We stood behind the safety of the glass. Watched as our sweet girl called down power and horror on the people who had ruined our lives. Watched as our girl drifted farther and farther away from us even though she hadn't moved. "Something's wrong," I said again. "This isn't our Hollyn." I shook my head. "She would never take joy in someone else's pain. No matter who they were. Not like this." I turned to look at Ari. She had tears streaming down her cheeks as she strained against Thane's and Tag's hold. She pleaded with me with her eyes. She knew something was wrong, too. "Let her go," I said. I pulled my brothers' hands away from the goddess. "Let her go. She can help us save her.""Stretch said not to let her talk. You going to be the one to tell Stretch that you didn't do what she asked?" Thane asked, his gaze still glued to our girl outside. I punched him in the face. When he righted, I stabbed a hand towards the window. "Does that look like our girl? Where the fuck is
Incandescent rage flowed through me as Thane's mouth smashed down onto mine. I bit at his lips as his words crashed through my brain. We won't let him have you, Stretch. We claimed you first. You're ours.The drain was immediate and painful. I shrieked against his mouth as I felt them pull and suck away my power. My birthright. My legacy. They ripped it from me in large gulps. My arms were locked to my sides by Tove's hands. My hands were clenched in Grumpy's fists. Made helpless by my men.Not helpless, Stretch. Never helpless. Not with us. We're saving you. Saving you from him. Look inside. This isn't you. I snarled and pushed his words aside. He was stealing what wasn't his to take. Just like all the other men in the Vi-Something sharp carved through my upper arm right before a boiling hot rag was stuffed inside the wound. Thane swallowed my scream of pain. My whimper of agony. We're saving you. I'm so sorry, Stretch. Sorry we didn't notice it earlier. Speak for y
I fisted my hands to keep from yanking Cheeks out of Drace's arms and into my own. She was mine and we'd almost lost her. Again. Drace carried our mate into the house. I turned on the gods who thought to make a game with our lives. Calling to my dragon, I let him out to play. The wrenching pleasure of my hybrid body saturated my senses. "Stand up," I said softly. The rumble of my voice in my chest never ceased to amaze me. My dragon was badass and I was glad he was mine. They stumbled to their feet. All except the blonde goddess. She was dead. My girl had killed a goddess. Here was hoping we didn't have a lot of backlash from that unfortunate circumstance. I fought not to kick the dead woman's body. They better not get in our faces about it. They'd brought this onto themselves. The two giant men slumped against each other while they left Brigid to manage on her own. All three swayed slightly. Their skin had been eaten away in different places while bruises bloomed over t
I woke in the dark. For the first time in what felt like forever, nothing had invaded my sleep. No whispers. No nightmares. Nothing. Just solid, healing sleep. As my eyes adjusted, I saw that my men had left a light on in the bathroom for me. Joy and peace lit my heart. They were the best. And they were mine. A soft knock sounded at the door. I tasted the air, smiled as I recognized the energy signature. "Come on in, Grams."Ari opened the door, a giant smile on her face. "I've always wanted to be called that." She walked over to the bed. "How are you feeling?"I nodded. "Really good actually. How are you?"She spluttered a laugh. "I'm well, thank you. But then again, five days of rest and recovery will do that for a body."I jerked. "Five days? I've been sleeping for five days?" I pushed the covers down my body. I was both unhappy and incredibly relieved to find that I had a pair of men's boxer briefs-blue and red with a giant S in the middle of my pubic bone-and a white
A loud knock sounded on the door. "Now that all the hooting and hollering are done, can Hollyn come out and play?" Drace called. "No. Go away," Grumpy yelled back, a smile on his face. He pulled from my mouth and fell sideways onto the bed.Drace thumped the door. If I wasn't mistaken, she'd kicked it. "Not happening. It's my turn." She chuckled. "You know what I mean. But I kinda need my best friend for girl talk. You've got ten minutes before I open this door."Thane slapped a hand to my butt, causing me to squeal. "Guess you better get in the shower." He leaned down. Pressed his lips to the small of my back. "I'm so very glad you're back, Stretch. Burning down the world was our next option." He pulled out of me. I shuddered at the feeling. Felt our mixed juices slide down my leg. He groaned again. "Fuck. That's hot." He slid a finger up along my thigh. I shivered. Grumpy, spread out before me on the bed, his head hanging off the end, jerked up into a seated positi
I snatched my pants up my legs as Drace stuck her head in the door. Her eyes were squeezed shut. Her face was pointed up towards the ceiling. "Is she ready?""Get the fuck out of here, Drace!" Tag snarled at her. I chuckled. "She's in the shower. She'll be out when she's out. Don't pester her. Now seriously, leave.""Fine. I'm going, I'm going. Bunch of killjoys. You guys still have to talk to the Elders by the way. Seems they want some kind of new council to be formed?" She shut the door before I could open my mouth to comment. I looked at my brothers. "What the fuck?"They both shrugged as they pulled their clothes back on. "I'm taking a shower. I'll be out in ten minutes," Tove said. He strode to the door, went through. Tag soon followed after him. I didn't want to interrupt Stretch in her shower. I knew how much she liked them. So I just cleaned up as best as I could and threw a shirt on. Walking out my door to the living room, I saw that Drace hadn't been lying.
I heard an unknown female's voice and rushed over to the front door. She better realize that Thane was a claimed man. I was still kind of in the mood to kick some ass, and this random chick's would suit well enough. I pushed by Finn and Drace. "Hey, I'm Hollyn. Who are you again?" I stepped between her and Thane. Thane chuckled from behind me. "She said her name's Kiema."I rolled the name around in my head. It sounded more like pie-eema. What a stupid name.The woman snorted. "It is a bit of a stupid name, but it's what I've got to work with. Can we come in? And before you ask, yes, I can read your mind."Finn stepped forward. "I've only heard that name once. And you look much too young to be her."Three men behind the beautiful brunette with pale gray eyes growled. Kiema rolled her eyes without turning around. "I guess it depends on what you've heard about me. But if you won't take my word for it, let me get Graysten." She rose on her tiptoes and turned around. Her l
"Let's go kill us a Merlin," the stranger goddess said as she laid her hand against my chest. Okay, fine, she has a name. Kiema Sova. But I wasn't planning on getting accustomed to using it. She didn't even know who Merlin was. What kind of goddess was she supposed to even be that she didn't recognize the greatest druid in the entire world?The world around me shifted and slid to the side as her fingers touched the skin of my chest. I blinked when I found myself standing back in the living room of my home with my men. Thane, Tagan, and Toven stood around me in a loose circle as Ari-my grandmother and goddess-smiled. "Bring her back," Tagan demanded. I smiled. "I'm fine, Grumpy." He yanked me into his arms, a low, continuous growl pushing from his chest. His triplet brothers, Thane and Toven, edged in front of me. I could see the fine muscles of their shoulders twitching while their hands clenched and relaxed."What the fuck was that?" Thane demanded of the new people st
Eleven Months Later"Give me my babies, Grumpy. I carried them. I get to hold them." I held out my arms. My tired and noodley arms. I didn't care if I could barely hold them up. I was going to snuggle with my three girls until we all fell asleep anyways. He slid the one wrapped in purple into my arms. "So bossy, cheeks." He kissed my sweaty brow. "I love it. But I'm still the boss." My daughter's blonde hair and dark purple eyes were a startling combination. Her dusky skin made her even more exotic looking. I blew a raspberry at him. "That's what you think. We've got you outnumbered now."Tove carried over the little girl snuggled in pink. "Yes, you do. We're all going to be wrapped around your fingers. Hell, I already am and I have no problem admitting it." With her citrine eyes and black hair, she was just as pretty as her sister. Thane smiled. He laid the little bundle of yellow on my chest. "I'm right there with you. They're perfect, Stretch. Just like you." Little Miss Sun
One month laterI looked at the little computer screen. Squinted. When that didn't help, I rubbed my eyes. Blinked. Looked at the screen again. "Are you sure?" I asked. The nice dragon smiled at me. "Very sure, my lady."I grimaced at the name. But no matter how many times I told people not to call me that, they continued to do so anyways. I shook my head. "I still don't believe you.""Cheeks, you're pregnant. You can't tell me all the crazy mood swings and eating us out of house and home has been lost on you," Grumpy snapped at me. His face was basically plastered to the little screen. I glared at the back of his head. "If that's so, maybe I should go live with Drace and Finn. They won't bitch at me."He turned with a snarl. "Try it and see what happens."The dragon healer chuckled, the sound a little uncomfortable. "Perhaps we could all calm down. New mothers, especially dragon carriers, need to be calm and happy." I raised my eyebrows in victory at Grumpy. "Yeah. No m
"Where is she? Where's my granddaughter? Hollyn, he was lying. He was lying, baby!" Ari raced up. Tears and fear soaked her voice. "I would never do that. Not ever. You're mine. Just as your mother was mine. I don't trade one for the other. I'd never do that." I looked up at Tove, his blue green eyes smiling down at me. "Think I should talk to her?"He nodded. "You know you want to. I can tell." He gave me a cheeky wink. I narrowed my eyes at him. "Watch it, mister."He smacked his lips to mine. "You just smashed Merlin into light particles. I'm pretty sure you can handle a discussion with your Grams."I smiled hugely. I had smashed Merlin into light particles. His bitchass was no more. My eyes widened. "Shit!" I pushed Tove off me. "We've got to get out of here. Merlin's gone. The Valley could collapse at any second."Ari crushed me into her body. "He was lying. He was lying. I swear to you he was lying." She kept saying the same thing over and over again, her eyes wi
I still rushed forward. I would do whatever was necessary to help her win this. To get her back. To bring her home. Literally blind, I plowed into someone. She gave a hoarse oomph as we smashed to the ground and rolled. "Batman," she whispered. Then she settled her lips on mine. Two more heavy bodies crushed down on us. She inhaled sharply. "Can't...breathe."With a grunt, I forced myself to my hands and knees. Made a cage of protection over her. My brothers rolled off to the sides. "Sorry!" Tag said as he popped back up."Damnit, Tag," Thane snarled. "You good, sweet girl?" I whispered. She nodded. "As long as you're all here, I'm better than good."Soon, she was in our arms in another Hollyn burrito.
I saw his smug stupid face as he smiled up at me.He raised a hand. The energy crackled like pale pink lightning in his palm. His lips moved. The stores of my magic that had been topped off with Chaos' boost bubbled and writhed as I filled them with starshine. There were no longer any stars in my bright Autumn sky. None. Save for one. The sun. Using a thread of Chaos' magic, I linked up to the shining orb that rested high above our globe's heavens. The power shivered and danced through me. An unbreakable link that let me see far beyond what my eyes were capable of. The hint of pink shot from Merlin's hand, straight at me. I steadied myself. Prayed that my magic would hold me true. That I wasn't going to be the reason everyone in my life, in this fucking Valley, died. Just as the spinning, crackling sphere of pure energy neared me, it burst into a rainbow of motes. I hurtled towards the earth and an idea began to form. I had no idea if it would work, but I was out
He dies. Right now. I was torn between screaming in victory and yelling at my girl until I ruined my voice forever. Either way, I was out of time. As we raced up the final small hill, I saw her dart down from her spot in the sky. We thrust through the line of Wardens as she angled herself like an arrow at the man who had caused all of this. "You shouldn't have told me my men were dead." Her voice was in my head, but I could also hear it as if she'd whispered it to me. Shit. I poured on the speed.
I gritted my teeth. Tried to convince myself it was a lie. He wrapped a hand in my hair, yanked my head back. With his free hand, he displayed another screen of some kind. "Watch, pet. Watch with me as you realize your doom." A picture wobbled and then steadied in front of me."My daughter, Hollyn's mother, crying out for me," Ari said as she turned to look at someone.Grumpy. She was with Grumpy. They were both wearing the clothes we'd arrived in. The backdrop of the picture showed the hollowed out remains of the Village. Body and pieces of creatures dotted the ground."She's gone. You said yourself that she was gone. Cheeks told us." Grumpy squeezed her arm. Ari's gaze darted over his shoulder, back to his face. Her blue eyes were wide, scared. She shook her head. "You don't understand.""NO!" I screamed and thrashed against his hold. My heart stuttered in my chest. "No!" She was just like everyone else. Only using me for my power. For what I could give her. She wanted
I sliced through the last zombie that stood in front of me. Wiped a hand over my brow. I hadn't thought there were that many people in here the last time. But I guess if Merlin could raise one, he could raise all the dead people here. Time wouldn't really be a factor. Ari yanked her sword back, spit on the corpse that still twitched at her feet. "And stop touching my shoes!" She hacked off the creature's hand. I snorted, causing her to look up at me. A blush rose over her cheeks. "Sorry. That wasn't very goddess-like."I shrugged it away. "Honestly, I liked it better than the goddessy parts you usually show. A bit more real."She smiled as she looked around the Village. Dead bodies littered the ground like trash in an abandoned alley. "Where is everyone else?" She looked at me. I pointed to the right. "Apparently there were a lot coming in from the standing stones. I'm guessing these were the old Villagers?" I shrugged. Oh well. They'd deserved to die for treating my Sweet
I bent my knees to keep my balance as I soared on Drace's back. I hadn't really been thinking about anything but destroying Merlin when I launched myself towards the sky. Luckily, my bestie had my back. Although...I think I might have been able to fly for a little bit there. I focused as huge, gleaming balls of pure energy were launched into the sky. He's throwing magical grenades, I announced to the dragons. Hold on, Mistress, Drace said. She started dipping and dodging, weaving and winding in the sky as she tried to miss being hit with the missiles of unadulterated power. I lost my balance and landed on my ass between her spikes. Luckily, they felt like feathers instead of the sharp knives of Thane's scales the first time I'd hit those. I clenched my hand around the one directly in front of me as I held on for dear life. I'm going to swoop down and let you off. You're nothing up here but an easy target, corcra. Just make sure you stay alive down there until I can come and