The rest of his history flashed before my eyes until it wound down to the latter years. He happened upon Mother's coven out of sheer luck and immediately fell in love with Ashville. He was quite content to spend his days reading books and became the town librarian, having inherited his mother's love of the written word.
Until the day he saw me.
I wasn't even twenty the first time I caught his eye. For years, he watched me from the shadows, never quite building up the nerve to talk to the bubbly youth with fiery hair and a temper to match her mother's. How he desperately wanted to, until the day I met Derek. I was gone, a casualty of his hesitation.
He was jealous of Derek, of course, but he couldn't be angry, not when he saw how happy I was whenever he was around. Maybe it had been for the best. There was no way a woman as beautiful as me could ever love a half-elven mongrel.
He was there when Derek broke my heart. He just happened upon the scene and he had reached out a hand to strangle him with shadows. They slowly reached for his neck until I said something. When he pulled his hand back, he pulled the shadows back, too. Thankful he had been unable to do something so heinous, he could only imagine what Derek's death would have done to me.
He resumed his role as my watcher. My keeper. At least twenty times flashed before me of him popping from the shadows, keeping me from harm. The daughter of a high priestess was always the target of those who wanted something in exchange. He kept me safe, from monsters, elves, and even the vampires once. His role became well known to, and encouraged by, my mother. But she made him swear to never abuse his station at my side. A trade he couldn't have been happier making because that is all he ever wanted. To be there for me, and for me to be happy and safe.
Shea's face came back into focus. As did the rest of the coven standing over me, lying on the cold grass, naked under the morning sun.
"Are you okay, my Lady?"
"Yeah. Help me up. Quickly. My ass is frozen."
Shea backed up, edging the rest of them away from me a bit. He reached down and offered me his hands. Taking them, I lifted as he pulled. When I got back to my feet, I instantly regretted leaving the stable ground.
"I told you so!"
I shot Chief a withering glare.
"What? I did."
"Shea. Help me inside, would you?"
"Yes, my Lady."
Chapter 13
He kicked my bedroom door closed behind us, not wanting to let go of me with his hands. I'd barely made it inside without falling over on top of him, but after spending ten minutes in his head, I was pretty sure he wouldn't have minded that too much.
"Think something at me."
"What?"
"Do it. Think of a string of numbers and say them over and over again."
"Okay," he said without hesitation. I could almost feel him reciting the digits, but I couldn't hear him. Whatever had happened, I hadn't made him my familiar. Thank the Lady.
"You can stop now."
He stepped closer when we reached my bed, letting me hang on him as he pulled back the cover before gingerly lowering me into the warm softness. "Why the numbers?"
"Well, when your blood hit my lips, something weird happened. Just wanted to make sure Chief wasn't right and I'd made a familiar out of a witch."
"I cannot hear you, either. I believe I am safe."
"And yet, so disappointed…" I smiled at him.
"You can tell?"
He was standing next to me. Which I wouldn't have minded so much if he was wearing pants. Or a shirt. Maybe even underwear. It was a little hard to look him in the eye when his beautiful, yes even his penis was beautiful, cock was staring at me, too.
He might have been a fae, and demure of stature, but there wasn't a damn petite thing about his package. It was strange seeing a guy without tan lines, too. He had none, whatsoever.
Guess there aren't many tanning opportunities in the shade.
"Sit," I said and patted the bed next to me.
Usually, when you tell a naked person to sit down, they look for a towel or something to park their ass on. He didn't hesitate at all, sitting by my hip and turning his leg. Thankfully it had the effect of covering him up. Mostly. Conversation was going to be a bit easier.
"Did anything happen when you drank my blood?"
"Yes," he answered, nodding slightly.
"What?"
"I could feel the ties of your mother's coven wither away as the ties reformed here. For a brief moment, I knew where everyone was." He closed his eyes. "I can still feel them if I concentrate on them. Your friend Dennis is at the firehouse. The rest are a warm presence in your kitchen. There are even faint glows of the ones I have not yet met."
"That's awesome."
"Is this how you feel all the time?"
"No. That's a new one on me."
"Then how did you know I felt different?"
"Probably because I got knocked on my ass."
"What happened when you drank?"
"Oh. I don't know, Shelandriel Veth. You tell me."
He gasped and slid backward, falling off the edge of the bed with a small thump. I almost started laughing until his head popped back up over the side of the bed and he stared at me in horror. "You know my name?"
"I know more than that. I know everything."
"Everything?"
"Every little thing. Your life flashed before my eyes. Which is also a new one on me."
"You saw everything?"
"I'll reiterate. Every. Thing."
"You know?"
"I know."
"I am sorry, Lady. I shall leave at once." He got up off the floor and dizziness be damned, I shot up on my hands and knees and grabbed his arm.
"Don't you move a fucking inch, Shea."
He hung his head and stared at the floor.
However, he didn't budge. So, I pulled him back to my chest and lay my chin on his shoulder, wrapping my arms around him. Every emotion he had over the past seventy years, every feeling he kept bottled up inside of him. Every touch he longed to take, every chance he passed by, and every hope he ever had for something more, welled up once more inside of me. My heart was broken and exuberant at the same time. Broken for him, and happy for not missing any more time with him. If it took me the rest of my life, I would make it up to him.
"You're very foolish, you know," I said softly in his ear.
"How so?"
"That you never took the chance."
"On what?"
"Me." I kissed his neck and then the tip of his ear, smiling as he shuddered.
He slowly turned around, his lips brushing mine. "I wanted to. So very much."
"I know. I felt it as I saw it."
He nodded. "Where does that bring us to?"
"I'd like to say my bedroom," I said and waved my hand around us. "But…"
He nodded, fully accepting whatever I said next, before I said it. "I understand."
"No. You don't. But," I continued, "it's kind of funny. I mean, I cared about you before the rite. A lot. Especially after sharing wine and conversation with you. I wanted to get to know you better, but now… Now, I know everything about you. Literally everything. Now, that makes it so much more. I want you."
"I've always wanted you."
"I know." I pulled him that last fraction-of-an-inch closer and kissed him. As my lips mashed against his with a burning need, I wanted to run my hands all over his body, but I didn't. Instead, I pushed him back. "With that said," I chuckled briefly at the bewildered, happy look on his dazed face, "I am also in several other relationships. I'm not going to do anything else."
"You're not?" His bewildered look morphed into outright confusion.
"No. Not until I've had a chance to speak to the others about this. That wouldn't be fair to them."
He smiled and nodded, relief plainly etched upon his face. "I have waited this long, a few days more should be nothing. I just hope they say yes."
"I was just hoping you didn't mind me having
more boyfriends than just you?"
"Of course not!" He seemed indignant. Which came as a little bit more of a surprise.
I just shook my head and fought the urge to rub my eyes. While their acceptance of other lovers was often a happy surprise, just once I wanted one of them to say, "Fuck that! I want you all to myself." After they said that, I could tell them no and tease the hell out of them until they can't stand it anymore and agree to be with me anyway. Just once.
I guess I shouldn't look the gift horse in the ass.
"Are you all right?" Shea was staring at me, a concerned look replacing the indignant one.
"In the head? No. Happy? Yes. Still shaky? Yes."
"Do you need anything?"
"Maybe a couple of Advil and some caffeine." I sat back down to slide off the bed, but his hands quickly braced my shoulders, leaning me back onto the mattress.
"I shall get them for you. Rest."
He moved silently across my bedroom floor, grabbing the handle and pulling the door open. Chief, Jimmy, and Jason nearly fell into the room.
"We were…uh…just um. We were making sure you were okay. No uh…lasting effects. What happened?" Chief rubbed his neck, realized what he was doing, and shoved his hand in his pocket, the other one already on his hip.
Shea seized the opportunity to skirt around them to fetch my coffee and headache removal pills. I just happened to catch Jimmy's glance as he watched the gracefully moving naked Shea. He caught me looking at him looking at Shea. He gave me a little smile and wiggled his eyebrows.
I rolled my eyes.
"What? Asking you why you passed out isn't too much to ask for is it?"
"I wasn't rolling my eyes at you, Chief. The pervert next to you."
"What?" Jimmy tried to sound innocent. It was like watching Josie try to open a new jar of pickles. Entertaining, but it just wasn't going to happen. "I was just making sure he was a guy."
"Glad you got an answer to the big question." I sighed and looked at Chief. "Never mind. To answer your question, I'm fine. I think. The good news is I don't have another familiar."
"That's twice you've struck out. Thankfully," Jimmy said and nodded, referring to Jaeren.
"Preaching to the choir. Two is more than enough."
"So, what happened?" Chief sat at the end of the bed. Jimmy and Jason just stayed in the doorway, looking all hunky.
"I drank his blood and I downloaded the zip file of Shea's life."
"What?"
"Close the door."
They all gave me ominous looks.
"Let Shea back in when he knocks. He's bringing me feel betters."
Jason nodded and took up position. Jimmy wandered around to the other side of the bed, plopping down next to me and propping his head up with his hand as he lay facing me.
"This stays between us. I drank and his entire life flashed before my eyes. And before you ask me if I mean everything, I fucking mean everything. Not just what he saw, what he was feeling, thinking, everything. The guy has been in love with me for the better part of my life. Here's the crazy part, he protected me from everything, too. Attempts at taking me hostage, you name it."
"Woah." Jimmy's usually wiggling eyebrows almost disappeared into his hairline.
"Yeah. But he never even really introduced himself. He was about to when Derek and I started dating. He even stayed close for our entire relationship, still vigilant. When he saw Derek break my heart, he never said a word, just watched from the shadows. Though, he probably would have if my mother hadn't used him to keep me safe.
"Your mother… She is not a nice person."
I blinked at Jason. That was very brave of him to say. She was probably listening. "She has her moments. Like every other super blue blood moon eclipse, she donates to a charity for homeless puppies in Africa, or something."
"We should have her nominated for sainthood." Jimmy ran his finger over my comforter in front of him. He was paying attention, but thinking about something else…
"You okay?"
He looked up and saw we were all staring at him. "Yeah? Why?"
"You seem lost in thought."
"I was just wondering why you were telling all of us this before Shea came back into the room. You want to add him to the relationship mix, don't you?"
Busted. "Yes. Which is why I told him I needed to talk to all of you before I made any commitment. It was very fortuitous that you just happened to fall into the room when he opened the door."
I cocked my eyebrow and turned my head slowly, staring at all three of the perpetrators. They all, at least, had the decency to blush. Well, Jimmy didn't blush, but he looked around the room, avoiding my eyes. His method of almost blushing.
"We were worried about you," Chief reiterated.
"Uh huh. Worried he and I were naked in my bed?"
"Maybe a little," he answered honestly.
"I wasn't worried so much as I didn't want to miss the show," Jimmy said forcibly.
Chief gave him a disgusted look. "There's something very wrong with you."
"Please. You enjoyed seeing him naked almost as much as me."
"Hardly." He defended himself, but blushed a little, too.
"You could hardly see him? You're telling us you want a better look? Jeez, Bill. You call me a pervert."
"That's not what I meant!"
I started laughing. "So. Jimmy says yes. Chief?"
"Are you asking for our permission?" He tilted his head.
"Yes?"
"Why?"
I sat up in the bed a little, making sure the comforter covered my breasts. If we were going to have this conversation, I wanted them to pay attention to my words, not my boobs. Chief could probably muddle through. Jason hadn't seen enough boobs in his life to even begin to ignore them. And Jimmy…boobs. Shiny.
"Think what you want, but I am not in a relationship with any of you." I paused a moment for effect…and to make them squirm a little. "I am in a relationship with all of you. This is one big, gloriously wonderous thing. There aren't three separate relationships in this room, there is, and always will be, one. If one of us has a problem, we all suffer. Do you understand what I am saying?"
They all, wisely, chose to nod.
"So, I can't ask for your permission to date Shea. I'm asking all of you if we can bring him into our relationship. Now let me ask all of you again… How do you feel about this?"
"Absolutely," Jimmy answered without any hesitation.
"It's a yes from me," Chief said and gave me a little smile, almost as if he was proud of me.
"Yes, for me, too. Does this mean Bill can't shoot me now?"
My head hurt, I laughed so hard. "Yes, Jason. He can't shoot you now."
"I do have a big nightstick, though."
Time slowed and almost stopped. The only two beings in the universe, capable of movement, just happened to be Jimmy and myself. My eyes gravitated to his and our gazes locked. His eye twitched as the muscles in my face became taut like braided-steel cables. Jimmy's slapped the mattress at the precise moment that we both burst out laughing. Bwahahahaha, echoed off the four walls of my bedroom.
"Oh, will you two grow up."
"Big nightstick," Jimmy managed to gasp while choking on oxygen.
"I don't get it?" Jason looked at us confusedly.
The laughter started all over again.
"I give up. I need to get back to work, anyway. Call me before you leave, please. And be careful!" He stood up and gave me a kiss on my forehead.
"I will, and don't forget that you're in charge while I'm gone. So, I get to blame you for anything stupid Jimmy does while I'm away." I patted his ass as he walked away, using my other hand to wipe away my tears of laughter.
Shea, still naked, was standing in the door when Chief opened it.
"Oh, go put some clothes on!" He turned his head and closed his eyes, feeling his way through the doorway.
"Is he okay?" Shea glanced over his shoulder.
"I just want to kno
w why it's funny getting beaten by a nightstick?" Jason was still waiting for someone to explain.
∞ ∞ ∞
Jason's tongue parted my lips and slipped inside as I pressed myself closer to him. My hands slid down his back and I grabbed a cheek of his ass in each hand, pressing my lower extremities into his. I felt him grow rigid in his tight jeans. That had to have been uncomfortable, but there was little I could do to alleviate the pressure while we were standing in the wide-open door.
I pulled back and kissed his top lip one more time. "You sure you can't stay a while? We're not leaving until sundown."
"Trust me…There isn't another place in the world I would rather be right now. Unfortunately, I got the notification that the very first shipment of books should be at the store shortly."
"Look at you. Putting work above carnal pleasure."
"Carnal?"
"Very carnal."
"Dot…"
"I'm teasing you. Just so I could see that cute ass reaction on your face right now."
"You're evil."
"More like chaotic neutral, with evil tendencies."
"Probably why you're so much fun and so perfect."
"Um. I think you're perfecter."
"That's not even a word."
"Should be." I kissed him again. "Bye, Jason. Lock yourself in the office and look at porn on the computer if you have to."
"Yeah."
"Are you really?"
"Going to look at porn in your workplace?"
His blush told me everything I needed to know.
"That's hot. I want pictures."
"Really? Woah."
I kissed him one last time and pushed him out the door. "Have fun."
"You, too."
I chuckled, checked out his ass one last time, and closed the door behind him. The guy had an ass like sculpted marble. He had a nice chisel, too.
I sighed and put my back against the door, ignoring Yuki and Jaeren standing there staring at me. I needed a moment. His ass deserved a moment of reminiscing.
Fourth Rite: A Reverse Harem Tale (Lovin' the Coven Book 4) Page 13
