Deceptive Changes: Kat LaMond Book 1 (5 page)

I slid off the bed and stared at them.  They were so content looking and happy.  I felt a small kernel of happiness and satisfaction at that.  They smiled lazy smiles at me. 

I had to leave, if only for a moment, so I walked into the bathroom.  I brushed my teeth again and turned on the shower.  Even though I hadn’t done anything except help them off, I still liked being fresh and clean when we have sex.

I showered quickly and stepped out of the stall.  Todd was waiting for me with a towel in his hand.  “Thanks.”  I wrapped the towel around my body, smoothing the imaginary wrinkles from the fabric.  He pulled me into his arms and up against his slender, hard body, and gave me a big kiss on the mouth. 

“I see you enjoyed yourself,” I said, trying for flippant but it came out quiet.

“I did.  I saw you enjoyed the kiss.”  Just thinking about it tightened my stomach.  I nodded. 

I stepped out of his arms and wrapped a towel around my head. 

“Your turn, Kat.” 

“I know, I know.  Why can’t we just leave it like this?”  It wasn’t like I didn’t want to have sex.  The frisky side of my brain shut my reasonable side up. 

“We could, if you want, but I think the guys would be disappointed.” 

Yeah, I could see the disappointment on their faces in my head.  “You’re right.” 

Todd lifted me into his arms and carried me into the bedroom.  He was still naked and definitely happy that I was against him.  He plopped me on the bed and Trace and Erick held me against the pillows.  I tried to struggle but it was half-hearted and the towel slipped off my breasts.

They each cupped a breast and sucked on my neck, teasing and biting.  I whimpered and fisted my hands.  I felt Todd climb onto the bed but I couldn’t do much but whimper and bite my lip to keep from crying out.

The towel disappeared from my body and Todd’s tongue slid across my clit.  I cried out and grabbed at the first thing I could, it just so happened that it was Trace’s and Erick’s dick.  I tightened my hands as Todd sucked on me.  He expertly brought me and then slid up my body.  He entered me smoothly and kissed my mouth.  I could taste myself on his tongue. 

Trace and Erick’s hands were still on my breasts but were held in place by Todd’s chest.  Todd kissed me as he thrust.  I picked up the rhythm quickly and felt the orgasm building.  His rhythm faltered a moment.  I could tell he was close as well.  He murmured in my mouth and I nodded, still kissing him.

He gave a few hard thrusts and I climaxed, crying my passion into his mouth.  He came a moment later and groaned, his breath vibrating in his chest.  Todd pulled out and kissed my neck.  “Don’t move, Kat.” 

I stayed where I was, keeping my eyes closed, relishing the bits of orgasm that made my bones jelly, and felt someone else enter me.  I opened my eyes and saw Trace.  Wow, okay.  He gave me a small smile, then started in on a rhythm that suited both of us: pushing, gyrating, and bringing me again and again before he came himself.  He kissed my neck and murmured to stay where I was.  Like I could actually move.

Erick was next.  He pushed into me and licked my jaw to my neck, biting the tender flesh.  I moaned and whimpered and sighed for him and each murmur and sound spurred him on. 

We came together, crying our passion onto each other’s throats.  As the orgasm had hit we had been nibbling on each other’s necks. 

Erick collapsed on top of me, sated.  I was breathing heavily but couldn’t get the necessary oxygen.  I patted his arm and he lifted onto his elbows.  As I breathed I could feel him breathing against my stomach.  It was too intimate a contact.  I convulsed against him.

Erick slid out of me and shivered.  I lay on the bed and couldn’t move.  I was more than just done, I was nearly comatose. 

Erick slid down to where he could put his head on my stomach and Trace and Todd laid up against my shoulders.  We fell asleep cuddled in each other’s arms.

I woke up to pounding.  What the hell was going on?  I tried to move but found that I was trapped between warm bodies.  I groaned and tried to fall back to sleep but the pounding was incessant.  “I need to get up.  Someone’s pounding on the door.  I think.”

The bodies moved allowing me to slip off the bed.  I grabbed the robe that was hanging on the door in the bathroom, slipped into it and tied the sash at my hip.  Still mostly asleep, I stumbled out of the room, nearly tripping over air as I made my way to the door. 

“Charles?” I said, blinking hard to focus.

“We have to go.  It’s time,” he said, in his usual dry, and crisp, voice.

I nodded, finally waking up.  “We’ll be ready, Charles.”  He bowed and walked away. 

I shut the door and walked into the bedroom.  Everyone was awake but not dressed or out of bed.  “That was Charles.  I guess it’s time to get ready and kill some bad vamps.”  Everyone groaned. 

“I’ll call Charles and tell him we’ll do it in a little while.  I’m too tired to kill vamps,” Todd said. 

I chuckled and climbed back into bed.  Todd picked up the phone and called Charles.  The time was set for two hours. 

“Will there be an audience when we kill them?”

“No, that was taken care of the other day.  This will just be us and Charles.”  I nodded and lay back against their warmth.  Todd nibbled at my neck. 

I sighed out, “Not again?”

“Oh, yeah, Kat,” he murmured against my throat.  I shuddered as he bit my neck, not as gently as it should have but it felt damn good. 

They all took turns bringing me over and over and I returned the favor. 

><                            ><

After we finished and took showers, we dressed in jeans and t-shirts.  I kissed each of them and we headed out in Todd’s SUV.

We made it to a big house, a dark and decrepit house, that we used as a dungeon.  The grounds were made up of weeds, dry grass, and cracked paver stones leading up to the rickety porch.  The door was weathered and looked broken, but when Todd turned the knob, the door opened on well oiled hinges.

We walked into the house, followed Todd down three flights of stairs, and into a room where two vampires were chained and drugged.  I didn’t think I could just kill them.  I wasn’t an assassin by any means and this smacked of assassination.

“Todd, I don’t…” He shushed me with a hand. 

We walked up to the vampires.  Charles took the IV’s out and rather quickly the vampires regained consciousness.  I looked at them.  They were ordinary looking.

They looked at each of us and smirked.  “Do you want to die?” I asked curiously.

“No, slayer.  We don’t want to die but we did kill Todd’s parents.”  I noticed that they used his name instead of title.  “We have no reason to believe that he will let us go for this transgression.”

“You’re right, I won’t,” Todd said, his jaw set. I could tell that he didn’t want to do this but had to.  He took a long, curved blade from his hip and sliced off the vampire’s head.  It rolled near me.  I grimaced at the sight. 

The other vampire cowered in the bed and pleaded for his life.  “I won’t give you forgiveness but I will kill you quickly,” he said softly, and chopped that one’s head off, too, then turned to look at me.  I could see the pain it caused him and I wanted to hug and kiss that pain away but I stayed where I was. 

“Why did you need me to be here, Todd?” I asked.

“In case things got wonky.  Outside of that, I really didn’t need any of you here.”  He handed the blade to Charles and walked out of the room. 

I grabbed the heads, with a lot of grimacing and bluck sounds, and walked out of the room as well, dripping blood along the concrete flooring.  Trace and Erick grabbed the bodies.  I walked up to where Todd had started a bonfire.  We tossed the heads and bodies into the fire and watched until they were nothing more than ash.

We spread the ashes around and drove home.  That was anti-climactic.  I had thought that I would be killing them but nope, Todd had wanted to do it himself.  I guess it was only right since they did kill his parents. 

“When is your parents’ funeral?” I asked softly.

“It’s set for three days from now.  The cops will release the body in a day or so and then I’ll bury them.”

“Not alone, you won’t.”  He grabbed my hand and squeezed.

We dropped off the car with valet and went back up to the apartment.  Charles took his leave as soon as we stepped off the elevator. 

I wasn’t as tired as I thought I would be but I knew I had to rest for at least a couple hours being that I needed to be at work in about three hours.  “Guys, I’m going to bed.  I have to be up in a few hours.”  I walked into the bedroom and stripped out of my jeans and t-shirt.  I put on warm pajamas and slid under the covers. 

I was just about asleep when three bodies crawled on the bed with me.  Erick, I could tell by his hair, lifted the covers and slid in between my legs and laid his head on my stomach.  Todd and Trace lay on either side of me.  I fell asleep in their warm embraces and woke up to sunlight streaming in. 

I sat up so fast that Erick jumped off the bed thinking there was danger.  “Sorry,” I mumbled as I looked at the clock.  Shit, it was nine o’clock.  I was so late, again.

I jumped out of bed with only a minimum of tangled feet and sheets.  I hopped in the shower and dressed in minutes.  I was almost out the door when I turned.  All three guys were looking at me funny.  “What?”

“Uh, good bye?”  Oh. 

I gave each a kiss on the cheek and said, “We can move into the new house today,” as I walked out the door.

I went to work, thankfully Cindy was still kicking real-estate butt, and caught up on paperwork for eight hours.  I stretched and looked at my watch.  Dinner time.  I didn’t know where the guys were going to be.  I might have mentioned the new house but I didn’t know if they would be there or not.  I called the apartment on my office phone but got only the machine.  I smashed my finger on the hung up button and called Todd’s cell.  He answered on the first ring.

“Yeah?”

“Todd, it’s Kat.”

“Like I wouldn’t have guessed, babe.” 

“Are you at the new house?”

“Yeah.  We have it all set up.  See you when you get here.”

“Wait.  Did I need to grab something for dinner?”

“No.  Sandra made dinner for us.  She saved a plate for you.”

“Okay, see ya soon.” 

><                            ><

When I arrived at the house, I was amazed by its complexity once more.  I parked and walked slowly to the door.  This was my house.  The very thought blew my mind.  Yeah, I have the hotel and the apartment building but both were given to me; this was the first one that was really mine. 

Before I could open the door, Todd threw it open with grand flourish.  “Hold on, you can’t come in yet.”  I looked at him funny.  Why would he make me wait?  It was my damn house.  All three guys came outside.  They opened up the second part of the double doors and looked at me. 

“What?”

“We’re going to carry you over the threshold.” 

I rolled my eyes.  “Are you kidding?”  Apparently not by the looks I received.  I heaved a sigh and nodded.  Yeah, that was my guys for ya.

Todd lifted me into his arms and then slowly allowed Trace and Erick to grab my shoulders and legs and they all carried me in.  They let me down the moment we were past the threshold. I rolled my eyes at them.  “You guys are so weird.”  I laughed softly as I walked into the kitchen.  Sandra had a plate set aside in the fridge.  I grabbed it and nuked it.

Trace, Erick, and Todd came into the kitchen.  They didn’t say anything.  I grabbed my food from the microwave and started eating.  I had taken about two bites when I realized that they weren’t sitting down or leaving.  I looked up from my spaghetti and asked, “What now?”

“What do you mean?” Erick asked.

“I mean, what?  You guys are just staring at me.  Did you want to talk about something?”

“Now that you ask.  Yes, we would like to speak with you,” Erick said, and shut the kitchen door.  They all sat down. 

Finally.  “What did you want to talk about?  Just say whatever it is while I eat, I’m starved.”  I continued to eat while they watched.  This was getting ridiculous.  I felt like I should have had a spot light on me or something.  I had almost finished when Todd started to speak. 

“Kat, we were wondering…” He paused and looked at the other two.  My fork was half way to my mouth when he started speaking again.  “We were wondering if you want to try what we did last night, again.”  The fork was nearly to my mouth.  I stared at them and started cussing when the spaghetti dropped into my lap.  I grabbed the napkin and cleaned the spaghetti off my lap.  Damn. 

I blew out a sigh and plopped the spaghetti on the plate and threw everything away, plate and all.  I didn’t care at that moment about some dumb plate.

“I…” I made a strangled sound in my throat and stormed into my bedroom, our bedroom.  I grabbed dark blue jeans and a pinky-grey t-shirt with the words, ‘Sexy’, written in silver glitter and flounced into the bathroom.  I changed quickly and stayed in the bathroom.  I wasn’t ready to face them.  I had no idea what they thought of that fiasco. 

I’m normally really cool around them but when they suggested…I lost whatever cool I had.  I really enjoyed myself and I know they did or they wouldn’t have suggested it for tonight but I was still embarrassed about thinking in those terms, to have an orgy.  Yikes. 

A knock came at the door, drawing me out of my thoughts.  “Go away.”  I didn’t know why I should be embarrassed about what just happened, maybe I was transferring guilt or something. 

“Kat, let me in, please?” Todd asked.

“No.  Just…just go away and I’ll be out in a minute.”

“Please?”  I could hear him listening and breathing outside the door. 

“It’s only you?”

“Yes.”  I opened the door to him.  He walked in and locked the door.  “Are you okay?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?”  I tried for blasé but it didn’t work when I couldn’t look him in the eyes or speak above a whisper. 

“You seemed a bit flustered when I asked about tonight’s activities.”  I flicked my eyes to his and then looked away.  “Are you embarrassed about what we did?”

“I don’t think so.  I’m not really sure.  You know how I am.  If I hold certain things in they tend to leak out in weird places.”

“Are you holding something back?”

“Yeah, I guess I am.  Maybe guilt.  Maybe depression.  Maybe something.  I don’t really know what I might be holding back.  I’m not into psychology.  I tend to live for the moment not in the past or whatever.”  I needed to stop speaking, I was babbling.  I clamped my mouth shut and looked at Todd, raising my nose a fraction of an inch. 

“Did you not like what we did last night?” 

I could hear a bit of sadness creep into his voice.  “Of course I did.  Why would you ask me that?”

“The way you stormed out seemed to indicate just that, Kat.” 

That was the very thought that I feared.  “I think it was just everything.  A new home, the threshold thing, not eating, and then being asked that particular question while I was eating.  It just added up.” Yeah, I’ll stick to that.

“You mean, us asking surprised you?”  I nodded.  I couldn’t lie to him even if it sounded better the way I put it.  “Why would it surprise you?”

“Because…well, just because.”  I looked at Todd from the corner of my eye and saw him smile.  “I didn’t know if you would do certain things again, that’s all.”  I shrugged and really looked at him this time.  He still had on his dark jeans, black t-shirt, and black pea-coat jacket that made him look really hot. 

He stopped smiling and got serious once more.  “I know that you enjoyed Erick and me kissing.  Is that what’s bothering you?” 

“I think it is.  I really liked it but I don’t want to influence either of you to do something that you don’t want to do.”

“There’s nothing wrong with liking it, Kat.  I enjoyed my time with Erick as well.  Though I don’t know about going any further than kissing.”

“Shouldn’t you be the least bit uncomfortable about this?”

“Not really.  Erick and I have talked about this before.  We just didn’t know how to bring it up so we just did it.  Trace is different though.  He’s not into men, period.  Though he was able to participate yesterday, I believe it pushed his boundaries a little too far.  I should also let you know that I’m not into men either.” 

I blinked at him.  “Why would you think that I thought you were into men?”

“Since I did allow two men to fondle, caress, and one man to kiss me.  I just assumed you would think that of me.”

I chuckled.  “Yeah, I really thought you were into men, Todd,” I said and rolled my eyes.  “I didn’t think you were into men and I still don’t.  It’s different with the three of us.  We live together and share our lives fully with each other.  I don’t want you guys to do things you aren’t comfortable with.”

“We don’t want you uncomfortable either, though we may choose other activities that we can all share in, if you’re up to it.”

“I don’t know if I’ll be up to it since I don’t know what
it
is.”  I tried not to think of the numerous activities that could happen.

“Come to bed and find out.”  He winked and walked out of the bathroom. 

I stared after him for a moment and then walked out.  No one was in the bedroom instead I found them sitting in the kitchen.  They looked at me, smiling and went back to talking quietly. 

I grabbed four beers from the fridge and handed them out as I took a seat next to Todd and Erick.  Trace looked uncomfortable.  “What were you guys talking about?”

“The usual, how we’re going to ravish you,” Todd winked and turned back to Trace.  “It’s your choice.”  What did that mean?  Trace pursed his lips in concentration and then nodded. 

“What’s this about?”

Trace spoke up before any others could.  “Todd and Erick were curious as to whether or not I would participate tonight.  I have to say I was a bit freaked out by what I did.  You know the whole kissing, biting, thing.  I mostly watched from the sidelines and felt a bit left out.” 

I held out my hand to him and he took it.  “Trace, I don’t want you to do something that makes you uncomfortable.  I can understand how you feel and I’m not asking you to do anything except be here, and I’ll understand if you don’t.”  I let my eyes drop.  My heart had squeezed into the size of a grape at the thought of him leaving.  I tried not to let the tears have a claim to my eyes but I couldn’t.  I loved them dearly and didn’t want to lose them, any of them.

Tears collected in my lashes and I blinked several times to get rid of them.  Trace’s hand squeezed mine and I looked at him.  He shook his head and said, “I’m not going to leave, Kat.  I might not be able to participate in the collective bedroom activities but that doesn’t mean I’m going to leave.  I might just want to have you all to myself.  Selfish, I know.”  I smiled at him.  He didn’t smile back, instead he looked confused.  “Why do you immediately assume that we don’t want to be with you?”

“I…” I paused and thought about it.  “I guess because I didn’t think something like this would ever happen.  I’ve always been happy with my life.  I’ve always been secure about what I’ve wanted and I always went after it.  You can ask Todd, he knows all too well.”  I flicked my eyes to Todd and he nodded.  “This is different.  You each can go your separate ways and find that one girl that floats your boat.  You won’t have to share.  I guess I mostly just think you’re all going to realize this fact and find the one who makes your heart beat faster.”

Trace’s hand in mine tightened.  “I won’t leave you, Kat.  You are my one.  The one who makes my heart beat faster just by thinking of you, by holding your hand, by brushing my fingers across you neck.  When I hear you sigh in your sleep.  I suppose I have the same fear as you.”  My heart fluttered and then went back to beating normal. 

“If you want to sit this one out, I understand, Trace.  After, we can be together, if you prefer?”  I was giving him an out.  I liked having him in the room with us but I really didn’t want him uncomfortable.

“No.  That came out wrong.  What I mean to say…” He paused for a second.  I hadn’t ever really seen him stumble over his words before.  “What I mean is, I want to be in the room with the three of you.  I’ll figure a way for us to be together together.”

“Okay.  Just know that I really don’t want you to feel that you have to.”  I guess I had also made my decision. 

“I understand, Kat.  I’m willing to try it again.  If I can’t handle it a second time then I’ll refrain from participating with the three of you.”

I nodded and then looked at Todd.  I wondered if he had coerced Trace to participate.  I shut that thought down.  Todd wasn’t the type to coerce someone to do something that would make them uncomfortable, at least in the bedroom.

I finished my beer and let them know that I was taking a shower and would be waiting in the bedroom for them.  I went into the bathroom and started the shower.  I looked in the mirror and cringed.  I was leery of mirrors now.  It was ridiculous.  I shook my head and brushed my hair and teeth and then stepped into the hot water of the shower.

I shaved everything that needed to be shaved and cleaned up.  I stepped out of the shower and changed into pj’s, even though I knew they would be coming off shortly.  I walked out of the bathroom and found only Trace in the room.  I frowned.  “What’s going on?”

“I wanted to speak with you, alone.” 

I looked around the room and said, “It looks like we’re alone.” 

He grinned and walked over to me.  He pulled me into his embrace.  “I just wanted to say thank you.”  I frowned and kept the frown as I looked at him.  “Thank you for giving me the out, Kat.  I will be helping tonight and see how it goes.  Maybe I won’t be as nervous this time.”  He kissed my cheek and walked out of the room.  I was alone.  Okay, what the heck?

I walked out of the bedroom and found that they were in the sitting room.  “Hey,” I said with a small wave. 

“Kat, come sit, please.” 

My stomach squished.  “What’s going on?”

“We’re going to be going out.”

“Out?  Where?”

“We’re going to take you to the new club.  I know how you like a little alcohol in your blood if we attempt what we plan on doing.  This should relax you.” 

I frowned, again.  “Why do you want to go to a club?”

“I have to speak with someone.  It’s as good an excuse to get you out as any.”  Todd shrugged and stood up.  “Let’s change and we’ll go out.  I have to be there in a little over an hour.  We don’t have a lot of time since it takes a half hour to get to town.”