Promise of Paradise (8 page)

“But you’re having a wholly animal reaction to your mates.” He pulled her into his arms. “This thing you feel is…bigger, more powerful than all of us. We call it the
el calor,
the mating heat. It’s not something any of us can control.”

“The mating heat?” She bristled. “Are you saying that
I’m
in heat?” She sat up and turned to scowl at him. “Did you just call me a dog?”

“No.” He chuckled with a shake of his head. “I most definitely didn’t call you a dog. This…thing you feel is something we shifters and our mates experience when we find each other. We think it’s nature’s way of making certain we procreate. Without the heat, we may not find our mates and, therefore, we might not perpetuate our species.”

“Oh.” His explanation calmed her, but just a little. “What’s going on here? Luc said that you two would want me to stay with you. Why?”

“I’ll try to explain.” He released her long enough to sit up and rest against the headboard, before drawing her back under his arm. “Shifters live a long, long time.” He took a deep breath then released it. “At one time, shifters were plentiful, but now—” He paused with a shrug. “Now, we don’t know. Most of us have gone into hiding, for one reason or another.”

“What was
your
reason?” Nadya just couldn’t imagine Gabe or Luc hiding from anyone. They seemed so strong and sure of themselves.

“A small army overran Paradise. They tortured and killed all of the men loyal to the old alpha and raped the females, regardless of their age.” He stiffened at her gasp. “I know what you’re thinking. You think we should have returned after we rescued those we could and got them to safety.”

“What makes you think that?” She laced her fingers through his and squeezed. “How old were you?”

“Old enough to know that if we had stayed, they would have killed us because we could never stand and watch them terrorize the innocent.”

“So, you ran and hid and…what?”

“We waited until the rightful alpha stepped forward. We helped train his army and we retook Paradise, but not until after many suffered the atrocities of Camulus and the
tudra.”

“What’s the
tudra?
”

“Once, it was the faction that protected Paradise. Camulus and his men twisted the concept. They trained an army with no morals, men who wanted power and would do anything to get it.”

“Then you and Luc only did what you had to, to survive?”

“Yes. But that’s no excuse.”

“Why not? Why was it okay for everyone else to do that, but you?” What this town had gone through was horrendous. Milla had already given her a history lesson, but it seemed as though Gabe needed to tell his story.

She looked up at him, wondering just how young they’d been. Even if they were grown men, she still wouldn’t have expected the two of them to take on an entire army by themselves.

Turning, she cupped his cheeks, gently covering his lips with hers. “If you’re expecting me to condemn you for doing what you had to do to stay alive, you’re going to be sadly disappointed.”

Slowly, she climbed into his lap, pulled his head to hers and kissed him again. This time she didn’t stop at one small touch of the lips. She traced his lips with her tongue until he opened his mouth and finally took control.

He wrapped his arms around her neck, palmed the back of her head and deepened their kiss. Threading her fingers through the silk of his hair, she gave as good as she got, smiling to herself when she felt the ridge of his erection pressing against her drenched pussy.

Pulling away, she stared deep into his eyes. “I don’t know much about this mating thing, but I do know that I want you and Luc more than I have wanted any one man.” She leaned forward and rested her forehead against his. “Whether this thing between us all works out or not, I’m compelled to try.”

“Thank the gods.” He pulled her close, slanting his lips over his.

Her breasts pressed against his muscled chest, the short hairs rubbing against her sensitive nipples. Darts of pleasure shot from the hard tips straight to her womb. Heat pooled low in her middle as he reached between them, his talented fingers unerringly finding her clit.

She jumped in his arms when he caressed the still-sensitive bud. “I need a shower,” she said, pulling away. “I can’t…we can’t…” The words trailed off as she looked away. How could she tell him that she didn’t want to come to him after her night with Luc, not without a shower, first.

Taking her completely by surprise, Gabe threw his legs over the side of the bed and stood with her in his arms. The display of strength took her breath away. All her life she had dreamed of a man who could manage to carry her over the threshold after they got married. This man and his friend could each carry her up a flight of stairs!

Gabe set her on the plush rug next to the shower, reached in, turned the water on and tested the heat. Stepping inside, he turned and took her hand. “I want to worship you here.”

Her cheeks burned at his words. “Worship me?” Her voice came out little more than a squeak.

“Yes.” He smiled, grasped her hand and drew her under the warm spray. “Worship you.” He wrapped his arms around her, pulled her close and covered her lips with his. Gabe’s tongue delved deep, tracing the contours of her mouth.

Cream slid down her thighs as his hands moved over her body, caressing her everywhere. Somewhere, he found soap and coated her body with it. He spent a long time washing her breasts, his fingers pulling and twisting her nipples before rinsing her off.

To her embarrassment, he swiped between her legs with a soapy washcloth while he leaned down, and alternately sucked and lightly bit her nipples. He washed her everywhere she would have washed herself, following each swipe of the washcloth with a rinse and a kiss. His lips worshipped her body just as surely as his hands.

When Nadya was sure she couldn’t take anymore, he surprised her yet again. Pressing her against the shower wall, he lifted her, lowering her onto his massive shaft and took her body with one long stroke.

“Wrap your legs around me, love,” he said against her lips, just before he took her mouth with another passionate kiss.

Nadya did as he asked. She wrapped her legs around him and drew him deeper within her, reveling in each deep stroke as he brought them both closer and closer to their climax.

After she came, he stopped, rested his forehead against hers and asked, “Have you ever had a man in your ass, love?”

She’d expected that question. After all, a woman couldn’t think about basically marrying two men and not think about something like that.

“Yes.” Her cheeks burned and she looked at her feet. How did a woman tell a man she enjoyed something like that so much that she kept toys to give her that same sensation when she couldn’t get the real thing?

“Did you like it?”

“God, you had to ask that, didn’t you?” She gave him a sheepish smile. “Yes. I liked it.” She wrapped her arms around his neck, drawing him down for another heated kiss. “In fact,” she added after they both came up for air. “I liked it so much, I can’t wait for you to do it, right now.”

“Neither can I, little one.” He grinned as he reached around her and turned off the water. “Neither can I.”

After gently drying her with one of the plush towels, he led her back into the bedroom and set her on the bed.

Reaching down, he opened the drawer in the nightstand and pulled out a tube of lube.

She raised a brow. “My, you were confident, weren’t you?”

“Actually, every room has this in the nightstand.” He grinned. “We
are
in Paradise, after all. Many of us have mated in this lodge, it makes it easier if the things are here since we never know when we’re going to meet our mate or when she’ll accept us.”

That made sense, she supposed. “What now?”

Gabe grinned. “Now, we do what comes naturally.”

“Somehow, I thought you’d say something like that.” Crawling onto the bed, she got on her hands and knees. Ass in the air, she tucked her legs under her and rested her head on her arms. “I’m ready when you are.”

She didn’t know what had come over her or what had made her so brazen. If it was the mating heat he’d talked about, she could only thank mother nature for taking the decision out of her hands. She wanted this man and his friend, and she
never
would have had the courage to admit it, otherwise.

Nadya closed her eyes when she felt the cool oil run between her cheeks. Using his fingers, he worked the oil in one finger at a time until he had three of his large fingers inside her, stretching her.

She expected pain. It had been a few years since she had a real man there and she was certain that Gabe was a lot larger than her toys.

He pressed a kiss to the small of her back just before he pulled his fingers from inside her. “Are you ready, love?”

“Yes.” She nodded. “I can’t wait.” She couldn’t, either. He should have been able to tell that the way she squirmed while he had his fingers inside her.

“You and me both, darlin’.” He moved up behind her, his hands cupping her rear. “Ready or not, here I come.”

“Ha ha. Just do it already.” She grinned back at him. Her smile faded as she watched his expression grow serious.

“Luc told you this is forever, right?” He looked as though he expected her to change her mind.

“Yes, he did.” She wriggled her rear in his face. “Now let’s get to it. I’m not getting any younger, here,” she said with a giggle.

She loved the fact that these two could play as well as get serious. A man who could play during sex would never be boring.

Nadya hissed when he finally pressed the thick head against her anus. She’d expected the slight, burning pain. She hadn’t expected him to reach around her, his fingers unerringly finding her clit.

Gently, he rocked back and forth, pressing the head into her until it moved past the elastic-like ring of her anus.

“Gods you’re tight.” Gabe groaned behind her. “I don’t know how long I’ll last.” His breath came in short gasps as he continued working his massive cock deeper and deeper inside her ass.

Finally, when his hips rested against her ass, he slapped her right cheek lightly. “Here we go, love.” Pulling out, he slowly flexed his hips and pushed back in. In and out, he stoked, his hands gripping her hips tight. “You’re so tight, I’m not going to last much longer.”

Leaning forward, he blanketed her with his body as he reached around, his fingers circling her clit.

Fire worked its way up her spine as her climax grew near. She pushed back, urging him deeper as he stroked her clit, bringing her orgasm closer and closer. He kissed her between her shoulder blades and whispered, “I can’t hold myself in check any longer. Please tell me it’s okay to lose myself within you—to drive inside you until neither of us can take it anymore and we come screaming.”

“Yes!” she cried. “Please, yes!”

After the first few strokes, he moved faster, his thrusts becoming stronger. She felt his hips bumping against her rear every time he drove deep. Each powerful bed-shaking thrust drew her closer and closer to orgasm. For a moment, she teetered on the edge of ecstasy until finally, she fell over the edge into the oblivion of overwhelming bliss.

After her climax, Gabe growled behind her, his body jerking as he came inside her. Normally, she would have worried about that, but Milla had told her that shifters couldn’t carry human disease. They could, however, get her pregnant, but she didn’t care about that. If she got pregnant, at least she would have a part of one of them with her forever. If it
did
work out, she’d have a quick start to the family she had always wanted. It was a win, win, in her book.

Gabe collapsed on the bed beside her with a groan, and she smiled. Stretching out beside him, she rested her arm across his stomach. Something told her she was forgetting something, but she didn’t care. At the moment, she only gave a damn about the man in her arms. The rest could take care of itself.

“Where the hell have you been?” Luc almost growled at the way Perry talked to Nadya when they showed up at the ticket booth. She’d awakened thirty-minutes before, frantic that she was late for her shift.

He didn’t know why she gave a damn until she explained that one of the women needed a prenatal appointment. Giving in, they took her to the booth. It was against their better judgment, but what could they say? Even if they were already mated, they had no right to tell her what to do. She was as free as any other woman in this country. Perhaps more so because of the protection they provided.

“I’ve been sleeping. If you don’t like it, you can find someone else to cover Ella’s shift.” Nadya pushed past the self-important ass and entered the booth.

Perry slammed the door open, the glower on his face enough to give Luc and Gabe reason to stay near.

“Sleeping?” He bent over, his face level with hers. “We’ve been shorthanded here and you’ve been
sleeping?
”

“Yes.” Nadya glared up at him, her hands on her hips. “I’ve been sleeping. I’m sure you’ve heard of it. It’s when a person is tired, they go to bed and they sleep.”

Perry glanced toward Luc and Gabe. “I understand the concept, alright. I just don’t think you were
sleeping
all of this time. I know you’ve been with those two.” He jerked his thumb in their direction. “Don’t tell me you’ve been
sleeping.
Had you been rested, you would have been to work on time.”

“Kiss it, Perry.” She sat down in the vacant seat, opened the small window and called to the crowd, “I can help the next in line over here, please.”

Perry, effectively dismissed, turned his anger toward them. It was where Luc would rather the man directed his ire. Taking anger out on a woman was never a good idea in Paradise.

Though he and Gabe couldn’t stand the self-appointed leader of the carnival folk here, he didn’t want to see the people of Paradise taking care of him. While there certainly was no love lost between him and Perry Godfrey, losing a human was a risky business. Someone always came looking for them.

They followed Perry to the office trailer when he left the ticket booth. It wasn’t a long walk, the trailer sat nearly on top of the smaller booth, presumably so the man could watch the money roll in.