3013: FATED (19 page)

“Agreed. And if you don’t mind my saying so, sir, you and your daughter both need to be fitted with belled collars. You both have an uncanny ability to sneak up on a person.”

Travers laughed and moved in beside him. “She is far better at it than I ever was. Of course, I only use it for slipping away from my guards. Do me a favor and don’t mention the bell idea to them. I swear they’d try to make it happen.”

“Bells wouldn’t go with the uniform,” Vance deadpanned.

“Good point.” Travers took a sip of his drink, then turned to look at Vance. “I’m going to pull rank on you now and give you an order. Officially, I can’t make you follow it, but I hope you do anyway.”

“Sir?” Vance set down his drink and came to attention.

“Don’t let her go. Not now, not ever. I see the way you and your partner look at Ciara, and I’m telling you, don’t let go.”

“She’s staying. She might not know it yet, but Ciara’s not going anywhere. Not without us.”

Regent Travers nodded. “Good. Second chances don’t come around often. Sometimes, they don’t come at all.”

“You got a second chance with Alayna,” Vance pointed out.

Travers glanced across the room to where Alayna was standing with her bonded. “Alayna tells me you have a daughter. If you lost her tomorrow and didn’t see her again until she was a grown woman, would that be enough?”

The thought tore at Vance’s heart. “No, it wouldn’t.”

“Exactly.”

“Would you like to meet her?” Vance asked, not sure if he was doing the right thing.

“Who?”

“Our daughter.”

Travers’ fingers tightened around his glass. “I’d like that. I don’t spend much time around kids. Never had reason to after…”

Vance nodded in understanding. If he suffered the kind of loss Travers had, he would have closed himself off, too. “Annie’s been asking why she hasn’t seen her godparents this week. We’ll bring her by for a visit before you go. I should warn you, though, she’s a handful and has no respect at all for the uniform.”

“Neither does my daughter. The first time she told me off, my staff nearly lost their minds. Fuck, it was funny as hell…at least to me. I understand it though. She was raised by rebels. Her life is completely different than the one I wanted for her. I’m proud of her though. Her and the work she’s doing.”

“You should have seen her the day after she was claimed. I’ve never seen anyone stand up to her bonded the way she did. I couldn’t decide if they were crazy or straight up suicidal taking on a woman like her, and somehow I may have wound up with one of my own. At the time, I laughed at them for claiming Alayna first and making it up to her later. Now? If I thought it would work, Ciara be wearing our mark already.”

Travers arched a dark brow at Vance. “So, why don’t you? You’ve still got permission to claim a chosen, don’t you?”

“She’s not a scroll, though. There are…expectations.”

“Expectations be damned. There’s nothing in the laws that says you can’t claim her. If there’s one thing I’ve learned in this line of work, it’s that rules can be bent. Hell, some of them can be twisted into pretzels,” he said before draining his glass and setting it down on the table. “Of course, if you quote me on that, I’ll deny we ever had this conversation.”

“Yes, sir.” Vance grinned, his mind still buzzing with possibilities.

“Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to claim a dance with Alayna. Have a good night, Vance. And good luck. You can let me know how it went when you bring Annie by. I look forward to meeting her.”

“If I have my way, you won’t have to ask to know how it went. You’ll be able to see it on her face.” Vance was already imagining what Ciara’s lovely face would look like with his and Dane’s initials flowing over her skin, announcing to the world she belonged to them.

Regent Travers gave him a thumbs-up sign and departed, leaving Vance alone with his thoughts. By the time Ciara and Dane joined him, he’d already started working on the beginnings of a plan. Now, he needed to get some time alone with Dane so they could work out the details, but that could wait until tomorrow. Tonight he had other plans.

***

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

The rest of Ciara’s evening passed in a happy blur of laughter, stolen kisses, and too much wine. She didn’t really remember the ride home, and she was giggling as she carefully navigated the stairs up to their bedrooms. Dane was leading, and Vance was only a step below her, one hand on the small of her back to steady her. For the first time in her life, Ciara felt truly protected. She’d always kept herself safe, but tonight, she didn’t have to. Tonight, she had her guardian angels watching over her. Or in this case, her guardian elites. If this was what Alayna had with her bonded, it was no wonder she’d stayed.

“Angel, this will go faster if you actually move your feet,” Dane prompted her, and she realized she’d been thinking so hard she’d actually stopped moving.

“I’ve got a better idea,” Vance declared, gathering her into his arms.

“This is nice. Since I’ve moved in here, I get carried a lot. I could get used to this.”

Vance erupted into a soft rumble of laughter. “If that’s all it takes to get you to stay, then we’ll carry you anywhere you want to go.”

“Advantages of living with a telek, I can actually make that happen,” Dane agreed, glancing back at her with a devilish grin. “You’ll never have to walk again.”

They cleared the stairs and headed toward the men’s bedrooms. She waited for the usual discussion on whose room they’d be sleeping in, but neither man said a word. When Dane opened the door at the very end of the hall, Ciara knew why. They weren’t taking her to their rooms. They were going somewhere new. The one room she hadn’t been in yet. The room set aside for their chosen.

“Why?” she asked.

Vance’s arms tightened around her as if expecting her to try and escape. “Because this is where you belong.”

“It’s yours now, angel. You’re not a guest here anymore. You said it yourself on the stairs. You’ve moved in. This is your home.”

She waited for the panic to kick in, for her heart to protest, but nothing happened. Instead of fear and denial, all she felt was a peaceful acceptance that wrapped around her heart and put to rest the last of her demons.

Home. She liked the sound of that.

Her new bedroom was spacious, if a little under-furnished. There was a bed large enough for three adults to sleep comfortably, a basic dresser, and a small vanity table with an oval-shaped mirror in a polished wood frame. The walls were painted pale gold and cream, the linens and carpet echoing the same shades, filling the space with warm, golden light. Her gaze landed on the vanity, and she realized her things had already been laid out across the surface.

“Why are my things here? How? You two were with me all night.”

“The housekeeping bots do have functions besides trying to trip you every chance they get,” Vance said.

“I still swear you’ve programmed them to do that on purpose,” she muttered.

“Nope. I wouldn’t have a clue how. I’m doctor, not a robotics engineer. I do, however, know how to send them remote instructions.” Vance set her back on her feet, keeping one hand resting on her shoulder.

“Do you like it?” Dane asked, coming over to stand beside her, “Anything you don’t like, we can change.”

She lifted her hands to encompass the area. “It’s more space than I know what to do with! It’s lovely. And I…” Her throat tightened with emotion, and her next words came out with a hint of a rasp. “I’m going to need to buy more clothes and things to fill this place up. It might take me a while.”

Both men exhaled, then turned and grinned at her. “Take as long as you like,” Vance told her.

“Take forever,” Dane said, tugging her into his arms.

Dane’s kiss curled her toes and sent a low hum of desire coursing through her veins. It didn’t matter that she’d had him once already tonight. Her hunger for both him and Vance was never ending. She draped her arms around his neck and buried her fingers in his dark hair, letting his kiss consume her. His lips tasted of the wine they’d drunk, and there was a trace of stubble forming along his jaw, just enough to rasp against her cheek as they kissed.

Vance moved in behind her, needing to be close to her. He began undressing her, undoing the clasps of her gown so the velvet fell away to reveal her naked flesh. Soft. Smooth. Decorated with entire constellations of freckles he intended to map and memorize in time. The dress fell to the floor, and his cock surged to life as he realized she wore nothing underneath.

“Fuck me. You’re not wearing underwear. You…I… damn it, Ciara, you’re going to be the death of me.”

“In my defense, I started the night fully dressed. Blame your partner.”

“Impulse control, Dane. One day you’re going to have to learn some.” Not that he ever expected it to happen. He didn’t really want it to, either. He and Dane were well matched that way, two opposites, balancing each other out.

“Why in the hell would I do that? My way’s a lot more fun. Not to mention, I have a memento of this evening and you have…what?” Dane pulled the shredded remains of her panties out of his pocket and dangled them off his finger. When Ciara reached for them, he raised his arm until his hand was well out of reach.

“Nuh uh. These are mine, now. I’m thinking of starting a collection,” he taunted her as she tried to leap high enough to get them back. There was no chance of her succeeding, but she seemed more than willing to play along with his game.

“You’re not displaying our cho—woman’s underwear. Forget it.” Vance declared, hoping no one else noticed his slip. As far as he was concerned, Ciara was their chosen, but before he used that title with her, there were things they needed to talk about.

He moved a few feet away and started stripping out of his uniform when he felt Ciara watching him. The sight of him undressing had her frozen in place, watching every move with hot, eager eyes. The look on her face had him ready to take her to the floor and fuck her then and there, but this was a special night, and he was determined to make it memorable.

Ciara hadn’t meant to stare, but she couldn’t help herself. She loved watching the play of light and shadow over his dark skin. He removed the formal, fitted uniform slowly, giving her ample time to enjoy the view. Every passing second, her temperature rose a little more, until her skin was flushed and heart was racing.

Behind her, the telltale rustle of fabric let her know Dane was undressing, too. The thought that soon the two of them would be naked and in bed with her made her breath quicken and her pussy go slick with cream.

“Get on the bed, Ciara. Hands and knees.” Vance’s voice was a sexy rumble. She obeyed his command with a bounce and a grin, unconcerned about the way the two of them tried to boss her around. It was part of who they were. Elites. Born to lead and taught to be the best they could be. When she was comfortably settled in the center of her new bed, both men moved together, the mattress dipping on either side as they joined her. Dane got to her first, dropping to his knees in front of her, his hands tangling in her hair as he leaned down to kiss her.

Her mouth was still crushed against Dane’s as Vance took up position behind her, his hands gliding down the line of her spine before tracing the cleft of her buttocks with gentle fingers. Dane’s hands found her breasts, teasing and tweaking at her nipples as Vance worked his fingers deeper between her thighs. Caught between the two of them, surrounded by strength and raw male need, Ciara could think of nothing past the aching need to be touched and the fires burning deep in her heart. She wanted this so badly she hurt.

Talented fingers found her clit, strumming and stroking the tender flesh until she tore her lips from Dane’s to utter a low moan. “More. Please.”

“Anything you want, Ciara. All you have to do is ask,” Vance said, his words triggering a rush of emotions so powerful she almost forgot to breathe.

“Then I want you to love me the way I love both of you.”

Dane groaned, dropping his head so he could look her in the eyes. “We love you, angel.”

Vance leaned over and pressed a kiss to her shoulder blade. “I love you, too. I think I fell for you the night you came in to my med-center, battered, hurting, and still more worried about those boys than about yourself. You’re beautiful, inside and out.”

She looked back at Vance, ignoring the tears rolling down her cheeks. “I love you, too. Stars help me, but I do. You, and Dane, and Annie, too. If you two are crazy enough to want me to stay, then this is home.”

“Damn right it is. This is your home, and we’re your family,” Dane said, his voice thick with emotions that went far deeper than his words.

“And now, we’re going to love you, together. You ready for that, Ciara?”

Her heart skipped a beat as she nodded. “I’m ready.”

“Then you give Dane something else to think about for a bit, and let me prepare you for what comes next.”

Dane leaned back so his cock was on display a few inches from her mouth. “Suck me. I want to feel your sweet mouth on my cock.”

“What happened to saying please?”

He laughed and stroked a hand through her hair. “Please, love.” She brushed a kiss to the head of his cock, and he groaned. “Fuck.
Please
do that again.”

Ciara’s mouth closed around his dick, and he lost his train of thought, too caught up in the pleasures of her touch to dwell on the past. Wet heat, the flick and stroke of her talented tongue, and it was all he could do not to fist his hands in her hair and drive himself deeper. Instead, he watched as Vance knelt between her legs, his fingers glistening with lubricant as he gently prepared her for what was to come. Both of them inside her, claiming her, sharing her body the same way they shared her heart.

“Relax, Ciara. This is going to feel good, I promise,” Vance said as his hand disappeared from Dane’s sight. Ciara stiffened for a moment, her lips tightening around Dane’s cock. When she relaxed, she loosed a low moan that flowed through him and made his balls tighten in response.

“That’s right, angel. Feels good, doesn’t it?” He stroked her hair again, and she moaned again, louder this time.