26. What a beautiful dream it is
26
What a beautiful dream it is
Talon
I lay awake, my mind unable to settle after the revelation from earlier that evening. Kaine lay by my side, his breathing even. My mother always said people looked most like angels when they slept, except my father because he snored. Kaine looked like an angel most of the time, but right now, he looked at peace, his whole face relaxed in a way it wasn’t during the day.
I had started off thinking he was irreconcilably bad. And the things he’d done were not right. Tricking Nidori. Trying to kill me, to use me. But it wasn’t black and white. He’d been hurt, he’d suffered, and didn’t have the luxury of thinking about morality. He was doing what he thought he needed to do in order to survive. Maybe I was wrong, but I could see a good person in him. One that just needed a chance. Or maybe he was really good at manipulating me, and I was just seeing what I wanted to see .
I heard a faint shuffling noise and turned over, reaching for my sword, but it was only Nidori, hugging herself and nudging the ground with her foot.
“Can’t sleep?” I asked quietly. She shook her head. “Me either,” I said, sitting up. “What’s up, little bean?”
She climbed up my arm, settling on my shoulders and starting to braid my hair again. She was quiet, not humming, like she normally did.
Kaine stirred, sitting up and rubbing his eyes. “Are you having a party without me?” he mumbled, resting his head on his knees.
“I’m sorry I can’t stay with you two,” I said gently, trying to guess what she was upset about.
She nodded and peered up at me with her forest green eyes. “Am I a pretty girl?” she asked, taking me by surprise.
“You’re beautiful,” I said, looking to Kaine for help. Just like the last strange conversation we’d had with Nidori, he was useless, but this time because he was still half-asleep.
“I know that.” She shook her head. “I mean, am I attractive ? Like, if I was big, would I be someone you’d want to fox? To have something special with?”
“Yes,” said Kaine, without hesitation.
“Even if we weren’t already married?”
“Absolutely.” Kaine rubbed his eyes, and I looked at him, eyebrow raised. He yawned, waving his hand in our direction. “Oh, come on, Talon. Don’t deny it.”
I couldn’t really deny it. If she wasn’t the size of my hand, yes, she’d be very attractive. Nidori looked at me expectantly, and I sighed.
“Well, yes,” I said. “You are attractive. ”
She nodded, looking relieved and tracing a circle on the ground with her foot. “I’m just curious. I think I would. If I could. And I wish I could. So, I wanted to know if you felt the same.”
“Is that your plan?” I asked. “You’ve mentioned Lei Lei said she could make you big. Is that something that happens?”
“I mean, it’s definitely possible,” said Kaine. “We’ve got motherfuckers out there turning into wolves, bats, even trees, for crying out loud.”
“I’ve only heard about it in stories,” Nidori replied. “But Lei Lei…she said she would… If I win, that is.”
“Well, there you have it.” Kaine yawned again. “When that happens, I promise I’ll fuck you so hard, you see stars.”
Nidori gaped at him, eyes wide. “Wow.” She turned to me. “What about you, Talon?”
“Hey. You’re not married to him ,” Kaine said.
Nidori stuck out her tongue. “Neither are you. It’s not fair if you don’t share.”
“Don’t I get a say in this?” I asked.
“You’ll do as you’re told.” Kaine wrapped his arms around me and pulled me close, brushing his fangs over my shoulder. Heat pooled in my core. Yes, sir .
Kaine turned back to Nidori. “Ah, fine.” Kaine trailed fingers down my chest, causing my cock to stiffen. “I’ll share. If I can join in.”
My cheeks heated as I pictured it—Nidori’s brown curls splayed out around her as she lay back, arms stretching out to me. Her cheeks flushing as Kaine kissed her abdomen, his hand trailing along her skin, squeezing her breast. Her lips parting as I pleased her with my tongue. I pictured gripping her hips, her legs winding around me as her wetness slid on my cock. Kaine, ordering me to wait, to watch, to touch.
The thought was intoxicating .
Fuck. If she and Kaine won, if they got their blessing, I’d be dead. The scene I had pictured was a cruel paradox.
She still was looking at me, and I smiled at her, hiding my pain. “Yes,” I said, ruffling her hair. “It’d be my pleasure to make love to you if you get your wish.”
She sighed, curling into my shoulder. “That’s nice. I think I’ll marry both of you, then.”
“I don’t think you can marry us both,” I pointed out.
“Yes, I can,” she said, irritated. “A king did it in one of my stories. One of you will be my wife, and the other will be my concubine.”
“Ooh. Talon should definitely be the concubine,” said Kaine, nodding seriously. I didn’t think Nidori noticed the twinkle in his eye.
I snorted. “Sounds nice. I’d lounge around all day while you have all the responsibilities.”
“Hmm. Scratch that. Talon can be the wife,” he said with a yawn.
“So, it’s decided. Talon will help us out, and Kaine will live and marry us both,” she said, nodding.
Pain hit me like a wave, just like it had earlier as she looked at me. It pooled in my stomach and made my throat tighten.
“Nidori, I can’t,” I said, my voice sticking in my throat. “Please, just trust me. If there was any way I could do that, I would. But I can’t.”
“Why not?” she asked, and I almost told her. But I bit back my words. I couldn’t burden them with the knowledge I now had—that the choice was between Kaine’s death or mine.
My eyes flicked to him, and then down. “I just can’t. Sorry, little bean.”
She hugged her knees and looked down. “I’ve been keeping something from you. I’m sorry. I was hoping that it wouldn’t matter.”
Kaine lifted his head. “What’s that? ”
“The people following us. They’re after me,” she said. “I ran away, and they’re trying to take me back.”
“Over my dead body,” growled Kaine.
“You’re not mad?”
I shook my head.
“You should have told me sooner.” Kaine picked her up and looked into her eyes. “Nidori, I won’t let anything hurt you.”
Nidori wrapped her arms around his neck. “I know.”
He looked surprised, blinking down at her with sleepy eyes. “Although, we’ve probably got a very angry witch on our tail. Cassandra has ways of finding people that I’m sure she’s made use of by now.”
I rubbed my forehead. Of course.
“What about you, Talon?” Nidori asked.
“No one is following me. Doubt anyone even noticed I left.”
“Phew. I’m glad I got all that off my chest,” said Nidori. “I think I’ll be able to sleep now. After a drink.”
She kissed my cheek, and then Kaine’s, and fluttered over to the pool.
“She’s mad,” I whispered to Kaine when she was out of earshot.
“Hot, though,” Kaine said, lying back down.
I shook my head. “That makes two of you.”
“Two of us mad? Or two of us hot?” he asked, opening one eye.
“Both,” I muttered, and he grinned as I pulled the blanket back over me.
When I woke up, Kaine’s hand was touching my shoulder. I wanted to pull him close, wrap him in my arms, but I held back.
For warmth , he had said. He hadn’t asked for anything else.