38. Chapter 38
Chapter 38
Andy
I watched as Hasumi wrapped a hand around Dyre's wrist to stop him from leaving. The water weaver probably wasn't intentionally messing with our emotions, but sometimes just being in the same room as them had a way of heightening things—especially when Hasumi seemed to be feeling strong emotions of their own. I watched Hasumi and Dyre stare at each other in silent conversation and tried not to squirm in my seat.
Of course, I was ridiculously attracted to everyone in this damned household. Well… except for River. Liar, my mind whispered, but I ignored that whole distraction. Anyway, I thought all of the people I'd saved from the bestiary were ridiculously attractive, so I wasn't exactly surprised when I learned one of them was attracted to the others. But still, it gave me a little thrill every time.
Dyre and Hasumi? I had never contemplated it. Both were kind of reserved. Both had parts of themselves they didn't share with others—boundaries related to their bodies, though for different reasons. And yet, I couldn't deny the spark that I sensed between them right now. Or the way my body reacted to that knowledge.
Hasumi tilted their head, as if pondering a question, their silver hair falling over their shoulder in a way that immediately drew Dyre's gaze there, then back to those riveting turquoise eyes. I turned to glance at Niamh, to see if she was about to start making gagging noises or something, since my fae had never been interested in any of the others. I arched a brow in surprise when I found her gaze fastened on Hasumi, her high cheekbones slightly flushed.
Oh boy.
I cleared my throat, and suddenly three pairs of eyes were focused on me. “Sorry to, uh, ruin the moment or whatever,” I said awkwardly, “but… Hasumi, are you… um, helping us along right now?”
The water weaver turned to me, but didn't release their hold on Dyre's wrist, as if they were afraid the necromancer would scurry away the moment he got the chance. “Are you implying that I am manipulating you all with my power?” they asked softly, a bit of hurt momentarily flashing across their perfect features. “I would never do that in a situation such as this, Oleander Lovell.”
And now I felt like an asshole. Of course Hasumi wouldn't do that to us. They might use their powers to ease our pain, or navigate difficult emotions, or help us stay calm under stress, but they would never do something so awful as messing with free will where sex was involved. “Of course,” I mumbled, running a hand through my hair. “I'm sorry.” And yet… I glanced at Niamh again. “It's just…”
Hasumi shook their head, as if they were disappointed in me. “I am not purely male,” they said easily. Not upset. Just… stating a fact.
I let out a sigh. “I know that,” I said, rolling my eyes. “But you know,” I waved a hand toward Niamh, “always with the ‘dick's are gross’ comments.”
Niamh huffed and crossed her arms over her chest. “Andy.”
I threw my hands in the air. “What? I know what's going on here, and I just want to make sure you're not uncomfortable. Because I care . So sue me.”
She rubbed a hand over her face, apparently mortified. “I don't need you to defend my honor, witch.”
The room was silent for a heartbeat. Then Dyre's deep voice filled the space. “I have no idea what's going on right now.”
Hasumi chuckled and dragged the uncomfortable necromancer over to the fainting couch, where they shoved him down to sit next to me. “Children,” the water weaver muttered. Then they crossed the room and locked the library door. “Niamh does not regard me as male. Because I am not purely male. But I am confident that she is intelligent enough to know that I am also not purely female. If she finds me attractive—and the feeling is certainly mutual—then there is no cause for concern.”
Turning, the water weaver arched their brows at Niamh, that aura of command settling over them. “Well, fae? Do you need a formal invitation?”
Niamh smiled, the flash of her small fangs turning the expression into something feral. Without speaking, she stalked across the room and buried her hands in the water weaver's silky hair, pulling them to her for a kiss that held not a single ounce of hesitation.
Fuck that was hot. Both of them willowy and graceful, but laced with power. I hadn't meant to cause an issue over Hasumi's gender. They were perfect just as they were, one of the most beautiful people I'd ever laid eyes on. I had only meant to make sure Niamh wasn't feeling pressured in any way. But clearly, my worries were stupid. One look at them together erased all doubt from my mind.
Niamh was so assertive, and yet there was this feeling in the air… like Hasumi was allowing it. Goddess, I had never even guessed I had so many kinks until I met these amazing creatures. They just seemed to pull the freak in me right to the surface. Suddenly I had a vision of Hasumi dominating the strong fae hunter, holding her down and making her submit. I groaned.
Dyre chuckled darkly from beside me. “Agreed,” he murmured, gaze still riveted on Hasumi, as if he wasn't even aware he was speaking.
I smirked at him, thinking he was probably enjoying the show for different reasons. “She won't kiss you like that,” I teased. “So you can stop pining over Niamh.”
That shook him out of his haze. “Don't be disgusting,” he replied, clearly repelled at the thought of the fae as anything other than a friend. Then he caught the smirk on my lips. “I hate you,” he muttered.
I just grinned wider. “No you don't.” A glance told me that Niamh and Hasumi had progressed to undressing each other. I watched their hands slide over each bit of skin that was revealed for a moment before turning back to Dyre. Throwing a leg over, I planted myself on his lap, straddling him with my back to the others.
Despite his words, there was no hesitation, nothing but love in his touch when his lips met mine. His hands landed on my hips, long fingers squeezing, pressing me up against the bulge in his pants. Fire licked through my veins as I rubbed against him, my breasts smooshing against his chest, my clit finding friction against his rigid dick, despite the layers of clothes. We were both breathless in seconds. But I wanted more than this.
Forcing myself to end the kiss, I leaned in to whisper in his ear instead. “If you want Hasumi so bad, you should go do something about it,” I taunted. “Today seems to be their day.”
He growled, and the grip on my hips grew tighter, bordering on painful. “I want to taste you, to be inside you, witch,” Sunny growled in his dark, multi-layered voice.
I shuddered, unable to help my response to the wraith's seductive darkness and need. “Later,” I managed to gasp out. “Right now, Dyre needs this.”
I looked into their eyes, knowing they could both see me, on some level, and spoke to Dyre. “Don't hide behind the wraith. I see you, Dyre. I've told you before, and I'll keep telling you for as long as it takes to fully sink into that stubborn head of yours. You. Are. Worthy. And I'm not the only one who thinks so. Hasumi asked you to stay.”
The blackness in his eyes bled back to a more normal violet color, and Dyre pressed a soft kiss against my lips. “I hate when you do that,” he muttered. “When you see everything I try so damned hard to keep to myself.” He kissed me again, then pressed his forehead to mine. “And I love it too. This doesn't mean I don't want you as well,” he whispered, suddenly sounding shy. “Like with Ambrose. Or… that one time with the jinn. I don't… you can't think you're not enough… or think that I'm not devoted to you.”
I huffed a soft laugh. “Idiot. Do you think you're not enough, when I'm off fucking the others? That my loving them makes me love you any less?”
He shook his head. “No, of course not. But I…”
I took his face in my hands and sat back a bit so I could look into his beautiful, terrified violet eyes. “You still think you're different somehow. That I love you less, or somehow would judge you differently. That, what? That you still aren't one of us?”
He pressed forward to kiss me again, short and hard. “Sometimes. Until you remind me otherwise. I love you, Lovell.”
I chuckled against his lips. “I love you too, idiot.”
A strong, graceful hand slid over my shoulder, and Niamh leaned in to whisper in my ear. “Too much talking, witch. Too many clothes.”
I watched as Hasumi strolled to the other side of fainting couch, their flowing pants still on, but small breasts and lean torso bared. They placed a knee on the couch beside Dyre and stroked a hand through the necromancer's long ponytail. “So beautiful,” Hasumi purred, emotion dripping from their achingly beautiful voice as they made no attempt to reel it in. “Take this out.” They tapped the band holding Dyre's hair. “I want to see the blood red curtain of your hair fall around us when you fuck me.”
I thought Dyre might actually die right then and there.