrugged when I gave him a questioning look. “They do that on their own, not just when people impregnate them. They broke out of their fencing to find food, and there’s a huge herd. I went to help and taught the young ones what to do.”
“You know how to milk a cow?” I asked, getting that’s what had happened.
“Clearly you need some coffee,” Darius chuckled, setting it in front of me and kissing my temple. “With real milk in it, not just fake creamer.”
“Can we make cheese? I’ll have to see if there’s a recipe for it,” I muttered, smiling brightly at them.
“Yes, we milked the cows,” Cerdic answered me, mirth dancing in his pretty ocean eyes. “It’s what we all grew up doing.” He pointed between himself, Darius, and Jaxon. “We can make cheese. We’ll make the cream and pasteurize and the butter. You’ve done enough and learning more to fill in the blanks. We know this part.”
