"Ransom. Wake the fuck up, man."Someone was going to die for interrupting the best sleep of my life. I rolled over, sliding my arm over the woman cuddled against my side. "What, Atlas?" I growled through our mental connection."Are you back in your human body""Yes. Go away." I pulled Kiema closer to me. The events of the night rolled through my mind like a movie. If I wasn't so fucking happy that she was in my bed, in my arms, I'd be embarrassed about losing it that quickly. I hadn't felt that out of my head since the first time I'd had sex. Even then I felt I had a little more game than I'd had last night with Kiema. I laughed as I remembered her glare as she slapped me. I'd been about to beg her to touch me again. Then, out of nowhere, I get to show her how to please me. The woman was a goddess. No question. A snore interrupted my memories. I laughed mentally. Well, as goddess-like as a human can get, anyways. "Ransom!" Atlas yelled in my head. I got the feelin
The team was talking in my head again. Yelling if I wasn't mistaken. I just didn't have the energy to tell them to shut the fuck up. I was drained. Pretty sure my brain was somewhere on the floor. "Ransom, we have some news. I know you're awake. Your brain signals have picked up again." Dr. Fucking Atlas. "What?" I didn't care if I sounded like an asshole. "Have you shifted again?""No. Gaia, what is with you guys?""According to legend, you have forty-eight hours to shift again, or you lose the ability forever."Huh. That was something to think about."If you chose to not shift..." Atlas' voice trailed off. My chest tightened. "If I chose not to shift?""Your illness could come back.""What the fuck?!" I shot up in bed. A sleepy Kiema pushed me away from her. "Stop it, Ransom. It's sleepy time."She's so fucking cute. But we have a situation. "Ki. You really need to wake up." I told my team that I was going to share the information with her. Various
I leaned against the bathroom door, heart in my throat. Guess that answered that question, huh?As the tears started to gather in my eyes, I slumped to the bathroom vanity. My hair was a rat's nest. There was a huge love bruise on my shoulder. But overall, I didn't look any different. Too bad I felt completely different. I could still feel him inside me. Feel his skin as it pressed into mine. His hands as he molded my flesh. The way my sex melted and creamed for his. I'd never felt so close to anyone as I did to Ransom. Felt understood, like I belonged in the world. As if someone might miss me when I was gone. Right now, it felt like he'd taken a knife and ripped through me with one blow. "If I don't change, I could need you forever."I gasped at the pain all over again. Need me, not want me. My parents needed me. Well, my power at least. But outside of that fact, they certainly didn't want me. I'd thought Ransom wanted me. Wanted me for more than just my power. But appare
I panted into her hair, licked the bead of sweat that purled behind her ear. I waited until my heart settled back into a normal rhythm before I spoke. Her shiver made me smile. "Just so we're clear, you're staying with me. You don't get to leave.""Just so we're clear, you're staying with me. You don't get to leave," she repeated, emphasizing the changes. I chuckled. "I can live with that." I wrapped my arms around her, squeezed her tight. "Fuck, Ki. You ripped me apart," I whispered into her hair. Her arms came around me. "You shredded me first," she said into my shoulder. "How?" I set her away from me so I could look into her silvery eyes. "Seriously. How? I thought we were good and then you shut me down and shut me out."I watched her as she studied me. She really didn't understand. "When you said that if you didn't change, you would need me forever." Her beautiful face tightened. I ran the words over again in my head. Nothing sprung out at me as negative. I
I did a little more than get new clothes on. I took another shower. I didn't mind smelling like Ransom, I just didn't want to feel the slight grit of dried sweat on my skin all night. "About time. I was about to send out the search party.""Which would have been you?""Hey, your rules." He winked at me. "Dinner's ready."I rubbed a hand over my belly. "Thank Gaia. What's on the menu?""Pork steaks and veggies.""Sounds delicious." I sat in my customary spot at the island. The glass of water beckoned me. I took it, drained it in one go. Wiping my lip, I held the glass out to him. A cheeky smile on my face. "Pretty please?"He refilled it and handed it back. "A little dehydrated?""Yeah. My mouth feels like the desert. Or what I would assume the desert feels like." I bounced one shoulder in the air. Ransom leaned in and kissed me. "Feels like a nice fucking mouth to me."I rolled my eyes and pushed him back. "Food now. Sex after I ice my crotch."He snorted, sp
Her scent filled my nose. Berries and amber. It was so thick it coated my tongue. Her scent was almost as delicious as her taste. Shouting from the computer warned her away from me. Must have managed the change. I felt like day-old ass, so I probably had shifted. Opening my eyes, I came face to face with the woman who'd stolen my heart. I could see tiny flecks of blue in her pale gray eyes. Something I'd never noticed as a human. I nuzzled my nose into the space between her neck and shoulder. I could fucking live drenched in this woman. Her small hands ran through my fur. I just hoped to Gaia that I wasn't that awful collection of animals like the first time. I'd been focusing on the lion alone.Pulling back from Kiema's neck, I looked down at my paws. Weird, how easy I was with being part animal. Like finding comfort and belonging I'd been missing my entire life. I hadn't even known to wish for something like this. Hadn't known it was possible. "Ransom, you're hurting Ki
"Kiema, honey, I need you to check his vitals," Saint said. I nodded before crawling over to the fully naked man. His dark blond hair covered his face. "His coat is the same color as his head hair. His mane the color of his pubic hair.""I'll make a note of it. Can you give me his pulse?""I don't have a watch, and can't see a clock.""I'll run a timer. Ready?"I nodded."55 beats per minute. Is that good?""That's fucking amazing, Ki-Ki. Before, he was running around ninety, ninety-five at rest," Asher rushed to answer. "Is he running a temp?"I laid the inside of my wrist against his forehead. "Maybe a little one. He feels slightly warm to the touch. But dry, there's no sweat or dampness.""Good, honey. You're doing great. Open his eyes for me. Do his pupils look normal?"I checked. "They seem a little bigger than normal, but I wouldn't say they look abnormal. Does that make sense?""Sure does. He was saying his vision and smell were off the charts. It would
Gaia, my body hurt. I felt like I'd been run over by a fucking semi. I stretched and became aware of the warm body cradled next to my own. My cock shot to full alert as she wiggled her ass back against me, a low irritated moan rumbling through her chest. Running my hands over her hot little body, I wished I had the strength to do more than just feel her. "Mm."I felt the moment she woke. Her body stilled as if assessing her surroundings. Once she realized where she was, she sank into my body like she'd melted. This time when her ass pushed against my cock, she reached back and grabbed my ass, pulling me tighter into her body. I groaned. "Ki.""Let me take care of you." She rolled over in my arms. Pushing the blanket and towels off my body, she gently rolled me to my back. I felt like my body was about to explode, in both good and bad ways. Drawing in a shaky breath, it caught in my chest when she rose above me like a goddess. Her honey skin dark gold in the morning ligh
Three months later"And I'm telling you right now, dad, that if you want to ever see these babies, you'll stop sending my mates to the Underworld for a cooling off' period. That shit is getting old," I said as I waddled into the hospital built for gods and demi-gods. He chuckled beside me. "But, bubbles, they deserved it. Crowing like they built Olympus bare handed. They were getting on your Circle's nerves. I could tell." He said as he lifted me into the bed. "Bring them back, dad. Now." I glared at him. Even though, on the inside, I was smiling like a loon. This was the type of relationship I'd always dreamed of having with a father. He sighed, a smirk still pulling at his mouth. With a snap, my three mates stumbled into the room."Damn it, Apollo," Saint said as he flicked his shirt. "Cerberus almost got me that time."My dad's head tipped back as he laughed and laughed. The babies inside me loved that sound. They kicked at my belly. I rubbed at the spot. "Easy
Six months later"Last time, I'll ask. I swear." Kiema swallowed heavily as she moved around behind me. "You promise you're okay not getting your deer back?" Kiema asked me as flicked the fabric of my dress this way and that to get it to lay perfectly.I waited until she looked up at me. That look of slight hesitation on her face tugged at my heart. "I promise. I was never meant to be a deer. A shifter of any kind."She nodded, sniffled quietly. "You ready for the rest of this then?" Kiema asked me as she adjusted the crown of flowers in my hair. "So much more than ready. I've been waiting for this my entire life." I bit back the tears that wanted to flood my throat. Not today. I wouldn't ruin this day with tears.She smiled as she stepped back. "You look beautiful, little sister." Tears gathered in her eyes. I held up a hand, looked at the ceiling. "Don't do that. I told you I wasn't crying today. You start crying, then I'll start crying. Then we'll have to postpone e
The next night"Wake up, Saint," I said softly in our shared consciousness. I could barely contain myself. I had felt the swell of magic. Had felt it when it took root."Saint," I said again. The man slept like a rock at the bottom of a spring. "Mgmgs," he mumbled.Forcing our arm to move, I slapped our face. He shot up, his teeth bared. "Who's there?" he called out. "It's me, you buffoon," I said.Our head cocked to the side. "Ten? Why are you waking me up? Can't whatever it is wait until morning?" He snuggled back down into the comfortable bed in our new home. "No." I shook our head so he would fully wake up. "Wake up!"He sat up, pulling the blankets with him. "I'm awake. What can't wait until the morning, Ten?""Kiema is pregnant.""WHAT THE FUCK!?"I snickered as everyone in the room burst from the bed, fists and knives raised in defense. "What is it?" Ransom's head turned back and forth quickly, visually sweeping the room. With a grunt at its emp
Two weeks later"Are we finally going to try this? We've been prepping for what feels like forever." I licked my way up Saint's neck. He shivered as his fingers curled into the flesh of my ass. "Maybe we should wait one more day. I don't want to hurt you."I rolled my eyes under the cover of my closed lids. This man. So dominant. So caring. So sure I wasn't ready to take one of them in my ass. I guess I'll just have to show him that I was more than ready.I slid down his body. A wave of magic and all of us were naked as the day we were born. As I sucked his cock into my mouth, Kord came up behind me.Curling around my back, he pinched my nipples with one hand. With his other, he slid a hand down my belly and straight over my clit. With a sharp movement, his fingers were deep inside me. I groaned around Saint's dick as waves of pleasure washed over me. Sprinkled with the counterpoints of pain from Kord getting my nipples ready for the clover clamps. I felt my core cream at
The next day"Torture and then straight back to bed. I don't care that your father is the god of healing. This is ridiculous, Kiema," Atlas said as we stood in the elevator on our way to the basement level."Don't get trapped in the dungeons," Apollo had said as he laid his palm against the electronic plate on the wall of the elevator.Right. Dungeons in a god hospital. Gods were freaking weird.I patted his cheek. "I've got my main medical provider right next to me. I'll be fine. Besides I feel like a million bucks."He huffed a laugh as Mason and Lukas came up beside him. I wiggled my eyebrows at Atlas, looked over his shoulder, back to his face.He chuckled and rolled his eyes. "Yes, little sister. We've decided to try being a thruple."I wrinkled my nose. "What kind of word is thruple?""A three-person couple, luv," Lukas answered. I snorted. "And you guys won't let me make up words? That's a heaping load of Berserker shit right there."We were all laughi
I pushed the other two through the doors. I wasn't waiting another minute to see my girl. I'd felt her die. Felt my spirit try to follow her down that long tunnel. My heart had stopped beating when I saw Heppni literally rip her heart from her chest and crush it. But here we were. Alive. Healing. She was pale against the bright white sheets of the hospital bed. Although it was unlike any hospital I'd ever been in. Apollo said something about it being a place for gods and goddesses. I shook my head. It didn't matter to me what it was as long as it made her better. She looked over as we rushed in. Her eyes searched each one of us before returning to me. Tears flooded her eyes as I pulled her into my arms. We all sat on the bed, curled and huddled together while she got it all out. The guys and I had had some truly brutal boxing matches to deal with our own emotions. I was still achy and sore from a couple of well-placed hits from Kord. The man might be a nerdy librarian, b
My chest hurt. I tried to rub it, but my arms were restrained. "Easy there, bubbles. You'll pull your stitches if you do that," a man said. His voice was soft and melodious. Like listening to angels sing. Angels. Something about that word tickled my brain.Angel. Almost. Almost.Ransom. As soon as I thought his name, his face popped into my brain. I tried to sit up. Made it a couple inches before I was pushed back to the bed beneath me. I opened my eyes. Ignoring the stabbing pain that slid into my eyeballs, I blinked to clear my vision. A bright white room greeted me. The only color in it was the man who had a hand against my chest. I looked down at his hand. Looked up at his face. Raised an eyebrow. "Get the fuck off, perv. My mates will rip you to shreds."He huffed a laugh and removed his hand. "I doubt your mates will be doing much more than breathing for a couple more hours, but I'm glad to see that you're back, bubbles. Have a nice nap?" I leaned ba
Everyone Hellion had made me vow to keep alive fell to the ground as if they were puppets and their strings had been cut. Fuck, fuck, fuck. I hurried to the closest one's side. Pushed two fingers to his neck. Gone. I was so fucking dead. I blasted an oncoming human with a burst of magic. He withered where he stood. I sank to my knees next to the small woman with bright white hair. She was gone as well. The woman with the long brown hair threw her blade into an approaching Direct. It sliced through him like he was air. With wild eyes, she didn't even try to gather the particles of his passing. She pushed me aside as she cradled the smaller woman to her chest. "No no no not my baby no no no please no no," she wailed. Her agonized scream was muffled against the smaller woman's head.The rest of the humans who had interrupted our plans were either dead or falling back the way they'd come. Movement drew my eye. I squinted as I tracked it across the street. It wa
I sent another stream of fiery magic at the Direct who thought to protect my mother. Some pansy-assed gifted asshole wasn't going to stop me from hunting my mother down and killing her. With a wave of my hand, a path cleared. With a curl of my fist, humans fell to the ground, their spines crumbled into dust. "I'm coming for you, Herpes," I screamed at the top of my lungs. She scurried away, down the side street towards the fighting arena I'd created for us to use for practice. I picked up my pace and followed her. "You better be fucking careful, honey," Saint said through my head. He was working with Arasne and Felix at the opening of the street where the humans were still grouped. The Faeries had set up a blockade of sorts, forcing the humans into a bottleneck situation. They were taken down one by one as Ransom had his horde of beasts funneled them through the line of magical warriors. "Always, Saint baby. See you in a bit." I rushed down the street Herpes had