Lords of the Were (21 page)

“That’s it. We’re done for tonight.” Dante stood across the room as he tossed aside the topographical map of the area they’d been using. “I must go soon at any rate.”

They all knew what that meant. Dawn was approaching and the vampire had to hide from the sun. An uncomfortable stillness settled over the room.

“I will go with you.” Duncan rose and started for the door but Dante stopped him.

“No, old friend. I must feed.”

Again silence reigned, all eyes shifting to the vampire with uneasy suspicion, but Duncan continued forward.

“Of course you must. And if you are to be of any help against Vabian, you must feed from me.”

Even Dante looked upset by this idea. “You’ve got to be kidding!”

“Not so, old friend. We need every weapon in our arsenal against the Elspian Ring. You, most of all.”

“But—” Dante’s face went even paler, if that were possible. “How can you trust me? How can I trust myself?”

“What exactly is going on here?” Tim demanded.

Duncan sighed as he turned back to the room. “Fey blood is deadly to vampires. It is simply too potent. But half-fey…now that is another matter. It can convey power to the vampire the likes of which few of their kind ever achieve, but since there are so few half-fey and we have rather formidable defenses of our own, it is something few bloodletters have ever tried.”

“What will it do to him?” Allie felt worry in her heart for the creature who had saved them just days before.

Duncan shrugged. “It could kill him. Or it will make him the most powerful vampire on this earth—for a time. He will have the echoes of my magic at his command and I’m hoping it will enable him to detect the Elspian Ring. We know he fell prey to it before, else he would not have helped Vabian.”

“You can’t trust me with such power.”

“I can, and I do. Unless you’re much changed from the soul I knew centuries ago, you are the only vampire I would give such trust. And I knew many of your kind once upon a time.” Duncan took Dante by the arm and led him to the door. “Besides, I will be connected to you, Dante.

I’ll know where you are and what you are doing at all times. Should you be tempted to stray, I’ll end you without second thought.”

“That’s comforting.” Dante allowed himself to be led outdoors. Tim followed, as did Rafe, still holding Allie in one tight arm.

“I hope you know what you’re doing.” Tim’s message was stern and gruff to the half-fey knight.

Duncan nodded as Tim tossed him the keys to his truck. He then handed them to Dante, who at least knew how to drive.

“I have to believe this is the reason I was sent. This feels like the right path to me and I will follow it. Perhaps together, we can come up with some other plan than the one which puts your beautiful mate in such danger.”

Allie tugged against Rafe’s hold but it was no use. “I’m not afraid.”

“I know you aren’t, Priestess, and your courage does you credit, but you are too precious to put at risk.” He would have touched her face but Rafe tugged her away with a growl. “Unless there is no other choice.” Duncan eyed both twins sharply before climbing into the passenger side

of the truck. Dante pulled off onto the road, spinning gravel, definitely upset, judging by the way he drove.

Tim hitched his chin at two of the alphas. “Have them followed and watched. Keep the perimeter secure, and get some rest. We reconvene after lunch.”

With a final order, Tim took Allie’s other arm and led her inside, straight to the big master bedroom. Even once they were alone, Rafe didn’t let her go. She’d never seen him so intense. He growled low in his throat every time she moved, pulling her closer and closer.

“Rafe, you’re holding me too tight. Ease up a bit, huh?” He growled again, burying his face in her hair, but his arm around her waist eased only a little. It was as if he was beyond reason.

Tim’s arms came around both of their shoulders.

“Easy, brother.”

“I won’t put her in danger deliberately.”

“No,” Tim agreed. “We’ll find another way.”

“There is no other way. We have to lure Vabian out and I’m the perfect bait.”

Rafe just stared, anger clear in his every line as Tim came around to face her, standing close, but not touching her.

“We can’t.” Tim ran a hand through his hair, dislodging the sun-kissed strands. “Allie, it goes against everything we are to deliberately put you in danger. Don’t ask it of us. We just can’t do it.”

“Is that why you went all growly on me?” She turned to face Rafe, bringing one hand up to cup his jaw, noting the muscle ticking there as he tried to control his baser impulses.

“I don’t like his hands on you.”

“Who? Duncan?” Rafe’s hands tightened as he searched deep in her eyes. She guessed he was looking for some sign she was attracted to the fey warrior, but though he was gorgeous, he did nothing for her. Her two

wolves were all she needed in the world, and it was time they understood that.

“Rafe,” Allie reached up and kissed him softly on the lips, “I love you.

Duncan touched me to help dissipate some of the energy buildup…like a ground wire or something. He helped it drain away before I accidentally hurt somebody. I’m so new to this, I can’t control the energy very well. He knows that and he was helping me without making it too obvious. He was saving me embarrassment in front of your friends. It was a nice gesture.”

“Looked a little too ‘nice’ from where I was standing, Allie.” Tim came up on her other side as Rafe finally let her go, only so she could be captured by his brother’s strong arm. “We don’t like other males touching you. For any reason.” Tim sighed as he rested his forehead against hers. “It’s our nature to be possessive. Please try to understand.” She cupped his stubbly cheeks and kissed him softly. “I think I do understand, but Duncan was only helping. I don’t have any feelings for him in any way, other than maybe a little gratitude. Tim, I love you. Both of you.”

“I think we need to prove it.” Tim’s gaze turned hot as he moved her toward the bed.

She didn’t fear anything these men had up their sleeves. Well, not much anyway. She loved them and was coming to terms with that idea in her mind. She also loved what they did to her sexually. She’d never been so open or free with any man in her life before—much less two men at once. It was liberating.

“What did you have in mind?”

Rafe stood near the top of the bed, looking her over critically. “We know she likes her discipline,” he said to his brother as if she weren’t even there, “but what about a little bondage?”

Allie felt her pulse sputter with excitement as Rafe pulled a pair of handcuffs from behind his back. Tim rumbled his agreement as he pushed her forward, closer to the bed.

“Strip,” he ordered and Allie felt her pussy contract with excitement at the order.

She complied, but didn’t move too quickly. She wanted her men to enjoy this little striptease as much as she did. Slowly, her hands stroked over her own curves before undoing the fastenings and sliding the fabric away, layer by layer. She watched their reactions as her own breath sped in her chest. The fire in their eyes leapt as each part of her was bared, until finally, when she was completely naked, Rafe sprang.

He tackled her gently, pushing her back onto the bed and arranging her limbs to suit himself. Holding her gaze, he raised first one wrist, then the other upward, clicking the cuffs he’d positioned over one rung of the carved wooden headboard around her wrists softly. He made sure they wouldn’t hurt her, checking the fit twice. The care he showed for her comfort reassured her, even as the feeling of helplessness before these two primitive warriors fired her senses.

She loved the way they looked at her. She loved everything about them, even if their incredibly possessive tendencies did annoy her at times. It was at times like these—when they were alone together—when the possessiveness thrilled her and made her want to be owned wholly and completely by both of these amazing men.

Tim sat down on the bed next to her, Rafe on her other side. He stroked his hand over her breast as if weighing the soft globe, pinching her nipple with deliberate motions while he pondered her.

“You let another man touch you,” he accused. “You made Rafe angry.

For that matter, you made me angry. Other men are not to touch what’s ours. Is that clear?”

He squeezed her nipple, making her writhe in pleasure.

“Yes!”

Tim removed his hand. “Yes, what?”

Allie’s gaze shot up to his. “Yes…Master.” His indulgent smile rewarded her as his hand moved back to her body, sloping down the curve of her waist to the curls at the juncture of her thighs. He patted her there, as if in approval.

“Good girl.” His voice purred in her ear as he bent and licked her neck, making her shiver.

“But she still needs to be punished,” Rafe reminded them both as Tim sat up, removing his hands.

“You’re right, brother.”

Allie looked over to Rafe and gasped. He held a small flogger with a myriad of soft strands at its tip that she’d never seen before.

“Like it?” He trailed the soft tresses over her trembling tummy. “I got it just for you, Allie.”

Allie’s mouth was too dry to answer. She could only stare at the amused deviltry in Rafe’s eyes and the heat reflected there from the fire raging between them. She nodded once, her head whirling as Tim flipped her over. The chain holding the handcuffs together was long enough to accommodate the new position without putting too much stress on her wrists, but the added tension excited her.

Tim stuffed a pillow under her hips, raising them as Rafe smoothed his hand all over her curves, warming them, preparing her for what he might do next. Tim made sure she was comfortable, turning her head so she couldn’t see Rafe, could only feel whatever he chose to do next. Tim held her gaze as he quickly undressed and came down beside her on the bed. He leaned up on one elbow so he could easily watch his brother and her expression at the same time.

She realized this was for Rafe. Something about the way Duncan had touched her had set off primitive instincts inside Rafe and this was all

about calming him, making him secure in the knowledge that she was his. Tim was always so controlled, but of the two, he seemed to understand better that Allie was theirs completely. Rafe still needed proof and this was one way of proving her devotion to them. She’d do anything for them and was more than willing to prove it in any way they wanted.

She trusted them. They were her mates.

“He loves you as much as I do,” Tim whispered in her ear, biting the lobe just slightly in the way she loved.

“I know,” she whispered back.

Tim pulled back, smiling softly down at her before he kissed her deep and slow. At the same time, Rafe’s palms cupped her ass, massaging and kneading the soft skin, delving between lightly, prodding her sensitive hole. Tim pulled back after a long moment, leaving her feeling drugged.

These two men affected her like no single man ever had before.

A second later, Rafe brought the flogger down on her ass, making her yelp in surprise more than pain. The soft threads of the flogger didn’t really hurt so much as sting and the sting faded quickly into a pleasure she couldn’t quite understand. She only knew she wanted more.

Tim watched her carefully, nodding over at his brother, apparently pleased with what he saw in her expression. He kissed her cheek as he moved back to watch the spectacle.

Rafe peppered her backside with soft strokes and hard strokes, long and short, on the fleshy part of her ass and down her thighs, even up her back, but he didn’t hurt her. Not really. No, the little stings faded together into one long caress, though Allie wouldn’t have believed it just a few moments before. His expert hands turned something that could easily have been painful and humiliating into one long full-body caress.

Every stroke spoke of his love—and his possession. This was an eloquent statement of ownership and Allie writhed in the pleasure of knowing she belonged to Rafe, and to Tim, fully. So fully, in fact, she could give them

full control of her fulfillment, trusting them to know best how to please her, even if she didn’t quite know that herself.

Tim sat up, his hands stroking her ass, which was surely pink by now from the stimulation of the flogger, and pulled her cheeks apart with skillful fingers. She was so close to completion, even that little attention threatened to throw her over the edge. She heard fabric rustling, then felt Rafe come down beside her. His skin was hot against hers where he brushed close.

The nightstand drawer opened and closed and then more movement as Rafe sat across from Tim, his hand gliding over her backside. He smacked her with an open palm, making her wiggle her hips in excitement.

“You like that, don’t you?” Tim asked. “Yes, we know you do.” He smacked the other cheek with even more force and she moaned. “Rafe has never fucked your ass, Allie. I think it’s time that changed. He needs you, sweetheart, as much as I do.”

Tim spread her butt cheeks and she felt cool wetness drop down on her sensitive, overheated skin just before Rafe’s big fingers swept down the crack of her ass, swirling the moisture and dipping just briefly inside the tight hole there. She gasped. They hadn’t tried to take her at the same time since that first joining.

“We don’t do this often, but every once in a while…” Tim massaged her ass as he leaned closer and bit one buttock with strong teeth, undoubtedly marking her. “Every once in a while, we need it like we need to breathe.”

Rafe growled, apparently beyond speech at this point, and bent to bite her other cheek, even harder than Tim had. Rafe was almost beyond control, she sensed, but he was still careful with her, still unable to truly hurt her. She trusted him, trusted his instincts, trusted his love.

A moment later, she felt him move over and behind her, widening her legs with his knees before Tim spread her again, poking the tip of a bottle of lube up into her. A cool sensation spread through her a moment before she heard Rafe’s growl and saw the small tube go flying across the room out of the corner of her eye. He was pretty far gone, but she knew he would never hurt her. Tim moved back up to her head, his gaze holding hers as he tried to reassure her, but she needed no reassurances. She loved these men. She knew they wouldn’t hurt her, no matter how worked up they became. Hurting her would hurt them, and they could never deliberately hurt her, any more than she could consciously hurt one of them. They were joined. They were one.