Border Lair (11 page)

It’s as it should be, daughter. Kelzy’s voice was gentle in her mind as her breath puffed over them with comforting heat. Do not fear your feelings for either of these men. They are your destiny.

Both of them? But how?

The idea of her daughter having two knights as husbands was still uncomfortable, but she sort of understood the necessity with the way the men were bonded to mated dragons. This, however, was something else altogether.

Only Jared was bonded to a dragon and Kelzy was unmated. If Adora was mated to Jared, she would eventually be expected to take the knight of Kelzy’s dragon mate as her second husband, if such a thing ever occurred.

Because of the bond dragon and knight shared, when dragons mated, their human partners were inevitably caught up in the sensual frenzy. It was a sacred rule that fighting dragons never mated while their knight partners had no mate. The frenzy as the dragons joined would drive an unmated knight insane and a casual sex partner just would not do. The depth of feeling—the love—had to be there for the mating frenzy to be sated, for it was deeply emotional as well as intensely physical for both the dragons and the humans involved.

Don’t ask how, child, Kelzy counseled her, still sending warm breaths of cinnamon-scented air over them to offer what comfort she could to her heartbroken knight. Just accept it will be so. The Mother and we will make it so. We see the way both these men feel about you and how you feel about them. This is the turning point, I think.

Who’s ‘we’? She had a sneaking suspicion, but the idea was too wild to even contemplate.

Leave that to us, child. See to Jared now. This storm was a long time in coming and he will feel shame for his actions if you give him half a chance.

Best to take him to your bed now and take his mind beyond the grief of the moment. Give him something much more pleasant to focus on.

You want me to sleep with him?

Isn’t that what you’ve wanted for weeks now? Kelzy’s voice was sly with the knowledge only another female could understand.

Well…yes, I suppose so. But he doesn’t want me. Not really.

Nonsense! The man loves you.

Adora gasped. Are you sure?

I know my knight. He’s stubborn, but he loves deeply and true. He has a good heart that has been badly hurt and he takes too much responsibility on his solitary shoulders. He needs you, Adora. He needs your strength and your love.

But what about Darian?

Child, the Mother of All knows what She is about. Look at Darian. I think he understands. He knows how much Jared loves you and needs you. He loves Jared like a brother and hates to see him hurt like this. I think he’ll understand. He will help, I think. Take him with you and see where it leads.

But he’s not a knight. He doesn’t expect to have to share a woman with another knight.

He’s a man, child. I don’t know of too many human males who would turn down a threesome when offered the chance.

Adora smiled just slightly, shyly, as she met Darian’s eyes over Jared’s broad shoulder.

She saw warmth there—the warmth of care and love, but also the warmth of desire. Darian had shown her just last night she was not as dead sexually or emotionally as she’d thought. He had given her a boost of confidence along with his tender and commanding loving. She knew he cared for her and was fast falling in love with him as well, but her heart also wanted Jared. Adora had wanted him almost from the first moment she’d seen him.

Jared needed her so badly, she knew it in her heart, and this breakdown only proved it further. He needed love and support. He needed to let people close to him, not just dragons. For the past years, only Kelzy had managed to breach the defenses around his heart. But those walls crumbled and crashed as she and Darian supported him in his soul-deep grief.

Darian moved slowly, coming around her, holding her gaze as long as he could until he was behind her. Sandwiched between two hard male bodies, Adora swept her hands down Jared’s back as his weeping began to ease. He was so silent, so needy, but so resolute. Jared straightened by degrees, his warm lips nuzzling into her neck as he moved, perhaps unable to meet her eyes while his own were red from grief too long denied. Or perhaps because he was finally giving into the attraction between them.

As he moved, so did Darian, reaching to clasp her waist, moving his already hard erection against the soft globes of her ass. So Kelzy had been right. Apparently getting Darian to share wouldn’t be such a hard thing after all. Or rather, there was a hard thing involved, but it was a good, hard thing she would see was put to good, hard use. She could hardly wait.

Smiling to herself, Adora tugged at Jared’s leather shirt, pulling at the laces as he worked at hers. Darian was already stripping down her leggings and baring her legs. Kelzy watched all with apparent approval, puffing her sweet breaths over them to keep them warm as they bared themselves and each other.

Adora couldn’t believe she was acting so wanton. Her only lover before last night had been her husband. They had been married young, just teenagers fumbling in the dark until they got the hang of meshing their bodies together, but this was something else entirely. Darian had shown her things the night before that she never would have imagined and she sensed she was in for another breathtaking lesson here.

Jared seized her mouth with his own, his lips demanding as never before.

Her clothing was gone and she pulled at Jared’s with his enthusiastic help.

Soon he was bare too, but she didn’t get the chance to step back and enjoy the view of his masculine body. No, he was too eager. He kept her close, kept his lips fused to hers as his hands roamed, learning and claiming first her breasts then the smooth expanse of her abdomen and lower, to cup the wetness between her squirming legs.

Darian was busy too, ridding himself of his clothing and dropping to his knees behind her. His lips left a trail of kisses all the way down her back and up her thighs until he reached his goal, between the soft cheeks of her ass. He gripped her cheeks and squeezed, apparently enjoying the soft flesh, leaning forward to nip and suck, leaving his mark on her and licking the momentary, exciting pain away with his clever tongue.

It was Darian who eased her to the floor, his strong arms taking her weight as Jared refused to let her go. Having two sets of masculine hands caressing her body was an enticing, exciting, amazing experience. The approval she read in both their faces when Jared briefly let her up for air gave her the confidence to reach up and run her hands over Jared’s chest and down to his straining cock. He was so hard, so ready, and she knew this first time would be fast.

That was fine with her. She would do anything for him. She realized in that moment that she loved him—truly, deeply and without reservations.

“Come to me now, Jared. Make love to me.”

He growled as he bore down on her. Thankfully Darian had made a bed of sorts out of the pile of their discarded clothing. Kelzy helped by scooping a mound of warm sand from her wallow. Darian had covered the sand with clothing until Adora lay on a squishy sort of bed that was much more comfortable than she would have expected.

Jared looked down at the woman waiting for him—her soft thighs spread, her beautiful green eyes wide with acceptance of whatever he might do…and love. He could see the love shining in her eyes and knew he felt the same. He could no longer deny his need for her and her beautiful, open, healing heart.

He settled between her legs, unable to help himself. He kissed her tenderly, then pulled back for one last moment of sanity to look down into her beloved face.

“I don’t want to hurt you.”

“You won’t.” Her simple acceptance of him and all he was humbled him.

“I love you, Adora.” He held his breath. Leaving his heart out in the open like that was a risk.

She touched his rough cheek, her smile generous. “I love you too, Jared.”

Her words touched a place deep in his heart he’d thought was gone forever. But suddenly she was there, in his heart, and he knew she would never be removed. Kissing her sweet lips reverently, the heat between them rose once more to a fever pitch.

“I need you now, Adora. I’m sorry, I can’t be gentle.”

“I don’t want you to be gentle. I want you, Jared.” She emphasized her demand with an erotic pulse of her hips that brought his hard cock within the hot warmth of her waiting sheath. And he could wait no more.

With a groan, he buried himself inside her, glorying in her heat, her warmth, her wetness, and her love. He was so far gone in his desire he barely heard her answering sighs of pleasure as he pumped hard and fast into her, straining against the force that pushed him onward, holding out to make this first time last as long as he could, but it was a losing battle. He had waited too long to accept the reality that she was his, and all too soon he felt his balls clench and his entire body tense as he erupted within her, showering her with his tribute, bathing her womb in his essence, making her truly his.

Jared collapsed on top of her, eyes opening slowly to stare down into hers. He kissed her then with a gentleness that had been near impossible only moments ago. Adora sighed into his mouth, her hips quaking in the last rolls of orgasm. Jared felt a sense of relief that he’d somehow managed, even in his blind desire, to bring her pleasure.

He kissed her neck, her shoulders, working his way down to the tips of her breasts and she sighed. A rustle of leather off to his side registered just barely in his preoccupied mind and Jared looked up.

There was Darian, trying to squeeze a painfully hard erection back into his leggings.

“Where do you think you’re going like that?” Jared was sated enough to have regained a bit of his usual good humor.

Darian started, his eyes meeting Jared’s with regret. “Look, you two obviously need some time alone—”

Not alone! Kelzy insisted. He’s part of this, Jared. Make him see.

Jared looked up at the dragon who had witnessed all and a rueful smile twisted his lips.

“As my dragon partner reminds me, Darian, you’re responsible for this. I know you love her too.” Jared finally found the strength to lever himself off her luscious body. Caressing her as he got to his knees, Jared removed himself gently from between her slippery legs. How he hated to be apart from her! But things had to be settled between all three of them. He had to make Darian understand the complex feelings he himself couldn’t quite figure out, but accepted nonetheless.

“I was jealous as hell when I saw you with her last night, but I know what I saw. There was love there, in every moment. On both sides.” He leaned down to kiss her flushed face.

“You saw?” She flushed red with embarrassment.

He winked at her. “I saw all right. Didn’t sleep at all for thinking of how he must feel, locked deep inside your beautiful body.” Jared kissed her softly.

“Now I know.” Their eyes held for a moment, her blush fading as her breathing sped up again. “And I also know he’s part of this, Adora, in your heart.” His gaze shifted to Darian, still standing in indecision, his clothes clutched in his hands.

He saw how Darian watched Adora and how she returned his loving gaze.

There was love there, without doubt. Adora would not give herself without it.

Darian shook his head and resumed dressing as Adora sat up on the makeshift bed. “I should go.”

“No. You shouldn’t.” Jared’s voice was firm but held more than a hint of frustration. How could he explain something he didn’t understand himself?

“Look, Dar. It’s the way of things for knights to share. If there’s love, then there’s nothing wrong with us both being with Adora, as long as she wants it.”

He looked over at the startled but smiling woman. “And I think she wants it.”

He nudged her knee with his own. “Am I right, darling?”

Adora was confused, but her heart knew what it wanted. Her heart wanted both of them, with her, forever. Her pussy wanted both of them too. It was a scandalous, exciting thought.

“I…” She searched for the right words. “I don’t understand it, but…I want you both. You’re both in my heart.” They stood and Adora went first to Jared and then to Darian, taking each of them by one hand. “I need you both.”

Blushing uncontrollably, she kissed Jared, then Darian, leaning into Darian a bit longer, convincing him with her mouth, her naked warmth, and her soft sighs that she didn’t want him to leave.

When he released her, there was a tentative smile in Darian’s sparkling, light blue eyes.

“Are you certain, Adora?”

She laughed. “I’m shocked by my own behavior, but I know I want and need you both. As crazy as it sounds, I love you both. Please don’t make me choose between you. It would shatter my heart.” Her eyes grew serious.

“Unless the thought of, um…sharing…hurts you. I wouldn’t want to cause either of you pain.”

Jared smiled broadly at her. “I didn’t ever expect to have a woman to love in my life again. You’re a miracle to me, and as a leader of knights, I’m used to three-partnered relationships. I see everyday how well they work out.

Darian and I have known each other for a very long time. We respect each other as warriors and statesmen, but more so as friends. You’ll get no complaint from me.”

Darian’s head tilted as he seemed to think carefully about his answer.

Adora held her breath and waited to see what he would say. He was from another land, after all, where traditions were probably much different. The Mother only knew what he had been raised to expect… Adora realized in that one tense moment she would never be truly happy unless she could have them both. It was that simple and that amazing. She had never thought to have even one man in her life again and now she felt incomplete without two.

She was getting greedy in her old age, she thought with an inner chuckle.

“I don’t understand this at all, but I need to be with you, Adora. More than I need to breathe.” Darian moved a step closer and caressed her cheek with the back of one big hand. “Jared and I have been good friends for a very long time. He’s like a brother to me, and if I had to share with anyone, it would be him. I don’t pretend to understand how these three-partnered relationships work, but I’m willing to try, if you truly want this.”