Fourth Rite: A Reverse Harem Tale (Lovin' the Coven Book 4)

by Jacquelyn Faye

  "What?" I asked after sighing happily.

  "I am going to go eat before we go. Jaeren couldn't tell me how long we'd be gone."

  "It's still daylight. Will you be able to?"

  "I was going to hit the blood bank first, but I wanted to ask if you minded if I borrowed Candace as a front man. If that doesn't work, I'll raid the vampire house as a last resort."

  "Why a last resort? Shouldn't they have stock?"

  She blushed.

  "Yukina Abernathy, what aren't you telling me?"

  "Nothing major. I just want a front man to get the blood for me because vampires aren't supposed to be walking around during the day. Same reason I don't want to raid the vampires' fridge."

  "You haven't told them yet about being diurnal."

  "No."

  "Not even George?"

  "Especially not George."

  "You don't want word to get back to your father."

  "Yes."

  "Why?"

  "Two reasons. One, he already thinks you're too powerful. I don't want any more friction between you two because of me."

  "What's the other reason?"

  "I don't want vampires flocking to you to make them your familiars…"

  "That's not going to happen. I already promised your father."

  "If you were forced to walk an eternity at night or become the familiar of a powerful witch who had the means to protect you, would you stay away?"

  "Good point. If Candace is uncomfortable going, tell Josie I'll buy her a ten-pound bag of gummy bears if she goes. Or take both of them and buy them lunch. Take my card."

  She reached out and wrapped her arms around me. "Thanks, Dot."

  "Welcome, sweetie."

  She took off to make her plans. Jaeren stood there staring at me, thoughtfully.

  "What?"

  "You are many things, most of which I find disdainful, but you do care about your people. You have my respect."

  I fake gasped. "That might be the nicest thing you've ever said about me, or to me."

  "Well, apparently there is much more to you than I initially thought."

  "Thank you."

  "That wasn't a compliment. When I first met you, I expected very little."

  "You weren't the first, and you won't be the last."

  "Apparently, you are also humble."

  "Me?"

  He nodded and leaned against the wall, crossing his arms.

  "Well, if you knew my mother and grandmother, you would understand why. Hard to be full of yourself when you are consistently compared to them, even by them."

  "Try being the brother of the future king."

  "Ouch. I'll give you that. You win. Did you need anything? Or was it just time for your sexy-stance practice?"

  He looked down at his posture and chuckled. "At least I know you do find me sexy."

  "No. I just said you needed practice."

  It was the first time I heard him belly laugh.

  Okay. Maybe he is a little sexy.

  "I will say, you are much more attractive when you laugh." I cocked my eyebrow at him.

  "My thanks. I shall endeavor to…laugh more heartily in the future."

  "You do that. It's the best medicine."

  He nodded. "I was just letting you know I was going to be leaving for a short time, too. I need to gather my things and close my camp."

  "Camp?"

  "Well, it is difficult to check into motels when you do not have human currency."

  "Good point."

  "I shall return well before our time for departure."

  "Flight leaves at six."

  "Flight?"

  "Never mind. Human thing."

  "Ahh. I still do not understand, but I shall pretend and give you a soft chuckle for your effort."

  "See? You do know how to play nice with others. Oh, wait!" I ran over to the counter and grabbed my wallet, opening it and grabbing the small pack of kiddie crayons I had forgotten to give him. "These are for you. It was all I could find, and I promise to buy you the sixty-four-crayon set next time I'm at the store."

  He reached out with a shaking hand, tears welling in his eyes. He gave me one last glance to make sure it was okay.

  "Go ahead. They're yours."

  "You have my undying gratitude. I shall treasure them always."

  "Yeah. You're welcome, Jaeren."

  Chapter 14

  "How the hell did you find enough stuff in my pantry to make all of this?" I stared incredulously at the three heaping plates full of steaming pasta with vegetables, chicken, and a heavy cream sauce.

  "Don't thank me until you try it. It might suck for all I know."

  I gave Jimmy a doubtful look. "There isn't a single thing of yours I wouldn't eat."

  "Ditto."

  I dropped my fork and gave him the look. He just smiled and shoveled a forkful of food into his gaping maw.

  It is very good, Dar said beside me, eating his portion.

  You just like that he cooks for you.

  Well, somebody should. There is less likelihood of death for me when he does it.

  You making fun of my cooking?

  What cooking? Spaghettios don't count.

  They should. That, my friend, is a gourmet delicacy.

  Not even in Gehenna.

  "This is very tasty. You are quite a cook, James."

  I blinked. Shea was the first person I had ever heard use James instead of Jimmy. Not going to lie, I kind of liked it, but Jimmy just suited him better. Jimmy the Perv, not James the Depraved. It just didn't have the same impact.

  "Thanks, Sheamus."

  "Sheamus?" Maybe they were secretly bonding when I wasn't looking.

  Quiver.

  "It's a joke. He called me James earlier, so I called him Sheamus. It was the first time I'd seen him smile."

  "It's beautiful, isn't it?" We were having a conversation about Shea like he wasn't even there.

  "It is. I gushed." He winked at me.

  "Do I want to know in which way?"

  "Little bit of both."

  "You sure you haven't ever slept with Dennis? Because Derek's accent gives you a chubby. Shea's smile makes you gushy. I swear I'm going to have to keep an eye on you."

  "That should be easy to do. You know you want to watch."

  He did it again. I didn't know how, and just chalked it up to being Jimmy's superpower. I could make familiars and healed unnaturally. Chief was a dick. Jimmy was a perv, but not any normal run-of-the-mill pervert. He could sense the kinks of the people around him, but instead of using his powers for good, he chose to be a super villain. "Your kinky-sense is tingling?"

  "A lot of things are tingling right now. Want a list?"

  "Not while I'm eating."

  Shea was chewing his food and watching our exchange. "That conversation made no sense to me, whatsoever. But it was entertaining to watch."

  "Jimmy has a thing for guys and he thinks you're cute."

  "Oh. I see." Without batting an eye, he took another piece of penne off his plate and nibbled on it. Jimmy wasn't the only one gushing, I could watch Shea nibble on things all day…

  "Want some wine?" I wanted to watch him sip things, too.

  He nodded at me. "Would you like some more elderberry?"

  "Fuck yea! That stuff was like liquid crack."

  "Elderberry? Wine?" Jimmy looked at me.

  "Yeah. Had some over at Shea's place. Wow."

  "I shall return in a minute." Shea pushed his chair back and headed straight for the darkest shadow in the curtain covered kitchen. He disappeared without a sound.

  "I don't think I'll ever get used to that," I said with more than a little bit of wonder in my voice.

  "It's freaky but cool. Know how much fun I could have with that power?"

  I looked over at Jimmy. Images of him being arrested for suddenly appearing in girl's locker rooms flashed through my brain.

  "This is why I don't teach you things like the pleasure spell."


  "Cuz you're mean?"

  "No. Because you would do nefarious things with them, super perv."

  "I cannot deny this." He grinned at me. "At least I'm not boring."

  "This is true."

  Shea suddenly reappeared, two bottles of elderberry wine in his hands.

  "You trying to get us drunk?"

  "What?" He frowned a little. "No, Lady. One is for now, one is for you as a gift."

  "Aww, thank you."

  "You are more than welcome." He set both bottles down on the table and I got up to get us some glasses.

  "I apologize, this might be a little too sweet to go with your hearty meal, but the Lady seemed to enjoy it."

  Jimmy chuckled. "No worries. I can drink anything."

  I got back to the table to watch Shea whip a knife out from somewhere, and deftly cut the black wax off the top of the bottle. "Need a corkscrew?"

  "She calls me the kinky one," Jimmy muttered.

  "Yes, please."

  I should have asked before I got the glasses. Ignoring Jimmy, I went back and pulled one out of the drawer and handed it to Shea as I took my seat. He was amazing to watch, and not in a sexual way, either. Okay, that way, too, but he was a wizard with a corkscrew and a bottle of wine. If Cedar Falls had a fancy enough restaurant, he could have easily found employment as a sommelier.

  Instead of pouring the wine into the glasses, he lifted each one and delicately poured enough of the dark purplish liquid to fill each one half-full. He handed me mine with a twirl of the liquid inside the glass.

  "Thank you."

  "Most welcome." He handed Jimmy his and raised his glass to us both in a quick salute.

  As soon as the liquid hit my tongue, I groaned in ecstasy. I'd had the elderberry before, but looking at the bottles, you knew in a moment, this was no mass production. The bottles themselves were black glass, frosted with red runes etched into the surface. I had suspicions they might not even be from our realm.

  "Holy shit."

  I nodded at Jimmy. "See?"

  "Wow."

  "I am glad you like it." Shea set his glass down and nibbled again on a piece of chicken.

  Jimmy wasn't guzzling it, but I could tell he wanted to. He took sip after sip, his food long forgotten.

  "You're gonna get hammered if you don't eat."

  "Sweet wines like this don't have enough alcohol in them to worry about it."

  "Yeah. Keep telling yourself that."

  Shea chuckled.

  Jimmy wisely set the glass down and started eating again. "Thanks for sharing the wine with me."

  Instead of answering, Shea gave him a shy glance and smiled slightly.

  I hit the corner of my mouth with my fork. Don't tell me Shea thinks Jimmy is sexy, too. My heart can't take that much hotness.

  "You okay?"

  "Yes?"

  Jimmy's eyes narrowed. He was scanning me with his perv sensors. "You missed your mouth."

  "Boy, if I had a dime for every time someone told me that…"

  Shea choked on a noodle.

  "What's the matter, Sheamus? Something get stuck in your throat?"

  His eyes widened and he frantically reached for his wine, washing down whatever it was, but knowing that's not what Jimmy meant.

  "It is dangerous to eat around you both," Shea rasped.

  "Yep. Dot's appetites can quickly shift from the food to those around her."

  I swatted him in the arm.

  "But to be devoured by her…" Shea closed his eyes, relishing in the vivid image running through his brain.

  "Yeah. It's wonderful."

  Shea lowered his head, seemingly to gaze at his food, but I could still feel his eyes on me.

  "Is it getting hot in here, or is it just me?" I wasn't kidding. I was melting inside.

  "That is the effect of the wine. It is made to warm you on the coldest of days, igniting your internal fires."

  "You brought…aphrodisiac wine?"

  "No. It is made for travelling."

  "Oh."

  "I thought it an auspicious start to our journey."

  "Oh."

  "Why? Are you feeling…"

  "No. Maybe. My fires are definitely kindled." I shifted in my seat.

  Jimmy chuckled softly and gave up on the food, putting his hands behind his head and watching me. It wasn't helping. "Maybe it's not the wine, but the company," he said with a smile.

  "Maybe." I ate another bite. Shea was right, the food was delicious. So was the wine. So was the company.

  "Maybe you should lie down? Or step outside to cool off?" Shea offered helpfully.

  I took another sip, unable to stop myself. "Yeah. Maybe." I took my wine with me and headed for my bedroom. After drinking Shea's blood that morning, I had finally started to feel better, hopefully I was just a little dizzy and needy from that.

  Jimmy got up and slipped a hand under my arm. "Maybe you shouldn't finish your wine," he said and reached for it.

  "I'm okay. Just a little…"

  "Okay."

  He helped me get to my room and sat me down on the bed. "Thanks," I said with a smile.

  "I'll go clean up the kitchen."

  "You don't have to."

  "Don't worry. I'll send Shea in to keep an eye on you."

  I narrowed my eyes in suspicion.

  "Don't you trust me?" He grinned.

  "Would you trust you?"

  He leaned down and placed his hand under my shirt, making gentle circles over my belly. Everywhere he touched, the heat seemed to spread, and I gasped. "With you, yes."

  "That was the best answer, ever."

  "You want him. Take him."

  "I don't have to. He's already mine. Just like you."

  "Forever and a day."

  I reached up and grabbed the back of his neck, pulling him down close enough to kiss. I wanted forceful and toe-clenching. He gave me soft and delicate. I wanted to scream.

  He slid his hand up my shirt, between my breasts and moved it over, lightly grazing my left nipple with his thumb. "Why are you teasing me?"

  "Because I am leaving the room. I want you to devour him and really make him yours."

  "But I want you, too."

  "Oh, don't worry. I'll be back."

  He pinched my flesh between his fingers, and I groaned

  "Shea, Dot wants you," he called over his shoulder. "Have fun," he whispered to me and licked my lips. He stood and handed me my glass of wine.

  I gulped it greedily and he took the glass with him as he walked away. "Jimmy?"

  "Yes?" He cast a sexy glance over his shoulder.

  "Hurry."

  "Yes, ma'am."

  Shea slipped into my room as Jimmy left. "Are you all right?"

  "You keep asking me that."

  "My apologies," he said with a bow.

  "Shea?"

  "Yes?"

  "Come keep my company."

  "If you wish."

  "So, how much of the conversation with they guys earlier did you hear?"

  "I heard mumblings, but not much more than that." He blinked and looked down. "If you wish for me to be honest, I was afraid to hear their response."

  "Well, let's just say it was unanimous."

  "Could you please indicate a direction?" He looked like he was about to cry in frustration. I reached out and gently stroked his hand.

  "Who could say no to you?"

  "They accept me?"

  "More than accept. They wanted you. Some, in more ways than one," I said and winked, pointing at the kitchen.

  All that pent-up fear, loneliness, and regret crashed down around him. He almost choked as he sucked in a relieved sigh. A tear even rolled down his cheek.

  Not wanting to waste a single more moment, I reached down and grabbed the bottom of my shirt, lifting myself off the bed and pulling it off in one motion. I lay back down, my breasts fully exposed and a hungry look in my eye.

  "Beautiful," he managed to whisper as he slowly walked toward me.
<
br />   "Overdressed," I told him.

  He nodded in understanding, pulling the homespun tunic over his head, exposing himself in all of his tattooed glory. He looked delicious.

  He sat down next to me and I shook my head. "I'll get a kink in my neck looking over at you like that."

  "Where would you like me to sit?"

  "On top of me." I patted my waist.

  He stood again and slipped his boots off. He began unbuckling his pants, but I stopped him with my hand over his. Blushing, he gave me an apologetic look.

  "You're misunderstanding me. They're coming off, just not yet. I seem to have a thing for leather pants…"

  "Oh."

  He lifted his leg, bringing his knee over me and gently sitting on top of me. My hands instantly slid over the soft doe-skin covering his thighs.

  "See, this is much better. Now we can talk."

  "Talk?"

  I nodded, head rubbing against the pillow beneath me. "Talk about all the things I want to do to you."

  "Oh."

  "First, I want you to kiss me."

  He leaned over and his lips met mine. He tasted of elderberries and shadows. He was unsure and gentle until I slid my hands behind him and up his back, pulling him into it.

  His hips shifted back, leveling himself above me as I felt him through his pants, rubbing against my stomach. I grazed his flesh with my nails, sending shivers down his back as my tongue writhed against his. I could feel the gentle rumble of his chest as he moaned into me.

  I was burning from the inside out. The front of my leggings became an instant sodden mess as I gushed from the pleasure of holding him in my arms. All the other guys were much larger than me. Having a man who fit in my arms was a new, completely wonderful experience.

  I gripped his shoulders, pulled him away from the kiss, and smiled at the dreamy look on his face.

  "That was amazing," he whispered.

  "Lean back."

  He did as I said, his hands bracing himself against the bed. My eyes and my fingers traced lines down his chest, his tattoos igniting beneath my fingers until I reached the edge of them over his chest. His belly wasn't rippled with muscle, further enhancing his feminine appearance. In fact, if he had breasts, he could have passed for a young, petite woman. Until you reached his hips. They were too narrow, but I traced the delicate bones above his pants.

  I smiled as my hand caressed the outline of him. He was rigid beneath the soft leather, pointing toward me down the leg of his pants. I curled my fingers and ran them down the length of him, watching his eyes flutter as I did.