I woke with a start. Jackknifing straight up in bed, it took me a couple seconds to figure out where I was. Where she was. Right before my heart tripped over into triple time, I saw her. One of my brothers had covered her with a blanket, but she was still right beside me. Where I had left her. My brothers had left at some point during the night. I blew out a big breath as my body relaxed. When we had lost our mom and sister, it had been the worst day of my-our-life. Or so I'd thought. Finding out Hols had been kidnapped felt like that scar had been roasted in huge flames and then left to die a slow torturous death. Last night though...I'd never experienced that kind of pain. That level of loss. Not only had the joy been torn from my life, it left a hole that would only fill with hate, anger, and pain. For the brief moments that we had grieved her, our sweet girl, my life had stopped. My heart along with it. I lay back down as I pondered the new reality that Hollyn Elaine Pa
Tag and Thane pushed through the door to Tove's room, their faces heavy with lust. Both of them were sporting hard cocks that were trying to escape the confines of the shorts they were wearing. I felt butterflies take flight in my belly. "Ooo, do I get to explore all of you?" I rubbed my hands together in delight. "Soon, sweet girl. I've been listening to all the sexy moans from you two for the last hour. I need to be inside you." Tag's storm cloud eyes were diamond bright. "Now."My body went up in flames. I'd never been wanted like this. This instantly, this wholly. Nor had I ever wanted anyone like I wanted-needed-these men. It was a daily battle to remind myself that they wanted me. That they loved me. But I wouldn't abuse their trust in me by listening to the hard voices of my past more than I heard their words of love and acceptance. Tag pulled me off the bed. His grip tight but not bruising. He squeezed the flesh of my ass as he turned me towards the upright posts
"Where do you get this?" I soaked up some more of the dark, sugary, sticky liquid with a bite of pancakes. I'd never had syrup before, but I was pretty sure it had become one of my new favorite flavors. "The store, Stretch. Just like we get most things." Thane took another drink from his steaming cup. "Did anyone see where Sidney went?" I asked, my mouth full. "He was gone after Thane and I left Tove's room last night," Grumpy said. "Since I didn't hear him, I'm assuming he either magicked himself out of here, or one of the gods came and retrieved him."I nodded. Between the peanut butter, syrup, and pancakes, I felt like I could drink a gallon of milk. I settled for a large glass of the delicious cow juice. I'd been so happy to know that this world still had cows and milk. "So what are we doing today?" I asked after a few moments while everyone finished their meals. "I think we need to come up with some concrete plans for moving forward with the business, first off,"
I clenched my teeth to keep from yanking the light of my life out of her grandmother's arms. The whole idea that this woman who looked at the same age as my Sweetcheeks was her grandmother was throwing me for a loop. But with everything else that was going on in our lives at the moment, I had a feeling adaptability was going to be a precious attribute.Ari patted her hands over Sweetcheeks' back, her face serene as she held the sobbing younger woman. "My sweet child, you did not kill her. You would have been unable to do so. She gifted you her power as a last defense against the evil that lurks under the surface of Alder Valley. She sacrificed herself to keep you safe."I snorted. "Being raped on multiple occasions isn't really what I would consider safe."Ari's eyes fired until they looked like sapphires drenched in flames. "What?"Sweetcheeks shrank back, put a hand over my mouth. Shook her head as she looked up at me, pleading in her eyes. I nipped her fingers. When she p
I rolled out from under the bed, starshine ready and waiting in my hands. "Who the hell are you and how did you get in here?" I asked the woman. She had long blonde hair that looked like it would touch her butt if it weren't up in braids. Dozens of pieces of metal danced at her ears as she raised her hands and backed away. "Easy there, corcra. No need for weapons of mass destruction." Her gaze slid over my naked body. A glint appeared in her bright green eyes as a smile played at the corner of her mouth. "Then again, I might be willing to be destroyed if you're the one doing it."Tag finally made it out from under the bed, a glare on his face. "Who the fuck are you and how did you get in here?"I rolled my eyes. Like she was going to answer hi-"Ari called for me. I'm Drace." She stuck her hand out for him to shake. She gave him the same once over she'd given me. "Damn, is this where all the hot people live? If so, can I come stay here?" She looked between us, hope evident on
"With Sidney gone, who's going to train Hols?" I asked. I had to do something, anything, to distract myself from the images of Drace and Hols entwined together-all long sexy bodies and smooth skin sliding over each other. Lips caressing ski-Tag slapped me upside the head. "Stop it."Right. I shook my head. "Hols. Training. Who? What? When? Where? How?" I probably sounded like an idiot, but it was working. Ari smirked at me. "I'll take over her training. If she was able to come find me on Caer Sidi, then she is more powerful than any druid currently alive."I sighed. "Good. I think Sidney the Asshat was of the sink or swim type of teacher." I still needed to kick the guy's ass. I slapped my hands together. "Good. That's all taken care of. When do we start dragon training?" I was so freaking excited. It was like real live D&D. Except, I got to play my actual character. I just wish I could tell my fellow campaigners. That would be the shit. "We'll wait for nightfall. Peopl
I swallowed again, rubbed my free palm down the leg of my shorts to wipe it off. Now that the time had come to share the news of our family, all I could feel was butterflies and the rampant urge to vomit. As if she knew that, Stretch pulled from Tag's arms and wrapped her own around my waist. "Whatever it is, it won't change anything, Thane." She pressed her sweet lips to my sternum. "I promise."I hugged her to me. I wasn't terrified of the news or how she'd take it. It was just so personal. Except for the three of us, no one knew or understood. We'd been forbidden from sharing it. Had thought sharing it would end with our lives being forfeit. That was a lot for angry teens and young adult men to carry. I released her and we sat on Tove's bed. Tove got himself settled in his computer chair and wheeled it over. Tag leaned against one of the upright posts of the bed. "We come from a long line of shifters. Sometimes it skipped a generation, depending on various genes and expre
I clamped my arms around Sweetcheeks like they were steel bands as I felt the room drop away from us in the blinding light. It felt like I was trying to shield myself from the sun with a piece of lace. The light radiated around us, heated me from within. "What the hell?" Tove shouted. "I think closer to the heavens," Sweetcheeks said with a chuckle. "Look up." Her voice oozed happiness and joy. I slitted one eye open, ready to slam it shut again against the brutal brilliance of the light. All I could see for a moment were the singed vapors of after images on my retinas. Once those cleared, I sucked in a gasp. Blinked a few times to make sure I was actually seeing what my eyes and brain were telling me I was seeing. "This is amazing."Sweetcheeks giggled. "I know." She lowered her chin, smacked her mouth to mine. Too soon, she pulled away. "It's beautiful."Yes, yes she fucking was beautiful. Her dark purple hair was fanned out around her head against the purest white backg