Bonus Chapter
This scene could occur after Gabriel tries elixir for the first time but before he partakes in his first basilisk orgy. There’s absolutely no rhyme or reason to it—I just wanted these three to get horny together. Happy reading!
Tem kept watch over Gabriel, but inevitably she lost him in the crowd.
It wasn’t until they eventually collided again that she realized he’d had more elixir in her absence.
His face was flushed, his pupils blown wide.
His chest was covered in a fine sheen of sweat, his breath coming in rapid bursts.
“Come on,” Tem said, touching his arm. “You should take a break.”
“I don’t want a break, dearest.”
“I know you don’t want one. But you need one.”
“Tem,” he whined. “Things are just getting interesting.”
They certainly were. All around them, the basilisks were undulating in a frenzied mass.
Limbs intertwined with limbs; mouths crashed against each other.
The entire room was filled with a hiss so loud, she could barely hear herself breathing.
If Tem hadn’t been used to it, she would have been terrified.
“Come on,” she insisted. “Just for a moment, and then we’ll return. I promise.”
Tem hooked her arm in Gabriel’s, pulling him away from the pile of thrashing bodies.
He followed reluctantly, and together they made their way to the chambers she shared with Caspen.
As soon as the noise quieted, Tem knew immediately that she’d been right to take Gabriel away.
Despite what he’d said, she could see he was overwhelmed.
Mating season was too much for any human—it was almost too much for her.
They collapsed onto the bed together. A moment later, they were both asleep.
When Tem woke, Gabriel was behind her, his arm thrown over her waist, his fingertips resting just below her breasts.
She noticed immediately how warm he was, his heat a twin to the dying fire.
For a moment, Tem simply lay there silently, feeling his breath against the back of her neck.
Eventually, he stirred. His arm tightened around her, pulling her flush against his chest.
Tem let out an involuntary gasp. At the sound, Gabriel froze, and Tem knew he had just realized how closely intertwined they were.
For a moment, she thought he might push her away.
Instead, he did the opposite, nestling his face into the crook of her shoulder and pressing his lips to her neck.
A moan escaped her lips. Again, Gabriel froze.
Out of instinct, Tem reached for his mind. But of course, she could not access it. Instead, she whispered aloud: “Again.”
A long moment passed, the silence punctuated only by the crackle of the fireplace.
Tem could almost feel Gabriel thinking. They’d crossed plenty of lines already tonight.
Some small, some significant. But always in a group setting.
Now they were alone, and whatever happened here—in the privacy of her chambers—meant something very different.
It would mean they sought pleasure from each other, specifically, rather than from their circumstances.
The thought was beyond intriguing to Tem.
Of all people, Gabriel was primed for this.
He acted more like a basilisk than Tem did.
It wasn’t a question of his ability. It was only a question of willingness.
The power to continue rested solely in his hands. And Tem rested in his.
Slowly, without a word, Gabriel pressed his lips once more to her neck.
Tem closed her eyes, savoring the way it felt, noticing everything about the way he did it.
The elixir had heightened her senses; it was as if he were touching her in slow motion.
His skin was soft, his body hard. She couldn’t believe this was happening.
There had never been anything romantic between them, and there still wasn’t now.
But that didn’t mean there wasn’t a deep love here.
What she felt for Gabriel was different than what she felt for Caspen or Leo.
They were not equivalent at all; Gabriel had been there first, and if anything happened to Caspen or Leo, he would be there long after.
Their friendship was the single most important relationship in her life, other than her mother.
Tem was completely safe with Gabriel—always had been, always would be.
This was her best friend. Her confidant.
Her person. Tem knew they held each other in high regard, and neither of them would allow anything to happen that might damage that.
Gabriel’s fingers brushed gently along the underside of her breast, tracing its curve.
Tem could feel every one of her heartbeats hammering beneath his hand.
When his teeth nipped her ear, she gasped.
Once again, Gabriel went still. Then his fingers resumed their journey, tracing gently over her skin until they reached her nipple.
He touched it slowly, coaxing it into a point.
Tem turned her head to his so their mouths were perfectly aligned. Gabriel closed the distance.
They kissed easily, both of them still loose from the elixir.
She understood for the first time why the stable boys were so charmed by him.
He was an exceptional kisser—intuitive and confident.
Gabriel smelled good, Tem realized. She’d never really smelled him before.
Now she noticed the sweetness that clung to his hair and skin, drinking it in as his lips moved against hers.
His hand was still on her breasts, exploring them slowly.
His other hand tangled in her curls, pulling her even closer.
With one smooth motion, Gabriel turned her around so they faced each other. Tem looked deep into his eyes as he looked into hers.
“Now, just what are we doing, dearest?” he whispered.
Tem shrugged. All she wanted was to make him feel good and to feel good in return.
“Having…fun?” she whispered back.
He shifted her in his arms. “You and I have never…had fun…with each other before.”
“I know.”
A pause. They stared at one another in the dim lighting, and Tem fought the urge to kiss him again. Her basilisk side was awake and roaring, acutely aware of the warm body in front of her. But this was Gabriel, and she would not do anything he didn’t explicitly want her to do.
“Won’t your husband mind?”
Tem almost laughed. She couldn’t think of anything Caspen would mind less. “Not at all.”
“You know,” he said, his mouth curling up at the side, “your marriage is a bit baffling to me.”
“And to me,” she admitted.
His smile widened. “Are you sure we shouldn’t call him in here just in case?”
Tem gave his shoulder a shove. She knew perfectly well that Gabriel only wanted to call Caspen in here because he was probably much more interested in him than in Tem.
Gabriel dodged her shove. “I’m joking,” he said with a giggle. “Kind of.”
Tem realized suddenly that this might be the first time Gabriel had been with a woman. She wanted to confirm it:
“Is this your first time?”
He paused, then nodded. “Yes.”
“You never wanted to?”
Tem was quite sure Gabriel would have had his pick of the girls, regardless of his previous entanglements with boys. There wasn’t a person alive—man or woman—who wouldn’t be dazzled by him.
He considered her question before answering, “It just never seemed…interesting before now.”
Tem wondered if it was the effect of the elixir, or perhaps just an effect of her.
Perhaps the elixir opened you up in more ways than one—expanding the possibilities of what you were ready and willing to do.
Whatever the reason, Gabriel was interested now.
And so was Tem. Still, she did not make a move.
If Gabriel wanted them to proceed, it was up to him to do so.
Eventually, he reached for her. He slid his hand gently between her thighs, opening them. Then he brushed his fingertips toward her center, pausing just before he touched it. Gabriel’s eyes flicked to Tem’s, and she nodded. They held eye contact as he slipped his fingers inside her.
“Like this?” he whispered.
“Yes,” Tem whispered back. “Just like that.”
Caspen had taught her so many things about her body.
Now, Tem taught those same things to Gabriel, showing him how to make her feel good.
She moved his fingers up and down, in and out.
Soon, Gabriel moved them on his own, reacting to the sounds Tem made, tailoring his strokes to her breathing.
What he lacked in experience, he made up for in sheer enthusiasm.
It was always that way with Gabriel. He was nothing if not a willing participant in pleasure.
Slowly, to give him every opportunity to tell her no, Tem slid her palm gently down Gabriel’s torso. Just before she reached his cock, she stopped.
“Do you want me to touch you too?” she whispered.
He nodded.
“Can you say it?”
“Yes.” He nodded again. “Touch me.”
Gabriel’s cock was just as perfect as he was.
Out of respect, Tem hadn’t allowed herself to really look at it earlier.
But now, she studied it curiously, noticing how straight and smooth it was before wrapping her fingers around it and beginning to stroke.
Gabriel drew a sharp breath between his teeth as she did so.
Tem was exceptional at everything he could possibly want from her.
And what else did he want? They were best friends.
They already loved each other. Why stop at just touching?
Tem placed her palm against Gabriel’s torso, pushing him gently onto his back. Then she knelt between his legs, holding his cock so that her mouth was directly above it. She looked at him. He raised an eyebrow. Then, he nodded.
Without hesitation, Tem lowered her head.