CHALLENGERS
A note on the Challengers scene: this scene is NOT CANON, meaning it does not occur within the plot of the book you just read. It is a scene inspired by the movie “Challengers” starring Zendaya, Josh O’Connor, and Mike Faist. It was written on a 13 hour plane ride back from Venice, Italy, after the author had consumed at least nine glasses of free Cabernet Sauvignon. If you were to place it somewhere in the book, it could serve as a different ending to the conversation that Caspen, Tem, and Leo have in the cave. In that scene, Leo says, “I just…want you while I can have you,” after which Caspen would say the opening line below. The rest is history!
“Please,” Caspen scoffed. “You cannot touch her as I do.”
“So teach me.”
Tem’s mouth fell open. To her surprise, Leo didn’t retract his statement. He merely lifted his chin, looking at Caspen with stubborn resolve. The two men stared at each other, and Tem stared at them.
Tem broke the silence:
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
Leo’s eyes moved to hers. They narrowed.
“Why not? He taught you , didn’t he?”
Leo had a point there. Caspen was nothing if not a good teacher. But this was unthinkable. Tem couldn’t fathom a universe in which the men before her would get along, much less collaborate on something as paramount as this.
Caspen rolled his shoulders.
“And how do you propose I teach you?”
A pause. Leo clenched his jaw.
“Show me.”
The basilisk scoffed. Tem held her breath.
“ Show you?”
“You heard me,” Leo snapped.
Caspen raised an eyebrow. A bated silence followed.
Nothing about this conversation was even remotely normal. Had Leo really just asked Caspen to show him how to touch her ? It seemed like something out of a dream. Tem had no idea what would happen next. She couldn’t read Caspen’s expression—he seemed to be considering something. He was regarding Leo with reluctant curiosity, almost as if he were intrigued by the proposition.
“Very well,” Caspen said slowly. “I suppose you could watch us—”
“I’m not fucking interested in watching,” Leo said sharply.
Caspen crossed his arms.
“Neither am I.”
Tem closed her eyes.
This was absurd.
She was tired. Tired of people fighting over her—tired of being defined and influenced and manipulated by men . She refused to let them control her anymore. Even the ones she loved.
Tem opened her eyes, training her gaze on Caspen.
“Stop it.”
Caspen blinked. Before he could respond, she turned to Leo.
“You too. Stop it.”
They both stared at her. Tem continued:
“Considering this decision directly involves me, don’t you think you should be asking me how to proceed?”
Caspen’s eyebrows rose a fraction of an inch. His eyes flicked to Leo, whose face bore a similarly incredulous expression. Neither of them were used to taking orders from her—or anyone else for that matter.
But this was too important. If they were going to cross this line together, Tem needed to know that they would obey.
“ I’m in charge,” she said.
They were silent.
“Say it,” Tem crossed her arms. “Both of you.”
She knew they would say it. She only wondered who would break first.
To her surprise, it was Caspen.
“You are in charge, Tem,” the basilisk said, bowing his head. “Of course.”
Tem turned expectantly to Leo.
“Yes,” he said just as quietly. “You’re in charge.”
“Good.”
Now that they had established this basic rule, Tem had to figure out how to proceed. She glanced at Leo, who downed his whiskey. This was never going to work if he remained this tense. At the thought, an idea occurred to Tem. She turned to Caspen.
“Can you make him calm?”
He blinked slowly.
“I could.”
Leo’s eyes flicked between them. “What does that mean?”
Caspen tilted his head.
“I have the ability to influence your mood.”
“You can make me feel calm?”
“Yes. With your consent.”
Leo let out a harsh laugh. “Let me guess. You could do it without my consent too.”
“I could,” Caspen said again. “But I would not.”
Tem knew it was the truth, even if Leo didn’t.
“I don’t want you in my mind,” Leo said bluntly.
“I would not need to access your mind in order to make you calm. It is merely a sensation.”
“How do I know you won’t control me?” Leo insisted.
“That is not the nature of my power. Even if I wanted to control you, I could not. You are human. I can only access the minds of other basilisks.”
Leo shook his head.
“I don’t trust you.”
That was no surprise.
“In that case,” Caspen said smoothly, turning to Tem. “I suggest you make him calm instead.”
“Me?”
“Yes. You are part basilisk. You can do everything I can do.”
It had never occurred to Tem that she could manipulate someone’s emotions the way Caspen did. It was a fascinating thought, and one she wished she could explore at a rather less pivotal moment. But as it stood, she would have to explore it now.
“How would I do that?”
“You must first feel calm yourself,” Caspen said. “Then you can transfer that feeling to him. It will be easier if you touch him.”
He gave instructions in the same reserved, factual manner he always did.
Tem turned to Leo.
“Do you want me to do this?”
Now Leo hesitated.
“Will I still be…me?”
Caspen answered before Tem could:
“You will still be you. Only your mood will be influenced. It will not affect your judgement, or your ability to make decisions.”
Tem found that was an accurate description of the sensation. She thought back to the time when Caspen had taken away her desire—how she’d been angry with him, but had been able to tell him to put it back.
Leo’s eyes slid to Caspen’s. Tem reminded herself that to the human prince, Caspen was a danger—an enemy. It wasn’t natural for the two of them to interact like this. It wasn’t natural for them to interact at all . And yet, Leo was Leo. Tem recognized the flash of haughty determination that brightened his eyes as he turned to her.
“Do it,” he said firmly.
Tem nodded, although the task seemed impossible. She was anything but calm right now. She felt agitated and eager and nervous, as if she were about to take an important test. It was not exactly a relaxing state of mind. So instead of focusing on herself, Tem focused on Leo. She thought about how much she cared about him—how deeply she wanted this experience to be a positive one for them both. She thought about how she would do anything to make sure he felt loved by her, and how she knew he would do the same.
Finally, calm came.
When it did, she found she didn’t need Caspen’s instructions. She was able to feel for Leo’s mind in the same way she felt for the basilisk’s. It was not the same corridor she shared with Caspen: instead of a two-way street, the connection with Leo felt distinctly one-sided, as if she were viewing his consciousness through a window. She could not access his mind, and he could not access hers. But she found that she could send her calmness through the window, as if it were a basket of eggs from the farm.
The moment she did so, Leo’s eyes closed.
“ Oh ,” he whispered.
Then he smiled. Tem glanced questioningly at Caspen, who nodded his approval.
“Good, Tem.”
Leo opened his eyes.
“Is this how you feel when you’re with him?” he asked her.
Even his voice was different. The sharp, teasing tone was gone, replaced by a languid, rugged murmur Tem had never heard him use before. It was sexy, she realized.
“Sometimes,” she answered. “But only if I ask him to make me feel that way.”
“It’s a wonder you don’t ask him all the time.”
Tem wanted to laugh.
“How do you feel?”
Leo smiled. “Calm. Just like you said I would,” he pointed at Caspen. “And significantly more relaxed around him.”
Tem nodded. “Good.”
She turned to Caspen.
Have you done this before?
Tem wasn’t even sure what she was asking. Had Caspen been with a man before? Or two people at once? His answer was all-encompassing:
Yes .
Tem didn’t know why she’d bothered. Caspen had done everything before. He was a basilisk, after all. There was nothing they considered taboo or off limits. This situation probably didn’t even rank in the grand scheme of his sexual experiences. In a way, Tem was glad for that. She herself had no idea what to expect, and could feel herself getting anxious at the thought of what might happen. But then she remembered she had to stay calm for Leo, and she immediately re-centered her thinking.
Was it so strange, really, to be with the men she loved? What, exactly, was Tem so afraid of? Caspen and Leo were deeply important to her. She loved them, and she knew they loved her. This was just an extension of that love.
But how to start?
Tem was in charge. So she did the only thing she could think to do.
She crossed to the mat, sitting on the edge and looking up at them expectantly. They sat too, Caspen to her left, Leo to her right. She turned first to Caspen, looking deep into his golden eyes, which were rapidly turning black.
Will you keep him safe? Tem asked.
Of course.
She needed to know that there was no danger of Caspen transitioning. It was one thing when it happened around Tem—she was used to it, and she would survive it—but it was quite another for it to happen around Leo. Tem had no idea whether Caspen could control his urges when faced with such an emotionally charged situation. The stakes were far too high for her to proceed without a guarantee. She wanted no harm to come to Leo: she would never forgive Caspen if anything bad happened to the human prince, and Caspen surely knew it.
Are you sure? If he gets hurt—
I will not hurt him, Tem. I understand he is precious to you.
Tem felt a rush of pure gratitude at his words.
You are precious to me too.
He smiled, and Tem was struck suddenly by the enormity of what Caspen was willing to do for her—what both of them were willing to do for her. Perhaps it was time to reward them for their loyalty.
Tem turned to Leo. She kissed him. He tasted like the sky before it rained—he tasted like summer—like air . His tongue immediately found hers. It was as if the calmness she was sending him made him even more self-assured than he usually was—as if it had removed his last shred of self control. Tem was vaguely aware of Caspen’s hands on her back. He was unlacing her dress.
She bit Leo’s bottom lip. He did the same.
Tem unbuttoned his shirt, pulling it from his shoulders and letting it fall to the floor. His trousers followed shortly after. His cock was already hard, but she didn’t touch him yet.
Instead she turned to Caspen. She undressed him as she kissed him, sliding her palms down his torso and untying his trousers to free his cock.
Behind her, Leo finished what the basilisk had started, tugging her dress down so her back was exposed. He pressed his lips to her shoulder blades, and Tem shuddered. A moment later, her dress was on the ground. Only her underclothing remained, and Leo made sure that came off too. Tem pulled away from Caspen.
She sat there, naked between them, reveling in the way they were looking at her.
“Touch me.”
It was an order for them both. But Caspen was the first to reach for her, brushing his fingers over her breast.
“She can come just from this,” he said quietly, pinching her nipple with his knuckles.
“Is that right?” Leo said.
He mimicked the motion on her other breast, and Tem sighed.
“More,” she gasped. It was all she could manage.
Both men leaned in at the same time, and Tem closed her eyes as their mouths replaced their fingers. She could do nothing but surrender. It felt so unbelievably good. There could be no greater pleasure than this—no greater joy. Already, they were moving in tandem. Already, they were aligned.
Tem had never felt so stimulated—so aroused . She held them against her as they sucked her nipples, each of them doing it in their own perfect way. Caspen was sensual, his tongue more involved than his teeth. Leo was assertive—his golden fangs pressing into the soft tissue of her breast. Both felt good. Both felt right.
Tem was rapidly becoming wet. No sooner had she realized it than Caspen sat up straight. Leo sat up too, both of them watching as she let her legs tilt open.
Caspen’s hiss immediately filled the cave, and Tem sent an extra soothing wave of calm toward Leo, who merely raised an eyebrow in mild curiosity at the sound. Then his attention returned to her, and both menstared at her center.
“After you,” Caspen said softly.
Time slowed as Leo extended his hand. He didn’t even touch her at first—his fingertips paused an inch away from her clitoris, and for a long moment, he simply looked at her. Then he slipped his fingers inside her and the world fell away.
“She has the prettiest cunt I’ve ever fucking seen,” Leo whispered.
Caspen’s mouth twitched.
“Yes,” he said. “She does.”
“This—” Leo rubbed her clitoris with two fingers, “—I dream about it.”
“As do I.”
“And here—” his fingers dove deep into her wetness, and Tem let out a desperate moan, “—if I could drown in it, I would.”
Caspen’s smile widened.
“As would I.”
There was no jealousy between them—no competition or ill will. There was only Tem, and their dedication to her.
“Try this,” Caspen took Leo’s hand in his, pressing his palm flat against her clitoris.Tem immediately arched her back at the magnitude of the stimulation. Her hands went to her breasts. She needed more—she needed everything.
Leo’s eyebrows shot up at her reaction.
“Incredible,” he said. He did the motion again and again, rubbing her with his palm, his long fingers flat against her stomach. Caspen merely watched, his eyes trained on her, making sure Leo gave her everything she needed.
Tem was close. But Caspen had other plans.
“Not yet,” he said. “Make her wait.”
Leo’s lips quirked into a smirk.
“Very well.”
His motions halted, and Tem whimpered.
Leo flicked her clitoris lightly.
“Are you wet for us, Tem?” he murmured, a shadow of his usual smirk back on his face.
“Yes,” she answered obediently.
Leo pressed his lips to her inner thigh. Caspen did the same, on her other leg.
“Who do you want to taste you first?”Leo asked.
“You.”
“Say my name.”
“Leo,” she said. “Please.”
His smirk deepened.
Leo’s long fingers wrapped around her thighs, pulling them apart. He lowered his head, and Tem’s eyes met Caspen’s as Leo’s tongue met her center.
Does it feel good?
Caspen’s question barely registered. Of course it felt good. It felt incredible .
In response, Tem shut her eyes and moaned.
They took turns tasting her, sucking and licking her until she could barely take it any longer. Caspen would perform a motion—like stroking her clitoris with the length of his tongue—and Leo would do the same. Eventually, Tem couldn’t tell them apart. She only knew the intense and searing ecstasy that came from having two people worship you at once.
They were attentive andcaring. They belonged to her.
Every time she wanted something, Caspen said it aloud, and Leo did it. The three of them established a rhythm together, until finally Tem was falling apart beneath them.
It was Leo, ultimately, who reaped the reward.
“She is close,” Caspen said as Leo’s mouth dipped once more between her legs. “Bring her there.”
His hand was at the nape of Leo’s neck, holding his head down. Tem had a sudden flashback to when Caspen had held Rowe’s head down in a similar manner. Only this time, his grip was gentle—he was merely guiding Leo, not forcing him—only using his strength to ensure Tem’s pleasure, and by extension, Leo’s.
There was no question that the human prince was enjoying himself. He was burying himself in her, his tongue eager and willing to taste every drop of wetness. Her first orgasm was sudden—an urgent push that whipped through her like lightning, leaving her breathless. When she finally rode it out, Tem opened her eyes to see them both staring at her, each of them wearing identical expressions of hunger on their faces.Leo licked her wetness from his lips before turning to Caspen.
“Well?” he asked.
Caspen raised an eyebrow.
“Well, what?”
“I’d say she liked that, wouldn’t you?”
Caspen looked at Tem—who was sprawled blissfully on the bed—and laughed outright.
“Yes. I would say so.”
Leo’s mouth widened in a haughty smile. He’d made her come, after all. He deserved to feel victorious. But the night was not over yet.
“What do you want next, Tem?” Caspen asked.
Tem looked up at both of them, her knees wide open, her body on display. There was only one thing she wanted, and in the aftermath of her climax, she was just brave enough to ask for it:
“I want to watch you kiss.”
It was beyond the scope of what they’d agreed upon—it had nothing to do with Caspen teaching Leo how to touch her—it was selfish and indulgent and entirely based on that fleeting night in her childhood bedroom, when she’d touched herself to the thought of them together.
Neither prince seemed shocked by her request.
Perhaps they expected this of her—perhaps they knew she had fantasized about them both. Perhaps they had fantasized as well. Nobody could deny how good they looked together. Leo was blonde, Caspen’s hair was dark. Sun and moon. Day and night. Tem wanted to see them together—wanted opposites to attract. It seemed a natural thing to her. Surely, it would be natural for them.
“Very well,” Caspen shrugged easily, his gaze sliding to Leo. “If the prince can handle it.”
A slow, devilish smile twisted Leo’s lips. Caspen had said the one thing that would guarantee Leo’s participation: he’d presented the kiss as a challenge. Leo was competitive—he was prideful and headstrong and he never backed down from a fight. Tem wondered if Caspen knew this about Leo—had sensed it, somehow, as he’d sensed so many things about her. He had an intuitive understanding of humans, after all: it was part of his nature to assess and to pursue.
There was an additional factor at play here: not even Leo was immune to the charm of the basilisk. Their job was to seduce—women, men—anyone with a heartbeat. Caspen possessed a gravitational pull that would affect even those who were predisposed to resist him. Leo was one such person. Tem knew the fine line between love and hate better than anyone. The men in her life had always been on opposing sides—but why should that continue? Why shouldn’t they come together, just this once, for her?
Leo’s reply came just as easily as Caspen’s had:
“I can handle anything.”
There was a pause in which they all seemed to realize what was about to hap?pen.
To Tem’s surprise, Caspen did not make the first move. Instead it was Leo who leaned forward and wrapped his fingers around the back of Caspen’s neck.
Tem watched as the prince kissed the basilisk.
It was an incredible view. If Tem wasn’t soaking wet already, she would have quickly become so just by watching their naked bodies together, knowing they could taste her on each other’s tongues. Tem leaned back on the mat, propping herself up to watch them from the best angle possible. Her fingers found her clitoris, and she touched herself slowly to the sight of them.
Caspen’s body curled forward. His tongue parted Leo’s lips, coaxing him open to receive what he had to offer. Leo took him willingly, his neck arched, his shoulders relaxed. Tem eyes traced his jawline, marveling at the way it mirrored Caspen’s. She couldn’t believe they were both here—that they were both hers. It was exactly as she’d imagined it.
When they pulled apart, Tem shook her head.
“Again,” she said.
Caspen didn’t hesitate. He grabbed Leo’s neck and kissed him again.
Tem sat up, driving her fingers deeper, watching them from mere inches away. She could smell Caspen’s smoky scent, intermixed with Leo’s cologne. They complimented each other, she realized. It only turned her on more.
Join us, Tem.
Tem tucked her hand under Leo’s chin, pulling him away from Caspen and pressing her lips to his. Caspen’s hands went to their necks, pushing their heads together, solidifying their union. A moment later, his mouth joined theirs.
All three of them kissed.
It was simple between them—like music. This was a language they all spoke: a dance they all knew how to do. Leo’s cock was hard and so was Caspen’s, and Tem felt the sudden urge to touch them both.
And why shouldn’t she? She had two hands, did she not?
One for each of them.
Tem reached into their laps, her fingers first finding Leo’s cock and then Caspen’s—feeling how hard they both were for her. Neither reacted at first. It was only when she began to stroke them that Leo’s eyelids fluttered and he let out a groan of surrender, his head falling back in ecstasy. Tem kissed his neck, and so did Caspen. The basilisk’s hand joined hers, stroking Leo’s cock at the same time she stroked his.
Leo moaned:
“Fuck— fuck. ”
Caspen let out a gentle sound of amusement.
He is rather vocal.
Tem smiled. Yes. He is.
You like that about him.
Yes.
Why?
It’s nice to hear how he feels.
It was merely a fact about Leo—not a dig toward Caspen. Still, there was no mistaking the regret that tinged his response:
I am glad he fulfills you in that way.
Tem didn’t know what to say to that, so she said nothing.
She’d always known that they each provided her with different things: that Caspen wasfar more reserved than the human prince. But being with them togeth?er only reinforced those differences. It wasn’t a bad thing—merely the truth. There were only so many similarities a basilisk and a human could have. It didn’t matter to Tem; she loved them both.
Without thinking, Tem bent down to take Leo’s cock into her mouth. Caspen accommodated the change, pulling her by her hips so she was stretched out between them. His hand was on the back of her neck, guiding her up and down Leo’s length,ensuring she took every inch of him. Leo continued to moan, his own hands twisting into her hair, holding her between his legs. Tem was, as ever, a merciful ruler.
Pleasure. It was all that mattered to her—to them. There was no safer place in the world than here with the men she loved.
Caspen’s knees slid under Tem’s, opening her legs. She arched her back, lifting her ass, knowing what he was about to do. Still, she moaned as Caspen entered her, Leo’s cock still in her mouth. And now Caspen’s was inside her too. She could?n’t believe how they filled her—how exhilarating it was to take them both.
Is two cocks not enough for you, Tem?
It was enough for her. It was.
But Tem couldn’t answer him—couldn’t even find the air to breathe. With Caspen behind her and Leo before her, she could do nothing but moan as they did everything she’d ever wanted them to do to her.They were the two most relentless men she knew. To have them both at the same time was nearly unbearable.
It was too much. And not enough.
It was everything Tem had ever needed—two men, both hers—two men who wanted her more than they wanted anyone else. Two men who would do anything for her.
With each thrust of Caspen’s hips, Leo’s cock went deeper and deeper down her throat.
“ Kora, ” she heard the human prince whisper. “This is—”
The rest of his sentence was lost in a moan as Caspen’s hand gripped Tem’s head and pushed her mouth all the way down Leo’s shaft. Tem didn’t have to see Leo to know the expression on his face. She knew how he looked when he was close: how his jaw tensed and his muscles flexed—how his chin tilted up in defiance. But Tem would not let him have it so easily. Just when he was about to finish, she straightened, pushing herself up so they were face to face.
“Such a fucking tease,” Leo whispered. His hands grabbed her waist, holding her in place. He tilted his head to look at Caspen. “Does she tease you?”
Tem felt Caspen’s breath on her shoulder. His hands were also on her, just below Leo’s.
“No,” he said.
Leo raised his eyebrows.
“No?”
Caspen’s grip tightened on her hips.
“I tease her.”
“How?”
In reply, Caspen lifted Tem so only the tip of his cock remained inside her. She gasped at the sudden change, and Leo’s pupils dilated at the sound.
“Do you like that?” Caspen murmured against her ear.
Tem did like that: being teased. She liked it when she could barely hang on to any remaining shreds of dignity—when she was on the brink of being pushed to her limits.And she liked teasing in return—pushing someone else to their limits—wielding her power.
But for now, Caspen wielded his.
He thrust into her slowly, allowing Tem only an inch or two of his cock at a time.
“More,” she moaned. “More— please —more.”
Caspen gave her more. But just barely.
His restraint was astonishing, as always. Tem should know by now that the basilisk’s patience was endless—that he would not be swayed, by her plea or otherwise. He knew exactly how to tease her—how to take her to the edge without letting her finish—how to make her ache.
“Remarkable,” Leo breathed as he watched.
Tem could do nothing but take it—nothing but surrender to the ungodly sensation that Caspen was giving her. It wasn’t until Tem was a moment away that Caspen finally let her have it—pulling her all the way down so his cock filled her completely. Tem threw her head back, letting herself experience her climax without an ounce of shame. There was only Leo to see her—only Caspen to hear her. What could be better than unfolding in front of them?
The heel of Caspen’s hand found the back of her neck and a moment later, her head was once more between Leo’s legs. They created a perfect circle: Caspen, Tem, and Leo. The time for restraint had passed; the time for gratification had arrived.
The three of them moved in tandem: Caspen behind her, Leo before her. Tem knew they would reach their apex together—that they would achieve the most perfect pinnacle imaginable. There was not point in resisting, no point in delaying. They had finally accepted the ultimate truth.
Tem felt them finish at the same time: Leo in her mouth, and Caspen inside her, and with their climaxes inevitably came her own. They were moving—gasping— breaking together, falling apart into each other’s bodies like waves on the shore. They experienced it as one—all of them—surging along a singular channel of ecstasy.
As soon as it was over, Caspen pulled Tem up by her hair so her shoulders were pressed against his chest. He settled back on his knees, Tem in his lap. She could feel his heartbeat, as steady as ever. As soon as she was upright, her eyes met Leo’s. His eyes were hooded, his expression one of disbelieving bliss.
“Tem,” he whispered.
Even now, she was his only focus. Even with another cock inside her, Leo still wanted her.
“Leo,” she whispered back.
Kiss him.
The command came from Caspen, and Tem was glad to follow it. She leaned forward, pulling Leo into a deep kiss, letting him know that even with another cock inside her, she still needed him. Tem wondered if the prince had ever tasted himself before—if any of the other girls had kissed him on the lips after he came in their mouths. He was tasting himself now, and she was sure he liked it.
Caspen was inside her—hard again—thrusting.
Tem gripped Leo’s shoulders, holding herself steady.
“Leo,” she whispered again, this time against his lips.
In response, Leo kissed her, but only briefly. A moment later he pulled away, his eyes raking hungrily over Tem’s body, staring at the place where she took Caspen’s cock. His nostrils flared.
Perhaps Leo was interested in watching after all.
Tem wondered if part of him liked seeing her with someone else—if his competitive streak secretly craved this—if he needed to know that the person he desired was desirable too. She half expected him to pull her off the basilisk. Instead he leaned back to get an even better view.
If this was what he wanted, Tem would gladly give it to him.
Caspen’s fingers wrapped around her throat, arching her back and displaying her to the prince. He thrust into her steadily, his pace unhurried, taking his time. Tem knew Leo was seeing everything: how her cheeks flushed as another man fucked her, how her body reacted to Caspen’s penetration. The prince didn’t seem to mind. Tem had stopped making him calm long ago—sometime when they were all kissing. Whatever emotions he felt now were completely his own. And it would appear that he felt good. Because eventually, Leo joined in.
Caspen fucked her while Leo touched her, his hands on her breasts, his lips on her neck. Tem gave herself over to it: to them . She yelped as Leo’s head dipped down and he sucked her nipple between his teeth, pulling him even closer, savoring every second of this rapture.
If Leo’s mouth hadn’t been occupied, she knew he would have been talking. But he was torturing her in his own way, squeezing and biting her nipples until she squirmed against his grip. Every time she wanted to break, Caspen held her in place. They worked together—the two princes—to keep her in line.
Just when Tem couldn’t take any more, Leo’s fingers found her clitoris. He pressed against her, and she gasped. At her reaction, he bent down, using his mouth instead.
Caspen grunted, and Tem knew Leo’s tongue was on the base of his shaft. He was pleasuring them both—sucking on Tem’s clitoris while putting pressure on Caspen’s cock. It was an assertion of his power—a way to remind them of his role in this. Tem welcomed it, threading her hands into his hair, holding him between her legs.
A moment later, she came. Caspen did too.
Their combined wetness coated his cock, and Tem knew Leo could taste it. When he raised his head, he kissed Tem once more. For a while that was all they did. Then Caspen lifted her off his cock, setting her between them. It was then that Tem realized Leo was hard again. Before she could reach for him, Caspen did so instead.
She watched as his hand found Leo’s cock, his fingers wrapping around the shaft and pumping in steady, even strokes. Leo let him do this, his eyes still hooded, his shoulders relaxed.
What are you doing?
Rewarding the prince.
Tem understood.
Leo had done well: he’d been a willing participant, and now it was his turn to receive his prize. Caspen’s head dipped down, and Leo’s eyebrows shot up.
“Fuck,” he said hoarsely.
It was an amazing thing to see.
Tem touched herself as she watched them, bringing herself to orgasm long before they were even close to done.Leo alternated between staring at her and staring at Caspen, his long fingers grasping the back of the basilisk’s head as he slid his mouth up and down the prince’s cock.
“Tem,” he whispered, his other hand reaching for her. “Come here.”
Tem was happy to obey.
She leaned in, kissing him softly, feeling the tension building in his body. Tem knew exactly how it felt to be pleasured by Caspen—how overwhelming and unrelenting the basilisk could be. For Leo to experience it for the first time, here with her, was an indulgence Tem hadn’t known she needed.
Tem’s hand joined Leo’s. They held Caspen’s head together.
The prince was close. His skin was slick with sweat, his breath coming in desperate gasps. Tem had seen him like this before, in the carriage. Only now it was Caspen bringing him to the brink—Caspen sending him into infinity.
“You can do it, Leo,” Tem murmured. “Let go.”
“Fuck,” he whispered.
Tem savored the word, taking it from his lips and claiming it for herself. She pressed her mouth to his neck, nipping at his skin until it bruised. Leo’s head fell back, and she knew he was finishing.
“ Fuck ,” the prince cried as he came.
Caspen didn’t swallow.
Instead, he straightened, reaching for Tem’s face and coaxing her jaw open with his thumbs. Then he leaned down and released Leo’s cum into her mouth. Tem swallowed as it slid down her throat, the act a perfect mirror of when Caspen had given her his venom.
It was so simple: so easy.
Tem loved tasting what the basilisk had brought forth from the human prince. There was nothing better than the fruits of Caspen’s labor—better still when they were Leo’s.
When she had downed every last drop, Tem turned to Leo, who was watching them in awe.
She pulled his face toward hers before slipping her tongue into his mouth. Leo accepted it willingly— eagerly . They kissed for a long time, and eventually, they were horizontal once more.
They lay together, all three of them, Tem in the middle, both of them facing her. Leo’s hand rested on her stomach, Caspen’s just below.
Caspen looked at Leo.
“You did well, prince.”
Leo propped himself up on his elbow.
“My name is Leo. Anyone who’s had my cock down their throat ought to call me that.”
Tem had never seen Caspen roll his eyes. But he did so now, and the sight was so out of character she couldn’t help but giggle.
“Your arrogance is unparalleled,” the basilisk said. There was no bite to his words—he seemed just as amused as Tem was.
She felt Leo shrug.
“I’m going to take that as a compliment.”
“It is not one.”
Tem grabbed Caspen’s jaw, then Leo’s. “Can you both shut up?”
Caspen’s eyes returned to hers. With his mind, he asked:
Are you happy?
She answered his question with her own:
Are you?
Caspen’s eyes traveled over her face with utter tenderness.
Endlessly.
Tem didn’t know when she fell asleep. The last thing she heard before she slipped into blackness were four simple words, spoken by Caspen and clearly meant for Leo:
“Take care of her.”
When Tem woke, Caspen was gone.