Challenging Love (Drekinn Book Five) (9 page)

“Really?” Calix snorted.

“Shut up,” Cherri said and put her hands on her hips. “Now we have to throw a different kinda party and it messes everything up. You are not appreciating the conundrum you put us in. I mean, we threw a party for everyone but you.”

“Yeah, well maybe we didn’t want one that wasn’t sincere,” Pilar said and held her head up.

“Hey, bitch, the offer was sincere!” Calli yelled.

“What offer?” Pilar said confused.

“You know, the other day when you were in the security room, and I was there. I was talking to Rissa and said loudly that we would throw you a party,” Calli snarled.

“Uh yeah, and said you were going to put cat food in Calix’s food,” Pilar argued.

“I always say shit like that, you should have known I was just kidding around.” Calli pouted.

“And explained to your mother how in the old days Visine was used to make people sick, you thought Brooks would like that,” Pilar drawled.

“Again, like I would,” Calli said in a huff.

“Viv grabbed a bottle of Visine out of your hand and hid it,” Pilar argue.

“Damn, you are kinda picky,” Calli mumbled.

“You are the one who is pissed and being unreasonable. There are always going to be things you don’t know. The fates are like that. No one can know everything. Instead of accepting it, you fight it, and blame others. For example, if Phillip or I would have told you, the consequences would have been severe—we didn’t want to chance it so we vowed to allow you to find the truth. It is not my fault it took you so long!” Pilar yelled.

“Whatever, that is beside the point. Mating is a serious issue, I mean how could you think we wouldn’t care?” Calli yelled.

“You are crazy,” Calix muttered.

“Your point?” Calli asked confused.

Pilar threw up her hands and said, “Fine, have the dinner tonight.”

“Yay,” Rissa said and clapped her hands.

“Party!” Cherri laughed.

Calli looked serious and stared at the three-mated people. “I know we sometimes fight and are crazy, but we are family no matter what. You should have known we would never have ignored your mating.”

Pilar sighed. “It was really just too much to fight.”

“Bullshit,” Calli growled. “We need to get over this. Meeting in a half an hour.”

Brooks and Calix rolled their eyes and sighed. Finally, Brooks said, “Call everyone.”

“Oh, they are already there, I called the meeting an hour ago, we just wanted to come in here and create a little drama. You know, just for shits and giggles.” Cherri shrugged and the three women walked out of the room.

“Is this what it is gonna be like?” Calix asked.

“Yep, sorry to say, they are just bat shit crazy,” Pilar laughed.

*****

The meeting room was full once again. Although this time instead of the room being relaxed, they were tense. On one side of the room sat Calli, Cherri, Rissa, Kiki, and their mates (even Phillip who had made it back into Rissa’s good graces), while the other side sat, Pilar, her mates, Blackie, and Gio. Surrounding them was the rest of them that weren’t taking sides apparently.

“Listen, when we started this whole thing we assumed you told us everything,” Calli said and looked at Pilar.

“You know we couldn’t,” Pilar said.

“Yeah, but if what you say is true it changes things. I mean, you are the Chosen’s children,” Calli growled.

“And?” Pilar said slowly. “It shouldn’t make a difference, I mean, we may be their children but we don’t remember everything. We just can’t seem to break through.”

“You are powerful,” Calli said slowly and looked at Kade who was nodding. “You all basically elected us as Alphas and realistically you should be leaders.”

“Why?” Pilar said. “The fates chose that. We are all Alphas and strong, I mean we have to be. That is not the point, the point is,
you
are our leader.”

“I am not worried about being a leader. You know how I feel about that to begin with. My concern is that because of our assumptions the wrong person is in the Alpha’s position. It could harm the future as well, you know that,” Kade said quietly.

“Trust me, you are the ones who should be in the Alpha seat,” Blackie said and laughed. “Hell, it's since I have been here, that I have actually been able to concentrate and not think for every second that I am missing something. I don’t know how to explain it, but Gio and I both agree we need to be here.”

“Oh good,” Calli muttered.

“We need to figure out what the hell is going on around here though. We can’t remain divided, it is what the Prentiss wants,” Kade said.

“At least we agree about that,” Pilar said.

“For now, we need to work on mending fences and also figure out where the other books and people are. We are never going to be able to win if we don’t figure out what we are looking for.” Kade sighed.

“Come on,” Calli said. “We all are going to celebrate the mating of Pilar, Calix, and Brooks. We will continue as we mean to go on. If anything else is remembered, it is brought right to us. We will be working together from here on out.”

“I agree,” Pilar said and looked around the room. “We need to get on with it.”

*****

“Where did you get the wine, it is amazing,” Cherri said to Gio who was sipping a glass, as were the others.

“Every once in a while I get a box of it delivered. Somehow they know where I am, I had it tested, it is always fine. It is one of the best,” Gio muttered.

“Weird,” Kade said.

“I agree, but why question it. I mean, I'm pretty sure it is someone who is helping us.” Gio shrugged.

“Add it to our other unsolved mysteries.” Kiki laughed.

“Great,” Gio said.

“We are celebrating our newest mating and member of the Drekinn,” Kade said, drawing attention to get everyone to settle down. “We know we have a long road ahead of us, and it will only work if we are strong, and we allow the past to remain where it should be.”

“Here here!” Calli raised her glass of milk and smiled.

Brooks stood and nodded to everyone in the room. “It has been rough on all of us, this unsurety. But I want you to all know, there has never been a time we did not support you. This group, no matter what, is family, and we can only move forward. We have trials ahead of us, and I know that all of you are strong enough to face them, together. I couldn’t be more proud to belong to this group.”

He raised his glass and Calli sniffed. “Damn hormones, that was so sweet.”

Kade rolled his eyes, leaned over, kissed his mate on her head, and then said, “Let’s eat.”

The meal was boisterous and fun, everyone catching up after their little vacation from each other. Pilar sat back a few times and noticed that it seemed like the group was even closer now. Possibly a blow up is what they needed to ground themselves again.

She watched Calix talking to the group and wondered what he really thought of all this. Although he had time to get to know them since he had been here, he was reserved, she noticed him studying each of the members of the room as if he was trying to see if they needed a little therapy.

Calli must have noticed it too because their leader looked at Calix and said, “So, Garfield, what do you think about all this?”

The room grew quiet. Pilar was sure that many conversations had taken place in private about Calix. Every time a new member came in, this is what happened, only this time it was delayed.

“Garfield?” Calix said.

“Yeah, some cartoon cat that used to be popular, I kinda liked him, he ate pizza a lot,” Kiki spouted.

Calix growled a little at Calli who was grinning and then finally answered, “What would you like to know?”

“How do you feel about all this?” Calli asked.

“If you are asking about Pilar and Brooks, I couldn’t be happier with the mates I have found. If you are talking about the Drekinn? I'm not sure yet,” Calix admitted.

“Why?" Calli probed.

“Honestly, I believe in everything you guys are doing. The only thing I am hesitant about is the anger that you all have. It seems to be, I don’t know, more than what I would think is necessary,” Calix said carefully.

“What are you talking about?” Kade said just as slowly. “They took the Drekinn Agency down when it was needed the most. We are on the run for no other reason than we are powerful, and they have tried to kill at least three of the people in this room. Of course we are angry.”

Calix nodded and then looked at the Alphas closely. “I realize that, and yes there should be anger there. However, last week when there was some communication intercepted, it was as if someone let off a bomb. Everyone was extremely pissed about the Prentiss Agency referencing the Chosen.”

“They were talking about them as if they were cowards,” Thomas protested. “It was wrong.”

“I agree, and even I felt a level of anger that was not really normal. I can’t explain it,” Calix said and everyone in the room was silent. “I'm not hesitant about you at all. I know what you, we, are doing and will do is important. I'm just not sure what else is going on.”

“Something to watch,” Kade agreed.

The conversation turned to more pleasant things and soon everyone forgot about what was said, well everyone but Calix who still had a niggling feeling there was more going on than they knew.

*****

“Finally alone,” Pilar said when they entered their rooms.

“I have been waiting all night to tell you how amazing you look. We didn’t have a chance before dinner,” Brooks muttered and came up behind her and kissed her neck.

“That could have been because you were too busy trying to make us late,” Pilar teased.

“Hmmmm, I think a bath is in order,” Calix growled and kissed her quickly. “A nice long soak, and maybe a little water sports.”

Pilar giggled and followed her mates as they practically ran to the bathroom. “Do you think it will always be like this?” Pilar asked.

“I hope so.” Brooks leered at her.

She could have giggled, but Pilar wanted to look sultry—not like a schoolgirl. Worse, she could have moaned under the sizzling nervousness that sparkled through her, leaving a wicked trail of anticipation in its path. As the moments ticked by, the men became even more aggressive. But she surprised them all as she became more daring, she pulled her clothes from her body and then waited while they undressed, staring at them with lust. She could feel the natural movement between them, each coming to terms with their mating connection. They could feel each other through their bond, and the sensations they were all giving off could have made her come right there.

Their bathtub was huge, more like a swimming pool than a bath she thought as she slid in, one side was sloped so she could recline if she wanted while the other was deeper. Calix and Brooks followed and soon they were submerged in the warm water and staring at each other in silence. Pilar sat in the middle as they moved around her, gently making the water caress her sensually.

Their touches roughened and their fingers lingered over her body, making Pilar’s breaths start to catch in little gasps as anticipation started to wind through her. She hesitated, wishing they’d take things a little more seriously. They were teasing her, and it was driving her crazy.

Latching on to her waist, Brooks dragged her to him.
Damn
, she thought,
he was already hard and ready.
Then Calix moved in behind, his fingers teasing Pilar’s body. The world whirled around her in a chaotic swirl of water and men. For a moment, she found herself trapped between two large bodies and could barely catch her breath.

Pilar smiled and laughed freely as she felt them tug and pull her until she was right where they wanted her. They bathed her with sweet smelling soap, each of them touching her and caressing her until she thought she would die of frustration.

“Maybe the bath was a bit too much,” Brooks murmured in her ear as the water sloshed around them onto the floor. “Let’s get you cleaned and in bed.”

Pilar smiled and they became a tangle of arms and legs as they washed each other. She delighted in washing their cocks until they were both so hard they begged her to stop before they came. With a grin she rose from the tub and stepped out, with a seductive glance over her shoulder she walked into the bedroom and laid in the middle of the bed and waited for her eager mates to join her.

It didn’t take long, and they were beside her. Pilar grinned at the slick, wet skin, neither had dried themselves before coming to her.
Their impatience was sexy
, she thought,
a girl could get used to being needed this much
.

“Sorry, baby.” Calix trailed a finger down her stomach and she sucked in a breath. “I think I may have rushed things a little, but damn you are so sexy.”

Pilar didn’t get a chance to respond. Mouth open with a comeback at the ready, but instead she almost ended up panting when Brooks began to kiss down her length, the whole time touching and feeling every inch of her as she allowed them to explore and let herself just feel. Calix’s hands were every bit as quick, he cupped her breast, bent his head, and suckled on her straining nipple like it was his lifeline.

Moving his arms across her waist, Calix pressed her other breast into his waiting mouth, sending bolts of molten pleasure rocking down toward her pussy as his lips closed over her lonely nipple.

Oxygen deprived, her lungs expelled what little air she had left under the sudden shock, as her lips parted on a scream. The sudden sound cracked through the silent afternoon, a bold testament to the relentless assault Calix waged against her breast. Held captive by his teeth, her little bud was helpless against the velvety tease of Calix’s swirling tongue.

Suspended by his strength, her body melted under the sweetened sap of ecstasy as it began to roll down her spine. It paralyzed her even as it ignited primitive urges that had her pushing her hips up to Brooks and grinding her aching mound against his waiting tongue. His lips caught between her moist crevice and his tongue ran over her clit, sending a shower of sparkling pleasure that blossomed into an ache as it echoed through her body.

Too many emotions…
She arched back hard as she desperately tried to intensify the sensation. Calix pressed into her, his hand covering the swollen globe of her untended breast.