My Feisty Kitten

Purrfect Mates 7

My Feisty Kitten The peril facing the shifter community has led people to relocate for the purpose of protection. During such chaos, fate brings the seemingly unlikely trio of tiger, fairy, and vampire together. Sasha Donovan is a saber-toothed tiger shifter who selflessly jumps in to help the fleeing families. Finding his mates gives him hope for the future. Imogen Milford is a prince of the fae with an intense hatred for vampires. Sasha does not hesitate to rescue Imogen when he finds the enchanting, powerful fairy bruised and battered after a narrow escape. Aaron Loman is a vampire who recently parted from his longtime partner. Now that he has found his own mates, he truly wants everything to work between them. As these mates deal with the oncoming threat and each other, will Imogen and Aaron be able to reconcile or will Sasha be torn between them forever? Genre: Alternative (M/M or F/F), Ménage a Trois/Quatre, Paranormal Length: 35,686 words

MY FEISTY KITTEN Purrfect Mates 7

Joyee Flynn

MENAGE AMOUR MANLOVE

Siren Publishing, Inc. www.SirenPublishing.com

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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK IMPRINT: Ménage Amour ManLove

MY FEISTY KITTEN Copyright © 2011 by Joyee Flynn E-book ISBN: 1-61034-847-8 First E-book Publication: September 2011 Cover design by Jinger Heaston All cover art and logo copyright © 2011 by Siren Publishing, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission. All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

PUBLISHER Siren Publishing, Inc. www.SirenPublishing.com

Letter to Readers Dear Readers, If you have purchased this copy of My Feisty Kitten by Joyee Flynn from BookStrand.com or its official distributors, thank you. Also, thank you for not sharing your copy of this book.

Regarding E-book Piracy This book is copyrighted intellectual property. No other individual or group has resale rights, auction rights, membership rights, sharing rights, or any kind of rights to sell or to give away a copy of this book. The author and the publisher work very hard to bring our paying readers high-quality reading entertainment. This is Joyee Flynn’s livelihood. It’s fair and simple. Please respect Ms. Flynn’s right to earn a living from her work. Amanda Hilton, Publisher www.SirenPublishing.com www.BookStrand.com

DEDICATION To Jane: Thanks for the awesome title and always being such a pleasure in the Yahoo Group. I hope the book lives up to your title!

MY FEISTY KITTEN Purrfect Mates 7 JOYEE FLYNN Copyright © 2011

Chapter 1 “I’m heading up to Conley’s estate now that I finished loading the last of the Bears’ stuff.” “And, oddly enough, they are actually bear shifters.” Aaron Loman chuckled on the other end of my cell. His deep voice always sent shivers down my spine. And no matter how silly or stupid the comment, if he laughed, I couldn’t help but smile. It was like his mirth was infectious. “I know, right? Who came up with that one?” I rolled my eyes, trying to picture if my name had been Sasha Saber-Tooth Tiger instead of Sasha Donovan. Yikes! That’s just a horrid name. “The older I get, Sasha, the more I see that people aren’t always that creative. But I am excited we’re finally going to get to meet.” “Finally?” I laughed and felt my heart warm. “We’ve been talking for a week or so. You make it sound like it’s been years.” “Sorry, I’m just really lonely since I moved to Conley’s,” he replied with a sigh. “And it’s really not about losing Logan. I’m happy he found his mates; I just want mine, too. After all the shit that went down with Harold and then betraying Curtis to go rescue Logan, everyone here looks at me like I’m a viper, Sasha. I don’t know

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anyone besides in passing, and I feel like I’ve got the scarlet letter fucking tattooed on my forehead. “And some of the vamps here are total douche bag elitists. I know they look down on me for losing my partner to two shifters. What the fuck should that matter? They’re his mates. All around, I just feel like I’m losing my mind here. The only thing that doesn’t suck is talking to you and helping coordinate the evacuations.” “It’ll get better, Aaron. Curtis was never mad at you, and Conley isn’t holding anything against you,” I said gently. I felt so bad for him and everything my new friend had recently gone through. “After we get everyone to the designated safe area, packs, or vamp covens and things calm down, I think you need a vacation.” “To where?” I could hear the smile in his voice, which was what I’d been shooting for. “We could start small,” I answered after I thought about it for a moment. “We’ll go to my brother Avery’s place. They’ve got a huge ranch with horses and the local pack there, so it’s not isolated or in danger from Hunters or zombie things or the boogeyman.” “Hey, it’s going to be okay, Sasha,” Aaron said tenderly, and I wanted to hug the phone, pretending it was the man. Shit, when was the last time I had a good hug where I was the one being comforted instead of doing the comforting? Yeah, so long I couldn’t even give a month estimate. “I had to move my parents out of their farm yesterday, Aaron. It’s been in our family for a while. My mom was crying, and my dads were frazzled from needing to sell it in this crap market. I get why the Council and the vamp Council are doing this. It’s smart, we need to stop acting alone and ignoring the dangers in the world for paranormals. But the Bear family had lived on that land for seven generations. It’s a part of them, and they’re giving up so much. It’s just not fair!” Just then I saw what I guessed was a streak of light dart out into the street. Going off my gut, I turned right to follow it even though

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the street would take me away from the expressway that I needed to go on. But since when does light randomly flash like that? And it was leaving some sort of shimmering trail. “Let me call you back, Aaron,” I said and hung up the phone. I felt bad that I hadn’t heard what he’d been saying, and I was being completely rude the way I didn’t wait for an answer from him. But this was all too weird not to have my full attention. I kept turning, winding around corners back and forth in what seemed to be a deserted warehouse district in Casper, Wyoming. It seemed the current economy had hit this area of the country as well. A few of the buildings looked like they’d been vandalized. One seemed to have started being dismantled for parts but not by professionals. Almost no windows were intact in any of the buildings. And it wasn’t just dark there, it was creepy. It was like I knew there were people around, eyes to watch for when I left so they could get back to their nefarious dealings. Finally the trail stopped and there was a small blue ball huddled in a corner. Oh so many jokes about blue balls to be made on that one if the situation had been different. I was almost scared to check it out and not just because self-preservation was kicking in and screaming, “Don’t approach the freaky blue ball, you moron. You run away from fucking eerie lights, not toward them.” I threw my twenty-foot moving truck into park and hopped out. I got about six yards away when I realized it was a man wrapped around himself, shaking…and he was my mate. “Help me,” a soft fanciful voice said as I got closer to him. I gasped at the bite marks all over his neck and chest. They looked like vamp bites, and if so, one or more had been snacking on him big time. His gorgeous ivory skin that looked so soft and inviting was a collage of pain. Okay, but why was he shining blue? I seriously was having trouble getting over the sparkling blue light. “Do you need a ride, little one?” I asked as I knelt down in front of him. He looked up at me and his blue eyes flashed violet, and then

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he was on me. I got knocked back on my ass and was just able to stop my head from cracking on the ground. “Yes, ride. Need to ride you,” he moaned and whimpered as he thrust his hips against mine while kissing my neck. “Need release. Ready to explode soon from power. Vamps kept bleeding me but no one would fuck me. Need to come. Fuck me, suck me, touch me, let me ride you, I don’t care. You’re hot, I like your body. Need to come.” “Okaaay then,” I drawled. What the fuck was going on here? “Do you know who I am?” “Stranger who stopped to help me.” He was nodding as if that was the same as calling me by my name as he quickly unbuttoned and yanked down my pants. In a flash, he had his off, and he was lowering himself onto my cock. Right on. Nice of him to really ask, but then again, I was hard because he was hot. And I’m pretty sure I was shocked stupid at the whole thing. “Wait, you’re not stretched.” I gasped as he impaled himself. I grabbed his hips to try and stop his progression, but he easily pushed my hands away. Damn the little guy was strong! Something brushed against my hands, and I wondered if he had some remnants of a shirt on. “Always stretched. Always ready. Need release from magic buildup.” Seriously? It was like trying to talk with Rain Man. Fine, a really hot, blond-haired, blue-eyed, lithe Rain Man, but still the point is the same. He mashed his lips down to mine and moved his hips quicker than any human could. I couldn’t believe I was having sex in an alley in the middle of nowhere really with my manic mate riding me before even knowing my name. I was so going to need professional help after this. “What is your name?” I asked, grabbing his hips to stop him and breaking the kiss.

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“Imogen. Imogen Milford,” he answered, looking at me as if he was wondering why I cared. The blue light that surrounded him got even brighter. “Please! Talk after. Need release. Magic too much.” “Imogen, what are you?” I was in awe of him and his ethereal beauty. Now that I was so close to him, almost inside and a part of the blue light, it was magnificent. It shimmered like water but honestly was almost more colorful than any rainbow I’d ever seen with all the different shades. “Fairy. Fairy with too much buildup. No one would fuck me, only bleed me.” “Do fairies have mates? Because I’m—” “Talk after, fuck now,” he cried out and batted away my hands. “Please! Need now. It hurts so bad.” “Okay, Imogen,” I whispered against his lips. “As long as you promise not to run after because we need to talk.” “Yes, yes, stay with hot tiger with big cock. Imogen promise to follow tiger and run from vamps.” I had no fucking clue what he was talking about, but when he started riding me like a rodeo star again, I couldn’t think much past how much I wanted to come in his tight ass. He was like a flash the way he moved. Hell, if I wasn’t focused directly on his light blue or purple eyes, I would have gotten dizzy. “Fuck, Imogen.” “Yes, fucking Imogen good. Good tiger. Imogen like the way you fuck. Going to come now.” He threw back his head, went stiff for a second, and then shot his load with a cry all over my chest and neck. Damn, he really had been built up! “Jesus you’re gorgeous,” I gasped as he came, riding the waves. His eyes fluttered and the tendons in his neck stood out. Then his ass clamped down on my cock, and I had my own orgasm. It was so strong that I wondered if my balls were going to cramp up with the force of it. I held Imogen’s hips tightly as I just kept shooting more of myself into him while he finished his ride and

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collapsed onto my chest. I smelled something funny, like walking through an herb garden and fresh-cut lawn as something shocked me. And when I say shocked, I don’t mean like static shock from a carpet…more like sticking my finger in an electrical socket that didn’t hurt. “Take my magic, hot tiger with the big, very pleasing cock,” Imogen whispered as he kissed my chest. Then it stopped, and I was completely spent. “Holy shit!” I gasped for air, my heart feeling as if it was going to leap out of my chest. “Is sex with fairies always like this, or is it because we’re mates?” “Probably,” he said as he sat up and tilted his neck, staring at me inquisitively. “I know the magic release is good as an orgasm for most people, but this was a bigger one than normal. This word ‘mates,’ I know it but cannot place it. Would you please elaborate and tell me your name as well, tiger?” Well, at least he was speaking in full sentences instead of manic fragments. “First, maybe we should get off the dirty ground and into my truck. Didn’t you say that there were vampires chasing you?” “Quite right, I do apologize,” Imogen said with a slight blush. He pulled off of me and stood up, holding out his hand to me. I took it, and he easily pulled me to my feet. Well, he was much stronger than his small five-four frame looked. “Allow me to tend to your clothes and sanitary needs if you would?” “Umm, sure?” I replied, raising an eyebrow. He blinked rapidly, and suddenly it was as if I’d showered and changed into fresh clothes. I was tucked back into my jeans, none of his cum was cooling on my shirt or neck, and I even felt as if my teeth had been brushed. I gasped and stared at Imogen who looked just as put together. His wounds seemed healed on his neck, and he was dressed in a three-piece suit without the jacket complete with tie that looked ridiculous given where we were. Sure, he would have been perfectly

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dressed if we were walking into a boardroom, but in a deserted alley in the middle of nowhere good, it was comical. “This is either the freakiest dream I’ve ever had, or I’m tripping on acid.” “Neither, I assure you.” Imogen chuckled as he stepped closer and ran his hands under my shirt. “I do rather like how tall you are. Very built, wonderful muscular tone from what I’ve seen thus far, too. You did say I was coming with you for now?” He blinked up at me innocently as he ran his fingers under the edge of my jeans. “Yes,” I growled and swooped him up into my arms. My tiger was not a fan of him saying he’d be with me for now. He was mine! He let out a yelp of surprise as I kissed him and walked over to the passenger’s door. When we got there, I broke away and opened his door, helping him climb in. “And no for now. You’re coming with me, and I will keep you safe forever.” “You kiss like a dream, tiger.” He smiled at me as he clicked on his seatbelt. “Sasha,” I said gently and stroked his cheek with my fingers. “My name is Sasha Donovan. We’ll talk more. Let’s get you out of here, okay?” “And fed please if we can? I’m quite hungry after days of not eating.” I so wanted to know more about that, but if Imogen was being pursued, then we needed to get out of there. I jogged around the truck, only to be there instantly. And when I opened the door and hopped up to get in, I almost jumped higher than the door. “Yeah, definitely tripping on acid,” I mumbled as I slowly sat in my seat and closed the door. “I know there’s a McDonald’s right by the expressway. Is that okay for now?” “Oh yes,” he said excitedly and started to glow softly again. When had the glowing stopped though? I was missing way too much of what was going on here. I threw the truck in drive and headed back in the direction I was originally going. “I very much like their greasy meat and potato sticks.”

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“Fries?” I asked, giving him a sideways look. Imogen nodded enthusiastically, and I ended up blurting out my next question without any finesse. “Where are you from, man?” “Fairies do not live in this realm normally. We have our own plane or world, if you will, that’s parallel to your own. Might I ask what that word ‘mate’ meant?” “Most shifters and paranormals have destined partners for life called mates or soul mates. We can tell who they are by smell. When I caught your scent, I knew you were mine.” “Oh! So you’re my keeper! Well fate gave me a wonderfullooking one, and you’re very nice as well. Stopping to help me and now feeding me while keeping me safe. I quite like fate today.” “I don’t know about being your keeper, Imogen,” I hedged. “I’m not the boss of you, but your partner.” “Yes, yes, we call that a keeper since you will keep my heart when I give it to you when we bind ourselves together.” “Yes, that’s what a mate is then. I thought you meant keeper like you were my pet or something.” “I am no one’s pet or food,” Imogen snarled, his eyes flashing bright violet again. Well, well, well! I wasn’t the only one who had claws here. I was glad for that. Who wanted some pushover mate? “I didn’t say you were, but that’s what a keeper normally means in my world. Like a parent responsible for a child or something.” “Oh, all right, I understand the difference in the meaning with your dialect. I apologize for snapping. I’m quite a powerful, completely magical being, and the vampires were treating me like a toy. I’m afraid I’m a tad sensitive about it right now.” “I’m sorry, sweetie,” I said gently as I reached my hand over and took his. He smiled brightly at me and slid closer across the bench seat, tucking himself under my arm after unbuckling himself. “You fit perfectly.”

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“We fit perfectly,” he replied, practically whimpering. “We will need to have sex again soon. I had a big magic release, but I’m still built up.” “I have so many fucking questions,” I mumbled as I pulled into the drive-thru. We ordered, my tiny mate getting more than I thought possible for him to fit into his body. But after I paid and he started chowing down, I realized I’d been very wrong. And very glad I’d ordered extra drinks as well. “I would like to know where we are going but first let me explain a few things I’m sure are confusing you. Please forgive me if I explain something you already know, I don’t mean to treat you like a simpleton, but you did say you knew nothing of fairies.” He was oddly formal in a way, though incredibly sweet in how he wanted to make sure not to offend me. “No, please tell me everything. I have no clue about how your world works. I didn’t even know fairies were real.” “When we reach the age of an adult, eighteen in your human years, we explode with power. Quite literally. Fae are purely magical and in a way like our own power plant. I’m trying to think of a comparison, but the best I can think of is blood pressure. You know how when you’re overly stressed, the pressure builds and builds. You either have to find a way to stop it or find some type of release.” “So yours is sex?” I asked in shock, glancing over at him before focusing back on the road. Well that was a new one. It really gave the term “release” a whole new meaning for me. “Sexual in nature, yes.” He giggled. “It can be sex, jacking off, or a blow job, but a release through sex is best. I believe the human term is nymphomaniac. Fae are known for being very sexual, very horny creatures. Plus we do not have the same hang-ups about fucking as your world.” I saw him shrug out of the corner of my eye. “Fucking is just a fuck sometimes. There’s no sin, no shame, and we fuck all the time on my plane.”

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“When you have your release, it’s like you’re letting off steam in a way. That’s why I felt that shock and got some of your magic?” “I knew you were smart!” He stuffed some more “potato sticks” in his mouth. Yes, I was going to tease him about that from now on because it was just too cute. “And to answer you, yes. That’s why you almost jumped over the truck when hopping into the driver’s seat. And the more you’re the person I find release with the stronger you will become.” “Are fae monogamous? I mean when we mate that’s it for us, Imogen. I’ll tear anyone to shreds that tries to touch you except our other mate.” I didn’t want to sound like an ass, but I wanted this crystal clear from the start. “We have two?” “Cat shifters always have two, but let’s stay with you right now.” “Good point, otherwise we’re going to get too confused,” he said approvingly. Imogen bagged all his empty wrappers, setting them on the floor, before scooting back over and under my arm. “I will never cheat on you, Sasha. I find I’m enamored with my feisty kitten. If you say we have another of your mates, then we will be monogamous with them as well. No others.” “I like the pet name,” I purred as he ran his fingers lightly over my thigh. “I’ll be your kitten, baby.” “Make sure to growl when we have sex again. I found that very appealing.” He made the cutest whimpering noises, and I felt more then saw his pants go tight with his thigh touching mine as he got hard. “I’m sure I can swing that.” I chuckled. “Okay, so you’re magic, and I’ll get some of your magic. But that won’t hurt you, right? I’m not stealing it or going to weaken you?” “No, nothing like that when I give myself to you willingly. The problem comes when vampires try to drink from me. My blood to them is like catnip to felines. It’s even addictive and powerful enough where they can become strung out on it.”

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“How did the vamps get you?” I wanted to ask if he was so powerful how the hell did he get caught, but I thought this way was nicer. A plus for me in the effort category. “They didn’t smell like normal vampires,” he answered with a shiver. “It was more like a rancid human, which normally means they are riddled with disease. These were more like mummies in the way they walked and acted. And they didn’t seem to feel any pain no matter how many times I zapped them. That’s how I couldn’t get away from them. When I wouldn’t stop fighting, they knocked me out, and I woke up on a bed being five vamps’ lunch.” “Shit, I think I know what snagged you,” I snarled, hating that they’d done that to my mate. I explained about the zombie vampires we’d just learned about who were once human and changed into some mindless, dead beasts. “So they literally took me to their leader.” Imogen groaned and shook his head at his own lame joke. “That makes more sense for some of it. I could see the vamps wanting their own fairy though I have no clue how they found me. I’d just crossed over from my world and they were on me.” “How do you cross over here?” “There are portals all over the world, why?” He leaned his head against my shoulder and yawned. He had to be exhausted. “Because I don’t think it was you they wanted specifically,” I answered after a few moments of thought. “What if they learned where these portals are and were waiting for someone, anyone to cross over?” “Then my entire race could be in deep fucking shit. No one can cross over into the magic if they have ill intent for us, but anyone coming out would be sitting ducks,” Imogen whispered and started to shake. Fuck! It seemed nonstop with the drama. I just wanted a couple of days where everyone took off and nothing bad went down. But no one always gets what they want. And I was pretty sure I’d used up my good luck for the day finding my mate.

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Chapter 2 We drove in silence for a while, processing our own new information we’d learned. I’d filled Imogen in on where we were going and the evacuation of all supernaturals to more secure locations. Then, suddenly, I had a thought. “So the vamps just bit you, right? I mean you said that none would give you release.” “They didn’t have me very long,” he whispered and snuggled closer against me. “Three days, but they beat me and kept rebiting me instead of just one bite and drinking. I think they liked that I screamed, and it kept them from draining me. Then they’d leave me to heal and replenish. “And since fairies heal faster than them or shifters, it was only a few hours until I was good to go for them to use again. My magic was working overtime fixing my body, and logically it would fit that doing so drained my power or magic. But it’s more like a rolling snowball, growing larger once it starts.” “I’m sorry they hurt you.” I kissed his temple, and he rubbed his face against my shirt over my nipple. I started purring in delight except I think my mate was so exhausted that the happy sound helped him drift to sleep. Understanding the circumstances, I didn’t take offense in his crashing on me when I was getting wound up. The hours passed, I stopped to get some coffee, and he never woke up. Maybe I was being silly, but I leaned over to check his pulse. I didn’t know anything about fairies, and I wasn’t taking any chances with my mate. For all I knew he could have internal injuries or something. I sighed in relief when I felt his pulse strong and regular.

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Originally, I had planned on getting a few hours of the drive under my belt before stopping for the night. But everything changed now with Imogen, and I wanted to get him to Conley’s estate where he’d be safe. Plus I had a feeling he knew something key that the vampires on our side would need to know to help in the fight against the Hunters and the zombie things. Also, I was so fucking tired I needed people I trusted to help me think of what came next. We were just outside of Sheridan when my mate distracted me from thoughts of my parents’ farm and having to move them from it. He started whimpering and slid down my side so that his head was in my lap. “Need release,” he begged and then let out a cute snore. Was this how he started when his magic got built up? Not sure what to do I started rubbing his hard-on though his pants while I drove. It ended up either not being enough, or I woke him up because I felt him unzip my pants. Before I could even ask if he was awake, he was sucking my cock like a Popsicle. I quickly got off at the next exit and pulled over. He was the one who needed to come, so I moved us in a flash so he was lying down on the seats, spread out like a buffet. “Fuck me,” he whispered as he stared at me with lust glazing over his eyes. I shook my head and undid his pants, peeling them off of him. When his impressive cock sprang free and slapped his stomach I moaned at how erotic it was. I didn’t even bother to take his pants off and pushed his knees to his chest. Then I dove right in. I stroked him hard and fast while licking his tight little pink hole. It opened right up for me, and I froze. “I’m magic.” Imogen giggled. “My body responds. I told you I was always ready. Please give me that huge slab of meat you call a dick.”

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I said the only thing a sane, horny man says at such an offer. “Okay.” Quickly I unzipped my jeans and got them down my hips. I slammed into his tight, perfectly stretched ass. I liked that trick! “Harder, my feisty kitten,” he begged, thrashing on the seat in pleasure. “I’m twice your size and I’m the kitten?” I snickered as I fucked him with all I had. We both came shortly after we started since we were both needing it so bad. “Awesome,” he gasped when we were done. “I need to claim you soon,” I groaned as I pulled out of him. Then I growled at the sight of my cum running out of his hole I’d just fucked. My tiger liked that he was marked with our seed. I think he realized that I liked it because he didn’t lower his legs and flexed his hole so it leaked more. Gods, I could just eat him up. “I could go for another round!” He winked at me impishly and shook his ass as an invitation. Oh, it was so tempting, and my cock was recovering, pleading to do him again. “Not here,” I whispered gently as I lowered his legs. He gave me a questioning look as I leaned over and kissed him. “You’re too special, my mate, to claim in the cab of a moving truck. And we need to talk about what’s involved in me making you mine.” “You’re going to love me, aren’t you?” His smile was so bright that it was infectious. I thought the question strange and blunt, but I wasn’t all that shocked because it seemed to be so like Imogen to ask. “That’s the plan. I hope we fall in love. I can’t wait until we do to claim you though, Imogen. Cat shifters are different than most paranormals. We have forty-eight hours to claim our mates from the time we smell them before we start getting sick. My brother overheated after meeting his from holding off, but I’m okay since we keep touching and fucking.” “Let me tend to you, my keeper.” I nodded and he used his magic as he did before to clean us both right up. I realized something else off

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about the apparel he dressed himself in since it was a hot summer evening. “Why the vest?” He wore gray suit slacks, a white button-up shirt, and a suit vest with it. Oddly formal but I figured everyone had a different style. At least this time he left off the tie. “It hides my wings,” he whispered, suddenly looking anywhere but at me. “Most fairies wear them when on this plane.” “Can I see them? I’ve never seen wings before.” I wasn’t sure Emily Post would think me polite for asking, but I just really wanted to see them. “I know I’m small and feminine, but my wings are really girly.” Imogen still wouldn’t look at me as he moved to sit up and scooted toward the door. “Are they pink?” I teased and felt like an ass when he nodded. “I’d still like to see them. Please, Imogen?” He nodded again and didn’t look at me as he gave me his back and started taking off his vest and shirt. I gasped when I caught sight of what he’d been hiding. They were pink, but they weren’t. It was more like they were iridescent and reflected light. They weren’t huge angel wings like ones I saw in the movies but smaller ones where the tips maybe went as far as his knees. They folded in several spots, making them look almost like a strange, colorful, feathered backpack. It was like nothing I’d ever seen, and they were really beyond words in their exquisiteness. “That’s so cool that you can fly,” I whispered in awe as I ran my fingers over his wings. “These are beautiful, baby.” “You think so?” He glanced at me over his shoulder, and I could see the pleading in his eyes that I was telling him the truth. I growled and moved closer to lick his lips. He sighed against my mouth, and I could almost feel the relief coming off of him. “I think every inch of you is amazing, and I don’t think wings that can let you fly are girly.”

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“Thank you!” Imogen cried out and turned around so fast that I barely saw him. He knocked me back on the seat and started peppering my face and neck with kisses. I laughed as he attacked me, the first real laugh I’d had in weeks since the order came down from the Council to evacuate paranormals and change our world forever. “You know how you said you’re a nympho?” I asked quietly as he settled down and we simply lay there hugging each other. “I didn’t mean that literally, Sasha.” “I know, but I’m one, too, in a way.” He froze, and I quickly explained about the honeymoon heat, lunar cycles, and the other basics he’d need to know about being mated to a saber-tooth tiger shifter. By the time I was done, we were long since back on the road and almost to Billings, Montana. Imogen was quiet the whole time, and we sat in a long silence while he processed all of it, making me worry. “Think we’ll ever get anything else done besides sex?” I glanced over at him, wondering if he was joking or upset. The puckish grin he was giving me let me know he didn’t have a problem with the idea. “I’m sure we’ll make a few hours in the day to eat,” I answered with a snicker. “Why don’t you get some more sleep? I saw your bites were almost healed, but you’ve been through a lot.” “I am quite tired,” he said and yawned as if proving his point. He used my thigh as a pillow, and a few minutes later, he was snoring softly. It was the cutest damn snore I’d ever heard. I thought a lot about what had happened since seeing the blue light that ended up being my mate. I ended up texting Aaron with an estimate on when we’d be at Conley’s compound since I didn’t feel like talking right then. My life had changed drastically in the past several hours and while I hoped it would all be for the better… It didn’t mean I wasn’t still nervous. ****

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“Wake up, baby,” I said gently a while later as I pulled into Conley’s estate. I’d already been cleared by the guards, and I was watching the large cast iron gate slide open. “We’re here.” “Does that mean I get fed again?” he asked sleepily as he rubbed his eyes and sat up. Damn! He was adorable even when waking. “What would you like?” “Cock,” he answered with a lazy smile. “I think I’ve become addicted to you, my feisty kitten. And I find myself thrilled about it.” “Me, too.” I slid my hand into his as I pulled up front. Imogen stared around, not in awe of the huge mansion as I was but more as a tourist did in a foreign country. I wondered again how hard it would be for him to acclimate to living on this plane. We’d not even discussed that yet or even if I could live where he was from. Add it to the mental list of things to chat about later. “So we will be living here from now on?” he asked as I parked the truck and turned it off. I thought about how to answer that as I opened the door, got out, and helped him down. “We need to talk about that. I sent my stuff here ahead of me with another truck since we’re not supposed to live on our own anymore, and the pack in Sheridan was too small to keep everyone safe. But can you live on this plane permanently? Or would I go live in your world?” “We’re not allowed to let outsiders live there,” he answered as he shook his head. “We can visit my family, but only fae are allowed to live there. It’s our sanctuary from this world, and it wouldn’t help to bring people from this world over there.” “I feel like I should apologize for that and making you move.” I nodded to the guard who opened the door for us. They knew to expect us so we didn’t have to jump through too many hoops. “Don’t worry, I like this realm better actually, and there are certain perks to living with you.” He chuckled and snuggled up against me. That worked for me! We stepped into the foyer of the

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house, and I smelled someone familiar. I couldn’t help the smile that crossed my lips if I’d wanted to. “Sasha!” My brother, Kody, called out as he raced to me. I’d not seen him in a while, and I missed the days when we all lived right by each other. I dropped Imogen’s hand and opened my arms for my pint-size bro. I was the tallest of the litter at six three, so I had a good eight inches on Kody. He jumped into my arms, giving me a fierce hug. One of the great things about being a shifter, and especially when part of a litter was there, was no man-code against hugging. We hugged all the time, none of that half-hug shit with the slap on the back. And shifters are very touchy-feely, and even more so for littermates. It was a comfort thing, nothing creepy. “Come meet my mate,” I said excitedly as he kissed my cheek. “You found him on the way here?” Kody gave me a glance, letting me know he’d be grilling me later. “Yes,” I answered for now, the really, really short version as we turned to Imogen. Who wasn’t looking at us. “Baby? What’s wrong?” “I thought Conley was a shifter like you,” he whispered as he started to shake. I followed his gaze and saw Conley, Marc, and a few other vampires I didn’t know staring at my mate as if he was dinner. Fuck! “No, they’re vamps.” I snarled loudly at them. It didn’t seem to shake them out of whatever haze they were in. It looked like they were stoned almost, dilated pupils and everything. “I take back what I said about you being smart since you literally just brought me into the lion’s den here, Sasha.” Imogen didn’t sound very happy with me, and I couldn’t say that I blamed him. His voice sounded stronger, but I could smell his fear and damn it was strong, almost overwhelming. “You said they were a threat if they bit you though. These ones won’t bite you!” I felt as if I was missing something major here that

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would connect the dots in my brain and let me know what the fuck was going on. “They goddamn better not bite him.” Kody growled at his mates and stared daggers at them. “Stop looking at my brother’s mate as if you want to eat him up! What the fuck is wrong with you guys?” “They want to eat me all right. Literally.” Imogen groaned as the three of us started walking backward to the door. No turning our backs on the hungry vampires. “Sasha, my blood is addictive if they drink it. But, just like catnip, the smell is intoxicating as well.” “Fuuuuck,” I drawled with lots of feeling. “That’s the part I was missing. I’m a moron. Your blood doesn’t smell any different to me than other supernaturals. You smell like magic, but I’ve smelled similar before. I missed the connection to what you were telling me.” “He doesn’t smell enticing to you because you’re not a vampire,” Marc said with something between a moan and a growl of desire. “I’ve not smelled fairy in centuries.” “I’ve only tasted one once even longer ago.” Conley looked giddy at the prospect. “What is wrong with you guys?” a dark-haired, gorgeous man asked as he pushed past them and came to stand by us. “He smells good, yeah, but get a grip. You’re centuries-old vampires not kids who don’t know how to control their thirst!” “Aaron,” I whispered, knowing that voice. And then two things hit me at once…he was my other mate, and this was so not how I ever wanted our first meeting to be. “I prayed you were my mate,” he said as he glanced at me, his eyes tearing with emotion. “Let’s get the crazy vamps calm and have a proper greeting. Plus, I want to know how you found a fairy.” “He’s our mate,” I replied and then heard Kody snarl. “If you two don’t cut this shit out neither of you will get any sex for a month!” “I apologize, our sexy tiger,” Conley said gently as he stepped closer to Imogen. “I don’t think this is something we can control.”

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“Aww, fuck,” I groaned, glanced at Kody, and we shifted, tearing our clothes. Since I was bigger than Kody, my tiger was as well. Hell, since I was big for a cat shifter in general my tiger was much bigger than could be found in the wild. That is if saber-tooth tigers weren’t extinct. Okay, so it was all a bit confusing. The end result was Kody, about a four-hundred-fifty-pound tiger while I was closer to seven hundred. We roared with everything we had, loud enough to shatter the glass in the front windows of the foyer. That finally seemed to snap the two vamps I knew under the spell and the four that I didn’t. “Shit,” Marc gasped as he shook his head. “Okay, I’m okay now. Wow, so wasn’t ready for the smell of fairy and what it does to us.” Kody and I didn’t shift back. He stood out in front with Aaron as I paced behind them, guarding Imogen. My brother moved up to Marc, opening his mouth wide to show off his deadly teeth and moved them right over his groin. “I get it, no sex for a while,” he said, swallowing nervously. “I was a very bad mate. I’m sorry, baby, please don’t bite off my balls. I didn’t want to fuck him, I swear.” “It wasn’t sexual, Kody.” Conley had guts as he approached my pissed-off brother and moved his hand in front of Marc’s groin. “The blood of the fae is like waving cocaine in front of an addict. We can brace ourselves and deal with it if we know a fairy is coming. It took us by surprise, and for that we apologize. Can you forgive us, our sexy tiger?” If it had been any other circumstances, I would have laughed at Kody’s reaction. Except this was serious and my mate in danger. But I did still smile in tiger form as my brother huffed out a frustrated breath and sat down, shaking his head at his mates. “Would you shift back, please?” Marc asked gently as he knelt down before Kody and started scratching him behind the ears. My brother glanced at me as if asking what to do. How the fuck should I

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know? “We’ll let you handcuff us both to the bed and spank us for being so naughty and disloyal.” My traitor brother purred and rolled to his back, exposing his stomach. As soon as both mates were rubbing him, he shifted so their hands were all over his naked body. “You better think I’m cuter than he is,” Kody said with a pout. “He’s pretty damn adorable, and it didn’t seem like you were looking at him with the same hunger I do for breakfast.” “Your analogy is correct, Kody, if your pancakes gave you power and a high that no human substance could grant your mates.” My mate seemed to have regained some of his composure and bravado now that he wasn’t in shock from walking into a vampire compound. Yeah, I’d be doing a lot of groveling of my own for this one. “I understand they are your mates, and you are the brother to mine, but make no mistake, if they approach me like that again, I will turn them to dust.” “Can’t you start with incapacitating them?” Kody asked his eyes wide with fear. “I don’t want them drinking from you either, but I don’t think taking a bite is worthy of death.” “I’m no one’s food,” Imogen sneered loudly. “And this is how they are reacting to smelling my blood under my skin. If someone takes a bite of me, it will be like blood in the water for sharks. I’d be dead before I could incapacitate them.” “Oh, well shit. We’ve got a problem,” Kody groaned. It was then I noticed Aaron was moving closer to me and that had Imogen moving away from him. It was like a dance that I then followed with Imogen. “Do werewolves have a problem with fairies?” “No, none in the slightest. We smell sweet to them, like you, but nothing spectacular.” Imogen tilted his neck to the side, as if studying Kody while waiting to understand where my brother was going with his question.

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“Okay then you guys take your stuff out of the truck and go stay with Trey or Avery. They’ve got human and wolf mates and the pack there is enough protection and no vamps.” “I’ll go pack,” Aaron said as I shifted back. Everyone was calm now, and it seemed silly when I could change again in a flash if I needed to. “I beg your pardon?” Imogen said, his eyes flaring violet with anger. “You’re not invited, vampire.” “You’re my mate and so is Sasha,” Aaron whispered, looking devastated. “I will not have a vampire keeper!” Imogen shouted. “Who said anything about being your keeper? You’re not a pet!” Aaron looked equal parts horrified and shocked at what Imogen had said, not understanding the meaning any more than I had. The whole room erupted in shouting and yelling as everyone weighed in or was trying to calm each other down. Well fuck. So far this was going well. Insert sarcasm here because, at any second, I was going to pull out my hair one strand at a time. “Enough!” I roared and was pretty sure any glass we hadn’t broken earlier was done for now. Everyone went quiet and turned to me. “Keeper is a fairy’s term for a mate.” Then I turned on Imogen. “Aaron is my other mate. I will die if I don’t claim him in the next two days so he comes with but in a separate car so there are no issues. Agreed?” “I–I,” Imogen stuttered as his eyes went wide. He cleared his throat, trying again to speak, and nodded. “I apologize, my feisty kitten.” He moved closer to me and wrapped his arms around my naked waist. “I forgot momentarily about your constraints. Will you ever forgive my selfishness? I would never have been so vocal if I had remembered.” “Can you forgive me for being a dumbass and bringing you into an estate filled with vampires?”

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“You’re naked, Sasha.” He laughed and kissed my chest. I stared down at him with a raised eyebrow, and he winked at me. “I could forgive you anything when you’re naked and looking so delectable.” “I like the way he talks. Why haven’t you guys ever called me delectable?” Kody chuckled and wiggled his ass at his mates. “I call your hot body mouthwatering all time.” Marc groaned and swooped my brother up into his arms. “That’s true,” Kody purred. He glanced at Imogen and Aaron. “I like both of you, but if you hurt my brother, I will eat your balls for an appetizer. We clear?” “I see feisty runs in your family.” Imogen chuckled as he turned to my brother and bowed. “If I hurt my wonderful keeper, I will offer them freely to you.” “Can I ask why you call a mate your keeper without starting another fight?” “You may. Your brother will keep my heart once we’ve bonded along with my very soul. It makes him the keeper of all that I am.” “Awww,” Kody cooed and gave a soft smile. “I like that.” Then he frowned and turned to me. “You might want to talk to him about what happened to Avery and why that term will be sensitive for him.” I cringed and nodded. “Yeah, good point. You were always the smart one.” “Naw, that’s Trey. I’m the easygoing one.” He looked sad as he glanced from me to my mates. “I do wish you were staying longer. It’s been forever since we’ve just hung out and caught up. You’ve not even gotten to see mom and our dads.” “We’ll visit Avery and Trey next week once they’ve settled in, my sexy tiger,” Conley said gently. “They’ve built the helipad, and we’ll take a chopper over with your parents. I figure Marc and I will be fine now that we’re prepared for the smell of Imogen. I simply do not feel it’s safe for them here. Not all the vampires at the estate are as old as we are.”

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“I agree and thank you for understanding,” Imogen said formally. It seemed very, very strange how politely they were all talking given they’d wanted to eat him earlier. What a strange fucking life I lived.

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Chapter 3 Aaron packed. Conley, Marc, and I unloaded my truck, saying it was better to take it in case someone from the pack near Avery needed it. Then we loaded up the stuff I’d sent ahead and Aaron’s belongings. Imogen slept in the cab and away from the vampires. By the time we got back on the road, I was tired, cranky, disappointed, and so many other goddamn emotions that part of me just wanted to bawl. And then I got pissed for being a baby and wanting to cry. But logically I knew that I wasn’t being a child. I found my mate, beaten and bruised. Our first time was in an alley, and then we were on the run scrambling to get him to safety. Except I bring him into the most deadly situation possible although it didn’t have that outcome. Yeah, I was pretty down on myself for that as well. Then Aaron was our other mate but a vampire, which could put Imogen in danger, and I can’t hang out with my brother or even see my parents and…and…and…and fuck! It just went on and on, and the last fucking thing I wanted to do was take another several-hour drive. On top of which, Aaron looked like someone beat up his puppy when he got in his own car, not riding with us, to be moved off somewhere else. Hell, I didn’t even get a chance to talk to him, kiss him, or even say hi. All around I was depressed, and that was not what I thought I should be feeling when finding my mates. “It will be okay, Sasha,” Imogen whispered. I was so lost in thought and didn’t know he woke up that I veered into the other lane. Luckily it was the middle of the night, and there was no traffic, so I

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recovered and set the truck right. Of course, then the phone rang, and I answered it. “Are you okay? Did you fall asleep?” Aaron’s panicked voice asked on the other end. “Yes, we’re fine,” I said with a sigh, glancing down at Imogen’s big blue eyes staring up at me. He was biting his lip and looked so fragile I smiled at him. “I was thinking about everything and how this was not my dream meeting with my mates. Imogen said something, and it startled me since I thought he was sleeping. We’re all good, I swear.” “I just wanted to check,” Aaron replied softly. “This isn’t how I imagined meeting you or my mates either.” “Aaron,” I whispered but he hung up. Yeah, I knew he was hurting after everything he’d been through, too. This was such a goddamn clusterfuck! It wasn’t like I expected finding my mates would be easy, the same as any relationship. But did every damn thing have to be so complicated or hard? “I’m sorry.” Imogen sat up slowly with his face drawn in a frown that bordered on a pout. All three of us were tired and sensitive to what was going on. I couldn’t speak for them personally, but I just felt emotionally, physically, and mentally raw. “You don’t have anything to be sorry for,” I said firmly but gently as I wrapped my arm around his slim shoulders and pulled him against me. “This is hard on all of us, but we’ll figure everything out.” “You love the vampire don’t you?” He asked so quietly I barely heard him as he pulled away from me. “I–I’m scared of him. I don’t think I can get over what he is and live with him.” “I don’t love Aaron, but I do like him. We’ve become good friends over the past week and a half. We have a lot in common, and I feel for what he’s been through. Tonight was the first time we met, and it didn’t go as I planned.” “You didn’t know he was your mate?”

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“No, we go off scent,” I answered with a shrug. Can’t smell someone over the phone! “Then you should be with him,” Imogen whispered. I glanced over at him and saw tears trailing down his cheeks even in the dark. “I’ll go back to my realm.” “What?” I gasped as I reached for him. “No! Why can’t I have both my mates?” “He’ll kill me, Sasha!” I wanted to get pissed at the accusation, but the fear in his voice stopped me. He was petrified of Aaron, and I could understand that from his point of view. “Aaron didn’t react to you like the other vampires, Imogen. He was defending you.” “Yeah, until he tastes me then he’ll drain me,” he cried out. “No! Aaron wouldn’t do that. I saw how different he was with you than Conley and his crew. I bet the fact that he’s your mate overrules what vampires normally feel toward fairies. Please give this a chance! Don’t make me choose between my mates, I can’t do that. We’ll figure out a way to make sure you’re safe and he stays in control, okay?” He nibbled on his plump bottom lip for a moment. “I concede that he didn’t act like the others, but you have to understand why I’m not trusting him yet. I’ll stay and try if you really want me to, but until I do trust him, I’m not being intimate or alone with him.” “I think that’s fair.” He reached out for my hand then, and I brought his to my lips. “Thank you, baby.” “You’re worth the risk, Sasha. I just pray it doesn’t get me killed.” “Me, too.” Yeah, I couldn’t fathom why I wanted to curl in a ball and cry. We were silent the rest of the drive, and I sighed in relief when we pulled into Avery’s driveway. I felt horrible when I’d called him for a place to stay, not wanting to impose. But what other choice did we have? Trey’s house with his mates wasn’t big enough to accommodate three adults for more than a night.

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I shut off the truck and got out, hugging Imogen and kissing him quickly when I helped him out. Aaron joined us as well but kept his distance, still looking as sad as any person could. I didn’t blame him with the way everything was going down. “Brother,” Avery said with a soft smile as we walked over to the front porch. I went to him, taking the comfort he offered. I instantly felt better when he hugged me. It was a same litter thing. “Missed you, kiddo.” We all had our playful names for each other. Avery was the youngest of the litter, and the smallest, so it worked for him. “Missed you too, big guy.” It always cracked us all up that we came from the same litter and were so different in some ways. Avery was almost as short as Imogen’s five-four and here I was six-three. And while Avery and I shared the same tigerlike orange hair and green eyes, but that was about all we shared when it came to looks. “I talked to Kody, and he filled me in. How are you holding up?” He was also the most sensitive of all of us. It might have been from his years in captivity and everything he’d been through though I remembered him being kindhearted when we were kids, too. “Confused? Happy I found my mates but not sure what fate was thinking by one being a fairy and the other being a vampire? Exhausted and hungry as well.” “All understandable,” he said before turning to my mates. “I’m Avery Donovan, these are my mates, Ty and Cord. Welcome to our home.” “Why are you whispering?” Imogen asked as he shook my brother’s hand. Once again, I was an idiot. “We have three daughters who are sleeping.” The love in my baby brother’s eyes at simply mentioning his children warmed my heart. He deserved that happiness a hundred times over. “For now.” Ty chuckled as everyone exchanged hellos. “They’ll be up probably in an hour for their morning feeding.”

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I glanced at my watch. “Their feeding is at six in the morning? Wow, I’m not sure how you guys do it.” “With lots of love and patience.” Cord snickered. “You guys just want to crash, and we’ll get you unloaded and everything tomorrow?” “Yeah, that sounds great,” I answered when Imogen and Aaron nodded, looking as tired as I felt. We got settled in, and my heart broke when Aaron went to one guestroom and Imogen and I to another. He said he understood and we could deal with it after some sleep, but I saw the pain in his eyes. I didn’t like it. We needed to figure this all out and fast. **** After a whole five hours of sleep, I was up again…and overheating. My body was on fire with need to claim my mates, but I needed to give them more time until we knew what we were doing. Like if Aaron would try to eat Imogen. Silly little things like that. I scurried out of bed and into the guest bathroom down the hall. I practically threw myself into the shower and blasted the cold water. When I realized I was standing there in my boxer briefs and T-shirt, I tore them off and moaned. The spray was freezing, and I swear I could almost see the steam rising from my skin as it cooled down. “Sasha?” Avery called out as he knocked on the door. Like all close family would do when worried, he didn’t wait for me to answer before coming in. By then I was on all fours on the tile, panting as if I’d run a marathon. Holy shit! “I remember your memories when you didn’t claim your mates right away, but I had no idea it would be like this.” I felt the tears burn in my eyes as he knelt down in front of me and nodded. “Blows big time, doesn’t it?” He pushed my wet hair out of my eyes. I saw the concern and indecision. I’d bet he was dying to let my mates know I was hurting so they’d come help me.

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“Why does fate do this to us? I don’t understand any of this. Yesterday I was upset about mom and dads having to leave the farm and the Hunters taking over our lives in a way. Now I just don’t know which way is up anymore, Avery.” “I have a theory why, but I can’t give you any definite answers, Sasha.” “Okay, I’ll take a theory right now.” I snickered. Right then I’d take just about anything because my brain was just fried from the past twenty-four hours. “Having three in a relationship is harder than two and most people would automatically run if given the choice. Fate takes away the choice with dire consequences because fate knows what’s best when we don’t.” I thought about it for a moment, and it made sense. I didn’t really like it, but it was logical. “But why a fairy and a vampire? They’re like oil and water from what I know now. Why do that to all of us?” “I have a theory on that one, too,” Imogen whispered from the doorway. I turned to look at him so quickly that my world almost went black with how ill and faint I felt from overheating. “I didn’t mean to wake you.” I grabbed my head as if that would stop my feeling dizzy. It didn’t, but it was just instinct to hold something that hurts. “You should have,” he said angrily as his eyes flashed violet. “You say I’m your mate but don’t come to me when you’re in pain and need help. That’s not how we treat our keepers, Sasha.” “You’re right,” I agreed immediately and shook my head. “I wasn’t thinking other than you have enough on your mind, and I didn’t want you to let me claim you out of pity. I won’t force you into anything.” “You stupid, stupid man,” he sighed and joined us in the shower stall. Avery was slowly backing away but then stopped. “What’s your theory, Imogen?” Avery’s tone was gentle as if he knew it would be hard for my mate to answer.

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“My parents were killed by vampires,” he answered and swallowed loudly. Oh this just got better and fucking better! “And I’m a prince of the fae. I’ve been on the side of going to war with the vampires so that we may live on this plane freely without worry of them attacking us. If they’re gone, so is the threat.” “Holy shit,” Aaron gasped. Well goodie, now the whole gang was here. “The vampires don’t know about that.” “Go run and tell them then,” Imogen snarled as he put his arm around me, getting his expensive-looking clothes wet. “I would never betray my mate’s confidence even if he doesn’t trust me,” Aaron said firmly as if trying to hold back his anger. “I’m sorry for what happened to your parents, Imogen. I truly am, more than you’ll ever know. But I am not the vampire who killed them. I’ve never hurt a fairy or any paranormal before. There are bad vamps just like any other species. We are not all like that though, and I think you should remember that before judging my character.” “Damn,” Imogen whispered after Aaron stormed out of the room. “I’ll start breakfast. You guys have to be famished.” Avery got up and grabbed a towel as he reached the door so he could dry off. “But claim each other first because it will only get worse, Sasha.” “Imogen hasn’t—” “Imogen has agreed to be yours,” my mate said tenderly as he helped me to my feet. “I was yours from the moment you found me in that alley, Sasha. Claim me and ease your suffering. I’m not leaving and will apologize to Aaron. He’s right, and we’ll come to some understanding. There is no reason to delay this any longer. We have a bed after all now.” “Thank you,” I replied as my teeth chattered. My fairy turned off the water, grabbed me the other towel, and dried me off. Avery had slipped away when we’d been talking. He’d been listening though because there was a bottle of lube on the bed we’d been using that wasn’t there when I got up. Subtle.

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“He’s a good brother.” Imogen giggled as he closed the door behind us and shucked his clothes. “Are you ready to bind our souls for eternity?” “Oh yeah,” I moaned as I got my first look at his completely naked body. Hot damn! My best wet dream in a small package. I was also shocked and relieved that all his bites and wounds had healed. His skin wasn’t quite so pale now, and I saw he actually had a nice tan. And suddenly the need to claim my mate and overheated skin was back. I pounced on him, knocking him back on the bed he’d been standing by. “Feisty,” he moaned as our dicks came into contact. “How does this work?” I let the shift flow over me, so I was in my half-tiger half-man form. “I fuck you like this and then bite you to claim you as mine.” “You’re all growly and your cock grew,” Imogen whimpered and shivered with lust. “Will you always bite me during sex? Because it’s not my thing but for you I might make it be.” “Only when I go into heat and need to reclaim you,” I purred and ran my claws gently down his sides. “My cat needs to remind you who you belong to when the lunar cycle sends us into heat.” “It’s so weird how you talk about your cat like it’s a different person,” he whispered as his eyebrows drew together in confusion. “Isn’t it just all you?” “I have qualities of man and a tiger. It’s all me, but sometimes it’s like I have split personalities. My tiger comes out when I need to protect my family or my mates. It just feels right to respect that part of me enough to say ‘us’ or ‘we’ at times.” “Strange to me but I understand the line of thought,” he replied and then smiled wickedly. “Both of you have permission to fuck me any time you want.” “Well thank you, my adorable, sexy fairy.” I growled as I rolled him over and saw his tight butt. I did love it. And I got a better view in daylight of his wings. “Will I be able to lean over your wings

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without hurting you? We claim our mates like this as a submission thing.” “Yes, you won’t hurt me,” he moaned and raised his ass up to my groin. “Slam that huge cock into me.” “Dirty fairy.” I chuckled as I pulled the cheeks of his ass apart. I gave him a quick swipe with my rough tongue, which made him cry out in pleasure before I did just as he asked. And the strangest thing happened. His wings started to flutter. “Do they always do that?” “When I’m turned on or flying,” he mumbled. Imogen blushed so hard I saw it creep up his neck even though I couldn’t see his face. “It’s hot.” He glanced at me over his shoulder and the look on his face clearly said he wasn’t buying it. I growled and started pounding into him. “I don’t lie. I think it’s sexy.” “Okay,” he squeaked as I thrust into him hard enough to move him up the bed. I grabbed onto his hips tightly and held him to me, half pulling him back onto my dick as I fucked him into the mattress. “So good!” “It gets better.” I picked up the pace, not telling him why it got better. I wanted the mating knot to be a surprise. Imogen screamed as I leaned over him and grabbed his cock. “Come for me, baby.” “Too amazing,” he panted, gasping for air. “Don’t want it to end yet.” “Pledge yourself to me forever, Imogen,” I whispered in his ear and ran my teeth over his neck. He shuddered at the contact and tilted his neck to give me more room. I think someone was into biting more than he wanted to admit. “I give you my heart, soul, and very being, Sasha Donovan. Now and forever, a bond death may not even break.” It sounded very formal, and I assumed it was the binding he mentioned. We were both close, and I didn’t want to wait any longer. I sank my teeth into his neck where it met his shoulder. My mate cried out my name and came all over my hand and the bed. His ass massaged my cock, and I moaned around his flesh. I

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followed him right over, lifting my head and roaring out my release as I kept thrusting into his hole. “Surprise,” I purred when we started to come down from our orgasms and the mating knot came out and latched on to his prostate. “Good surprise.” He moaned loudly as I swerved his hips, drawing out his pleasure. He climaxed again, screaming loudly. I liked the sound coming from my mate. “How come that didn’t happen before?” “It happens with mates after they’ve been claimed. It’s fate’s way of telling us we got it right.” “Yeah, fate,” Imogen slurred and then went limp in my arms. I couldn’t help but feel a little bit of pride that I’d fucked my mate and given him so much pleasure that he passed out. I licked the bite closed as I rolled us onto our sides, holding him close to me. When the knot receded, I didn’t want to pull out of him. I wanted this moment to last forever. Right then, at that moment, everything made sense. There was no outside world and drama, simply my spent mate in my arms after mind-blowing sex. And I was scared he wouldn’t stay in my arms. I knew without a doubt I would do everything in my power always to keep Imogen safe and happy and with me. I just hoped I was strong enough to be able to.

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Chapter 4 “How are you feeling?” Aaron asked as I entered the kitchen a little while later. He wouldn’t meet my eyes, and my heart sank. I was so excited about claiming Imogen that I didn’t think how it would affect Aaron when he heard us. “I’m sorry,” I whispered and moved to kneel in front of him. “I’m an ass. I wasn’t thinking clearly.” “You claimed your mate.” He shrugged but looked so lost it tore me up inside. “You have nothing to be sorry for.” “I still have one mate to claim, if he’ll have me.” His head turned so fast toward me I was surprised he didn’t pop a disc. “I’m sorry we didn’t get the meeting we wanted or to acknowledge we were mates yet.” He stared at me a moment before giving me a soft smile. Aaron slid his hand in mine and shook it. “I’m Aaron Loman, nice to finally meet you.” “Sasha Donovan, and the pleasure is all mine,” I purred and raised his hand to my lips. I was rethinking my decision to get dressed after cleaning Imogen up and tucking him into bed. Because I wanted to fuck Aaron on the table right then and clothes would be in the way. Though I was glad I shifted back since I planned on touching Aaron all over and didn’t want to risk my claws. “Avery and his mates took the girls to do some secret errand and give us some privacy. They said they’d be back in a few hours.” “That should give us enough time to get biblically acquainted.” I wiggled my eyebrows at him and leered suggestively.

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“Maybe we should talk first,” Aaron said quietly, but the bulge in his pajama bottoms said something else. “Imogen wants to talk to you and apologize. We’ll figure this out, Aaron.” I tugged on his arm and pulled him into a firm embrace. I needed to feel him in every sense of the word and make his sadness go away so much it hurt. “You met him first,” Aaron whispered, implying if things went bad, I’d get rid of him instead of Imogen. “I’ve known you longer, and I’m not giving either of you up.” Before he could answer, I pulled his head down to mine and kissed him with everything I had. Aaron moaned and slid to the floor with me, wrapping himself around me. “We can be happy, Aaron. I know we all can.” “I trust you.” In a flash, he pulled off his bottoms, turned away from me, and presented me his ass. “Claim me, Sasha. I’ve never wanted anything more in my life.” “There’s something I have to ask first,” I said slowly as I pulled off my shirt. I wasn’t sure how to phrase what I wanted to say. “This isn’t about Logan or wanting to be loved. It isn’t even about being lonely,” he replied firmly as he looked at me over his shoulder. “It’s about us. I love talking to you more than I think I ever have anyone in my life. There’s obviously chemistry between us, too. I want you, Sasha, not just anyone.” “Thank you.” I kissed his shoulder and practically shredded my jeans in my rush to get them off. I lined up my cock and realized something. “Shit. Imogen’s magic automatically prepares him. I almost forgot and didn’t stretch or slick you up.” “I’m actually stretched,” Aaron said sheepishly as he hung his head. “I was playing with myself while you just were going at it.” I felt a feral grin cross my lips at his admission. “How could I not? You guys were loud, and it sounded fucking hot. I fucked myself with a dildo, so I didn’t run in there and beg to join you.”

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“You like toys?” I groaned and frantically glanced around the kitchen for something to use as slick. I had to squeeze the base of my cock, so I didn’t blow before we got started. The visual he was giving me was just too much. “Sometimes,” he whimpered as I ran my hands over the firm globes of his ass. I quickly reached behind me and opened the fridge, groaning what I saw what we needed. “Would you let me use toys on you, Aaron?” I purred as I pulled out some caramel sauce to top coffee treats or ice cream. “Yes,” he hissed and spread his legs further as I licked his tight puckered hole. While he was distracted, I slicked up my cock and then poured some onto his crack. “Cold!” “I’ll warm you up,” I growled as I rubbed my dick over it and set the sauce on the ground. My mate moaned and squirmed under me, but he had been right, he was stretched. “Please, Sasha, make me yours,” he begged as he lowered his shoulders to the floor. I wasn’t going to ignore such a request. “Fuck me hard.” Nor that one. “Tell me if it’s too much,” I said gently and pushed inside of him. His back bowed as he cried out in delight. Aaron wasn’t that much shorter than me, maybe a few inches, so we were the right height for what I wanted. I leaned over him, wrapping my arm around his chest and pulled us both up to our knees. “Oh fuck you’re tight.” “No, you’re just huge!” His whole body shivered as he moved his hands over my arm that was holding him. “It’s about to get better,” I whispered in his ear and nipped his lobe. I shifted into my half-and-half form and he screamed as my cock expanded him even further. “Too much?” “No! Fuck me,” Aaron yelled and slammed his hips back against mine. He met me thrust for thrust as I pounded into his ass, my arm wrapped around him while my other hand held his right hip. “Never been like this, Sasha.” I knew he was telling the truth because he wasn’t the type to lie. But he was also letting me know to settle my

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fears. He’d been with Logan so long that I was nervous I would be his rebound guy. “Just as good as Imogen but different, too,” I replied, unwilling to lie. “Want to be as good for you as he is,” he panted and then tilted his neck so his head was resting back on my shoulder. “Claim me. Please, Sasha!” I moved my hand from his hip and started stroking his cock, but he beat me to it. I intertwined our fingers, and we moved together in every way possible. I struck fast, biting him as I slammed into his ass. “Yes,” he cried out and shot all over our joined hands and the floor. “Oh fuck! Come inside me, my mate. Fill me!” I grunted as my orgasm sideswiped me with his seductive words. He reached back and held onto my hip as I kept thrusting into him. I lifted my head and hollered out in pleasure as I felt our souls tie together as our bodies were. “Mine,” I snarled as the mating knot came out and latched onto him. “This is better than I imagined,” he moaned and came all over our hands again. I’d told Aaron about the knot in one of our many conversations. It’s not like we’d really been flirting and it just kind of came out when we talked. But now I knew why. Part of me had known he was my mate and would be experiencing it. “Falling…” And then he fainted. Falling? What was he about to say or mean by that? Falling asleep? Falling in love? Yeah, now I wasn’t confused or anything. The knot went back into my softening dick, and I gently laid Aaron on the floor. I pulled out of him with a satisfied moan and reached for a towel to clean him up. I heard a snarl and turned back in time to see he was already awake. “My turn,” he growled as he pushed me back to the floor. He quickly grabbed the same caramel sauce and slicked up his cock

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before his fingers. He moved faster than I could have imagined and slid a finger into my ass. “I need to claim you.” “I’m yours, Aaron,” I moaned as his finger practically vibrated it moved so quickly inside of me. Kody had left out this little detail about vamps when he’d told me about how amazing the sex and biting was with his mates. Holy shit, I could get off just from him fucking me with one finger. “Caramel, kinky,” he whispered as he licked my neck. “Am I going too fast?” “No, give me more,” I moaned and wrapped my legs around his upper back. “I like some burn when it’s this hot.” “You’re what’s so hot, Sasha. You are a fucking god of a man.” He pushed two more fingers into me, and I cried out at the pain and pleasure mixed together. “I’m going to take such good care of you, baby. And I don’t just mean in bed. I was falling for you before we even met and fate gave you to me. I won’t let you go—ever!” “Don’t, Aaron. I don’t want you to let me go.” I panted and turned his lips to mine. I moaned in his mouth as he immediately sucked on my tongue. His fingers were better than any cock or toy I’d ever experienced with how they moved and seemed to know my body perfectly. When he pulled them out while we were still kissing, I whimpered until I felt the head of his cock. “Say yes, Sasha,” he whispered against my lips as he leaned his forehead to mine. “Say yes that you’ll be mine forever no matter what happens.” “Yes, always.” The words were barely out of my mouth and he slammed into me. “So full!” “Tell me it’s good, Sasha,” Aaron demanded as he grabbed my hips roughly and started to fuck me as if his life depended on it. “Has any other cock ever pleased you this much?” “No, I hate to bottom,” I gasped and reached for his ass. I pulled him to me as he pounded into me faster than any human, any shifter could.

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“Do you hate this?” He growled and slammed into me harder as he gently bit my neck. He had to have known the answer by the sounds I was making, but I wasn’t above screaming in pleasure if it made him feel confident about our coupling and my enjoyment. “No! I fucking love it.” And I did. He was taking me to places I didn’t know existed. “Gods, I just want to mark every inch of you so no one doubts you’re mine!” “Do it,” I cried out and held him tighter. “I know you bite me once to claim me, but you can bite me more than once, right?” “You’d let me do that?” he asked, gasping for breath as he stilled his hips. Aaron raised his head and stared down at me with his eyebrows drawn together. “Imogen was so adamant about him not being food I thought you’d feel the same way. You’re okay with having my fang marks showing on you.” “I wouldn’t want anyone’s fang marks, Aaron,” I said gently as I cupped his cheek. “But yours? Hell yeah. Let everyone in our world see who I belong to. I mean they’ll heal so I can go around humans, right?” “Yes, yes they will,” he growled and ran his tongue over his fangs for me to see. “Are you sure about this, Sasha?” “Yes,” I hissed and arched my neck as an offering. He didn’t hesitate. He sunk them deep in my throat and then fucked me like a crazed man. And I thought he’d been going fast before! I screamed out his name as I climaxed. His bite was like a ball of pleasure with a little bit of pain, and since I liked those lines blurred during sex, we were the perfect pair. Aaron raised his head and turned mine to have access to the other side of my neck. Then he bit me again. And I came again. We went through this five times before I thought my dick would fall off and he finished inside of me. “Holy. Shit.” I gasped for air, more worn out than I can ever remember feeling in my entire life.

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“Change your mind about bottoming, my feisty tiger?” he whispered as he moved his hips. I lowered my legs with a groan, sore in all the right places. “That’s my nickname for Sasha,” a quiet voice said behind Aaron. I looked over his shoulder as he did and almost laughed at the picture Imogen made. He had his spent cock in hand and cum all over it and him. “I know, but it’s accurate in his case. He is quite feisty, and he’s my tiger, too,” Aaron replied hesitantly. “I can give him a different one if you like.” Imogen glanced at me with my goofy grin on my face and shook his head. “No, you are quite right. He is keeper to both of us, and I wouldn’t begrudge you for referring to him as such. Sasha is mine as much as yours. And I didn’t give him a grin like that after our coupling.” “You did, baby,” I said gently as I held out my hand to him. He shook his head at first, but when I wiggled it in the air to show I wasn’t taking no for an answer he sighed and came to me. He knelt down next to us, leery of Aaron. I wiped my fingers through the cooling cum on his hand and licked it off. “Mmm, like ripe summer apples.” “Did I really make you smile like you are now?” “Yeah, you did, Imogen,” I answered as I wrapped one arm around him and one around Aaron. “This isn’t a competition, okay? You’re both my mates. You’re different as can be but both important to me. The sex with you was just as hot. Like your wings did it for me, but as you can see, Aaron doesn’t have any, but he has other attributes that drive me wild. Him sinking his fangs in me as he did his cock was a whole new type of sexy, too.” “Hello?” Someone called out from the front door, and I was pretty sure it was Cord. My mates and I stared at each other with wide eyes. Yeah, there was so no way we were going to get cleaned up in time. I saw Imogen do his eye-fluttering thing, but he was interrupted.

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“Why the fuck do I smell cum and caramel coming from the kitchen?” Avery snarled. “Seriously? You guys had two rooms you could play in!” “Sorry,” I said, trying not to laugh, but it didn’t work. Imogen, Aaron, and I busted out laughing, gasping for air as we piled onto each other. “I can clean us up in a moment,” Imogen panted as we tried to compose ourselves. It took him a few tries but then his eyes were twitching and suddenly I was cleaned, dressed, and even had my teeth brushed! “That was cool, handy, and a little freaky,” Aaron whispered in awe. I didn’t miss the way Imogen’s cheeks heated up at the praise. He quickly stood and turned to face my pissed-off brothers as they entered the kitchen. But then we saw the babies and swarmed Cord and Ty who were holding them. “How is the smell gone?” Avery asked, his eyes going wide. I gave Imogen a wink. “My mate is magic,” I answered with a smirk then I leered over at Aaron. “They both are in their own ways. One moves faster than a speeding bullet when the time is right and the other is better and hotter than a genie.” “Please tell me that trick works for dirty diapers,” Avery whimpered and hugged my fairy. “Oh my god, I’d love you forever.” “The man can stand blood, guts, barf, and just about anything else,” Cord said as he shook his head and handed me Hayley. “But you give him a poopy diaper, and suddenly he goes green.” “Yeah, it’s never just one though,” Avery replied, rolling his eyes as he gestured to all three daughters. “And maybe it’s a lion thing, but damn.” “I’m sure it’s not.” I chuckled and then blew a noisy kiss on Hayley’s cheek.

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“May I ask how three gay men, one of which is a tiger, came to have three gorgeous baby lion girls?” Imogen fidgeted nervously with his hands as if unsure he was allowed to ask personal questions. “It’s a long story best told over waffles since we also have good news,” Avery answered as he batted his eyelashes at Cord. His mate chuckled and started pulling things out of the fridge. “My mates are magic, too. Cord is the greatest cook and Ty is impossible to be around and not be happy.” “Both wonderful traits in a mate.” Imogen giggled and sat down next to my brother at the large kitchen table with Alana. Everyone else sat, but I saw the way Ty and Avery glanced at Cord moving about making brunch as if he was on the menu. “Does Imogen know about the Hunters and zombie things?” Avery asked me, and I nodded, realizing we were going into serious topics now. And I really didn’t want to. A few hours off from the real world to have fun and enjoy my mates simply wasn’t enough time. Avery seemed unable to speak, his eyes watering, and I was just about to explain for him when Ty did. “Avery was kidnapped from his family and kept by Hunters for thirty years,” he explained and wrapped one of his huge arms around my brother. I think Aaron could see Avery needed comfort and handed Haven back to him for snuggle time. My brother gladly accepted his daughter and did just that. “He escaped that hell and eventually Conley and his men went to disable the Hunters’ circus after we met them and told them about it when Kody met his mates. It’s kinda a long, crazy ass story. But the short version is Avery was in captivity with the girls’ parents and they were killed before the rescue happened. Conley knew Avery had been friends with them and after checking with the Council and leaders of the lions, he asked if we wanted to adopt them.” “Such a selfless act of kindness,” Imogen whispered as he stared at Alana. “I’ve lived for three thousand years, and still, I’ve never seen anything as beautiful as a happy, smiling babe.”

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I stared at my mate as the coffee mug I’d been lifting to my lip slipped out of my hand and crashed to the table. Thank god I had a better grip on Hayley. I wasn’t the only one because there was a loud thunk when Cord dropped the mixing bowl. “I supposed we haven’t discussed my age yet then?” Imogen chuckled nervously as he glanced around the room. “Well, you look spectacular for your age,” Avery said after clearing his throat. “And I’ll still love you forever if you help with the diapers.” “I can do better than help,” he replied with a wink. Imogen held his hands out in front of him, his eyelids fluttering for a moment, and then three thumb-size stones appeared in his palm. He handed them to Avery and explained. “One for each father. Simply hold onto it at the same time as your daughter and give it a simple command such as, ‘clean diaper,’ or ‘bath,’ or ‘change of clothes.’ But just keep them simple and one at a time. And I didn’t know how to add in powdering and all of that. I’ve never been a father or around ones so young much.” “Can I keep your mate?” Avery whimpered as he kissed Imogen on the cheek. “I’m sorry you had to run here for sanctuary, but damn I’m glad you chose us.” “This is so friggin cool!” Ty exclaimed. “So you’re really three thousand years old?” “In human years I’m three thousand two hundred and thirty-seven. Time goes by much faster in our world. But I have not lived there all of my life and visit this plane quite often.” “The things you must have seen,” Cord said as he snapped out of his daze and picked up the mixing bowl. He went back to breakfast as I grabbed my coffee again. Luckily I’d only dropped it a few inches and didn’t spill it. “What would you like to know?” Imogen asked with a wicked grin on his face.

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Chapter 5 We spent the next hour listening to Imogen tell us many truths about history that none of us knew while we ate and laughed. For instance, that the ancient Greeks actually left a donkey and not a horse. It was a symbol representing the Greek god Dionysus who was the god of civilization, as some books say, others say he wasn’t, so the Trojans took it as a peace offering… But really the Greeks were calling them jackasses for falling for their trick. The girls acted like perfect angels, but then Avery said it was getting close to their naptime, and they wanted to show us something first. I really got curious when Cord said we should drive the truck with all of our stuff and follow them. Aaron rode with them and didn’t even make issue when Imogen eyed him nervously about being in the truck with him. Hey, it was progress from last night and demanding Aaron not come. We would figure this out. “Such a pretty farmhouse,” Imogen said as we pulled into a driveway. I thought the same thing. It was about the size of Avery and his mates’ house but not as kept up. It needed some work and loving care, but it was older and had lots of charm. We parked behind the others and got out. I immediately fell in love with the wide wraparound porch. It needed some new boards, sanding, and staining, but it was nicely built. The swing was on the floor and would probably need to be replaced along with some of the windows I could see. The roof looked

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to be fairly new so there didn’t seem to be any major repairs needed. Simply little things and general upkeep. “Welcome home,” Ty announced with a wide smile as Cord and Avery got the girls from their car seats. “Huh?” I asked as Aaron did. “We expanded the ranch several months ago, buying this one from a retiring couple who wanted to move to warmer climates,” Cord elaborated as he put Hayley into a baby carrier that strapped onto the front of him like a vest. She was all smiles and giggles as she faced away from her dad and toward everyone else. “We haven’t decided what to do with their house yet. Conley told us the pack was taking in refugees, and we were going to offer it as temporary housing.” “We didn’t want to give it to some stranger permanently when it’s our land.” Ty shrugged and took Haven in his arms. “But you’re not strangers, and you need a place. It needs some work that we don’t have time to do. Don’t get me wrong, it’s livable, but the couple was older and didn’t do the upkeep the last several years. It needs a new water heater and repairs. We came this morning to check that the utilities were on and working. So you can move in now.” “You’re serious?” I whispered as I stared at them with tears in my eyes. “You’re okay with this?” “Of course,” Avery answered and leaned over to kiss my cheek. “We offered it to mom and dads, but they decided to stay at Conley’s and help others transition there. I also think mom was worried that they wouldn’t be able to stop themselves getting involved in telling Cord and Ty how to run the ranch after years of having their own farm.” “Yeah, that sounds like them.” I chuckled. “How would we do this? Pay rent? We can fix it up? Buy just this plot of land?” “We haven’t gotten that far in our thought process yet,” Cord answered and winced. “I know we could use help around the ranch and fixing the place up would work for rent. If you feel strongly about it, we could sell it to you, but I don’t think we really want to divide up

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the land especially since we use the barns and equipment. We keep the horses over here because it has the room, but it sucks for the morning feedings, and we can’t hear them if something goes wrong.” “Might I be able to have a garden?” Imogen asked as he glanced at the side of the house. “I’d love an enclosed one over there. Is there a local farmers market where I could sell wares?” “You like to garden?” Avery smiled at the idea. “I knew you and Aaron fit with this family.” “Fairies are very much people of the earth. I have a green thumb and grow what humans call organically without using hormones and whatnot. Life responds to us and our magic.” “Grow away.” Ty chuckled as I wrapped and arm around my blushing mate. “I know we’re partial to watermelon and cucumbers if you want. Oh! And fresh tomatoes. Nothing’s better on a sandwich than fresh tomatoes. And Cord makes the best homemade pasta sauce—” “Does he always think with his stomach?” I asked, trying not to laugh. “My mate’s a growing boy,” Avery purred and rubbed against Ty. Yeah, because Ty wasn’t already massive. But, then again, I’m sure feeding his two large, muscular, hardworking mates would be expensive. “I’m mechanically inclined,” Aaron said quietly. I realized then he was standing apart from the rest of us, looking left out again. Damn it! Of course Ty realized it, too, and went over to him. My brother’s mate put both hands on Aaron’s shoulders. “Then I love you most,” Ty replied exuberantly and placed a loud kiss on his lips, careful of the baby he had in his own vest carrier. “I fucking hate fixing the goddamn tractor and equipment. Cord’s too cheap to replace anything.” “Oh please,” Cord groaned. “The damn thing is almost thirteen years old and dies every other time we use it!” Ty whined and rolled his eyes.

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“Bicker later when I can spank you, my mates,” Avery purred. That’s what I wanted with my mates. Well, not to spank them, though I thought that had possibilities, but that ease of being around each other. The teasing and fun they had given any situation. They fit with no awkwardness or being scared of each other’s reactions. “I’m only good for manual labor.” I chuckled and felt a little lacking. “I had a three-man moving company I had to sell when we were all ordered to move to the packs or covens.” “You’re one of the best horse riders I’ve ever seen,” Avery chastised gently. “We have cattle that need to be herded in and horses Jasper can always use help with training. Don’t sell yourself short, brother.” “Speaking of Jasper,” the man in question said as he strolled out of the barn. It wasn’t until then I even noticed there was another truck parked over there. I smiled and went to him. I not only liked Jasper because his voice was amazing with his deep Texas drawl, but he treated my eldest brother like a prince. “Good to see you, man.” I hugged him tightly and slapped him on the back. “Nice to have you here though I heard the circumstances weren’t all that great. Trey is thrilled to have another member of his family close.” “And Addison?” I couldn’t hold back the smirk mentioning my brother’s other mate. “He still thinks y’all might eat him in his sleep.” Jasper chuckled. “Someday he’ll forgive himself for how he hurt Trey. We’re over it, but he still feels like he has to make up for it.” “Good that he realized how badly he screwed up,” I said seriously and then decided to lighten the mood. “Come meet my mates.” I introduced everyone, and they shook hands in greeting. “Fairies are real?” Jasper asked in awe as he stared at my mate as if he was a saint or Santa himself. “That’s so cool. You guys have wings? What about magic? Your ears aren’t pointed.”

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“Slow down, Jasper.” Cord chuckled and shook his head. “Let the man go check out his new home before you grill him.” “Sorry, I just always thought fairies were the coolest when I was growing up.” Jasper looked properly chastised though still excited about meeting a real fairy. “I do have wings and magic, but no pointy ears,” Imogen answered after a moment, moving closer to me. “Is it rude to ask to see your wings?” Jasper glanced at me, his eyebrows drawn together in thought. “I don’t know proper manners on that.” “It’s not rude—” Imogen started to say as he fidgeted nervously. “But his mates don’t like people to see his sexy body,” Aaron said quickly as he sensed our mate’s distress. “Maybe when we all go swimming in this pool I’ve heard of, but for our mate to strip in front of a bunch of men who want to stare at his body would not make Sasha or me happy.” “Right, sorry. I didn’t mean to start anything.” Jasper blushed as he held his hands out in front of him. “Shifters don’t have issue with being naked ever, so I never know how everyone else is.” “It’s not that. I simply do not like to be the center of attention, and my wings are a sensitive topic for me,” Imogen admitted, trying to defuse a possibly volatile situation. “They’re pink.” “Baby, that’s like saying sky is always just light blue,” I said gently and wrapped my arms around him, pulling him back to my chest. “Your wings are like the rainbow and as breathtaking as you are.” “They’re quite stunning,” Aaron added with a smile. “I was enthralled by them this morning in the kitchen before you put your shirt on.” “Okay, now I’m dying to see them,” Avery whispered as he watched our interaction like a tennis match. Then I think my brother realized he’d made things worse, so he quickly changed the topic.

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“There’s also a hot tub in our barn if you guys ever want to use it. Just warn us so we don’t walk in on something.” “You don’t have to, Imogen,” I said gently as he moved out of my arms and unbuttoned his vest. “Best just to get it over with.” He wouldn’t meet anyone’s gaze. And I saw Aaron biting his lip nervously out of the corner of my eye. Yeah, I felt the same way. As our mate took off his shirt, I gave everyone there a look that warned them they better not say anything stupid. “Holy shit,” Ty and Avery gasped as Imogen slid his shirt off and unfolded his wings. “Yeah, those aren’t pink,” Cord whispered and moved forward. Hayley squealed and reached out to touch one from her sling. Then the other girls started making noises and pointing to my mate. “Is it okay that the girls touch? It doesn’t hurt or anything?” “No, it feels good actually.” Imogen giggled and moved closer. “It’s like someone running fingers through your hair or caressing your skin.” “Good to know,” I growled as I took in his shirtless body. He stared at me, his nipples hardening under my gaze. I’d been calm with my honeymoon heat since between both my mates we went three times in a row. But now, a good hour and a half later when one of them was naked, I was starting to overheat. “Mine!” “Oh yes,” Imogen moaned and opened his arms for me as I stormed to him. I lifted him up and mashed my lips down to his as he wrapped his body around me. “Right, they’re in honeymoon heat.” Jasper chuckled. I grabbed Aaron’s hand and dragged him along to our new house. “Um, thank you so much. We’ll stop by for dinner?” Aaron said awkwardly as I ignored everyone else and pulled him along as I devoured Imogen’s lips.

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“No,” I snarled after ripping my mouth off my mate’s. I glanced at Avery over my shoulder. “Is there a place that delivers around here? We’re going to be busy for a while.” “I’ll send some pizza around dinnertime. See you guys in a few days,” he answered with a big smile. “We’re glad you’re here. The rest we can iron out later.” “Thank you, baby brother,” I said affectionately and then leapt up onto the porch. Imogen was rubbing his groin over mine and moaning wantonly. I barely got us into the house before all the clothes came off, and I fucked each of my mates in our new house. I tried to ignore the fact they never touched each other, but at least they were in the same room. That was an improvement…right? **** When we weren’t fucking on every surface in our place the next few days, we’d quickly eat or catch some sleep. I was surprised we’d actually managed to unload most of our stuff into the living room though we’d not put anything away yet. We learned to do it in small increments after I ended up fucking Imogen against the truck since I couldn’t seem to wait to get him back inside. Jasper got a front row seat from the barn. “The water heater’s shot and tiny,” Aaron said as he read off his list at breakfast the day after the honeymoon heat was over. I noticed the way both my mates were shifting in their seats on their tender asses. Maybe I should have felt a little guilty, but I found myself smirking that I’d done the job well in thoroughly fucking them. Besides, it’s not like they were complaining. “We can take the truck and go get a new one if you know how to install it. I don’t have a clue how to do that kind of thing.” “I can handle that and redoing the master bathroom along with the maintenance the furnace needs. I say we take a trip to Billings with your truck and just get as much as we need.”

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“I want paint samples,” Imogen said, practically bouncing in his seat. We’d decided that, for now, we’d each have our own room so there would be no one feeling left out by the others sharing a room. I had the master bedroom with the attached bath, which we would all eventually share once my mates dealt with their issues. “Yes, the house inside and out definitely needs to be painted and that porch needs to be stained before the wood rots.” I smiled at how easily we were working together on plans to fix up our house. I also pretended not to notice the covert glances Imogen kept giving Aaron. I think the key was simply for him to spend more time around our mate and realize that Aaron wasn’t going to freak out and attack. “I could use some help getting the garden ready,” my fairy purred and batted his eyelashes at me. “Preferably with your shirt off and all sweaty.” He hesitated and then looked down at his hands. “Two sweaty muscular men would be even better.” Aaron’s head snapped up, his eyes wide in surprise before he schooled his features and gave our mate a soft smile. “I’d love to help. I’m a fan of green peppers if that’s possible?” “Of course,” Imogen answered with his own smile. “How can you make a fresh summer salad without green peppers? Do you like the yellow ones, too?” I wanted to sigh in relief or do a happy dance. It was so small, so simple, but such a huge step in the right direction for them. Who would ever have thought vegetables could be the start of them finding some common ground? We cleaned up breakfast, made some lists of things to get, got dressed, called over to Avery to see if they needed anything, and headed out. It was another first when Imogen asked if he could sit closest to the door. I knew why. He wanted to make sure if anything went wrong, he wasn’t trapped. But it was better than demanding Aaron ride in another car. The drive was only about a half an hour, and we chatted about color schemes and what type of furniture we wanted. Aaron had

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some, and I had some from my apartment, so we didn’t want to get everything new until we finished the improvements. Something had been bothering me, not that anything was wrong really, just an odd feeling. And after we’d been walking around Lowe’s and getting what we needed for about half an hour, I realized what it was. “Can I ask you something, baby?” “My life is an open book to you, my feisty kitten,” Imogen answered without looking up from his paint splotches. “How come you’re so excited about all of this? I mean you’re thousands of years old. Surely, you’ve had your own place before, right?” “No, actually.” He chuckled and gave me a wink. “Since I’m a prince, I live at the palace. I have all my life. I’ve had the same room since I was a child, and while I’ve updated it, I’ve never had anything of my own really.” “I totally forgot you said you were royalty,” Aaron said with a tone of awe shining in his brown eyes. I had, too. So much had been going on that it seemed we were always dealing with the immediate crisis instead of getting all the details about one another. “I am.” He shrugged as if it was no big deal. “I’m third in line to rule, but I hide from court as often as possible. I’ve never wanted that life. My uncle is king and has an heir, my cousin, so I’m not needed. Fae rule for half a millennia before handing down the crown unless someone dies.” “So your dad wasn’t king?” Imogen’s demeanor instantly changed at Aaron’s question, his eyes flashing violet. Shit. “No, he was second born after my uncle. Next in line before vampires killed my parents, ripping them to shreds before my very eyes.” “Imogen,” Aaron whispered and reached for him. Our fairy shook his head and held up a hand to stop him.

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“I almost forgot what you were for a while there.” He growled and stormed away. Well, we’d made progress for a day until something came back up. Aaron looked as if he’d been kicked in the balls. “He’ll come around the more time you spend together,” I said gently and pulled him into my arms. “Give him time, yeah?” “I’m trying,” Aaron replied with a sniffle. “I really am, Sasha. But this isn’t my fault. I can’t help what I am any more than he can. I’d never hurt him. I swear it to you.” “Oh, I know that, honey.” I held him as he grasped onto me like he was afraid I’d abandon him. “What if this doesn’t get better? Is it always going to be you hopping from one to the other of us? Should I just leave? I don’t want our mate to live in constant fear of me but I don’t know how to fix this!” “You’re right, and I’m sorry,” Imogen said quietly. We’d been so focused on each other, standing in the middle of Lowe’s in the paint aisle, that we didn’t see him come back. “I can’t keep blaming you for something that was never your fault, but I don’t know how to turn it off. I’m trying.” “We know you are,” I replied gently as I opened the hug for him to join in. I held my breath, probably as Aaron did while we waited. Imogen was hesitant, his movements seeming forced, but he joined us. It was brief and he broke the hug right off, but he did hug both of us. “Everyone just needs more time. This is hard on all of us, but today’s been great. Each day will get better, and you’ll get more comfortable with the fact Aaron can control himself around you.” “You’re so sure of that?” he asked me as he tilted his head, as if questioning that I meant it. “Without a doubt. He’s never acted like Conley and Marc,” I answered, feeling weird we were talking about Aaron as if he wasn’t standing right there. “He’s being so patient with all of this and not trying to force anything. And I know how hard it is for him to not claim you.”

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“You feel what Sasha felt?” Imogen asked Aaron, his eyes going wide. “Not exactly,” Aaron hedged and then took a moment to collect his thoughts. “The longer I don’t claim you, the more insecure, possessive, and crazed I get at times. The pull to make you mine is strong, I know you’re my mate, but I can wait until you’re ready. I won’t get sick like Sasha would have. It’s simply like I’m dying of thirst all the time because for vampires tasting you is just as important as having sex.” “I’ll never let you drink from me, Aaron, even if I can get past the rest of this. I’m sorry. I just won’t let that happen. I’m not food. My blood is addictive and can send vampires into a crazed state. If you want me to leave, I will, so maybe being around me won’t make it so bad.” I went to say something, but Imogen shook his head and walked away again. As much as it killed me, I could give him some time to collect his thoughts if that’s what he wanted. “It’s not about being food,” Aaron whispered in defeat as we headed over toward bathroom fixtures and tubs. “I mean, yes, I need blood to survive, but you don’t have a problem with me drinking from you. I’m old enough that I don’t need that much blood. It just brings us closer.” “And it’s fucking hot,” I moaned and slid my hand over his ass. I got the desired effect when I saw him smile. “Could you bite and not drink to claim him?” “No, the drinking his blood is the important part,” he answered with a sigh as he scrubbed his hands over his face in frustration. “It’s the literal taking his life essence into mine and his giving himself to me completely that ties us together when having sex. That’s what binds us.” “We’ll figure something out,” I said gently and then changed the topic to redoing our bathroom. But for the first time since we’d all met…I wasn’t so sure. Everyone has lines in their lives that they

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won’t cross or allow others to cross. This was Imogen’s, and who were we to say that was wrong?

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Chapter 6 We ended up spending way too much money and getting more than we could possibly get done even with weeks of constant work on the house. But then again, it was good that we were all so excited. Imogen ended up finding us again after he calmed down and helped pick out the tile for the master bath. We had our purchases loaded up in the truck, including one garden tub with jets, a shower stall, a vanity, and on and on. Then we went and bought about half the garden section for Imogen. Okay, so maybe not that much, but close enough. “I’ll start on the water heater,” Aaron said after we got back home and started unloading. “Then you’re going to come help us, right?” Imogen asked hesitantly. I didn’t blame him, the drive home had been full of brutal, silent tension. I wanted to pull my hair out, and I just felt like I was the idiot in the middle of all of this. The whole situation sucked. “I can do that,” he answered as he picked up the huge box for our extra-large water heater. He was strong enough to lift it easily, but it looked funny since the box was an awkward shape. He didn’t sound as excited as he had been before, but I couldn’t say I blamed him. While he did that, we marked off a huge area that Imogen wanted for the garden. Then we got to tearing out the grass, which was mostly weeds, before putting in the small fencing. “We’ll have as much hot water as we want for our showers when we’re all done today,” Aaron said about two hours later when he came back out to join us.

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“Guys!” Jasper called out as he came racing from the barn. “Something’s wrong. I smell vampires, lots of them, and none I recognize. I called Trey and Addison through our mental link. They’re on their way. Trey called Avery. Cord and Ty are hiding in the basement with the girls.” I sniffed the air and smelled something familiar. My eyes went wide when I realized where I’d smelled it before. “Imogen, baby, you need to get in the house and lock yourself in the attic we found, okay?” “Why? What’s wrong?” His eyes darted around the yard as if he was missing the danger. “I’ve smelled the vamps that captured you coming toward us fast. You had traces of their scent when I found you.” “I’m sorry,” he whispered as his eyes filled up with tears. “I’ll go with them. I won’t let them hurt you.” “No,” Aaron snarled and went over to Imogen. He’d already shifted so his hands were claws, his body larger, eyes solid black, with some scary ass teeth going on. “They will not touch our mate. Please, Imogen. I know you don’t trust me but you do Sasha. Trust him now and do what he says.” “Don’t get hurt either, okay?” He pulled Aaron down and kissed his cheek before doing the same to me. Then, in a flash, he was in the house. I saw Avery in the distance coming from the south and then turned to see about thirty vamps coming from the west. The difference was they were taking their sweet ass time as if reveling in the fact that they knew we’d be worried. But we had more help. Trey and Addison were racing toward us, already in their animal forms. Jasper quickly undressed and shifted just as all four hundred and fifty pounds of tiger Avery reached us. I shifted into half-and-half so I’d still be able to talk, not caring about my clothes. I was surprised when Addison quickly shifted back.

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“Frank and the other police are on their way. They’re all part of the pack, and I called Alpha Daniels and he’s sending help. I’m just not sure they’ll get here in time so try to stall them as best you can.” “Thank you,” I said quietly. He gave me a nod and changed back into a massive wolf. Thirty vamps against three tigers, two wolves, and one vamp weren’t odds I liked. However, two of us were Imogen’s mates, and I knew that would go a long way in how ruthlessly we would fight. Then again… We were all family here. Yeah, we could do this if we got help soon. “Give us the fairy and no one will die,” the vampire at the front of the group said when they were about thirty yards away. “He is all we seek.” “Why? Why do you want my mate so badly? I mean I know he’s gorgeous, but why do you have such a hard-on for him?” I did my best to keep my tone curious as if I’d really consider giving up Imogen. Yeah, when piggies started to fly. “Your mate? Well no matter what I say you won’t give him up,” the guy groaned and rolled his eyes. Awww, now the poor baby might have to actually fight. My heart was bleeding for him. Not! “I doubt it, but tell me why you want him, and maybe we can figure something else out.” Stalling was the name of the game right then, plus I really just wanted to know. “So he’s a fairy. There’s got to be more to this than what he is for you to risk coming into a large wolf pack’s territory to get him.” “There’s a pack here?” He snarled at the guy on his right. The guy cringed and looked as if he wanted the ground to swallow him up before recovering. “You idiot!” “How was I supposed to know?” the guy shot back. “It’s not like we’re in with the Council or have shifter contacts.” “Why do you want our mate?” Aaron asked with a growl. I was antsy to know the answer as well but, personally, I would have let them fight for a while and give us more time for help to get here. I think he realized it when he glanced at the rest of us and shrugged.

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“He’s fae royalty,” a third guy answered as he rubbed his hands together in glee. Oh, this guy was way too excited about that. Yeah, he’d die first. “And he’s really old. Do you know how strong their blood can make us if we drink from them? But, then again, you must know that since he’s your mate.” The main guy snarled at him as if the excitement had given away too much information. I saw Aaron wince before hiding it. Yeah, he had no clue, of course. Then I smelled something that made me want to vomit. And now I was fucking scared. We were so screwed and I bemoaned never getting to tell Imogen or Aaron how I felt. I really looked forward to spending the rest of our lives together and was distraught that it would end. Then I just about smacked myself in the head. I was not giving up because I was scared! We would see many, many years together, and these fuckers would all die. “You’re not all vampires. You brought Followers.” I let my anger show in my words at the threat against my mates. I couldn’t deny my fear, but it wasn’t the only thing I was feeling right then and I could use that. “It is our master that is the one making them,” the asshole leader replied with a smirk. “I see you’ve met them before.” “Not personally, but I have a friend that killed a few.” “And he lives to tell the tale? Impressive,” he said with a nod as if considering how it had happened. “I don’t see a flamethrower among your pathetic army here.” That was a helpful tidbit the idiot just gave away. “You will all die painfully, and we will take the fairy anyway. Just hand him over and you may live. Be smart and answer correctly.” “Fuck. You. How’s that for your answer?” Aaron snarled along with flipping them off on both hands. “We’re not giving you our mate.” “Then you will die,” the asshole growled. The bad vamps all started shifting, and I did my best to hide my fear. We were so fucked, but I knew we wouldn’t go down without a fight.

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“You first,” Imogen shouted. We all glanced up to see him flying above the house as flames burst from his hands. Holy shit! While everyone was distracted, I shifted to full tiger form and went after the leader. “Are you insane?” Trey screamed in our shared mental link. “Everyone else runs from fire and you go toward it.” “If we take out the main guy while Imogen gets the Followers, then they’ll have no leader to order them what to do. The rest don’t seem to be the sharpest knives in the drawer.” “Sounds good to me,” Avery said as he pulled ahead of us. The little shit was always the fastest, and normally I would have been pissed that he was racing into danger before we’d be there to help him, but, right then, we needed the advantage. And it worked. He launched himself on the guy and tore out most of his throat before we even got there. Just to be sure he was dead, I tore out the rest until his head snapped off. Then the other vamps were on us. It was easy to see who were Followers and who were straight vamps since the zombie guys didn’t think on their own. I couldn’t get over the way they stood there and let Imogen light them up like firecrackers without so much as trying to dodge his flames. I wanted to stare in amazement at the beauty of my mate. He was like an avenging angel in all his glory. But another vamp jumped on my back and sank his teeth into me. I knocked the guy loose and tore at his neck with my paw. Ten of the thirty were real vamps while the rest were Followers. And we could take ten vamps, but I seriously hoped they gave up when they realized they were in too deep. That would have been the best-case scenario right then considering we were already in a fight. But we weren’t doing bad on our own with Imogen’s living flamethrower ability. I bet my little mate had heard that part. “Wolves are here,” Trey shouted with relief after we heard several close howls in a battle cry. They rushed right into the mix.

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Strong arms wrapped around my neck when I went after one that was on Avery. And not only could I not shake off the guy, but my fur and flesh were burning. “Get it off, Sasha, or I’ll end up burning them both!” Imogen screamed from behind us. Oh shit. I had a Follower on me, and I didn’t want anyone else to get burnt by their acid blood. I bucked and spun before flipping over so my whole body smashed him into the ground. It dislodged him, but I got burnt all down my back. That motherfucker had to have been bleeding badly. As quickly as I could while the adrenaline was pumping, I scurried away from the zombie. When I knew I was in the clear, I fell to my side and shifted back with a scream. “Hose him off!” someone shouted, as I heard people race toward me. “No! Water on acid will make it worse,” Aaron yelled and dove to his knees in front of me. “Conley said antacid. Fuck! We need like Mylanta or some shit.” “Move,” Imogen said from behind some wolves. Suddenly he was there in front of me smiling, trying to comfort me as tears ran down his cheeks. “They’re all dead, my feisty kitten. Don’t you dare join them.” “Okay,” I groaned in pain. He raised his hands over me and closed his eyes. As quickly as the burning started, it was gone. Don’t get me wrong, it still hurt, but my flesh wasn’t sizzling off my body. “Thank you. I’m still going to tan your hide for not staying in the attic like we told you to.” “I look forward to it,” he whispered and leaned in to peck my lips with his. “I’m not the best healer, but I put a calcium solution all over your burns. And I’m sorry to say that’s about all I have left in me right now. Creating that much fire is exhausting.” “Some of the wolves are putting out his blazes right now and making sure it doesn’t go toward the house,” Jasper said gently as he plopped his butt down on the ground by us. He was bleeding, though

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not bad, and, oddly enough, smiling. As if he knew what I was thinking, he answered my unasked question. “They’re dead, we’re not. Ain’t nothing like a good brawl to keep life interesting.” “Glad we could perk up your day.” I chuckled and then moaned in pain. “Fuck that hurts.” “Can you shift?” Avery asked gently, and I wanted to smack myself in forehead. He must have understood what I’d been thinking. “Don’t chastise yourself. When it hurts this bad, you’re not thinking.” I nodded and let the change flow over me. I lay there and tried to breathe through the pain as it started to lessen. No one really knew why shifting helped jump-start healing any more than why shifters healed faster. Some truths in life were just there no matter who found them out. My mates were petting me, saying soft, comforting words, and I found myself purring. I knew there was chaos still going on around us since people were shouting out orders and one person was snarling we were all going to die. My guess would be that one vamp was kept alive. That was important enough to get through my injury-induced haze, and I shifted back. “Send vamp to Conley,” I panted and pushed to sit up. “He needs to interrogate the guy.” “Already called him,” Trey said gently and knelt down. “You just relax for a minute, bro. From what I heard, Cass’s injuries burned down to his muscle, and it was a painful bitch to heal.” “Always so glass half-full,” I groaned as Aaron helped me to lean back against him on my side. He had shifted back as well, too. “Thanks for the save, guys.” “I couldn’t get to you,” he whispered in my hair and sniffled. “You were moving around too much that I couldn’t grab the zombie.” “I did that on purpose. I didn’t want you to get burnt, too, and I heard Imogen. I thought if I could dislodge the zombie, he could fry it.”

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“We worked well as a team,” Imogen said gently and laid his hand over Aaron’s and my joined ones. He stared directly at Aaron and changed the tone of his voice to something more commanding. “You will take care of our mate while I’m gone, right?” “Of course, just hurry home.” “Wait? What? Where are you going?” I sputtered after what they were saying sunk in. “I need to cross into my realm and warn everyone about what’s going on. I expect they’ll send me back with guards.” He said that last part with a frustrated sigh. “It won’t take me long, and I’m sure I’ll be back before you wake from your healing nap.” “What nap? I don’t like you going over—” “This nap, my feisty kitten,” Imogen said gently, interrupting me. He leaned over and brushed his lips over mine, and I felt the magic…and then nothing. **** “I am going to kick his little fairy ass,” I groaned as I woke up. He fucking used his magic to knock me out! We needed to have a serious talk about that. “You were going to fight him about going, you both would have argued, and in the end, he would have still gone.” Aaron wrapped his arm around me tighter, and I realized we were lying in my room with the huge bed for all of us. “And you needed the rest, but we both know you wouldn’t have calmed down or let everyone handle things while you did.” “You don’t know me very well then,” I whispered as my eyes burned with tears. Listening to him and even some of what Imogen said yesterday made me sound like a control freak that always had to be in charge, always dominant, and a pain in the ass basically. I pulled away from him, ignoring his protests, and sat up. I hissed in pain but didn’t stop.

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“You’ve only been out for a few hours, Sasha,” he said with a sigh and moved off the bed with me. “Can’t you please go back to sleep? I’d like very much for you to heal and rest some more.” I thought about it for a minute, and it was a reasonable request even if he’d just hurt my feelings. “I’ll shower and get some more sleep after I get something to eat and talk to Trey. As long as I crawl into bed alone. Deal?” “What did I say that was so wrong?” he asked, hurt in his voice. I couldn’t look at him as I made my way slowly to the bathroom. “I just thought you knew me better,” I answered and shrugged my shoulders. It hurt because the zombie had tried to choke me with his arms and gotten his blood on my back. Hell, it fucking made me want to cry to swallow. He let me go, and I took a nice cool shower. My muscles screamed for hot water but given how sore and burnt my skin was, it so wasn’t happening. I’m sure I missed a few spots with my limited mobility, and the pain kept bringing tears to my eyes. I wished one of my mates was there to help me, take care of me, but I wanted some distance, too. They hurt me. It hurt that Aaron thought I was so controlling and Imogen seemed to think I was so unreasonable I would have fought him on going to warn his family. That wasn’t the person I was, and if they didn’t see that… What were they seeing in me? “Why does Aaron look like he just lost his best friend?” Trey asked from my bed as I walked out of the bathroom several minutes later after I’d finished and dried off. “Drop it,” I answered and shook my head. I wasn’t ready to put my feelings into words, and after everything Trey went through with his mates, I didn’t want to seem like a baby. “Okaay,” he drawled and handed me some shorts to put on that someone laid out. “You wanted to talk to me?” “Fill me in on what’s going on, please. I just need to know what happened and what I missed.”

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“Of course you do,” Trey replied, looking confused. “Did someone tell you that you couldn’t know? I mean, I figured I’d fill you in when you woke up.” “Did you know Imogen knocked me out with his magic?” I asked instead after a few moments. “He basically drugged me to sleep because he thought I’d throw a hissy fit or something to keep him from crossing the plane into his world.” “Yeah, I wasn’t a fan of that.” My eldest brother’s face was a mix of anger and frustration. So it wasn’t just me then! “You’re not a demanding person or controlling. I thought they were jumping the gun. They should have told you they were knocking you out because it obviously helped you. I mean you look worlds better than you did a few hours ago. But why not just talk to you?” “Because they do think I’m controlling. They thought I’d fight them and try to handle everything instead of trusting them to deal with it. Aaron said I wouldn’t have been able to let go and not take charge of everything.” Trey gaped at me as I pulled up my shorts and sat down. He shook his head a few times and then finally found his voice. “Have they met you?” “Thank you!” I exclaimed and jumped to my feet. Which had been stupid because I got dizzy. “Okay, I need food and liquid.” “Come on, I’ll make you a few sandwiches. Jasper practically brought over the deli section of the grocery store when the wolves set up your house as, like, command central.” “I really love your mate right now,” I whimpered as he moved his arm around my waist to support me. Partially because it hurt but the other part was fresh sandwiches just sounded so damn yummy. “I love yours, too.” He chuckled and led me out of the room and to the kitchen. “He saved all our assets with that flame-throwing trick.”

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“I love how you say assets like that.” I giggled and then froze when I giggled. I wasn’t one to giggle, and given the severity of the situation, it seemed really odd that I would now. “The wolf doc came and gave you some fluids and drugs. I’m surprised you’re just noticing now.” “Everything’s been hazy, but I assumed that was the pain and maybe a concussion. Now I just want to giggle and snuggle.” “Good, then maybe we should talk to you now,” Imogen said with a bright smile as we walked into the room. Then he eyed my brother over with a raised brow. “I’m not sure how I saved your assets though.” Trey chuckled and sat me down in one of the kitchen table chairs. “Most people say someone saved their ass. Well, I see it as you saved more than just my butt, and I feel it’s an asset anyway…” He held his hands out to the side as if to say, “that’s the meaning of it.” “So it’s a pun,” he said with a nod of understanding when my brother trailed off. Trey gave him a thumbs-up that he got it, and my mate focused on me while my brother made me food. He wasn’t kidding about the spread Jasper had gotten. Our counters looked like they should have a deli case over them. “Aaron says you’re upset.” “Whatever,” I replied with a shrug and wouldn’t look at them. “It doesn’t matter. You saved me, knocked me out, and did what you wanted without asking me. I’m just glad you’re back and safe, not that you talked to me about it like I was an adult.” Passive aggressive? Me? Never! “You would have fought my leaving.” He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. It reminded me of my dad, Beck, when he was looking for patience when we were kids, dealing with all six of us wanting different things. The analogy didn’t make me feel any better. “And you needed rest to get better. It was the right thing to do, and I resent you questioning my motives.” I stared at him with my mouth hanging open in shock. Where was my little cuddly fairy, and who was this pompous prick? Trey

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growled as he handed me my plate of sandwiches and chips along with a pop. “Sasha, you’re being unreasonable about this,” Aaron said slowly as if trying to appease a crazed mental patient. Were they fucking serious? “You want to come stay with me until they pull their heads out of their asses?” Trey asked me as his eyes shifted to his tiger ones. Yeah, he was good and pissed, going into protective mode. “Trey, do not presume to know what’s best for our mate and jump in when this doesn’t involve you.” Imogen’s eyes flashed violet, and he crossed his arms over his chest. I almost felt bad for him considering I had an inkling what would happen next. “He’s been your mate for a whole twenty seconds,” Trey growled as he shook with anger. “We’ve been brothers, litter-mates for fortysix years. Do not tell me what to do concerning Sasha when someone’s hurting him because I don’t give a rat’s ass if you’re his mate. I won’t stand by and say nothing. And if you think him being upset when I’m standing right fucking here doesn’t involve me, you’ve got blinders on, fairy.” Yeah, that was what I expected. It warmed me on the inside that someone was defending me. And I was still shocked at how I’d become the bad guy here! “Sasha is one of the most easygoing people I’ve ever known.” Trey wasn’t finished it seemed. “He can take charge when he needs to and knows how to get something done, but it’s not who he is. He doesn’t have to be the boss. He defers to others in our family all the time because he trusts us to do what’s right. Maybe you should try to fucking trust that he’s not a douche bag and have some faith in him to be reasonable.” “Is this how you feel?” Aaron asked, tilting his neck as he stared at me as if gauging my reaction. “That we assumed the worst unfairly about how you’d react and we were wrong?”

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“You didn’t even try to discuss any of it with me,” I answered with a nod and stared at my food, no longer hungry. “You treated me like a child, still are, and basically drugged me by knocking me out.” “That’s not at all—” Imogen started to yell until I cut him off. “I’m done.” I pushed up from the table and turned to leave the room with my pop. “I’m too tired and too sore for this. I don’t know who the two of you are, but when you find my mates and they want to reasonably talk and treat me as an equal, come find me.” “Sasha.” Aaron sighed in frustration. I shook my head and kept walking. I wasn’t going to fight with them over this. What they did was wrong and for the wrong reasons. I wasn’t unreasonable or flying off the handle. Hell, if I did, I’d be fighting with them. I wasn’t the type. For now I’d sleep and get better, hoping that they saw the error in what they did.

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Chapter 7 I woke sometime that night to find Imogen sitting on my bed staring at me. I so didn’t want to do this again, and I was starving. Plus, whatever pain meds that doc gave me long since wore off, and I wanted more. “I didn’t want to wake you to give you your next dose, but the idea of you waking up hurting was too much for me to bear.” He handed me a glass of water and a couple of pills. I nodded my understanding and downed them. “Thanks,” I said as I pushed up to get out of bed. “May I ask you something?” “I don’t want to fight anymore, Imogen,” I whispered as tears burned in my eyes. Mostly from the physical pain but there was a lot of emotional and mental hurt going on right then, so who knew which caused them. “Me neither, which was why I let Trey hand me my ass until I calmed down and started listening while you were sleeping.” I glanced over my shoulder at him and nodded that he could ask his question. “If I’d told you I was crossing over to my world to talk with my family about the evil vamps and zombies, what would your reaction have been?” I wanted to scream in frustration. Now he asks? I took a deep breath and got my warring emotions under control. We couldn’t get past this if he didn’t understand. “I would have wanted to know a few things before having any real reaction.” “Such as?”

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“How far to their nearest portal? How long would you be gone? Did you have to go right then? Is there another way to communicate with them across the planes? I know you couldn’t take Aaron with you there, but I wanted to ask one of my brothers to accompany you since we have a better sense of smell. It would have given you advance warning if the zombies found you and more of a chance to run.” “Why one of your brothers? Why not you?” he asked after a few moments of consideration, eyeing me over warily. I shook my head in disgust and went to use the bathroom. Did he really think I was that stupid? If Imogen had to ask then he really had no faith in me. “Because I was too injured and shouldn’t have been moving much less crossing into another world,” I said calmly when I was done. “I would have slowed you down and been a hindrance instead of help. I trust my brothers to have helped you stay safe just as well as I would have uninjured. But, right now, no one would be going anywhere alone with those things out there.” I didn’t wait for his answer. I left the room and headed to the kitchen. Luckily there was still tons of food, and I thanked my lucky stars when I saw there was my favorite beer as well. I popped one open and stuffed my face while chugging the bottle down. If there was ever a time I needed some alcohol, it was now. “I’m sorry, my feisty kitten,” Imogen whispered as he wrapped his arms around me from behind. I hadn’t even heard him come after me I was so upset. “I was wrong, and I’m truly sorry I hurt you. You’ve just been so take-charge and commanding since I’ve met you that I did not think you could relinquish that authority over me.” “I don’t have authority over you,” I snarled and pushed him away. “Some apology!” “Sasha, you bossed me around and ordered me what to do when we first met.” He didn’t say it in a mean way, more confused that I wasn’t seeing his point.

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“You were half out of your mind with the need to release some of your magic,” I said as I bared my teeth at him. “And I remember someone fucking himself on my cock without even asking. So yeah, I was horrible to you, mean, bossy, and unreasonable.” “That’s fair,” he conceded and moved toward me. I wasn’t ready for that yet, so I took a step back. “You didn’t have a plan, Imogen, so I came up with one. It didn’t have to be my plan we followed, but there wasn’t any plan. We had to do something, so I decided the main priority was getting you out of there. Yeah I screwed up by taking you to a bunch of vamps, but we wouldn’t have found Aaron otherwise. And so what if I took charge? Why is that a bad thing that led you to drugging me to get your own way?” “You’re absolutely right,” Aaron said softly from the other doorway. I spun to look at him and my injuries protested. The pain made me dizzy, so I started to fall until my mates caught me. Aaron lowered me in a chair and knelt in front of me. “I figured out the part we’re all missing here when I talked to Trey after Imogen was done.” “That I’m not an asshole?” I was going back to pouting now, and fuck if I cared that I sounded whiney. I hurt, damn it! And they weren’t helping, instead making it worse. “No, we’ve known that all along.” He chuckled and kissed my cheek. “You were hurt. I assumed you wouldn’t be calm and rational when in that much pain knowing they were after Imogen. I didn’t…” He glanced over at Imogen who nodded. “We didn’t think that you’d be in your right mind to make decisions right then.” “You didn’t even hear us discussing my going until right before I knocked you out.” Imogen moved next to Aaron, not even flinching for once. “You were in so much pain, my feisty kitten, it was killing me.” “Why didn’t you say that?” I exclaimed, glancing from one to the other. “I understand that part. Why not tell me that then knock me

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out? I would have agreed with you, but you didn’t even tell me what was going on!” “There was a lot of confusion and not a lot of time,” Imogen answered. He finally looked repentant for what he’d done. His mouth was turned into a frown and his eyes practically begged me for forgiveness. “I get that, too, but when I woke up, you should have said that instead of acting like I was being all unreasonable.” I wanted to accept their apology and let it go, but we needed to get this out so it didn’t happen again. They had to understand how I felt so they saw I wasn’t some unreasonable jerk. “You’re right, and we are sorry,” Aaron said as he took my hands in his. “We handled it in the way we thought best, and I wouldn’t change anything except having this discussion when you woke up instead of the one we had.” I thought about what they said, and it made sense. “Okay, I accept and declare this fight over.” They both sighed in relief and hugged me gently. Imogen brought me my food and a pop to the table. I didn’t miss the way he hid the beer I’d been drinking, and I didn’t say anything. He was right. I shouldn’t be mixing alcohol with pain meds no matter how upset I’d been. Shifter metabolism was faster than a human’s, so I wouldn’t feel the same effects they might, but it still wasn’t smart to drink right then. “So fill me in on what happened,” I said through a mouthful of food when we were all sitting. I’d long since missed dinner, I realized when I glanced at the clock, so I wasn’t surprised the sandwiches were going down like crackers. I had to have eaten three before I even realized it. “I went to see the king, my uncle Roland, and told him what had happened,” Imogen explained, looking almost lost and a little sad. “I was already supposed to have checked in, but I was distracted for various reasons. So he was a little miffed that I went this long without

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security. My uncle is not a fan of my travels to your realm with the dangers here.” “Like vamps,” Aaron whispered and wore the same distant, huginducing look as Imogen. “Yeah, like that,” our mate replied and reached across the table to take Aaron’s hand. “But you’re not like the rest of them, and I understand that now. And with the way everyone talks of Conley and Marc, I know they’re not either. They wanted to control how they reacted to me. I never thought vampires would care enough to do that. We’re just food to them from what I’ve seen and been taught.” “Honestly, I do know some vampires who are like that,” Aaron admitted with a sigh and seemed to brace for impact because of his statement. “They’re older and full of themselves and see everyone and everything else as beneath them on the food chain. They’re not people I’d ever hang out with and in a way are like rich, human elitists as they look down their noses at everyone.” “We have those types in my world, too.” Imogen chuckled and shook his head. “My uncle can be like that sometimes before one of us close to him smacks him back into the real world.” “I’m loving how much I’m learning about you both and the fact that we’re all being so open and honest. But please get to the part that explains why I smell ten other fairies,” I said, almost laughing when both their mouths dropped open in shock. “I’ve smelled them since I woke up and that might have been what woke me up. We have an extraordinary sense of smell.” “He demanded I bring guards with me until we know more if I was going to live here with my keepers.” Imogen snickered and shook his head in disbelief. “I can’t believe you were keeping that to yourself this whole time. You never fail to amaze me, my feisty kitten.” “I gotta do something to keep you both on your toes.” I chuckled and bumped my shoulder into his. “Okay, so now you’ve got guards. They’re not in the house. I’d say past the barn somewhere?”

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“Yes, in the trees. My people are of nature and all the mysticism that surrounds it. They have no issue with taking up posts and spending the night outside. They will have someone relieve them in the morning and sleep in shifts for now.” “That’s why there are ten of them?” This part I found fascinating. I mean, I knew Imogen was special, it was never about that. It was he just seemed so normal. He didn’t act like he was some high and mighty royalty of some elite supernatural beings. He was simply our Imogen, our mate. “I am third in line to the throne with a known threat after me in a hostile world,” he replied with a lopsided grin. “Ten is what I talked my uncle down to. They were harsh negotiations. I agreed to never leave my strong kitten’s side, offering to handcuff myself to you always if it would appease him and he let me leave with only ten guards.” “Yeah, so strong that I got badly hurt and couldn’t come with you on your visit.” I wasn’t mad that he went, I was upset that I hadn’t been able to go with him. Those things were after him specifically and he shouldn’t be going anywhere alone. “Warriors get injured in battle, Sasha,” he said firmly and took my hand in his after letting Aaron’s go. “There is no shame in that. And I can honestly tell you that my uncle is thrilled about our mating. He says he’s met your father Martin and respects him.” “I’ll have to ask my dad when I talk to them. It was just a quick conversation, and I said I’d call them after the honeymoon heat, which was today.” My dad knowing his uncle would go a long way in smoothing out some of the wrinkles in our mating. And if the king trusted my dad, who trusted Conley, who trusted Aaron, maybe that would help, too, in a backwards, convoluted way. “Oh right,” Aaron said sheepishly and cringed. “Your mom’s on her way. Well, Trey said she’ll be here in the morning. I forgot to tell you. I guess he was pissed before we talked to him while you were sleeping, and rightly so, of course. But he called her for

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reinforcements to help kick our asses, I guess, and I was supposed to tell you she’s coming. Please don’t be mad that I forgot.” “Aaron, it’s okay.” I giggled and pulled his chair closer to mine. “It’s understandable you’d forget something like that with everything going on.” I felt the drugs really kicking in, so all the pain was pretty much gone, and all that was left was the dopiness. “But if you wanted to make it up to me, I have several ideas of how you could do that.” “Oh really,” he drawled and ran his hand under my shorts and over my thigh. “You’re too injured to have sex, Sasha. As much as I’d love to make sure I got back into your good graces before your mother gets here, I won’t hurt you. From what Jasper and Addison told me, that woman is scarier than Hades.” “She can be if you mess with her family or mates. But if you’re good to the people she loves, she’s the sweetest person in the world.” I was gentle in the way I said it, but I let him know my tone said I wasn’t messing around or allowing anyone to badmouth my mother. “Of course,” Aaron said quickly and kissed my cheek. “He said she was a wonderful woman but never, ever fuck with her. I didn’t mean to imply she was unreasonably scary. We would deserve it.” “We would?” Imogen asked with a cute little smirk. “Yes, because we fucked up, remember?” Aaron growled, and I swear he tried to kick Imogen under the table. I felt something move, but I couldn’t be sure that’s what happened. “Of course, we owe penance for that,” Imogen agreed and gave me his brightest smile. “Now on to the part where we make up for the pain we caused our lovely mate.” “Kiss-ass,” I mumbled as Aaron helped me to my feet. But then I had an idea. Okay, it was underhanded and probably immoral to guilt them into what I wanted, but at this point I wasn’t above that. “Honestly as tempting as you guys taking care of me sounds in the dirty, naked way you’re implying, there’s something else I’d rather have tonight that I know will make me feel better.”

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“Anything, our feisty kitten,” he said immediately and wrapped an arm around my waist. Okay, so maybe I was laying it on a little thick with how much trouble I was having walking, and it didn’t hurt as badly as I made it seem with the drugs and all. So I was playing up my injuries to get what I wanted. Sue me. “Will you guys just hold me tonight? I need to feel my mates. My brain is all jumbled, and I was so scared I’d lose you both. I just need a big kitty pile of comfort tonight.” Both of them froze for a moment before recovering and helping me again down the hallway. I knew Aaron wouldn’t be the one to speak, this was really Imogen’s call. And it wasn’t until we were in my bedroom and they were getting me undressed that he answered. “Yes, of course, Sasha. I will always give my keeper what he needs. It’s a simple and understandable request after what you’ve been through.” “Thank you, baby,” I said, practically batting my eyelashes at him. I had a feeling Aaron knew what was going on but was smart enough not to say a word. We all got into bed after taking off our clothes. I spooned Imogen as Aaron did me so I was in the middle of my mates, surrounded and protected. I would deny ever having admitted it, and it might only have slipped out during a torture session…but this was what I really needed tonight. Since I found them, it had felt like Imogen and me, or me and Aaron. It never felt like us. “I’m on to your tricks, Sasha,” Imogen whispered after a while of lying there, snuggling back closer to me. Aaron’s breathing had evened out so I guessed Imogen had been waiting for him to fall asleep first. “Don’t think that you had me fooled.” “I don’t, but I wasn’t lying when I said I needed to feel this either.” “Which is why I am here tonight. I’m starting to trust Aaron, I won’t deny that. But I’m not sure this was a step I was ready to take.”

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“I didn’t mean to push you, baby,” I said honestly, feeling like an asshole. “I just think this is the kind of step you’re never really ready to take, and I know without a doubt nothing bad will happen from doing this. I also don’t think I was the only one who needed it.” “You weren’t,” Aaron whispered. “The closer you and Imogen get, the more I feel like an outsider. I know that’s probably not fair to say because Sasha and I have gotten closer as well, and Imogen and I are not where we first started by any means. It’s just the longer I don’t claim him, the more insecure I feel about everything. I didn’t want him to go because in the back of my mind I was convinced he wouldn’t return from his world.” “Then why did you let me go?” Imogen asked as he looked over his shoulder at our mate. “I’ve not claimed you and you’ve not even acknowledged I’m your mate. I have no right to say what you can or can’t do much less give an opinion about it. And, mate or not, I never would stop you from seeing, especially warning, your family. I believed you wouldn’t lie to us when you said you’d be back. I knew it was in my head, but that didn’t stop my fears or ease my worries.” “I’m sorry you felt that and are going through all this because of me,” he whispered, and I tightened my arms around him, knowing he needed the comfort. “You’re worth it, my fairy,” Aaron said gently as he moved his hand from my hip over to Imogen’s. He ran his fingers lightly over the sheet we had covering out naked bodies. I still felt Imogen shiver at the contact though. “I’d take all eternity going a little crazier every day in a heartbeat for what I have right now, right here in this bed. Your comfort and not pushing you is more important than some doubts on my part.” Wow! What did someone say to that? “Damn, that was good. I actually got totally turned on, too,” Imogen moaned and pushed his ass against my groin.

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Okay, so not where I would have gone, but that worked, too. Either way, I’m sure Aaron understood the message, and it was well received. That was a good sign in my mind.

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Chapter 8 “Sure? Vamp sure he want fairy?” Imogen asked, sounding manic. I jumped to get out of bed, hissing in pain when my wounds protested the movement fiercely. I lay right back down and turned to face my mate. “Tiger sleep. Tiger and his big cock need rest. Aaron and I work out.” “Do it, Imogen,” Aaron whimpered and stuck out his ass further. I was shocked on so many levels at the sight before me. Aaron was kneeling on the floor, his hands cuffed to the bed frame, with our naked mate behind him. “I want you so badly, and you need me right now. If this is the only way you trust I won’t hurt you so we can be intimate, I accept that.” “Good vamp. Imogen like vamp very much,” he moaned and thrust into Aaron. They both moaned in pleasure, and I joined right in at the sight they made. Imogen glanced at me as he started fucking our mate and gave me a funny look. “Magic built up. Need release badly. Waited too long because tiger hurt. Used so much magic yesterday that it regenerated and built up faster.” “I’m glad Aaron could help you with that.” I threw off the sheet that had been covering me and started stroking my leaking prick. “This is one hell of a way to wake up.” “I can help you with that, too,” Aaron grunted and opened his mouth for show of what he meant as Imogen pounded into his ass. I shook my head as Imogen’s thrusts became erratic, knowing he was getting close. “I’m enjoying the show, and this is you guys’ time to play.”

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“Vamp need to come. Imogen close,” our fairy moaned and thrust harder. He reached down and stroked Aaron faster than I could keep track of. Holy shit! Aaron went wild, his back bowing as he screamed out our mate’s name and came. “Good vamp. Aaron listen well and come for his mate.” I wanted to shout for joy at what Imogen said, but I knew better than to listen to what he said in this manic state. If he called Aaron his mate when he was calm and not overloading, then I’d believe he meant it. He threw back his head and cried out in pleasure as he reached his peak, pumping everything he had into Aaron. Just as Aaron’s orgasm began to ebb, his eyes shot open, and I could practically hear the crackling energy of magic being passed to him. “My gods,” he hissed and came again. That would probably have his cock tender later since I couldn’t see if Aaron had gone soft after his first orgasm. Either way, he didn’t seem to be complaining from the noises he was making. “Thank you, Aaron,” Imogen whispered and kissed his back when they were spent. “I’m sorry this is how our first coupling happened, but you don’t know how much it means to me that you were there for me when I needed you.” “You’re very welcome,” he moaned as Imogen pulled out of him. “Can we get the cuffs off now though? We were kind of frisky and my wrists hurt.” “Oh fuck,” Imogen whimpered as he moved to take them off. I could see the skin was raw and bleeding slightly. “I was pulling you back too hard, and I didn’t even realize it. Why didn’t you say anything?” “I didn’t realize it either at the time.” He chuckled when he was free. They both got up on the bed with me, sandwiching me between them. “It was only when we were done that I started noticing the pain.” “I’m so sorry.”

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“No worries. I’ll heal,” Aaron replied holding out his wrists to show it was already getting better. “But you can do something for me?” “Is that why you said yes? So you could drink from me now?” Imogen asked with a growl, his eyes filling with tears at the same time. “No!” Aaron shouted and sat up. He pointed to my now wilting cock. Fighting wasn’t a turn-on for me. “I was going to tease that you wore me out, and I promised to take care of Sasha. I was simply hoping you’d ride him and let me watch. It’s fine. I’ll leave.” “Wait,” Imogen whispered as Aaron went to get off the bed. Before I could get involved or play peacemaker, Imogen moved over me and pulled Aaron so he turned to face us on the bed. He opened his mouth to talk but Imogen was able to keep him quiet…with his lips. Oh. My. Gods! They were finally kissing. Okay, I know I was more shocked about the kissing than the fucking. But Aaron couldn’t have bit Imogen at the height of sex the way they did it. What they were doing now, Imogen would have never gotten away in time if Aaron tried to bite him. In other words…Imogen was trusting Aaron wouldn’t bite. “You kiss as well as our kitten does,” Imogen panted as they broke apart. Aaron smiled at the compliment but that ended up being bad because vampires’ fangs come out when they’re turned on. And then Imogen surprised the shit out of me. “And I’m impressed I didn’t get nicked kissing you with those things.” “I would never trick you or try to force you into something I wanted when you’re not willing to give it to me,” Aaron whispered as he leaned in so their foreheads were touching. “I don’t want us together that way. I can wait as long as you need. Today was magical and more than enough for me.” “I’ll get better at this trusting you, a vampire, thing,” our mate said. They hugged for a moment, and I groaned, hard again. It wasn’t

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just the step in the right direction. It was the kiss plus they were naked, plastered together. “Will you ride him?” Aaron purred in his ear. “I love to watch you ride him. You lose all inhibitions, and it’s probably the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen. I think if you’re careful you won’t hurt him on top.” “For you I will.” Imogen giggled and moved so he straddled my hips. “It’s such a hardship for me and all.” “Oh, poor baby,” we said together, and then I cried out as he slammed his hips down, impaling himself on my cock. “Is that tight enough for you?” He gave me a mischievous smirk and then squeezed the muscles in his ass. “Or is that better?” “Always good with you,” I moaned and ran my hands up his firm thighs. “Ride me bucking bronco style.” “Yee-haw,” Imogen yelled in a bad drawl and started moving his hips. His tight heat moved up and down me so fast my eyes almost rolled in my head. “You’d never bite my dick, right?” “Of course not,” Aaron answered, looking appalled. “Then you should put that mouth to good use.” Imogen gave our mate a wink and held up his dick. Faster than I could see Aaron was kneeling on the bed, leaning over me and sucking him off. I watched my mates for several minutes moan in pleasure as Aaron deep-throated Imogen as he rode me. I’d never hoped for the three of us to be joined like this. I needed something more to push me over the edge. “Bite me,” I whispered as I stared at Aaron. “Your mark healed, and I want to wear it again.” I hadn’t been thinking clearly because they both froze. Just as I went to say something Imogen nodded. “Do it. It might get me used to it if I see it’s not bad and replace the awful memories I have with good ones.” Aaron pulled off his cock with a loud pop. “Okay.” Aaron looked hesitant, his lips pressed firmly together, but he wasn’t about to pass up the opportunity when Imogen was trying. He lay down beside me. I exposed my neck to him as our mate

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started fucking himself on my cock again and Aaron reached up to stroke Imogen’s cock. “Aaron!” I screamed as he sunk his fangs into my flesh. I cried out Imogen’s name as I came, filling him with my seed. My climax almost hurt it hit me so hard, and I rode the waves of it. “Yes. That’s it. Oh gods.” “It feels that good?” Imogen whispered when I was spent. “Yeah, it really does,” I gasped. I felt bad that he hadn’t come yet but Aaron was seeing to his needs. It seemed my mate had slipped some of his toys into the nightstand. He leaned over and pulled out a huge dildo. I watched in awe as he pulled Imogen off my spent cock in a flash and had him on his back. Aaron spread his legs wide in the air and shoved the toy in our fairy’s ass. “Can you bite me where it’s not a major artery?” Imogen asked as he panted, adjusting to the girth of the toy. “I know you wouldn’t hurt me, but vampires can go crazy from our blood. I’m willing to try somewhere not dangerous.” “Thank you, baby,” Aaron whispered, tears coming to his eyes. Mine got a little misty, too. After everything he’d been through, he was strong enough to try to get over his past. Our mate was amazing. “I can bite your calf. It’s something that can be easily pulled away if I go over the edge.” “Do it.” Aaron nodded as a single tear rolled down his cheek. He fucked Imogen’s tight hole with the toy and ran his tongue over our mate’s leg. Just as Imogen was getting close to his peak, Aaron bit into him. “Fuck!” Imogen cried out and not in pain. His cock erupted and shot cum all over his stomach and chest. “Holy shit, Aaron.” I watched them together, in their bliss and mutual pleasure. But I also watched for signs that Aaron was reacting like Conley and Marc had to the smell of Imogen. There were none.

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Aaron pulled his fangs out of Imogen’s calf and licked the wound closed as our mate came down from his orgasm. His eyebrows were pulled together, his lips pursed in confusion. “What is it?” I asked as I pushed myself to sit up against the pillows. “I don’t get what everyone freaks out about,” he answered and shook his head. Then it snapped up, and he looked at Imogen with wide eyes. “I’m not saying you don’t taste good because you do. You taste great. But it’s not like some drug or something that I can’t control. Your blood is powerful and almost electric from your magic, and you’re sweeter than anyone I’ve ever tasted. I just never felt like I couldn’t stop or that I’d lost myself at any point and time.” “Then you’re immune to it,” Imogen whispered as his eyes overflowed with tears. I quickly moved, ignoring my injuries and hugged our mate as Aaron did the same. “That’s how fate was able to mate us. Vampires who mate with fae are immune to the allure of our blood.” “So you’ll trust me now?” Aaron asked softly as he ran his hands down Imogen’s legs. “I’ve always trusted you, Aaron,” Imogen answered gently and hugged us back. “I swear I did. But I’ve seen what happens. Most vamps aren’t themselves like with a drug, and that’s what I didn’t trust. Plus, fear is not always rational. I watched my parents get ripped to shreds, and that’s not something I can ever get over or ignore the warning of.” “Can I ask how you survived the attack?” I’d been wanting to know since we’d met, but how does one ask a person that? “My father stuffed me into the cabinet in their room,” Imogen said quietly after a few moments. I felt his tears on my cheeks, and I hugged him tighter. “They might have smelled me in there when they first got there, but after they tasted my parents, it was like a frenzy, and they couldn’t think straight. I watched my parents get torn to

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shreds as the vampires bathed in their blood. I couldn’t move. Even after they left. “I stayed in that cabinet for hours, staring at their mangled corpses until someone finally came. My mom’s cousin was supposed to go the market with my mom, but she didn’t show. I guess she waited for my mom but then got worried and came to make sure everything was okay. She’s the one who found me.” “Sweet mother of mercy.” I could tell Aaron was torn as I was from his words. I couldn’t have stopped the waterworks then if I’d wanted to. How did I not feel enough to cry when someone I cared about, was falling in love with, and was part of my soul told us something like that? I don’t care if I was man, woman, animal, or alien, I’d have to be dead in my heart to not feel pain from that. “I’m so sorry you went through that, and I know your parents would be proud of the man you became,” I whispered and kissed his temple. I’m sure there was more to say, and I would have, but there was a sad buzz followed by a ding. “Was that our doorbell?” Aaron asked after it happened again. We all looked at each other a moment before bursting out laughing. “So we’ll add that to the list of things to fix.” “Yeah, might be a good idea,” Imogen said as we got off the bed. They helped me, and Imogen did his thing, cleaning us both up. It really was a handy gift to have in his arsenal when we had surprises like now. “Let me go see who it is.” “Allow me, my hot fairy,” Aaron replied gallantly, but I knew what he was really doing. I didn’t want Imogen opening the door when there was an evil out there after him. Okay, so the door wouldn’t have been much of an obstacle for them, and I doubt they would have rung the bell. But why risk it? “Such a gentleman,” Imogen purred as Aaron went ahead of us. Our mate had already dressed us as well, so it was just a matter of him helping me walk toward the kitchen.

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My burns had mostly healed, but Trey had been right with his prediction based on what we’d heard from our friend. The acid blood burned through my skin to my muscles, and those hurt regrowing. They were tense, then twitching, and gave me a strange, awful pain like I’d never known. “I do know what he’s doing, but let him be chivalrous if it sets his mind at ease.” Imogen chuckled when Aaron was out of earshot. I couldn’t have agreed more. Life was not about getting upset over little things especially when someone had good intentions. Not the easiest thing to do always, but I was a firm believer that realizing something was half the battle. “Sasha,” my mom, Ashley, gasped from the front door when we got into view. “Hey, Ma,” I said with a smile. Sometimes simply seeing family, especially my parents, just made everything better and brighter in the world. Imogen let go of me, and I gingerly walked to her. It wasn’t that there was anything wrong with my legs, but my back was tender and sore, so it was really all connected. “Where can I touch you without hurting you?” she asked hesitantly with tears in her eyes. “My neck and shoulders are the worst, but I’ll take a hug if you don’t squeeze me too tightly.” The smile she gave me would be worth any pain. I was over a half of a foot taller than her, so I rarely got hugs with her arms around my neck anyway. “Oh my sweet boy,” she whispered and sniffled against my shirt. “I’m so glad you’re okay.” “Better than okay,” I said with a wide smile. Both my dads returned the gesture and my dad, Beck, was wiping his eyes, pretending they weren’t tearing up. “Now, introduce me to these handsome men of yours.” She cleared her throat and wiped her own eyes as she pulled away. “We got as far as Aaron’s name before you came out here.”

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“This is Aaron Loman, he knows Conley and Marc,” I said and gestured to him first before my other mate. “And this is Imogen Milford, whose uncle said he knows dad.” “Roland Milford?” Martin asked, with a raised brow as he shook my mate’s hand. “Yes, sir. He spoke very highly of you, and was glad I mated into such a good family,” Imogen answered with an embarrassed smile. “That would make you royalty,” my mom gasped. She glanced between me and my mate. “Shit. I was supposed to bow or something then, right? Oh wait, women curtsey.” “You are just precious,” Imogen exclaimed and hugged her. “Never worry about such formalities with me, dear woman. We are family now, and you may call me anything you wish.” “Oh, he’s a charmer.” Ashley giggled and hugged him back. “Imogen,” my dad, Beck, said as if thinking and then snapped his fingers. “Yes, Roland mentioned you several times when we talked to him. You’re his nephew that lost—” My dad stopped talking and looked at Aaron. “Well, fate’s being feisty now isn’t she?” “That’s one way to put it,” I replied with a groan. My family needed to look up the word “subtle” and start practicing it. Soon. “It’s fine, my feisty kitten,” Imogen replied with a smirk. “It’s common knowledge I’ve never been a fan of vampires until recently after what happened to my parents. I think fate was feisty indeed by matching us up, but I would like to thank her one day.” “Really?” Aaron asked, his eyes widening with surprise. “I would have thought you wanted to bitch slap fate.” “Not anymore,” Imogen whispered, his cheeks heating up with embarrassment. “I admit I might not easily let you bite me, but since you’ve tried drinking from me and you were fine, I’d very much like you to claim me. I just wasn’t sure you’d want to when I couldn’t be comfortable with you drinking from me when you need it like Sasha is.”

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“That’s like blaming a rape victim for not being able to have sex or in certain positions.” Aaron looked horrified at the thought. “I would never blame you or be upset with that. I just want you, Imogen. I understand you come with issues, we all do. But you’re not just giving up and saying ‘hell no.’ You’re compromising and working with what I am. I’d be honored to claim you.” “Thank fuck.” I sighed and leaned against Beck. Everyone turned to me, and I blushed with embarrassment for having said it aloud. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to ruin the moment. It’s just you guys have no idea what it’s been like for me.” “Don’t be a brat and make it all about you,” my mom chastised and cuffed me upside the head. “No, he’s quite right, Ashley,” Imogen said gently and blew me an air kiss. “We both kept saying we should leave so we didn’t ruin his mating with the other. I know I’ve been difficult whether I’ve had a valid reason or not, and the entire time Sasha has played peacekeeper and monkey in the middle. It’s not been easy on him, and we’ve both talked about it when he was hurt.” “You did?” I asked, shocked that I’d missed it. “Yes, our feisty kitten,” Aaron answered with a nod as he stared at his feet. “Imogen and I had issues when we met but neither of us did with you. We saw how it was hurting you to go from one of us to another, and I’m not just talking about sleeping arrangements. You’d hesitate before touching either of us half the time for worry that you’d hurt the other’s feelings if we were around. It wasn’t fair to you.” “I just wanted us all to be happy. I wasn’t mad at anyone, and I understood what was going on. It wasn’t as if anyone was being a jerk or a child. Imogen had real reasons to be scared and upset.” Everyone was quiet a few moments as if letting this whole revelation sink in. It was my mom who broke the silence first. “I take back my smack then. Being newly mated is hard enough, especially when there are three partners. But from what I’ve heard, you all had to work extra hard to make it work as far as you have.”

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“It was worth it because we will make it,” I said firmly but with a smile. “Now that we’ve got that settled allow us to be proper hosts.” Imogen gestured toward the kitchen, and my parents laughed at his antics. Nothing broke tension like a wisecrack here and there. My dad helped me into one of the chairs as everyone sat down except Aaron who was making coffee. We all agreed early on that he had the right touch and would be in charge of caffeinating us. But the best surprise was my dad setting down a huge container of my mom’s famous blueberry scones. I practically drooled all over myself and snarfed the first few down. “We know some about Imogen, but we know nothing about you besides you’re a vampire,” my mom said as she stared at Aaron once we were all settled. “And that you were dating one of the Cowell boy’s mates until they met. There has to be more to tell than that.” “Not really.” Aaron chuckled. “I’m a few centuries old and was born of a poor family who wasn’t a part of any coven. I guess a long, long time ago one of my ancestors slept with the coven leader’s mate. She wasn’t really his mate but the woman was too scared to deny his claim. Vampires weren’t always this organized and involved in polite society. So we were banned and lived among humans.” “I never knew that about vampires,” I said and grabbed another scone. “Actually we’ve not had much time to talk about anything other than the latest impending doom. Plus there was so much going on with the evacuation that, when we weren’t talking about that, we didn’t discuss anything serious or deep.” “We live in a time when there’s always some fight or drama going on,” my dad, Martin, replied with a dismissive wave. “It keeps life interesting and we all will live another day. It keeps a relationship exciting if you don’t know everything right off the bat.” “While very true I must add that in all the years I’ve had, there’s always been some squabble or conflict between some species or race.

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There always will be. All that matters is keeping up the good fight,” Imogen said with a smile. “Amen to that.” My mom chuckled. “You look good for an old fart.” “Yeah, quite the cradle robber, aren’t you?” my dad, Beck, said with a snicker. We all had a good laugh before my mom asked Aaron to go on and tell us more. “I was trained as a blacksmith way back in the day. Then when more modern machines were invented, I found myself riveted with them. I’ve changed many professions over the years, but I didn’t rejoin a coven until my parents moved back to the old country in Europe because they had a chance to be a part of one there. We didn’t always have blood banks and easy access to blood, so being part of a coven could mean the difference between life and death. “I was allowed to join the coven that later became Harold’s. I swear that man killed the old leader to get the job, and I was forever grateful when he died. But I did meet Logan there, and we spent about a century together before he found Cass Cowell.” The soft smile on his face tore at my heart, mostly because I didn’t know what it meant. Did he miss Logan? Was he simply thinking of fond memories? I glanced at Imogen and saw the same worry in his expression that I’m sure mirrored mine. But neither of us asked the question we wanted to know. Luckily, my mom did. “You miss him,” she said gently as she reached for my mate’s hand. It was more of a statement though implication hung in the air of whether Aaron would deny it or not. “Yes and no,” he replied with a shrug, his eyebrows drawn together in thought. “He’s my best friend. I don’t miss Logan my lover or being with him, I just miss my friend. I find myself wanting to call him and tell him something like you would a friend, and it hurts when I can’t.” “Why can’t you?” I asked, shocked that I didn’t know he felt this way.

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“I didn’t want to mess with his mating.” He stared at his hand in my mother’s and wouldn’t meet any of our gazes. “Cass Cowell was going through hell when we met him, and he didn’t need some exboyfriend hanging around. Plus I wanted Logan to be happy and focus on his mating instead of worrying about me licking my wounds when I lost him. “We love each other we were just never in love. But I risked everything to save him, and I didn’t want that loyalty to cloud things for him. It wasn’t fair to his mates or to us.” “I think things have changed now that you’re mated, son,” mom said with a soft smile. Aaron glanced up with confusion written all over his face, and she nodded toward Imogen or me. “I don’t think he’d worry about you being lonely or sad anymore. Do you?” “No, but we’re still both in new matings and—” “And what?” I asked with a chuckle. “Would you rather be with him than us?” “Gods no!” Aaron gasped, staring at me like I’d grown another head. “Then call your friend,” Imogen said with a bright smile. “Tell him you’ve mated and where you are now. Hell, tell him what you ate for breakfast. Being mated doesn’t mean you can’t have friends. We’re not the jealous type.”

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Chapter 9 “Seriously?” His eyes went wide in shock as he glanced between us. “You guys would be okay with me talking to Logan?” “Sure.” I shrugged and then thought about what Trey went through with Addison. “As long as it’s not like you’re always talking to him and ignoring us. We need to be your main priority, but there’s no reason you can’t still have other people in your life, Aaron. I have my brothers and my parents. Why can’t you have Logan?” “Thank you, my feisty kitten and fairy.” His smile was a mixture of relief and joy. “I’ll call him later today and let him know what’s happened.” “Now that we’ve got that settled I need to know something,” my father, Martin, said with a sly smirk. We nodded and he went on. “What’s up with the feisty kitten thing? Sasha’s the biggest of all of us, and you call him ‘kitten?’” “He does purr,” Imogen said and then broke out into peals of giggles. “I’m not sure you want me to explain that any further.” “You’re right, I don’t.” We all shared a good laugh, but then my parents all exchanged a few looks, and I knew it was time for the serious part of the day. “Might I ask how you know my uncle Roland?” “When Avery was taken by the Hunters, we contacted every paranormal community asking for help and information. Your uncle was very helpful with introducing us to other contacts,” my dad, Martin, explained hesitantly as if the whole thing brought up bad memories. Which it did whenever they spoke of Avery’s capture. It

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had been one of the hardest things our family, any family, went through. “He said he knew what it was like to lose family and hoped we didn’t have to suffer as he did,” my mom said gently. “He’s a good man.” “He is, thank you.” Imogen was beaming with pride. “What can you tell us about these Followers?” Beck asked after a pause. “Conley asked us to fill him in as best as we could when we said we were coming. He didn’t want to pressure you since you were injured and call you when he got other reports but given you were the one who grappled with one, you’re the man to talk with.” We filled them in on the way the Followers acted to the way they smelled and everything in between. When we were done, the scones were long gone, and it was getting on lunchtime. It was a lot of information to take in especially since it was their son who’d gotten injured by the monsters. “I hate to impose, but I was told you had a successful farm for many years,” Imogen said as he glanced at my mother. Damn he was good. I wondered if that was part of being a fairy? That they could gauge people’s emotions and know what to say. But then again, Imogen had been around a long, long time, so he could have simply been really good at reading people. “And I was told you had a really big green thumb and were planning a garden,” my mom replied with a wink. “Why would you need our advice?” “It’s true the fae are very good with nature and growing things, but it’s my first garden.” He blushed slightly and glanced down at his hands. “We got plants and seeds the other day though I’m not sure what got destroyed in the fight, but I find their explanations complicated. Some you have to dig deeper and space differently, and then some plants cannot be near others. I was hoping to pick your brain with my questions if that’s all right?”

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“I’d love to,” she said with a smile and then looked at me. “I think some air would do you good, too. You and Imogen can show me the garden while Aaron shows your fathers the rest of the house and the improvements you have planned. Everyone should be here for lunch soon. Cord made a huge feast I guess.” “And you’re not there helping?” I didn’t even try to hide my shock at that one. “He kicked your mother out of his kitchen,” Beck answered as both my dads looked as if they were trying really hard not to laugh. Good luck with that! “I was simply giving him a little advice about pie making,” she replied with a pout. “Yes because you always say someone’s pie crusts look like they’ve been run over as a form of encouragement.” “Mom!” I exclaimed, surprised she’d be so harsh. She was funny in most of her comments, but always incredibly patient when teaching. “He should have listened to me and stopped rolling his eyes, and they wouldn’t have turned out like that.” She was still pouting, but there was a wicked gleam in her eyes. “And they really did look like they met an unfortunate incident with a truck.” “Nice.” I chuckled, and we all got up and the three of us headed toward the garden. Jasper was at the barn working with the horses and decided to come over and put in his vote on what we should grow…all his favorites of course. Everything was going great, hanging out with family, letting my mates get to know my parents, and simply spending time together. But of course that couldn’t last. “Your Highness, we need to move you,” one of Imogen’s guards announced as she practically appeared out of nowhere. “We can open a portal and get you to safety but we have to go now.” “Why?” Imogen asked with a raised brow. I gathered from his lax attitude that his guards had a tendency to jump the gun.

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“Our scout said there are about a hundred vampires and Followers heading this way. They’ll be here in about two hours.” “Are they coming on foot?” my mom asked, and I was proud of how smart of a question it was. Hell, I didn’t think of it. “Yes, my lady.” “Then that means their home base is close,” she said quietly as if musing over something. Then she hollered out for my dads. “And you expect me to leave my mates and their family here alone?” Imogen exclaimed. “Maybe you should go,” I whispered, afraid for him and knowing it could cripple the fae world if they lost one of their monarchs. Everyone else joined us then, catching enough to realize the shit was hitting the fan. “Fuck that,” he snarled at me and turned back to his guard. “Katja, I want you to send someone through the nearest portal and get more warriors here.” She hesitated, and all he did was raise an eyebrow and she was off. “Jasper, contact the local pack.” “I’ll call Conley,” Aaron said and pulled out his phone. “He’s got enough choppers to get help here in time. This fucking ends today.” “I couldn’t agree with you more,” Imogen replied with a nod before turning back to me. “And don’t you ever pull that shit again. I won’t abandon the man I love, ever.” “I don’t want you hurt,” I whispered and tried to pull him in my arms. He moved out of my reach, and while his face softened, his eyes were still bright violet. “And you think I want you and your family hurt?” he asked incredulously. “The fae will get involved if one of their own is here, and we can use fire against them. You can’t. We can take out the Followers from the air like last time while you get the vamps. We just need to separate them somehow.” “I’m sorry.” He was right. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. They flew back open when I suddenly had Imogen plastered to my body. “I love you, too, my sexy fairy.”

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“Good then I can forgive you and not beat your ass. I’m not fragile, Sasha. You can’t treat me like spun glass or some shit.” “I would have wanted Aaron to leave to where it was safe as well,” I said firmly. It wasn’t about him being small. I’d seen how powerful he was and knew he could handle his own. “I was also worried about you being a prince and what it could mean for your entire race if you were killed.” “Oh please, there are lots in line for the throne.” He chuckled and stood on his toes. I got the idea and brushed my lips across his. Then I turned to my parents. “Don’t even fucking try it, little boy,” my mom growled fiercely. “These people had a part in taking Avery if they work with the Hunters. I’m owed my revenge, and this won’t be my first fight or my tenth. Your mom’s got wicked moves. Only stupid people fuck with a tigress or her cubs.” “I really like you,” Imogen said with a bright smile. “Your Highness, we sent word through one of your uncle’s people on this side who crossed into our realm,” Katja announced as she rejoined us. “He’s sending the army through a temporary portal at this location they will set up. And he said to make sure you knew he was proud you refused to leave your mates.” “Who’s leading the army?” he asked, but I saw the way he blushed at his uncle’s praise even if it was through a message. “Your cousin Rafe.” “Really?” Imogen’s eyes went wide with shock and his mouth fell open. “Is that a good or a bad thing?” Yeah, I wanted to second my dad’s question as well. “Awesome actually.” He chuckled. “He’s next in line for king, so I’m shocked my uncle would risk his heir, but Rafe is a badass and fierce. He doesn’t take prisoners and is excellent in battle strategy.” “What’s up?” Cord called out as he and Ty jumped out of their truck when it pulled up.

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“Where’s Avery?” mom asked, panic in her voice. “He’s bringing the girls to the pack,” he answered gently and with a smile. “The ones able to fight are coming, but there are several older men and woman staying with the children in a shelter under the Alpha’s house. When Jasper called to tell them what was going on, we got a call that we were included in their lockdown procedure and to bring the girls.” “And we trust them with our grandchildren?” Martin asked hesitantly as he glanced at Jasper. He was nodding adamantly. “I trust Alpha Daniels with all of our lives,” Ty answered firmly. “You’re right,” my dad sighed. “He’s a good man and would do anything to protect his pack or kin. I just don’t like the girls being away from us when there’s danger. But still, that’s better than risking them being close to the fight.” “They’ll be fine, or we would never have left them, Martin,” Cord said gently. We all agreed that it was the best place for the babies and got to work on the best way to handle the coming fight. This would be a battle for our very lives, and it wasn’t something I could just sit out of, but I was also still injured, which didn’t bode well for my chances of survival. That’s what we were debating when there was suddenly a blinding light that flashed about a hundred feet away from the barn. A man who looked a lot like Imogen, but bigger, stepped out of it after several more fairies came out first. “Was your scout spotted?” he asked Katja as soon as he was away from what I was guessing was the portal. “No, your Highness,” she said from one knee. Her head was bent out of respect as every fairy there did the same. “But I’m sure the vampires picked up on his scent.” “That will work to our advantage though.” Everyone glanced at Ty then, and he didn’t even flinch. “Those Followers weren’t the sharpest knives in the drawer from what Avery said. You guys’ scent

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will give us the path they’ll take to get to us. We can set up some explosives and a few surprises for them.” “You have explosives, human?” Rafe asked, and while I wondered the same thing, I wasn’t sure I liked Ty being referred to like that. “The name’s Ty, fairy,” he answered with a raised brow and Cord cringed behind his mate. Maybe Ty wasn’t always the calm and easygoing one. Just most of the time. “And after we found Avery and learned of your world and the dangers we could continually face, we started using our old Marine contacts to get some supplies.” “What kind of supplies, son?” Beck drawled with a smirk. Oh goodie! No one knew about this either. “Enough for an army,” Cord answered and rubbed his hands together in glee. “We’ve got cool toys, and I’ve so wanted to use the rocket launcher.” “You have a fucking rocket launcher?” Martin exclaimed in shock then my dad got an evil smile on his face as well. “You got two?” “Martin!” My mom looked as if she was trying to be appalled but really wasn’t. “Oh come on, Ashley,” dad whined and turned to her. “When am I ever going to play with a friggin rocket launcher again? He can teach me how to use it!” “Fine, but if you blow off anything vital, I’m going to kick your sorry ass,” she said after a moment with a huff. “I apologize, Ty.” Rafe bowed to my brother’s mate in a gesture of respect. “I mean no offense, I was simply trying to specify since we have a varied group of people here. I would defer to your knowledge of the land and advice on where to set up my warriors.” “Hey, cousin,” Imogen said as he went over to Rafe. “Imogen,” Rafe replied, the love evident in his voice. “You always are such trouble. You know that?” “Yes, but you thrive on trouble.” He giggled as they hugged and had a moment, but then I had a really, really bad thought.

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“Wait, if you guys are here and Conley’s coming with his men…” I held my arms out to as if to say, “what the fuck are we going to do?” “Not to worry, keeper of my cousin,” Rafe said with a wink. “We brought someone with us who’s magically inclined to cloak our scent. Without that distracting them or driving them crazy, there shouldn’t be any problems unless one of them still tries to drink from us. Even if some of our blood is spilt, they won’t catch the smell of it.” “It’s almost like we know what we’re doing here,” Aaron said with a chuckle. “We need a map of the area and the route the scout took here.” Ty started walking toward the barn after his announcement, and I didn’t know about everyone else, but I pretty much followed out of curiosity. Rafe barked out some orders and came with us as well. As I noticed most others did. “So how is Sydney?” Imogen asked his cousin. “Pissed off,” Rafe groaned and shook his head. “She’s five months pregnant and annoyed that she’s missing ‘the fight of the decade’ in her words. I swear my mate is going to be the death of me. But she loves you like a sister and was fuming that someone dared to threaten you or your mates. I had to have father practically tie her down to keep her home.” “While it was a wise choice, I’d guess you’ll be sleeping on the sofa tonight.” My mom chuckled as we went in the barn. Cord and Ty moved several bales of hay from the far wall and revealed a large steel door. “What have my mates been up to?” Avery asked from behind all of us. “We–we were going to umm, tell you, baby,” Cord sputtered and clearly looked like a kid with his hand in a cookie jar. “We just wanted to be prepared and not worry you that we thought we needed all of this.”

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My brother eyed his mates over, arms crossed over his chest. We all waited on pins and needles, even Trey and Addison who joined us as well. Finally he nodded. “All right, let’s see what you guys got.” “We love you,” Ty said quickly and opened the door. I gasped at what was inside. It was a ten-foot by fifteen-foot steel panic room full of weapons. “Surprise weekend trip to a luxury hotel my ass,” Avery grumbled as he moved forward to his mates. “This is why we went away a few months ago! You wanted me gone so I wouldn’t know you were building this.” “Sorry, Avery,” they both said and pouted. Then Ty purred and moved toward my brother. “But that wasn’t the only reason. We had lots of fun, didn’t we?” “I’ll forgive you if we do it again when this is over and you have no ulterior motives this time. I thought my mates were taking me away for a weekend all about us.” “Done, my love,” Cord said quickly and kissed his cheek. “It wasn’t just about building this though. We made the reservation before we decided to put this in. It just happened that the contractors could come then and we figured why worry you.” “Fine.” Avery still sounded quite grumpy about it though. “Show me your toys then.” “Excellent,” Ty drawled and flipped on the light. There were several gasps as we got a better look at what was inside. Holy shit! It was any military or weapon lover’s wet dream. They had three rocket launchers, dozens of boxes of grenades, even more automatic rifles, and a stack of explosives to name the highlights. “You are so lucky this is far, far away from the girls,” Avery growled. “None of this shit is legal.” “No, but the police in this area wouldn’t say anything about it,” Addison said with a wide smile. That was the wrong thing to say because that meant he knew and Trey didn’t. All hell broke loose as

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everyone was shouting, mostly my brothers were pissed they were kept in the dark. “I hate to interrupt, but Conley just sent me a text that they’re almost here and wants to know if the magic is in place so his vampires won’t smell you guys,” Jasper hollered. That finally got everyone quiet. “I’m sorry, my little kitty,” Addison said quickly while it was quiet. “It wasn’t my secret to tell, okay? If I ever get a stockroom of weapons I’ll tell you.” “Oh thanks,” Cord groaned and the fighting started again. My mom put her fingers in her mouth and let out a loud whistle. “You can ground your mates later, but right now we’ve got bigger fish to fry. Now, who’s doing what and how for the fight?” “Yes, mom,” they all said, and Cord started explaining the different weapons. “I say we put the horses and livestock in the far pasture and those of us who know how to use the weapons take positions on the barn roof. We can lay down fire after we set off the explosives while the fairies shoot flames from the sky. Everyone else can go after anyone we miss or someone who breaks off from the group to flee.” “I can do a lot more damage with one of those toys than I can as a wolf,” Jasper said excitedly as he rubbed his hands together in glee. “Seriously?” Trey asked incredulously. “Darlin’, I’m from Texas,” Jasper drawled, his accent getting thicker. “We know how to shoot before we’re potty trained.” “Nice,” Addison snorted and bumped fists with his mate. We got a map then, and Conley and his men landed shortly thereafter. The “smell spell” as we were calling it worked because none of the vamps had any problems with the fairies. Rafe, Conley, and Ty plotted out positions and jobs to get done in the half hour we had left until the bad guys got here. That was the newest estimate we got from one of Conley’s pilots.

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The cool thing about the magic to hide the fairies’ scent was it hid all of us. The enemy would have no clue they were walking toward a well-prepared adversary. We had well over a hundred people, but we refused to get cocky since none of us had acid for blood. Cord and Ty took a bunch of the wolves to help them set up the explosives at the designated areas. The fairies were scouting some of the trees for the best positions to hide until the time was right. It turned out that Conley’s men not only knew how to use the guns Cord and Ty had but brought a bunch of their own. They were laying out positions on the roof of the barn, house, and even the stable. I was impressed and pleasantly surprised how we all seemed to work like a well-oiled machine. And I noticed how well Conley and Rafe got on and hoped this would be a huge step in bridging the gap between the vamps and fae. Then again, they tended to eat fairies so maybe not. It was worth a try. When our scout said they were coming, we were ready. Everyone was in position, and the air was full of excitement and apprehension. My mates and I were pretending to work in the garden so it didn’t seem as if we knew what was coming. Most of the wolves that couldn’t use a gun were in the tree line on the side of the property. The rest and my family were in the barn waiting for when they were needed. I saw them coming and tried not to freak out when I saw them out of the corner of my eye. Glancing at my mates, I saw the same look on their faces. I gave them a reassuring smile, but then the bad guys passed the point of no return in the clearing behind our house, and the explosives went off. It was game time. “Now!” I heard Katja shout, and the fae took to the sky. Those toward the rear who didn’t get blown up, which weren’t as few as we’d hoped, were now dealing with three dozen fairies and their fire. The vamps on the roof started firing.

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“It’s a trap! Everyone fall back,” one of the bad vamps shouted. About two dozen of them started fleeing in all directions. And that meant the rest were Followers. The only negative of the “scent spell” was we couldn’t smell them either. But the Followers wouldn’t think on their own and be able to comprehend orders. They were being controlled, but the head vampire who was creating these monsters obviously wasn’t there because the Followers stayed on course. And that’s when the rocket launchers were set off. Oh, my dads had to be having fun with that. Cord had showed them each how to use one, and they were up on the roof of our house in position. It was an awfully pretty show that would be doing a lot of damage to our poor yard. But hey, sod was easy to get in the area. And our people weren’t replaceable…the damn grass was. The fairies were amazing. As soon as the fight started, my mate took to the sky and joined the rest of them. I couldn’t even imagine how hot it got in the midst of all their fire streams. And even better than having that weapon that wouldn’t get the wielder hurt with the Followers’ acid blood was the way they went up in flame. It was like setting dead, dry leaves ablaze…instant combustion. There were just so many of them that it was taking the fairies a while to get all of them since they were working in teams. The rocket launcher helped though. My dads, or whomever, seemed to be reloading it because they were shooting Followers left and right. They must have set off ten rockets that sent the Followers everywhere like bowling pins. When the dust settled we’d not only won, wiped them all out…not a single fucking person on our side was hurt. We had no casualties or losses. There were a few of the bad vamps dying, still trying to get away. “You attacked the wrong people, fucker,” Imogen snarled as the fairies all started landing. We moved closer with hoses and fire extinguishers to put everything out. The wolves howled at our victory, and all around, we felt pretty damn good about our last-minute battle.

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“If you—” The vamp on the ground sputtered around the blood he was choking on. “If you think this is over, you’re all fools. H–he will k–kill you all.” “How many more of you are there?” Rafe asked as he stepped on the guy’s chest, digging in the wound. “Thousands,” he answered in an evil laugh. “That may be, but we took you all out no problem,” Avery snarled and then smiled viciously. His hand shifted into a claw. “And you’re taking your last breath, so I wouldn’t be so fucking cocky.” Before any of us could move, he slashed down and tore out the guy’s throat. We all stood there and stared at his lifeless body, unable to react to what he’d told us. “Could they really have thousands?” I asked aloud, breaking the silence. “How could we not know that we had an enemy that big out there?” “I don’t know, but this wasn’t the war we fought today,” Conley said gravely as we all exchanged worried looks. “It was just the first wave.”

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Chapter 10 “Okay, my parents are settled at Avery’s, the fairies, besides your guards, are back through the portal, the wolves are all home, and all the bodies are taken care of.” I plopped down on our bed and felt exhausted in a way I couldn’t put into words. “And I’m clean.” “Putting together a last-minute army is definitely tiring.” Imogen chuckled and then yawned. “But I personally am planning to focus on how wonderful this feels.” “What’s that, baby?” Aaron asked as he moved closer to my mate. I seconded that idea and snuggled on the other side of Imogen. “Us. Here, in this bed. Together,” he whispered and then kissed each of us. “I’m not scared to have you here wrapped around me, and it feels so right to have both of you. I loved sleeping next to Sasha, and it was better than I’d ever felt with a lover. But something was always missing, and I just didn’t know what. Now I do.” “Me?” “Yeah, you, you big goof.” Imogen chuckled and pinched Aaron’s side. “We were missing part of our family.” “I like that,” Aaron said with a sigh and snuggled against Imogen’s side. “Our own family. Maybe one day we could have babies like Avery, Ty, and Cord. I always wanted a baby.” “Well, if you wouldn’t mind a baby that was a fairy, that can be arranged,” Imogen whispered so softly we barely heard him. “Huh?” I asked, not sure what he was referring to. “My uncle can arrange a surrogate, if we want, that’s helped the royal court before. As a prince of the fae, it’s actually part of my duty

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to produce an heir and continue the bloodline. But that doesn’t mean we have to.” “I think that’s a wonderful idea,” Aaron said gently and kissed our mate. “I couldn’t agree more, but I think we should wait until after the war that’s coming.” “Yeah, not anytime soon,” Imogen agreed with a yawn. “I want many, many years for us before we start expanding our family. But we’ll have to look into surrogates for all of us. I want us to have a little vampire and a feisty kitten, too. We should have one of for each part of our mating. Because we’re not just a fairy couple or tiger couple. We’re all of us, and our children need to be as well.” “Smart, sweet, and sexy,” I purred. “How did we ever get so lucky?” “You followed the blue light.” He giggled and then rubbed suggestively against my body. “And I jumped you before you could get away, and you brought us to Aaron. Remind me to thank fate.” “Now that I know we’re going to make it, I want to thank her, too.” Aaron gave us a soft smile, and I couldn’t have agreed more. We had a rough road ahead, but what relationship didn’t? Now that we were all on the same team, traveling on the same path, we’d figure the rest out. And if worse came to worst, and we had issues to resolve…we could always fuck each other silly until someone complied. We were three men. It seemed the healthy way to me.

THE END WWW.JOYEEFLYNN.COM

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Joyee Flynn grew up in Chicago living in the same house all her life until she went left for college. Though she has a great life, she loves to get lost in fantasy that only books could bring. Her wide interest in reading was reflected in her writings. Currently Joyee lives with her dog, Marius, named after a vampire from Ann Rice’s Interview with the Vampire series. She dreams of one day living out in Montana, enough land to have a few horses, and find a couple of cowboys of her own. A lover of men, Joyee’s all about them in any form in her books. Vampire, werewolf, military, doesn’t matter at all as long as they are hot, hard, and sex fiends!

Also by Joyee Flynn Ménage Amour: North American Dragon 1: Dragon Mine Ménage Amour: North American Dragon 2: Dragon Ours Ménage Amour: North American Dragon 3: Their Dragon Siren Classic: Marius Brothers 1: Micah Siren Classic: Marius Brothers 2: Remus Siren Classic: Marius Brothers 3: Stefan Siren Classic: Marius Brothers 4: Victor Ménage Amour: The O’Hagan Way 1: A Dillon Sandwich Ménage Amour: The O’Hagan Way 2: A Caleb Footlong Ménage Amour: Purrfect Mates 1: Here Kitty, Kitty Ménage Amour: Purrfect Mates 2: My Little Kitty Ménage Amour: Purrfect Mates 3: Our Sexy Tiger Ménage Amour: Purrfect Mates 4: My Angel Cheetah Ménage Amour: Purrfect Mates 5: Kitty in the Middle Ménage Amour: Purrfect Mates 6: Cheetah in Charge Siren Classic: Hiding Hounds 1: Sheriff Found Siren Classic: Hiding Hounds 2: Vet Found

Ménage Amour: Resistant Omegas 1: Tristan Ménage Amour: Resistant Omegas 2: Carson Siren Classic: Sons of Thanatus 1: My Maven, My Everything Siren Classic: Sons of Thanatus 2: Higher Rank Siren Classic: Beyond the Marius Brothers 1: Isaac Dragos Siren Classic: Midnight Matings: Squeak and A Roar Siren Classic: Midnight Matings: Two Fangs and a Hoof Siren Classic: Midnight Matings: Spells and Bananas Siren Classic: Midnight Matings: Fur and Flightless

Also by Stormy Glenn and Joyee Flynn Ménage Amour: Delta Wolf 1: Chameleon Wolf Ménage Amour: Delta Wolf 2: Mating Games Ménage Amour: Delta Wolf 3: Blood Lust

Available at BOOKSTRAND.COM

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