We appeared in a dimly lit sitting room like mine, but it was smaller, decorated sparsely but comfortably with two leather backed chairs in front of a happily crackling fire. Kieran and Ronan jumped up from them as soon as we appeared, though they moved more slowly and with more care than they usually did.
I shot Benedict a filthy look as I hurried to Kieran, my hand tucking his hair out of his eyes to see his face better. Large bruises and cuts marred his face even as he gently pushed my hands away.
“Are you alright?” I turned towards Ronan, who didn’t seem to be doing any better.
“Don’t waste your breath,” Kieran began, wincing as he took a step towards me. “It’s our own fault for letting it get out of hand. We should have had D’Arcy or Benedict with us to train you.” His left eye was black and his lip split open. “This will help remind us to have better control.”
He limped heavily on one side of his body, and his normally carefree grin was more of a grimace.
“I’m sorry, Wren. I . . . lost myself.” If Kieran was upset, Ronan was downright miserable.
My gaze flitted between them and Benedict’s unflinching expression. I licked my lips, remembering how Benedict had healed himself using my blood. Making a quick decision, I tossed my nose into the air.
“Let’s go into one of your private rooms. You can wait out here.” I stuck one finger in Benedict’s hard chest even as his eyes narrowed in suspicion, and a low growl rumbled in his chest. Kieran and Ronan didn’t bother glancing at the larger, angry draken. Kieran opened the first door on the left, and we entered. It was a modest room with a medium-sized bed taking up most of the space. A small chest rested at the foot of the bed. I shut the door behind us, and Kieran wrung his hands nervously.
“I don’t think this is a good idea,” Kieran fretted. “What if—’
“You won’t hurt me,” I insisted, tossing my hair behind my shoulders. “In fact, I dare you not to hurt me. If it gets out of hand, I simply scream for help, and Benedict beats the shit out of you. Again. You wouldn’t want that now, would you?”
They both cringed and shook their heads. I crossed the small space and sat on the bed, sliding my boots off as I went. They stared at my bare legs as I patted the spots next to me. I tried to act with more confidence than I felt. This new version of myself would need some more practice, but there was no time like the present.
With every fight with Benedict, or new trick with my knife, more of the old, scared girl inside of me died. I wasn’t going to mourn her.
I gestured to both with two fingers. “Come here.”
Ronan moved first with Kieran just behind him. They sat on either side of me, stiff as boards. I reached up and ran my hands through Kieran’s red hair, mindful of a large cut on his forehead. I’d never seen red hair before meeting him, so I took my time admiring it as Kieran sighed, relaxing against my shoulder. Each strand was liquid fire as I twined it through my fingers.
I shifted and gestured for Ronan to lay his head in my lap, and my free hand went to work on his hair. Slowly, their muscles relaxed, and their eyes drifted closed.
When I deemed them suitably relaxed, I pulled Kieran close to me, my voice no louder than a whisper so Benedict wouldn’t overhear. “I want to heal both of you.”
Kieran’s pulse quickened, and Ronan jerked from my lap.
“You can’t heal us,” Ronan said.
I bent my head back, exposing my throat to Kieran as I dragged my wrist across Ronan’s lips, tempting him. Kieran’s fingers ran a path down my neck, nearly vibrating with anticipation.
“Well, it worked for Benedict. Take it or leave it.”
Ronan didn’t hesitate, both of his hands seizing my wrist as one fang delicately cut along a vein. He stifled a quick moan as hot blood trickled in his mouth, his skin shimmering as the wounds twisted and began to fade away. Kieran growled slightly but lost his battle of wills, his fangs sinking into my offered throat a moment later. I tensed as there was a split second of pain, but it was quickly overcome by a wave of pleasure. Arousal curled itself around me, lazily spreading throughout my body. I drifted on a hazy cloud as they drank from me, their lips gliding across my skin with an agonizing gentleness, juxtaposed to the sharpness of their fangs. They drank greedily, their mouths and tongues feasting on my body like starving men. I felt light-headed but was too drugged out of my mind to care.
“Stop. Ronan, stop!” Kieran’s voice was raspy above me, his lips tinged red as he snatched my wrist away from Ronan.
The other draken growled, then shook his head when Kieran smacked him in the face. They stared at each other.
I wondered when they would shut up already and pay attention to me instead. I stubbornly tugged Kieran’s head down, and he chuckled, returning to lick my neck as Ronan did the same to my wrist. The small cuts healed over, and they glanced down at me, exchanging dark looks.
“Her skin is too pale, and her heart rate too slow.” Kieran’s voice came out worried.
“We took too much. We’ll have to give some back,” Ronan agreed and shot a slightly awed gaze at me. “I don’t think that will be a problem.”
My eyes snapped open, and my first thought was how loud Kieran’s blood was pumping
through his veins the way it was. Surely, he wouldn’t miss a little.
I lunged, sinking my teeth into Kieran’s shoulder, my need for his blood overpowering every other thought. He winced but didn’t push me away as I took several mouthfuls, then withdrew. It was red like mine but tinged with orange and gold. Blood wasn’t supposed to taste good, like a wine that had been expertly aged and seasoned. Perhaps it was a draken thing?
“Was that enough?”
My eyes went wide at the prospect of more. Ronan sighed and offered his wrist. I fell upon him immediately, nearly moaning as his blood cleared my head and chased away the lingering lethargy. I licked the wound clean when I was done, but I didn’t need to since both were already healed.
“Blood transfers bring an immediate boost to our healing abilities,” Ronan lectured quickly.
I tilted my head to the side, trying to fight through the smoldering fire burning through my body, demanding my immediate attention.
“Black magic?” I managed to ask.
They nodded as we all glowed with renewed strength. They both slid into their draken forms, discarding their few clothes in a heap on the floor. I made a low sound of need at the sight of their naked, muscled bodies, anxiety warring with my desire. Kieran laid me gently down on the bed, and I stroked one of his wings, the shimmering colors reminding me of fire. He shivered in pleasure. My hands trailed the hard contours of his chest and down his stomach, pausing as I took in the sight of him. I pulled my hand back, losing my courage.
“We would never hurt you or do anything against your will,” he said.
And that was true, wasn’t it? My loyal, faithful Kieran. My arms hooked around his neck, pulling him down against me. His blood soared through my veins, giving me courage and a feeling of daring. I decided to embrace it.
“If you both don’t shut up and just . . . get over here, I’ll never speak to you again.”
Ronan’s eyebrows nearly went to his hairline as Kieran laughed, tumbling with me onto the small bed. Ronan stood beside us, his eyes shining with need.
Those were the last words spoken as Kieran kissed me roughly, his mouth delving into mine. Ronan’s hands dipped under my dress and snaked up my legs, touching every inch of skin before turning his attention to my chest. One claw carefully slit a line down the center of my dress, and he pulled it away, exposing my breasts to the cool air. They were going to have to buy me more clothing with the way they kept shredding it. I groaned in approval, craving more of the texture of his sharp claws against my skin.
Kieran trailed his lips from behind my ear down to my collarbone while the rough scales of Ronan’s hands scraped against my nipples. Between all the sensations, I was lost in rapture. I moaned and it only increased their fervor. My hand drifted down Kieran’s body, finding him hard and ready for me. I grasped him at the base of his member, running my other hand across his tip. He growled back, biting down on my neck as I writhed in delight against him. Ronan’s head went under my dress, and then his lips moved to kiss and nibble between my thighs. I could have died right then and there; happy and lost amidst the delicious tingle from every part of my body.
Kieran shifted, kneeling beside my head. Before I could lose my nerve, I reached out and pulled his hips close to my face. My hands roved across his length, marveling at how soft yet hard it was. I reached out with my tongue and gently licked his tip, and his hands tightened around my shoulders in a painful grip. If such a small touch made him do that, what would happen if I did more?
The sound he made when I took him fully in my mouth I wouldn’t forget for the rest of my life, that gasping, choked sound of complete surprise. He slowly pumped in and out between my lips while I licked around him, pausing to swirl my tongue at his tip. His hands buried in my hair at the same moment Ronan forced my legs apart and swiped lightly at my core with his tongue. I went rigid, my mind blank as this totally new, glorious sensation took over. Kieran slid himself from my mouth, continuing his work of marking every clean inch of skin from my neck to my shoulders with his teeth. Ronan’s tongue licked and swirled, then he slowly slid one finger inside of me and then pulled it back out. I went cross-eyed in frustration.
Then his tongue replaced his fingers, and a screech left my mouth as Kieran pinched my nipples hard. The pressure was building, fast and furious as they both worked my body like a precise machine, all the parts working together to reach one final, glorious conclusion. Ronan paused, then sucked me, and that’s when the pressure shattered completely. My cry was long, loud, and animalistic. Their eyes turned feral as they watched me climax, and then the door was nearly thrown off its hinges as Benedict was there, his full draken form on display.
Everything stopped. The three of us were frozen on the bed, no movement to be seen except the rapid rise and fall of our chests.
“I am first,” he snarled, and the other men backed off immediately.
I barely registered what was happening as he hovered above me, still reeling as I came down from my high. Reality punctured through with the first vicious thrust inside of me, and I hissed, though whether it was from anger or pleasure I couldn’t tell. Benedict didn’t even look at me or touch me any more than was strictly needed. He just pounded into me wildly, and I hated that I loved every moment of it. He came with a grunt, then withdrew to the corner of the room, snarling at the other two. I gasped at the loss of him from my body.
Kieran snarled at Benedict, then climbed back on the bed with Ronan. He kissed me, lovingly biting my bottom lip before nudging me until I flipped over on my stomach. His claws delicately traced a path from my neck to the base of my spine, and I sighed in happiness. Ronan sat next to me, and I reached out to grasp him in my hand, gliding up and down like I had with Kieran.
Ronan growled and grabbed me by the waist, pulling me to him.
“I am next,” Kieran said gruffly, swiping at Ronan. Ronan growled but backed down, sitting up as Kieran entered me from behind in one thrust, pushing me down further into the mattress. I cried out at the new angle, reveling in how much deeper and fuller it felt. Kieran thrust into me, his hands holding my hips in place as he roughly took me. Ronan kissed me again before laying back and watching. I grabbed his thighs and pulled him closer, taking his length deep in my mouth. He groaned, and that wonderful, warm tension built again as Kieran’s hand found the sweet, sensitive nub inside of me, and hit it just right.
Kieran’s roar was loud as he spent himself into me, grunting as my inner walls trembled and convulsed around him. Ronan pulled out of my mouth and came on the bed, his harsh breathing the only sounds he made.
When they were done, Benedict snatched me from the bed and sniffed me deeply.
“Thought you . . . wouldn’t touch me,” I muttered sleepily. The vibrations of his voice rumbled against me, his body warm and strong as I nuzzled into him. What was wrong with me?
“I technically didn’t,” he muttered stubbornly.
Kieran and Ronan cleaned up the bed behind me with fast efficiency, all the while glaring at Benedict.
Kieran asked, “Does this mean—’
Benedict silenced Kieran with a glare. Kieran’s ears flattened against his head and he went back to his task.
“I will take her to our rooms.”
Before the other two could get a word out, we disappeared in a wisp of darkness. The dim lighting of my bathroom greeted me next, the heat of the room a soft caress against my skin. Benedict stalked to the side of the tub with me in his arms and gently laid me into a steaming bath, filling it with several herbs and oils. I sighed happily.
“You can be nice to me,” I muttered, and he snorted.
I vaguely yawned. It was tempting to fall asleep as the fragrant aromas from the bath wafted in the air.
Benedict scoffed. “Just remember, we don’t mate with humans.”
His harsh words cut through my drowsiness more effectively than a knife would. I twitched, then shifted so my back was to him.
“No, humans are just bought and sold. You’ve made that quite clear, though clearly I’m a pretty cow indeed to attract your attention.”
He growled. “You are not!”
“Pretty or a cow?” I shot back, then pushed forward. “Do you know what they call a human woman who entertains three men, Benedict?” My voice turned bitter, even though I knew deep down I didn’t regret any of it. I cared for at least two out of the three, which was better odds than the women at the breeding house.
“A brave woman who is making the best of her situation,” he answered.
Brave. Brave? My lower lip trembled, and I blinked back tears.
“You’re all hiding something from me,” I said instead, dunking my head under the water.
When I came up, Benedict was gone. After some time, Kieran and Ronan appeared, and assisted me into bed. I laid there for a long time with one on either side of me, snuggled between their warmth. It was nice and comforting, but sleep eluded me. Something was missing. Or rather, someone. That was ridiculous, I told myself.
I tossed and turned all night.
