Chapter 36 #3
“She stayed in the hospital almost two days, but with the prolonged contact, I wasn’t surprised.
But then three days after her discharge, she called into the office because she’d been admitted again with the same symptoms. She said at first she’d had a low-grade fever off and on, then all of a sudden”—I snapped my fingers—“the pain hit her while she was out for a walk. Like it never really left her, and she had a flare up.”
Serenity’s face hadn’t changed. No alarm, just empathy for a pain long past. It gave me the courage to continue.
“It never happened again, but I’ve worried—especially now, Serenity, that I can touch you as much as we’d both like—that I’ll infect someone with my curse. That it’s transferable.”
Her hands went over her heart. “You’ve never hurt me, Bry. I’m not worried.”
My body seemed to float, the happy tingles running along my limbs making me buoyant.
“That woman couldn’t touch you at all,” she went on gently. “It’s not the same.” Her smile banished all doubt. “Now, take your step.”
I did a big, hopping step, pinwheeling my arms to stay upright when I landed. I’d never reach her before Dagger at this point, but I wanted to hear her laugh. I got my wish.
“Seb,” she said, bubbly again, “time to catch up, Superman.”
“Wait, he gets to be Superman?” Dagger cried in mock offense, tossing a thumb toward Seb.
“He looks like Clark Kent,” Serenity explained with a shrug. “Don’t you think?”
Hunter chuckled. “He totally does.”
Seb’s chest inflated, but he partially hid his grin with the hand he used to push up his glasses.
Serenity pressed a finger gun to her lips, contemplating. “Okay, Seb, if you and I were part of a threesome with another of these guys, what would you call first dibs on?”
“Now we’re back to the fun stuff, eh?” Dagger asked, waggling his brows.
“You inspired me.” She bit down on her answering smile, fingers tangling in the fabric of her skirt. “Can’t get the threesome idea out of my head now.”
Dagger surveyed the rest of us, thumbs through his belt loops. “You’re welcome, gentlemen.”
Seb cleared his throat and pushed up his glasses in a nervous tic. “Um, I think I’d want to show off my tongue skills, between your thighs.” He grinned and added, “That’s where my experience lies, after all.”
“True.”
Lust stirred low in my gut. He could have her pussy first if I got to taste her nipples.
I imagined them going hard under my tongue, making my mouth water, my cock stiffen and my nails flared again.
I shoved them in my pockets as Sebastion took his leap—a good show but nowhere near enough for the lead.
“Hunter,” Serenity chirped, back in rhythm now. “Speaking of threesomes, do you and Dagger’s jaguars ever talk about what you’d like to do to me?”
Hunter’s face closed like a slammed door. “Er, no.” He avoided Dagger’s pointed glare by looking straight ahead like a soldier. “They don’t… uh.”
“Oh, I’m sorry.” Serenity’s eyes bounced between them. “Just some things you guys have said made me think… Can they not talk like that? Should I ask a different question?”
“How about I rephrase the question?” Dagger stood with arms crossed, fully facing Hutner now. “I’ll get a better answer out of him.”
Serenity studied him, brow furrowing. “Well, it seems like you guys need to talk this out. So okay. But be respectful, or I’ll retract the question.”
“Don’t worry, Cowgirl. I simply want to know why Hunter won’t let our jaguars speak? More importantly, why chain your animal in the first place?”
“Question approved.” Serenity nodded encouragingly toward Hutner. “Go on, handsome. It seems like he deserves to know.”
Hunter blinked at her a second and then puffed out a heavy exhale, turning reluctantly toward his twin. “You want the hard truth?”
Dagger crossed his arms, studying Hunter hard. “Yeah.”
“I caged my jaguar because he wouldn’t listen to my concerns, my intuition, or my side of things.
Just like you. After mom and dad, I wasn’t ready to reach out, but he kept insisting, kept trying to force me to make the mental connection.
He broke a boundary, so I broke ties. And I’ll keep him caged until I’m damn well ready. ”
“So, you’re punishing your animal for wanting to stick with his brother?” Dagger growled, taking a pace closer to Hunter. “That’s bullshit.”
“Hey,” Serenity barked. “Back to your space.”
Dagger’s scowl slipped. He obeyed, but muttered, “It’s total bullshit.”
Serenity tapped her foot. “You might think so, but was it true?”
“Yes,” he grumbled.
“Then, Hunter, take your step.”
Hunter stretched his quads, making Dagger roll his eyes. “I’m coming for you, baby,” Hunter told Serenity, but his next spring landed him one body’s length away from her, with Dagger just one regular stride behind him.
This game was almost over, and whatever dare Dagger had in store was bound to be dirty. I hoped a fight didn’t break out. It would be left to poor Seb to tear the brothers apart. He was looking better each day with Serenity’s blood, but Superman, he was not, and I wanted a chance to win a round.
Serenity pulled a come-hither stance in anticipation, an arm curving along a cocked hip as she looked to Dagger through a veil of lowered lashes. Dagger’s eyes flashed yellow.
Hell, if I had an animal in me, it would be making all kinds of noise trying to get to her. I wondered if she was doing it knowingly, trying to make Dagger forget the tension crackling between him and Hunter.
“Dagger,” she coaxed, “tell me your favorite part of that wild night with the wolf shifters.”
His answering look dragged along her body like he was imagining slowly slipping off her clothes. “I liked telling them what to do. I like being in charge.”
Color bloomed in Serenity’s cheek, but her eyes looked hungry. “What was your favorite thing you made them do?”
“Well, they were bad girls. They’d lied to me. They were mostly into each other. I was kind of just a sideshow. So, I made them bend over the bed while I spanked them.”
Serenity’s next breath was audible—a faint, rippling almost-moan that grew my cock. She crooked her finger at him. “Take your victory leap, Detective.”
Dagger’s jaguar voiced his triumph as he jumped to the finish line, landing with the toes of his socks touching Serenity’s. He took her chin in two fingers and drew her in for a kiss.
“Ready for your dare?” he asked when he pulled back.
She nodded up at him. “What is it?”
“Well, since you’re so interested in threesomes…”
A low, animalistic growl slipped through Hunter’s teeth, and I tensed, but Dagger plowed right on.
“… or fivesomes, even, I dare you to let us all kiss you in a place of our choice at the same time.” He caressed her hair. “Within the rules of course.”
Serenity leaned against his chest. “I like it.”
She really had tamed a wild jaguar. I’d never have guessed a dare so innocent would come from Dagger. One glance at Hunter’s slightly open mouth confirmed he felt the same.
“You heard her.” Dagger waved the rest of us forward. “Bryce, you pick your place first, so we can all keep our distance.”
We surrounded Serenity again, and I had to remind myself to breathe as I stepped to her right side and dropped to one knee. “Can I pull down your waistband just a little?” I asked her, a finger curling under the hem of her skirt, waiting. “Your hips drive me crazy.”
“Mm-hmm.”
I slid down the soft cotton to reveal her hip bone. “Ready,” I said, voice scratchy.
Hunter went next, standing right in front of her, a finger caressing the line of her V-neck down to the swell of her breasts. Seb went on her left side and sank low, caressing her thigh. So, Dagger went behind her.
“Can you lean your head back on my shoulder?” he asked her, voice so gentle I wouldn’t have believed it was him if I didn’t see his lips move.
She obliged, face upturned to him.
“Ready?” Dagger asked.
We all nodded.
“Go.”
I pressed my lips to her warm hip bone, right above the hem of her panties, and let my tongue taste her skin with the barest touch. She smelled like lavender and tasted like heaven, and I needed more.
She sighed, and her hand curled in my hair, sending tingles of ecstasy down my spine. I leaned into her touch as I tasted her with another kiss.
When I looked up at her in delight, I saw, to my absolute shock, that Dagger had kissed her cheek. With eyes closed, he breathed her in, his cradling her head, keeping her close.
Hunter always expected the worst from Dagger, but here was proof that when it counted most, he tried to do what was best for people he cared most about. Or he was just as determined to take this as slow as our girl needed, happy to just be a part of her little pack.