Chapter Seven #2
“For fuck’s sake. First, you break into my home and then start smashing things on the floor when you could’ve just let River get a fucking chair for you. And yeah, I mean, you. No way in hell will you endanger my mate sending him scaling a bookcase for some goddamn flowers.”
“Awww.” River twisted from side to side with his hands pressed to his chest.
Bodhi banged his head again.
Tam dropped to the floor with the flower stems in his mouth. He immediately turned human again. “Oops. I’ve got that.” Another bright flash later, and his things were back in place, unharmed. The scent of white magic was cloying. Ugh. How tiresome.
River bounced on his toes, clapping. “That was amazing. What else can you turn into?”
“Well, I’ve been a wolf, a squirrel, a bird. Yeah, I snatched that motherfucker right out of the sky.” Tam covered his mouth. A horrified expression came over him. “I said too much. Dang it, Tam.”
River stroked his arm. “Don’t worry. I don’t know what any of that means anyway. We won’t tell anyone.”
Tam’s overly bright smile was back.
Bodhi’s temper snapped. “Oh, my fucking goddess. Has everyone forgotten I’m on the floor?”
Tam tried and epically failed to look tough.
He gave Bodhi a sharp nod. “And that’s where you’ll stay until I’m through with you.
” He focused on River and giggled. “I’ll give you some time to torture him while I return these flowers to their home and check in with my mate. Enjoy. Don’t be easy on him.”
River giggled and walked out of sight, returning seconds later. Bodhi assumed he saw the animals out. River sat at his side.
Bodhi stared at him, waiting to see what River would do. He hoped it was something dirty.
River traced the tattoo on Bodhi’s wrist and then held his wrist next to Bodhi’s. He assumed River compared the two.
“Is this a druid thing? The tattoos I mean. Fairies don’t mark each other unless they want to.” A dreamy smile touched his lips. “Most want to so no one gets any ideas.”
“No. Druids carry whatever mark their mate gives them. A Were would scar, fairy royalty gets collars. You know, things like that. I’m not sure why Celeste chose tattoos.”
River stared at his wrist. “I like this better than an ugly scar.”
The way River curled his nose made Bodhi smile.
The grin slipped away as quickly as it came.
“You do understand I truly am considered a dark druid, right? My magic isn’t to help heal the world.
Not anymore. Good guys finish last and get crushed by reality.
I’m not that guy. My very existence caused a war between gods that swept countless ancient societies out of existence.
Archeologists have studied for years to learn why some colonies just vanished.
That was because of me. The earth ran red with blood, including mine, in the aftermath. That’s what being good gets you.”
“Are you saying I’ll be torn to pieces just because I don’t like the way my stomach feels when I hurt anyone?”
Rage burned through him. No doubt fury showed in his expression. “Absolutely not. You have me, and I’ll be goddamned if anyone gets a drop of your blood.”
A small smile played on River’s lips. “You don’t feel bad to me.”
Bodhi didn’t know what to say to that one, but he liked the way River made him feel too. He never denied himself the pleasures of life. A wicked-sounding chuckle slipped from him. “Tell me more about me. Your voice is sexy.”
A blush exploded across River’s face. Bodhi never knew what to expect from River. One second, he was a firecracker, the next he fucked dirty as hell, and then he blushed at a simple compliment. Bodhi was nowhere near bored.
The level of shock Stygian felt had him walking in a haze.
So many things happened at once. Too many.
He wasn’t complaining. The vision Taurus created walking in front of him was a blessing in itself.
His brain just couldn’t process what had happened to him in the past twenty-four hours.
Celeste said he was good. What the fuck?
He had two mates and a real body. He didn’t deserve this. Why would she think he did?
Every worry flew out the window the moment they crossed the threshold into their bedroom.
Their bedroom. Holy shit. Taurus turned.
His mouth slammed into Stygian’s. Taurus’ hungry kiss was everything he craved without knowing what he missed.
Stellar’s body molded against his back and Stygian’s knees tried to buckle.
The darkness rose inside, immediately proving Celeste wrong about him.
He wanted to rip open Taurus’ throat and swallow his blood.
You’re hungry.
“Damn right I am,” Stygian growled between kisses.
Stellar worked to steal his clothes as if Taurus wasn’t eating Stygian alive.
His body cramped with a need for sustenance.
The rest of him wanted to fuck. Dirty, violent sex where no one even knew what fluid they swam in by the end.
He wanted to pass out from exhaustion from every way he dicked down his mates.
Stellar open-mouth kissed Stygian’s nape. “Yes. I want that.” He snapped his fingers, and they were nude. Stygian’s every breath came out sounding shaky. Arousal and a need for blood had crippled him.
Bite me. Take what you need. You’ll need—
The thoughts Taurus shared with him died on a gasp as Stygian instinctively sank his fangs into Taurus’ throat.
Hot blood that tasted sweet rather than metallic filled his mouth and spilled down Stygian’s chin. He swallowed, taking as much as he could in one gulp. Stygian sucked again.
You’ll have to stop me. I can’t stop. Taurus tasted too amazing. Stygian was too hungry.